1 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome back to the Carol Markowitz Show on iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: Well that was a weekend. I was at a beach 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,240 Speaker 1: club on Long Island in New York when the news 4 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: broke that Joe Biden would not be seeking the nomination 5 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: to run for president again. Beach clubs are different all 6 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: over the country. There are some really fancy resort style 7 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,919 Speaker 1: ones near where I live in Florida, for example, But 8 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: this one is fairly modest, the kind of place where 9 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: you bring your cooler and a cabana boy builds it 10 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: up with ice so you can put some beers in it. 11 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: It's a really mixed crowd to all kinds of professions, 12 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: all kinds of political affiliations. This cabana boy named Ryan 13 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: broke the news to me, and then you'd hear people 14 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: all around you start to find out. Here's what's interesting. 15 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: There were happy conservatives and nervous conservatives, happy and relieved liberals, 16 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: nervous liberals, and so on. The point is that emotions 17 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 1: run real high around politics, and this was obviously no different. 18 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: It had already been such an insane eight days. Trump 19 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 1: was shot the weekend before then, the RNC happens in Milwaukee, 20 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: Trump chooses JD. Vince Biden gets COVID. Democrats just continually 21 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: keep coming out against him, and so on. Even if 22 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: you're confident that your side will come out of this 23 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: insanity on top, it's a roller coaster ride of emotions. 24 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: This weekend, I also celebrated my America versary. It's the 25 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: day my mom and I came to the US from 26 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: the Soviet Union July twentieth, or more specifically, the day 27 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: we came to the US after we had a few 28 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: months day in Italy waiting for approval to come over. 29 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,559 Speaker 1: Getting permission to enter a country, even as a refugee, 30 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: used to be a thing we did kids. So we 31 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: celebrate July twentieth every year in our family as if 32 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: it's a birthday, and it's a really big deal. I 33 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,519 Speaker 1: try to write a column every year commemorating the day. 34 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: I have to admit that the last two years my 35 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: columns have not been very optimistic. My latest one is 36 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: up today on the Fox News site, and it's about 37 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: how when we got here in the late seventies, things 38 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 1: were very bad, but at least everyone admitted it. We 39 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: can't seem to get to the point today where we 40 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 1: actually recognize our problems as a country, even though the 41 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 1: problems are somewhat obvious. 42 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 2: Now. 43 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: Look, I believe in America. I believe in Americans. It's 44 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: still the greatest, freest country that's ever been. But we 45 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: have some real problems, and I think we need to 46 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: face those problems. This is not a political show, as 47 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: I say every few episodes when I veer into politics anyway, 48 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: So let me bring it back to our individual lives. 49 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: Recognizing the things you have to change about yourself is 50 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: the first step in actually making changes, and this matters 51 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: most in tumultuous times. In the last nine months of 52 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: doing this show, I've asked so many interesting people for 53 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 1: their best piece of advice, and the advice has been 54 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: a range of things, you know, from putting down your 55 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: phone to reading books at night and so on. But 56 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: the more I think about my own best piece of 57 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: advice for improving your life, the more I think it's 58 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: facing reality and saying words out loud, and that translates 59 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: to admitting what your problems are, verbalizing your values to 60 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: your children, communicating better with the people around you. I 61 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: think we should do this on an individual basis, and 62 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: going forward, I'd love to also see us do this 63 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: as a country, believe in us. Thanks for listening, and 64 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: I hope we're all in for a calmer rest of 65 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: the summer. Coming up next and interview with Robert George. 66 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: Join us after the break. 67 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 3: Welcome back to the Carol Markowitz Show on iHeartRadio. My 68 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 3: guest today is Robert George. Robert is a freelance writer 69 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 3: previously at Bloomberg Daily News, New York Post, and he's 70 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 3: also a stand up comedian. Robert is based in New York. 71 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 2: Hi, Robert, Hey, Carol, how are we doing? 72 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 3: So nice to have you on. 73 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 4: It's nice to be on you know, I heart Carol 74 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 4: on iHeartRadio. 75 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 3: You're actually one. I was thinking about this. You're like 76 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 3: among my absolute oldest friends in this universe, are in 77 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 3: this little thing of ours that we do. 78 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 2: Is what you're trying to say. 79 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 3: Well, I meant in duration, but yes, you are old also. 80 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 3: And I remember going to your stand up shows, Like really, 81 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 3: I feel like you were just starting out then, right, 82 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 3: like in the early two thousands. 83 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 2: That's that's that's exactly right. 84 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 4: Often often don't tell Mama which New York officionados knows 85 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 4: as one of the like the great piano bars uh 86 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 4: in in New York, right on restaurant Row, and yeah, 87 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 4: we uh we did some we did some nice comedy stuff. 88 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 4: Then I then took a little bit of a break 89 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 4: from regular stand up for like the next couple of decades, 90 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 4: uh and focus and focus more on improv. And then 91 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 4: after after the pan well sort of like a year 92 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 4: into the pandemic and you know, protests and stuff like that, 93 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 4: I just felt that there was stuff going on in 94 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 4: the world that I needed to express in a way 95 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 4: other than just writing about the writing. 96 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 3: Come on, you needed to make money, you needed to 97 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 3: mock it. 98 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 4: Well, it was it was, it was. It was to market, 99 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 4: it was to market, and uh yeah, and I just 100 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 4: needed to be expressive because it seemed like the world 101 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 4: was going crazy in in multiple in multiple ways. And 102 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 4: so I decided, yeah, let's, uh, let's let's dust off 103 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 4: this the stand up comedy. And I decided, you know, 104 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 4: I actually really do kind of like doing this, and 105 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 4: so let's commit to it a little bit more. 106 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 3: I love that. So how did you get into writing? 107 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 3: How did you become because I might you you were 108 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 3: on the editorial board of the New York Post, And 109 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 3: where were you before that. 110 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 2: What's your history here? 111 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 4: So I have sort of kind of kind of two 112 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 4: careers because in as because as you said, I am 113 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 4: uh in the in the in the nineties, I was, 114 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 4: I was working in d C, working in politics. 115 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 3: I worked for tell her, yeah, tell our tell our 116 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 3: listeners who you worked for? 117 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. 118 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 4: Well I started I started out working at the Republican 119 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 4: National Committee and uh at at a time when they 120 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 4: were going through like it seemed like there was a 121 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 4: new chairman, a new chairman every uh every other month. 122 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 4: Some part of it, I mean, uh, this is a 123 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 4: serious this is a serious part of a part it 124 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 4: was because uh uh Lee at Order, who had been chairman, 125 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 4: had gotten had become ill and and died of pride 126 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 4: diet died of brain cancer, which was which was horrific. Uh. 127 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 4: And then he was replaced, and then they replaced him 128 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 4: and so forth. And so that was going going on 129 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 4: for a while and then uh, and then I ended 130 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 4: up going onto the hill and working for somebody that 131 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 4: a few people might might have known by the name 132 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 4: of Michael Hoffington. No, no, no, uh new Kingridge. I 133 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 4: did work for Michael Huffington for for one year, but 134 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 4: uh I then worked for I worked for new Gingrich 135 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 4: when he was when he was Speaker of the House. 136 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 3: Nice, are you're new still in touch? 137 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 4: Uh? Not not so much, I've I I greatly respect him. 138 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 4: I greatly respect h his his historical his historic role 139 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 4: as the you know, at the time, the first Republican 140 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 4: speaker in forty years, and the the the tactical movement 141 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 4: that he created to to to accomp to accomplish that. 142 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 4: I sort of disagree I think with some of his 143 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 4: his his observed observations of the of the current political scene. 144 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 4: But actually to to get to to sort of forecast, 145 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 4: you know, the discussion we're gonna have a little bit 146 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 4: later on about broad cultural issues, I think Newt actually 147 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 4: sort of plays a rather large role in that in 148 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 4: the context of where we as where we are today. 149 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 2: But anyway, so I worked. 150 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:57,719 Speaker 4: For I worked for Newt for for a little bit 151 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 4: short of a little bit short of four years, went 152 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 4: back to went back to the r n C and 153 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 4: worked in in their in their Coalitions department, heading up coalitions, 154 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 4: which which means everything from you know, outreach on areas 155 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:17,680 Speaker 4: of race and ethnicity, but it h issues as well, 156 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 4: so basically trying to create the Republican will create and 157 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 4: nurture the Republican big tent if you will, well, making 158 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 4: sure that you know, the the pro family organizations are 159 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 4: on board, making sure that the pro choice Republicans are 160 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 4: on are on board. Uh you know, talking with the 161 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 4: you know, Chamber of Commerce over here. Uh so, yeah, 162 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 4: so it was, it was It was a great It 163 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 4: was a great It was a great way of being 164 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 4: able to engage with the different parts of of a 165 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 4: of a of a of a broad political party. 166 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 3: And so people did the fact that you had to 167 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 3: bring all these people into the tent. Did they like 168 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 3: you or not like you for that? I mean the 169 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 3: people like, you know, are they. 170 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,360 Speaker 2: Like yes, yes, and no? 171 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 4: Well, you know, I think no, I think that they Uh. 172 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 4: I think in that kind of position, it helps to 173 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 4: be somebody who is just willing to be able to 174 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 4: talk to anyone and just have a person and and 175 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:24,319 Speaker 4: engaging personality and being charismatic enough to just a pretty 176 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,680 Speaker 4: engaging just to just to make sure that everybody feels 177 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 4: that that they have a seat at the table. I mean, 178 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 4: that's the that's the that's the main part of the job. 179 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 4: Any issue, and I would just be open with him 180 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 4: and say, oh, of course we can do that. Of 181 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 4: course we can do that. I'm not sure if we 182 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 4: can do I'm not sure if we can do that. 183 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 4: Let me, you know, let me take it back, and 184 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:48,439 Speaker 4: and and so forth, and and a lot of most 185 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 4: of the people you work with it at that at 186 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 4: that point are professional enough that they kind of know 187 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 4: how far, you know, how how far to go. But 188 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 4: they think it's also important obviously, you know, to ask 189 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 4: and to have and to have phone calls returned, you know, 190 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 4: things like that. You know, ghosting in public excuse me, 191 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 4: ghosting in politics is usually uh, the road to ruin, right. 192 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 3: So then you become a writer and you decide. 193 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 2: I got a call. 194 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 4: I got a call from somebody who had who had 195 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 4: known in a social setting before that. He was at 196 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 4: that time the editorial board uh editor of the New 197 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:34,079 Speaker 4: York Post, John Hortz. 198 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 3: And I know that I had no idea John, But 199 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 3: Horace was editorial board editor of the New York Post. Wow. 200 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,960 Speaker 4: In fact, at that at that time he had he 201 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 4: had two hats at the at the Post he was 202 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 4: editorial he was editorial editorial board editor uh and UH 203 00:11:53,520 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 4: he was also overseeing their their entertainment to and arts 204 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 4: and an arts section which was which is a kind 205 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 4: of a two headed monster that you you hardly ever 206 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 4: see in in in in journalism, and it was a 207 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 4: very it was just a rare experiment and which didn't 208 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,080 Speaker 4: It didn't. It didn't last for to didn't last for 209 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 4: too long. So initially, UH, they reached out to me 210 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 4: because I had I had written I've been writing pieces 211 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 4: uh in a freelance way even though I was at 212 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:28,439 Speaker 4: I was at the UH at the r n C 213 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 4: UH on pop culture, on on on music and hip 214 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 4: hop and and and stuff like that and and the 215 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 4: political impact thereof. So he initially approached me about, you know, 216 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 4: coming on as a as a music as a music writer, 217 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 4: and I had had an okay interview there, but that 218 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 4: that one ultimately didn't go anywhere. And then you know, 219 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 4: fast forward a few months later and an opening occurred 220 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 4: on the on the editorial board, and I was asked 221 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 4: if if it was something I was interested in and 222 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 4: and obviously if I was interested in, you know, leaving 223 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 4: DC coming up to New York and joining the board 224 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 4: and yeah, and then they had they had me at Hellos. 225 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, easy call, easy see, I didn't even make a 226 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:19,719 Speaker 3: joke about you've heard of hip hop? I can't believe it. 227 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 4: Absolutely, absolutely no, I've. 228 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 2: That's it. 229 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 4: That's not even a joke you can make so nowadays, 230 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 4: because hip hop has been around for so long that 231 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 4: you can be very very very old and also be 232 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 4: you know, yeah, right, right. 233 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 2: Right, absolutely. 234 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: We're going to take a quick break and be right 235 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: back on the Carol Marcowitch Show. 236 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 3: So what kind of topics do you enjoy covering? What's 237 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 3: like you're what do you consider the Robert George. 238 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 4: Beat Well, let's well, let's well, let me give you 239 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 4: a couple of examples. Like so, so back in back 240 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:59,839 Speaker 4: in twenty fifteen, this is kind of this kind of fits, 241 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:02,679 Speaker 4: I wrote, I wrote a piece. I was still at 242 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 4: the I was still at the New York Post of 243 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 4: the time. I wrote a I wrote a piece about 244 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:09,959 Speaker 4: the fact that you know the the the number one 245 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 4: movie at that time was the was the Straight out 246 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 4: of Compton biopic on on n W A. And I said, 247 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 4: I thought it was interesting that that that was number 248 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 4: one at the same time that you know, this sort 249 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 4: of braggado show loudmouth, uh, New York, New York, New 250 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 4: York businessman. 251 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 2: From Queens from Queen's Yes, was. 252 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 4: Was making was making a lot of noise, making a 253 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 4: lot of noise in politics, and was going on to 254 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 4: what we could be considered, you know, a hostile takeover, 255 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 4: a hostile takeover of of of the Republican of the 256 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 4: Republican Party. And the interesting part is now, obviously in 257 00:14:56,880 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 4: real time, the n w A was you know, nineteen 258 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 4: eighty eight, nineteen eighty eighty eight eighty nine, which at 259 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 4: that which at that time, by the way, Trump had 260 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 4: Trump had had released the ardi you know, the Art 261 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 4: of the the Art of the Deal. 262 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 2: So that's what he was. 263 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 4: He was starting to make noise, moving out of the 264 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 4: business world into the broader into the broader pop cultural world. 265 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 4: And I said that the that the thing that was 266 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 4: bringing the two of them, you know, together, was uh 267 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 4: this uh ah ability to unnerve what could be considered, 268 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 4: you know, the polite gatekeepers, either on the pop culture 269 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 4: side or or or on the politic or on the 270 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 4: politics side. And both were attacked as sexist and racist, 271 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 4: and and and and and and there's and there's some 272 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 4: legitimacy on those criticisms on on in both areas. But 273 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 4: I thought but but I thought it was interesting that 274 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 4: that that the Trump's political political rise was hitting at 275 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 4: the same time that this and this n w A 276 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 4: n w A pick was coming out. So, you know, 277 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 4: those are the that that tends to be kind of 278 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 4: my sweet spot, you know, looking at that, looking at 279 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 4: that nexus of popular culture and politics. 280 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 3: What would you say is our largest cultural issue? 281 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 4: Well, Uh, this is a little bit complicated, but uh, 282 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 4: I mentioned earlier on working for uh, you know, working 283 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 4: for working for New Gendrid uh New aside from being 284 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 4: the first Republican Speaker of the House in forty years 285 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 4: when he came in when he won in ninety four, 286 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 4: came in ninety five, Uh, he was also the first 287 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 4: he was also the first baby boomer uh speaker Speaker 288 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 4: of the House. And he, uh, you know obviously came 289 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 4: in with you know, the you know, the first baby 290 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 4: boomer president in Bill in Bill Clinton and uh as 291 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:13,360 Speaker 4: they as that cohort has has been uh since they 292 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 4: sort of came of cultural salience in the in the ninetees, 293 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 4: in the nineteen sixties. Uh, they have been disruptive, uh 294 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 4: in a in an immense way. I mean, it's not 295 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 4: surprising that our that our politics changed, and I think 296 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,719 Speaker 4: in a in a in a in a worse direction 297 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 4: in the in the in the nineteen nineties, it's when 298 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 4: when politics became more personalized, where the politics became it 299 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:48,120 Speaker 4: seemed more about the beginning of when they became more 300 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:53,120 Speaker 4: about morality, uh, rather than just the issues, the the 301 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:57,360 Speaker 4: the issues, the issues themselves. And we are still feeling 302 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 4: those ripple effects to today, say. 303 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 3: Are the worst. Yeah, that's our largest cultural problem. I 304 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:07,159 Speaker 3: have to agree. 305 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:11,439 Speaker 4: Yeah, it sounds and I hesitated to say this because 306 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 4: it's you know, it's it sounds, it sounds, it sounds. 307 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 3: Joking, but it sounds like that's really what you're saying. 308 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 4: No, no, no, that's exactly what I'm No, that's that's 309 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 4: exactly what I'm saying, right, And I said, I hesitated 310 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 4: to say this because at this point it seems almost 311 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:30,199 Speaker 4: it seems almost like almost like a cliche. But you know, 312 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 4: you know, it was, it's it's it's fascinating you know 313 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 4: that particularly things really things started to get shaky, as 314 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 4: I said, in the mid nineties when you had this 315 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 4: sort of Clinton and Gingrich, you know, constellation kind of 316 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 4: coming coming together. But it really obviously blew up in 317 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:56,919 Speaker 4: twenty sixteen, when you know, you had you had Hillary 318 00:18:56,920 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 4: Clinton and Donald Trump, which you know represents the the 319 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 4: the extremes of of the of the of the boomer, 320 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,399 Speaker 4: of the boomer general, of the boomer generation. And they 321 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 4: they're they're both you know, representing, you know, the the 322 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:20,160 Speaker 4: progressive radical side on Hillary and the reactionary react radical 323 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,679 Speaker 4: side in terms of in terms of Trump. I mean, 324 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,199 Speaker 4: I mean we can debate on you know, on some 325 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 4: of those some of those some of those some of 326 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,639 Speaker 4: those definitions, but I mean, I think that's why we 327 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 4: are at this what I think we're at a really 328 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 4: precarious point in our society right now, where you know, 329 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 4: there's these this talk of you know, uh, national divorce 330 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 4: and and and and and and so and and so forth, 331 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 4: because the the the the boomers have been this this disruptive, 332 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 4: this disruptive force, uh, as I said, since the nineteen sixties, 333 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 4: and each decade it's gotten it's it's gotten worse. Joe 334 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,159 Speaker 4: Biden ironically, and is you know, is actually for a 335 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 4: few years he's so old, he's he's he's he's. 336 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 3: The greatest generation generation. 337 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:11,639 Speaker 2: Silent. 338 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 4: This is the first time you've ever heard the word 339 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 4: silent as associated with Joe Biden. 340 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 3: But silence like World War One bets right. 341 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 5: But but but but but he he right now is 342 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 5: the you know, uh, the vehicle, the vehicle of the 343 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 5: left side of the of the boomer, of the of 344 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 5: the Boomer generation. 345 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 4: And you know that's why the people say, oh, well, 346 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 4: you know Obama's controlling things. 347 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't. I don't believe. I don't. I 348 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 2: don't believe that that stuff. But it is, it is, 349 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:42,880 Speaker 2: It is. 350 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:47,199 Speaker 4: True that the boomer is just you know, they are 351 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 4: the they are the they are the guests that won't leave. 352 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 2: They won't leave the party. 353 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 4: Because they've they've been they've they feel that they've they've 354 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 4: been the party and they've been controlling the party. And 355 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:00,080 Speaker 4: I don't know, I'm not meaning this in political party, 356 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 4: but just as in you know. 357 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 2: The the the social. 358 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, the cocktail the cocktail party, the cocktail party that 359 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:08,399 Speaker 4: they don't want it to they don't want it to 360 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 4: be over, and they are holding they are holding on, 361 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 4: you know, to the very last emperor and the the 362 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 4: the the broader society is, uh is what ends up 363 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 4: suffering due to that? 364 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 3: Are you optimistic at all or just about the state 365 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 3: of the country. Do you feel like we're I'm going 366 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 3: to you know, Morning in America or no. 367 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 4: No, I'm I'm, I'm, I'm somewhat, I'm somewhat, I'm somewhat pessimistic. 368 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 4: I don't know exactly where this is good? This is good, 369 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:46,680 Speaker 4: I mean, I will I will say this. One of 370 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 4: the books that has most influenced my thinking over many 371 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 4: many years uh is called It's called Generations, and it's 372 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:00,679 Speaker 4: by these authors, Neil Howe and and Bill Strauss. And 373 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 4: they did a follow up which is actually slightly better, 374 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:08,679 Speaker 4: which is slightly better known, called the Fourth the Fourth Turning. 375 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 4: The General Generations came out in nineteen ninety one. The 376 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,400 Speaker 4: Fourth Turning came out in nineteen ninety seven, and they 377 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:23,160 Speaker 4: make this this sociological argument about the the repeating ripples 378 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 4: of history and how generational archetypes. 379 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 2: Impact that. 380 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 4: And the archetype that has always been the most disruptive 381 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:40,920 Speaker 4: going back centuries has been the idealist one, which in 382 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:48,400 Speaker 4: contemporary terms, in contemporary terms is boomers. And in their 383 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 4: first in their first book in in Generations, they talked 384 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 4: about the fact that, oh, some of the things that 385 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 4: we say here, you know, may be surprising to the 386 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 4: to the the generation that we potentially we particially focus 387 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 4: on that they may be surprised that a member of 388 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 4: their own generation could actually have such a could end 389 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 4: up having a significant impact. Remember their writing in nineteen 390 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 4: ninety one, So, for example, boomers may actually be surprised 391 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 4: that individuals such as Dan Quail and Donald Trump might 392 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 4: actually have a significant impact on history going forward. Yeah well, 393 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 4: well no, I mean that, but but it's funny. Nineteen 394 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 4: ninety one, dan Quayle was a sitting vice president and 395 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 4: he was he was selected by George H. W. Bush 396 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 4: because they wanted to send an example of you know, 397 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:43,360 Speaker 4: a new general, a new generation going in. So them 398 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 4: mentioning dan Quayle, it was is not superprised it it 399 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 4: is completely normal. But they could have they could have 400 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 4: mentioned anybody who could have been a significant but they 401 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 4: mentioned they mentioned Donald Trump and but but yeah so 402 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 4: they so as part as part of their analysis of 403 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 4: repeating ripples in history, they talk about these these crisis 404 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 4: points that occur like every eighty to one hundred years, 405 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 4: and we are we are smack dad right now in 406 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 4: what what they consider a crisis, a crisis point, and. 407 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,360 Speaker 2: Most of those most of those those crisis. 408 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 4: Points in the in in the past have ended in 409 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 4: in in in in social and military conflict. So so 410 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 4: that's so, that's why I am uh, I am not optimistic. 411 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:48,160 Speaker 4: Maybe I shouldn't say I'm pessimistic, but I should say 412 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 4: I'm I'm I'm not I'm not optimistic necessarily optimistic on 413 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 4: on the resolution of our of our current troubles. 414 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 3: Do you feel like you've made it? You were, you know, 415 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:05,640 Speaker 3: a long time writer and observer of our whole situation. 416 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 3: Here you get to be a stand up comedian. You 417 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 3: have that incredible graphic novel collection behind you, you know, 418 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 3: which you know, as we joked before the segment began, 419 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:19,199 Speaker 3: you have to fight people off with a stick, you know, 420 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,240 Speaker 3: because it's so hot. Do you feel like you've made it? 421 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 5: Uh? 422 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 4: I do? 423 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:26,920 Speaker 5: Uh? 424 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 2: I think? 425 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 4: I mean, that's it's interesting because the I will say this, 426 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,640 Speaker 4: the last the last year for me has been as 427 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,479 Speaker 4: personally has been has been somewhat has been, has been 428 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 4: somewhat challenging. 429 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 2: I had uh. 430 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 4: Uh the last job I had didn't end on the 431 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:50,359 Speaker 4: best on the best of circumstances. 432 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:51,199 Speaker 2: Uh. 433 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 4: My mother, my mother passed away, and then I was diagnosed. 434 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 4: I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So it was and 435 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 4: and these all happened like like literally like one month, 436 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 4: like like one month after each other, last last, last summer. 437 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:08,400 Speaker 4: So it was kind of this, whoa, you know, uh, 438 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 4: you know, universe, can we like slow down just. 439 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:12,479 Speaker 2: A little bit. 440 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:16,639 Speaker 4: But in a way, I think the the universe was 441 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 4: sort of kind of telling me, well, no, maybe you 442 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 4: need to slow down just a little bit and sort 443 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,480 Speaker 4: of kind of you know, kind of get a sense 444 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 4: of of of where you are, of where you are 445 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:32,879 Speaker 4: in life, and what what lessons, what lessons might be leaned. 446 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 4: And I I think I've been a very I've been 447 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:43,400 Speaker 4: very very fortunate. You know this, but listeners don't. I 448 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 4: was I was born. I was born in Trinidad. My 449 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 4: mom and I moved to England when I was a 450 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 4: year old, and then we moved to the States when 451 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 4: I was when I was eight and came to came 452 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 4: to New York, and then we did we moved Connecticut, California, 453 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 4: and New York again, and went off to college, went 454 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 4: off to college in Maryland, and as I said, you know, 455 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 4: when I went you know, went to work professionally in 456 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 4: politics and. 457 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 2: In in in d C. 458 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:13,399 Speaker 4: So I've I've certainly I've certainly lived the American the 459 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 4: American team. 460 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 2: I've lived you know, East, you know, in. 461 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 4: Terms of hip hop, I've done East Coast, I've done West, uh, East, 462 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 4: East Coast, West Coast and and UH and and like 463 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 4: everybody else, you know, we've had had certain you know, 464 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 4: family challenges and and and and so forth. 465 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 2: But you know, I've you know, I was. 466 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:37,200 Speaker 4: I was at one time, you know, working for one 467 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 4: of the most you know, powerful men in the world, 468 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 4: you know, working you know, working on not just on 469 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:47,400 Speaker 4: Capitol Hill. I was able to like you know, take 470 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 4: a couple of doorways down and go out on go 471 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:52,880 Speaker 4: out on the speaker's balcony and take a whole whole 472 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:54,880 Speaker 4: look at the take a whole look at the mall, 473 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 4: and UH and so yeah, I I I feel I 474 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 4: feel in that sense, I feel in that sense you know, 475 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:03,919 Speaker 4: I've made it. I've I've been blessed with some of 476 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:07,160 Speaker 4: the with the many opportunities that you know, the United 477 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:11,199 Speaker 4: States UH has has to offer. And and obviously, you know, 478 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 4: like like everyone else, I've had to navigate the craziness 479 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 4: that the country, the country has, you know, in terms 480 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 4: of in terms of in terms of race and uh 481 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 4: and uh and you know, things that things that don't 482 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 4: things that don't work, but we try to continually perfect. 483 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:36,719 Speaker 2: But you know, here we are. 484 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 3: I like that patriotic perspective, as you know, I think. 485 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 4: One of the things that one of the things that 486 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 4: really irritates irritates me is and this, this really is 487 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 4: a case of both Sizorism is how both sides will 488 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 4: talk down the talk down the country because of what's 489 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 4: going on at a specific a specific moment. You know, 490 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 4: the the you know, the left will saying, well, this 491 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,480 Speaker 4: country is, this country is this country is always is 492 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 4: always racist and it can't be it can't be clear, 493 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 4: clean and even. And but then the right will We'll say, 494 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 4: you know this this country is god you know, going 495 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 4: to hell. 496 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 2: It's uh, it's it's not as good as it was going. 497 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 3: Hasn't gone yet. It's like you're you're you're trying to 498 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 3: you know, cut off the going. 499 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 2: Exactly. 500 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 4: So uh, you know, I I just don't, you know, 501 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 4: I I have very I have very I have very 502 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 4: little patience for that for that attitude that ignores how 503 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:49,240 Speaker 4: uh recognizes you know, recognizes you know, where we've you 504 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 4: know where we've been. And uh, the the the legitimate 505 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 4: problems that the that that the that the country that 506 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 4: the country has had, but the fact that it is 507 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 4: always trying to become always trying to become better and 508 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 4: has a has a better it has a greater capacity 509 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 4: too to read and learn from learn from its mistakes, 510 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:18,680 Speaker 4: uh and and fix them either in a in a 511 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 4: social way or a legislative way than just about any 512 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 4: other country in the world. 513 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 3: I love that well, Robert, And here with your best 514 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 3: tip for my listeners on how they can improve their lives. 515 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 4: Be be around and identify good people that make you smile, 516 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 4: make you think, uh, and make you make make you 517 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 4: a better person, and and and do the same and 518 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 4: do the same thing and do the same thing to 519 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 4: them as as well. I know certainly in the context 520 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 4: of the challenges that I've I've faced in in the 521 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 4: in the in the last year, I certainly wouldn't have 522 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 4: managed to uh to get through it without the the 523 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 4: the great friends in my life who completely unbidden just 524 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 4: regularly reached out and say, oh, you know, do you 525 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:26,080 Speaker 4: need me to take you need to you need to drive, 526 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 4: you need you need to drive to the doctor, How 527 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 4: are you doing? Just checking in? You know, let's let's 528 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 4: let's go to a you know, let's go to a 529 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 4: baseball game. You know, just you know, I just want 530 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 4: to just want to check in and see how, you know, 531 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 4: see how you're doing. So so that's that's the thing. 532 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 4: So you know, whether they whether those people are you know, 533 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 4: obviously part of your actual you know, biological family or 534 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,840 Speaker 4: the great you know, the the great friends that you've 535 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:54,640 Speaker 4: that you've met along the way. Keep those people, keep 536 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 4: those people in your life, and uh, that will help 537 00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:57,880 Speaker 4: you survive. 538 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 3: So good. Here is Robert George to read him everywhere, 539 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 3: check out his comedy shows. He's really just a fantastic guy. 540 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 3: Thank you so much, Robert, Thank you. 541 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 2: Carol's blooming a pleasure. 542 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to The Carol Marko Witch Show. Subscribe 543 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.