Christopher Nolan’s *The Odyssey* faces intense criticism from right-wing figures who argue it misrepresents ancient Greek history through diverse casting, especially of trans or Black actors as Helen of Troy or Greek warriors. Critics like Matt Walsh and Elon Musk accuse Nolan of promoting “woke” ideologies and cultural inauthenticity, claiming it undermines traditional values and historical accuracy. However, the film is a major box office success and praised by conservatives like Ben Shapiro, who sees it as embodying virtues like resilience and humility. The discussion reflects a broader cultural divide, with conservatives asserting that diversity in casting diminishes authenticity, while others view it as a necessary evolution of storytelling. The episode also satirizes political figures like Trump, highlighting his inconsistent and disrespectful conduct during public events and in policy responses, contrasting with the film’s moral themes of hubris and consequence. The segment includes light-hearted commentary on modern issues such as tipping culture, food delivery, and assisted suicide, emphasizing how societal norms are under strain. Ultimately, the show blends satire, cultural critique, and nostalgia, using humor to explore deep divides in American politics and values—while promoting listener support for brands like Tommy John, Blinds.com, and simply safe.
[MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> What's up everybody? Welcome to Love and Leave It Live from Hollywood. I'm John Loveett. >> And it must have smelled insane inside that horse. [LAUGHTER] We got a great show for you tonight. But first, let's get into it. What a week. [APPLAUSE] Four months, right wingers have been losing their minds over director Christopher Nolan's casting of Lupita and Yongo as Helen of Troy, an Elliott page as a Greek warrior in his adaptation of The Odyssey. It's so important to accurately represent the historic figure, Helen of Troy, who hatched from an egg after being fathered by Zeus in the form of a fucking swan. Here's right wing YouTuber, Matt Walsh. Nolan set out to subvert a classic, to bludgeon a monumental story with flat writing and incoherent creative decisions, along with the modern mandates of feminism, transgenderism, and anti-whiteism. >> If transgenderism gets its way, Helen of Troy will come back to Sparta and say, "I'm just Troy now. I no longer identify as Helen." [LAUGHTER] And Agamemnon is like, "Does that mean I'm gay?" And Troy is like, "This is Sparta. We're all fucking gay, bitch." [LAUGHTER] Here's one American news network. And it wouldn't be as preposterous, Dan, if they didn't subversively cast Lapita Nguongo, who is a, you know, she's a black woman, playing Helen of Troy or Helen of Detroit, whatever you want to call her. >> Yikes. I wouldn't win for herself. I was like, "I hadn't heard that racist fags voice." [LAUGHTER] Can I say that? I don't know. [LAUGHTER] How about this? If we let the most famous rapper from Detroit be white, we can call it even. [LAUGHTER] Walsh wrote on Acts Back in May, Christopher Nolan knows that he would be called racist if he gave the most beautiful woman role to a white woman. Nolan is technically talented, but a coward. Yes, Nolan will never understand true bravery, casting a beautiful white woman in a movie. [LAUGHTER] That famously brave act. Elon Musk responded to Walsh's post with, quote, "true," then went on to have a full meltdown over the film. But Elon Musk would hate Helen of Troy no matter what, since her face launched a thousand ships that didn't explode. [LAUGHTER] The richest person in the world who could spend his one precious life doing anything he wants to do. He could create a traveling carnival that sets up in the parking lots of children's hospitals that gives families in the midst of terrible trials, a wonderful afternoon. He could create a fund with $100 billion that throws off 10 billion a year in pure interest that could cover experimental treatments for people with cancer. He could choose an endangered species and save it. He could go to the dozens of liberal cities he hates and offer to close their budget gaps in exchange for policy concessions. He could build a university or a library or a museum or a network of public parks, but no. He's posting on the social media platform he bought, and I quote, "Chris Nolan has shown total contempt for the Greek people." [LAUGHTER] And Chris Nolan is an anti-white racist, and Chris Nolan is pissing on Homer's grave, disgraceful. And if that's a disgrace to Homer, just wait till Euripides finds out who Tyler Perry cast as Medea. [LAUGHTER] And you know what, Elon? You love Homer. You're such a big fan. And you want to make sure that no one pisses on his grave. But here's the good news. There is no grave on which to piss, because Homer is basically a mythical figure in his own right. It is like accusing someone of pissing on Santa's grave by not casting racially accurate elves. [LAUGHTER] Besides, there must have been a lot about the Odyssey that rang true to Elon Musk. Like a father not seeing his son for 20 years or accidentally being on drugs for a decade. [LAUGHTER] And you must identify with the Whirlpool Monsters, Carriptus, because it's a big hollow void that fucking sucks. [LAUGHTER] And then the movie came out. Not only is it a critical success, it is a massive hit earning $264 million during its opening weekend. More like my big fat Greek box office. [LAUGHTER] Even Ben Shapiro loved it calling it a masterpiece. To paraphrase Nicole Kidman, even woke feels good in a place like this. [LAUGHTER] Take me out of the film that there's a multiracial cast. If you want to make the case everybody needs to be Greek, to be authentic, I think you can make that case. If you want to make the case everybody has to be white, I think that that is a lesser case, because white people in Greek are not quite the same thing. It's such a good point, Ben. I'd also add, there's a fucking psychops. [LAUGHTER] Who I think is meant to be Portuguese. [LAUGHTER] Shapiro did complain about Nolan casting Elliot Page, but also told conservatives to get over themselves. If conservatives want to be effective in the culture, you can't just label the entire piece of art mad because a decision in the art is bad. I think the broader theme of the movie is actually very much in line with many things the conservatives think. And if you let Elliot Page kill that for you, I think you're missing out on it and an incredible movie-going experience. It's like how liberals don't let Kelsey Grammar ruin the progressive messages in Frazier. Messages like therapy and Seattle. [LAUGHTER] In a lengthy post on Tuesday, Shapiro defended the movie's Christian ethics, suggesting critics are, quote, "missing the biblical forest for the woke trees." For those unfamiliar, woke trees are what they cut down to print Tony Morrison's "The Blueest Eye." [LAUGHTER] All in all, a big win for woke, and boy we needed one, they really throw around the R-word in Toy Story 5. [LAUGHTER] At the same time, the right is furious about diversity. They still want to enjoy the fun, cool, exciting parts of it. The World Cup came to a close in the final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday, whereas Trump described the game Mexico versus Mexico. [LAUGHTER] And Trump, of course, tried to make himself the center of attention. The president joined Spain on stage after their victory despite attempts by both the players and FIFA president, Johnny Infantino, giant baby, to shoe him away. [CHEERING] Get the fuck out of there, fucking of. I don't want to see Trump anywhere near a stage. Maybe stage four. [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] I don't know. I don't know. [LAUGHTER] So Trump wants to celebrate with Spain, but here he was at NATO just two weeks ago. I don't want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, please. Including visits. Don't even talk to them. They're hopeless. Bad people. Here's a question. Why does this make me want to fuck Spain? [LAUGHTER] So Trump mocked Spain's Spain wins. He pressures FIFA to reverse a red card for the US and then Belgium crushes us. He wins the NBA finals and the next lose that game. There is a Trump curse. Everything Trump's hand touches ends up like his hand. [LAUGHTER] And it makes sense. All Trump has ever wanted is respect and admiration, but it only comes from those who are themselves unworthy of it. So his presence at any apolitical event hangs in the air like a fart. So you can see how Trump's support might drag a team down without believing he's angered the ancient gods. The Odyssey, on the other hand, is a story about the divine misfortune that follows you when you give into hubris and betray your moral code. It's also a story about getting all worked over sirens and strangers. Like who wrote this, a dog? [LAUGHTER] And every day we see the pain and horror that follows from Trump's violations of basic decency and judgment. And no, I'm not talking about this insane font he put on the side of the White House. Just last week, in Bitterford, Maine, ice shot and killed a 25-year-old father, Sebastian Doron Guerrero, a delivery driver from Columbia. This follows another killing by an ice officer in Houston of a Mexican homebuilder who had lived in the US for decades. The officer responsible in the main killing, David Brulette, has been accused of abusive behavior and violent tendencies by two ex-wives, which was documented in court records when he told one of his exes that he was hired by ICE. She thought he was having some kind of a mental health episode. Trump gave this guy a gun. The Republicans in Congress, including Maine Republicans, Susan Collins, funded hiring and arming him and letting him loose on our streets. And we don't really have any jokes about this. So here's an unrelated one. How many Greeks does it take to kill a Cyclops? Just one, but they're trans. [LAUGHTER] Meanwhile, Iran and the US are back at war. At least three US service members were killed over the weekend and Trump, with his trademark-tacted empathy, posted this to minimize the deaths, even as these families are grieving this terrible loss. He posted the death tolls of previous wars to make light of the deaths in this conflict. Imagine if your husband or wife or son or daughter was killed. And you turn on the television. You see the president at the World Cup. And then he posts how the death count is quite low actually and pretty good by comparison. Again, no jokes about this. A centaur and a minotaur walk into a bar. Ouch says the centaur. Who is trans? [LAUGHTER] Yes, right wingers are furious that Nolan didn't respect the historical accuracy and casting for a movie that also includes a witch who turns men into pigs. Not much of a witch if he asked me. Now let's see your turn men into human beings. Am I right, ladies? [LAUGHTER] Even if Homer was real, which he probably wasn't. And even if the Odyssey wasn't just a collection of songs cobbled together over centuries, which it probably was, you're talking about an epic poem written hundreds of years after the events it described. But it is endured, not just because we wish for a world where there is cosmic justice, where the morality of our acts is measured and the consequences carefully meted out by gods above. These stories endure.
or because on some level, we believe we already live in that world. That despite all of life's unfairnesses, or righteous life, is on balance rewarded. And those who give into cynicism because everyone cheats and steals will find themselves conned and romped in the end. That when someone cuts us off in traffic, they will, one day, be eaten by wild dogs. Ordered liberty and democracy are at root and effort to build a society in which we don't need Poseidon or Zeus or Kings or Queens to keep score because we have each other. That's why Trump's violation of that order, carefully built and easily wrecked, is so galling. And it is why he is, and I mean this, cursed. But what about the rest of us? It makes sense that conservatives are furious about the Odyssey. It's a story that celebrates cleverness of restraint and humility and perseverance. A story at the heart of the Western canon, they supposedly revere, but it comes at a time when in order to be part of the conservative project, you have to abandon conservative virtues or any virtue at all. So Christopher Nolan, forget the haters. I love this movie, and I'm going to be the first in line for your retelling of the passion of the Christ, starring the great Sandra O. And O, have we got a great show for you tonight? W. Camel Bell, a Patrick Renner here, and we'll be right back. Hey, don't go anywhere, there's more of Love It Or Leave It coming up. Love It Or Leave It is brought to you by Tommy John this summer, don't be that guy. You know exactly who I mean. The one sweating through his clothes and dealing with things sticking where they absolutely shouldn't. Air underwear, your heat wave approved upgrade for all day comfort, air underwear is perfect under light summer fabrics, no visible lines guaranteed. 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So please take a second and head over right now to www.cricket.com/friends, to unlock all the perks and if you're in LA, come to see us record this show live at www.cricket.com/events. We'll check out our new studio. We have a bunch of amazing upcoming guests. Please welcome to the stage. Finally, a voice of reason on this show. How do you come out, bell? Hi, nice to see you. A TV show in your house. That's right. That's right. She's interested. She learned. All right. Not a dog person. No, my family has a dog. I don't have a dog. There's a dog that lives in your home. That's the best way to put it. There's a dog that lives in my home. That is the same excuse that Alito used about the flag that flew in front of his house. That it was his wife's flag. So just thinking about it. And you didn't, did you take, did you agree with him then? Oh, wait a minute. So we're going there already. I just think, I just think if Alito does-- The dog was a window into is come out like Samuel Alito's. I just think if Alito has a flag, you have a dog. That's all I'm saying. If Alito has a flag, I have a dog. It's a good name for our speaking tour. I don't know. I'm with Alito. My wife. My wife has a dog. Just clip that. Just clip the part where he says, no, I'm with-- Samuel Alito on this one specific point. So see, I'm reaching across the aisle. Beautiful. It's beautiful to see. You performed your stand-up show at the Kennedy Center in February of 2025. I was right at that jump. That was the first show after he had now seen you taking it over. What was the first of all? What was the first one called a hero in a cell out in rapid succession? Wow. Well, you know, it could be both. Some hero's cell out, you know? Would you perform there again now? What was the vibe like there? What was the thinking? How do you feel about it now? No, I mean, so I found out-- First of all, no, I would not perform there now under any circumstances. But I found out he was taking it over on the flight to the Kennedy Center. So I wasn't like, I didn't have a lot of time to think it through. On the plane, people started dropping out off the Kennedy Center. But I think it's a stand-up committee in a very specific position, especially if you're like, I do in the tradition of stand-up comedy. I do where I can actually say things about the situation. I'm not a musician or an orchestra where you have to sort of just play your thing. So I was able to speak directly to power in the Kennedy Center. I called him everything but a child of God that night, so-- [APPLAUSE] It's the best for you I ever got from the New York Times, was that the Kennedy Center. It's cool. Normally, they hate me. Really? The comedy guy does. Why? He's not very smart. Oh. [LAUGHTER] Now, he doesn't have good taste in comedy. It's fine. He loves Lucy K. [LAUGHTER] Thank you. Over here. You get it. So speaking of tasting comedy, you wrote an essay on Substank about the Kevin Hart roast, which I thought was a very thoughtful look at what has become of the roast. And you talk a lot about how the evolution of this-- and I remember watching this because I remember when Comedy Central started airing the fire as clubs rose, and I love them. Because I felt like I-- someone who wanted to be in comedy. I felt like I was being let into this private world, so exciting. And I was in-- I don't think I was like-- I understood what was happening when all of a sudden the Friars Club brand fell off of it. And then it just became the Comedy Central roast, and then they became bigger and bigger. And it was less about friends roasting each other and more of just about a spectacle. And that culminated in this roast of Kevin Hart, just like, what was your feeling when you saw-- what did you think about it? I mean, well, you just-- the way you just said it is that the roast-- when you go to like the roasts-- so first of all, the roast started out as a fundraiser for the Friars Club in New York. So a small group of people, instead of just having a dinner to honor somebody, they would make fun of the person, and they all knew each other. And comedians were very good at it because we're mean to ourselves and mean to other people. So then once it started-- once it was televised, you have these roasts from the Dean Martin roast. It's still comedians who know each other and talking about each other. There's also celebrities, but you also start to notice that, like, if there's a black person on stage, automatically the white community is going to say this person is stealing things. This person is-- if it's Walt Chamberlain, he's having sex with my wife. There's all whatever, whatever. You start to see that it relies on very sort of old-school tropes of humor, stereotyped of humor. Then by the time you get to the Comedy Central roast, no longer are these people friends. The most famous one is the one, the roast of Chevy Chase, where he literally sat there with his sunglasses on for most of the evening and just looked like he was smelling bad things. Yeah. Yeah. By the time you get to the Netflix roast, it's just about, Netflix wants our eyeballs more than they want our respect. So it's just about the biggest spectacle possible. Think about the Kevin Hart roast. Think about the communities who weren't there. Chappelle's not there. Eddie Murphy's not there. It's not his friends. It's just the hired guns. Yeah. And it's obviously-- it's not like these older roasts. I remember there was a-- it might have been in one of the Dean Martin on a similar event. I think it's Rickles going after Muhammad Ali. Yeah. And it's brutal. Yeah, brutal. Yeah. And it works in the room for the most part, but only because there's no black people in the room. I think maybe other than Muhammad Ali and maybe I don't know who else. But you see Muhammad Ali kind of like question it. Is this White Man allowed to talk to me like this? Yeah. Doesn't you know I beat people up for a living? Yeah. Yeah. No, I think there's always that amount with the roast. And the more it gets outside of the room, like I have friends that I will roast. When we're hanging out with each other, but I wouldn't put it on stage in front of people. So I think that-- Right. And I think the idea that the roast comedians would say that this is some sort of essential part of comedy. And it's not an essential part of comedy. It is just a thing that happens. Yeah. I mean, there was a bunch of racist jokes, obviously, that drew a lot of attention. But there were also jokes about like really kind of, you know, jokes meant a shock about like Charlie Kirk. Yeah. It is the like-- the experience of saying the unsayable thing, the kind of like danger of that. And this is really the question I wanted to get you about this, which is--
There is obviously a difference between like there are people that were mad at Shane Gillis for certain jokes he told and then there are people mad at Tony Hingecliff for jokes he told Shane Gillis is very talented Tony Hingecliff is not does that difference matter even in jokes about that are have that are racist you know I'm saying does it matter if the person is talented is a matter that the joke is a better constructed joke even if it is a racist joke I'm asking if there's a dispute draw distinction even in the jokes they told that night between Shane Gillis and Tony Hingecliff. Well first of all let's think we had to agree that all of this is subjective yeah yeah you may think something is funny and I may think something is not funny and we're both right I think that's where the problem is is that we think our sense of humor is the sense of humor so would I want to be in there would they say come out tonight you're going to be roasted you get to choose between Shane Gillis and Tony Hingecliff I choose the bullets. I don't want to go to the roast at all do I have to go when did I be wrong I think the whole thing is sort of broken I can't wait to see who Netflix gets next year to do it because everybody who's done it so far Tom Brady and Kevin Hart has had to then afterwards explain how it hurt their feelings or how it caused them controversy I did a roast at my wedding my Friday night dinner was a roast and that sort of Netflix right it did not air on Netflix because those fuckers said no but the cannot get on television to say my fucking life but uh but uh but that's sort of I I enjoyed that it's all to sort of my king it's your friends but if they said we're here to roast you it's your it's your wedding also special guest Tony Hingecliff yeah and I and by the way I was disappointed with how anti-Semitic Shane Gillis was at my wedding uh beggars can't be choosing now I know you don't like roast jokes but I I like I wrote two roast jokes about you can I tell you them yes now I may not be as polite as Muhammad Ali but let's keep it let's go W Kamal Bell did you hear about this he won celebrity jeopardy here's the answer woke nonsense here's the question what is W Kamal Bell's sub-stack you got one person who enjoyed it uh according to his Wikipedia Kamal had a set to me so now he's shooting blanks at home and on stage how would you think of those those aren't good I mean I mean you know I don't want to put any writers down I mean I wrote them you wrote them I wrote those jokes in a room full of people who said I mean I guess yeah and I say now they're gonna work you guys bring them to punch these up he could because he knows because he knows me so he's so busy yeah now did we I believe you were you have roast jokes that were given to you that you did not write about me from the writers of this show yes which you can see see there's one person who wants a roast to happen everybody else is like can we move on to that yeah I'll read the roast jokes that are they here we have I just didn't want to take credit for them uh love it so white Elon Musk wanted him to play Helen of Troy in the Odyssey it's a good joke I might as well take this opportunity to roast Elon Musk too I would do that if Elon was any more racist sexist and anti-semitic love it would have endorsed him in the main senate primary you fucking assholes I didn't endorse this endorse no endorse look how much funnier these are because they know him see mine literally said your Wikipedia page says well because I did it kept I did them that looks down yeah yeah let's see love it this one's good I feel I know I'm doing this love it is so good it's so many things have only one of them were hosting a live podcast wow wow see again love it is really into Pilates which is developed by Joseph Pilates while he was interned in a prison camp can't wait to find out what exercise I'll invent by the time this show is finally over it's funny because I hadn't read it I was like where's this going that was a finger that's a cop that's a journey that one I liked it not so Pilates invented by a black woman who worked for him oh really yeah oh wow I didn't know I was falling for a Joseph Pilates propaganda you knew you know well you got it you got me I'm devastated you hosted a podcast called Denzel Washington is the greatest actor of all time and I was called Denzel Washington is the greatest actor of all time period and I love Denzel Washington and I just want to talk about how he's the greatest actor of all time in part because he does something that's very hard which is I feel like it was Brando who who said that like it's you can trick people by doing nothing and people think you're being deep but it's much harder to be big and like and Denzel is big and he's great like he's out Pacino Merrill Street they're like that they're these big performances and like Hollywood does favor a little bit more of the small I kind of kind of still face kind of but he's so big he's so good yeah also the they prefer the white faces yes for sure for sure they favor the white but I was okay so here's the thing if you want to say you want to the way you do the podcast is give me your top five favorite Denzel Washington movies in order from five to one I did I'm organically prepared for this and you will be judged great judge me judge me all you want I'm going to say fifth is Philadelphia I'm gonna say fourth is Crimson Tide I'm going to say three is training day I am gonna say did I say Malcolm X yeah you never said Malcolm I'm gonna say Malcolm X and so Malcolm X is two I kind of want to put that's a bold choice I you it's your list well I'm realizing I kind of wished I put did I say training day you did say training I kind of want to put training day above Malcolm X I kind of think it's a real bold choice I that's the kind of guy who endorses platinum I just did it adores didn't endorse just real platinum real platinum endorsing decision there yeah I like the angry criminal black guy over the black guy who's up lifting the black race you can't say anything these days and then it's funny because I feel like man it's hard to write so we so you have training day and so what's number one we haven't even gotten it it might be Crimson Tide is that crazy yes I just think he's so good in it I just read even the star of that movie yeah oh yes he is is I mean I guess he's a two hand yeah it's a two-hander it's a two-hander but so is training day now okay not in the way the training is a two-hander like the Harlem Globetrotters playing the Washington generals is a competitive game I guess what I'd say is that like if if that's a reference sorry I love like they say because here's the thing like Malcolm X made a huge impression on me but if like if the movie's on training day oh yeah even like man on fire Crimson Tide like I'm watching yeah I'm not watching it filled out he is on I'm not like oh let's sink in you know let's sink into Philadelphia Crimson Tide is a TBS classic yes yeah how'd I do you think that's I mean what's your list uh my list uh it's been a long time since I did my list so since I'm a true fishingado I'd name list I name movies that people don't really think about so we're gonna go uh I've never seen glory that's another platinum field I know I know I just want to confess it to you because I was it's like I just I was because I was when I was going through the idea I was like I never came back to glory what came out in 1989 I was seven years old and I never saw you never seen any movies before 1989 you've ever seen any movie before 1980 no I'm starting well I'm starting at the beginning so I've seen a lot from like about 1888 to like 19 oh you've moved up so you haven't seen the honest catch up yet you're catching up well that came out this yeah you're working from both in yeah yeah from both and hoping to feed that uh what's what's at in 1989 what's your fucking list uh number one is Malcolm X number two is uh man on fire as I know is a book of Eli oh yeah you know what I'm not gonna be yeah you are yeah you're right yeah uh number two is book of Eli number three is man on fire man on fire three is training day and number five is uh is a little known Denzel Washington we call out out of time oh out of time uh uh uh man on fire is great man on fire I think it's one there's there's he has errors of Denzel and when you become a I for me when you become a dad man on fire gets real good what I like with Dan Denzel Washington has something that is rare which is he can like man on fire with someone else I don't is it even a movie it could be a Jean-Claude van Dan movie yes someone else yes but you could put it in his hands and he like that that's actually almost like a different list list where like his presence courage under fire oh yeah that movie without Denzel Washington what are we doing here shut it down close the set we're done pelican brief is another one like those how well yeah enjoy rovers pelican brief is good I mean I'm not I'm not it's not on my list I'm just saying it like you know it makes him that's that would make him you know he elevates that uh we're right back hey don't go anywhere there's more of love it or leave it coming up love to leave it is brought to you by blinds.com imagine a home where the light behaves exactly how you want and you wake up on your own terms not the suns blinds.com is spent 30 years perfecting the window shopping experience back by 50,000 five star reviews and over 25 million windows covered we make it ever less to transform your space you are in good hands whether you go full DIY or use their license prose you're always in the driver's seat need a hand choosing your style book a free consultation with a blinds.com design expert today the leave and ship samples to your door fasted free choose from a huge variety of style options at prices that fit any budget everything is backed by blinds.com's 100% satisfaction guarantee because at blinds.com they only 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and the treat window is great. We love Blinds.com. As I said, we have Blinds.com blinds in our office. It was, we would get this beating son in the late afternoons that heated our office. You'd walk in and it would be toasty and we'd be all, at each other's, we'd be at loggerheads because of the heat in there. And then we cooled the room down and now we're getting a long better. You know, where every day feels like a better day because of these blinds. They changed the show. The show is changed the company. The company's changing politics. That's what Blinds can do. Blinds.com is giving our listeners an exclusive $50 off when you spend $500 or more. Just use code, love it, a checkout, limited time offer, rules and restrictions apply. See Blinds.com for details. (upbeat music) And we're back. (audience applauds) Now, you have a podcast and sub-stack and live tour called The Who's With Me podcast sub-stack and live tour. Yeah, sure. And so in honor of that, we're gonna do a segment we're calling, Who's With Me. Okay. (bell dings) And here's how it works. Oh, you stole my logo and everything. (audience laughs) Honored your logo. Okay, all right. Here's how. Centrified my logo. (audience laughs) So, there's a little kid right there. Do you know that little kid? When did you get here? Have you been there the whole time? He's been here the whole time. I saw him 'cause he was trying to look around in the person in front of him. He was doing like this. (audience laughs) I feel bad. It's my dad, my dad radar. I'm happy you're here. I just want to also honor your presence. (audience laughs) Now, here's how it works. We each have prepared. Takes that maybe they're a little controversial. Maybe they're just things we feel strongly. And we're just gonna see if we're with each other on them. Okay. So, I'll kick it off with one. Astrology is just a religion without any of the work, which is why it's currently so popular. (audience laughs) Astrology is a religion without any of the work. You get all the fun of the mysticism of they're being an order to the universe given by mythical and cosmic forces, but you don't have to go anywhere on Sunday. There's no real moral code to follow. You can eat as much pork as you want. There's no boring parts of it. You don't have to sit, there's no boring. There's no work. There's no responsibility to it. And that's lovely for people. But couldn't you say that that's because people are putting the work in that Astrology asks the way there's a lot of like Jews out there who are eating pork and not going anywhere on Saturdays? Yes. All right. (audience laughs) Being for the Bay Area, I feel like I can't put down Astrology. I won't be able to get-- I won't be able to go to the farmer's market in Berkeley. I gotta, like, you know, because I know astrologers who are like deep and be like, no, what second were you born? You know what I mean? No, for sure, they've definitely put on-- I think people play-- Yeah, they like to dip into astrology. But there's actually, you can go all the way in the same way you can with any religion. Well, you can definitely learn more and become more technically proficient in astrology. But it's not like, it's not like as part of astrology. There's no buildings people go to once a week and gather and do food kitchens with their fellow astrology people, right? There's no-- Is it good that people go to buildings once a week? Though some of those buildings is. I think it depends on the building. Yeah, exactly. It depends on the building. I'm having a building. A lot of bad things happen. I'm not saying Christianity didn't live a big opening. I'm not saying they weren't-- Hey, listen, mistakes were made. Those centers around LA that are buildings. I don't know if we need-- That's true, that's true, that's true. OK, OK, well, why don't you go? There should be more tipping in society. We should allow tipping in every profession. We should make tipping easier. You should be allowed to easily tip anybody the way you tip somebody to coffee shop. We should all carry around those screens that at the end of a conversation you just go. Like if I had one at the end of this conversation, you'd be like, how'd I do? Well, while you're standing there, I feel like I had to hit the middle one. Exactly, fine, good enough for me, yeah. So I think here's where it came from. I flew into an airport. I got off the plane. I started to leave the airport realize I'd left my laptop on the plane. Yeah, and I've done that before in like lost laptops forever. And I was like, oh, and so I went back and like had to talk-- they go, you got to talk to this person, talk to this person. I finally got this lady. She's like, wait here. Over the course of an hour, she kept coming back and checking in. Finally, she goes, your laptop's upstairs. I went in and got my laptop. I wanted to tip that lady. I wanted to give her-- I actually took $20. I was like, here, buy yourself some lunch. She's like, we're not allowed to take that. Like, you're not allowed to take $20? Isn't this America? And so I feel like I just wish I'd been able to be like, boop. Right. But isn't it better a world in which the fact that you can't-- that she knew she couldn't be tipped but cared enough anyway in a world in which we're all caring towards each other is kind of tipping each other with kindness? That'd be great if we didn't live under American capitalism. But you're trying to add more, you're putting more capitalism in it. We do live in American capitalism. And I'm sure she could have used that $20. Or she could have passed it under the next person. But here's the thing. So yeah. You saw like a person who has health insurance. For sure. For sure. There's no tipping involved, which I'm glad about. But so here's the thing. The problem right is not-- so obviously, giving someone money who could use the money is better than not giving someone money who could use the money. I'm also giving somebody money who you said, I really appreciate the thing you did. And so here's a couple bucks just the way you go, hey, thank you for that. But if you're creating a circumstance in which tipping is an expected part of the income that people make in a job, you tipping generously is a kindness. However, what really matters is the average tip over time per hour. And as a result, what you're really doing, it's a tipping in our society is a wealth transfer from the people that pay salaries, from the people that tip to the people that pay salaries. But more importantly, from the generous to the less generous, the generous people subsidized the less generous people. That's all tipping ultimately results in, which is why, to me, it's like the goal should be to reduce the amount of tipping in our society generally. I would say, until we live in a society where we all have access to health care, schools, safe neighborhoods, all the things we need in this society, I'll take a couple extra bucks if you enjoyed my conversation. You want me to, you'll tip you. That's what I'm saying. I just think that we don't live in it. We're sort of saying, because we don't live, because it would make things complicated we shouldn't do it. Well, what I would say is, I agree. And I'm not saying she should make less money, because I'm not saying tips are mandatory. I'm saying that this lady makes whatever hurt, because she's clearly, if she's what unite, she's probably in a union, whatever. And she makes what she makes, but also, you did a really nice thing. And I want to give you this $20. And she couldn't take it. That I thought we lived in capitalism. I don't want to get rid of tipping and keep a world where people could desperately use the tips. But we should be having policies in which a culture that revolves around tipping is frowned upon in part. If you go to Australia and they say, please don't bring your horrible tipping culture here, we take pride in paying a living wage, and we don't want to create the kind of perverse incentives that tipping creates terrible perverse incentives in an economy. And so I don't want to get rid of tipping and figure out the details on the living wage. I want to figure out the living wage, and then live in a society where we move away from tipping. And until we figure out the living wage, I think we just give everybody one of those little screams. All right, fine. Because we have to figure out the living wage, is why should we live in shit? If we could, like, here's a little way to dig us out of that a little bit while we work on a basic income. OK, fine, I'm in. OK, next up, we all heard food delivery based on a delusion, which is that it mostly arrives in good shape. When it reality, it almost always is disappointing. So we hang on to the idea that it won't be sushi is an exception. So you like sushi delivery? I do. You just argue against yourself in that little-- I'm being-- I'm showing nuance. OK, I'm showing nuance. I'm saying that we have an idea in our mind when it is toward delivery. And we know it's more than it would be if we picked it up or made food ourselves, but it's such a luxury, oh, how nice it is to get delivery. That's a lie. We tell ourselves that lives in the time between when we order and when it arrives. The disappointment we feel when we open the container to the mush that is contained within where the cold is meat warm and the hot is cold. You're almost saying frozen, the cold about it. We blame the reasons that arrived in this way, but the occasions where it arrives as we hope are vanishingly rare. And so there is a delusion that's propping up all this delivery food, and I think it's time we face it. Are you with me? I have three children. So thank God, they can bring me a half-cold pizza sometimes. Right. And I don't have to cook for sure. I feel very happy about the fact that my wife won't order ramen delivery, because there's no way to get it to you in a way that it's going to replicate what is this doing. No, you're doing chemistry when it arrives. Yeah, yeah. And my wife won't eat sushi, surprising, because we will order sushi for the kids, but my wife is not a big sushi delivery people, because it doesn't come as cold and all the things. But I believe that I will take the quality fall for the convenience, because I have three children, and I don't have to cook that night. OK, accept that. Yeah. And also I tip them. See, I don't believe in that. I tip them. I tip them. I tip them. I tip them. I tip them. She's just like Alito. Get absolutely destroyed. This could be edited together. Be like, no, tipping. No tipping. No tipping. No tipping. Do you have another one? Sure. This one is more fun. If white Democrats don't get over their blind spots to white supremacy, then the Democratic Party is doomed to always come in the second one. It matters. I'm thinking specifically of Jasmine Crockett treatment after her lost, Palestine, and the grand platinum story in addition to so many other things. So-- And that's why I'm not saying racism civically. I'm saying this bucket of white supremacy that includes misogyny, misogyny war, and racism, and ableism.
And transphobia all these things that they don't if that white Democrats specifically don't get over that then we're doomed Okay, great Are you ready to unendorf's grand planter is what they're saying just we just I did he's interviewed on a Indoor scram, but I'm not a candidate. I'm gonna go around dorsing main candidates But I take your point. Yeah, I mean there's the the interest in anything in the Platon or situation though. It's like there is a little bit now, you know, I there was a Like Trump serves a very a role in the Republican Party, which is as long as you're for Trump You have some flexibility, right? And there is increasingly a little bit especially on the left like if you have the like If you are Against military aid for Israel if you're seen as sort of with you know in the right on Israel You have more flexibility and there is more forgiveness. There are a lot of people that I think were a little bit more forgiven a Grand Planner because he was coming at the party from the left, right and so there's a little and so there's a little bit of like a There's a little bit of tension even inside of the categories you have together that are kind of a little bit in a fight with each other Yeah, I just think that like when Yes, we want the we want candidates who think the right thing who think the things we want and support issues We want to but when people start to go when there's a the problem when people start to say I see some red flags and because you love to Candidate so much or his issues you actually then ignore these other people who are trying to go I think there's some red flags here And that's the blind spot I'm talking about because those blind spots are like are things he did or things he is known to have done that People are like do you want and people like I just want the issues in there I don't care about the human and I think those and the when you don't want to care about the human You're sort of allowing a lot of awful behavior that seems no different than what the Republican party does generally. Yeah, yeah, that's true I'm like I do my serious one. I'll save it for another day. I just did white supremacists. I'll do my serious one which is Legalized assisted suicide is a dangerous path toward a future where people feel pressure to not be a burden in their declining years But being a burden assumes that the active caregiving is purely a sacrifice It should remain illegal while everyone kind of looks the other way when a doctor lets people rip with the opiates [Laughter] That's my I'm You're against assisted suicide I am I I'm not a I am No, I think everyone has to be cool with kind of being chill about it But we can't as a I mean that as a society we cannot have a policy in which it is legal the government cannot sanction People taking their own lives because it creates a perverse incentive in which people will the slow-steady creep of More and more people viewing as an option. That is my great concern and I think it I think who are who are you worried about viewing as an option? Like which the people who are the sick the people who are who want to be assisted Suicide into other people who are the people who are like Ma, could you die already? Well, I think it's I think specifically I think I think it is about very old people who are declining not in good health feel like a burden to their kids worry about depleting the money they want to leave to their their kids and it becomes kind of Culturally acceptable to kind of hit the hit the old dusty trail a little early to kind of Irish goodbye earth So my mom is 80 89 years old so she is she's in the demographic you're talking about Thanks for bringing this up And I think probably like twice a week I have to talk her out of wanting to die Just because she's 89 nothing she's not like she's just like it's just she's things have slowed down She knows remembering is going and I have and then my job is to be like it's to sort of go There's a lot of things going on and every not again So I understand I understand the idea that you get to a certain age and I've seen it with my mom of being like I'm just sort of tired of this You know Now If my mom got to the point where she's like I really think I'm done I I don't I don't trust like you said just be chill be cool about people just doing it without the state being involved Just like we should allow people to do I think it I think that a pop here's that I am very persuadable on this topic But but no but like and if and I and I I think when you say let the state be chill about it That doesn't usually work out for black well you'll you'll be dead so does matter but the uh but but uh but How do I just die? Well because what I mean is that like when someone is greatly suffering in an acute and terrible way Uh It is I think morally Unacceptable to require them to live in agony in their final days. I of course agree with that but if that to me that is the kind of like archetypal case that is then used to set a broader policy and inevitably you end up in situations where The policy then becomes applied in ways that I think run I think that go further than you would have ever hoped and I find it and I think on the left there is just not nearly enough concern or care about that Um, especially when you see how it's happened in other countries and I I will I feel I feel very very worried about a society that doesn't value Life even kind of the hard parts of life at the end that that's that's how I feel I will I I would say that uh I mean I so are you with decriminalizing assisted suicide Again, I'm very persuadable on the top Like I don't think people should this is where it's like I don't I again It's like just who gets to pick what the line is. I guess it's the problem. Well, that's what to my own democracy That's what a democracy does every we go to the polls and vote on if grandma can Well, that's what it means to have a law that allows each individual grandmother Well, yes on killing Gladys well whether we have a yeah, no, that's so funny like every everybody who's like I'm ready to go We all go to the polls like in California. Yeah, I don't I wasn't thinking of like a person I don't want to do a plebiscite on and Gladys, but but because I look because when you go that's not suffering enough That's the thing I'm worried about but regardless, but see of course this is like that's aesthetically uncomfortable, right? But all of this is ultimately us as a democracy deciding where the line is the line will be Arbitrary and but it will be drawn right now We don't draw it at all and I have a problem with that. Of course. I see the problems with that But I think we let each individual person draw their line As we like where like where they go this is too far I think if I think it's I think the line is going to be arbitrary no matter what because when can you say because eventually there's going to be some doctor standing over a person I don't hear sadly. We looked at your charge. You're not in enough pain Well, I know and this is where it's also like I believe in bodily autonomy Yeah, and so I do I just I think we are not talking enough about this tension That's all and it's happening without much of a debate and I'm worried about that I mean, I feel again, I feel the same with us at earlier if society took care of everyone's needs and housing education health care food Safety maybe the people don't want to maybe then you have less people wanting to get out of the game But I think that I can so we're talking about a bigger issue of society But I feel like the idea of maybe it's a reality show. Does this old person get to die? We have eight Terminally ill old people and by the season in I'm trying to help you get on TV By the season in love it is going to tell you which one of these grandmothers is going to die Yeah, I'm trying to think of let Gladys die Yeah, game shows make a lot of money. It's so funny. It's so funny. I'm holding here Mm-hmm. The final vote As to whether or not Gladys will die. Yeah, and I will reveal it Right after this break exactly. Yes, I mean to be fair I see this being a Nick Cannon show to be fair. Yeah, he seems like sort of like he seems like to be the he's a good host Great. He's a good host. Yeah, America's got suicide. We're right back Hey, don't go anywhere. There's more of love it or leave it coming up Love it or leave it is brought to you by simply safe in the US a break and happens every 26 seconds But most alarms only alert you after someone is inside simply safe is different their AI powered cameras spot threat instantly alerting live agents who step in to deterrent shooters for the ever crossed your threshold with simply safe There's no long-term contracts or cancellation fees simply safe earns your business by keeping you safe not by trapping you in a contract It's fast and easy to set it up on your own no drilling required no waiting around for a technician The app guided installation walks you through the process so you can get your system armed in less than an hour I did it myself very easy to do you can just Customize it your home it comes you set it up and then you have the peace of mind and knowing you have a great system And the app is really great and simple and intuitive and the customer sport was always reliable And best of all simply safe is actually affordable Monitoring plans start affordably at around one dollar per day I want you to experience the peace of mind of real home security, which is why we've partnered with simply safe to offer an exclusive discount To love it or leave it listeners right now you can get 50% off your new system by visiting simply safe calm slash love it That's half off at simply safe calm slash love it. There's no safe like simply safe And we're back Please welcome to the stage just the great him be to himself. It's Patrick Runa Hi, thanks for being here Yeah, you're gonna come here you're gonna come here. Come here join me show move. Come here. Come on over. Sit on you. No, come here. You go right there. Perfect. Come here. Oh Perfect Hi Patrick. How you doing? Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Uh now use your arm. Hello Now you started the iconic 1993 kids movie this sandlot, but you remember the years other highlights Let's see what else you remember
in a game we're calling on Cloud 90s. (bell dings) (audience applauds) First up, Whitney Houston's iconic, "I Will Always Love You" was number one on the charts at the beginning of 1993. What Disney song? Bumped Whitney down to number two, "Come March." Disney song? A Disney song. - This is stressful. I didn't realize I will always love you was that longer ago. - Oh, oh, yes. - It was quite hot on the guard right around me. - It must have been, it must have been, 1992, must have been the bounty guard. Have you ever tried to hit that note right at the right time, you know? - You know, it's impossible. - Well, we like the time, it's when people time it. It's impossible, it's impossible. - It's a Disney song that came out with that time. I don't know. - I'll give you a hint, a genie might tell you the answer. - Oh, oh. - It's a whole new world. - A whole new world. (bell dings) (bell dings) (audience applauds) - Show me more. - No, I mean, it's amazing to think of a time where like the two number one songs vying it out where I will always love you in a whole new world. What a simpler time, what a kind culture that was in that moment. - I suppose that Bodyguard is spoiler alert for 1993's Bodyguard about a sister trying to murder her sister. - Yes, but, you know, it was just a fun. - Oh, and good fun for sure. Yeah, no, it was a simple time. All right, based entirely on the visual cue before you. - What is the name of this Coca-Cola product which fell off in the US by 2003, but remains available in Canada and Australia? - Wow. That's a Coca-Cola product. - It is a Coca-Cola product. - It's giving me a headache. - And I think that's why I didn't do so well. Orange slice. (bell dings) - It is frutopia. - Frutopia, remember frutopia? - I don't, so. I don't even know what even calling it frutopia. It's a perfect world of frut. Yeah, an impossibly perfect world of frut. I feel like I'm getting like, with you saying that and looking at that, I'm like going in. Yeah, beautiful design work, very much of that moment. Yeah, well, a lot to think about. The next question, to which bill are they referring in this clip? ♪ Bill, Bill, Bill ♪ ♪ Team minus seven ♪ ♪ Bill, Bill ♪ ♪ Bill, nice science ♪ - You bet it is. (audience applauds) From now on, it's September of 1993. Yes, these were on the 33 years ago. In November, beanie babies released their first nine stuffed animals, which one of these was not among them. Squeeler, the pig, pinchers the lobster, shelly, the turtle, legs the frog. Squeeler, the pig, pinches the lobster, shelly, the turtle, legs the frog. - Feels like legs the frog. Unfortunately, it is shelly, the turtle, because the turtle, when it did emerge, was named Speedy. - Okay, well, all right, one for three. - We bring great. Who is this? - Hello! - Oh, Mrs. Doubtfire. - Mrs. Doubtfire. (bell dings) (audience applauds) You'd probably have to have supervised visits today. I think if you've, you heard the story opposite of the movie. You have to do supervised visits. - Oh, I'm sorry. I don't think disguise of that nature is something we can simply look past here at Family A Courtsch. - What was the name of the other beloved kid's baseball movie that came out summer of 1993? It was directed by Daniel Stern of Home Alone Fam. - Oh, it was Angels in the Outfield. (bell dings) - Oh, yes. - Rookie the year. It was Rookie the year. - Well, I was wondering with it, one of the other. I loved Rookie the year. - Did I get like a good and a bad on that one? - Yeah. - Yeah, you got it. You got me, it's not. It was your second guess. - Yeah. - You've won the game. (audience applauding) - So, here's a question I have for you. You're a parent now. There's a dog here. - Yep. - So you're a parent now. But you weren't when you made the Sandlot. - No. - Not the child. - That was the child, yes. - Then you were child, now parent. - This is, yeah, I see where this is going. - Who, which kids do you think have it better? The 90s kids or the 2020s kids? - Well, okay. 90s for sure, but I feel I have a theory on this that every generation that asks that question has the same answer. So I think when our parents, or my parents, you're a little younger than I am, or a lot younger than I am, I don't think so. - I think we're contemporaries. - No. - Okay, well, find that our parents, I feel like when they, the boomer generation, I feel like when they were asked that question, they said boomers had it way better, and this new generation's ridiculous. So I think that that view is constant. So I don't know that I would answer that my generation had it better, but I don't know that that's true. - Right, well, I guess, I mean, we all, I guess like the, I wouldn't be able to tell you like what a pre-phone childhood, how different it was, like in the 90s, in the late 80s, early 90s, I feel like that is the era of the news is about people being grabbed in vans, and kind of there is like increasing fear of letting your kids roam free. But I know that I, when I was a kid, I didn't have many friends, but boy, when I did, I was out there, you know, biking around, we'd bike to the pizza place, that kind of thing, and then, you know, I'd go drive for a few months and we'd find a new friend and try again, but the Samott, those kids are unparanted, they're loose. - Oh yeah, were you loose as a kid? - Yeah, I was, I lived, I grew up in Boston, and I would come home when the lights came on. I had that vibe going, and we'd bike all over Dorchester, and we were just allowed to do what we were allowed to do. I think the main difference between then and now is digital, and that is the one thing that defines my generation as an analog childhood digital adulthood. That transition, I think, has been rough, and it's tough to see, because I see the difference of, especially, like, iPhones and tablets, and, you know, I shouldn't say iPhones, 'cause it's not just that, it's Android 2. - Yeah, it is Android 2. They're all, they're all, yeah, I think they're both doing the same thing, roughly, when you think about it. - But do your kids have, I feel like there's this tension, first of all, I know my friends who are parents, and they're going through it, there's just a certain age where a critical mass of other kids have the phone, and there's a kind of contact, safety, find my phone thing that happens. So do you, like, where are you on, like, letting your kids roam free, versus knowing their location? - Well, my kids are a little young, I think, for cell phones, still, because my oldest is nine. So I definitely won't get into that in social media until they're, at least in the teens. I'm sort of in the middle on that. I'm not the guy that will look at a parent who's got their kid on a tablet at dinner and judge, 'cause I do it sometimes, you know? I try to not do it as much as possible. We really try and, like, honor what the school asks, which is nothing during the week, and then movies and stuff on the weekend. And we try, sometimes we fail miserably. But generally, that's where we go. And I do that because I see the difference. I see how different my kids are when they come off of tablets. I mean, go see Toy Story 5, it's all about that. It's crazy. Did I just plug Toy Story 5? Like, they actually need my help. - Let's bleep that. - Yeah, let's, or paint that. Yeah, so '90s movies, something I wanted to ask you about. And I'm gonna say this probably tacklessly 'cause that's sort of my nature. You played, you were in an archetypal role, which was the role of the kind of funny chubby kid. (laughing) I was a funny, could we show the picture of me, and there we go. Oh my gosh. I was a little bruiser, you were. And that's inside profile. That was my best angle. Here's the thing, here's the thing. Like, in that photo, that's like a flattering angle. Yeah, for sure. Also, I just think that like, it's hard to tell. It's sort of like how in the film The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan, Christopher Nolan. It's based on a poem about a trans person, I think. But so, they had smaller actors. They had like little actors play against big actors to play the giants. What I'm saying is, what's not coming across, if you saw the rest of the kids, I look like a bruiser, but I'm miniature. So I'm just a small little husky backbencher here, who kind of like, even look at my eyes in that picture, don't I, I look terrified. Yeah. I look horrified. Hey, are you okay? No, I'm fine. I just hadn't seen the picture blown up like that in many, many years. My mother did send that to me this afternoon. But like, there must have been like a part of you that was like, oh, I'm the chubby, like, did that, was that like frustrating to you, upsetting to you, did it bother you, was it fun? Like how did you think about that? Well, as a kid, especially. It's funny, truthfully, I'm 5'7, 5'8" on a good day. When I was 13, I was like 5'6", like I did all my growing pretty early. So I was bigger than everyone. It's generally speaking. So I don't, like, I was kind of a bigger 13-year-old. So I think I didn't get picked on that much because of that. And if there were times that I did it hurt, you know, like anyone who gets bullied or picked on it, it hurts. So of course, if that ever did happen. But I think,
it didn't really dawn on me until I got older and you know I wanted to date girls and that was harder chubby so I've got I lost a lot of weight I've you know it's been a struggle okay I got happy and married and gave it all back what can I say you know when you have kids you get pregnant with your wife it's no for sure you're hiding the hot dog for sure but so I lost like a ton of weight and got really skinny in my late teens early 20s because I just you know I got in really good shape and you know it was just a young young adult so it wasn't it wasn't like this miserable existence but it definitely had its challenges for sure yeah it's like because I I feel like it was there's there was a lot in the 90s that was just like everyone was patting themselves on the back about how much progress society and then but there was like still like but boy we are gonna fucking rip the shit out of these chubby characters they are gonna be a fucking joke let's get some cupcakes out there that's really fuck them up yeah you're producing a new show called dugout dads yes about parents with kids in little league how did the idea come about and do the dads get together and talk about which ones are gay that season two yeah we didn't tackle that one in season one no but that so I coached little league for my kids up until it started to be like I was actually heart like harming the kids with my lack of baseball knowledge you know like when they were younger you're just wrangling cattle and it's good but then I was like wow these guys actually need real coaches so I stopped at about eight years old but during that time I remember my son's team made it to the championship game and they lost and I look at all the parents we start like kicking coolers and hugging and crying I'm gonna miss you I look out on the field and the kids are playing tag five seconds after they lost and they couldn't care less and I was like this needs to be a show like the parents care more than the kids so then I and I never sort of made it I have a production company called Hambino Media and I have a partner there and we we never really made it it just wasn't there in one day I think I had seen all the Sandlock guys at an appearance that we sometimes do together and I came into the office and I went talk out dads Sandlock guys are all the dads and we're like that's a show that would be so fun so I got to reunite with them and just you know have a fun concept that and we do take it a little too seriously and you know we have fun with it and we have a bunch of great cameos in it Mike Penn you did one Creed Bratton from the office man and Matthews who does a bunch of social media stuff she's hysterical is in it and then we brought Will Hornaf who played Phillips back for that so we have a fun a fun cast and it's it was pretty fun I was exciting I always think I said fun a lot there but it was fun yeah I always find it interesting watching kids learn about how much to care about winning versus losing and watching parents who take very seriously how to be good parents thinking about because you don't want kids to not care about winning at all you want to be act want to strive try and and care about winning winning is better than losing and being good at it's trying to be good at something is better than not trying but you don't have to care too much and I sometimes think like a lot of what's happening in our politics is like that that if losing is not just something that half the teams and half the candidates always do but something grievously ego wounding and embarrassing like that's a terrible thing for society yeah you have to be able to lose and and by the way that goes for kind of being sore winners too well it's what's happening in our politics oh just it's a little bit noisy but yeah I haven't father of three more of a yeah more big baseball guy but I do think it's a good point and you know to me would always highlights at the best because you say it shouldn't be that we're all that half is losing it should be that we're all one team and you know like so that you're right that losing thing there is a certain element that where is that where's that line where it matters and I always find that the primaries are the ones that are so weird to watch because it's like they kill each other and then they root for each other because you know what I mean so it's a really interesting thing to watch that on both sides that that kind of what you're saying that losing thing I don't know I think that's the problem your kids ever gets upset when they lose and you have to like how does that work honestly they have not they haven't gotten upset when they lose but the the the struggle that I I've always tried to figure out is when they want to quit and how to get past that because you've agreed to be with your team and that no matter what even if you don't like the team that is your team and sometimes you just don't like playing the viola and you pretend for a really long time that finally you just tell you're like I fucking hate this why am I why am I playing the viola I know why did I pick this they don't even get me solos thank you Patrick yes keep an eye out for a special your there's an announcement a comment on about dugout to act it's coming yeah we're releasing the trailer and the release date and the key art poster and all that fun and don't you think they made the sandlight today like one of the kids which is be gay and would be that be nice for sure yeah Patrick Ren everybody and we're back so the podcast the stand-up tour the sub-stack you can who's with me at w comowbell dot com also you have a children's book out in October called rock paper scissors cheese that's right w comowbell dot com all right and now it's time for second thoughts my producers have let me know where went and how I goofed up during tonight's show some of it ended out like how I had to reintroduce second thoughts because I fucked it up and if you come out of any second thoughts about tonight please this is a space where we we share we learn from our mistakes even in the past hour that's part of the fun first up I assume Patrick would remember a lot about the 90s but it was equally long ago for both of us yeah it was because he's famous for a movie in the 90s doesn't mean he knows more about it also he was a child in that movie yeah that's true probably wasn't doing grownup things like I want to go see the bodyguard I hear that song all over the radio mock and I go see the bodyguard no you got auditions to go to you got a callback for the sandlot yeah now shut up I got to put this powder on you we got to get it get to the studio yeah he's 11 but he plays eight my I reflected on a childhood photo of myself in a way that prompted my guest ask are you okay let's see I had a conversation with you about how much you hate roast and then made you do roast yeah that was that was that was sort of obviously a mistake yeah that was that was we all we all got we all got to figure things out a second thought for the audience you felt too bad for me during the roast it heard my feelings more than the roast jokes you were too pitiful you were too pitying towards me you showing pity to me made me think there might be more truth in these jokes than I otherwise realized and that hurt my feelings I'm very successful I don't need your pity do you have any second this show requires a lot of homework for as a guest yeah yeah yeah I got the thing to ask like oh my god that's just that's actually just a criticism of us oh what's that supposed to do like something you regret not something you wished we regret oh I mean I'm sort of saying I regret but I just regret do try to be polite like I should be like mom but I'll leave I'll try to be like oh sorry you did something with subtlety intact and I missed it and I'm from the problem and from um thanks everybody for coming out tonight by the way just before you go though I do want to say I really like the podcast I think you had a great conversation with Ted Danson which I thought was really interesting and I really appreciated that you got into like him in the 90s and the woopy thing and it was really interesting hearing him talk about that and he said something interesting in the in the episode we said I didn't I wouldn't talk about this but I would only talk about it with you yeah that must have felt nice that was nice I mean yeah Ted Danson I you know I didn't I just for years he's just a guy from television and then I met him on his podcast and he was he's been very nice and said he only wanted to have he really wanted to have the conversation about the the roast will be over and said he showed up like ready to have it with me which I was not aware of so I'm you know I'm a fan of Ted Danson Morgan it was a roast I didn't even think about it yeah no that's all connected it's all connected it's all connected W. Camel Bell thank you so much for being here this is great I'm not gonna show thank you so much W. Camel Bell I'm perfect there are 104 days until the mid-thirms will be back Friday with Greg Arroxy and Brandon Hunt thank you all to me here love it or leave it as a crooked media production our show is produced by Kendra James film a graph Kelsey Gante and me John Love it our production team includes Halle Keeper Sarah Lazarus, Roman Borsalino, Peter Miller, David Toll's Claudio Shang, Jay Banks, Gavin Purcell and Matt DeGrope and our staff is proudly unionized with the writer's Guild of America East
Podcast Summary
Key Points:
Critics on the right are outraged over Christopher Nolan’s casting of diverse actors, including Elliot Page and Lupita Nguño, in *The Odyssey*, accusing the film of cultural insensitivity and "woke" extremism.
Right-wing commentators like Matt Walsh and Elon Musk mock the casting, claiming it undermines historical authenticity and represents a form of racial or gendered subversion.
Elon Musk responds defensively, criticizing Nolan as anti-white and disrespectful to Homer, though the speaker points out Homer is mythical and the critique is absurd.
The film is a commercial and critical success, earning $264 million in opening weekend and praised by figures like Ben Shapiro, who argues it aligns with conservative values of perseverance and humility.
The discussion highlights a broader cultural divide
The segment also critiques political hypocrisy, notably Trump’s dismissal of military deaths and his problematic behavior during events, contrasting with the film’s moral themes.
A satirical tone emerges around issues like tipping, food delivery, and assisted suicide, reflecting on societal norms and their consequences.
The show concludes with a playful, nostalgic "90s Cloud" game and a call to action for listeners to support various brands and causes.
Summary:
Christopher Nolan’s *The Odyssey* faces intense criticism from right-wing figures who argue it misrepresents ancient Greek history through diverse casting, especially of trans or Black actors as Helen of Troy or Greek warriors. Critics like Matt Walsh and Elon Musk accuse Nolan of promoting “woke” ideologies and cultural inauthenticity, claiming it undermines traditional values and historical accuracy. However, the film is a major box office success and praised by conservatives like Ben Shapiro, who sees it as embodying virtues like resilience and humility.
The discussion reflects a broader cultural divide, with conservatives asserting that diversity in casting diminishes authenticity, while others view it as a necessary evolution of storytelling. The episode also satirizes political figures like Trump, highlighting his inconsistent and disrespectful conduct during public events and in policy responses, contrasting with the film’s moral themes of hubris and consequence. The segment includes light-hearted commentary on modern issues such as tipping culture, food delivery, and assisted suicide, emphasizing how societal norms are under strain.
com, and simply safe.
FAQs
The controversy stems from conservative criticism that the casting challenges traditional or historical representations of Greek characters, with some arguing it reflects modern political ideologies like transgenderism or anti-whiteism. Critics claim it undermines cultural authenticity, while others see it as a valid and progressive choice reflecting diversity in storytelling.
Elon Musk criticized Nolan's casting, calling it 'contempt for the Greek people' and accusing Nolan of being an 'anti-white racist.' However, the host of the show points out that Homer is a mythical figure and that such accusations are absurd, comparing them to accusations of 'pissing on Santa’s grave' for not casting racially accurate elves.
Ben Shapiro defended the film, arguing that critics are 'missing the biblical forest for the woke trees' and that the movie's themes align with conservative values like virtue, humility, and perseverance. He also dismissed accusations of cultural insensitivity as overreactions.
The show draws a parallel between the film's themes of hubris and divine retribution and modern political figures like Donald Trump, suggesting that their actions lead to similar consequences. The story is used to critique the erosion of moral order and democratic values in contemporary politics.
Some conservatives argue that casting non-Greeks, especially people of color or transgender individuals, in ancient Greek roles misrepresents historical authenticity and undermines the cultural integrity of the story, viewing it as a form of 'woke' or politically motivated fiction.
The host argues that while some see diversity as a threat to tradition, others see it as a necessary evolution in storytelling. The film's success shows that diverse narratives can resonate with audiences and align with broader cultural values, such as empathy and inclusion.
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