Thirsty Topics podcast

Behind The Smile: Mental Health, Money, And Modern Life for 11-11-25

• Lawrence Elrod & Meryl Klemow

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We open with a hard truth about hidden pain as a young NFL player dies by suicide, then move through money ethics, public safety, and the limits of technology with empathy and clear eyes. Along the way we share resources, challenge easy answers, and ask listeners to weigh tough choices.

• the gap between public success and private struggle
• practical ways to notice and support mental health
• 988 lifeline as immediate crisis support
• using a child’s savings versus ethical debt options
• government shutdown impacts on air travel safety
• harassment, security, and accountability in public office
• cloning pets, grief, and responsible tech priorities
• listener prompts on boundaries, money, and care

If someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, or you’re in a crisis, please, please, please reach out for help. You can call or text 988 to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org to chat with a with a trained counselor 24-7


Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

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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.

SPEAKER_03:

Hello everyone. Welcome to this week's episode of Thirsty Topics. I'm Lawrence Elrod.

SPEAKER_00:

And I am Meryl Climo.

SPEAKER_03:

Hey Meryl, how are you?

SPEAKER_00:

Good. I don't know why I wanted to say I'm living large, but I've got I think that was a term in the 90s where I'm like, I'm not sure if I'm living large or not, but I'm doing very well.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay, well that means you live large then, right?

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. In a few different ways, I'm living large. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's good. I'm living medium or I'm living extra small, or you know, like just however we're feeling.

SPEAKER_03:

Hey, you know what? You can start a new saying, right?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I'm living large. That is that's cool. I feel like in this day and age, just like buying groceries is living large.

SPEAKER_03:

If you're able to buy groceries, no problem. Yeah, you do you are living large, unfortunately. Well, um, I'm gonna start it off. Um, and this is actually on a sad note. Uh, Dallas Cowboys 24 24-year-old defensive in, uh, Marshawn Lelian, uh took his own life. Um, and I know some people are thinking, what? Um, it's true. Dallas Cowboys defensive end, Marshawn Nealon, uh, 24 years old, died by suicide um earlier this month in November. Authorities confirmed that Nealan died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Thursday, November 6th, after a police chase in Frisco, Tescas, uh, Texas. I'm sorry. Friends and family had contacted authorities with concerns about his well-being after he sent a goodbye text message to a group chat. Nealon, a second-year player who was a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, a beloved teammate, has family released a statement calling him kind, determined, humble, and full of love. The NFL and the Cowboys organization offer support and counseling resources to players and staff following the tragedy. This is really sad.

SPEAKER_00:

I know. I wonder if it's a case as well of, you know, when people get um like all the scans from just the traumatic brain injuries, and even if it's not like showing right away or showing so um, like so, you know, big in their scans. I wonder if it's just like something where the tr, you know, a head concussion or something like that has led to it. It's a depression over time.

SPEAKER_03:

It could be, it could be. I I know that um there there was talk about, you know, maybe he was still kind of sad about his mother passing away. Um, because you know, he was drafted last year. I mean, so he's rooking.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Mother two months prior to him um being picked in a draft. So there's rumors that you know, maybe that had something to do with it. Um but I I just I just think that people need to understand when it's when it comes to mental health, what you see on the outside may not be what's going on on the inside.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Because from the outside, people thinking, hey, you're an NFL, you're young, you know, you got all these millions of dollars, you live in large, you're happy. That doesn't money doesn't buy happiness, and people need to realize that.

SPEAKER_00:

I know. And also um, you said it was a police chase.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, so I wonder if there was like other things going involved with that, or you know, just and and also sometimes it what that saying like a a like a temporary fix, or you know, like basically like a uh spur-of-the-moment thought can be like obviously like a life-ending decision, where if you're being chased by the police and you're just unsure of maybe what they're going to find on you or the consequences, and you think like, okay, how can I get out of this really quick? And you make like a very impulsive decision. But it also sounded like it was something he was thinking about because you said that he was he texted his friends and family and they were worried about him.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, the text happened before the police chase. And from what I understand, his family contacted the authorities because of that text they were looking for him, um, you know, for obvious reasons. And um, for whatever reason, you know, he wanted to take his life. So I don't think it had anything to do with anything in his car or anything he was doing. I think this this young man was dealing with some serious, serious uh emotional issues that either no one saw or no one were able to help, you know. And he felt that this was his only option, which is pretty sad.

SPEAKER_00:

It is. Do you think do sports teams offer like is there like a a sports mental health therapist like for each team?

SPEAKER_03:

Well, I know the NFL is really, really good about supporting their players. Really? A whole bunch of resources, whether it be dealing with financing, uh, finances, whether it's dealing with emotional, emotional stress, physical. There's I mean, any type of assistance that you you need, they have. But the key is someone needs to recognize that the assistance is needed. Because the first person reach out and you know, they're putting on this game face like everything's fine, because he actually scored a touchdown in that in a in the in a football game. He actually played a few days before he took his took his life. So again, look on the outside, you know, you're thinking, wow, he's on top of the world. Everything's and you know, that's why I say you have to pay attention when you talk to people and really listen to a person because it's easy to ask, hey, how you doing? I'm doing good, and people mostly just leave it from there, you know, have a little conversation because you know, even the slight thing is saying, Hey, you know what? I love you, I'm proud of you, you know, you're doing great things, you know, those little things can change someone's life and you not even know it.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I think a lot of people go without even talking to people for like a whole week, or you know, or even if they do, obviously, this is an NFL player, so he was talking to a lot of people, but it was probably more like surface layer type conversation, or can I get a picture with you? Can I get your autograph type of stuff? Um, but it does sound like his friends and family did the right thing by like calling right away and taking it seriously when he said that he had some, you know, when he was saying goodbye to them. So very sad and and like it's crazy to think how young he was. Like we know because we're older, but it's like when you're in your 20s or 30s, it's like you have to remember that is so, so, so young.

SPEAKER_03:

And you know, the thing too is you know, I mean, God knows. I hope I never get a text like that from a family member or a friend. But you know, to me, you know, if I got a text like that, obviously I'm gonna reach out and talk to the person because you know, you'd be amazed. Sometimes people reach out and we get so busy in our everyday lives that we don't notice it. Yeah, and we kind of go like, yeah, yeah, it's all good, or or someone will call and I'll give them a call later. You know, just pick up the phone, even just saying hello and hey, how you doing? What's going on? Even if they don't open up to you, just the idea that you're showing them some attention and you're showing them that you care can all make the big difference in someone's life, especially if they're on a downward spin.

SPEAKER_00:

A hundred percent. Unless if any of my friends are listening, please don't call me because I don't want to be calling. It's actually my friends calling and checking in that like drives me to a mental illness, but but yeah, on a serious note, that it is so sad for this guy, and and I'm sure like the whole organization. I don't I don't understand if you're a player or a cheerleader or anyone you know involved with that, like a coach, how you're just able to like I hope those players are getting bereavement and grief help just because like that's such a big thing to have one of your teammates pass away like that. And just I'm sure, like, it's hard to I imagine go in and like play a game and get your mind right when something like that happens.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, I mean it it's definitely difficult because you know you got that on the back of your mind as you get that get in the field, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Well before you start your your set your segment, I do want to make this quick note. Um, I just want to let people know that are watching or listening. If someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, or you're in a crisis, please, please, please reach out for help. Um, you can call or text 988 to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org to chat with a with a trained counselor 24-7. So um if you're struggling, please don't sit there and struggle alone. Uh definitely reach out because there is help out there for you.

SPEAKER_00:

I love that. Very good. And I think we underestimate how much we like affect other people in a good way, too. So I think some people will feel useless, or like even if your job or relationship isn't going right, it's like the world still needs you to like, you know, uh volunteer in a homeless shelter or volunteer with animals, or like it's like everyone is still very useful, even if like some even if everything is going wrong in your life, you're still useful to the greater good, you know?

SPEAKER_03:

I agree.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I'm excited to uh share this next one with you, only because I feel like we may have different opinions on it. So I love this kind of stuff because I'm like, now you're a dad and a good dad, so we'll see what your take is. Um, it went viral last week where a Mississippi man faced backlash after he admitted to stealing thousands of dollars from his son's savings account. Now, Christian, a 28-year-old postal worker from Biloxi from Mississippi, appeared on an episode of Financial Audit, a podcast hosted by financial advisor Caleb Hammer, in which a weekly guest gets grilled on their personal finances. Um, I've seen it a lot of times on TikTok. The people that go on it are brave because they'll be like, Yeah, my car payment is$1,200 a month. I don't know if that's good or bad. And like, of course, you know, it's kind of clickbait because all of us are like, what the heck are you doing? You know, or they'll say, like, I spend$800 a week uh getting my nails done, but like I have no money and I'm filing bankruptcy or whatever. So on this episode, Christian admitted that he paid for a number of family trips on credit cards, but then he didn't, he decided he didn't want to pay the high interest loans. And then he borrowed from his four-year-old son's savings account, which contained about eight to ten thousand dollars to pay off the credit cards immediately. Um, a portion of the money had come from friends and family who had uh given the money for the child's future, you know, maybe like a college fund or something like that. And the thing that gets me in this article, I was like, okay, I could see all of this until he didn't tell his wife. Um, and he didn't ask for permission before it with his wife. And so then also since then, he's even garnered more debt too. So like it wasn't like he just paid it off and then now he's free and clear and he's starting to like put money back in the account. It's it's like, okay, I did that. Now I'm starting to like inch my way to getting even more debt. So I feel like would would you do that in the first place? Or like if you had high credit card debt, but you knew you had$10,000 somewhere, would you borrow from it? Or or would you just say that's like so off limits?

SPEAKER_03:

That's so off limits.

SPEAKER_00:

Really?

SPEAKER_03:

So off limits. It really is. The only time you should even think about doing that, unfortunately, there are some families that struggle really bad financially, where you know it's a matter of being able to pay bills or put food on the table. Yeah, and you have to borrow from there. Again, it's not an ideal situation, but I can see that situation. Just to pay off credit card debt, that's not a reason. That's not that's that's not a reason. And then on top of that, you pay off the credit card debt and then get more debt. And obviously, it sounds like they're not really struggling financially, so it sounds more like money mismanagement. And to sit there and take your child's money, you know, and you don't even talk to the wife about it or anything, that is kind of that is kind of suspect. That really is.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, and this next part is gonna get you too. Um, this we should also note that the wife just joined the military in hopes of like helping the family pay off their$90,000 in debt. So so here you have the wife working and signing up for the military to try to like do her part and sign up and pay off the debt, and then the father's solution to it all is just to go into the kid's account.

SPEAKER_03:

Um don't get mad when I ask this question, but why didn't he sign up for the military instead of the white?

SPEAKER_00:

I know, I know.

SPEAKER_03:

Maybe I'm wrong, you know.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. And I'm I am not like a by any means a financial uh like auditor or whatever, but but I do think at certain points like this, sometimes there is like this is where I would go to like a credit repair union or some type of even like I mean it's like so um so like you know, rap big to do, but you could also maybe like sign up for bankruptcy and like I know that that totally tanks your debt and all that kind of stuff, but I feel like in a situation where you have ninety thousand dollars of debt, like it's not the worst idea. And like after seven years, by the time your kid is older, you'll be able to rebuild from there. But I just think like there's other options basically, like you could try to pay down your credit card getting into like a program, or um, it just seems like more options should have been explored rather than taking this money. Now, now I thought at first it was like, okay, I'm just going to take this money, pay off the credit card debt, and then like slowly make payments again to replenish the account, and within like three years, he'll never know. But it doesn't sound like that's the case. It sounds like he just grabbed from it.

SPEAKER_03:

And you know, I guess there's a lot missing to the story as to why did he get so far in debt?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it sounds like the dad is totally like going to Disneyland.

SPEAKER_03:

Without really knowing the whole backstory.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it said that he admitted to paying for a number of family trips to places like Disney World and the Bahamas on credit card.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay, I tried to give him some leeway, but that didn't work.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. And like, I mean, another option if you're going to go down this route too is you can always look into credit cards that do have like a 12-month no interest rate, and you know, like go to the Bahamas, that's fine, but like, but do that and then spend the rest of the year paying that off of your credit card, you know, in those 12 months. So it's like you can definitely be financially non-responsible in like a better way, but this is just crazy. Like$90,000 of debt of like Disney and Bahamas is is definitely a little much.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, it's beyond much. I mean, it's when again you got to pay bills and you don't have any money coming in, but to take exotic trips and stuff like that, and that's I'm guessing that's probably not the only two trips that they've taken. Um that's really that's really a bad look. That's not true.

SPEAKER_00:

I know. And imagine if you're a friend or a family member and you've given like$300 at a kid's birthday party, like with the idea of like, okay, this is going to be a little nest egg for the kid, and maybe it will he'll invest it, and by the time he's like 17, it will be$3,000 or something. So like I would not be happy knowing that my money is going towards like a snack at Disneyland.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, absolutely. So yeah, but um, I'm a true believer that what goes around comes around, and you know, when you do stuff like this, it comes back threefold in a bad way.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, talk about coming back. Um as of the shutdown that's going on, uh, I know right now they're talking about a possible resolution to it, but until people start signing paperwork, you know, I take it with a grain of salt. But as of right now, flights are being reduced by 10% because of the government shutdown. Uh, the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, is reducing flights by up to 10% at 40 major U.S. airports due to a government shutdown. This is a safety measure to reduce pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay and experiencing staffic shortages and fatigue. The reductions are being phased in and they will likely cause significant disruptions, including the delays and cancellation, especially as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches.

SPEAKER_00:

Wow. As if it can't get more crazy with just all of the flying and the delays and the turbulence and the cost of everything. It's like, yeah, it's just crazy.

SPEAKER_03:

It really is. And um, you know, a lot of people are getting angry at some of the air traffic controllers for not showing up to work. But here's the thing about it. You know, how motivated would you be going to work? Now we're looking at what, about a month and a half now with no pain? Yeah, yeah. And let's say you're a family, you know, you have a family that you're taking care of, or let's say you're a single parent and you have to pay for childcare and you have no money coming in. It's really kind of hard to be motivated to come into work.

SPEAKER_00:

Just say absolutely. Anyone that's mad at the air traffic controllers, I really think it's like the wrong your passion can be used in a different way, you know. Like, I get it. Of course, we're gonna be upset with them or just the airlines in general, but like, and and they're working on crazy hours. I feel like a lot of them are just struggling to stay awake, like, you know, the conditions are horrible. And I I saw on TikTok some people say, like, well, why can't they just get different jobs? You know, like what are they why are they even air traffic controllers? I'm like, not everyone can change their whole career in like a month and you know, right before the holidays. So I I'm not mad at them either. It's like if this was going on for four years, then yes, maybe they could consider a different career or like pivot, but I think asking someone to change their whole job and find a whole new job in three weeks in this like economy is a little cray cray.

SPEAKER_03:

It is, and also, too, it's really not a smart comment to make because the last thing you want is air traffic controllers quitting. I know what I'm saying is prior to the shutdown, there was already a national shortage of air traffic controllers, so encouraging them to quit would be stupid because now you're gonna make it catastrophic at that point. Exactly. So what I heard that it takes anywhere from one to two years, I believe, to get through the training, schooling, everything to be an air traffic controller. So this isn't something that even if they had people that they wanted to bring on, what will be fixed overnight?

SPEAKER_00:

That's just I know. I can't wait, or I can wait, but I feel like what if soon like Waymo is gonna try to put in the air traffic controllers? We know how Waymo does too. Then planes will just be like doing backflips in the air.

SPEAKER_03:

That would scare the hell out of me.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, right? We've already, yeah, last week we talked about how like the dangers of Waymo. I feel like it would just be crazy. Um, but yeah, hopefully this will blow over soon. But in the meantime, I've been seeing so many like pilots making announcements just uh soothing the passengers and saying it's going to be okay. Because I also feel like the news is not helping by sharing every week a different close call or like a plane's wing may clip the tail of another plane's wing, and it's just it just seems like the wild west.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, you know, I agree with you, Merrill. But here's the problem everyone has cameras on their phones, so they kind of have to report on it.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

But like I said, um this is just insane. It's really insane. So I would say buckle up for the bumpy ride ahead.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. If anyone wants some good reading, I'm part of the I think I mentioned it before that, but the fear of flying Reddit page. And so because I I used to go on it because it's the sweetest group of people, and basically, like I used to be so scared on planes, and I would you put your flight number in, and people would like track you when you're in the air, and I would be writing like I'm having a panic attack, and people would be writing, like, okay, you're going over Montana, you're doing great, you know, and it was the sweetest group, but now every day someone's posting, like, I'm about to get off the plane, I'm gonna take the train instead, and like, but it's really cute because there's pilots in the group too, so it does give um a lot of insight on like what's happening now, and just I give so much credit to pilots for like not only having the knowledge they have, but to making us the common people feel safe during this time, and like they're trying to undo everything and work in these conditions, and like I I really think pilots are like heroes, I really, really do. Um, so and you know, the air traffic controller people aren't that far off to me. It's a really important job. And so I hope they get back to work soon. But yeah, like if you're mad at them, imagine someone asking you to work two weeks or three weeks without any pay and like terrible conditions.

SPEAKER_03:

I agree, I agree 100% on that.

SPEAKER_00:

If you see me posting in the fear of flying page, mind keep your own business, keep your keep it to yourself. One time I was on it on a plane, and the man was like, What is going on? But well, that's crazy. Um, next up, this is so funny. So I didn't even know who this was. I had to look it up to be honest, but uh people has named their sexiest man alive in 2025, and it is actor Jonathan Bailey, uh, who I did not really know. He's English, he's 37. Um, and apparently they say he's brimming with charm and wit and handsome looks. Now, in the past, I've kind of had some weird thoughts about some of their like man of the year, sexiest man alive, but they usually pick like you know, kind of the it person, and he became really popular in Bridgerton, the Netflix series. And then he's a prince in Wicked, and he was really cute in that. So I feel like also I feel like this is definitely just good publicity for the next version of Wicked. So it's just someone's publicist doing a really good job. But um, I don't know. How do you feel? Do you as a as a man? Are you jealous of him or do you think he is one of the sexiest men alive?

SPEAKER_03:

Well, um I don't know if he's the sexiest man alive. I think I'm the sexiest man alive, but you know, that's just my opinion.

SPEAKER_00:

Your wife, your wife agrees.

SPEAKER_03:

But you know, there there's so many of these different things out there. Hey, you know what? If he's got that that title, I say embrace it.

SPEAKER_00:

I think so too. And I get it's one of those things that I feel like beauty and attractiveness is definitely a lot of times in the eye of the beholder. Like there's certain people that were just like, okay, like Margot Robbie or something, it's just pretty much like we can all agree that she is attract an attractive human, you know. And like I think when Brad Pitt was voted that, it's like, okay, this is like an attractive man. I don't know about sexiest man alive, but um, I think he takes it in good stride. And this seems like someone I've seen in interviews with him, and he I think he it it has not gotten to his head. I think he thinks it's very silly. And um, in the interview, they asked, Have you told anyone about this? And he said he like told his dog who just looked at him and like the dog doesn't care. So I think that's cute.

SPEAKER_03:

Hey, he's taking it in a stride, I like that.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Yeah, so so this is interesting. I didn't know about Jonathan Bailey, but I'm very happy for him, and he seems really funny and nice.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, at least he's not arrogant about it, so that's a good thing.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, he seems very silly. And they asked him like what his favorite thing to do at a party is, and he said leave. So I'm like, that's that's kind of cool. And just a quick, a really quick rundown before um some of the former sexiest men alive, Patrick Dempsey, um, Matthew McConaughey, of course, Blake Shelton, John Legend, and Channing Tatum are just a few.

SPEAKER_03:

Nice, nice list.

SPEAKER_00:

Yep, pretty good list. Oh, Ryan Reynolds. Sorry, I'm I'm revoking that one. I don't think so. Sorry. I'm sorry for everyone that loves Ryan Reynolds, but I'm closing the issue on that one.

SPEAKER_03:

My last topic for this episode is that Mexico's president is pressing charges after being groped in public. What? Oh yes. Mexico's president, Claudia Shibum, uh, is pressing charges against a man who groped her in public in Mexico City on Tuesday, November 4th. Shibum, Mexico's first female president, was walking between the National Palace and the education industry when a man approached her from behind and put his arm around her, touched her chest, and attempted to kiss her before a staff member intervened. The man who was reportedly inebriated uh has been arrested. Dunfum, uh I'm sorry, she bum announced she was pressing charges not only for herself but on behalf of all Mexican women who experience daily harassment, stating if this happens to the president, what becomes of the Mexican women? She is also calling for a review of laws to make sexual harassment a criminal offense in all Mexican states, and has launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness and defend the integrity of women. President has dismissed suggestions to increase her security detail, emphasizing the need to stay close to the people.

SPEAKER_00:

Wow. That's so funny that in the US, it's like our political leaders that are doing the weird harassing. So, yeah, I mean that's so cool. We were in Mexico once um when she was uh like had a rally for her. So I actually got to see her talk in person, which is really cool. We were completely we were in Puerto Vallarta, and we didn't had no clue that it was or Entonada and we had no clue that anything was happening. We walked right up and then she was giving her speech right before she got elected. And I'm like, that's super cool. I got to see like a president talk. So she seems so intelligent and great. Of course, this should happen to no no women whatsoever, but um, I love that she like took it seriously right away and was like, nope, we're changing this, and not saying like, I have feelings about this, but it's like okay, we're gonna put into real laws um consequences so that this doesn't happen as often.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, I mean, obviously the laws in Mexico are different than the United States when it comes to but I disagree with her as far as the detail because here's the reality in the United States, you know, she's basically the equivalent of the president here of the United States in her country. Yeah, you cannot get that close to the leader of the country.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow.

SPEAKER_03:

I mean, to have this guy be able to get up close to her, get behind her, and then grope her and try to kiss her.

SPEAKER_00:

I know. Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_03:

How does that even happen for someone that has that status? I think she's wrong. She needs to up her detail because that guy should have never gotten that close. I mean, you try and get close to the president of the United States, yeah, you're probably gonna be leaving um in a bag. You know, you trust.

SPEAKER_00:

I know, yeah. And you would think the security detail right away, like would just toss him or you know, like arrest him or whatever.

SPEAKER_03:

My thing is, what was the detail? Because again, how is he able to get that close to her?

SPEAKER_00:

I know. I don't know. That's that's weird, and it's also there's so many people that are so delusional, too, where it's like, okay, they think they have a right to you, or sometimes people think they know someone, or like the fact that he went up and kissed her is like that, must be really spooky and gross, and like you know, I I I think of Obama as someone that like really is with the people, and I'm sure I of course he has like great detail, but I feel like he during his like term and especially now too, like I've seen him in crowds, or like he doesn't seem to be very far away a lot. He seems to like you know be reachable, but maybe that's just like an optical illusion, and and he's less um like of course no one would go up to him like that, but I don't know. I feel like I see him like high-fiving people a lot.

SPEAKER_03:

He does, but you know, the one thing to keep in mind, and most people don't pay attention, but you always see one or two secret service right next to you. Yeah, yeah. And those are the ones that you see because there's also you know, I kind of like watching documentaries and stuff like this, and you know, so basically, I saw this episode about the Secret Service, and a lot of times there's one or two that they purposely want you to see, and there's a large number of them around that person that you don't see. They literally blend in the crowd.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. But it's funny, I love watching videos when they try to just when those men try to act normal and they're wearing like Like everyday sneakers, because usually they're so buff anyway. And it's like, okay, you even on a plane, sometimes if there's like a undercover cop or something, it's like they try to look and blend in, but they're like bursting out of their blazer and they have like really nice shoes on, and it's like, okay, you don't look like the rest of us, like heading to Walmart. So uh in the a lot of times they have like snipers up at the top, you know, like so it's like they're positioned in all different places. And who knows, like a secret service person might have thought that the guy was going in to like knife her or something, you know, you don't know if he's gonna kiss her or like stab her or whatever. So it's really freaky. And um I think there should be much more of a punishment just like in our society if you're harassing someone, but then it gets tricky because then it's like you know, if you if you start like arresting people, like what if someone says they were harassed and they really were? I don't know.

SPEAKER_03:

I feel like it's a slippery slope, but um, if there's like it all depends because you know, in this country, if you call someone and say you're gonna do something to the president, you're going to get some visitors at your door. Really, really fast.

SPEAKER_01:

Uh yeah, true.

SPEAKER_03:

In fact, there was a story uh about a gentleman in the suburbs here in Illinois. I don't know what was he drinking, but he did that. And yeah, he was visited by law enforcement. Really? Both federal and local, yes.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that's why in my text they always say, like, FBI, if you're reading this, I'm just kidding. Wow, well, that's interesting. But so we'll yeah, we'll see about that. But uh, very interesting, and I'm glad she's standing up for herself. And also, that's so cool that a cut I don't know what people think of her. I actually don't really know, but I think that's so cool that a country has a woman president.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, it's long overdue.

SPEAKER_00:

Yep, maybe one day in the US in 2091. Well, you know, who might get to see this uh one day, a woman be president is Tom Brady's clone dog. It's because he'll be around for long enough, or maybe like the fifth iteration of it. Um, so on uh last week, Tom Brady casually dropped the bombshell that his new dog, Juni, is a clone of the family's former Pitmix, Lua, who died in December 2023. So um the cloning was carried out by a company called Colossal Biosciences, which very much sounds like a Tom Cruise kind of movie. Uh, so they used a blood sample taken from Lua when she was still alive, and then um, you know, then you have a dog pretty much that use the technology and they're able to clone it. And obviously, like it's not Lua, it's not the original dog. It's pretty much, you know, they take the biomarkers and put that in, and the dog has like a lot of the same DNA and a lot of the same makeup, but like I think our version, we're thinking very sci-fi in the way where we think it's like an exact replica, but really the technology is just using some of its um biomarkers and genetic material.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, I know that uh a lot of animal activists really got angry at him for doing that because they've felt that with all the dogs, there's in shelters, you can use the dogness and that's true, and I get it, but I don't think they should really worry about people following this trend. Um at 50,000$50,000 or crack to do this, yeah, it's not gonna be a whole lot of people doing this, so I don't think you have anything to worry about.

SPEAKER_00:

I know, me too. I have such like thoughts on this topic because like I I had like I I love, love, love my dogs, and I feel like my dogs were like my family, and I had one that passed away like a few years ago, and it it just it's like so weird because part of me, of course, would love to have like a lineage of dogs that even has like a tenth of a percent of the dog that I the OG dog that I love so much, but then it's like at some point you just have to go through the pain of like that dog passed away. Now I'm now I'm ready for like a whole new dog experience, you know. And you're right, like I I got that dog from a um a rescue, and it's like I would have never known about that dog if I was just trying to recreate like five dogs ago, you know. So it's really interesting. I wish we could almost do both and like somehow like put it into a dog that's already in like a rescue, and you kind of get the best of both worlds.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, that's true. I mean, I I know they're doing DNA to try and bring back um extinct animals and stuff like this. I really hope they kind of put that effort more towards organs. Um I think if they were able to to clone organs, uh, it will save a lot of people's lives that are on the waiting list for so many years for an organ transplant, you know, based on their conditions.

SPEAKER_00:

So exactly. Remember, they were like, yeah, they were like, the wolf, the dire wolf. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They were like, no, we didn't clone a dire wolf, we're able to like take a little bit of its DNA and like figure out what it is and stuff.

SPEAKER_03:

And actually, that wasn't even a pure direwolf because it was the DNA of a direwolf and another species.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

So it's it was a quote unquote pure dire wolf, either.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, but that's part of the human experience of just like unfortunately losing animals and people that we love. And it's like you can try to. I mean, it doesn't help it, you know, you could try to clone that them and still have like a piece of them alive, but it's not the same like essence of someone or something, I think.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, it kind of brings you really, really close to an ethical line. Um, because I'm quite sure someone has thought about trying to do this, and hopefully they're about cloning a human being, you know.

SPEAKER_00:

I know. If anything, it would be amazing to have it like if my dog wasn't neutered at the time, like to to if I was to like have puppies, his puppies and stuff, and that would be so cool to like be like, okay, like his great-grandfather was like the dog love of my life, and now I have like this lineage of dogs that I don't sell, but you just have as like your own family. But um, yeah, it's tricky. I feel like normally I'd be like, ew, this is disgusting, but I feel like dogs specifically I I love so much that I'm like I understand the feeling of wanting to like hold on to them forever.

SPEAKER_03:

That's true, that's true. But you know, again, I I think that um technology, if used correctly, uh does benefit mankind, it really does.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Absolutely. Was that my last one for today?

SPEAKER_03:

That was your last one.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh my gosh, that flew by.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, it did. Well, Meryl, uh, tell us what do you have coming?

SPEAKER_00:

Yay, okay. You'll never have to hear about it again after this week, but I'm gonna promote my show um at the La Jolla Comedy Store by the time you're at uh La Jolla Comedy Store, and it's with Tom Arnold, and I'm the host.

SPEAKER_03:

Nice, nice. And what date is that again?

SPEAKER_00:

Um, well, I'm realizing that it's actually I think it might have passed by the time it comes out. If this comes, it actually it comes out on Wednesday. So, or my show is on Wednesday. So if you're if you've if you've missed it completely, then I'm just gonna tell you that it was a really good show. I'm gonna use this time to promote the show that already happened. That it was so good I'd want to clone it.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, we'll have it out there beforehand. So people okay, cool. Okay, good. Well, everyone, thank you so much for watching us and listening to us. Uh, we had a great time, great conversations. Don't forget to go to our social media. Um, give us some ideas or some topics that you know maybe you want us to discuss, maybe some show ideas, or maybe even uh your uh reactions to some of the topics that we had on our show today.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I want to know if they would take money from their kids' savings account.

SPEAKER_03:

That would be a really good subject to know. Well, everyone, I'm Lawrence Elrod.

SPEAKER_00:

I'm Meryl Climo.

SPEAKER_03:

Take care, everyone.

SPEAKER_00:

Bye bye.

Head Shot

Lawrence Elrod

Host
Head Shot

Meryl Klemow

Co-host