Hello, this is Corey. So what's your background? You're an artist or know? We're an E -commerce company? So we were actually a digital marketing company who did a lot of services and then moved into kind of e -commerce of the experiment, and manufactured a couple of things to do like Alibaba and down manufacturers over in China, and and had a little bit of success, kind of with some bobblehead and things like that, and then I kind of wanted to figure out of a polyresin product that we could do and for the holidays, and so we thought about doing a nativity set and just kind of. Brainstorm and thought that kind of putting a modern take on a historical event would be an interesting and fun way to make a nativity that a little bit more interesting. What year did you come up with that design and published that product by twenty three feet, so to the third Christmas season that we've had it okay, And how's the controversy been Each season Is it increasing or decreasing or so later didn't get as much at the publicity as certainly two thousand and sixteen, we got a ton of publicity and controversy in. All about that kind of went viral to some extent and twenty six, and then last year was a little bit the dormant. We didn't pay for any Pr or pass or anything like that around it and just kinda took what what came and then this year had a little bit of resurgence. We've had a little bit more press and publicity. A gallon. Of course, the exhibit up in Montreal has caused some controversy, and so what is it about St Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, You think that made that flare up in the news more than any other religious institution? Um, I dunno, I mean I, I had a reporter call me, and so I know that there was one of the news stations up there that did a story on it. I don't know if that caused a little bit more the controversy. I know that once they did their segment on it and ran from editorial on it as well that after that we started seeing a lot more kind of local papers doing it, but obviously it's a controversial piece when it goes in some sort of a religious establishment. We never intended to be controversial in fact. We intended it to be just kind of a a different take on the nativity. Set a way that we could probably get younger people to be a little bit more enthusiastic about displaying in activities that I don't know any millennials would actually display nativity at the mouth seems like a very traditional and an older type of decoration, and so we want to just figure out if we could take traditional and bolder decoration then have younger people are proud to display them in their dorm rooms or houses, or or whatever it may be, and that's the. That's all we did we. I thought it'd be funny and interesting and entertaining, and we wanted to put smiles on faces and goal was obviously never did offend anybody or or to disrespect any sort of religion or religious belief, tent of of what we we're trying to do, but it's been taken that way by some people. We also have a ton of churches and pastors and reverends and nativity set collectors that have been really really excited about what we've done. They understand there's not meant to be any. Sacrilege or or irreverence in in what we're doing, It's simply meant to be just a different take on a Biblical event. I read online that you are partnered up with your brother. Can you talk about the different roles that you play in the business? Ah, Yes, I, I've handled more with the manufacturing operations and he feels more what kind of product marketing, but there's a lot of overlap in what we do. This was literally is something that we were trying to think together about. I took a different product and Holly product that we can make around. While you're as, and the idea of a nativity set came to mind, we tried to think how we could make it interesting and over a couple of drinks at happy hour, but one thing turn to another always said you know what would have you know we did like a millennial nativity sat where Joseph and Mary are taking a selfie of themselves, and then who said the wizened can be on segways with Amazon Prime packages, and obviously segways are a bit outdated. Now people have pointed that out that it should be hoverboards. Are other things, unfortunately. They weren't even really a thing yet, so we just kind of, and one thing led to another you know doing gluten -free feed and organic cows and Christmas letters on the sheep and solar panels on the roof and all the ideas is cap kind of Derp thing, and we felt like we had enough that it would be interesting at least to hire an artist to bring our designs to life and see if it was something that we could actually then go and manufacturing, so that's kind of how the whole thing started and that was a bit of the roles that we play, so the controversy I would imagine boosts sales is that is that always the case. So the controversy boost publicity, which is the great thanks. So I'm twenty sixteen. When I went viral, It went viral around the controversy, Not necessarily around the idea, so a lot of people love the idea, but new stations. They don't want to just promote good idea. They want to promote controversial ideas and so that allowed us to get in the media, and the media brought us a lot of attention and a lot of visitors to the website, And so yeah, it ended up boosting sales because it became a thing that the media could end up reporting on, and you know there's some people who love it and some people who think we're going to hell for it. It's something that they can then report on it. Let their viewers kind of figure it out, and so I think the the controversy certainly helped raise awareness for the product which which ended up driving sales? Do you mind if I ask how old you and your brother, Yeah, so I'm thirty six and my brothers thirty seven, Okay, so he's the older brother, But you. You get along, Absolutely, I mean we've been in business together for thirteen years now, so and what is your number one product? That's been your star product so far. I mean we've got a bunch of different stores, and so for this store, this is the nativity set Visit our number one product. We do kind of funny, wrapping paper and holiday card with it like a dragon tree topper. We've done some other just kind of fun gift, and in holiday related items, but this has certainly been the thing that that kind of opened that as a store, but this has been certainly the most fun products. Do you have products that push the envelope even more in terms of maybe being? Offensive or just being too wacky or weird, Can you think of any other examples? Where is this the only example that sort of edgy in that way? Yeah, this is really the only one that alien That way. I mean we didn't anticipate the controversy. It was never a goal. The controversy that came with it. Was it a little bit unexpected. I can see now hindsight why it would be a controversial product, but No, we, we, for the most part we try and create products that are really going to connect with people that are our target audience, not necessarily offend people who are on our target our target audience in. Well, that's where this was a little bit more controversial is that people who weren't our target audience got offended, and it's funny because the people who are purchasing it can be pastors, and the people who are authentic can be as well, so it cuts both ways and it's so impossible to tell who's going to respond one way or another based on their religious beliefs or age or anything like that. It's just impossible to tell who's going to get offended. It is going to think it's the greatest thing on the planet. Did you happen to see the curator of St Joseph's oratory what she said about your piece? I might have I read a C T V peace. She was supportive of it. Is that correct. Yeah, Yeah, she was saying that it sort of a mirror to our times, and that he in the Middle ages they dressed the Holy Family in the clothing of their time, and if we do so today it's just a mirror in which we can look at ourselves and say well, This is who we are right right, and I mean anyone that at Saint Joseph's Oratory. It's one of my favorite places to go in Montreal. Anyone that's there will be dressed pretty much like you depicted. And they will have the accessories that you depicted. They won't be riding on segways. But they're pretty much. We'll have participated in that lifestyle, so there is no way to look at that and really take offense unless you're taking offense at your own lifestyle, and this is basically what the curator of St Joseph said, so I. I agree with her Where I would draw The line is that these are saints and the saints aren't like you, and me. They are above. For example, Mary would never reveal her bra strap, and I mean. By my standards, that's a sexy depiction of a woman, even though for many people that are consuming porn, that's a very modest outfit, but it's too much for Mary. Do you understand that perspective? Also, I certainly do where I would push back Is that Mary and Joseph are both the most ordinary of ordinary people. Joseph was a carpenter. Mary was an ordinary woman. They were good people, but they were very much the ordinary of the most ordinary people who were called into the Holy life, so I think you're right to say that she would dress racy. It's probably a statement slightly too far, but to think that they may take selfies. They may drink copier. That it may have manned bonds, and all those would be very very much, so the exposed bra strap was the single most controversial piece of anything that we did. Everything else was a little bit more of a satire on society, and I think that the right Jesus Mary and Joseph would be very holy and revered people do it to picking them an outlay. However, I again, I'll go back to the fact that. Prior to the birth of Jesus, they were very very normal and everyday people Is all they were. How did Saint Joseph's Oratory get a hold of this unless they went out and looked for it and purchased. It Is there some push on your part to put them into religious places or no, No, not at all, so we actually did area very little outreach her or anything for this product. I mean I have no idea who even purchased it from the oratory, I assume that they purchase it like a normal customer, and I mean I, I. In assure you that they purchase it like a normal customer. We don't do giveaways or handouts. We don't then things depressed. We don't intentionally reach out to try and get down press or two stories or things like that. It's all been organic. It's not on the altar of the church. It's in a museum behind glass, so there is nothing that people could take offence to, but I guess people in this day and age are very sensitive. What do you think about political correctness? Generally something that's overwhelming in the U. S. Because here in Canada, it's a little bit. Out of control. What what do you think about political correctness? Generally? It's outta control and I absolutely hate it and and I understand sensitivity, and like I said, I'm very much for people being able to live their lifestyle the way they want to live at and the political correctness stuff I think is to some extent harmful to society. I think it's killing creativity. I think it's creating a lot of divisiveness in people's lives as well as in our government. I think that it will restore itself correctly and there's something that needed to take place that we've seen over the last. Three or four decades that political correctness has cheered a lot, but I think there is such a microscope or a magnifying glass on everything that political correctness has been taken way too far. I will let you go. I just have one last question. If you don't mind, Have you had any family or friends that have been negative about this particular piece. No, I haven't. I mean My my parents are very practicing Christian, then to them at birth, a piece of that bit shocking. My mom comes from a very like Catholic background who was raised Catholic for the first thirty five years of her life. And so it was a bit kind of shocking to her and the more she thought about it, the more she obviously understands our heart and our intention. I think she became more proud of just kind of what we have been able to accomplish, and nobody's expressed anything other than gratitude and support for for what we've done has been happy to kind of be a part of this Er, For this to be a part of our life. Can I ask you to just give? The final word because I don't like to end the interview myself. I just like when my guest gives a little final closing thought. Just maybe a little positive message or something nice. Can you give the final thought. What would you say to anyone that is out there, listening? Yeah, that the panel thing, I would say the whole reason that we created activity that was to bring joy during the holiday and something that people could smile at laugh at and connect with it a new generation for something that was really really traditional and can be stuffy for a younger generation. Things like nativity sets, and so reserve judgment, understand that that was our sole intention of. There was never meant to be any sort of disrespect or irreverence, and hopefully seeing it in that light, we can put more smiles on your faces and happy holidays.