1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Hey, they're folks. At is Thursday, September the eighteenth, the 2 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: last night robok and I got a call from a 3 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: media industry executive, a friend of ours, and the first 4 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: words she said, I'm scared. And with that, welcome to 5 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:20,640 Speaker 1: this episode of Amy and TJ. Robes. I think there 6 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: are a lot of journalists seemingly nervous, running scared, concerned 7 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: about what we're seeing. And what we've seen now is 8 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: that Jimmy Kimmel is off the air indefinitely for making 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: comments it seems that the President didn't like. 10 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 2: For making comments that the President didn't like, but didn't 11 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 2: seem that out of character for Jimmy Kimmel. So I 12 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 2: think that's what surprised a lot of folks who actually 13 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 2: heard what he said or read what he said and 14 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: thought that's the response, that his show is canceled indefinitely, 15 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 2: first by a media company and then by ABC and 16 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 2: Disney all together. I think it's not an overstatement to 17 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 2: say jaws collectively drops. 18 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:10,759 Speaker 1: Oh, this is shocking coming off the heels. What we're 19 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:13,960 Speaker 1: month two months or so away from Stephen Colbert that 20 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 1: big announcement. These two guys, Colbert and Kimmel are two 21 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: guys who four or five nights a week go on 22 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: a full out on the assault of the White House 23 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 1: and the Trump administration. Their criticism sometimes comes in the 24 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 1: form of jokes, but sometimes it can come in the 25 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: form or seem as if they're just making political statements 26 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:34,839 Speaker 1: and not necessarily just for the sake of laughs. 27 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 2: And look, here's the deal. It makes a lot of 28 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 2: sense that that pisses off a lot of people. And 29 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 2: here's how you combat that. You turn it off. You 30 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 2: watch someone else. You don't add to their ratings, and 31 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: certainly their ratings have declined. So that is the consequence 32 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 2: of speaking out or making jokes about a current administration. 33 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: This is a long standing format that we've all witnessed 34 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 2: and seen. You don't like it, you don't watch, and 35 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 2: that is powerful. So it's confusing to a lot of folks. 36 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 2: I think, why there needs to be an extra step. 37 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: This is. 38 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 2: They aren't journalists. 39 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: Correct me here though, robe is this the biggest, most 40 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: shocking example we've seen of someone of their being consequences 41 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,119 Speaker 1: for someone speaking out in a way After the death 42 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:28,959 Speaker 1: of Charlie Kirk, Where is there is there a bigger, 43 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: more shocking This is. 44 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 2: The biggest one. And look, I think when it comes 45 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: to a news organization, journalists, even the analysts or commentators 46 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 2: they have on their program, I can understand being held 47 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 2: to a significantly higher standard without a doubt, of course. 48 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 2: But I think I was mostly shocked because this is 49 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 2: a late night comedian who has who continuously and nightly 50 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: rails on the President as part of his shtick. And 51 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 2: yes he is serious. Sometimes he is making a stand 52 00:02:58,120 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 2: and taking a stand, But we do live in the 53 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 2: United States of America, where we have First Amendment rights. However, 54 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 2: we are all beholden, regardless of who you are, to 55 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 2: parent companies who have financial interests, who have other goals, 56 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 2: and other folks that they have to answer to. But 57 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 2: mostly this does come down to ratings, money, etc. And 58 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 2: so I think a lot of that is playing into this, 59 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 2: but it is deeply concerning. 60 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: It has to do with federal regulators. All of those 61 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: companies you name who talk about ratings and money and whatnot, 62 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: they also have to be they have to answer to 63 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: the federal government about what they do. And as we've 64 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: seen from the President and the administration, they're not fraid 65 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: at all to go after media companies for doing something 66 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: they don't like, and sometimes, and we've also seen these 67 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: companies are willing to just pay to make the headache 68 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: go away. We mention indefinitely grow there's a possibility, and 69 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: I think some would say in likelihood that Jimmy Kimmel 70 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: is never coming back to Jimmy Kimmel Live and that 71 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: show will never go back on the air. 72 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 2: I think that that is the most likely scenario, and 73 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: I'm sure Jimmy Kimmel is very aware of that as well, 74 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 2: because once you are taken off the air like this 75 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 2: in such a major way, what would be the reasoning? 76 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 2: How could he emerge and still be able to do 77 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 2: what he does every night? And I know that there 78 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 2: have been some stipulations, which we'll get into later, offered 79 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 2: what he might do, what he could do perhaps to 80 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 2: get back on the air. And look, I've met him 81 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 2: several times, I've interviewed him. I'm sure you have as well. 82 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 2: I don't. I can't speak for him specifically, but I 83 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: would believe that that would be the last thing he 84 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 2: would want to do. What would they what they would 85 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: be asking of him? 86 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, at this point, how do you go back? We've 87 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: had some experience with this it's that moment when there 88 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,239 Speaker 1: is a suspension, when there is a pulling, this rises 89 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: to a level once you pull somebody off the air 90 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: that is very difficult to come back from. So this 91 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: is how it all went down. And we were in 92 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: the middle, I guess we were having dinner or dinner 93 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: was wrapping up. Something else was going on with thoughts. 94 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: But yes, we see these breaking news alertstar coming that Yes, 95 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: Jimmy Kimmel's show is being put on indefinite, indefinite leave 96 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 1: at this point, and so whatever further notice may come now. 97 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: This is because they say robes of comments he made 98 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: on Monday Night's show. Today is Thursday. The news about 99 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: the suspension came Wednesday, So what happened between Monday and Wednesday, Robes. 100 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 2: What happened was is, look, there had been some folks 101 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 2: going online saying they were upset about it, but it 102 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 2: didn't rise to any level where ABC or Disney didn't 103 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 2: allow him back on the air Tuesday night. So he 104 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 2: went on as planned with his show on Tuesday night 105 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 2: probably and was preparing to go on as usual for 106 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: Wednesday night when this news broke. But what happened was 107 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 2: the FCC chairman went onto a far right podcast and 108 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 2: complained and even threatened ABC News or not ABC News, 109 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 2: but ABC if they didn't take action, some sort of 110 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 2: disciplinary action against for his comments. He then said that 111 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 2: they would have to basically take matters into their own hands, 112 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 2: meaning the FCC. 113 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, this was the Brendan carrs his name, the FCC chair, 114 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 1: who of course is essentially works for the Trump administration. 115 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: Said we can do this the easy way or the 116 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct 117 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: and take action Frankly on Kimmel, or there's going to 118 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: be additional work for the FCC ahead. So he's on 119 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: a right wing, a far right podcast. We can do 120 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: this the easy way or the hard way. I mean 121 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: he's threatening, Okay, I don't want to interpret this. 122 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 2: That was a direct threat. 123 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: Okay, we can do this the easy way or the 124 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 1: hard way, saying Frankly on Kimmel, you have to do something, 125 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: take action, or there's going to be work for the 126 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: FCC ahead. And they took action. So after that statement, 127 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: the first shoot to drop was a company that's not 128 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: really on a lot of people's radars. Why were they 129 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: so powerful? But there was a reason. Next star is 130 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: the first one that came out. This is a media 131 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: company owned several I mean a lot. Is this the biggest. 132 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 2: Local Yes, I think this, and Saint Clair is right 133 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 2: behind them. But next Door, I think has thirty two 134 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 2: ABC affiliates from what I read, and Sinclair has thirty 135 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: ABC affiliates. So these are powerful, powerful companies who reacted 136 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 2: very strongly to what the FCC chairman said. But they 137 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 2: specifically reacted to what Jimmy Kimmel said on Monday night. However, 138 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: they only made the statement and only made this decision 139 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 2: after the chairman went on that podcast. 140 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: So it said that saw off the whole chain of 141 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: events yesterday. So yes, Next Star was the first to 142 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: come out and say they were going to be suspending 143 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: or what's the word they use. They say they were 144 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: going to do free empt for the foreseeable future. They 145 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: were the ones. It wasn't Disney and ABC first, it 146 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: was Next Star. 147 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 2: Yes, they said, beginning with tonight's show, so this was 148 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 2: immediate next This is their statement. Next Our strongly objects 149 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 2: to recent comments made by mister Kimmel concerning the killing 150 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 2: of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other 151 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 2: programming in its ABC affiliated markets. Mister Kimmel's comments about 152 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 2: the death of mister Kirk are offensive and insensitive at 153 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 2: a critical time in our national political discourse, and we 154 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 2: do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, 155 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 2: or values of the local communities in which we are located. 156 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 2: Continuing to give mister Kimmel a broadcast platform in the 157 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 2: communities we serve is simply not in the public interest 158 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 2: at the current time, and we have made the difficult 159 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 2: decision to pre empt his show in an effort to 160 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 2: let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption 161 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 2: of respectful, constructive dialogue. 162 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: Ugh, this sounds like money. There were parts of this 163 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: that sounded like money. Values of the local communities in 164 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: which we are located. That sounds like we're not gonna 165 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: let this guy continue to spew in places that might 166 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: be pro Trump correct. 167 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 2: And when you said this sounds about money, yes, Nextstar 168 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:14,959 Speaker 2: owns and operates more than two hundred stations, by the 169 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 2: way nationwide, just thirty two of them are ABC affiliates. 170 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 2: But here's the deal. Next Star has a deal pending 171 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 2: to purchase a company called Tegna. It's a smaller arrival. 172 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 2: The sale would be for six point two billion dollars. 173 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 2: But here's the deal. Next Star needs the FCC to 174 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 2: approve this merger. So Next Star needs to stay in 175 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 2: good graces with the FCC. And a lot of news 176 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 2: organizations have reached out to Nextstar to comment on whether 177 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 2: or not their decision to pre empt Jimmy Kimmel had 178 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 2: anything to do with this pending merger that the FCC 179 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 2: has to approve. 180 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: What response are they getting? 181 00:09:58,640 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 2: No comment? 182 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: Okay, I'll see. But this is a playbook we've seen recently. 183 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: We have seen this recently from the Trump White House, 184 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,439 Speaker 1: and we have seen who is at CBS. 185 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:10,559 Speaker 2: CBS Latest Game correct, Yes, and so they needed approval 186 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 2: for a merger as well. This is paramount right with CBS. 187 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,199 Speaker 2: They needed a They needed to have a merger approved 188 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 2: that the Trump administration, the FCC would have to approve, 189 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 2: and Wohila Stephen Colbert, his show was announced to be 190 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 2: canceled not long after a lawsuit was settled because of 191 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 2: a segment. President Trump did not like that CBS aired 192 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 2: on Sixty Minutes while he was running for president, saying 193 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 2: that they improperly edited Kamala Harris's interview to make her 194 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 2: comment look less like word salad, I believe is what 195 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 2: it was. So there's a lot of this going on, 196 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 2: and this is the most glaring, biggest, most recent example 197 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 2: of potentially what actually is happening behind the scenes that 198 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 2: is creating the these very disruptive changes in late night. 199 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: Look, people are free too if they want to say 200 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: it's just a coincidence that this is happening and how 201 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 1: it's happened, and there's nothing untoward going on, and that's fine. 202 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: But this will certainly for a lot of people look 203 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: or feel a certain way, given that Kimmel has said 204 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: a bunch of stuff that the president doesn't like, attacking 205 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: the president. This is different. We talk about Charlie Kirk. 206 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 1: We have seen a lot of people get fired, suspend 207 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: it in all else, All Girl arrested. 208 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 2: We had a whole episode on this was it even 209 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 2: yesterday that we dropped about all the names and all 210 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 2: the people, dozens and dozens from school teachers to media 211 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 2: commentators to local news reporters who have all lost their 212 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 2: jobs or been disciplined, even pilots, airline pilots. So we 213 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 2: were amazed at how many people have lost their positions 214 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 2: because of making comments about Charlie Kirk. But we had 215 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 2: no idea this one was coming, okay. 216 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: And so with all this talking, you might have seen 217 00:11:58,080 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: it by now, but we searched to make sure we 218 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: weren't missing something. We've been talking about the comments this time, 219 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: and yeah, I think it is different rode with Charlie Kirk. 220 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: And given where we are in the heated rhetoric that 221 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: anything that came out of Kimmel's mouth about Charlie Kirk 222 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:15,679 Speaker 1: that sounded any way critical of anybody was gonna get 223 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 1: different attention. I think this would probably rise us to 224 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: the level. 225 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 2: For that reason, we weren't really talking about it Tuesday, though. 226 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 2: I have to say, here's the thing. 227 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:25,199 Speaker 1: I don't watch his show. I mean, I'm just not 228 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: late night We don't. 229 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 2: Not that we don't watch the show, but we still 230 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 2: also are constantly scouring news reports. I didn't see some 231 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 2: big uproar until the FCC chairman went on that podcast. 232 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:40,319 Speaker 1: So what exactly did Kimmel say? We will just give 233 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: it to you verbatim, without any context necessary or commentary, 234 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: I should say, but here is the actual quote that 235 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: got him in trouble. 236 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 2: We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the 237 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 2: Maga gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered 238 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 2: Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and 239 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 2: doing everything they can to score political points from it. 240 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:07,719 Speaker 1: Okay, that's yeah. I mean, we've crossed the line to 241 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 1: where you can't it's one thing, right, it's one thing. 242 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: Or it seemed as if you shouldn't speak ill of 243 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: the dead, you shouldn't say anything negative about him, you 244 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: shouldn't be critical of him. But now it feels in 245 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 1: some of the arguments being made that you're not even 246 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: allowed you need to mourn hard enough, like people seem 247 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: to Now the standard seems to be going down to 248 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: where it's not just that you have to be quiet 249 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 1: if you're critical. Now if you speak, we need to 250 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 1: hear that you are mourning for him. It seems like 251 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 1: there's a shift in how you're supposed to talk about 252 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: Charlie Kirk. 253 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 2: Now, I think it's fair to point out, and I'm 254 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 2: not saying that this somehow negates anything that Kimmel said 255 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,199 Speaker 2: if it offended you, but on September tenth, two days 256 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 2: after Charlie Kirk was killed, or within days, Kimmel did 257 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 2: put out a statement saying that this type of retribution 258 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 2: or gun violence is horrific. His heart and his prayers 259 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 2: were going out to Kirk's wife and his family. So 260 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 2: he did put out a statement very much in line 261 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 2: with warning Charlie Kirk condemning any kind of political motivated 262 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 2: violence in any way, shape or form. So he was 263 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 2: on record doing and saying the right thing. 264 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: A lot of people are. They were initially on record, 265 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: and then a lot of what we have seen This 266 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: is not directly at Kimmel necessarily, but a lot of 267 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: what we've seen is we went back to the same 268 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: rhetoric the next day. In the next day when the 269 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: articles started coming out and say, hey, why are we 270 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: mourning him? This is what he said. He was a deplorable, right, 271 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: we started seeing that. But yeah, it wasn't initial. I 272 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: think a lot of people you just said it got 273 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: on record. 274 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 2: And maybe that's exactly what it was for. I don't know. 275 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 2: I don't want to imply that somehow it was manipulative, 276 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 2: but I. 277 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: Think it was sincere when he said it. Why this 278 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: wrote again, We keep asking why this particular the quote 279 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: rose to the level and maybe it didn't. It only 280 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: did because the SECC chairman rose it to the level. 281 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 2: And perhaps it was the straw that brought the Campbell's 282 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 2: back for the Trump administration. 283 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: This was the opening to go after Kimmel. Finally we 284 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: got him on this Kirk thing. To that point, did 285 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: you see what the President said about Jimmy Kimmel, Well 286 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: you could probably imagine what his comments were. We're going 287 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: to share that with you in the moment. We'll also 288 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: share what the President said a couple of days ago 289 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: in which he seemed to accurately predict what was going 290 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: to happen and why we were told in the immediate 291 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 1: aftermath of this news coming out by a friend of ours, 292 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: a media executive who called and said she was scared. 293 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: Will give you all the recent examples for why someone 294 00:15:47,680 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: in this industry, the media industry, would say that. All right, 295 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: we continue now with this late night bombshell. Another one, 296 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: the second one we've gotten in recent months. First it 297 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: was Colbert, now it is Kimmel. Colbert. Of course they 298 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: cut because they said it was costing too much money 299 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: at the time, right, it was an expensive show, going 300 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: to have to move on. This one was different. Robes. 301 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: Kimmel is being suspended indefinitely his show. All of those employees, 302 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: they were there, the show was ready to go. The 303 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: celebrities were. 304 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 2: Even Vanda Sykes actually put something up online because she 305 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 2: said she had full face makeup on because she was 306 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 2: about to go on set to be a guest on 307 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 2: Jimmy Kimmel Live. So people, the staff Jimmy Kimmel was 308 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 2: even reported seeing leaving the building early because his show 309 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 2: was canceled. Everybody was there at the studio in Los 310 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 2: Angeles ready to go on air when they all got 311 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 2: this news that the show was not going to go 312 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 2: on and it might not ever. 313 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: Ever come back. That is want to think that the 314 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: ABC Late Night Show and the CBS Late Night Show 315 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: in the matter of months gone. These are institutions. 316 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 2: Kay Kimmel is I mean, wouldn't you say he is 317 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 2: the biggest star employee of ABC or at least I 318 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 2: mean he has to be. He hosts the Oscars. I 319 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 2: mean they would fly us out to LA to do 320 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:16,640 Speaker 2: big interviews with him. It was a big deal when 321 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 2: Kimmel would sit down with us and he was a 322 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 2: member of the family, but he was that regarded. He 323 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 2: was just at the Emmys and was hobnobbing with everyone 324 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 2: there in Hollywood. He was royalty at ABC. 325 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: No, you said it right. No, it was important to 326 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 1: note he is the face of ABC everything because people say, well, 327 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: how can you justify some of the big salaries they 328 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,399 Speaker 1: make in late night when he's down to a million viewers. 329 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: I mean he's yeah, the shows have been losing late 330 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 1: night viewers. He makes that because he is the public faith, 331 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: He is the ambassador. He is. He can do anything 332 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: for the network, need me here, neem me there, and 333 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 1: even show up. But ohs his thing, hosts that thing. 334 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,400 Speaker 1: This is a big deal, more so than this guy. 335 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, more so than anyone at ABC News and sold. 336 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: Than just his late night show. What he means to 337 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 1: that network for them to make this move is a 338 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: really big deal. And I guess, no surprise the reaction 339 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: we got from the President fairly. 340 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 2: Soon, pretty quickly. Yeah, he jumped on truth social and 341 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 2: he said this great news for America. The ratings challenged. 342 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 2: Jimmy Kimmel's show is canceled. Canceled is an all caps 343 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 2: congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do 344 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 2: what had to be done. Kimmel has zero in all 345 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 2: caps talent and worse ratings than even Colbert. If that's possible. 346 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 2: That leaves Jimmy and Seth two total losers on fake 347 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 2: News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC? 348 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 2: Three exclamation points? President DJT so, given deals that are being. 349 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 1: Done, lawsuits that Trump is winning, given all that. If 350 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: you're an NBC executive, you're whatever executive you hear the President, 351 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: the White House, the administration has a problem with something 352 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 1: on your air? Are you not shaking in your boots? 353 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 1: Who's going to take a stand and. 354 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:06,679 Speaker 2: Say no, no, No one has taken a stand? 355 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: Damn Harvard, did they did? 356 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 2: You're right Columbia, Columbia absolutely folded, ABC folded, CBS folded. 357 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 2: In terms of lawsuits, and you don't want again. 358 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: We're not in that position. We hate to say, I mean, 359 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:24,959 Speaker 1: I don't know what are you do in that position? 360 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 1: You got shareholders, you got people you have to answer to, 361 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: You have all these things coming at you. You're going 362 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: to take a stand against the President of the United 363 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: States who had no problem suing any and everybody. 364 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 2: There's no way any of these major networks are going 365 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,959 Speaker 2: to take a moral stand when it costs them financially. 366 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:41,919 Speaker 1: What did you say it was? Was it Monday? 367 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 2: I thought it was Tuesday. It was predicted, it was 368 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 2: the day before, the day before Trump actually predicted what 369 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 2: happened last night. Trump said, the word is, and it's 370 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 2: a strong word at that Jimmy Kimmel is next in 371 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 2: all caps to go in the untalented Late Night sweepstakes, 372 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,959 Speaker 2: and shortly thereafter Fallon will be gone. So he said 373 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 2: he had strong word that Jimmy Kimmel is next to go, 374 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 2: and the next day Jimmy, sorry, Jimmy Kimmel is gone. 375 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: Good big coincidence, he said plenty of times before, has 376 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,159 Speaker 1: he not publicly Falon needs to go, Kimmel needs to go, 377 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: needs to go. 378 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 2: This is just me making a logical I'm a logical deduction. 379 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 2: If you look at it. Monday night, Kimmel says the 380 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 2: statement that offended some folks, and it was it was 381 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:40,679 Speaker 2: being talked about online. And then on Tuesday, the FCC 382 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:43,919 Speaker 2: chairman goes in and starts lambback, sorry, sorry. Then President 383 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 2: Trump says something and predicts that something's going to happen 384 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:50,200 Speaker 2: on Wednesday. The FCC chairman then goes on to this 385 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 2: right wing podcast and threatens everyone involved with the show. 386 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 2: Late with Jimmy, with Jimmy, I keep want to say, 387 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:05,199 Speaker 2: Jimmy fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Sorry with Jimmy Kimmel, and then 388 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 2: Jimmy kill fam. I can't talk. Jimmy Kimmel is gone. 389 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 2: So I just like if you look at it from 390 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 2: Monday to Tuesday to Wednesday, the President had some inside information. 391 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 2: He insinuated that he did the word is the strong 392 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 2: word is. 393 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 1: I mean, it's a yes. There's a hell of a 394 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 1: coincidence that these things would all line up and not 395 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:33,200 Speaker 1: be connected. Yes, here we are that the President Groves 396 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 1: I mentioned that for it was it was the first call. 397 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: I think it was the first text we got. It 398 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: was a friend of ours, yes, an executive and a 399 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: major industry company, And it was the first thing. I'm scared, 400 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:51,400 Speaker 1: like we like genuinely sounding as if like we are 401 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: in fear of everything that comes out of your now 402 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 1: mouth and how you say it. We were watching Jake Tavers. 403 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 2: I was just oh, yeah, I was just gonna say, 404 00:21:57,840 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 2: and I was gonna say, I don't know if we 405 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 2: should say who it was, but fine, and it was 406 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 2: Jake tap around CNN. He started to say something, but 407 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 2: he was saying he was repeating something that someone else said, 408 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:08,399 Speaker 2: and I think he suddenly freaked out and realized that 409 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 2: somehow that could be attributed to him. And he's like, 410 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 2: I mean, I didn't say that. I didn't say that, 411 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 2: and he fumbled around the way he was defending himself. 412 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 2: It actually was fear based. I saw fear that he 413 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:23,119 Speaker 2: was afraid somehow what he just repeated was going to 414 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 2: be attributed to him and he was going to lose 415 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 2: his job. And I just thought, oh my god, is 416 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:30,879 Speaker 2: this where we are now? Journalists afraid to say anything? 417 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 2: And look, we're if you're an anchor in your journalist 418 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 2: you are not supposed to give your opinion. And I 419 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 2: understand that we all fall in those lines. But even now, 420 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 2: repeating something that someone else said was a cause for concern. 421 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:48,640 Speaker 1: See in my concern that the bar is now, you're 422 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: not mourning him passionately enough. It's not just the matter. 423 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:58,120 Speaker 1: It seems that the administration of hate speech, the bar 424 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: for hate speech seems to beginning lower, is what I'm saying. 425 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 2: It's called the I don't like what you said speech. 426 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:06,439 Speaker 1: That's a problem right now, and it seems to be 427 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: a theme theme certainly, And they talk about now naming people, 428 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 1: calling groups terrorists, and talking about what hate speech is 429 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: and Jonathan carrl being threatened to you a bad guy. 430 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: Maybe I'll come up. You said some bad stuff, like 431 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: just being critical, the President said himself. 432 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 2: And that is a lot of these political reporters' jobs 433 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,919 Speaker 2: is to investigate, to be critical, to be skeptical. That 434 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 2: is what we learned to do in journalism school. We yes, 435 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:32,159 Speaker 2: we have to have objectivity, but there has to be 436 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 2: a certain healthy skepticism involved in what we do each 437 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,919 Speaker 2: and every day to make sure we're not tools of 438 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 2: an administration that just give you things to tell the people. 439 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 2: That is our actual role to question, to be skeptical. 440 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 1: But that criticism is now and it seems in many 441 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: times being taken as hate speech mean speech coming after 442 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: US left wing media just by asking a question of 443 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: the administration, that is, do you get nervous? 444 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:08,920 Speaker 2: That's deeply concerning. 445 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 1: We sit here and we're careful about what we say. 446 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 1: I make some eyes sometimes at you, and we look 447 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,679 Speaker 1: and are we good? Because you have to have in 448 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: the back of your mind anything that comes out of 449 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: your mouth could put you as a target. 450 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 2: Well, look, doing this podcast, I mean I would never 451 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,159 Speaker 2: we have more license than we ever had before in 452 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 2: our careers to say what we think based on perspective 453 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 2: and experience without taking any political sides. This is certainly 454 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 2: an assault on journalism and journalists. 455 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,879 Speaker 1: Other examples of it, you know them all just sued 456 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:47,920 Speaker 1: in New York Times for fifteen billion dollars. Sued Wall 457 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 1: Street Journal for ten billion. That was over the Epstein book, 458 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 1: essentially saying I didn't draw. 459 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 2: That, and the point being the Wall Street Journal, by 460 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 2: the way, is a conservative leaning paper. 461 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 1: Sued them for ten billion. You mentioned the sixty minutes 462 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: went over the Kamala Harris interview. That one was a 463 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:04,119 Speaker 1: multi billion dollar lawsuit, end up selling for sixteen million. 464 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: That number might sound familiar because that's the same number 465 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:11,159 Speaker 1: they settled with ABC News over with Trump over. 466 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:14,439 Speaker 2: George Sea who kept using the word rape instead of 467 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 2: sexual assault. 468 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: You might remember another case the Associated Press. This is 469 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: very early, this is my first month or two maybe 470 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: of his new administration. They wouldn't use Gulf of America, 471 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,360 Speaker 1: kicked him out of covering the zero access zero access. 472 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 1: He has retality if you don't do what I say 473 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: or you say something I don't like is and in 474 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: anything we say. If he was we were talking to 475 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,479 Speaker 1: him right now, he would say, yeah, it's hate speech. 476 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: He would actually sit here and make an argument for 477 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 1: the things that are coming out of people's miles or 478 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: the Journal of the sixties. He's made it time and 479 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: again that what you are saying, I, Donald Trump think 480 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 1: is mean and hateful and I am going to make 481 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:54,159 Speaker 1: you pay for it. 482 00:25:54,600 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, he's starting to designate terrorists and terrorism and this 483 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,879 Speaker 2: is a slippery slope. It really is the last thing 484 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 2: we want. 485 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: To leave you all with. And we came upon this today, 486 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: a headline from Politico, and this is the headline and 487 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: the reason. And I have to tell you when this 488 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: article was written, because that makes it very relevant. Or 489 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: you said you had chills reading some of this, But 490 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:20,359 Speaker 1: this was after the ABC settlements with George Stephanopoulos that 491 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: a lot of us at the time like, oh my god, 492 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:26,640 Speaker 1: is this what's coming down the pike. ABC. No, there 493 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 1: were other major media companies that oh, this is bad 494 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: for all of us that you settled with this guy. 495 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: You didn't want to fight him, so now you just 496 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: caved and gave him sixteen million. The headline from Political 497 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: from December after that said this and die quote the 498 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 1: ABC settlement is just the start of Trump's press crackdown. 499 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 1: History shows us what comes next. That's a headline in December. 500 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: He goes through this author Joshua Zeites want to give 501 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:01,639 Speaker 1: him credit. Joshua Zeites at Politico went through. He explained 502 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 1: history of seeing this happen before, and it gives you 503 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 1: chills because he thinks, possibly we'll get out of it. 504 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: But we are exactly where he predicted we would be. 505 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 2: Isn't it true? He said this ten He wrote this 506 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 2: ten months ago. Trump's anti press stance is hardly unprecedented. 507 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 2: In fact, presidents from John Adams through Richard Nixon used 508 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 2: blunt legal and military force to mute their critics. In 509 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 2: the period since Watergate, courts and civil society institutions have 510 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 2: discouraged presidents from interfering with independent journalism. But historically speaking, 511 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 2: that period was an anomaly in US history, and now, 512 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:45,399 Speaker 2: as Trump prepares to retake office, it could be coming 513 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 2: to an end. 514 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: Unbelievable. He history teaches us, leaning back while she's reading it. Yeah, sorry, 515 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: I was away from a microphone. But history teaches us, 516 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 1: and this guy, this is a prediction and every word 517 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 1: is true. 518 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 2: Yes. He goes on to write, though America boasts a 519 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:06,439 Speaker 2: rich heritage of hard hitting political reporting, there is a 520 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:10,199 Speaker 2: darker side to the story, that of presidents using the 521 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 2: power of the state to bend reporters and editors to 522 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 2: their will. It's a story of progress and relapse, one 523 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 2: step back for every two steps forward. History suggests that 524 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,880 Speaker 2: when presidents crack down on the press, the only check 525 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 2: against executive overreach is popular reaction. The courts are sometimes 526 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 2: but rarely a savior. Only public opinion can protect a 527 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:36,479 Speaker 2: free press. 528 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: Please, folks, I hope you listen to that last. But 529 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: he's saying, it's up to us, and historically it has 530 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 1: been up to us. We're waiting for a court decision. 531 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: We're waiting. No, it's usually, he says, historically, the public 532 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: has to push back on this idea, and the public 533 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 1: every time wins. Is what he's saying. But his last 534 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: two beats slants two paragraphs of the air. 535 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 2: This is crazy. 536 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: This yeah and nuts. 537 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 2: I have chills again. Just okay, So this is insane again. 538 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 2: Written ten months ago, it is by no means impossible 539 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 2: to imagine a world in which the Trump administration transitions 540 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 2: from using civil cases to bully journalists into silence to 541 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: using the Department of Justice. The border and fentanyl crisis 542 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 2: crises certainly provide the veneer of national security interests, and 543 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 2: as was the case from Adams to Lincoln to Wilson 544 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 2: to Truman, and administration need only make a few examples 545 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 2: of opposition journalists to send a chill over the entire profession. 546 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 2: What was true then is likely true now. The courts 547 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 2: won't save independent journalism. It will be up to American 548 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 2: citizens to decide how much they value their First Amendment 549 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:59,720 Speaker 2: rights and how vocal they will be in. 550 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: We are in tough times, but not unprecedented, and it 551 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 1: is up to us. And I know folks roads a 552 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: lot of times get caught up and they don't think 553 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: they can do anything, and that causes them to feel despair. 554 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: And then other folks want to do something that causes 555 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 1: them to act out maybe and maybe join the wrong 556 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: club or say the wrong things online. You want to 557 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 1: change the world, to be a part of something. I 558 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,560 Speaker 1: promise you, folks. There's somebody walking down the hall from 559 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 1: you at work today that's struggling and you making eye contacts, 560 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 1: smiling and being willing to listen can change the world 561 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: for that person. There's somebody sitting next to you at 562 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 1: your cubicle or on the subway that completely disagrees with 563 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 1: every political leaning you have, that has the same concern 564 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 1: that you have about your child getting to a good college. 565 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 1: If we just take a beat, you can change the world, folks, 566 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 1: by just changing the world for one individual that's sitting 567 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: next to you. It's okay, we just have to do better. 568 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 1: And whoever this writer is, I love Joshua Zeites. I 569 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 1: want to give him credit for doing this background in 570 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 1: this history. We're gonna be okay. 571 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 2: We should see if we could get him on the podcast, 572 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 2: because what a brilliant guy to be able to have 573 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 2: had that foresight and to do that. 574 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 1: Predicted it through history. Wow, predicted. I cannot believe this 575 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 1: was written ten months ago. If you were written it yesterday, 576 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 1: I said, okay, yeah, predicted everything. So Rob, this one 577 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: isn't going away. We haven't, at least of this recording 578 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:26,880 Speaker 1: heard from Kimmel. 579 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 2: No, okay, no, we have not heard anything. And of 580 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 2: course we will be monitoring this situation and we have 581 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,720 Speaker 2: a vested interest as does America. We are not a 582 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 2: free people if we don't have a free press. And 583 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 2: with that, thank you so much for listening to us. 584 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 2: I'm Amy Roebuck alongside TJ. Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.