What a Weekday: A Tough Monday at the Justice Department

Summary

Lovett or Leave It: Episode Summary
Episode Title: What a Weekday: A Tough Monday at the Justice Department
Release Date: December 4, 2024
Host: Jon Lovett
Guests: Kendra James, Halley Kiefer, Sarah Lazarus

---

1. Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of Lovett or Leave It, Jon Lovett and his team dive deep into the tumultuous events surrounding the Justice Department, focusing primarily on President Joe Biden's controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden. The discussion navigates through political ramifications, public reactions, and broader implications for the justice system.

2. President Biden's Pardon of Hunter Biden

[03:37] Jon Lovett:
Jon opens the conversation with an analysis of President Biden's unexpected and sweeping pardon of his son Hunter Biden. He sarcastically praises the pardon, remarking, "I can't help but be happy for Hunter, who will finally be reunited with his illegal gun."

Hunter Biden's Statement: Hunter expresses regret over his past actions and commits to using his second chance to help others struggling with addiction. He states, "I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction... I will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering."

3. Political Reactions and Criticisms

[05:00] Jon Lovett:
Jon critiques Senator Chuck Grassley’s reaction to the pardon, highlighting Grassley's disappointment and labeling it as "Shame on me. Wrong, Chuck."

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley:
[04:10] Grassley expresses shock and disapproval, stating, "I'm shocked President Biden pardoned his son Hunter because he said many times he wouldn't and I believed him."

Colorado Governor Jared Polis:
Governor Polis voices his disappointment, saying, "This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation."

Former Attorney General Eric Holder:
Holder defends the pardon, arguing that the case against Hunter was weak, stating, "no U.S. attorney would have charged this case given the underlying facts."

4. Trump’s Appointment of Cash Patel as FBI Director

[14:30] Jon Lovett:
The discussion shifts to former President Donald Trump’s nomination of Cash Patel as the next FBI Director. Jon humorously critiques Patel’s aggressive stance against the "deep state," noting, "Patel might... Patel, who worked on Trump's National Security Council before becoming chief of staff to the acting defense secretary, has previously called for the purging of employees at the FBI who refused to support Trump's agenda."

[15:50] Sarah Lazarus:
Sarah interjects humorously, "Please retweet."

John Bolton’s Criticism:
[15:59] Former Trump attorney John Bolton likens Patel to "Joseph Stalin's head of secret police," advocating for the Senate to reject the nomination "100 to 0."

5. Broader Implications for the Justice System

[14:00] Jon Lovett:
Jon connects Biden’s pardon to the larger issue of trust in the justice system, asserting, "Trust in our justice system has been almost irreparably damaged by the Bidens and their use and abuse of it."

Impact on Future Presidencies:
Jon speculates on the potential misuse of pardon powers by future presidents, emphasizing the dangers of setting such precedents.

6. Cultural Commentary: Movies and TV Shows

The team transitions to a lighter discussion on recent cultural phenomena, including blockbuster movies and Broadway hits.

[30:00] Jon Lovett:
Jon comments on the success of the latest Moana 2 and the Broadway adaptation Wicked, noting, "This past weekend was the largest Thanksgiving box office of all time."

Discussion on Gladiator 2 and Fantastic Beasts: The conversation covers the sequels' performances, with Jon expressing his confusion over the naming conventions of franchises like Spider-Man and Planet of the Apes.

7. Personal Anecdotes and Humor

Jon's Thanksgiving Cooking Disaster: [42:00] Jon Lovett:
Jon shares a humorous tale about his chaotic Thanksgiving preparations, including a fridge malfunction that jeopardized his turkey, leading him to "throw out the turkey that I had brined for two days."

Discussions on Dog Shows: The team humorously critiques the fashion of dog shows, particularly focusing on the first pug, Vito, winning Best in Show, with comments like, "Fido is the best example of a dog that should never have been made."

8. Closing Remarks and Future Topics

As the episode wraps up, Jon teases future discussions, including a segment on Gladiator 2 and broader political analyses. The team expresses excitement about upcoming episodes and encourages listeners to engage with their content on various platforms.

[47:35] Jon Lovett:
Jon signs off with humor, "See you sluts on Saturday. Love it. Believe it. Just love it. Believe it."

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jon Lovett [02:17]:
  "I can't help but be happy for Hunter, who will finally be reunited with his illegal gun."

• Hunter Biden [04:50]:
  "I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering."

• Jon Lovett [14:30]:
  "Patel might... Patel, who worked on Trump's National Security Council before becoming chief of staff to the acting defense secretary, has previously called for the purging of employees at the FBI who refused to support Trump's agenda."

• John Bolton [15:50]:
  "The Senate should reject this nomination 100 to 0."

• Governor Jared Polis [06:10]:
  "This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation."

• Jon Lovett [30:00]:
  "This past weekend was the largest Thanksgiving box office of all time."

---

Conclusion

In this episode, Lovett or Leave It navigates through significant political controversies and cultural happenings with Jon Lovett's signature humor and incisive commentary. From President Biden’s contentious pardon of his son to Trump’s bold appointments and the latest in entertainment, the show offers a comprehensive and entertaining analysis of the week's most pressing issues.

Transcript

[Jon Lovett]

When it comes to live tv, Sling puts you in charge, so you can pick the live sports, news and entertainment channels you actually want. You can Save hundreds on TV with Sling. Plus, pause your subscription when your QB has a season ending injury and still get 500 channels for free with Sling Freestream. Choose and customize your channel lineup or watch for free. Visit sling.com to learn more and get started.

[Kendra James]

Any lingering thoughts for Hasan Piker since we're over here on YouTube? Oh, I just challenged him to a wrestling competition.

[Halley Kiefer]

You fucked up my TikTok algorithm, by the way.

[Jon Lovett]

I'm glad I did. So I had a great conversation with Hasan. Really enjoyed it. Fair number of responses calling me some kind of sniveling worm and that kind of thing doesn't really bother me.

[Kendra James]

Those were most of them.

[Sarah Lazarus]

I did write most of those.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah, those were from Sarah's dummy accounts. That's fine. There was one person and I. Because I started seeing it in my feed too. I asked Hasan because he had posted a selfie, like a shirtless selfie showing his workout progress, which is great. And I was just joking about, you know, Trump wins and you show home, that kind of thing. And we talked about working out. And I said that I was on Manjaro. I asked him if he did Pilates, whatever. And somebody posted something that actually, like, went pretty far saying that, like, my. That I was sort of snide about Hasan working out. And then I brought up Manjaro to say, oh, you put in effort. I don't put in effort. And that actually speaks to the core failures of liberalism and of all. I can't believe it bugged me. But it's so fucking stupid because, A, like, I was just joking. B, the conversation that immediately goes into the value of talking about working out and. And like, how people are looking for community around how to live a better life. Also, I work out so fucking hard and make that make me so crazy. You think I'm just fucking loafing around like, God damn it, I am 42 years old. I do so much Pilates. I am, like, keeping up with those fucking gate we ho guys that are like 26 at Barry's. I'm running fucking fast on the treadmill.

[Kendra James]

How dare you challenge him to an arm wrestling competition. Challenge him to a foot race if.

[Halley Kiefer]

That makes you feel better. That might have been like a weird A, because I saw videos about that too, but. And it comes out of nowhere because that's such a small part of the.

[Jon Lovett]

Conversation was so strange. But, like, no, I was not belittling or being snide about Hasan's work. I was joking about why he posts selfies of himself looking hot. Not about the working out. We had a good conversation about working out. And no, like, I was not saying ha. Anyone who actually puts in the work is stupid for not taking an experimental pancreas medicine. And you just are a humorless scold who was looking for reasons to dislike me.

[Sarah Lazarus]

There are just so many better reasons to dislike you.

[Jon Lovett]

That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying.

[Kendra James]

It's on the top hundred reasons to dislike you.

[Jon Lovett]

I agree. I agree. Welcome back. I'm Jon Lovett, joined today by my trusty team, Kendra, Halley, and Lazarus.

[Kendra James]

Whoa.

[Halley Kiefer]

It's so good.

[Kendra James]

Thank you.

[Jon Lovett]

How is. Really good. How's it good? What do they call it? It's the. Yeah.

[Kendra James]

What is that?

[Jon Lovett]

The roar? The battle cry. It's the battle cry.

[Kendra James]

Oh, okay. Great. Thank you.

[Jon Lovett]

Let's get into it. What a weekday. After months of repeatedly pledging that he would not pardon his son Hunter, President Biden on Sunday pardoned his son Hunter. Give me the battle cry. Biden explained to send Hunter to prison would be immoral as it would deprive the world of his art. That's not what he said. Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon to spare Hunter a possible prison sentence for his federal felony, gun and tax convictions. It's a messy situation, but I can't help but be happy for Hunter, who will finally be reunited with his illegal gun. And now no son ever in the history of the world has been under more pressure to really nail that Christmas gift for his dad this year. I mean, he really got to knock it out of the park. Oh. Oh, a robe with my initials on it. Thank you, son. As I've been saying to you for decades now, you shouldn't have done that. The sweeping pardon also covers any other offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken. Pardon during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024. We now go to footage of how Hunter spent his Thanksgiving weekend. That's footage from Grand Theft Auto. The President said in a Sunday night statement that he decided to issue the pardon because he believed the charges against his son were politically motivated, continued Biden. I can't stand for my son to be hurt politically. Everyone knows a parent's role is to only scar their children emotionally. Here's what Biden said. The charges in his case came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter's cases can reach any other conclusion that Hunter was singled out only because he is my son and that's wrong. Biden went on to say, there has been an effort to break Hunter, who has been five and a half years sober even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution in trying to break Hunter. They've tried to break me and there's no reason to believe it will stop here. Crazy that they went to all that effort to break Joe Biden only to get one ups by the passage of time. Little did they know that all it would take to break Biden is stairs. After his pardon was announced, Hunter Biden issued his own statement saying, I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction, mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport. I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering. Added Hunter, I'm glad people know I got all lap dance to a Fleet Foxes song though I stand by that and I think he should Donald Trump reacted in a truth Social post writing, does the pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J6 hostages who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of justice, it didn't include them, obviously. That wouldn't make any sense. It just doesn't make any sense. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley wrote on X I'm shocked President Biden pardoned his son Hunter because he said many times he wouldn't and I believed him. Shame on me. Wrong, Chuck. That would only be if Joe pardoned his son twice. Then it's shame on you. It's still just shame on him. He's only been fooled once, right? It's a shame Grassley sucks because he might be the finest poster of his generation. Here's his tribute to his vacuum cleaner. On the day before Thanksgiving, he said, I usually send this picture of Faithful Beth before starting the drudgery of getting farmhouse ready for the family coming for Thanksgiving. But since Beth is 40, 50 years old, I'm sending when I'm done, Faithful Beth delivered.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Faithful Beth.

[Kendra James]

Faithful Beth.

[Jon Lovett]

Faithful. Look at that beautiful vacuum.

[Halley Kiefer]

You know how to make things. I will say those things really used to last.

[Kendra James]

Yeah, we should do that part again.

[Jon Lovett]

For sure. For sure. Well, we made it. We all collectively chose cheaper and cheaper versions of things Correct.

[Halley Kiefer]

I'm not absolving us.

[Jon Lovett]

No. It's just sort of. We all did this. It really is like a good example of like we, you know, we like all collectively choose the chain restaurants and then the local places close.

[Kendra James]

Well, you sure do I part of it for sure.

[Halley Kiefer]

No, you said you were still using a 30 year old fridge. That's a long life.

[Jon Lovett]

That's true. And now it's fucking dead.

[Halley Kiefer]

But you got 30 years. Someone got 30 years.

[Jon Lovett]

Someone got 30 Years out of it. Wasn't me.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Vanessa Hudgens had a great thing.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah. Vanessa Hudgens got some come. Gary Oldman got some good years out of it.

[Kendra James]

She bought it the day before.

[Jon Lovett]

What?

[Kendra James]

She bought it the day she was born.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah. Look at that beautiful vacuum cleaner.

[Sarah Lazarus]

I like the color. The colorway.

[Halley Kiefer]

Yeah.

[Jon Lovett]

The beige and red people have been noting. I saw a few people talking about this on social media that we're entering an ugly aesthetic. This, the next few years are going to be an ugly era. Like the combination of AI and Trumpian politics. There's going to be a kind of.

[Sarah Lazarus]

I feel like we've been in one.

[Kendra James]

Yeah. Like I wonder, is it just sort of like the AI aesthetic will become fashion aesthetic? Is that what they're saying?

[Halley Kiefer]

We've been into that millennial gray. Yeah. That's been forever thing, which I think is for some people going towards more of a maximalist right now, which I'm okay with.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah, me too.

[Halley Kiefer]

But I don't know what the counterpoint to that is. Like what is going to be the Tuscan Farm kitchen?

[Jon Lovett]

Right, right, right. What's going to date? It's exciting to think about.

[Halley Kiefer]

Yeah.

[Jon Lovett]

I always think it's interesting to think about, like what, what you like. I'm more interested in like what do I not see right now that will look dated to me? Like, what do I like right now that I will feel wrong about or my opinion of will change and what's timeless. And it's hard to know. Yeah, it's hard to know. House Speaker Mike Johnson posted. Trust in our justice system has been almost irreparably damaged by the Bidens and their use and abuse of it. No, the trust was already damaged. The damage is why Biden said, fuck it. It's like when your phone screen is already cracked so you start using it in the pool. Former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis posted. Joe Biden pardoned three turkeys this week, folks. This pardon power is for the birds. Three turkeys. Democrats, meanwhile, were divided by the controversial pardon. Colorado Governor Jared Polis was amongst the scornful chorus Writing on X While as a father, I certainly understand President Joe Biden's natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I'm disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country. This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation. Yes, and I'm sure that's what later presidents were scrupulously waiting for. A precedent. Trump waiting around for President Good kids, kids, we can finally do whatever we want. But former Attorney General Eric Holder said the pardon was warranted, writing no U.S. attorney would have charged this case given the underlying facts. After a five year investigation, the facts as discovered only made that clear. But President Biden didn't just pardon his son for the crimes related to his convictions and plea deals, the tax and gun charges. President Biden issued a blanket pardon covering a whole decade worth of crimes by his son. Exciting, added Holder. Ask yourself a vastly more important question. Do you really think Kash Patel is qualified to lead the world's preeminent law enforcement investigative organization? Obvious answer? Hell no. That's true. It is a more important question, and it's the question we ought to be talking about. But President Biden had other plans. President Biden's statement concluded, here's the truth. I believe in the justice system. But as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice. And once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a president would come to this decision. But there was a little sense in delaying it further. Joe, There's a little sense in delaying it until perhaps Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, or after you've pardoned a dozen other people who are not your children but who may be targeted by the incoming administration. Or after Hunter spent one night in jail where he could have been visited by three ghosts, all of whom told Hunter that he ought to finally form that bluegrass band he's talked about because his voice is amazing. Fucking ghosts. That's who. That's what. That's what he learned from these ghosts. What a shame. Donald Trump announced Cash Patel as his pick for FBI director on Saturday. Biden announced his son's pardon on Sunday. So now we have to talk about both. Look, I get why President Biden pardoned his son, and I get why he'd want to make it a broader pardon for fear that the next administration might target his son because his influence peddling and Sleazy dealings will never tie directly to Joe Biden are a great what about the Democrats talking point to use when downplaying Trump's open, brazen corruption. But Trump and his allies have threatened generals like Mark Milley, members of Congress like Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff and Liz Cheney, Anthony Fauci, journalists, intelligence officials, prosecutors, judges. The list goes on and on. If Joe Biden believes in using the pardon power to stop political prosecutions, if that's the principle, then so be it. There are more papers to sign. But if that starts and ends with Hunter, it's just a bullshit statement to paper over saying fuck it. And by the way, I respect saying fuck it. You're one foot out the door, not just of the presidency, but of life itself. You have this ridiculous pardon power. You were pushed out of the race, a race you believed you could win by people you once trusted. She loses, everyone blames you anyway. You leave Washington feeling like all you have is your family. You don't want to die regretting your failure to act while you have the chance. You just had your last Thanksgiving as president and you know it came up at dinner. So you say fuck it. I get it. I'd say fuck it too. But where's the fuck it for the rest of us? Meanwhile, Trump announced on Saturday that he had selected loyalist Cash Patel, a self described enemy of the deep state, to lead the FBI. Patel has vowed that for his first trick, he'll somehow figure out a way to shoot Dr. King again. I don't know about that. This is beside the point, but announcing anything newsworthy over Thanksgiving is un American. I found out Kash Patel was nominated to be our next FBI director while trying to get my father to stop calling the customer helpline for a 20 year old oven. Let those poor people rest. We'll get takeout if we have to. It's clicking. I know it's clicking. Nominating Patel to the post would require ousting Christopher Wray, a Republican first appointed by Trump who still has three years remaining in his ten year term. Sure, Wray is a Republican appointed by a Republican, but will he open an investigation into Liz Cheney for the crime of being a huge bitch? No, he won't. Patel might. Patel, who worked on Trump's National Security Council before becoming chief of staff to the acting defense secretary, has previously called for the purging of employees at the FBI who refused to support Trump's agenda. Said Patel in a September interview. I'd shut down down the FBI Hoover Building on day one and reopen it the next day as a museum of the deep state. Did somebody say night at the Museum sequel? I can already picture Ben Stiller being chased around by David Koresh. That's exciting.

[Halley Kiefer]

I just really think someone should hold him to that because I'd like to see how that. The timeline on that.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah, I mean, it shouldn't be our main takeaway, but it doesn't seem like Patel realizes that curating and operating a museum is a lot of work. Patel also issued this threat against journalists in a 2023 interview with Steve Bannon. We will go out and find the conspirators, not just in government, but in the media. Yes, we're going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections. We're going to come after you, whether it's criminally or civilly. We'll figure that out. But, yeah, we're putting you all on notice. And Steve, this is why they hate us. This is why we're tyrannical. This is why we're dictators. Stay with that for one moment. Let's dig into that. You're almost. You're right there. You're on the verge of a breakthrough, but we're out of time. We'll have to pick that up next week. Let's not forget to start there next week. Cash, you're so close. You start a Media Co. In 2017, you name a crooked media. It's a wry little joke. Then all of a sudden, it's 2025. Cash Patel is FBI director, and it's like, should we have spent, like 10 more minutes in the brainstorm? Anyway, I find it hard to believe a guy as handsome as Cash Patel would abuse his power or target anyone who doesn't deserve it. Anybody that hot and that charming. I don't think we have anything to worry about. He's a good guy. And I'm on the record. Cash Patel is a good guy. Cash Patel is a good guy.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Please retweet.

[Jon Lovett]

But for whatever reason, a bunch of people who should be higher on the enemies list, as far as I'm concerned, disagree. Former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton compared Patel to Joseph Stalin's head of secret police, telling reporters the Senate should reject this nomination 100 to 0. When John Bolton starts sounding like a resistance wine mom, you know we're in for a rough fucking ride. Trump's pick of Patel once again raises questions that Democrats, namely me, struggle with during the election and now must confront us, the opposition. How do we contend with A Trump administration that's both deeply ridiculous and dangerous, which fights are critical and which are distractions, which smoke is coming from a wildfire and which is just a cybertruck that blew up outside a crypto only gentlemen's club. On the one hand, you've got RFK Jr showering in the background while his wife, Cheryl Hines promotes beauty products for Black Friday with the hashtag MAHAMakeAmerica. Healthy again. No, you can't. You can't take a shower. I'm doing a video. No, no, no. I'm doing. You gotta give me a second. I'm doing a video. And sure, we all beat off to it, but to what end? Can I just. It's not the most important thing about Sheryl Hines now basically becoming a right wing grifter and doing Make America Healthy Again merch. She's in full glam. The shower is in full view. So he did not. This is fake. Oh, yeah.

[Sarah Lazarus]

I think she's acting.

[Jon Lovett]

I think she's acting, but it's more.

[Kendra James]

Like she's phenomenal at it.

[Jon Lovett]

But it's also like, it's not even a successful execution of the. I was trying to film a video, and then my husband was showering behind me because the setup, she's like, doing this like. No, RFK Jr is showering behind me. But like, you just wanted to make a video with him showering behind you. You could have just done that. You have to pretend he's doing something to interrupt you. That's ridiculous.

[Kendra James]

I do think it's interesting that RFK's whole thing now is like, I know that everyone wants to fuck me. Rfk. It's such an odd tack to take now. You know what I mean?

[Jon Lovett]

They're such unappealing people. This whole. It's just like, this is so, like, I don't understand who this is for. I don't understand who sees this. It's like, huh, Delightful. Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye.

[Halley Kiefer]

I guess I do agree.

[Kendra James]

It hits the same note over and over again. Like, this is. Like, this is TikTok. Like, this is. We've already done this. Like, the idea that this is happening. It's like, I feel like you're catching the end of it.

[Halley Kiefer]

Well, it's on reels so.

[Kendra James]

Well, that's two weeks later.

[Jon Lovett]

You're right.

[Halley Kiefer]

Okay.

[Sarah Lazarus]

I will say 60% off. Everything is a genuinely good deal. After seeing everything is 20% off. That's a great deal.

[Kendra James]

That's true.

[Sarah Lazarus]

60%. Finally.

[Kendra James]

Oh, Bobby.

[Halley Kiefer]

I don't know what's in that stuff.

[Sarah Lazarus]

I mean, I'm not going to buy it, but if I ever were, today's the day.

[Kendra James]

Worm water.

[Jon Lovett]

It's also time to admit to ourselves that Sheryl Hines isn't trapped or talking to divorce lawyers or just barely tolerating him for tax reasons. Sheryl Hines is into this. Milani isn't replaced. Usha isn't. Conflicted. Usha might be a little conflicted.

[Halley Kiefer]

No, don't. No.

[Jon Lovett]

Kennedy also posted a clip of himself working out shirtless to Eye of the Tiger. Okay, Robert. Okay, Robert. And sure, we all beat up to it.

[Kendra James]

This is what you should be doing. I'm sorry you have to fight that guy.

[Jon Lovett]

He's a good cheat.

[Kendra James]

You have to work out in your jeans. I don't want to wear workout pants.

[Jon Lovett]

You keep saying I have to fight someone. I don't want to fight anyone.

[Kendra James]

I know.

[Jon Lovett]

Nobody wants to fight anyone.

[Kendra James]

I'm sorry.

[Jon Lovett]

I just want to do. Let's see who has a faster mile foot race.

[Kendra James]

I think that's fine.

[Jon Lovett]

In great shape. I work out really hard to Pilates, like, four days a week.

[Halley Kiefer]

Faster mile on the tread or faster mile on the street?

[Jon Lovett]

Well, I haven't done the street in a long time, but I can do the street. I mean, I'm faster.

[Kendra James]

Hollywood Boulevard.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Treadmill race is funny.

[Jon Lovett]

Treadmill race is funny.

[Kendra James]

Hollywood Walk of Fame, though.

[Jon Lovett]

Sure. Wherever you want. Let's run up. We'll run up Griffith. Let's go uphill. Let's do hills. Unbelievable. I'm in an argument with a video I saw.

[Halley Kiefer]

I kind of miss doing stadiums.

[Jon Lovett]

Stadium stares. You mean just, like, running up and down? Great. Whatever you want. Unbelievable. Oh, you think? I don't believe in working out? I'm a fucking. I have a. Like, I have a deeply unhealthy relationship with fitness, food, my body. But I can run. Tell me. I don't take this seriously. Just, Halle, give us the roar. Wow. FOX News lapped this video right up. I just think it's unfair that you guys get to see this and we don't get to see any of the female members of the cabinet. What do you want to see? I'd like to see maybe Linda McMahon doing yoga, Tulsi, Surfing. I don't know. Can I see something? That's not fair, Jessica. It's just not fair. Charlie and I need to see some eye candy, too.

[Kendra James]

Oh, boy.

[Jon Lovett]

I guess that's what's left once Project 2025 bans porn. And look, I would not watch a video of Tulsi Gabbard surfing. But I think we're really getting off track here. Behind the buffoonery, RFK Jr. Is an anti vax crank who will pose a genuine threat to the health of millions of Americans as Secretary of Health and Human Services. He's a clown, yes, but the flowers on his lapel squirt polio. We've also got Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense, whose own mother accused him of mistreating women for years in a 2018 email obtained by the New York Times. Imagine receiving an email like that from your mother. Imagine your mother logging into her earthlink account to confront you with the unacceptable truth of the way you live your life. Some frightening appointments are almost lost in the churn. Like Russian propaganda parents Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence. Gabbard's seen here returning from a clandestine meeting with Vladimir Putin. I just love, like 1950s, 1960s, like green screen, just somebody standing in a room. Well, like while somebody off screen is throwing buckets of water at them. The best. The best.

[Kendra James]

Incredible.

[Halley Kiefer]

It's practical effects for you.

[Jon Lovett]

It's the best. The on slut. And unlike that beautiful shark in Gladiator 2, do people. People didn't like the shark in Gladiator 2.

[Kendra James]

They didn't like the boat beginning.

[Halley Kiefer]

I saw the CGI animals. Overall, we were just discussing this before we started recording. Left something to be desired.

[Jon Lovett]

I want to come back to it. We got to come back to it. We got to keep moving. We have a Gladiator section coming. The onslaught doesn't stop. On Saturday, Trump announced that he'd chosen Charles Kushner, father of his son in law, Jared, and recipient of his 2020 pardon after pleading guilty to tax evasion and making illegal campaign contributions to serve as ambassador to France. Now, people don't really remember this, but Charles Kushner, I believe, hired a prostitute to try to ensnare his brother, his.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Brother in law, his brother in law for blackmail.

[Jon Lovett]

To try to blackmail.

[Kendra James]

And they showed the tape to his sister.

[Jon Lovett]

What a family. What a family. People love money. People go to incredible lengths. These were already super wealthy people anyway. Fascinating. We all beg for season five of succession, and boy, are we getting it. The only constant is chaos. And after threatening steep tariffs on all products that enter the US From Canada to Mexico, Trump chatted with both Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week, praising his meeting with Trudeau at Mar a Lago as very productive. The meeting was just Trump complimenting Trudeau on the old blackface picture and constantly Telling him it was hilarious before asking if they have Quarter pounders in Canadian McDonald's, making it the most successful meeting with a foreign leader Trump has ever had. It's also like, a signal, too, of, like, what the next couple years will be like, in part because Trump goes out there and threatens sweeping tariffs that would destroy the economy, issuing menacing threats for actions that the Canadian government and Mexican government actually can't possibly do. Like, they can't press a button that stops the fentanyl. Right. Like, they're not actually in charge of that. Right. It's like, big, complicated problem. Guns go from our side of the border down to the Mexican side of the border. And so he issues this broad threat. They all have to kind of find some way to kiss the ring. He claims it was a very productive conversation, that he's getting the results he had always wanted. And he gets to do a whole, like, you know, storyline of Trump issues. Crazy threat. Foreign leaders capitulate to the power of Trump. Trump declares victory. The actual underlying problems haven't changed materially, but he can claim they have, because he'll claim whatever he wants to claim. Meanwhile, we went through a cycle of saying, Donald Trump is gonna destroy the economy. The economy doesn't get destroyed, and we look silly, even though the thing he actually said he would do would be disastrous. And we just have to, I think, not allow ourselves to be tools of that story that he's gonna try to. Versions of that story he's gonna try to tell over and over and over again. Anyway, speaking of Trudeau and things that are French in some way, Trump announced Tuesday that he will be visiting Paris for the opening of the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral. I've heard of Emily in Paris, but this is ridiculous.

[Kendra James]

Wow.

[Jon Lovett]

Sarah Lazarus special. Not very America first of him. Why isn't he paying a visit to America's Notre Dame, a Missouri Bass pro shops that partially burned in 2020 after an irate customer set off a firework in the boat accessories section. Did you see the pictures of the restored cathedral?

[Halley Kiefer]

I saw the inside.

[Jon Lovett]

I think it's beautiful, and I really like the more modern. I would want to call it a bema, but I know that that's wrong.

[Sarah Lazarus]

That can't be right.

[Kendra James]

Yeah.

[Jon Lovett]

What's the Narsex? What's the nave? What's the.

[Kendra James]

I think it'd be the nave. Right.

[Jon Lovett]

What is the knave like?

[Kendra James]

Sort of the top part.

[Jon Lovett]

I'm not sure.

[Kendra James]

The part with the seats.

[Jon Lovett]

Realizing I haven't retained much of Art History 101.

[Kendra James]

I don't like it. It's a very millennial. It looks very West Elm to me. I don't like all the lights. I want it to be dark.

[Jon Lovett]

I thought it was beautiful. I like the floor. I like the kind of simple aesthetic of the new kind of whatever that is. I don't know Catholic terms, but the big bowl. The Pope. It's called the Pope. The new modernist Pope. Pope shape.

[Kendra James]

The baptismal Pope.

[Jon Lovett]

I like a Pope with clean lines. I like a simple silhouette on my popes.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Minimal Pope.

[Kendra James]

Minimalism Pope Conclave in theaters now.

[Halley Kiefer]

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

[Jon Lovett]

What a weekday is brought to you by Aura Frames. Let's be honest. What most people really want for the holidays is to see their favorite people more often and some of their least favorite people the required amount. That's why this year, the best give you can give besides plane tickets is an Aura Digital picture frame. Named the number one digital photo frame by Wirecutter, Aura Frames are incredibly smart and easy to use, allowing you to upload unlimited photos and videos directly from your phone to the frame. Plus, you can order the frame online and preload it with photos and videos using the Aura app. So it's ready to go right out of the box. You know you have you you want to get something for your parents and you're not sure where to get them. Load them up with some photos of the kids at their first day of school. Glow them up with pictures of from the holidays. They'll have that when they leave and maybe then they take those memories with them. You know, that's a very nice gift for the holidays. For a limited time, visit aura frames.com and get $45 off or as best selling Carver Matte frames by using Promo code Love it at checkout. That's a U R A frames.com promo code love it. This exclusive Black Friday Cyber Monday deal is their best of the year, so don't miss out. Terms and conditions apply. This podcast is supported by Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Planned Parenthood Federation of America exists so all people can get access to the sexual reproductive care and education they need. Planned Parenthood organizations advocate for health equity and policies that allow people the freedom to control their own bodies, lives and futures. More than 2 million patients each year rely on Planned Parenthood Health center services like STI testing and treatment, birth control, gender affirming care, abortion, cancer screenings and more. Reproductive health care and rights are under attack from public officials who are out of step with the will of the vast majority of Americans. The constitutional right to abortion has been stolen, and politicians in 47 states have introduced bills that would block people from getting the sexual and reproductive care they need. Planned Parenthood knows that equitable access to health care, including safe, legal abortion, is a human right. Right now, Planned Parenthood needs your help to protect access to health care. Donate today by visiting planned parenthood.org protect what a weekday Is Brought to you by Quince it's great when you can get someone a gift they wouldn't necessarily get for themselves. That little bit of luxury that they don't know they're missing. For quality gifts at an affordable price, there's Quince. Quint lets you treat your loved ones and yourself to everyday luxury at an affordable price. From 14 karat gold jewelry to Italian leather handbags, all Quint Items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. I've had Quint sheets, which are really great. They come in really great colors, some really comfortable sheets, and some really great loungewear that you'll want to check out. Give the gift of luxury this holiday season without the luxury price tag. Go to quince.com lovett for 365 day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's Q U I n c e.com Lovett to shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com Lovett back here in the United States, this past weekend was the largest Thanksgiving box office of all time. I think you never want to hear that again. Well, buckle up because this is we're going to hear it again. Love, Wicked. Miss Thanksgiving more. This Thanksgiving, more than ever, Americans were looking at their family and rightfully concluding, how about we shut the fuck up? For roughly two and a half hours, Moana 2 alone made $221 million. The biggest Thanksgiving opening for a single film in history. God, after it made so much money, Disney must be kicking themselves for agreeing to kill Moana in a. Sorry. Spoiler alert for Moana too. She drowns. So no Moana.

[Kendra James]

We're so proud of that joke.

[Jon Lovett]

I like that joke.

[Kendra James]

Yeah.

[Jon Lovett]

Spoiler alert from Moana Cheese. She bad dad.

[Kendra James]

Yeah.

[Jon Lovett]

The kids made it to the Cash Patel section.

[Kendra James]

The worst child in the world watching this.

[Jon Lovett]

Wicked also soared past expectations, capturing the biggest opening weekend for a Broadway adaptation to date. Let this be a lesson. Hollywood theater kids will not let you down. They will not have plans on opening weekend. Theater kids didn't even find out that everyone else from their high school class was hanging out over Thanksgiving until today. Adding Gladiator 2. And the weekend surpassed the previous record holding Thanksgiving weekend 2018's combo of Creed 2 Fantastic Beasts, the Crimes of Grindelwald and Ralph Breaks the Internet. Yeah, there are a couple years break where we all realized we were gay and learned to make sourdough bread and some other stuff happen. But now we're back in business, baby. Finally back to the cinematic golden age of Fantastic Beast, the Crimes of Grindelwald. Those movies could not. First of all, there's been several of them. They all have impenetrable titles. I don't know what secret it's same thing happened to me with the Spider man movies because they were all called like, Spider man, the Homecoming, Spider man, no Way Home, Spider Man, Far From Home. It's like, what's the fucking order? Same thing with the monkey movies. Planet of the Apes, colon, Dawn of the Apes. Planet of the Apes, colon, Rise of the Apes. Planet of the Apes, colon, War for the Planet of the Apes. What's the order? Does rise come before dawn or does dawn come before red? David, which is it, do you know? It's the ladder.

[Kendra James]

Hell yeah.

[Jon Lovett]

That's the ladder. It goes rise, dawn or dawn? Rise, dawn, rise. I like that. Why? Because that's just the way it is. But that doesn't make any sense. That makes perfect sense.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Yeah. Sun has to dawn before it can start rising.

[Jon Lovett]

Sunrise and dawn are synonyms. The sun is rising when it is dawn. It is dawn when the sun is rising.

[Sarah Lazarus]

When sunrise spans a period of time.

[Jon Lovett]

I agree. There's a period of time after dawn that the sun is continuing to rise. It rises till noon. But that's not what we mean when we say sunrise.

[Halley Kiefer]

You mean I don't like the monkey movies enough to the monkey movies. I can't do those. I really don't enjoy them.

[Jon Lovett]

All right, let's take a moment to Talk about Gladiator 2 and Wicked. Loved both. Enjoyed both thoroughly. We were talking about this. Yes. The cgi. I don't even know what kind of simians those were meant to be.

[Halley Kiefer]

They look like they're baboons.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah, they're baboons. They're baboons.

[Kendra James]

But one of them was in bad shape.

[Halley Kiefer]

You can buy packages of cgi, essentially.

[Kendra James]

So you buy the baboon package.

[Halley Kiefer]

Yeah, exactly. And there's like a level one baboon package.

[Kendra James]

Oh, interesting.

[Halley Kiefer]

Up to like.

[Jon Lovett]

Okay, I do not think. I do not think Gladiator 2 is using off the shelf. No, no, no.

[Halley Kiefer]

But so what I'm saying, you don't know but you don't have to. What I'm saying is you don't have to re. Render an animal. You can get, like, a package and then have this rendering.

[Jon Lovett]

So they start with a. They kind of start with. They get it. You can. You can get an off the shelf baboon and then doctor it up. Then doctor it up.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Put on it.

[Jon Lovett]

Put a hat. Right. Little bow tie.

[Kendra James]

Make an attack.

[Halley Kiefer]

Following all of the cgi, there was not enough doctoring up.

[Kendra James]

I agree. To me, it was the boat. So I didn't mind the baboon, but the boats. At the beginning, I was a little. A little.

[Jon Lovett]

For me, the little. It's actually not. It's hard, right? Because I don't actually think it is the baboons themselves or the little monkey or the sharks. It's the. What happened? I thought it was real.

[Halley Kiefer]

I know. I actually.

[Kendra James]

Someone looked this up.

[Jon Lovett]

I don't think that monkey was real. He was a real monkey.

[Kendra James]

It looked real.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah. 100%. 100%. You're gonna. 100%. Do you know that?

[Kendra James]

No, but it's. Some of them.

[Jon Lovett]

What if you're wrong? Then we'll never believe you. And you're sure again? Did you look it up or you.

[Kendra James]

Just feel it's right?

[Jon Lovett]

Can you look it up?

[Kendra James]

Yeah. We could get a monkey. Thank you.

[Jon Lovett]

It's not. No effects at all. Dondas was 100% a real monkey.

[Kendra James]

You're acting like monkeys have not been a part of Hollywood the entire time.

[Halley Kiefer]

I just watched Chim Crazy, and I would just like to think that there are no real monkeys.

[Kendra James]

Oh, there's probably more than ever.

[Jon Lovett]

I don't whether or not it may be a real monkey. There are definitely shots where it looks like they're that, like, Denzel Washington is told to stand in a certain way, and then the monkey. And now the monkey's on your shoulder. Like, there are moments where I don't know if it's fully a real monkey.

[Sarah Lazarus]

I think the monkey's real and Denzel is. AI.

[Jon Lovett]

Whoa, whoa. There is a moment from the movie that needs to be available to us as a video, which is when he goes. And that's politics. That's gonna be when somebody gets a good.

[Sarah Lazarus]

We're gonna drive it into the ground.

[Halley Kiefer]

Everyone's too busy filming the Wicked title card with their phone. They put their phone away for Gladiator.

[Jon Lovett]

People were filming the Wicked title card.

[Halley Kiefer]

Oh, did you not see this?

[Jon Lovett]

What are people doing with that?

[Halley Kiefer]

Posting it on Twitter.

[Jon Lovett]

Unbelievable. There was a. There was a. When the second time I saw Wicked. There was somebody sitting. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, you heard me. Saw it twice. Deal with it. Deal with it. Saw it twice. Cried both times. Would see it a third time. Sobbed. Fucking sobbed. Sobbed full. I'm crying from good news. Like I cry from the opening of that movie. I am so in on Wicked. I fucking loved Wicked.

[Halley Kiefer]

I'm not gonna like. That's totally. I love that for you.

[Jon Lovett]

Thank you.

[Halley Kiefer]

Just as someone who is a musical theater person, I just wish I felt the same.

[Jon Lovett]

You saw it.

[Halley Kiefer]

No, I haven't seen. I do not like Wicked. No, no, no. I saw wicked. Original cast, 2003.

[Jon Lovett]

Okay.

[Kendra James]

So like, I have seen and she hated it then.

[Halley Kiefer]

I just. The music does nothing for me.

[Jon Lovett]

I wanna. Agreed.

[Halley Kiefer]

I'm sorry. It's. It's just not.

[Jon Lovett]

It's not what.

[Halley Kiefer]

It doesn't do anything for me. I don't find it to be particularly imaginative. I don't like the wizard of Oz as, like a vehicle for storytelling.

[Jon Lovett]

Neither does Wicked.

[Halley Kiefer]

It's based. What do you mean?

[Jon Lovett]

It's a twist on it. It's saying, imagine. Well, look, to each their own. I fucking love Wicked. I thought it was beautiful. I'll cry right now thinking about it.

[Kendra James]

Do it.

[Jon Lovett]

I also enjoy growing too, but the sharks did take me out of it. They were not very real seeming.

[Kendra James]

I'm a conclave girly. Go out and see Conc. Loved it.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Can't wait.

[Halley Kiefer]

I'm excited to go see that one. I need to get a better picture of what the supporting actor race looks like, which I don't have a full.

[Kendra James]

I will say I think they're all in conclave. It's all older character actors just absolutely having a blast.

[Halley Kiefer]

I would like to. It would just be fun for me to see Denzel get a nod because his nod for Roman J. Esquire, I. I still am upset about it. You don't even remember that movie.

[Jon Lovett]

No, I do. He plays. His character's name, I believe, is Roman Israel.

[Halley Kiefer]

Roman.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah.

[Halley Kiefer]

Roman J. Israel, Esquire.

[Jon Lovett]

Yes.

[Halley Kiefer]

Sorry.

[Kendra James]

And he's a lawyer.

[Halley Kiefer]

Yes.

[Jon Lovett]

Denzel Washington is awesome in Gladiator 2. My only problem with Gladiator 2, which is, I think a contrarian take, but, like, I wanted it to be longer because I was actually enjoying. So without spoiling anything, like, you're watching what's his name?

[Kendra James]

Paul Mescal.

[Jon Lovett]

Paul. You're watching Paul mescal, who was AI, who was 100% AI and hot as hell, but you're watching him and Denzel Washington and their story. Is kind of how they kind of come together. And I just was like, I wanted to spend more time. I loved watching the Denzel Washington story of where he started and where he gets to. And I just wanted to spend more time in it.

[Halley Kiefer]

That is the beauty of a Denzel movie in American Gangster. Him with Russell Crowe. I always fast forward through the Russell Crowe parts because it's a better movie when you're just focusing on the Denzel stuff.

[Jon Lovett]

So good in that Training Day.

[Halley Kiefer]

Yeah.

[Jon Lovett]

God damn it.

[Halley Kiefer]

He's one of our guys.

[Jon Lovett]

It's so good to see him. It was so good. It's so good to see him.

[Halley Kiefer]

Did you read his profile? I think one of the reasons why he looks so activated and animated in this movie compared to a few Roman J. Whatever. And also, like all those Equalizer movies, apparently he stopped a 15 year, like, two bottle of wine a day habit. He's been sober for a few years now.

[Jon Lovett]

So. In the movie Heat, Al Pacino's character was doing cocaine. And Michael Mann cut any shot. I don't know if he. I don't know if it was discussed or you see it. I believe they did shoot him doing cocaine. Maybe a little bit wrong. But the basic gist of it is Al Pacino's played this character like he was doing cocaine throughout the movie. And then any reference to it is cut. And so the final movie, Al Pacino was like, I think a little bit pissed because he's like, I played this like a guy doing coke, and you never see me do coke. And it makes the whole movie. It makes the whole movie. And you sort of know he's doing coke because he's up for three days straight. And he's crazy. Like, he just seems like he's on coke. But I do think that it's a kind of a funny kind of direction that should be used more, which is just to tell Denzel Washington it's Rome, but, like, you're on coke the whole time.

[Halley Kiefer]

One of my favorite shots ever in any movie is in Flight. Zemeckis does this shot where it's either Denzel or John Goodman doing a line of coke. And the way he shoots it, he puts a camera on a dolly and, like, follows the line up his nose. It's a really excellent shot.

[Jon Lovett]

Yes. I like the movie Flake. Cause it asks the question, what if Sully is terrible? Finally, a movie willing to wonder, what if Sully was drunk when he turned that plane upside down?

[Sarah Lazarus]

What if our only hero is, in fact, a villain?

[Jon Lovett]

There's also, I Think it's great, too, that we made two movies. One is just about him and the other is a fake version of it. And in one of them, it's just like a very. Like the Ron Howard one. Wait, Ron Howard did. Which one did Ron Howard do?

[Halley Kiefer]

Flight or Zemeckis is Flight?

[Jon Lovett]

Oh, Zemeckis did Flight. And in that one, it's just like a straight up. Like, he's a hero. He turned the plane upside down, and it was totally awesome. And the one with Denzel Washington, he, like, does two bottles of vodka, throws them out of the garbage, does a line of clothing, and he's like, no, but it was still the right thing to do. And it's like, why did this need to exist?

[Halley Kiefer]

Sully, a movie I have seen exclusively on TikTok. There was a period where people were just posting sully in like, 10 minute chunks on TikTok.

[Kendra James]

That's funny.

[Halley Kiefer]

And I watched a lot of it. I'd never seen it before, but I got really pulled in. It's quite good.

[Jon Lovett]

Is it good or was I just.

[Halley Kiefer]

Up at 10:45pm watching things and 2 times speed on TikTok? I don't know.

[Jon Lovett]

Did you ever get the. Did you get the woman who's like, hey, take a break. You've been watching too.

[Halley Kiefer]

I don't think I got there.

[Jon Lovett]

You've been watching too much TikTok. If you watch TikTok for too long, TikTok pops up a little thing and says, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, chill.

[Sarah Lazarus]

She starts popping pit bulls, and you're right back in.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah.

[Halley Kiefer]

Oh, nothing that'll get me to turn off TikTok.

[Jon Lovett]

Not me. Not me. I want to see what's gonna happen. I wanna see how. Follow the rabbit, you know? See how deep this rabbit goes. Speaking of fantastic beasts, that's what the transition was from a while ago.

[Kendra James]

Great.

[Jon Lovett]

This year's national dog show winner was Vito, the first pug to take Best in show at Purina's annual dog show competition. I don't know if that makes sense. Vito made the judges an offer they couldn't refuse. The chance to crown this adorable pup Best in Show. Here's Vito on the Today Show. Vito and his handler, Michael Scott. Not that Michael Scott.

[Halley Kiefer]

Vito.

[Kendra James]

Michael David.

[Jon Lovett]

Congratulations for being here. I mean, Vito was already booked to discuss his breakout with Baby. Wait, I don't know who this is.

[Kendra James]

Bebe Rexha. Who's Bebe Rexha, who's a singer.

[Jon Lovett]

Nothing. Oh, Vito was already. Vito was already booked to discuss his breakup with BB Rexa. So it worked out perfectly.

[Kendra James]

If you knew who BB Rexa was, it'd be funny.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah, said one judge. He's everything a pug should be. One head cold away from death.

[Halley Kiefer]

Do you, when the dog show is on, do you call pundit into the room? Because I will call Amy into the room when they're announcing her category and, like, try to get her to sit and watch and, like, so she has representation.

[Jon Lovett]

This was so I didn't watch anything. So I. We worked. I worked part of the day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and then Tuesday night and Wednesday night I did, like prep cooking and then Thursday did cooking. And so Tuesday I brine the turkey and I spatchcock the turkey and I brine the turkey. Wednesday, I made cranberry sauce from scratch. I made a artichoke casserole and then discovered that my fridge was slowly rising in temperature and no longer staying below 50 degrees. So then on Thursday morning, I threw out the turkey that I had brined for two days and bought a new turkey. Spatchcocked that bad boy. Didn't have time to brine it. There was no time to brine it. Made the Mac and cheese, made the mashed potatoes and then cooked the turkey and then made gravy from scratch. But I was basically cooking the whole time. It was very fun. I really loved doing it. I put butter under between the skin and the turkey, which was very fun and gross. But I made a compound butter with herbs and garlic and salt and pepper. Got the turkey, already cooked the turkey. But I just was in the kitchen the whole time, which I actually love doing. I love just sort of like being in the kitchen making stuff.

[Kendra James]

What did your family say?

[Jon Lovett]

Well, such an important question. There was some question as to what we could or could not eat because it had been in the fridge that had slowly risen in temperature. And so there was.

[Sarah Lazarus]

So your whole family's in the hospital is what this is?

[Jon Lovett]

Oh, yeah, they're fucked up. They're fucked up.

[Kendra James]

They're stab wounds.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah, yeah. The hospital being our nickname for the toilet. But no. So everybody, it all turned out really, really well. But I think, like, I was like this, like, I basically used up everything that was in the fridge. But, like, my sister was like, I don't know if I feel. I don't know if this macaroni and cheese is safe. And I was like, it is safe. The milk is fine. It smells fine. Also.

[Halley Kiefer]

It was in the oven.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah, everything was in the oven. That's the whole thing. It was all in the oven. I relented on the turkey. Like, I would have cooked the turkey and just tested it because it's like, we're going to cook it, so it's going to be okay. But I don't know. I think that if it had been overnight in a fridge, that had been.

[Kendra James]

Yeah, you made the right call.

[Jon Lovett]

That had to go. The turkey had to go.

[Kendra James]

Because also, if they get sick, you will never live it down. It's just not worth it for them to always have that to refer to.

[Jon Lovett]

But then. But that was then when I was using the oven, the oven started. It's an old oven. So the oven started clicking. So then my father called the Viking number and it's like, who do you think's on the other end of this phone?

[Halley Kiefer]

I didn't know Viking made ovens. I knew they made sewing machines and vacuums.

[Jon Lovett]

It's an old Viking oven. I don't know. It's probably 20 or 30 years old too. I have no idea. Anyway, it worked out well, though. But I didn't watch the dog show and this pug one. Even though I don't know these things, I feel like we feel like they shouldn't exist.

[Halley Kiefer]

Nature's defects.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Fido is the best example of a dog that should never have been made.

[Halley Kiefer]

Yeah, right.

[Jon Lovett]

It's not even nature's defects, a human made thing. They were bred to have worse and worse faces.

[Kendra James]

It looks like a bug.

[Sarah Lazarus]

And you can see in his eyes too. It's like, I shouldn't be here.

[Kendra James]

Yeah.

[Jon Lovett]

Wasn't there a period of time too where they were talking about French bulldogs and like trying to reverse. They've been bred to be more and more unhealthy and that actually they should be bred to have longer and longer noses and that the standard needs to be changed so that these dogs.

[Sarah Lazarus]

So they can breathe.

[Jon Lovett]

So they can breathe better. Because, like, I don't know, like, don't airlines not allow. Yeah, they have eye problems. Don't they not allow pugs on planes? Like, what is it called when you should.

[Kendra James]

They should.

[Jon Lovett]

There's a name for the flat nose dog. What's called P. Maybe pug nose. Snub nose. Snub nose. I think it's a snub nose dog.

[Kendra James]

Because they can't breathe.

[Jon Lovett]

Well, yeah, some airlines won't allow them on the plane because they're not. That they worry that they're gonna. The pressure change.

[Kendra James]

Yeah.

[Jon Lovett]

So also they're able to get to the cabin.

[Kendra James]

Who knows what'll happen?

[Halley Kiefer]

Yeah.

[Kendra James]

Ooh.

[Jon Lovett]

Woo. All right. In case you missed it. Today is the last day to take advantage of Crooked's Friends of the Pod sale. You get 25% off a new annual subscription by joining our Friend of the Pod community. Your support enables us to create the content you count on like this show, while helping us grow a truly independent, progressive media company. With your subscri, you also get bonus pods, ad free episodes of Pod, Save America and a Discord community that will be here to support you. Or if you want to argue with you, you can choose. Choose your own adventure in the Discord. Really appreciate everybody that signed up to be Friends of the Pod. We put out a lot of really great subscription only content and it's a really great community. If you want to be part of the community, please do sign [e-mail] friends and that's our show. I want to thank Sarah, I want to thank Hallie. I want to thank Kendra. I want to thank everybody behind Wicked for doing an amazing job really bringing their A game. Also, whoever was in charge of the baboons, I think you did fine. I think you did fine. I didn't. It didn't take me out of it. I really could see them as being baboons.

[Kendra James]

I could use more baboons.

[Jon Lovett]

I was a bit confused by them as, like, what? I didn't think that it was more like, what kind of animals are this? These animals that no longer exist. Like, they look like monkey dogs to me. That's what I thought they were like, monkey dogs. And you did a great job on those monkey dogs. And I didn't see Moana too, but outro, I'm sure that everybody worked really hard on Moana too.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Take us out of this.

[Halley Kiefer]

Oh, I don't think we want both of those playing at once.

[Jon Lovett]

Yeah, I think we do. See you sluts on Saturday. Love it. Believe it. Just love it. Believe it. Stricture. 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. Halle Kiefer is our head writer, Sarah Lazarus and Jocelyn Kaufman, Peter Miller, Alan Pierre, Will Miles and Mohanad El Sheikhi 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. Oh, that's another. Another voice. You can do that. So if you came to find me, look to the western sky. You see, you can't. It's hard to do in your real self. But unlimited. Yeah. Now together we're unlimited.

[Kendra James]

Pulling Dylan.

[Jon Lovett]

It's that. Well, that. So if you care to find me. But then you can make it more nasal. It becomes what I'm doing. Nope, not great.

[Kendra James]

No, nothing.

[Jon Lovett]

No, no. I had it a second ago. I had it a second ago. Pandora makes it easy for you to find your favorite music. Discover new artists and genres by selecting any song or album, and we'll make you a personalized station for free download on the Apple App Store or Google Play and enjoy the soundtrack to your life. With Sling, you get all your favorite news programs for just $40 a month. What if I only watch news about whether or not I can afford a boat? $40 a month. What about news about how I lost money on the stock market, then made money on the stock market, then still $40? What about news I only watch so I have something to make small talk about in uncomfortable situations? Did you know police captured five runaway zebras in Washington yesterday? Well played. Get all your favorite news programs for the best price. Sling lets you do that. Visit sling.com to see your offer.