1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:01,440 Speaker 1: Cutbooms. 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 2: If you thought four hours a day, twelve hundred minutes 3 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 2: a week was enough, think again. He's the last remnants 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 2: of the old Republic, a soul fashion of fairness. He 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 2: treats crackheads in the ghetto gutter the same as the 6 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 2: rich pill poppers in the penthouse. Wow to the Clearinghouse 7 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 2: of hot takes, break free for something special. The Fifth 8 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 2: Hour with Ben Mahller starts right now. 9 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 3: In the air everywhere The Fifth Hour with Me, Ben 10 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 3: Malor and Danny g Radio. A happy Saturday to you 11 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 3: as we hang out together here early. I am still 12 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 3: in Lost Wages Nevada. Here on this twenty eighth day 13 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 3: of March, it is Barnum and Bailey Day, which I 14 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 3: don't think are in business anymore, but there's a fun 15 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 3: day for them. Celebrate Barnum and Bailey Day back when 16 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 3: they had animals and circa is I think they still 17 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 3: do in like China and Russia. 18 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: Just the Wokesters. 19 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 3: We can't have animals in the circus here, so when 20 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 3: you go into the hippodrome you will not see any animals. 21 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 3: It is also National something on a stick day today, 22 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 3: which sounds like a good excuse to go out and 23 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 3: eat a corn dog. That's what it sounds like to me. 24 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 3: And National Hot Tub Day. I'm a fan of the 25 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,960 Speaker 3: hot tub. Some people in my world not fans of 26 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,639 Speaker 3: the hot tub. So on this edition of the Fifth 27 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 3: Hour podcast, the Saturday specially, we've got the Financial Thriller 28 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 3: and the g t DM business model. The Financial Thriller 29 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 3: and the gt DM business model. However, we begin with 30 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 3: this the Life of Malor podcast on Saturday. So I 31 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 3: don't talk too much about this stuff on the radio 32 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 3: show because we are meating potatoes sports unless we're not. 33 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: So Dinner with Rob Parker. 34 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 3: Dinner with Rob Parker is what I imagine it would 35 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 3: be like if you combined a coupon convention with some 36 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:13,959 Speaker 3: kind of tense hostage negotiation. 37 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: So this was a. 38 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 3: Rare special outing, a rare and appropriate special outing for me, 39 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 3: which already put me a little bit on edge price 40 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 3: of gas driving far away. I'm a homebody. I'm a 41 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 3: homebody by nature. As someone that believes that pants with 42 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 3: buttons are wrong, that's a very aggressive choice to make 43 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 3: in life, pants with buttons. One of the great advantages 44 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 3: of doing radio and working overnight is that you're not 45 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 3: on camera. Of course, that's not true anymore. There's seven 46 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 3: cameras in the studio these days. I digress. However, my 47 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 3: wife and I climbed into the Malamobile station wagon wink wink, 48 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 3: and left what we call the north Woods and ventured 49 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 3: into the city Culver City, a place that sounds like 50 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 3: it should have a Culver's with cheese curds and great 51 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 3: desserts and all that. It does not, so that makes 52 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 3: it false averaging. The people at Culver's should at least 53 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 3: put one. I know they're in Arizona and they're not 54 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 3: in California, and I understand not wanting to do business 55 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 3: in California with the current political climate. However, you know, 56 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 3: put one Culver's in Culver City. The people there will 57 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:33,079 Speaker 3: have no clue that this is a wonderful, a glorious 58 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 3: Midwestern treat and just put it right there, right in 59 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 3: the middle of somewhere in Culver City. 60 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: They have not done that yet. 61 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 3: I should be the guy that buys a culver franchise 62 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 3: and this just puts that in Culver City. 63 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: That would be it. So anyway, we met. 64 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 3: Rob, my buddy, Rob Parker, my colleague at Fox Sports 65 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 3: Radio for dinner at one of those upscale restaurants, the 66 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 3: kind of places where the lighting is low, it smells good, 67 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 3: the prices are high, and the menu requires interpretation, the 68 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 3: kind of a place where the manager wears a suit. 69 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 3: And when I see the manager of a restaurant wearing 70 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 3: a suit, I immediately assume the position that I cannot afford 71 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 3: to breathe too heavily in the restaurant, because I will 72 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 3: be charged for every breath that I take. Now I 73 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 3: went the opposite direction of discipline. This steak, expensive burger place. 74 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 3: There's some things on the menu I didn't even know 75 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 3: how to pronounce. I ordered the fetichini alfredo. Now I said, 76 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 3: I went away from my discipline. Not that I've not 77 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 3: enjoyed feticini alfredo. However, I was encouraged by my wife 78 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 3: to add chicken. Right, and so this is a meal 79 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 3: to me. And I'll explain why I say that says 80 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 3: I've made peace with my life choices. You see, normally, 81 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 3: adding chicken to fetichi chini alfredo is like adding packing 82 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 3: peanuts to a bowl of cream. It's almost never good. 83 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 3: It's chewy, rubbery, It's like little piece of rubber. However, 84 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 3: spoiler alert. This was a high end joint. The chicken 85 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 3: was actually edible, more than edible. It was really good, 86 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 3: like suspiciously good, Like I didn't trust it, Like I've 87 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 3: never had fedicini with chicken that was this delicious, Like 88 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 3: this is the way it's always supposed to be. 89 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: Why Why have not I had this before? 90 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 3: So my wife ordered what I can only describe was 91 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 3: a rabbit food, a salad. Of course, when you go 92 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 3: to a restaurant like this, especially in Los Angeles or 93 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 3: San Francisco or something like that, the salad looked like 94 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 3: it had been assembled by someone who owns a hot 95 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 3: yoga studio and has a bright colored hair and judges 96 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:52,720 Speaker 3: others silently. 97 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. 98 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 3: Meanwhile, my man Rob Parker, now he turned dinner into 99 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 3: a financial thriller. A financial thriller. Rob is apparently doing 100 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 3: low carb, which I did not know, did not know. 101 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 3: So he's doing low carb, which in restaurant terminology, I'm 102 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 3: not one hundred percent sure. I've never worked at an 103 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 3: actual restaurant. I am an amateur line cook at the 104 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 3: Malar Mansion. But for those who work at restaurants, I 105 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 3: believe when someone comes in who's low carb, that means 106 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 3: ordering food okay, and then rejecting roughly eighty percent of 107 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 3: the dish. So ribs except no sauce, no sides, no potato, no, none. 108 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: Of that stuff. Just a salad. 109 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 3: Now, the kitchen, apparently unfamiliar with this level of culinary minimalism, 110 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 3: brought out ribs covered in sauce. Now, when I say 111 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 3: covered in sauce, it's like these ribs had been baptized, okay, 112 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 3: and they looked really good, Like the sauce looked delicious, 113 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 3: and it was glistening and all that. And Rob said, no, 114 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 3: I did not order this, and he did not. He 115 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 3: did not order the ribs with the sauce. So Rob 116 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 3: sent them back. And now here's where the timing becomes critical. 117 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 3: So my wife and I had already been served our food, 118 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 3: and I attempted to be polite. 119 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: I was a cup. 120 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 3: Scout and a boy scout, and I know when I 121 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 3: went to camp that you have to you have to 122 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 3: kind of hey, wait for everyone to get their food 123 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 3: before you set in. Rob was like, just eat, just eat, 124 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 3: just to eat, just eat, just eat, just eat. So 125 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 3: I started eating because I had fedushini and chicken. 126 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: It was kind of a warm dish. My wife. 127 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 3: She was encouraged to eat, so that meant we were 128 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 3: eating while Rob sat there twiddling his thumbs, staring at us, 129 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 3: waiting for his corrected dish of ribs, like a man 130 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 3: reconsidering every decision that led him up to this moment. Now, 131 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 3: it took a little while because this is a high 132 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 3: end place. They make everything from scratch. This is not 133 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 3: the kind of place that's on the wacky Tobacci, and 134 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 3: they just kind of bring everything out right away. No, 135 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 3: so eventually it seemed like it took ninety minutes. It 136 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 3: likely did not. Eventually, the manager again in a full 137 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 3: suit because fancy, and that's it. It came over and 138 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 3: apologized to Rob really like you'd think that he had 139 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 3: kicked Rob's dog and burned his house down. And so 140 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 3: he came up apologized and not just a polite apology, 141 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 3: and this was, hey, we messed up. We don't mess 142 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 3: up here. We messed up, and now we're gonna make 143 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 3: it right. It was that kind of an apology. I said, Wow, 144 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 3: this is like, man, this is not your normal apology. 145 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 3: How many videos have we seen on social media of 146 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 3: people going into fast food and getting into dust ups 147 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 3: with the people the fast food rest rant. No, this 148 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: was we messed up. Now we're going to make it right. 149 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 3: So they took the ribs off the bill, completely off 150 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 3: the bill. So Rob Parker in the year twenty twenty six, 151 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 3: went to a high end restaurant in Culver City, a 152 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 3: studio town, and had dinner for eleven dollars. Eleven that's 153 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 3: not a dinner, that's a parking for You can't get 154 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 3: a value meal at a fast food restaurant for that 155 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 3: kind of money. So he paid for a salad and 156 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 3: got the experience of ribs granted, no sauce, no sauce, 157 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 3: And there was the emotional tension and a front row 158 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 3: seat to us eating as many cars or at least 159 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 3: me eating as many carbs as possible. We also had 160 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 3: appetizers which had carbs in them, and even dessert. We 161 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 3: went big. We went big and eat and all that 162 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:41,680 Speaker 3: like it was some kind of competitive sport. We were 163 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 3: trying to audition to take on Joey Chestnut in some 164 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 3: eating contest. 165 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: Now. 166 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 3: I meanwhile, when the bill came, I paid full price, 167 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 3: like a civilian, full price. 168 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: And that was quite the price. That was. 169 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 3: I need to get a tea show to pay for 170 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 3: the meal. The restaurant sat I mentioned. It's a studio town. 171 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 3: It's sat right near the historic Culver Hotel. Again, no, 172 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 3: Culver's in Culver City. The Culver Hotel, if you're into 173 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 3: old Hollywood lore, is famous for housing the Munchkins during 174 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 3: the production of the iconic. 175 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 1: Wizard of Oz. 176 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 3: And yes, the stories about that place are colorful, Like 177 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 3: my god, let's just say, if those walls could talk, 178 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 3: they'd probably request legal representation. There may or may not 179 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 3: have been some adult film productions that took place involving 180 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 3: the Munchkins. 181 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: That's just the legend. 182 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 3: Now, I filmed a documentary in the Culver Hotel during 183 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 3: the pandemic, so that was the last time I was 184 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 3: over in that area. And right across the street you've 185 00:10:55,160 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 3: got the Amazon Studios and nearby is the Sony Picture Studios. 186 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 3: And yeah, it's a reminder. Culver City runs on the 187 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 3: entertainment business. It also runs on nostalgia. That Culver Hotel, 188 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 3: by the way, it's like a triangle hotel. The Three 189 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 3: Stooges were running around the hotel, a bunch of Charlie Chaplin, 190 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 3: bunch of early Hollywood people. It's legendary but it's an 191 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 3: entertainment town, and it's like there's always people that are 192 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 3: either trying to become famous or people pitching ideas so 193 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 3: somebody else could become famous, which is it's very odd 194 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 3: this still goes on because people become fake famous in 195 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 3: the matrix. 196 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: So you don't have to go to Hollywood to be famous. 197 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 3: You could be fake famous on the matrix where the 198 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 3: bots all of you and all that stuff. 199 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: So back in my single days, I used to roam 200 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: this area quite a bit. 201 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 3: I live not that far away, and I would make 202 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 3: very poor dietary decisions on a regular basis. Every week 203 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 3: I would go to Tito's Tacos and Johnny Pastami. I'm 204 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 3: not talking once a month, I'm talking weekly. One day 205 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 3: would be Tito's, one day would be Johnny's. Sometimes I'd 206 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 3: go eat Johnny's and then pick up some Tito's on 207 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:14,239 Speaker 3: the way home. These are places where the food was amazing. 208 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 3: It was cheap, it was delicious. It was like truck 209 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 3: stop food. You know, you go to truck stop. I'm 210 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 3: only even know a couple. I'm sure you guys that 211 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 3: are truckers. So this was not true. Blobbermouth Benny My 212 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 3: experience is they give you large portions of food at 213 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 3: a reasonable price, and you can pay for a shower. 214 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: That's my experience. 215 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 3: At truck stops, moving man Matt and Louie moving Man, 216 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 3: Matt and Louie have have let me know a little 217 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 3: bit about that, and lot lizards. Matt let me know 218 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 3: about the lot lizards. So anyway, I used to hang 219 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 3: out these places all the time. And nobody's wearing a 220 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 3: suit unless something's gone terribly wrong. 221 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 1: So all in all, you know, it was a great 222 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: night with Rob. 223 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 3: We talked a little shop, not too much, mostly about 224 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:05,680 Speaker 3: life and the meaning of life, which is code for 225 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 3: we avoided anything that might be dicey at work at 226 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 3: the headline remains though headline. Rob Parker, longtime gas bag, 227 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:19,839 Speaker 3: baseball writer, Hall of Fame voter, beat the system. He 228 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 3: walked into a fancy La Area restaurant and left with 229 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 3: an eleven dollar bill. On eleven dollar bill, I walked in, 230 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 3: I left wondering if I should refinance something, take out 231 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 3: some kind of loan. 232 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 1: And this is a reminder why I don't go out 233 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 1: very often. And there are no winners. 234 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 3: The only people who are out there who accidentally pay retail. 235 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 3: I guess I was the guy paying retail now turning 236 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 3: the page, but not very far so on this particular night, 237 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 3: the Night with Rob, which is being immortalized for your 238 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 3: ears only, for your earszone only, not for the faint 239 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 3: of heart here on this podcast. So we had what 240 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 3: I believe was a simple plan, and I've laid out 241 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 3: everything that pretty much happened. Eat dinner, schmooze, which I'm 242 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 3: not good at. I'm an introvert, not politely go home, 243 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 3: and then at a private point, possibly in the car, 244 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 3: just complain later in a controlled environment about the bill 245 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 3: like a normal person. Instead, I found myself spiraling into 246 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 3: an economic dissertation while standing in a parking lot down 247 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 3: the block from the restaurant in Culver City, somewhere in 248 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 3: the exhaust plume of the evil dreaded four h five freeway, which, 249 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 3: if we're being totally transparent here and honest, has the 250 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 3: emotional warmth of a very disappointed relative like an aunt 251 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 3: or uncle or grandma, or we call it babushkas. So 252 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 3: this all began after the dinner with Up. As Paul 253 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 3: Harvey said back in his day, you know what the 254 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 3: news is in a minute, you're going to hear the 255 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 3: rest of the story. 256 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: What a legend and nobody knows who he is anymore? 257 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 3: And what else do you say? For what it's worth? 258 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 3: You see, I used to have these places that I 259 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 3: talked about them. We all got places emotional support restaurants, 260 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 3: and mine, again were Tito's and Johnny's. And these were 261 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 3: not just eateies. They were institutions, pillars of grease and 262 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 3: comfort food where calies did not exist. Except I became 263 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 3: morbidly obese eating at those restaurants, so I started going 264 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 3: there because of a radio bit. Believe it or not, 265 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 3: I was doing Middays Mallor in the middays did a 266 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 3: midday show with the Prince of Darkness League Line, and 267 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 3: one of the bits we did on a lazy summer day, 268 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 3: it was. 269 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: Like, where's the greatest I don't do this anymore. I 270 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: mock this. I now goof on this, Like what what 271 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: is the top? I was? 272 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 3: I was single and I was like looking for places 273 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 3: to eat lunch. I was like, I love crunchy tacos. 274 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 3: Where's a great taco place in La And then I 275 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 3: was like, I love pastrami, where's the greatest Pistamia, and 276 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 3: so people started calling said, listen, the greatest Pistromi is 277 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 3: this place. Johnny's the greatest tacos crunchy tacos is tinos. 278 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 3: I said, okay, And they weren't wrong. So I started 279 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 3: going there and To's Tito Tacos, which is right on 280 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 3: the east side. It's allowed, it's on the east side 281 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 3: of the four h five. The tacos were when I 282 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 3: started going there, about two fifty a taco. Uh you know, 283 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 3: now two fifty is now a distant like Instagram filter 284 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 3: from nineteen twelve memory, all right, but it really wasn't 285 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 3: that long ago, and I trust that my arteries still remember. 286 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 3: So now that same taco is seven dollars roughly, it's 287 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 3: like seven dollars for a taco with She's that doesn't 288 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 3: even pretend to be any kind of artists in situation. 289 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,959 Speaker 3: This is a gringo taco. As my late friend Alex, 290 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 3: a proud Mexican American. He was like he had Mexican Russian. 291 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 3: He had a lot going on. I loved Alex, great guy. 292 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:18,959 Speaker 3: He died a number of years ago, but he used 293 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 3: to rip me for eating the gringo. 294 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: You know. 295 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:26,120 Speaker 3: He called me the Gringo taco king, and so these 296 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:31,199 Speaker 3: tacos were just addictive, and it was like it was 297 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 3: great at seven dollars. No, and it's a crunchy reminder 298 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 3: that time is undefeated. It's one of the reasons that 299 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 3: I have mastered the crunchy taco at the Malamansion because 300 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 3: of these seven dollars price tag of titos. And now 301 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 3: Johnny's that was our late night spot. We used to 302 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,679 Speaker 3: run into baseball players. I was doing Dodger talk and 303 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 3: some of the guys would go over there pick up 304 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 3: astrami on the way home because they all lived near 305 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 3: the beach, and that was on the way to the beach, 306 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 3: and the pastrami sandwich. When we started going there was 307 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 3: about twelve bucks. Now twelve bucks is you know it's amount? 308 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 3: This was many years ago. It is now twenty six dollars. 309 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 3: Last I checked, twenty six dollars for that price. I 310 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:14,639 Speaker 3: expect the sandwich to come with a financial advisor, free 311 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 3: freestock and a small lecture on long term investment strategy. 312 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 3: Now the cheeseburger, which again was reasonably priced, is now 313 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 3: twenty three dollars, and I look at that, I'm like 314 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 3: twenty three dollars. 315 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,640 Speaker 1: I should get, like at least a robe. 316 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 3: Or a towel, or a consultation from a therapist or something. No, 317 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 3: nothing comes with it. 318 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:40,640 Speaker 1: By the way. 319 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 3: You don't get a side of fries. You don't get 320 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 3: a drink. It's not a combo meal. You don't even 321 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 3: get a sympathetic glance. 322 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:48,479 Speaker 1: Nothing. 323 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 3: You stand there holding your sandwich like it's some kind 324 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:58,159 Speaker 3: of bougie handbag, wondering what exactly, what exactly led you 325 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 3: to have lunch at this price point. And it's not 326 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 3: like it's it's an out Johnny Spistami is an outdoor 327 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 3: restaurant with fire pits. 328 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:11,640 Speaker 1: Okay, it's not. It's not high end. Now. I understand inflation. 329 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 1: I do. I'm not unreasonable. I read the headlines. 330 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 3: I don't talk about the news, but I read the news, 331 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 3: and occasionally I pretend to understand the headlines. 332 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:23,879 Speaker 1: This just all feels different. 333 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:28,119 Speaker 3: This feels like the food is looking at me and saying, 334 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 3: let's see how far we can push this guy before 335 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 3: he breaks this dope, this dingleberry, this schmndrick, and I 336 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:38,679 Speaker 3: am often breaking. 337 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:40,360 Speaker 1: I am, I am. 338 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:45,400 Speaker 3: It's not just tacos and PASTRAMI it's everywhere. The Dodgers, 339 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 3: who were the gold standard for family affordability back here, 340 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 3: you know, when I was a kid growing up, come 341 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:54,919 Speaker 3: to DONGERSDA and Hum a family of. 342 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: Four for thirty dollars. 343 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 3: Well, the Dodgers now have apparently decided, since they're winning 344 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 3: all the time, that attending a baseball game should feel 345 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 3: like applying for a mortgage. Do you see this, I 346 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 3: know this baseball season, which is a couple days into 347 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 3: the baseball season, but a family of four, four innocent men, 348 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 3: women and children who just want to watch a game, 349 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 3: you are looking at over four hundred dollars for Dodger 350 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 3: baseball four one hundred. 351 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: And thirteen dollars. I saw this on the Internet the 352 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: other day. It must be true. 353 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 3: It's on the world Wide Web, and from what I read, 354 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:36,360 Speaker 3: that is the cheapest ticket and not the most expensive. 355 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: The cheapest tickets the word used. 356 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 3: The word used to be something else cheap or cheapest. 357 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:49,880 Speaker 3: Right now it means brace yourself. The hutzpa. The hutzpa 358 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 3: of this is a while because to include parking, which 359 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 3: is forty. 360 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:56,360 Speaker 1: Five dollars, I think. 361 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 3: Forty five dollars hot dogs, one beer per adult, one 362 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 3: soda per child. 363 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: That sounds pretty modest. 364 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 3: I know as a kid, I was not going to 365 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,119 Speaker 3: just have a soda and a hot dog. No, I 366 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 3: was going popcorn, I was going pretzel, I was going 367 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 3: big peanuts. 368 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: And so it just seems like that's not enough food. 369 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 3: But nonetheless, the total comes out like it's a receipt 370 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 3: from a casino trip or something like that. You half 371 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 3: expect someone to walk over and say, sir, would you 372 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 3: like a would you like to refinance the seventh inning stretch? 373 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 3: And yet people still leave these games. Oh why would 374 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 3: you leave early? You're paying the premium. 375 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:33,920 Speaker 1: And here's the. 376 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 3: Thing I understand. The Dodgers are good. They're very good. 377 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 3: This is the golden era. They're gonna win the World 378 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 3: Series again this year. The Dodgers win all the time 379 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 3: they've went back to back. They should have had two 380 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 3: more World Series if it wasn't for the cheating assholes. 381 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 3: I can say it on the podcast. And also the 382 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 3: reality of the Clinton Kershaw experience. Yeah he killed them anyway. 383 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 3: So they're good, and that somehow makes it worse. It's 384 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 3: like being overcharged by someone who doesn't even need the money. 385 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 3: It's the economic equivalent of a guy in a BMW 386 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 3: asking you to venmo him for gas. You're you're okay. 387 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 3: You're driving a beamer. I think you're okay. The Dodgers 388 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:21,920 Speaker 3: have the Otani gold Rush. This is like the tech 389 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:26,239 Speaker 3: boom in Northern California. It's all that Japanese money. It 390 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:29,400 Speaker 3: is good for them. It's not bad. It's it's eureka, 391 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:34,640 Speaker 3: it's bonanza. It's bonanza. You struck oil and yet you're 392 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 3: still sticking it. 393 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: To your fans. 394 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 3: And there's a theme here as we try to put 395 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:42,199 Speaker 3: the bow on this, and I don't like themes. I 396 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 3: am not a fan of themes because they make me 397 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 3: feel like I'm learning something. 398 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: I don't want to learn something from the theme. 399 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 3: The theme is what I call the GTDM business model. 400 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 1: What is the GTM business model? 401 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 3: Band, I'll tell you what it is. So the gt 402 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 3: D business model, or go get that dumb money. It's 403 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 3: the get that dumb money business model. It's subtle, it whispers, 404 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 3: surely someone will pay this, and then horrifyingly, someone does, 405 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 3: which brings me to the final chapter of this podcast, 406 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,719 Speaker 3: and it involves a place you may or may not 407 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 3: have heard of called arowon Er whn Arowan. 408 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:32,160 Speaker 1: Now what is that? 409 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 3: Well, it is a in quotes, grocery store, Aralon. So 410 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 3: when we were at dinner with Rob. On the way 411 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 3: back to the car, we saw this store and I'd 412 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 3: heard about it on the interweb. 413 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:49,640 Speaker 1: So we wandered in. 414 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 3: And when I say wandered, it felt more like entering 415 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 3: a museum where everything is up for sale and also 416 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 3: kind of giving of the business and you're like, well, 417 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 3: you can't really afford any of this. 418 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: Why are you here, you loser? 419 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 3: Shame on you. And Arawon is not a grocery store. 420 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:17,679 Speaker 3: It is a lifestyle experiment, is what it is. It 421 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 3: is a place where a strawberry costs nineteen dollars. And 422 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 3: I'm not talking about a box of two dozen strawberries. 423 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:33,119 Speaker 1: I am talking about a single strawberry. One. 424 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 3: I have eaten roughly ninety nine percent of my meals 425 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 3: for less than this strawberry. I have had meaningful relationships 426 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 3: that have cost less than that. I guess it's a 427 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 3: Japanese strawberry. The strawberry sits there in the it's in 428 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 3: the cooler, and it's it's smug. It knows what it is, right, 429 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 3: it knows you're not buying it for nourishment. 430 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: It's one rawberry. You're buying it for validation. 431 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 3: You're buying it so you can brag about it on 432 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 3: social media and do the old flex. 433 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:13,120 Speaker 1: Hey, I paid nineteen dollars for this. 434 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 3: As if you're confessing something noble, it must be special. 435 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,360 Speaker 3: It must be special. That's always the argument. It must 436 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 3: be special. And I'm thinking now it's not special. As 437 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:29,400 Speaker 3: if I ate that I should never get sick again, 438 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 3: that should give me a force field on everything. 439 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:32,199 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what. 440 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 3: I'll pay nineteen dollars for a Japanese strawberry if you 441 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 3: can promise me that I will have no illnesses, no sickness, 442 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 3: and everything will be healthy for the next five years. 443 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 1: I'll do it. In fact, I'll buy three of them. Okay. Meanwhile, 444 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:47,440 Speaker 1: back to the story of Erewan. 445 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 3: So I'm in the corner, essentially arguing, looking at a 446 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 3: bottle of juice that costs twelve dollars. Now, when I 447 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 3: say a bottle of juice, I'm talking about little twelve 448 00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 3: ounce bottle of juice. 449 00:25:58,080 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 1: The juice has a label that looks like. 450 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 3: Went to some kind of art school, maybe art center 451 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 3: in Pasadena. The jewice believes in itself. The Jews has dreams. 452 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 3: It does now. My wife, of course, I'm just like 453 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 3: rolling my eyes right like he oh my god, I 454 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 3: can't beiu se how much that is. My wife, of 455 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:18,479 Speaker 3: course loved it. She's, oh, this looks healthy. Oh that 456 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 3: looks really delicious, she was saying. As we were walking 457 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,760 Speaker 3: through the store, she picked up something that appeared to 458 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 3: be yogurt but had the price of a small microwave. 459 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:36,119 Speaker 3: And I naturally did what any reasonable middle aged person 460 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 3: would do. I rolled my eyes again so hard. I 461 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:43,639 Speaker 3: briefly saw my childhood. So it turns out that my 462 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 3: many sermons about not being a sucker and getting gouged 463 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 3: did not work. Did not work, And I had one 464 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:57,919 Speaker 3: of those great epiphanies. And it's the uncomfortable truth. And 465 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,360 Speaker 3: I admit I am not I'm not above this. I'm 466 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 3: not above this. I mock it, I ridicule it. I 467 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 3: stand there like a self appointed economic expert. When it 468 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 3: comes to snacks. I'm fascinated by it, though I'm drawn in. 469 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 3: I want to understand the mindset on who's buying the 470 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 3: nineteen dollars strawberry, the twenty dollars smoothie, who's spending four 471 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 3: hundred dollars to go to a single baseball game on 472 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 3: a Wednesday night against the Rockies. And then I realize 473 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 3: there is a glitch in the human DNA. There is 474 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 3: the weakness businesses have discovered. It's people who want to 475 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 3: feel like they've accessed something that's elevated, They've gone to 476 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 3: a higher level in the video game of life, something 477 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 3: that's exclusive. Something the rich people like, something that says 478 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 3: you are not just eating, your experiencing. And I'm always 479 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,840 Speaker 3: in my head thinking, well, I remember hearing about Warren 480 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 3: Buffett who would just eat at McDonald's every day on 481 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 3: his way to way to the office, and so he's like, 482 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:08,680 Speaker 3: was the richest guy in the world for a while, 483 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 3: Why not just eat like Warren Buffett? 484 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 1: Just eat normal? 485 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 3: No, no, no, it's what I call status signaling. 486 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 1: And that's the clinical term. 487 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:20,919 Speaker 3: It's the con it's the I paid a lot, so 488 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 3: it must be special. Glitch in the human DNA. The 489 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:29,360 Speaker 3: prices are not just numbers. They're like a statement. They 490 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 3: are saying, if you have to ask, you peasant cannot 491 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 3: afford this. And I, of course am always asking, I'm. 492 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 1: Always how much is that? Why? Is that so expensive? 493 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,960 Speaker 3: So I leave, I leave the crunchy tacos behind it. 494 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 3: There was a point in my life I could not 495 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 3: visit Culver City. I cannot drive through Culver City without 496 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 3: eating a Tito's taco, the crunchy taco with the cheese, 497 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 3: the neon orange cheese. 498 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: On top, and uh. 499 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 3: And I left. I left with no pastrami. I didn't 500 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 3: have the pastrami. I left with no strawberry. I didn't 501 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 3: have the strawberry. I especially left the strawberry behind. So 502 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 3: I get back to the Malamobile, which at this point 503 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 3: feels like the very affordable, last affordable thing I guess 504 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 3: I own, and we make the long drive home to 505 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 3: the north Woods, unfortunately down the loving embrace of the 506 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 3: four oh. 507 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 1: Five, which I it. 508 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 3: Charges nothing and still manages to make everything or take 509 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 3: everything from you as you're going through. And it's a 510 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 3: it's pretty crazy because that's always been the point of demarcation. 511 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 3: You've got the elitist west of the four oh five, 512 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 3: and then east of the four or five is more 513 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 3: of the working class. However, on this one, it just 514 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 3: seems like it's everywhere. It's everywhere. You know, I'm driving 515 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 3: home I'm thinking to myself, I've got that internal monologue, 516 00:29:55,360 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 3: and it's just, you know, maybe the real luxury, maybe 517 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 3: I've got this whole internal monolog. Maybe the real luxury 518 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 3: is not paying twenty six dollars for a sandwich. Maybe 519 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 3: the real luxury is remembering when it was twelve dollars 520 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 3: a sandwich and being just a little bit annoyed about 521 00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 3: it for apparently forever. All right, on that note, we 522 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 3: will get out of here and have a great day. 523 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 3: Enjoy the baseball, Enjoy the baseball today and the basketball 524 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,719 Speaker 3: all that. We got a big, big sporting day here, 525 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 3: and we'll have the mail bag on Sunday. Hopefully Danny 526 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 3: g will join us for that, who knows. If not, 527 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 3: it'll just be me. But we'll talk to you next time. 528 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 3: And Aloha, bye bye, bye bye, as Dick and Dayton 529 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 3: would say. 530 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 1: My flation