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From NFL Sidelines To Viral Kiss Cam Fallout And Why Timing Matters for 12/23/25

• Lawrence Elrod & Meryl Klemow

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A playoff push, a sideline punch, a farewell that ends in a tap out, and a Kiss Cam that cost two careers—this one moves fast and asks better questions about judgment, restraint, and respect. We open with the Bears’ surge and how one Steelers result set off a chain of stories, then dig into the moment an NFL star crossed the barrier between field and stands. Fans can be brutal, but power includes the power to de-escalate; fines and suspensions don’t just hit a player, they hit a whole team’s season.

From there, we pivot to John Cena’s final WWE match and the heat he took for choosing to lose. Was it a disappointing finish or a deliberate message about legacy and control? We talk athleticism, showmanship, and why leaving by choice is the highest note, even if the scoreboard says otherwise. On the other end of the spectacle spectrum, we sit with a 40-year abduction case that resurfaced in Florida, where modern forensics meet missing motives. Justice after decades is messy; empathy and accountability pull in opposite directions, and sometimes the truth arrives without an easy sentence.

We also break down Jake Paul’s bout with a true powerhouse and the jaw-dropping moment that left him wired and humbled. There’s a difference between hype and levels, and there’s real respect in taking a loss, recovering, and returning smarter. Finally, we zoom into everyday life: chronic lateness, time blindness, and why being aggressively early can be just as inconsiderate socially. Punctuality is less about the clock and more about trust—building small habits that keep relationships light and plans humane.

If you enjoy thoughtful takes on sports headlines, viral scandals, and the unwritten rules that keep us decent to each other, hit play and ride along. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s always five minutes late, and leave a review telling us: do you prefer a graceful loss or a perfect ending?

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 Lauren Zelrod.

SPEAKER_01:

And I'm Meryl Climo.

SPEAKER_00:

Hey Meryl, how are you?

SPEAKER_01:

I'm so good. I'm so good. Will people be listening to this? It will be after Christmas, right?

SPEAKER_00:

Nope. Actually, it's going out tomorrow.

SPEAKER_01:

It's going out tomorrow. Okay, good. Well, in that case, I can tell everyone that I still haven't got my Christmas gifts yet. So you would think I'd learn, but I don't know. How about you? Are you completely done with everything?

SPEAKER_00:

You know, it's very few people that would buy Christmas presents for this year. So um probably like maybe a couple. That's about it left over. But not a whole lot of Christmas gifts this year.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay. See, my boyfriend and I always do this.

SPEAKER_00:

No, I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. It's better that way. We always do this thing. This year we said not we're not gonna do our usual thing, which is like tell each other, oh, I don't have a gift for you, I don't have a gift for you. And then of Christmas Day, we both have a gift. This time I told him, like, I really don't have a gift for you. So so either we say we're going to have one or we're not, but like if we if we're pretending not to, like, we're not going to. So um, yeah, we'll see.

SPEAKER_00:

I hear you, I hear you. Well, my weekend was great. Uh my Bears won against the Packers.

SPEAKER_01:

Yay, they've been doing so well.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, so it was uh it was uh an incredible game. You're on your seats the whole way, and we've not only uh clinched the the playoff spot, but we're number one in NFC, so we're number two season.

SPEAKER_01:

So then what's the next like big step in football world for them?

SPEAKER_00:

Um basically they have two more games to finish out the regular season, and then they start going into the playoffs.

SPEAKER_01:

And it's gonna be the Super Bowl, and then they'll win the Super Bowl.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, yes, definitely. We're gonna put that out there. And um actually um we got into the Super Bowl by uh with a little bit of help from the Steelers by them beating Detroit, and that actually leads me into my first topic. Yay, Steelers player DK Metcalf punches a fan. What? Yeah. So basically it was uh I think right around halftime. I don't know, you know, no one really knows what was said or whatever, but you know, he walks over to where the fans were, which I don't know why he did that in the first place, you know, still in the middle of the game. He grabs the guy by the hair. He was a Detroit fan, and then you know, you can't really tell what's being said between the two, and then all of a sudden he punches the guy.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00:

Now, don't get me wrong, I know sometimes fans can really take it too far with something, but all he has to do is give the word, and if that's the case, that fan will be throwing it and possibly banned from ever coming into the stadium again.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

So by him punching, and and you know, again, they're still have two more games to play in the regular season, and then also too, most likely they're gonna be in the postseason in the playoffs. So he could potentially be fined by the NFL and possibly be suspended some games going into the playoffs. And what happens is because he's an important player to the team, he actually hurts the whole team by what he did.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Do you think the vibe would sue him or the team?

SPEAKER_00:

You know, I don't think so, but in this day and age, Merle, you really don't know.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, we're in a suit happen society right now, so you know, you sneeze on someone, they want to sue you, so it's really hard to say one way or the other.

SPEAKER_01:

Did he punch the guy like in the face?

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, obviously, like it looks like it, yeah, because he had one of those wigs on, you know, royal long hairy wigs, so he like grabbed them by the hair, and then a few seconds later, he punches them. Oh so again, we don't know what was said, but it clearly was not self-defense.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Remember there was like um a documentary, I think it was about the Boston Red Sox, and there was the player talked about how unbelievably mean people were. The fans were like saying stuff about his like late mother or something. You know, they were literally saying like stuff about one of his dead parents or something, and just the amount of restraint. I'm sure if you've had a bad day, the fans are booing you, the amount of restraint you have to have for like to hear that and not to want to go over and like punch somebody's lights out. I feel like I don't know if I would trust myself with like that temper and that uh response. Yeah, I really don't like, especially if you're on a field and you're kind of hyped up or you you have big emotions, like I could see myself flipping into that like kind of veil of immaturity or just reaction or whatever. If you're doing something and someone says something like personal about your spouse or your friends or your parents and stuff, like I I really feel like I would probably like punch someone, I really do.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I mean, I definitely understand where you're coming from. I mean, some of the stuff that the fans say is stuff that you shouldn't say to anyone, even on the street. You know, it's just ridiculous they say. And when you're a professional athlete, and let's say you do have some type of you know, personal issues going on, maybe something happened to a family member, you know, for them to sit there and throw that at you in the middle of the game, you know, it it it it is it is very, very challenging to hold your composure.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. I feel like it was some entertainer or a sports person or something, and maybe it was a boxer that just said something about like we don't get people don't get punched enough in society, like for what they say, almost in a way that like people have been able to pop off and squawk so much at at games and stuff and just and online, it's just like sometimes I'm not advocating for violence ever, but sometimes like a good punch in the face, I feel like is what some people deserve. Not innocent people or not anyone like walking down the street minding their business. But if you're saying like if you're hurling verbal assault at people, like I don't know, maybe uh it's terrible, but sometimes I'm in the camp of just like I just want an athlete to go and suck the person right in the face.

SPEAKER_00:

I hear you, I hear you.

SPEAKER_01:

So you're probably not because you're so nice and peaceful, but at least one of us on the show has to be violent.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, you know what? Everyone has their breaking point, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

That's that's a good way to put it, exactly. And and but like I said, if anything, he should exercise his power and just like point to the security and get him out within 30 seconds.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly, exactly. So we'll find out. Um, because usually when they hand out fines, um, those come out pretty quickly. So we'll find out if you know what if the repercussions are gonna be from that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's so interesting. Well, I have you're gonna like this. I have a bunch of sports too to start us off.

SPEAKER_00:

Nice.

SPEAKER_01:

I don't know how authentic my sports are compared to to the ones you're bringing up, but um, I thought this was funny. So over the weekend, uh we watched at home, we watched the Taylor Swift Air's documentary and then the John Cena last match. And like I was I don't know what my problem was when I was crying during both of those things. And so I'm like, both are like kind of fake. I feel like all I did this weekend was just watch people's documentaries and cry. But um, I thought this was really interesting. So John Cena, as we all know, from the WWE, and he's one of those people that has really like broken out of just that and became become more of like a mainstream performer, entertainer. Um, I like him. I really like him. But anyway, he had his last match. He decided to tap out to Gunther in his retirement match, and it infuriated a large section of the fan base. Um, and this led to a lot of controversy because people were saying he should have his final match, he should have won and gone out on a high note, you know, just as like kind of the superhero that he is. But um he decided to tap out and lose, and he got heavy booze from fans. There was debate still being held on. Um, I was upset because I was like, what is he doing? I want him to go out as a winner. But then I the more I've been seeing about him, the more I've realized he wanted to kind of go out on a loss to show that you can like life isn't perfect and you can lose things in life and not always be the winner and still have like a good attitude and keep a smile on your face. So it was a deeper message, but I don't know what do you think? Sometimes I don't want like a total deep message, I just want to see like the person I want to win win in their last match.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, I could definitely understand that. I mean, anytime for for most athletes, anytime they're leaving their sport, they do want to leave on a high note, leave on top. Yeah. So it's kind of rare to get that kind of a statement from an athlete. Um, again, some people may look at WWE as fake, not real. Some people think it's real, but whatever side of the fence you're on, there's still a lot of athletic athleticism. The average person cannot do what they do.

SPEAKER_01:

Totally, exactly. And and John Cena is like he flies through the air. Like, yeah, it's really crazy. Like, they really are amazing athletes. And to be able to put someone on your, he'll take like giant, giant men and like put them basically on his back and carry them and then jump off the ring.

SPEAKER_00:

And you know, the way to look at it, too, he's leaving while he's on top of his game. Yes, he may have lost that last match, but he's retiring because he wants to, not because he has to. Right. So people got to keep that in mind. There's a big difference in the two.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, exactly. And he's he does a lot of things for like kids in hospitals, and I think he'll still be able to carry on with a lot of the more like uh outside good things that WWE bring him. And he's he's smart because as you said, he's going out on a high note, and like he's not injured, he's not there's no controversy about him. I'm sure he has like a million movie offers, and just like Hollywood wants to have him in their stuff. So I don't know, but would you be disappointed seeing like the person that you like go out on the on the kind of a loss, or would you just know that it's fake and it's kind of just entertainment?

SPEAKER_00:

I would say I if I had someone that um I really follow, I really love, I would definitely want to leave on a high note just as a fan. Yeah, I really would. But there is another side to this. It could be a setup for him to make a return during a match.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my god. Oh, don't tempt me with a good time. Oh my gosh, are you the first person that like has suggested this? Honestly, now I'm excited.

SPEAKER_00:

Because he could go, oh, I can see the headlines right now. Jake Paul comes out of retirement just for the WWE grudge match against XYZ or whatever.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my gosh, I didn't even think about this. Well, I'm hoping because I love him. And yeah, they played like a little tribute video to him at the end of just all the different montages about what he meant to different performers and the WWE and kids. And I was like 10 out of 10 sobbing. And my boyfriend's like, I've never even heard you mention John Cena before. I'm like, this is just so beautiful.

SPEAKER_00:

Now, was that his last game? Uh, his last uh bout that he just lost.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, it was his final, final match, and so he made a big fanfare. Like he came out and he went all around the ring before, like it took I mean a big time, a big a long time to even get to the actual match itself because he was definitely as he should, as a good entertainer, he was really soping it up and just turning to every corner of the ring and just you know getting everyone to cheer for him and everything. So um, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, well, like I said, we might not see the last of them.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, good. I'm really hoping because I need more John Cena. I love him.

SPEAKER_00:

Alrighty. See my next one is very interesting. A mom on the run for over 40 years was arrested for abduct abducting a three-year-old little girl that she raised as her own daughter. Whoa! Um, yeah. This is interesting. So after more than 40 years, woman reunites with family after allegedly being abducted by her mom. So it says, Marion County, Florida, three three-year-old Michelle Shelley Newton poses for the camera in a sailor's outfit, smiling white, showing a gap between the two front baby teeth and an um undated missing person's flyer from Jefferson County's sheriff's office. So Michelle was taken by her mother, it reads. Now Michelle, 46 on the path of healing. Her mom is facing one charge. The Tyler vanishing took place in the spring of 1983 after her mother, Deborah Newton, claimed she was relocating to Georgia from Louisville, Kentucky to begin a new job and prepare a new home for the family, according to a Monday news release from the Jefferson County Sheriff Office. Uh, CNN affiliate WLKY spoke to Joseph Newton, Deborah's husband, and Michelle's father in 1986. After three years of searching for his daughter, he said the plan had been to move to Georgia. Deborah took Michelle early. Uh, he added, Wow. And I actually saw the video when they arrested her. I guess they were coming up, and her friend was joking, oh, they're getting ready to arrest you. And they actually, you know, the friend stepped back, and sure enough, they was arresting her.

SPEAKER_01:

I totally saw that. I saw that, and they were like outside on the lawn. It looked like a really sunny day. Was it was it in Florida?

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, it was.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, they were on the lawn, exactly. And it was the way you would just have any other day. You're just talking to your friend and going on a walk, and then they're like, Oh, they're coming for you. And then it's like, and then you could just tell like all the color from the mom's face dreams because you would think if you get it away for something for that long, you just think you're kind of done. It's almost like when they arrest serial killers like 80 years later or something, you know, and it's like, oh, you you you have it so much out of your mind that you did something that you just think you're completely free.

SPEAKER_00:

Now, you know, it it's it's hard to because based on the story, um, it is her real mom. So there's a whole lot of questions there as to what made her, you know, kidnap her own daughter, change their net, change their names, and and just hide out for all this time. So obviously what she did was wrong, but it's really hard for me to personally to to kind of even make a comment one way or the other, because I think there's too much information missing. What do you think, Meryl?

SPEAKER_01:

I know I think so too, because like what if this isn't completely evil? Like, what if she was shielding her from something, or there was like a reason that they did that, you know, and like the fact that I don't know that it like I I agree that it seems like maybe we would want to know all the facts of why it happened, and if if indeed it was like more of a safety thing, or she was just fearful about something. Um but yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, because I know I I took a look at several different news outlets, and um it nothing actually gave any kind of indication of the backstory as to why she did what she did. So um it will be interesting to see um if they come up with some kind of motive or reasoning to what she did or I thought it was interesting too.

SPEAKER_01:

It said like the case was kind of tossed away after a while, and then it was re-indicted in 2016 after a family member nudged detectives to re-examine the case. I'm like, I wonder who that was and like kind of what intel they had.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I I you know my goes out to the daughter because it's like um there's probably a lot of mixed emotions going on at at the time, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah. But yeah, this kind of stuff we never know. And it it is weird that if someone is like your real mom or a parent, I know that's usually the number one case of kidnapping is like someone, you know, a lot of times when we see those like uh amber alerts and everything, then wait, it are amber alerts like do you guys have them? Or is that a country thing, or is that just a California thing?

SPEAKER_00:

Well no, that's all over the country.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, okay. I don't know if it was like called something. I don't obviously people go missing, but I didn't know if it was just the amber alert in California. But yeah, like I think most times out of the all the most of those cases, it's like, yeah, like a a family member or someone that knows the kid is the one that's taking them.

SPEAKER_00:

That's true. That's true. Um, now here's the interesting thing. It's been 40 years, so um, it'd be kind of interesting to see what her if she's convicted of it, what her sentence would be.

SPEAKER_01:

I know. I don't know, I don't know why I'm having empathy, but yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_00:

Um I mean, like I said, without knowing the backstory, it's hard to say. Uh and you kind of wonder, you know, how I I guess how strict or how much of a punishment they would give her because yes, what she did was wrong. From all accounts, it looks like her daughter grew up healthy, happy, and everything else. So it it's you know, it's a real, real hard one to call. Um, I think it's gonna be difficult for that judge to to decide. I mean, I'm no lawyer, so I don't know, but I'm assuming so.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. I think I think we really need to hear from the daughter herself of like what were the conditions like? Did she grow up feeling safe? Did she grow up, you know, feeling like this was her mom and this was like where she was supposed to be? Um yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, now the only thing I could I can point to is the daughter did say that she knew something was wrong. What exactly that means, I don't know. Yeah. So I don't know if maybe there were some questions that her mom couldn't answer, um, information um that she came across. But um it was interesting that she made that comment. She knew something was wrong.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it's crazy that we're that we lived through a lifetime where like the crimes 40 years ago could be very untraceable because there was like no cell phone tower pinging, there really wasn't like the Of uh uh fingerprints, like we're just kind of starting and everything, you know. So like the fact that now there's so many tools where they can just see where someone checked in with their credit card or they can see everything. So it's like it that may have been caught within like a week now.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh yeah. And then, you know, take a look at how many people um have been have been freed or exonerated from crimes. Um back then, you know, either there was no DNA available to to research or the DNA was not at the point it is right now.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And now running DNA, they go, oh, this person couldn't have possibly did it. This is not this person. I know. So it's benefits for both law enforcement and for individuals too.

SPEAKER_01:

So yep. Well, one um one thing I saw over the weekend where I did not cry was the the Jake Paul fight. Um, totally ridiculous. And so there's a million different angles of this story, and I could like yip and yep about it forever, so it will have to cut me off at some point. But um, pretty much what I wanted to talk about too is that now, you know, so Jake Paul fought Anthony Joshua, which it's so confusing that all these people have like first and last names that are named, it's like four names floating around. But yeah, Jake Paul fought Anthony Joshua, like a real fighter. I mean, you know, a real uh real actual boxer and fighter. And he just like, you know, the fight went on and on, and Jake Paul was kind of clinging to him. And then Anthony Joshua just had this like one punch that just boom hit him right in the face and broke his jaw. Um, and now this article says that Jake Paul is out of surgery and eating liquids for seven days after he had a broken jaw. Uh, he was defeated in the sixth round by Joshua, and then he sustained two fractures to his jaw in the process. And so, you know, they they do the kind of post-game talk with him, and Jake Paul talks a little bit, and he was like, I think my jaw's broken, and then he spits out a whole bunch of blood. So um, you know, I'm I'm not a Jake Paul apologist, but I definitely don't hate him or like as much as I think a lot of people do. But I have to admit, it was pretty damn ridiculous seeing like him just get punched in the face and go down. And you can even see he's like he's half stunned when he gets hit, but he almost has this element of like, yeah, this is what I've been waiting for. Like in a in a good way, I have to pay him the compliment that he did seem like he got his world rocked and he did he like stayed with it. And he uh to me, he like was kind of took it like a you know, whatever, like a good boxer.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, yeah, I tip my hat off to him. Uh not not a sport on me participating. I'll watch it, but I won't participate in it.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and I like I didn't know. Do you know anything about so a broken jaw? I mean, I guess it could be pretty easy to like dislodge it, and it's just like any other bone, but it's like, do they uh do boxers wear mouth guards, right?

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, they wear mouth guards, and you know, depending on where a person's hit, you know, because the jaw is basically one movable bone right here. Um I would imagine, I mean, thank god I've never experienced it, but I I would imagine it's gotta be incredibly painful.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, because it probably radiates. Like, I bet the pain goes down, and I um I saw what did the article say? Um, yeah, okay, so they said a broken jaw is very common in sports, obviously.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, and they said the recovery time is four to six weeks, so that's a long time to like have to probably not chew pizza or like you know, is that they're the I believe they're wirish, that their uh jaw is shut while it's here.

SPEAKER_01:

But it's so funny too because I mean, just like all the the round the fights before him, Jake Paul was doing the most during like the press conferences, and he he was like blah blah, you know, making all these like tongue devil faces, and then Anthony Joshua just goes like I'm gonna cut him off, and then it then he did it, and he I mean he that guy is like such a stud, you know. Like to me, he was so hot, and he was just so like he was effortless and just he acted so cool and calm and collected, and just even the punch that he was doing just seemed like it was just a random Tuesday for him. Like he he just seemed like he was on level three, like you know, knocking Jake Paul down.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I mean a lot of boxers they take pride in knowing that they could take a punch. So for the average person, that would be devastating, and they'd be like, I'm not doing this sport again. I know for guys that really are into this sport, it's like just a badge of honor, you know. They get through it, get through the pain, let it jump right back out there.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. And it seemed like Anthony Joshua seems like a very respectable opponent and someone that is like probably exactly um, and then afterwards I saw like that he went up and hugged Jake Paul's mom, and you know, was he apologized. He's like, sorry, I had to do that to your son. But also, I I love the women of TikTok freak out about how hot Anthony is because they were like he knows like the one thing girls want for Christmas, and that was a picture of like Jake Paul lying on the ground.

SPEAKER_00:

That's a heck of a Christmas gift, exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, but I I was very at the least I was entertained, so props to them for putting out an entertaining product.

SPEAKER_00:

That's true, that's true. Well, talk about entertainment. Uh, my last topic is an interesting one. I'm quite sure you remember the couple that got caught kissing at the coldplay concert.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my gosh, yes.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, the women, uh, the woman at the center of the cold play scandal is breaking her silence.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my gosh. Come on, like stay silent. I want her to have her jaw wired shut. No one needs to hear from you. Hush.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, this is interesting. Kristen uh Cabot, the woman at the center of the viral KISS Cam moment at the Coldplay concert earlier this year, is breaking her silence now. So Cabot 53 told the New York Times in an interview published Thursday that the Kiss Cam video filmed at the July 16th Coldplay concert in Boston by a fellow uh concert concert goer and shared on TikTok, and the ensuing scandal deeply impacted her life. Yeah, I would imagine so. Yeah. Um, the viral incident led to COBOL's resignation from tech company astronomer, where she previously served as the head of HR, as well as the resignation of former astronomer, CEO, uh Andy Byron, who was also seen in the viral video. Cobalt told the Times she wanted to speak out now to set the record straight and share her side of the story. Now, this is what she said, and I quote, I made a bad decision at a couple of high noons and danced and acted inappropriately with my boss. And it's nothing she said, and it's noting, I'm sorry, she said, I took accountability and gave up my career for that. That's the price I chose to pay. Personally, I don't think you made that choice, but you know, we'll go with what you said, you know. So the mom of two, who said she was newly separated from her husband at the time of the incident, and I don't remember seeing that anywhere, but okay, we'll go with it. Added, I want my kids to know that you can make mistakes and you can really screw up, but you don't have to be threatened um to be killed for them. So I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, I like the the one thing I do agree with her slash whatever is like what what they did was terrible and she's annoying, but I agree that like the death threats are are too much, you know, like that's a bridge too far for sure. Like obviously I want to cancel these people and like even just it's terrible, but just the sport of like having someone to we don't want them to have their job is even you know, like I think we can still, it's just fun every now and then to like target like I mean that sounds so terrible, but it like uh there's just a human element of us to be like, yeah, like ruin them and cancel them, but wanting to kill them or threaten their safety or the safety of their child children is like way, way, way too much. It's like, wait, hold on, we're not doing that, you know, we're not doing that much. But I mean, my n my first thought is like, I don't need to hear from these people ever. They seem really entitled. And in a world where like there's so much empathy to give to other people that actually need things, like just admit what you did was stupid and then like go away because we don't really need to hear from you. Um, and I I think this is such a bad timing because to me, we just started to like forget all about it. And so it's kind of like the ocean of all of us talking about it is kind of past and now it's just like faded away. And now to bring this back up, it's not I don't think she's gonna win over like any fans, you know. And in like of course, like I'm open to hearing everyone's version of things, but like for what point I don't really care. If anything, if they just look stupid on the Coldplay concert, it was kind of like a cultural moment, and then we move on, you know. Like she's not running for office, or there's no reason that I need to be like convinced of her as a person. So um yeah, I think what they did was really stupid, and I don't I have a feeling I probably wouldn't like either of them, but but we don't need to like read a think piece on her or anything, I think.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I mean I agree. So the one the the things that kind of was interesting to me is I agreed you're 100%. We got to the point where everybody stopped talking about it, so why don't you insert yourself back into the news? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

But the other thing about, well, you know, I chose to leave. No, you didn't. Okay, I could be a hundred percent wrong, but something tells me you were encouraged to leave. Yeah, because prior to this incident, most of America never heard of that company, right? Exactly. In that industry, you've never heard of the company. Yeah. So to sit up there and then go, well, you know, blame it on the high noons and stuff like this. And it's like to me, when you start pointing fingers, well, this happened because of this, because of this, yes, to me, that's not accountability. You were actually better off not saying anything at all.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly, exactly, or like I feel like the relatable thing would be I got caught up in this kind of love affair, and we hurt a lot of people, and like I feel terrible, and I learned a lot of things, and I'm ashamed. And you could have like ended it there, and most people, even if they haven't like been cheated on or cheated on their partners, they've we all have had instances where we kind of acted emotionally and then regret it. So it's like, okay, you're just a human too, you know. I don't need a whole like expose on her and her mission and all its stuff, and yeah, it's just so crazy.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, yeah, and and you know, let's not forget, it wasn't like they was just there at a concert and they they got they were caught sitting next to you, they were literally hugged up.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, exactly, exactly. And they and it they kind of it was like that whole like F around and you find out and they found out, you know, and so and and I think it was like a win for all of us who have either suspected our partners cheating, and then not that not my relationship now, but in the past where you like you pray for something like this, where you're like, just show me if something weird is happening, and then all of a sudden you get it on the big screen, and you're like, you know, you're like, okay, so I was right the whole time. So I just think that it's it like hit home for so many people, whatever version of it they were. Um, and I don't know, she and the other guy just seemed to me like so deeply unlikable that the best thing for them is to in my mind for me to like not see them and to fade away from them because any anytime I see them, I'm reminded that I don't like them.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, yeah. And you know, the one thing that we we we tend to forget too is when you're in high high role positions like that, which you get caught doing something you're not supposed to. To me, they get preferential treatment versus regular employee, where employee you're fired. Where you get to a certain level, they give you a choice. You can let us fire you, or you can resign.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And they're given an option.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and then and of course, we don't know how true it is, but then there people were saying that they had worked for her specifically in other roles, and and that she was like not nice at all, and that and it's funny, like people like that think they're on this high horse, and then something like this happens to them and their world comes crashing down, and all of a sudden they're like throwing a little pity party for themselves and wanting everyone like beneath them to forgive, forgive them. So, yeah, it's really, really telling.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Hopefully, we don't hear any more about this story, but we'll see.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. It's like just go away and like hopefully they're all divorced. Remember after this, remember like they were pretending to write like fake letters to this to that guy and his wife, too? I remember it was like a pretend thing of like, please forgive me. And and he's like, I didn't write that.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, I do remember that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Um, wait, that one was yours, right? I forget because I love that one. Okay, that's okay. So yeah, so my last one. Um, I thought this was really interesting because I have a thought about this. Uh, I saw an article about how your chronic lateness can cost your relationships and why you're why you're never on time. So this is about uh, you know, chronic lateness is known to be a common annoyance, often leading to strain when relationship within relationships. Um some people struggle to be on time all the time. Uh, you know, some people call it kind of time blindness, where no matter what, they're just immersed in whatever they're doing, and then they kind of look up at the clock and they're like, oh my god, I have to meet someone for lunch. You know, other people are just, I think, I think I can be guilty of um minimizing sometimes the time it takes to get somewhere in my mind, where like, you know, so say a place I know is 15 minutes away, I will forget to account like parking, if someone calls me along the way, if I have to stop for gas, you know, just like the little things where it's not intentionally mean or like uh selfish, it's more just kind of like thoughtless and like doofy, and you know, it's kind of more like flaky type of things. But either way, this obviously makes people really upset. Um, it says this article says lateness erodes trust. Uh over time it sends the message that someone else's time is less important. And yeah, it's just a whole talk about like people with ADD, are we okay to forgive them? Or like, how do you get someone to stop being late? Now, my one thing, and before I want to hear all your thoughts on it, is I actually one of my pet peeves is I actually hate, hate, hate when people are too early to things. And like, I actually think it's really rude to show up super early and then like announce and text yourself. Like to me, if we say we're gonna meet at noon, like why are why are my friends messaging me at like 11:45 saying they're here and they're at a table? Like that makes me feel stressed out, and like we said noon. So to me, like a noon lunch is like 12 to 12.08 for me, you know. So I actually would prefer everyone to be like five to eight minutes late to anything than early. Maybe some I would love to hear from other people if they feel this way, but like I think it's so weird if us if someone says a party starts at five, and if someone arrives at like 4:57 or something, like that, just I don't know, that like stresses me out, and I think it's like really weird to like it's you can be early and like sit in your car and read a book or scroll TikTok. Like in that case, I think it's great to be early to something and just you know hang out and be, but when you're early and then like announcing yourself to someone or texting that you're there, like it to me that like that is such so much more annoying to me than like someone being late.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I can definitely see that because you know there's some people that will go, hey, I'm here already, you know, or they'll like you say, get there super early, but like I just pulled to the parking lot.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I'm like, cool, like then, yeah, like scroll TikTok for 13 minutes. Yeah, like it it really annoys me.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I mean, I try to try to get to apartments 15 minutes beforehand, and really that's a buffer for me where if I'm running late, or if I run into something and I'm a few minutes late, I'm actually not late, I'm on time. Yeah, so and there are some people that look at, well, if you're on time, you're late. I don't agree with that.

SPEAKER_01:

No, and I think maybe my my early pet peeves definitely skews more towards like social meetups rather than I can completely see getting to like a dentist appointment 10 minutes early, or because we all know how long those take, or doctor's appointments, or even you know, if you're getting your like your oil changed or something like those types of just come everyday appointments I can see arriving a few minutes early. But yeah, it's more like parties or uh or like meeting someone specifically for like a restaurant or something, that's where I'm like like noon means like we meet at noon, and I I just don't understand why like someone's like 18 minutes early and just like it's really annoying.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean to me, if we're meeting at noon for lunch and I get there between noon and 12.05, to me, I'm on time. This this isn't about 100%. That's my ideal lunch friend. Yeah, totally. You know, it's not like oh my god, oh my god, they're not gonna serve us if we're five minutes late. Like, you know, no, it's like normal.

SPEAKER_01:

I feel like it's it's actually like appropriate. Maybe I'm crazy, but I feel like it's like appropriate to be like a few minutes late, you know, unless it's like something is starting at noon. If it's a play or a movie, then you want to be there at the time. But there's something like breathable about just everyone giving each other like a few minutes of grace.

SPEAKER_00:

And that reminds me of it's a commercial that comes on, and oh my god, I forgot who the commercial's with, but it's this gentleman, and he he talks about um, I want to say it's an insurance commercial, and he's talking about homeowners, you know, you know, young adults trying to be like their like their their parents, and one is real funny, like he's on stage and he goes, So you got up today at 5 a.m. No one cares.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. And in fact, it's it's like neurotic when you like I I do have a friend I love very much, but like if a party is it starts at 7, she wants to literally be walking into it at like 6 59, and I'm just like that's so stress-inducing for me. Like, why are let's let's get there at like 5 after 7 or something.

SPEAKER_00:

That's that kind of friend you go, yeah, I love you, but uh I don't care. Okay, so what?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, or just as I'm driving to the restaurant, and if say if we're meeting at noon at like 11 52, I don't want to, we're not supposed to hear from each other yet. It's supposed to be noon, you know what I mean? Like, I don't want to ri be reminded that you exist until I see you at noon.

SPEAKER_00:

So you're supposed to meet at noon at 11 30. Hey, I'm getting in the cart now.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, I can't. Yeah, I I would like freak out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like I don't want to talk at all. I just want to see each other at noon. It's it's so funny. It really like I need to start having a talk with some of my really early friends and tell them like you can we can arrive six hours early, but I don't want to hear from them.

SPEAKER_00:

I hear you, I hear you. Who knows? Maybe it's your wife to still get the message, right?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah. So 2026, we're gonna stop being early and too late.

SPEAKER_00:

There you go. That's sweet spot.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, Merrill, talk about Sweet Spot. What do you have coming?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, this is a funny one to promote after uh this rant, but I will be performing at a gentleman's club um January 7th. It's really funny. It's called the Haha's and Tatas, and it's a bunch of really great comedians. Um, I'm very excited. The headliner of the show is a comedian named Darren Carter, who I'm sure if people are like on Instagram a lot, you may his a lot of his reels have gone really viral. He's a really, really, really funny comedian, and he's super nice. Um, but he's the headliner and he's absolutely wonderful. And then I'll be one of the other comedians, and I will be there right on time and not 20 minutes early. So that's a it's so funny. That's at a place, I swear this is the real name. It's called Plan B Gentleman's Club.

SPEAKER_00:

Alrighty now.

SPEAKER_01:

In Los Angeles.

SPEAKER_00:

Sounds like a very interesting time.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00:

Yep, very silly. Well, everyone, thank you so much for watching and listening to us. We had so much fun, and we definitely appreciate all your support. Make sure you come out some uh support Meryl, put that on your calendars.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, please do. I'd love to see our people swinging around a pole.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, and definitely um, I do want to acknowledge that uh I notice there's been a lot of comments on on our social media, and I want to thank you guys for that.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, yay! Thank you guys. So sweet. Hopefully, they're nice.

SPEAKER_00:

They are nice, they are nice, I have to admit. Interesting and very nice.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh god, really? I haven't even looked, I'm scared. I hope I'm not getting you in trouble.

SPEAKER_00:

No, no, no, no, no, no. These topics really get people talking. I'll tell you this.

SPEAKER_01:

Really?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, good. I I always like to hear I and I love opposing thoughts too.

SPEAKER_00:

There you go. Well, everyone, I'm Lawrence Elrod.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm Meryl Climo.

SPEAKER_00:

Take care, everyone.

SPEAKER_01:

All right. Bye bye.

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Lawrence Elrod

Host
Head Shot

Meryl Klemow

Co-host