Real Milwaukee | November 12, 2026

Oh man, I was so excited because when I looked at the rundown today, it said cookies cramp with props and they're edible props. Yes, they are. And we've started eating those props. Right. You got the magazine, Derek. I think this is super, this, this magazine is loaded with great recipes. And if you're a fan of Taste of Home, you're just going to love what it's offering this year. So Taste of Home is famous. You can find them all over the country and they're based Crazy, right? Milwaukee. Yeah, originally Greendale. Milwaukee. I didn't know that. I did not know this. This has been like generations of goodness. Yes. I feel like that comes to the holidays. Oh, Derek, I turned to a cannoli page on accident. Oh, this is for you. Yes. Oh, that's delicious. And then that means you have to make them now. There you go. You know, so the chefs over there, as well as their executive director of the culinary team, said the recipes they pick. are very good recipes. They're tried, they're tested by the team's chef, but also they're not very difficult to make. They lay them out. Well, we'll be the judge of that. Yeah, right, until we all try it. Although you're an excellent drizzler. I heard that and thank you for the drizzle. I feel like, though, these cookies are kind of kicked up a notch. I feel like these are some of the ones that we've had. In different variations, you know, at parties. Yeah, so should we get into those? Can we please? Because we all kind of snuck a cookie. Can you give us a tour of the samplings? Sure. This is our test kitchen. By the way, there's a QR code up for the event that is coming up, which is the Milwaukee Cookie Exchange. It's happening December 9th. If you are a baker, you want to be a part of that, scan that code. Tickets are $35. Now, you can bring a guest. They also have to pay, but you have to be somebody that brings cookies to go to this event. I want to get that out of the way immediately. Good cookies. You can't buy the cookies. They're not be stale either. I will say, toasting the almonds, really. Yes, toasting is like a campfire. This is really delicious. That is a nice touch. For me, it's the consistency. There's a little softness in there. There's a little crunch. Mm-hmm, yeah. The top of, like, the little sugar, that's a different type of sugar, too. I noticed that when I bit into it. You're talking about the almond croissant cookie, which is on the right-hand side of the tray over here. You can see that. It's got the drizzle. That's the one that Nicholas said. I'll touch one to show. You have to be the one you touch. Not you. So the one, then the one in the middle, the one in the middle, so it's not just Christmas cookies, right? So there's obviously people of different faiths. So these are gelt peanut butter blossoms, which are very similar to that traditional peanut butter blossom with the Hershey's Kiss in there. I feel strongly about this because they need cookies too. Who? The Jewish community. Do they not historically eat cookies? Of course they do, but at this time of year, I just think it's going to be inclusive. You know what I mean? Oh, yeah. And then the last one there, which I've never heard of a Texas sheet cake cookie. Apparently, it's a flat sheet, and then it's baked on one, and then they cut it up on there. These were a takeoff of that. And it almost has this, like, cake-brownie cookie consistency. Sure does. Yeah, and it's not something I'd normally go for. I enjoyed it thoroughly. And that's what I also love about this. It's more than just a cookie. You have bars. You have brownies. You have... Some that taste like this is a little bit of both. This is absolutely delicious. So the event's going to sell out. And if we can pull that QR code up again, I'd appreciate it. But the event's going to sell out very soon, if it's not already getting close to it. So December 9th is the event. But this is the first of its kind. And they want to make it fun for everybody. And they also want to do this year after year. So you have to bring six dozen cookies. You're at that limit. Two dozen for tasting, which will get cut up. That's a lot of cookies. And then four dozen for exchanging. And is that the cost of admission is the cookies, or do you have to pay for it? The cost of admission is $35, I believe. Man, somebody make a frosted red velvet cookie, man. Show that one down to me, because that one, love red velvet, everything. I saw that one in there, that was good. Talk to me. So what, like, because I do like a cream cheese frosting. Talk to me, velvet. Somebody told me that red velvet is just like a chocolate cake with, like, beet juice. No, no, no, no. It's not? It is not. My grandmother and my mother make it for, well, when grandmother was living, she'd make it for Christmas. Oh, my God. And so, obviously, my mom was taught how to make it as well, and boy, when I tell you, she puts her foot in it every Christmas Eve. Are you seeing the ones that are made up of, like, little reindeers, too? Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking at. Oh, that's cool. That's really fun. Creative ideas, cute ideas, tasty ideas, all of it. And there was another one I thought was pretty cool, too. You said newsstands, so I was wondering where to get these. Yeah. I think I've seen these at SendEx. You can go to Barnes & Noble, get it. You can get it at Grocers, too. Oh, these are cool, too. Look at these. Honestly, it's a good, like, cookie to... Oh, look at... Oh, there's little gnome cookies. And the thing is, not only are they creative, but they are so delicious. They're airy, they're light. You can tell they're fresh. I'm here for it. How cool would it be to be a part of that team that has to test these, make them, like the people that write in the recipes, and then... The whole team over there at Taste of Home gets to sample them. Do they accept interns currently? Seriously? Unpaid. We'll be unpaid interns. I think I do. I'll tell you, when I retire, I'm going to retire right there. I'm going to go in there and just eat. I just love how this big national thing that I've been, like, I grew up with this. Oh, that is super cool. That looks like it's unreal. And the photography is beautiful. Oh, yeah. Like, all the fancy lighting that you were showing us. Well, look at what Derek is showing. Look at that. I've formed an alliance with them. I feel like I'm going to be back there very soon. Oh, yeah. Well, thank you for sharing. I did not know. And 108 treats in this one that you could share. Definitely pick it up if you see it. Thank you, Grant, for bringing back treats for the class. I told you guys I had cookies on the way. Props. Well, listen. We're grateful for you. Try to try this one. There you go. We're grateful for you, Mommy. Thank you. Oh, yeah, they're wonderful. Yeah, they're going to sit there all show long. Yeah, I'll do that. It might be finished by the time we end the show. All right, let's hit the bumbler. You know what? It was wonderful. Well, the City of Milwaukee Public Works Department has extended the deadline for residents to rake leaves into the streets. The deadline is now Sunday, November 29th, two weeks after the original November 15th deadline. So you may remember the crews had challenges last year with the snow. The commissioner joined us on Fox 6 Now yesterday to share the improvements this year. We've been tracking where we have larger piles and identify them in a quicker manner. We've addressed more staff this year than we have and kind of switched schedules. We used to be in the middle of the night. Now we have folks starting at 4 a.m. and working 10-hour shifts going through. So we can try to get as many leaves out as possible, just in case we have one of those, you know, hardier storms like we've had in the past year. Crews have been working since mid-October to collect leaves. DPW is asking people with the modest amount of leaves to mow or mulch them. I am. And I think if you're doing bag collection, some reminders too. I do, too. The paper leaves need to go, the place the leaves in a paper waste yard bag or just obviously line the curb. Do not use plastic bags of any kind. Obviously, the bagging is optional. But with a windy day like today, if you have them, I would say it would help out. That's a silly question to somebody who does not have a yard. Do you have to rake your leaves? No, you can mulch them. Mulch them and they're fine? They won't kill the grass? I did both this year because we get so many, we get dumped on, and I've mulched for like the last four weeks, I think, and I will say this, that I'm somebody that gets hit with allergens during the fall, and you can hear it in my voice, you can hear it, it's like not gone away for four weeks, because every, so I prefer to bag them, because every time I mulch them, it just kicks back up in the air. I get it. So, but it's, yeah, I... Do it your way, however you do it. But this year I did mulch them, and I think the grass looks pretty good. Yeah, I'm glad they're extending it because it's been so warm out. And honestly, I feel like our leaves kind of fell late this year because the weather was so unusual. I feel like, you know, I'm kicking this can. If I have a yard, I hear that Yeah, I'll do that. You can come over any time and rake or mulch. Oh, I find Charles will mulch for cookies. We had Charles cut the grass for the first time this past. How did that go? You know what? That is a life lesson right there. It's something, you know, you take pride and have work ethic as a 10-year-old. It's good exercise. He made some extra money. Beautiful. Buy some Legos with those. Right. Is he going to mow the neighbors now, you think? I don't think so. I think he's cool with doing our yard. How are the edges? How are the lines? Oh. Oh, okay. I will say that the edges weren't. Weren't, uh... He didn't attack those because he was uncomfortable turning it because it's still heavy. But the lines were probably as good, if not better, than mine. Which made me feel like if I was cutting the grass while I had a few drinks, that's what mine would have looked like. They probably took pride in it. It was his first time. You know, when you're mowing, you're probably like, let's just get this done. We got to get it done. Which is a testament, though. You know that you want your kid to do better than you in all areas of life. And I think he surpassed in this capacity. Which is interesting. Thank you. Which is interesting because my dad he was very he was very adamant about straight lines on The lawn. And so I learned that from him. And then, you know, he's learned it from me. Dude, that's like a fresh manicured lawn. Who does your yard? Man. Well, my husband does. We've had different. My son has tried to do it for a year or two. My husband did it. We've had people do it. Sure. The guy, my husband's so picky with his lawns. And he's like, you know what? I got this. Yes. Yeah. So he took it back over. He has his little rider. He's out there. And he's just like a kid in a candy store. He enjoys it. I think there's something about you guys out there with your lawn. You get an hour to kind of listen to some tunes and, you know, you get some sun, you know, and yeah, you're definitely unplugged. He's riding away out there. I love that. Oh, he's got a rider. Yeah. Oh, that's a different story. No, no, no, no. We graduated to the rider. Oh, you did? We started with, because I was like, well, let's be eco-friendly. You don't need the gas and all that. So we started with one of those, like, battery ones. Uh-huh. He was like, what are we doing here? He had, like, four batteries. He's, like, stopping in the middle of it. He's like, I can't do this anymore. And that's when we got my son. into it because he's like, maybe you can get out here. Needless to say, a couple years later, he's like, I'm done with all of this. You know? And you're getting older. You know, it's all a long time. Apartment condo life is something that I miss once in a while. Without a doubt, because of that reason. He's amazing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is a perk. It is a perk. Oh, man. It's also a perk to have an incredible pitcher in our community play for the best team in baseball. We're talking about the Miz. He was unanimously named this year's National League Cy Young Award winner. It is the highest honor for a pitcher, and it comes after a historic season for the Miz. He led all of baseball with a 1.8 earned run average, and he also led the majors with 252 strikeouts to end the regular season. I mean, the guy is dominating. He's just 24 years old. He has a Cy Young Award and a World Series title under his belt. I don't know what's next for him, maybe multiple Cy Young awards, multiple championship rings hopefully in his future, but we are so proud to call him ours. Do it all again. No, I don't think there's, there's not much of a next step, you know, it's kind of just maintaining and trying to repeat what you did this year and, you know, if I can get anywhere close to what I got this year, I think I'll be happy. Okay, well, this guy right here is the fourth Brewers pitcher to win this award. I'm just amazed every time I watch him pitch. So fast. Composure for a 24-year-old. Yeah. I think, too, when you're on a team like the Brewers and you have the position that he has, and quite frankly, you have the talent that he has, there's a pressure that comes along with that. I'm sure. Like a grace you have to have, a maturity. I mean, he's like an icon to kids all over the world. And I really like the way he seems to handle that. He seems like he conducts himself like a very lovely, gracious young man. You know what I mean? Above that, he's humble. He's seemingly humble. Can't beat somebody who's humble yet dominates at that level, you know? You know, they say like what the measure of a person is not how they handle success. It's how they handle failure. A lot of people don't handle success this well. You know, he's a really classy kid. So good for him. We're proud that he's ours. We love that. Well, yeah, it's a great time to be a Brewers fan. The accolades just keep on coming. We know the National League MVP was announced today. Yeah, there's one more award to be announced, and that is a most valuable player. Brewers second baseman Brice Turang is a finalist. Turang is both a Gold Glove winner and Silver Slugger finalist, highlighting a great year both on offense and defense. He's up against the Cubs' Pete Crow Armstrong and Shohei Ohtani for the Dodgers. The winner is going to be announced at 6 tonight. We'll keep you posted. I'm interested, but I mean it's been We've got Pat Murphy. We've got now the Miz getting the – I feel like we're on a roll here. So, good – I like that. William Contreras, MVP. Come on, yeah. Yes, good lead up for Bryce. Don't you like how it's spread around, too, through the entire team? It's not just like one person. Right, who's winning everything. They all play different positions. Yeah. So, from the Brewers to the Packers here, Green Bay, obviously, a great place to play for a lot of football players. It's being recognized as one of the best sports cities in the country as well. Wallet Hub compared almost 400 cities. Across America in search of the best sports cities. And from a fan's perspective, related to the five largest sports in the U.S., Green Bay made it to the top spot for the best mid-sized sports cities. Oh, that's cool. I feel like, I want to say that's kind of a given. Yeah. If you're a mid-sized city. Fair. Like, who else is it going to be? You have to think about just the buy-in from the community, right? Because like every Sunday, you know, whatever it is, like 70,000 people pack that stadium to go. There's a lot of traffic. There's a lot of, and everybody's in on it. You know what I mean? Like the difference living in Green Bay from the off season during the regular season or even the post season, they're totally different cities. And so the way that they really kind of try to. Ride off that momentum, you feel it all year round. In any weather. Right. As y'all know, the football purists, man, they do not care if it's snow on the ground, which I admire them for because I care. I don't care. Well, speaking of the Packers, they kick off against the Vikings at noon on Sunday. You can watch the game right here on Fox 6. It's all part of a full day of football with the NFL trips to Munich, Germany in the morning. Then stay tuned for the Fox 6 Sports Blitz at 10.30 Sunday night. I'm excited. International games are fun. Oh, yeah, they're cool. All right, guys. Well, you know that weather is going to get a little bit colder here in Fox 6 because we've been doing something for quite a long time. It's Coats for Kids, and this is the Saturday collection that's happening. We're in the middle, like I said, of the 42nd annual Fox 6 Sports Blitz. Coats for Kids campaign, and we need your help. So this Saturday, join Fox 6 and Landmark Credit Union for a special drive-thru Coats for Kids collection event. We'll be at Landmark Credit Union headquarters on Executive Drive in Brookfield from 7 until 9 in the morning to accept your donations of new and gently used coats. And an added bonus here for the first 100 cars to come through. Donate at least two coats, and you'll receive a pair of ticket vouchers, good for any upcoming Admirals hockey game. That QR code is on the bottom of your screen there for you. We're going to be right back here on Fox 6 with Real Milwaukee. All right, we are in the midst of holiday party season, and a big thing to do is drink at those parties for some people, and there aren't too many topics that are off-limits for us, but there are things you'd rather probably not be asked by a nosy relative or a co-worker during said holiday party. Among them, why aren't you drinking? Yeah, oh, oh, yeah, we've all heard that before. Yeah, don't do that. People always ask women that. Yeah. Oh, like, you don't have to drink. No, you don't. It's a personal question. That is a personal question. Well, the study here explored the do's and don'ts of holiday drinking and generational differences in kind of party etiquette. The top faux pas included pressuring someone. To have another drink, overindulging in alcohol, and expecting everyone to participate in a round of maybe shots or a round of drinks. Agreed. You also need to realize what type of party you're at, too. You know? And my co-workers, I'm about to get. You tore up like that. No, not at all. I need you to see me how you see me at work, a certain way, in a certain light. I also think, too, like, this time of year, there's just so many social activities and so many events. Like, you just don't, at some point, you're like, okay, I'm here. I'm making an appearance. Like, I'm not, you know what I'm saying? And not everybody seems to recognize that. Like, you're like, this is my fourth one of these this week. Like, I'm probably not going to go. Oh, agreed. It's a weekday, too. It's like, come on. Seriously, like... Kids still got school tomorrow. I still got to go to work. Like, I'm here. I never truly understood that the holiday party is going to be on a Thursday. Okay. And then, like, your office is empty on Friday. Like, you only have the management team to blame for that. We had ours last year, what, Friday night? No, it was not. No, it was like a Thursday. It was like, oh, it wasn't Thursday night? You weren't even here the time of day. No, no, not the wake-up one, the station party. Yes. No, it was during the weekday. But it was during the day. It was a very wholesome activity. Yes, and we all had fun. Are we talking about the same party? Yes. Oh, I'm sorry. The one before that, my first year here, the one at Third Street. Oh, that was so fun. That was fun. That was like, was that a Friday night or something? Yeah, we turned it up. Oh, it was Saturday night. It was Saturday night. I had a great time. Oh, yeah. It was so fun. It was so much fun. That was fun. You were gassed. Oh, you don't remember, huh? We were playing like the zombie ball. You were so nice to my wife that morning. It was my first time meeting you. You made me, or ordered me, some sort of like an old-fashioned, but I don't remember they were not making old-fashions for whatever odd reason. When you know people, you know people. See? Oh, baby, come on, baby. So we got you an old-fashioned when it wasn't on the menu. Yeah, that's what it was. You had some corn. I was going to talk to you everywhere. Exactly. Yeah, we, I don't, last year we did like a, it was like. It was like we went to a bowling alley, which was just during the day. It was more wholesome. Yeah. I don't mind that because, you know, you kind of have let loose for a little bit. My first year, I spent with you and your husband. You did. I enjoyed y'all. Yeah, good job. That's what we expected. He put his jacket down. I'm here. We're here. Yeah, we're here. I like the traditional holiday party. It's on a weekend night. We all dress up. Come on, yeah. The ladies wear their leopard, their pleather. I like being able to meet the spouses. I like seeing the significant others. I enjoy that. As we were trying to plan. There's only a couple of weekends before people really go out of town, and I think that's why folks are trying to hit it up during the weekday, depending on what the circle is, you know? Well, I think there was a stretch where we had a lot of, like, January, February, and I enjoyed that, too, because it gave us something to look forward to and something kind of fun in the new year. I like that. Keep the months going by. Yeah, I like that. It's hard. Are we planning the thing? Oh, we have some thoughts. Check your e-mail a little later. We're discussing commercial break. Hurry up. Did I miss something? We have thoughts. We don't have to broadcast it out for everyone, huh? Yeah, yeah. Okay, so should we talk about a morning debrief? How does that sound? A night out with friends is always fun, but a new survey found over half of Gen Z and millennials say the morning after debrief is even more exciting than the night itself. Oh, yeah, you've got to unpack what happened. 64% say recaps are a must after a big event, whether it's a party, a vacation, or a night out. They say it helps them relive their favorite moments, feel more connected to friends, and piece together what actually happened. How many times have you actually? Texted, what happened last night? To coworkers or friends? Sometimes. Yes. As an adult, maybe not for you as much, but in my days, in early 30s, what happened last night? Was that Colin Kite? It's different when you're a female, I think, because you just have to be more. I've never had that happen. Luckily, I've never. But I think, you know. Yeah. I feel like what happened last night or like WT fill in the blank. Like you mean it's like, yeah. Like where, how did we end up there type thing. And why. Also, how did we end up home? Thank God we did. At that point, I think everybody's being safe, right? Yeah, yeah. I mean, if you're pushing 2 o'clock in the morning, you're also probably getting into something that you might regret. Well, they say nothing's the only thing open after midnight, Crayon. All right, we're getting at the top of the team in the Grinch, so I'm going to go ahead to the T's. We might regret that. Oh, you're the Grinch. That's a Grinch. Yes, first stages here ahead of their run. And I'm going to show how the Grinch stole Christmas next. It's a family show. Thanks for pulling us back on. We've got to get derailed really quickly. We'll get there eventually. Actually. Welcome back everybody. One of Christmas's most iconic villains coming to first stage. Jeff Frank is here from first stage with Finley Rose Brown who plays a pretty well-known who in this year's performance. Let me guess here. Cindy Lou Who? There you go. Wow. And you've been performing since you were seven years old. Is that correct? What's it like getting a role like Cindy Lou Who in The Grinch? I love playing Cindy Lou Who. I can really relate to her. She's very sweet and empathetic to people. And she's the one, too, who really kind of sees the good in the Grinch, right? Because there's good in everybody. What do you think? Audiences can take away from her character in particular. Well, like, she always wants the Grinch to feel like he belongs and for the Whos to see that he does belong. So I think people should take that. Thank you. Thank you. Everyone should include people and see the best in people during the Christmas holidays. I like that. Jeff, you get to see the best in the kids as well as the actors. You know, this has been something you've been doing for... Three decades. Yeah. How does this year compare to previous years of pulling this off? Well, it's our first time getting to work on The Grinch, so that's exciting. I mean, I got there in 1996, came to first stage, and at that point, the first production of Grinch had happened in 94. So for 30 years, we've been hoping to get the rights to do it, but it was really limited to a couple specific theaters and a national tour. So we're excited to finally embark on that challenge, and audiences are responding. Tickets are going really fast. That's the... Production team, the design team that we have on this is incredible. The scenic design by Kristen Ehlert is amazing. We've got Josh Schmidt on sound and Jason Fassel on lights. Amazing costumes by Teresa Hamm, which are an homage to the illustrations and the style of Dr. Seuss. Very colorful, very bright. Oh, 100%, yeah. So what do you think, because people are familiar with this story, right? It's beloved. It's a Christmas classic, at least for me at this point. I guess, how do you kind of bring your own? flavor to it because I can imagine that would be a challenge to make sure that this is something that people have not seen before that's special. Yeah and I think the best thing for that we bring to it is bringing this epic tale into our smaller space right so I think the intimacy of the story is there and actually better served than some of the national tour in these really large productions so the heart of the piece rings out and one other interesting thing that we're doing is old Max who sort of tells the story it's Max the dog grown up is telling the story and that's the role is played by Paul Helm is also playing the piano. He's telling the story, but he's also bringing it to musical life as he's telling the story. So it's just, again, another approach to how the story comes to life. For you, what is your favorite part about being in a performance that a lot of people know? Is it the acting part, or is it being with all, basically, your friends and the rest of the cast? I love, like, being in the community of everybody, and they're always, like, so nice and talented. So, like, I love that part, and I also love acting and singing. Yeah. Well, seemingly, you're going to be an actor. Right. Watch out, Hollywood. We knew her when. I want to ask you, because obviously you're busy, right? You're in school, I can imagine. You've got a lot going on. How do you balance it all? Like, what's the time commitment look like for you leading up to a big performance like this? Well, I usually... If it's a late night, I sometimes sleep in and then I go to school because I still have to do work at school. Or sometimes, like, if it's a really long day, I skip school. But that's very rare sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's no joke. Yeah. I mean, because you have to find time to balance that, like you guys said. How do you guys do that, knowing that these kids are still young? Because, Finley, you're at, what, 11? 10. 10 years old, only fifth grader, right? So all of our shows are double cast. So Finley is one of... Two Cindy Lou Who's. Okay. So share that role with Eloise. So the rehearsal time is split, and then the performances are split. So they miss less school. But we do talk about it. They have to work with the schools. They have to coordinate homework, all those sort of things. It is taking on, really, another full-time job. But we work to make sure that they're supported as much as we can and really have clear communication with the parents so that we take care of the young people knowing the enormity of the task that they're taking on. I love that you said that it's kind of a second job because it really is. I think there's one thing about being in a school performance, This is different. This is really at a professional level. Definitely. Okay, so this is the Grinch, right? And you've never been in this role before as Cindy Lou Who. What's your dream role? Oh. My dream role is Matilda. But Matilda's like, I watched that movie and that's what wanted me to act because I thought it was really cool. That's a really fun movie, too. Yeah. I've heard the magic that she can do. Yeah. That was a wonderful movie. Yeah. Incredible musical. Yeah. Now, Jeff, obviously, this is something that's going on soon. Is it November 21st that you guys are kicking off? Yeah. We open then and we run through December 26th. Like I said, tickets are going fast. So go to firststage.org, get your tickets. It's, yeah, it's... I feel safe in saying it's going to be the highest grossing show in the history of First Stage at this point, given where sales are. And obviously, that does a lot to support your programs and what you do. And guess what do you want people to know about? When they go to a show at First Stage, it's about so much more than just your ticket. Definitely. For me, it's about community coming together, as Finley's talked about, and about the generations of folks coming together. That's my favorite thing to do now. I come and I watch the show, but I watch the people watch the show. That's where a lot of my joy comes from. I'm just seeing families come together and share. Share this experience. Okay. And do you have a favorite part of the show? Oh, my favorite part is singing my song Santa for a Day to the Grinch. I think it's a very heartwarming and meaningful song. Oh, wow. She's got all the good writing. I'm just waiting as well. Well, you were very thoughtful. Young lady. Thank you so much. You're a better person. Thanks, guys. For more information, one more time on where people can find information, tickets, showtimes. FirstAge.org. All right, thank you, Jeff. Thank you, Finley. We will be right back with more of Real Milwaukee after this short break. Stay with us. You've got to get a cookie on your way out. We've got plenty more. All right, everybody, this is a hot topic among young people. We are not too far into the fall semester, right? But many Gen Z freshmen are already packing up and moving back home with their mom and dads. Students say they want a degree but are choosing to opt out of the traditional, quote-unquote, college experience. Others are citing anxiety and mental health struggles for their early departure. Now, the exodus is sparking a fierce debate online, as you can imagine. Some folks say that traditional college is not for everyone, which I agree with that. But critics have a different opinion. They say that this generation simply needs to learn how to be uncomfortable. Oh, that's interesting. Yeah, it's so much more nuanced than just be uncomfortable. Yeah, it's so much more than that. Because some people's discomfort is rooted in mental health struggles or anxiety, fear of crowds, fear of meeting new people. And that's a real fear for adults as it is kids. So that's a little more, it's not so black and white. Um, I, one of the things with social anxiety that, and I think maybe that this comes along with being an only child sometimes for either my wife or my son. And I see that I can sense that. And I feel like that. That critique, if you will, is so off with a lot of kids because they may be shy, but it doesn't mean they're not outgoing. They may be the quiet kid, but it doesn't mean they don't know how to have fun. You know, there are so many elements of that kind of statement that are just wrong. And I had a conversation last night with two viewers of Fox 6 Wake Up, Hi Mary and John. And we were talking about this, how there are certain kids that are just bubbly and outgoing and that they can take into high school. But sometimes they turn in college to the they come in and have those social anxieties as they get in the workplace because they're not ready. So it can flip on certain kids in the teenage years and then after they graduate as well. I do think to kind of look at this from a different lens, I think. Everyone just kind of thinks, or at least I felt like for me as well, you go from high school to college. Like that's what high schools are for, just to prepare you for college. And so to not go to college is, I think, can be seen from a societal perspective as like you're failing in some way. I disagree with that so wholeheartedly for a couple of reasons, not one. One being that I think you should really kind of know what you want to study when you get there or because like, OK, you enroll in an engineering school, you decide, oh, I don't want to be an engineer. That's like what it can be up to, like, what, $60,000 wasted if you if you need to then take a gap year or whatever. I also wonder, too, if some kids just, quite frankly, don't have the maturity yet to go away to college. You know, I just. Seeing a lot of things that have happened recently in the news with my alma mater, I think that's something that's really come to light, is that just because you're of age does not mean that you're ready. And I do wonder sometimes if parents, you know, they get caught up in it too, right? Like they're in these parent groups and, oh, we're so-and-so going to college. Oh, what are they studying? It's like, well, they might not be ready. It might not be a good fit for them to leave home. And I think that we don't talk about that enough. And this is about, you know, not just the different degrees. This was specifically kind of like... I want to get the degree. I just don't want to stay here and deal with this. Yeah. You know, but I do think that this is a generational thing, maybe because depending on the parental generation, we were in an age of, hey, this is how it is. Yep. Get it together. Figure it out. Figure it out. You know, and it was preparing you for what the world is. But because we perhaps grew up that way, maybe the kids are like, you know, we're not making our kids do that because we're not. We didn't. Let me try to rephrase that. I do things differently to my kids in certain aspects because I'm like, you know what? I went through this as a kid. I don't want them to feel that way. So I'm thinking that perhaps some of these kids in this generation are getting a lot more leeway because of how we grew up. You know what I'm saying? But it's not necessarily helpful in a certain way. So you have to find balance in terms of what you do need to stick out. How can we make this better for you? Sure. But just aborting the situation, I think, isn't really helpful. I do agree with that. It's almost like you're delaying the inevitable or you're postponing. It's like, what are we postponing here? I get what you mean. Like, is there too much coddling? I think that for me, it was always very like, look, there's guidelines to this. Like, you go to this college, but, like, you've got to. get this figured out in four years. Like we're not doing any of this super senior victory year. We're not, we're not, we're not, you know, we're not subsidizing that. And I think the same goes, like when I graduated from college, I did not have a job. And so I moved back home and I looked and every day it was very much like, you know, it was, I would have enjoyed that time. I think a lot more had I known that I was going to get something because it was stressful, but it was sort of this atmosphere of like, Hey, like, you know, you're here, but yeah. Okay, well, how many tapes did we send out today? Like, it was very much like... That's exactly what it was for me. You're always welcome back to my house, you know? But at the same time, especially after school, come on home, let's figure it out. But I think within that first semester, it's hard. We all were homesick, you know? It's a new person that you're rooming with. It's conflict resolution. You don't know anybody. It's having those conversations, you know? You're right about that. And it's also maybe finding your people that are feeling the same way you are, you know? I think it's trying to figure out life in a different way. It's a different way because that is life. I think that's high school as well. I think it's any time you move from city to city. It's any time you move and jobs into a new career. I think everybody goes through that. You know, the inevitable analogy of pushing the kid into the pool to learn how to swim, I don't think no longer exists, you know, because when I was... As the elder here, when I was older, it might have been like that when I was six, seven years old. All right, learn how to swim. Go. I would never, would never do that to my son. Would never think that way. No, it's traumatizing. 100%. That's why I need to talk to him. But, you know, you may. There are little things where it's like, all right, pitter-patter, let's get at her. On the flip side of things, I do think that things are more challenging now for kids. I do. I think I just got on Facebook when I went to college. Access now. Well, I just feel like it's just, I don't know. I just think kids are different. Life is different. To me, it seems a little different. I don't know. So there's more things. I think they have more stressors than we did. Because they can't. Well, because we came home from school. We left school at school. Right. You know? You kind of left it. Whatever it was, you know. But now it's following you everywhere. And we're just, it's all the things all the time. And it's the overstimulation of everything. But then this is life once again, so how are we going to deal with it? And there are so many resources to be able to deal with that. We all have tough times. And I think being able to find how to get through that. And hopefully the number one resource that you have to get through that is at home. Yeah. That's where it starts. That should start at home. Well, that was a good talk, guys. Yeah. I'm really looking, hanging out with my family later on. I'm not. Coming up next here, Gino's got a look at a new dark comedy. What is that going to be? We're going to find out coming up at the theaters. And here next. How's Chris anyway? He's forgetting s***. He's saying stuff he ain't supposed to be saying. We came here to destabilize your democracy, and it is going great. And who the f*** are you? The CIA? We are the CIA, actually. We're totally the CIA. We're not the CIA. I like Chris. I know it's a sad situation, but he's become a liability. This cast is great. What did you guys say about me, by the way? He's become a liability. No, no. Hey, this revolves around CIA agents Chris and Lee. They face a trust-testing mission from Santiago to Easter Island in the 70s. Wild Horse 9 is in theaters now, and Gino talked to a couple of well-known cast members. Well-known and well-respected. These are actors, if you're a director, you want in your movie, and it's Steve Buscemi and Parker Posey. I don't think you've ever made a bad choice. Tell me about that, Parker. How does that happen? Oh, I thought he was talking to you. Thank you. Um... I've made some bad choices. Thank you. Yeah, I've had really good luck in my career to, like in this movie, to seemingly just slide into this world and work with this great writer-director. Sure. Yeah, you know, I was in Bangkok. Doing White Lotus, I saw Sam Rockwell, he was prepping to do Martin's movie, I was like, oh, I'd really love to be in that, and kind of sulking for a month, and then I get the script, an email, and I'm like, oh, this is wonderful. I was a fan of Martin's from The Beauty Queen of Leenane, and Pillow Man, and, you know, these writer-directors who have honed their skills as a story maker. There's just nothing better. It was wonderful to read something like this and then to perform it. Just so much fun. And everyone's just so, they love what they do, you know. And Steve, I know you're very humble, but what does it mean to you when Martin says, I want you? It's the greatest feeling in the world. You know, I met Martin. Well, I met him a couple of times over the years where we never had a chance to talk. But then we hung out together at the Venice Film Festival four years ago when Banshees was there. And we just really hit it off and, you know, went to craft parties, hung out in bars and, you know, said, you know, we really wanted to work together. That happens, you know, at film festivals, and then you may never see the person again for the rest of your life. So the fact that he followed through on that was just, you know, I was so honored and grateful. I'm telling you what, it looks like an incredible place to film this movie, Gino. Easter Island, yes, they actually went there instead of going to, you know, putting something in the background that isn't really there. And, you know, the other thing is, Parker Posey's, she's only in two scenes, but she really makes an impact. For you, Parker, you're acting alone, except for a person for a second. Is that more difficult? No. I mean, this is like, it just felt like doing a play. You know, we were all running our lines. We all loved, you know, we want to do a good job for Martin. We want to deliver good performances because, you know, there's a certain energy of the story and you want to fit in and do a good job. And, um, it felt really like theater. So, you know, when you're on the phone with someone and someone's on the other side of the wall and they're, I mean, I felt really close to him. It didn't, um, I felt like we were in a tennis match or, you know, playing a sport. Um, and every time you do the scene, it comes to life in another way, whether you're being filmed on camera or not. So I was excited to get to go to Easter Island and we did some sightseeing. I was there for eight days and. What amazes me, Parker is in two scenes in this movie, and I feel like she's in the whole movie. Her character is that strong. It's very strong. And I think that's what Martin... Yeah, you follow these two leads, but it really is an ensemble piece. As you were saying, there's like six characters that you're invested in, and it all has to work, and it does. And I don't know how Martin did it, but he pulled it off beautifully. A lot of Oscars, a lot of Oscars coming out of this movie, no question about it, yes, okay, so I came to you all, and I came to the audience and asked about designs for the Cookie Cookie House shirts, and the shirts are in, and this is the... Long-sleeve t-shirt, people wanted that. Oh, there's more! There's more! Oh, the crew neck is nice. Children's sweatshirts. Oh, that's adorable. Okay. This is neat. And that's my design, believe it or not. Oh, these are beautiful, Gino. And then there is the adult sweatshirt. And they wanted one in gingerbread colors, so here we go. These are nice. So I did a little video and I put it up yesterday. People already went and bought these shirts. I'm so happy. Oh, congrats, man. And here's the key. Good material, Gino. I'm not going around now. I saw the Wisconsin winners. But here's the thing. Nobody is making any money on this. You know, there are costs. The house needs to be repainted every year, and there's mechanical things that need to be done. And I didn't want Shady Lane having to pay that money. So all these shirts are only available at Shady Lane Greenhouse, and people have gone already. Thank you for supporting it. Genius. Yeah, thank you. That was the character of the house. Genius, Gino. Beautiful. Oh, these are beautiful. Hey look at this, it's the season too. It is. Well, exactly right. How's the cookie house doing? It's doing great. Yeah? Yeah, I was there yesterday. They've repainted a lot of the interior. The robot's head wasn't working so well, but they found a man who could fix the mechanics, and he did that. So the house itself will open November 21st. But I've got, you know, email from people around the country. How can I order one? We aren't doing mail order. So if you know someone in Milwaukee, I'm sure they'll make it for you. Tell them to buy a couple for you when they go. Exactly right. Oh, these are great. Well, thank you for showing them off. I feel like, you know, you're part of history here. Well you know, this is pretty cool. Something to me and I know what it meant to so many people around this city, and I get that feedback all the time. And, again, I put money into it. I haven't taken any money out of it because I'm not going to. This is for the public and for new generations. Yes, happy new year. Thank you. Yeah, thanks for sharing those. Those were great. Those were great. All right, guys, more Real Milwaukee returns after the break. I got to pay for these. I don't like it. All right, so bingo, Care Bears, Pokemon trading card game, and of course the classic playground slide. They've all made it into the National Toy Hall of Fame's 2026 class. So the winners emerged from a field of 12 finalists. Other contenders included Bop It. Oh, I love Bop It. I still have Bop It. Elmo. Tickle Me Elmo. Remember when those were so hard to get? Yahtzee. And the board game Sorry. We still play Sorry. I haven't played Sorry in years. Oh, I love Sorry, yes. Anyone could know. It's always so fun. You knock that person. We give a little extra hit. Sorry. All right. Well, anyone could nominate a toy, but those that make it into the Hall of Fame are considered icons, of course. So that means they engaged multiple generations, fostered creativity, or profoundly changed play or toy design. How did Bop It not make it? I think Bop It did. No, it did. Did you make it? Oh, I'm sorry. I thought he did. Do you know I've never played Yahtzee? I haven't either. It seems complicated. I don't know. I've never read the instructions. More like an investment. But it just looks like it's a lot. Yeah. I agree with that. No. I'm like, y'all didn't know. No. Me either. No. I've played it. Is it a good game? We don't have it anymore. Should we try it or the time has passed? It is what it is. Okay. We missed our moment. It's not that overly special. I love playing games that I still have some of the boxes of the old games that we played when I was a kid and seeing my writing and me writing my name out or getting a clue on I was a game quitter. Like, when we would play Scrabble for, like, three hours, I'd tap out after one. Like, I'm good at some point. Like, Monopoly, I'm good. No thanks. That game's too long. You've got to put limits on Monopoly. You know what I'm saying? Like, Monopoly can go on for hours. For hours. And I tap out. And some people make it go on for hours, too. That's what you're like. It stretches out. It doesn't have to be this long. You don't have to do that. Just win the game. Yeah. We'll be back for that. All right. I know. Aw. Sorry. All right. We'll be back tomorrow. Yeah, I'm here tomorrow. Are you here tomorrow? I'm here.