Thirsty Topics podcast
A weekly podcast dedicated to trending topics on social media, pop culture and entertainment. Lawrence and Meryl have healthy discussions with multiple perspectives.
Thirsty Topics podcast
Prison Breaks and Presidential Shoves: Some of This Week's Most Shocking News for 5/28/25
We dive into the social media war between TGI Fridays and Chili's over mozzarella stick supremacy, with Chili's devastating comeback going viral while many people admit they didn't know Fridays restaurants still existed.
• New Orleans prison break where 10 inmates escaped by ripping a toilet off the wall and crawling through the opening
• Colorado Rockies fan suing the team after being hit by a foul ball, claiming the team is "so boring" that fans don't pay attention
• Denzel Washington confronted by a photographer who grabbed him twice on the red carpet, highlighting issues of personal boundaries and respect
• The National Spelling Bee's 100th anniversary celebration and where past champions have landed in their careers
• Trump's threat to impose a 50% tariff on Apple products, potentially driving iPhone prices up to $3,500
• Carnival Cruise ship's dramatic rescue of a couple and their dogs after their catamaran was damaged in a storm
• French President Emmanuel Macron caught on camera being shoved by his wife before exiting a plane
• The American Music Awards' disappointing show with major stars absent and questionable performances
Don't forget to check out Meryl in Minneapolis on June 6th at the Booms on the Lake comedy festival!
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."
Please help support our show by following us and telling others about our show. New podcasts weekly.
Hello everyone, welcome to this week's episode of Thirsty Topics. I'm Lawrence Elrod.
Speaker 2:And I'm Meryl Clemo.
Speaker 1:Hey, meryl, how's it going?
Speaker 2:Hey, hey, it's going really well.
Speaker 1:Good, good, good. I'm loving my new camera. How's yours?
Speaker 2:I'm loving my new camera too. I love it slash. I'm apologizing to people that have now seen more pores in my face than you even are used to. In fact, it's so funny because, like I did not notice, I like have a pimple on my eye and I'm like, okay, it took up until this recording that I now know that this is a testament to not fall asleep with your makeup on. But I love this camera. I feel like we're looking snazzy.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely. I noticed that both audio and visual quality is really 90 different with these cameras.
Speaker 2:Yeah, hopefully people are seeing parts of us they've never seen before. Yeah, yeah, so hopefully people are seeing parts of us they've never seen before. There you go and may only want to see again once a week. Wow.
Speaker 1:It's been a lot going on over the last week, so I am going to go ahead and let you start.
Speaker 2:Okay, cool, I'm going to start off with some fun, lighthearted uh beef, as they say, or you know, in the fast food world or restaurant world, um, we talk a lot about like chilies and just restaurants like that that are hopefully not going away totally, but definitely getting less and less popular. But, uh, there's now a popularity contest big time between chilies and tgi fridays, which I think the internet pretty much chose a winner, and there was some internet beef. So basically, tgi Fridays was piping up and tweeted out somebody tell Chili's to stay in their lane. Y'all are not mozzarella stick people, we are, that's it. That's the tweet which is like, honestly, it's kind of 2017 type of embarrassing.
Speaker 2:I was a little bit embarrassed for TGI Fridays when I saw that and then Chili's clapped back and said hey, tgi Fridays at us next time. Also, we honestly didn't know, you were still open, congrats, and so then obviously that was really funny and really good and it got to. For the most part, people kept it pretty lighthearted and people were commenting like, why would TGI Fridays be talking about their mozzarella sticks when right now, everyone talks about, like the chilies, the mock, you know, the cheese pole a lot of people are talking about, like the cheese sticks, um, and then people were saying like I didn't even know, fridays was in my area and sure enough, I looked. I don't know how it is where you live, but I looked and there was like the closest Friday's is like an hour away in each direction, which is very sad because I like Friday's.
Speaker 1:You know the sad part. I thought they were closed down too. Yeah, years ago we had a lot of TGI Fridays in the area and literally all of them probably within a 50 mile radius as far as what I know are all closed. So I'm actually I actually didn't know they were still open either. So really sorry, tj friday no and I.
Speaker 2:It's so funny because, like honestly, as a brand, I probably like fridays better. Like, if I had to choose which one, if it was 8 pm and there was like both at a mall, I would probably suggest going to fridays with a friend. But, um, I think chili's has done a good job with influencers and with, like, the younger generation too.
Speaker 1:I think they think it's cool to go to chili's and get like the mozzarella sticks and just like the appetizers you know chili's is good but I have to admit I lean towards tj at fridays because I love that jack dans sucks.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, it's so good yeah.
Speaker 1:And I haven't seen anyone that can copy that. So yeah, I know.
Speaker 2:And even just the feeling of how Fridays used to be. I feel like you still felt like you were somewhat getting dressed. It was a fun restaurant and had more of a theme. To me, I don't know, it just seemed like more of an experience.
Speaker 1:That's true. I would love to see them open back up in my area, because that was one of my favorite restaurants.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I agree. I also think that tweet was geeky. It's like we're the mozzarella sticks. That's the tweet. I'm like, oh god, that's embarrassing, I don't know.
Speaker 1:It definitely seems like someone my age wrote it and then someone your son's age was responding on chili's behalf yeah, but I think, um, I don't think that tj friday really want to be going after chilis, because no, but most people didn't even know.
Speaker 2:You're still around, so yeah, and people had a good point where, honestly, I see fridays represented a lot in the frozen aisle. Like someone was saying, the only time I see mozzarella sticks is in the freezer aisle and like the potato skins and all that they definitely are still. They're doing great, I think, freezer wise, but not so much in person wise.
Speaker 1:That's true. That is true because they're. Even when I go to the grocery store, I see all their products in a freezer. Like you said, a lot of them too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my issues with chili mozzarella sticks is they're almost like they're too flat. They're not the typical stick, they're more like logs.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, yes, I kind of like the stick stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, me too. I want them more old school.
Speaker 1:So yeah, we'll see if there's going to be some more clap back now that they started launching the little battles here.
Speaker 2:I know I'm waiting for my baby, red Lobster, to go and retweet all of this and just be like you guys are all crazy. There you go. Applebee's is staying quiet.
Speaker 1:Yes that's true? Well, you know there was in the news about that date. You know, taking your first date to, to my goodness, to Cheesecake Factory. Remember that Factory thing that came out about taking your first date on the Cheesecake Factory.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, which, like they all have different purposes. You know, like I feel like Chili's I would go to with my family. Tgi Fridays I want to go and hang out with my friends, like after an event or something, and the Cheesecake Factory is like a weird. I'm in a different city, I don't even know what I'm doing, kind of thing. That's true, that is true. This is a random fun fact is I once saw a very serious breakup happen at cheesecake factory.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was so bad that the girl was like leaning her head down on the table and crying and and I it was a few years ago and I thought I did something bad where I took a picture of it and then I posted on my facebook and said like I'm watching this break, and people were so mad at me that I was like I was using them for content.
Speaker 2:Well, it was definitely original content, though, yeah it was bad and they were right outside of Cheesecake Factory and you could tell he was the one dumping her and I felt really bad.
Speaker 1:I wonder why he did it. Oh, I know why he did it there, because he figures a lot of people around, she can't throw anything at him. Calm her down a little bit.
Speaker 2:And as much as I love men too, bless all your hearts. It was also a typical man thing where you could tell he didn't think it out and the waitress kept on coming over. He didn't wait until the food was on its way. So he was talking and then she was crying and the waitress would have to come take their order and interrupt them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was a very awkward dinner.
Speaker 2:Yeah, very bad, but anyway, that's all to say that Chili's and TGI Fridays are fun to watch on social media.
Speaker 1:That is true, that is true. Well, talking about something not so fun, I'm quite sure everyone has heard about the escape with the 10 inmates a little over a week ago out of a New Orleans jail.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Unless you've been under a rock to catch you up. There were 10 inmates that escaped. They actually ripped a toilet off the wall, oh my gosh. They went out of the hole. And then, you know, I hate to say it, but I don't think these guys were very bright, Because there was a few things to me that you know they probably should have did. One, you know, when they find out you're gone, they're going to be obsessed. So someone had the bright idea of writing oh wow, this is so easy. Lol on the wall. Are you kidding? Yeah, just go ahead and throw that salt on the wound there. I wonder at what point they wrote it.
Speaker 2:Huh, I wonder at what point they wrote that Made an escape.
Speaker 1:I think it was made right before they left out.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, you know kind of like a little, or just even I think it was made right before they left out, so they knew.
Speaker 1:Kind of like a little dig and then here's the thing you escape from jail and you stay in New Orleans. Don't understand the logic of that. No, so they caught eight of them. There's only two left now. These two have been convicted of murder, so hopefully they catch those two pretty soon. But most of them were caught on video camera, have facial recognition. Some of them were actually walking over from the French Quarter. Now you know the French Quarter has thousands of cameras and stuff because it's a forced area.
Speaker 1:So it's like did you guys really have a plan once you got out?
Speaker 2:I know, and that's one of the most heavily policed areas. Even though you could probably blend in with a lot of people, you're still amongst who the people would be looking for. There's other areas that you could probably blend in with a lot of people. You're still amongst who the people would be looking for. There's other areas that you can go really unnoticed.
Speaker 1:And one person. This is probably shocking. One person was caught at his grandmother's house. No, seriously, and it's like dude. You know that's one of the first places you're going to go is your family and friends.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I wonder if all, all eight, they didn't stick together right like they weren't all in a clump of eight. No, so they all dispersed into their different lives, and someone to their grandma's house and stuff.
Speaker 1:Okay yeah, but you know, I guess they've arrested I guess nine people that have helped them in one way or other, either harbored them, gave them money, gave them a ride, gave them clothes. So they're literally charging anyone who had any help whatsoever. And there was a janitor who turned off the water to the toilet, because if you rip a toilet off the wall, you know you rip the plumbing and stuff too. Yeah, that's why no water or anything came out, because he turned the water off. And when they arrested him he said Well, the reason I did that? Because they threatened to Shake me, you know, to stab me If I didn't do what they said. And I'm thinking so you really couldn't go to the warden with this. I mean, yeah, so yeah, it's just said, and I'm thinking so you really couldn't go to the Wharton with this.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So yeah, it's just unbelievable. I mean I gotta admit it was pretty creative how they got out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1:That's where the plan fell. Apart is okay. What do we do now? That's the way.
Speaker 2:And, of course, for the movie, part of me wants to be like go, go, run. You course, for the movie, part of me wants to be like go, go, run. There's that part of me. Of course, they're human beings still, so I don't Not to say I don't want them in jail, but that is sad. Of course they want to be free, they want to be able to do their things. I don't know these people or whatever, but yeah, that's definitely crazy and I guess you're right. Normally these things, I'm like, wouldn't you immediately try to change up your hair and your outfit? But it's like, yeah, they have no money, they have nothing. So it's like they can't necessarily go buy a wig and a whole you know, get their nose pierced or something.
Speaker 1:Or at a minimum, get out of New Orleans.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, Because you probably could hitchhike or take a bus or something. I think you definitely could. I mean, I guess you have no money, but it's still, chances are. I'm sure you could get at least pretty far away.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I mean the ones that were captured now. I think they're in maximum facility right now, but again, it's amazing that they got out but then they were caught about a week later, because again it's like they had no plan. Oh my gosh, thank God that no one was hurt. That's the good part of the story. Is that no innocent people were hurting this?
Speaker 2:Exactly, because that's the other part of me, the small side of me. That's like go run, be free. It's like you don't know if they're a danger to society or not and if they're going to harm people you know. So, of course, that's a serious issue that's true.
Speaker 1:And then I want to say, a day or two later, um, I forgot where it was at. But then there was another escape someplace else, this guy that used to be a police officer, sheriff, and he was convicted and he, what did he do? He had a makeshift police uniform on that I guess he made while he was in prison and literally just right out the front door, like he was taking, you know, taking wood or whatever. Oh, it's like, yeah, we're a little worried about our criminal justice system here.
Speaker 2:I mean yes, in general, but yes. I do think, though, if you're able to pull off such a creative thing, you should at least get some treat or something I don't know. In prison, you have to usually be part of some group that I don't know that has to go. Then, in prison, you have to usually be part of some group that I don't know whether it's creative acting or something.
Speaker 1:The one thing that is true, and I've heard this over and over again. You will be amazed at how creative these prisoners will get, because they have enough time on their hands.
Speaker 2:I know that is the part of me that's sad. I know people. Obviously is the part of me that's sad and I know people. Obviously. If people, of course, if you have like a loved one that was hurt or anyone in general, like you want to see the person rot there and be there forever, but like there is, like there definitely is the human element of it is just someone wants to get out of jail is like still very sad, you know.
Speaker 1:That's true, that is very true.
Speaker 2:So I mean, the thing is don't don't murder people, or try your best not to murder someone. So I feel like I mean, new orleans is one of my favorite cities in the whole wide world and it's like they just have the craziest stuff that happens there too. It's always like I feel like they never get a boring week in New Orleans.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely not.
Speaker 2:Absolutely not. It's already crazy enough. I love New Orleans so much Cool, this one is pretty ridiculous. I love this one. I love when I could throw in sports because I'm like, I'm so not a sports person, but I saw this and it made me laugh so hard. So, basically, the rockies are getting sued. A man sustained an injury, but one of the things he's suing is because the rockies are so bad that he's blaming them for being so bad that it's boring and therefore he wasn't paying attention to the game and then he got hit. So we'll break this down a little bit, but I find this hilarious.
Speaker 2:Um, so the team is being sued by a man named tim Rockle who was hit in the face by a foul ball while attending a Rockies game, and so he was saying that he sustained a bunch of injuries. He was in a luxury suite in 2023. And from his seat, he was unable to see the ball coming in his direction, which I understand that. I definitely can see that happening. Uh, according to the lawsuit, he was struck in the right eye and phase and suffered catastrophic and permanent injuries.
Speaker 2:Now you know that alone is he's saying that, like the rockies. Um, the net the protective net didn't extend far enough. So like that is a structural thing that he's saying. But then his lawsuit went on to say that, um, a complaint, he's also complaining that the organization's long-standing poor performance of the field has contributed to a game day environment in which spectators are less engaged with the action on the field. So I don't know, I have to say that's pretty funny. Like obviously, who knows, I don't think they'll take that seriously in court, like boredom really can't be measured or like you can't blame a team on it. But I think that is so funny that like someone saying the team is so bad that we've just you know, we just come to watch anything but the baseball game.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's a nice gesture, but does he realize how many people could potentially sue their teams?
Speaker 2:For being bad, or someone suffers a heart attack or something it's like. Oh, you know, the games are too up and down for me, or you know? Yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean, like you know, it's, it's kind of cute, but I'm no lawyer, but I think that part of it would be thrown out, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do understand especially if that's true about where he was sitting if there was no net, but I I still feel, like the baseball stadiums in general, there are so many places that if you're not paying attention or the ball comes the wrong way, you like, no matter.
Speaker 1:there's so many places that you could get hurt well, here's the thing depending on where you're at merrill, there's physically no way to protect every single seat in.
Speaker 2:Skybox.
Speaker 1:It's just physically impossible. I mean, what are you going to do? Put it way up past the stadium itself?
Speaker 2:Just net the whole thing, yeah, yeah, if you think people aren't paying attention already, what they're not going to do is look through a net and you know like yeah.
Speaker 1:So at some point it's like okay, is this one of those bad accidents? Okay, and I'll give them that. Okay, you got hit with a ball, I could see you know I can see all that, but to say that you were so bored because they were so bad, come on.
Speaker 2:I know, I know, I know.
Speaker 2:If he wins that, I'm going to sue the Bears because we've been struggling over the last few years and I mean, hey, exactly, and I'm going to make my boyfriend sue the Padres because I feel like they're always good at the beginning and then they get terrible in the end. So it's like he could be so distressed that he like misses the ball or you know, like yeah, I think it's just so funny that a guy is like the team is so bad that we just come to games and just tune out the game. We're used to them just sucking so bad. I mean it's ridiculous, but to me that's so silly.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, and you know the teams can have an easy response to it is well, we're so bad, why did you pay your money?
Speaker 2:Exactly, if you're going to not watch a baseball game, then just don't go to one, it's okay.
Speaker 1:Exactly, I mean, I tip my hat off for effort, though.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I've been watching some. I think it was a Rockies game that of course I only Watch the Padres because I have to, because that's what's on at home, but like there was one Padres game where they were just Meeting them, so much that it was, I have so much respect for the Rockies For that game for still even playing, because I feel like I would just throw my glove on the field and be like I'm dumb.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when you start getting beat Real bad, at that point you're just Basically there for pride, you know, because you don't want to, you know.
Speaker 2:Especially when it's in your home. It's like On your stadium too, and you're getting beat so bad. That's like a whole extra feeling.
Speaker 1:That is true. That is so, so true. Talk about being beat badly. Denzel Washington was at. He was on the red carpet at the King's Film Festival and some photographer, for for whatever reason, thought it was a great idea to grab Denzel. Oh no, and you can't hear what Denzel is saying, but you can clearly see from his body motions and probably even watch his lips, that, yeah, he wasn't very happy about it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So I guess he did that because he wanted to get a better picture. Denzel kind of went off, on which I don't blame him, and then when denzel turned around, this crazy photographer grabbed him again what the heck?
Speaker 1:so then not only does they'll go off again, but now you know, I don't know if that was security or just another person ever someone else kind of stepped in, kind of like dude, what are you doing? I mean, I get it, that's your job, you want to take pictures or whatever, but you shouldn't be putting your hands on no one.
Speaker 2:No, I don't think you should lay a hand on it at all. I didn't see the actual clip. Did you see, if he like? How did he touch him the first time?
Speaker 1:Well, basically what he did the first time, you know, he just kind of grabbed him a little bit and you know, denzel, like don't do that. You know, yeah. And then when denzel walks away, you know he takes his arm, kind of like it cuffs it into one arm to pull him back, and it's like dude, not only did you do it again, but this time it's like worse that's so weird.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's very unprofessional and I feel like you shouldn't. You shouldn't touch them at all, not even like a light gesture. I feel like that's very odd and I feel like most people would know that and I took my hat off to Denzel Washington for being a gentleman, being professional.
Speaker 1:So let's face it, there are some entertainers that they would have swung at this guy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, will Smith, I don't know what Will Smith would do. Yeah, yeah, will Smith, I don't think a lot of people want to know what Will Smith would do. Yeah, and it's just also setting the precedent that if you have like one person doing that, then when he steps down 20 feet later, other people are going to like treat him, you know, like a piece of meat and basically be like pawing at him and all that stuff. And I think that I would have to think though, on the sidelines of those awards, they probably would would have to me. I would think a lot of security, let alone like denzel's everyone brings their private security and also like the whole award show would have someone.
Speaker 1:Um, but yeah, if I was like the event organizer and I found out that one of my photographers did that, I would that person would be gone oh, exactly, and I don't know what he's thinking to do that because, no, you know again, with all the cameras and everything around you, you can't lie and say you didn't do it, because everybody sees you doing it. But you know, the thing is that Denzel is very professional, one of the nicest people towards the pop-ups and stuff. He's never had an issue with them. But to put your hands out and just grab him, that's just uncalled for.
Speaker 2:There's zero, you know, to put your hands out and just grab him. That's just uncalled for. There's no, ever put your hands on anyone exactly. I don't even think even like a light touch to anyone. I feel the only thing I could see at all is if you're the one interviewing them and like you go to say have a great time and you're like okay, like thanks, then you know you for a second. You like their shoulder, but I probably wouldn't even try to like shake hands with them or, you know, maybe I would like fist bump or something, but I feel like most times they don't want to be, and not even just because they're celebrities, just because they're like meeting a thousand people that day, and there's like a sea of people that most people don't want to like be shaking hands with 100 people at night or be touched by people they don't know. And yeah, I definitely don't think that's like a celebrity stuck up thing. I think that's just the general like don't give me my space type of thing.
Speaker 1:Oh, exactly, exactly, and you know. The other thing too is you've got to be careful because you know, if that were to happen too often, then what happens is all the reporters and cameramen and stuff starts getting pushed back further away. Yeah, you actually make it bad for everyone when you do that.
Speaker 2:Right, yep, yeah, no, I've seen videos too of like who's the? Oh, hillary Duff, like the, you know the star Hillary Duff that she'll like go up and try to get paparazzi even to stop taking pictures of her kids, and they're like up against the kids like by an inch and they're not touching them but they kind of are like so in their face and I just think that gives a bad name for a lot of photographers.
Speaker 1:That's true, that is true, and you know the vast majority of them don't do that kind of nonsense. It's just a small percentage.
Speaker 2:That's also. I feel like it's almost that. Don't take my kindness for weakness, because things too. Because I feel like Denzel comes across as like approachable and like such a nice human that I think sometimes people may think they're able to like maneuver him around, but they probably wouldn't do that to like an Al Pacino or you know someone I'm trying to think of someone that like seems a little bit more standoffish and stuff, and so yeah, yeah, that's true, that's true.
Speaker 1:And, let's face it, there are some stars that they probably would never put their hands on, because they know that, yeah, they're looking for a fight anyway.
Speaker 2:I'm trying to think of who like. Right away they would know okay, don't do this, don't touch me. Who do you think would be like if you saw them on a red carpet? Who would you be like?
Speaker 1:okay, I'm definitely not going to touch them I would say, if I had to pick, I would say 57 would be one.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yep.
Speaker 1:And let's see who else I don't know. What do you think about Jack Klugman? I'm probably butchering his last name. What's he in? Or what's he the one who plays Wolverine?
Speaker 2:Oh, hugh Jackman, Hugh Jackman, I'm sorry, yes.
Speaker 2:That's so funny because he looks like he'd be kind of scary, but then he's in all these Broadway shows, so he almost like to a detriment. I feel like he almost he's like Ryan Reynolds, where they like pretend they're like the super nice guy. So I feel like they're almost like pretend sweet. So if anything he would be smiling and be like get the hell off me, you know. So I'd be afraid of Ellen, because I'm like we can't even look her in the eye. She's like a devil spawn basically. So yeah, I'd be afraid of Ellen. I would never touch Rihanna too, because I feel like she would just look me up and down and I would melt into a puddle.
Speaker 1:Oh, I know who would hit that photographer if he would have grabbed Nicki Minaj.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, yeah, absolutely would have grabbed.
Speaker 1:Uh, nikki minaj, oh yeah, yeah, absolutely totally yeah, hopefully he got, he learned his lesson, because, uh, like I said, that's just ridiculous yeah, definitely he knows better than that, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And also like they're not yours, amanda, and that shows you're not good at your job, because a good photographer should be able to lead and guide someone without touching them. Even when you think of fashion models, I mean, every now and then they'll let go and they'll have people to fluff up their hair or put a powder on them, but it's not like you're not just like, yeah, you're not treating them like a piece of meat.
Speaker 1:That is so true, that is so true, that is so true.
Speaker 2:You know who? I don't think. I think Michael B Jordan would be nice. If he wanted to, he could Punch them to the moon.
Speaker 1:True, very, very true.
Speaker 2:He has enough bicep power that I wouldn't want to mess with him. That's also just me crushing on him Because I just saw sinners. Okay, oh, I love this one, okay. So the Scripps National Spelling Bee celebrated its 100th anniversary this week. The annual competition where students put their spelling skills to the test began in 1925 when only nine newspapers hosted a spelling bee. So this is so cute that only nine spellers participated in that competition. And now, since then, millions of spelling enthusiasts have participated since then.
Speaker 2:What I thought was really interesting about all of this is that there was an article on NPR where they spoke with the champions from different generations to see how the competition has impacted their lives and kind of like, oh, where are they now? And just you know? Really briefly, I thought this was so cool where a lot of them one of them is pursuing a double major in computer science and linguistics in Austin. One of them is oh yeah, this is amazing. One of them is now a neuro-oncologist who specializes in the treatment of brain and spine tumors. So obviously a smart cookie from the beginning. And now they're uh, john paola, who won the 50th national spelling bee in 1977, went to become a veterinarian, based in annapolis, maryland. So I think that's so cute, like you know. I think I would. I know there was a movie about spelling. I forget what it was called, but there was a big spelling being oh, spellbound. It was a documentary Spellbound. But I would love to see a whole other movie just about these people and like how it affected their lives.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely. That would be a great, great follow up, because just a little bit you said right there just shows that you know these people, that you know these kids that participate in this.
Speaker 2:you know are very, very smart, very intelligent, very focused too it's almost a lost art now because we have chat gbt and I definitely like use that all day long. I use spell check and so I think we're all getting a little rusty in our ability to remember how words are spelled. So I think that's like such a cool thing and I don't know.
Speaker 1:I love that oh yeah, and also it just shows people, especially young people, that you know what. Yes, it is a good thing to learn how to do math. It is a good thing to figure out how to spell.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Too bad and I don't know. I don't think it'll come back to schools, but it would be nice if signature being able to do cursive went back into the schools. But I don't think that's coming back, but it would be nice if that came back.
Speaker 2:I know we had a girl that I went to school with a girl named Marcy Houck and she was like I was trying to find out before this, but she went really really far in it. I think she may have even won some national thing and I just remember I was lucky or we were, she was lucky slash, we were all lucky that even at that time, like we didn't tease her for being a nerd or dorky, like everyone in my school thought that was cool, that we had a spelling bee champion, and so you know like cause I'm like okay, that could be teased or people could think that's like lame or whatever. But I remember maybe that's, maybe I'm just a dork, but like all of my friends were like that's amazing.
Speaker 1:You, my friends were like that's amazing. You know, oh, absolutely, I mean, you know, not only represent yourself, but you represent your school too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and something I liked about the spelling bee at least the one she went to, I remember is that it was represented by like a lot of ethnicities and people from different locations and different, you know, types of schools private schools, public schools, like I like that. It definitely seemed like everyone had something in common and they just were good spellers and I remember like thinking that was very cool.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Who knows? We may be watching our next president, our next congressman or congresswoman and not even realize it.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, oh my God. I thought you meant we're going to have to watch Trump to expelling me. Oh yeah, oh my God.
Speaker 1:I thought you meant we're going to have to watch Trump do expelling me. You know what? I know this is horrible, but I would watch that.
Speaker 2:Me too. I mean, despite the sad news a few weeks ago, I actually probably would have watched a spelling bee with Joe Biden and Donald Trump. If there was ever a time to join all of America together, that would have been it. Instead of the debate, we would just do a spelling bee.
Speaker 1:That would be hilarious, I know.
Speaker 2:I think of all the presidents, I feel like Obama would probably do the. I could see him doing the best in like the spelling bee, like we didn't I remember was it George Bush or like the vice president, dan Quayle. Someone spelled potato wrong and feel like I don't trust Hillary and so, yeah, I feel like my money would be on Barack to spell the best, I think.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was actually the vice president that did that.
Speaker 2:That was Dan Quayle. Yeah, which I mean. I'm not that much better. I just spelled sillier things wrong than potato, so I can't judge.
Speaker 1:But what was so crazy about that moment was the kid actually spelled it correctly.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:And he corrected the kid. Oh, my God.
Speaker 2:That doesn't sum up just politics in general.
Speaker 1:I'm like, ooh, that's crazy. That reminds me of that commercial. You remember the Southwest commercial Want to Get Away?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yes, so this is also if people are parents of young kids and they like to spell, I feel like that's like a talent to nurture. I feel like that's super cool and it's kind of a hobby that you know. I have a feeling that it might not take, that it doesn't come with a lot of equipment needed. You could practice it at your home. It's not a lot of like, you don't have to invest a lot, just a lot of time and energy. But it's like you're not buying a tuba for them or something huge, you're just spelling.
Speaker 1:That is true, that is definitely true. But yeah, I think it's a cool thing that they've celebrating their anniversary.
Speaker 2:I do too. I think that's awesome.
Speaker 1:Talk about awesome or maybe not so awesome. Our wonderful president, president Trump, has just threatened to impose a 50% tariff on Apple.
Speaker 2:Oh my god, I can't, I really can't.
Speaker 1:So let's just analyze this. Now. Apple phones are made in China. Right, apple has committed to spending about $5 billion investing into the United States you know billing certain things over here. So they're looking at trying to move the Apple products from China potentially to Singapore. Now, even if Singapore still has a tariff, just like China and everybody else. It's significantly less.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So this 50% tariff until they move the iPhone less, yeah, yeah, so this 50% tariff until they move the iPhones. And estimates and this is an estimate here iPhones can go up to be potentially over $3,500 each.
Speaker 2:Oh no, then we would welcome flip phones back again.
Speaker 1:I'm getting the nokia with something, or whatever I'm getting and here's the thing you know when you're talking about building a facility.
Speaker 1:This is a high-tech facility, so it's not something that can be built in a year yeah so if you're talking years away, even at an accelerated rate and you know, I know we talked about it a few times there are products and this iphone may be one of them where it is so cheap to build outside the united states that even if you doubled the price, it still wouldn't be worth building here in the united states, if that makes sense exactly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, that is just like I. I can't imagine he would do that for the sheer unpopularity of it, because you know so many people have an iphone, no matter what, how they vote or what they vote, and I feel like that people would just be so mad at him that I really do feel like that would sway people, right or wrong, that would like not have people vote for a certain party. If like iphone, if we think eggs are a topic of situation, if iPhones are $3,500, people would just go back to vote the other way.
Speaker 1:Exactly. The thing is that, whether we like it or not, phones are a part of our life. It's like having a mini computer in your pocket. You have your whole life on that phone. So the idea of jacking this price up and, you know, with the tariffs I don't know if you've been watching it or not, but it's like one minute they start to do tariffs it's like okay, we're going to hold back and then the markets go up and down and it's like you know, you kind of wonder do they know what they're doing?
Speaker 1:or is there another game to this? Because I remember the first time these tariffs came out, trump had made the comment oh, I know a lot of people made a lot of money.
Speaker 2:Oh, it makes you wonder.
Speaker 1:You know, and I'm not saying this is happening, but you wonder is there something else going on? Because when you kind of gain the stock markets like that, people are rich. They shouldn't be getting rich, you know yes yes, we're sure you know.
Speaker 2:Right Now. I do wish, though, that, like I mean, I know we have Androids and everything, but like I wish there was a few other choices besides Apple that were like just as popular. I know people say, wait, I forget. Do you have an iPhone or an Apple?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I have an iPhone.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, cause, like I understand, there's Samsung, there's other choices but, like you know, they're not as they're hard to use with a lot of.
Speaker 2:They don't sync up a lot of times with other iPhones and, like when I was going back and when I had a something like a razor or something, I had a non iPhone it was hard for me to like send videos back and forth between iPhone people and my friends got so frustrated that I just ended up like jumping ship and succumbing to peer pressure and getting an iPhone. So like as a not I don't have a Mac, I wanted HP Chrome. So, like as a non Apple-ish person that's forced to have an Apple, I wish the market demanded like other really good choices that almost worked as well as an as an apple. You know, like I don't know, the other choices just kind of seem subpar to me, or or they're just like not uh, I don't know how to explain it, but but yeah, basically I wish there was other choices besides apple. I know there are a lot, but they don't seem to like hold up very competitively you know, one phone that I'm surprised is not around and I actually loved it you remember the BlackBerry.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love the BlackBerry. Yes.
Speaker 1:I had a BlackBerry for a long time before they went out and I love my BlackBerry.
Speaker 2:It's actually my phone, me too.
Speaker 1:I'm actually surprised that they're not still in business.
Speaker 2:I think in other countries like it's like people. People have different types of phones with ease. I feel like we're just like such a predominantly apple person. But like I'm, I would be happy to like go away from the apple brand. I just haven't found a competitor yet that is like just as suitable from the Apple brand. I just haven't found a competitor yet that is just as suitable. I had a friend that was like, if you don't get rid of that green text, she was like I will buy you an iPhone. I had friendships that were threatening to leave me if I didn't get an iPhone, which is beyond a first world issue.
Speaker 1:Yeah, this is a little side note, but I kind of wish that after you've had your phone a while and you know, suddenly starts acting up and you need to upgrade.
Speaker 2:You know, wink, wink, you know yep, exactly yep, and the batteries always go down.
Speaker 1:And then yeah, because you know, and you know it's like right after your phone is either just about to be paid off or it's right after you pay it off.
Speaker 2:Exactly, yeah, and I know people make movies from their iPhones, but to me the camera still isn't that great for me and I feel like from the iPhone 10 on or 8 on or whatever, I haven't really seen that much of a huge difference of what's happening. So of course I don't want any tariffs on it, but I'm also saying as someone that would like happily non to be non-iponed. I would welcome it oh yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1:But you know, the thing is is that if they go through with this 50 tariff, who knows it may open the door for other for other things that, because one thing that we we keep forgetting is that there are a lot of different companies outside of the United States that just don't do business here. Yeah, totally. So it may open the door to potential competitors that we're not even aware of.
Speaker 2:Exactly yeah, because it's also like I love Google and everything you would think like, ok, a Google phone, but then the Google phone is so hard to navigate in a world where there's so many iPhone people, so it's almost like we would need something that, like the text, doesn't look green and weird, but you can't look like a weird outsider, you know? True, okay, well, that's something to keep an eye on. Now this is I don't know if these are our kind of people, but there was a good story about them. So a couple spoke out after a dramatic rescue by Carnival Cruise ship crew, and when I say they're not our type of people, I mean they seem like lovely humans, but they it was Dustin Leonard and Helena Framejack.
Speaker 2:They set sail on a journey of a lifetime, so they were traveling the globe on a catamaran I know we talked before about like we're not about to jump in a ship and basically go to sea. They were joined by two crew members and their three dogs, and they had a dream to try to sail around the world, and they got off to a bumpy start. So pretty much the crew were heading to Fiji when a violent storm struck. This really sounds like a whole movie, you know. So it stripped the mast off their vessel and left them stranded and battered by towering waves more than 170 nautical miles from an island. And then everyone was scared, of course. They shot a flare in the sky and then they noticed a carnival cruise ship in the distance and then, following a five-hour diversion, the captain of the ship pulled over and rescued them and their dogs, and then the dogs were like taken on the cruise ship and of course, they were like the biggest celebrities on it. So they took them from the boat and then got on a carnival cruise.
Speaker 2:I think it's kind of cute, because carnival was like uh, they just the couple, just got engaged now and they were saying like maybe they should get married on a Carnival boat. But like I don't know, maybe I'm just like beyond callous at this point, but I'm just kind of like you set sail in a catamaran with your dogs, like into Fiji. I'm just like what do you think was going to happen? I don't know. It just seems a little like, oh, shocking that like you encountered a storm. I've watched too many movies to not be like I don't know, to be apprehensive about this stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true. I mean they do have the right idea that, hey, if they could weather that, they could weather anything.
Speaker 2:I know, I know, but it just seems like I feel like you could sail around the but in like a boat that you know like, sail around in carnival or like a yacht, I don't know, just sailing around in like a boat that immediately gets destroyed with your like, putting your dogs at risk and everything I'm.
Speaker 1:I'm just like I'm side-eyeing these people a little bit, yeah I mean it's kind of weird to have your dogs in a boat with you. You know, just saying I mean I can see if it's like. I mean, even if it was a yacht, I wouldn't want to bring my dog with me. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:And if the Carnival cruise boat didn't come, like they might have all passed away. You know, like that's just very I don't know. I don't know. I'm sure they put up safety measures, but it's a little annoying to me. I don't know why, but it's like I don't know. It just seems like, oh yeah, we could. It's like that we talked about with people hiking on Mount Everest and everything, and then all of a way, it's just like what did you think was going to happen?
Speaker 1:You know this is a little weird, that's true, and you know there are a lot of thrill junkies out there that would do stuff that the average person wouldn't even think of doing.
Speaker 2:Right, right, and that's cool for them to like want to sail around, but it's just like one storm comes and blows it all away and I'm't know why. I'm slightly annoyed. I'm glad they're okay, but I'm just not in the mood.
Speaker 1:Yeah that's true. But you know the Crayton thing, Meryl. Something tells me they're probably going to try it again.
Speaker 2:A hundred percent, yeah, but it's like just then get like a thicker boat or something you know.
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 2:This is good PR for Carnival, because now they can say that they rescued people at sea and they were dog friendly and all this stuff.
Speaker 1:That is so true that is so so true. So yeah, Heads off to Carnival for doing the right thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we love it. And if you're going to sail around the world with your dogs just like maybe I don't know, get more of a, like a tight, I was going to say don't get a Titanic-type boat.
Speaker 1:Talk about a Titanic situation Recently, french President Emmanuel Macron. He's downplaying, being shoved right before he gets off the plane. Now, for, for people that have not seen this in which I'm surprised if you didn't, because it's all over there right now uh, I want to say where was he going? He was getting off the plane somewhere I forgot what country it was and they opened the door and you can see him talking to someone, but you can't see who it is. A few seconds later you just see two hands, just push his face out.
Speaker 1:And then he turns around. You can see he's startled, he's shocked, and then he plays it off and starts waving. And then a few seconds later you find out who the person is it's his wife, because she comes out with him. And then what makes it even worse is when they're coming down the stairs. You know he reaches out to grab, you know, to escort her down the stairs, and you know she kind of basically just ignores him and just holds on to the rail and goes out of the stairs.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, Don't get me wrong.
Speaker 1:All relationships have their ups and downs. So often you fight or whatever. But there's a few things come to mind here. What do you think, Meryl?
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, absolutely I get unbelievably mad at my boyfriend. We're to the point where I feel like I'm about to burst open because I'm so upset, but I would never, I have never and would never hit him in the face. I'm sure upset, but I would never, I have never and would never like hit him in the face. Or you know, like I'm sure, maybe if I found out like he cheated on me or something, maybe I'd like I don't even know if I'd slap him, then I would just leave. But like, but I feel like like hurting someone is just kind of a new level of weird. You know, man or woman is just kind of like not nice to slap your partner. So I feel like that's weird. But who knows, I mean I don't know how playful or not playful it was, but yeah, that just seems like so embarrassing to have to then cover it up and be like, okay, everything's fine, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:At first they said that it was a fake video, it was AI generated, oh really. And then later on they had to. You know, he had to fess up and like oh, my God. But up and like, oh my god.
Speaker 2:But you know, we just played around, you know whatever, and like dude, no, that wasn't playing. Yeah, which is kind of like. I feel like if you're at the point where you're hitting your partner, like you, some big things are going on. You know, like if you're like slapping your partner, that just seems like very a lot of things like seem like they're not in place oh yeah, and here's the thing I get it.
Speaker 1:They're a married couple and you know, a lot of crazy stuff happened behind closed doors. But yeah but your husband is actually the leader of a country too. Is that I know every?
Speaker 2:person I know and you're supposed to like be dignified and have class, like in you know. I think that's one thing about the royal family is, even though they're nuts, like they're, they still like even just act prim and proper, at least like in you know, in public.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know some people are going to get upset at this statement, but I have to say it. And one of the women interviewed made a comment as well. You know, if it had been the French president who did that, you know I'll be the first one picketing. I'm like, hey, you know, you know that was wrong, you know you need to step down, blah, blah, blah. But you know, what's hurt is that I got a problem with that. So why is it OK for a woman to put her hands on a man? And obviously you have a problem with a man putting his hands on a woman. To me, no one should be putting their hands on each other, I agree. I mean, am I a dinosaur for thinking that way? I mean, I don't know?
Speaker 2:No, I don't think so at all. I just think like, yeah, I don't think so whatsoever. I don't think that it should be okay, and also, in all the relationships I've been in, you should hopefully not have moments where, like, it gets to that point or you have reasons to hit someone like my, my mom was like never, ever, ever, ever, ever do that to my dad and vice versa, and that's just, yeah, that's so weird. The only time, though, is that we still don't know what happens, but that that or what actually happened.
Speaker 2:But remember, there was some Beyonce's sister was beating up Jay-Z in the elevator and, like, I feel like that maybe he cheated on her, and Beyonce's sister was like I'm going to give, and then, when the elevator's doors opened, everyone just walked out, like that's not right, but I can see if, like, if you're my sister and you just, and you cheated on her and like broke her heart, and then, when the elevator's closed, I'm going to like, kick your ass, you, her, and like broke her heart, and then, when the elevator's closed, I'm going to like kick your ass. You know, like, of course, that's not right, but I can see that being like, you know, like something that's like so heated.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and actually that's a good example you brought up. Now the one thing about it, jay-z didn't hit back or anything, but Jay-Z is a much bigger person than her sister. Now here's the question what happens if she was a bigger person? Because you know there's some women out there that are big and you know he's starting to hurt you, would he be in the wrong to protect himself?
Speaker 2:I know, maybe not, I know exactly. Or if, like, beyonce was the one that was cheating and jay-z's brother was the one that did, yeah, I just think to me, like hurting your partner or anyone, like slapping anyone in the face, is not a good, not a good idea for the most part.
Speaker 1:Of course there's exceptions, but yeah, and actually the French president, and I probably know more than I ever probably should about their relationship. She is 72. She's 24 years older than him.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:You know, to each his own. But what makes it kind of weird is they met when he was 15 and I think he was like a teacher of his. You know what I mean. Yeah, kind of a weird situation. You know what I mean. Yeah, kind of a weird situation.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean, I know and I was almost trying to think, okay, is that an older generation thing? But like I could have never also seen any of my grandmas slapping my grandpas, or you know only though, like maybe if they found out that like one of them cheated or something like in the height of a moment, I'm like you did this, you know, know, and then slapping them, but like just a normal, everyday kind of fight or argument? I don't think so. And also you're like the heads of France, like go be cool. Like I don't know you have all the money and power in the world. Like go live a good life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true. That is true, but yeah is I thought it was a good idea to just make up a lie, knowing you were going to get caught.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, but that is so embarrassing that that moment was totally caught on his face. It's almost a better angle, too, that you could just see her reaching out and you can't see the full thing happening.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but. Yeah, that was a weird thing, but it was so amazing. Did you get a chance to see the video?
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh yeah, I watched it a bunch of times.
Speaker 1:And his expression was priceless.
Speaker 2:I know you could tell it's like everything's fine, Everything's fine here.
Speaker 1:And then you know I get it. You know you try to keep your composure but you're still angry. But she didn't have to do that though she didn't have to just when he put his arm out.
Speaker 2:He just, she, just like walked away she didn't do that you know, we've all been like and of course, this is not even close to it, but there was one time that we were meeting my boyfriend, I were meeting people for a double date and we got into a huge fight on the way there and I just I walked up to the double date and I announced we're fighting really bad, because everyone understands, as a couple, there's times that you're just like. You cannot fake it and you need to like. You both arrive somewhere and you're like I hate you, I actively hate you, you know, but I still wouldn't hit someone in the face.
Speaker 1:I'm quite sure your boyfriend wasn't happy at that moment when you did that no, no, we both distanced.
Speaker 2:We were in Barnes and Nobles and I went off with the girl and he went off with the guy of the group and we separated, for our double date was just us taking time from each other. But then you think, okay, that's what you trade when you're a public figure is you kind of have to make sure all those moments happen at home. And you're kind public figure and you kind of have to like make sure all those moments happen at home and you you're kind of acting all the time. You know you're like out, that's your job. As you're out, you're acting like a dignified human that is true, that is so so true.
Speaker 2:Hopefully, hopefully they made up? Yeah, hopefully. Well, my last one is an interesting one, I think. To me the uh american music awards, the amas, just happen and it's so funny like I feel like a lot, especially on tiktok. I feel like tiktok is where I kind of tend to get my like pop culture heartbeat, you know. So if anyone hears otherwise, feel free to always like let us know. But to me on tiktok people were saying that it was like the worst show ever and it was kind of a flop.
Speaker 2:It happened in Vegas. It just happened over this weekend, on Monday in Vegas, very interesting, as a lot of the big stars like Taylor Swift, billie Eilish, people, they weren't there. The nominees I think Sabrina Carpenter was another one, beyonce was absent, billie Eilish, as I just just mentioned, they were all absent from the event and the guest list instead of um, more like musicians, it featured a lot of influencers which tiktok was talking about, where it was like who are these nobodies at the amas? Now, you know it's a bunch of influencers. Uh. Which made it kind of worse is that the event was hosted by j-lo, who like uh, I don't know this is, I don't know if this really helped her, but basically a lot of her. Um, her first dance was kind of cringy because she made out with her male and female dancers and then, um, but she did try to do like. Her beginning dance was kind of interesting, where she tried to like she took all the nominees songs and danced like them, you know. So she was dancing like charlie xcx and billy eilish and I'm like that's cool. You know she was showing her range of talent. But a typical j-lo fashion.
Speaker 2:It just like came out to not go well and people weren't talking about it. So I guess like, oh, and then the other. But the last thing why the people were saying it's a flop is that, um, blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, like their performances weren't even there. They weren't even there performing, they just like cut to a video of them somewhere else on like a different stage. So people were like what is this now? I guess, like the AMAs used to be obviously really big, that was when a lot of things happened and that's when, like taylor, swift used to give a lot of announcements. Now it does feel like the grammys have still held up and are still talked about a lot and even, like, as far as award shows, the oscars are talked about. Um, it also seems like the country music awards have gotten a little bit bigger. Like no one ever used to care about them and now they're cool. So I guess, like, do you care about them and now they're cool? So I guess, do you care about the AMAs? Or have you heard anything about that?
Speaker 1:Honestly, I kind of forgot the AMAs.
Speaker 2:It all seems to blend together too. There's like the Billboard Music Awards and the Grammys and this and that.
Speaker 1:And you know, I watched the American Music Awards and I gotta tell you, Meryl, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. It was okay. Yeah, I guess because of the production that they're putting on, you want more than just okay. You know what I mean. I know.
Speaker 2:I wonder at what point it happened, though, because that is interesting that Billie Eilish and Taylor and Sabrina Car carpenter and all these people like are not there. It just it almost makes it seem like something in high school. That's like all the cool kids are like, oh no, we don't go to this anymore, you know, and now it has like this stink on it. Um, and I don't blame them for inviting influencers, because, of course, like, that's who's going to be getting views on it, but maybe they could have dialed back a little bit, because I definitely was seeing like a ton of random influencers there that's true, that's true.
Speaker 1:But you know, the thing is is that when you're looking at tv, tv is a totally different platform than social media. Yeah, you can't have one way out the other. That's true, right. Don't want to veer way too have one way or the other. That's true, right. You don't want to veer way too far one way or the other either, because you're going to alienate a certain section of your views.
Speaker 2:Exactly. And then it's like, okay, you would think that you would do the most of what you do have, which is like don't cut to a random Blake Shelton performance while people are sitting in the theater empty. Oh my God, to a random Blake Shelton performance while people are sitting in the theater empty. But, oh my god, I feel like this was J-Lo's moment of being like no one else is going to be at this award show, it's all me, and like it does see, and I am a J-Lo defender from day one. We know, even when people talk about her, I still try to give her credit, but her just kissing her dancers and just like, come on, it just seems a little I don't want to say desperate, because any woman at any age could do anything, but it's just a little weird.
Speaker 1:I think it was built to be one of those shock moments.
Speaker 2:I know, and it wasn't at all We've moved past this. Between Britney and Madonna kissing and there's other people kissing. It's kind of I don't want to say it's gross, but it's just like, oh okay, there's other big things people can do. That would be a little bit more shocking and the kiss itself looked almost like a stage kiss.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:I know it's weird. It's more weird than anything.
Speaker 1:That is true. I was a little disappointed because I expected a lot more.
Speaker 2:I know lots of people also thought that this was going to be the moment where Taylor Swift announces her next album that she's going to record. People are like she's not about to do it at the AMAs anymore. That just also goes to show that it's not really like a big industry driven event the way that the grammys are, you know that is true.
Speaker 1:That is so true because really after the, after the event, it's not like the grammys or oscars or anything.
Speaker 2:You really didn't hear anything about it no, no, and I think also the fact that it's in Vegas. It's a little bit separated from a New York or LA event, so there's not that many after parties that you hear about. Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's true. That's true. Maybe they got the hint and they'll do better next year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I could just be like oh God, it's like the whole J-Lo show. J-lo should just take it over. The AMAs should just be like J-Lo's party.
Speaker 1:Now, the one thing that surprised me is I would have thought that they would have covered and maybe I missed it, but they would have covered every genre of music. But I noticed it seemed like rapping, rap or hip hop wasn't really really. And I could have missed it again, but it just seemed like. It just seemed like it was kind of cherry picking. And you know also, you have jazz, you got blues, you got gospel, there's all kinds of different music.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, definitely that's so interesting too. Especially with all the influencers there, you would think like rap and hip hop would have a way more of a presence.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I was very surprised at it, but I hope they do better next year Because, like I said, this year was it was.
Speaker 2:I know, I know and it does. Yeah, it looks weird when, like, the biggest performers in music aren't there. You know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, actually that's to me that's a warning sign, because if they aren't there, that should say something. I know, yeah, speaking of saying something, this actually follows up on something we had talked about in previous episodes. Illinois has just passed a new squatters bill. Oh, so the way the bill works is that, let's say, a person has a piece of property, a person goes into the home. If the owner can prove that they own that property and they did not give that person access or permission to be there, the police do not have to wait to go to court and all this other stuff. They can arrest that person immediately.
Speaker 2:Hallelujah. So I assume this would be after they give the notice. They give like you have three days to pay, you're going to get evicted.
Speaker 1:No, no, this is for squatters. Remember, squatters are different. Squatters don't supposed to be there in the first place.
Speaker 2:Oh, but like oh, okay, but what if someone that used to rent is a squatter Like you know? Like what if people are like oh, we rent the house, we just haven't paid rent for like months?
Speaker 1:No, that's different. You still have to go through the courts.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, that's annoying.
Speaker 1:These are people that illegally get access to it.
Speaker 2:It's just like there's a random man living in our house. I get it. I hope that they make it also bad for people that just don't pay their rent for months.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that one there is kind of difficult because they've had to do this beforehand.
Speaker 2:Wow, well good, I mean, that's really weird and scary if you own a property and you have, like someone that's just there like squatting.
Speaker 1:Oh, not only that, but it's expensive too, because they basically force you to kick out a person that's not supposed to be there in the first place.
Speaker 2:I know, yeah, it's not supposed to be there in the first place. I know, yeah, I do hope, though, as well, that, with that being done like if I was, if I had that, if I had a house and I had squatters, I would like hope that they had they also gave them like a lot of resources, because I just wouldn't want to kick out a family that, like, just doesn't have a place to live, or you know what I mean. Like I would like that person to be provided with ample options of shelter and a place to go, because, chances are, if they are squatting, some are just horrible people, but some are just trying to not be in the cold weather and have an actual roof over their head.
Speaker 1:To me it depends, because I know they had a special on Channel 7, because I like watching Channel 7, which is ABC, and they were showing how squatters had moved into houses that were rehab, ready to go on the market to be sold.
Speaker 2:Oh my.
Speaker 1:God, and they were trying to extort the owners of the property, saying well, hey, if you give us $5,000, $10,000, we'll leave.
Speaker 2:Unbelievable, and that's a different level of like insanity. I'm almost talking about someone that's like I spent the night here because it's like zero degrees in chicago and I'm about to freeze to death. You know what I mean. Like that type of thing versus someone that does that and that's like so you don't realize that those people have put their money into a house, too to try to make it good. Those people might not be rich and it might be their hard-earned money, and even if they are rich, it's still not your business and so, yeah, that's unbelievably crazy. That is, to me, such a big crime if someone does that.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, in fact when they did the report she had shown multiple people that had squatters break in and get more residence, and literally in about two or three of those houses it was the same person that was doing it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, see, that's a very low type of human that would do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and again one person was saying they were literally out $10,000 to just go through the legal portion of it and then it cost them thousands more because they trashed the place before they left.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, See, I feel like that has to have such repercussions of like I mean, yeah, that should be jail, Like it really should. You are, like you are causing damage and you are, like you know, doing that kind of stuff. So, yeah, damage to property and yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I applaud it personally. And you know, the sad part is, Meryl, is that if people would have put the same resources into doing something positive, trying to take their life in a positive way instead of trying to flick, instead of trying to steal from someone, and all this, you'd be amazed at how successful you'd be. Because the average person who rents out, uh, or you know, tries to flip houses or whatever these aren't rich people, these are just people trying to get ahead.
Speaker 2:you know Exactly and like, even if it is a rich person, maybe that person like sold you know a product that they worked on forever and they just got a lot of money that way. It doesn't necessarily make them bad. And so, yeah, that's definitely if you're squatting and you need help, like for real, and you know you really didn't need like shelter over your head. I still don't condone it, but that's like a whole different reason than just trying to extort someone and both aren't right, but that's just. I hate that type of human.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true. So I hate that type of human. Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2:And that's one of those like karma, like I hope that person then has a house that like someone else crawls into. You know, like it really is like parasitic. It really is like a gross, like parasite.
Speaker 1:That's true, that's true. So I got to take a look at when it becomes effective. But you know my hat's off to them because it was. I can't speak for everyone else, but in Chicago and around Chicago it was getting out of hand big time.
Speaker 2:That makes me enraged. That definitely makes me crazy. It also makes me crazy like people Not if someone can't pay their rent for a month or two and they're behind. That's way different than people intentionally not paying their rent for months and trying to, like you know, do their homeowners or something, Because it's like that's so selfish, like not realizing that other people have a mortgage, or knowing it but not caring, and it's just like so unbelievably low.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, or what's even worse is people that break in and take up residence. They're supposed to be there in the first place.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no's, like you're not, you're not welcome to like all of us having to annoyingly make money to pay rent and you know all that kind of stuff Like yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, talking about positive things. So, merrill, what do you have coming up?
Speaker 2:I'm heated, I will be living in someone's house. No, I'm just kidding. My parents would be like Meryl's, a squatter when she comes to San Diego. I squatted their house. Let's see what new shows I'm going to promote, one a little bit far off just because, oh okay, no, no, no. The one I'm excited about is that June 6th I will be in Minneapolis. So anyone that is in the Minneapolis area, there's a comedy festival called Booms on the Lake and I'm part of a comedy festival, so I'm really looking forward to that. So that's Friday, june 6. Nice, I've been really researching Minneapolis like St Paul. I don't think I've been there like as an adult, so I'm very excited to go to that city.
Speaker 1:Sounds like it's going to be fun.
Speaker 2:Yep, so I'm very excited.
Speaker 1:Nice. Well, everyone, this was a lot of fun today. Thank you so much for watching us.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:We had some great stuff, and I still have another 12 things that I could have said.
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 1:I'm right out of time. I know Always the case. That is so true. Thank you again, everyone, for watching the show or listening to the show of your own podcast. We always have fun and we're glad that you support us. Make sure that you continue to watch and support us and tell other people about us as well. I am Lawrence Elbride.
Speaker 2:And I'm Meryl Clemo.
Speaker 1:Take care everyone.
