Last Call

Summary

Lovett or Leave It - Episode: Last Call

Host: Crooked Media
Host/Author: Jon Lovett
Guests: Ricky Lake, Zach Zucker, Vice President Kamala Harris

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1. Introduction

The episode, titled "Last Call," kicks off with Ricky Lake humorously setting the Halloween-themed stage, acknowledging the proximity to the election and the show's recording on Halloween. The hosts emphasize the importance of the upcoming election, highlighting the critical decisions voters face in the final days.

Ricky Lake [00:41]: "We are recording on Halloween and while my producer said I should spook up the show, I think me talking on this stage five days out from the election and four months out of therapy is more than enough."

2. Election Dynamics and Healthcare Reform

The discussion centers on Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign strategies aimed at appealing to undecided voters in seven swing states. Concurrently, Donald Trump and his allies are aggressively outlining the negative impacts of a potential second term, particularly focusing on dismantling the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Ricky Lake [02:30]: "Kamala Harris has been closing with a hopeful and unifying message meant to convince the last remaining undecided voters in seven swing states to break her way."

The conversation delves into House Speaker Mike Johnson's promises to repeal Obamacare, with sarcastic suggestions about the feasibility of such reforms.

Ricky Lake [04:15]: "What if instead of coverage for preexisting conditions, you could transfer Delta SkyMiles to a health savings account?"

3. RFK Jr. and Vaccine Skepticism

A significant portion of the episode critiques Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s influence within the Trump campaign, particularly his stance on vaccines. The hosts highlight the dangers of his rhetoric, citing past public health crises exacerbated by anti-vaccine sentiments.

Ricky Lake [06:23]: "RFK Jr. Personally stoked the anti-vaccine fervor that helped produce an outbreak of measles and Samoa that kill killed 83 people."

4. Gender and Voting Patterns

The hosts explore the dynamics of women's voting behaviors, noting that 54% of ballots cast so far are from women. They discuss conservative backlash against women's voting autonomy, referencing specific ads and statements by Republican figures like Charlie Kirk.

Ricky Lake [12:24]: "This wife is wearing the American hat. She's coming in with her sweet husband who probably works his tail off to make sure that she can go and have a nice life and provide to the family and then she lies to him saying, I'm gonna vote for Trump."

5. Trump's Campaign Events and Statements

Trump's unconventional campaign antics, such as attempting to climb into a garbage truck and his bizarre statements, are scrutinized. The hosts mock these actions, questioning their effectiveness and highlighting the absurdity.

Ricky Lake [14:26]: "Trump at a rally in North Carolina reminded everyone just how much he cares about women. And my people told me about four weeks ago, I was saying, no, I want to protect the people. I want to protect the women of our country."

6. Kamala Harris's Campaign Strategies

Vice President Harris's campaign tactics are examined, including her large-scale rallies and strategic endorsements from figures like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Her messages emphasize unity and contrast sharply with Trump's divisive rhetoric.

Kamala Harris [19:26]: "Unlike Donald Trump, I don't believe people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put them in jail. I'll give them a seat at the table."

7. Pop Culture References and Humor

The episode weaves in various pop culture elements, including mentions of celebrities like Timothée Chalamet, Olivia Rodrigo, and humorous anecdotes about everyday situations. These segments provide comic relief amidst the intense political discourse.

Ricky Lake [36:50]: "Police eventually shut down the event, leading one Timothy away in cuffs after the sheer volume of Chalamet's turned the contest into, as one organizer put it, pandemonium."

8. Audience Engagement and Final Messages

In a lighthearted segment called "Come Along," the hosts and Vice President Harris rank the week's political moments on a scale from one to five, blending humor with critical commentary. The episode concludes with motivational messages urging listeners to engage actively in the election process.

Ricky Lake [63:57]: "This is our last chance. I'm only gonna do that three more times."

Notable Quotes

• Ricky Lake [06:44]: "No, vaccines do not cause autism."
• Kamala Harris [19:48]: "That is not who we are."
• Ricky Lake [39:07]: "If you are hearing this and if you know someone in your life who is on the fence about voting for Kamala, make sure they understand just how scary this is."

Conclusion

"Last Call" adeptly balances humor with serious political analysis, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the current election landscape. Through sharp wit and insightful commentary, the hosts encourage active voter participation while dissecting the strategies and pitfalls of both major campaigns.

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Episode Highlights:

• Healthcare Reform: Focus on repealing the ACA and its potential fallout.
• Vaccine Skepticism: Critique of RFK Jr.'s influence and the dangers of anti-vaccine rhetoric.
• Women's Voting Power: Exploration of women's dominant role in early voting and conservative backlash.
• Trump's Campaign Tactics: Mockery of Trump's unconventional and often absurd campaign actions.
• Harris's Strategy: Examination of Kamala Harris's unifying messages and strategic endorsements.
• Pop Culture Infusion: Use of celebrity mentions and humor to engage listeners.
• Engagement Segments: Interactive games and audience participation to maintain listener interest.

This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions of the "Last Call" episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened.

Transcript

[John Lovett]

The kind of burgers you get today tells you a lot about yourself. You're either someone who settles for sad same old same old burgers or you're Edit Carl's Jr obsessed with a tangy OG Western bacon cheeseburger demanding a house made guacamole, loaded guac bacon fired up for the insanely hot El Diablo or craving a classic Charbold Famous star. Give in to your flavored cravings. Do your mouth to Carl's Jr Big Burger good Burger.

[Ricky Lake]

Hello Los Angeles. We are joined today by a very special guest, the first boot of season 47 of Survivor. That is Pundit's costume. Welcome to Love it or Leave It. We are recording on Halloween and while my producer said I should spook up the show, I think me talking on this stage five days out from the election and four months out of therapy is more than enough. Also go Dodgers. Tonight on the show, Vice President Harris grooves to the rhythm of the fright. Ricky Lake gets the hots for menopausal women and Zach Zucker puts a smile on my still looks 30 faces. Then we all spin the wheel and come up with our own ghost protocol. You stay up here, but first, let's get into it. What a week. With polls closing in roughly 100 hours. That's right. Kamala Harris has been closing with a hopeful and unifying message meant to convince the last remaining undecided voters in seven swing states to break her way. Meanwhile, Trump and his allies are helpfully laying out in vivid detail just how destructive a second term would be be. That started with Obamacare. With House Speaker Mike Johnson promising to dismantle the Affordable Care act on Wednesday, there's a lot of talk. I mean, healthcare reform is going to be a big part of the agenda. No Obamacare, no Obamacare. The ACA is so deeply ingrained. We need massive reform to make this work. And we got a lot of ideas on how to do that. We got a lot of ideas. A big list of ideas. What if instead of coverage for preexisting conditions, you could transfer Delta SkyMiles to a health savings account? What if instead of lowering the Medicare eligibility to 55, we raised the Medicare Medicare eligibility to whatever age gets you a shout out from Smuckers. What if we replace subsidies for entrepreneurs and the self employed with hear me out nothing? Kamala Harris highlighted Johnson's comments in a press conference, which led to Trump issuing what may be one of the most brazen lies he's ever told, which is saying something, claiming it was a lie that he wants to end the Affordable Care act, saying, I never mentioned doing that. I never even thought about such a thing. Now here is a montage of Trump saying he is going to repeal Obamacare dozens of times. Wait, we're a podcast. And I'm not gonna ask somebody to produce that montage when you all fucking know how. He said it a million times. Picture it in your mind. Donald Trump campaigned on repeal in 2016, Trump had such a hard on for repealing the Affordable Care act, he did a fake signing ceremony when repeal passed the House. Here's a picture. Trump signed an executive order saying, it is the policy of my administration to seek the prompt repeal of the Affordable Care Act. The Trump administration also asked the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care act. And his administration tried to sabotage Obamacare from the inside, including drastically cutting outreach during enrollment periods. But it wasn't just the tens of millions of Americans who rely on the protections of the Affordable Care act threatened by a second Trump term. This week, Elon Musk acknowledged that electing Donald Trump would tank the economy, admitting that tariffs, mass deportations, and Elon's pledge to cut $2 trillion from the bud would cause what he described as temporary hardship, agreeing there might even be a huge financial panic. Rockets, cars, social media platforms, economies. What can't this guy crash? He is truly our da Vinci of dog shit. And as reported by the Washington Post, which we should all still be subscribed to, according to a report by the Washington Post, corporations are already planning to raise prices next year on, quote, a range of items, including clothing, footwear, baby products, auto parts and hardware, promising to pass along the cost of tariffs to American consumers. People loved paying more for everything when a global pandemic disrupted the supply chain. And they're gonna love it even more when it's for no fucking reason. So we have dismantling the Affordable Care Act. We have higher costs and economic chaos because of tariffs and mass deportations. But wait, there's more. On Monday, Trump supporter and dangerous crank Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Claimed that Trump promised to give him control of the Department of Agriculture and the entirety of the Department of Health and Human Services. This echoes what Trump told his supporters at Madison Square Garden. I'm going to let him go wild on health. I'm going to let him go wild on the food. I'm going to let him go wild on medicines. And don't worry, RFK Jr has big plans for food and medicine. The key that I think, you know, that President Trump has promised me is control of the public health agencies, which are HHS and its sub agencies, cdc, fda, NIH and a few others and then also the usda. So there's already reporting that because they don't know that RFK Jr could be confirmed by the Senate because he is a crank dilettante, they will make him some kind of a White House czar overseeing those departments. RFK Jr. Personally stoked the anti vaccine fervor that helped produce an outbreak of measles and Samoa that kill killed 83 people. A catastrophe from which he learned nothing. If Trump wins, this could be as dangerous as any decision Trump makes. Trump transition. Co chair Howard Ludnick went on CNN and said he talked to RFK Jr. For two and a half hours this week and now is convinced vaccines aren't safe.

[John Lovett]

So I spent two and a half.

[Ricky Lake]

Hours this week with Bobby Kennedy Jr. And what he explained was when he was born we had three vaccines and autism was one in 10,000. Now a baby is born with 76 vaccines. RFK Jr is a vaccine skeptic. He pushes lies about vaccines and I don't even think if we're. Why do you think he pushes lies?

[John Lovett]

Why?

[Ricky Lake]

You said, you said I'm not a scientist and you aren't. So he just wants scientists say he pushes lies. He says if you give me the data, all I want is the data and I'll take on the data and show that it's not safe. And then if you pull the product liability, the companies will yank these vaccines right off off of the market. So ever wonder why kids are so much smaller than adults? That's the vaccines. It's time to admit that RFK Jr. Has a secret charisma that we do not understand. He turns a Trump advisor anti vax in one conversation. Sheryl Hines has been married to this guy for a decade. Does this man smell incredible. What's happening? Anyway, if crashing the economy wasn't enough, if dismantling the healthcare system wasn't enough, if controlling women's bodies wasn't enough, we can now add mumps, measles, polio and whooping cough to the mist. And these aren't just dangerous and stupid ideas. These are deeply unpopular ideas because most parents are in cranks and most parents do not want to worry when their kids go to school that their kids will be exposed to dangerous, deadly, preventable illnesses. And if you are hearing this and if you know someone in your life who is on the fence about voting for Kamala, make sure they understand just how scary this is. No, vaccines do not cause autism. And if they did, that's how we're gonna get high speed. TR and by the way, RFK Jr is not a blip here. It's not a sudden emergence of anti vax bullshit in the Trump administration or in the Trump campaign. Trump himself has already promised to get rid of vaccine mandates in the schools. And he is purposely not saying Covid. He is purposely saying vaccines writ large, leaving it open to interpretation. So right now, what is Trump promising? He's promising a some kind of a hell czar who will possibly revoke safe, effective vaccines. A miracle that made the modern world fucking possible. One of the greatest achievements in human history gone. He is saying he's going to get rid of the Department of Education, he is going to get rid of vaccine mandates, and he's gonna cut education funding in half. These are toxic positions. The Trump campaign as an organization, if it has one function, its function is to obfuscate and create enough noise to make the American people unaware of the choice in this election. The Harris Walls campaign, their fundamental task is to make those stakes clear. And because they have bought their own bullshit, their own misreading of early vote, their fake polls, their lies about election thieving, they are now convinced themselves that they are now free in these last few days to let the mask slip and tell us what they're going to do. But there are people right now in your life, there are friends of friends who are not aware of just how serious this is. They are imagining a Trump administration like the first Trump administration. Now, that was terrible, that was awful. But it was still an administration in which it was staffed by the kind of Republican institutionalists that prevented Trump's worst excesses. Those people are gone. It's RFK juniors all the way down now. And there are people in your life that don't understand that. And I genuinely believe that if over the next three to four days when you're hearing this, enough of us beseech the people we know kindly, warmly, without judgment to explain why we feel so deeply about this, why we are scared and we want them to vote with us if they are not sure, to ask them to trust us, to believe us when we tell them that we are worried for the future of this country and to stand with us this one time. If we can do that, I think we will win. But not enough people right now understand how dangerous it is. We talk all the time. We talk all the time. How is it possible? How is it possible? Why is it so close? Why is it so close? Because not enough people know there's a lot of reasons for that. There's a lot of very frustrating, long lasting reasons for that. But if they know, they'd be with us. That is a reason to be frustrated, but it is a reason to be hopeful. So if you're hearing this on Saturday, you have this whole weekend to reach out to people, to make calls, to knock on doors. You have Monday to reach out to people, to make calls, to knock on doors, to get this in front of the people in your life. This is our last chance. I'm only gonna do that three more times. Ton. Okay. And finally, here in the home stretch, Republican men are also letting the mask slip when it comes to their thoughts on women and their various opinions. This follows reports that women are dominating early votes so far with 54% of ballots cast coming from women, compared to 44% for men. It's like, it's like they always say women do come earlier than men. Nope, I don't think something like that. I don't know. Not really my culture. There was also this ad voiced by Julia Roberts that sent conservatives into a tailspin. Your turn, honey. In the one place in America where women still have a right to choose, you can vote any way you want and no one will ever know. And I'd point out this echoes what Liz Cheney said reminding Republicans that the ballot is a secret ballot. And reports out of Pennsylvania of women stick taking post it notes in women's restrooms saying the same. Meanwhile, in men's restrooms, little drops of piss everywhere. Not sure which campaign is behind that. I'm not sure how organized it is. Charlie Kirk ranted to Megyn Kelly that this is encouraging women to undermine their husbands, which he says is the embodiment of the downfall of the American family.

[John Lovett]

This wife is wearing the. You'll show it. They're wearing the American hat. She's coming in with her sweet husband who probably works his tail off to make sure that she can go and have a nice life and provide to the family. And then she lies to him saying, I'm gonna vote for Trump. And then she votes for Kamala Harris as her little secret in the voting booth.

[Ricky Lake]

Isn't it interesting that the husband isn't undermining her? Hmm. I wonder why that is. A woman voting against her husband's wishes. What's next? A woman having her own credit card? After all, a wife isn't a person. A wife is a husband expansion pack whose personal opinions end at color of Stanley Cup. That's something you get to choose. You should be grateful they come in all so Many colors. And if you want an Oala, you can switch the caps of the target. You don't go to jail and you should be happy. It's a nice life. Find out what happened in the world when your husband gets home. Sipping on your Stanley cup in a mauve. Fox News. Jesse Waters had this to say about conservative women secretly voting for Kamala. And if I found out Emma was.

[John Lovett]

Going into the voting booth and pulling.

[Ricky Lake]

The lever for Harris, that's the same thing as having an affair. That to me.

[John Lovett]

He let him finish.

[Ricky Lake]

Good one, Jesse said his ex wife, not one to miss all the fun. Trump at a rally in North Carolina reminded everyone just how much he cares about women. And my people told me about four weeks ago, I was saying, no, I want to protect the people. I want to protect the women of our country. I want to protect the women. Sir, please don't say that. Why? They said, sir, I just think it's inappropriate for you to say, pay these guys a lot of money. Can you believe it? I said, well, I'm going to do it whether the women like it or not. Yeah, we know, man. Several juries came to the same conclusion. And then you have JD Vance on Rogan in this darling exchange.

[John Lovett]

Roe v. Wade always been the law of the land.

[Ricky Lake]

And then all of a sudden that was taken away and you have these religious men who are trying to dictate what women can and can't do with their bodies. Yeah, yeah.

[John Lovett]

No, look, I mean, again, I understand that. I understand the pushback against that, but.

[Ricky Lake]

I think you can go like with.

[John Lovett]

So many other issues, you can go way too far about it. And it becomes trying to celebrate something that at the very best, if you grant, I think every argument of the pro choice side, it is a neutral thing, not something to be celebrating.

[Ricky Lake]

I think there's very few people that are celebrating. Joe Rogan, welcome to the resistance. In that same interview, Vance also made this odd prediction.

[John Lovett]

I wouldn't be surprised if me and Trump won just the normal gay guy.

[Ricky Lake]

Vote because again, they just wanted to.

[John Lovett]

Be left the hell alone.

[Ricky Lake]

You may ask yourself, who is the normal gay guy? Just spitballing, but I think he's referring to gay men who have stayed current with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sorry, sorry, producer Chris. Well, I actually, I do want to talk about what that is, and that is a rich text and I want to be careful with how I say what I'm about to say, which is just there are little gay boys who emerge from the closet fully formed, comfortable or more comfortable with themselves. And their gayness. But there are many others for whom there are gay guys who have to shed some homophobia that they have internalized throughout their closeted years. And it can manifest in a lot of ways, one of which is, oh, like, I'm a gay guy, but I'm not like those pride parade gay guys. I'm just like a normal guy. I'm a normal. That's too much for me. It's all too much for me. And maybe that is who you are, right? You're not somebody who is flamboyant. You don't ascribe to all these other qualities that are associated with being gay. But you also have a kind of slight revulsion towards them because of a certain amount of internalized hatred. And over time, I think a lot of gay people come to learn that that's something that they were doing, kind of coming out as a process that takes not just a conversation, but decades to kind of fully be comfortable with who you are. And it is just so interesting to see someone like JD Vance so capture that idea. So clearly there's a lie in there. There's a lie in his eyes, infects everything he does. You're gonna be the best boy, aren't you, J.D. vance? You're gonna grow up and you're gonna be the best one and you're gonna show all of them, aren't you? You go all the way. Anyway, the culmination of all of this was, of course, Trump himself delivering a powerful closing message of his own in North Carolina. I'm not Hitler, okay? And it's true, Hitler could paint. It was a message Trump also hammered home at a Georgia rally earlier in the week when he said, I am the opposite of a Nazi. So that would make him a negative Nazi. Which would mean Trump times a Nazi is negative Nazi squared. But then the square root of Trump times a Nazi is the square root of negative Nazi squared, which is simply a Nazi times I, which would mean we are now on the complex Nazi plane, which is, in a sense, where we started. Was that for anyone? No. All right. Also this week, Trump bit it trying to climb into a Trump branded garbage truck in Wisconsin. Afterward, Trump sat in the passenger seat of the garbage truck as it drove circles around an empty airport tarmac.

[John Lovett]

Or.

[Ricky Lake]

As the Trump campaign puts it, trying to get Donald down for a nap. Later at the rally in Green Bay, Donald Trump reminisced about getting into the garbage truck. So look, so the stair, the first stair is like, up here, I'm saying, shit. So. So I Had the adrenaline going and I made it. We're lucky he's too broken to be self deprecating more, because that works. That was, that was, that was endearing. Don't show anybody that. Just send him the vaccine stuff. Anyway. It sounds like somebody had a really big day and did they let you honk the horn, too? All right, so that's how Trump is finishing strong. And in the other corner, we have Kamala Harris, who gave an address at the Ellipse in Washington with more than 75,000 people in attendance. Kamala sure can draw a crowd. She can draw a clock, too. Draws all the important stuff. Harris contrasted herself with Trump from the very spot where he incited the January 6th attack.

[Kamala Harris]

This is someone who is unstable, obsessed.

[Zach Zucker]

With revenge, consumed with grievance, and out for unchecked power.

[Kamala Harris]

Donald Trump has spent a decade trying to keep the American people divided and.

[Zach Zucker]

Afraid of each other.

[Kamala Harris]

That is who he is. But America, I am here tonight to.

[Ricky Lake]

Say that is not who we are.

[Kamala Harris]

That is not who we are.

[Ricky Lake]

Now let's go storm the Capitol. All right. Harris emphasized the darkness of Trump's comments about the enemy from within and offered an alternative.

[Kamala Harris]

Unlike Donald Trump, I don't believe people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put them in jail. I'll give them a seat at the table.

[Ricky Lake]

You'll be sitting by the speakers and next to Joe Biden. But it's, but it's at the table. You know, sometimes you'll be at a wedding and it's like, there's the tent at the wedding and then they needed a couple more tables. There's another little tent, like, attached to the main tent. And you know, it's office people. It's former colleagues and second cousins in there. The Harris campaign also launched the first ever political ad on the Las Vegas sphere, which will run through election Day.

[John Lovett]

Freedom, freedom.

[Ricky Lake]

I came over. Freedom, freedom, freedom. Where are you? Just what a USC frat bro wants to see at 4am coming out of a strip club on the worst cocaine come down of his life. A 400 foot prosecutor. Kamala also added to her support a few Republican leaders with a shred of dignity and patriotism left in their bodies, including former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. I believe we actually have a clip of Harris securing that endorsement. Son of a bitch. By the way, I didn't know until seeing that clip that that's where the meme comes from. So cool. Schwarzenegger explained that while he still considers himself a Republican, he must do what the sphere commands wrote Schwarzenegger on Twitter. I will always be an American before I am a Republican. That is why this week I am voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. I'm sharing it with all of you because I think there are a lot of you who feel like I do. You don't recognize our country and you are right to be furious. Added Arnold, I also believe in a woman's right to hasta la vista their bab. Sorry, sorry. We're doing the best we can here. Joe Biden is also helping. He decided to enter the fray with this comment on Puerto Rico. They're good, decent, honorable people. The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization was seen as unconscionable and it's un American. Still got it. As Republicans pretended to be outraged by this, Vice President Harris addressed the comment to the press on Wednesday.

[Zach Zucker]

I strongly disagree with any criticism of.

[Ricky Lake]

People based on who they vote for. Then Kamala walked into the Oval Office with a special ice cream cone just for Joe Biden laced with enough Benadryl to keep him down till Wednesday. So one Benadryl As Kamala attempts to inspire people to vote while relying on millions of volunteers to talk to their friends and neighbors, the Trump campaign has outsourced its field operation to Elon Musk. And wouldn't you know it, news broke this week that paid canvassers and door knockers who were hired by a subcontractor for Elon Musk's America PAC were driven around Michigan in the back of a seatless U Haul and told their motel rooms wouldn't be paid for if they didn't meet unrealistic canvassing quotas, said an America backed spokesperson. These canvassers were treated the way Elon Musk would treat his own children. In a good way. I mean, the ones he likes. Let me start over. One canvasser said they had no idea they were signing up to knock doors in support of Trump when they signed up until after signing an NDA. I thought we were just gonna get murdered. Fuck that. I'm not doing this. And these are really the best messengers in the final days of an election. People who have been hoodwinked and jolted around the back of a U Haul and are only there for the money. These are the people who voters want to hear from. I'd say, listen, the second I saw this that Elon Musk was putting together a slap dash last minute field organization with paid canvas, I was like, fucking great. Great. Finding out when you're handed the fucking clipboard that you're canvassing for Donald Trump. He thinks it'll be a persuasive conversation people are gonna have at the doors compared to a fucking middle aged wine mom from Ohio who drove all the way to Michigan to knock on doors because she hasn't been able to unclench her fucking asshole since 2016. Speaking of people who have had a rough ride, three NASA astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut finally returned to Earth from the International Space Station two months after their scheduled departure. The two astronauts are now safely back at Cape Carnaveral. While the cosmonaut was returned to the Ukrainian front, Timothee Chalamet made a surprise appearance at this week's Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest in Washington Square park in the Village. I was also there. You probably didn't realize it because I fit in so well. Police eventually shut down the event, leading one Timothy away in cuffs after the sheer volume of Chalamet's turned the contest into, as one organizer put it, pandemonium. We'll all remember where we were when we first heard about the Tims erection. Police said they would have been able to get the mayhem under control sooner, but the handcuffs kept slipping off their wrists. They're men, but they're so beautiful, said one arresting police officer. But they're men. I gotta go. I gotta go home and fuck my wife. On the Tonight Show, Olivia Rodrigo reminisced about knowing Chapel Roan way back when. I love her.

[John Lovett]

I mean, I used to go visit.

[Ricky Lake]

Her when she worked at a donut.

[John Lovett]

Shop before she got signed, before she.

[Ricky Lake]

Put out any of her music. I used to like go and like, eat donuts with her and hang out. And so I'm just, I'm so happy for her. Is that fun? Chapel Roan issued this response. That's nice of you to stay, Olivia. Nice of you to stay, but it's a long time ago. You might not, you might not. You might not have heard, Olivia. I don't work at that donut shop anymore. Been a long time. They moved me to a bigger stage at Lollapalooza. I know you're just breaking my balls, but that's a long. And finally, a leading cheese retailer in London announced last week that someone had stolen 950 wheels of artisanal cheddar's, more than 24 tons of cheese, worth more than $389,000. The suspect remains at large. Oh, I'm sorry. The suspect remains dead next to a toilet. Up next, Vice President Harris is in for a Trick and Trick.

[John Lovett]

Hey, don't go anywhere. There's more of Love it or Leave it coming up.

[Ricky Lake]

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[Kamala Harris]

Wow. Hi. Wow.

[Ricky Lake]

Hi, Kamala. Hello, Madam Vice President.

[Kamala Harris]

Did you hear my party back there? Yeah, I'm too bootylicious for the tables.

[Ricky Lake]

Hi, honey. Go up there? Yeah. There you go. Aw.

[Kamala Harris]

Photo op.

[Ricky Lake]

So, Veep.

[Kamala Harris]

What?

[Ricky Lake]

How are you holding up?

[Kamala Harris]

Oh, you know, I don't sleep, so, you know, we're really getting into the vampire spirit. Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

Madam Vice President, it's been impossible to keep up with the avalanche of scream inducing moments from this week in the news. Every time I open what was once known as Twitter but is now called X, it's like opening up the barbecue pit in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I'm scared. And yet my mouth waters for more. Which is why we're going to have you rank the following terrifying moments of the week in a segment we're calling Come along.

[Kamala Harris]

What the hell? What is this graphic? Oh, my God.

[Ricky Lake]

Oh, I think it's you and I.

[Kamala Harris]

That's not me.

[Ricky Lake]

I suppose that's Allison, but that's you and me and a comedian. And then Donald Trump and Joe Biden eating a baby.

[Kamala Harris]

Joe Biden eating a baby. That's crazy.

[Ricky Lake]

So you have to rank the following moments on a scale from one to five. Hmm. Goblins.

[Kamala Harris]

Ooh.

[Ricky Lake]

I've decided.

[Kamala Harris]

Okay, so one to five. Mitch McConnells. Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

One to five McConnells. And we're choosing McConnell because McConnell is one of the only living people to have spent so much time in the space between life and death. When he freezes, it's just him and Jimmy. There's literally nothing sad about the fact that Jimmy Carter will die. Nothing. He is 100 years old. He lived an amazing life. He's going out the way he wanted to.

[Kamala Harris]

In Georgia.

[Ricky Lake]

In Georgia, he voted for Kamala. He voted for you.

[Kamala Harris]

Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

All right. Mike Johnson said Trump is going to get rid of Obamacare. On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Trump would enact massive reforms of health coverage, including his exact words, no more Obamacare. Though it was funny the way he says it. It was very veep esque, because he was like, no more Obamacare. No more Obamacare. Like, it was confusing. But what isn't confusing is that he's terrible. So how many from one to five? How many goblins? How many Mitch McConnells? How many McConnells?

[Kamala Harris]

How many Mitch McConnells for them saying they're gonna get rid of Obamacare? I mean, I'm gonna say four. Okay. Just because I know I'm gonna need some room for later. Right.

[Ricky Lake]

Smart.

[Kamala Harris]

Thank you. I think, Yeah, I think this is about a 4 on the Mitch McConnell Goblin Scale. Because, yeah, he can say all that. He does have a position of power, but hopefully there are other things in check.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah. One would hope.

[Kamala Harris]

Check his ass.

[Ricky Lake]

Hope he win the fucking House. I'm much more scared about the fact that Donald Trump said that he and Mike Johnson have a little secret. Don't we, Mikey?

[Kamala Harris]

What? Do they kiss? What is this?

[Ricky Lake]

I wish. Well, they didn't elaborate, but it's dry. It could be in any.

[Kamala Harris]

They went and it was. Ugh.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah, that's right. That's right. It wasn't the sexy kiss we had hoped for.

[Kamala Harris]

No. Not wet at all.

[Ricky Lake]

But if it is. If. The secret is that Mike Johnson would in some way try to fuck with the certification of the election.

[Kamala Harris]

Mike Johnson. Fucking anything is terrifying.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah. No. What's that app called? Private Eyes. What was it called? Covenant. Covenant Eyes. Covenant Eyes. Covenant Eyes.

[Kamala Harris]

What the fuck apps are y'all into? What is that?

[Ricky Lake]

Well, it's what he's into. It's his app to make sure he doesn't do anything tawdry on his phone, and so his son doesn't do anything tawdry on his son's phone, and so they keep an eye on each other and make sure there's no illicit web browsing.

[Kamala Harris]

What?

[Ricky Lake]

That they have an app on their phone. Mike Johnson and his son.

[Kamala Harris]

Yeah. No, I don't like that. I think, hey, I'm Kamala Harris. I think that's bad and weird.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah. The point being, we don't want Mike Johnson to be able to get rid of a care. And we don't want Mike Johnson in charge of certifying the vote. And the House, if we win the House that is certified on January 3, a few days before the certification of the Electoral college. So if you are in the Los Angeles area and you're not going to a swing state, There are swing districts within driving distance. There are swing districts within driving distance of New York. That is where the House will be won and lost. I would like to have a Jeffries holding that gavel. Next up, on Wednesday, after his Puerto Rico faux pas set off a whirlwind conservative news cycle, President Biden hosted families for the White House Halloween party. And, well, he. He bit some babies. Okay, now for people listening, that's a baby dressed as a chicken.

[Kamala Harris]

So it's kind of cute to jaw unhinged. This is crazy. I have been busy. I haven't seen this.

[Ricky Lake]

You know what's interesting about this? You know what's interesting about this?

[Kamala Harris]

Ew.

[Ricky Lake]

When I. When sunset. Oh, Joe Biden playfully bit a baby. I pictured like, kind of like, you know, like a ma. Ma like that. Kind of like. You like kind of gum.

[Kamala Harris]

No, the veneers, they too big.

[Ricky Lake]

No, he just. It's fucking.

[Kamala Harris]

Have you seen his veneer? They gotta call it something else. His veneers are so big.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah.

[Kamala Harris]

Biting babies. What the hell?

[Ricky Lake]

One to five McConnells.

[Kamala Harris]

Oh, God.

[Ricky Lake]

I don't find this particularly scary.

[Kamala Harris]

This isn't scary. It is.

[Ricky Lake]

It's just old man stuff.

[Kamala Harris]

Yeah. Yeah. I'll give it a three, McConnell. But also. Nevermind.

[Ricky Lake]

You think two. The audience is mad at you for three.

[Kamala Harris]

You're mad at me for three. You think one, fine. Whatever that bitch said is one. Excuse me. I'm sorry. This motherfucker. Are you dressed like Elton John? Nice.

[Ricky Lake]

Oh, yeah. What are people wearing? Oh, my God. You're here on Halloween. People are in costumes that even interrogate.

[Kamala Harris]

That one's cute.

[Ricky Lake]

I walk to the front of the. This is how you know, by the way, listen, I've never been diagnosed with really anything, but let's just say I'm vaccinated. And the Cause. I can walk to the front of the stage, have a whole conversation with all of you, never even occurs to me to know. Notice that you're in a full. What Are you. Are you a horse? You're a unicorn. There's a full unicorn sitting in the front row. And I walk to the front of the stage to do crowd work, and I'm like, how is everybody doing?

[Kamala Harris]

Wow.

[Ricky Lake]

Next up, J.D. vance telling Joe Rogan that Emily in Paris is a masterpiece. We're back at our house in Cincinnati.

[John Lovett]

The weekend after the RNC convention, and we're sitting there watching, like, some stupid show, Emily in Paris on Netflix or something, which, sorry, I don't mean to.

[Ricky Lake]

Call it a stupid show.

[John Lovett]

I actually think Emily in Paris is a masterpiece. But set that side bracket that way for now.

[Kamala Harris]

He's one of them normal gay guys, huh? Hey, you know, maybe he's born with it. Maybe it's Magalene.

[Ricky Lake]

God, I haven't seen Emily in Paris.

[Kamala Harris]

Whoa.

[Ricky Lake]

And that's completely fine.

[Kamala Harris]

Sure.

[Ricky Lake]

But don't didn't you. Here's what I actually think the next sentence of that is for him, which is like. It captures the futility. It's because he's judging in some way. There's a judgment of Emily in Paris. He doesn't think Emily Paris is a masterpiece because he loves Emily in Paris. He thinks Emily in Paris is a masterpiece because of some kind of conservative judgment on Emily in Paris. And because I haven't seen it. I don't know what it is, but you can tell me.

[Kamala Harris]

Oh, it's probably that, you know, she's in a European country, and there she's fine to have sex and not be judged about it. And he's, like, scared. He's like, where's my app about not fucking people? Keeps me in check. Keep me from fucking people Emily don't have. Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

Next up, Donald Trump said this. Wait. Oh, did we rank it? No, we need to rank it 1 to 5 McConnells.

[Kamala Harris]

I'll do that. One is three. That one's three McConnells, but it's like a laughing McConnell. You know what I mean?

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah, it's three McConnell's, but with a little smirk.

[Kamala Harris]

Yeah, no, no, I mean, like. Like jowl mood, like, laughing. Ooh, I'm scared. I don't like it. I don't like it. Stop doing that, John. I'm gonna go. I can't handle that.

[Ricky Lake]

Okay, next up, Donald Trump said about women in his rallies that he is going to protect women whether the women like it or not. We played that earlier.

[Kamala Harris]

That's fucking sick. That's gross. I'm gonna give that a five.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah, I think that is a five.

[Kamala Harris]

That's nasty.

[Ricky Lake]

And finally, we have this photo of Donald Trump. Donald Trump took a joyride in a Trump garbage truck in Wisconsin with his act. This is a real photo.

[Kamala Harris]

That boom mic is suspiciously placed. I don't like the boom mic in the picture. I don't like any of this picture. What the fuck is happening in this picture?

[Ricky Lake]

What this is happening? What is happening is either this is a photo of the next president of the United States or an inspo image for the worst sex doll ever created.

[Kamala Harris]

I can't believe I'm saying this. I hope it's the latter. Oh, my God. Maybe he's born with it. Jesus. Nobody tells that man that the makeup's that bad. All those people around him. Nobody says one fucking word about it. Huh? He's gotta smell so bad.

[Ricky Lake]

God damn it. It is just.

[Kamala Harris]

I don't like what he's doing with his hand. Everything about this is like.

[Ricky Lake]

This, man. This thing, this is the source of so much anxiety and fear and anger. This fucking clown, this joke of a man.

[Kamala Harris]

That's offensive to clowns.

[Ricky Lake]

You're right. You're right.

[Kamala Harris]

There are clowns here tonight and they're not like that.

[Ricky Lake]

You're right. Honestly.

[Kamala Harris]

Offended.

[Ricky Lake]

Honestly. That was my bias. That was my bigotry showing something for me to think about, to learn and grow.

[Kamala Harris]

Yeah, we can all take a minute and really learn from John. Being prejudiced against clowns now.

[Ricky Lake]

Well, what are we gonna give this? How many McConnells? I mean, this is sort of. I don't even find this particular. I think this is.

[Kamala Harris]

This is so yucky. But it's not. I have to remind myself it's not gonna come out the screen and get me.

[Ricky Lake]

Right? No.

[Kamala Harris]

So I'm gonna give it a four McConnell's, but it's a McConnell that is frozen. Okay? It's a McConnell that somebody has to be like, sir, we got to move. You have to move or do something. It's one of those. Four of those. I'm grossed out. I can't look at that anymore.

[Ricky Lake]

Also, just to make a serious point about all this, is that Trump is wearing a fucking costume not because it's Halloween, but because he is trying to ride around a garbage truck to draw attention to Joe Biden's comments, which is a response to the comments about Puerto Ricans that has cost Donald Trump votes. So Donald Trump put on this get up, in effect, to draw out a damaging storyline that is right now hurting his campaign. And I don't mind that.

[Kamala Harris]

My Halloween wish, okay, is that Donald Trump, somehow his soul gets sucked into, like, one of the Fisher Price guys. But in that costume. You know those little Fisher Price guys. And they're all like, hey, I hope that's the next thing he tries to be. I work.

[Ricky Lake]

Look.

[Kamala Harris]

I'm a Fisher Price guy. And now he's frozen like that doll.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah. It's interesting to think of what is the karmic justice for Donald Trump to wake up as. There's a lot of people he could wake up. Yeah. Any final thoughts, Vice President Harris, before. This is our last time we're seeing you before election day.

[Kamala Harris]

Oh my God. How nerve wracking. I'm not nervous. Okay. We're gonna be fine as long as you guys get out there. Okay. And do it. Don't clap. Vote Obama.

[Ricky Lake]

Vice President Kamala Harris, everybody. We'll be right back with Ricky Lake. And we're back. Please welcome to the stage of the Tracy Turnblad to my Corny Collins. It's the one and only Ricky Lay.

[Zach Zucker]

Hi.

[Ricky Lake]

Hi. Hi. Bringing it. So good to see you. Oh, wait, I'm Tree.

[Zach Zucker]

Great to be here. Great to be here. Hi, everyone. Happy Halloween.

[Ricky Lake]

Happy Halloween. Wait, I'm changing.

[Zach Zucker]

What?

[Ricky Lake]

I'm changing hats. I'm an undecided for my costume. I'm an undecided voter.

[Zach Zucker]

Do you know what I am?

[Ricky Lake]

What are you?

[Zach Zucker]

Can't you tell? I'm a middle aged hot burner.

[Ricky Lake]

Wow.

[Zach Zucker]

Which is what I am.

[Ricky Lake]

Scary. Thank you much. Thank you so much for being here.

[Zach Zucker]

I'm a big fan.

[Ricky Lake]

Ricky, you have a new podcast, the High Life with Ricki Lake, about, and I quote, Ricky's blissed out world of joy and pleasure as she enters the best phase of life, midlife. What's your secret? Because my midlife is mostly insomnia and heartburn and whatever the fuck is happening. Okay.

[Zach Zucker]

You wanna know? See, do you really care about the secret to my happiness?

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah.

[Zach Zucker]

My husband who's out here, and my new husband. I have to say, you know, those of you who follow my career, how many of you grew up with me?

[Ricky Lake]

I grew up with you. I grew up with you.

[Zach Zucker]

Yeah. So anyway, I've been through a lot and I think now is like the sweet time of my life. And yeah, it's really good.

[Ricky Lake]

Now, one thing you talk about the podcast is menopause.

[Zach Zucker]

Yes. We actually haven't done the episode yet, but we will because I'm in perimenopause. So it's a topic that's of mind.

[Ricky Lake]

And I wanted to ask because Michelle Obama gave this incredible speech about the election and in it she talked about women's health. And she said this. Sadly, we as women and girls have not been socialized to talk openly about our reproductive health. We've been taught instead to feel shame and to hide how our bodies work. Some young girls in her puberty, not knowing what to expect. Too many of us suffer with severe cramps and nausea for days on end every single month. And then on the other end of the reproductive timeline, too many women my age have no idea what's going on with our bodies as we battle through menopause and debilitating hot flashes and depression. See, fellows, most of us women, we suck up our pain and we deal with it alone. We don't share our experiences with anyone, not with our partners or our friends.

[Kamala Harris]

Or even our doctors.

[Ricky Lake]

Look, a woman's body is complicated business, y'all. It's a beautiful speech.

[Zach Zucker]

Absolutely.

[Ricky Lake]

Is that true?

[Zach Zucker]

Yeah. I mean, I know a little bit of something. I made some documentaries about women's reproductive health. I made one called the Business of Birth Control, one called the Business of Being Born. And. Yeah. Yeah, there's a lot we don't know about our options about, you know, informed consent and. Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

And you're gonna be covering menopause on the show?

[Zach Zucker]

Definitely, yes. Will you tune in or.

[Ricky Lake]

Sure, I will. I mean, I'd like to learn more about it. Switching gears a little. What's John Waters like? And I feel like there's something. So. There's something so interesting about you working with John Waters, who is someone who I think kind of heightens American culture. To show you something about American culture, and you end up making a talk show that is exactly the kind of heightened American culture that he would satirize.

[Zach Zucker]

Yes.

[Ricky Lake]

So there's some connection there to me.

[Zach Zucker]

I mean, he was so shocked when I actually got that job and then became really successful at it. You know, he's like. He discovered me and. Yeah, it's just the funniest thing. It's like this fat girl wins. The guy wins the dance contest and then becomes the next Oprah. Yeah. I think, you know, he was really proud. And he used to come on my show as a guest, and it was just like the most surreal thing. It's like he, you know, art imitating life. Life imitating art. He's. No, I think he's tickled by the fact that I've had this career that went beyond on being Tracee Turnblad.

[Ricky Lake]

You were also in Serial Mom.

[Zach Zucker]

Yes.

[Ricky Lake]

Which I loved. Love Serial Mom. And I've been thinking about Serial mom lately because there is a connection Between Kathleen Turner, who's been on this show, her character in Serial mom, and Trump.

[Zach Zucker]

That makes a connection for me at.

[Ricky Lake]

The end of that movie. Spoiler alert for Serial Moments. This woman who gets away with it is suddenly standing there with her family, and her family is like, they're not really gonna let her go home.

[Zach Zucker]

You're absolutely right.

[Ricky Lake]

We had to stay. Yeah. We sat with her in court because she's our mom, and we pretended we were supportive of her because she's our mom, but she's crazy and she's a murderer. We all know that. You're actually gonna let her leave. You're not gonna hold her accountable at all. I guess we'll just smile.

[Zach Zucker]

Let's hope that's not the ending next week.

[Ricky Lake]

Please, God, I hope not. Please, God, I hope not.

[Zach Zucker]

I never actually made the connection. I made that movie when I was 24 years old, but now I see it. Thank you. Thank you.

[Ricky Lake]

You're welcome.

[Zach Zucker]

John Waters really is ahead of his time.

[Ricky Lake]

We are in the middle of something of a reevaluation of the 90s. And I always think that I grew up in the 90s. I watched television in the 90s. I watched movies in the 90s. And so much of the. There was so much commentary in the 90s about how far we'd come, and it's like, look at how equal men and women are. James Bond punches a woman in the latest film. And then you look back into the way women in public life were savaged, and you were one of those people. You were ripped to pieces.

[Zach Zucker]

I was. By Lieberman and Bill Bennett, Bob Bennett. They were running for office, and they said that my show was responsible for the demise of young people. We weren't. We were simply reflecting what was out there, and we gave the margin a voice and treated every. I treated everyone with respect and treated everyone the way I wanted to be treated. But, yeah, you're right. I think we were villainized. You know, the first season, I was nominated for an Emmy, and after that, when they attacked us, we never were nominated again.

[Ricky Lake]

And you were attacked pretty personally for your appearance, for how you look.

[Zach Zucker]

Yeah, I mean, yes, I was. But I think, you know, John Waters instilled in me that I was, you know, beautiful and special and talented. And I feel like, you know, that character, the underdog, the consummate underdog, is someone that you root. And so I think, yeah, I was able to overlook most of that.

[Ricky Lake]

Were you really?

[Zach Zucker]

I think so, yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

That's cool.

[Zach Zucker]

Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

How do you do that? You don't let one comment on the Internet sit with you for weeks and the people would know it was that one. Like, you can overlook 20 of them, but then one will get you. But that person would never know they got you.

[Zach Zucker]

I think in the past it has, but now that, like, when you turn 50, the cliche is that you don't really. It's not, it's nobody's. It's not my business what other people think of me. And so, yeah, I don't think I let it get to me now. But people have nice things to say. I mean, for the most part, people know that I'm the real deal. I am what you see is what you get. And. And I love that I've broken the mold in some ways, you know, with Tracy Turnerblad being this role model and this underdog that wins. It's been a great introduction in my career. You don't believe me, do you?

[Ricky Lake]

Well, no, no, I don't. I'm just thinking about it. I'm thinking about it because, like, I think it's. I think part of what's happening is I think people are looking back. Like there was a conversation that Oprah had about a terrible TV Guide cover. TV Guide was just a magazine for telling you what time shows were on. And the COVID just was vicious. It was just like an absolutely. Like just the way that when your show was on, it was just. You would just mock women on the covers of magazines. And I'm, I'm glad you're on the other side of it, but it has to have an effect on you.

[Zach Zucker]

I mean, maybe it did, but I feel like it's way worse now. Like the idea of doing a talk show in this climate where everyone has the opportunity to give you this reaction. Right. In immediate time. Yeah, I couldn't do it today. I feel like in the 90s, there was something about it being like, go to television. It was the thing to watch every water cooler moment, every time. The next day. I don't know, I just feel like I was in a lot of ways like America's Sweetheart. And I did feel backlash. And now, like, I, you know, I switched gears. Like, I went from being an actor to being a talk show host to making documentaries about things that matter to me, that hopefully matter to other people. And I feel like I've been widely accepted. So I, you know, I have not been bashed in ways that have damaged me as far as I can remember.

[Ricky Lake]

That's so cool.

[Zach Zucker]

I know I'm lucky now that I'm.

[Ricky Lake]

40, which is gay 50, which is LA gay. I want to get your advice on a few midlife crises. Okay.

[Zach Zucker]

Okay.

[Ricky Lake]

What are we doing about fiber? I'm on the gummies and the gummies. Fiber gummies.

[Zach Zucker]

Okay.

[Ricky Lake]

And the melatonin gummies and the weed gummies. It's a lot of gummies.

[Zach Zucker]

I love gummies. You know, I have a cannabis brand. Ricky Lakenbake.

[Ricky Lake]

Oh, wow. Pretty good. They like that. They like that.

[Zach Zucker]

It'll be available very soon in stores.

[Ricky Lake]

Do you think that's too much? Too many gummies for me.

[Zach Zucker]

How many gummies is too many gummies? Oh, oh, the gummies, the fiber gummies.

[Ricky Lake]

And the melatonin gummies and the weed gummies and the vitamin gummies.

[Zach Zucker]

I'm not a doctor. I never claim to be an expert, but, you know, go with your gut. How's your gut feeling?

[Ricky Lake]

Not great. Not great at all. Hey, Ricky, how do I go to sleep? How do we go to sleep? How do you go to sleep?

[Zach Zucker]

A gummy. A gummy or two, you know, And I have eight sleep. You know, I have that bed that cools. Your bed. You know, we're talking about your sleep.

[Ricky Lake]

Your bed cools you. Yes. Oh, wow.

[Zach Zucker]

What else do I do? I mean, I watch a lot of tv. Fall asleep to the tv.

[Ricky Lake]

That's good. I mean, what about the intrusive thoughts?

[Zach Zucker]

I do have? Intrusive. I'm super nervous. I mean, I'm nervous talking to you, but I'm nervous about what's gonna happen next week. So it's definitely top of mind to. You know, a Xanax comes in handy every now and then. You know, not too much because you don't want to be addicted to it. You know, moderation.

[Ricky Lake]

What do you do about the fact that when you're happy, your intrusive thoughts are about how everything good's gonna go away, but when you're sad, all your intrusive thoughts about how you'll never be happy.

[Zach Zucker]

I mean, yeah, I think it's a thing, but I focus on being in the moment right now. It's a joyous moment. I'm getting to sit with you. This is so fun post Survivor. It's awesome.

[Ricky Lake]

Can I ask you something? And I am indeed, post Survivor, maybe pre Survivor.

[Zach Zucker]

How is your fiber intake? Oh, you're only there for one day.

[Ricky Lake]

I know. No, no Ricky Lake. No Ricky Lake. I missed three dinners. Hey. People say this all the time, to be in the moment. I don't know what that means.

[Zach Zucker]

You don't?

[Ricky Lake]

What does it mean to be in the moment. I don't know if I've ever done it.

[Zach Zucker]

Really.

[Ricky Lake]

Do you think I'm here right now?

[Zach Zucker]

Are you thinking ahead or you're thinking of the past? What is it?

[John Lovett]

I don't.

[Ricky Lake]

I think both. I think I'm switching back and forth.

[John Lovett]

Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

I'm gonna try to be present with you right now.

[Zach Zucker]

Okay.

[Ricky Lake]

Okay. Is this a lot of concentration? How do you know if you're being in the moment?

[Zach Zucker]

I feel so present right now. I feel like I'm right here with you.

[Ricky Lake]

It's so cool. Because here's the thing. If you think to yourself, am I in the moment? Aren't you no longer. So how do you know if you can't measure it? Cause right now I think, well, I'm in the moment. Now we're having this conversation, but then I'm thinking, is this good? I don't. I don't.

[Zach Zucker]

I can't answer if it's good. Is it good? Okay. All right.

[Ricky Lake]

Hey, you were a talk show host for a long time. Very famous, successful one.

[Zach Zucker]

I was.

[Ricky Lake]

Am I good at this? You know the answer.

[Zach Zucker]

I'm a fan. I'm a long time listener.

[Ricky Lake]

Are you really?

[Zach Zucker]

I am.

[Ricky Lake]

That means a lot.

[Zach Zucker]

I am, truthfully.

[Ricky Lake]

What can we expect to hear on the podcast?

[Zach Zucker]

It's all about people that have figured out their own way to crack the code to finding joy in their lives. So I'm a perfect example. I'm 56 years old and I feel like I am very much living in the moment and appreciating just all that has. As life has given me, you know, so it's. It's really interesting. Talks about biohacking and longevity and wellness and then kids and, you know, anything that pertains that interests me and I hopefully interest my audience. I definitely butchered that.

[Ricky Lake]

No, it was good.

[Zach Zucker]

I should have had a better way.

[Ricky Lake]

Of telling you what the podcast is about. I'm really into skincare lately. I'm doing a lot of. My routine is getting pretty baroque.

[Zach Zucker]

It is.

[Ricky Lake]

There's a lot of stuff to it and there's different depending on the night. There are some things that are every other night and there's some things that are once a week, the schedule gets pretty complicated. I actually was thinking today I may need to print out a little calendar to put up on my mirror so I don't get the days wrong. Do you think this is anxiety?

[Zach Zucker]

That's definitely not living in the moment.

[Ricky Lake]

Something soothing about it. I like the ones where I like their. Their products where it's multiple steps. You do step one, you wait two minutes.

[Zach Zucker]

You're a rule follower, aren't you? I like the rules and what? I like to break the rules.

[Ricky Lake]

Ricky Lake, everybody. That was very fun. Listen to the high life wherever you get your podcast. Up next, Zach Zucker is back.

[John Lovett]

Hey, don't go anywhere. There's more of Love it or Leave it coming up.

[Ricky Lake]

Love it or Leave it is brought to you by the International Rescue Committee. For more than 90 years, when crises strike, from war and violence to flood and famine, the International Rescue Committee has been there helping displaced families survive, recover and rebuild. The IRC responds within 72 hours of an emergency and stays as long as needed, providing humanitarian aid to millions of families. Right now, in crisis stricken places like Gaza, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Ukraine, severe winter weather is putting displaced families at even greater a risk. Many makeshift camps can't withstand the extreme cold. Some people live without reliable electricity, while others can't afford the fuel to heat their homes. Pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities are especially vulnerable. Your tax deductible donations can help the IRC provide critical resources. Emergency food, clean water, shelter, fuel, medicines, blankets, winter gear, and cash assistance. You can give confidently because the IRC is consistently awarded top marks by charity watchdog groups for their efficient use of donor contributions. Donate today by visiting Rescue.orgrebook that's Rescue.org rebuild. Love it or Leave it is brought to you by ExpressVPN. I know that none of you watch porn, but in case you have any friends that do help pass along this important vsa. Incognito mode does not make you incognito unless you use ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN reroutes 100% of your traffic through secure encrypted servers, so third parties can't see your browsing history or track your online activity. I like ExpressVPN, especially when I'm traveling. You know, you're on hotel wifi, you're on airplane wifi, you're on random public wifi. And you know, it's nice to know that you're using something where your data's not being harvested. You don't have to worry about anybody, you know, snooping on, you know, you're planning surprise parties, right? Peter? Everybody should have a VPN also, by the way. Like, you can use VPN to set where your location is so that you can get access to other movies in streaming services. And all these Internet service providers, they're basically just harvesting your data and erasing your privacy to make money off of you. And like, I don't want them to do that. Like, I pay for the Internet. You don't get to monetize my private data so they can eat right. Now you can take advantage of ExpressVPN's Black Friday Cyber Monday offer to get the absolute best VPN deal you'll find all year. Use our special link expressvpn.com Love it. To get 4 extra months with the 12 month plan or 6 extra months with the 24 month plan totally free. That's expressvpn.com lovett to get an extra 4 or even 6 months of ExpressVPN for free. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. This month is all about gratitude. And along with thanking family and friends, there's another person we don't get to thank enough ourselves. I've been saying that to myself. In between my weekly dose of applause from an audience, I've been looking for more opportunities to thank myself.

[John Lovett]

Maybe a standing O for you from you.

[Ricky Lake]

From you right there in the mirror. It's sometimes hard to remind ourselves that we are trying our best to make sense of everything. And in this crazy world, that isn't easy. Here's a reminder to send some thanks to the people in your life, including yourself. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give better help a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your skills. Schedule Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. It's now the time of the election season where I realize that the low hum of anxiety of the election is hitting me in other places same. Like, I'm starting to realize, like, oh, that's why I'm in such a bad mood. The country's on the precipice of decline.

[John Lovett]

Like, oh, my tummy hurts.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah. Yeah.

[John Lovett]

Why all the time. Oh, yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

It's weird that I all of a sudden, it's also just all of a sudden I realize that, like, oh, there's Tums in my car now. You know, I think maybe you turn 40 and then like the Tums appear.

[John Lovett]

The Tums. I take a couple every day just to be proactive.

[Ricky Lake]

You know, we got like, I got acid reflux. I got Trump reflux. Huh? That's what's happening right now, that feeling in your chest. The point is, you need therapy. And if you're like me and scheduled a podcast recording where your therapy used to be, you realize how much that was a mistake. If you're thinking of starting therapy. Give better help a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get MA with a licensed therapist and switch therapist anytime for no additional charge. Let the gratitude flow with better help. Visit betterhelp.com love it today to get 10% off your first month, that's betterhelp h l p.com lovett and we're back. Listen, we're anxious, we're hopeful, we're tired. We've got more work to do. Here to help put a smile on all of our faces. It's the bad Bye boy clown. The bad bye boy clown. Bad Bye boy Cl comedian, Actual Clyde Zack Zucker, everybody. Come on.

[John Lovett]

Oh.

[Ricky Lake]

Come on, baby. My love.

[John Lovett]

Good to see you.

[Ricky Lake]

Come on.

[John Lovett]

For me. Wow. Hey, everyone. Wow. Hollywood.

[Ricky Lake]

Hi.

[John Lovett]

Good to see you. As if we weren't hanging out before this. Let's just say John's my booty call. Yeah, just like we're back in the living room. Three of us.

[Ricky Lake]

Yep.

[John Lovett]

And whoever else we invite.

[Ricky Lake]

Right.

[John Lovett]

It's crazy.

[Ricky Lake]

This is the polycule. This is how you're looking at it.

[John Lovett]

I love the poly. Cool. My buddy Paulie said he's cool with me having sex with his wife. Yeah, that's what you're gonna be getting tonight, guys. That's my vibe. Everybody laughs.

[Ricky Lake]

We should have really given him a sound effect there. I'm just saying, that was a perfect place for a go ghost noise. I was obvious.

[John Lovett]

I mean, come on.

[Ricky Lake]

Was that the gay one?

[John Lovett]

What's the. What's the straight one? It's like I go bowling when it's not my friend's birthday.

[Ricky Lake]

Say it one one more time.

[John Lovett]

Were you recording us last night?

[Ricky Lake]

Oh, he says slay. The gay ghost says slay at the end. Slay. Zach, here's how this segment works. I'm going to share my accidental dread with you in the audience, and all you have to do is cheer us up.

[John Lovett]

God, you're so handsome when you talk into a mic.

[Ricky Lake]

God, it works every time. I mean, it's already working. I'm a puddle with this one. All right.

[John Lovett]

Should we tell them?

[Ricky Lake]

I mean, it's up to you. If you want to tell them, we can tell them.

[John Lovett]

Look, it's to me, as two Jewish boys on a Jewish holiday, October 31st feels like an awesome time to tell everybody.

[Ricky Lake]

You want to tell everybody?

[John Lovett]

We can tell everybody we have been casually having sex.

[Ricky Lake]

I was cat. Maybe casual for you. Yeah. For me, it is very formal. It is black tie optional.

[John Lovett]

Can we talk for a second?

[Ricky Lake]

Sure, sure. What's.

[John Lovett]

You don't have to.

[Ricky Lake]

Okay.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. I love to see those lips.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

Hey, I just want you to feel supported right now. I see you.

[Ricky Lake]

Look at him.

[John Lovett]

I see. Hey.

[Ricky Lake]

No, no, no.

[John Lovett]

Look at me, baby. B.B. bebe, look at me. Yep. B.B. i'm really happy to be here with you, and I love that we get to cross our personal and professional relationships together.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah. I mean. No, I really like that about it, too.

[John Lovett]

Nice.

[Ricky Lake]

And I'm really gl. We had this opportunity tonight to not talk before we came out about whether or not we would talk about it here.

[John Lovett]

Each other's sentences. Oh, sorry. Wrong one.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

And we're back. Okay, so.

[Ricky Lake]

It'S time for a segment. We're going. Turn that frown upside clown.

[John Lovett]

I also just. I also just want to be clear. I love this show so much. I love to come on here. I love to spend time with my beauty. But I was asked to come in. In French, it's. Yeah, oui and are together. But I was asked to come out here in full clown regalia. And as a professional clown, that's culturally insensitive. You asked me to go full Zach face in front of this crowd right here, and I knew you weren't gonna like that joke, but I was gonna do it no matter what.

[Ricky Lake]

First of all, thank you for telling me, and thank you for feeling like you could honest about how you felt. And I'm glad you told us. And we learned from it. Wow. And we'll try to do better. That's all I can do. I can't go back. This is a couple's therapist right here.

[John Lovett]

It's like, I can imagine it right there.

[Ricky Lake]

All right, so I am going to share depressing facts.

[John Lovett]

Awesome.

[Ricky Lake]

That are on our minds. And you're going to cheer us up.

[John Lovett]

Sure.

[Ricky Lake]

Sources in the Trump campaign say if president again, Donald Trump may try to stop state and local police departments from receiving Justice Department grants if they refuse to comply with his commands to be part of a mass deportation of hundreds of thousands of undocumented people.

[John Lovett]

Okay, so where's the scary part? It's like you forgot who I've been every moment up until I said that right there. A loving partner. I actually wasn't listening because I only was ready to say that at the end of it.

[Kamala Harris]

It was not worth it.

[John Lovett]

A French character. So. But in a way, I've kind of distracted us from it, so I'm doing my job.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah, you are.

[John Lovett]

Stop, Stop. I'll sign photos later.

[Ricky Lake]

Trump is already accusing States of voter fraud running on true social Wednesday. Pennsylvania is cheating and getting caught at large scale levels rarely seen before. Report cheating to authorities. Law enforcement must act. This is of course false.

[John Lovett]

Law enforcement has also caught the actual.

[Ricky Lake]

Right. Yeah.

[John Lovett]

Wow. I mean look, no matter how many times I try to vaccinate myself, I cannot stop doing these self tapes. Not an industry crowd. Okay. So man, those exit signs got real big right there for me. No. And you know what? You know what? Yeah, fuck em. Let em do. Yeah, let em do it. Or not. Or not. Seems like kind of an or not crowd. I just love. I don't care what it is that you're saying. I love to hear you talk.

[Ricky Lake]

It's definitely cheering me up.

[John Lovett]

Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

I'm not sure how much it's working for them. I like that you.

[John Lovett]

I've got a cheer that's. Sorry. I'm cheering myself up also. You don't mind I can smoke in here, right?

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah, sure. Yeah.

[John Lovett]

Cool. Okay. You did not find that funny either. Okay. Can I talk to you for a sec?

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

I feel like I'm losing the crowd.

[Ricky Lake]

No, no, no, no, no. They're just. It's a hard time. Everyone's a little bit tired. Everybody's on edge. They don't really trust or. I know. And I think that's making them nervous.

[John Lovett]

And I'm honestly shocked it's gone this well this far. I would be willing to bet no one has seen me perform ever in this crowd and probably won't.

[Ricky Lake]

No. I think.

[John Lovett]

Too scary. Gay. Aw.

[Kamala Harris]

Aw.

[John Lovett]

Slay.

[Ricky Lake]

No, I guess not. No, No. I think it's going really good. I think they're just kind of on edge, you know? And it's hard when they're on edge like this. I remember, I noticed after. After 2016 when Hillary Clinton lost. Remember the presidential election?

[John Lovett]

Okay. And I love her for the first. Her husband got a blowjob in the White House and she didn't even care. When I get a blow job at work, John's like, don't do that.

[Ricky Lake]

Crony. John McEntee, a senior advisor for Project 2025, posted this video to X. So I guess they misunderstood when we said we wanted male only voting. We met male. Male.

[John Lovett]

Okay. Cheddar cheese fries.

[Ricky Lake]

Those fries look good.

[John Lovett]

They do. But also I'm like melt the cheese king. You know what I mean? That's a man who just. He like put the rest of it in the microwave. And I see the chili is warm, but then the cheese is cold. Riddle me that. Democrats. So would you put Your mail, in your ballot. You can stuff my ballot box, if you know what I'm talking about.

[Ricky Lake]

I mean, yeah, I've, you know.

[John Lovett]

Am I.

[Ricky Lake]

What?

[John Lovett]

Oh, my God, your hair's in there. Yeah, I think we solved that one.

[Ricky Lake]

If you're in line, stay in line.

[John Lovett]

Slay in line. There we go.

[Ricky Lake]

That's right there.

[John Lovett]

And you hated it. Okay.

[Ricky Lake]

They're getting to know you.

[John Lovett]

I know.

[Ricky Lake]

In this look, they're getting to know you.

[John Lovett]

It's true. I'm new to the city. I'm 17 years old. I'm so a European. 16. I'm happy to be here. I can't see anyone here, but in my mind, you're all loving it. That's when you're supposed to give me the affirmation I'm looking for, you know.

[Ricky Lake]

Quit it.

[John Lovett]

Quit it. My husband's here. Yeah, come on out, baby.

[Ricky Lake]

Next up, astronaut Buzz Aldrin endorsed Donald Trump. A guy that loves coming in second because he was on the moon. Second. Come on.

[John Lovett]

There we go.

[Ricky Lake]

You know, I met Buzz once.

[John Lovett]

Did you?

[Ricky Lake]

I did. I met, I met all the astronauts, but no, I did. That sounded like a lie. I definitely met Michael Collins.

[John Lovett]

The guy who sings the music.

[Ricky Lake]

No, he's the.

[John Lovett]

Cheeseburger.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah. And then I met his brother, Michael Collins, who was in the. Who was in the orbit. He never landed. And I met Buzz Aldrin. I can't. I believe I also met Neil Armstrong at the same event.

[John Lovett]

He had the bracelets and he raced in the.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah, steroids guy, Neil Armstrong, famously. He was one penis. He was first on the moon. First on the moon. But they took that away because of the steroids. But, but, but anyway, Buzz Aldrin was second on the moon and I met him. We were going to NASA. Actually, the reason this came up recently and the reason was on my mind is George White size is running for house. He is running in a district near Los Angeles. Another close race determine control of the House. But he worked for Virgin Galactic and he had worked at. Yeah, yeah. With my nickname and high school.

[John Lovett]

You know what I'm talking about? This guy's voting early and stuff in my ballot. Year round ballot box. Sorry. Yeah. So, yep, I love to be on this show.

[Ricky Lake]

It's going great.

[John Lovett]

I feel liberated here and that's why I'm voting for John Lovett. I'm writing you in this year. I don't care. My vote doesn't matter here. Trump's gonna win in California. California. So allegedly so.

[Ricky Lake]

George Whitesides was working on the NASA transition. Anyway, I went to NASA with President Obama, and I had worked on a speech about space policy. It was a very complicated thing because the Bush administration really neglected it. There's a lot of Florida politics involved. Sparing you the details.

[John Lovett]

No, give them. I want more.

[Ricky Lake]

But I ended up in a van with Buzz Aldrin, I believe, from the ride from Air Force One to where the president was speaking. And we're in the van, and Buzz Aldrin was just. I'm sorry. He was a strange dude. Strange dude. But we're in this van, everyone's trying to make conversation, and Buzz Aldrin says he picks out. He has, like, USA Today with him. And he points at it, and there's an article that references him in it, I believe. And he just looked at me.

[John Lovett]

Local sex offender Buzz Aldrin rides with cute little twink John Lewis, partner of disgraced clown Zach Zucker.

[Ricky Lake]

But. So he points at the article, and he just looks at me dead in the eyes and he goes, I share a publicist with Barbra Streisand, and I'm stupid. No, that's funny. And so I say, well, that makes a lot of sense. I've always thought of you as the Barbra Streisand of space.

[John Lovett]

Because he's defying gravity.

[Ricky Lake]

Because he's defined. That's right. Because. Because he's the Yentl. I can't think of a. It's hard to figure out. But so he. I say this. He turns bright, fucking, like, angry. And lest you forget, Buzz Aldrin famously will punch strangers in public. That is something about Buzz Aldrin to remember.

[John Lovett]

And I want that to change.

[Ricky Lake]

And somebody else in the van is like, he's kidding. He's kidding. He makes jokes. He tells jokes.

[John Lovett]

You're more of a Lea Michele type, right? Can't read, is rude to everyone and punches people in the face. Allegedly.

[Ricky Lake]

And he calmed down on the subject. Changed. But that was the time Buzz Aldrin almost punched me in the face.

[John Lovett]

And, baby, if I was there, I would have taken it for you.

[Ricky Lake]

And then what would have happened with Buzz Aldrin?

[John Lovett]

No.

[Ricky Lake]

All right, all right, next up, don't worry. The CEO of Starbucks says they are planning and ready for unrest after the election. CEO Brian Nicol told cnbc, we always have a security monitoring what's going on at all of our stores. Our partner safety and customer safety is really important. Fortunately for us, we already have all these systems in place that in the event something happens, we're prepared and we'll make sure to Keep everybody safe. So Starbucks is ready for the collapse civilization. Isn't that inspiring?

[John Lovett]

Would they make their coffee worse to repel everybody from going in there? Okay, Starbucks crowd. All right. No coffee bean enthusiasts. The tea and the leaf. Does anyone live here?

[Ricky Lake]

You going to coffee?

[John Lovett]

Do I. No. I'm not really a coffee drinker. I kind of went off on a limb there thinking that that reference would work, and I regret it.

[Ricky Lake]

I think it did work. I think all of this is working.

[John Lovett]

I do too. Really. I never want this to end.

[Ricky Lake]

A new article in the Atlantic this week explains how black plastic cooking utensils are often made from recycled electronics waste and they are apparently releasing flame retardant chemicals into our food when we use use them for cooking. This is an article that basically said, throw away your black plastic utensils.

[John Lovett]

Do you have any that feels racially charged first?

[Ricky Lake]

Sure. Yeah. No, I think so. I think that's part of it. Yeah.

[John Lovett]

I knew that was the best reaction I'd get from that, but I actually, I think so. I steal a lot of forks from Chipotle when I go because I'm on.

[Zach Zucker]

The road a lot.

[John Lovett]

You never know when you might need a fork to, you know, get a little frisky with somebody. You know what I'm saying?

[Ricky Lake]

Right.

[John Lovett]

But I, I. So I guess I have a lot of those. I also, I would love to use this opportunity. In fifth grade, we had to do reports, kind of like a book report on a restaurant that we liked in our town. And there was a girl, I'm not going to say her name, but she was saying it was Chipotle. And I reminded her kindly by loud and angry, saying, oh, no, it's chopped. And I got sent to the principal's office, but who's fucking laughing now? Susan?

[Ricky Lake]

Idiot, idiot, idiot. I threw out a spatula when I saw that. Between when I read that article this afternoon and coming to this show tonight, I threw out a spatula. Really? Mm.

[John Lovett]

On the ground?

[Ricky Lake]

No, in the garbage can. Okay.

[John Lovett]

I was gonna say we carried.

[Ricky Lake]

Threw it in the garbage.

[John Lovett]

Is that the one I got you for our anniversary? Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

And obviously a collection of plastic tongs and spatulas was a beautiful gift.

[John Lovett]

I thought I wore the tongs pretty well. They accentuated my hips.

[Ricky Lake]

Very personal and beautiful.

[John Lovett]

I got those for you after the Real World. You were just on the Real World recently, weren't you?

[Ricky Lake]

You don't know about that?

[John Lovett]

Oh, yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

It's a secret. Can you come here for a second?

[John Lovett]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What's going on? Oh, I Mean, sorry, no, we're just.

[Ricky Lake]

Having fun here and telling people what's going on and that's fine. That part is fine. But, like, they can't know about stuff like that.

[John Lovett]

He signed an NDA.

[Ricky Lake]

Okay, so, like, if I'm on something.

[John Lovett]

Like the band that. Yeah, Straight out of Compton.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah, that's the one. I signed them. I signed their label. But so, but no, but listen, we can. We can joke around and like, I think they don't really know anymore what's real and that's fun, which is kind of cool, right? Because, like, we are. What's happening is real. But they don't know that. But, like, don't, don't. But don't tell them about the stuff, like the real world thing because they don't know about that.

[John Lovett]

That's okay. I just think that. Yeah, so what, they're gonna see you throw a tantrum and get kicked off the program.

[Ricky Lake]

But that's not the point. The point is. But you always fucking do this. You do this. I'm not asking you what you think I should want. I'm telling you what I want, which I don't want them to know yet. And then you say, who cares? I care. So just take that at face value. Why do I have to argue with you what I care about?

[John Lovett]

Just hear.

[Ricky Lake]

Just hear what I care about and say, that's okay. And if. Maybe I'll change my mind later, but right now, this is what I'm trying out.

[John Lovett]

Woo. Kind of. Kind of getting an election over here, if you know what I mean.

[Ricky Lake]

Zach Zucker, everybody. Zach will stick around. Stay there. When we come back, it's time to spin the wheel. And we're back. All right, for election week, we are going all in with daily coverage of every race, every count. What a day. We'll be in your feeds with Jane Cosin breaking down what you need to know in 20 minutes. Pond save America will release new episodes starting Monday with in depth analysis of the latest news every morning until the race is called. And in case the Trump campaign is feeling loose with their legal challenges, Crooked's go to legal experts from strict scrutiny will stop by shows across the network to unpack breaking news. Plus drop bonus episodes on their feed for those who want more. You can find all this on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube. Also, this is the last weekend to do everything we can to get persuadable voters to the polls for Kamala Harris. Reach out to everyone you you know. Every call and conversation will matter in this election. And equally important, as Reaching out to friends and family is volunteering in battlegrounds this weekend. Dan, John and I are heading to Arizona and Nevada to knock doors and rally voters. You can join us for those events or sign up to knock doors in the swing states nearest you or phone bank. It is critical go to votesaveamerica.com 2024 to volunteer. Right now. Do it right now. All right. Please welcome Ricky Lake. And for the first time out, Allison Reese. Yes. What's up? What's wrong, buddy? Hi, Gay.

[John Lovett]

Hi, Gay. Good to see you.

[Ricky Lake]

Come on. Come on.

[Kamala Harris]

Meg Stalter. So funny. Hey, great hat.

[Ricky Lake]

What are you, gay?

[Kamala Harris]

No. I'm a league of their own.

[Ricky Lake]

League of their own.

[John Lovett]

I'm sensing a theme on this show. Where is it? Where's the deep straight representation again? I lost them. So it's okay. Whatever you feel. I feel a thousand times worse.

[Zach Zucker]

I'm hetero. I'm boring hetero.

[Ricky Lake]

Ricky Lake, straight.

[Zach Zucker]

Gotta represent. I'm representing.

[Ricky Lake]

Your outfit screams curious. Sorry. All night this has been our spooky Halloween episode. And all night we've heard the moaning and wailing of ghosts. Even gay ghosts, here at Dynasty. Timebrainer. But if I could get serious about ghosts for a second, like I so often do. Ghosts only happen when people die with unfinished business. So to ensure we don't all stay tethered to this godforsaken realm after our demise, we're going to close things out with a game we're calling Remorse Code. Oh, nice. That's good.

[John Lovett]

Damn.

[Ricky Lake]

Spooky. We'll spin the wheel. When it lands on us, we'll each share one thing we'll do to prevent soul binding. Regret. Now to the wheel. It has landed on. Ricky Lake.

[Zach Zucker]

Yeah. All right. What do I regret?

[Ricky Lake]

No, what are you going to do to prevent yourself from having a regret?

[Zach Zucker]

I'm going to follow through. I'm going to full steam ahead. Never look back, never doubt myself. Just jump feet. Hell yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

Okay.

[John Lovett]

Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

Wow.

[Zach Zucker]

I love that you believe me, right?

[Ricky Lake]

No, sure. I mean, I get the sense that that's something you do, so I buy it.

[Zach Zucker]

Yeah, it does. Yeah, it's true.

[Ricky Lake]

I wish I could do that.

[Zach Zucker]

No, I take it that was it.

[John Lovett]

Okay.

[Ricky Lake]

I believe in that. I like that.

[Zach Zucker]

Okay. I already regret it.

[Ricky Lake]

Allison, what is one thing you're going to do to avoid a regret that will keep you ensconced here in the human realm?

[Kamala Harris]

Ensconced? What kind of a Midwest ass word is ensconced?

[John Lovett]

Breakfast treat, Sconce.

[Kamala Harris]

I think ensconce is like a Little light, right?

[John Lovett]

I think it's like a little light on the wall.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah, it's ensconced on the wall.

[Kamala Harris]

Ensconced.

[Zach Zucker]

You're going to say cheese.

[Kamala Harris]

Tchotchkes.

[Ricky Lake]

Next. What's.

[Zach Zucker]

Okay.

[Ricky Lake]

What do I not regret Sometimes I say tchotchkes.

[Kamala Harris]

What am I gonna do?

[John Lovett]

That's our safe word.

[Kamala Harris]

That's what.

[John Lovett]

That's our safe word.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah. Tchotchkes. Tchotchkes. It's not tchotchke.

[Kamala Harris]

How many syllables were a safe word?

[John Lovett]

I know, but I want to make sure he really means it, you know?

[Kamala Harris]

Hey, can I light this?

[John Lovett]

Yeah. I keep asking if I could smoke. Well, I asked once, and they didn't go for it, so I stopped. But I. I have so many more cigarettes.

[Kamala Harris]

Can you do it?

[John Lovett]

Yeah.

[Kamala Harris]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

I'm ass up for the host trying to smoke, and you won't give me one.

[Kamala Harris]

Ass up.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah. Ass up for the host trying to smoke. That.

[Kamala Harris]

That is a rap lyric that goes hard. I'm.

[John Lovett]

I'm ass up for the host trying to smoke. Damn. Trying to bend him over so he can give me a poke. Yeah. It's time to get out there and vote. Stuff the ballot box. Come. Come on, y'all. Let's get. Whoa.

[Ricky Lake]

Ah.

[John Lovett]

That's what I'm saying.

[Kamala Harris]

That was fun.

[Ricky Lake]

I can't.

[Kamala Harris]

I'm gonna get more tattoos. Is the answer nice? Yeah, I got a lot more tattoos I want to get. I have a couple. I have this cat. I wanted to be a cat when I was a child. That was my aspiration, and I feel like I'm doing that. The other one is on my ring finger. I am going through a divorce, and I am getting it lasered off, but I want to get.

[Zach Zucker]

Ouch.

[John Lovett]

Getting your ring finger laser.

[Kamala Harris]

I'm getting my whole finger gone.

[John Lovett]

That's.

[Zach Zucker]

They don't tell you I had one done, and I regret it.

[Ricky Lake]

It hurt.

[Zach Zucker]

It felt like lightning strike.

[Ricky Lake]

Can I.

[Kamala Harris]

Getting it removed?

[Zach Zucker]

No, just having it. My finger.

[Ricky Lake]

Wait, can I see? Can I see it?

[Kamala Harris]

Oh, it's fading fast.

[Ricky Lake]

Was the idea that it would be under the ring, or is it just on the finger?

[Kamala Harris]

You know, and. You see, this is why we're getting a divorce. No, it's not.

[Ricky Lake]

This is.

[John Lovett]

This is. Okay.

[Ricky Lake]

This is why.

[Kamala Harris]

Yeah, you guys are gonna learn a lot about me right now, but I want to get the moon. I want to get the divine flower and a tree.

[Ricky Lake]

All right. I love that.

[John Lovett]

Trying to get the moon.

[Ricky Lake]

A defense just landed on Zach.

[Kamala Harris]

It's a really beautiful picture.

[Ricky Lake]

Do you like it?

[John Lovett]

I send it in every time. It's liquefied a little bit.

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

My eyes are pushed together and pulled apart, and my mouth is liquified.

[Kamala Harris]

It's a strange picture, but like a beautiful meerkat.

[John Lovett]

And I love. I always have a little fun correspondence with the group when I send the photo, and they're like, hey, are you cool if we still use this? I'm like, yeah, obviously. That's why we do. Did it. No. What do I do to not have regrets? I. I should have thought about this before I came on here.

[Ricky Lake]

Well, now let's see what comes out.

[John Lovett]

No, I, I, I. I guess I kind of just try it.

[Ricky Lake]

Now we're touching it again.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. You should have seen me before you guys were out here. I was using the space. I was, like, busting it out.

[Ricky Lake]

Wow. He was. Yeah, that's right.

[John Lovett]

And that's the tone that he uses with us as well.

[Ricky Lake]

Mm.

[John Lovett]

Mm. That's right.

[Ricky Lake]

Mm.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, right there. Tchotchke, tchotchke, tchotchke.

[Ricky Lake]

You know what?

[John Lovett]

I don't live with many regrets, I think, lately if I'm gonna be vulnerable and honest and have a complete character shift on this, because we love an arc. Am I right, Noah? But I. He comes in twos sometimes. We come in threes, fours, whatever. But I love to be on this show. I don't want it to end. That's why I'm not saying it. Maybe, maybe that's. Maybe the two of us walking down onto his boat like this. No, I think I have a. I love to do stuff all the time, and I love to kind of live in, like, a Peter Pan, fantastical way of, like, life will never end. And so I do follow that. And it's tiring, and it can burn you out sometimes, and you can feel like shit. But then you have to remember that I shouldn't have been vulnerable. You got to also remember to say how you feel, even if maybe it's not always going to be what the other person wants to hear. But you got to protect your peace. And I think I've done a good job at doing that while still maintaining that ability to do whatever I want, whoever I want. Hey, whatever I want, whenever I want it, if he wants it.

[Zach Zucker]

Except smoking on stage right now. Excuse.

[John Lovett]

If they were cool, they would let me smoke on. I mean, I never perform here anyway, so it doesn't matter, you know, I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna get invited back. Tech booth going crazy right now. They're giving me the light.

[Ricky Lake]

That's crazy. They are. Oh, my God. Wow. Wrap it up. He's gonna leave on. How do you feel now?

[John Lovett]

Honestly, I feel like I could keep going in that.

[Kamala Harris]

You know, I will. I will say this. You sound like Justin Timberlake to me.

[John Lovett]

Because I had him naked by the end of this show.

[Ricky Lake]

Whoa.

[John Lovett]

Remember Super Bowl? Remember he did that?

[Ricky Lake]

Yeah.

[Kamala Harris]

Oh, yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

No, I know, I know. No regrets for him.

[John Lovett]

No regrets. I'm trying to live life like Justin Timberlake with Janet Jackson. Lock it in.

[Ricky Lake]

He ripped off her shirt and she got in trouble.

[Zach Zucker]

I know.

[Ricky Lake]

What a country. Let's spin it again.

[John Lovett]

I'm hopped up on prep right now. No one else. No one else has seen his mugshot. Yeah.

[Ricky Lake]

Oh.

[John Lovett]

What? Who would have thunk it?

[Ricky Lake]

And it's landed on me. Uh, you know, I. I'll be introspective. I'll follow in Zach's footsteps after the show. This is just a bit, right?

[John Lovett]

A bit romantic, but.

[Ricky Lake]

Or is it. Or is it a bit. You don't know? You're not sure?

[John Lovett]

Follow us home. See how.

[Ricky Lake]

See if it's one car or two car.

[John Lovett]

And sometimes we might be trying to throw you off that scent.

[Ricky Lake]

We gotta keep the paparazzo at bay. Cause it is just one guy. Yeah, sorry.

[John Lovett]

It's my paparazzo. He's my Italian grandfather. Get outta here. Get outta here.

[Ricky Lake]

I had an unhelpful thought. I had an unhelpful thought. Which I'll share. Cause I think this is a weekend of helpful thoughts. But I'll show you one unhelpful thought, which is it's. I think part of the reason politics feels so bad right now is because of how much time is consumed by it now. That's what should be happening right now. We should all be consumed by politics right now. That's the right mentality. We're at the end here. We have to do everything, and it's right to be preoccupied by it. The stakes are total and the race is too close. But I do think so much of what's happening right now is especially for the other side. We are kind of reactive to it, but there are just millions of people who are just on. Are just paying too close of attention to politics in a way that's deeply unhealthy. They are on social media all day. They're on Facebook all day. Or Instagram or Twitter or wherever. TikTok. And especially for some of these Trump voters, I think it is all consuming. And I want to figure out after this election how to think about how to talk about how we talk about politics. And specifically making sure that we're all consuming this in a way that is healthy for us, while making sure that we are not tuning out, because it would sometimes be easier to tune out. And it's a difficult balance to strike. But I sometimes feel like, for me personally, I want to know that when I'm doing this show or we're doing what a weekday or doing positive America, that I'm not just on a hamster wheel of talking about the latest thing and that I have space to step back and think about what's important, important and what matters. So that I have not just. I don't know, not just opinions, but perspective. And I think at a moment like this, I think none of us right now have perspective, which is fine. We shouldn't. We should just be fucking in it. But I want to think about how to. How to get not just takes, but perspective. And that's hard, but that's what I want to do. And that's what I want to make sure after, on the other side of this, whatever may come that I'm thinking about. Because, you know, we don't know what's gonna happen. None of us does. But we do know what we can do. And that's all that I was thinking about. And I gotta stop. I gotta stop going to the McDonald's. Drive through. I just have to. I gotta stop knowing. Here's the thing. Tell me about Los Angeles for people that when you're driving from, there's a whole big chunk of the city that has. You just kind of. You're in grid. And I know where to turn on the grid to hit the various McDonald's on my way to work. I know the turns. I know the turn for gas and I know the turn for the McDonald's. The McDonald's on fine, the one. I just know where they are. I know where they all are without adding any time to my fucking trip. And it's got to stop. Something's got to stop. And that's the thing that I'm going to stop. And that's my goal.

[John Lovett]

What about all of our McDonald's role plays? Are we just not doing that anymore?

[Ricky Lake]

No, I mean. I mean, we can still put on the headset and have our fun in our apron.

[Kamala Harris]

Wow. I for sure thought this was gonna be role play, like as the characters, like Grimace, the Hamburglar.

[John Lovett]

No, no, you guys are going to work. No, that's crazy. I respect the IP of the company. I don't want to get sued no, no.

[Ricky Lake]

You thought it was something kind of like gross like he plays Mayor McCheese and I play the Hamburglar.

[John Lovett]

No, no, no, no.

[Kamala Harris]

Yes.

[Ricky Lake]

No, no, no, no. That's not hot toss.

[John Lovett]

I am serving him fries.

[Zach Zucker]

The happy ending meal.

[Ricky Lake]

Ricky Lake with a button. We come back, we'll end on a high note. And now, because we all need it, here it is, the high note. Hi, Lovett, this is Amy. My high Note is completing 15 miles of a 100 mile trail race relay. That's the furthest I've ever run and I did seven and a half of those miles at night. I listened to the October 19 episode while I was running and I think I was the only person out there on the trail laughing out loud for most of my run. While I tried to avoid tripping over roots and running into trees. My team had a wonderful time. Shout out to Ghost Train trail races. We can't wait to be there next year and we thank you so much for keeping us entertained. Hey, Lovett, it's Mary in central Oregon, specifically Oregon Congressional District 5, where I just got to cast my ballot for Janelle Bynum for Congress and Kamala Harris for President. I'm going to be phone banking tomorrow to make sure that others can get their votes in too. Another high note for me is when your guests react to the picture of them that's created for whatever game you guys are going to be playing. They always seem flattered and delighted and it always makes me laugh.

[John Lovett]

Thanks.

[Ricky Lake]

Also, we have got a special set of high notes from VoteSave, America's last call. So take a listen. These are people that have done what we asked you all to do, which is reach out to three friends in swing states or colleagues. Colleagues or ex lovers or future lovers. So we have some high notes from people who are part of votes to America's Last Call. Let's hear from those people. Hey, John. John and Tommy. Erin here from Massachusetts. I used the Last call tool to reach out to my sister in law in Pennsylvania about voting for Kamala and we touched on women's health rights and the unrest that a Trump presidency would cause. I used her script to let her know that I was here for any questions she might have. After our chat, she said that although she had been undecided, she would be casting a vote for Kamala and even thought she could get her mom, who's also in Pennsylvania, on board too. Thanks for the push, guys and for all you do. Hi, John, I'm Matthew from California and I used your last call tool to reach out to a friend in Pennsylvania about voting for Kamala Harris for President and reelecting Senator Bob Casey. And I also spoke to a friend in California about voting for the Democratic Congressional candidate in her district. I talked to both of them about reproductive climate change and the future of democracy and at the end of our conversations they both committed to voting for Kamala Harris and Democrats up and down the ballot. Thanks everybody who sent in a high note tonight. If you want to send us a message about something that made you feel hope and we don't know how much we're going to need it, the next time we hear this show, leave us a high note at lowlyhighnotecrooked.com LOLI high [e-mail] or if you're a Friend of the Pod subscriber, you can leave it in the Discord in the Love it or Leave it channel or the High Notes channel. Also, let me just say one last thing, which is thank you all for listening and being part of this show. We do this and it all feels like it leads up to a moment like this and you get to a moment like this and you wonder. Like you just feel like it can't possibly be here. And it is here. And the only way it is possible to keep our fucking heads in the sewer that is the American political news cycle is because there are so many amazing people that listen to the show that are part of this community, that are part of OT America and his amazing team that puts this show together week after week, even when the news is bleak, even when people are scared and worried themselves trying to make something fun and joyful during this dark time. So thank you all for listening. Thank you all for being a part of this. Thank you all for being part of Votes Save America. Thank you to Allison Reese, Zack Zucker and Ricky Lake. See you all on the other side. There are three days until the 2024 elections. Have a great night and have a great weekend and thank you Pundit. Love It Love it or Leave it is a Crooked Media production. It is written and produced by me, John Lovett and Lee Eisenberg. Kendra James is our executive producer, Chris Lord is our producer and Kennedy Hill is our associate producer. Hallie Kiefer is our head writer, Sarah Lazarus and Jocelyn Kaufman, Peter Miller, Alan Pierre, Will Miles and Mohanad El Shiki are our writers. Evan Sutton is our editor. Kyle Seglin and Charlotte Landis provide audio support. Stephen Colon is our audio engineer and Milo Kim is our videographer. Our theme song is written and performed by sure Shure. Thanks to our designer Bernardo Serna for creating and running all of our visuals, which you can't see because this is a podcast. And to our digital producers, David Toles, Claudia Shang, Mia kelman and Matt DeGroote for filming and editing video each week. So you can hey, I'm journalist Sam Sanders. I'm Poet Syed Jones. And I'm producer Zach Stafford. And we are the hosts of a podcast called Vibe Check. On Vibe Check, we talk about everything. News, culture and entertainment and how it all feels. That's right, we talk about any and everything on our show, from real life issues like grief to music and movie critiques. And that barely scratches the surface.

[John Lovett]

Yes, indeed.

[Ricky Lake]

And it doesn't stop there. We have got a lot to say, so join our group, chat, come to life, follow and listen to Vibe Check wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Angie Hicks, co founder of angie and one thing I've learned is that you buy a house, but you make it a home. Because with every every fix, update and renovation, it becomes a little more your own. So you need all your jobs done well. For nearly 30 years, Angie has helped millions of homeowners hire skilled pros for the projects that matter, from plumbing to electrical, roof repair to deck upgrades. So leave it to the pros who will get your jobs done well. Hire high quality certified [e-mail].