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Second Chances And The Weight Of Accountability for 11/19/25

• Lawrence Elrod & Meryl Klemow

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What happens when a former TV star apologizes for real harm, an AI “artist” tops a Billboard chart, and your phone quietly admits you’re glued to it for 21 hours a day? We pull these threads together to ask a bigger question: how do we protect agency and integrity in a world optimized for speed, spectacle, and shortcuts.

We start with Allison Mack’s public reckoning over NXIVM and examine what genuine accountability requires: clear admissions, repair centered on victims, and time. Not all crimes are equal, and not all returns to public life should be treated the same. The conversation widens to the small-scale traps we all recognize—MLMs, clout-chasing scenes, and high-pressure “communities” that exploit insecurity with polished promises. Those same dynamics explain why even smart, capable people get pulled in.

Then comes the shockwave: an AI-generated country hit reaching No. 1, and an AI gospel single grabbing headlines. We dive into the business incentives and creative risks, making the case for transparent labels, fair pay for human creators whose work and likenesses fuel these systems, and dedicated award categories for synthetic performances. If innovation is inevitable, resilient standards should be too. We also touch on TV and film, where machine-assisted scripts may already be slipping into the pipeline, and why lived experience still matters for stories that last.

To balance the noise, we spotlight a Gen Z-built abstinence app designed to help people step back from social media. Education, office hours, and structured breaks create room to reset habits without quitting life or work. Practical tactics—intentional engagement, time boundaries, and swapping doomscrolls for laughter or learning—help reclaim attention. We round out with a grounded look at the government shutdown’s end: air traffic safety, back pay, and why most of us now crave normalcy more than drama.

If you value sharp takes on culture, tech, and mental health—delivered with curiosity and care—hit follow, share this with a friend who’s wrestling with screen time or AI art, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. What change would make your digital life feel yours again?

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_00:

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

SPEAKER_01:

And I'm Meryl Klimo.

SPEAKER_00:

Hey Meryl, how's it going?

SPEAKER_01:

Hey, hey, hey. Life is good. How are you?

SPEAKER_00:

I'm doing fantastic. Doing anything fun over the weekend?

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. I went to a museum with my, I dragged my boyfriend to a museum, I should say. And it's it's really cool. I don't know if you guys like my my pro tip for visiting a museum is they always give free tours, or you have to pay a you know a few extra dollars. But I felt like we had a person to walk around with, like a tour guide. And I felt like I learned so much more. Usually I would just walk through and be like, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, paintings, whatever. But he really got into it. And so um his name is Michael. Shout out, Michael. And he was a fabulous gay man who lives in Los Angeles, and um, he took us around and just explained more of the details to me. And so now I feel like every museum or like art place, I really want to try to find a professional to tell me stuff.

SPEAKER_00:

Nice, nice. Um, had a great weekend. Um, of course, my bears won and first place.

SPEAKER_01:

Yay!

SPEAKER_00:

I'm happy about that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And then on yesterday, uh, I actually was the guest on a uh podcast, Soul Sits Podcast, where I talked about um the subject was about men's mental health. And you know, I talked about uh my experience, my trauma that I experienced when I was a child up into uh you know adulthood, and also you know, gave a a quick peek into things to come, um, like my new book that's coming out, uh, From Silence to Broadcast to Lawrence Elrod story. That book will be coming out within the next couple months. So it was a nice podcast. Um, it's actually online right now if anyone wants to watch it. So I had a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I want to listen. What would you say the title is?

SPEAKER_00:

The the podcast is uh Soul Sys Podcast. I'll probably go ahead and and and share it um on on social media, but if you just go straight to that podcast, it's the latest one that was done.

SPEAKER_01:

That's so cool. Soul sis? Yes, awesome, cool. Not like not solstice, like the moon moon stolcis, not the not the summer solstice. Okay, cool. That's so awesome. I can't wait to listen. Congratulations.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, thank you, thank you. So had a lot of fun there. And um, it was it was very, very, very nice, um, especially be able to share experiences.

SPEAKER_01:

So yeah, that's why I love podcasts so much, is because we can all listen to them at any time we want and just connect without having to worry about like a bunch of third-party things getting in the way, and it's just amazing to talk to each other and connect that way.

SPEAKER_00:

That is so true. So, so true. So, um I will start it off, and um, this one is um a little bit of a troubling one. Um, do you remember the the show or the movie Smallville?

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, and I've heard a lot about that woman.

SPEAKER_00:

Alrighty, well, former small still small bill star Alison Mack has broken her silence regarding her involvement in the Nexum cult through a new podcast series titled Allison After Nexum. Uh, in seven episodes, which premiered on November 10th, 2025, Mac speaks publicly for the first time since her release from prison in 2023. Um, to kind of give you some perspective, um admit she she had an admission of guilt. Uh Mac who pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges in 2019, admitted she was aggressive and abusive, and used a fang with small bill as a power to to recruit and control women within Next V secret female subgroup. Thus, the menace obsequent or master over the slave. Oh wow. So basically, in a nutshell, she talked about her involvement in recruiting women. Um talked about the cult and her involvement in it. And I don't know, I mean, Hollywood is is very a different world. Um, I guess two questions is one, how do you feel about her role and what she did? And secondly, do you think that she'd get a second chance in Hollywood again?

SPEAKER_01:

That's such a good question. Number one, I feel like it's so weird, but you're right. I feel like when people are making it in Hollywood or trying to or even on the inner circle, like there's so many little versions of cults or different religions that kind of are cults as well. And you know, you can kind of join them and be part of them and move up in the industry, quote unquote. But like I think it's so weird. And I know there was a bunch of, I don't know if this is the cult um exactly, but there's one where like they literally branded the people almost like cattle, you know. And so I think it does a lot of psychological and physical trauma to people. Um, and so obviously I'm not a big fan of it. And I feel like it this one I feel like was taken seriously just because it got so big and so many people spoke out. Um, and I mean, I don't think really, of course it's Hollywood, so people are just going to get like a tenth millionth chance, but I do think if someone is able to escape a cult and really do their own like psychological healing, and then I think they have every right to like join back in society. And in fact, I think that would help a lot of people not to be shunned away after they join something and then you know, uh made some mistakes in their life or maybe they like estranged from their parents. Like, I think we should let them back in, but only when they show that they're like fully ready and not about to join another culture, like make someone else join their thing. So I feel like, yeah, she should be allowed to like be healthy and be in a community, but with like at arm's length kind of thing.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, yeah. I mean, the biggest thing is, and I guess this is her way of doing this first thing you do is have to admit guilt, and secondly, take it, you know, take accountability for what you did.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, and it's almost thinking like what mindset got you into this cult. A lot of people do it because they either feel lonely or they feel like they're never loved, or they, you know, so I think like thinking about that and then making sure you make changes.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, absolutely. And you know, I mean, there's this big debate all the time about you know, once a person has done their time, you know, you know, they should be giving a second chance, they should have a fresh start. And I agree to a certain extent, and the reason why I word it that way is I think that all crimes are not created equal. Yeah, oh yeah. There are some crimes where um, you know, you you you look at it and go, okay, you know what, this person made a stupid mistake, you know, let's not let it define the rest of their life. But there's other crimes was like it's just so horrific that you just can't let it go.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. I always think cults and all that stuff is so interesting because even on like a micro level, say like a few years ago, I signed up for that smoothie program, I think it's called like Beach Body or something, where and it felt like it cold, it really did. Obviously, it wasn't hurting anyone besides like hurting my wallet and just drinking not really great tasting smoothies, but it was all these women messaging me like, hey girl, hey girl, you know, and it promised like the nicest car, and it was like this kind of a multi-level marketing scheme. And I joined it just because I was like, okay, maybe I'll get rich this way. And I and I think all these things have like false promises, and then even though that that's an example, but I soon realized it it felt a little weird, and like one person was saying that they have a mansion from all this, and then it like trickled down to all of us where we were all like the worker bees for them. So I feel like something like that, how you were saying, like all crimes are not committed the same, where it's like something like that where you're just kind of joining like a silly, not like a full-on cult, but like a multi-level marketing. Obviously, you can be like apologize for that and be forgiven, but when you're hurting people or like making them leave their family and friends, I agree that it needs to be taken more seriously.

SPEAKER_00:

I agree. And you know, the one thing I will give her credit for is publicly, you know, uh saying how sorry she is and and you know, apologizing to the victims. Now, whether the victims accept that apology or not, that's probably a whole different conversation. But uh I do commend her for at least taking uh taking accountability uh for what she's done.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. It's so funny. I won't even say the name of it. We can all piece it together, but Tom Cruise loves it a lot, and it's a religion that it's like a religion that's also kind of a cult. But driving here in Los Angeles, they it the first time I moved here, I was like driving past, I'm like, what is these buildings? These are like the most gorgeous buildings I've ever seen in my life. And then you see what it is and who it belongs to, and it's like, oh, I could tell why they get people. Because like if I was so new to LA where I didn't know anyone, I would just be like, here's a place that's a gorgeous building, and they have like brunches and they do a lot in the industry and everything. And so I can see how people get caught up in um those types of things, you know, especially actors, because we as we know, like it's some of the most insecure people and just neat, you know, kind of crazy people.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I mean, once you say Tom Cruise, I think unless you like fell off of a rock, everyone knows what everyone knows.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I'm scared because they go after people, so I'm not saying anything bad. I'm almost saying I I could see why they I can see why people join it because either like you're lost in the world or you're promised something, you know, or it's just from what I heard, the brunch there is really good. So I my friend Sophia went to their brunch, but anyway, that's not the subject. Um, yeah, it's just like a beautiful brunch. They kind of lure you in and they want to talk to you about stuff, and then of course, it's like you see who's involved with it, and then you're like, okay, I want to join. But I think she she just went there because she was broke and needed breakfast.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I think I'd starve personally, but you know, it's easy so me too.

SPEAKER_01:

I'll go to Denny's, it's on call. Well, that's that we'll keep an eye on that. But if honestly, if I was Allison, if I was this person, like wouldn't you just like move and start a whole new life like uh in like Italy or something? I just I'm like I wouldn't go so far away from like Hollywood.

SPEAKER_00:

I would think that most people want a low profile, but you know, people have proven me wrong in this industry, so yeah, that's true.

SPEAKER_01:

It's wacky. Well, my first one is its own cult, Kim Kardashian. Maybe I maybe I I wouldn't join the Kardashian cult, but I definitely watched them on Hulu. Um, I thought this was so funny. So she was really mad because four psychics swore that she'd pass the bar the bar, um, and she was fuming after she flunked yet again. So uh Kim Kardashian flunked the California bar exam. It turns out she was banking on different kinds of counsel, a bunch of psychics who swore she'd pass. Uh, there was a snippet from her TV show where she was venting to her mom that at least four psychics she met were full of SHIT because every one of them told them that she'd pass the bar. Um, and I thought this was very funny because honestly, like I thought, I mean, do you believe in psychics a little bit? I guess is my first question for you.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, not so much, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_01:

Not so much, yeah. See, like like yeah, I I believe that some people can maybe tune into stuff, and I do believe people might have like a clairvoyant gift. But uh like as we've seen from there's been so many things, whether it was a Hurricane Milton or a few different like really large events, uh, psychics have been like saying things for sure up and down, and they've been wrong so much, you know. Whether that was like Trump passing away or they said something bad was gonna really happen at the Super Bowl, and these these psychics were like putting their careers on the line, saying, like, I'm sure of this. And then of course, when it doesn't happen, they're like, Well, the universe has free will, so anything could happen. So no, I I thought I thought what about this that was interesting was um they a lot of psychics weighed in and saying maybe the psychics are right, like give it time just because Kim didn't pass this bar. They might be saying, like, in general, one day she'll become a lawyer. But at that case, I'm like, do we really just need a psychic to find that out? You know?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. I mean, the thing is when it comes to the bar, I've never taken it myself personally, but I've heard that it's extremely hard. And to fail it the first time is actually pretty common. So it's like nothing to really freak out over. Um, you know, you failed it, no big deal, brush up and just retake it.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. And I've had friends that have gone to psychics, and one had told them, like, oh, you should definitely be living in this side of the country, or someone's like, oh no, you San Francisco is the place for you. So so I feel like sometimes if you go to too many psychics, you can get like, you know, uh mixed messages.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, especially when you're paying them, they're gonna they're gonna tell you what you want to hear to keep you paying.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah. I and I also do, I mean, I know we're being silly and stuff like that, but I do feel bad for sometimes then when when they take advantage of people, whether it's like psychics or tarot readers or whatever, because I think a lot of people are like, oh, I'll remove your negative energy for$500, and then they'll say, You have some more. Can I I need to remove like$500 more more worth, you know? So I think that's where it gets in trouble for people that can like lose thousands of dollars just trying to get some psychic like uh insight.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, I agree. I think it just boils down to you know, asking yourself, do you really want to hear what this person says? And doesn't it really matter? Because there's so many things that can affect your outcome that this quote unquote psychic can't see. So why even wor worry about spending the money?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and if you have enough money, like I would have almost a coach, like I wouldn't have a psychic, but maybe like a spiritual and business and like a coach that you can tell this to, and then they could say, Okay, well, how do we prepare you for the bar exam? And how do we like set up your mindset so that you have like a success mindset? You know, how how athletes have that?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, yeah, and and you know, the other thing too is just because a psychic says you're gonna pass a test doesn't mean you don't study for the test.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00:

So there may be some stuff behind the scenes we're not aware of.

SPEAKER_01:

I know, and why would you ask for psychics if you're gonna pass or not? Like at one point, it's just like that's like four hours that you could have been studying.

SPEAKER_00:

It's almost like after the one the first one said you're gonna pass, you didn't believe it yourself.

SPEAKER_01:

So you have to do that. Yeah, that's a good point. And it's the Kardashians. What do you think they're gonna say? Like, no, actually, you're gonna fail, and that they know that if they say the right thing, they're gonna get like returned to, and maybe on TV.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly, exactly. So, yeah, I would say just study up for it and um do better next time. Yeah, well, this actually leads into a bit of topic here, and I would love to get your your opinion on this. Uh AI chart topping country song Walk My Walk is number one on the Billboard charts. Now, what makes this interesting is I don't know if you caught the first thing I said is AI. It's not even one person, and they've topped the charts. No, oh yes, a song created through artificial intelligence has made history topping a Billboard country music chart, but it has sent shockwaves to the music industry with artists getting vocal about the AI-generated hits. The new country tune, Walk My Walk, by Breaking Rust, recently hit number one on the Billboard's country digital song sales chart, reaching over three million streams on Spotify in less than one month.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00:

That success has generated mixed reactions from music fans and artists alike, particularly on TikTok, where hundreds of users have posted videos addressing the tune and others discussing the music in his comments. They're not the only one doing this. Right. There's another one. It's called Let Go Let God, is a breakthrough single by Xenia Monet, the world's first AI-powered gospel artist created by poet Talicia Nikki Jones using the Sunu AI platform. The song which topped the hot gospel songs chart is about surrendering control to God and finding peace with this message and innovative creation method sparking conversations in both faith and tech communities. I actually saw the interview with her, she was on Tamar and Hall, and this whole thing, again, it's not a real person. Um, she says that some of her voice may be in it, but pretty much it's computer generated. Um, she's got all these streams and just signed a multi-million dollar record deal. I would love to find out from you, Meryl. What do you think about this?

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my god, this could be like a whole, I feel like a whole we could talk for like an hour about this because okay, I have I can't wait till it's gonna be one day there's gonna be like a Grammy AI category I bet for like best AI vocalists. But I mean, okay, my first thought is I think for a while we've already been doing a lot of not just straight AI, but a lot of manipulated songs are making it into it, whether that's um what's the thing that the people put on their voice um that everyone uses? I forget, like autotune. Like, you know, I know autotune obviously there's still mixers and actual humans that are doing it, but I think what we're hearing from a lot of people are is like a version of AI that it's been for a while, you know, where it's like they're covering up a lot of pop stars, like I'm I hate to say it, but like Britney Spears, she has a good voice, but like we heard kind of like an AI version of her for a while. Um, so I feel like it's been slowly inching that way with just a lot of the very heavily produced songs, but obviously I don't think it should be like all AI, and the same way that we talked about that actress, that Tilly Norwood actress, where we should at least have like real people doing the stuff, and then of course we can manipulate it, but like not just pretend.

SPEAKER_00:

I agree. I mean, I know that there's a lot of artists that don't like this at all because they feel it's taken away from creativity, it's taken away from you know real artists showing their talent because there's so much talent that's out there, and you know, obviously it's impossible to have all the talent uh being featured. So um I think this is a money play where the record industry is looking at making as much money as humanly possible, and because it's AI generated, thinking in their minds, well, we don't have to pay them as much. And I could be wrong, but I think that's the play.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and and not having to worry about contract signing, like you know how you know Simon Cowell or American Idol, they always get into these really bad contracts and stuff, and with with AI, you could just have the likeness and usage whenever you want and manipulate it and license it out to commercials, and you don't have to worry about like a real person getting a lawyer or anything.

SPEAKER_00:

That's true, that's true. Um making AI music didn't surprise me how popular it was hitting the billboard charts. That really shocked me.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, I think so too. And I think you're right, there should be more people talking about this because I feel like that it changes the whole industry and what it allows. And I feel like that's not not good for their other industries, too, you know.

SPEAKER_00:

Because here's the reality, Merrill. Um and again, you know, I want to be careful how I say this, but yeah, I can create a song that people like, and it may even be a hit. And I'm not a singer, I'm not an artist musician. So to me, you kind of blur in those lines a little bit for people who really are artists, really are serious about their crap versus someone that just wants to put something out there to make money.

SPEAKER_01:

I know. I've been thinking about that a lot lately too, with even TV shows, because I feel like right now there's a few TV shows that Jack and I are really into, whether that's I think it's like all her fault or something, and then there's a squid games and a few other ones. But I I have I have to start wondering what scripts that we're seeing are like strictly AI, like you know, or what TV shows. There was another Pleurabus, I think is one on Apple that we're watching. And a part of me is like, okay, this feels well written, but it also feels like it could be just like an AI idea and something that like ChatGBT came up with. And so I I wonder if some of the TV shows that we'll even start seeing are like totally AI written and conceived.

SPEAKER_00:

I agree. I mean, we we may have that already, we just don't know it.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly, exactly. Because a lot of people are just handing in like AI scripts to um networks and they're just making them, so yeah, I wonder.

SPEAKER_00:

Really? That's what I've heard. Wow. Wow. Well, I knew AI was gonna change the world, but I didn't think it was gonna change it this fast.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean no, I'm not ready. We're still a real podcast, unless you think we're just AI. Believe me, if I was AI, I'd be better at all this. The Meryl clone. Well, well, I think my next subject actually ties in perfectly to your talk about this because it sounds like we need something like this. Um, a Bay Area Harvard grad student launched a new movement to quit social media. She created an app called a 24-year-old Rebecca, uh, or actually Gabriella, uh, helped is help trying to help people quit social media. She's behind the growing abstinence tech resistant movement. So basically, this girl created an app called Abstinence, which I mean, uh to me, it kind of my mind went other places at first, but I think there are things called abstinence too, uh, on online. But this one is an app to help you either get off social media entirely or just take a break from it, or even have like a couple hours without it. And I think it's really cute. Um, she said that she tried to slowly wean herself off social media, she attempted different methods, but it wasn't until she practiced full-on abstinence from social media that she was able to disconnect. And so she made it through 30 days and then she kind of saw the uh positive benefits in that. Now, I think that this is good because the app offers support through like um education. There's meetings, and there's I think this is really cute. There's even office hours with experienced Gen Z educators, so like providing other options than to use your phone. So I and you know, she goes through a whole we can post the article or whatever, but she has this whole like 5D method for decreasing, deactivating your social media. Um now I know you know you and I both we use it as a tool. Like I you because I promote my shows on there and we promote the show and everything, like it's not really feasible to go completely off social media, but I definitely need to use it better. Like, what do you think?

SPEAKER_00:

Um, yeah, I mean, I agree. Um, we we all can definitely sharpen up our skills when it comes to social media. Um, I know some people who are masters at social media where they put a post out there and there's like tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands off this one post because they're just that good to do it. And you know, sometimes you get on the phone, and I'm guilty of it too, where you're going through your social media, and all of a sudden it feels like you're down this dark hole where you're like on your phone and you like look like whoa, I've been on this phone for a couple hours now.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, okay. I'm gonna admit something that I I I was gonna not tell anyone, but this is crazy. Yesterday I got my like, you know when it tells you your hours on the phone. Okay, this is crazy, but it said that like last week my daily average screen time was 21 hours a day. Wow, so like obviously I sleep, so I think my phone is on when I'm even sleeping. I saw that and I quickly put my phone away. Of course, I was looking at my phone when the information came in, and I'm like 21 hours a day, like that means I'm not on my phone for three hours. Like, that's really ridiculous. And so after that, obviously I'm trying to do better, but um, yeah, I really like scroll tick. I think TikTok is the culprit for me just because I love it so much.

SPEAKER_00:

Wow, you live on your phone, huh?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, isn't that that's that's different? I think maybe because I was like, I don't know if it counts. Like if I'm on a walk and listening to a podcast, obviously I'm not looking at the phone. I think I think I hope I hope that like it's counting that too.

SPEAKER_00:

Because all your activity, but wow, that is a lot.

SPEAKER_01:

Isn't that crazy? Yeah, I saw that. I'm like, that is really embarrassing. So you know, and I don't really even enjoy like, I mean, but we just we obviously need Instagram for like it's hard to be fully off of it, but I do think we can all afford to you know be on it a little bit less or or use it in a positive way. Like I've really gotten back into the reminder that like social media is we're supposed to be social with each other and have fun. Like you're great at commenting and you're always so nice. And I try to like also instead of just like looking at my own content, I try to really engage with like my friends and just you know reply to people's stories and stuff.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, definitely, definitely. And you know, I I like to I like to read and and post positive stuff. Um yeah, you know, I like stuff that'll lift me up, I like stuff that makes me laugh. Uh, there's a lot of stuff that I watch on social media that has me cracking up because serious and crazy. You need to laugh every day, you really do.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, tick tock is the the people on TikTok are like the funniest ever. And it's the stupidest stuff that that we we all laugh about too, but it's really, really funny. Like the comments will have me like crying, laughing.

SPEAKER_00:

Sometimes the comments are actually better than the post.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. For real, for real. And then yeah, someone said that if you if your comment gets more than like 10,000 likes, you should get paid, and I agree.

SPEAKER_00:

I agree, that's true.

SPEAKER_01:

That's definitely good for listeners that might have younger people in their lives, you know, uh children as they call it. Uh, I think this app may be good for like teens, or if you're, you know, if you have a kid that kind of has phone addiction. Because I think it's cool that there's other Gen Z people on this app to like help them.

SPEAKER_00:

I agree. I agree. So kudos to the to the makers of of this new app.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And also, uh, my final topic for this segment. The government shutdown is officially over.

SPEAKER_01:

Yay.

SPEAKER_00:

Let me tell let me ask you, Meryl, do you think this was gonna go out a little longer than it than it did?

SPEAKER_01:

Um not no. I mean, it it really also it didn't really prove what it would, it didn't really do what it set out to do, right? Like no. I started to get worried, which is like I'm sure a lot of people did, which is why we kind of folded uh when it starts getting real when it starts getting into like flying safety and aviation and people going hungry, you know. Then I think like the fun of it and the whatever the sport of it starts to wear off. And I think people were beginning to see that there was like about to be some real life consequences, which you know, people losing their health care and all that stuff would have really like actually killed people. So um, no, I I I thought it wouldn't go on longer. I thought it was like gonna end pretty soon.

SPEAKER_00:

I agree, I agree, and you know the one thing about it is they really never fixed the problem, they just kind of kicked the can down the road a bit because it was only funded and think until the end of January, except for I think veteran benefits and um and SNAP. Uh both of those I think are to the end of September of next year. So, with the exception of those two items, they're gonna be doing this all over again in a couple months.

SPEAKER_01:

See, that's so crazy.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. And you know, um, some of the air traffic controllers actually found different jobs. So we don't even know if all of them are coming back because of this shutdown. So, and again, if you have this again, because you know, a lot of people gave uh air traffic controllers a lot of crap, which I don't understand about how you know a lot of people support them, but there are some people that say, well, they should have came to work or you know, it's kind of easy to say that when you know you're not getting paid. Right, yeah. And you still have bills, you still have childcare and all these other responsibilities, but you're expected to come to work and not get paid.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. I don't know. But I don't know, one person that's able to go a month without getting a paycheck and still working and everything. So yeah, I'm I'm glad obviously they're back and I've I hope they're getting back pay and they get everything and they don't miss like one day or hour of pay. Um but yeah, it's crazy and scary.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean it's very easy to criticize someone when you're not in their shoes. And I think people need to take a step back and just be grateful for the job that they do because they do keep our airs their our airspace safe.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. I feel like the next person that runs opposite to what is happening now, if they just give a message that like they just want normalcy instead of the like whole making it almost is like we now we just want like boring but happy as like a society, you know. And I feel like the next person that runs, if they can say that message where like in a good way we won't have to deal with as much um like upheaval. I think that's what a lot of people are seeking.

SPEAKER_00:

I definitely agree with that. I definitely agree with that. So kudos to it being done, and uh you know, we'll enjoy it for the next few months.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. But for now, hopefully we'll have air traffic controllers landing us in airplanes.

SPEAKER_00:

Hello everyone, welcome back. Um, we had a little bit of a technical issue uh with Merrill, but um Merrill will be back on the next episode. Uh, we do want to take the time to thank everyone for watching us, supporting us, and um uh helping us grow. Um, we definitely need your help growing. And if you can let other people know who we are, share um our social media and also share our podcast. And then also, if you can go to our our website, lradtvnetwork.com, and watch us and watch other programs, we'd really appreciate it. Once again, have a great, great day. I'm Lauren Selrod. Take care, everyone. Bye.

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Lawrence Elrod

Host
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Meryl Klemow

Co-host