1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,480 Speaker 1: Hey, it's Buck Sexton and you're listening to the Carol 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: Markowitz Show on the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton podcast Network. 3 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 2: Hi, and welcome back to the Carol Marcowitz Show. This 4 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 2: is not going to be a political show. It was 5 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 2: important to me that this show be on bigger topics 6 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 2: and not just news of the day. But the news 7 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,159 Speaker 2: right now is extremely personal to me, and so I 8 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 2: have to say something about it. On Saturday morning, Israel 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,520 Speaker 2: was attacked. I'm sure you've seen the horrifying videos and stories. 10 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,840 Speaker 2: I'm not going to go over any of that. I've 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 2: barely slept since Saturday. The images, they really stay on 12 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 2: my mind. We're just getting to know each other on 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 2: this podcast, so I wanted to tell you a little 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 2: bit more about myself. I mentioned last episode that I 15 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 2: was born in the Soviet Union. I'm Jewish, and that's 16 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 2: actually how my family was able to get out. I 17 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 2: won't go into the whole history, but I do enjoy 18 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 2: noting that my family owes their freedom to President Gerald Ford. 19 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 2: He negotiated for Jews to be let out of the 20 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 2: Soviet Union because we were being persecuted for our religion. 21 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: We couldn't hold various jobs, live in certain places, and 22 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 2: so on. I feel like people sometimes don't understand that 23 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 2: Judaism is a religion, yes, but we are also a people. 24 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: That's why I can take a DNA test and find 25 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 2: out that I'm Jewish, but you can't similarly take a 26 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 2: DNA test for other faiths and find out that you're 27 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,479 Speaker 2: Catholic or Muslim or something. So in the Soviet Union, 28 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 2: we were Jews as our nationality. That's what it said 29 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 2: on our papers. It wasn't like you could convert out 30 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 2: of it. Some of you might know Jews from the 31 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 2: Soviet Union who live in America and refer to themselves 32 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: as Russian, maybe not recently, but then you come to 33 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 2: find out they were born in Ukraine or Belarus or elsewhere. 34 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 2: But that's because we were never Russian or Ukrainian or Belarussian. 35 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 2: We were just Jews. My family moved to Brooklyn, New 36 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 2: York when I was a small child, and despite the 37 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 2: fact that my parents were both atheists, because again Soviet 38 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 2: I went to an Orthodox Jewish school for the first 39 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 2: eight years of my life. I mentioned that because I 40 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 2: want to give you some insight into what little Jewish 41 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 2: kids learn in Brooklyn. 42 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 1: All day. 43 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 2: We learned about peace. Our songs were about making peace, 44 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 2: we read books about peace, We prayed for peace. I've 45 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 2: been lucky in some ways because my ex Soviet world, 46 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,399 Speaker 2: and my politically conservative world, and my Florida world are 47 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 2: all overwhelmingly pro Israel. So I never fear in speaking 48 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 2: out that I'm going to lose friends or something. And 49 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 2: while I noticed the silence of some people I follow, 50 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 2: I really don't have any one in my life arguing 51 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: that murdering babies or kidnapping grandma's is just to be expected. 52 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 2: And honestly, I know some Jews are angry about it, 53 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 2: but I somewhat understand the people who are not speaking out. 54 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 2: If you're not Jewish and you want to stay out 55 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 2: of it, I get it. You can feel disgusted by 56 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 2: the images of dead bodies at a music festival but 57 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 2: not take to Facebook to let your friends know how 58 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 2: you feel. It's understandable. But I am Jewish and I 59 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 2: can't stay out of it. I can't be quiet. Those 60 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 2: dead people are me. I see my children's faces in 61 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 2: the faces of the kids that were taken. I won't 62 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 2: pretend otherwise. I can't. Of course, if you comment on 63 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 2: every single other catastrophe around the world, and are suddenly 64 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 2: silent on this. Yes, we notice, and there are a 65 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 2: lot of people like that, big time activists for every cause, 66 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 2: who care a lot about everything except dead Jews. We notice. 67 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 2: One of the things that is hard about this current 68 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 2: moment is that people hear your support for Israel or 69 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 2: just general opposition to rape and slaughter, and immediately imagine 70 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 2: you're pushing a policy position. I'm sure there are people 71 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 2: who want the US to get involved in Israel's fight. 72 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 2: I'm not one of them. I think Israel can handle 73 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 2: her own business and will understand that you're being lied to. 74 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 2: If you hear the Jews in general or Israelis in particular, 75 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 2: are asking for American involvement, it's simply untrue. We're afraid 76 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 2: right now. I always saw America as a safe haven 77 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 2: for Jews, and I always referred to American Jews like 78 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 2: myself as the luckiest Jews in history. But I'm not 79 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: going to lie. It's been a tough few years. There 80 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 2: was a moment where there were attacks on Jews every day, 81 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 2: and so many people rush to excuse them. It was 82 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: happening in Brooklyn daily and even other Jews shrugged. I 83 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 2: remember Kanye West said Hitler was right, and way too 84 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 2: many people invited him on their shows to hear more 85 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: about that. It hasn't felt great. If you have Jews 86 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 2: in your life, understand that they are really going through 87 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 2: something right now. None of us are functioning well. All 88 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 2: of us are afraid. Good people have asked what they 89 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 2: can do and how they can help. There are Israeli 90 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:31,839 Speaker 2: charities you can support. I've listed some on my Twitter. 91 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 2: You can check in with your Jewish friends, especially if 92 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 2: they have family in Israel, which many of us do. 93 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 2: Another thing is, if you go shooting, offer to take 94 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 2: your Jewish friend. Silly as that may sound, many of 95 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 2: us didn't grow up in a shooting culture, and many 96 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:50,799 Speaker 2: of us are very interested in protecting ourselves but don't 97 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 2: know exactly how. Listen. I want my kids to sing 98 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 2: those songs of peace, and i want them to work 99 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 2: for peace, but I'm also going to teach them how 100 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 2: to shoot as soon as they are old enough. And 101 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 2: I'm never going to cower to people who hate us 102 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 2: for an identity we couldn't shed if we wanted to. 103 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: So that's it. This is a podcast about life and 104 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 2: this is what's going on in my life right now. 105 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 2: Coming up next is an interview I did with Clay Travis, 106 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 2: recorded before the war in Israel began. Join us after 107 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 2: the break. My guest today is my friend Clay Travis, 108 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 2: co host of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show 109 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 2: and author of the best selling book American Playbook. 110 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 3: Hi Clay, how are you, Carol? 111 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: I appreciate you having me on. Yes, I've got my 112 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 1: own copy. I hope you're enjoying it. It's supposed to 113 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 1: be a fun read, and so I hope you're enjoying it. 114 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: I hope anybody else who's reading it I am. 115 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 2: I haven't reached the part where you are insulting the 116 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: Dallas Cowboys yet. 117 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: I'm always thinking, like, hey, can I write an entertaining 118 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: book for people who might not otherwise be interested in 119 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: a politics book? 120 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 3: And I like to think that I am done, So 121 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 3: we'll see whether or not that continues to be a case. 122 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm loving it, and you know, I mean, 123 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: let's just get right into it. But you know, you 124 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 2: mentioned in your book that you are a history nerd, 125 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 2: and you know this is something that I did know 126 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 2: about you already. I have two sons, and you know, 127 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 2: one is a sports kid, you know, a superstar in 128 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 2: football and nic name every player on every team, and 129 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 2: the other one is super into history. I've really never 130 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 2: seen anybody kind of merge those two interests. Do you 131 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: feel like you're unique in that way? 132 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 3: Maybe? I don't know. 133 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I've always been obsessed with sports and also 134 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: obsessed with history my whole wife. When I was six 135 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: years old, I don't think this is in the book, 136 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 1: but what I wanted to do for my sixth birthday 137 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: was go to the Alamo. 138 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 3: So my dad took me to the Alamo. 139 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: I wanted to go to every Civil War battlefield growing 140 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: up and read everything about the Civil War. Also, and 141 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: when you're kid, I think you think whatever you do 142 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: is normal, and then you get to be an adult 143 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: and you raise your own kids, and you're like, yeah, 144 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: knowing everything about the Alamo when you're six years old 145 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: is not like a normal thing, right, And also simultaneously 146 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: knowing everything about let's say SEC football and Major League 147 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: baseball when you're six. 148 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 3: But uh, I don't know where that all came from. 149 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: I was always a massive reader, and uh, you know, 150 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: I would say maybe the reading thing was abnormal, but 151 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 1: being obsessed with sports meant that I couldn't be any 152 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 1: body on the planet who liked sports, and I felt 153 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: like I had always that that dichotomy where you could 154 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,839 Speaker 1: have like sort of a super nerdy interest. As I know, 155 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: I say this in the book because my wife still 156 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 1: refuses to believe that she married somebody who went to 157 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 1: Civil warst sleep away Camp. 158 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 3: And had kids with them, and. 159 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 1: Camp scholarship kid to Civil Wars sleep Away Camp is 160 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: a different universe, right, But I do think that that 161 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: that whole aspect to me kind of always felt intertwined, 162 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 1: and I see it in my kids. My oldest, in particular, 163 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: as a monster sports fan, was also great at debate, 164 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: and whereas I was super interested in the Civil War 165 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: when he was young, he was very, very interested in 166 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: World War Two and he would read everything about World 167 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: War Two, and so I saw that. I don't know 168 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 1: where that comes from, but I saw that a little 169 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: bit in him, and I said, Okay, this kind of 170 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,079 Speaker 1: is in some way or reflection I think of me. 171 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 2: Wow, so you have the biggest radio show in the country. 172 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:39,079 Speaker 2: Did you always want to be in radio? 173 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: No? 174 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 3: I didn't. 175 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: I didn't look I growing up listened to sports talker 176 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: radio as a young kid. And so when my dad 177 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: would pick me up at school or whatever what we did, 178 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: and we were driving home, and it's funny, I had 179 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: my he just turned nine, but I had my eight 180 00:09:57,320 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: year old in the car recently, and I was listening 181 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: to sports s talk radio and he just reminds me a lot. 182 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 3: Of me as well. 183 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: But he said, Dad, can you believe there's a radio 184 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: station where all they do is talk about sports, Like 185 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: that's the best thing ever. And you know, like he'll 186 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 1: just sit there and listen to it, and he knows 187 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: all the players, and they got the fantasy football teams 188 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: and everything else. 189 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 3: So I was. 190 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 1: Interested in radio, Like as a kid, I called into 191 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: local sports talk radio to talk about whatever at the top. 192 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: I mean I would sit on wait, on hold for 193 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: forty five minutes an hour or whatever and be super nervous. 194 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: So I was interested and aware of sports talk radio. 195 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: But you know that I went to college and then 196 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: I went to law school, and so I thought that 197 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: I would do something with the law degree. And I 198 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:46,679 Speaker 1: had what I would call a quarter life crisis where 199 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: I was in my law firm and I was twenty 200 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: five years old, and I just almost had like this 201 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: panic attack come over me because I was like, oh 202 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 1: my god, this could be the next forty years of 203 00:10:56,760 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: my life. So I thought writing that I would My 204 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: goal was to make a living as a writer, and 205 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,079 Speaker 1: in my mind, I knew writing and radio and TV. 206 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:10,679 Speaker 1: I still think of myself as a writer, even though 207 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: it's a small part of what I do on a 208 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: day to day basis now. 209 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 3: But that was my love. So I would have said. 210 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 1: You know, if you've been talking to me when I 211 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: was fifteen, and if you said, Clay, what do you 212 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: want to do when you grow up, if you had 213 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:24,559 Speaker 1: told me that I could make a living as a writer, 214 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: I'd be like, that's the greatest job in the history 215 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: of the world. And I went and got a law degree, 216 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:34,319 Speaker 1: but I also got an MFA and thought that I 217 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: would like to teach creative writing, that I would like 218 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:43,079 Speaker 1: to teach creative writing as the way in which that 219 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: I would make a living. And I taught creative writing 220 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: at Vanderbilt, and I still think that I'm minored in 221 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 1: creative writing in college. I still think that's probably one 222 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: of the best jobs out there to live on a 223 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: college campus and just get to teach kids writing, creative 224 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 1: writing in particular. But I probably would have said at fifteen, 225 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 1: what do you want to do if I could make 226 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: a living as a writer. 227 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 3: Either. 228 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: I would have probably said fiction at that point in time, 229 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: because I'd always been a huge reader. But that's probably 230 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: what I would have thought I would do. I never 231 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: really thought radio or television or anything like that was 232 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 1: likely to be a career path. 233 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 2: Do you feel like you've made it. 234 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 1: So? 235 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 3: No? But yes in some ways. Let me explain what 236 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 3: I mean by that. 237 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: About a decade ago, I was at a minor league 238 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: baseball game, Triple A, which is one level below the 239 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: major leagues, and I remember feeling like I was a 240 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: Triple A media talent. I felt like I could be 241 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 1: a major league player, but I was doing local sports 242 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:47,559 Speaker 1: talk radio in Nashville. 243 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 3: I was running my. 244 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: Own website at the time, out Kick, but I wasn't 245 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: a major Yeah, I wasn't a major league player yet, 246 00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:59,560 Speaker 1: but I felt like I had the talent to be 247 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 1: in the major leagues. I feel like I'm in the 248 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: major leagues, and that's great because I don't have to 249 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: worry about paying my mortgage or whether my kids can 250 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: afford to go to college. Like those things are great, 251 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: but I still feel like I'm not at the top 252 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 1: level performance that I can be. So I feel like 253 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: maybe I'm in major leagues and I still can prove 254 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: that I'm an all star and so so I feel 255 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: like I'm fortunate to be in the major leagues, but 256 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: I don't feel like I've reached, you know, the apex 257 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: ability of what I could could accomplish. 258 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,319 Speaker 2: What's it like living a public life, Like do you 259 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 2: get recognized everywhere you go? And like what you know, 260 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:39,839 Speaker 2: any any hate. 261 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: Or it's mostly positive where I live now. Remember I 262 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 1: live in Nashville, and I think that's probably different than 263 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:48,439 Speaker 1: if I lived in New York or LA. 264 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 3: Maybe the reactions would be would be different. 265 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: But I think about it more in the context of 266 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 1: my kids, because they're getting old enough now they recognize 267 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: that Dad doesn't have a normal job, and like, I 268 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: had a conversation with them the other day where I said, Hey, 269 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: you know, you're getting old enough where you may hear 270 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: people say things about what I do or what I say, 271 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 1: And I said, that's great. You know, I'm fortunate to 272 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 1: get to be able to say exactly what I think, 273 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: But I said, all I ever want you guys to 274 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: do is judge me on dad, Like, don't let anybody 275 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: else what they're saying publicly about anything. 276 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 3: That I do. 277 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: You know me better than anybody who's going to write 278 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: about me. You live in the house with me. If 279 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: I'm doing a good job as dad, which is my goal, 280 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: then judge me on that. Everybody has jobs. The job 281 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: you can be good at. 282 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 3: Or bad at. 283 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: The praise can come or go. You asked about whether 284 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: I feel like I've made it. What I would say, 285 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,120 Speaker 1: and I bet you've seen this too, is media careers 286 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 1: are very much like roller coasters. Like you're really high 287 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: up and you think, oh man, everything's going great, and 288 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: then somebody like you'll lose something and you go back down, 289 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 1: and then you climb your way back up. And then 290 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: I've just seen at you know, I've been in media 291 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: for twenty years now, you know, a generation, and I've 292 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: just seen that happen so many times, where you think, oh, 293 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: this is really great, and then you get fired and 294 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: then work you know, as hard as again, and then. 295 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 3: You know it may not be anything that you did. 296 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: You know, like I started out kick because FanHouse shut 297 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: down the site that I was at. 298 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 3: I loved it. I would have kept doing it for 299 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 3: the rest of my life. 300 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: So I just think you have to The thing that 301 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: I would say I'm proud of is I think I'm 302 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: a pretty good dad. I'm not as good of a 303 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: dad as my dad was. He was phenomenal, but I 304 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: think I'm a pretty good dad. And I think I'm 305 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 1: an okay husband. And I've been married almost twenty years, 306 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: and I think I'm pretty good at radio writing and TV. 307 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 1: And so when you ask, I think it's such a 308 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: good question. Do you feel like you've made it? Here's 309 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: a way that I would think about it. If I 310 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 1: could go back in time right now, would I change anything? 311 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: My answer is no, because I'm very comfortable with where 312 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: I am today. That doesn't mean I've not made a 313 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: lot of mistakes. It doesn't mean that I'm not incredibly 314 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: flawed and imperfect like every person out there. But I'm 315 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 1: very comfortable in my own skin and with where I 316 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: am today, and I wouldn't want to change anything, Like 317 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: I wouldn't want to not go to law school, or 318 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 1: I wouldn't want to go to a different college, or 319 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: certainly I wouldn't want to, you know, not get married. 320 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: I got married at twenty five years old. Like, I 321 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: wouldn't change anything. I would the only thing I would 322 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: want to have had more kids. 323 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 3: I don't think. I don't think I'm going to have 324 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 3: any more. I think we got three. 325 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: I feel happy that we have three healthy and happy 326 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: kids right now. But you know, other than like, I 327 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: would like to have five or six kids because I've 328 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: got the ability to take care of them, and I 329 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: think they're so amazing and so unique as I know, 330 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: you know, as a parent. 331 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 3: But other than that, I wouldn't. 332 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: There's not really anything in my life that And I 333 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 1: fought for us to have three, so I feel like 334 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: I won that battle. My wife, I think, would have 335 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: said stayed at two, but I would have had four 336 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: or five or six if the timing had worked out 337 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: a little bit different. 338 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 2: It's funny because in the book you say I don't 339 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 2: think I'm going to have a daughter, and I was like, 340 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 2: he's thinking about possibly having a fourth. Oh. 341 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 3: I say to my wife all the time, like you're not, you. 342 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 2: Know, I don't think. I mean, I mean that's a maybe. 343 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 3: It's a maybe for me, it's a no for her. 344 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: So so and usually mom wins in these battles because 345 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: having a child for me is a lot less work 346 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: than having a child for her, as I will readily acknowledge. 347 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 3: But but yeah, I would. 348 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: I would. I think it would have been cool to 349 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: have a daughter and see what it's like to raise 350 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: a daughter compared to having, you know, three boys. 351 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 3: I'm very happy to have three boys. 352 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: Thankful that I don't have three girls, trust me, but 353 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: I would like to have had three boys and maybe 354 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: a girl too. 355 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 2: All right, Well, I was going to ask you how 356 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 2: long you've been married. You said almost twenty years. Do 357 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:49,880 Speaker 2: you have any advice for newlyweds. 358 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 3: Oh, that's a good question. 359 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 2: I mean your co host is a newlywed. 360 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: Have you. 361 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 3: Yeah. We've not talked about this with Buck. 362 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: I mean because Buck's in a unique spot because he 363 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,399 Speaker 1: didn't get married till after he was forty. And you know, 364 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: men get so set in their ways that I think 365 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: it's actually more challenging for men if they stay single 366 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 1: for that long to get married than it is depending 367 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: on how old your husband is. I think women are 368 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: way more mature than men. And what I mean by 369 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:23,080 Speaker 1: that is like a lot of the whole marital process, 370 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: Like I never really just thought about it that much. 371 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,919 Speaker 1: Like I feel like, you know, for instance, the age 372 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 1: at which you should have kids. My wife just said 373 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: she's two years older than me. She was like, yeah, 374 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:36,879 Speaker 1: we're going to start trying to have kids now. And like, 375 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 1: as a man, I think because you have the luxury 376 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: of like, you could have a kid at sixty, right, 377 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 1: Probably not advisable, but you could. Like so that the 378 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: clocks are different for women than men, and so I 379 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 1: would say women probably need, in my. 380 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:58,159 Speaker 3: Opinion, to. 381 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: Be more linient with men, particularly early in marriage, because 382 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 1: they're not what you want them to be. 383 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 3: What I have come to find out is, yeah, most men. 384 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 1: When they get married, in my experience, would love for 385 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: their wives to stay the exact same forever, right, especially 386 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,199 Speaker 1: if you're getting married young. We would like, we would like, 387 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 1: we love everything about you. We would like for you 388 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,120 Speaker 1: to be eternally the exact same way you are right now. 389 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 1: Every woman basically gets married to a guy in my experience, 390 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: with the idea being he's okay, but I'm gonna you know, 391 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: like you women go into like, hey I'm going to 392 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 1: rehab this. 393 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:44,159 Speaker 2: We see potential. 394 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:48,479 Speaker 1: Yeah, you guys invest in potential. Men invest in the 395 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: reality of now, and so men are very comfortable I 396 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: think oftentimes in the now, and women are very comfortable 397 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 1: with the He isn't just kind of okay now, but 398 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: in ten years he can be a good dad. I 399 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: think he's gonna have a good future. Like that's what 400 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 1: I'm saying about. You guys see a longer trajectory and 401 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:07,119 Speaker 1: range than I think a lot of men do. 402 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 3: And I'll give you an easy example. 403 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:11,919 Speaker 1: Every man when they get engaged has no idea what 404 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: the next step is. Every woman is like ready to 405 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 1: figure out every aspect of the marriage within, like in 406 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 1: terms of the ceremony and everything else where it should happen, 407 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: what the time is, or you know, it gets on 408 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: the phone with her mom and like it's it's like 409 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 1: the whole apparatus is moving in place. Because you guys 410 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: have all been thinking about it. I can barely even 411 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: you know, like conceive of all the details that were involved. 412 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: So I just think women are way more involved. 413 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 2: I wasn't one of those women who had thought about 414 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:41,239 Speaker 2: what her wedding would be like, and that was a 415 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 2: mistake because you can't figure it out in a short 416 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 2: period of time. You need those years of planning, like 417 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 2: which I realized, you know, I realized in retrospect I 418 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 2: hadn't done. Yeah, so I you know, I think it's 419 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 2: I think it's the right way to go. That women 420 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 2: think about it for a long time before and then 421 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 2: you get to the most expensive event of your life 422 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 2: and you kind of. 423 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 3: Know what you're doing. 424 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: And the other thing I would say was I was 425 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 1: very conscious of what I wanted. I wanted good looking 426 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 1: and super smart. Those were my two criteria, right, and 427 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 1: I think I went I hit a home run on that. 428 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: But you got to I think a lot of men 429 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: focus on the good looking and they don't necessarily focus 430 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: on the like idea of hey, you're potentially going to 431 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 1: be having children with this person, like I want, you know, 432 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: the offspring to also be successful, so you know, and 433 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: also thinking about. 434 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 3: What was not pretty dumb, Yeah, what kind of mom 435 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,239 Speaker 3: h your potential significant other would be. 436 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,239 Speaker 1: So I would say two men focus less on the 437 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: immediate Oh she's really pretty, I really like her right now, 438 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: and more on okay, ten years, twenty years, what's the trajectory. 439 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 2: So the potential you want to think about than we do. 440 00:21:57,320 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 2: M Yeah, so what do you think are like some 441 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 2: of our largest societal problems in America, Like, what do 442 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 2: you worry about for your kids? 443 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:07,160 Speaker 3: Yeah? 444 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,240 Speaker 1: So my thing that I hammer home to my boys, 445 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: and I try to say this every time I go 446 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:18,400 Speaker 1: talk to young audiences is focus on what you can control. 447 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 3: I'm big on individual. 448 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: Responsibility, but also just the only thing you can really 449 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 1: control is your work ethic. You can't control how the 450 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:29,119 Speaker 1: world around you responds to you, but I can control that. 451 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: I work super hard every day. So I say, graduate 452 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: from high school. These are minimum standards, by the way, 453 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: but if every kid could do this, I think the 454 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:42,640 Speaker 1: country would be far better. Graduate from high school, get 455 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: a job, get married, don't have a kid until you're 456 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 1: twenty five, white, Black, Asian, Hispanic, gay, straight male female. 457 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: If you do that, your poverty rate is zero, no 458 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:57,360 Speaker 1: matter how poor your family circumstances were for your upbringing, 459 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 1: and then you can provide a better opportunity for your kids. 460 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 3: That would be my pitch. 461 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 1: My concern, and I write about this a lot in 462 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 1: the book, is that we have allowed identity politics to 463 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: completely take over our body politic. And what I mean 464 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: by that is you'll often hear somebody say, hey, as 465 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: a transgender woman. I believe, and I always think like, 466 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: if you put your identity in front of your opinion, 467 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 1: why should I care your opinions either a valid and 468 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: a good argument or it's not. I don't care about 469 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:37,360 Speaker 1: the things you didn't control. And I'm concerned that when 470 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 1: we were growing up, because you're around my age, it 471 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: seemed like what we were taught was most people are 472 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 1: pretty similar, right, whether despite your background, your common humanity. 473 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: In America, most people are pretty similar. And now I 474 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:56,880 Speaker 1: think what we're often teaching kids is you're all very dissimilar, 475 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: and that's because of things you didn't choose, as opposed 476 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:04,360 Speaker 1: to things you did choose, like the idea that that 477 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 1: your race and your your your gender, to me are 478 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,199 Speaker 1: two of the least interesting things about people. 479 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 3: The things that you don't the things that you. 480 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: Don't choose are are are far more interesting to me, 481 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: so far less interesting to me than things that you 482 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 1: do choose. And I think we focus on identity over 483 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 1: everything else. 484 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 2: So is that solvable? 485 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 3: Is that? Yeah? I think it is what. 486 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:35,439 Speaker 1: I think we have to have a landslide election, and 487 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,679 Speaker 1: we have to have somebody who can speak to and 488 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 1: I think we're starting to see it right, because the 489 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,879 Speaker 1: argument when Trump won in sixteen was oh, he's super 490 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: racist and Republicans are doomed forever to only have white voters. 491 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 3: And then what's happened. 492 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: Hispanic, Asian and Black voters have actually become more likely 493 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:56,160 Speaker 1: to vote Republican in twenty twenty and in twenty twenty two. 494 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:57,959 Speaker 3: Than they were before Trump. 495 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 1: Because I think the fundamental lie that Democrats and I 496 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: should say left this because there's some Democrats who would 497 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 1: reject this, but the fundamental lie that Democrats tell is 498 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,240 Speaker 1: that America is an awful racist place and that's just 499 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 1: simply not true. 500 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 2: That brown people are dying to. 501 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: Literally every day black and brown people die trying to 502 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: get into this country. If this were the most racist 503 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: country out there, their decision to do that would make 504 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: zero syd. So I think that's the fundamental lie that 505 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 1: Democrats have brought into Then I think it's rooted in 506 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: identity politics because this idea that all white men are evil. 507 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: I used to joke and I still do make this 508 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 1: joke visually, but like I pick the worst time ever 509 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: to become a rich white guy for basically all of 510 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,200 Speaker 1: American history. If you're a rich white guy like everything 511 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 1: you were, like you the best person ever, and now 512 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:48,639 Speaker 1: I suddenly I was poor. My family was poor, you know, 513 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: basically our whole life, and now I'm a rich white 514 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 1: guy like that? How dare you be a rich white guy? 515 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 1: You're you've done everything that's wrong with America. I'm like, 516 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: I went to public school. I didn't even grow up 517 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 1: in a part of Ashville. 518 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 2: And here with your best tip for my listeners on 519 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 2: how they can improve their lives. What's what's the advice 520 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 2: that you think people should follow to make their lives better. 521 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: I think it has to be that you completely own 522 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:21,719 Speaker 1: your own success or failure, and whatever you find that 523 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:24,879 Speaker 1: you have a skill in that you enjoy spending time in. 524 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: I said, I had a quarter life crisis. Being a 525 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:31,400 Speaker 1: lawyer's not an awful job. My grandfather's worked in factories 526 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,639 Speaker 1: their whole lives. There are a lot of bad jobs, 527 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 1: trust me, I know, and a lot of jobs that 528 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,359 Speaker 1: stink and also don't pay well, which is a double combo. 529 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 1: But I think if you can find something that you 530 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 1: don't look at the clock while you do over time, 531 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 1: you will win. 532 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 3: If you can find a way to do that. 533 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:53,639 Speaker 1: I looked at the clock all the time when I 534 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 1: practice law, I couldn't wait for the day to be 535 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:00,639 Speaker 1: over so I could leave and no longer be required 536 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 1: to be practicing laws. I don't look at the clock 537 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,239 Speaker 1: when I sit down and write. I don't really look 538 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 1: at the clock other than to make sure we hit 539 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: time breaks. When I sit down to do radio, I 540 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 1: haven't looked at the clock from this entire conversation. 541 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 3: That you and I are having. 542 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 1: That's because I enjoy it, and I think you can't 543 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:23,160 Speaker 1: fake enjoyment because over time, if you like what you do, 544 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,880 Speaker 1: you will be more successful at that than someone who 545 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: does not like what they do. 546 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 3: So if you can. 547 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:36,200 Speaker 1: Mirror your your advocation with something that you enjoy spending 548 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 1: time doing, you're going to be successful in it. I 549 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:43,399 Speaker 1: also would say this, figure out. If you have a job, 550 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: look and see what your boss's boss does. If you 551 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 1: don't think that you would like to do what your 552 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:55,640 Speaker 1: boss's boss does, then you probably shouldn't be in that 553 00:27:55,760 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: profession because what are you building toward what I think 554 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 1: you know? Like in the law firm, I'd be like, oh, 555 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: the name partner, Well, he just gets paid more to 556 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: do basically the same thing that I do now. I 557 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 1: was in a small law firm, so I could see 558 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 1: kind of what they did that wasn't for me. Doesn't 559 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:15,400 Speaker 1: mean I couldn't have been successful at it, but ultimately 560 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 1: I would have never succeeded like someone who loved it. 561 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:20,159 Speaker 1: And I think the reason I've had success in media 562 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 1: is because I genuinely love what I get to do. 563 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:28,919 Speaker 1: And the final way, by the way Carol, would be 564 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:33,399 Speaker 1: when I sold out Kicked two years ago. I feel 565 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 1: like I kind of won the lottery, and I think 566 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: everybody sits around and thinks, oh, what would I do 567 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: if I won the lottery? How would I spend my life? 568 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: Like everybody has had that fantasy and everybody's played through it. 569 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 1: That's the entire basis of why the lottery works as 570 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 1: a business, right, It's that fantasy fulfillment. To me, the 571 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 1: ultimate answer is I would wake up and. 572 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 3: Keep doing what I'm already doing. 573 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: If you answered that, then you are living a life 574 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 1: that you can be. I think successful and proud and 575 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: happy in And I felt like I had that experience 576 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 1: where I woke up, Okay, I won the lottery. I've 577 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: got money, I've got the ability to do lots of things. 578 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 1: What do I want to do? Oh wait, I want 579 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 1: to keep doing exactly what I'm already doing. I think 580 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 1: that's why I ended up winning the lottery, because I 581 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: had already worked myself into a place where I was 582 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 1: so happy doing what I was doing. 583 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. I really love that answer. That's 584 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 2: some really great advice. I think our listeners should definitely 585 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 2: listen to that. Thank you Clay for coming on. Loved 586 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 2: having you, and please come back any time. 587 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 1: Well, by the way, you are killing it. I love 588 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: reading your columns. You are super talented. 589 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 3: At your show. 590 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: You probably shouldn't expect to get praised all the times 591 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 1: by the guests, but I am really impressed with how talented. 592 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 3: You are the work that you are doing. 593 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: The only negative thing I can say is that your 594 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 1: poor Cowboy fan son is going to be miserable for 595 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: most of his life because he's a Cowboys fan. 596 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 2: I really hope we play the Titans sometimes. 597 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 3: Well. Titans fans are definitely my courage. 598 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 2: Thanks Clay, Thanks so much Clay Travis for joining the 599 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:17,000 Speaker 2: Carol Markowitz Show. We'll see you again on Mondays and Thursdays. 600 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:19,320 Speaker 2: Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.