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[00:00]
A
Ladies, if you're in that phase where your body's just doing new things, sleep's weird, energy's weird, cravings also weird. You're not alone. It's totally normal. Menopause and perimenopause just means your body needs a little support. And sprouts makes that support easier so you can start feeling more like you. Tons of fresh organic produce for fiber, sprouts, protein and creatine to keep your muscles and bones strong and your energy up and stretch supplements that can help you manage mood shifts. So whether it's perimenopause, menopause or any other health journey, it's easier at sprouts Farmers Market. Here's some common sense advice. Your body needs support to function properly, including your vaginal health, and that includes maintaining a healthy PH balance. New Azo Vaginal Probiotic Mini Chews helps keep that healthy bacterial balance and that helps keep yeast and odor in check. It's great tasting, easy to take, and no pill means no water. That makes it simple to add to your daily routine. And simplicity is how good habits stick. Visit azoproducts.com for product details, usage instructions and safety information. Thank you for listening to my morning monologue brought to you by Golden Crest Metals. Helping everyday investors protect what they've worked so hard to build by adding gold and silver to retirement portfolios. Learn more@goldencrestmetals.com Protect Remember, you can hear my radio program daily on Sirius XM Triumph and connect with me 24 7@drlora.com okay, now one of the things that we're open to is your emails. Drlauractorlora.com I read them all. Actually, that's being amended. I no longer read them all if they're like two pages long, single spaced. I don't read them because they're 99.9% a situation that is so huge and over so much time and include so many people that there's really nothing useful. I realize I can say so I stopped reading those. So if you want me to read yours double space and keep it to a page, then I can get a sense. Okay. And if you really have too much information to put in that, well, you can either call the show at 1-800-375-2872 or think about the problem more and distill it down to what really matters. Edit yourself either. Which way? One of the emails I got yesterday I thought this is a good one to talk about on air as our open and this is from a licensed clinical social Worker. And I have a ton of respect for these folks. I recommend so often on the air that somebody get one of those to help with the family dynamic. Lcsw, licensed clinical social worker from Atlanta, Georgia. On the program where you used the Russell Crowe movie Cinderella man to make a point, you added a quip. This is a movie he made before he decided to get obese. Did you mean that comment as a fat shame jab or did I misunderstand? You didn't misunderstand, but it was not a fat shame jab. It was a statement of fact. Defensive people tend to put more meaning onto that. It's shame, it's bad, it's terrible. It was a fact. It was made before. Let's see. How did I say he decided to get obese? Because it's a decision, basically. You are a brilliant woman. Thank you. Whom I have listened to for many years. I don't always agree with your advice, but I always gain new vantage points that broaden my outlook on life issues. I hope my question about clarifying your intention was. Will provide an opportunity for you and your listeners to broaden your opinion of obesity. Let's just call it fat. There is an inaccuracy to causes of the condition. Then there is shaming attached to the people who have it. Weight. This is a very interesting sentence. Weight does not define a person's characteristics. Yeah, it does. He's obese. He's fat. He wasn't. Now he is. I didn't understand that. It defines a person's characteristic. It doesn't define their morals. How to think about that a little bit. Abusing your body. Is that a moral issue? Values. Oh, yes. Value system of what's healthy, what's not. How to treat your body. Show respect for your body. Take care of your body. Yeah. Achievements. No, he did a lot of great acting jobs. It doesn't detract from that. Is that he's not going to get leading man stuff anymore. I guess maybe that was a decision or talents. No, he's got terrific talents. There was a movie, it might have been his first. And his hair was red in this movie. And it was 30, 40 years ago. And he played. He was. I don't know how to describe it because I'm not computer brilliant. But he was in the computer and he was constructed by the computer. And I remember seeing that movie a million years ago. And I went on air and I was only local in Los Angeles time. And I said this guy is going to be a great actor. I was right. Okay, please clarify why you made that comment, which had nothing to do with the point you were making about the significance of the movie. You're right, it had nothing to do with it. So what? Okay. Still a loyal listener. Thank you. I love you back. And so I actually, because she's a colleague, she's a licensed clinical social worker. I'm a marriage and family and child therapist. So I wrote back to her. So I'm just going to read what I wrote back. As people age, it's normal to ask what more they could be doing to take care of their health. It's important to be proactive, especially when it comes to your brain health. Don't wait for something to feel off before taking action. Make your next checkup count. Ask your doctor about your risk factors for dementia and a cognitive assessment. Visit brainhealthmatters.com for more information and resources provided by Lilly Life doesn't have to be so complicated. Walmart helps you simplify. They're your one stop shop for daily essentials like groceries, snacks, school supplies and and thanks to Walmart Pharmacy, you can count on them for your prescription needs too. Use the Walmart app to easily manage your family's medications and save time by getting prescriptions delivered right to your door. Switch your prescriptions to Walmart Pharmacy delivery not available for all prescriptions and exclusions apply confidence. It's listening to your gut.
[07:56]
B
It's moving forward even when the path ahead is unclear. For nearly 160 years, Pacific Life has
[08:03]
A
helped people keep their promises, building confidence for generations.
[08:07]
B
Whether you're confident in your financial future
[08:09]
A
or just beginning to envision it, we're here to help.
[08:13]
B
Ask a financial professional how Pacific Life the Power of a Promise Pacific Life
[08:18]
A
Insurance Co. Omaha, Nebraska and in New
[08:20]
B
York, Pacific Life and Annuity, Phoenix, Arizona.
[08:22]
A
Here's some common sense advice. Your body needs support to function properly, including your vaginal health, and that includes maintaining a healthy PH balance. New Azo Vaginal Probiotic Mini Chews helps keep that healthy bacterial balance and that helps keep yeast and odor in check. It's great tasting, easy to take, and no pill means no water. That makes it simple to add to your daily routine, and simplicity is how good habits stick. Visit eizoproducts.com for product details, usage instructions and safety information.
[09:01]
C
My name is Shannon Maldonado. I'm the founder of yowie, a gift shop. From the lens of artists and handmade objects, I chose Shopify because when I was testing other platforms it was definitely one of the most user friendly. It was important to me to think about where we would be in the future. All of the tools for reading your sales, like planning inventory, they're just right there on your dashboard. For anyone starting a small business, the biggest thing I can tell you, it doesn't have to be perfect. Shopify can help you build upon it. Start your free trial on shopify.com.
[09:34]
A
I wrote back. Thank you very much for taking the time to write to me about your opinion and concern about what I said. Scientific data highlights the following regarding obesity causes one the dominant factor is diet. Large scale international nutritional studies indicate that up to 90% of gradual weight gain and rise in obesity is caused by chronic excess energy intake, overeating calories, period. That's 90%. So my statement is fine. Number two, the secondary factor is activity, while lack of physical While lack of physical activity is a major contributing factor to overall health issues, energy expenditure is responsible for a much smaller percentage of global increases in obesity, which is about 10%. Other contributing factors, which almost 90 almost 10 very small percentage is the remaining drivers of obesity are often outside an individual's immediate control. Genetics, underlying medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, medication side effects, socioeconomic factors, and the rest of the stuff people pull out of a hat. That's like less than 5%. So I stand by what I said. Great actor made this movie before he permitted himself to get obese. That's it. Stand by it. Okay. That's global. It's not even like stats from Brooklyn. That's global. Okay. All righty. My number for whatever you want to talk about today with me doesn't have to be huge. It can be a minuscule annoyance. My number 1-800-375-2872. If you like this podcast, be sure to rate it on Apple podcasts or your favorite place to listen to my podcast. Of course. I'd love if you gave me five stars. And be sure to share this podcast with a friend on Facebook or your preferred social media platform. Sirius XM Triumph Is life presenting you with challenges? Get real answers with Dr. Laurel. Call 1-800- Dr. Laura. No nonsense advice about relationships, marriage, kids, Tough love. It happened is not a phrase anybody uses when they take responsibility. Inspiration. Every time you go to bed with a negative thought, you have to match it up with a positive. That's your new rule, Dr. Laura. Weekdays at 2pm east on Sirius XM Triumph 123 and on the Sirius XM app. As people age, it's normal to ask what more they could be doing to take care of their health it's important to be proactive, especially when it comes to your brain health. Don't wait for something to feel off before taking action. Make your next checkup count. Ask your doctor about your risk factors for dementia and a cognitive assessment. Visit Brain Health Matters.com for more information and resources provided by Lily hi besties, It's Tinks.
[13:08]
B
If you need a little inspo, a little tough love, or just someone to tell you that everything is going to be okay, come hang out with me on my podcast. It's Me, Tanks. We talk dating, confidence, friendships, healing, leveling up, and all the things we're working on together. I share my frameworks, your questions, and yes, plenty of chaotic stories. New Episodes Episodes drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so whether you're on your Hot girl walk, commuting or hiding from your ex on Instagram, I've got you. Listen to It's Me Tanks. Wherever you get your podcasts.

Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: The Dr. Laura Podcast

Episode: A Statement of Fact vs. Defensive People Put More Meaning Onto That
Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Date: June 15, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Laura responds to a listener’s email questioning a previous comment she made about actor Russell Crowe’s weight gain. The core discussion revolves around the distinction between stating facts and how defensive individuals may assign additional meaning to those facts, particularly regarding sensitive topics like obesity. Dr. Laura uses this exchange as a springboard to discuss causes of obesity, accountability, and the importance of distinguishing between moral judgment and characteristics.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Responding to Listener Emails (00:40–05:00)

Dr. Laura discusses her process for reading and selecting listener emails, encouraging brevity for more effective communication.
- “If you want me to read yours, double space and keep it to a page. Edit yourself.” – Dr. Laura (02:10)
She reads an email from a licensed clinical social worker who took issue with her quip about Russell Crowe’s weight in a previous episode:
- “[You] used the Russell Crowe movie Cinderella Man to make a point, you added a quip. ‘This is a movie he made before he decided to get obese.’ Did you mean that comment as a fat shame jab, or did I misunderstand?” – Listener email (03:00)

2. Dr. Laura’s Intent and Elaboration (04:30–06:30)

Dr. Laura clarifies her intent:
- “You didn’t misunderstand, but it was not a fat shame jab. It was a statement of fact. Defensive people tend to put more meaning onto that… It was made before, let’s see, how did I say—he decided to get obese, because it’s a decision, basically.” (04:50)
She distinguishes between stating observable changes (e.g., weight gain) and assigning moral judgments:
- “Weight does not define a person’s characteristics. Yeah, it does. He’s obese. He’s fat. He wasn’t. Now he is. It doesn’t define their morals. Achievements, no. Talents, no. It’s just a characteristic.” (05:30)

3. The Morality of Self-Care (05:40–06:10)

Dr. Laura briefly considers whether neglecting physical health is a moral issue:
- “Abusing your body—is that a moral issue? Values? Oh yes. Value system of what’s healthy, what’s not—how to treat your body, show respect for your body, take care of your body. Yeah.” (05:45)

4. Scientific Perspectives on Obesity (09:34–11:00)

Dr. Laura reads her written response to the email, citing scientific data regarding obesity’s primary causes:
- “Scientific data highlights the following regarding obesity causes. One: the dominant factor is diet. Large-scale international nutritional studies indicate that up to 90% of gradual weight gain and rise in obesity is caused by chronic excess energy intake—overeating calories, period.” (09:40)
- “While lack of physical activity is a major contributing factor to overall health issues, energy expenditure is responsible for a much smaller percentage of global increases in obesity—about 10%.” (10:00)
- “Other contributing factors… genetics, underlying medical conditions… socioeconomic factors… That’s like less than 5%.” (10:20)
Her conclusion on the topic:
- “So I stand by what I said. Great actor made this movie before he permitted himself to get obese. That’s it. Stand by it.” (10:35)

5. Addressing Listeners and Call to Action (11:30–12:00)

Dr. Laura encourages listeners to call in with any issue, big or small.
- “My number for whatever you want to talk about with me doesn’t have to be huge. It can be a minuscule annoyance.” (11:40)
She also urges listeners to rate and share the podcast.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Reading Listener Emails:
- “If you really have too much information to put in that [email], you can either call the show at 1-800-375-2872 or think about the problem more and distill it down to what really matters. Edit yourself.” – Dr. Laura (02:30)
On Fact vs. Meaning:
- “Defensive people tend to put more meaning onto that. It’s shame, it’s bad, it’s terrible. It was a fact.” – Dr. Laura (04:55)
On Distinguishing Between Characteristics and Morals:
- “Weight does not define a person’s characteristics. Yeah, it does… It doesn’t define their morals.” – Dr. Laura (05:30)
On the Science of Obesity:
- “Large-scale international nutritional studies indicate that up to 90% of gradual weight gain and rise in obesity is caused by chronic excess energy intake—overeating calories, period.” – Dr. Laura (09:40)
On Accountability:
- “Great actor made this movie before he permitted himself to get obese. That’s it. Stand by it.” – Dr. Laura (10:35)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:40–02:30 – Dr. Laura explains her email policy and engagement with listeners
03:00–06:10 – Reading and addressing the email about her Russell Crowe comment
05:40–06:10 – The question of self-care, values, and morality
09:34–11:00 – Dr. Laura’s scientific clarification on obesity causes
11:30–12:00 – Listener call-to-action and podcast closing remarks

Tone and Style

Dr. Laura maintains her signature direct, no-nonsense, sometimes blunt tone throughout the episode—assertive, factual, and unapologetic in her opinions. She blends empathetic engagement with evidence-based argumentation, making clear distinctions between fact, opinion, and value judgments.

Summary Prepared For:
Listeners interested in Dr. Laura’s approach to challenging emails, her perspective on obesity and accountability, and the nuance between facts and perceived shaming. This episode provides a candid look at sensitive discussions and the importance of scientific literacy in public dialogs.

Loading summary

Transcript12 lines

[00:00]
A
Ladies, if you're in that phase where your body's just doing new things, sleep's weird, energy's weird, cravings also weird. You're not alone. It's totally normal. Menopause and perimenopause just means your body needs a little support. And sprouts makes that support easier so you can start feeling more like you. Tons of fresh organic produce for fiber, sprouts, protein and creatine to keep your muscles and bones strong and your energy up and stretch supplements that can help you manage mood shifts. So whether it's perimenopause, menopause or any other health journey, it's easier at sprouts Farmers Market. Here's some common sense advice. Your body needs support to function properly, including your vaginal health, and that includes maintaining a healthy PH balance. New Azo Vaginal Probiotic Mini Chews helps keep that healthy bacterial balance and that helps keep yeast and odor in check. It's great tasting, easy to take, and no pill means no water. That makes it simple to add to your daily routine. And simplicity is how good habits stick. Visit azoproducts.com for product details, usage instructions and safety information. Thank you for listening to my morning monologue brought to you by Golden Crest Metals. Helping everyday investors protect what they've worked so hard to build by adding gold and silver to retirement portfolios. Learn more@goldencrestmetals.com Protect Remember, you can hear my radio program daily on Sirius XM Triumph and connect with me 24 7@drlora.com okay, now one of the things that we're open to is your emails. Drlauractorlora.com I read them all. Actually, that's being amended. I no longer read them all if they're like two pages long, single spaced. I don't read them because they're 99.9% a situation that is so huge and over so much time and include so many people that there's really nothing useful. I realize I can say so I stopped reading those. So if you want me to read yours double space and keep it to a page, then I can get a sense. Okay. And if you really have too much information to put in that, well, you can either call the show at 1-800-375-2872 or think about the problem more and distill it down to what really matters. Edit yourself either. Which way? One of the emails I got yesterday I thought this is a good one to talk about on air as our open and this is from a licensed clinical social Worker. And I have a ton of respect for these folks. I recommend so often on the air that somebody get one of those to help with the family dynamic. Lcsw, licensed clinical social worker from Atlanta, Georgia. On the program where you used the Russell Crowe movie Cinderella man to make a point, you added a quip. This is a movie he made before he decided to get obese. Did you mean that comment as a fat shame jab or did I misunderstand? You didn't misunderstand, but it was not a fat shame jab. It was a statement of fact. Defensive people tend to put more meaning onto that. It's shame, it's bad, it's terrible. It was a fact. It was made before. Let's see. How did I say he decided to get obese? Because it's a decision, basically. You are a brilliant woman. Thank you. Whom I have listened to for many years. I don't always agree with your advice, but I always gain new vantage points that broaden my outlook on life issues. I hope my question about clarifying your intention was. Will provide an opportunity for you and your listeners to broaden your opinion of obesity. Let's just call it fat. There is an inaccuracy to causes of the condition. Then there is shaming attached to the people who have it. Weight. This is a very interesting sentence. Weight does not define a person's characteristics. Yeah, it does. He's obese. He's fat. He wasn't. Now he is. I didn't understand that. It defines a person's characteristic. It doesn't define their morals. How to think about that a little bit. Abusing your body. Is that a moral issue? Values. Oh, yes. Value system of what's healthy, what's not. How to treat your body. Show respect for your body. Take care of your body. Yeah. Achievements. No, he did a lot of great acting jobs. It doesn't detract from that. Is that he's not going to get leading man stuff anymore. I guess maybe that was a decision or talents. No, he's got terrific talents. There was a movie, it might have been his first. And his hair was red in this movie. And it was 30, 40 years ago. And he played. He was. I don't know how to describe it because I'm not computer brilliant. But he was in the computer and he was constructed by the computer. And I remember seeing that movie a million years ago. And I went on air and I was only local in Los Angeles time. And I said this guy is going to be a great actor. I was right. Okay, please clarify why you made that comment, which had nothing to do with the point you were making about the significance of the movie. You're right, it had nothing to do with it. So what? Okay. Still a loyal listener. Thank you. I love you back. And so I actually, because she's a colleague, she's a licensed clinical social worker. I'm a marriage and family and child therapist. So I wrote back to her. So I'm just going to read what I wrote back. As people age, it's normal to ask what more they could be doing to take care of their health. It's important to be proactive, especially when it comes to your brain health. Don't wait for something to feel off before taking action. Make your next checkup count. Ask your doctor about your risk factors for dementia and a cognitive assessment. Visit brainhealthmatters.com for more information and resources provided by Lilly Life doesn't have to be so complicated. Walmart helps you simplify. They're your one stop shop for daily essentials like groceries, snacks, school supplies and and thanks to Walmart Pharmacy, you can count on them for your prescription needs too. Use the Walmart app to easily manage your family's medications and save time by getting prescriptions delivered right to your door. Switch your prescriptions to Walmart Pharmacy delivery not available for all prescriptions and exclusions apply confidence. It's listening to your gut.
[07:56]
B
It's moving forward even when the path ahead is unclear. For nearly 160 years, Pacific Life has
[08:03]
A
helped people keep their promises, building confidence for generations.
[08:07]
B
Whether you're confident in your financial future
[08:09]
A
or just beginning to envision it, we're here to help.
[08:13]
B
Ask a financial professional how Pacific Life the Power of a Promise Pacific Life
[08:18]
A
Insurance Co. Omaha, Nebraska and in New
[08:20]
B
York, Pacific Life and Annuity, Phoenix, Arizona.
[08:22]
A
Here's some common sense advice. Your body needs support to function properly, including your vaginal health, and that includes maintaining a healthy PH balance. New Azo Vaginal Probiotic Mini Chews helps keep that healthy bacterial balance and that helps keep yeast and odor in check. It's great tasting, easy to take, and no pill means no water. That makes it simple to add to your daily routine, and simplicity is how good habits stick. Visit eizoproducts.com for product details, usage instructions and safety information.
[09:01]
C
My name is Shannon Maldonado. I'm the founder of yowie, a gift shop. From the lens of artists and handmade objects, I chose Shopify because when I was testing other platforms it was definitely one of the most user friendly. It was important to me to think about where we would be in the future. All of the tools for reading your sales, like planning inventory, they're just right there on your dashboard. For anyone starting a small business, the biggest thing I can tell you, it doesn't have to be perfect. Shopify can help you build upon it. Start your free trial on shopify.com.
[09:34]
A
I wrote back. Thank you very much for taking the time to write to me about your opinion and concern about what I said. Scientific data highlights the following regarding obesity causes one the dominant factor is diet. Large scale international nutritional studies indicate that up to 90% of gradual weight gain and rise in obesity is caused by chronic excess energy intake, overeating calories, period. That's 90%. So my statement is fine. Number two, the secondary factor is activity, while lack of physical While lack of physical activity is a major contributing factor to overall health issues, energy expenditure is responsible for a much smaller percentage of global increases in obesity, which is about 10%. Other contributing factors, which almost 90 almost 10 very small percentage is the remaining drivers of obesity are often outside an individual's immediate control. Genetics, underlying medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, medication side effects, socioeconomic factors, and the rest of the stuff people pull out of a hat. That's like less than 5%. So I stand by what I said. Great actor made this movie before he permitted himself to get obese. That's it. Stand by it. Okay. That's global. It's not even like stats from Brooklyn. That's global. Okay. All righty. My number for whatever you want to talk about today with me doesn't have to be huge. It can be a minuscule annoyance. My number 1-800-375-2872. If you like this podcast, be sure to rate it on Apple podcasts or your favorite place to listen to my podcast. Of course. I'd love if you gave me five stars. And be sure to share this podcast with a friend on Facebook or your preferred social media platform. Sirius XM Triumph Is life presenting you with challenges? Get real answers with Dr. Laurel. Call 1-800- Dr. Laura. No nonsense advice about relationships, marriage, kids, Tough love. It happened is not a phrase anybody uses when they take responsibility. Inspiration. Every time you go to bed with a negative thought, you have to match it up with a positive. That's your new rule, Dr. Laura. Weekdays at 2pm east on Sirius XM Triumph 123 and on the Sirius XM app. As people age, it's normal to ask what more they could be doing to take care of their health it's important to be proactive, especially when it comes to your brain health. Don't wait for something to feel off before taking action. Make your next checkup count. Ask your doctor about your risk factors for dementia and a cognitive assessment. Visit Brain Health Matters.com for more information and resources provided by Lily hi besties, It's Tinks.
[13:08]
B
If you need a little inspo, a little tough love, or just someone to tell you that everything is going to be okay, come hang out with me on my podcast. It's Me, Tanks. We talk dating, confidence, friendships, healing, leveling up, and all the things we're working on together. I share my frameworks, your questions, and yes, plenty of chaotic stories. New Episodes Episodes drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so whether you're on your Hot girl walk, commuting or hiding from your ex on Instagram, I've got you. Listen to It's Me Tanks. Wherever you get your podcasts.