1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:21,475 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. We 2 00:00:21,555 --> 00:00:24,995 Speaker 1: need a Walter cronkit moment from the New York Times. 3 00:00:25,955 --> 00:00:29,075 Speaker 1: The New York Times needs one day, one day soon, 4 00:00:29,715 --> 00:00:33,395 Speaker 1: one day now, to devote the entirety of the front 5 00:00:33,435 --> 00:00:39,355 Speaker 1: page to one headline and one editorial signed by the 6 00:00:39,355 --> 00:00:42,635 Speaker 1: publisher Sealzburger, and the editor con and the key columnists, 7 00:00:43,075 --> 00:00:50,315 Speaker 1: and the important correspondence headlined Trump Imperils Democracy, sub headlined 8 00:00:50,675 --> 00:00:57,635 Speaker 1: your life at Stake and he is insane. I'll get 9 00:00:57,635 --> 00:00:59,515 Speaker 1: to the trial and Michael Cohen and how they got 10 00:00:59,515 --> 00:01:01,795 Speaker 1: what they needed from him, which was a headline in 11 00:01:01,875 --> 00:01:05,515 Speaker 1: the Washington Post with the word calmly in it. But 12 00:01:06,275 --> 00:01:08,955 Speaker 1: first we need a Walter Cronkite moment from the New 13 00:01:09,035 --> 00:01:14,475 Speaker 1: York Times. And instead we get the backup, backup, backup, backup, 14 00:01:14,515 --> 00:01:19,435 Speaker 1: election reporters, backup, trying to be witty as Trump crashes 15 00:01:19,515 --> 00:01:25,475 Speaker 1: and burns intellectually, morally and phonetically, and as his whores 16 00:01:25,675 --> 00:01:28,995 Speaker 1: like Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott try to erase the 17 00:01:29,035 --> 00:01:31,795 Speaker 1: bright lines of democracy while they think we are not 18 00:01:31,955 --> 00:01:36,515 Speaker 1: watching them, and as his jihadists try to sabotage the 19 00:01:36,555 --> 00:01:41,395 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four election. The Times needs its Walter Cronkite 20 00:01:41,395 --> 00:01:45,235 Speaker 1: moment too, like Cronkite shocking the nation out of much 21 00:01:45,235 --> 00:01:49,395 Speaker 1: of its Vietnam delusion, Like Cronkite personally moving Watergate to 22 00:01:49,555 --> 00:01:53,115 Speaker 1: the front burner, the Times needs its Cronkite moment to 23 00:01:53,275 --> 00:01:58,555 Speaker 1: save itself. We need a Times Cronkite moment to just 24 00:01:58,715 --> 00:02:04,675 Speaker 1: add to our dwindling chances of saving this democracy. Saturday, 25 00:02:04,715 --> 00:02:08,795 Speaker 1: Jump went to a Philadelphia area seaside resort called Wildwood, 26 00:02:09,195 --> 00:02:15,635 Speaker 1: drew maybe ten thousand cultists, eleven thousand lied and had 27 00:02:15,635 --> 00:02:19,435 Speaker 1: the Republican mayor there lie and say it was eighty thousand. 28 00:02:20,155 --> 00:02:23,955 Speaker 1: He talked, he complained, He complained that immigrant students don't 29 00:02:23,995 --> 00:02:27,475 Speaker 1: speak English, and immediately afterwards he said something like Borden 30 00:02:27,595 --> 00:02:32,315 Speaker 1: in Riviv. And he said something else like carried Daudite. 31 00:02:32,315 --> 00:02:36,835 Speaker 1: By right, he claimed the president between Ford and Reagan 32 00:02:36,875 --> 00:02:41,035 Speaker 1: was named Jimmy Conners. He said the Chinese were preparing 33 00:02:41,075 --> 00:02:45,195 Speaker 1: to invade Beijing, which is their own capital. He insisted 34 00:02:45,235 --> 00:02:49,555 Speaker 1: the entire country was grateful that he killed off Roe v. Wade. 35 00:02:49,595 --> 00:02:52,515 Speaker 1: He thanked by name the Supreme Court justices who gutted 36 00:02:52,595 --> 00:02:56,795 Speaker 1: Roe v. Wade. He suddenly invoked the fictional Cannibal character 37 00:02:57,075 --> 00:03:03,035 Speaker 1: Hannibal Lecter, seemed to praise Hannibal Lector, claimed the character 38 00:03:03,115 --> 00:03:06,715 Speaker 1: Hannibal Lecter was dead and got the name of the 39 00:03:06,835 --> 00:03:11,315 Speaker 1: movie wrong, and then insisted all immigrants are Hannibal Lecter. 40 00:03:11,795 --> 00:03:14,435 Speaker 1: And all of that was after he was introduced by 41 00:03:14,435 --> 00:03:20,795 Speaker 1: some immigrant who called him President Chump, and the New 42 00:03:20,875 --> 00:03:24,075 Speaker 1: York Times story by a sixth stringer named Michael Gold 43 00:03:24,275 --> 00:03:30,515 Speaker 1: mentioned none of that. This was what editor Joe CON's 44 00:03:30,515 --> 00:03:35,315 Speaker 1: writer told consumers of the most influential news organization in America. Quote. 45 00:03:35,715 --> 00:03:38,235 Speaker 1: After a long and often tense week in his criminal 46 00:03:38,275 --> 00:03:41,835 Speaker 1: trial in Manhattan, Trump took part in a time honored 47 00:03:41,915 --> 00:03:45,115 Speaker 1: ritual enjoyed by countless New Yorkers. In need of a break, 48 00:03:45,435 --> 00:03:52,995 Speaker 1: he went to the shore. Oh how clever Michael Gold. 49 00:03:53,995 --> 00:03:55,715 Speaker 1: The New York Times could save a lot of money 50 00:03:55,755 --> 00:03:58,435 Speaker 1: by firing all of its political reporters and simply asking 51 00:03:58,675 --> 00:04:02,635 Speaker 1: the fictional Twitter writer Doug J. Balloon of New York 52 00:04:02,675 --> 00:04:06,875 Speaker 1: Times pitchpot fame to write all of its leads because 53 00:04:06,875 --> 00:04:10,035 Speaker 1: they are now sounding exclusively like the Times pitch bot 54 00:04:10,475 --> 00:04:15,395 Speaker 1: clunky attempts at wit that don't quite land. Trump has 55 00:04:15,435 --> 00:04:17,595 Speaker 1: renounced his New York residence. He is thus not a 56 00:04:17,715 --> 00:04:21,035 Speaker 1: New Yorker, Michael Gold. Wildwood is not a destination for 57 00:04:21,115 --> 00:04:24,795 Speaker 1: New Yorkers anyway. It's for Philadelphians. And he is the 58 00:04:24,795 --> 00:04:27,515 Speaker 1: greatest criminal in the nation's history. Michael Gold. He is 59 00:04:27,595 --> 00:04:31,195 Speaker 1: not in need of a break. He is in need 60 00:04:31,315 --> 00:04:37,035 Speaker 1: of a lifetime prison sentence. This occurred over a weekend 61 00:04:37,075 --> 00:04:40,835 Speaker 1: in which three of Trump's most fierce, most dishonest, most 62 00:04:40,915 --> 00:04:45,075 Speaker 1: anti democracy supporters in the Senate went on national television 63 00:04:45,075 --> 00:04:47,515 Speaker 1: and said sure they would accept the outcome of the 64 00:04:47,555 --> 00:04:54,275 Speaker 1: election so long as Trump won. The Times headline about 65 00:04:54,315 --> 00:04:57,715 Speaker 1: that was Vance says he would accept the election results 66 00:04:57,875 --> 00:05:02,355 Speaker 1: with a caveat, which sounds like he's wearing a tie 67 00:05:02,555 --> 00:05:07,595 Speaker 1: with a caveat, a lovely floral caveat. Yet it was 68 00:05:07,635 --> 00:05:09,995 Speaker 1: also a weekend in which a small newsroom called the 69 00:05:10,035 --> 00:05:14,675 Speaker 1: Bucks County Beacon wrote about how Trump's sewer rats are 70 00:05:14,715 --> 00:05:19,115 Speaker 1: openly subverting the election today, not twenty twenty, not twenty 71 00:05:19,155 --> 00:05:24,035 Speaker 1: twenty two, the one in November quote. The RNC and 72 00:05:24,075 --> 00:05:28,915 Speaker 1: its allies have already sued in five states, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, 73 00:05:28,915 --> 00:05:33,755 Speaker 1: and Nevada, to challenge their voter roles, accuracy, and in 74 00:05:33,795 --> 00:05:39,195 Speaker 1: turn voter's credentials. In Georgia, a republican bill empowering mass 75 00:05:39,355 --> 00:05:43,235 Speaker 1: challenges of voter registrations was signed into law on May seventh. 76 00:05:45,155 --> 00:05:48,195 Speaker 1: More importantly, the Beacon also reveals the existence of something 77 00:05:48,235 --> 00:05:51,155 Speaker 1: on the right wing social media site Telegram called the 78 00:05:51,235 --> 00:05:56,275 Speaker 1: Election Education Channel, which is encouraging and setting the stage 79 00:05:56,355 --> 00:06:02,315 Speaker 1: four legal and extra judicial challenges to every single stage 80 00:06:02,395 --> 00:06:09,195 Speaker 1: of every presidential vote count inconceivably every single precinct in 81 00:06:09,315 --> 00:06:13,235 Speaker 1: this country. The kind of Sidney Powell Jenna ellis legal 82 00:06:13,315 --> 00:06:17,275 Speaker 1: quicksand we saw after the twenty twenty election, only while 83 00:06:17,315 --> 00:06:22,475 Speaker 1: the votes are still being counted, and immediately thereafter in 84 00:06:22,555 --> 00:06:27,475 Speaker 1: every county in this country, to create chaos and genuine danger. 85 00:06:29,835 --> 00:06:34,955 Speaker 1: The Times. The Times has reported none of that. It 86 00:06:34,995 --> 00:06:39,835 Speaker 1: has instead let Maggie Haberman dismiss as hearsay Michael Cohen's 87 00:06:39,875 --> 00:06:42,675 Speaker 1: first hand recounting of what Trump told him about not 88 00:06:42,835 --> 00:06:47,755 Speaker 1: being on the market for long. If Milania dumped him, 89 00:06:48,075 --> 00:06:50,475 Speaker 1: and if Haberman doesn't know the legal definition of here, 90 00:06:50,515 --> 00:06:55,155 Speaker 1: say get rid of her. And The Times made room 91 00:06:55,195 --> 00:06:58,475 Speaker 1: for an op ed bashing Joe Biden written by Mark 92 00:06:58,715 --> 00:07:02,275 Speaker 1: Penn a dishonest right wing polster who has been posing 93 00:07:02,315 --> 00:07:04,475 Speaker 1: as a Democrat for at least twenty years, and it 94 00:07:04,715 --> 00:07:08,955 Speaker 1: made room for a report on the upcoming attempts to 95 00:07:08,955 --> 00:07:11,675 Speaker 1: sabotage the election by the Republicans. No, a radio shock 96 00:07:11,795 --> 00:07:15,835 Speaker 1: jock named Charlemagne the God, a reactionary who does nothing 97 00:07:15,875 --> 00:07:19,555 Speaker 1: but take sides, and they pronounced he is someone The 98 00:07:19,595 --> 00:07:25,115 Speaker 1: Times fell for it quote who won't take sides? We 99 00:07:25,155 --> 00:07:28,515 Speaker 1: need a Walter Cronkite moment out of the New York Times. 100 00:07:29,435 --> 00:07:32,915 Speaker 1: If the reference eludes you, First of all, congratulations on 101 00:07:32,955 --> 00:07:37,395 Speaker 1: your youth. Then to explain briefly for all of the 102 00:07:37,435 --> 00:07:42,675 Speaker 1: almost biblical invocations of his supposed impartiality and the use 103 00:07:42,755 --> 00:07:46,115 Speaker 1: of the name Walter Cronkite as a substitute for complete 104 00:07:46,155 --> 00:07:50,155 Speaker 1: impartiality in reporting. The three biggest moments in the career 105 00:07:50,235 --> 00:07:53,915 Speaker 1: of the great CBS newsman were when he barely stopped 106 00:07:53,955 --> 00:07:57,955 Speaker 1: himself from crying while reporting the assassination of President Kennedy. 107 00:07:58,595 --> 00:08:01,275 Speaker 1: When he burst through the constraints of his job as 108 00:08:01,315 --> 00:08:04,475 Speaker 1: the anchor of the CBS Evening News to present fully 109 00:08:04,835 --> 00:08:10,355 Speaker 1: formed but fully opinionated commentaries, first on Vietnam and then 110 00:08:10,395 --> 00:08:15,435 Speaker 1: four years later on Watergate. In February of nineteen sixty eight, 111 00:08:15,475 --> 00:08:18,755 Speaker 1: Walter Cronkite went to Vietnam, and he spent a week 112 00:08:18,795 --> 00:08:22,875 Speaker 1: there talking to people on the record and off, and 113 00:08:22,955 --> 00:08:25,475 Speaker 1: he went back to his desk, and on February twenty seventh, 114 00:08:25,555 --> 00:08:29,915 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty eight, he delivered an extraordinary closing editorial after 115 00:08:29,995 --> 00:08:34,275 Speaker 1: a long report on our status in Vietnam. His editorial 116 00:08:34,315 --> 00:08:37,835 Speaker 1: began with, we have been too often disappointed by the 117 00:08:37,875 --> 00:08:41,515 Speaker 1: optimism of the American leaders, both in Vietnam and Washington 118 00:08:41,915 --> 00:08:45,675 Speaker 1: to have faith any longer in the silver linings they 119 00:08:45,715 --> 00:08:51,475 Speaker 1: find in the darkest clouds. His commentary ended with it 120 00:08:51,515 --> 00:08:55,035 Speaker 1: is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational 121 00:08:55,075 --> 00:08:58,755 Speaker 1: way out then will be to negotiate not as victors, 122 00:08:59,475 --> 00:09:02,155 Speaker 1: but as an honorable people who lived up to their 123 00:09:02,195 --> 00:09:07,635 Speaker 1: pledge to defend democracy and did the best they could. 124 00:09:08,475 --> 00:09:11,995 Speaker 1: President Lyndon Johnson was not watching Walter Cronkite live that night, 125 00:09:12,035 --> 00:09:16,715 Speaker 1: but Bob Scheffer insists Johnson told him he did see clips, 126 00:09:17,235 --> 00:09:19,915 Speaker 1: and Schaeffer and Bill Moyers insist the President did then 127 00:09:19,995 --> 00:09:23,515 Speaker 1: say something like if I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America, 128 00:09:24,235 --> 00:09:27,075 Speaker 1: and Johnson soon after then announced he was not going 129 00:09:27,115 --> 00:09:31,435 Speaker 1: to run for reelection in October nineteen seventy two. Cronkite 130 00:09:31,475 --> 00:09:33,595 Speaker 1: may have topped himself at a time when only the 131 00:09:33,675 --> 00:09:38,515 Speaker 1: Washington Post was giving Nixon's Watergate scandal daily coverage. Yes, 132 00:09:38,555 --> 00:09:40,995 Speaker 1: the New York Times was largely asleep at the switch 133 00:09:41,075 --> 00:09:45,715 Speaker 1: then too. At that point, Walter Cronkite devoted roughly half 134 00:09:45,995 --> 00:09:50,795 Speaker 1: of the editorial content time of two editions of the 135 00:09:50,795 --> 00:09:54,235 Speaker 1: CBS Evening News just to the one story to Watergate, 136 00:09:54,675 --> 00:09:57,915 Speaker 1: fourteen minutes out of what was basically a twenty two 137 00:09:57,955 --> 00:10:01,915 Speaker 1: minute newscast on Friday, October twenty seventh, and what was 138 00:10:01,995 --> 00:10:05,275 Speaker 1: cut down to eight minutes due to the rets of 139 00:10:05,275 --> 00:10:09,395 Speaker 1: the Nixon administration and the pleas of Walter Cronkite's terrified bosses. 140 00:10:09,915 --> 00:10:16,475 Speaker 1: On Tuesday, October thirty first, Walter Cronkite did not f around. 141 00:10:18,195 --> 00:10:20,435 Speaker 1: We need that out of the New York Times, and 142 00:10:20,515 --> 00:10:24,435 Speaker 1: we need it now. And if the Times does not 143 00:10:24,555 --> 00:10:27,555 Speaker 1: have a Walter Cronkite moment in it, they need to 144 00:10:27,555 --> 00:10:30,995 Speaker 1: get everybody out of their building and then implode that building, 145 00:10:31,555 --> 00:10:34,395 Speaker 1: because the Times is simply now mocking the idea of 146 00:10:34,475 --> 00:10:39,355 Speaker 1: responsible American journalism and Also, I know that area. I 147 00:10:39,475 --> 00:10:41,995 Speaker 1: used to work a block away at sixth and fortieth. 148 00:10:42,475 --> 00:10:44,875 Speaker 1: The City of New York could really use that lot 149 00:10:45,075 --> 00:10:52,755 Speaker 1: for parking. And no, I'm not expecting a Walter Cronkite 150 00:10:52,795 --> 00:10:55,915 Speaker 1: moment from the New York Times. The New York Times 151 00:10:55,955 --> 00:11:01,035 Speaker 1: does not make mistakes, let alone correct them. Don't you 152 00:11:01,115 --> 00:11:07,275 Speaker 1: know that, By the way, if you missed it as 153 00:11:07,315 --> 00:11:11,475 Speaker 1: the Times did, what follows is a mashup of Trump's 154 00:11:11,515 --> 00:11:19,435 Speaker 1: now constant indecipherability and Trump on President Jimmy Connors, and 155 00:11:19,635 --> 00:11:23,195 Speaker 1: Trump on the late Great Hannibal Lecter, and then Trump 156 00:11:23,235 --> 00:11:26,915 Speaker 1: walking away from the microphones yesterday when an astute reporter 157 00:11:26,995 --> 00:11:31,835 Speaker 1: at the trial asked him, Hannibal Lecter, we'll play this 158 00:11:31,875 --> 00:11:35,155 Speaker 1: and then we'll go to court. President Donald J. 159 00:11:35,675 --> 00:11:40,595 Speaker 2: Trump, We're going to evict this man, the worst president 160 00:11:40,715 --> 00:11:41,235 Speaker 2: by far. 161 00:11:41,995 --> 00:11:45,395 Speaker 1: Jimmy Connors is Jimmy. Jimmy Connors is good. 162 00:11:45,555 --> 00:11:48,155 Speaker 3: He's also happy. 163 00:11:48,835 --> 00:11:52,035 Speaker 1: Jimmy is a very happy man, both of them. And 164 00:11:52,075 --> 00:11:53,315 Speaker 1: they don't speak English. 165 00:11:53,515 --> 00:11:56,555 Speaker 2: They're sitting in chairs listening to a teacher talking English 166 00:11:56,675 --> 00:11:57,995 Speaker 2: and they don't speak English. 167 00:11:58,395 --> 00:12:01,915 Speaker 1: And it won't mean Biden's burden if silence of the 168 00:12:01,995 --> 00:12:03,435 Speaker 1: lamb has anyone ever seen. 169 00:12:03,275 --> 00:12:06,755 Speaker 2: A silence of the lync the late Great Hannibal Elector. 170 00:12:07,595 --> 00:12:10,355 Speaker 1: He is a wonderful man. He oftentimes would have a 171 00:12:10,355 --> 00:12:13,875 Speaker 1: friend for dinner. Remember the last saying, excuse me, I'm 172 00:12:13,915 --> 00:12:15,795 Speaker 1: about to have a friend for dinner. Is this poor 173 00:12:15,875 --> 00:12:19,195 Speaker 1: doctor walked by? I'm about to have a friend for dinner. 174 00:12:19,715 --> 00:12:23,955 Speaker 2: But Hannibal Elector, congratulations, the late Great Hannibal Lector. 175 00:12:27,355 --> 00:12:30,555 Speaker 1: No reason to put any of that madness in the times. 176 00:12:31,595 --> 00:12:36,915 Speaker 1: What I'd have to leave out the Jersey Shore references. 177 00:13:01,355 --> 00:13:07,435 Speaker 1: Michael Cohen calmly describes Trump's hush money instructions, reads the 178 00:13:07,475 --> 00:13:11,835 Speaker 1: headline in the Washington Post today. The sub headline quotes, Trump, 179 00:13:12,635 --> 00:13:16,915 Speaker 1: just do it. That's what the prosecution needed out of Cohen, 180 00:13:17,355 --> 00:13:19,555 Speaker 1: and it needs it again out of him today and 181 00:13:19,955 --> 00:13:23,755 Speaker 1: especially whenever the cross examination begins. It needs him making 182 00:13:23,835 --> 00:13:29,195 Speaker 1: more self abnegating jokes about angry even for me. It 183 00:13:29,275 --> 00:13:31,555 Speaker 1: needs him testifying, as he did yesterday, that he was 184 00:13:31,595 --> 00:13:35,715 Speaker 1: there in Trump Tower days before Trump was sworn in 185 00:13:35,795 --> 00:13:40,555 Speaker 1: as President of the United States, with Alan Weiselberg reviewing 186 00:13:40,635 --> 00:13:45,275 Speaker 1: a handwritten document with Trump to repay Cohen for the 187 00:13:45,315 --> 00:13:48,515 Speaker 1: Stormy Daniels hush money and how they would hide it 188 00:13:48,675 --> 00:13:53,275 Speaker 1: amid legal fees, and testimony that Trump said smart individuals 189 00:13:53,275 --> 00:13:55,235 Speaker 1: had told him Trump to pay the one hundred and 190 00:13:55,275 --> 00:13:59,035 Speaker 1: thirty thousand dollars to Stormy Daniels, and that Trump told 191 00:13:59,115 --> 00:14:01,475 Speaker 1: him he knew if the Daniels story got out it 192 00:14:01,475 --> 00:14:05,235 Speaker 1: would be a disaster for the campaign that it needs 193 00:14:05,275 --> 00:14:10,035 Speaker 1: Michael Cohen producing one outstandingly sleazy quote from Trump per 194 00:14:10,155 --> 00:14:13,395 Speaker 1: day on the stand, like he did yesterday about the 195 00:14:13,395 --> 00:14:16,035 Speaker 1: time Cohen asked Trump about the impact on his wife, 196 00:14:16,035 --> 00:14:19,195 Speaker 1: Milania if the story got out, and Trump said, don't worry. 197 00:14:19,755 --> 00:14:21,915 Speaker 1: How long do you think I'll be on the market for? 198 00:14:22,315 --> 00:14:22,915 Speaker 3: Not long? 199 00:14:24,475 --> 00:14:29,195 Speaker 1: That's the quote Haberman of The Times falsely dismissed as hearsay, 200 00:14:29,795 --> 00:14:32,915 Speaker 1: and the quote that underscores all of us who have 201 00:14:32,995 --> 00:14:36,275 Speaker 1: viewed the latest of the many Trump quote marriages unquote 202 00:14:36,275 --> 00:14:40,955 Speaker 1: as exactly what Trump clearly viewed it as a contract 203 00:14:42,115 --> 00:14:47,035 Speaker 1: negotiated with terms dictated by the market. How long do 204 00:14:47,115 --> 00:14:50,635 Speaker 1: you think I'll be on the market for? And all 205 00:14:50,715 --> 00:14:54,035 Speaker 1: of it that Cohen testified to and testifies to today 206 00:14:54,115 --> 00:15:00,395 Speaker 1: and in the cross examination accompanied by receipts, metaphorical receipts 207 00:15:00,995 --> 00:15:13,115 Speaker 1: and literal ones. Trial notes in passing. Trump wanted some 208 00:15:13,155 --> 00:15:17,955 Speaker 1: distinguished Republicans to show up and show solidarity, but he 209 00:15:17,955 --> 00:15:20,915 Speaker 1: could only get Tommy Tuberville, JD. Vance and Nicole Mally 210 00:15:20,955 --> 00:15:25,635 Speaker 1: attackus OH and Brenna Bird. Brenna Bird is the Attorney 211 00:15:25,635 --> 00:15:30,995 Speaker 1: General of Iowa who was there in court, who should 212 00:15:31,035 --> 00:15:33,795 Speaker 1: be disbarred, because whatever you think of this case or 213 00:15:33,835 --> 00:15:36,955 Speaker 1: this defendant, you cannot be the head of criminal enforcement 214 00:15:37,075 --> 00:15:40,195 Speaker 1: in any state and show up in court to kiss 215 00:15:40,235 --> 00:15:44,235 Speaker 1: the ass of a defendant in another state. It is disqualifying. 216 00:15:46,795 --> 00:15:50,115 Speaker 1: Senators Vance and Tuberville do not have to worry about that. 217 00:15:51,075 --> 00:15:55,835 Speaker 1: They have long since disqualified themselves. They caught Trump sleeping 218 00:15:55,875 --> 00:15:58,915 Speaker 1: again in court, and somebody finally aptly compared this to 219 00:15:58,995 --> 00:16:04,155 Speaker 1: his alertness during the Egene Carroll trial. Vance stayed only 220 00:16:04,155 --> 00:16:06,555 Speaker 1: for the morning session yesterday, and then he and Tubberville 221 00:16:06,915 --> 00:16:10,995 Speaker 1: blew town and Vance, violating court rules, evidently was tweeting 222 00:16:10,995 --> 00:16:14,675 Speaker 1: from his phone in the courtroom. I saw a media 223 00:16:14,755 --> 00:16:17,355 Speaker 1: report a few days ago. He wrote that Trump looked 224 00:16:17,355 --> 00:16:19,475 Speaker 1: like he was falling asleep or board or something. The 225 00:16:19,555 --> 00:16:21,795 Speaker 1: obvious narrative they're trying to sell is, yeah, Biden is 226 00:16:21,835 --> 00:16:24,275 Speaker 1: mentally unfit. But this other guy's bad too. It's an 227 00:16:24,315 --> 00:16:27,315 Speaker 1: absurd narrative. I'm thirty nine years old and I've been 228 00:16:27,355 --> 00:16:32,475 Speaker 1: here for twenty six minutes and I'm about to fall asleep. Unquote. 229 00:16:32,635 --> 00:16:36,435 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, Sonny, but how does your failed mental health 230 00:16:36,835 --> 00:16:40,915 Speaker 1: help Trump. It's like saying I'm jd Vance and I 231 00:16:40,955 --> 00:16:44,315 Speaker 1: have multiple chins. That shows that Trump is in the 232 00:16:44,355 --> 00:16:50,755 Speaker 1: best possible health. This scumbag Tubberville meanwhile went out to 233 00:16:50,795 --> 00:16:53,435 Speaker 1: a propaganda conference with the media and said that the 234 00:16:53,435 --> 00:16:59,675 Speaker 1: people in the court were quote, supposedly American citizens. Supposedly 235 00:16:59,715 --> 00:17:03,035 Speaker 1: American citizens. He segued right from that into an insult 236 00:17:03,155 --> 00:17:05,395 Speaker 1: towards the district attorney, and of course what he was 237 00:17:05,435 --> 00:17:09,475 Speaker 1: saying was now, well, that was code for, hey, this 238 00:17:09,635 --> 00:17:15,755 Speaker 1: Alvin bradguy is black. Today, Vivek Ramaswami will be there 239 00:17:15,755 --> 00:17:19,515 Speaker 1: with Trump if Ramaswami can get his hair done in time. 240 00:17:20,475 --> 00:17:23,635 Speaker 1: And ABC News reports that Junior Trump has gone to 241 00:17:23,715 --> 00:17:27,235 Speaker 1: visit Peter Navarro in federal prison, and I look at 242 00:17:27,235 --> 00:17:31,155 Speaker 1: it this way, good practice for Junior for once Dad 243 00:17:31,195 --> 00:17:36,315 Speaker 1: goes there. Last point, the nice thing about this nightmare 244 00:17:36,355 --> 00:17:39,235 Speaker 1: is that Trump and his defense team and his cultists 245 00:17:39,235 --> 00:17:41,835 Speaker 1: and his Republican supporters have so little to work with 246 00:17:42,395 --> 00:17:46,315 Speaker 1: that they always telegraph their response because generally speaking, they 247 00:17:46,355 --> 00:17:49,355 Speaker 1: can only find one response per crisis. And the response 248 00:17:49,395 --> 00:17:53,035 Speaker 1: to Michael Cohen is he's a liar. He lied, He's 249 00:17:53,075 --> 00:17:56,635 Speaker 1: a convicted liar. The jury can't trust a liar. America 250 00:17:56,635 --> 00:18:01,995 Speaker 1: can't trust a liar. Leave a side. That liar might 251 00:18:01,995 --> 00:18:05,515 Speaker 1: as well be Trump's actual middle name. But say this 252 00:18:05,675 --> 00:18:07,835 Speaker 1: long enough to Cohen and they expect him to blow 253 00:18:07,875 --> 00:18:09,955 Speaker 1: up in the witness box. Say this long enough to 254 00:18:09,995 --> 00:18:12,915 Speaker 1: the fascists and they'll forget that Cohen was convicted of 255 00:18:12,995 --> 00:18:19,835 Speaker 1: lying on Trump's behalf. Say this long enough, and maybe 256 00:18:19,875 --> 00:18:22,595 Speaker 1: we'll all forget that. If we disqualified everybody who has 257 00:18:22,635 --> 00:18:25,435 Speaker 1: ever lied for Donald Trump, we had to wipe out 258 00:18:25,475 --> 00:18:34,035 Speaker 1: about ninety nine percent of the Republican Party, wouldn't we Okay, 259 00:18:34,075 --> 00:18:35,315 Speaker 1: I don't know if you hear it or not, but 260 00:18:35,315 --> 00:18:38,235 Speaker 1: I've got a lovely sinus infection working and the voice 261 00:18:38,235 --> 00:18:40,955 Speaker 1: is beginning to go, and I needed about an hour 262 00:18:41,115 --> 00:18:43,235 Speaker 1: to record this opening segment. So I'm going to go 263 00:18:43,315 --> 00:18:45,395 Speaker 1: lie down in a moment and hope for the best. 264 00:18:46,555 --> 00:18:51,235 Speaker 1: But before that happens, yesterday, a DVD literally fell off 265 00:18:51,275 --> 00:18:55,355 Speaker 1: a shelf, and I swear it was of the outtakes 266 00:18:56,195 --> 00:18:58,995 Speaker 1: from one of my favorites from the old This is 267 00:18:59,075 --> 00:19:01,275 Speaker 1: Sports Center commercials, and I'm going to play you the 268 00:19:01,315 --> 00:19:04,275 Speaker 1: audio from it and tell you the backstory of how 269 00:19:04,315 --> 00:19:08,355 Speaker 1: we re created the scene from Animal House when John 270 00:19:08,395 --> 00:19:11,555 Speaker 1: Belushi grabs the guitar out of the folk singer's hands 271 00:19:11,995 --> 00:19:15,715 Speaker 1: and smashes the guitar against a wall. Only an our 272 00:19:15,875 --> 00:19:18,715 Speaker 1: vision of it. The folk singer was the then soccer 273 00:19:18,755 --> 00:19:22,995 Speaker 1: star now soccer commentator Alexei Lalas, and an our vision 274 00:19:22,995 --> 00:19:25,875 Speaker 1: of it. The John Belushi part was played by me. 275 00:19:27,235 --> 00:19:34,675 Speaker 1: That's next. This is Countdown, El Kabong. This is Countdown 276 00:19:34,755 --> 00:19:53,915 Speaker 1: with Keith Oberman. Just to hit on this editiontive countdown, 277 00:19:53,915 --> 00:19:58,195 Speaker 1: the Alexi Lalas guitar smashing, This is Sports Center commercial 278 00:19:58,835 --> 00:20:03,995 Speaker 1: and the outtakes I just found after thirty years. First 279 00:20:04,035 --> 00:20:06,395 Speaker 1: Dogs in Knee, You can help. Every dog has its day. 280 00:20:06,475 --> 00:20:09,275 Speaker 1: Big Day today. In the effort to try to stop 281 00:20:09,315 --> 00:20:15,315 Speaker 1: shelters from killing healthy, adoptable dogs in California, my friend 282 00:20:15,315 --> 00:20:19,595 Speaker 1: Elaine Boosler, actress, comedian, singer, recently arrested at Dodger Stadium 283 00:20:19,595 --> 00:20:21,515 Speaker 1: for trying to use her ticket to get into the game. 284 00:20:22,035 --> 00:20:25,595 Speaker 1: She will be lobbying in the Capitol in Sacramento alongside 285 00:20:25,595 --> 00:20:29,275 Speaker 1: the sponsors of a bill, the Shelter Transparency Bill AB 286 00:20:29,515 --> 00:20:33,395 Speaker 1: two two sixty five. The goal is to get California 287 00:20:33,435 --> 00:20:37,355 Speaker 1: Appropriations Committee Chair Buffy Wicks to advance that bill out 288 00:20:37,355 --> 00:20:41,155 Speaker 1: of committee. The bill would increase the chances of dogs 289 00:20:41,155 --> 00:20:44,195 Speaker 1: in shelters to be saved rather than killed, and it 290 00:20:44,195 --> 00:20:48,595 Speaker 1: would also save shelters millions of dollars in expenses what 291 00:20:48,675 --> 00:20:53,235 Speaker 1: they now spend heartbreakingly to kill adoptable animals and dispose 292 00:20:53,275 --> 00:20:56,955 Speaker 1: of their bodies. Elaine Boosler is on social media with 293 00:20:56,995 --> 00:20:59,435 Speaker 1: how you can help with emails or phone calls, and 294 00:20:59,475 --> 00:21:02,955 Speaker 1: she says she will post video and good news or 295 00:21:02,995 --> 00:21:06,395 Speaker 1: I'll handcuff myself to the state Capitol. It's my thing 296 00:21:06,515 --> 00:21:12,755 Speaker 1: now unquote. So look for Elaine Boosler's accounts bs ler 297 00:21:13,635 --> 00:21:18,315 Speaker 1: and help support the California Shelter Transparency Bill. Elaine, thanks you, 298 00:21:19,155 --> 00:21:42,115 Speaker 1: and I thank you now things I promised not to tell. 299 00:21:42,115 --> 00:21:44,195 Speaker 1: And it was nineteen ninety four and they just had 300 00:21:44,235 --> 00:21:46,595 Speaker 1: the first Soccer World Cup ever held in the United 301 00:21:46,635 --> 00:21:49,515 Speaker 1: States and Alexei Lalas was the folk hero of the 302 00:21:49,555 --> 00:21:53,075 Speaker 1: plucky American team, and we put them in a This 303 00:21:53,275 --> 00:21:56,635 Speaker 1: is Sports Center commercial. And there's a long, great story 304 00:21:56,675 --> 00:21:58,635 Speaker 1: to this. I will tell you in a moment, but 305 00:21:58,715 --> 00:22:02,515 Speaker 1: first listen to what I've found. It is a DVD 306 00:22:03,715 --> 00:22:07,235 Speaker 1: with the out take. Now, I didn't do this twice. 307 00:22:07,875 --> 00:22:10,915 Speaker 1: It's two separate angles of it. I might add. In 308 00:22:10,995 --> 00:22:14,195 Speaker 1: the second angle, when I hit the guitar against the wall, 309 00:22:15,035 --> 00:22:19,475 Speaker 1: the fret of the thing flew directly into the lens 310 00:22:19,755 --> 00:22:23,035 Speaker 1: of the backup camera that was on the floor. I 311 00:22:23,075 --> 00:22:27,435 Speaker 1: couldn't do that again in a billion years. Please enjoy. 312 00:22:27,795 --> 00:22:44,635 Speaker 1: If you don't recognize me, I'm the one grunting. It's okay. 313 00:22:44,755 --> 00:23:00,235 Speaker 2: I still love you, man. It's okay, I still love 314 00:23:00,315 --> 00:23:00,595 Speaker 2: you man. 315 00:23:00,995 --> 00:23:04,995 Speaker 1: The nineteen ninety four Soccer World Cup did not really 316 00:23:05,035 --> 00:23:07,195 Speaker 1: do that much for American soccer, which, as you know, 317 00:23:07,355 --> 00:23:09,955 Speaker 1: is the sport of the future in this country and 318 00:23:10,075 --> 00:23:12,755 Speaker 1: always will be. But it did make a lot of 319 00:23:12,795 --> 00:23:17,155 Speaker 1: Americans into fans of European soccer clubs, especially the British ones. 320 00:23:17,555 --> 00:23:20,835 Speaker 1: But for a while, Alexi Lalas, with his shoulder length, 321 00:23:20,875 --> 00:23:24,995 Speaker 1: reddish blonde hair and billy goat beard and anti establishment 322 00:23:25,115 --> 00:23:28,395 Speaker 1: vibe was on the front burner of American sports, and 323 00:23:28,475 --> 00:23:30,475 Speaker 1: he made quite a nice career out of it as 324 00:23:30,515 --> 00:23:35,115 Speaker 1: a commentator on soccer on TV. But back then, naturally, ESPN, 325 00:23:35,195 --> 00:23:39,475 Speaker 1: launching its surrealist fake documentary commercial series, wanted him to 326 00:23:39,515 --> 00:23:42,115 Speaker 1: be in it, and sure enough he came to Bristol 327 00:23:42,715 --> 00:23:45,515 Speaker 1: and Hank Perlman devised a bit in which Gary Miller, 328 00:23:45,595 --> 00:23:48,395 Speaker 1: our anchor who was himself a soccer immortal for his 329 00:23:48,515 --> 00:23:52,555 Speaker 1: soccer breakdown which I've played to you, you know, John, Luca, Palyuka, 330 00:23:52,915 --> 00:23:56,515 Speaker 1: the Mother, etc. Gary would be sitting at a desk 331 00:23:56,635 --> 00:23:59,755 Speaker 1: in the sports Center newsroom, as atop the adjoining desk, 332 00:23:59,955 --> 00:24:06,235 Speaker 1: Alexi Lalas sat cross legged in sunglasses, osifizing on relaxation 333 00:24:06,355 --> 00:24:10,995 Speaker 1: and finally playing on his guitar. Michael Rowe the boat ashore. 334 00:24:12,075 --> 00:24:14,035 Speaker 1: At that point the commercial turned into one of the 335 00:24:14,035 --> 00:24:18,395 Speaker 1: classic scenes from John Belushi's film Animal House. Another sportscaster 336 00:24:18,635 --> 00:24:22,035 Speaker 1: was to storm into the newsroom, pull the guitar out 337 00:24:22,035 --> 00:24:25,595 Speaker 1: of Alexei Lalas's hands and smash it against a cubicle 338 00:24:25,715 --> 00:24:30,235 Speaker 1: wall and emit a loud primal grunt as he did so, 339 00:24:31,035 --> 00:24:33,995 Speaker 1: and then hand Lalas back whatever was left of the guitar, 340 00:24:34,155 --> 00:24:39,955 Speaker 1: and like Belushi in the movie, say sorry, Well, Hank 341 00:24:40,035 --> 00:24:42,875 Speaker 1: had a sportscaster in mind for that role, and guess 342 00:24:42,915 --> 00:24:47,915 Speaker 1: who it was me? So picture that in your mind 343 00:24:48,235 --> 00:24:50,915 Speaker 1: as I play what it sounded like. And then I 344 00:24:50,995 --> 00:24:53,715 Speaker 1: have what I think is a really good backstory to 345 00:24:53,795 --> 00:24:58,515 Speaker 1: the filming of this. This is SportsCenter SportsCenter commercial, and 346 00:24:58,635 --> 00:25:00,395 Speaker 1: I'm talking to you all afternoon. 347 00:25:00,035 --> 00:25:24,755 Speaker 3: About the darkness, Michael, for time's sake, the word sorry 348 00:25:24,995 --> 00:25:25,675 Speaker 3: didn't make it. 349 00:25:26,315 --> 00:25:29,635 Speaker 1: So the backstory and it's out of chronological order. The 350 00:25:29,675 --> 00:25:32,395 Speaker 1: guitar that Alexei Lawis was playing was not the one 351 00:25:32,475 --> 00:25:35,755 Speaker 1: I smashed. There was an exact duplicate that had been bought. 352 00:25:35,835 --> 00:25:38,755 Speaker 1: It had been taken apart, it had been sawed, and 353 00:25:38,795 --> 00:25:41,475 Speaker 1: basically it was put back together with scotch tape. It 354 00:25:41,515 --> 00:25:44,235 Speaker 1: would hold together long enough for him to scrum a 355 00:25:44,275 --> 00:25:46,995 Speaker 1: few sour notes on it, and then for me to 356 00:25:47,115 --> 00:25:50,075 Speaker 1: grab it and smash it. They were confident it would 357 00:25:50,155 --> 00:25:53,555 Speaker 1: not fly apart until I hit the cubicle wall with it, 358 00:25:53,595 --> 00:25:56,475 Speaker 1: but they still told me to simply grab it, not 359 00:25:56,795 --> 00:25:59,675 Speaker 1: yanked out of his hands, or I might be left 360 00:25:59,675 --> 00:26:02,115 Speaker 1: holding the neck of the guitar. And Alexey holding the 361 00:26:02,155 --> 00:26:06,995 Speaker 1: rest of it. It was especially problematic because we only 362 00:26:07,035 --> 00:26:10,915 Speaker 1: had the one prop guitar. That's right, We made the 363 00:26:10,915 --> 00:26:14,715 Speaker 1: business end of that commercial in one take. This is 364 00:26:14,755 --> 00:26:19,195 Speaker 1: SportsCenter campaign not only freakly achieved something approaching genius levels 365 00:26:19,195 --> 00:26:22,875 Speaker 1: of originality and creativity, but they were all done cheaper 366 00:26:22,875 --> 00:26:27,235 Speaker 1: than local news promos. In Burlington, Vermont in nineteen eighty two, 367 00:26:28,795 --> 00:26:32,155 Speaker 1: we often shot three of these commercials in one day, 368 00:26:33,155 --> 00:26:35,635 Speaker 1: and it wasn't until the second series of ads did 369 00:26:35,635 --> 00:26:38,555 Speaker 1: the SportsCenter anchors who start in one or two or 370 00:26:38,635 --> 00:26:42,715 Speaker 1: three even get credit for a day off. In one 371 00:26:42,795 --> 00:26:45,035 Speaker 1: of them, Charlie Sneiner is trying to get his tape 372 00:26:45,035 --> 00:26:48,515 Speaker 1: of highlights back from the Harlem Globetrotters who are passing 373 00:26:48,515 --> 00:26:50,675 Speaker 1: it around like a basketball, and he says, can he 374 00:26:50,715 --> 00:26:52,995 Speaker 1: have a little help? Then I'm typing away at my 375 00:26:53,075 --> 00:26:55,595 Speaker 1: computer and I say, sure, Charlie, and I don't even 376 00:26:55,635 --> 00:26:58,035 Speaker 1: look at him, let alone stop typing, let alone give 377 00:26:58,075 --> 00:27:01,715 Speaker 1: him any help. And that's done because the commercial was 378 00:27:01,715 --> 00:27:05,715 Speaker 1: shot in the area right behind my desk, because nobody 379 00:27:05,795 --> 00:27:08,435 Speaker 1: was working there that day except me, and it was 380 00:27:08,475 --> 00:27:11,675 Speaker 1: around five PM, and I was, in fact sitting at 381 00:27:11,675 --> 00:27:15,195 Speaker 1: my desk writing the eleven PM Sports Center script, and 382 00:27:15,275 --> 00:27:17,595 Speaker 1: the original commercial script did not call for me to 383 00:27:17,715 --> 00:27:20,715 Speaker 1: even be in Charlie's commercial. But on the fly the 384 00:27:20,755 --> 00:27:23,155 Speaker 1: writer said, hey, Keith, can you give us one line? 385 00:27:23,635 --> 00:27:25,395 Speaker 1: And I said, as long as I can keep writing, 386 00:27:25,755 --> 00:27:30,315 Speaker 1: and they said perfect. By the way, Charlie did the 387 00:27:30,315 --> 00:27:33,835 Speaker 1: commercial around five o'clock or so and then went and 388 00:27:33,875 --> 00:27:37,675 Speaker 1: anchored the six thirty PM Sports Center. The spot we 389 00:27:37,715 --> 00:27:40,795 Speaker 1: did where hockey legend Gordy Howe beats me up while 390 00:27:40,835 --> 00:27:43,635 Speaker 1: I am trying to read through a script also shot 391 00:27:43,675 --> 00:27:46,195 Speaker 1: at my desk, also on a day I was anchoring 392 00:27:46,195 --> 00:27:50,915 Speaker 1: the show, and that was my real script. Anyway, back 393 00:27:50,915 --> 00:27:54,155 Speaker 1: to alex A. Lallis and the guitar, so we only 394 00:27:54,195 --> 00:27:56,275 Speaker 1: had the one prop guitar, and so we only had 395 00:27:56,275 --> 00:27:58,235 Speaker 1: the one take, and we were shooting it in the 396 00:27:58,275 --> 00:28:01,635 Speaker 1: actual Sports Center newsroom of course, in fact, they were 397 00:28:01,715 --> 00:28:04,515 Speaker 1: remodeling the real newsroom to accommodate the launch of the 398 00:28:04,555 --> 00:28:10,035 Speaker 1: new ESPN News network, so this was the temporary, even 399 00:28:10,075 --> 00:28:13,755 Speaker 1: more crowded than usual newsroom. So the cameraman and the 400 00:28:13,755 --> 00:28:15,875 Speaker 1: producer and the writer and I walked through how they 401 00:28:15,995 --> 00:28:18,075 Speaker 1: thought it would work best since I would have to 402 00:28:18,115 --> 00:28:21,115 Speaker 1: weave past people who were really doing their jobs and 403 00:28:21,155 --> 00:28:23,715 Speaker 1: going to other desks and talking to people and stuff. 404 00:28:24,435 --> 00:28:27,355 Speaker 1: They had two cameras in the little hallway that constituted 405 00:28:27,395 --> 00:28:31,035 Speaker 1: the temporary newsroom's northern border, and they put a third, 406 00:28:31,115 --> 00:28:33,555 Speaker 1: smaller camera on the floor where they guessed that a 407 00:28:33,555 --> 00:28:36,795 Speaker 1: piece of the guitar might land after I smashed it. 408 00:28:37,635 --> 00:28:39,475 Speaker 1: See if you can get the fret or something to 409 00:28:39,515 --> 00:28:42,355 Speaker 1: go here, The producer said, that would make a great shot. 410 00:28:43,275 --> 00:28:44,795 Speaker 1: I asked him how in the hell I was supposed 411 00:28:44,795 --> 00:28:47,515 Speaker 1: to do that since we couldn't even practice the smash, 412 00:28:47,515 --> 00:28:50,955 Speaker 1: and he said, well, honestly, I don't know. Telepathy. Maybe 413 00:28:52,635 --> 00:28:56,315 Speaker 1: that was the other salient part of the backstory, since 414 00:28:56,355 --> 00:28:58,355 Speaker 1: we only had the one take and we wouldn't need 415 00:28:58,395 --> 00:29:00,195 Speaker 1: to be doing a dry run because they didn't want 416 00:29:00,195 --> 00:29:02,915 Speaker 1: the guitar to fall apart in my hands. I would 417 00:29:02,955 --> 00:29:06,075 Speaker 1: say less than half the people crowded into the temporary 418 00:29:06,115 --> 00:29:10,115 Speaker 1: newsroom had any idea that when I came in, i 419 00:29:10,275 --> 00:29:12,875 Speaker 1: was in the commercial let alone, that I was going 420 00:29:12,875 --> 00:29:17,155 Speaker 1: to actually and loudly destroy a guitar by smashing it 421 00:29:17,195 --> 00:29:21,155 Speaker 1: against a low cubicle wall, even if the guitar has 422 00:29:21,195 --> 00:29:23,995 Speaker 1: been pre broken and taped back together as that one was. 423 00:29:24,035 --> 00:29:27,635 Speaker 1: It is still going to make a lot of noise. Wait, 424 00:29:28,155 --> 00:29:30,635 Speaker 1: I said to my friend Hank, who wrote it. You're 425 00:29:30,675 --> 00:29:33,915 Speaker 1: not warning anybody, are you, you little devil. Hank got 426 00:29:33,955 --> 00:29:37,435 Speaker 1: a gleeful, evil glazed look in his eyes. No, isn't 427 00:29:37,475 --> 00:29:40,875 Speaker 1: that great. So they filmed the closeups of Gary, and 428 00:29:40,955 --> 00:29:43,075 Speaker 1: they filmed the closeups of Alexi, and then they set 429 00:29:43,115 --> 00:29:45,875 Speaker 1: me up to enter from a vestibule through two swinging 430 00:29:45,915 --> 00:29:48,835 Speaker 1: doors with windows in them, which was along the periphery 431 00:29:48,835 --> 00:29:51,315 Speaker 1: of the temporary newsroom. Then a right turn, and then 432 00:29:51,355 --> 00:29:54,235 Speaker 1: about no, No, No, fifteen twenty feet to where Alexei and 433 00:29:54,235 --> 00:29:57,835 Speaker 1: Gary were still sitting. My target for exactly where I 434 00:29:57,875 --> 00:30:01,435 Speaker 1: should hit the guitar was clearly marked on the cubicle wall, 435 00:30:01,435 --> 00:30:04,155 Speaker 1: and they even put marks on the carpet of where 436 00:30:04,195 --> 00:30:06,035 Speaker 1: a couple of the practice walks had shown would give 437 00:30:06,035 --> 00:30:09,315 Speaker 1: me the best chance at a solid stance. When I 438 00:30:09,395 --> 00:30:13,275 Speaker 1: swung the guitar and sent it el kabonging to its doom, 439 00:30:14,595 --> 00:30:18,715 Speaker 1: and nobody ever said quiet or roll or here we go. 440 00:30:19,475 --> 00:30:21,315 Speaker 1: They told people in the room that they were just 441 00:30:21,355 --> 00:30:25,155 Speaker 1: shooting some cover angles on Gary and Alexi, and people 442 00:30:25,235 --> 00:30:28,395 Speaker 1: could say or move whatever and wherever they wanted to, 443 00:30:28,915 --> 00:30:32,075 Speaker 1: just so long they didn't get away the cameras. Then 444 00:30:32,115 --> 00:30:35,115 Speaker 1: they just tapped the desks for Alexa and Gary to start, 445 00:30:35,395 --> 00:30:37,875 Speaker 1: and the producer waved to me and in I went, 446 00:30:38,195 --> 00:30:40,595 Speaker 1: trying to channel John Belushi when he takes the guitar 447 00:30:40,635 --> 00:30:42,595 Speaker 1: away from Stephen Bishop on the stairs of the Front 448 00:30:42,595 --> 00:30:46,275 Speaker 1: House and Animal House. I furrowed my brow and I 449 00:30:46,355 --> 00:30:50,435 Speaker 1: tried to fake some venom towards Alexei Lalas. I found 450 00:30:50,435 --> 00:30:53,155 Speaker 1: the emotion as I came through the doors. I kept 451 00:30:53,195 --> 00:30:55,515 Speaker 1: thinking that since I had been eight years old, I 452 00:30:55,515 --> 00:30:57,875 Speaker 1: had heard people call soccer the sport of the future 453 00:30:57,915 --> 00:31:00,035 Speaker 1: here and I was now thirty seven, and I was 454 00:31:00,115 --> 00:31:04,155 Speaker 1: damn tired of hearing it. Lalas was scrumming on the 455 00:31:04,195 --> 00:31:08,875 Speaker 1: nearly prop guitar. It made a sick sound. I took 456 00:31:08,915 --> 00:31:11,355 Speaker 1: my strides, I hit the marks. I grabbed the guitar 457 00:31:11,395 --> 00:31:14,315 Speaker 1: by the neck with my right hand and simultaneously Alexey 458 00:31:14,435 --> 00:31:17,075 Speaker 1: let go, and then with both hands, I swung the 459 00:31:17,075 --> 00:31:19,555 Speaker 1: guitar back over my head and smashed it right on 460 00:31:19,595 --> 00:31:23,955 Speaker 1: the mark. As you heard Michael. 461 00:31:25,475 --> 00:31:28,755 Speaker 3: Show. 462 00:31:36,195 --> 00:31:40,955 Speaker 1: The SportsCenter newsroom promptly went silent for several seconds. The 463 00:31:40,995 --> 00:31:44,035 Speaker 1: reaction was identical to what it would have been had 464 00:31:44,035 --> 00:31:47,155 Speaker 1: there been no commercial being made and no cameras present, 465 00:31:47,195 --> 00:31:49,915 Speaker 1: and I had just walked in and destroyed somebody's guitar, 466 00:31:50,915 --> 00:31:52,875 Speaker 1: which I guess a lot of people expect that I 467 00:31:52,955 --> 00:31:56,315 Speaker 1: might do someday, because even a lot of the people 468 00:31:56,315 --> 00:32:00,995 Speaker 1: who were surprised were not surprised surprised. Craig Wax, the 469 00:32:01,035 --> 00:32:04,075 Speaker 1: skinny research guy, can be seen in the finished commercial, 470 00:32:04,075 --> 00:32:08,155 Speaker 1: which is on YouTube, for a second far left, just 471 00:32:08,235 --> 00:32:11,035 Speaker 1: staring at me like, yeah, well, we always knew Keys 472 00:32:11,035 --> 00:32:14,475 Speaker 1: would do something like that. After I'd destroyed the guitar, 473 00:32:14,555 --> 00:32:16,515 Speaker 1: and I have to say, I did it really well. 474 00:32:16,995 --> 00:32:20,435 Speaker 1: I kept moving for the plan until I walked back 475 00:32:20,435 --> 00:32:23,475 Speaker 1: through the swinging doors and out of shot. The director 476 00:32:23,555 --> 00:32:26,715 Speaker 1: shouted cut. I walked back in, and the crew gave 477 00:32:26,755 --> 00:32:29,195 Speaker 1: me a round of applause, and a couple of them 478 00:32:29,195 --> 00:32:31,355 Speaker 1: were cheering out of all proportion. Even if I had 479 00:32:31,395 --> 00:32:33,915 Speaker 1: done is good of a job, as I thought, come here, 480 00:32:33,915 --> 00:32:37,595 Speaker 1: come here. The cameraman kept saying, come here. That extra 481 00:32:37,715 --> 00:32:41,635 Speaker 1: camera on the floor. They backed the videotape up from it, 482 00:32:41,995 --> 00:32:44,835 Speaker 1: and they showed it to me. When I smashed the guitar, 483 00:32:45,595 --> 00:32:48,955 Speaker 1: the fretboard, the actual wood and metal piece on the 484 00:32:49,035 --> 00:32:52,635 Speaker 1: neck flew off and not only landed near the third 485 00:32:52,675 --> 00:32:55,515 Speaker 1: camera's lens, it hit it on the fly and it 486 00:32:55,715 --> 00:32:59,355 Speaker 1: stuck there. They were as happy as if they were 487 00:32:59,355 --> 00:33:02,395 Speaker 1: engineers imploding a building for the first time and it 488 00:33:02,475 --> 00:33:05,875 Speaker 1: had fallen exactly as they had hoped. Plus, they showed 489 00:33:05,875 --> 00:33:08,315 Speaker 1: me the playback from the first camera, and there was 490 00:33:08,355 --> 00:33:10,795 Speaker 1: an assignment desk editor with her back to the action 491 00:33:10,955 --> 00:33:14,075 Speaker 1: on the phone, completely unaware of what was happening or 492 00:33:14,115 --> 00:33:17,115 Speaker 1: even that they were rolling film and videotape, and she 493 00:33:17,875 --> 00:33:21,435 Speaker 1: literally jumped several inches out of her seat of her chair. 494 00:33:23,315 --> 00:33:25,035 Speaker 1: But to me, the best part of this thing is 495 00:33:25,075 --> 00:33:29,595 Speaker 1: Gary Miller. Even if you know a loud noise is coming, 496 00:33:29,675 --> 00:33:32,235 Speaker 1: it is quite the effort to not flinch a little 497 00:33:32,275 --> 00:33:35,875 Speaker 1: when it happens basically right over your shoulder. I mean, 498 00:33:36,115 --> 00:33:40,115 Speaker 1: ask the little kid in the movie North By Northwest 499 00:33:40,675 --> 00:33:44,995 Speaker 1: where Iva Marie Saint shoots Carrie Grant and he sticks 500 00:33:44,995 --> 00:33:47,475 Speaker 1: his fingers in his ears because it's take thirty seven 501 00:33:47,515 --> 00:33:51,315 Speaker 1: and he knows the noise is coming. I mean, you're 502 00:33:51,355 --> 00:33:54,755 Speaker 1: aware of it just for the possibility that somebody will 503 00:33:54,795 --> 00:33:58,155 Speaker 1: screw it up like me, and debris will fly into 504 00:33:58,195 --> 00:34:00,915 Speaker 1: the back of your head. But if you watch Gary 505 00:34:00,955 --> 00:34:03,595 Speaker 1: Miller in this Sports Center commercial, he doesn't even blink, 506 00:34:04,035 --> 00:34:09,675 Speaker 1: just a little deadpan head jerk. It's perfect. What also 507 00:34:09,715 --> 00:34:11,755 Speaker 1: amazes me is that we got all this done in 508 00:34:11,795 --> 00:34:15,675 Speaker 1: twenty four seconds of running time. Alexei goes on about negativity. 509 00:34:15,395 --> 00:34:17,475 Speaker 1: I have to do something about it. He plays enough 510 00:34:17,475 --> 00:34:19,195 Speaker 1: of the song that you recognize it. You got a 511 00:34:19,195 --> 00:34:22,355 Speaker 1: shot at cheerleaders incongruously in the middle of the background. 512 00:34:22,715 --> 00:34:25,475 Speaker 1: I appear from nowhere, move over there, smash the guitar 513 00:34:25,555 --> 00:34:28,835 Speaker 1: while roaring spectacularly. I give him back the neck of 514 00:34:28,835 --> 00:34:31,475 Speaker 1: the thing. The only thing missing is that shot from 515 00:34:31,515 --> 00:34:33,835 Speaker 1: the fret bar flying into camera three. They explained they 516 00:34:33,875 --> 00:34:39,915 Speaker 1: didn't have the extra two seconds scene. I remember enjoying 517 00:34:40,035 --> 00:34:42,395 Speaker 1: doing this so much that I asked them for the 518 00:34:42,435 --> 00:34:44,755 Speaker 1: front of the body of the guitar, and I had 519 00:34:44,835 --> 00:34:47,675 Speaker 1: Alexi sign it to me on the spot. It hung 520 00:34:48,075 --> 00:34:52,435 Speaker 1: framed in my various offices for about fifteen years. In 521 00:34:52,435 --> 00:34:56,115 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen, I was leaving the recording of Stephen Colbert's 522 00:34:56,155 --> 00:34:58,395 Speaker 1: final episode for Comedy Central. I was one of one 523 00:34:58,475 --> 00:35:01,035 Speaker 1: hundred guests, and I went out onto the street to 524 00:35:01,075 --> 00:35:03,795 Speaker 1: find a cab home and I got one, and in 525 00:35:03,835 --> 00:35:07,035 Speaker 1: getting into it a near he ran into Alexei Lalas, 526 00:35:07,035 --> 00:35:09,675 Speaker 1: who was one of the other one hundred guests. I laughed, 527 00:35:09,715 --> 00:35:11,155 Speaker 1: He laughed, and he said, and I don't even have 528 00:35:11,195 --> 00:35:15,315 Speaker 1: my guitar with me. And one last note, I doubt 529 00:35:15,435 --> 00:35:17,715 Speaker 1: this will be of any practical use to you, But 530 00:35:17,795 --> 00:35:21,915 Speaker 1: I must say, as somebody who was accorded this rare privilege, 531 00:35:22,235 --> 00:35:25,955 Speaker 1: not only of doing this, but of doing this with impunity, 532 00:35:26,275 --> 00:35:30,315 Speaker 1: and doing this to applause. If you are trying to 533 00:35:30,435 --> 00:35:34,275 Speaker 1: health an event, any frustrations or anger in your life, 534 00:35:35,395 --> 00:35:40,515 Speaker 1: smashing a guitar against a workplace cubicle wall is exactly 535 00:35:40,635 --> 00:35:56,195 Speaker 1: as satisfying as you would expect it would be. 536 00:35:57,355 --> 00:35:58,675 Speaker 2: Okay, I still love you, man. 537 00:36:13,355 --> 00:36:15,275 Speaker 1: I've done all the damage I can do here. Thank 538 00:36:15,315 --> 00:36:18,115 Speaker 1: you for listening. Countdown musical directors Brian Ray and John 539 00:36:18,115 --> 00:36:21,755 Speaker 1: Phillips Chanel arranged, produced and performed most of our music. 540 00:36:22,155 --> 00:36:24,555 Speaker 1: Mister Ray was on the guitars, the bass, and the drums, 541 00:36:24,555 --> 00:36:27,515 Speaker 1: and mister Shanelle handled the orchestration and the keyboards. It 542 00:36:27,595 --> 00:36:30,715 Speaker 1: was produced by Tko Brothers. Other music, including some of 543 00:36:30,715 --> 00:36:34,475 Speaker 1: the Beethoven compositions, arranged and performed by no horns allowed. 544 00:36:34,875 --> 00:36:37,835 Speaker 1: The sports music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, 545 00:36:37,875 --> 00:36:41,675 Speaker 1: written by Mitch Warren Davis, courtesy of ESPN Inc. Our 546 00:36:41,795 --> 00:36:44,995 Speaker 1: satirical and pithy musical comments are by Nancy Fauss, the 547 00:36:45,035 --> 00:36:48,275 Speaker 1: best baseball stadium organist ever. Our announcer today was my 548 00:36:48,315 --> 00:36:51,115 Speaker 1: friend Howard Fineman, and everything else was pretty much my fault. 549 00:36:51,755 --> 00:36:54,315 Speaker 1: Let's countdown for this the one hundred and seventy sixth 550 00:36:54,435 --> 00:36:58,835 Speaker 1: day until the twenty twenty four presidential election, the two 551 00:36:58,955 --> 00:37:02,515 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty fifth day since Dictator Jay Trump's first 552 00:37:02,555 --> 00:37:06,275 Speaker 1: attempted coup against the democratically elected government of the United States. 553 00:37:07,035 --> 00:37:09,715 Speaker 1: Use the legal system such as it is, Use the 554 00:37:09,755 --> 00:37:13,835 Speaker 1: mental health system, use presidential immunity if it happens, use 555 00:37:13,875 --> 00:37:18,675 Speaker 1: the not regularly given elector objection option. Use the campaign 556 00:37:19,435 --> 00:37:24,635 Speaker 1: to stop him from doing it again while we still can. 557 00:37:25,795 --> 00:37:27,875 Speaker 1: The next scheduled countdown is tomorrow. Again, I'm going to 558 00:37:27,955 --> 00:37:31,275 Speaker 1: label that as probable game time decision till the next one. 559 00:37:31,275 --> 00:37:36,075 Speaker 1: I'm Keith Alderman. Good morning, good afternoon, goodnight, and good luck. 560 00:37:56,315 --> 00:38:00,275 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. For 561 00:38:00,435 --> 00:38:05,315 Speaker 1: more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, apple pots, 562 00:38:05,635 --> 00:38:07,555 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.