Lonely Easter Bunny for 4/9/26

We bounce from a lonely mall Easter Bunny that sparks an internet rescue to big questions about burnout, space, and the stories we choose to believe. Along the way, we get practical about health trends, legal gray areas, and where AI can actually help people instead of replacing them.

• Sad Easter Bunny photo goes viral and strangers show up with kindness 
• Why mall culture feels emptier and how community can change a day 
• Megan Thee Stallion hospitalized from overexertion and why rest is training 
• Artemis II perspective on Earth and the fear of space mission failures 
• NASA comms blackout on the moon’s far side and alien speculation 
• Functional drinks trend and why we return to food-first basics 
• Reading ingredient labels and being cautious with supplements on medication 
• Blake Lively lawsuit update and how intent versus impact creates gray areas 
• Trusting the judge when we only see headlines 
• AI in IVF for embryo selection and treatment planning to improve success rates 
• Merrill’s upcoming “50 And Funny” show at the Ice House in Pasadena California on Saturday May 30th 

Everyone, thank you so much for watching and listening to us, we always love hearing from you, and please continue to support us by subscribing to Thirsty Topics podcast. The place for topics relating to reality, celebrities, pop culture and social media. 

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

Welcome And Weekend Catch-Up

SPEAKER_02 1:13

Hello everyone. Welcome to this week's episode of Thirsty Topics. Hi, Merrill.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Hello, hello. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 1:21

I am doing fantastic. How about you?

SPEAKER_00 1:25

I'm doing really good. The sun is shining. I did. I ate too many chocolate bunnies. I just I just eat their their ears and then I throw the bodies to my boyfriend.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

There you go. How about you? I went to uh me and my wife went to to uh uh one of our good friends' church. So we went there, enjoyed the service. Uh they also had um refreshments afterwards, so we sat down, we talked, uh listened to some some good gospel music, uh, heard a great sermon. So it was a really great time. We really enjoyed ourselves.

SPEAKER_00 2:06

Yay, I love that.

SPEAKER_02 2:09

Well, Meryl.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

Well, I was gonna say I have some Easter news that I want to talk with you about.

SPEAKER_02 2:16

Okay, I think this is gonna be interesting.

SPEAKER_00 2:19

Exactly. It has a twist, a happy ending, so we don't have to be too scared. But um, now this is something I never knew. Of course, you learn something new every day, where the internet loves to document sad Easter bunnies that appear in like the shopping malls just with nothing, you know, no, no customers, no patients, basically, no one to sit on their lap. Um, no, I can't take this. I can't, I don't want to look at sad Easter bunnies. I can't take sad Santas. Like, I can barely even look at videos if there's someone at a farmer's market that has no customers. Like, I just it's it's too much emotion for me to take. Um, but this one has a happy twist when Matt Smaling, a dad from Athens, Georgia, took a photo of an especially lonely looking costume character at the Georgia Square Mall. And um a lot of people came in. So they saw the Easter Bunny sat, saw him waved and almost like a cry for help, and then went sitting back to the same position. Now, people saw this and then started going in and like spreading cheer. And so this inspired a lot of people to visit, and um then a representative got on the radio and just people picked up, and now the lonely Easter Bunny has a lot of people to take pictures with him, and I think that's so cute.

SPEAKER_02 3:36

What kind of world are we coming to when the Easter bunny isn't happy on Easter?

SPEAKER_00 3:41

I know, I know. Well, I think it's just you know, mall culture in in general is down and hardly anyone like visits the mall anymore. And I just think a lot of people are probably aren't taking their kids to the mall or like they don't want to sit on the Easter bunny's lap. Maybe that's weird, you know. But uh I I love this, and to me, this is the same as like when people go in and take a video of like a restaurant that has no customers, and then all of a sudden the power of the internet is that we can like flood the place, and then you know, I I just love stuff like this when we all get to come together and help people, even if that's just a uh Easter bunny.

SPEAKER_02 4:19

That's true, that's true. I I saw this um this show on TV. It's it's an old, old um cartoon. You remember the old wood animated type movies, you know, for Christmas, you know, Santa Claus. Yeah, those well, there's one for the Easter bunny. I did not know this, so I'm like, oh let me watch this. Well, really, it's kind of like a transformation of Santa Claus is coming to town, and the songs weren't that great. And like, yeah, I see why we didn't really hear about this too much.

SPEAKER_00 4:54

Exactly. Now, I mean, I I don't know. To me, the Easter Bunny seems like it should be an outdoor photo celebration. I understand the malls trying to get viewers, but maybe like I don't know, maybe either in a store instead of like the outside public area, or take the Easter bunny outside and have it at some like community center, like out by the grass, you know.

SPEAKER_02 5:16

That's true. That's true. I mean, it it's supposed to be, it's really for the kids, really, because once you get past a certain age, it's like, yeah, whatever, you know.

SPEAKER_00 5:25

I mean, I don't know. I'm I'm okay with sometimes it's ridiculous, but I like to go sit on Santa's lap and give him a hernia. But like, yeah, I mean, our Easter bunnies, I haven't seen any at the mall, but like our uh the outdoor malls in Los Angeles and San San Diego are very popular for that. And there's like a line out the door, you know, like then families love to get really dressed up and stuff. But I think it's because it's more like bougie at the mall, like it's fancy outside of a Barnes and Nobles type thing. You know, it's not like inside a sad mall.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

Okay, okay. Well, I mean, um, it's good to hear that people still love the Easter Bunny, so I know, but the thought of one sitting alone, no, I feel like Easter Bunnies should be allowed to text on their phone if they're bored.

Megan Thee Stallion Overwork Warning

SPEAKER_00 6:15

Even in their costume, maybe they I don't know. I'm like, should they take their hat off? Because that's also sad thinking of someone just sitting there, like with I don't know, in like the hot costume for hours and hours. So I feel like if there's no kids around, I'm okay with them taking off their hat and like texting people.

SPEAKER_02 6:32

I don't know if they should take their hat off though, because that may traumatize the kids.

SPEAKER_00 6:36

I know that's true. It's it's like in Vegas when there's the um like Winnie the Pooh and Tigger and stuff, and then they take off their hat and it's like some guy smoking.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

Mommy, what happened?

SPEAKER_00 6:50

Exactly. Yeah, so hopefully they're making good money. I mean, I think seasonal things like that can hopefully make people lots of money, but good for people for always helping. I I just think we need to focus more on like restaurants and people and businesses that have like no people, you know. Whether it's I've been to a friend's book signing before, and there was literally me and her publicist, and like if I didn't show up, I just think of like someone that I love doing a book signing for like one person.

SPEAKER_02 7:20

Wow, yeah, that that would be uh that would be very disheartening, definitely. I know well talk about someone that can um that can stand different things happening. Uh Megan the Stallion's recent health scare. So Megan the Stallion was hospitalized on March 31st, 2026, after felt falling ill to uh uh in her mid-performance during her Broadway role in Moulin Roach, uh Moulin Roj. Diagnosed with extreme exhaustion, dehydration, and low metabolic levels due to overexertion, she was treated, discharged, and returned to the stage on Thursday, April 2nd, calling the incident a wake-up call. Now, we've seen this before with a lot of different performers where they push themselves to the limit, they're trying to do all these different things, and I'm really glad that she was able to get back um to doing the uh doing her performance, but you gotta take time out for yourself. You gotta put your film first because if you don't, your body will do it for you.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

Absolutely, and I think that's so important. We see athletes too. It's like the rest days are just as important. I don't know how Broadway starters do it and just performers where you have like multiple shows of the week and you're physically going the whole time, but I mean it's its own thing. They really train like an athlete.

Artemis II Awe And Alien Curiosity

SPEAKER_02 8:54

Yeah, the one thing that um I think should be done is, and this is my personal opinion, I get it, there's schedules and this and that. You gotta schedule in time to relax because you you hit a great point. Professional athletes literally schedule that relaxation time, that time to wind down. Yeah, and I think artists need to do the same thing. And I know that from a financial standpoint, it's a little hard because when you're hot, you're hot, and you don't have to always be on top. So, you know, you want to try to make as much money as you can while you still got the fire burning. I get that, but you still have to balance your health because having all the fame and fortune don't do no good if you're not around to enjoy it.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

Exactly. No, I'm surprised because it seems like Megan the Stallion has been around for so, so, so long. And I feel like at this point, like if it seems like a few years ago, she would almost have been busier and everything, but I don't know, maybe there's other stuff going on in her life, and it's like if you're already run down, then you can be even more run down. It's just, you know.

SPEAKER_02 10:56

Yeah, I I agree. I mean, I just I'm just glad that she's feeling okay. I'm a little surprised at how fast she got back on the stage. But I know hopefully, you know, she's um she's taking good care of her health and taking those time off to kind of recoup and re-recharge those batteries.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

Exactly. And it seems like she's someone that that has that has a good team around her, too. Where like she seems at this point in the industry, she can make sure that she's on the same page as her team, and they're not how you said, like ordering her around or being like, You're hot right now, we need to put you on every show so that you stay relevant, you know.

SPEAKER_02 11:34

Yeah, I mean, we I know we talk about it on the show, and sometimes people joke about it, but that's a real thing because you know, those producers and you know, labels and everything like that, their thing is money when they look at performers. Unfortunately, they don't look at them as people, they look at them as okay, how much money can I make out of this person? Unfortunately, that's the um, you know, that's the nature of the business, as they say.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

Yep. Um, okay, the next one. I know it's like there's it's changing all the time, but have you heard of like the the Artemis 2 mission?

SPEAKER_02 12:09

Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 12:11

Okay, okay, good. Because like I know, I know, you know, a lot of news is changing and everything. I thought that this was so cool where um astronaut Victor Glover shared a powerful reflection from deep space, where you know, currently where he can see the planet as like away from Earth. Um, he said that while space travel may seem extraordinary, life on Earth is just as special, urging people to recognize their shared existence, appreciate the planet, and come together regardless of beliefs. Now, I think that's so cool. It's like someone that has seen the earth from far away. I do forget that it's like, yeah, this planet is a miracle too, you know. So um I think the Artemis crew has now traveled further from Earth than any other humans in history, um, reached a maximum distance of 250 to 700 miles, 700,000 miles. Um, and I don't uh I'm gonna tell the truth that when this was happening, I was so worried. You know, we've had so many weird failed space missions that when it was like blasting off, if I was there, family and friends, and I was watching, I don't think I could do it personally. I'd have to turn away. But um, I'm just so impressed with this mission and everyone around it, and it just is it's like really a feat of nature.

SPEAKER_02 13:28

Yeah, that's true. I mean, that is a real concern, Meryl, because I don't know if you remember when um the spaceship blew up, you know, decades ago on the way. Yeah, and um, you know, people saw saw people lose their life in real time. So that's that's a real thing. So now, of course, I have to bring out the um UFO person in me.

SPEAKER_00 13:50

Oh yeah, oh yeah. That's that's conspiracy talk all day long.

SPEAKER_02 13:55

Now they're they're you know, they're gonna be uh showing video and pictures from space, and there's a a portion where they go to the back of the planet, but they're gonna lose communication for 45 minutes. So they're like, you know, don't freak out, it's just you know, bad communication. It could be me, but I'm just wondering, is there a real reason why they're not showing that 45 minutes?

SPEAKER_00 14:21

Uh of course, you know, I mean, you know me, the conser conspiracy side is like, oh, they're changing the set, like changing the backdrop. So I mean, quite possibly, yes. I like I mean either one could make sense where it's like, okay, I can see not getting service for 45 minutes. You know, I I don't get service if I drive like a certain amount. So I can see uh if you're in the moon, um, that would be that it would make sense, but uh you know of course there's a lot of course precisely when they're gonna exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 14:53

So so yeah, I would love to know if they were to see a an alien ship or something of that nature. Here's the real question: will they show it to us? I don't think they would. And I don't think so either.

SPEAKER_00 15:08

No, I think it would still be classified.

Functional Drinks Versus Real Food

SPEAKER_02 15:11

Oh, yeah, and who knows? Maybe the real reason they're doing is because there's something on the other side of that moon. Because what's interesting is that you know, they're gonna be the first humans to actually see that side of the moon. Um not from uh you know, not from a telescope or other satellites or things of that nature. So it's like, okay, if you've seen the other side of the moon before, why would it be a big deal for us to see it while they're looking at it?

SPEAKER_00 15:39

Again, exactly, you know. Yep, yes, and even the uh Apollo astronauts couldn't view much of the moon's far side because of the paths and timing of their flight. And yeah, I don't think they would show us it. If anything, it would just be like, you know, when the TV show is like interruption, or or they'd just put on like an episode of The Simpsons, like aliens for five minutes, and it's like commercial loading, you know, then they they'd come back and be like, Well, nothing to see here.

SPEAKER_02 16:10

Now, you know what I would love to know from our viewers and our listeners if there is positive proof of of alien life form out there, would you want to know? That would be a great question.

SPEAKER_00 16:23

I want I'd want to know for sure.

SPEAKER_01 16:26

Really?

SPEAKER_00 16:27

Oh, yeah. Even if it's like scary or weird, I mean, it's definitely one of like life's biggest mysteries, and I think um I I don't really think I'd like change any decisions or anything. I wouldn't like change my life around it, but I think it's a very like the same way that I'm interested in the dinosaurs and like the past, I think now it's still very interesting. Um I'd also love to know if you would want to I know you would want to know for sure.

SPEAKER_02 16:51

Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 16:52

This would be like a star a Star Trek mission.

SPEAKER_02 16:57

Oh, yes. I could picture another Star Trek episode or a Star Trek movie happening now.

SPEAKER_00 17:03

Exactly. Me too. I'd also love to hear if there's anyone listening that like is by the Cape Canaveral, Florida area. Like, did you see it happening? What was the vibe? You know, I think that that's very cool because, like I said, at this point, I'd be afraid. I would definitely watch what I could because obviously it's history, but we've seen so many things where like things happen, and then Houston we have a problem, and this and that, and it's just you know, I I would watch, but like with one eye open.

SPEAKER_02 17:32

That is true, that is definitely true, but yeah, I would love to know that myself too. So definitely let us know. Yeah. Well, talk about keeping your eyes open. This is an interesting topic, and I would love to get your input on this, Meryl. Have you heard about the rise in what's called functional drinks? Um, I don't think so. Don't feel bad. Before I ran across this, I didn't even know this existed either. So the functional beverage market is surging, driven by consumer demand for health benefits beyond hydration, such as immunity, gut health, cognitive uh func. I'm sorry, cognitive focus using ingredients like adopt cheese, um, probiotics, and nootropics. Millennials and Gen Z are leading this shift favoring alternative to alcohol and high sugary drinks, resulting in significant growth of products like kombucha, kefir, and prebiotic uh sodas. These stuff don't sound good to me, but that's just me. But so basically, consumers are replacing supplement uh with beverages that offer functional benefits and daily routines. So it's a major rise in non-alcoholic alternatives and functional mocktails. Now, here's interesting the key demographic of this is Gen Z uh is heavily drinking, uh this driving this trend with 61% consuming functional drinks several times a month, according to Accado Retail. I don't know about this. I don't know. What do you think, Muriel?

SPEAKER_00 19:34

Um now I know now I know what you're talking about. It's so funny because I I used to be really, really into this kind of thing where I would have a milli like a million supplements and herbs and like um like adaptogens that you mentioned and probiotics and this and that. And then finally it just really dawned on me that like most of the things that we're looking for are already provided by foods, like you know, our minerals, hydration, it's like lemons and limes and certain types of salt, like is much better than paying a million trillion dollars for like electrolyte packets. And to me, like whenever I get caught up in like I need this gummy, I need this supplement or this drink, I just think, okay, like what in nature already provides this? And I think like we forget that pineapples and grapes and like strawberries are really hydrating and like pretty much anything you're looking for provides iron and B vitamins and zinc. So I've really gone back to like instead of needing all these things that are just kind of gimmicky and marketing, um, I always just think about like what naturally do like peaches provide and stuff like that. So I I to me like I'm always a fan of normal food first and then then using other things like you know, out there, and it's just fun to have a beverage if you want, but for actually getting like hydration, I just think like coconut, well, I'm drinking coconut water now, and that's like you know, supposedly just as good, if not better, than a lot of the like electrolyte type of stuff.

SPEAKER_02 21:02

Yeah, and and you know, the other thing too is when you look at those functional drinks, you know, I've never had a functional drink, so I'm not sure, but I would imagine that they're all not made equal, meaning that you know you need to read the ingredients to see if it's really healthy or not.

SPEAKER_00 21:20

So yeah, exactly. I I have so many thoughts on this. I think one quick one, too, is also like looking at anytime I get wrapped up, because I on TikTok I'll be scrolling and I'll see all these like supplements about you know, mushrooms like lion's mane and all these kind of things. And I'm like, I want them, I want just because I am interested. But I always think to myself, like, am I doing the basics where am I drinking enough water? Am I going on walks in the morning? Am I like eating enough vegetables? And if the answer is no, I'm not allowed to get to get any weird supplements. But honestly, if the answer is yes, then I'm like, okay, I'm meeting my basics now. I can order all these like foofy drinks and powders and pills and stuff. And so, but I think it's so important to like for all of us to like cover our basics, you know, of like drinking water in the morning. I kind of put myself in time out like a kid where I'm not allowed to get any more things unless I'm like doing the necessary things.

Blake Lively Case And Perception

SPEAKER_02 22:15

Oh, yeah. I mean, since I've started trying to eat eat healthier, you'd be amazed at how much um preservatives and and healthy uh ingre unhealthy ingredients are in the foods and drinks that we consume every day. Yeah, shocking. And I believe in the I believe in the adage that if you're reading ingredients and you cannot pronounce it, it's probably not healthy for you.

SPEAKER_00 22:41

Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 22:44

So, yeah, I hear you. But I'm I'm a little surprised. I'm like you. I mean, you know, if you want to eat healthy, grab some fruit. You know, you wanna you wanna drink your coffee, that's fine. You know, you want to drink your latte, that's fine too. You know, when you start getting into the exotic stuff, you gotta be real careful about that because you don't know what you're consuming. And let's say if you're on medication, you don't know um what it's gonna do to you know your body if you're consuming.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:15

So, you know, you gotta be really rare. And I think that's a good point to point out is that if you're going to try these different functional drinks, um if they don't have real wholesome ingredients in there and there's some things you don't know what's in those ingredients, you really should be talking to your doctor.

SPEAKER_00 23:34

A hundred percent, definitely. And also sometimes it's like the electrolyte stuff. It's like if I'm not like an athlete or a rock climber, how much sodium and potassium do I need in my system if I'm just kind of like going for a walk? And you know, obviously, like like my boyfriend's a mailman out in the heat, so it's like his body might need way more electrolytes and like. sodium than my may need and so but we all like it's like we don't need to eat like we're football player athletes you know like so so to me it's I think there's such beauty in like stripping it all back and just seeing like okay how can I eat more vegetables how can I get more fiber in my diet and like I've been way happier that way than just like because I used to spend so much money and I always feel like it's not enough with all these things and like oh if I just take this mineral I'll be like fixed and healed but it's amazing how much is already provided for us like in potatoes and grapes and everything.

SPEAKER_02 24:28

Exactly exactly I think something needs to change as far as it's like the healthy stuff is always more expensive than the unhealthy.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

But I know in the pricing right now you might as well eat healthy because they're about the same now exactly and it is it is it it's definitely like cheaper also to just eat like whole ingredients like a carrot a potato you know like you can make stuff with it like cooking from scratch but I understand it's hard to do that and everything but um I feel so passionate about this topic okay well my last one I'm gonna switch to someone that annoys me now that probably drains the minerals out of me um and that's Blake Lively who just like I mean whatever but some you know uh the judge dismissed her um a lot of the case or a lot of her um things with Justin Baldoni um she has vowed to keep fighting it after a federal judge dismissed most of her claims in her sexual harassment lawsuit that I'm sure we have all heard too much about that we don't want to know more about but just it continues to go on. In a 152-page ruling judge Lewis Lyman tossed out 10 of Blake Lively's 13 claims against Baldoni including harassment defamation and conspiracy the three that were allowed um I think are breach of contract retaliation and then one other I think it was like aiding and abetting or something but she just is such like a I'm sure I'm sure none of the to me neither of these people are perfect and they both probably did wrong things but it's like she's so blowhardy and so like she just refuses to kind of I don't know she I feel like she really lives in her own world um she issued a statement to Instagram on stories just going on and on and on and so to me like I I would have of course like she's a woman so I want to believe her and whatever but this seems like a case for real where like she was the one re retaliating and it just seems like this whole case is insane and she just seems a really bratty. Like I don't really like Justin that much either and he seems like he's not great to work with but um I'm just ready for Blake lively to like just not be part of our everyday vernacular.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

Well I tell you you know to have the judge throw out that many counts um kind of raises eyebrows. It's hard to really comment on it one way or the other because like you said you know we're not watching this every single moment of the day we just kind of get highlights here and there. And without being in the courtroom you don't know what led to that but um something tells me for for that many um points or that many items to be thrown out. I'm assuming that um this case is probably going to move a little bit at a faster speed. And I could be wrong but I think it may move at a faster speed now because now it seems like they're getting down to the nitty gritty as far as okay now that we identified these are the counts that are per the judge legitimate then now we're gonna see okay who's right or who's wrong and how we're gonna sort this out.

SPEAKER_00 27:43

Exactly exactly and and and I would trust I feel like a federal judge like their ruling this isn't someone that doesn't know what they're talking about. I'm sure they meticulously have gone over every point times a million and probably left the only valid ones in and so and also if this is someone who is like making a mountain out of a mole and sexual harassment really did not happen that is crazy and that does not help real victims and it's a waste of everyone's time. So it's just you know if this if this really didn't actually happen the way that she's like blowing it up to be that's just really bad for women and men and whoever experienced like actual real harassment well you know I don't know I guess I have a different take on it and uh I guess my take is she may have felt uncomfortable um with you know what she's alleging.

SPEAKER_02 28:38

And she may have said this happened this is the way it made me made me feel and I felt that this was you know this was sexual harassment. So I guess it's kind of one of those areas where it's kind of almost in that gray area and I and I use that term very lightly where here's a great example um you're at work you're a coworker and you you say to your co-worker wow that's a beautiful skirt you got on you know and let's say you you know you're just being nice well you being nice on your end may be offensive to that woman because she may feel that that's inappropriate for you to comment on my clothing.

AI Enters IVF And Fertility Care

SPEAKER_00 29:20

You see what I'm saying is I do I do I do and there has to be like a like a Dululu case where it's just like someone's just saying like nice girl it's not like yeah I know yeah and here's the thing about it they both could be right and they both could be wrong at the same time so that that's what makes it kind of a little bit different where you know there are some assault which is purely assault there's no question about it. So like I said I I I don't think that and this is just my personal opinion but I don't think she's trying to be vengeful or anything I think that she's expressing how the situation or situations made her feel you you know what I'm saying totally like that was her like if because I I think there was one point where he she said like that he said that she looks hot in something and literally when you watch the tape back he's saying it almost in a temperature way he's like you may want to take that jacket off you look hot you know like but but she may take it as like he he's hitting on me or they're trying to watch me breastfeed and like the other people seem to have like a what I'm not even I'm not trying to like kiss you. This is like the actual scene and stuff but I think you I I totally get what you're saying that like in her mind this may actually be harassment but from what I've heard about like her particularly from people she seems to be like very bratty and very entitled and just trying to take over the whole movie and like sabotage a bunch of people's experiences so wow yeah that that does uh kind of cloud what you may think then the defining yeah and just to watch the whole press back for this movie and her go on and on and like kind of miss the point to me I'm sure people feel differently but I don't know we'll see but once again this I feel like for me I feel you probably this way too is that I trust a judge I guess at the end of the day like even I feel like other people know way more than we do and the judge like whatever the judge deems correct I think in this case I can like trust their professional opinion oh yeah and and like I've said before when you're not there every day listening to the evidence and all this stuff exactly it's hard to really criticize because you don't know what you're criticizing if you do.

SPEAKER_02 31:36

So totally yep so it'll be interesting to see yes now this is very interesting if you haven't had enough of AI I got another story for you never enough AI well a company um actually several companies use ai in the IVF process now whoa yeah I gotta tell you Merle I didn't see that one coming but uh several companies and research institutions are integrating artificial intelligence aka into the in vitro fertilization process which is IVF they're doing this to improve success rates reduce costs and increase accessibility to fertility treatments these AI systems primarily focus on automating and improving steps such as embryo selection sperm assessment and personalized treatment planning.

SPEAKER_00 32:45

What do you think Mariel um I love it I mean I just think anything that could possibly advance the situation and make it better like this to me of course is a little bit like scary robot black mirror episode but if it helps the process and helps women get pregnant and like I feel like IVF can be so so so expensive and it cost people like thousands hundreds of thousands of dollars tens you know rounds of it that if this helps in any way get get people kids or pregnant faster um I like it like for example I just had um not too much information but like I had a mammogram and I opted in to have for$40 more you can also have AI like look at the skins it's part of the process that they do and like a radiologist looks at it um and so you have like the normal way and then you have like AI helping and I paid the extra$40 too because I'm like well why not have extra protection or extra you know like another way and so I feel like this is kind of comparable to that where it's like why not add an extra benefit or extra thing that can help people.

Upcoming Show And Final Thanks

SPEAKER_02 33:50

Now the wonderful thing about this when I first heard the story I was like whoa what do you mean AI but once I looked into it more just like what you just said it's great because it's being used as a tool to help enhanced it's not there to replace so some key things that I wanted to point out on this story is that um let's see here uh AI2s analyze thousands of images or time lapse videos to detect uh uh subtle patterns in embryo uh morphology and development that the human eye might miss increasing the accuracy of selecting the best embryo for transfer the other thing uh that I want to point out too is that uh AI systems help identify the healthiest and most uh modal sperm for fertilization particularly for ICSI uh AI analyze uh analyzes past patient data to help doctors determine the optimal dosage of stimulation medication potentially reducing costs and improving egg yield now that is great because one of the things about IVF is it normally takes multiple uh IVF uh processes in order to get yeah it's so expensive and I know years ago it was around 20,000 to 25 I wouldn't be surprised if that number is way higher now. So I mean you you're easily talking anywhere from 75 to$100,000. And if you don't have good insurance it may not cover all of it or any of it. So you can streamline that process I think is a great thing. And I think this is to me one of the things that AI would be great at um and again it's not replacing the doctor but it's helping the doctor that's a big difference. Exactly it's just adding an extra layer and the same way that like we can work with AI as podcasters and broadcasters it's like they can use it as a tool like why why wouldn't they use it as a tool if they can yeah and like I said using AI as a tool is a different process versus trying to replace human beings it's a big difference in the two so um I'm all I'm all for using AI as a as a tool because I think for right now that's the best way it should be used.

SPEAKER_00 36:27

I agree wow we've had some incredible uh discussions this this episode I mean I'm I'm proud of us that we can talk about space exploration Easter bunnies ai tools we're we're well rounded I mean there's I'm I'm sure there's some people listening that are like I disagree on literally every topic but but hey more for everyone there you go well talk about interesting things Merle what do you have coming up um I'm excited about a show I'm gonna go a little farther on the calendar but um in Pasadena on Saturday May 30th I'm part of a show it's so funny it's called 50 and funny even though like I'm not 50 years old but I'm just part of a random show where people are 50 and up um but the name of the producer is Big Bad Bo and he's really funny and awesome and so he has a show called 50 and funny and it's at the ice house in Pasadena and that's Saturday May 30th it's nice.

SPEAKER_02 37:30

I was just gonna ask you when it was yep Saturday May 30th.

SPEAKER_00 37:34

So a while from now but that's one that I want to come to it's like it's like a big theater like a fancy kind of you know comedy place.

SPEAKER_02 37:42

So it's it's a good one to like get babysitters and book it far out if you need to well she's giving you enough head note uh enough notice to get your babysitters all set up get your good clothes out the cleaners and uh have a good day night exactly it's really fun too it's it's a really good uh group of people well everyone thank you so much for watching and listening to us and also for the comments on social media because I do read all of them um great comments um some of them are really interesting but great comments I'm always just worried that people are gonna talk about how big my face looks but it's okay as long as you're nice about my big ass face it's okay no no no no they're all very very nice they though they do have some interesting comments on some of the things you talk about good well that's welcome I just can't do anything to fix my caffeine face your face looks beautiful you don't have to do anything to thank you see I don't see that as harassment I see that as a nice compliment well everyone thank you again for watching and listening please continue to support us and tell people who we are I'm Lawrence El Rod and I'm Merrill Climo bye everyone bye bye bye