1 00:00:04,795 --> 00:00:23,275 Speaker 1: Countdown with Keith Olderman is a production of iHeartRadio. To 2 00:00:23,475 --> 00:00:28,675 Speaker 1: repurpose the old phrase. This was the weekend when Elon 3 00:00:28,875 --> 00:00:33,875 Speaker 1: Musk truly became president. And it was also the weekend 4 00:00:34,315 --> 00:00:37,395 Speaker 1: when the marionette he's leading around by his orange nose 5 00:00:37,675 --> 00:00:44,675 Speaker 1: truly became Donald J. Trump Puppet. One month until the inauguration, 6 00:00:44,795 --> 00:00:47,595 Speaker 1: and Trump Puppet has already dug himself a bigger hole 7 00:00:47,995 --> 00:00:50,715 Speaker 1: than he was in at any point during his presidency. 8 00:00:50,835 --> 00:00:55,835 Speaker 1: And during his presidency they impeached the bastard twice. God 9 00:00:55,955 --> 00:01:00,075 Speaker 1: rest you married, gentlemen. Let nothing you dismay for Donald Trump. 10 00:01:00,115 --> 00:01:05,795 Speaker 1: Their savior to Elon Musk must pay. It is now 11 00:01:05,915 --> 00:01:08,195 Speaker 1: just five days. And I know that in the kaleidoscopic 12 00:01:08,235 --> 00:01:11,955 Speaker 1: dementia of trump Land, five days can be ancient history. 13 00:01:12,075 --> 00:01:17,835 Speaker 1: But still five days since Trump Puppet vowed to primary 14 00:01:18,395 --> 00:01:22,475 Speaker 1: quote any Republican unquote who voted for a clean continuing 15 00:01:22,515 --> 00:01:25,675 Speaker 1: resolution without an extension of the debt limit or later 16 00:01:25,755 --> 00:01:30,355 Speaker 1: elimination of the debt limit. After Musk and not Trump 17 00:01:30,355 --> 00:01:33,955 Speaker 1: Puppet blew up that bill. Two days later, one hundred 18 00:01:33,955 --> 00:01:37,955 Speaker 1: and seventy different Republicans voted for a clean continuing resolution 19 00:01:38,115 --> 00:01:42,795 Speaker 1: without an extension of the debt limit anyway. Thus there 20 00:01:42,795 --> 00:01:47,915 Speaker 1: are only two questions left. One which scam Musk is 21 00:01:47,995 --> 00:01:50,835 Speaker 1: actually running here. I'll get to that in a moment. 22 00:01:51,555 --> 00:01:55,995 Speaker 1: And two how many Republicans then gave Trump puppet the 23 00:01:56,035 --> 00:01:59,395 Speaker 1: finger all one hundred and seventy or thirty eight, which 24 00:01:59,435 --> 00:02:01,195 Speaker 1: was the number of no votes on the final bill 25 00:02:01,275 --> 00:02:03,835 Speaker 1: Friday night, or just twenty nine, because nine of the 26 00:02:03,875 --> 00:02:06,555 Speaker 1: thirty eight are lame ducks who vanished in two weeks. 27 00:02:06,675 --> 00:02:11,315 Speaker 1: Even if it's just twenty nine. Remember, Trump threatened primaries primaries, 28 00:02:11,955 --> 00:02:14,555 Speaker 1: and Trump wanted to shut down, and Trump insisted a 29 00:02:14,595 --> 00:02:20,995 Speaker 1: shutdown would be counted against Biden. They defied him anyway. 30 00:02:22,035 --> 00:02:24,635 Speaker 1: They defied him because when at the end of these 31 00:02:25,035 --> 00:02:29,635 Speaker 1: segments I refer to the lane duck presidency of Donald J. 32 00:02:29,875 --> 00:02:33,315 Speaker 1: Trump Puppet, I am not looking at it solely from 33 00:02:33,355 --> 00:02:36,875 Speaker 1: the pro democracy nor the pro Democrat point of view. 34 00:02:37,115 --> 00:02:42,195 Speaker 1: The Republicans, the smarter ones, know this is true. In 35 00:02:42,235 --> 00:02:45,955 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen, he held all of their futures in his 36 00:02:46,155 --> 00:02:51,835 Speaker 1: cartoon ready three fingered orange hands. But in twenty twenty five, 37 00:02:52,355 --> 00:02:55,675 Speaker 1: with each new day that dawns, his power over them 38 00:02:55,755 --> 00:03:00,195 Speaker 1: will diminish slightly. At first, and then with ever increasing 39 00:03:00,235 --> 00:03:07,875 Speaker 1: momentum each day more Duck, assuming at both extremes that 40 00:03:07,955 --> 00:03:10,915 Speaker 1: he stages no coup and that he actually lives until 41 00:03:10,915 --> 00:03:14,395 Speaker 1: the year twenty twenty nine, there will be fifteen Republicans 42 00:03:14,515 --> 00:03:17,315 Speaker 1: who will be sworn into the Senate next month who 43 00:03:17,395 --> 00:03:24,915 Speaker 1: will still be there when Trump goes. There was one 44 00:03:25,115 --> 00:03:29,235 Speaker 1: underreported twist of the knife here. Remember the story Musk 45 00:03:29,315 --> 00:03:32,755 Speaker 1: made up that the Continuing Resolution included the government spending 46 00:03:32,835 --> 00:03:36,075 Speaker 1: three billion dollars of your money to build a new 47 00:03:36,075 --> 00:03:40,315 Speaker 1: football stadium in DC. It was never close to the truth, 48 00:03:41,115 --> 00:03:45,355 Speaker 1: and the Republicans and the Democrats wound up telling Musk 49 00:03:46,115 --> 00:03:50,955 Speaker 1: and Trump puppet to shove it anyway after they passed 50 00:03:50,995 --> 00:03:55,435 Speaker 1: the cr that Musk thought he'd killed completely, that Trump 51 00:03:55,475 --> 00:03:58,395 Speaker 1: thought he had stopped. That Trump thought they would all 52 00:03:58,595 --> 00:04:02,275 Speaker 1: just salute and eat whatever he had done in their hats. 53 00:04:03,515 --> 00:04:06,635 Speaker 1: The Republicans went ahead with the original plan for the 54 00:04:06,675 --> 00:04:10,675 Speaker 1: federal government to give control of the land surrounding RFK Stadium, 55 00:04:10,675 --> 00:04:13,595 Speaker 1: which is so old the upper deck literally sways in 56 00:04:13,675 --> 00:04:17,795 Speaker 1: a stiff breeze, to give that land to the District 57 00:04:17,795 --> 00:04:21,555 Speaker 1: of Columbia. The Senate passed it by unanimous consent at 58 00:04:21,595 --> 00:04:24,475 Speaker 1: one in the morning on Saturday. There are terms in 59 00:04:24,515 --> 00:04:28,635 Speaker 1: the bill prohibiting any federal funds to build any stadium 60 00:04:28,675 --> 00:04:31,675 Speaker 1: on that land. It just gives the district the place 61 00:04:32,635 --> 00:04:36,635 Speaker 1: which was federal property, so that a Washington team can 62 00:04:36,715 --> 00:04:41,235 Speaker 1: build a stadium on if they make a deal. All 63 00:04:41,435 --> 00:04:45,115 Speaker 1: the Republican senators participated in the unanimous consent, and in 64 00:04:45,155 --> 00:04:47,995 Speaker 1: the House it was approved under the guidance and shepherding 65 00:04:48,235 --> 00:04:55,915 Speaker 1: of its top proponent there, Congressman James Comer. Any way 66 00:04:56,075 --> 00:05:00,195 Speaker 1: you cut this, fifteen Trump defiant Republicans or twenty nine 67 00:05:00,315 --> 00:05:02,635 Speaker 1: or thirty eight or one hundred and seventy or all 68 00:05:02,715 --> 00:05:06,715 Speaker 1: of them on the RFK stadium is after this weekend passed, 69 00:05:06,795 --> 00:05:10,035 Speaker 1: you can no longer spell the word Trump without at 70 00:05:10,115 --> 00:05:15,795 Speaker 1: least nine els. The first l that was the own 71 00:05:15,875 --> 00:05:19,395 Speaker 1: goal nomination disaster of Matt Gates, which as soon as 72 00:05:19,835 --> 00:05:24,155 Speaker 1: it already happened today after I recorded this, We'll turn 73 00:05:24,155 --> 00:05:28,155 Speaker 1: into the second disaster, when House Republicans defied Trump puppet 74 00:05:28,195 --> 00:05:31,155 Speaker 1: again and voted to release its lack of ethics investigation 75 00:05:31,515 --> 00:05:35,755 Speaker 1: into Gates as early as it already happened today after 76 00:05:35,795 --> 00:05:41,355 Speaker 1: I recorded this. Third, he's got the continuing controversy over 77 00:05:41,395 --> 00:05:45,155 Speaker 1: the Pete Hegseth nomination, and heg Seth continues to try 78 00:05:45,155 --> 00:05:48,275 Speaker 1: to negotiate whether or not he is legally an alcoholic. 79 00:05:49,235 --> 00:05:52,635 Speaker 1: Heg Seth raged against an NBC News report that quote, 80 00:05:52,755 --> 00:05:54,955 Speaker 1: I had a drinking problem at Fox or was drunk 81 00:05:54,995 --> 00:05:58,075 Speaker 1: on the air. Check the tape, Check every tape, find 82 00:05:58,115 --> 00:06:03,155 Speaker 1: the drunken. Whereupon the Midas Fellows found video of Hegzeth 83 00:06:03,475 --> 00:06:08,555 Speaker 1: drinking something and saying bottom's up live on Fox not 84 00:06:08,835 --> 00:06:12,355 Speaker 1: quite a year ago on New Year's Eve. And if 85 00:06:12,355 --> 00:06:15,195 Speaker 1: it wasn't champagne in the champagne bottle, well good for him. 86 00:06:16,235 --> 00:06:21,195 Speaker 1: He fooled everybody. Fourth It's not like the other Trump 87 00:06:21,235 --> 00:06:24,875 Speaker 1: nominees are sailing along, but of course Hegseth might just 88 00:06:24,915 --> 00:06:28,755 Speaker 1: be sailing. Gabbard remains in trouble. Fatel looks like he's 89 00:06:28,835 --> 00:06:31,915 Speaker 1: keeping an eye out for other shoes dropping, as if 90 00:06:31,955 --> 00:06:35,715 Speaker 1: he learned nothing from Gates. He is floating. Alan Dershowitz 91 00:06:36,155 --> 00:06:40,595 Speaker 1: to be Special Envoy to Monitor and combat Anti Semitism. 92 00:06:40,915 --> 00:06:46,115 Speaker 1: That requires that position requires Senate confirmation, and Senate confirmation 93 00:06:46,435 --> 00:06:53,275 Speaker 1: of Alan Dershowitz could bring up Dershowitz's uh dating history 94 00:06:54,355 --> 00:06:57,995 Speaker 1: Trump has also somewhere dug up ex Missouri congressman and 95 00:06:58,075 --> 00:07:01,795 Speaker 1: ex auctioneer Billy Long to be Commissioner of the Internal 96 00:07:01,835 --> 00:07:06,955 Speaker 1: Revenue Service. The website Pro Publica discovered something wrong with Long. 97 00:07:07,915 --> 00:07:10,795 Speaker 1: In his resume, he advertises himself as an expert who 98 00:07:10,795 --> 00:07:15,435 Speaker 1: can help you quote save forty percent on your taxes unquote, 99 00:07:15,675 --> 00:07:19,075 Speaker 1: because he is not just Billy Long, he is Billy 100 00:07:19,115 --> 00:07:26,035 Speaker 1: Long's CTBA Certified Tax and Business Advisor. This acronym turns 101 00:07:26,075 --> 00:07:29,075 Speaker 1: out to carry about as much weight as a PhD 102 00:07:29,235 --> 00:07:34,395 Speaker 1: from Wasamatta U as Pro public Rights quote. The designation 103 00:07:34,595 --> 00:07:38,635 Speaker 1: is offered by a small Florida firm, excel Empire, which 104 00:07:38,675 --> 00:07:42,075 Speaker 1: was established just two years ago and only requires attendance 105 00:07:42,115 --> 00:07:45,995 Speaker 1: at a three day seminar. Its upcoming session is advertised 106 00:07:45,995 --> 00:07:49,155 Speaker 1: at four nine hundred and ninety seven dollars. One of 107 00:07:49,155 --> 00:07:52,275 Speaker 1: its founders said this summer in a podcast that about 108 00:07:52,315 --> 00:07:56,555 Speaker 1: one hundred and thirty five people have earned the CTBA designation, 109 00:07:56,955 --> 00:08:01,835 Speaker 1: which the firm designed to help people without tax backgrounds 110 00:08:02,275 --> 00:08:11,355 Speaker 1: to become tax advisors. Billy Long CTBA, which has the 111 00:08:11,395 --> 00:08:15,915 Speaker 1: C N the A from CYA in it. The fifth 112 00:08:16,035 --> 00:08:19,195 Speaker 1: Trump l remember the whole Trump plan to get around 113 00:08:19,235 --> 00:08:24,115 Speaker 1: these pesky possible problems of you know, sex with children 114 00:08:24,275 --> 00:08:30,475 Speaker 1: and alcoholism and resume padding past praise of Putin and 115 00:08:30,515 --> 00:08:35,155 Speaker 1: Assad and generalized fascism and stupidity. The way he had 116 00:08:35,235 --> 00:08:37,795 Speaker 1: to get around all that was to avoid Senate hearings 117 00:08:37,795 --> 00:08:42,275 Speaker 1: for these appointees requiring confirmation through the expediency of recess appointments. 118 00:08:43,835 --> 00:08:46,155 Speaker 1: Haven't heard that in a while, have you? The Senate 119 00:08:46,275 --> 00:08:51,475 Speaker 1: is already scheduling the confirmation hearings. Fifteen Republican senators who 120 00:08:51,555 --> 00:08:54,635 Speaker 1: will be there when you are gone. Trump is a 121 00:08:54,835 --> 00:09:01,915 Speaker 1: lot of senators. Sixth that landslide and mandate he keeps 122 00:09:01,955 --> 00:09:05,795 Speaker 1: claiming he won in November, the number gets smaller every week. 123 00:09:06,395 --> 00:09:08,675 Speaker 1: He won based on about two hundred and twenty five 124 00:09:08,715 --> 00:09:11,715 Speaker 1: thousand total votes in the swing states, and his national 125 00:09:11,755 --> 00:09:15,155 Speaker 1: margin is at last check at just one point four 126 00:09:15,235 --> 00:09:19,515 Speaker 1: to seven percent. The irony, of course, here, is that 127 00:09:19,595 --> 00:09:22,035 Speaker 1: if he just shut up about it, it would have 128 00:09:22,075 --> 00:09:25,155 Speaker 1: looked like a landslide and a mandate, even if he'd 129 00:09:25,195 --> 00:09:28,835 Speaker 1: only won by one vote, because he was the first 130 00:09:28,835 --> 00:09:31,475 Speaker 1: Republican not named Bush to win the popular vote since 131 00:09:31,555 --> 00:09:37,395 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty four. Add to these the new Els number seven, 132 00:09:37,755 --> 00:09:41,275 Speaker 1: the disastrous and now unshakable image that Musk is president 133 00:09:41,715 --> 00:09:45,275 Speaker 1: and Trump puppet is just one of his many impotent employees. 134 00:09:46,235 --> 00:09:51,275 Speaker 1: This is a self own of biblical proportions. Musk's primary 135 00:09:51,315 --> 00:09:56,195 Speaker 1: skill is making it whatever it is about Musk. His 136 00:09:56,315 --> 00:09:59,475 Speaker 1: secondary skill is making other people's work look like it 137 00:09:59,515 --> 00:10:03,195 Speaker 1: was something he did. His tertiary skill is making people 138 00:10:03,275 --> 00:10:08,915 Speaker 1: mistakenly believe he is loved, especially among the utes. Well 139 00:10:08,995 --> 00:10:13,635 Speaker 1: hell beloved are billionaires, and especially CEOs at the moment. 140 00:10:14,875 --> 00:10:20,515 Speaker 1: Oddly enough, media companies owned by billionaires and run by 141 00:10:20,595 --> 00:10:24,235 Speaker 1: CEOs did not give this next story a lot of play. 142 00:10:24,955 --> 00:10:28,315 Speaker 1: But Emerson polled on the shooting of the insurance boss 143 00:10:28,355 --> 00:10:31,555 Speaker 1: Brian Thompson around the corner from me and the number 144 00:10:31,595 --> 00:10:34,435 Speaker 1: of Americans aged eighteen to twenty nine who found his 145 00:10:34,475 --> 00:10:43,155 Speaker 1: assassination acceptable or somewhat acceptable was forty one percent, four 146 00:10:43,275 --> 00:10:46,195 Speaker 1: out of ten adults under the age of thirty, and 147 00:10:46,315 --> 00:10:52,155 Speaker 1: their strongest reaction to this was MEH, this might be 148 00:10:52,275 --> 00:10:56,235 Speaker 1: a poor time for a guy who became famous as 149 00:10:56,275 --> 00:11:01,995 Speaker 1: a businessman pirate to link himself to another businessman pirate. 150 00:11:03,795 --> 00:11:05,795 Speaker 1: And the number I think and the poll is low 151 00:11:06,715 --> 00:11:09,115 Speaker 1: in part because it is a majority of those with 152 00:11:09,235 --> 00:11:15,395 Speaker 1: an opinion, forty one percent said acceptable or somewhat acceptable. 153 00:11:15,395 --> 00:11:18,155 Speaker 1: Another forty percent of the kiddos found it unacceptable, which 154 00:11:18,195 --> 00:11:21,235 Speaker 1: means that the number who found it acceptable, somewhat acceptable, 155 00:11:21,315 --> 00:11:24,115 Speaker 1: or did not have an opinion totals to sixty percent. 156 00:11:24,635 --> 00:11:29,035 Speaker 1: Sixty percent. Six out of ten young Americans will not 157 00:11:29,235 --> 00:11:32,115 Speaker 1: say it was unacceptable to shoot the boss of the 158 00:11:32,115 --> 00:11:39,075 Speaker 1: healthcare company, and even that number is probably low. I 159 00:11:39,075 --> 00:11:41,355 Speaker 1: think it's a reasonable guess. I don't know about you, 160 00:11:41,435 --> 00:11:43,875 Speaker 1: but I would be reluctant to tell a polster, or 161 00:11:43,915 --> 00:11:48,395 Speaker 1: to tell almost anybody that any murder was acceptable. It's 162 00:11:48,435 --> 00:11:50,875 Speaker 1: not just that forty one percent of people under thirty 163 00:11:50,915 --> 00:11:53,515 Speaker 1: say this was acceptable or somewhat acceptable. Once that they 164 00:11:53,595 --> 00:11:58,435 Speaker 1: set it out loud, and maybe even more startling from 165 00:11:58,515 --> 00:12:01,875 Speaker 1: Musk and Trump puppet, is that the overall number of 166 00:12:01,955 --> 00:12:05,555 Speaker 1: those of all ages in this poll who found it 167 00:12:05,715 --> 00:12:10,915 Speaker 1: not acceptable was sixty eight percent. I think the word 168 00:12:11,155 --> 00:12:14,675 Speaker 1: just is applicable here, just sixty eight percent. That is 169 00:12:14,715 --> 00:12:22,915 Speaker 1: three to ten who responded sure or whatever or sure whatever. 170 00:12:25,075 --> 00:12:30,755 Speaker 1: That's not good for CEOs. The whole connection to Musk 171 00:12:30,915 --> 00:12:32,715 Speaker 1: was bad enough that Trump went in front of the 172 00:12:32,795 --> 00:12:36,075 Speaker 1: Hitler youuth convention yesterday in Arizona. And by the way, 173 00:12:36,115 --> 00:12:39,315 Speaker 1: twelve percent of young Republicans found the Thompson murder quote 174 00:12:39,355 --> 00:12:45,075 Speaker 1: acceptable unquote. It's bad enough this Trump Musk linkage that 175 00:12:45,155 --> 00:12:49,355 Speaker 1: developed over the weekend President Musk that Trump twice tried 176 00:12:49,395 --> 00:12:52,795 Speaker 1: to make a joke about Musk being the real president, 177 00:12:53,075 --> 00:12:56,795 Speaker 1: and the first time and listen for this, the response 178 00:12:56,875 --> 00:13:03,475 Speaker 1: from the audience of young Republicans was crickets, No, he's not. 179 00:13:03,435 --> 00:13:09,475 Speaker 2: Gonna be president. I can't tell you, and I'm safe. 180 00:13:09,475 --> 00:13:12,275 Speaker 2: You know why he can't be He wasn't born in 181 00:13:12,315 --> 00:13:12,875 Speaker 2: this country. 182 00:13:13,875 --> 00:13:18,235 Speaker 1: He almost said, please clap, which leads us to Trump's 183 00:13:18,355 --> 00:13:22,555 Speaker 1: eighth l. Did you hear anything else from that speech 184 00:13:22,595 --> 00:13:26,075 Speaker 1: in Arizona yesterday? I mean, apart from the content I 185 00:13:26,075 --> 00:13:28,915 Speaker 1: will play for you next, which is Trump doubling down 186 00:13:28,955 --> 00:13:33,475 Speaker 1: on the anti vax crusade. Even sideshow Bob Kennedy himself 187 00:13:33,515 --> 00:13:36,115 Speaker 1: has been smart enough to try to tamp down then 188 00:13:36,755 --> 00:13:41,355 Speaker 1: Trump inadvertently implying that Kennedy himself is autistic. Just listen 189 00:13:41,435 --> 00:13:45,795 Speaker 1: to Trump talk. The election was forty nine days ago. 190 00:13:46,955 --> 00:13:50,515 Speaker 1: He has barely left marri Lago since, let alone kept 191 00:13:50,595 --> 00:13:54,155 Speaker 1: up the pace of the campaign. Why is he slurring 192 00:13:54,195 --> 00:14:00,395 Speaker 1: his words? Why are the non slurred words thick with effort? 193 00:14:00,715 --> 00:14:06,835 Speaker 1: Why does he sound this bad? And to be our 194 00:14:06,875 --> 00:14:09,675 Speaker 1: next Secretary of Health and Human Services? 195 00:14:11,075 --> 00:14:15,235 Speaker 2: I decided, look, something's going on here. When you look 196 00:14:15,275 --> 00:14:18,915 Speaker 2: at like autism from twenty five years ago and you 197 00:14:19,035 --> 00:14:23,435 Speaker 2: look at it now, something's going on. And I nominated 198 00:14:23,595 --> 00:14:24,355 Speaker 2: Robert F. 199 00:14:24,675 --> 00:14:29,155 Speaker 1: Kennedy In Arizona, Trump, I think that's Trump doesn't sound 200 00:14:29,195 --> 00:14:33,395 Speaker 1: like Trump. In Arizona, Trump again floated his latest possible war. 201 00:14:34,195 --> 00:14:37,715 Speaker 1: First it was invading Mexico, then it was annext in Canada. 202 00:14:38,075 --> 00:14:43,635 Speaker 1: Now it is reclaiming the Panama Canal from Panama because 203 00:14:43,635 --> 00:14:47,235 Speaker 1: he still thinks it's nineteen seventy seven or maybe nineteen 204 00:14:47,275 --> 00:14:49,955 Speaker 1: oh seven when most Americans still knew what the Panama 205 00:14:49,995 --> 00:14:55,715 Speaker 1: Canal was. But the Panama Canal where the biggest beef 206 00:14:56,155 --> 00:14:58,275 Speaker 1: seems to be that there are a couple of Hong 207 00:14:58,435 --> 00:15:03,355 Speaker 1: Kong based companies managing the ports at either end or 208 00:15:03,395 --> 00:15:06,955 Speaker 1: could there be war? Oh wait, there's always more again 209 00:15:07,075 --> 00:15:10,195 Speaker 1: pro Publica re upping over the weekend. It's article from 210 00:15:10,275 --> 00:15:15,075 Speaker 1: June third, twenty nineteen, and as explanation, the headline will 211 00:15:15,115 --> 00:15:23,555 Speaker 1: suffice quote Trump companies accused of tax evasion in Panama. 212 00:15:23,835 --> 00:15:26,795 Speaker 1: In the latest chapter in ongoing litigation, the private equity 213 00:15:26,835 --> 00:15:28,835 Speaker 1: fund that bought what used to be called the Trump 214 00:15:28,875 --> 00:15:33,075 Speaker 1: Ocean Club claims the Trump entities pocketed money that should 215 00:15:33,115 --> 00:15:41,635 Speaker 1: have gone to the Panamanian government. Revenge is a dish 216 00:15:41,715 --> 00:15:46,515 Speaker 1: which people of taste prefer to eat cold, but Trump 217 00:15:46,595 --> 00:15:50,595 Speaker 1: has no taste. And of course, thanks to Trump's strain 218 00:15:50,715 --> 00:15:56,035 Speaker 1: of stepped upon rakes and humiliating L's and self demotions 219 00:15:56,075 --> 00:16:03,035 Speaker 1: to Musk's assistant, what Trump is eating right now, that's 220 00:16:03,115 --> 00:16:31,355 Speaker 1: not revenge, hsh All of which brings us back to 221 00:16:31,435 --> 00:16:33,715 Speaker 1: what the hell Musk was doing in the middle of this. 222 00:16:33,835 --> 00:16:36,595 Speaker 1: Did you see his political skill and gifts play out 223 00:16:36,595 --> 00:16:42,235 Speaker 1: over the weekend? No? I didn't, either nobody did. Musk 224 00:16:42,555 --> 00:16:46,595 Speaker 1: made a fool of himself, and whether he or Trump 225 00:16:46,635 --> 00:16:51,155 Speaker 1: puppet realize it now, sooner rather than later, Trump will realize. 226 00:16:51,315 --> 00:16:56,395 Speaker 1: We'll see that light bulb flicker slowly on above his hair, 227 00:16:57,555 --> 00:17:02,955 Speaker 1: just what a power hungry lunatic Musk really is, and 228 00:17:03,075 --> 00:17:06,235 Speaker 1: how wherever Trump is at the moment, there is only 229 00:17:06,315 --> 00:17:12,435 Speaker 1: room for one power hungry lunatic. Democratic representatives Rose Delaro 230 00:17:12,515 --> 00:17:17,275 Speaker 1: and Jim McGovern explained why Musk waded into this what 231 00:17:17,395 --> 00:17:22,835 Speaker 1: turned out to be quicksand you need some help over there, Elon, Sorry, 232 00:17:23,275 --> 00:17:28,075 Speaker 1: my hands are busy. As McGovern wrote, the original funding 233 00:17:28,115 --> 00:17:32,715 Speaker 1: bill that he killed, included that's called an outbound investment provision, 234 00:17:33,555 --> 00:17:36,875 Speaker 1: which would limit and screen US money flowing to China. 235 00:17:37,755 --> 00:17:39,875 Speaker 1: That would have made it easier to keep cutting edge 236 00:17:39,955 --> 00:17:43,555 Speaker 1: AI and quantum computing tech, as well as jobs in America. 237 00:17:43,755 --> 00:17:47,755 Speaker 1: But Elon had a problem. His second largest market is China. 238 00:17:48,155 --> 00:17:51,035 Speaker 1: He's building huge factories there. His bottom line depends on 239 00:17:51,115 --> 00:17:54,395 Speaker 1: staying in China's good graces. He wants to build an 240 00:17:54,435 --> 00:17:58,555 Speaker 1: AI data center there too, which could endanger US security. 241 00:17:58,875 --> 00:18:02,315 Speaker 1: He's been bending over backwards to ingratiate himself with Chinese leaders. 242 00:18:02,755 --> 00:18:07,155 Speaker 1: So what did Elon doanked the whole thing, telling Trump 243 00:18:07,235 --> 00:18:10,515 Speaker 1: to oppose it and threatening to primary anyone who voted yes, 244 00:18:11,115 --> 00:18:14,355 Speaker 1: And to cover his tracks, he claimed it was about spending. 245 00:18:15,955 --> 00:18:18,835 Speaker 1: What did Trump get out of all this? Nothing? But 246 00:18:18,915 --> 00:18:22,075 Speaker 1: President Musk got what he wanted, the ability to sell 247 00:18:22,075 --> 00:18:25,835 Speaker 1: out the US so he could make money in China. 248 00:18:26,275 --> 00:18:33,355 Speaker 1: End quote. What Congressman Deloro, the top dem On appropriations 249 00:18:33,395 --> 00:18:36,555 Speaker 1: did was to i believe be the first to call 250 00:18:36,635 --> 00:18:39,715 Speaker 1: him President Musk and to go on to write that 251 00:18:39,835 --> 00:18:43,035 Speaker 1: Musk might have tanked the bill to protect quote extensive 252 00:18:43,035 --> 00:18:46,675 Speaker 1: investments in China in key sectors and his personal ties 253 00:18:46,675 --> 00:18:50,035 Speaker 1: with Chinese Communist Party leadership, and calls into question the 254 00:18:50,075 --> 00:18:53,835 Speaker 1: real reason for Musk's opposition to the original funding deal. Well, 255 00:18:54,035 --> 00:18:56,555 Speaker 1: Musk went crazier than he would have if the Ketaman 256 00:18:56,715 --> 00:19:00,835 Speaker 1: was late. He replied that Deloro quote needs to be 257 00:19:00,955 --> 00:19:06,475 Speaker 1: expelled from Congress, which is not a thing. Maybe it 258 00:19:06,555 --> 00:19:11,115 Speaker 1: is in South Africa. In Lan, Musk got into and 259 00:19:11,275 --> 00:19:16,835 Speaker 1: lost a fight with an older congresswoman who dyes her 260 00:19:16,875 --> 00:19:23,915 Speaker 1: hair purple and then wears green eyeglasses. She managed to 261 00:19:23,955 --> 00:19:27,795 Speaker 1: pin the president tag on the donkey and tie him 262 00:19:27,795 --> 00:19:32,035 Speaker 1: to China and make Trump doubt him and make Maga 263 00:19:32,155 --> 00:19:39,835 Speaker 1: wonder what Musk's connections to China really are. Then, Senator 264 00:19:39,915 --> 00:19:46,955 Speaker 1: Mark Wayne Mullen, come on, Mark or Wayne, just choose one, goober. 265 00:19:47,635 --> 00:19:51,155 Speaker 1: Senator Mark Kwaine Mullen, who clearly did not get the 266 00:19:51,195 --> 00:19:55,035 Speaker 1: memo that the Trump Musk partnership had nearly killed them all. 267 00:19:55,955 --> 00:19:59,755 Speaker 1: Senator Mark Kwayne Mullen went on Fox yesterday, fury is 268 00:19:59,795 --> 00:20:02,475 Speaker 1: that Democrats were complaining about Musk because he was just 269 00:20:02,515 --> 00:20:06,435 Speaker 1: a businessman. I didn't say no Democrats complaining about the 270 00:20:06,435 --> 00:20:13,715 Speaker 1: businesses of Joe and Hunter Biden. I'm wondering if anybody 271 00:20:13,755 --> 00:20:18,515 Speaker 1: has yet told Mark Quain that he just compared Musk 272 00:20:19,155 --> 00:20:25,675 Speaker 1: and the Bidens as businessmen. Mark Quain, if your internet 273 00:20:25,715 --> 00:20:30,715 Speaker 1: doesn't work today, you know what happened. And if that 274 00:20:30,915 --> 00:20:35,995 Speaker 1: still ain't enough. A weekend in which Trump hurt himself 275 00:20:36,035 --> 00:20:40,435 Speaker 1: and Musk hurt himself, Musk also began the weekend tying 276 00:20:40,555 --> 00:20:45,995 Speaker 1: himself to German neo Nazis. On Friday, Musk, who has 277 00:20:45,995 --> 00:20:48,435 Speaker 1: already tried to shove the furor out of the American 278 00:20:48,475 --> 00:20:52,475 Speaker 1: picture and who's already gotten into bed with England's lizard person, 279 00:20:52,635 --> 00:20:57,835 Speaker 1: fascist Nigel Farage, reposted a video from a German neo Nazi, 280 00:20:58,915 --> 00:21:03,155 Speaker 1: and Musk added, only the AfD can save Germany. The 281 00:21:03,235 --> 00:21:07,475 Speaker 1: AfD is the anti immigrant political party there, one of 282 00:21:07,515 --> 00:21:10,995 Speaker 1: the worst in Europe, if not the whole world, that 283 00:21:11,035 --> 00:21:15,995 Speaker 1: has been designated a suspected extremist organization by the German judiciary, 284 00:21:16,515 --> 00:21:20,955 Speaker 1: whose own leader quit two years ago because the AfD 285 00:21:21,035 --> 00:21:24,555 Speaker 1: had gotten a little two third reichi even for his tastes. 286 00:21:25,715 --> 00:21:28,035 Speaker 1: This is not the first time Musk I sympathized with 287 00:21:28,115 --> 00:21:32,155 Speaker 1: the AfD, and face it. If you're German and you're 288 00:21:32,195 --> 00:21:38,035 Speaker 1: called neo Nazis, you can probably drop the neo good 289 00:21:38,035 --> 00:21:45,155 Speaker 1: weekend for President Musk. I suspect the Trump puppet will 290 00:21:45,195 --> 00:21:49,195 Speaker 1: figuratively off him and soon. But of course not before 291 00:21:49,235 --> 00:21:52,155 Speaker 1: a peck of Republicans made the mistake of standing way 292 00:21:52,195 --> 00:21:58,595 Speaker 1: too close to Musk's horse on the charge Rand Paul 293 00:21:58,795 --> 00:22:00,995 Speaker 1: said Musk should be the new Speaker of the House, 294 00:22:01,995 --> 00:22:06,155 Speaker 1: and Marjorie Taylor Green rolled it along into the valley 295 00:22:06,155 --> 00:22:09,275 Speaker 1: of death along with Senator love thy neighbor, and now 296 00:22:09,755 --> 00:22:12,555 Speaker 1: they have both found out what happens when you stand 297 00:22:12,595 --> 00:22:16,635 Speaker 1: too close to the back of a horse. Incidentally, I 298 00:22:16,715 --> 00:22:21,475 Speaker 1: completely endorse making Musk Speaker of the House. First, just 299 00:22:21,675 --> 00:22:24,275 Speaker 1: what the one vote majority Republicans need in the House, 300 00:22:24,555 --> 00:22:29,795 Speaker 1: a strung out political amateur running their show. Secondly, sure 301 00:22:31,195 --> 00:22:34,395 Speaker 1: make him the speaker. Then the Republicans will do to 302 00:22:34,475 --> 00:22:38,955 Speaker 1: him what they always do to their speakers, torture him 303 00:22:38,995 --> 00:22:44,475 Speaker 1: for a while, and then vote him out in six months. 304 00:22:45,755 --> 00:22:48,275 Speaker 1: Also of interest here, remember my piece from last week 305 00:22:48,275 --> 00:22:50,395 Speaker 1: and the expansion of it that I did hear on 306 00:22:50,435 --> 00:22:54,635 Speaker 1: the podcast about how if MSNBC has any vision they 307 00:22:54,755 --> 00:22:58,795 Speaker 1: can just stay the course whether the storm, and what 308 00:22:58,835 --> 00:23:01,275 Speaker 1: with the Washington Post and Twitter and CNN and the 309 00:23:01,355 --> 00:23:04,995 Speaker 1: LA Times and almost everybody else completely abandoning news for 310 00:23:05,115 --> 00:23:08,795 Speaker 1: people who like democracy, MSNBC could have a monopoly in 311 00:23:08,835 --> 00:23:14,955 Speaker 1: the entire field all forms of news media, just like 312 00:23:15,035 --> 00:23:17,595 Speaker 1: we did back when I breathed life into the network 313 00:23:17,595 --> 00:23:19,555 Speaker 1: in two thousand and four. In two thousand and five, 314 00:23:19,675 --> 00:23:22,955 Speaker 1: they could own the entirety of the resistance if they 315 00:23:23,115 --> 00:23:25,715 Speaker 1: just had a little vision. They don't have a little vision. 316 00:23:26,395 --> 00:23:29,875 Speaker 1: The new MSNBC boss now says he wants to be 317 00:23:30,035 --> 00:23:37,035 Speaker 1: on better terms with Republicans. Sir, the only terms the 318 00:23:37,075 --> 00:23:42,995 Speaker 1: Republicans want from MSNBC are surrender terms. 319 00:23:43,195 --> 00:23:43,835 Speaker 2: That's next. 320 00:23:44,555 --> 00:23:56,515 Speaker 1: This is Countdown. This is Countdown with Keith Olberman. Post 321 00:23:56,555 --> 00:24:00,835 Speaker 1: scripts to the news, some headlines, some updates, some snarks, 322 00:24:00,915 --> 00:24:03,195 Speaker 1: still ahead of course, worse persons And if you're wondering 323 00:24:03,195 --> 00:24:08,115 Speaker 1: why that rumored real of Trump Apprentice terrible outtakes has 324 00:24:08,155 --> 00:24:10,795 Speaker 1: never been leached by the producer, you can stop wondering. 325 00:24:11,675 --> 00:24:20,755 Speaker 1: Just call him almost ambassador producer. Next, this is the 326 00:24:20,795 --> 00:24:24,395 Speaker 1: new Countdown podcast. And these are the places where there's 327 00:24:24,475 --> 00:24:30,035 Speaker 1: news dateline Secaucus, New Jersey. I know MSNBC is not 328 00:24:30,075 --> 00:24:32,475 Speaker 1: still in Secaucus, New Jersey. We moved out in two 329 00:24:32,515 --> 00:24:35,475 Speaker 1: thousand and seven. I helped to pack. But it's useful 330 00:24:35,515 --> 00:24:39,115 Speaker 1: to remember its roots, and its roots are next to 331 00:24:39,195 --> 00:24:44,915 Speaker 1: the London Fog Factory discount warehouse, and they lived down 332 00:24:44,955 --> 00:24:48,155 Speaker 1: to that every damn year. A week ago I wrote 333 00:24:48,235 --> 00:24:51,355 Speaker 1: for Variety and expanded upon it here that after Trump 334 00:24:51,395 --> 00:24:55,675 Speaker 1: won an MSNBC's audience cratered, and its Comcast owners wanted 335 00:24:55,675 --> 00:24:58,115 Speaker 1: to get so much distance from it they spun it 336 00:24:58,155 --> 00:25:00,235 Speaker 1: off into a new company that they didn't even bother 337 00:25:00,315 --> 00:25:02,275 Speaker 1: to give a name to, and are still referring to 338 00:25:02,315 --> 00:25:05,795 Speaker 1: as spin Co. That there was an easy answer to 339 00:25:05,835 --> 00:25:12,755 Speaker 1: the seemingly existential question, what does MSNBC do now? Well, 340 00:25:12,875 --> 00:25:17,435 Speaker 1: I said, do nothing. Oh fire the Morning Joe team 341 00:25:17,475 --> 00:25:21,555 Speaker 1: of Mika Brazhinski and her husband Neville Chamberlain. You can't 342 00:25:21,555 --> 00:25:25,275 Speaker 1: have appeasers on the air. For that matter, you can't 343 00:25:25,315 --> 00:25:29,395 Speaker 1: have untalented, gutless, disloyal, hated appeasers. Not if you're going 344 00:25:29,435 --> 00:25:32,835 Speaker 1: to take the god given business gift of a monopoly 345 00:25:33,435 --> 00:25:38,395 Speaker 1: for anti Trump, anti dictatorship, pro democracy coverage for the 346 00:25:38,435 --> 00:25:41,235 Speaker 1: forty eight point six percent of the country that voted 347 00:25:41,275 --> 00:25:45,715 Speaker 1: against him. I mean the Washington Post went fascist. The 348 00:25:45,755 --> 00:25:49,555 Speaker 1: New York Times is both siding itself into complicit silence. 349 00:25:50,115 --> 00:25:54,035 Speaker 1: CNN is now the Scott Jennings network. Elon Musk spent 350 00:25:54,115 --> 00:25:57,755 Speaker 1: forty four billion to turn Twitter into pro Nazi, pro Russia, 351 00:25:57,955 --> 00:26:03,795 Speaker 1: pro China, pro Trump dribble. The field is empty except 352 00:26:03,795 --> 00:26:06,555 Speaker 1: for all the money that is still sitting there, more 353 00:26:06,595 --> 00:26:09,715 Speaker 1: money than all of the right wing news outlets can 354 00:26:09,755 --> 00:26:16,515 Speaker 1: make combined. Grab it. It's all yours. They're not going 355 00:26:16,555 --> 00:26:20,795 Speaker 1: to grab it. No sooner had my Variety article published 356 00:26:21,355 --> 00:26:24,675 Speaker 1: before the two good media reporters out there, Lachland Cartwright 357 00:26:24,715 --> 00:26:29,315 Speaker 1: and Oliver Darcy, had each published source stories indicating that 358 00:26:29,475 --> 00:26:33,675 Speaker 1: Comcast stuffed suit Mark Lazarus, now in charge of spin 359 00:26:33,715 --> 00:26:36,955 Speaker 1: Co and thus in charge of MSNBC, was already ready 360 00:26:36,955 --> 00:26:40,115 Speaker 1: to join Joe Scarborough and reciting the I for one 361 00:26:40,155 --> 00:26:45,955 Speaker 1: welcome our insect overlords gag from the Simpsons. Cartwright reported that, no, 362 00:26:46,155 --> 00:26:49,155 Speaker 1: Lazarus is not going to hire this bozo Jennings to 363 00:26:49,235 --> 00:26:52,795 Speaker 1: co anchor with matdow nor shut down the other liberal 364 00:26:53,155 --> 00:26:57,835 Speaker 1: albeit sleepy primetime shows. He has merely told people that 365 00:26:57,915 --> 00:27:00,995 Speaker 1: the public perception of MSNBC is a place where Republicans 366 00:27:01,155 --> 00:27:05,195 Speaker 1: can't get a fair shake needs to be changed. One 367 00:27:05,955 --> 00:27:09,155 Speaker 1: who the f thinks Republicans need a fair shake. They're 368 00:27:09,195 --> 00:27:13,235 Speaker 1: trying to overthrow representative government in this country. We don't 369 00:27:13,235 --> 00:27:17,155 Speaker 1: give them a fair shake. We chase them out. Also, 370 00:27:17,235 --> 00:27:20,355 Speaker 1: I guess mister Lazarus never saw Joe and Mika pimping 371 00:27:20,435 --> 00:27:23,875 Speaker 1: for Trump in twenty fifteen and twenty sixteen. That was 372 00:27:23,995 --> 00:27:26,955 Speaker 1: enough of a fair shake to last couple centuries. And 373 00:27:27,035 --> 00:27:29,355 Speaker 1: he didn't see them last month when they announced they'd 374 00:27:29,355 --> 00:27:34,275 Speaker 1: been down to Mary Lago to help the Trump puppet hide. 375 00:27:34,675 --> 00:27:37,395 Speaker 1: I don't know boxes of top secret documents in his 376 00:27:37,555 --> 00:27:42,795 Speaker 1: toilet or whatever they were doing down there, I forget, honestly, anyway. 377 00:27:42,875 --> 00:27:45,635 Speaker 1: Oliver Darcy, in his newsletter Status went into a little 378 00:27:45,675 --> 00:27:49,235 Speaker 1: bit more detail. He writes, quote Lazarus would like MSNBC 379 00:27:49,275 --> 00:27:52,595 Speaker 1: to be on better terms with Republicans and has indicated 380 00:27:52,595 --> 00:27:54,955 Speaker 1: to people in private conversations over the past month that 381 00:27:54,995 --> 00:27:59,835 Speaker 1: he would like the network to incorporate more GOP voices 382 00:27:59,995 --> 00:28:03,715 Speaker 1: on its air. I know the word is incorporate, that 383 00:28:03,795 --> 00:28:09,035 Speaker 1: we're talking about a corporate so incorporate sounded better. You know, 384 00:28:09,115 --> 00:28:13,475 Speaker 1: I've heard that phrasing before. Work to incorporate more geopple. 385 00:28:13,595 --> 00:28:16,955 Speaker 1: When NBC put new producers on my show in twenty ten, 386 00:28:17,755 --> 00:28:22,475 Speaker 1: they told me I should incorporate more GOP voices, like, 387 00:28:22,755 --> 00:28:25,475 Speaker 1: you know, maybe giving equal time to them after each 388 00:28:25,515 --> 00:28:29,835 Speaker 1: of my special comments. Or in twenty fifteen, when Andy 389 00:28:29,915 --> 00:28:33,715 Speaker 1: Lack of NBC asked me to return to MSNBC only 390 00:28:33,755 --> 00:28:35,955 Speaker 1: he wanted me to do a nightly show without any 391 00:28:36,155 --> 00:28:40,275 Speaker 1: commentaries and to have a conservative co host, you know, 392 00:28:40,435 --> 00:28:44,915 Speaker 1: no comments, no bomb throwing, as Lack put it. But 393 00:28:45,075 --> 00:28:47,355 Speaker 1: back to today, nearly a decade later, and to again 394 00:28:47,475 --> 00:28:51,275 Speaker 1: quote Darcy in free wheeling conversations, the spin co bosses 395 00:28:51,275 --> 00:28:54,155 Speaker 1: indicated to people that it does not want bomb throwing 396 00:28:54,675 --> 00:28:59,995 Speaker 1: from hosts and commentators, which might unnecessarily alienate Republicans and 397 00:29:00,115 --> 00:29:05,075 Speaker 1: spawn bad press. I'm told. While Primetime is made up 398 00:29:05,115 --> 00:29:08,115 Speaker 1: of progressive opinion programming, the thinking is that the more 399 00:29:08,235 --> 00:29:12,675 Speaker 1: news oriented day side lineup could perhaps incorporate more conservative 400 00:29:12,715 --> 00:29:18,795 Speaker 1: voices into the mix. I don't fully understand this. Scarborough 401 00:29:18,835 --> 00:29:23,355 Speaker 1: and Katie Turr aren't conservative enough. Scarborough is on for 402 00:29:23,475 --> 00:29:28,235 Speaker 1: four goddamned hours a day. They are at MSNBC right 403 00:29:28,275 --> 00:29:31,795 Speaker 1: now trying to kill off the eleven PM show, and 404 00:29:31,835 --> 00:29:34,675 Speaker 1: that would mean an eight o'clock show, a nine o'clock show, 405 00:29:34,675 --> 00:29:37,715 Speaker 1: and a ten o'clock show, which would mean there would 406 00:29:37,715 --> 00:29:40,955 Speaker 1: not be four hours of liberal hosts on MSNBC, but 407 00:29:41,035 --> 00:29:43,435 Speaker 1: there would be four hours of Scarborough and two more 408 00:29:43,475 --> 00:29:49,435 Speaker 1: of terr To resume mister Darcy quote. Lazarus's view seems 409 00:29:49,435 --> 00:29:52,075 Speaker 1: to be that the network should welcome all sorts of 410 00:29:52,155 --> 00:29:56,555 Speaker 1: voices with different perspectives while still maintaining a liberal bent 411 00:29:56,635 --> 00:30:01,035 Speaker 1: amongst talent, so as not to alienate the channel's core viewership. 412 00:30:01,995 --> 00:30:05,155 Speaker 1: We're gonna have all sorts of voices. You're gonna have 413 00:30:05,195 --> 00:30:12,075 Speaker 1: this guy, Luigi Mangione, come on, talk about corporate business. 414 00:30:12,835 --> 00:30:16,875 Speaker 1: If you want all sorts of voices with different perspectives, 415 00:30:16,995 --> 00:30:18,755 Speaker 1: how about a guy who thinks we should kill all 416 00:30:18,755 --> 00:30:24,755 Speaker 1: of them. Well, that's what MAGA is. Only substitute democracy 417 00:30:24,915 --> 00:30:28,835 Speaker 1: for corporations in that equation. Back to the article, executives 418 00:30:28,875 --> 00:30:32,555 Speaker 1: like Lazarus really want more MAGA friendly voices on the air. 419 00:30:32,715 --> 00:30:36,155 Speaker 1: There are already times when MSNBC programs will successfully book 420 00:30:36,235 --> 00:30:39,595 Speaker 1: MAGA figures for interviews aary Melber has hosted a number 421 00:30:39,595 --> 00:30:41,995 Speaker 1: of such people over the year, including Peter Navarro and 422 00:30:42,035 --> 00:30:45,715 Speaker 1: Steven Miller. But Melbur thoroughly prepares for such conversations and 423 00:30:45,755 --> 00:30:49,555 Speaker 1: in a respectful manner interrogates their positions, not allowing them 424 00:30:49,595 --> 00:30:52,875 Speaker 1: to get away with spreading falsehoods on his air. I 425 00:30:52,915 --> 00:30:55,755 Speaker 1: should note as an aside, that those programs, no matter 426 00:30:55,835 --> 00:31:00,195 Speaker 1: how well done Melbur does, them, diminish MSNBC's reputation among 427 00:31:00,195 --> 00:31:03,475 Speaker 1: its own viewership. Those shows are not more highly rated 428 00:31:03,515 --> 00:31:06,955 Speaker 1: than the average MSNBC show. They're lower rated, and they 429 00:31:07,075 --> 00:31:10,435 Speaker 1: therefore affect as lead ins the entirety of the MSNBC 430 00:31:10,555 --> 00:31:14,515 Speaker 1: primetime lineup. So if somebody is sitting there at Spenco 431 00:31:14,635 --> 00:31:16,875 Speaker 1: thinking they're going to make more money or as much 432 00:31:17,035 --> 00:31:20,595 Speaker 1: money in some way by doing this, they obviously have 433 00:31:20,675 --> 00:31:23,395 Speaker 1: not even looked at the data that is presented to them. 434 00:31:23,955 --> 00:31:26,715 Speaker 1: And the data is like in three digit totals, it's 435 00:31:26,715 --> 00:31:31,355 Speaker 1: not complicated math. Let's see one hundred and ten thousand 436 00:31:31,435 --> 00:31:35,195 Speaker 1: viewers versus two hundred and ten thousand viewers, which is more. 437 00:31:35,395 --> 00:31:41,035 Speaker 1: Why was it more? Back to Darcy, it's unlikely that 438 00:31:41,075 --> 00:31:43,675 Speaker 1: when Lazarus talks of inviting more Republicans on the air, 439 00:31:43,835 --> 00:31:47,395 Speaker 1: that he has that style of no holds bar confrontational 440 00:31:47,435 --> 00:31:50,435 Speaker 1: interviews in mind. Instead, he's likely thinking of a model 441 00:31:50,515 --> 00:31:54,755 Speaker 1: similar to CNBC's The Business news channel, sister to MSNBC, 442 00:31:54,875 --> 00:31:58,595 Speaker 1: regularly features a mix of Republican and Democratic lawmakers on 443 00:31:58,635 --> 00:32:03,755 Speaker 1: the air. CNBC is a conservative channel. In fact, there 444 00:32:03,795 --> 00:32:07,835 Speaker 1: are moments at which CNBC is a fascist money grubbing channel. 445 00:32:08,875 --> 00:32:11,515 Speaker 1: When Trump went to the New York Stock Exchange last week, 446 00:32:11,635 --> 00:32:16,235 Speaker 1: was it Jim Kramer wet his pants with excitement? This 447 00:32:16,435 --> 00:32:19,795 Speaker 1: is a network that has Joe Kernan on every day. 448 00:32:20,395 --> 00:32:23,355 Speaker 1: Joe Kernan, who slammed Frank Lunch during the campaign for 449 00:32:23,435 --> 00:32:27,795 Speaker 1: criticizing Trump over the Haitians eating pets lie that Trump 450 00:32:27,875 --> 00:32:32,795 Speaker 1: ran on, Kernin defended Trump lying about that, and by 451 00:32:32,835 --> 00:32:38,795 Speaker 1: the way, Kernin versus Lunz two pays at twenty paces quote. 452 00:32:38,835 --> 00:32:41,115 Speaker 1: As Lazarus thinks about how he would like to tweak 453 00:32:41,235 --> 00:32:45,235 Speaker 1: MSNBC's programming, he would be wise to think twice about 454 00:32:45,275 --> 00:32:50,075 Speaker 1: meddling too much. While MSNBC is facing ratings lows post elections, 455 00:32:50,755 --> 00:32:53,355 Speaker 1: the strategy has largely led to strong viewership numbers over 456 00:32:53,395 --> 00:32:59,955 Speaker 1: the years, You're welcome. In contrast, CNN's softening of its 457 00:32:59,995 --> 00:33:03,195 Speaker 1: Trump coverage and its integration of dishonest MAGA voices into 458 00:33:03,235 --> 00:33:07,875 Speaker 1: its programming under Warner Bros. Discovery boss David zas Lav 459 00:33:08,755 --> 00:33:11,195 Speaker 1: and by the way, this would be Zazz and laz 460 00:33:11,315 --> 00:33:14,995 Speaker 1: running these two networks has alienated viewers. Instead of seeing 461 00:33:15,035 --> 00:33:19,195 Speaker 1: audience gains, CNN has seen its audience shrink. I have 462 00:33:19,315 --> 00:33:22,355 Speaker 1: to commend Oliver Darcy, who I met once. We had 463 00:33:22,395 --> 00:33:25,315 Speaker 1: a very nice lunch and long conversation, and he's very 464 00:33:25,355 --> 00:33:28,795 Speaker 1: polite and he's very circumspected. What he has said is 465 00:33:29,355 --> 00:33:32,035 Speaker 1: something I would say, only I would phrase it. You moron, 466 00:33:32,115 --> 00:33:34,715 Speaker 1: You're going to drive away everybody who watches and not 467 00:33:34,755 --> 00:33:38,195 Speaker 1: attract anybody who doesn't watch. But back to the more 468 00:33:38,235 --> 00:33:41,835 Speaker 1: dignified Oliver Darcy, if Lazarus ends up tampering with the 469 00:33:41,875 --> 00:33:44,795 Speaker 1: coverage too much, he very much risks an outcome like 470 00:33:44,875 --> 00:33:48,315 Speaker 1: that For MSNBC, the fanciful notion that Republicans will switch 471 00:33:48,315 --> 00:33:50,675 Speaker 1: over from Fox News if only other channels would cater 472 00:33:50,835 --> 00:33:53,595 Speaker 1: more to them is never born out in reality, no 473 00:33:53,595 --> 00:33:56,755 Speaker 1: matter how much the executive class might wish it. So 474 00:33:56,835 --> 00:33:58,915 Speaker 1: what is more likely to happen is loyal viewers will 475 00:33:58,955 --> 00:34:01,515 Speaker 1: feel betrayed and turn off the channel. In other words, 476 00:34:01,555 --> 00:34:04,355 Speaker 1: not only would it be editorially misguided for Lazarus to 477 00:34:04,355 --> 00:34:07,555 Speaker 1: be too heavy handed in pushing Republicans on MSNBC's air, 478 00:34:07,715 --> 00:34:10,675 Speaker 1: but such a move could also adversely impact the financials 479 00:34:10,835 --> 00:34:15,035 Speaker 1: of the crown jewel of his cable empire. Once again, 480 00:34:15,595 --> 00:34:21,395 Speaker 1: you're welcome, and that would simply be bad for business. 481 00:34:23,195 --> 00:34:26,195 Speaker 1: Darcy is right, of course, I am right. Of course 482 00:34:26,755 --> 00:34:31,035 Speaker 1: it's a monopoly. But even Oliver Darcy misses the real point. 483 00:34:31,835 --> 00:34:34,355 Speaker 1: Back in two thousand and nine, when we only profited 484 00:34:34,395 --> 00:34:38,115 Speaker 1: about two hundred and fifty million a year after losing 485 00:34:38,155 --> 00:34:40,395 Speaker 1: something like that every year for the first ten years 486 00:34:40,395 --> 00:34:43,755 Speaker 1: of the network's existence, the chairman of GE was still 487 00:34:43,795 --> 00:34:47,235 Speaker 1: ready to shunt the network off. And I mean in 488 00:34:47,275 --> 00:34:50,915 Speaker 1: the middle of the words I was saying, because Fox 489 00:34:51,355 --> 00:34:57,235 Speaker 1: had retaliated against me by criticizing him personally, and his mommy, 490 00:34:57,675 --> 00:35:00,675 Speaker 1: the Bill O'Reilly fan called him up and yelled at him. 491 00:35:01,115 --> 00:35:03,755 Speaker 1: And what was two hundred and fifty million in profits 492 00:35:03,955 --> 00:35:06,795 Speaker 1: to the sixth the biggest corporation in the world at 493 00:35:06,835 --> 00:35:13,115 Speaker 1: its chairman A Mama's Boy. Now, the MSNBC profit today 494 00:35:13,155 --> 00:35:15,155 Speaker 1: is closer to a billion a year, and sure that 495 00:35:15,555 --> 00:35:19,435 Speaker 1: seems like a lot. But in the year ending September thirtieth, 496 00:35:19,435 --> 00:35:23,075 Speaker 1: the parent corporation, Comcast, reported a gross profit of forty 497 00:35:23,155 --> 00:35:27,115 Speaker 1: five billion, two hundred and fifty four million. Would Comcast 498 00:35:27,475 --> 00:35:30,195 Speaker 1: like to keep the one billion that MSNBC makes for it? 499 00:35:30,675 --> 00:35:33,755 Speaker 1: Of course it would. Would it miss that one billion? 500 00:35:34,075 --> 00:35:37,195 Speaker 1: Of course it wouldn't. Would it be happy to buy 501 00:35:37,235 --> 00:35:40,675 Speaker 1: itself a quiet stalemate with Trump and the fascists and 502 00:35:40,715 --> 00:35:44,515 Speaker 1: a dictatorship at a cost of a watered down MSNBC 503 00:35:44,675 --> 00:35:48,755 Speaker 1: making a profit of only half a billion or even less, 504 00:35:48,955 --> 00:35:52,035 Speaker 1: or I don't know, breaking even on the assumption that 505 00:35:52,075 --> 00:35:55,675 Speaker 1: the old Coot Alderman is right and MSNBC will still 506 00:35:55,715 --> 00:35:59,035 Speaker 1: be a liberal monopoly even if it isn't that liberal, 507 00:35:59,635 --> 00:36:02,955 Speaker 1: even if Scarborough is pumping and pimping Trump every day. 508 00:36:03,155 --> 00:36:06,355 Speaker 1: I mean, if half the audience stays, that's a win 509 00:36:07,355 --> 00:36:11,515 Speaker 1: or at least a draw, isn't it. Of course democracy 510 00:36:11,595 --> 00:36:20,075 Speaker 1: dies in draws, and the feasibility of MSNVS depends on 511 00:36:20,355 --> 00:36:25,715 Speaker 1: you watching it. So if they do this, if they 512 00:36:25,795 --> 00:36:29,635 Speaker 1: let Mark Lazarus water the product down or drown it, 513 00:36:29,715 --> 00:36:33,435 Speaker 1: which is the true watering down. The solution is simple, 514 00:36:34,195 --> 00:36:38,315 Speaker 1: do what you did when CNN went fascist, Stop watching 515 00:36:38,355 --> 00:36:45,475 Speaker 1: the crap, listen to I don't know news podcasts. I'm 516 00:36:45,515 --> 00:37:11,075 Speaker 1: not suggesting any particular news podcasts. Mind you still ahead 517 00:37:11,075 --> 00:37:13,875 Speaker 1: of us on countdown For each and every one of us, 518 00:37:14,075 --> 00:37:20,555 Speaker 1: this time of year summons a cherished and gauzed covered memory, 519 00:37:21,675 --> 00:37:29,355 Speaker 1: happy reunionss, the wonder of childhood, the joy of giving, 520 00:37:30,275 --> 00:37:37,915 Speaker 1: or in my case, falling off a goddamned cliff in Malibu, 521 00:37:38,155 --> 00:37:45,715 Speaker 1: California while you are filming a fast food commercial for 522 00:37:46,115 --> 00:37:50,475 Speaker 1: Chicken pro tip. If they ever ask you, can you 523 00:37:50,515 --> 00:37:53,315 Speaker 1: climb that rock out cropping while wearing brand new goddamn 524 00:37:53,315 --> 00:37:58,915 Speaker 1: Fosheim shoes, Tell them no, no, no, Keith just avoids 525 00:37:58,955 --> 00:38:03,875 Speaker 1: breaking his neck again. Or a Christmas story. Next in Things, 526 00:38:03,915 --> 00:38:06,715 Speaker 1: I Promise not to hell first, Believe it or not, 527 00:38:06,755 --> 00:38:10,155 Speaker 1: there's still more new idiots to talk about. The daily 528 00:38:10,235 --> 00:38:12,275 Speaker 1: roundup of the miss grants, morons and done in Krug 529 00:38:12,315 --> 00:38:18,555 Speaker 1: effect specimens who constitute today's other worse persons in the 530 00:38:18,595 --> 00:38:26,275 Speaker 1: world therons worse. You remember Martin Screlly. He's the hedge 531 00:38:26,275 --> 00:38:30,195 Speaker 1: fun guy and noted pine Cone the leading example of 532 00:38:30,195 --> 00:38:32,355 Speaker 1: what happens when you see a trump or a musk 533 00:38:32,475 --> 00:38:36,075 Speaker 1: coming and you stop him in time. Screlley was the 534 00:38:36,155 --> 00:38:39,035 Speaker 1: asshole who, for his firm, obtained the manufacturing license for 535 00:38:39,075 --> 00:38:42,475 Speaker 1: the drug darra prim and anti aids and anti parasitic 536 00:38:42,555 --> 00:38:46,515 Speaker 1: drug used to treat fungus caused pneumonia. He raised the 537 00:38:46,555 --> 00:38:49,875 Speaker 1: price to insurance companies of darraprim from thirteen dollars and 538 00:38:49,955 --> 00:38:53,235 Speaker 1: fifty cents a pill to seven hundred and fifty dollars 539 00:38:53,275 --> 00:38:56,395 Speaker 1: a pill. It was an increase of fifty six times 540 00:38:56,435 --> 00:39:00,835 Speaker 1: the price. He did this because he could. There were, however, 541 00:39:00,995 --> 00:39:04,355 Speaker 1: other things he could not do well, sir. They indicted 542 00:39:04,395 --> 00:39:07,435 Speaker 1: him on two federal counts of securities fraud. Two years 543 00:39:07,515 --> 00:39:09,755 Speaker 1: later he was sentenced to seven years in prison a 544 00:39:09,795 --> 00:39:11,875 Speaker 1: find of more than seven million, and then he lost 545 00:39:11,875 --> 00:39:15,995 Speaker 1: a civil case over daraprim sixty five million more in damages. 546 00:39:16,955 --> 00:39:20,195 Speaker 1: They let him out two years early, supposedly for good behavior, 547 00:39:20,675 --> 00:39:23,795 Speaker 1: but probably because they just couldn't stand him in there 548 00:39:23,835 --> 00:39:27,795 Speaker 1: anymore so. The other day the Virginia Congress and Don 549 00:39:27,875 --> 00:39:31,515 Speaker 1: Bayer tweeted about the musk disaster. The richest man in 550 00:39:31,555 --> 00:39:34,435 Speaker 1: the world says he wants to shut down the government, 551 00:39:35,075 --> 00:39:37,915 Speaker 1: forcing millions of American workers, including our troops, to go 552 00:39:37,955 --> 00:39:41,435 Speaker 1: without pay through the holidays. Republicans are following his orders. 553 00:39:41,635 --> 00:39:46,755 Speaker 1: This is insane, to which Martin Screlley, who has apparently 554 00:39:46,795 --> 00:39:50,235 Speaker 1: had his mobile devices returned to him after his time 555 00:39:50,315 --> 00:39:54,835 Speaker 1: in the clink, Martin Screlley writes, we can vote you 556 00:39:54,915 --> 00:40:01,955 Speaker 1: out too. Don't worry baebay b e b e bae bee, 557 00:40:02,755 --> 00:40:06,155 Speaker 1: as many many people replied, s is a convicted fellow. 558 00:40:06,235 --> 00:40:09,395 Speaker 1: How can he vote? Who's this WII? While by statute, 559 00:40:09,475 --> 00:40:11,875 Speaker 1: his voting rights are supposed to be restored upon release 560 00:40:11,915 --> 00:40:15,755 Speaker 1: from prison in Pennsylvania, and he's reportedly living in New 561 00:40:15,835 --> 00:40:21,435 Speaker 1: York and Representative Bayer serves Virginia, so who is this 562 00:40:21,555 --> 00:40:24,995 Speaker 1: wi baby? On the other hand, if you were to 563 00:40:24,995 --> 00:40:27,755 Speaker 1: suffer a paper cut while waiting to vote and you 564 00:40:27,875 --> 00:40:30,675 Speaker 1: needed a band aid, mister Shrelley before going into cast 565 00:40:30,755 --> 00:40:33,995 Speaker 1: that vote, you would be charged by anybody who knew 566 00:40:33,995 --> 00:40:37,755 Speaker 1: you two billion dollars for that band aid. So maybe 567 00:40:37,835 --> 00:40:42,955 Speaker 1: not Babey the runner up worser. He was such a 568 00:40:42,995 --> 00:40:45,475 Speaker 1: bad man that we learned how to pronounce that stupid 569 00:40:45,515 --> 00:40:49,355 Speaker 1: name of his. The worse, sir, You're good Old City 570 00:40:49,395 --> 00:40:53,755 Speaker 1: of New York Eric chosen by god Adams Mayor. The 571 00:40:53,795 --> 00:40:56,835 Speaker 1: independent news site The City, and other news outlets here 572 00:40:56,915 --> 00:41:00,315 Speaker 1: report that on May twenty eighth, twenty twenty three, Samuel 573 00:41:00,395 --> 00:41:04,155 Speaker 1: Williams was riding his motorbike on the University Heights Bridge 574 00:41:04,155 --> 00:41:07,835 Speaker 1: that connects Manhattan and the Bronx. Suddenly, a car swerved 575 00:41:07,875 --> 00:41:10,515 Speaker 1: in front of him. Williams, thirty six, and the father 576 00:41:10,595 --> 00:41:13,475 Speaker 1: of a six year old daughter, was thrown from the bike. 577 00:41:13,795 --> 00:41:18,275 Speaker 1: He died a day later. Turns out the car that 578 00:41:18,355 --> 00:41:20,955 Speaker 1: killed him was an unmarked New York Police vehicle involved 579 00:41:20,955 --> 00:41:24,315 Speaker 1: in a police pursuit. Such vehicles have killed about a 580 00:41:24,315 --> 00:41:27,275 Speaker 1: dozen New Yorkers in the last two years. This was 581 00:41:27,315 --> 00:41:30,075 Speaker 1: on Memorial Day twenty twenty three. By the fourth of July, 582 00:41:30,555 --> 00:41:34,155 Speaker 1: the family Williams left behind received the following letter from 583 00:41:34,155 --> 00:41:37,835 Speaker 1: the city on behalf of our eleven billion dollar police department. 584 00:41:38,715 --> 00:41:41,955 Speaker 1: Addressed to the late mister Williams. It read, quote, our 585 00:41:42,035 --> 00:41:46,115 Speaker 1: records indicate that your vehicle damaged city property on the 586 00:41:46,155 --> 00:41:50,195 Speaker 1: above date. City of New York is seeking reimbursement for 587 00:41:50,275 --> 00:41:56,195 Speaker 1: these damages. The city sent them a bill for three 588 00:41:56,195 --> 00:41:58,635 Speaker 1: thousand four hundred and twenty nine dollars and twenty three 589 00:41:58,715 --> 00:42:04,115 Speaker 1: cents for killing Dad, just like in the Terry Gilliam 590 00:42:04,155 --> 00:42:07,155 Speaker 1: movie Brazil Bill, where the dictatorship identifies the wrong man, 591 00:42:07,315 --> 00:42:09,995 Speaker 1: kidnaps him, tortures and kills him, then sends his widow 592 00:42:10,075 --> 00:42:14,915 Speaker 1: a bill for its services. Only this is run by 593 00:42:15,035 --> 00:42:20,275 Speaker 1: Eric Adams, not by Terry Gilliam. The city's comptroller found 594 00:42:20,275 --> 00:42:23,675 Speaker 1: out about this from news reports. He's outraged. He's written 595 00:42:23,715 --> 00:42:26,915 Speaker 1: the Williams family a letter of apology. He's withdrawn the 596 00:42:26,915 --> 00:42:29,555 Speaker 1: city's demand for money. He said the police did notify 597 00:42:29,595 --> 00:42:32,115 Speaker 1: his office of the damage, but never that the man 598 00:42:32,155 --> 00:42:36,195 Speaker 1: on the bike caused the damaged by being killed by 599 00:42:36,195 --> 00:42:40,875 Speaker 1: an NYPD officer, because that's not what the NYPD does. 600 00:42:41,395 --> 00:42:44,515 Speaker 1: Waiting for the statement of outrage from the NYPD Detectives 601 00:42:44,595 --> 00:42:48,275 Speaker 1: Union about how not paying this bill makes them look bad. 602 00:42:48,995 --> 00:42:52,355 Speaker 1: Eleven billion dollars a year, we in New York pay 603 00:42:52,435 --> 00:42:55,475 Speaker 1: for these guys, and they do a nice slow motion 604 00:42:55,635 --> 00:42:58,915 Speaker 1: perp walk and think they're good at it. For twenty 605 00:42:58,955 --> 00:43:01,755 Speaker 1: three years after nine to eleven, during which twenty three 606 00:43:01,795 --> 00:43:04,635 Speaker 1: New York Police officers were killed. On nine to eleven, 607 00:43:05,315 --> 00:43:07,635 Speaker 1: all the first line responders in this city have been 608 00:43:07,635 --> 00:43:12,755 Speaker 1: revered and lionized and thanked and in recent years fetishized. 609 00:43:13,075 --> 00:43:15,715 Speaker 1: They've gotten anything they've wanted in terms of the budget, 610 00:43:16,035 --> 00:43:19,635 Speaker 1: until we're paying eleven billion dollars for a police department 611 00:43:19,875 --> 00:43:25,275 Speaker 1: that could not cover a stolen manhole cover, and they 612 00:43:25,275 --> 00:43:28,715 Speaker 1: have burned through all of that goodwill. It is nineteen 613 00:43:28,875 --> 00:43:34,835 Speaker 1: seventy again in New York City. Eric Adams mayor, but 614 00:43:34,955 --> 00:43:40,115 Speaker 1: the winner the worst television producer Mark Burnett. You may 615 00:43:40,155 --> 00:43:43,475 Speaker 1: remember him from such hits as having helped to ruin television, 616 00:43:44,075 --> 00:43:46,835 Speaker 1: but more likely you'll remember him and his association with 617 00:43:46,915 --> 00:43:49,995 Speaker 1: Trump and the stories that circulated before the twenty sixteen 618 00:43:49,995 --> 00:43:53,115 Speaker 1: and twenty twenty elections, though less before this pass one 619 00:43:53,275 --> 00:43:55,595 Speaker 1: that as the boss of Trump's old show, The Apprentice, 620 00:43:55,675 --> 00:43:58,515 Speaker 1: it was he Mark Burnett, who had access to all 621 00:43:59,195 --> 00:44:03,235 Speaker 1: the outtakes in which Trump may have said things that 622 00:44:03,275 --> 00:44:06,995 Speaker 1: would have alienated even his most loyal rabbity insane supporters, 623 00:44:07,795 --> 00:44:11,995 Speaker 1: or which may have included something very untoward and long 624 00:44:12,075 --> 00:44:16,675 Speaker 1: rumored or not, Tom Arnold seemed to think or was 625 00:44:16,715 --> 00:44:20,155 Speaker 1: the correct answer. The tapes might have been erased, they 626 00:44:20,235 --> 00:44:23,515 Speaker 1: might have been lost, They might have been exculpatory. If 627 00:44:23,515 --> 00:44:26,035 Speaker 1: it's Trump, they might have been really boring and just 628 00:44:26,155 --> 00:44:31,515 Speaker 1: him talking about himself. Or quote statement from President Donald J. 629 00:44:31,675 --> 00:44:36,235 Speaker 1: Trump elon Musk Proprietor. It is my great honor to 630 00:44:36,275 --> 00:44:41,915 Speaker 1: appoint Mark Burnett as the Special Envoy to the United Kingdom. 631 00:44:41,915 --> 00:44:44,915 Speaker 1: With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark Bramsey, 632 00:44:44,955 --> 00:44:48,675 Speaker 1: a nick blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition, to 633 00:44:48,755 --> 00:44:50,755 Speaker 1: this important role. I'm trying to read it as Trump 634 00:44:50,835 --> 00:44:54,715 Speaker 1: and says. Mark is known for creating and producing some 635 00:44:54,795 --> 00:45:02,035 Speaker 1: of the biggest shows in television history, including Survivor, Shark Tank, 636 00:45:02,155 --> 00:45:06,675 Speaker 1: The Voice, and most notably The Apprentice. He is the 637 00:45:06,675 --> 00:45:12,035 Speaker 1: former chairman of MGM, and he has won thirteen Emmy Awards. 638 00:45:13,995 --> 00:45:18,115 Speaker 1: Mark Burnett's Special Envoy and keeper of the Trump Flame 639 00:45:18,195 --> 00:45:23,155 Speaker 1: and maybe the maybe the apocryphal Trump tape. Wait a minute, 640 00:45:24,235 --> 00:45:26,155 Speaker 1: why did Trump appoint him to a post with that 641 00:45:26,435 --> 00:45:39,195 Speaker 1: word in it? Mark Burnett n boy Today's worst person? 642 00:45:41,315 --> 00:45:49,435 Speaker 2: Why that of all words? 643 00:45:55,275 --> 00:45:57,275 Speaker 1: To the number one story on the Countdown and my 644 00:45:57,355 --> 00:46:00,315 Speaker 1: favorite topic, me and things I promised not to tell. 645 00:46:00,475 --> 00:46:02,555 Speaker 1: And it was this time of year in nineteen ninety 646 00:46:02,595 --> 00:46:05,795 Speaker 1: six when my agent called me at ESPN. There's an 647 00:46:05,835 --> 00:46:08,075 Speaker 1: ad agency in Santa Monica. They just called me, would 648 00:46:08,075 --> 00:46:11,555 Speaker 1: you like to do two commercials for Boston Market? I answered, 649 00:46:11,595 --> 00:46:15,755 Speaker 1: with profound indifference, okay, would you like to do two 650 00:46:15,795 --> 00:46:19,235 Speaker 1: commercials for Boston Market for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 651 00:46:20,355 --> 00:46:22,955 Speaker 1: I believe my next words were, well, I can't do 652 00:46:23,035 --> 00:46:26,715 Speaker 1: them today, but sure. They faxed me the scripts. They're 653 00:46:26,715 --> 00:46:29,315 Speaker 1: actually pretty funny, very well done. I think you like them. 654 00:46:29,715 --> 00:46:32,315 Speaker 1: I believe my next next words were, if I don't 655 00:46:32,315 --> 00:46:34,595 Speaker 1: have to kill anybody in them, call them back and 656 00:46:34,635 --> 00:46:38,955 Speaker 1: say yes and get the money. Since the idea was 657 00:46:39,035 --> 00:46:41,435 Speaker 1: these ads would run on sports telecasts, most of them 658 00:46:41,435 --> 00:46:45,435 Speaker 1: on ESPN. My yes got back to management at ESPN 659 00:46:45,475 --> 00:46:49,675 Speaker 1: pretty quickly. You can't do these, one of the executives explained, dismissively. 660 00:46:49,875 --> 00:46:54,155 Speaker 1: We don't let anybody do commercials. I laughed. Every one 661 00:46:54,195 --> 00:46:57,355 Speaker 1: of us has done the this is sports center commercials. 662 00:46:57,795 --> 00:47:00,315 Speaker 1: Some of us have written that this is sports center commercials. 663 00:47:00,395 --> 00:47:02,515 Speaker 1: You don't even give us days off for making them, 664 00:47:02,835 --> 00:47:04,515 Speaker 1: let alone give us money. This is money I don't 665 00:47:04,515 --> 00:47:07,715 Speaker 1: have to ask you for. The executive shook his head. 666 00:47:08,075 --> 00:47:11,555 Speaker 1: Those aren't commercials. Those are promotional announcements. They're in your contract. 667 00:47:11,915 --> 00:47:16,715 Speaker 1: Nobody here does commercials, I said. Chris Berman has done 668 00:47:17,115 --> 00:47:20,115 Speaker 1: a beer commercial in three out of the last five 669 00:47:20,195 --> 00:47:24,595 Speaker 1: Super Bowls. My commercial is just for food. Well, he's Berman, 670 00:47:25,395 --> 00:47:27,915 Speaker 1: I pointed out. I went to high school with him, 671 00:47:28,035 --> 00:47:30,195 Speaker 1: and I was the star of their most popular program, 672 00:47:30,235 --> 00:47:32,595 Speaker 1: a little thing called Sports Center. TV guy had just 673 00:47:32,755 --> 00:47:34,595 Speaker 1: named us one of the top ten shows on TV 674 00:47:34,955 --> 00:47:40,435 Speaker 1: shows not sports shows usin Seinfeld. Sorry, well, now I 675 00:47:40,475 --> 00:47:43,835 Speaker 1: got a little angry, which never happened to me at ESPN, 676 00:47:44,115 --> 00:47:47,275 Speaker 1: and I went to my ace in the hole. My 677 00:47:47,395 --> 00:47:49,995 Speaker 1: contract expires in like ten months, and you know I 678 00:47:50,035 --> 00:47:52,835 Speaker 1: intend to leave. And during those ten months, you're going 679 00:47:52,915 --> 00:47:55,395 Speaker 1: to pay me about two hundred and sixty thousand dollars. 680 00:47:55,635 --> 00:47:57,515 Speaker 1: So Boston Market is going to pay me two hundred 681 00:47:57,555 --> 00:48:01,115 Speaker 1: and fifty thousand dollars for two days work instead of 682 00:48:01,155 --> 00:48:04,515 Speaker 1: ten months work. Plus they're going to take me out 683 00:48:04,515 --> 00:48:07,355 Speaker 1: for class to LA for a couple of days, and 684 00:48:07,475 --> 00:48:09,595 Speaker 1: they're probably gonna do some radio spots and I'll make 685 00:48:09,595 --> 00:48:12,155 Speaker 1: another twenty five grant. So you're giving me a choice, 686 00:48:12,875 --> 00:48:18,115 Speaker 1: make say two hundred and seventy five thousand dollars in 687 00:48:18,235 --> 00:48:20,155 Speaker 1: like five days for them, or make two hundred and 688 00:48:20,195 --> 00:48:23,195 Speaker 1: sixty thousand dollars here between now and next September, when 689 00:48:23,195 --> 00:48:26,155 Speaker 1: I'm planning and leaving. Anyway, if you make me choose 690 00:48:26,155 --> 00:48:28,635 Speaker 1: between those two, which do you expect me to choose? 691 00:48:30,035 --> 00:48:33,675 Speaker 1: The executive coughed, we'll get back to you. An hour later. 692 00:48:33,675 --> 00:48:35,795 Speaker 1: He got back to me by phone. Okay, we see 693 00:48:35,835 --> 00:48:38,115 Speaker 1: your point, but there's still two problems. We can't just 694 00:48:38,195 --> 00:48:41,435 Speaker 1: let everybody do commercials. I said, well, you know, why 695 00:48:41,435 --> 00:48:43,675 Speaker 1: don't you just let anybody who went to the high 696 00:48:43,715 --> 00:48:46,395 Speaker 1: school that Berman and I went to do commercials. He 697 00:48:46,475 --> 00:48:49,755 Speaker 1: did not laugh at that. Well, how about only your 698 00:48:49,755 --> 00:48:53,315 Speaker 1: regular weekday sports center anchors get to do commercials? There 699 00:48:53,355 --> 00:48:56,515 Speaker 1: was a grunt and a maybe. Then we got to 700 00:48:56,595 --> 00:49:00,675 Speaker 1: the gist of the real problem. Here's the real problem. 701 00:49:00,915 --> 00:49:05,475 Speaker 1: People on your show. They'll be resentful. I said, Why 702 00:49:05,515 --> 00:49:08,475 Speaker 1: will they be resentful? Because the production assistants are expecting 703 00:49:08,475 --> 00:49:10,995 Speaker 1: that they're going to get their own commercials too. And 704 00:49:11,075 --> 00:49:14,115 Speaker 1: I said, how about this, the day I'm out there 705 00:49:14,555 --> 00:49:17,515 Speaker 1: actually shooting the commercial, I will get Boston Market to 706 00:49:17,675 --> 00:49:21,315 Speaker 1: like cater dinner for the show staff, even if I 707 00:49:21,355 --> 00:49:24,675 Speaker 1: have to pay for it myself. There was a long silence. 708 00:49:25,835 --> 00:49:29,195 Speaker 1: Would management be included in that? And can we get 709 00:49:29,235 --> 00:49:34,875 Speaker 1: all the side dishes too? I swear to God so off. 710 00:49:34,915 --> 00:49:37,675 Speaker 1: I flew at the beginning of December, during a winter 711 00:49:37,795 --> 00:49:40,595 Speaker 1: that had gone frigid in October in Bristol, Connecticut, and 712 00:49:40,635 --> 00:49:42,595 Speaker 1: the next thing I knew, I was on the beach 713 00:49:43,075 --> 00:49:48,595 Speaker 1: in Malibu at Leo Correo State Park. The crew is 714 00:49:48,635 --> 00:49:51,515 Speaker 1: complaining because it is raining lightly and only about fifty 715 00:49:51,515 --> 00:49:55,995 Speaker 1: five degrees. To me, fresh from the hinterlands and having 716 00:49:56,035 --> 00:49:57,995 Speaker 1: not been back to la since I had moved out 717 00:49:57,995 --> 00:50:01,195 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety two, It's like I'm in Tahiti. And 718 00:50:01,275 --> 00:50:03,675 Speaker 1: my agent was right. The scripts were funny and original. 719 00:50:03,915 --> 00:50:08,835 Speaker 1: They were ascend of the old Calvin Kleine obsession perfume commercials. 720 00:50:09,035 --> 00:50:12,275 Speaker 1: There are two extremely thin models and they are filmed 721 00:50:12,395 --> 00:50:16,275 Speaker 1: writhing in frustration on the beach on the big rock 722 00:50:16,395 --> 00:50:21,875 Speaker 1: outcroppings at Leo Correo State Park. She is supposed to say, emptiness, 723 00:50:22,315 --> 00:50:25,875 Speaker 1: How can I fill this empty void of emptiness? They 724 00:50:25,875 --> 00:50:29,715 Speaker 1: are in black and white, but I emerge from behind 725 00:50:29,715 --> 00:50:33,195 Speaker 1: a rock or wherever I'm in color. They are in 726 00:50:33,275 --> 00:50:35,515 Speaker 1: black and white, and I say when they say, don't 727 00:50:35,515 --> 00:50:38,955 Speaker 1: know what to do about this emptiness? I say, eat something. 728 00:50:40,475 --> 00:50:42,275 Speaker 1: I then sell the sandwich. Then it cuts to a 729 00:50:42,275 --> 00:50:44,995 Speaker 1: shot of me walking them down the beach with my 730 00:50:45,275 --> 00:50:48,475 Speaker 1: arm over each of their shoulders, telling them eating is 731 00:50:48,515 --> 00:50:51,675 Speaker 1: a good thing, and who's wearing cologne or who likes 732 00:50:51,675 --> 00:50:56,515 Speaker 1: sports or other stupid things like that. For a quarter 733 00:50:56,515 --> 00:50:59,675 Speaker 1: of a million dollars, Well, we start this at eight am, 734 00:50:59,715 --> 00:51:01,955 Speaker 1: and the producer and the director John say to me 735 00:51:02,035 --> 00:51:03,995 Speaker 1: and the two models and the crew, look, this rain 736 00:51:04,115 --> 00:51:06,075 Speaker 1: is just going to get heavier as the day goes on. 737 00:51:06,635 --> 00:51:08,315 Speaker 1: So what we want to do is not take a 738 00:51:08,355 --> 00:51:11,395 Speaker 1: break for lunch. We'll just shoot until like two pm, 739 00:51:11,835 --> 00:51:13,435 Speaker 1: and then you can have lunch, or you can take 740 00:51:13,475 --> 00:51:15,355 Speaker 1: your lunch with you, and you'll all get paid for 741 00:51:15,395 --> 00:51:18,795 Speaker 1: a full day. And everybody agrees. The actress agrees, and 742 00:51:18,835 --> 00:51:22,435 Speaker 1: she swears as she agrees. The actress is named Una. 743 00:51:22,955 --> 00:51:26,435 Speaker 1: Una is from Chicago, and it will soon prove Una 744 00:51:26,595 --> 00:51:30,995 Speaker 1: swears more than a long shoreman. This blanking colt can 745 00:51:31,035 --> 00:51:36,515 Speaker 1: blank my blanking blank. To be fair, Una and the 746 00:51:36,555 --> 00:51:39,275 Speaker 1: guy are dressed in Calvin Klein rags, and they are 747 00:51:39,355 --> 00:51:42,235 Speaker 1: there and they are from there, and they are freezing 748 00:51:42,675 --> 00:51:45,275 Speaker 1: while I am wearing a production company brand new suit 749 00:51:45,315 --> 00:51:48,315 Speaker 1: and shoes, and to me it feels like it's Tahiti. 750 00:51:49,475 --> 00:51:51,075 Speaker 1: We take a couple of hours where we do all 751 00:51:51,115 --> 00:51:53,755 Speaker 1: the shots where I emerge from behind the rocks, or 752 00:51:53,795 --> 00:51:55,875 Speaker 1: go around the rocks, or over the rocks, or I 753 00:51:55,875 --> 00:51:58,875 Speaker 1: look over the rocks, and the director finally says, okay, 754 00:51:58,875 --> 00:52:01,195 Speaker 1: we got five good options. Let's set up for the 755 00:52:01,275 --> 00:52:04,635 Speaker 1: walk down the beach with your arms around each other's show. 756 00:52:06,035 --> 00:52:09,435 Speaker 1: By now it's noon or twelve thirty And as they 757 00:52:09,475 --> 00:52:12,075 Speaker 1: move the cameras and the rain starts to move from 758 00:52:12,115 --> 00:52:15,915 Speaker 1: a mist to like a light rain, two prop guys 759 00:52:15,995 --> 00:52:19,275 Speaker 1: bring out rakes. Then I'm sitting with the crew and 760 00:52:19,315 --> 00:52:21,715 Speaker 1: I've been asking them questions all morning in between takes 761 00:52:21,755 --> 00:52:24,835 Speaker 1: about how this is all being arranged and made and lit. 762 00:52:24,835 --> 00:52:28,315 Speaker 1: And I say, rakes, what do you need rakes for 763 00:52:28,475 --> 00:52:31,595 Speaker 1: on a commercial? And they say you'll see. And then 764 00:52:31,635 --> 00:52:33,795 Speaker 1: each time me and Una and the guy walk down 765 00:52:33,835 --> 00:52:35,795 Speaker 1: the beach and the director says cut, we go back 766 00:52:35,835 --> 00:52:38,715 Speaker 1: to the starting point. Now out come two stage hands 767 00:52:38,715 --> 00:52:43,755 Speaker 1: with rakes and they rake the sand on the beach smooth, 768 00:52:44,595 --> 00:52:49,955 Speaker 1: and I say, oh, footprints. So each time I walk 769 00:52:50,035 --> 00:52:52,635 Speaker 1: down this damp beach with the rain just a little 770 00:52:52,635 --> 00:52:55,235 Speaker 1: harder than it was the take before, in my brand 771 00:52:55,275 --> 00:52:59,195 Speaker 1: new dress shoes. What I'm basically doing is polishing the 772 00:52:59,235 --> 00:53:02,435 Speaker 1: soles of these brand new shoes on damp sand. I mean, 773 00:53:02,475 --> 00:53:04,595 Speaker 1: by the time the director John says, we are done, 774 00:53:04,675 --> 00:53:07,795 Speaker 1: and these soles of these shoes are so shiny. I 775 00:53:07,795 --> 00:53:12,035 Speaker 1: could go ice skating in these shoes. And John comes 776 00:53:12,035 --> 00:53:14,595 Speaker 1: over and he says, listen, we got another half an hour. 777 00:53:14,675 --> 00:53:16,355 Speaker 1: Can we go back and try a new way for 778 00:53:16,395 --> 00:53:18,955 Speaker 1: you to appear on the rocks? I mean, can you 779 00:53:19,075 --> 00:53:22,395 Speaker 1: climb rocks at all? And I say, yeah, actually, I'm 780 00:53:22,435 --> 00:53:24,475 Speaker 1: surprisingly good at it. You wouldn't think so, but I 781 00:53:24,515 --> 00:53:27,515 Speaker 1: can climb rocks. And he points to one rock out 782 00:53:27,515 --> 00:53:30,755 Speaker 1: cropping on the beach. Maybe it's eighteen twenty feet high, 783 00:53:30,755 --> 00:53:33,115 Speaker 1: and he says, try to climb up that and go 784 00:53:33,155 --> 00:53:35,875 Speaker 1: as high as you can. If there's nothing that'll support you, 785 00:53:35,915 --> 00:53:38,155 Speaker 1: we'll forget it. And I try, and sure enough, I 786 00:53:38,155 --> 00:53:40,035 Speaker 1: get up near the top and there is a perfect 787 00:53:40,035 --> 00:53:43,075 Speaker 1: little shelf in the rock that I can comfortably stand on. 788 00:53:43,755 --> 00:53:47,115 Speaker 1: And the director points the camera up and he says, oh, damn, 789 00:53:47,115 --> 00:53:49,715 Speaker 1: the angle's too tough. I can't swing the camera down 790 00:53:49,795 --> 00:53:52,595 Speaker 1: fast enough for when you say eat something, so I 791 00:53:52,835 --> 00:53:55,835 Speaker 1: refocus on the models. It won't work. Is there anything 792 00:53:55,995 --> 00:53:58,275 Speaker 1: lower on the rock where you could stand? Can you 793 00:53:58,315 --> 00:54:01,995 Speaker 1: come down at all? And I said, I think so, 794 00:54:02,075 --> 00:54:04,675 Speaker 1: I think I can come down a little bit. Well, 795 00:54:04,795 --> 00:54:09,195 Speaker 1: little did I know? Sure enough, maybe nine ten feet 796 00:54:09,355 --> 00:54:13,275 Speaker 1: from the beach, up in the sky, there is another 797 00:54:13,315 --> 00:54:17,155 Speaker 1: little foothold on this rock outcropping. It is not big 798 00:54:17,235 --> 00:54:19,275 Speaker 1: enough for me to put both my feet on it. 799 00:54:19,315 --> 00:54:21,595 Speaker 1: But I say, if you don't mind me holding onto 800 00:54:21,595 --> 00:54:23,915 Speaker 1: the rock as I say eat something, I can do 801 00:54:23,955 --> 00:54:26,955 Speaker 1: it from here. And the director says, okay, let's try it. 802 00:54:27,395 --> 00:54:30,115 Speaker 1: And I climb down the rock and he's moving the 803 00:54:30,195 --> 00:54:32,835 Speaker 1: camera and I put my left foot on this flat 804 00:54:32,875 --> 00:54:35,155 Speaker 1: part which is nine or ten feet up from the beach, 805 00:54:35,435 --> 00:54:38,355 Speaker 1: and for a couple of seconds everything is fine. I'm good. 806 00:54:39,795 --> 00:54:43,915 Speaker 1: And that's when I feel that my left shoe, my 807 00:54:44,115 --> 00:54:48,395 Speaker 1: brand new left shoe, straight from the floor, shine catalog, 808 00:54:48,715 --> 00:54:52,395 Speaker 1: bright and shiny and now having been polished by four 809 00:54:52,475 --> 00:54:54,715 Speaker 1: hours of walking up and down on a wet beach, 810 00:54:54,755 --> 00:54:57,595 Speaker 1: complete with two guys there to rake the beach and 811 00:54:57,715 --> 00:55:00,195 Speaker 1: make sure it is as shiny as it possibly can 812 00:55:00,315 --> 00:55:06,155 Speaker 1: be my left shoe slipperier than and a diamond is 813 00:55:06,195 --> 00:55:11,795 Speaker 1: now moving of its own accord. I'm holding, I'm doing 814 00:55:11,835 --> 00:55:15,235 Speaker 1: a good rock climbing job, but the shoe, the shoe 815 00:55:15,275 --> 00:55:19,515 Speaker 1: is not holding. Hey, I say, with some alarm, I'm 816 00:55:19,515 --> 00:55:24,035 Speaker 1: about to fall off. I hit the sand no more 817 00:55:24,075 --> 00:55:28,755 Speaker 1: than five seconds later. So that's about a sixteen foot 818 00:55:28,875 --> 00:55:32,355 Speaker 1: drop from my head to the beach. And for weeks, 819 00:55:32,515 --> 00:55:35,275 Speaker 1: for years still to this day, it has amazed me 820 00:55:35,755 --> 00:55:38,475 Speaker 1: more than anything else that happened. It has amazed me 821 00:55:38,715 --> 00:55:42,715 Speaker 1: how much went through my mind before I crashed. In fact, 822 00:55:42,715 --> 00:55:46,315 Speaker 1: before I actually fell, I know, I did a quick 823 00:55:46,395 --> 00:55:49,835 Speaker 1: height calculation. Yeah, fifteen sixteen feet. I recognized that the 824 00:55:49,875 --> 00:55:52,915 Speaker 1: outcropping was so vertical that I was unlikely to hit 825 00:55:52,995 --> 00:55:56,315 Speaker 1: any of the rock on the way down. But just 826 00:55:56,395 --> 00:56:01,595 Speaker 1: the same I remember that the rocks continued under the sand. See. 827 00:56:01,675 --> 00:56:04,435 Speaker 1: I took two years of geology, and this was going 828 00:56:04,475 --> 00:56:08,675 Speaker 1: to be a hard landing. More amazingly than all that, 829 00:56:08,675 --> 00:56:12,115 Speaker 1: though I had taken Judo as a kid, I hated 830 00:56:12,235 --> 00:56:16,555 Speaker 1: every minute of Judo nineteen sixty five, nineteen sixty six, 831 00:56:16,875 --> 00:56:20,035 Speaker 1: so twenty six and twenty seven years before we shot 832 00:56:20,075 --> 00:56:25,435 Speaker 1: this commercial. I was in the studio, the Judo Studio 833 00:56:25,715 --> 00:56:28,955 Speaker 1: in White Plains, New York, the day of the nineteen 834 00:56:29,035 --> 00:56:33,275 Speaker 1: sixty five Northeast blackout, and the only happy memory of 835 00:56:33,315 --> 00:56:36,955 Speaker 1: the entire judo experience I had was one hour instructor 836 00:56:37,035 --> 00:56:41,435 Speaker 1: Bob Durocher locked us in the dojo that had been 837 00:56:41,475 --> 00:56:43,555 Speaker 1: converted from a store that had a front door that 838 00:56:43,635 --> 00:56:46,195 Speaker 1: was set in several feet from the street so they 839 00:56:46,235 --> 00:56:49,675 Speaker 1: could put display cases up. And now it's pitch black. 840 00:56:49,715 --> 00:56:52,275 Speaker 1: So he went out and got his Volkswagen Carmen Gia, 841 00:56:52,795 --> 00:56:55,955 Speaker 1: drove it up over the sidewalk into that set in 842 00:56:56,315 --> 00:56:59,475 Speaker 1: entryway of this converted storefront. He put his high beams on. 843 00:56:59,755 --> 00:57:02,835 Speaker 1: He flooded the dojo with enough light that we kids 844 00:57:02,835 --> 00:57:05,315 Speaker 1: could change out of our judo stuff back into our 845 00:57:05,355 --> 00:57:08,755 Speaker 1: regular clothes and wait for our parents to come get us. 846 00:57:09,515 --> 00:57:12,635 Speaker 1: He did a great job. I didn't like the judo 847 00:57:12,715 --> 00:57:19,035 Speaker 1: so much, but his blackout operations practice was superb. So now, 848 00:57:19,075 --> 00:57:21,075 Speaker 1: with all of this having gone through my head, in 849 00:57:21,115 --> 00:57:24,475 Speaker 1: a second, I began to fall, and everything else from 850 00:57:24,515 --> 00:57:27,115 Speaker 1: that year of once a week judo classes comes back 851 00:57:27,155 --> 00:57:30,035 Speaker 1: to me. Relax. As you drop, the more of your 852 00:57:30,035 --> 00:57:33,515 Speaker 1: body that hits the less you'll get hurt. Hands protect 853 00:57:33,555 --> 00:57:37,755 Speaker 1: the head drop like a sack of sand. I did 854 00:57:37,755 --> 00:57:40,435 Speaker 1: not hit the sand, per se. I kind of splattered 855 00:57:40,475 --> 00:57:45,275 Speaker 1: on my left side swap as I rolled over onto 856 00:57:45,315 --> 00:57:48,515 Speaker 1: my back and took a breath and sat up. Of 857 00:57:48,595 --> 00:57:51,475 Speaker 1: all people, Una was the first to race over to me. 858 00:57:51,875 --> 00:57:55,995 Speaker 1: You want some blank and tea? I said, no, thanks, 859 00:57:56,315 --> 00:57:59,275 Speaker 1: let me see if I'm dead. The grips tried to 860 00:57:59,275 --> 00:58:00,795 Speaker 1: help me to my feet, but I felt some very 861 00:58:00,795 --> 00:58:05,995 Speaker 1: sharp pain, which suggested we should slow down. The problem was, though, 862 00:58:06,035 --> 00:58:08,155 Speaker 1: even if I needed an ambulance, it was no way 863 00:58:08,155 --> 00:58:10,635 Speaker 1: to get one down to where we were shooting. As 864 00:58:10,675 --> 00:58:14,475 Speaker 1: that rock out cropping that I had just fallen from suggested, 865 00:58:15,555 --> 00:58:17,595 Speaker 1: I like to call it a cliff every now and again. 866 00:58:17,955 --> 00:58:21,915 Speaker 1: Leo Corrio State Park had a real cliff in it 867 00:58:22,075 --> 00:58:24,235 Speaker 1: and a flight of stairs, I mean one hundred steps 868 00:58:24,275 --> 00:58:27,275 Speaker 1: two hundred steps up to the Pacific Coast Highway and 869 00:58:27,355 --> 00:58:30,915 Speaker 1: a park. Sure enough, I was able to stand, but 870 00:58:30,995 --> 00:58:34,955 Speaker 1: I couldn't move easily. Everything hurt. So the two biggest 871 00:58:34,955 --> 00:58:37,275 Speaker 1: members of the crew let me drape my arms over 872 00:58:37,315 --> 00:58:40,715 Speaker 1: their shoulders exactly the way I had draped my arms 873 00:58:40,755 --> 00:58:43,555 Speaker 1: over their shoulders of the models during the beach shot. 874 00:58:44,915 --> 00:58:49,075 Speaker 1: I stopped for a second. Hey, Ona, you sure you 875 00:58:49,115 --> 00:58:54,035 Speaker 1: don't want to Frankin carry me up the stairs, she said, 876 00:58:54,035 --> 00:58:59,755 Speaker 1: with genuine sincerity. Now that's blank and funny. Seemed to 877 00:58:59,795 --> 00:59:01,555 Speaker 1: me like it took about a month to get up 878 00:59:01,555 --> 00:59:04,995 Speaker 1: those stairs. I assumed there would be an ambulance waiting 879 00:59:05,035 --> 00:59:09,275 Speaker 1: by this point. Instead there was a park ranger. This 880 00:59:09,435 --> 00:59:11,275 Speaker 1: is a state park. I have to see you first, 881 00:59:11,275 --> 00:59:14,355 Speaker 1: then I have to call the fire department. I said, well, 882 00:59:14,395 --> 00:59:16,595 Speaker 1: this pain on my side here, this feels like fire, 883 00:59:16,635 --> 00:59:18,955 Speaker 1: but I don't think it's actually fire. He called the 884 00:59:18,955 --> 00:59:21,555 Speaker 1: fire department. They showed up, They assessed me. They called 885 00:59:21,555 --> 00:59:25,075 Speaker 1: the ambulance. At some point, probably when I was being 886 00:59:25,075 --> 00:59:29,755 Speaker 1: half dragged up the steps, something happened on the impact side. 887 00:59:30,555 --> 00:59:33,235 Speaker 1: If I now tried to lower my left arm from 888 00:59:33,355 --> 00:59:37,795 Speaker 1: way above my head, I got severe shooting, burning pain 889 00:59:38,355 --> 00:59:41,635 Speaker 1: from my left arm pit to about my left knee. 890 00:59:41,835 --> 00:59:46,555 Speaker 1: Cleverly I figured out not to do that. Keep your 891 00:59:46,595 --> 00:59:51,715 Speaker 1: left arm above your head and it won't hurt. I 892 00:59:51,835 --> 00:59:54,195 Speaker 1: use the restroom in the ranger station. There was no blood, 893 00:59:54,235 --> 00:59:59,035 Speaker 1: so no kidney damage. I'm okay. It does, however, hurt, 894 00:59:59,075 --> 01:00:02,715 Speaker 1: and something could be broken. Now I go back outside, 895 01:00:02,835 --> 01:00:05,235 Speaker 1: my arm above my head like I'm sign for a 896 01:00:05,315 --> 01:00:08,235 Speaker 1: cab on the streets of New York City. And the 897 01:00:08,275 --> 01:00:10,835 Speaker 1: ambulance shows up and the amts tell me to get 898 01:00:10,875 --> 01:00:14,035 Speaker 1: on there gurney, and I said, I can't. I can't 899 01:00:14,075 --> 01:00:18,715 Speaker 1: lower my arm unless I want excruciating pain. I can't 900 01:00:18,755 --> 01:00:22,315 Speaker 1: move my arm. I have to stay in this position, 901 01:00:22,395 --> 01:00:27,195 Speaker 1: looking like a Flamenco dancer. But I said, listen, can 902 01:00:27,235 --> 01:00:29,755 Speaker 1: you lock the wheels on this gurney? And they said, sure, 903 01:00:29,755 --> 01:00:31,395 Speaker 1: we can, of course we can. And I said, just 904 01:00:31,435 --> 01:00:34,795 Speaker 1: lock the wheels and I'll just back up onto the 905 01:00:34,955 --> 01:00:38,515 Speaker 1: end of it and I'll fall backwards. And it worked, 906 01:00:39,115 --> 01:00:41,555 Speaker 1: and so with my left arm still extended over my head, 907 01:00:41,595 --> 01:00:45,275 Speaker 1: they loaded me into the ambulance. Apparently, when I fell 908 01:00:45,315 --> 01:00:48,395 Speaker 1: from that rock or cliff, as I call it, it 909 01:00:48,435 --> 01:00:52,155 Speaker 1: looked like I had been shot. Fifty sixty people on 910 01:00:52,235 --> 01:00:55,835 Speaker 1: a commercial crew, the shooting day is over. They have 911 01:00:55,955 --> 01:00:59,235 Speaker 1: missed lunch. There is a very nice catered lunch sitting there. 912 01:00:59,755 --> 01:01:03,075 Speaker 1: And they told me later that everybody was so disturbed 913 01:01:03,115 --> 01:01:05,955 Speaker 1: by what happened to me that only three people even 914 01:01:05,995 --> 01:01:09,435 Speaker 1: took something to go and know the director was not 915 01:01:09,675 --> 01:01:14,075 Speaker 1: filming as I fell sadly, so we hit every pothole 916 01:01:14,195 --> 01:01:16,955 Speaker 1: on Pacific Coast Highway on the trip from the beach 917 01:01:17,035 --> 01:01:17,835 Speaker 1: to the hospital. 918 01:01:18,435 --> 01:01:19,915 Speaker 2: Oh ah, ooh. 919 01:01:20,595 --> 01:01:23,755 Speaker 1: I call my agent from my cell phone, she laughed. 920 01:01:23,875 --> 01:01:26,755 Speaker 1: I called ESPN actually to check on the catered dinner. 921 01:01:26,755 --> 01:01:28,835 Speaker 1: Oh what's new. Oh, I fell off a cliff shooting 922 01:01:28,835 --> 01:01:31,635 Speaker 1: the commercial, they laughed. And I'm lying there in the 923 01:01:31,635 --> 01:01:34,075 Speaker 1: emergency room waiting for X rays when my cell phone 924 01:01:34,115 --> 01:01:37,075 Speaker 1: rings again and I reach into my left pocket and 925 01:01:37,115 --> 01:01:39,355 Speaker 1: I had the phone halfway to my ear when I 926 01:01:39,435 --> 01:01:43,355 Speaker 1: realized my left side does not hurt anymore at all. 927 01:01:44,115 --> 01:01:47,755 Speaker 1: It does not hurt at all. Well, that was a 928 01:01:47,795 --> 01:01:51,355 Speaker 1: quick recovery. I sat up. My left side felt fine, 929 01:01:51,395 --> 01:01:54,035 Speaker 1: In fact, it felt great, and a nurse came over 930 01:01:54,075 --> 01:01:56,435 Speaker 1: and suggested I should lie back down again. I said why. 931 01:01:57,435 --> 01:01:59,475 Speaker 1: Somehow I got better on the trip from all the 932 01:01:59,515 --> 01:02:02,475 Speaker 1: potholes and just lying here. In fact, I feel great. 933 01:02:02,715 --> 01:02:05,595 Speaker 1: Did you guys remove my left leg while I wasn't looking. 934 01:02:05,915 --> 01:02:07,515 Speaker 1: Did you replace it with the left leg that I 935 01:02:07,555 --> 01:02:09,355 Speaker 1: had when I was twelve? Because I could hop back 936 01:02:09,355 --> 01:02:11,715 Speaker 1: to Connecticut on my left leg. Right now, just cancel 937 01:02:11,755 --> 01:02:15,995 Speaker 1: the flight, She laughed. She said, no, what I was 938 01:02:15,995 --> 01:02:18,275 Speaker 1: feeling would be the morphine they gave me so they 939 01:02:18,315 --> 01:02:20,795 Speaker 1: could twist me around and take the X rays they needed. 940 01:02:20,795 --> 01:02:24,155 Speaker 1: And I said, please, never ever give me any more 941 01:02:24,315 --> 01:02:29,315 Speaker 1: of that ever again. Thank you. My Judo flashback, as 942 01:02:29,315 --> 01:02:31,875 Speaker 1: it turned out, had done the job. I had broken nothing. 943 01:02:32,435 --> 01:02:35,675 Speaker 1: The er doctor complimented me on my fall, and he 944 01:02:35,715 --> 01:02:38,955 Speaker 1: said I probably had six or eight different sprains on 945 01:02:38,995 --> 01:02:41,635 Speaker 1: my left side. It would hurt, but it would keep 946 01:02:41,675 --> 01:02:43,995 Speaker 1: getting better and I'd be able to make my flight 947 01:02:44,075 --> 01:02:47,435 Speaker 1: home the day after next. He was completely right, although 948 01:02:47,475 --> 01:02:50,075 Speaker 1: I now I found twenty five years later that it's 949 01:02:50,075 --> 01:02:54,035 Speaker 1: beginning to hurt like I just fell off the cliff. Anyway, 950 01:02:54,035 --> 01:02:55,915 Speaker 1: I went back to the hotel. I ate well, I 951 01:02:55,955 --> 01:02:57,955 Speaker 1: slept well, I managed to walk around with the help 952 01:02:57,955 --> 01:02:59,795 Speaker 1: of a cane, and I went back for day two 953 01:02:59,835 --> 01:03:02,595 Speaker 1: of the commercial shoot. This one is in a mansion 954 01:03:02,635 --> 01:03:06,795 Speaker 1: in Pasadena, a room teeming full of UNA's lying on 955 01:03:06,835 --> 01:03:10,795 Speaker 1: the floor. They're photographs through chandeliers. They're lazy, rich kids 956 01:03:10,795 --> 01:03:14,715 Speaker 1: who also need to be told to eat something. I 957 01:03:14,835 --> 01:03:18,475 Speaker 1: arrived and walked into applause from the crew, and I 958 01:03:18,555 --> 01:03:22,475 Speaker 1: delivered a well rehearsed line and now for my next trick, 959 01:03:22,915 --> 01:03:25,395 Speaker 1: which is when the director John came over and apologized, 960 01:03:25,435 --> 01:03:28,635 Speaker 1: and he said he thought this entry into shot for 961 01:03:28,715 --> 01:03:30,675 Speaker 1: me would be way easier. What I had to do 962 01:03:30,755 --> 01:03:33,915 Speaker 1: is lie on the floor, then sit up and deliver 963 01:03:33,995 --> 01:03:38,475 Speaker 1: the line, eat something. If you can sit up, he said, 964 01:03:38,475 --> 01:03:40,835 Speaker 1: that is. If you can't, we can do something else. 965 01:03:40,875 --> 01:03:42,875 Speaker 1: Can you sit up? And I thought about it, and 966 01:03:42,915 --> 01:03:44,995 Speaker 1: I rubbed my lower back and I said, based on 967 01:03:45,115 --> 01:03:48,155 Speaker 1: the day so far, yeah, I could, but probably only 968 01:03:48,315 --> 01:03:52,795 Speaker 1: six or seven times. And I said, while I can 969 01:03:52,955 --> 01:03:55,955 Speaker 1: sit up, it's clear to me one of those bad 970 01:03:56,035 --> 01:03:58,795 Speaker 1: sprains was in the muscles somewhere of my lower back. 971 01:03:58,835 --> 01:04:02,235 Speaker 1: And if I try to lay back down, I lose control. 972 01:04:02,235 --> 01:04:04,675 Speaker 1: I'll just crash back to the floor. That actually happened 973 01:04:04,675 --> 01:04:08,635 Speaker 1: and getting out of bed this morning. So after each take, 974 01:04:09,595 --> 01:04:11,755 Speaker 1: the same two guys who had walked me up the 975 01:04:11,795 --> 01:04:14,475 Speaker 1: stairs after I fell at the beach gently held my 976 01:04:14,675 --> 01:04:18,635 Speaker 1: arms and shoulders and lowered me back to lying on 977 01:04:18,675 --> 01:04:22,235 Speaker 1: the floor. We got what we needed. I went back 978 01:04:22,235 --> 01:04:25,155 Speaker 1: to the hotel, I had dinner with some friends. The 979 01:04:25,155 --> 01:04:27,235 Speaker 1: next day. I was a little sore, but perfectly fine 980 01:04:27,235 --> 01:04:29,195 Speaker 1: to get back on the plane east and sure enough. 981 01:04:29,275 --> 01:04:32,755 Speaker 1: Only time ever, I had a west to east tailwind. 982 01:04:32,795 --> 01:04:35,635 Speaker 1: The flight from lax to Newark took three hours and 983 01:04:35,715 --> 01:04:39,035 Speaker 1: forty eight minutes. We traversed the country like a dart 984 01:04:39,275 --> 01:04:42,235 Speaker 1: shot from a gun, or an Ulderman falling from a 985 01:04:42,315 --> 01:04:47,075 Speaker 1: rock out cropping. Oh, by the way, the commercial was 986 01:04:47,395 --> 01:04:51,795 Speaker 1: an immediate success, unlike any that Boston Market had ever 987 01:04:51,835 --> 01:04:55,155 Speaker 1: done before. In those days, they were packed each night 988 01:04:55,275 --> 01:04:59,435 Speaker 1: for dinner at every location, selling half chickens and full 989 01:04:59,515 --> 01:05:03,475 Speaker 1: meals with potatoes and salads, and they were getting an 990 01:05:03,515 --> 01:05:06,075 Speaker 1: average of twelve dollars out of every customer. The rest 991 01:05:06,115 --> 01:05:09,635 Speaker 1: of the day the place was empty. The idea behind 992 01:05:09,635 --> 01:05:12,075 Speaker 1: my commercials. They were designed to bring in a lunch 993 01:05:12,115 --> 01:05:14,035 Speaker 1: crowd a sandwich and a soda and a bag of 994 01:05:14,115 --> 01:05:18,915 Speaker 1: chips for four dollars. Soon they were swamped at lunchtime. 995 01:05:18,995 --> 01:05:22,715 Speaker 1: Boston Market ordered three more commercials, these to be shot 996 01:05:22,715 --> 01:05:24,715 Speaker 1: in a studio in New York. They offered me fifty 997 01:05:24,795 --> 01:05:29,635 Speaker 1: grand a day. An entire new career Vista was opening 998 01:05:29,675 --> 01:05:31,995 Speaker 1: in front of me. I was, for a week or 999 01:05:31,995 --> 01:05:36,435 Speaker 1: two in early nineteen ninety seven, the most successful male 1000 01:05:36,555 --> 01:05:40,835 Speaker 1: commercial actor in the country. We shot those three spots. 1001 01:05:41,555 --> 01:05:44,715 Speaker 1: I interrupted a grunge concert to shout eat something at 1002 01:05:44,755 --> 01:05:47,195 Speaker 1: the band, and then I got carried off by the 1003 01:05:47,315 --> 01:05:50,355 Speaker 1: crowd in a mosh pit, and I interrupted a Romeo 1004 01:05:50,635 --> 01:05:53,675 Speaker 1: soap opera surgeon coming on to his nurse by rising 1005 01:05:53,715 --> 01:05:56,915 Speaker 1: from the operating table to shout eat something. And then 1006 01:05:56,955 --> 01:06:00,115 Speaker 1: we did something with ballplayers at the stadium on Randall's Island. 1007 01:06:00,115 --> 01:06:02,595 Speaker 1: And I remember nothing of that because, unlike the first two, 1008 01:06:03,035 --> 01:06:07,435 Speaker 1: they never edited the film, because that's when it happened, 1009 01:06:08,275 --> 01:06:13,315 Speaker 1: their equivalent of falling off the cliff. I will confess 1010 01:06:13,395 --> 01:06:15,715 Speaker 1: it had not occurred to me. Then again, I did 1011 01:06:15,715 --> 01:06:18,755 Speaker 1: not own Boston Market. I did not work for their 1012 01:06:18,795 --> 01:06:22,475 Speaker 1: marketing department. I did not run the ad agency they employed. 1013 01:06:23,075 --> 01:06:26,275 Speaker 1: But none of them anticipated it either. After the first 1014 01:06:26,315 --> 01:06:28,915 Speaker 1: few weeks of giddy glee about the lunch crowds I 1015 01:06:29,115 --> 01:06:34,075 Speaker 1: had brought them, somebody noticed something unfortunate and unexpected. Basically, 1016 01:06:34,835 --> 01:06:37,315 Speaker 1: for every four dollars lunch they were now selling, they 1017 01:06:37,315 --> 01:06:41,915 Speaker 1: were selling one fewer twelve dollars dinner. They had not 1018 01:06:41,995 --> 01:06:45,555 Speaker 1: gained any new customers. They had just managed to get 1019 01:06:45,555 --> 01:06:50,795 Speaker 1: their customers to each spend eight dollars less. These very 1020 01:06:50,835 --> 01:06:55,315 Speaker 1: well made, very memorable commercials worked very very well. And 1021 01:06:55,395 --> 01:06:57,995 Speaker 1: the problem with that was each time they did work 1022 01:06:58,035 --> 01:07:02,035 Speaker 1: it cost Boston Market eight dollars. By the end of 1023 01:07:02,115 --> 01:07:05,395 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety seven, Boston Market was something like nine hundred 1024 01:07:05,475 --> 01:07:09,315 Speaker 1: million dollars in debt, it had filed for bankruptcy and 1025 01:07:09,395 --> 01:07:12,835 Speaker 1: had had been taken over by McDonald's. On the other hand, 1026 01:07:13,995 --> 01:07:17,275 Speaker 1: I got my money, and in the twenty five years 1027 01:07:17,275 --> 01:07:20,515 Speaker 1: plus since, Boston Market has not once used a celebrity 1028 01:07:20,595 --> 01:07:24,315 Speaker 1: endorser to try to sell their food. Oh and there 1029 01:07:24,435 --> 01:07:28,075 Speaker 1: was one other positive outcome from my header off that 1030 01:07:28,275 --> 01:07:33,835 Speaker 1: cliff that December, so many Decembers ago, the ad Agency 1031 01:07:33,915 --> 01:07:36,835 Speaker 1: actually received the award. I did not, so I can't 1032 01:07:36,915 --> 01:07:39,675 Speaker 1: quote the title of it for you. I don't know 1033 01:07:39,715 --> 01:07:42,515 Speaker 1: which group gave it to us, but the Eat Something 1034 01:07:42,635 --> 01:07:47,475 Speaker 1: campaign it actually won an award because apparently my shouting 1035 01:07:47,595 --> 01:07:51,395 Speaker 1: eat something at Una and the others that somehow cuts 1036 01:07:51,435 --> 01:07:55,555 Speaker 1: through to some victims of some eating disorders. What I 1037 01:07:55,635 --> 01:08:00,155 Speaker 1: was told was we got an award from a national 1038 01:08:00,235 --> 01:08:16,395 Speaker 1: Bolimia association. I've done all the damage I can do here. 1039 01:08:16,475 --> 01:08:20,355 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. Everybody got a lot of sandwiches. 1040 01:08:21,835 --> 01:08:24,955 Speaker 1: I became a vegetarian. Brian Ray and John Phillip Shanelle, 1041 01:08:24,995 --> 01:08:27,875 Speaker 1: the musical directors of Countdown, arranged, produced, and performed most 1042 01:08:27,915 --> 01:08:31,715 Speaker 1: of our music. Mister Chanelle handled orchestration and keyboards. Mister 1043 01:08:31,835 --> 01:08:34,515 Speaker 1: Ray was on the guitars, bass and drums. It was 1044 01:08:34,515 --> 01:08:38,395 Speaker 1: produced by Tko Brothers. Our satirical and pithy musical comments 1045 01:08:38,435 --> 01:08:42,075 Speaker 1: are by the best baseball stadium organist ever, Nancy Faust. 1046 01:08:42,675 --> 01:08:46,035 Speaker 1: The sports music is the Olderman theme from ESPN two, 1047 01:08:46,395 --> 01:08:51,115 Speaker 1: written by Mitch Warren Davis courtesy ESPN Inc. Other music 1048 01:08:51,235 --> 01:08:54,555 Speaker 1: arranged and performed by the group No Horns Allowed. Mind's 1049 01:08:54,595 --> 01:08:58,035 Speaker 1: outcer today was my friend John Deane, and I should 1050 01:08:58,035 --> 01:09:01,195 Speaker 1: have let him read the whole script. Everything else was 1051 01:09:01,275 --> 01:09:06,955 Speaker 1: as ever my fault. That's countdown for today, just ninety 1052 01:09:07,035 --> 01:09:09,435 Speaker 1: days until the scheduled end of the lame duck presidency 1053 01:09:09,435 --> 01:09:14,355 Speaker 1: of Trump. Probably and it's maybe Matt Gates stars in 1054 01:09:14,395 --> 01:09:18,595 Speaker 1: the remakeup Back to School Day. The next scheduled countdown 1055 01:09:18,715 --> 01:09:24,035 Speaker 1: is next Monday, because it's Christmas, dammit. As always, bulletins 1056 01:09:24,035 --> 01:09:27,355 Speaker 1: as the news warrants till next time for my co 1057 01:09:27,435 --> 01:09:34,035 Speaker 1: producers Ted and Kit Kitt say something Kid is reluctant 1058 01:09:34,035 --> 01:09:40,235 Speaker 1: to make his podcast debut. Kitty, kitty kat kid. Hey, No, 1059 01:09:40,875 --> 01:09:42,355 Speaker 1: he just looks at me and like, what are you 1060 01:09:42,435 --> 01:09:45,955 Speaker 1: doing till next time? I'm Keith Ulberman. Good morning, good afternoon, 1061 01:09:45,995 --> 01:09:47,275 Speaker 1: good night, good luck. 1062 01:09:47,275 --> 01:10:19,075 Speaker 2: And o how. 1063 01:10:12,755 --> 01:10:20,115 Speaker 1: Oh now he's talking and Stevie's in here too. You 1064 01:10:20,155 --> 01:10:23,715 Speaker 1: have something to say? You want to eat? Tell me 1065 01:10:24,795 --> 01:10:32,435 Speaker 1: you want something to eat? Okay, Ted, Kit, you want 1066 01:10:32,475 --> 01:10:33,035 Speaker 1: something to eat? 1067 01:10:34,235 --> 01:10:34,555 Speaker 2: All right? 1068 01:10:34,595 --> 01:10:38,715 Speaker 1: Stevie's speaking on behalf of the group. A right, Ted 1069 01:10:38,795 --> 01:10:39,915 Speaker 1: just gave me a little sniff here. 1070 01:10:40,235 --> 01:10:40,755 Speaker 2: What Ted? 1071 01:10:42,795 --> 01:10:46,155 Speaker 1: This is called letting the mic open and leaving the 1072 01:10:46,195 --> 01:10:51,355 Speaker 1: tape roll. Ted, say something here, speak into the microphone 1073 01:10:51,355 --> 01:10:55,435 Speaker 1: like that. No, you got nothing to say? You sure? 1074 01:10:57,155 --> 01:10:57,355 Speaker 2: Wow? 1075 01:11:03,035 --> 01:11:04,995 Speaker 1: You can't see this at home, but Steve, he is 1076 01:11:05,035 --> 01:11:07,915 Speaker 1: being attacked by a young six month old Kit, who, 1077 01:11:08,075 --> 01:11:11,115 Speaker 1: though half her size, likes to grab her by the 1078 01:11:11,195 --> 01:11:16,955 Speaker 1: throat with his front legs just as a sign of love. Anyway, 1079 01:11:17,035 --> 01:11:19,875 Speaker 1: Merry Christmas from the whole gang. Rose, who will have 1080 01:11:19,915 --> 01:11:24,755 Speaker 1: nothing to do with this, is outside waiting for food. Up. 1081 01:11:25,555 --> 01:11:27,475 Speaker 1: Kit likes to make a stretchy noise. Did you hear that? 1082 01:11:29,515 --> 01:11:35,075 Speaker 1: Hopefully see it? Just before the new year? All right, 1083 01:11:35,155 --> 01:11:41,995 Speaker 1: let's got something to eat? Countdown with Keith Olderman is 1084 01:11:41,995 --> 01:11:46,795 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 1085 01:11:46,835 --> 01:11:51,555 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.