December 18, 2025 • 14 mins
Maria chats with one of her favorite guests, MUTTS creator Patrick McDonnell!
Patrick took a few minutes from his book tour to chat about The Gift of Everything and The Gift of Nothing (20th Anniversary edition with a new cover!) Book Tour, plus all that he's been doing!
Patrick and his wife Karen do so much for charities (check it out HERE) plus
the Shop of " MUTTS stuff" is perfect this time of year!
Patrick has new ideas that he'll be working on so you can count on him returning!
Visit the shop and learn more: MUTTS!
Patrick took a few minutes from his book tour to chat about The Gift of Everything and The Gift of Nothing (20th Anniversary edition with a new cover!) Book Tour, plus all that he's been doing!
Patrick and his wife Karen do so much for charities (check it out HERE) plus
the Shop of " MUTTS stuff" is perfect this time of year!
Patrick has new ideas that he'll be working on so you can count on him returning!
Visit the shop and learn more: MUTTS!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. What a great idea on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome to Maria's Mutts and Stuff. And with me as
I called him a recurring guest because I love to
chat with him, it is Patrick McDonald of Mutt's Comic
So Patrick, welcome back.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
I agree. How are you happy to be back?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yes? Please? So you are busier than busy. I feel
like every time I talk to you, which I think
the most recent time was this time last year when
you had a new book out, and now you have
another book that came out in October, and you're now
in the middle of a book tour.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Correct, yes, yes, actually I'm leaving for San Francisco tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Wow. Okay, wow, And this is much and earle the
Gift of Everything.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
You know, Actually it's two new books. It's the Gift
of Everything and the twentieth anniversary of the Gift of Nothing.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Right, that's right. I saw that on your website out
as a package. So okay, So the Gift of Nothing,
obviously twentieth anniversary came out in two thousand and five.
And now the Gift of Everything. Let's talk a little
bit about that since that's the newer book. So what
is that book about?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Well, you know, it's funny. Last Thanksgiving, my niece at
Thanksgiving dinner made a joke and said, well you did,
You did a book on nothing? When are you going
to do a book on everything?
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
And we laughed at the time, But then the idea
stuck with me and I came up with this news
story for Mooch and the Gift of Everything, and I
thought it was appropriate that it would come out at
the same time as the twentieth anniversary edition and The
Gift of Everything. You know, The Gift of Nothing was
about Mooch wanting to give his best friend, Earl the Dog,
(01:43):
a gift, but Earl had a chewey toy and a
water bowl and a bed, and he figured what do
you get someone who has everything, and comes up with
the idea to give him nothing. But the thing is
that this crazy, hectic holiday season, where can you find
nothing with all that's going on? And it's him kind
(02:04):
of going on an inward journey and finding the stillness
underneath all the noise and then gives the best gift
you could give someone as your own presence instead of present.
And so for the Gift the very thing. It's Mooch
once again is trying to find the perfect gift, url,
and this time he goes out in the world and
tries to find it. And what happens is he sort
(02:26):
of gets new eyes and sees the whole world as
a gift and that everything is precious and uh, you know,
the astonishing world we live in then, and then Mooch
presents that as a gift. E. So yeah, it's I
think one's an inward book and one's an outward.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
But ah, that's funny. But it also is you know,
it's very It's something that we probably knew from when
we were children, right, to just be grateful for what
you have.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Yeah, I think kids kids better than us. We forget
all those important things just the way kids naturally, you know,
you know, with much it's all about dogs and cats
and animals. Every little every little kid loves animals, realize
that there are souls that are no different than them
in terms of living on this planet. And then somewhere
(03:19):
along the line we forget those things. Sometimes.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
I think you're right. I think at some point when
we become adults, I think, you know, life experience kind
of makes us jaded and you kind of lose the
simple stuff that you're right as kids. I mean, you're
right because kids always appreciate animals and then as adults
people do terrible things to animals. And it's like, what
happened to you? What you were a kid who had
(03:43):
a dog or you know what I mean. It's just yeah.
So I'm also I find it so interesting that by
your niece making a joke, it kind of like spurred
your You have so much creativity, but it spurred you
to come up with the gift of everything? Is that
the first time that happened? Or does that happen to
you every time? Like you have a book because you
(04:04):
don't have other books? Like, does that is that how
it happens?
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I wish it was that. No, No, usually, uh you
know it's it's I was art is a form of meditation,
you know, you get quiet and still and the universe,
you know, supplies you with ideas. So every book that
you know, it's funny, every book I've done, they sort
(04:29):
of just happened. You know. I did a book with
the Dalai Lama recently, and who would have thought. I mean,
it's still crazy to say that, right, just the way
just the way things turned out. And you know, I
had a friend and his wife was on the international
campaign for Tibet, and we mentioned maybe doing a book
together and then it then it just happens, right, books
(04:50):
kind of magically, the art is funny, art magically appears.
I think with the Gift of Nothing was just sort
of a comment. But then just the title the Gift
of Everything just you know, inspired me to start thinking
along those terms. And you know, the story just came
out of the blue and I was really happy with it. So, yeah,
you never know where the ideas are going to come from.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yeah. And also the fact, I mean, and you did
it within you did it like in quick time, right,
because we spoke last year, right, the Gift of Everything
wasn't happening yet.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
No I did it. It wasn't an idea yet. Now
the Gift of Nothing, the first book happened really fast.
I mean, the idea came to me. I sold it
to a Little Brown Publishing and they said, well, I
think I sold it to them in November and they said, well,
you know, the books for next holiday season are already done.
You're gonna have to wait two years. And as a
(05:43):
daily comics store artist. I'm used to doing my work
and seeing it in the newspapers a couple of weeks later.
Of course, I did not want to wait two years. Yeah, yeah,
So it was a Friday afternoon when we had this
discussion and they said, well, if you can get it
to us Monday, we could do it so that the
gift that nothing was done him a very long week.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Wow, that's incredible.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
As far as the finished art goes, that was a
weekend book.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Oh my goodness, I can't. Well that's you because you
are so extremely talented. But that's pretty phenomenal when you
think about it.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Wow, that's that's like I never had to do that.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Again, right right, So but still, but even for like
the gift of everything, that took a few months for
you or yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
You know, yeah, yeah, I'm also doing the daily comic strip,
so you have to, yeah, you know, find the time
to do things. But uh yeah, I would say most
most books take a few months. Right.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
But still, that's pretty impressive. I think it's impressive because
you know, you churned it out, and I know because
I follow you, so I see your daily comic strip
and it's like, well, I love Patrick and it's always
so much fun. You always have something to give me
and give us, like a thought, like a food for
thought with your comic strip too. So are you so?
(07:00):
I know you're in the middle of the tour and
you're going out to the West Coast after that. Are
you okay? Like, are you still going to do this
book tour or it's onto the next project?
Speaker 1 (07:10):
You know, I'm going to Santa Rose. I'm actually going
to be speaking at the Charles Schultz Museum.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Oh nice, Yeah, that's cool, yes, of course.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah. My wife camera are on the board of directors there,
and it's such a wonderful museum. If you ever get
a chance to be in Santa Rose and go see
the Charles M. Schultz Museum. And then and then next
week it's the last stop on my book tour. I'm
going to be in Massachusetts and the Unlikely Story. It's
a bookstore that's owned by Jeff Kenney, the guy who
wrote the Wimpy Kids series.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Oh yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
And then and then the holidays, and then I go
back to work, back.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
To normal, back to work meaning on the comic strip.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
And I have actually it's funny, I have three book ideas,
right now, wow, I'm not sure which one's going to
be the one I work on immediately, but there's three
ideas I've been playing with and we'll see what happens. A.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
That's impressive, and B. I'm not going to pry and
ask you to tell me anything about it, but just
tell me if one of those book ideas did it
come from someone in a conversation like the last book.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
No, okay, that came up with myself.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
All right, But that's good because your thoughts are excellent too.
So oh, it's amazing. You just are amazing, and you
just keep going and you really are like a national treasure.
And I know you're humble and modest about it, but
you really are. Patrick. It's we're so blessed to have
you and your creativity and all that you do for
charity and animals and the environment. So you know, I
(08:46):
have to say thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's so nice of you to say. I mean, I
tell you truth, I feel blessed. I get to do
what I love to do, and I get to meet
so many amazing people like you. You know, I'm lucky.
I hang out mostly with cartoonists.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
And animal and animal people, right, and.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
They're they're the two best people on the plant. I mean,
just you know, open the hearts and you know a
lot of love within that realm of the world.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
But you know, just for for someone who's listening right now,
who is you know, they're familiar, but they're not sure. Well,
they can go to Mutts dot com and they can.
You have so many great products, by the way, and
it's a great it's such a perfect time of year
for little gifts to stocking stuffers and books and and shirts,
all these different MutS items stuff stuff. It's MutS stuff exactly.
(09:36):
And then you also donate to charity from your sales,
which you know, people need to know that.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Yeah, no, that's an important part of it. Yeah. And
also people should know that for free they can get
the Mutch comic in their you know, email to them
every day.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
So oh that's true that yes, you.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Can get that at dot com too if you don't,
you know, if your paper is not running it and
if you're not getting a paper, which is sort of
I know nowadays, but you can still get it autch
dot com.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
I still love newspapers, but I think it's kind of
an old school thing to still love the feel of
a newspaper, but you know, many people see it digitally.
But you can also follow Patrick on Instagram and you
could see the daily comic strip as well. So you're going,
You're going to the West Coast. You're leaving tomorrow. People
can also get the Gift of Everything and the Gift
(10:25):
of Nothing. It's a twentieth anniversary edition. They can get
that as a package on your website. Is there anything
with the Gift of Nothing? That's the twentieth anniversary edition?
Is there anything extra? And it then was in the
first edition back twenty years ago.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
It's a larger size, and there's a new cover. I
really like. It came out really nice.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Oh okay, Like what's different about the cover.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
It's a whole new drawing.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Oh oh it's completely new.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Oh wow, yeah, completely new.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Oh okay, Well that makes it special, right, it's like
extra special shoal.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So yeah, and it's bigger than the original one. And yeah,
it looked good. I'm I'm happy with it. Had a
it was a New York Times bestseller. And actually there
was a We wrote a children's musical that was performed
at the Kennedy Center a few years ago, and one
of the reasons. I'm going out. West is Marine Theater
(11:22):
right now is doing The Gift and Nothing as a
play before the you know, during the holiday season, so
you could see it there.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Wow, that's pretty cool too. Is that the first time
that's happened?
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Yeah, you know, I tell you it was. It was
so much fun to kind of see your characters come
alive on stage and uh watched the audience enjoy it.
So it was I'm sure doing that doing doing that
play at the Kennedy Center was like the most fun
experience I've had with much.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah, I remember you said that, but even still with
the theater, to doing it, I mean, that must be
really really cool, right, I mean, do you stop and
pitch yourself because you're like, wait, I create these characters
and now I'm watching them on stage, Like.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
And to see a new production of it, you know,
I haven't seen anything. So I'm going on opening night.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Mm.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
It'll just be exciting to see the new actors and
you perform it, and yeah, I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
I'm sure. I know, like I'm excited and I'm not
I'm not going to see it. I think that's so cool.
That's so cool. I'm sure you're gonna be pinching yourself
and I'm sure it's gonna blow everybody away how excellent
it is. So I hope, yeah, I think so. I
don't think you have to hope. I think it's definite.
It's a definite. They're gonna be great. So when the
theater company decided to do that, do they reach out
(12:40):
to you? They send you their script? Like, how how
does that process happen?
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Now? This one's this one was an easy product. The
actor who played Ozzy at the Kennedy Center is now
at this theater. Oh okay, he proposed it and they
got in contact. You know. I wrote the play with
Aaron Posner who is the director, and the composer was
Andy Mitten And actually and he's going to be coming
(13:06):
to back to California and to see the play against too,
So it should be a a fun weekend.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Oh nice, that's excellent. That's exciting, so exciting. Oh I'm
excited for you. And congratulations. And again for those who
are you're looking for some gifts, you want to get
the gift of everything, in the gift of nothing and
just any of the Mutts stuff as Patrick called it,
Please go to Mutts dot com Patrick, I always appreciate
(13:33):
your time because you are a very busy man doing
your thing, and I'm excited about your three book ideas.
So I have a feeling we're going to be talking
again next year. Is that okay?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I would love that of course.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
All right, well, thank you so much and good luck
with your trip.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Okay, thank you. Take care,
It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. What a great idea on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome to Maria's Mutts and Stuff. And with me as
I called him a recurring guest because I love to
chat with him, it is Patrick McDonald of Mutt's Comic
So Patrick, welcome back.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
I agree. How are you happy to be back?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yes? Please? So you are busier than busy. I feel
like every time I talk to you, which I think
the most recent time was this time last year when
you had a new book out, and now you have
another book that came out in October, and you're now
in the middle of a book tour.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Correct, yes, yes, actually I'm leaving for San Francisco tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Wow. Okay, wow, And this is much and earle the
Gift of Everything.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
You know, Actually it's two new books. It's the Gift
of Everything and the twentieth anniversary of the Gift of Nothing.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Right, that's right. I saw that on your website out
as a package. So okay, So the Gift of Nothing,
obviously twentieth anniversary came out in two thousand and five.
And now the Gift of Everything. Let's talk a little
bit about that since that's the newer book. So what
is that book about?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Well, you know, it's funny. Last Thanksgiving, my niece at
Thanksgiving dinner made a joke and said, well you did,
You did a book on nothing? When are you going
to do a book on everything?
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
And we laughed at the time, But then the idea
stuck with me and I came up with this news
story for Mooch and the Gift of Everything, and I
thought it was appropriate that it would come out at
the same time as the twentieth anniversary edition and The
Gift of Everything. You know, The Gift of Nothing was
about Mooch wanting to give his best friend, Earl the Dog,
(01:43):
a gift, but Earl had a chewey toy and a
water bowl and a bed, and he figured what do
you get someone who has everything, and comes up with
the idea to give him nothing. But the thing is
that this crazy, hectic holiday season, where can you find
nothing with all that's going on? And it's him kind
(02:04):
of going on an inward journey and finding the stillness
underneath all the noise and then gives the best gift
you could give someone as your own presence instead of present.
And so for the Gift the very thing. It's Mooch
once again is trying to find the perfect gift, url,
and this time he goes out in the world and
tries to find it. And what happens is he sort
(02:26):
of gets new eyes and sees the whole world as
a gift and that everything is precious and uh, you know,
the astonishing world we live in then, and then Mooch
presents that as a gift. E. So yeah, it's I
think one's an inward book and one's an outward.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
But ah, that's funny. But it also is you know,
it's very It's something that we probably knew from when
we were children, right, to just be grateful for what
you have.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Yeah, I think kids kids better than us. We forget
all those important things just the way kids naturally, you know,
you know, with much it's all about dogs and cats
and animals. Every little every little kid loves animals, realize
that there are souls that are no different than them
in terms of living on this planet. And then somewhere
(03:19):
along the line we forget those things. Sometimes.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
I think you're right. I think at some point when
we become adults, I think, you know, life experience kind
of makes us jaded and you kind of lose the
simple stuff that you're right as kids. I mean, you're
right because kids always appreciate animals and then as adults
people do terrible things to animals. And it's like, what
happened to you? What you were a kid who had
(03:43):
a dog or you know what I mean. It's just yeah.
So I'm also I find it so interesting that by
your niece making a joke, it kind of like spurred
your You have so much creativity, but it spurred you
to come up with the gift of everything? Is that
the first time that happened? Or does that happen to
you every time? Like you have a book because you
(04:04):
don't have other books? Like, does that is that how
it happens?
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I wish it was that. No, No, usually, uh you
know it's it's I was art is a form of meditation,
you know, you get quiet and still and the universe,
you know, supplies you with ideas. So every book that
you know, it's funny, every book I've done, they sort
(04:29):
of just happened. You know. I did a book with
the Dalai Lama recently, and who would have thought. I mean,
it's still crazy to say that, right, just the way
just the way things turned out. And you know, I
had a friend and his wife was on the international
campaign for Tibet, and we mentioned maybe doing a book
together and then it then it just happens, right, books
(04:50):
kind of magically, the art is funny, art magically appears.
I think with the Gift of Nothing was just sort
of a comment. But then just the title the Gift
of Everything just you know, inspired me to start thinking
along those terms. And you know, the story just came
out of the blue and I was really happy with it. So, yeah,
you never know where the ideas are going to come from.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yeah. And also the fact, I mean, and you did
it within you did it like in quick time, right,
because we spoke last year, right, the Gift of Everything
wasn't happening yet.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
No I did it. It wasn't an idea yet. Now
the Gift of Nothing, the first book happened really fast.
I mean, the idea came to me. I sold it
to a Little Brown Publishing and they said, well, I
think I sold it to them in November and they said, well,
you know, the books for next holiday season are already done.
You're gonna have to wait two years. And as a
(05:43):
daily comics store artist. I'm used to doing my work
and seeing it in the newspapers a couple of weeks later.
Of course, I did not want to wait two years. Yeah, yeah,
So it was a Friday afternoon when we had this
discussion and they said, well, if you can get it
to us Monday, we could do it so that the
gift that nothing was done him a very long week.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Wow, that's incredible.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
As far as the finished art goes, that was a
weekend book.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Oh my goodness, I can't. Well that's you because you
are so extremely talented. But that's pretty phenomenal when you
think about it.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Wow, that's that's like I never had to do that.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Again, right right, So but still, but even for like
the gift of everything, that took a few months for
you or yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
You know, yeah, yeah, I'm also doing the daily comic strip,
so you have to, yeah, you know, find the time
to do things. But uh yeah, I would say most
most books take a few months. Right.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
But still, that's pretty impressive. I think it's impressive because
you know, you churned it out, and I know because
I follow you, so I see your daily comic strip
and it's like, well, I love Patrick and it's always
so much fun. You always have something to give me
and give us, like a thought, like a food for
thought with your comic strip too. So are you so?
(07:00):
I know you're in the middle of the tour and
you're going out to the West Coast after that. Are
you okay? Like, are you still going to do this
book tour or it's onto the next project?
Speaker 1 (07:10):
You know, I'm going to Santa Rose. I'm actually going
to be speaking at the Charles Schultz Museum.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Oh nice, Yeah, that's cool, yes, of course.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah. My wife camera are on the board of directors there,
and it's such a wonderful museum. If you ever get
a chance to be in Santa Rose and go see
the Charles M. Schultz Museum. And then and then next
week it's the last stop on my book tour. I'm
going to be in Massachusetts and the Unlikely Story. It's
a bookstore that's owned by Jeff Kenney, the guy who
wrote the Wimpy Kids series.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Oh yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
And then and then the holidays, and then I go
back to work, back.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
To normal, back to work meaning on the comic strip.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
And I have actually it's funny, I have three book ideas,
right now, wow, I'm not sure which one's going to
be the one I work on immediately, but there's three
ideas I've been playing with and we'll see what happens. A.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
That's impressive, and B. I'm not going to pry and
ask you to tell me anything about it, but just
tell me if one of those book ideas did it
come from someone in a conversation like the last book.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
No, okay, that came up with myself.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
All right, But that's good because your thoughts are excellent too.
So oh, it's amazing. You just are amazing, and you
just keep going and you really are like a national treasure.
And I know you're humble and modest about it, but
you really are. Patrick. It's we're so blessed to have
you and your creativity and all that you do for
charity and animals and the environment. So you know, I
(08:46):
have to say thank you.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's so nice of you to say. I mean, I
tell you truth, I feel blessed. I get to do
what I love to do, and I get to meet
so many amazing people like you. You know, I'm lucky.
I hang out mostly with cartoonists.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
And animal and animal people, right, and.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
They're they're the two best people on the plant. I mean,
just you know, open the hearts and you know a
lot of love within that realm of the world.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
But you know, just for for someone who's listening right now,
who is you know, they're familiar, but they're not sure. Well,
they can go to Mutts dot com and they can.
You have so many great products, by the way, and
it's a great it's such a perfect time of year
for little gifts to stocking stuffers and books and and shirts,
all these different MutS items stuff stuff. It's MutS stuff exactly.
(09:36):
And then you also donate to charity from your sales,
which you know, people need to know that.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Yeah, no, that's an important part of it. Yeah. And
also people should know that for free they can get
the Mutch comic in their you know, email to them
every day.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
So oh that's true that yes, you.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Can get that at dot com too if you don't,
you know, if your paper is not running it and
if you're not getting a paper, which is sort of
I know nowadays, but you can still get it autch
dot com.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
I still love newspapers, but I think it's kind of
an old school thing to still love the feel of
a newspaper, but you know, many people see it digitally.
But you can also follow Patrick on Instagram and you
could see the daily comic strip as well. So you're going,
You're going to the West Coast. You're leaving tomorrow. People
can also get the Gift of Everything and the Gift
(10:25):
of Nothing. It's a twentieth anniversary edition. They can get
that as a package on your website. Is there anything
with the Gift of Nothing? That's the twentieth anniversary edition?
Is there anything extra? And it then was in the
first edition back twenty years ago.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
It's a larger size, and there's a new cover. I
really like. It came out really nice.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Oh okay, Like what's different about the cover.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
It's a whole new drawing.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Oh oh it's completely new.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Oh wow, yeah, completely new.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Oh okay, Well that makes it special, right, it's like
extra special shoal.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So yeah, and it's bigger than the original one. And yeah,
it looked good. I'm I'm happy with it. Had a
it was a New York Times bestseller. And actually there
was a We wrote a children's musical that was performed
at the Kennedy Center a few years ago, and one
of the reasons. I'm going out. West is Marine Theater
(11:22):
right now is doing The Gift and Nothing as a
play before the you know, during the holiday season, so
you could see it there.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Wow, that's pretty cool too. Is that the first time
that's happened?
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Yeah, you know, I tell you it was. It was
so much fun to kind of see your characters come
alive on stage and uh watched the audience enjoy it.
So it was I'm sure doing that doing doing that
play at the Kennedy Center was like the most fun
experience I've had with much.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Yeah, I remember you said that, but even still with
the theater, to doing it, I mean, that must be
really really cool, right, I mean, do you stop and
pitch yourself because you're like, wait, I create these characters
and now I'm watching them on stage, Like.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
And to see a new production of it, you know,
I haven't seen anything. So I'm going on opening night.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Mm.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
It'll just be exciting to see the new actors and
you perform it, and yeah, I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
I'm sure. I know, like I'm excited and I'm not
I'm not going to see it. I think that's so cool.
That's so cool. I'm sure you're gonna be pinching yourself
and I'm sure it's gonna blow everybody away how excellent
it is. So I hope, yeah, I think so. I
don't think you have to hope. I think it's definite.
It's a definite. They're gonna be great. So when the
theater company decided to do that, do they reach out
(12:40):
to you? They send you their script? Like, how how
does that process happen?
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Now? This one's this one was an easy product. The
actor who played Ozzy at the Kennedy Center is now
at this theater. Oh okay, he proposed it and they
got in contact. You know. I wrote the play with
Aaron Posner who is the director, and the composer was
Andy Mitten And actually and he's going to be coming
(13:06):
to back to California and to see the play against too,
So it should be a a fun weekend.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Oh nice, that's excellent. That's exciting, so exciting. Oh I'm
excited for you. And congratulations. And again for those who
are you're looking for some gifts, you want to get
the gift of everything, in the gift of nothing and
just any of the Mutts stuff as Patrick called it,
Please go to Mutts dot com Patrick, I always appreciate
(13:33):
your time because you are a very busy man doing
your thing, and I'm excited about your three book ideas.
So I have a feeling we're going to be talking
again next year. Is that okay?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I would love that of course.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
All right, well, thank you so much and good luck
with your trip.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Okay, thank you. Take care,
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