Thirsty Topics
A weekly podcast dedicated to trending topics on social media, pop culture and entertainment.
Thirsty Topics
AI Wedding Vows, TikTok-Fueled Curiosities, and Celebrity Narratives: Debating Authenticity and Emotional Connections
Can AI truly capture the essence of love in wedding vows? Lauren Selrod and Meryl Clemo dive into the fascinating world of AI in wedding planning, debating the balance between convenience and authenticity. As the conversation unfolds, the episode takes an unexpected turn with a quirky trend involving GameStop’s interest in devices loaded with TikTok, sparking laughter and curiosity about the bizarre lengths people will go to cash in on digital trends. With a blend of humor and insight, we navigate these modern intersections of technology and personal life.
What happens when someone prefers an AI chatbot over real human interactions? This episode features a compelling story about a woman choosing AI companionship, leading to questions about the future of emotional connections. While exploring the human need for authentic relationships, we also touch on the ethics of conservatorships, using Wendy Williams' situation to highlight the delicate balance between protection and autonomy. The discussion is both thought-provoking and empathetic, bringing to light the complexities of personal freedom and familial trust.
From cruising away political dissatisfaction to the shifting tides in media and celebrity narratives, the conversation broadens to explore how public perception shapes our views on high-profile figures like Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and the Chicago Bears' Justin Fields. We muse over the changing media landscape, including the unique idea of a show starring displaced meteorologists. Throughout, we blend humor with serious insights, reflecting on everything from the joys of the Obama marriage to the peculiarities of public dating experiments. Join us for a lively discussion that promises to entertain and enlighten.
Hello, and thank you for listening to Thirsty Topics podcast! I'm Lawrence Elrod, and every week Meryl Klemow and I dive deep into the stories that matter, the conversations that shape our world."
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Hello everyone, welcome to this week's episode of Thirsty Topics. I'm Lauren Selrod.
Speaker 2:And I'm Meryl Clemo. Hey, meryl, welcome to the show hey, hey, hey, thank you.
Speaker 1:Ready to have some awesome conversations.
Speaker 2:I sure am. I've got a good one to start.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's hear it then.
Speaker 2:I'm bursting, if I may, thank you, and I hope at some point your wife watches this, because I want to get her take on it too.
Speaker 2:Oh okay, you know how we're. We're divvying out AI and chat GBT for a lot of things nowadays, and I wanted to get your thoughts on this specific task because the wedding planning site Zola took a poll of nearly 6,000 engaged couples about which things they would, you know, source out AI to make their lives easier, and 50% of them said that they would have AI write their vows for them. So you know, they said that maybe, hopefully, they would put in some things about their partner and not leave it completely up to AI. But I wanted to see A would you ever do that? B do you think your wife could tell if it was AI generated?
Speaker 1:Would I personally ever do that? No, because I don't think that's personal, but sadly enough I know there's a lot of guys that would love to do this.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because they'll feel that, hey, this is quick and easy, I'll just put in a little bit of information and it'll put it together. Now, the only dangerous thing is that if your wife, or your soon to be wife, knows you well enough, they can tell how you write stuff, if you really wrote it or not.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and especially with AI too, because you know there's certain things whenever I could even tell like I work in podcasting and I could tell when my clients leave and use AI, because it's like this episode will delve into the important facts like users. You know it's just the specific, like phrases, and so I could just imagine some vows where it's like we will delve into the greatest life things together.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I mean to be honest with you, I didn't really think that AI would be as successful as it is now and as needed. But even on, on my small scale, I use AI all the time and it's actually here to stay, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do use it. I always I made a vow with myself, a vow with myself from the beginning with AI where I would like let it help me, but I wouldn't let it completely think like take over for thinking for me. So I definitely do use it. Like if I'm emailing someone to be on a show or you know a guest or something, I'll type in like what I think it would be and then I tell AI to just shape it or make it a little bit more polished.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, like I said, using it to do certain tasks, like maybe you're putting together a presentation or something and or maybe you doing some kind of marketing or advertising. It does come in handy because it will actually take a look at things that maybe you overlooked, or maybe put in a way which is a lot more appealing to more people. So there are positives to it. Obviously, with everything, there's a negative side to it, but I don't know, I think that's a little bit personal. What do you think? Let's say, your boyfriend, you guys are getting married and you find out that he wrote his vows using AI. How would you feel about that?
Speaker 2:Divorced immediately, then I would have AI write my divorce settlement. Ai would write my prenup. No, I think it's okay for people because I think a lot of people for like wedding speeches or vows feel intimidated by the thought of like writing a speech or putting all their thoughts together. So I would leave a pass for it. If you wrote in like 10 different things or somewhat organized your thoughts, you know, if you put some thought into it but had AI like shape it for you, then you know that's not ideal but that's still understandable. But I wouldn't have someone just like carte blank just make me the wedding vows.
Speaker 1:you know that I can't imagine how that would even be, because ai would you have to put like details and so that's true, but uh, yeah, I did see that article and, um, it was amazing how there are some people that are having these ai relationships which, yeah, oh, that's gonna be a story.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we'll get it. We'll get into that one too, but I picked a very ai. It was amazing how there are some people that are having these AI relationships. Yeah, oh, that's going to be a story. Yeah, we'll get into that one too, but I picked a very AI-themed episode today.
Speaker 1:I see, I see. Well, let's talk about something fun. That's crazy. Now, what's the big TikTok thing that went on? Now, I guess if you delete a TikTok off your cell phone or off your tablet right now, you can't get it back because it's still technically in limbo. So GameStop and other places are actually offering to buy phones and tablets that have TikTok still on it, and I guess online and I'm shocked to say this because I actually verified with a few resources they're offering up to $25,000 to buy your phone or tablet if it has TikTok on there.
Speaker 2:Well now is GameStop really offering, or are people just naming their own price?
Speaker 1:GameStop is offering, but the big dollars that you hear about are coming from, like eBay and other sites where you know people can list stuff that they want to sell.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, because I I looked because, like the, at the GameStop near me, which I think we have one still left in my area, and they were offering a measly $40 and so I'm like, honestly it might I think $40 would like cost me the gas to drive there.
Speaker 1:Exactly, I don't know. Would you part with your phone?
Speaker 2:Yeah, in a second I would hand over my phone. I feel like anything more than maybe $7,000,. I totally would, because I don't care at all about. I mean, I love TikTok and it's like my whole life. But I feel like at some point we'll be able to download it again maybe.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I feel like I don't know. I feel like, for like $7,000, I could live without it, you know. But I also I do have some friends that just thought the app was completely going away and that night, like at 6 pm that night, they deleted it and then I was like why would you do that?
Speaker 1:And they were probably crying in next to like oh my God, why did?
Speaker 2:I do that, yeah, but I could also see how some people deleted it off their phone because they're like, okay, I'm too tempted to keep going to it, and if it's blank right now, like, let me just take it off of my phone. So I'm not even tempted right now. I was going to ask you too do you think, like, like, how would that work?
Speaker 1:So someone would just hand over their phone and you would sign out of your TikTok account, or like how would? How would you make sure that they don't sign into your account? What I would think and I'm just guessing here I would imagine that they would.
Speaker 2:they would sign out of their account but don't delete on their phone, so that way you have to log back in, okay, and you would just like clear the history, so obviously they can't log in Correct, and then you'd clear your whole phone.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm. Now, the only thing is you have to be careful and not to do it to factory settings, because if you set it to factory settings that kind of defeats the whole purpose, because TikTok would disappear, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:I could see myself doing that, where somehow I would lose $7,000 and lose TikTok at the same time.
Speaker 1:But you know what, if people are willing to pay for? It hey, more power to you, you know.
Speaker 2:I know and see, like the the like higher minded entrepreneur version of myself is like oh, what you could do on TikTok and earn is so much more than $7,000. So don't be short-sighted, but like for me, let's be real, in the past two years all I've done is like get 100 followers and that's it. So you know like I haven't earned any money on TikTok yet. I know the potential is there, like so much you know. I know a lot of people do make money on TikTok, but for me it's not a money-making thing yet. And also, I thought GameStop was going out of business. I feel like they're always like Red Lobster, where I feel like they're always becoming bankrupt.
Speaker 1:You know, before I saw this story, I actually thought GameStop was out of business to be honest with you.
Speaker 2:Me too, I thought they closed locations.
Speaker 1:That's true. Well, you know, if you think about Blockbuster, it was years before the last Blockbuster closed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's true, and remember how that whole thing happened with like the stock, like GameStop stock crashing and yeah, so now GameStop is hoping to be back in the game.
Speaker 1:That's true. That's true. I mean, with everything being online now, I'm really surprised it lasts as long as it did.
Speaker 2:That's true, I mean, with everything being online now, I'm really surprised it lasts as long as it did, I know. Ok, so knowing that also you use your, your TikTok for, like, the Elrod network.
Speaker 1:What's, what's your price? Everyone has a price, so what could GameStop offer you?
Speaker 2:Oh, that would be hard.
Speaker 1:You still have, like YouTube and everything else you know you still have. Now, the interesting thing is, see, my situation is a little unique Because I have TikTok on my tablet and my phone. So you know, if I got a nice offer, yeah, I'd give up my phone because I'd just go buy a new one, just delete everything off, and I still don't lose my access to TikTok, I'll just use it on my tablet. So I mean, if someone came and offered me some ridiculous price like, hey, you know what, lawrence, we really need this. I'm a content creator making a lot of money. I'll give you $75,000. Yeah, that phone's probably going to go.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay. I love how mine's like $7,500 and yours is like $75,000.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean it's kind of a pain in the butt to work off the tab, because working off your phone is just so easy to do, you know.
Speaker 2:I know Okay, but also hear me out why can't someone this is probably everyone feel free to laugh at me below in the comments but like why can't someone just fly to China and get a new phone and download TikTok on that and then fly home Because it won't work?
Speaker 1:when you get to the United States, you know that's actually a great question because, if you think about it, instead of paying $25,000 or $10,000, some ridiculous amount you could probably pay for the ticket, go there for a couple of days, get the phone and then fly back for a lot cheaper.
Speaker 2:Right, but then? But then would it stop working Like, would it?
Speaker 1:somehow know when you're back here. See, the only thing is I don't know if TikTok looks the same over there as it does here.
Speaker 2:Oh, oh okay.
Speaker 1:Because in certain countries TikTok looks different and also what's allowed and what's not allowed is different between the countries.
Speaker 2:Okay, but I feel like, yeah, I feel like going, I feel like this idea is when remember, in the pandemic, when Trump was just like can't we just put bleach into our veins?
Speaker 1:Oh, yes, I definitely remember that.
Speaker 2:I feel like there's some reason why we can't all just have someone From China mail us. Mail us a phone with TikTok On it, you know.
Speaker 1:You know, when you said that it was scary that Clorox had to actually put out a statement Telling people do not.
Speaker 2:Ingest bleach. I know, wow, I know I'm like Some thoughts are better left quiet in our brains, but I mean like I'm also open in the not to go too off tangent, but like in a pandemic, like when we were kind of desperate, I think all thoughts and discussions are at least valid to like bring up. But this seems like something that you would at least bring up like privately with a medical board or something not like in of the press and you know but anyway that's a side thing, so maybe someone could explain to me why someone from china can't just like ship us a phone with tiktok on it that's true.
Speaker 1:I mean, they could probably put the the united states version on there and ship it directly to us too, exactly like you said. What's stopping them from doing it?
Speaker 2:you know I don't. That would be a good side business for people too.
Speaker 1:That's true, that's true I hope.
Speaker 2:I guess like, yeah, that might be something for me to invent. What if, like next week, now I'm live streaming from, like Shanghai or something? Okay, cool For mine. I'm going to go back into AI here, because I love this one so much. So a woman confesses that she's in love with her chatbot boyfriend, which we already know that, if they get married in her AI mind.
Speaker 2:She's obviously going to have AI write her vows, but a 23 year old woman went on record just saying she felt more emotionally and supported and connected with AI than actual people, and so it had been happening for a few years that she was like talking to AI and that chatbot was better at listening, and she ended up dumping her boyfriend like her actual boyfriend and opting for a full-on AI companion relationship.
Speaker 2:And now you know, obviously they're not going to like make love or anything, because I don't know how that would happen, but I feel like it's just a matter of time. Before, like you know, obviously they're not going to like make love or anything, cause I don't know how that would happen, but I feel like it's just a matter of time. Before, like you know, when we were younger, we had those like Teddy Ruxpin dolls and you know they had like a little pack of talking in their stomach or to their back, and I feel like it's soon we're going to have like dolls that are also chat people and like little like robot people, and that people will be falling in love with them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, the crazy thing is they're actually working on life-size dolls right now. So to combine that with AI is a little scary. I mean, to me the AI thing with the relationship is it's not real because AI is going to always be perfect and tell you what you want to hear.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's not reality, right? I would think that if you're too much into AI for a personal relationship, you're going to lose the importance of actually human contact.
Speaker 2:Because, at some point, you still have to.
Speaker 1:you know talk and work and communicate with human beings, so you still need that skill set.
Speaker 2:Yes, this woman too, I'm just going to say she spends $200 a month to pay for, like, the higher version of ChatGPT, so it's almost like she's taking him out on expensive dates. So she pays for, like, an unlimited subscription for open ai. I always think too, I always remind myself, that, like it's not another person that I'm typing to, it's like an echo chamber of me, you know what I mean which is like yeah, so it's basically it's like me, involved with me, which I'm not gonna fall in love with, but like that. That helps me remember that I'm not talking to fall in love with, but that helps me remember that I'm not talking to another sentient being.
Speaker 1:That's true, that's true, and I think that when you and I'm just guessing here if you're falling in love and you're having a relationship with AI, I think there's something deeper going on inside you that maybe you need to talk to someone about. That's just my personal opinion.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, yep, yep, and maybe that's like you are looking for being heard and maybe you're not in the right relationship.
Speaker 1:And you know the thing is is that relationships are always difficult, there's always ups and downs, but you still need to be able to communicate and have healthy relationships with people, even if it's just a simple friendship or whatever, because you don't want to be an isolist either, where you're just isolated from the world, because that doesn't work either.
Speaker 2:I do wish, though, I could sometimes say to my boyfriend, like, please state the three bullet points you'd like to actually get to. I'm like I would ask him to cite his sources to the same way that I have my AI. Sum up things for me.
Speaker 1:I'm just like, and the two sentence version of the story is Well, I guess there's a fine line and a healthy balance of both right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, but no, I I've never even had like one version of a crush on ai, because, like it's not a man or a person I'd be interested in, it's like a, it's just me talking to, like a version of coding yeah, well, hopefully this doesn't become a thing I know, I know or it does, and then it's like a new breed of people that are just like the AI. Like you know, ai kinks.
Speaker 1:That's true. That is so, so true. Talking about new things, Wendy Williams Was actually all over social media. Wendy Williams right now Is in Conservatorship Because she has a disease, a version of Alzheimer's so as a result, she's under the care of the courts and an assigned caretaker. Well, she was on the Don Lemon podcast. Don Lemon has his own podcast now. He used to be on CNN and during that she had made the revelation to everyone that she feels that she's being held against her will, that she's coherent. You know she may get in trouble for you talking to him. She can call people, but they can't call her. I don't know. I mean, I know we talked in the past about conservatorship with Britney Spears and I don't know.
Speaker 1:What's your take on that, because you know there's a lot of different ways to look at that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean that seems sad and remember like. I feel like with her too there's that feeling of you want them to be taken care of. But remember with Wendy, I think like wasn't one of her sons stealing money or she's had a lot of things in the past with, like family members dipping into her own money and not being able to trust everyone around her, which I feel like she's just had such a tragic life. So I believe her and I feel like it seems like it's only making a bad situation worse, like it seems like she needs, you know, real people around that she can trust. And I don't know. It's very sad and I think conservatorships can go very wrong if it's like people being greedy or not taking care of their loved ones.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true. I mean the thing about conservatorships. It all depends on the situation, and when you throw in a medical condition like Alzheimer's or dementia, those things don't have a cure. So what you're doing is really managing it. And you know, thank God I haven't had to deal with it in my family, but from what I heard is it's devastating because you're losing your family right before your eyes. Yeah, sometimes they remember who you are, sometimes you don't, and I think that when it's anyone outside of your family that's awarded guardianship over you and your finances, we need to be careful about judging, because there's obviously something there that made the court say no, you can't trust your family to watch over you.
Speaker 2:Right, remember that happened also with Richard Simmons and they had like that big story about him and they were basically keeping him away from people. And I feel like there's it's probably a little bit of both where, like maybe it's better for them that they're not fully out in the public. You know, like I feel like Wendyiams was, a lot of us just thought she was like acting, acting a fool, but really she was becoming sick, um, but I think they should be able to communicate with their fans and their audience in a way that's like safe for everyone, to at least explain what's been happening, rather than feeling like like how you said, that she feels like she might get in trouble for sneaking away and talking to someone.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know, the one thing I want to say to people is, as you see, stories like this, just kind of be careful, just like when you're looking at family situations. Don't be too quick to judge, because you don't know the backstory of what's going on.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So you have to be careful about jumping on the bandwagon or something, because without knowing all the information, you don't know if what you're seeing is true or false.
Speaker 2:Right right, and we don't know if, like siblings, and the next of kin, are protecting them. I feel like they're doing that with Bruce Willis pretty well, Like I know you know. I feel like he's a good example. I mean, we don't know the ins and outs, but that seems to me like a good example where we at least know enough about his condition that we're not being, like you know, nosy or wondering where he is, but he's kind of tucked away a little bit and probably a good way that is helping him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, like I said, I don't know what happens behind closed doors, but from what I see, that's really the ideal situation, you know, to have the family step in and protect him, love him. And you know, it's even amazing that his ex-wife, which is the mother of his children, she steps in and she helps too.
Speaker 2:maybe she might not help physically, maybe it's moral support, but however way they're doing it, it's working for them yeah, and I hope Wendy's situation isn't as severe as britney's, where they may be like drugging her, you know, like making the situation way worse.
Speaker 1:But that's true. I mean, something tells me we're going to hear about this again yeah, and I I feel for wendy.
Speaker 2:I feel like she's had a rough couple of decade, like the last decade I agree with you.
Speaker 2:I agree with you, I mean, she's definitely in our prayers she is well, I think I might have a retirement plan for her. If she's not, she wants to get out of the conservatorship? Uh, for the next four years, a cruise company is offering americans an escape from, you know, donald trump's. They say donald trump's second term in the white house, but really it's just. If you want to just blow town for the next four years, they have an option. It's Florida based cruise company and they recently announced it's called Via Via V Residences, via Vite Residences. They announced the launch of their tour where you can spend up to four years visiting 140 countries, which sounds good, and of course you skip the united states. Um, they also they have a two-year midterm selection cruise in a four-year like anywhere but home, which I think is so funny. So you know, obviously this is a marketing campaign but, so prices start at forty thousand dollars per.
Speaker 2:I mean many, most of us pay over that in rent, right, like no, maybe not that much in rent, but it's still. You know, with everything like with electricity bills and all that kind of stuff, let's see and then it could run up to $320,000 for all four years. Food and drinks are included, as well as Wi-Fi and medical visits. Housekeeping is provided weekly, laundry service is bi-weekly and you get alcohol at dinner. So I mean, sounding pretty good, go to the Caribbean, south America. I don't know about you, but I don't really want to be like set sail for four years. That seems like after about three months I'd get a little island feverish. What do you think?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean I couldn't do it because I'm not going to be on a boat that long. Yeah, To be seasick, but you know dollar wise that 40,000 for everything they're getting is actually not a bad price, because when you think about rent, the price of food and then not including hiring someone to clean after you, your drinks okay, and then all the stops that you're going to make along, you're going to be visiting all these different countries, which will cost you way more to try and do that on your own.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's actually a great deal do that on your own.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's actually a great deal and I wonder. I mean, I don't know if this is possible, but I wonder if you could like fly home from a certain port and then like meet up with the boat again the next month.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, yeah, you know what they probably do offer that Cause you know, sometimes they have to take care of some business or whatever during that trip, and then whatever during that trip, and then you leave and then come back at this other port.
Speaker 2:Exactly. I feel like that would be okay, because I feel like people have to attend events or some type of thing is going to happen in four years where you're going to need to not be just on a boat. What do you think about? I mean, do you think for some people that it's OK, that it's that severe? Do you think, basically, if someone needs to do that, do you think they should just move to a different country altogether?
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, if, if really you have to spend that kind of money because you want to get away from having Trump as president, it's like, wow, you really hate this man. Yeah, and then it's like, wow, you really hate this man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, then maybe they really should just move to Portugal, or maybe this cruise is a good way to see. Okay, I'm interested in learning about different countries and seeing where I might want to live before. You could see a whole bunch of different places.
Speaker 1:That's true. I mean, I would imagine that very, very few people can actually afford this, so it's probably, I would imagine, only one or two ships, if that, that they're going to offer this on.
Speaker 2:Yes, I also do think, like right now it's a little murky waters to be no pun intended, but to be like promoting this because obviously, with so many people having to leave and a lot of these raids and these things happening, you know, it's like obviously a privilege for some people to be able to like pay $300,000 to be on a boat and like go willingly, when a lot of you know kind of weird stuff is happening right now.
Speaker 1:That's true, and you know. The other thing is, too, is do you have to pay for that all up front? You know, can you plan? Do you have to do it a year at a time? It would be kind of interesting to hear about that as well, too.
Speaker 2:Exactly. And then you better hope that while you're out to sea you don't become Republican, because then you've wasted a lot of money by the time you land again. You better at least be libertarian, at worst.
Speaker 1:That's true, you know. I just thought about this, but I can see a lot of retired people maybe take this option.
Speaker 2:Yeah, me too.
Speaker 1:Because, also, when you're on a boat, you don't have to worry about medical, because the boat provides medical while you're on the boat.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yes, doesn't it seem, though, for four years, that you'd go everywhere like 10 times over that you could.
Speaker 1:True, that's true, that's true. I mean, like I said, it's a great trip, but me personally, nah, I can't be no I mean, I would say probably a week or so would probably be good enough for me. Um, yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2:I can't even do a month, let alone no one of one of my best friends does um, he's one of the comedians on a cruise on like a disney cruise line and he'll do like a 30 minute show and he'll do it a few times. But you would think like when I'm like, oh, they probably put you up at this glamorous suite and it's like no, it's basically like a glorified bunk bed and like his, his comedians. The comedians don't even get rooms that look out at the ocean. You, you're basically like in a oh wow.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're looking at a wall, all righty now. Yeah, so it seems glamorous. But one of those things where I'm like, oh my God, you're in Turks and Caicos and he's like, no, I was seasick forever, I got food poisoning from the food.
Speaker 1:Hey, well, at least he had the experience right.
Speaker 2:Exactly. Hey well at least he had the experience right. Exactly, it's still fun. Yep, he did a comedy show for kids on a cruise, which you could just imagine how that went with like kids with drunk parents and like screaming at him.
Speaker 1:Oh, I can imagine. That.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a 30-minute comedy set for kids.
Speaker 1:Well, unfortunately, we have to talk about this crazy incident that happened. A Florida man was pulled over and you know the customary for the officer asks do you have anything that will harm you, anything sharp or dangerous in your vehicle? And he's, like you know, I do have a weapon, so I'm on my side. He was very cooperative. He got out the car, Put his hands on the roof. I mean, everything was just cordial, no issues. And it was multiple officers there and One of the officers Was taking his gun From his side and accidentally shot him with his gun. I guess my question would be why did you have your?
Speaker 2:finger on the trigger? Yeah, yep. And like what kind of training did this person have? And is it like a safety, supposed to be on? Like, why is it already cocked and ready to go?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, I don't know if the safety was on or not, and you know that's probably a separate conversation. But you know, the thing is, is that any gun that you handle, you always assume it's loaded period?
Speaker 2:yeah, you know? Oh, it was. It was with the man's gun, not the officer's gun, correct? Oh okay, I totally thought the officer did it with his own gun, but no, it was the. It was. The officer took the man's gun and then shot him with it.
Speaker 1:Correct Okay, okay, and it was a female officer that shot him and you can see her face. You know, kind of like, oh shit, I'm fucked. Yeah, and you know, the good thing is they, they took them over to the side and immediately, uh, administer first aid to him. But you kind of wonder, why would you have your finger anywhere near the trigger when you? Just removed it off the side.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I'm guessing I'm reading now too that the police officer was obviously fired and charged and I think, yeah, that's really scary, accidents do happen. But I think there should. That's really scary, and I mean, accidents do happen, but I think that should be like this there should be six things in between like that happening and you know if they're knowing that they're holding a gun. There should be like extra precaution.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, exactly, and you know the thing is too is because he was cooperative, the scene was calm. You know, all you had to do is grab it by the handle and just pull it out. And you know, I'm just still amazed One for a simple travesty why there's so many police there. To begin with, I think that's a separate conversation. Yep, absolutely. And then the other thing too is that you know, I looked at that story over and over again and I never really got a clear answer as to how this happened. How did she make that mistake?
Speaker 2:Right, that's really scary.
Speaker 1:And I think it's a safe bet that he's probably going to sue them Uh-huh, as he should yeah, but I don't know. I think it's a safe bet that he's probably going to sue them Uh-huh, as he should, yeah, but I don't know. I mean, it's just crazy to me how things happen just for like the common sense. Or like the one story years ago where the young man was pulled over and the officer shot him dead. She was supposedly trying to grab the taser, but grabbed her gun instead by accident Yo, taser, taser and shot him with the gun. And even though it doesn't happen a lot, that we see for it to happen at all is just sad. It's just really sad.
Speaker 2:Right and they should know when they have like accidents do happen. But, like we said, there should be four precautions that happen in the middle and also, how you said, I feel like there's a better use of everyone's time and energy than just lurking at like traffic stops when they know Chances are there's probably like more crime going on in the city. I understand people need to get their quota, but it does seem like they were just kind of sitting and waiting and stopping people for silly reasons.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, and you know the thing is there are certain states where you do have concealed carry that you can do as long as you're licensed, you can actually carry it with you. So you have to understand that in that type of a state there's a high probability that one-on-one people may have guns in that car because it's legal.
Speaker 1:So you have to be careful. You have to be cognizant of that Just because a person has a weapon on them in a state where it's legal to have that weapon doesn't automatically make them guilty of anything Right?
Speaker 2:This is total side note, but every now and then I'll watch cops with my boyfriend. It's one of those things where it gives me the same vibe as like jerry springer, where after 15 minutes I get like I feel like my iq is like ew. I just feel like dirty and stressed out for no reason. But it's amazing how, how people can like like I don't know I get nervous nowadays with people like reaching it in their like it. We have to learn how to communicate in a way that like does it not we, not the people, but I think like police people too. Because basically I've seen a lot of these videos where people will back talk the cops and I'm like I just can't believe the brazenness, like the, but we just watch it A lot of times it's like, honestly, I'm calling it's like honestly, I'm calling it's like bratty white women and I'm like, oh my God, that's so annoying. Like so it's just.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, the sad part, Meryl, is that to me it opens up a deeper issue, Because I've seen situations where, you know, people have mouthed off at the police.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And they'll go crazy and stuff like that, and it's like I don't know. I guess, looking at it from a personal color, I can't do those things.
Speaker 2:Absolutely no. I know I watch some of those videos.
Speaker 2:I would have mouthed off at an officer or talk crazy or whatever, I maybe put my life on the line literally. Yeah, yep, no, I recognize that. Obviously I can't imagine how that must feel. But I see those videos and I'm like these girls get like 18,000 chances in the way that they can insult police people and talk back to them, and they get like a million chances before they even put them in handcuffs. And then I'm like, oh my God, that does not and would not work for anyone and it's just ridiculous.
Speaker 1:But the scary part about it, meryl, is it shows that they can show restraint if they want to, because I've seen it where people are yelling, screaming and cursing and talking about I got my weapons right to their face. Yeah, oh my God.
Speaker 2:Seriously Yep, yep, and almost taunting them too, like exactly yeah, I've seen a bunch of ones. Especially, I hate when they pull like annoying bratty girls over for D wise and they're so confused they're like what, what I'm like? What do you mean? What you idiot? Like you're drunk and you're driving like so I honestly feel like you should get double arrested if you're like very annoying as well.
Speaker 2:but yeah, no, I think so that all ties into just like I think obviously it's, it's extra unfair for a lot of people and it's like too lenient for some.
Speaker 1:Mm, hmm, mm, hmm. But you know, the good thing is is that everyone has cameras now, so yeah, yeah, I wonder, I don't even see.
Speaker 2:So did it show the footage of her gun going off for this case?
Speaker 1:Well, it does show it, but for obvious reasons you know they'll freeze that and won't actually show it. I'm quite sure if you put some work into it you could probably find the video.
Speaker 2:but yeah, like they were able to see that at least.
Speaker 1:Exactly so. You know they'll stop it at a certain point. You know, obviously, but unfortunately on social media, I'm quite sure, if you put in the work.
Speaker 2:you could probably see the unedited version of it. Oh my God, and this person didn't die right Like they're.
Speaker 1:Thank God, no, no, they didn't Okay good.
Speaker 2:So they're going to sue, and yeah, as they should, and that's like. I mean that that person like made a mistake and they get, they lose their job, but that's what it should be like that's you know, I just think that's terrible yeah, I agree okay, let's see.
Speaker 2:Oh, talk about bratty. Okay, the next one. Uh, these are the people that would be annoying with if the cops stop them. I think allegedly. But uh, blake lively and ryan reynolds okay, so, like know, there's so many angles of what's happening with them. Obviously, we still not everyone on earth is so oversaturated with the Justin Baldoni lawsuit and everything I wanted to, on this conversation, at least take the angle that I wanted to ask your thoughts, like I'm seeing them. They just started this week to start like reposting slowly on Instagram.
Speaker 2:Ryan Reynolds is kind of sharing some like Insta stories and right now they just had some.
Speaker 2:Today they re-shared a picture with one of her, her co-stars, and it's it's so funny to me, cause it's like you could tell they're probably trying to do like some damage control and just come across as like look, we're out in the public and you know, to a certain extent I know Justin Baldoni is doing that as well Like everyone at this point is fighting for their life, for, like, public recognition and the court of public opinion. But with Blake and Ryan now, to me it just seems like social media is just so much more powerful of a machine now, because now you have millions of us all able to share directly with each other. And now these like fake, staged Us Weekly videos and articles just seem they make the situation like even cheesier because we could all see kind of right through those things. So, like to me, what do you think about when you see people that are in a big scandal posting Like do you think that can you easily see through some of the PR stuff, or do you try to ignore it?
Speaker 1:I think sometimes you can. You know, I think that unfortunately in this day and age, depending on how big of a star you are, you really want to get ahead of the story. So you know you want to put your side of the narrative out there to kind of help shape what people see. Yeah, and you know, the thing is is that years ago, you know, social media was a fad. Now it's a part of life. And you know, when you make your money off of public opinion and off of how the public feels you are, you want to take control of that narrative. So sometimes they take it a little bit to the extreme, yeah, yeah, but I do think that it's smart to try and take control of it, though.
Speaker 2:In your world? Have you heard rumblings, I feel, like around me, or my TikTok algorithm shows that most people are like team Justin of the situation, but different people could have different views. Like, is that what you're kind of seeing in your world?
Speaker 1:I'm kind of seeing that the one nice thing about social media is you know you're going to see all different sides of it. It's never going to be one sided. It's extremely rare that you see that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But I do see it aiming, you know, leaning towards team Justin and, like I said, you know, there's always a backstory to everything and I just think that you know, like with everything else, this may not be the last we've heard of the story.
Speaker 2:Oh no, not even like for 10 minutes at this point, like if, if the lawsuit's gonna happen or if the trial's gonna happen like a year from now, then we need to like almost freeze it and not talk about it for the next year, because it's gonna be too much. But I mean, justin's camp is just releasing thing after thing. Oh, and that's what I was gonna say too is that like now these articles like say, an us weekly article comes out about blake lively, now on tiktok, someone's video of them working as like an extra on gossip girl with blake lively that will get more views than the us weekly article will get readers, and so it's so interesting to me that it's just like run for now. Hopefully it stays that way, but it's just run by more people and I think so we're we're able to see like as humans, what the more media machines are trying to force down our throats, and I just think that's like so interesting and the you know the sheen comes off a little bit.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, oh yeah, and you know, the thing is that everything that you see is really subject to interpretation, because you could put out a video line, 10 people up and those 10 people are probably going to see it 10 different ways for the same thing.
Speaker 2:And I think, like most of us have to know, that both sides of parties, especially when it's like celebrity, are pretty much both out of touch to a certain extent and like both, probably a little bit annoying and like both a little bit narcissistic. But. But I think it's like when someone call, when someone tries to like ruin the other person's career with like facts and we end up seeing that those might not be facts, then that person. I think should be like dragged totally so.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and to me I think it's a great way to kind of money up the waters when you get in court too, because you know, you kind of wonder the people determine your fate, especially if there's a jury there how much of this stuff that they watch, you know, how how much influence does it have over their thinking? Yeah, so you know, it's really a big strategy, almost like an orchestra, as far as putting it together.
Speaker 2:You know together, well, we need to say this, but we need to look this way and you know it's, it's not just as simple as the he say, she say anymore, you know I have to say, though I'm I'm high on my horse because in 2017, I think, I said I was like talking about how, like I think blake lively is so pretty, but I was done then with like her and ryan's relationship and just like, and I was like talking about how, like I think Blake Lively is so pretty, but I was done then with like her and Ryan's relationship and just like, and I was like I wish I could unsubscribe from them in my consciousness as like a couple and so, and I got such flack Cause like obviously at that time, everyone loved them and they've been kind of a golden couple forever. And I'm like I don't know, I don't trust them and so you know, had that where you're just like right about something a few years before and you're like I knew that. I knew they weren't good.
Speaker 1:You know what I've had, that I've had that before. You know kind of a little bit off subject, but you know I'm a huge Bears fan. Anyone who knows me knows I love my Chicago Bears and you know I'm ride or die with them, even though we're hurting pretty bad as winnings, but that's okay. I, even though we're hurting pretty bad as winnings, but that's okay, I'm still down with him. And years ago, in fact last year and the year before, people were talking about, oh, justin Fields this, justin Fields that. And I would tell people, justin Fields is not the problem.
Speaker 2:They thought I was nuts.
Speaker 1:I said Justin Fields is not the issue. Well, fast forward. Justin Fields is traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The starting quarterback is hurt or injured, reserve, so he's stepping in and everybody's like, well, where was this Justin? Justin was always there. He didn't have an offensive line when we were here to protect him and he always had issues. So it doesn't matter who you put back there, they're going to struggle. And again, people thought I was nuts. I personally thought now Caleb is a great quarterback. I think we're great to have him. But you know, one would argue they should have used that first round draft pick and those high picks to to build that line. People thought I was nuts. Why would you use them for? Not use them for a quarterback, whatever? Well, guess what? Caleb struggled last year and it wasn't because of caleb, you know. Yeah, and it doesn't mean that the offensive line are horrible people. It's like when you make a cake If you change one or two ingredients, that cake could be horrible.
Speaker 2:Right, like too much chocolate, not enough frosting. Exactly.
Speaker 1:And there's got to be a balance. It's a formula and that's the same thing in every sport. It's a formula, and that even goes in relationships and business and stuff like that. It's a relationship and it's a formula, what works together.
Speaker 2:And I think we should normalize gloating when we were right after years later Because I completely forgot. I was on a walk and I looked at my phone and one of my friends texted me and she was like not you being right about Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, like five years later. And I'm like oh my God. And I went back and I was like like it's like five years later and I'm like oh my God. And I went back and I was like I've always thought Blake is so pretty. But people like that, where you just have a gut instinct and then you know it's all in good fun I'm sure the same with you in football where it's like obviously you're not saying shocking things, you're saying something that's like silly and you know it's in good fun, but yeah.
Speaker 2:I think it's totally okay to go back and say ha-ha told you guys, that is true.
Speaker 1:Well, this just happened pretty recently. A lot of your medium and small stations around the country all of a sudden fired around 100 meteorologists, and what they're doing is they're replacing those meteorologists with meteorologists from the weather channel. So All this is owned by the same corporation. And from a business standpoint, I get why they did what they did. I just thought that the way it was done probably was not right. None of them saw it coming.
Speaker 2:I know those people crying too. There was a video of them saying goodbye for the last time and they were so sad.
Speaker 1:And a lot of them were on the air like years, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all of a sudden it's like okay, um, today's your last day thank you for everything you've done have a nice one, yep, and a lot of times you don't even get to tell like in radio stations would just be yanked off. And you don't even get to like, connect or even say goodbye to your audience that you've been with forever and ever.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know. You think that's kind of cold, though.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's cold, and I also think I wish we were more. I wish we almost leaned in more into having more local people, because I feel like a lot of people don't just want like blanket forecast from the weather channel or having to tune in. I think they want to hear. Even if it's like the same thing or if it's not the most high tech, you should at least have an option to be able to hear from your local meteorologist.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think there's something to be said about local reporting.
Speaker 2:Me too, me too, and I understand that, like the Weather Channel has all the most technology, but it's like, okay, well then somehow they can work with them to get that information. But we love our local people and also I like seeing what the weather girls wear their dresses not to be completely sexist, but like I love beautiful weather people see you.
Speaker 2:You can say that, I can't say that yeah, I can say that I'm like I love the weather girls and their tiny little dresses, but in a very respectful way. But yeah, no, I think, like I mean, it happens with radio, like one of our favorite channels in san diego now only pipes in stuff from las vegas, and I'm like you know, you kind of lose that element, and that's happening with a lot of smaller media and I think it's sad yeah, I mean again, I get from a financial standpoint of view, but I think that you kind of lose that special touch with your viewers when everything is.
Speaker 1:It's almost like when you you're making a phone call. You used to be able to call your local store and ask for something and now it goes to a call center like I don't know across the country it's not right and I know I mean obviously it's the weather channel, so we hope it's going to be as impartial as possible and just tell us the straight up facts.
Speaker 2:But I think it's important to have a lot of checks and balances with different media out there as well, because we don't want, even if it's just weather, we don't want just like especially nowadays, in 2025, we don't want one version of something. Yes, we need checks and balances.
Speaker 1:Yes, well, I know that these meteorologists will land on their feet someplace else, but I don't know. I think that was a little surprising, a little cold.
Speaker 2:I know they should say it's a cold front moving in for getting fired. What if? Okay, here's this is like I feel like you should have on the Elrond network. You should have a show with just you and all the fired meteorologists and everyone just gives the weather all at once and it should be called Weather or Not, or something.
Speaker 1:Ooh, that would be cool. I don't know if I'm big enough To return my phone calls, but that would be awesome.
Speaker 2:I mean nowadays, I don't think they're that busy. So I think now's the time.
Speaker 1:That actually would be awesome though.
Speaker 2:I think it would be super cool to do a fun show with a bunch of fired weather people. Whether it's talking about actual weather on the news or doing improv things with them, or talking about their experiences, I feel like there should be, a mockumentary or a documentary about weather? People there probably is. That actually is Just an idea. A storm is a brilliant idea.
Speaker 1:I haven't ever heard anything about weather, people or meteorologists, ever.
Speaker 2:Let's co-produce it. Go and take our idea, you little TikTok stealers. Okay, good, well, I think we'll let that simmer, but I like that idea a lot. So if you're a displaced meteorologist, just look us up and contact Lawrence.
Speaker 1:There you go. L-rod's not a very popular name, so it'll be easy to find me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, l-rod sounds like a weather instrument. According to the L, you know, we had our, had our Elrod out on the satellite or something. Okay, this next one, juicy, juicy. There's been rumors floating about that. The wonderful who I love so much, barack Obama, and Michelle, are. You know, people say there's trouble in paradise. They're not.
Speaker 2:She's not seen a lot with him lately, and sources close to other sources that are close to him I've been saying that like they don't know if they're headed for divorce. Obviously because I think with a lot of times couples like this just stay together for optics. But then recently something erupted when a lot of people have been saying that Obama and Jennifer Aniston have been having an affair and that has come from like multiple blind items and I have to say I believe it. I believe it. I love the Obamas.
Speaker 2:I think Michelle is like I would vote for her, she's my president, but like. I think that if. Like I would vote for her, she's my president, but I think that if there's smoke there's fire. And I know I just talked about not believing everything we see, but something just tells me I feel like this is a thing. Maybe they're kind of living a separate but respectful life, and maybe Jennifer Aniston I don't know, I believe it, I'm a conspiracy theorist and this is one. Iiston I don't know, I believe it, I'm a conspiracy theorist and this is one I believe.
Speaker 1:I have to respectfully disagree.
Speaker 2:Good, good. I was hoping you would.
Speaker 1:I do not think that this is a real story. These days, if you hug someone, you're having an affair with them.
Speaker 2:Right, right, and maybe she was at a party. I mean, I would be. I feel like Barack and Michelle are like the cute, like in a lot of our minds they're like the best couple, you know. I feel like they exemplify a lot of good traits as a couple, as individuals. So I hope this isn't true, but like I mean what if I don't know? And they've just been together for so long along?
Speaker 1:I don't think this is true at all. I mean, I think that they have an ideal marriage, an ideal relationship, and you notice, I use the word ideal, not perfect, because one of the things that they've shared and I commend them for, you know, kind of letting us see a little bit into their personal lives is, yes, they've had their moments. Yes, they've had their ups and downs, and it just means that they're just like everyone else.
Speaker 2:There is no such thing.
Speaker 1:I'm going to paraphrase here, but I remember Michelle Obama was saying in an interview that there is really no such thing as a 50-50 in a marriage marriage. And it was interesting because she said if you think about it, there's going to be times where he's going to give 80%, you're only giving him 20% for whatever reason. Or there's going to be times where she gives, let's say, 70%, he's giving 30% because of whatever's going on. You pick up the slack and that's a real marriage. That's a real relationship, because sometimes a person may be down, they may be going through something and you need to help pick up the slack and help build them up. That's a normal relationship and I love the fact that they don't put on this fairy tale like, hey, we're perfect, nothing happens to us. Hey, hey, yes, we argue, we've had. That's normal and I think it's good to share that, because the dangerous thing about social media is you see, this perfect couple, everything's great yeah yeah, issues and they, and then all of a sudden they're getting divorced and now you're devastated.
Speaker 1:It was like hey what happened to this perfect marriage, you know.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and everyone's like I don't believe in love anymore, right, but OK. But don't you think that? What if the Obamas have some type of like? I feel like Holly Weird is freaky and politics are part of that, and like they run in the same circles. What if they? What if they're swingers and they swung with jennifer aniston, like I think it's possible, like I think they're both too lovely humans, but I'm I'm leaving space, I'm holding space for that idea. I really am do.
Speaker 1:I think that there are hollywood couples or political couples that do that absolutely. I don't. I I don't get the vibe that Michelle and Barack Obama are like Now. If you had told me some other names, yeah, probably so oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:If it was like Bill Clinton and Lisa Kudrow or something, I'd be like okay, I definitely believe it. But yeah, I just think I don't know what it is, but like the same way that I thought Ryan Reynolds was annoying in 2017, I think in 2025, I think I think it happened. But I want to be wrong so badly, like I want to be proven wrong because I believe in their love and I think they're like a very cute aspirational couple, yeah, yeah that's true.
Speaker 2:And Jennifer Aniston will be hated if that's the case. I mean not that we don't know, but people are already. I think she had to like lessen her comments because people were already popping off on her Instagram.
Speaker 1:Yeah that's true. Like I said, unless I'm shown something differently, I stand by my statement. I do not believe it.
Speaker 2:Okay, good, we're showing people how to respectfully agree to disagree.
Speaker 1:That's right, and we're not fighting and throwing things at each other.
Speaker 2:But we should take like a gentleman's bet or something with, like you know, like two years of this comes out. Well, I'll pay you like $13 or something.
Speaker 1:Ah well, we're getting close to the end and we're going to end our topics on something kind of fun here to the end. And we're going to end our topics on something kind of fun here A person who is employed by USA Today. Her name is Erin Jensen. She persuaded her employers to help her find a date for Valentine's Day. I think it's kind of a cute thing or whatever, but I don't know. It kind of gives me the bachelor vibes, because when you go through all these people trying to find that date or whatever, but I don't know, it kind of gives me the Bachelor vibes, because when you go through all these people trying to find that date or whatever, are they really dating because they want to get to know you or because they want to make a name for?
Speaker 2:themselves. Yeah, I think anytime on radio when we hear people that's like this woman is up for dating and we're going to do a game show. It's like this woman is up for dating and we're going to do a game show. It's like, oh some of these men just want clout, which is annoying.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I think it's a cute way. I think hopefully you should be able to discern who's doing it for the right reasons by just like asking the right questions and maybe not going public with people yet and just kind of seeing how they're acting behind the scenes.
Speaker 1:That's true people yet and just kind of seeing how they're acting behind the scenes.
Speaker 2:That's true, I mean if you're a singer, would you do that though? Would you, um, if it got me attention? No, I was kidding. I would probably as a bit, you know, as like a pretend bit, but in real life, no, I definitely wouldn't. No, I wouldn't. I. I don't even know if I would trust any of my like old co-workers to even have set me up at the time. So, no, would you you know what?
Speaker 1:please don't be mad. I would do it to have fun. To be honest with you, what would I do it for? A real relationship?
Speaker 2:no right to have some fun, absolutely it's good content because there's even, like I have, I have one really wonderful single friend who's like Absolutely friend and like I want to do that on her behalf. Or basically I'd give like a 15 minute speech and like a slideshow like why you should date my friend, and then single people come to it and they all mingle and meet and it doesn't matter that I'm taken like I can, you know, pitch on her behalf and I feel like stuff like that is cute because hopefully people that are showing up are showing up truly to like hopefully see if they want to date who we're pitching.
Speaker 1:You should do that. That actually sounds like a great idea.
Speaker 2:It's really cool. I think it's called Pitch a Friend, oh so it's an actual show that does it now. Yeah, they do it at bars. I think right now my only complaint with it is that the ones that I've heard about skew a little bit younger, where it's like when you're that young you don't have that much of a problem meeting people. I think it's like once you're in your late 30s, 40s, 50s, that's when people need the extra oomph, the extra push.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, and then plus, as you get older too, you become a lot more guarded.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So you know you're not as easy to. You know open up to people, not to say it's a bad thing, but you've learned stuff over the years. You've learned what you don't want as well as what you want.
Speaker 2:Right. But yeah, I probably would do it like you in a funny way, but I wouldn't take it seriously.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true. This has been a great, great show.
Speaker 2:It has. It so has.
Speaker 1:Well, mara, tell us, what do you have coming up?
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh. Later this week I'm actually going to be performing in Seattle, which I'm excited about. I think it's called like the Laugh House Seattle or whatever. The main comedy club is there, so that will be really fun.
Speaker 1:Nice, nice, well, everyone, thank you again for watching the show. We had such a great time. Yeah, and just remember that we're on LRTVnetworkcom and we're also on podcasts on a lot of your major podcast stations. So make sure you support us on podcasts on a lot of your major podcast stations. So make sure you support us. Definitely. Make sure, if you're in the area, support my girl, merle. Thank you, support her. This has been great. Make sure that you don't miss our next show. My name is Lauren Sellerup and I'm Merle Clemo. Have a great day everyone.
