Hi there, I'm Stephanie.

And I'm Lydia.

Come along with us as we explore and learn about the world of Tolkien through deep dives on lore, characters, beat-a-lons and laugh-a-lons.

We are excited to have you as a new friend on this journey with us. Welcome to Speak Friend and Enter, a Lord of the Rings podcast.

Hey, welcome back. So just a little while ago, we did this episode on what if you've been afflicted with like, you know, a sniffed in others, somebody in your life that you love? But really loves Lord of the Rings a little bit too much. And it seemed fair to do the opposite side of what if you are that person? What if you're the person in everyone's life who loves Lord of the Rings too much?

And you're trying to get people on your boat.

Yeah. And we're not going into recovery here. This isn't like, you know, become a normal person. This is just to make everyone else around you also enjoy the scene too. Yes. Make them extremists as well.

Exactly. So this is how does one proselytize Lord of the Rings? And I had a bunch of ideas about this.

And just like last time, they kind of go in order of effectiveness and willingness to use. So I can start. You can cut in when you want. Perfect.

Okay. So my first thought, and I think that this has a solid basis in reality, is that the number one thing to do is start early. You gotta get them young.

Early childhood indoctrination. Yes. It has to be done this way. And like, I mean, early, I was a little bit closest. Like I made my sister watch it with me when she was what, 11? And you know, it was borderline, you know, 11 starts getting into that like sassy teenage area. And then they get to like, board mere dying and they're not crying like they should be. So we barely got it in. So I'm thinking more like 10, maybe nine is the right age. It's some violence. So you have to use your best judgment.

There is violence. Some people use judgment. Other people coerce their sisters into letting their nephews watch it with them. That's me.

I remember I would just cover my eyes during the battle scenes, but sometimes the sounds are worse.

I know. And you don't have any visuals to go with it. And you don't have any visuals. Squelches and groans and just like nasty horror sounds awful. Kind of tough. So yeah, I don't know. It's it's young children, but not too young and not too old.

There's like a window there. I feel that's what I recommend. So first tactic is to get whoever and this could be like as like, I don't know what you call it, like an ancillary target, right? So maybe you're thinking I want to get so and so into it. But first I'll go through their children

and once their children are into it, then you're dead wise. Yeah. But this is the thing. Do you do books or movies? You have to do the movies.

One because the movies are very nice. Yeah, I think first. Wow, because the movies are good and the books are hard. So like if we're talking young kids, there aren't a lot of kids. I think I mean, my siblings have kids who have pretty good reading levels, but like it's a lot to ask a kid to read Lord of the Rings.

Yeah, my dad read The Hobbit to me when I was young, but I didn't have a lot of siblings at home my own age. So I feel like it was good to like sit. Yeah, he'd read to me and I'd be like enthralled.

And the Hobbit is a different level. The Hobbit is much easier.

I need to go do a reread now that we're like doing all this Lord of the Rings stuff. I need to go do a reread because the last time I reread them, quote, I actually listened to them while I was doing some runs.

Oh, I love that. So I didn't have the same experience as I would like looking at it. But it's not the same.

Yeah, it's not the same. So like I have a nephew right now who's ten-ish and he's reading them and he's like doing fine in them. And I remember reading them when I was young. And I was like, you just you're too young to know that the prose is as hard as it is. It's like when you come back as an adult, you're like, oh, this is challenging stuff. So anyway, it's like there's a window that I suggest the movies because I really don't think just going to hurt them. Like they are good enough adaptations.

It's not going to ruin anything. And then when they go to the books, they'll actually have some exciting little gems. And they're like, oh, this isn't how I like they'll have the rough stretch line of the story, but they won't have all the details. So, you know, you get to the ending, you get like the raising of the shire.

You get all these little snippets that you don't get in the movies. So that's my number one suggestion. Get them young.

I love that. Number two, go through their stomachs. That is where most people are weak. You have to do food. So some kind of party with food. And you just don't even say that there's Lord of Reeds.

You should say, hey, guys, I'm having a party. Is it on Bilbo's birthday? Yes. But you won't know that. And you just invite them all over and maybe drop in subtle hints that there will be Lord of the Reeds or not. You know, you can just lie to people.

That's also cool. But you get people in there and you get them with the good food. And then, yeah, of course, you all have to sit in the living room. Oh, my gosh, there's this show on a three hour movie.

I guess we have to watch it. But do we have eight courses? Like, you know what I mean? Like this is possible. This is a viable plan to trap people in your house and then provide only seating that's in front of the TV. If you said you were going to feed me for three hours straight, I would be in.

Actually, that's great. I will feed you for three hours and 48 minutes. And you put that on the invitation and people are like, that is a weirdly specific time. I wonder why it's that many minutes. But that sounds great. They won't question it.

They will still attend. That's amazing. I love that. All right.

My number three is you've got to get them with the humor. Right. And how do we do this? Yeah, you say you say to the look, look at this meme. Wow, wouldn't this be so funny if you understood any of these characters? Like, I have always found that when I've explored a new movie or book or, you know, I guess, fandom is the word, like something that's really popular.

All of a sudden, a whole new world of memes just completely open up for you. Yes. Yes. And honestly, it's awesome, especially if it's any kind of popular theme, because then there's tons of them and they're just hysterical. So yeah, Lord of the Rings. Like the memes are so dead. They're really funny.

They're so good. And I feel like we would have to you'd have to just start sliding in quotes into like your everyday life so that people would feel like, man,

I'm not like I need to build the entry. Yeah, like I need to get up to date on some of these like these funny quotes that people are passing around perfectly into my nuts tactic, which is FOMO.

You know, you make them feel like they're missing out on something like they're so popular. I can't believe you haven't read them. Wow. These amazing books can't believe you haven't read them. Wow, this amazing meme that literally everyone else in our friend circle is laughing about, but not you because you are an idneramist. It's all kinds of ways.

And you should like go all the way down into like shaming them entirely. And like this words, I think it would be an easier sell if they were like into fantasy already, because

then you can go straight for the tiller. Right. You can say you like fantasy, but you haven't read a Lord of the Rings. What's wrong with you? These are classic. Yeah, exactly. You can go straight into the hard shaming. If they don't like fantasy, I don't know how you do it.

Maybe you have to say something like, you know, they sold more books in the Bible or something that's probably true, maybe not true, but close to truth. I could see. Oh, man, there might be something I'm trying to think of. Like so my partner is really into nonfiction. You also like Lord of the Rings. But if I was trying to work with someone that's like, OK, I'm a big nonfiction person, like what could you maybe you could watch the movie Tolkien first and like get in through like this world war. One kind of vibe of like this historical thing. The historical side of it.

Yeah. This is the birthplace almost of modern fantasy. And like we just have to let's just let's evaluate it from like a psychological perspective or like what are some of the things coming out of World War One that we could potentially see in in the books or in the movies? I don't know. Maybe you could come at it from like a nonfiction historical. He was into mythology and folklore.

Yeah, you might be able to dynamic. I think it would be an easy sell if they were like, I don't know, in interested in movies or cinematography in general. Yeah, I think you say look how many awards they want.

Look at this really interesting. Photography maybe even just start with the behind the scenes, which are movies unto themselves. And it's all about like the extreme effort and still that went into making them.

So there's a couple angles if they're into like the technical or the historical side of it. Yeah, yeah, I could see that. Another thought I had was just peer pressure in general. So you just ensure you just funnel friends in and out until you have the perfect balance of mostly over the reins fans because you're always I think the important message here is target one person at a time. That's how you can work your most powers on them.

Right. So you you angle around this one person. So how can we get this person? How can we get to that person?

And honestly, don't underestimate your power. So I have I think I've told you the story. Funny story in our mutual social circle. We have mutual acquaintances and I know of at least one girl who watched the reeds after avoiding it for many, many years, literally only because she heard that Stephanie was making a podcast on it. Does she listen to this podcast?

Sweet. Well, certainly not. Will she ever?

Probably not. But what the thought that ran through her head was, huh, I've heard of this scene. My husband has tried to make me watch this scene.

But this girl I know who is not weird and not my husband is so into this scene that she's making a podcast. I guess I'll check it out. You know, that level of like social taché.

You just try to spend it. So basically my solution here is be interesting, be popular, be attractive. And people want to be into whatever you are. You're so funny. You know, going along with what you were saying, though, I was thinking about how I get influenced in like multiple people mention something like if there's a brand or there's a

show that I should watch. This is what you have to focus on that one person and then funnel all your friends around them. And they just actually say, all right, on Wednesday, you will mention a lot of reeds. And then I'll follow up on Thursday and by Friday, they'll be buying the movies. Like they won't even be able to resist.

Yeah. And at the party, randomly on Sunday, they'll say, like, Oh, what are you reading lately? And you tell them, yes, the Lord of the Rings. Right.

So easy. Even a baby to do this. I did want to plug being attractive, though, because I really feel like there should be something in there for, you know, do your exercise for Eric. Do your lifting for Fayette and make sure to spread the good gospel. Sure. To spread the good gospel. Oh, my gosh.

I think another way here is like if you just interact with people on like a on a frequent but casual basis, I think background exposure is a strong method. Right. So maybe maybe just have instead of like Seinfeld running in the background, like my brother does always how to read, it's always running. The music is always playing.

That's good music. Books are mysteriously always on the coffee table, no matter how somebody manages to clean them up. In fact, there's even a bookshelf in the bathroom. And they're all there. I love that. I really feel like you can make that angle to,

you know, I wonder if anyone's come up with like a comic book version of Lord of the Rings. There has to have been some kind of animation. It's got to be hard to get the IP on this, right? Yeah, that's probably true.

That's probably true. Somebody could probably do an illicit version of it. And if I could draw, I would. I cannot draw, though.

So I feel like that'd be the perfect coffee table book or something along those lines.

You could just like flip through and get the initial. I think there is. an art book that I would be very interested in. You know what I'd be interested in? I'm not into comics, but I would be very interested in a version of the book that is got a lot of pictures in it, maybe comic style, but in the style of the concept art, not like traditional comics. Oh, that would be beautiful. That'd be beautiful. You know, that's a I'm just going to write that down as a project. Hold on. Hold on. That would be so amazing. It would be so good. So anyways, back in the real world.

Lydia is very, very focused writing down her new brilliant idea.

Such a good idea. OK, I'll be making that for myself later. So another angle that I think is good is I'm calling this the the camel's nose and the tent. Have you heard that saying about like the camel coming into the tent? Well, this is you just slow watching them.

You're boiling the frog and oh gosh, it's underselling. So I think what you do here is you say, we'll just watch 10 minutes. And then you secretly locked all the doors in the house. But you just don't let them escape. You just weadle your weight in there.

You get them started and then you don't stop. I think another angle is just like making comparisons. So everything that you want to like talk about, you just say, this is like Lord of the Rings, but worse. Or this book is like the Lord of the Rings, but in space. And like soon enough, they'll like they'll

have to be like what the crap is. Yeah, they'll have to be. And I think it works even better when you make completely nonsensical comparisons. So you could be watching Gilmore Girls and be like, this is like Lord of the Rings. But this really reminds me of Sam and Frodo.

Exactly. And like the more you make of these, I just really feel like they will be so intrigued because there will be so many contradictions, they won't know how to handle it.

Honestly, you know, you could compare it to this is a little dangerous. My backfire, if their expectations, but compare it to their favorite thing. Yes. Be like legally blonde, you know, what really pairs with that is Lord of the Rings. I could totally see it.

Yeah. And if they're not susceptible to that, I think you have to realize that they have a resistant attitude or nature. And you must know with some reverse psychology and then you just go flat out. You would probably hate it. I'm going to watch it alone this weekend. I just bet you to go out of town. Like don't be here. Don't come in.

We're having a fun party without you, etc. This is art and you just wouldn't understand it.

Yeah. Yeah. It's a little witchy to say it that way. It is.

It is. I thought of one that I might throw in here just coming off the heels of my New Zealand trip is take them on a vacation.

This is a very expensive vacation. This is very expensive. But let's say you're, you know, your person you're trying to convince is like, you know where we should we should go on a vacation? You should say, yes. I've always wanted to go to New Zealand.

Have you ever considered New Zealand? Exactly. Just slip it in.

I will say the sets and everything when you're there, it's so cool. So I think that would be an expensive. But if you're like, they will not be able to get their eyes off of this. They'll be so intrigued.

I love that. It's a great, great, exciting entry into the world. And there's other things.

Technically, there are other things in New Zealand. So you don't have to leave. You can lead with many other things. There's this beach and there's this height.

Oh, I love to go on this high helicopter ride. And then after they get there, the beaches where they filmed this, the height is where they filmed this. The helicopter ride is right up to Mount Doom. Hilarious dude, dude, honestly. Yeah.

So you just straight up lie. I think it would be fabulous. I think that would be a very enjoyable entry for someone and a very enjoyable experience for an expert.

Yeah, I love that. So on the on the path of lying, which like the the vacation and not telling them things is, you know, you're walking down that path. I thought a funny thing would be you tell them, look, Lord of the Rings has the most amazing, massive, huge Shia Malan twist you've ever seen. Oh, never be able to guess it. And then they're like, OK. And so they watch the first movie and like

maybe they think their mystery here yet. And then the second movie and they did to the end of the third movie. And whatever they say, like whatever they guess, the twist was, it's kind of like in D.D. Where like your players are guessing and you're just like, yeah, yeah, it's absolutely that because I like to do that. Like when you give them a puzzle, you don't even have to have an answer to the puzzle. It's just you listen to their theories amongst themselves and they say, sure, why not that? And then they get to feel right. They get to feel like they were amazing geniuses and you don't have to come up with an answer to your puzzle.

So I feel like the perfect combination here. You just say there's a massive twist. And whatever they tell you, the twist is you say, that was it. Amazing. Wasn't it? You got it. I love it. Oh, my gosh. I just had another thought. OK, tell them that their doppelganger is an actor. Oh, shut up. Good.

And then when Ron or like Lurk shows up. Oh, yeah.

Like, you know, you're oh, my gosh, you look so simple.

We have to have to look. You don't even know exactly like this character. Yes. Like what if it's going to be?

No, I'm always so intrigued. I guess the danger is they might Google because I'm always so intrigued. And people are like, oh, you look just like this person. And I always look it up and I'm like, really? Shh.

Can I tell you about the week that I had a twin in Boston? I had like a legit doppelganger. Dude, one week just live in my life. I was stopped three times by strangers who wanted to know. Serious. Oh, seriously. And in one week, do you want and they were asking me different things like, oh, they were calling me different names and like was it the same name? It wasn't. So I don't really know what's going on there.

Oh, my gosh. I can't remember the name was. Yeah, I might have had multiple clones hanging out at the same time to add the clone convention. I don't know. But one time stopped me in the road. It's like, oh, yeah, you see not that choir. I was like, no, no, I don't.

And he's like, what? Are you sure? I was like, yeah, I'm pretty sure.

And I can't remember the other two were. Like I can sing for you now. Yeah, exactly. It was very funny. So yeah, the doppelganger argument, I think that's a powerful. That's a powerful one. Good one. I'm always so intrigued, but you have to make sure they didn't Google it somehow.

You have to be like, oh, they're in the gap and like, yeah, I don't know. Well, you can be like, they're not on I.M .B.D.

Yeah, yeah. Or you won't see how they look in the film. It's in the wall. Oh, it's only in this one scene. It's in this one. I don't know.

You have to make it work. But like the whole theme here is like, you've got to keep their curiosity. I like that. Yeah, yeah. My last one was literally proselytized. So my gosh, if someone brings up any kind of history or scripture or anything like that, you say you're not alone. You answer with an analogy or a situation straight from Lord of the Rings or the Somerilans. So somebody's like, yeah, you know, I was just thinking about like, Noah's Ark and like, bloody, bloody, bloody. Yeah. I know.

It's just like when Fain or left whatever, like when Fain or left Valinor. And I just feel like if you played this off with a straight face, it would only be funny and only people would probably rage, noodle things. But like, I thought of something similar.

I was thinking like when you're having conversations with friends, just make all your analogies Lord of the Rings. So they're like, oh, and then my boyfriend said this, can you believe how frustrating that is? And it'd be like, yes.

Oh, my goodness. That's just like when Frodo told Sam that Gollum was not being sneaky. And then behind his back, Gollum was sneaky. And then they would look at you like, what the crap?

Yes. Or they're talking about the love in your life, the love of their life. You're like, yeah, almost as good as Baron. No mention, no description. Like, yes, exactly. Anyways, these are like in order, roughly, of like how effective and or whether you'll be able to retain a relationship with them afterwards.

But definitely you have the most extreme method. Did you or did you not?

The most extreme method being, oh, actually, yes, I do. But this one's mainly for me and you, Lydia. I don't know if other people have to go to our level. I was just thinking you were talking about, you know, looping in a good friend to start a podcast. Oh, yeah, that is actually legit, too.

You should say just say.

Tell them that it's been your dream.

Oh, my gosh, yes. Later on the Dilt. Yeah, did I kill you, Lydia? No, this is good. I mean, maybe reverse psychology, guilty to me. Now I have to, I thought I was willing, but now I have to reflect on this.

Oh, my goodness. Yeah. But in addition to this, what Lydia was referring to is that I have now become the proud owner of about a thousand business cars.

On accident. You intended to have a mere hundred. I meant to only have a hundred. And then I think they said, no, we don't print that. They sent me like a thousand. So if anyone needs those, we can mail them to anyone. Actually, yes.

Let us know somehow and we will get you some business car. Anyway, so yeah, literally proselytizing, handing out cards, throwing down with scripture buffs. I think you could go like toe to toe with some kind of street preacher and win.

So but we'd have to get really good at our so more really. And they'd be quoting Bible and we need to be quoting. I don't know if there's a version with verses, but we can find one. We can say we did of Madeleine verse 13 is test.

So really in chapter 13. Oh my gosh. Yeah, that would be that would be wild. I love that.

So good luck to everyone trying to be like a convincing and non abrasive proselytizer.

Yes, I have to say my favorite one is the party because you can have a good time, slowly introduce people, have stuff playing on the TV. I feel like I actually did have a billboard themed birthday party.

I feel like it was pretty successful. Additionally, you can also wear funny things like Hobbit Feet Slippers, which I did acquire and it just makes people laugh. And maybe they'll be slightly curious after.

I'm not brave enough for that.

I'll buy you some. Don't you worry. Don't do it. Only people on the bleeding edge of fashion to pull that off. Well, if you don't want the Hobbit Feet Slippers, I can get you some elf ears. Excellent.

That I could rock. No one will question me. We'll work with it. That's all I had. Okay. Amazing. Well, thanks so much for joining us tonight, guys. And yeah, and good luck pulling your friends in. Yes, you can do it.

Good luck spreading the good word. Exactly. See you later. Bye.

Thank you. Bye.