August 22, 2025 • 14 mins
For "Shop Talk", Coach Bill tells the story of his hilariously unconventional experience watching Undefeated for the very first time.
Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premium
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Everybody, it's Bill Courtney, Welcome to shop Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Welcome, and Alex welcome ahead. I think we're both stressed
out this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
I have too much going on in my life right now,
and yeah, I'm going crazy. But we always have time
for shop Talk. I mean that's the thing that maybe
takes our mind off all this other crap. So for everybody,
we've got a little white shop talk today. It's a
story about my first time and only time at south
By Southwest and Austin. I've told the story to Alex
(00:33):
and he says, you got to tell it on shop
Talk because apparently it's kind of funny. So coming up
Bill's first trip to south By Southwest. Right after these
brief messages from our general sponsors, everybody, welcome back shop
(00:58):
Talk number sixty. I don't think I have a sixty
six number that's of any note view.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I mean it's kind of the devil's number. I just
had one more six rather if we get to two.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Thirds of Satan at this point, Okay, everybody, south By Southwest.
For those who don't know, it's in Austin. It's an
annual event and it's an arts thing that goes on
all week and they're kind of downtown, really cool area,
and it's movies. It's indie films. I think it's real music.
(01:33):
It's a lot of music, and I think there's actually
like painted art stuff there too, street vendors. It's just
a big old festival. It's called the south By Southwest
Film Festival, or it used to be. Now I think
it's just south By Southwest. But there's music and stuff everywhere.
It's really good time. So here's how I was introduced
(01:54):
south By Southwest and parlayed into it is my triumphant
movie debut. I'd started my business and worked many, many,
many hours for many years and never was really able
to take Lease and the kids on any kind of
summer trip for seven eight years. Of course, that was
(02:17):
the same time I was building my business and building manassas,
and it culminated in those guys coming and filming the movie,
Dan and TJ and Rich who are now dear friends.
I shouldn't say those guys, but anyway, so they filmed
the film left I'm still working like a dog, trying
to grow my business, and comes a time where our
(02:38):
youngest Max is old enough to actually enjoy the dreaded
Disney World. So we made the plans headed to Disney
for first family trip and many many, many years the
first big family trip. And I mean I bought the condo,
I rented the condo in the the mouse World, and
(03:02):
we were going to do all of it. Very exciting
for spring break. And so about two weeks before we're
to leave on this grand trip that candidly, you know,
I mean, I'm excited to take the kids and Lisa somewhere,
but it is Mouseworld after all. And so the phone
(03:22):
rings and it's Rich and he says rich it Richess
Bill Amazing, Undefeated. It's got picked up by south By
Southwest and I said, well, I don't know what that means,
but good, great for you, and he said, no, you
don't understand. So one of the biggest film festivals there
is it's a chance for people to actually find out
about our movie. I mean, this is long before anything.
(03:45):
It was still just a kind of an indie film
at this point. It just they just finished it and
south By Southwest side of cancelation and they gave Undefeated
the spot and I said, well, good great. They said,
well you got to be there, and I said, why
do I have to be there. They said, well, after
these films, at these film festivals, there's question answers, and
(04:06):
there's you know, you got to be there for it,
and it's possible that somebody you know might be interested
in it, want to buy it, want to talk to you.
You have to be there. And I'm like, okay, well
when is it. Literally, the showing was dead in the
middle of our first family vacation, so like it was
like a Thursday night and we were going from Monday
(04:28):
to Tuesday. We were spending eight days in mouse World,
and it was dead in the middle. And I said, no,
can't do man. I hadn't taken my family on a
trip in years and ages. We've had this thing planned
for over a year. I've already paid for the condo,
I paid for the plane tickets, I've got fast passes,
(04:49):
we've got reservations. I can't do it. And they're like,
you have to come, and I said, I don't know
what to do, and he said, I'll call you back.
Of course, I one told Lisa, and Lisa's like, you
are not screwing up this vacation. I'm like, I agree.
So they called back and say, what if we fly
you and all your family from Orlando to Austin for
(05:13):
one night. You do your thing, and we'll fly you back,
and we'll pay for you to extend your Orlando trip
one extra day so that you don't miss out a
day a vacation within a vacation. And I thought, well,
that's kind of cool, so maybe I could sell that
to Lisa and the kids. So I did, and we agreed.
So we go to mouse World and that day, whatever
(05:37):
the day is that we're going to south By Southwest,
we pack up a little bag because we're only spend
the night in Austin, and you know, I'm herding roaches.
It's like getting all these kids and Lisa together on
vacation to then ride to the airport to the get
on a plane, and you know it's so I'm up
and at him early, getting everybody together, and we're actually
(06:01):
out of the hotel about twenty five minutes early, which
is for my crew, an absolute miracle. And ezralling up
to the airport, Molly in the back of the car says, Dad,
what time's our flight? I'm like nine am? And I said,
it's no problem, it's seven thirty. We're in great shape.
We're an hour and a half early. She goes, no, Dad,
it's eight thirty two, and I said what it was
(06:24):
daylight Savings time and none of us knew because we
were on vacation and her iPhone had just switched over.
So of course I'm having a heart attack. We file out,
We run into the to the desk, and the lady's like,
I'm sorry, so there's no way. So I'm freaked, and
I'm like, okay, I have to get to Austin. How
(06:47):
can I get to Austin or somewhere close? And she said, well,
there's a flight leaving for San Antonio in fifty five
minutes if you can make that. Oh, this was on
a Sunday. It's on a Sunday actually, and if you
can make that, we'll switch you on it. I said,
book it. So we fly to San Antonio, and of
course I called them before I left and said, I'm
(07:09):
going to be late to Austin. But we were getting
the early in the morning, so I was fine, and
I'm gonna get to San Antonio. So we get San Antonio.
Now I got to get to Austin. So I run
around to a bunch of rental car places that are
all booked, and I finally find some choking puke rental
car place. I can't even remember his name, and I
need to take a car from San Antonio to Austin
(07:29):
that I can get six people in and luggage, and
that I can return in Austin rather than drive back
San Antonio because I still have my Austin flights back
to mouse World for the remainder of the vacation for
the kids. So they give me a purple Crown Victoria.
That's all they had. So we got me and li'son
(07:52):
one good between us, three across the back. We're driving
like crazy leaving San Antonio, and of course everybody's hungry,
so I pull into Sonic. I'm late. I just tell
the woman to bring me seven or eight or nine
number two's or whatever. They pile it in and we
roll and our triumphant opening movie salvo for this what
(08:18):
turned out to be an Academy Award winning film that
we didn't know anything was requisite. With us rolling into
Austin and a purple Crown Victoria was Sonic crappers flying
everywhere in a powed in that car and four kids
wearing mouse ears. We showed up, checked into the Lakita
(08:41):
in Nice. This is what they put us in. Two rooms,
sure door, two double bets. Right. Nice really stepped up
for us. And we go to the south by Southwest
them fust one. And the first time I ever see
the thing is with seven hundred people in this auditorium
(09:01):
with my children on my left and my wife on
my right. And it was the most surreal experience to
see people laughing out loud, standing up and cheering and crying,
and all I could think of was, Wow, Bill, you
got to lose some weight because I'm looking at myself
on the screen. And after the movie, Dan and TJ
(09:24):
and Rich go down to the front to an enormous applause,
and the first question to do a Q and A
and the first question was where's coach Courtney now? And
they said, well, there he is with his family about
twenty rows up place. Stands up in applause, and then
I walked down and answer some questions. I'm a fish
out of water. I have no idea what's going on.
(09:44):
And then my understanding that night there was an all
night bidding war between Paramount Sony and Weinstein to purchase Undefeated,
which that deal was closed Afterwards, there was an after
party and the kids and Lisa.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
And I were how you didn't say who won the deal?
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Oh, Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein, Merrimax or Weinstein Films at that
time we didn't. Obviously this is you know, fifteen years ago,
so long before the recent problems. But yeah, afterwards we
had an after party and agents from WME and executives
(10:23):
from big film companies came up to me and least said,
you know, your life's never going to be the same now.
This thing has Academy Award chops and people are going
to know who Bill is after this, and we were
like whatever, And so we went back to Memphis and
actually we went back to Orlando, finished our great trip,
(10:44):
then went back to Memphis and expected life stay the same,
And of course it has never been since then. But
for those who think of hair and makeup people and
half a loot and really beautiful experiences, is that is
what the glamorous movie business is. My reality is four
(11:06):
kids and my wife, a bunch of sonic wrappers, and
a Crown Victoria standing at the Lakinta end and interrupting
our first spring break vacation in eight years. That's how
my Academy Award experience started, and that is my south
By Southwest story. And because of that trauma, I don't
think I'll ever go back. There's the story, Alex.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
I'mnover be fun to go back one day.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I don't know whatever, it's whatever, but very few people
know the real story behind how it all started. And
that is the real story.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
So the first time I ever heard it was actually
you told it on Micro's podcasts. I've never heard you
tell it ever before to anyone else.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
That be fun for as I thought it was hilarious. Yeah,
so if you want to hear the Mica bridged version,
you can go to the micro podcast and look up
our episode. And he asked a bunch of questions. He
was laughing off about it, so because it is really
kind of funny. But that's the deal. That's the truth.
So you know, make a movie and get you a crown,
(12:10):
Vic and Lakita and maybe things will work out for you.
Who knows? All right, everybody, that's Shop Talk number sixty six.
I hope you enjoyed the south By Southwest story. Before
we close, I want to say something to you. On
August twenty eighth, Sparky Reardon, who is a dear, dear
friend and was a mentor of mine remains a mentor.
(12:31):
Mone was the dean of students at Old Miss when
I was in school there. He also taught a leadership
class that I took and I revered the guy. He
retired some years ago, and apparently he's been working on
a book and it's called The Dean Memoirs and Missives.
I guarantee you you're going to cry, laugh, be inspired,
(12:53):
and learn a bunch. We're going to do a live
podcast with him on August twenty eight in Oxford. If
you're in the area or if you want to drive down,
it will be worth your time, and I hope you'll
join us for fun night. He's one of the wisest
and most beloved human beings on this earth, and he's
meant an enormous amount Old Miss, the University and Candidly
(13:16):
Academy at large. He's traveled, had done a lot for
a lot of institutions for my fellow Ill Miss fans.
It's the Thursday before our first home game of the season,
So you out of towners, do you have two good
reasons being Oxford now? And it's Thursday, So something good
to do. To learn more, you can RSVP at sparkyrearding
(13:37):
dot event, bright dot com sparkyrearding dot event, bright dot com.
Let's fill it up and have a good time of
Sparky on this live recorded podcast for Army Normal Folks.
If you like this episode, please rate and review it,
subscribe to the podcast. Please email me anytime at Bill
at normal folks dot us give us ideas for people
(13:59):
doing amazing things your community, or ideas for shop talk.
I will respond to the email and we'll take them up.
Anything else sellings.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
I guess we'll plug Sparky's other bookstop so he's doing
like Jackson and New Orleans two below, maybe maybe think
about it is here they just announced it stop here.
Kelly English is going to join him and do a
talk with him in Memphis. Yeah, so if you can't
make it down k Oxford to join us, join Kelly
and Sparky here in Memphis.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Yeah, you could do that, but nobody's going to be
doing a loud podcast. Those are just talks and book signings.
We're going to be recording it.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
And I know I'm just saying, if they can't make
it to us, you can get the second to us.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Forget the rest of them, so much for being generous,
all right, Well, that's it, all right, everybody shop Talk
number sixty six. We'll see you next week.
Everybody, it's Bill Courtney, Welcome to shop Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Welcome, and Alex welcome ahead. I think we're both stressed
out this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
I have too much going on in my life right now,
and yeah, I'm going crazy. But we always have time
for shop Talk. I mean that's the thing that maybe
takes our mind off all this other crap. So for everybody,
we've got a little white shop talk today. It's a
story about my first time and only time at south
By Southwest and Austin. I've told the story to Alex
(00:33):
and he says, you got to tell it on shop
Talk because apparently it's kind of funny. So coming up
Bill's first trip to south By Southwest. Right after these
brief messages from our general sponsors, everybody, welcome back shop
(00:58):
Talk number sixty. I don't think I have a sixty
six number that's of any note view.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I mean it's kind of the devil's number. I just
had one more six rather if we get to two.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Thirds of Satan at this point, Okay, everybody, south By Southwest.
For those who don't know, it's in Austin. It's an
annual event and it's an arts thing that goes on
all week and they're kind of downtown, really cool area,
and it's movies. It's indie films. I think it's real music.
(01:33):
It's a lot of music, and I think there's actually
like painted art stuff there too, street vendors. It's just
a big old festival. It's called the south By Southwest
Film Festival, or it used to be. Now I think
it's just south By Southwest. But there's music and stuff everywhere.
It's really good time. So here's how I was introduced
(01:54):
south By Southwest and parlayed into it is my triumphant
movie debut. I'd started my business and worked many, many,
many hours for many years and never was really able
to take Lease and the kids on any kind of
summer trip for seven eight years. Of course, that was
(02:17):
the same time I was building my business and building manassas,
and it culminated in those guys coming and filming the movie,
Dan and TJ and Rich who are now dear friends.
I shouldn't say those guys, but anyway, so they filmed
the film left I'm still working like a dog, trying
to grow my business, and comes a time where our
(02:38):
youngest Max is old enough to actually enjoy the dreaded
Disney World. So we made the plans headed to Disney
for first family trip and many many, many years the
first big family trip. And I mean I bought the condo,
I rented the condo in the the mouse World, and
(03:02):
we were going to do all of it. Very exciting
for spring break. And so about two weeks before we're
to leave on this grand trip that candidly, you know,
I mean, I'm excited to take the kids and Lisa somewhere,
but it is Mouseworld after all. And so the phone
(03:22):
rings and it's Rich and he says rich it Richess
Bill Amazing, Undefeated. It's got picked up by south By
Southwest and I said, well, I don't know what that means,
but good, great for you, and he said, no, you
don't understand. So one of the biggest film festivals there
is it's a chance for people to actually find out
about our movie. I mean, this is long before anything.
(03:45):
It was still just a kind of an indie film
at this point. It just they just finished it and
south By Southwest side of cancelation and they gave Undefeated
the spot and I said, well, good great. They said,
well you got to be there, and I said, why
do I have to be there. They said, well, after
these films, at these film festivals, there's question answers, and
(04:06):
there's you know, you got to be there for it,
and it's possible that somebody you know might be interested
in it, want to buy it, want to talk to you.
You have to be there. And I'm like, okay, well
when is it. Literally, the showing was dead in the
middle of our first family vacation, so like it was
like a Thursday night and we were going from Monday
(04:28):
to Tuesday. We were spending eight days in mouse World,
and it was dead in the middle. And I said, no,
can't do man. I hadn't taken my family on a
trip in years and ages. We've had this thing planned
for over a year. I've already paid for the condo,
I paid for the plane tickets, I've got fast passes,
(04:49):
we've got reservations. I can't do it. And they're like,
you have to come, and I said, I don't know
what to do, and he said, I'll call you back.
Of course, I one told Lisa, and Lisa's like, you
are not screwing up this vacation. I'm like, I agree.
So they called back and say, what if we fly
you and all your family from Orlando to Austin for
(05:13):
one night. You do your thing, and we'll fly you back,
and we'll pay for you to extend your Orlando trip
one extra day so that you don't miss out a
day a vacation within a vacation. And I thought, well,
that's kind of cool, so maybe I could sell that
to Lisa and the kids. So I did, and we agreed.
So we go to mouse World and that day, whatever
(05:37):
the day is that we're going to south By Southwest,
we pack up a little bag because we're only spend
the night in Austin, and you know, I'm herding roaches.
It's like getting all these kids and Lisa together on
vacation to then ride to the airport to the get
on a plane, and you know it's so I'm up
and at him early, getting everybody together, and we're actually
(06:01):
out of the hotel about twenty five minutes early, which
is for my crew, an absolute miracle. And ezralling up
to the airport, Molly in the back of the car says, Dad,
what time's our flight? I'm like nine am? And I said,
it's no problem, it's seven thirty. We're in great shape.
We're an hour and a half early. She goes, no, Dad,
it's eight thirty two, and I said what it was
(06:24):
daylight Savings time and none of us knew because we
were on vacation and her iPhone had just switched over.
So of course I'm having a heart attack. We file out,
We run into the to the desk, and the lady's like,
I'm sorry, so there's no way. So I'm freaked, and
I'm like, okay, I have to get to Austin. How
(06:47):
can I get to Austin or somewhere close? And she said, well,
there's a flight leaving for San Antonio in fifty five
minutes if you can make that. Oh, this was on
a Sunday. It's on a Sunday actually, and if you
can make that, we'll switch you on it. I said,
book it. So we fly to San Antonio, and of
course I called them before I left and said, I'm
(07:09):
going to be late to Austin. But we were getting
the early in the morning, so I was fine, and
I'm gonna get to San Antonio. So we get San Antonio.
Now I got to get to Austin. So I run
around to a bunch of rental car places that are
all booked, and I finally find some choking puke rental
car place. I can't even remember his name, and I
need to take a car from San Antonio to Austin
(07:29):
that I can get six people in and luggage, and
that I can return in Austin rather than drive back
San Antonio because I still have my Austin flights back
to mouse World for the remainder of the vacation for
the kids. So they give me a purple Crown Victoria.
That's all they had. So we got me and li'son
(07:52):
one good between us, three across the back. We're driving
like crazy leaving San Antonio, and of course everybody's hungry,
so I pull into Sonic. I'm late. I just tell
the woman to bring me seven or eight or nine
number two's or whatever. They pile it in and we
roll and our triumphant opening movie salvo for this what
(08:18):
turned out to be an Academy Award winning film that
we didn't know anything was requisite. With us rolling into
Austin and a purple Crown Victoria was Sonic crappers flying
everywhere in a powed in that car and four kids
wearing mouse ears. We showed up, checked into the Lakita
(08:41):
in Nice. This is what they put us in. Two rooms,
sure door, two double bets. Right. Nice really stepped up
for us. And we go to the south by Southwest
them fust one. And the first time I ever see
the thing is with seven hundred people in this auditorium
(09:01):
with my children on my left and my wife on
my right. And it was the most surreal experience to
see people laughing out loud, standing up and cheering and crying,
and all I could think of was, Wow, Bill, you
got to lose some weight because I'm looking at myself
on the screen. And after the movie, Dan and TJ
(09:24):
and Rich go down to the front to an enormous applause,
and the first question to do a Q and A
and the first question was where's coach Courtney now? And
they said, well, there he is with his family about
twenty rows up place. Stands up in applause, and then
I walked down and answer some questions. I'm a fish
out of water. I have no idea what's going on.
(09:44):
And then my understanding that night there was an all
night bidding war between Paramount Sony and Weinstein to purchase Undefeated,
which that deal was closed Afterwards, there was an after
party and the kids and Lisa.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
And I were how you didn't say who won the deal?
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Oh, Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein, Merrimax or Weinstein Films at that
time we didn't. Obviously this is you know, fifteen years ago,
so long before the recent problems. But yeah, afterwards we
had an after party and agents from WME and executives
(10:23):
from big film companies came up to me and least said,
you know, your life's never going to be the same now.
This thing has Academy Award chops and people are going
to know who Bill is after this, and we were
like whatever, And so we went back to Memphis and
actually we went back to Orlando, finished our great trip,
(10:44):
then went back to Memphis and expected life stay the same,
And of course it has never been since then. But
for those who think of hair and makeup people and
half a loot and really beautiful experiences, is that is
what the glamorous movie business is. My reality is four
(11:06):
kids and my wife, a bunch of sonic wrappers, and
a Crown Victoria standing at the Lakinta end and interrupting
our first spring break vacation in eight years. That's how
my Academy Award experience started, and that is my south
By Southwest story. And because of that trauma, I don't
think I'll ever go back. There's the story, Alex.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
I'mnover be fun to go back one day.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I don't know whatever, it's whatever, but very few people
know the real story behind how it all started. And
that is the real story.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
So the first time I ever heard it was actually
you told it on Micro's podcasts. I've never heard you
tell it ever before to anyone else.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
That be fun for as I thought it was hilarious. Yeah,
so if you want to hear the Mica bridged version,
you can go to the micro podcast and look up
our episode. And he asked a bunch of questions. He
was laughing off about it, so because it is really
kind of funny. But that's the deal. That's the truth.
So you know, make a movie and get you a crown,
(12:10):
Vic and Lakita and maybe things will work out for you.
Who knows? All right, everybody, that's Shop Talk number sixty six.
I hope you enjoyed the south By Southwest story. Before
we close, I want to say something to you. On
August twenty eighth, Sparky Reardon, who is a dear, dear
friend and was a mentor of mine remains a mentor.
(12:31):
Mone was the dean of students at Old Miss when
I was in school there. He also taught a leadership
class that I took and I revered the guy. He
retired some years ago, and apparently he's been working on
a book and it's called The Dean Memoirs and Missives.
I guarantee you you're going to cry, laugh, be inspired,
(12:53):
and learn a bunch. We're going to do a live
podcast with him on August twenty eight in Oxford. If
you're in the area or if you want to drive down,
it will be worth your time, and I hope you'll
join us for fun night. He's one of the wisest
and most beloved human beings on this earth, and he's
meant an enormous amount Old Miss, the University and Candidly
(13:16):
Academy at large. He's traveled, had done a lot for
a lot of institutions for my fellow Ill Miss fans.
It's the Thursday before our first home game of the season,
So you out of towners, do you have two good
reasons being Oxford now? And it's Thursday, So something good
to do. To learn more, you can RSVP at sparkyrearding
(13:37):
dot event, bright dot com sparkyrearding dot event, bright dot com.
Let's fill it up and have a good time of
Sparky on this live recorded podcast for Army Normal Folks.
If you like this episode, please rate and review it,
subscribe to the podcast. Please email me anytime at Bill
at normal folks dot us give us ideas for people
(13:59):
doing amazing things your community, or ideas for shop talk.
I will respond to the email and we'll take them up.
Anything else sellings.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
I guess we'll plug Sparky's other bookstop so he's doing
like Jackson and New Orleans two below, maybe maybe think
about it is here they just announced it stop here.
Kelly English is going to join him and do a
talk with him in Memphis. Yeah, so if you can't
make it down k Oxford to join us, join Kelly
and Sparky here in Memphis.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Yeah, you could do that, but nobody's going to be
doing a loud podcast. Those are just talks and book signings.
We're going to be recording it.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
And I know I'm just saying, if they can't make
it to us, you can get the second to us.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Forget the rest of them, so much for being generous,
all right, Well, that's it, all right, everybody shop Talk
number sixty six. We'll see you next week.
Host
Bill Courtney
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.