Director's Cut

>> People think we're crazy, which I may be. But I mean, everybody's funeral should be what they want. >> As you can tell, this house is pretty crazy. My parents decided they wanted to build a deck and make a football field out of it. >> I love the Packers more than almost anything I've got. What better way to express that than putting it on my body, which is my portrait to the world. >> Stand tall! Strong and proud! Always cheer real extra loud! Rawr! Green Bay Packers!

all yelling and cheering

>> Hi, welcome to Director's Cut. I'm Pete Schwaba. That was a clip from Extreme, Loyal, Victorious, a very entertaining documentary that looks at just how far some fans will go to express their love for their favorite team, the Green Bay Packers. We're going to spend the next hour talking to some of these fans, as well as the film's director, Meghan Parkansky, who joins us now. Meghan, thanks for being here. >> Thank you so much for having me. >> That was something else, that clip. Just crazy Packers fans. It's fun. It must've been a blast making that movie. >> Yeah, it was probably one of the funnest things I've ever done. >> I'm going to go out on a limb here, because I ask the tough questions. >> Okay. >> Are you a Packer fan? >> Yes, very much so. >> Would you compare your Packer fandom to these fans in the movie? >> No, not at all. >> Or are you even more of a Packer fan, because you made a movie about Packer fans? >> I think I'm a fan of the fans, as well as a fan of the team, which is why I made it, I guess. But no, I don't compare myself. I met some pretty extreme fans, so I don't think many people compare to the people I found. >> Do you think you found the cream of the crop as far as Packer fans mania goes? >> I like to think so, yeah. >> I think you did. It's interesting, when I saw this was a movie about the Packers and the NFL, I made a film a few years ago called The Godfather of Green Bay. We had a really tough time dealing with the NFL. They're very protective of their brand. What was it like for you? How were you navigating those legal issues with them in order to show your film? >> It was, they were really cooperative, as far as, they just wanted me to be in touch with them and let them know everything that I planned on doing. It also was beneficial, I think, that I intended on doing it in part, I wanted it to be community related, and part of that was implementing charity into it, as well. With implementing the Make-A-Wish Foundation, they gave me some more allowance, because they wanted, they supported the fact that it was for a good cause, and everything worked out. But as long as I kept the Packers in the loop, as to what I was doing working with their PR person, and the people, like the PR manager there worked with the NFL's PR managers. They were pretty generous. >> That's good. Well, they should be. This is kind of a love letter to the Packers organization and the fans. I hope you get to show it all over. As a Packer fan, how much of the mystique does the Packer organization owe the fact that they're in this little town, and not like Milwaukee, all these years? Like, if they were from Milwaukee, how much does that play a role, the small town element, to the Packers' fame and mystique? >> I think it plays a huge role, because the Packers and Green Bay are just one and the same. One of the reasons-- I moved out to Los Angeles for the past year and a half, but coming back, it just gave me a new, you know, that new refreshing look at how much Green Bay is enveloped by the Packers. You see it everywhere. You can't turn your head without seeing a cheesehead or a Packers this or a Packers that. So I think that it being such a small town, that it makes it easier to get engrossed in what puts Green Bay on the map, which is the team. >> Have you found that there's a lot of Packers fans in LA? I lived there for years, and there's a ton of Packers fans out there. >> Yeah, actually I worked at Disneyland when I first moved there, and every day at the park, not a single day went by where there wasn't Packer memorabilia somewhere, someone wearing something Packers related. They're definitely the team that I've seen, you know, the most there. >> You could do your next movie, Packer fans in LA. >> Yeah, there you go. >> All right, let's see another clip from Extreme, Loyal, Victorious. >> Painting this fence started out as fun, but now it's become tradition. It comes with a lot of support if your name makes it on. >> I think it was LeRoy Butler who said you haven't arrived till your name is on the fence. >> Another dirt load to the fence. Soon to be with a new slogan on it, 9-11, we'll paint the new slogan on for fans to see. Today, I'm putting the dirt underneath the fence that I just got done building. Now, it's getting to the point of trench time, as far as finding a slogan. So here we are today, just going through all the slogans. I've got about 800-900 slogans via mail or email. Clay will show us the way. Our new D-Fence is made out of solid Woodson. Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood. The great Bulaga whale wall. Here's a cute one. Let's kick some grass, Packers. Here we are today, getting to the final part of the slogan, waiting for the kickoff of the home opener on September 19. >> When I walk out of my car, I get a lot of screaming, a lot of hollering, "All right!" "Go, Pack!" "You're the best!" "I love your hat!" You can't ask for a better city. This is Green Bay, Wisconsin. I mean, it's gorgeous. Football season is here, 2010. Everybody's rockin', and I think everybody's believing that the Packers are going to win the Super Bowl this year. >> I just have to ask, has a guy that decided to wear a fence on his head and behave like that in support of his football team, just given up the idea of meeting girls altogether, or is he looking for that special woman that's going to truly understand him? >> Yeah, he's married, so I'm not-- I don't know, he gets like, he takes, I think he said hundreds of pictures with fans, most of them, a lot of them being women. So I think he does all right with his Packer fence painted thing. >> Just taking pictures, we don't want to get anybody in trouble. >> Yeah, just pictures. >> Okay, that's good. So, you're making this film about your favorite team. You've got all these great people involved. Then, as the season goes on, you realize, wow, the Packers are doing great here. They've got a chance to go far into the playoffs, and they end up winning the Super Bowl. Talk a little bit about what that was like as you were filming, when you realized that. >> It was crazy, obviously. I think it was the first time in 15 years that they had won that season. >> Right. >> So it wasn't something that I planned for, or that I had even in the scope of my mind, I just decided the movie I was going to make, and that would be a biographical about the fans. Then it just turned into-- I mean, if it ended up being a losing season, it would've been very much less about the season and more so just biographical looks at the fans. Well, I got to leave in the season just because it was perfect and we won the Super Bowl. >> Like a Cinderella, they were the underdogs, too, so that must've played a big role. >> Yeah, it was amazing. >> That's great. So, how did you find these particular fans, like some of the people we'll meet here today and the fence guy? How did you find these guys? Was it word of mouth? How did you, I guess, cast your movie? >> It started out because I had, the reason why I had the idea for the film was the Christmas before I started making the film, I was at a friend's house and came across the book, Extreme-- That's the name of my movie, that was not where it came from. Green, Gold and Proud, was a photography book by Curt Knoke. It had just written biographies about fans in it. I read it, and I was like, these people are fascinating. I kind of have an obsessive personality myself, not so much with the Packers, but just in my interests in general, so I can relate to people who, you know, have so much passion for what they care about and their hobbies or interests. So I started out just contacting people in the book. One of the people featured was one of the first people I contacted, Wendy, who has the casket, the green and gold casket. I kind of started that out as almost like a White Pages, I would look up people in the book and contact them, and interview them. Then I got to the point where I was able to get in touch with the Green Bay Press Gazette, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and put word out. I think that's how I met Paul Jasper, who's here. He's worn a Green Bay Packer t-shirt every day for 26 years. >> That'd be great, if her kids ever get mad at her, the woman that bought the green and gold casket, when she dies, get guys dressed in Bears outfits to be pall bearers. >> Oh...! >> They could have the last laugh. She's putting herself out there for that, I'm just saying. >> Oh, poor Wendy! >> Was the Packers organization helpful when you were making this? >> Yeah, they were totally supportive. >> Cooperative? >> They gave me access. I interviewed Bob Harlan. I interviewed their community outreach director, who organizes their Make-A-Wish wishes, and everything like that. >> That's great. >> Yeah, they were totally, you know, accepting, when they started to have me around. >> As a filmmaker, you love that. >> Oh, yeah. >> Let's take another look at a clip. >> We're sitting at the, I guess you'd say kind of our Lambeau Field cabin here on Shadow Lane, in the shadow of Lambeau Field. One of the things we did, is we said we wanted to make this house Packer themed, but also classy to kind of reflect the class of the organization. When you open the door to your house, you have to welcome in guests. The first thing that we did was that when you welcome in a guest coming in, that you've got to offer them a drink, right? Any good host offers them a drink. On each one of our doors, we've got the Packer door knocker and etched glass with the Packer G there. We've heard from the Packer offices, and even certain coaches who have said as they look out at night, they look into our house and can see the Packer G. We had these custom made. We had the green and gold right here, and of course, we had to put a packer player right here, in each one of the backs. If you look at this closely, these are made out of the same leather that the NFL footballs are made out of. So, again, we didn't spare any detail. We tried to match it. Each bedroom is named after a Packer great. The Bart Starr bedroom, as you can see, we've got the Packer lights, all the bedding. This is the entry into the Lombardi bedroom. Each of our three families could sleep in the rooms. So these pull out into trundle beds that pop out. All six of the Hitlen family can stay in here. This is John and his wife Joanne's bedroom. For now, I guess we'll keep it the Favre Room, but that'll be John's decision. >> Yeah, it stings a little bit right now, having Brett play for the Vikings, but I think we all recognize what he's done for the Packers over his career in Green Bay, so we're very happy to have our bedroom named after Brett. >> These guys are interesting, because they're sort of more calmly intense, but obviously intense fans. >> Oh, yeah. >> We've all seen that house. If you go, it's right on Lombardi, right? It's across from the stadium? >> It's directly across from Lombardi and Curly statues. >> What was it like being in that house? >> That was pretty awesome. >> Talk about that. >> It was super impressive. They just spent so much time and effort in making it so classy looking, down to every detail, making the couch out of football material. That was pretty cool, to be in. I had remembered, even as a little kid, being driven down Lombardi, my parents driving down Lombardi, and looking in and seeing that G and being like, you know, thinking it was really cool. >> They said it's a cottage. Do they not live there full-time? >> They live in Minnesota. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> So they use this house, it must be nice. >> I guess so. >> For eight days a year, they live in this house. >> You obviously had a great time making this film. You got all these fun Packer fans. Packer fans, I'm sure, are really eager to talk and have fun. What were some of the challenges in making this film? Did you ever encounter any speed bumps? Were you like, "Oh no!" Typical production type stuff. >> Well, yes. Financially, that's normally the thing. Once, you know, the best part was that we went to the Super Bowl, of course. But that cost money to go down to Dallas and to do that whole thing. It was, I would start with friends and family and put it out there that, you know, I was trying to raise money for the film and things like that, and that it was going toward a good cause. I had the screenings that benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and everything. >> Is that where you found most of your money? Most independent filmmakers, I think, go to friends and family first. >> Yes. I got some donations that really helped me out. So, that part was probably the least pleasurable. No one likes asking anyone for money. >> Yeah. >> So, yeah, as far as the filmmaking side of things, that's one of the most important things that you have to do, and it's one of the least favorites, I think, for every filmmaker. >> You actually got to go to the Super Bowl and take a crew down there? >> Yeah. >> Oh, fun. That must've been great. That's kind of an excuse to go to the Super Bowl. I'm making this movie, I've got to go. You've got to spot me a couple sawbucks. >> It was, I mean, I was filming the whole time. It was cool being there and being in the aura of the place, but really, I was... >> Just for your film. >> Right, but I was working. >> Right. >> That's the thing, I wasn't really able to be in the moment as far as being a fan. I was really focused on getting good shots and being in the right place to be filming when the time came when I found out if we would win or not. I didn't know. I was sitting outside Cowboy stadium, waiting there, you know, to see on the Megatron. If I saw green and gold, or if I saw, you know, Steelers colors. I just saw a little glimpse of green and gold players and I was like, yay! >> We're doing okay. >> Then people just started shuffling out and going crazy. I saw a bunch of depressed Steelers fans. >> That's a good sign for you. >> Yeah. >> Are Packers fans the best fans in the NFL? >> Yes. >> I'm sure every team thinks their fans are the best, but why are Packers fans the best fans? >> Because I just feel like because it's Green Bay and it's a small town. But this goes to fans out of state, obviously, the family from Iowa that we're going to meet. I don't know what it is. There's just so much to appreciate about the Packers. >> There's an aura. >> There's a history involved and the fact that the team is owned by the fans and not by, you know, no one owns them except for the fans. >> We're going to meet some of those people in just a few minutes. Thank you for being here. I'm going to talk to you again in a little bit. Stick around, okay? >> Okay, awesome. >> Let's see another clip from Extreme, Loyal, Victorious. >> This is my Packers stockholder's shirt. I have bought these over at the stockholder's meeting. I wear this quite a bit. I own a piece of the Pack. Back in about 1985 or '86, I wore a Packer shirt so much, I just decided that you know what, I'm going to just start wearing a Packer shirt every day. So from then on, I've worn a Packer shirt every day for over 24 years. I took a count this morning, and I have 265 Packers shirts. I have closets full of Packers clothes. I especially like things with this throwback, the Heisman logo, and things that, I like the '60s era, the glory days era. This is probably my favorite jacket. It's an old letterman's jacket. I just wear this every chance I get. I wrestled this one away from a lady at a rummage sale. It was 50 cents at a rummage sale. The lady was going to reach and grab it, and I grabbed it right before she got it. She was mad at me, but I didn't care. I got it. At my work, I wear a uniform shirt, but they're understanding, and they allow me to wear Packer shirts every day. They wouldn't want to break the string after 24 years. They don't want to be the guilty party that breaks the string. Whoa, it's tipping over! For our wedding, you know, I wore my suit with the black jacket and a white shirt. I had a Packers t-shirt underneath the white shirt, but it showed through, and it looked kind of tacky. So for our wedding, I couldn't wear a Packers shirt, but I had an old Packers tie tack, so I did have, for my wedding, a Packers little helmet on my tie. >> That was another clip from Extreme, Loyal, Victorious. Joining us now is the star of that clip, "Paulie Packer," himself, Paul Jasper. Paul, welcome to Director's Cut. >> Thank you for having me. >> Wow, what a thrill. You were in a movie. That's kind of neat, huh? >> Yeah, it was really great. You're in Packer lore forever now, because you're on film talking about what a fan you are. What I thought was interesting was like, seeing all that stuff with you, the Packers aren't even your favorite team. I'm joking, Paul, relax. >> You had me going there.

both laugh

>> All right, it's obvious you have a lot of Packer stuff. The shirts, that was really kind of funny. Talk about this shirt and what it means to own a piece of your favorite team. That, I think, is the coolest thing about the Green Bay Packers. You own a piece of the Packers. Talk about what that means to you. >> It's a unique thing in the NFL. I think it's great. I think it's a community thing. That's what sets Packers fans apart from fans of other teams. We all have a part of the team. We all have pride in our team. I like to go to the Packers stockholders' meeting and see everybody, see my fellow owners, and it's really enjoyable. It feels good. It's like a big family. >> Yeah, I bet. How many are there, really? Everyone said the town, and you think, there's 100,000 people, but do you know these people? They're like a community. How many would you say there are? >> You know, I'm not sure. I think there's, I haven't seen the figures. They had a sale last year, where I think they sold 25,000 more shares. >> Holy cow. >> So I don't know the exact figures. There's a lot of them. >> You have a thing about doing some kind of corporate takeover, where you run everybody out and you're the guy? >> No, it's not really anything like that! >> Paul, it's okay, you can be honest, no. So, what would you do? Would you call the plays? Would you be a Jerry Jones? You're like a mini Jerry Jones sitting here in the studio. That's kind of cool. >> Yeah, well, actually, I've always said, for a long time, that I've been a coach and a general manager of the Packers for years. >> And now you actually have the paper to prove it. I assume your wife, you talked about getting married, she's a Packer fan. You probably can't be married to a guy like you without being a Packer fan yourself. >> Actually not, no, she isn't. On our first date, I told her, I admitted that I'm a Packers fan, and I'm just addicted to them, and I don't want to be cured. I just put it right out front for her right away. She's like, oh, okay. We had seen each other before we dated, and she did notice that I always had a Packers shirt on, and she asked. >> When you dress up, do you wear a shirt with a collar when you take your wife out? >> Yes, I do, yes. >> But she's not a Packer fan at all? >> No, not really. I'm so into it that she's this sort of, really, doesn't care for it. >> So, you think you're doing all this as a way to get back at her for not being a Packer fan? >> No, no. I was into this way before I met her. She's just good enough to go along with it. >> Who does she cheer for? >> She isn't really a sports fanatic at all. >> Okay, well that's a little easier, I think. What if your wife says to you, you know what, honey, it's great, we watch the Packers every Sunday, and you've got a lot of shirts. But let's go pick apples this Sunday. >> She would be shocked. >> She would be shocked? >> Yes, if I were to go do that. I don't miss Packers games. >> Would you do it for her? Would you do it to save the marriage? >> We would have to have a good talk about that. >> Maybe go in the morning so you can catch the Packer game. >> Yeah. >> Okay, good answer. Do you ever think to yourself, I mean, what's your goal here? You've got two rooms in your house that are dedicated to Packer paraphernalia. Are you at a point where you go, you know what, I'm done, two rooms is enough? Or, do you say, I want more? I'm mailing it in, I've got to get more stuff. >> I'm always looking for more, but I'm actually running out of space. >> I would imagine. >> I have a lot of stuff. I don't really do it for anybody but myself. It's just me. It's just what I do. I wore a Packer shirt so often years ago, that I decided that, you know what, I'm just going to start wearing a Packer shirt every day. That was like 27 years ago and here I am. >> That's great. When did it start? Were you a kid, and was it something, a love affair since you were a kid, or did you start when you were older? >> Yes, my parents and everybody in my family were always Packers fans. Everybody would come to our house and we'd watch the games together. It's just something that's ingrained in me, that I've always just been. I've just carried it on, maybe a little further than a lot of them have. I'm a little more extreme than some of them. >> Where do you rank? Are you the number one Packer fan? Is it just an honor to be in the top 20, or how do you rank yourself? >> I don't know if it's really fair to rate anybody as a bigger Packers fan than anybody else. I do it, just because it's me, and I enjoy meeting other Packers fans. I enjoy seeing how extreme they go. That's why I really thought the idea that Meghan had of going around and meeting other extreme Packers fans was such an excellent idea. I thought that somebody needed to do this. This is just great that she did that. >> I don't think I've ever met a nicer guy. Paul, thanks for being here and good luck with your growing stash of Packers stuff there. >> Thank you. >> Let's see another clip. >> We bought the house in 1991. I said to Sandy, I go, can we make it green and gold Packers? She says, I don't know about that. She let us do it. It's just continued on. It's been quite a project, but real true Packer fans love it. >> We started going to games in 1991. Ashley went to her first game when she was six months old. Phil went to his first game when he was six months old. They've gone, pretty much every year since then.

clapping in rhythm

>> Do you know who number 64 is? >> Adrian Battles. He's a right guard. >> 53. >> Diyral Briggs. >> 42. >> Morgan Burnett. >> 73. >> Darryn Colledge. >> 96. >> Mike Neal. >> Number 58. >> Frank Zombo, linebacker. >> Who is Dimitri Nance? >> He was on the practice squad on the Falcons, then he was on the Packers, now he's on the Packers, but I'm not sure if they'll keep him. He was a running back. Actually, I know his average, too. He averaged 2.3 runs per game. >> Any time he can do anything that involves football with school work, he's more motivated to do it. Even if we have to practice math questions, a lot of time, if it's-- Years ago, we did addition or subtraction, we'd use football facts. When he does book reports, they have to do book reports, he reads books on football. >> That was another clip from "Extreme, Loyal, Victorious." Joining us now, straight from the big screen, is one-half of the Gutting family, Philip and Sandy. Thanks for being here, you guys. >> Thank you. >> I love this, he's wearing a Packer jersey, and while that clip was on, he was stretching out his neck or stretching like you were going into the game, or something. How was it like seeing yourself in the movie, Philip? Did you get a kick out of that? >> Yeah, I guess so. I was little back then, and I'm a lot bigger now, so it's kind of different. >> But it's a movie about your favorite team and you're in it. That's got to be like a thrill, I would think. I also want to give you some credit here for conning your parents into thinking you can only do your homework if the Packers were involved. That's pretty good. They bought it hook, line and sinker. So, well done. >> Thank you. >> Sandy, so you guys alluded to this in the movie a little bit, but it sounded like your husband, that's your house in the beginning, the green and gold house. He's the catalyst and you kind of had to be talked into it. Talk a little bit about that. >> Yeah, initially the house was a pale yellow, and he's like, you know, we should paint this. We should paint this, and you know, we could paint it gold. Because it started out gold. Then he's like, and then we should paint the trim green. So then it's like, I don't know. Oh, it'll look really good. So then we did it. Well, then we did the deck, and we kind of started enlarging. Then we decided to get it sided, and I was like, well, we can't get gold siding. But we can get green. So, okay, we'll get green. But he's like it's not the Packer house anymore. I'm like, okay, so we can do gold shutters and we'll paint the other trim gold. So we just kind of reversed the colors, still stayed our Packer house and that's just what people began calling it. You know, when we'd say we live here, they're like, oh, you're the ones with the Packer house. We were known by it. >> Easily identifiable. >> Very easily. >> It sounds like your husband had an agenda there. >> I think he did, yes. >> Wait a minute, green, gold. I see where this is going. So you guys are obviously a really close family. Have the Packers kind of brought you together as a family? If you didn't have the Packers, would you be out hiking or cross-stitch? What would you be doing together? Would you still be a close family? >> Yeah, well, we all kind of have our own thing, but that's the one thing that we really, really do together. I don't even know. When the Packers aren't on, our Sundays just suck. We're like, oh, god I hope it starts really soon. Every day, Philip will be like, how long till training camp? Or he'll be like, can we go over and see them? It's just an obsession that we all share equally. >> Right, that's great. You go to games now, right? >> We go to some, yes. >> What do you like better, Philip, watching on TV or being at the stadium? >> Well, obviously, the stadium. >> You say "obviously," but a lot of people like to watch, they don't like the crowds and all that. But that's good. I mean, you know, right? >> Definitely. He would go to every game, if he could. >> Yeah. You guys moved. Do you like being in Green Bay? >> Yes. >> It's like a dream come true. >> Yes, it is. I mean, I have relatives that are from the wrong side, they're the wrong kind of fans, you know, and they like texted me, have you moved yet? And I'm like yes, I've moved, I'm in heaven. >> What do you mean, the wrong kind of fans? >> I have a brother who's a Bears fan. >> Oh, I thought you meant they were still Packer fans, but they're not. >> He's the wrong kind of fan. I mean, you can't get any worse than that. >> Okay, I hope he doesn't hear that. So that's great, good for you guys. So do you have any reservations, I have to ask this, because you guys are, obviously, you breathe green and gold. But your kids are as fanatics, as you guys are, but you didn't become that until you were adults. Do you have any reservations about really, or did the kids kind of gravitate toward that naturally? >> I think they gravitated naturally. I mean, we never pushed it on them. We never made them. They made all their own choices. Philip, for the past two or three years, every single day to school, he wore a Packer jersey. That was his own choice. He picks out his own clothes. It never fails. It was a tradition. If he came downstairs and he wasn't wearing one, I'd be like shocked, and he was, no, no, I'm going to put it on, but I'm just wearing my t-shirt underneath. I'm going to put it on, I just don't want to get it dirty. >> When he grows up though, and realizes, I'm an autumn, I can't wear green and gold, how about a nice beige v-neck, or something? >> I don't think that'll happen. Never. >> I don't think he'd care anyway. >> No, no, that's not his thing. >> So I'm just going to quiz you here. Who's this? >> Ray Nitschke. >> Stupid question, okay. Who are your favorite Packer players of all time? >> My favorite of all time is Reggie White. >> Reggie White, okay, just Reggie? >> That's my favorite. >> Why? >> Probably because he's easily the best defensive end in NFL history, and I don't know, I just like how he plays and his personality. >> Okay, best offensive player? >> My favorite, or best? >> Wow, you guys are tough! Favorite, yeah. >> Brett Favre, I guess. >> Still? Wow, okay. Even over Aaron Rodgers? >> Yeah. >> Okay, good for you. You're an authentic fan, I appreciate that. Thanks a lot you guys, for being here. We're going to meet the other half of your clan in a bit, but now, we're going to see another clip from "Extreme, Loyal, Victorious." >> When we first got the house it was just a plain house. My parents decided that they wanted to build a deck and make a football field out of it. If you look around on the ground, they have, like, there are end zones right here, and then on the sides, it's got like the 10 yard, the 20, they have it all marked. We have to paint it every three years or so, because we walk on it so much when it gets warm out. Down here, we have the pool and our ring of fame. Look around. We've got all, just like players from Lombardi, all the way up to Donald Driver. Then every year, we vote on which players we think would be best to put on the ring of fame. We finally marked Favre's year. For the longest time we had him up here, and we didn't know when to put his sticker on there, because he had that, "oh, I'm retiring, I'm coming back" still going on. Over here, we have our kitty grave yard. This is like where some of our past pets who are named after Packers. Up there, we have Ahman, after Ahman Green. And Fuzzy, after Fuzzy Thurston. We've got Max after Max McGee. We have Frankie after Frank Winters. >> That, of course, was another clip from "Extreme, Loyal, Victorious." Joining us now are the other members of the Gutting clan, Phil and his daughter Ashley. Welcome to the show, guys. >> Thank you. >> All right, I have to ask. Be honest. All those cats were Vikings fans, weren't they? >> Yep. >> That is a huge cat graveyard. >> There's no Fran Tarkenton in there. >> There's no Fran Tarkenton in there, good to know! Let's just keep it to cats, I hope. Phil, let's start with you. What was it like? You've got your whole family in a movie about your favorite team. Talk about what that was like for you as a fan. >> Well, it's thanks to her. I really didn't have any part of it. She, did you go online? How did you find out about this? I don't even remember. >> I made a YouTube account. >> YouTube. It was just, it come out of the blue. I really didn't fathom this. I was just enjoying the house. And it's like, Daddy, we're going to be on TV, and I'm like what? I just kinda was flabbergasted by it. >> Were you nervous about doing it? >> No. I wasn't nervous about doing it, I was just like kind of shocked. And I knew the house was unique, because we've had a couple football players actually stop by. >> Really? Packers? >> Mm-hmm. >> No kidding. In Iowa? >> In Iowa. >> That's impressive. >> Only one. I lied. >> Or a couple, a split personality? That's all right. Nobody's tracking this conversation. >> I was taking a nap, and I can't remember who showed up, Tony Canadeo showed up. >> Okay. >> With his nieces, and I'm like, Tony Canadeo's at the door. Huh? Oh, yeah, I remember him! From the '50s. I just, that was probably the most special thing. >> It must've been a pretty neat moment, yeah. >> In a population of a hundred. >> The town is a hundred people, no kidding? >> Not including cats. >> It's a little less now! So what about you, Ashley? Are you as big a fan as your parents? >> I'd say easily. >> Maybe more so, even. >> Yeah, I mean, I'm going to college, because I want to be a sports doctor for the Packers, so I'd say about the same or maybe just a little more. >> I think maybe even more, if you're willing to go to college to work for the Packers. >> Yeah. >> Good luck with that. That's exciting. >> Yeah, it is. >> You guys, like your wife said, you just relocated to Green Bay, a dream come true. Now you live in Packerland. I'm going to say something, I'm kind of joking, but give me an honest answer. What do you do, you move to Green Bay, you're finally here, and they say, we're moving the Packers to Des Moines. >> Cry. >> Do you go to Des Moines, or do you stay? >> Stay, or eat pork chops. >> Why not do both? You're in Green Bay. I think there's no shortage of pork chops. That's good. So, what was the best part about filming for you, Ashley? What did you have the most fun with? >> I'd say just working with Meghan. It's kind of just, I don't know, just like the coolness of it all. Because, actually, like, right before, the reason she found us is like, I put films of our house on YouTube, and that's how she found it. And right before all this happened, I had some snotty Chicago Bears fan comments on my video, who would want to see videos of your Packer house? And it's like, and then I commented back, well, we're going to be in a documentary, so. >> Who gets the last laugh? >> Exactly. >> He was typing that from his orange and blue house, I'm sure. >> His orange and blue dog house. >> Well, that's pretty cool. So, what do you guys think? You are obviously maybe some of the biggest fans I've ever seen, certainly, but you see a guy like Paulie Packer, do you look at him and go, I don't know, that's a good angle he's got there, or do you go, he's not even close to us? Is there a competition there between you? >> There's no competition. It's all camaraderie. >> That's good. >> It's love. >> Love? Okay. Have you met a lot of other Packer fans that are just as avid as you guys, since you've been in Green Bay? >> Yeah. Actually, we were watching the OTAs, and Philip, you were with us, and we seen a guy, I don't think he was sober, but he had on big glasses, a suit, a cheese bra, and he was walking around. >> Nothing weird about that in Green Bay. If you saw that in, you know, lower Michigan, you'd be like, hmmm. Nobody questions that in Green Bay. Who are your favorite Packers? >> My favorite, okay, all-time or current? >> Here we go again. All-time, let's go with all-time. >> My all-time is Brett Favre. >> Brett Favre, very loyal to Brett Favre. Good for you. >> Do I get that question? >> Well, you do now, sure. >> Okay, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke. And Brett. >> You were really racking your brain there, weren't you? What does it mean? Talk about what being a Packer fan means. It's not just about cheering. You answer this one, Ashley. What does it mean to be a Packer fan? >> I guess it's just you're part of something bigger, kind of like what Paulie said, they're kind of just like a family. It's just like, kind of just using that to meet other people and to bond. >> And you kind of have an instant bond, don't you? >> Yeah, instantly. Heck, I can talk to anybody. People just walk by in a Packers jersey, it's like, oh, hey, you're a Packers fan. >> You know what you should do? You should go up to the guy with the nice house there, knock on his door and see if he invites you in for a beer, and see if he's as good of a Packer fan as you are. >> Ooh. >> I think he probably would. >> I think he would, too. >> Thanks for being here, you guys. >> Thanks for having us. >> Let's see another clip from "Extreme, Loyal, Victorious." >> Then, basically, they like point their finger at you, and say you know, "Let's go." >> You think it's gonna work? >> I don't know. >> We'll try it out. >> It was so neat to be able to see these great big players on these little bikes, with the child walking, you know, along side them. Players love it. It's really fun to see. That tradition is something that we really definitely plan on keeping going. >> You on there? Here we go, we're riding. Oh! >> He talks to me about school subjects. Sam didn't really like school, so he said it was pretty boring. >> I fell off my bike on my way here, like two days ago. But I didn't miss that practice, even though that I hurt really bad. >> We got here really late, so they're probably actually-- >> So, we didn't want to make our next guest attempt to find our studios, because Madison would be tough town to get around in, so we thought it would be great to meet him here, where it started for him, and for so many other NFL players, on a high school football field. It's our pleasure to welcome to Director's Cut, Antonio Freeman. Antonio, welcome to Director's Cut, and welcome back to Wisconsin. >> Thanks for having me. It's a pleasure to be on your show. It's always a great thing for me to come back to the state of Wisconsin. When I travel around the world, I tell people that when I go back to Wisconsin, it's like a rock star has just returned home. It never gets old here. I mean, the people here are so nice, they're so genuine. And they're Packer fans, so that's the biggest thing of it all, and they love their Packers. Old, new, and future generations. So it was a big blessing for me to get drafted by the Green Bay Packers, and spend so many great, wonderful years that helped shaped me, not only during football, but after football, now as I live my life without football. >> Right. Well, in this film that we're talking about today, it's a documentary called "Extreme, Loyal, Victorious." Packer fans are crazy. They love, like you just said, they love their Packers. You played for other teams. Is there a difference between fans in different NFL cities? What makes Packer fans unique? >> You know, I only played for one other NFL team, and that was the Philadelphia Eagles. They're fans are whole different breed. I won't get into the good and the bad, or the ugly. >> We know about Philly fans. >> We'll just leave it at that. But you know, Packer fans are forgiving. They're nurturing. They really care about the guys on their team. When there's Packer events, the community really comes out, embraces it, and supports it. You can just, I can just think back to my rookie year, when I got to Green Bay. I was asked to ride a bicycle to practice, and have a little kid get on my back. To me, that was the oddest and strangest thing I ever heard, but wow, the tradition of the Green Bay Packers and what it meant for me, personally, and the kid whose bike I rode, it meant five times as much to him. That's the kind of embrace that you experience when you're a Green Bay Packer living in Wisconsin. >> Why are those fans, why do they show up, maybe more, you know, percentage-wise to functions like that? Do you have an opinion on that? >> You know what, it's a small city, more or less, I think a bit over 100,000 in the city of Green Bay. But our fans, they just love football. I mean, Green Bay doesn't have a basketball team. We claim the Bucks. We claim the Brewers. But football is the one heartbeat in the city of Green Bay. The folks in that town and the community, they really embrace the Packers. You know, I always tell my friends back home, you could be a water boy for the Green Bay Packers, and you're important in Green Bay. That's just how they endorse that franchise, more or less. It's a great piece of continuity between the players and the fans, and their understanding for one another. You think about jumping in the stands, and how that must feel to a fan, to be able to catch a live Green Bay Packer in their lap, and you know, maybe douse him with a taste of beer, and send him back. >> Give him a quick sip before he goes back to the huddle. Sure! Come on, those fans, do they get a little grabby when that happens? It looks a little uncomfortable for some of those guys. Should there be restraining orders at any point, or what's going on? >> There's shouldn't be restraining orders! Because that's the uniqueness of Packer football. That's the bond between the community and the Green Bay Packers. The players do a great job of embracing it. A player could dance. He could have his own personal celebration, but each player to a man, pretty much buys into the idea that I want to jump into the stands. It's a good thing, when you get rookies coming in, in their first year, that's all they talk about, is I can't wait to jump into the stands. That just magnifies it even bigger, to maybe even a veteran on that football team of, how much compatibility the players and the community have with one another. It's a great, great, great experience. >> What's the craziest behavior you've ever seen from a Packer fan? Because we've got some great fans on the show, but I'm sure there are people that go to even more extremes. Do you have any memories of something you saw where you were just like, wow. >> Craziest behavior. I'd say the weirdest thing I've signed, which is a sign of behavior, would've been a personal item, which you wear underneath a shirt, of a Packer fan. >> A female, I assume? >> A female, yeah, I had to sign a bra. I don't know if that's admissible for television, or not, but that's the craziest thing that I had to do. I don't know if that's the craziest fan I ever met. As I sit here and think, that's one of the craziest things I had to do, because, I had to be careful not to touch. >> I would imagine that's kind of a touchy area. Did you ever have to sign any underpants, or a pair of briefs? >> Uh, briefs, yeah. >> That's may be where I draw the line. >> I drew the line there, I said you know what, guy, this is it. >> I'll sign the elastic. >> I'm not even touching them, as a matter of fact! You can't even spread it out and make me sign it! >> So what are you doing now? You've been retired now for about seven or eight years. How is retirement treating you? >> Retirement is great. I can say that, because I played for one of the greatest franchises and organizations around the world. My success during my time at that organization is respected across the world. It's not like playing for some of the sub-par teams in the NFL. This is a proven organization. I've actually had the fortune to play at a high level for a great organization, and I did great things. The more I look back, is I went to school and I got an education. I learned how to live. I learned about life. Those are the things that are able to make me be successful at this point. Right now, we're in the process of launching The Antonio Freeman radio talk show. It launched here in Madison on Fridays, from 8am to 9am, throughout the state of Wisconsin. I'm still working on my sports journalism. I'm a philanthropist in the sports area. I do radio, television. I covered the Baltimore Ravens during the season, back in Baltimore, my home town. That's the only affiliation there. That's my home town. >> You don't have to explain. >> But my dream is to come back here and do it full-time in Wisconsin. >> No kidding? >> A place where I had a lot of success, a place where I have great memories. I met great people. That's my dream job, is to yes, leave my home town and come to Wisconsin and do it full-time, year round, be a part of something great, be able to watch greatness every week, and every day that I'm a part of it. That's my dream job. But in the meantime, I'm just staying busy. I'm working with the NFL on their Player Safety Committee Panel. I've just got my hands in a lot of different baskets, and just trying to stay busy. I think we, as former players, we go wrong when we stop being busy. >> You're more busy now with all the stuff you've got going on. Good for you. >> Yeah, you've just got to take advantage of every opportunity, still, after football. >> Okay, so this is a show about movies. We talk to directors, producers, writers. Do you like movies? >> I love movies. >> What kind of movies do you like? >> Comedy, a little suspense, a little drama. >> Who are your favorite directors? Do you have any favorite actors? >> Ah, favorite actors, John Belushi. I'm a Saturday Night Live guy. It takes me back. Eddie Murphy, I like, Chris Tucker. >> Okay, so let's say they make a movie about Antonio Freeman. Who's the actor you'd want to play you? Who do you think would do the best job of playing you? >> Me! >> Oh, wow! >> Hey, I'm putting myself in the actor phase. >> I think you should at least be able to get an audition for that, I would think. >> Um, you know, to be honest, that's a pretty tricky question. It'd have to be Eddie Murphy. He's funny. I'd want him to be funny, full of charisma. >> Were you funny in the locker room? Like did you keep things light? Were you a good locker room guy? >> I was a great locker room guy. I just put my headphones on. I listened to my music. I danced around. People thought I was dancing funny, so they'd laugh. I was a piece of humor in the locker room. But we had characters in that locker room. I didn't have to be that character. But I was definitely a valuable piece in that locker room. We had a ton of fun. >> Okay, so I have to ask. You're probably biased, but Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers? >> Man, wow, you really put me under the gun. I'm a loyal guy. I like a lot about Aaron Rodgers. I like his trajectory. I like his accuracy. I like the way he throws the football. He's a great player. But my success was with number four, Brett Favre. He and I had a great connection. We understood each other. We could look at each other and be like this, or like this, and we'd know what to do. He and I just gelled. He kind of taught me. As I came onto the scene, he kind of groomed me, brought me along, and helped develop me. He was one of those guys that I always went to when I had an issue, or I had a question, and he could answer it. But he was just a great teammate, a lot of fun in the locker room, a lot of fun to be around. He genuinely made others better. I was fortunate enough to be one of those guys that he helped make better, because he was such a great quarterback. Our times, I could never turn on Brett. He and I had 57 touchdowns together. He looked for me quite a bit, and he trusted me. Just our relationship was great. Being a teammate was great. We had great teammates all throughout that locker room, but Brett was a great guy. He was a great guy and he meant a lot to that football team. >> Do you guys still keep in touch? It did seem like a fun group of guys, when you guys went to the Super Bowl, and Donald Driver, and all these great players you had on the team. Do you guys all keep in touch? Are you friends? >> Oh, yeah, we all keep in touch. The funny thing is once you win a championship, you're bonded for life. I mean, you guys are always going to be asked to do things on the strength of winning a title, where you guys are going to cross paths and connect. But I try to reach out to guys every three or four months. It's funny, when you leave that locker room, when you're in there, you're like brothers, but when you leave there, you go home, you have families, you have kids, you have a wife, and all of those things become more important to that brotherhood that we shared in that locker room. >> Is there any hope for a guy to get into the NFL, that's my age? I'm not saying it's me. I'm just saying he runs a 9.1 40. All right, nonsense. So let me ask you this. You put up some great numbers. You've got, like you said, 57 touchdowns. I think you have 61 your whole career, 7,000 receiving yards. This is kind of a tough question maybe for you to answer, but where do you rank yourself among Packers receivers? >> You know, I rank myself in the eyes of the beholder. There are some great receivers that came through. I'm fortunate to be a part of something. Robert Brooks, who was before me, he taught me the game. When Donald Driver came into the game, I was able to pass along my knowledge to Donald Driver. Donald Driver took the torch and ran with it, and surpassed a number of Green Bay Packer records. But there was never a game too big for Antonio Freeman. You know, I scored my share of touchdowns. I dropped my share of balls. But when the stakes were high, you could always find me on that football field. There wasn't a tougher, more dedicated guy to this game than me. I'm not going to beat my own chest, but I know I was tough. I know I ran across the middle and did things that other receivers wouldn't do. But when the stakes were high, you could find me. >> Yeah, well, that's obvious. Well, we're glad we found you. It's great having you here on Director's Cut. Thanks for not getting me in a headlock. >> Thank you. Thanks for having me, again. >> What a great guy. Here's another clip from "Extreme, Loyal, Victorious." >> George, the Ironman was reduced to a pool of tears today. Brett Favre getting a national award for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He gets emotional seeing Anna Walentowski, a little girl we first met three years ago who is fighting a rare brain disorder. >> I'll try not to get choked up. Sorry. Anyway... My hope is that all these kids can do better. I'm just so happy to see her standing here beside me. >> We serve children ages 2-1/2 to 18, with life-threatening medical conditions, who have been deemed medically eligible by their physicians. Dr. Gordon first referred her in August, 2004, and by September, Make A Wish had contacted us, and Jackie and another gal came to our home and interviewed with us, and wanted to know more about why Anna wanted to meet the Packers. >> She was pretty young. I think she was one of the youngest kids to have a wish granted, so we had to actually kind of ask the question of what she wanted for her wish in kind of a multiple choice. It was between meeting Brett Favre and the Packers or meeting the band Journey. I think the third one was maybe having her meeting Barney. So, she picked, obviously, Brett Favre and the Packers. >> Barney's not real. >> He's not real, you're right.

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>> We're back once again with Meghan Parkansky, the film's director. That's a very sweet clip. I mean, talk about how shooting a segment like that affects you. And then, if you want to kind of segue into what the Make-A-Wish Foundation is, what their involvement was in this film. >> Okay, sure. She's an angel, obviously. She's super cute, just the sweetest girl, and has the sweetest parents in the world. It breaks my heart that such, you know, that I guess, this tragic disease came along, that they have to endure every day. But I mean, I love the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the work that they do. Anna just lit up when she talks about her experience with Brett Favre, who she's in love with. I think that they're just the greatest charity ever. >> Yeah. >> So, like I said, I wanted this to be a community. It's about Green Bay. Green Bay is very community oriented. I wanted there to be a charity involved. I just thought of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and got in touch with them and told them about I was doing. They got me in touch with Anna and her family. So, when it came time to have the screenings in 2011, right around the time that football season started, the admission to my screenings all went to Make-A-Wish Foundation. I didn't profit a single penny off of any of it. Then, with the DVDs for sale now off of my website, two dollars of each DVD sold goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. >> Great. That's leads me kind of to my next question. You've got this film about the Packers. How do you get it seen? That's the tough thing in independent film. What's your game plan? >> Well, I did have, you know, talking about NFL's permission. They did give me somewhat permission, trying to figure out distribution for it. They had given me permission to do DVDs. I had sought into getting it distributed onto Netflix and Hulu, and streamed online, things like that. That's unfortunately not something that they would allow for. So, at this point in time, the DVDs are for sale on the website. I haven't scheduled any screenings, being that I don't live in-state anymore. That's where I got screenings cleared for. >> Will they let you sell them at Lambeau, or outside the stadium? >> I think they would, yeah. >> It seems like you'd clean up there, you know. >> Yeah, I think that's something that I'll definitely have to get organized for the season. >> We have about 30 seconds left. What is next for you as a director? You made this dream film. Where do you go from here? >> I still want to do something creative. I haven't gotten bit by the specific bug that will make me, you know, entice me to make another film on my own. It's just a lot of work into it. >> You're still traumatized?! >> I mean, I just, you know, totally want to do the experience again, it's just a hard thing to pull off, especially, you know, with working full-time, and things like that. But I'll do something again. I'm just not quite sure when or what about. >> Best of luck. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, thanks for being here. Good luck with the film. It's great. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Meghan, and to all our guests. And hey, thank you for watching this very special hour-long edition of Director's Cut. For more information on "Extreme, Loyal, Victorious," please go to our website at wpt.org and click on Director's Cut. I'm Pete Schwaba, and that's a wrap. It's a new era It's a new day There's a new leader Of the Pack From Green Bay No looking back 'Cause the future is here This is our team Our town, our time Our year... >> Clay? >> Matthews. >> AJ? Donald? >> Duck. >> Not Donald Duck!