Evacuations And Endless Shrimp for 4/28/26

We go from a frightening evacuation connected to gunfire near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to lighter pop culture, then back into the hard questions about safety, substances, and celebrity legacy. Along the way, we debate what we owe the truth, what we owe each other at public events, and why “allegedly” matters when stories get dark fast. 

• what we know so far about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner evacuation and why it unsettles people 
• the split-second reality of Secret Service protection and the question of audience safety 
• Red Lobster bringing back Endless Shrimp with dine-in limits and higher price 
• how viral eating culture and brand image shape restaurant strategy 
• Stagecoach evacuation due to extreme winds and why organizers made the right call 
• cannabis at work events as the “new happy hour” and the pressure it can create 
• impairment, testing gaps, and liability risks for companies hosting weed-friendly gatherings 
• the Michael Jackson biopic’s box office numbers, mixed reviews, and what it leaves out 
• Jafar Jackson’s performance and why MJ fascination keeps repeating across generations 
• Dan Reed’s renewed claims, the legal stakes, and the damage of unproven accusations 

Saturday, May 30th comedian Meryl Klemow will be at the Ice House in Pasadena, and it's called 50 and Funny AF 

If you care about celebrity culture, media responsibility, and the stories that shape public opinion, this one is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review telling us which topic you want us to unpack next.

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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_00 0:15

Hello everyone. Welcome to Thirsty Topics. Thirsty Topics is a show that talks about pop culture, social media, and things happening in the news. And as you can tell from our previous podcast, that we never run out of things to talk about. Well, Meryl, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 0:38

Good. I'm Meryl Climo. I'm the co-host and here in Burbank looking up lots of news and also very entertained week after week.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

Yes, you will never be bored of watching our programs.

SPEAKER_02 0:52

No, never ever. I try also just so everyone knows, and I feel like you're like this too, where I do curate it, where if all of my topics are like, oh man, this is depressing, or it's like seeming like the end of the world, I do try to throw in a few happy, hopeful topics for people, just so we're not leaving all wanting to like rip our heads off or anything.

Welcome And Topic Rundown

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Yes, we do do a good job at balancing the the bad news with the good news.

SPEAKER_02 1:17

So because there are some weeks that I'm like, oh my gosh, I want people to leave at least entertain, but also having some semblance of sanity.

SPEAKER_00 1:26

Oh yes, and I tell you, this week's gonna be a great one. Um, yeah, a lot of great things to talk about. Um, before we start, I'll just give you a summary of my topics and I'll let Meryl tell you hers. Um uh I can tell you I'll be talking about Red Lobster reviving the All You Can Eat Shrimp Deal. Um cannabis at work events, which is shocking, but that's a real thing. And also um I'll be commenting um on the documentary filmmaker Dan Reed about his comments about Michael Jackson.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

Interesting. Well, I see your Michael Jackson, and I raise you that as well, where I'll be talking about more of the box office behind it and just the numbers that it's doing, um, and you know what we think about the mixed reviews and some of the controversy. Uh Stagecoach, a uh big festival out here that always follows Coach Hella. I'll be talking about that getting evacuated uh because of some you know weather situation. And then I'll talk about another situation that had to be evacuated, not because of weather, which was the White House correspondence dinner, which I'm sure many of us are talking about. So it's a good list.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

Absolutely. We got a lot to get into today. So, Merle, I will let you start off.

SPEAKER_02 2:50

Okay, we'll have to have this one not take up our whole recording. But um, so yeah, as mentioned, Trump and top officials were evacuated after gunfire at the White House correspondence dinner um on April 25th after a man ran through a circuit circ Secret Service checkpoint and shots were fired at the Washington Hilton. Authorities say one Secret Service agent was hit in a bullet-resistant vest and survived. And the suspect, identified in reporting as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen, was taken into custody. Now, this is at the time that we're recording right now, this is kind of the latest and greatest of what I have. Um, they said he did act alone, a motive is still being investigated. There's some talk that maybe he did have, you know, some whatever is against Trump. Now, I mean, there's so many angles of this. One of the angles is just now we have videos of them hearing gunshots, and we've probably all seen different

White House Dinner Gunfire Evacuation

SPEAKER_02 3:47

angles of the quick-acting Secret Service people ushering Trump and Vance out. And then it's just like a lot of the women are kind of left to fend for themselves and like literally crawl away. And you know, there's and it's it's just scary. And I feel like no matter how much people feel about Trump on one end or another, like we definitely don't want any violence in a room full of people because I mean right there, there's a lot of innocent people. I know, like one of um, there was a reporter on CBS that had a really beautiful written uh I loved her article, and she was talking about how like not only was she there, but all of her loved ones were there, like her son, her dad, you know, so just almost I thought her perspective was so wonderful. Um, and just talking about like of course, no one really knows, and you hear gunshots and you're not sure what's happening, and then things can be escalated really quick. So I don't know. What do you and of course there's people that it's like this sounds fishy, you know, I'm always a conspiracy theorist on both ends of things, so we have to give our do when it's right. But um, I don't know that to me, this is just it's getting to the point where hopefully we can have events without any sort of this happening because it seems like it's getting more and more just frequent, you know.

SPEAKER_00 5:02

Yeah, I I agree. Um, I'll try and be brief because I tell you, we could take up the entire show just with this one topic. But yeah, but I I guess a few things that come to mind from me. I was really shocked at how close he got to the event. That's the first thing. Um, when he shot in like that, when they showed the video of him shooting past the Secret Service agents. Um, the other thing that was surprising to me as well is obviously they're gonna get the president out as quickly as possible. But you know, there's already the conspiracy theories about well, why was JD fans taken out before the president and so on? You know, the president should have been first. Um, but again, you know, there's a lot going on. So um obviously they're gonna make sure they secure the scene and secure a path for him to safely get out. But the other thing, too, that I want to highlight, and I don't think we talk about it as much, is the people in the room. Obviously, yeah, the president and you know, the cabinet and people around them, they're gonna be taken care of. There's no question, and they should, okay? But it's a little bit concerning that you know, sometimes people wonder, and you know, people just kind of say it out loud is what about the people in the audience? You know, you they call the sound, what about us? And I think that's a fair statement to make. And you know, I don't know what it is or what's going on, but there's been a lot of um, a lot of attempts on this current president. I don't know if if maybe the world is just changing in a really bad place, maybe it's because of people hating him so much, or maybe it's a combination. And you know, the guy who did this, um, he's actually a very well-respected teacher. And you know, he's accomplished a lot of things. And I get it, you you know, you don't like him, you don't hate his policy. I get all that, but I agree with you. There's other ways to deal with it. Violence should never be the answer.

SPEAKER_02 7:01

No, yeah, and it's not risking ruining your own life just to try to take a hit out on the president because unfortunately, what's if you're not if you don't like this administration, then what I hate to tell the person, but what's gonna happen is then someone else is gonna supersede him, whether it's Vance, or if it's not Vance, then the next person, and it might even only get worse like due to retaliation. So unfortunately, like how we said there's other ways, whether it's trying to go into office or you know, whatever. But um I was gonna, oh, someone even said, like, how is how could someone get into this event when it's so hard to? And then someone else said they heard that this person was like ushered in. And so, you know, we'll never really know, I think, what actually happens and like who's really, really to blame with all of this.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

But I feel like as a bigger keep in mind, he did not get into the event, he was outside of it. Yeah, so they heard the shots from inside the event, but he never actually got into the event.

SPEAKER_02 7:58

Oh, okay, okay, because maybe, maybe I feel like one station almost made it seem as though he was like he got in somehow. But I also think, too, just about these Secret Service people that are truly willing to take a bullet, and it's like in that moment you see people that are like, oh man, you know, this is probably someone's father or husband, and it's like they're all in the line of duty and they just go up and cover, knowing that like bullets may be coming. And I just think that's so heroic, and like no matter who the president is or who they're defending, that's just like such a different type of human being than you know, than like I am or anything. But um, yeah, I just think it's so scary. And I really hope how you said too, where it's getting more and more just frequent. So I hope it's uh things have to change.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

I agree. And you know, people gotta understand too, the Secret Service, they are there regardless of who pres who the president is, regardless of what political party they belong to. And these men and women literally put their life on the line to protect the president and other people that are too. So um they did their job, they they they neutralized the the um the situation right then and there, um, with minimal injuries. I think the only injury as of now was the one Secret Service agent that was shot, but he was shot in a vest. So thank God he had a vest on, of course, but they did their job, and I think they did it well.

SPEAKER_02 9:24

You would also think too, like this there has to be some level of PTSD, like for you know, post-traumatic stress for these people. Like you're having a dinner and your your mind is probably on something else, then all of a sudden the shooter comes in. So I do hope that they provide the necessary care, like not just for Trump advance or whatever, but for everyone, the journalists, the people that are there, the assistants, you know, all these things. Because I'm I'm it's probably really hard to go back to work the next day, or like I know if that was me, then the next time we're supposed to be in some parade or like make an appearance, it's all I would be thinking about.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

That is so true. That is so true. Um, I'm quite sure we're gonna hear a lot more about this and about the the suspect. Um, you know, I I guess from what I heard, uh, you know, allegedly he's from California. Then he made a stop in Chicago, uh stop in Chicago and then over to DC. So we'll see how this turns out. Um, but right now, as of right now, uh it looks like he's a lone gunman and you know there is no group or conspiracy tied to it. So we'll see.

SPEAKER_02 10:31

Yeah, a podcast that I really like was talking before about the dinner, and they're like, we can't wait to see what stunt Trump cooks up, and then it's like, uh oh. Luckily, they don't have a yeah, they don't have an episode out today, but I I was like, uh oh, like I can't wait to hear what they have to say about it, but yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:53

Wow, this is a nice one. But Red Lobster is reviving the all-you-can-eat shrimp deal.

SPEAKER_02 11:03

Yay!

SPEAKER_00 11:05

Now they're doing this with caveats. So Red Lobster revived his beloved endless shrimp deal uh on Monday, this past Monday, after a two-year hiatus. The all-you-can-eat promotion caused the seafood chain to shed $11 million in a single quarter and was nixed after the company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2024. The chain is still recovering from the 6% drop in US sales last year. A sluggish turnaround and feverish demands from shellfish fans led to the deal's reintroduction, but with caveats. First, it would be limited to dining meals, which is kind of crazy because I've never heard of all you can eat, you can take stuff home. Yeah.

Red Lobster Brings Back Endless Shrimp

SPEAKER_00 11:56

And uh the other thing too is uh it's not available on holidays. Um, and it's a tad more expensive at $24.99. What do you think about that, Maryland?

SPEAKER_02 12:08

That is funny. I mean, that is funny. Someone showing up to Red Lobster asking for like all the shrimp they can eat to go, because it is it's like do you just want all the shrimp in the whole world? Like, I don't I don't know how you do that. But I mean, I'm a fan, I'm always a fan of Red Lobster. I I definitely go more for the actual lobster and the biscuits, you know. Uh I think I've definitely gotten like the popcorn shrimp and the different shrimp before, but I wouldn't really head there just to like stuff myself full of shrimp. I'm I'm on the lobster journey when I go. So, but but as a red lobster stan and fan, I support everything they do. So I I would really rather go there than like a very fancy restaurant with my boyfriend. And it's tough because like the only one in LA is yeah, the only one in LA is like 40 minutes away in like a really random, not so nice location. And so it's always so funny to like he's always like, We're not driving an hour to like eat bad seafood.

SPEAKER_00 13:04

Well, I mean, people that that love red lobster, you know. Me too. Though I gotta admit, I'm pretty stunned that they brought it back based that you know it almost brought them into bankruptcy. The part about them having to be dynamic only, that surprised me. I didn't know you can order all you can eat and bring stuff home. And you know, the crazy thing, Meryl, is I see all these YouTubers, I see all these people on TikTok and other social media platforms, and you'll you'll see that, yeah, I just ate 50 shrimp, I just ate 75 shrimp. I'm like, dude, that's stupid, you know.

SPEAKER_02 13:42

I know. I I think if like I think if Red Lobster could rehab its image in any way, which I know they're trying to do, is to kind of dispel the notion that like the lobsters are like dirty, and then just that it's like, you know, because it's kind of seen as like not good quality seafood. So I feel like maybe even instead of like come and get all you can eat and like gorge yourself, explaining to younger people too that this is like a really good tasting place with a with food that's you know more high quality. Because I think some of like the reason that people don't go is they just view it as like ew, the tanks are kind of dirty, and you would see the lobsters right there and they kind of look not good. So I feel like if they were to invest in anything, like making the tanks look better where the actual lobsters are, and just like bumping the nice quality of everything could suit really well for like the young people.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Yeah, that's true. And then you know, here's the other thing, too. Maybe red lobster, and I'm not saying that they should do this or they shouldn't. Maybe at some point they say, you know what, it's all you can eat, but we'll bring you more lobsters out when you eat the lobsters in front of you. I mean, uh the shrimp out when you eat more shrimp in front of you. Don't do the lobsters. Um, and it's a limited, I don't know, 30, 40, 50, whatever that number is. Um, especially for these people that take it to the extreme, because that's crazy. That that really is crazy.

SPEAKER_02 15:00

Yeah. We have an all-you-can-eat sushi place by us, but the limit is they limit people for two hours. So you get to sit and fill yourself up for two hours, but it's kind of like disgusting. And once again, at the end of the day, I'd rather just know that it's high quality stuff and instead of like just shoving everything like I'm like a pelican in my mouth, you know.

SPEAKER_00 15:23

I mean, if it's done right, it's actually not a bad deal because there's gonna be people that's always gonna eat less and other people more than others. It's not meant to be going there and gorge yourself to death. That's not what it's meant to do.

SPEAKER_02 15:37

I always talk a big game too, especially with the lobsters. I'm like, I'm gonna order five lobsters and then I get I could I could do I do one pound and then I start to get like really sweaty and like losing my surroundings and everything. So now, how much if you were to do like all you can eat shrimp, do you feel like are you gonna house like 10 plates of shrimp or what's your what's your all-you-can-eat vibe?

SPEAKER_00 15:59

You know, I'll probably do depending on how many is on the plate. I may do two or three plates, you know, something like that. Um, okay. But I'm not gonna sit there and try and eat 50 75 shrimp. That's just ridiculous.

SPEAKER_02 16:10

Yeah, me too, me too.

SPEAKER_00 16:14

That was a good subject.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

That was well, um, another thing that had to get evacuated, but not so serious, was Stagecoach, which is, you know, it's a country festival for people that might not know around um, it's in the same areas as Coachella, like the um Indio fairgrounds. And it's always cool because it's like, you know, it's gotten a little bit more popular with young people recently, but when it first started, it was way more just country heavy. Um, it's I'm definitely more a Coachella person, but stagecoach is still it's fun in theory. Um, but they just had to evacuate part way through day two because of extreme winds and um the winds swept through the area. Local coverage said the evacuation lasted roughly an hour to an hour and a half. Um some of the performers had to stop and then um, you know, hopefully they'll make it up. And then I just basically the theme of this story for me was I feel like the

Stagecoach Evacuated For High Winds

SPEAKER_02 17:13

organizers for Stagecoach and Coachella have done such a good job of trying to keep everyone safe. And I feel like there's been a lot of festivals over the years that would have just kept going and put people at risk or like waited too long. But I'm like props for them to move quickly, and you know, you have so many people in one contained area that I thought this was a really good decision for them to evacuate people. And I know it's a bummer for everyone, but it's like the whole rather safe than sorry type of thing.

SPEAKER_00 17:41

Yeah, that's true. That's true. Um, I mean, when it comes to cut to concerts and big events, even small events, you have to pretty much make sure that you're on top of whatever may happen. And the reality is when you're putting on these events, you literally don't know what may happen. There's always things that you anticipate. So you pretty much have to be ready for everything. So I agree with you. I tip my hat off to them.

SPEAKER_02 18:04

Exactly. And then they resumed it for an hour and an hour and after about an hour or so. I think that's good.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Yeah, definitely. Now, is there a big crowd that goes there?

SPEAKER_02 18:14

Yeah, yeah, a big crowd. It's definitely way more like country-ish, but um not like kid rock country, almost like influencer country now, like um who's Zach Bryan, Luke Bryan, all the Brians.

SPEAKER_00 18:29

Okay, okay, yeah, that definitely sounds like sound pretty good. Yep, that's cool. Talk about feeling pretty good. If you're a big fan of 420, you're gonna like this story. So cannabis at work events spread as legalization expands. So as cannabis legalization expands, it is increasingly appearing at work events and corporate gatherings in states where recreational use is legal, often used for team bonding and networking. Okay, that's a hell of a networking event there, but uh uh a few points to it. They call it the new happy hour. So companies are adapting social events to include cannabis products alongside alcohol, driven partly by Gen Z's decreased interest in drinking. Now, they figure that um some industry leaders suggest that cannabis is similar to alcohol.

Cannabis Enters Workplace Social Events

SPEAKER_00 19:35

I can't see that, uh, and can be a great way for employees to buy. Okay, yeah, they're fine, all right. Uh, with some noting, it helps people feel more relaxed. Of course it does. So um some of the implications is um employers are grappling with the lack of real-time uh impairment tests, unlike alcohol, which makes defining on-the-job impairment difficult. I would love to get your take on this, Meryl.

SPEAKER_02 20:06

It's funny because I I live in a I don't, I'm not saying like a mixed household, but I'm saying a household in the way that I am not a cannabis consumer and I live with a very hardcore cannabis lover. Um, I have no judgment against it, and I know that there are benefits. It's just like not for me. And to me, I do believe that kind of like what comes up must come down type of thing, where if you deploy if you rely on substances, like I feel that way with caffeine, even I I have lots of coffee, but it's always like if there's ups, there's down. And I'd rather just kind of not like to lay off all those things. But I understand we live in like a society where things can help people feel more social or more relaxed. Um, and obviously cannabis is legal here in California, so it's like, you know, no big deal to see it at parties or out and about. But I think if it helps people and like really makes them healthier overall and just be able to integrate into society, I'm I like it, but I'm just wary that like I don't know, sometimes I think if you use it for really long term, it can lead to burnout or just kind of not not you, you know, you just want to be yourself and like know your hopes and dreams by yourself. And I know that sounds corny, but it's like a lot of us don't even have the space and time to be like, okay, what am I thinking or wanting without like drugs and stimulants like inside of us all the time? So um, so I guess I'm supportive of it because I love the cannabis community and everything, but I'm also I just think everything should be used with caution.

SPEAKER_00 21:34

Oh yeah. And I I think it's a little bit on that that controversial borderline, just because you know, a lot of places will test you, and if you turn, you know, if you test positive, um, you know, you can lose your job. So this event and you have cannabis I'm no doctor, but I don't think the next day or the day after it'll be gone out of your system depending on how much you smoke. So you know what do you do with that? And then here's another thing there's certain industries that regardless of whether it's legalizing your state or not, you can't do it. Like, for example, if you're a truck driver, you cannot be using cannabis because at any time you can be tested. And if you if you test positive, you're not driving. That's just a part of that. And there are other jobs or occupations too. I I don't know. I think that I don't think we're there yet to have it at a work event. That's just my personal opinion. I think it draws up too many possible scenarios that are not good. Um, and here's the other thing, too. If you go to an event and the company okay you to smoke cannabis or use cannabis or whatever, and something happens, that company could potentially be on the hook for that because you are leaving a work-sponsored event.

SPEAKER_02 22:56

Exactly. I mean, this is a whole bigger, big conversation around it too. But I think there has to be some like reform done on people in prison for marijuana too, like rightfully, because it's not fair too. If people are just out here using it willy-nilly, and then we have people like sitting in prison, you know. So I think we need to almost like it has to, we we kind of have to decide like in the blanket way of just okay, it is a drug, but not so serious that people have to like be doing life in prison for it when other people are able to use it and like drive to other people's houses selling it to them and stuff. So um, I don't know. I just feel like if anyone hasn't smoked weed yet, and I don't think people need to do it. It's it's not like a kind of thing where it's not like vitamin C or something where we need it. And I just I feel like I've had my own talks with people about maybe it making them not motivated or like even if you don't know, it might be taking away your kind of edge a little bit. So um, I hate I feel like I sound like a square, but I just think it should be thought about before people use it.

SPEAKER_00 23:58

Oh, absolutely, and you know, the other thing too is you you don't want a situation where a person feels pression into doing something either. Okay. Having a cocktail is 1000% different than taking a puff or eating um, you know, a gummy or you know, a brownie that's spiked. So I don't know. I mean, I think that it's it's a a real slippery slope. And I just think that companies and people need to be very cautious if they decide to indulge in that, you know.

SPEAKER_02 24:29

Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

Yeah. So so let me actually this, Meryl, if you're you're at a sponsored event, they're like, hey, Meryl, welcome to the event. And they were like, hey, you want us want to hit this dub? What do you say?

SPEAKER_02 24:41

I this is so funny. I feel like I've been training for one of those like ABC Dare programs or something where um since I've been little, I've been like weed has just been around and just I just say no, thank you, I'm not interested. That happens all the time at parties. And like I said, a lot of my friends do do that. Um and like Jack, we go to cannabis stores to like buy him, you know, little gummies and vape things and whatever. And it just, I would, I would just say, no, thank you. I'm not into that. And then I would ask where the vanilla lattes are because I feel like you know, we all have to have our drugs of choice, maybe, and mine would definitely be more caffeine because I want to get more hyper. What about you? Would you say, awesome, I'll take all you can eat to go?

SPEAKER_00 25:23

Um, actually, I did have that happen to me. I was uh it was a show, it didn't it didn't come to fruition, but it was a show where it was a cooking show and they infused the food with uh cannabis. So after they did the show, they was um, you know, everyone on set was able to eat the food. So they're like, Lawrence, are you gonna have some? I said, No, I'm good, thank you. Now, of course, I was the all ball because literally everybody in there ate food. I didn't eat the food. Yeah, it was heavily spiked with cannabis because everybody was pretty much sleeping.

SPEAKER_02 26:02

Yeah, I I would get so sick and dizzy too.

SPEAKER_00 26:06

Yeah, I mean, you know, it was cool, and I didn't feel weird just because you know, and I don't judge, but it's just not my thing, you know what I mean? It's just yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. It was it was kind of hysterical to see them sitting there sleeping, though.

SPEAKER_02 26:19

It's funny, it's funny to me how like substances like like beer is not for me at all. I kind of get grossed out by beer, but it seems so cool to me that people can just like sit at a bar and have beer, and then like I I have friends that get disgusted by coffee, and to me, I love that. So it's it's so interesting, like the substances that we're all able to indulge in, and what is like kind of like a no thank you for people.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

That's true. That is true.

SPEAKER_02 26:45

Well, that was great. Um, my last one for today is uh just about the Michael Jackson movie, which opened huge at the box office, uh, even though critics were pretty much divided. Uh it made about 97 million domestically and 217 million worldwide in the opening weekend. It stars Jafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's nephew in the lead role. And uh there's I guess my my my angle for this is critics pointed out that it's it's an estate-backed film and it just it ends before some of his abuse allegations that became, you know, unfortunate with Jackson's legacy. Um, and they were also saying that maybe it was kind of like narrow focused and that it was sanitized and focused on more preserving his myth rather than wrestling with the hardest parts of life. But to me, like, I don't know, I I just think not everything needs to be like all-encompassing. And just to me, I'm like,

Michael Jackson Biopic Box Office Debate

SPEAKER_02 27:42

let this breathe as what it's supposed to be. Um, I have not seen it yet, so I can't like weigh in on what I actually think about it. But in terms of expecting it to be like this salacious thing, we've already had a million Michael Jackson documentaries out. And to me, it's like if you're if you don't love his character, then maybe this isn't the movie for you, but like I will definitely go see it. And for what movie, and I love that it's his nephew that made it. Like, who else could do that? You know, no one else really, but um actual Jackson. So I'm I'm excited to see it, and I I just think like good for them.

SPEAKER_00 28:13

Now, luckily, I actually did see it. You did?

SPEAKER_02 28:18

Okay, good. I can't wait to hear.

SPEAKER_00 28:20

So I don't want to give too much away for people who haven't seen it, but it's more of a movie documentary, is what it is. So to me, what it was doing was kind of filling in the gaps along the way. Um if you've watched the Michael Jackson story, which is like a five or six-part story, this is almost like filling in the gaps, focusing directly in on Michael Jackson. And a few things that stand out. Uh for one, uh, Michael Jackson's nephew, Jafar, did a hell of a job. I mean, he did I mean, the moves that he did, like I said, I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil it for people, but you look at it and it's like you're watching Michael Jackson. I'll just say that. Wow. I was really, really impressed. Um, that's the first thing. Now I know that there's a lot of people that are angry that it stopped before it got to the um um abuse allegations, but there's a couple things to keep in mind. One, there's so much to his story that it's really hard to get it into a two-hour exactly.

SPEAKER_02 29:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

So what I I in my opinion, I think what they wanted to do was show how he got to be the star he was up to that point where he really made it. Now, of course, his story continues on from there, but I think they're opening it up or leaving the door open for possibly uh a part two to the movie. That's just my personal opinion.

SPEAKER_02 29:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 29:52

And you know, the other thing too is allegedly, I guess there was a lawsuit that was settled um by Michael Jackson's estate um years ago. And because of this lawsuit, allegedly, um there were things that cannot be discussed in this movie. And originally they were going to address it, but because of that settlement, they had to spend like $15 million to change a lot of the movie uh to cut that out.

SPEAKER_02 30:24

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_00 30:25

Now, I don't know how true that is. That's what I'm saying allegedly allegedly, but if that's the case, people gotta understand there is a legal side to this too.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

Yeah, and was it was it like normal movie time, like an like an hour, like two hours, or it was like it was over two hours, like two hours and like five, eight minutes.

SPEAKER_00 30:44

But what was so interesting about it, Meryl, is it did not feel like two hours. Really when it ended, it was like, Wow, that's it. It could have been more. Oh now, to me, when you're able to keep someone's attention for over two hours and they leave on wow, that's it, that tells you that you know they did a good job of keeping your attention and telling that storyline along the way. Now, everybody may not like it, but I I enjoyed it, I really did.

SPEAKER_02 31:13

Yeah, and there's like 12 different things of Michael Jackson's life that we can watch movies on, like, you know, there's even just like the Joe Jackson of it all, and just they had his upbringing and wait, and Jafar is Jermaine's kid. I think Jermaine is his dad.

SPEAKER_00 31:28

One of Jermaine's sons, yes.

SPEAKER_02 31:30

Okay, okay. So, like, yeah, even just I mean, like how Michael came to be, I think is so interesting. And to me, it's like the movie doesn't have to have every single thing that we've heard of or include everything. So, um, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:45

Yeah, and um, you know, obviously, um my um Jenna Jackson and Michael's daughter did not want anything to do with the movie. There's all kinds of you know, suspected allegations as to why they don't want to be a part of it, but I didn't really see anything offensive, I didn't really see anything like, oh my god, you know, out of the ordinary, you know what I mean? It was more like, okay, now I understand this. Okay, that makes sense. And when you see the movie, you'll understand why I make those comments. It's like, again, it's like filling in the gaps up to a certain point.

SPEAKER_02 32:25

And to me too, one of the biggest things that we should focus on is like uh Jafar and and how great, like I can't wait to see it too, but how talented this young man is, and he put his Jack Susie into it, as the kids say. So to me, it's like I don't know, I would hate any of his shine to come down just because of critics, and I just like it seemed like he really danced. I don't know if he if he's singing in it, but like I I hope he gets all of his due for just being so talented.

SPEAKER_00 32:54

Yeah, he definitely did he did all the dancing. Now, I don't and I could be wrong, I don't think he did any of the singing because I don't think anyone can duplicate Michael Jackson's sound. I know I know I don't think the single was him. My personal opinion, and I could be wrong, but I I think that um that was really Michael Jackson's track that they were lip syncing to. And again, I could be totally wrong. Um but um yeah, overall, I really, really, really enjoyed it. I really did it.

SPEAKER_02 33:27

That's so cool. I can't wait to see it. Was it theater packed?

SPEAKER_00 33:31

Um, you know what, yeah, it was actually pretty full. It really was cool. And um, wow, to make about 200 million right out of the box for the first weekend. Yeah, that's not too shyby.

SPEAKER_02 33:46

I know, not bad at all. But that just goes to show there's still so much intrigue about Michael Jackson, and like I'm sure like for the next 19 generations there will be, you know.

SPEAKER_00 33:57

Yes, yes, I totally agree. Now, this feeds right into uh my final topic. And this one's a little bit on the opposite side of this, but dealing with Michael Jackson. So, documentary filmmaker Dan Reed, uh, he's the one um who helped do uh Living Leaving Neverland says Michael Jackson was worse than Epstein.

SPEAKER_01 34:23

Ooh, yikes.

SPEAKER_00 34:27

So um Reed directed the HBO Produced two-part documentary back in 2019, which focused on interviews with Wade Robinson and James uh Safuk, who allegedly uh stated that they were sexually abused as children by Jackson. In 2024, Reed slammed uh the then upcoming biopic, Michael, as startlingly disingenuous,

Dan Reed Renews Michael Jackson Claims

SPEAKER_00 34:59

claiming it's this discredits Robinson and Safe Chuck's experiences with the singer. Now, here's the interesting thing about this, and I guess a few points that I have to make is um one, you know how I feel about child abuse and and and um sexual assault on children. And Michael Jackson went to court multiple times and has won multiple times. Um there have been children who accused him of sexual abuse and stated as an adult after he passed away that that didn't happen, they were put up to it. Um, the number I'm not sure of, but allegedly it was multiple kids. Allegedly, because I don't know how many. Now, there's a few things that I think we need to be aware of. One, I think Danry needs to be careful because if you can't prove these allegations of comparing him to Epstein, um that estate will probably come after you. You know?

SPEAKER_02 36:01

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:02

Yep. And you gotta be careful about that. You know, it's one thing to say allegedly, it's another thing to just say right out he's worse than Epstein. Yeah, yeah. The other thing about it too, for me, is why why now? You know, why why now are you saying this? And again, I'm just saying it's just I don't know. It's just to me, why not? What do you think, bro?

SPEAKER_02 36:27

Um, I think he has been saying it for a while, of just like, you know, there's been like the documentaries and there's been the everything's, but I think you're right about if you say something like that, like I don't know. I trust, I I do think that if someone says something like that, there must be reasons like for the unknown. I just think I don't know if I just want to block it out of my head because I love Michael Jackson so much, and it's just it's like two things can be true. Like some bad things may have happened, and this person may have been like an insane in entertainer, and it's just like you know, it's kind of where do we draw the line of what we appreciate and what we throw away with people? So it's such a tough um situation.

SPEAKER_00 37:09

Yeah, it really is. And um, you know, the one thing about it, if a person is is is guilty of this, they deserve everything coming their way. Um but on the opposite side of it, if a person is making false allegations for you know personal gain or financial gain, um to me that's another side of evil as well, because you're you're destroying people. And even if a person proves that they're not this monster that you say they are, you've kind of you've kind of tarnished their image permanently because there's always that, you know, that that look, that thought, you know, when people think about you or whatever. So it never really goes away. But and like I said, um, you know, as a Christian, if Michael did these bad things, you know, he's answering for it right now.

SPEAKER_02 38:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:04

Yep, totally. So like I said, um I don't know. I I just think you just especially when you're in media, when you're working in film, you gotta be really careful about your words.

SPEAKER_02 38:15

Exactly. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 38:18

There's a reason why news media say allegedly when they report stuff.

SPEAKER_02 38:23

Yeah. This is this is so dark and bad, but one time we I got into like a mini argument with my boyfriend, and he who's like the nicest and sweetest to me, and then I called him Ike Turner. Like wow, I know, and so that was an example of being and then like we still talk about it like 19,000 years later, and so I feel like you know, we all have to watch what we say, uh for sure. No.

SPEAKER_00 38:49

So not no, not to make you mad, Merle, huh?

SPEAKER_02 38:52

No, I would never I call you the priest of the whole wide world, whatever. Mother Teresa. Actually, Mother Teresa was supposed to be a bitch, but who knows? I don't know. Anyway, yeah, for real.

SPEAKER_00 39:05

Wow, this was a great episode. Well, Merle, what do you have coming up?

SPEAKER_02 39:11

Um, I have I'm gonna take it kind of far away, but enough time for people to plan. Where um I have a fun show. It is Saturday, May 30th at the Ice House in Pasadena, and it's called 50 and Funny AF, which is so funny because I'm not 50. Um, sometimes I'm funny, but not all the time. But it is with a great lineup of people. So um, yeah, that is Saturday, May 30th at the Ice House in Pasadena.

SPEAKER_00 39:42

Well, guys, if you're in the area, please make sure you stop out and support Meryl. She would love to see you.

SPEAKER_02 39:48

Thank you. And you never know what's gonna happen. I just had a show where the stage was too tall for me and there was no stairs, so I literally like crawled and flopped on the floor, and then that that's how I got up on stage. So you never know how an entrance may happen.

SPEAKER_00 40:04

Hey, you gotta do what you can to make those jokes, right?

SPEAKER_02 40:07

Julio, I if I had any like

Meryl’s Upcoming Show And Sign-Off

SPEAKER_02 40:09

uh grace or dignity left, I wouldn't have done it, but there's no not a shred of dignity left.

SPEAKER_00 40:16

Well, everyone, thank you for watching and listening to us. Please continue to support us. I'm Lawrence Elrod. And I'm Merrill Climo. Take care, everyone.