Layoffs, Caviar, And The Future Of Media for 2/14/26

We dig into newsroom layoffs, AI’s creep into film and TV, and the line between spectacle and value as McDonald’s pairs caviar with nuggets. A nudist resort’s clothing mandate sparks rights questions, The Simpsons surfaces as a cultural mirror, and a 13-year-old’s ocean rescue restores faith.

• fallout from Washington Post layoffs and leadership exit
• AI’s pressure on jobs and newsroom economics
• gimmicks vs value in brand marketing on Valentine’s Day
• property rights vs community norms at a nudist resort
• Amazon’s AI studio, contracts, likeness and IP boundaries
• why The Simpsons often feels prophetic
• a teen’s heroic swim and what real courage looks like
• show plug for the Lazy River stand-up night in San Diego
• gratitude for listeners and social commenters

If you’re in San Diego, message Meryl for the March 18 Lazy River Show details.

Enjoyed the show? Follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more curious people find us. What headline shocked you most this week? Tell us your take.

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.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Hello everyone. Welcome to this week's episode of Thirsty Topics. Hey, Meryl.

SPEAKER_02 0:22

Hey, hey, hey.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

How are you doing today?

SPEAKER_02 0:26

I good. I really like this hat. I wear it all the time for our recording.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Oh, nice. There you go. That means I gotta get you. I gotta get you a thirsty topics hat then.

SPEAKER_02 0:38

Oh my gosh, I would love that. I would absolutely love that. Please, but we need hats and we need our fans and listeners and friends to wear the hats too.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

So how are you doing today?

SPEAKER_02 0:53

I'm good. I feel like I'm I'm chilling. I've had a little bit too much caffeine, but I feel like it will make for at least an exciting episode.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Hey, nothing wrong with that.

SPEAKER_02 1:04

I'm like, what's exactly. I'm like, whatever what's bad for my nervous system is good for podcasting. So we're good. How are you?

Warm-Up And Banter

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Fantastic. I cannot complain. It's starting to warm up. Getting near the fit in the 40s and 50s. Um, you can actually tell we're in the Midwest when we call 40s and 50s warm.

SPEAKER_02 1:24

So exactly. So funny. Um, well, I'm gonna start us off this week if that's cool with you.

SPEAKER_01 1:33

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 1:36

Now, uh, the Washington Post has had a crazy amount of layoffs. Uh last week they laid off, you know, like I think it was 80,000 people or something like that. Um, and the uh the chief executive stepped down after mass layoffs. Um, William Lewis said in a message to staff that it was the right time to leave and that difficult decisions had been made to ensure the paper's future. The newspaper had announced on Wednesday that it was cutting a third of its workforce, dramatically scaling back its coverage of sport and international news. Um, obviously, the post's new owner is none other than Jeff Bezos. So, you know, of course, that's gonna be just weird. And like in theory, they were saying that Jeff Bezos bought the post to save it, but like, I don't know, saving it means, you know, I can't, it might be 8,000 people and not 80,000 people. That would be a little crazy. But um either

Washington Post Layoffs And Leadership Exit

SPEAKER_02 2:33

way, it's a lot of people. And um, I don't know, like, do you think it with this kind of stuff it's just better for a CEO to step down for the optical reasons, or do you think he was they were like, hey, you have to do it our way? And he said, absolutely not, and then it became kind of a more of like a leadership type thing.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

I would say it's probably the latter of the two. Um, typically, when there's a a major change in ownership or even in management, we see this from big large corporations to small mall and pot type companies. Um, generally they make massive changes, and uh, you know, sometimes it rubs the workers the wrong way. Um, um, you know, something has to give in that point. Obviously, the owners of the company, you know, they're have more um skin in the game, so they can call more shots as far as what the direction is. But you know, you're starting to see this a whole lot, Merle, where um AI is really, and I and again, I don't know if that's what this situation is, but AI in general has taken a lot of jobs in a very short period of shocked at how many jobs were lost because of AI so far this year. And we're only in February, definitely.

SPEAKER_02 3:54

Also, I I'm so sorry, you guys, this is so funny. It was actually 800 people. My my mass layups went literally. I hope if people are listening, I mean hopefully they're listening, but please laugh at me right now. Or like it went from literally 80,000 people to 800 to now 80 to 800. But clearly, I don't have what it takes to even have worked at the Washington Post. And but anyway, it looks like about 800 people have been let go, which obviously is still a ton, whether it's eight or 800. That's a lot of unemployed journalists now, especially in an industry that's not how you said it's getting replaced a lot by AI. So they can't just like all 800 of them cannot just jump easily into their next role.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Yeah. Does it say if AI played any any part in these layoffs or really anything of it?

SPEAKER_02 4:50

I mean, I think they probably are going to, but I think they had said these people have been working there, especially in the sports um department for so long that they needed to kind of like trim the fat type of thing that there's just been a lot of people and they want to like make it leaner. But that's so sad. And of like all the changes that we need, I just think a legacy paper, we don't need to start slashing everyone.

SPEAKER_01 5:12

Yeah, I mean, unfortunately, when when there's a takeover, I don't know why, but that seems to be the first thing, start chopping, you know, without even getting to know the culture or just trying to see, okay, what can we improve? You know, sometimes, you know, shopping people off is you you're chopping away all that experience, too. So you definitely got to be real

AI’s Role In Job Loss And Media

SPEAKER_01 5:34

careful about that. Um, I don't know, it's it's just crazy.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

Yeah, whoops, I just went away. Am I back to you now?

SPEAKER_01 5:43

Yep, you are back.

SPEAKER_02 5:45

Okay, yay.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

So very, very interesting. Well, talk about interesting. Well, everyone knows that Valentine's Day is is is among uh upon us right now. And McDonald's has a very interesting thing that they're doing. Uh McDonald's is giving away free caviar on Valentine's Day. What now just just as a as a um as a disclaimer, I've never had caviar in my life, and honestly, because I know what it is, I've never had a desire to try. I know.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

I yeah, I have had it, and it's definitely not of all the like foo foo kind of foods, that is not the most impressive. I'd rather have like

Clarifying The Layoff Numbers

SPEAKER_02 6:35

a fatty steak.

SPEAKER_01 6:36

So it sounds like I should not even try that then.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, no, it's not, it's not. I feel like if people don't want little like egg bubble fish bubbles popping in their mouth, it's you're not missing much.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

Well, McDonald's is offering a few uh customers a very special Valentine's meal this year: chicken, McNuggets, and caviar. Why does that not look appealing to me? But that's it could be just me. Uh, but starting at 11 a.m., um, which it actually started this week on Tuesday, McDonald's is giving away a limited number of kits, including caviar and a gift card for McNuggets at uh McGNuggettcaviar.com countdown. This give this giveaway underscores the lint restaurants and retailers are going to uh to grab customers' attention, hoping the dollars will follow as consumers remain gloomy about the economy and keep a higher hold on their paychecks. Uh I don't know. And this is kind of gimmicky.

SPEAKER_00 7:45

I know.

SPEAKER_01 7:46

I mean, what do you think, Mara? Would you take the free caviar nuggets?

SPEAKER_02 7:51

No, definitely not. Like, I think

Cuts To Sports And Experience Loss

SPEAKER_02 7:54

they there's other ways that they can make everyone feel good and like celebrate the holiday without kind of you know having this weird thing in it too. I'd much rather, like, yeah, like free everyone gets like free chicken nuggets for today or something, or you know, like you get you buy one, get one free type of thing. I feel like there's other gimmicks that they could have other than like random caviar.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

I mean, granted, I've never had caviar before, but I would think that caviar nuggets would probably have you in a bathroom, and I could be wrong. Yeah, I could be totally wrong, but it's not the first thing that comes in mind when I think of Valentine's Day.

SPEAKER_02 8:32

No, and a lot of people will put like creme fresh cheese on it too, and I'm like, that would just send me straight to you know, wherever.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

So, so let me ask you this, Merrill. If your boyfriend were to surprise you with caviar and nuggets, would you be happy or would you be pissed?

SPEAKER_02 8:49

Um, I would I would say like, let's let's just go to a restaurant instead, a fancy restaurant. I'd say hold the caviar, but yeah, I I'd say like I'd rather just go to Red Lobster or something together.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

I don't blame you. I mean, is a caviar kind of expensive or is it not?

SPEAKER_02 9:11

Yeah, I mean there's different it's it's definitely expensive, but there's different like levels too. Like they're at the grocery store, you can get a small tin, you know, there's they're like affordable, I'm saying that with quotes kind for like 17 or 20 dollars. And of course, we know they go all the way up to like insane hundreds of dollars types of things.

SPEAKER_01 9:32

Yeah, it'd be interesting to see how well this goes, but ugh, not my puppet.

SPEAKER_02 9:39

Me neither. Well, I think I have something else that's also maybe not your cup of tea. Um lately, there was a recently there was uh drama at nudist resort in California when the residents were furious after the property owner demanded that they put clothes on and cut off power. So um some residents of a California nudist resort experienced birthday suit blues after the owners of the property allegedly cut their power for refusing demands to clothe themselves. Uh, since its nudist roots

McNuggets With Caviar Stunt

SPEAKER_02 10:12

in 1952, owners of the ranch enacted a textile policy months ago forcing residents to clothe themselves in public. Um, the residents then sued the owners alleged that they violated their civil rights, and it's just been a mess. So, right, I I want to see them go to court and I want a bunch of nudists like to walk into the court naked.

SPEAKER_01 10:36

Well, maybe it's me, but if you've been doing it for so many years, why all of a sudden he has a problem now? Or is it just me?

SPEAKER_02 10:44

Yeah, I know. I just think if if you're gonna live on a nudist colony, it's it's fine, like but just leave everyone alone. And I do agree that if you own a property that is a nudist property, you you kind of have to like let that be, you know.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

I mean, I don't know, in the name, nudist colony. So I would think you kind of know it from the beginning. Maybe I'm wrong. I could be totally wrong. Exactly. Hey Merrill, what's the address there? I'm scared.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

But it's always the people at nudist colonies that we don't want to see, right? It's like there's never like a hot version of it. Like I can guarantee. I mean, no offense if anyone's into that, but there was like a nudist cruise that I heard of, and I'm like, I just know already, I don't want to be on it, but but hey, good for people. I'm I'm for it, people letting it all hang out. I like it.

SPEAKER_01 11:34

Yeah, that's true. I mean, hey, you know, if it floats your boat, you know, or whatever, but I don't see how that owner's gonna win that fight because if they've been if he's renting out in a nudist resort, yeah. Expect people to walk around with no clothes, maybe I'm oversimplifying it, but it just tells me that there's something else going on because well, all of a sudden you got a problem.

SPEAKER_02 12:01

Definitely, and if they're if they're cutting the power off and everything, then they can probably argue that they're making it like inhabitable for the people. So I'm on I'm on team nudist.

SPEAKER_01 12:11

But actually, you know what? You got a good point because here's the thing if they're paying their rent and everything and they're carrying on the way they've normally be carrying on, yeah, that that is gonna have issues big time.

SPEAKER_02 12:24

Yep. So funny.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

Well, talk about issues. Um, I know that we've been talking a lot about AI lately, and um Amazon has announced that they will now use AI in their film and TV production. Now, I know this has been a hot topic for some time now, but um Amazon MGM Studios is formally integrating artificial intelligence into its film and television production processes, launching a dedicated AI studio to accelerate workflows, reduce costs, and streamline productions. The initiative led by veteran

Gimmicks, Value, And Consumer Mood

SPEAKER_01 13:08

executive Albert Ching aims to use AI to enhance rather than replace human creative roles in pre- and post-productions. I'm curious, Meryl, Meryl, what do you think about this?

SPEAKER_02 13:22

I mean, I think it's scary just the way that we talked about like AI taking a lot of people's jobs away already. And I think people are gonna have to get smarter about signing their contracts too, because it's like if you sign up for one gig and then they're gonna want to use your AI likeness for everything, and then all of a sudden you're gonna be like a hologram in a commercial without even knowing it or you know agreeing to it. So I I don't like it. Like I just I think we're also just gonna it's gonna be enough is enough where we just see too many like TV shows and podcasts, and I think there's gonna be a large section of people that just want like real, actual humans.

SPEAKER_01 13:58

That's true, that's true, and you know, the thing is too, is that intellectual property is is a real hot button when it comes to the entertainment industry because you got a great point. You go in, you know, you you play this part or this role, and then all of a sudden you find out that either your voice, your likeness, or both are being used as something else, and you have not done that project. So, you know, it seems like almost like those lines are starting to get blurred a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 14:28

Yeah, no, I agree, and I do think it's gonna start happening in everywhere. Like I could see morning radio being more like automated, um, and even even little things like the grocery store, the shopping cart or the checkout, like I still try to use an actual human,

Nudist Resort Mandates Clothes

SPEAKER_02 14:45

and I just think our entertainment, we don't want like robot particular doing it, we want people.

SPEAKER_01 14:51

I agree. I mean, to me, I think AI is a tool. Um, you know, if you want to use it in the creative process of doing things, that's one thing. But if you're trying to replace actual real actors and actresses and voiceover artists and stuff like that, one, I don't think we're there yet. And then two, I think you're starting to get into that that um that blurred line there. Um, when it goes to being able to protect your intellectual property, you yourself, and the studios wanting to well, let's be let's be honest, cut costs is whatever they can. So yeah, I think this is gonna open up a lot of wounds, and um, there's definitely gonna be a lot more talk about this.

SPEAKER_02 15:34

We will not AI ourselves. We are the we're the we're the real humans right now.

SPEAKER_01 15:40

Yes, yes, that is true.

SPEAKER_02 15:43

But uh wow soon there'll be movie theaters that yeah, I bet there'll be choices of like human movies, you know. Um, well, one real actual human entertainment that I really like, even though they're cartoons, but um, is The Simpsons. And I don't know if you've heard this theory that they've been predicting the future, like whether it's Donald Trump being president or just little details, big details here and there, but it's been crazy. Um, where now they just dug up fans claim that a 25-year-old episode about crazy creeps on an island was inspired by Epstein. Um, is this one of those kind of like life imitates art type of things? Uh The Simpsons has been known as the pop culture oracle, credited for predicting everything from COVID to AI. Um now they were saying that there's like a uh in an episode called The Computer War Menace Shoes, which aired in 2000, Homer discovers the internet and starts a gossip blog, um, which I think is very funny. And then pretty much like there's an island, he he escapes to a shady island and issues a warning on his website about some creeps on an island somewhere who are secretly running the world. Now, to me, this is like less about future prediction and more just, you know, these writers are in Hollywood. So even in 2000, they probably knew about some weird things that were going on, and it's probably just like known stuff in the industry. So it's less about them being time travelers and more just them knowing about, you know, probably being in more of like an inside loop than we all

Rights, Power Cuts, And Property Rules

SPEAKER_02 17:22

are.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

That's true, that's true, because um, you know, it's amazing how art sometimes mimics life and vice versa. And um, you know, there's some some things that The Simpsons have done over the years where it kind of makes you go, okay. Yeah. But um yeah, I mean, I as you were reading that, I had thoughts of, you know, because I I know um there there was this big hearing that took place over the last couple days, uh, where a official got into a lot of trouble, and they were talking about Epstein's Island and stuff like that, and you know, how these very powerful people didn't have anything to do with them, they didn't know them, and then all of a sudden the unredacted stuff comes out and find out that yeah, they kind of lied about that, but um, I don't know. I think the Simpsons, um, and actually the Simpsons, and I think family guy to some point, they do really good at it. Uh I don't know if they just get lucky or if they have an inside track. Yeah, they have exactly, but they were like dead on with with with that episode. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 18:38

Exactly. I also think it's a lot of the writers too are like just nerdy people that happen to be in like LA or New York, you know, so they're tapped into a lot of like nerd intelligent culture. So I think it's like they probably are keen on what's going on in the world and especially just like pop culture and topical issues. So I think it's like that, and they just have like some of the smartest brains and people working on it that like just probably have a sense of what's happening.

SPEAKER_01 19:06

That's true, that's true. Well, if we want to know the future, we need we need to make sure we keep watching The Simpsons and Family Guy, right?

SPEAKER_02 19:13

Exactly. Those drooling aliens on the Simpsons, too. I hope that's what aliens are gonna look like when they finally land.

SPEAKER_01 19:22

Well, we are going to end mine

Amazon Integrates AI In Production

SPEAKER_01 19:25

on a very positive note. So a 13-year-old boy speaks out after swimming miles to save his family, stranded at sea. Wow. So, uh, this young man, uh, he's a 13-year-old Australian boy. Uh Austin, which is his name, and his family, including his mom, Joanne, Appleby, and his two younger siblings, said they were on a beach trip on January 30th and had taken a kayak and two inflatable stand-up pedal boards out into the ocean. They said that they had planned to stay out in the water for about an hour. Initially, families said that the ocean was calm, but then the weather suddenly changed, and their kayak flipped over and it started to take them, uh, started to take on water. So, Applebee said at first she tried to tow the two paddle boards and the two younger children, but after the kayak began filling with water, she decided to send Austin ahead and paddle to shore to get help. So, Austin, who first learned how to swim at age four, said that he focused on happy thoughts like thinking about his family and friends and his favorite Thomas the Tank engine character.

SPEAKER_02 20:51

So that's sweet.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

He initially started traveling to shore with the kayak, but while uh fighting waves, he decided to abandon it and swim by himself. And then

Contracts, Likeness, And IP Risks

SPEAKER_01 21:05

finally, uh he said he just made it to shore and just collapsed. That is an incredible story.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

Wow, that is. Oh my gosh, what like a heroic person?

SPEAKER_01 21:19

Yeah, I mean, kind of a lot for a 13-year-old, you know.

SPEAKER_02 21:23

Um I know those parents did a good job to raise a boy that would not only be able to like react a certain way in such a crisis mode, but like do the right thing and be mature enough to know what to do and even just try it. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 21:37

That's true. Um, don't know why they would take kayaks into the middle of an ocean, but you know, hey, everybody's got their thing, as they say.

SPEAKER_02 21:45

Yeah, yeah. But when I was 13, I could have not trusted, even though I was a lifeguard at some point, my parents would have not wanted me to help.

SPEAKER_01 21:56

I hear you. That's a lot of braving for a 13 year old. Yep. Well, Merle, what do you have coming up?

SPEAKER_02 22:09

Well, um, I'm going to promote one, um, which is good. This is this one is kind of far out, but um, March 18th, Wednesday, March 18th. Uh, I'm back down in San Diego, one of my favorite places, obviously, that I go a lot. San Diego, and it's it's so fun. It's my friend Jesse Egan's show, um, and it's called the Lazy River Show. He loves one of my best friends, loves Lazy River. So he created this whole big show. I I wish we were on a river, but it's a regular stand-up show. Um, and that is in San Diego, and that's Wednesday, March 18th. And it's at um it's in San Diego. So if you just, you know, if you're if you want to come, just message me and I can send people the details.

SPEAKER_01 22:51

That sounds great. If you're in San Diego, make sure you go see Myrtle.

SPEAKER_02 22:56

Um, yeah, and this is a really fun one of a lot of my guy friends, so it's very fun.

SPEAKER_01 23:00

Oh, nice, nice. Well, everyone, thank you so much for supporting us. Thank you for watching and listening to us. We really appreciate uh um that everyone comes out support us. Um, thank everyone for um the comments that you leave on our social media. I do read those.

SPEAKER_02 23:19

And

Tools Vs. Replacements In Creativity

SPEAKER_02 23:20

yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 23:22

Most of them are great comments, and we've had some animated comments.

SPEAKER_02 23:26

Well, oh my god, I'm sorry if I set people off. Don't ever please never be mean to Lawrence and just take it out on me. I'm so sorry.

SPEAKER_01 23:34

That's okay. In fact, I may just decide one of these days just to have an episode just addressing some of the comments. They would be hilarious. Let me tell you.

SPEAKER_02 23:44

Oh my god, I don't like I don't are they are they they're not mean to you because of my beliefs, are they?

SPEAKER_01 23:51

Some are good, and some of them are like, wow.

SPEAKER_02 23:54

Really? Okay, oh no, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01 23:58

No, for the most part, they're all very common. Some of them are really hilarious, though.

SPEAKER_02 24:02

Okay, just everyone, whatever you do, please be nice to Lawrence because he's the nicest person in the whole world.

SPEAKER_01 24:08

Oh, thank you, Meryl. I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_02 24:11

I mean it. You deserve no hate. I deserve 18% hate.

SPEAKER_01 24:16

No, no, you don't. Well, everyone, thank you again for supporting us. I'm Lawrence Elrod.

SPEAKER_02 24:25

And I'm Meryl Climo.

SPEAKER_01 24:27

Take care, everyone.

SPEAKER_02 24:29

Bye bye.