What a Weekday: Caught at McDonald's

Summary

Lovett or Leave It – Episode Summary: "What a Weekday: Caught at McDonald's"

Release Date: December 10, 2024

Overview

In the "What a Weekday: Caught at McDonald's" episode of Lovett or Leave It, host Jon Lovett is joined by Sarah Lazarus, Halle Kiefer, and Kendra James to dissect a range of pressing political and cultural issues. The discussion spans Donald Trump's recent interview on Meet the Press, the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, critiques of the American healthcare system, and a bizarre incident involving Ariana Grande and Cynthia Rivo. The episode is characterized by sharp humor, insightful analysis, and candid conversations about the state of American politics and society.

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1. Donald Trump's Interview on Meet the Press

Jon Lovett kicks off the episode by analyzing Donald Trump's first broadcast interview since winning the election, where Trump reiterated his controversial stance on immigration and birthright citizenship.

• Birthright Citizenship Debate

  Trump announced plans to end birthright citizenship, a right guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. Lovett critiques Trump's understanding, noting that multiple countries maintain such policies and constitutional scholars argue that executive action alone cannot alter this.

  "Trump is lying. Of course, if you can believe it, dozens of countries and territories have birthright citizenship, including Canada and Mexico." ([02:19])

• Deportation of Families

  Trump's proposal includes deporting undocumented immigrants, even those with U.S.-born children. The panel highlights the impracticality and emotional toll of such policies.

  "If only there was another way you could keep a family together..." ([04:21])

• Pardoning January 6th Rioters

  Trump expressed intentions to pardon those involved in the Capitol insurrection, sparking concerns about accountability and justice.

  "Trump said Welker that his Day 1 agenda also includes pardoning rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6th..." ([09:55])

• Contradictions in Trump's Policy Stance

  The panel discusses the contradictions in Trump's approach, particularly his simultaneous support for ending birthright citizenship while appearing more moderate on Dreamers.

  "Trump is saying he's open to a deal with Dreamers... But he's also saying we should end birthright citizenship." ([09:00])

2. Assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson

The conversation shifts to the shocking assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

• Details of the Incident

  The suspect, Luigi Mangioni, was apprehended at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The investigation reveals bizarre elements, including Monopoly money found in Mangioni's backpack and his unusual book reviews.

  "Mangione was captured with a gun and suppressor... Monopoly money in the backpack... He gave The Unabomber Manifesto 4 out of 5 stars." ([19:07])

• Public Reaction and Media Coverage

  The panel critiques the media's portrayal and public fascination with the assassin, highlighting the disturbing trend of glorifying such individuals.

  "People are praising the killer because of the depravities of the insurance industry..." ([21:11])

3. Critique of the American Healthcare System

A substantial portion of the episode delves into the flaws of the U.S. healthcare system, emphasizing the greed and inefficiency of insurance companies.

• Insurance Companies as Villains

  Lovett argues that while insurance companies exploit the system for profit, the broader issue lies within the system itself that perpetuates these inequalities.

  "The whole industry is like, fundamentally depraved because they exist to create a delta between how much people pay in premiums and how much they pay out." ([23:35])

• Challenges in Healthcare Reform

  The discussion highlights the political and logistical challenges in overhauling the healthcare system, including public resistance and the influence of powerful stakeholders.

  "We have to change that system... but if we are going to change the healthcare system, we have to reckon with the actual politics." ([26:15])

4. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Rivo's Bizarre Interview

The episode also covers a perplexing interview between Ariana Grande and Cynthia Rivo, where miscommunication led to an awkward and confusing exchange.

• Miscommunication and Emotional Responses

  Both celebrities appeared confused and emotional, leaving listeners bewildered about the purpose and content of their conversation.

  "I just wanted to be there because I knew something big was happening, and I didn't know how to be there." ([43:30])

• Impact on Public Perception

  The panel humorously speculates on the implications of such interactions on the perception of celebrities in the media.

  "She's being lauded for hours and hours every day to talk about... And it has to be just brainwarping to do this for a day." ([48:14])

5. International News: Assad Flees Syria

In a brief segment, the episode touches on the international repercussions of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad fleeing the country amidst a rebellion.

• Assad's Departure and Aftermath

  Assad's exit marks a significant shift in Syrian politics, with potential risks of power vacuums and the resurgence of extremist groups like ISIS.

  "Syria is a land of contrast... We will not let that happen until." ([38:46])

• Humorous Speculations

  The panel lightheartedly muses about Assad and Edward Snowden's personal lives post-departure.

  "How's that going, Snowden? Now you're feeling like a nag and now they're fighting." ([38:07])

6. Upcoming Events and Farewells

Jon Lovett announces changes to the show's format, including the discontinuation of "What a Weekday" and a focus on live shows in Los Angeles. He teases future guests like Joel McHale and Rachel Bloom, expressing enthusiasm for the show's evolution.

"We're announcing today that love it, relieve. It has a bunch of dates in Los Angeles through spring of 2025..." ([49:14])

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Conclusion

In this episode, Lovett or Leave It provides a critical and humorous examination of current political events, with a particular focus on Donald Trump's controversial policies and the dire state of the American healthcare system. The panel's insightful commentary, combined with their witty banter, offers listeners a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand, all while maintaining an engaging and entertaining atmosphere.

Notable Quotes

• "Trump is lying. Of course, if you can believe it, dozens of countries and territories have birthright citizenship, including Canada and Mexico." – Jon Lovett ([02:19])

• "If only there was another way you could keep a family together..." – Jon Lovett ([04:21])

• "The whole industry is like, fundamentally depraved because they exist to create a delta between how much people pay in premiums and how much they pay out." – Jon Lovett ([23:35])

• "We have to change that system... but if we are going to change the healthcare system, we have to reckon with the actual politics." – Jon Lovett ([26:15])

• "How's that going, Snowden? Now you're feeling like a nag and now they're fighting." – Jon Lovett ([38:07])

• "We're announcing today that love it, relieve. It has a bunch of dates in Los Angeles through spring of 2025..." – Jon Lovett ([49:14])

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened to it.

Transcript

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[John Lovett]

Gifts are inherently irrational because it's like, okay, I'll buy you something for $50, you buy me for something for $50. But why wouldn't I? If there's something I would want for $50 for myself and you would want for yourself, we should all just go to the store and buy ourselves something. But we do an exchange, and the exchange is inherently like there are things that you would like, but you're too careful or thoughtful or frugal to buy for yourself. Treats, yes, but you'll be glad to have it and wouldn't wash it and wouldn't prefer $50 once you do have it. Like that, to me, is what a gift is. And what is that for yourself? I think it's a puppy. And we're back. I'm here with Sarah Lazarus, Halle Kiefer, Kendra James for another edition of what a weekday and a lot to cover. Trump perfumes, hot shooters. I don't know why I said it. Syria. Syria. Let's get into it. What a weekday. Donald Trump sat down with Kristen Welker on Sunday's Meet the Press in his first broadcast interview since winning the election. Seems to be pretty much the same guy from before the election, which is too bad, but glad we checked. Trump outlined his plans for day one of his administration, which included trying to end birthright citizenship, a right guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.

[Kendra James]

But we have to end it. We're the only country that has it.

[Halle Kiefer]

Through an executive action.

[Kendra James]

You know, we're the only country that has it. Do you know if somebody sets a foot, just a foot, One foot. You don't need two on our land. Congratulations. You are now a citizen of the United States of America. Yes, we're going to end that because it's ridiculous.

[Halle Kiefer]

Through executive action.

[Kendra James]

Well, if we can. Through executive action.

[John Lovett]

It's beside the point. But imagine giving birth with just one foot across the border. Imagine how many things would have had to go wrong. And also right. Trump is lying. Of course, if you can believe it, dozens of countries and territories have birthright citizenship, including Canada and Mexico. Also, many constitutional scholars and civil rights groups have said that Trump can't in fact end birthright citizenship by executive action. It would require amending the Constitution. I'll be the judge of that, said Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito as he texted Martha Ann to lower his fuck the 14th amendment flag. The language in the 14th amendment is plain. It says all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. The subject to jurisdiction language is clearly about ambassadors and foreign dignitaries. Or must I remind you all of the plot of Lethal Weapon 2? Again, diplomatic community just been revoked. I love that. That movie builds up to basically just like an extrajudicial killing of a dip far and div. He earns it in the film, the.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Movie Play, and that was just the episode today.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, I love that. I love that. Lethal Weapon 2 is good. Kendra, do you like Li Weapon too?

[Kendra James]

I have to admit, I have not. No matter how many times you've mentioned it, I just still haven't gotten there.

[John Lovett]

It comes whenever diplomatic immunity comes up. Lethal Weapon 2 comes up. And if you don't like that, well, go with an Ezra Klein or something.

[Kendra James]

I'm sure it's great.

[John Lovett]

In addition to saying that he planned to deport every undocumented immigrant during his second term, Trump said this when asked about children who are US Citizens who have undocumented parents, your border czar, Tom.

[Halle Kiefer]

Homan, said they can be deported together. Is that the plan?

[Kendra James]

Well, that way you keep the. Well, I don't want to be breaking up families. So the only way you don't break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back.

[John Lovett]

If only there was another way you could keep a family together in which the undocumented parent or parents have lived in the US for years, if not decades, while having kids who are American citizens because we built, by intent and neglect, an economy dependent on undocumented labor as a kind of perma underclass, and whose crime was responding to the incentives we collectively created. If only, if only there was some other way. This throughout this interview. Like there's not a criticism of Welker. You will never get Trump to be circumspect when the question is, did you really mean this? He always says yes. He always says yes. But throughout this, he kind of evades. Like, this immigration section is interesting. He makes this comment about birthright citizenship. If you listen to the language Trump uses explicitly, like, directly, he says, if we can do it, he kind of. There's always outs to what he's saying, what happened.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Actually, this is upside down.

[John Lovett]

Oh, that's okay. Now it's part of it.

[Halle Kiefer]

It's definitely part of it.

[John Lovett]

But Trump, like, if we can, we'll do it by executive action. Right? He's leaving himself out throughout this conversation and even in this immigration section after he says this strident stuff about birthright citizenship, this embracing what Homan said about deporting families. He also is very generous about the Dreamers, which matches rhetoric he's used when he was president, like, a while ago occasionally, but obviously not what he was saying during the campaign. And it's like so much of what it is to interview Trump is to basically kind of ask him to repudiate or double down his most extreme comments. But, like, what's interesting in this interview is, like, he's leaving space to be more moderate. He clearly wants. I mean, like, we will. You know, there's a portion of this interview where he talks about jailing Liz Cheney. Right? You get all versions of Trump in this conversation, but, like, victorious, popular vote, winning Trump is a Trump that feels less insecure. And so you're getting a less strident version of him. And like, I don't know, like, Trump's saying he's open to a deal with dreamers. Like, we should take him up on that. We should push him on that. Like, Trump is saying he doesn't want to deport people who have started businesses, been here a long time. That's how he's describing the dreamers. That describes millions of undocumented people that he would surely recognize in the same way, right. As that have basically the same exact circumstances where he basically talks about dreamers. Well, they've been successful. They've done good things in this country. So I don't know what to do with that. But, like, it's a bundle of contradictions right now. And as is in the past, when Trump is saying a bundle of contradictory things, the end result is you get the kind of the extreme version on the policies that affect marginalized people, and you get the moderated version that appeals to corporations. Like, he kind of moderates when he thinks it'll affect the markets. But social media took from this interview the most extreme parts of it. But that is not what this interview was like. If you. I watched all 1 hour and 16 minutes of this interview. And I don't recommend anybody else do it. But if you watch that full thing, he gets baited by Welker into saying we should jail Liz Cheney. Now, you know, he wants to say it. It's right there. But what he tries to say up until that point is, I don't want to look into the past. No, I won't direct Pam Bondi and Cash Patel to investigate my opponents. He leaves the door open. He's open to it. He wouldn't be mad if it happens.

[Sarah Lazarus]

He's holding space for it.

[John Lovett]

He's holding space for it, absolutely. But just like I don't have any grand conclusions about that. But Donald Trump is trying to project moderation in this interview and he sees value in that.

[Kendra James]

So I also watched all of it at 8am on Sunday morning. I don't know what I was thinking.

[John Lovett]

Classic Kendra. She's either in or she's out.

[Kendra James]

I was awake. I was awake. And I was going to bring up the jailing thing, too, because he very clearly at the top of the interview, like you said, he's trying to avoid saying I'm going to direct anyone to investigate Biden. But then by the time you do get to the end and he's baited into saying more extreme things, it just continues to remind me that he is very good at tailoring what he is saying to the people, to whoever he's speaking to. And so, yes, we should take him up on this more moderate stance on immigration, but he's going to change it depending on what crowd he's speaking to next.

[John Lovett]

Well, also, he says we should end birthright citizenship, which means that people that are born here would no longer be citizens because their parents were undocumented, while saying dreamers who weren't born here but came here as children ought to be respected because it wasn't their fault. And that contradiction really can't be squared. It's just an emotional appeal. He knows that, like he was close to making a deal on the dreamers when he was president that Democrats walked away from over the border. And he also knows that he wants basically to be able to give carte blanche to immigration officials to start mass deportations, but doesn't want the bad headlines and the bad stories. He got around family separation. So it's like it's not, it's an emotional he doesn't resolve the contradiction because he doesn't have a clear policy stance. He has kind of an ideological bent against immigration, but he hasn't thought about Resolving these complexities, he doesn't care or.

[Kendra James]

He doesn't have a full understanding.

[John Lovett]

Right.

[Halle Kiefer]

He also, like, knows on some level, whether it's conscious or not, that, like, he doesn't actually have to do any of the things that he said. So it's like, that is both what we have to use and then his power, which is, like, he has an obligation to no one. Like, everyone will bend to him ultimately. And he knows that. And he also, I don't know if he really cares, like I said, about any of this or, like, what his actual desire for his second administration is, but there will be no consequence. If anything he said doesn't happen, it doesn't matter. And also, the voters didn't care to begin with.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, yes, he wants to declare victory. He wants to celebrate wins and be able to say that he succeeded in securing the border, bringing, like, you know, bringing back a good economy. Like, he wants to declare victory however he can, but he will regardless. Trump told Welker that his Day 1 agenda also includes pardoning rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6th and getting those guys straight into the recording studio. The bigger we can pump out an album, the better. That's another section where he left himself space to have it be limited to a few people, to being blanket, to not letting out people who assaulted the police. But we really don't know. He left himself open. Pardoning everybody involved while leaving, it sounds like. It sounds like they are thinking about how to pardon as many people as possible while not pardoning everybody, and we'll just have to see. But that, to me, is like, we talked about this yesterday at Pate America. If Donald Trump pardons people who assaulted police while trying to storm the Capitol, that is not something you just talk about. Yes, democracy as a abstract concept did not. We got those voters. We have those voters, but people are not consistently. Vast majorities of Americans have not wanted Donald Trump to focus on pardoning the January 6th insurrectionists and are not happy with the idea of pardoning people who broke into the nation's capital and assaulted police officers, several of whom died. Like, that is not that. That Donald Trump gravity still applies here. And like, we need to make that a big issue if he does that anyway, or it'll happen and then we'll move on in five fucking seconds.

[Kendra James]

See, that's more what I'm afraid of.

[Sarah Lazarus]

I'm curious how many Americans at this point know or remember or believe what January 6th was?

[Kendra James]

And also what would the spin then be on the officers that they assaulted? Like, what Would were those. You know, I can just see them saying something like, well, those officers, like, yes, they're police officers, but because they're Capitol Police officers are not the same as the boys in blue of the nypd.

[John Lovett]

They just denied the whole. I mean, they don't. They just pretend it all didn't happen. I mean, they just didn't. Like they were invited in. That's what Trump said in this interview. Some of them were invited in. They're just gonna make it a kind of morass. But, yes, a third of the country is fully captured. There's a big. The vast majority of Americans, like Donald Trump's lowest approval rating moments. They were attempting to overturn Obamacare and the insurrection. Those will always be the two signal moments in which Donald Trump was at his lowest. And I think that tells us something about the politics of this. Trump said this of former Congressman Liz Cheney and the other members of the House January 6th Committee for what they did.

[Kendra James]

Honestly, they should go to jail.

[John Lovett]

Sounds like Joe Biden may want to do some pardoning of his own whenever Hunter is done taking him on a thank you tour of D.C. area strip clubs. But don't worry, Trump said he would leave it up to hardcore loyalists he appointed to decide whether to prosecute.

[Halle Kiefer]

Are you going to direct your FBI director and your Attorney General to send them to jail?

[Kendra James]

Not at all. I think that they'll have to look at that.

[John Lovett]

Will I direct my bloodhound to hunt down Adam Schiff? Of course not. I'll simply give him a piece of Adam Schiff's clothing to sniff, and then it's entirely up to my highly trained, fervently loyal bloodhound what he wants to do next. Trump also left the door open to Cash Patel as pick for FBI director, prosecuting his other political rivals.

[Halle Kiefer]

Is it your expectation, though, that Cash Patel will pursue investigations against your political enemies?

[Kendra James]

No, I don't think so.

[Halle Kiefer]

Do you want to see that happen?

[Kendra James]

If they were crooked, if they did something wrong, if they have broken the law, probably. They went after me, you know, they went after me, and I did nothing wrong.

[John Lovett]

Again, crooked media, funnier idea. Eight years ago. We're rebranding Innocent little babies. Innocent little angel babies. Media. That's what we are now.

[Sarah Lazarus]

That's us.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. In that Atlantic profile of Cash Patel, a line that sticks out is, cash is the kind of person. I'm paraphrasing, Cash is the kind of person you don't have to tell to break into the Watergate. He'll just know that he's supposed to do it. Yeah, so that's. So, like, that's the chilling part about this. Trump said he was open to repealing the Affordable Care act and repeated this banger of a line from the September debate.

[Halle Kiefer]

Sir, you said during the campaign you had concepts of a plan. Do you have an actual plan at this point for healthcare?

[Kendra James]

Yes, we have concepts of a plan that would be better.

[John Lovett]

I hardly ever say this, but Trump should consider lying about healthcare. Just say you have a plan. Has this man never had a general meeting? It's Los Angeles. People are pretending to have written things down all the time. Yeah, we'll get you the script. The once and future president also told Welker that he would have RFK Jr. As HHS chief investigate the debunked link between vaccines and autism.

[Halle Kiefer]

Going back 25 years, studies show that there is no link between vaccines and autism. And yet it sounds like you are open to the possibility of him looking.

[Kendra James]

I'm open to getting rid of them. I think somebody has to find out. I mean, something is going on. I don't know if it's vaccines. Maybe it's. Maybe it's chlorine in the water. Right? You know, people are looking at a lot of different things.

[Halle Kiefer]

You know, childhood vaccines.

[Kendra James]

I want them to look at everything. I think vaccines are. Certain vaccines are incredible, but maybe some aren't. And if they aren't, we have to find out.

[John Lovett]

First of all, he said chlorine in the water. He meant fluoride, right? Yeah, yeah, he meant fluoride. Here's the problem. We have found out massive studies looking at hundreds of thousands of vaccine recipients. I mean, just as broad a group of people, as big a data sample as you could find, no link. And I just feel like if I keep trying, we can change the mind of a swing voter. Two months ago. I think it's possible. If we fucking try hard enough, we can get those people.

[Halle Kiefer]

I feel like this is the same. Remember where they were having, like, the beehive collapse, and they're like, we don't know why this is happening, but it's not the pesticides. And then, like, years later, it's like, it turns out it was the pesticides. Suddenly with adhd, autism, like, all these things where it's like, there's a. Recently a study that came out basically linking it to, like, leaded gasoline pollution historically. It's like it's gonna be everything else. Like, the idea that we're so fixated on vaccines at this point, when there are so many factors that are entering into play and will enter play as climate change continues to get worse. Like, it's just, I don't know. I don't know there's anything to do about it. But it's like, that's like the one thing we're pretty sure it's not. Can we just try something we looked into?

[John Lovett]

Yeah, we looked into that. We ruled that out. That's helpful.

[Halle Kiefer]

Let's do air pollution next and then we'll go from there.

[John Lovett]

You know, the null hypothesis is valuable. We've checked it out. Yeah. Vaccines are amazing. We have other problems, but vaccines are amazing. It's a strange thing to fixate on. Pick something else. Pick something else. That's horrible. I think leaded gasoline is a good one. Focus on that. Meanwhile, Trump on Sunday announced a new line of fragrances on Truth Social called Fight Fight Fight. So named because it did elicit a strong aggression response when tested on pit bulls. The French perfumer Le Nis. Is that how you say it?

[Kendra James]

How is it spelled?

[John Lovett]

It's I think L E, N E.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Can you make this up?

[John Lovett]

What?

[Sarah Lazarus]

Is this a real person or did you make this up?

[John Lovett]

Lunis is the name for the nose. It's French for the nose.

[Halle Kiefer]

So you did make it up.

[John Lovett]

Well, that's what you would call the French perfumer perfumier. I don't know how you'd say it, but the people that are kind of, they have those extremely well tuned noses and they can both smell and then make the perfumes, they're called noses. The French perfumer Lounie, who concocted the fragrance, said in a statement, ze Padme in cash. And they made it smell like Le farts. Le farts. Le Farts.

[Halle Kiefer]

Nailed it.

[John Lovett]

Sorry, that's more like Luigi Mangione. We'll get to it. The announcement post the announcement post featured a photo of Trump seated near first lady Jill Biden at the reopening of Notre Dame in Paris with the caption of fragrance your enemies can't resist. There's no coming back from this, sadly. Time to burn that church again. Burn it to the ground. Over the weekend, the big story was the ongoing search for the person who murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in broad daylight. Last Thursday, NYPD revealed that they found what they believed was a backpack the killer left in Central park and it was filled with Monopoly money, said Mayor Eric Adams. Given the amount of Monopoly money in the backpack, we believe the killer is one of those people that plays by paying taxes and other fees into the center of the board and then Uses free parking as a means to recoup those costs before the spokesperson for the NYPD could get Adam. He's a free parking guy, you guys. Free parking people.

[Halle Kiefer]

I hate Monopoly more than any other game.

[John Lovett]

That's right.

[Kendra James]

I love Monopoly.

[John Lovett]

That also tracks complete Lazarus.

[Kendra James]

No one would play with me.

[John Lovett]

Lazarus is neutral about it. It wasn't like a childhood game for her. What were your childhood games?

[Sarah Lazarus]

We were a Scrabble family.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, of course.

[Sarah Lazarus]

And my brother and dad played chess, But I was too bad at it, so.

[John Lovett]

Wow. Wow, you like Monopoly?

[Kendra James]

I love Monopoly.

[John Lovett]

You like being banker?

[Kendra James]

Yes, I was the banker. I also love Stratego. I got into Risk.

[John Lovett]

Oh, Stratego's great. Stratego's a great game. Risk is a great game. Risk.

[Halle Kiefer]

We're of an Uno family.

[John Lovett]

Yeah.

[Halle Kiefer]

Candyland.

[John Lovett]

Authorities released photos of the suspect sans mask, which the Internet immediately began thirsting over. If you people were cats, I'd be spraying you with a water bottle. No, don't enjoy that too. Stop liking it then. On Monday, the police released the name of a suspect they arrested after he was recognized eating at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where an employee called authorities. And that employee, humble fry cook Donald J. Trump. That's the employee. Come on.

[Kendra James]

They did say he was elderly.

[John Lovett]

The assassin was careful, disciplined, but couldn't resist a reckless trip to McDonald's. I've never related to somebody more. According to the NYPD, the alleged shooter is Luigi Mangioni, a 26 year old man who attended the University of Pennsylvania. Mangione was captured with a gun and suppressor. Fake id, and it says here several loose meatballs added Mangione upon his arrest. I shooted the guy. Mamma mia. Is this allowed, David?

[Unknown]

I have no idea.

[Halle Kiefer]

I think famously Italians and Irish, the last groups were allowed to really go hard on.

[John Lovett]

If we're not allowed. Put it in the comments. Mangione also has a document that expressed frustration with the healthcare industry and contained the line, the parasites had it coming. Okay, but 90% of people out of Pennsylvania McDonald's have a manifesto in their backpacks too. This proves nothing. Speaking of manifestos, on the suspect's Goodreads, he allegedly gave The Unabomber Manifesto 4 out of 5 stars. So close to perfect, but could use less blah, blah, blah and more boom, boom, boom.

[Sarah Lazarus]

He gave five to the Lorax.

[John Lovett]

He gave five to the LorAx. You five to the LorAx.

[Kendra James]

He had Ayn Ryan done his on his attracts watch. Read.

[John Lovett]

What a strange book to review on Goodreads.

[Sarah Lazarus]

As an adult.

[Halle Kiefer]

I'm sorry. I think he might be some kind of weird guy.

[John Lovett]

The second I saw the story that, like, oh, the CEO had been killed in an assassination, I was just, like, bracing for the inevitable. People praising the killer because of the depravities of the insurance industry, then people criticizing the people praising the killer, then people criticizing the people criticizing the people praising the killer because they don't have enough empathy for the pains caused by the insurance industry. And then that would lead to Republicans blaming the left for people celebrating the killing of a person. And this whole kind of cycle of different groups of people performing a lack of empathy for either the victim or for the victims of the insurance industry. And I'm opting out of the whole thing.

[Kendra James]

But did you think he was hot?

[John Lovett]

Well, yeah. I mean, I have eyes. I have eyes, yeah. The other part of it that I find, like, okay, this person's now been arrested. It seems like based on what people have gathered online and who knows, that, like, this person has had some kind of injury. And there have been. I've been interviews in the Times about this, that he had some kind of injury. It caused some kind of a downward spin. He's had some kind of mental health crisis. Like, okay, this person has killed this man. That man's family is in mourning. There is now that person now is going to be charged and tried for murder. A bunch of people on the Internet are going to have a good time talking about how hot he is and everyone bending over backwards to be kind of, I don't know, edgelordy about how hot they find him and all that. And then we'll all move on. Politics will move on, the story will move on, but this guy is dead. And this person who was in crisis is going to spend probably the rest of his life in prison. And we'll stop talking about him, but his life is forever over. And I find the whole thing kind of glib and uncomfortable. That's where I'm at.

[Sarah Lazarus]

We won't have Medicare for All after.

[John Lovett]

This, and we won't have Medicare for All after this. And I went and looked in. The United Healthcare Stock dropped like 8 to 10% after the killing, but is still up over the last six months because of a great earnings call from July. And it's like, okay, so the murder of the CEO and the attention on the ways in which UnitedHealth is particularly bad about claims is not as destructive as a positive earnings call from July. And the system will careen onward. And like some insurance companies are better than Others, some treat people more fecklessly and cruel than others. Some choose to exploit the system with little regard for the people that are relying on their health insurance to keep them alive and protect them at their moments of greatest need. The whole industry is like, fundamentally depraved because they exist to create a delta between how much people pay in premiums and how much they pay out. All of that is true, but that is the system. We have to change that system. And I am fine and largely agree with a politics that points out that these companies are greedy, that they exploit people, that they deny coverage when they know they should cover it, when they deny coverage and then eventually relent because people fight it. That part of their business model is denying more than they should because they know that a certain percentage of people will just give up. Like that is all sick and twisted, for sure, but this person will be replaced. That company is one of many insurance companies providing a service in the gap between what people need and what our government provides. We had a fight, a big fight, about trying to build a better public system. The American people consistently, when polled about this, say they like their private insurance. And now that is in part because of propaganda from the health insurance industry. That is in part because of propaganda from, from right wing media, but that is the reality. And having gone through the big healthcare fights in the Democratic Party, having written speeches for President Obama when he was desperately trying to get as many people into better insurance and as many people into a public option, into Medicare, into Medicaid as he could at every step of the way, the challenge was the need to, to make clear to millions of people that if they like their plan, they could keep their plan. Because if you look at the latest polling just last year from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 80% of people say they are happy with their insurance. That number drops a bit for people that have had problems with their insurance, but not a lot more people are happy with Medicare. More people want the government to help protect people's access to care. More people want an expanded role for government in healthcare. But one of the biggest political blowbacks Barack Obama ever faced is when after saying, if you like your plan, you can keep your plan, certain plans were being canceled because they didn't provide certain amounts of coverage, because they didn't meet the new criteria, because insurance companies were exploiting the passage of Obamacare to claim that because of Obamacare, they were ending policies and villainize. Insurers, point out their inequities, point out their failures, but providers also charge a lot and when insurance companies try to lower the fees they pay to providers, they face public blowback. Also, when the millions of people who have been victimized by insurance and who have cancer and are not getting the coverage they need and are fighting on the phone with their insurance company while trying to get covered, these stories that happen over and over again, those stories become public. Millions of Americans who've had these terrible experiences clamor and say, hey, this system is broken. We should all come together and do something different. The 50% of the country in private health insurance through their employer, the 10% of the country who buys private health insurance, that group of people have said we are fine with you expanding coverage, but don't fuck with my coverage. Right? That is the politics of this. And that is not just about the depravities of the health insurance. That is a collective lack of empathy, the collective will to imagine doing something better. And I am all for again, like I villainized insurance companies, like I there is value to that. We should be pushing these companies to treat people better. Even in this fucked up system. Plenty of them. It's not just the system. Plenty of them break the law and break the rules, try to get around coverage and have to apologize and deal with the ramifications after. But if we are going to change the healthcare system, if that's really something we want to do, and I want to, then we have to reckon with the actual politics, which is about insurance companies, it is about the doctor association, it's about the hospitals, and it's about persuading millions of Americans to expand Medicare, to create a public option, to do the things that will put us on the road to a single payer system. Talking to people about the administrative costs of private insurance versus the health insurance industry. Talk to people about the incredibly high cost that people pay even outside of insurance for healthcare in America. There's a lot of problems we have to talk about. But I find there's something counterproductive and morally easy in scapegoating just the insurance companies because they are an easy villain and they are villains.

[Sarah Lazarus]

So who should we be murdering?

[John Lovett]

And that's the question. And all this is about figuring out who we should be murdering. Because if there's one thing I know, we are gonna shoot our way to single payer healthcare and we just got figure out the right people to shoot.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Yeah, I have a PSA while we talk about this. Because as we point out, it's not only the insurance, it's providers who are charging crazy amounts. When you get a scary hospital bill I think most people know this. Ask for an itemized statement. I had to go to the ER for a kidney infection earlier this year, shout out kidney infections. And my original bill insurance did cover most of it, but my copay was still scary and I asked for an itemized statement and the total that I owed at the bottom of that bill was exactly half of my original bill. And that just, I don't know if it's an honest mistake but like this happens a lot where they'll just accidentally charge you for things and you just have to ask them for the itemized version and it's different.

[John Lovett]

Terrific.

[Sarah Lazarus]

It doesn't always work, but give it a shot.

[Kendra James]

Yeah, I think in your, I don't wanna call it a rant. That wasn't a rant, that was a speech, something, whatever you just did. I think you hit on a problem that is the common denominator of a lot of the issues that we have in America, which is a lack of empathy. And I don't know how you that that is the thing that we actually have to work to solve. And I don't know where we, how we get there.

[John Lovett]

My like, I do think that part of it is like people have conflicting ideas about this and, and people are more empathetic and generous in spirit when they're less, they feel less personally threatened. So that's I think the value of saying if you like your plan, you can keep your plan because it's saying hey, we're going to. And by the way, like we did Obamacare, which is now very popular, did a big expansion of Medicaid, made it possible for a lot more people to afford health insurance, capped a bunch of costs, kept a bunch of out of pocket costs, covered a bunch of preventative care. Part of why some plans were being canceled is they didn't cover things like mammograms and other regular necessary treatments. Like all of that was very, very positive. But like when inside of the Democratic Party it becomes a debate about Medicare for All or not Medicare for All, you miss what are actually very big and good policy solutions that would have a huge impact that are less complete like a public option or just lowering the Medicare eligibility from 65 to 60 takes a bunch of high risk. People out of the private insurance pool lowers our collective health care costs instantly because Medicare pays a fraction of what private insurance does on administrative costs and lowers cost of private insurance because all of a sudden the private insurance market doesn't have 60 to 65 year olds which are some of the most expensive people to insure because they're about to be seniors or about to be, they're about, they're, they're, they're, they are getting into the age where their health care costs more and more. So like, part of it too is I think people really like Medicare, but they have been convinced by fear mongering that says that, oh, if you expand Medicare for everybody, Medicare will get worse and the system can't handle it. And I think the way you deal with that fear is by just doing it in pieces and like trying to slowly get more and more people into the system. But no, I agree, like, part of it is just, it is empathy, but it's also like a kind of collective lack of a kind of positive imagination that we can do big things and those big things will be good like that that is just, I think lost right now. There is no kind of collective positive vision or a collective ability to come together and say, hey, we're going to do something big and make a big change and it's going to be great. And that's, I do think like as we're, I think it's worth talking about because I like as we figure out the politics of the next two years and how we respond to Republicans and then get into the primaries for 2028, like we're not gonna be talking about Trump anymore and so what are we gonna be talking about? And I do think it has to be this bigger vision of a future and it has to be more concrete than opportunity economy. And I don't know what it is, but I'm excited to find out. Hey, don't go anywhere.

[Kendra James]

There's more of love it or leave.

[John Lovett]

It Coming up, what a weekday is brought to you by DraftKings Casino. It's the most wonderful time of year. Holiday on the house at DraftKings Casino. With the season's offerings, you'll unwrap everything on your list. Exc games, huge jackpots and exciting rewards. DraftKings is offering a warm welcome to new players with $100 instant in casino credits with just $10 wagers. Plus everyone can get in on the action with a holiday reward every week. So sign up with code. Love it because holiday cheer is here only on DraftKings casino gambling problem call 1-800- GAMBLER in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling at 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly. 21/physically present in Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia. Only eligibility restrictions apply. New customers only. Opt in Required casino credits are non withdrawable and expire in 168 hours [e-mail] promos what a weekday is brought to you by SimpliSafe. If you ever worry about the safety of your home and family, there is no better time to act. Right now SimpliSafe is extending its massive Black Friday deal for my listeners. Get 50% off today just by visiting simplisafe.com loveit this is your last chance to protect your home at Simplisafe's lowest prices of the year. SimpliSafe is a new way to protect your home that stops intruders before they break into your home. Old school systems only take action once somebody is already inside. That's too late. Simplisafe's Active Guard Outdoor Protection changes the game by preventing crime before it even happens. If someone's lurking around or acting suspiciously, those agents see them in real time, talk to them directly, set off your spotlights, and even call the police before they've had a chance to break in. Plus there are no long term contracts, no cancellation fees and it's around $1 per day. All for this protection I set up a SimpliSafe system. Incredibly easy to do, works out of the box. The app is really reliable, the customer support is really great. Highly recommend it. SimpliSafe is extending its massive Black Friday deal for our listeners this week only you can get 50% off any new system with a select professional monitoring plan. This is your last chance to claim their best offer of the year. Head to simplisafe.com love it. That's simplisafe.com love it dot there's no safe like simplisafe. Love it or leave it is brought to you by Aura Frames. It's hard to find the perfect gift for people, especially family. You know, what do you get for the people that hate everything? You know what I mean? Pictures of you. You want it to be personal, but not too over the top. That's why a gift they'll really love is Aura Digital Picture Frames. Named number one by Wirecutter, Aura Frames make it incredibly easy to share unlimited photos and videos directly from your phone to the frame. And when you give an Aura Frame as a gift, you can personalize and preload it with thoughtful messages and photos using the Aura app, making it an ideal present for long distance loved ones. Save on the perfect gift by visiting auraframes.com to get $35 off or as best selling Carver Matt frames by using promo code. Love it. At Checkout. That's a. You are a frames.com promo code. Love it. This deal is exclusive to listeners, so get yours now in time for the holidays. Terms and conditions apply. In international news, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, Syria's ruler for 24 years, fled the country on Sunday when rebel forces seized control of Damascus after sweeping across the country in a matter of days. More like Syria you later, you corrupt butcher. But in all seriousness, Assad did terrible things. In all seriousness. In all seriousness.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Got him.

[John Lovett]

Assad and his family arrived in Moscow the same day, having been granted asylum in Russia. Enjoy Moscow in winter, you fucks. Bashar Al Assad is an ophthalmologist turned dictator who killed half a million people. Edward Snowden is a former NSA contractor who leaked thousands of classified documents, journalists, and now their roommates. Which one do you think left dishes in the sink? I think it's Assad. I think Snowden's fastidious. I think sad's a mess. Who's been had every whim cater to for years. Now he's got to do his own dishes, do his own laundry. How's that going, Snowden? Now you're feeling like a nag and now they're fighting. That's the show. That's a show sold. Moscow and Winter. That's a good name. Let's get on it. I actually don't think it's a bad idea.

[Sarah Lazarus]

The show.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, like an actual scripted comedy about Bashar Al Assad and Edward Snowden.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Oh, I think that's a bad idea.

[John Lovett]

Oh, yeah. Okay. Now that I think about it, you're right, it's a terrible idea.

[Halle Kiefer]

It kind of reminds me, do you guys ever watch that's My Bush, which was the sitcom about George W. Bush. It was great.

[Kendra James]

I did not.

[Halle Kiefer]

It was the guys who did south park, but I imagine it's like that, sort of a naked gun animated live action.

[John Lovett]

I'm open. I'm open.

[Halle Kiefer]

Sort of a BoJack situation.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, they are also horses. Speaking of the White House, President Biden called the sudden collapse of the Syrian government a moment of historic opportunity for the long suffering people of Syria, but also a moment of risk and uncertainty. In conclusion, Biden continued in a distracted monotone, syria is a land of contrast. Then he went back to stuffing neckties and silverware into a suitcase. Continued Biden.

[Kendra James]

We're clear eyed about the fact that ISIS will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish its capabilities and to create a safe haven.

We will not let that happen until.

[John Lovett]

At least Mid January. Joe Biden's looking good, I think. Could have done a second term. Trump's foreign policy is an incoherent, contradictory jumble. He's appointed a series of national security hawks. He's appointed a series of national security hawks like Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz. But he's also planning to nominate for Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, who spouts Russian propaganda and who in July urged Trump to avoid Rubio, saying that he represents the neocon warmongering establishment, a team of rivals. But they are being chosen for these roles because they all believe in something more important. Donald Trump is mommy. Gabbard also had two secret meetings with Assad himself, making an unannounced trip to Syria in 2017, while a sitting congressperson tweeted former Rep. Adam Kinzinger on Friday, wonder if Tulsi Gabbard will offer Assad safe harbor at her house. They are great friends. I've been to worst friendsgivings. I just got chills imagining for the first time what Tulsi Gabbard's house might look like. There's a coffee table made of a surfboard, but no rugs. No rugs at all. The only art is a gray abstract painting from HomeGoods. Just that pre frame shit. Shiplap. Oh, there's probably Shiplap. This is all a reminder that Trump can claim every failure was avoidable and every success inevitable when he's campaigning. It's more difficult when he's governing. For example, you said you can end.

[Halle Kiefer]

The war in 24 hours. You've even said you want to try to end it before. You're so trying to end it. You're actively trying to.

[Kendra James]

I am.

[Halle Kiefer]

Have you talked to President Putin?

[Kendra James]

No, I have not.

[Halle Kiefer]

You haven't talked to President Putin since you've been elected?

[Unknown]

No, I have.

[Kendra James]

No. Well, I don't want to say that, but I haven't spoken to him recently.

[John Lovett]

Trump, like woman at brunch whose friend is trying to find out if she's still talking to the exact. Because the last time they had brunch, she said she was fucking done. And she's not going to go through that again. She's like, I haven't talked to him recently. Well, how recently? Since the election. Well, I mean, obviously I'm not going to say not since the election, buddy. If you spoke with him since the election, that is recently. I have friends I haven't talked to since Ron DeSantis was running for president. These are good, close friends. Putin isn't A what did you eat for lunch today? Inner circle level guy. Okay, fine. But that doesn't mean you haven't talked to him recently.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Anyone you've talked to in the last month is your best friend.

[Halle Kiefer]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

Donald Trump saying he can end the war in a day even before he becomes president. Not possible. People have been talking about whether the collapse of Syria is going to turn people against Tulsi Gabbard because of her conversations with Assad. But I also think it's about the reminder. These are serious jobs that require people like that aren't fucking kooks like John. We talked about this on Ponte America yesterday. But like, John Bolton has been one of the people leading the charge against Tulsi Gabbard. And then it becomes a kind of hawks versus doves debate because John Bolton is obviously a neocon, but like the point that he made, which is a good one, it's like, hey, like it's not about ideology. Like she has terrible fucking judgment. Like she has kooky, shitty judgment. That's a dangerous thing in a job like this, regardless of the ideology. Anyway, so hope that works out. A few weeks ago, this interview without magazine went viral. I've seen this week people are taking the lyrics of defying gravity and really holding space with that and feeling power in that. I didn't know that that was happening. I've seen it. Yeah, that's really powerful. That's why I wanted. Yeah.

[Unknown]

I didn't know that was happening.

[John Lovett]

I've seen it on a couple posts. I don't know how widespread, but you know, I am in queer media. I know what you're thinking. This can't be why Trump won because it went down after the election.

[Sarah Lazarus]

This is my 100th time watching this clip and I just realized how funny it is to be moved while wearing that hat.

[John Lovett]

It's the yes that people have been reluctant to talk about the looks as being part of the silliness.

[Kendra James]

It's part of it, yeah. No big part, silly.

[John Lovett]

The Internet also latched onto the fact that Ariana Grande reaches out and grabs Cynthia Rivo's one finger like a baby, which I keep trying to do at the office, but nobody will let me. Kendra, let me hold your fingy fingy. That went about as well as we thought. Now, in a follow up interview, Ariana and Cynthia admitted that they have no idea what the hell that conversation was even about.

[Unknown]

So I didn't know what any part of it meant. I didn't understand the first sentence and then I definitely didn't Understand what was happening, how you responded. I was like, oh, what did she say? And what did you hear? And I just wanted to be there because I knew something big was happening, and I didn't know how to be there.

[John Lovett]

But then after a while, I didn't know how to be there.

[Kendra James]

Once again, the hat.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. Are we there? Are we here? What is happening? It also, like, does. It does fit with what it felt like it was going on, which is that Ariana Grande is just an incredible, like, she's incredible at, like, reading a room and matching the energy she'll.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Yes. And all day.

[Kendra James]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

And so she's like, all right, we're having an emotional moment. I don't really know why, but that I'm here for. Here's what Grande went on to say.

[Unknown]

I remember in the moment asking myself, am I okay? Did I not hear something? And I was like, am I? I was like, Cause she looks like she's about to cry again.

[Kendra James]

It's also like, for Cynthia Erivo to be saying, she also doesn't know what was going on. She's the one who had the emotional reaction. She's the one who started it.

[Halle Kiefer]

But they were crying this whole time. Like, when she said cry again, it's like they've been tearing up in every single one of these interviews. So I think she just automatically was like, I'm already crying.

[John Lovett]

The press tour for Wicked was such an emotional rollercoaster. They were going through it out there. But, yeah, I think there's something about, like, there's a little bit like, of Ariana Grande being, like, trying to take herself out of it and be like, yeah, I was out. I was on the outside of it with the rest of you. And then Cynthia Riva was like, well, don't leave in me in here alone. I want to be out there with you, too. So I also didn't understand what was happening. Nobody understood what was happening. And then I saw that the woman who did the interview did a makeup commercial around holding space, and I'm glad she's getting that money. Like a full commercial for cosmetics of some kind.

[Halle Kiefer]

I, like the gay men's choir, sang a song about holding space. And that was my favorite part of it.

[John Lovett]

She had said that she was seeing it because she was in queer media. And I was like, I honestly didn't know what that meant. And am I also in queer media?

[Unknown]

Maybe we are.

[John Lovett]

Great work. There's actually. I thought about this. I was like, well, any media Cynthia Erivo is in is queer media. Any media that I'M in is queer media. What does the term mean if you're in it and it's not?

[Kendra James]

She also, like, you're sitting down without magazine. You know what queer media is? You are in one of the most known queer relationships that you broke up with another. Like, you broke up a queer marriage and are now in a very prominent queer relation. You know what this is?

[John Lovett]

Hmm. Then how do you explain it, Kendra? How do you explain this?

[Kendra James]

Explain. Explain which part?

[John Lovett]

Then what did. Then why is she saying this?

[Kendra James]

Because I think at this point, they're just talking.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, they're just talking.

[Halle Kiefer]

They're just talking. Yeah.

[Sarah Lazarus]

I have to answer all of this. They're saying stuff.

[John Lovett]

They've done so many interviews about Wicked. They're just broken.

[Halle Kiefer]

To be fair, if any one of us was interviewed about, like, anything. Like, I just feel like if I were to be interviewed at any point in time, I would have no idea what's going on. I could lose a thread like that. So I empathize with them, because if somebody's sad, I'd be like, oh, well, okay. You had no idea.

[Sarah Lazarus]

To not know what's going on and not ask. You can just say, hey, what are you talking about?

[Halle Kiefer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kendra James]

Instead of sounding like, that's what I hoped would happen. Like, also, you're not Stephen Schwartz. You didn't write this song. This song has been being performed since 2003.

[John Lovett]

She's so good in it.

[Kendra James]

No, I'm not talking about quality.

[John Lovett]

For people watching, obviously. Kendra has been critical of Cynthia Erivo and Wicked for a long time about the casting, the staging, all of it. Not a fan of the musical, not a fan of Cynthia Erivo's. And that's all coming out.

[Kendra James]

I mean, if we want to talk about Cynthia Erivo's comments during the Harriet Tubman era, we could.

[John Lovett]

Oh, yeah, I guess we could. But maybe not today.

[Kendra James]

No.

[Halle Kiefer]

She was great in the Color Purple on Broadway. Pizza.

[Kendra James]

Yeah.

[Halle Kiefer]

Phenomenal.

[Sarah Lazarus]

The important thing is to go see Conclave.

[Halle Kiefer]

Conclave. Conclave.

[John Lovett]

Haven't seen Conclave. Conclave.

[Unknown]

I feel really relieved that the world had the same experience with this moment that I did, because I felt like, oh, I'm not broken.

[John Lovett]

No, no, no, you're broken. We're all broken. We're all broken, babe. Welcome to the club. I guess that's it. Yeah.

[Kendra James]

The vibes just feel weird.

[John Lovett]

What?

[Kendra James]

No, I just, like, here today. No, no, no. Just, like, imagine being in their presence. It just feels like it would be a very weird time, vibe wise.

[John Lovett]

I just. I think they're Both amazing. They're incredibly talented people. They are being lauded for hours and hours every day to talk about, how did you do this amazing thing? How are you so amazing? And it has to be just brainwarping to do this for day. They've been like, I can't believe we even have this interview because this is in a produced white room where they're being asked to react to other promotion from what, a week or two ago.

[Halle Kiefer]

I think it's nice. This was genuinely camp. I think as a queer person, it is nice to have a sincere moment that we all looked at and said, what? And then everyone just started making. And that was fun. And I think, like, that's what they should take away is like, you did a good job. People needed something silly like this. Thank you, ladies.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. And I am just. I'm so excited that we get a whole nother round. Oh, yeah, you're. Now they get to go out and start promoting a movie that is a fucking guaranteed hit. They have a second movie, Joe.

[Kendra James]

Like, oh, yeah.

[John Lovett]

Like there is a guaranteed hit. That is a. They are so lucky. That is. This is like the. This is the fucking musical MCU now.

[Kendra James]

So when do we have to do this again? Is this next year? Are we giving November?

[John Lovett]

Next November, Same time, same time. Next year.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Holding that for Conclave 2.

[Halle Kiefer]

Conclave, too.

[John Lovett]

But that's not the only thing you can look forward to next year. We are announcing today that love it, relieve. It has a bunch of dates in Los Angeles through spring of 2025. And whatever happens next year, we'll love to see you. So join me Every Thursday starting January 9th if you're in Los Angeles and some exciting changes coming so you won't want to miss these shows. We have some very big guests lined up for you. We have some very fun new segments coming your way. We're going to trump proof this show yet again, so come by if you're in Los Angeles. First up, we have Joel McHale and Rachel Bloom. Those are great guests. So check it out. Crooked.com events to see the dates and grab some tickets. See you there. And that is our show. I want to thank Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Sarah Lazarus, Halle Kiefer, and Kendra James. Just so everybody knows that we are doing one more what a Weekday next week, which will be our last what a weekday. We have loved doing this, but we want to really focus on doing the absolute best Thursday live show and Saturday podcast recording. And so we have a lot of plans to really focus on that and try to give you A just a one hyper concentrated dose of love relieve it. But that starts in the new year. So we have one more show Saturday and then we have one more show Tuesday and then we will see you in the new year see you slot Saturday.

[Halle Kiefer]

Conclave Conclave Conclave.

[John Lovett]

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 Sheikh 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 just love it or leave it.

[Kendra James]

Speaking of gifts. Gifts, man. I got a whole thing of MSG the other day. One of the best purchases. I'd really been holding off and I'm so glad I did it.

[Halle Kiefer]

What is like. What does it come in? Is it a paste? Is it.

[Kendra James]

Oh, it's just like McCormick sells it and like. Yeah, so you just get a thing from McCormick and then it's just a little dusting over all your various.

[Halle Kiefer]

It just makes it like umami or. What is the.

[Kendra James]

No, no, it just. MSG just basically boosts the flavor of anything that you're making. So, like, John made buffaloing stuff the other night for a football game and it just like heightens everything else in that sense.

[Sarah Lazarus]

Can you put it in sweet things?

[Kendra James]

I would say MSG cookie.

[John Lovett]

I'm not sure it's umami that is like. It is. I think that's what it is. It's umami flavor, which does do the same kind of thing as solids. But we don't have a good. It's not like we don't. It's not like in our vernacular. So it's this sort of hidden flavor.

[Kendra James]

Yeah, it's.

[John Lovett]

Whatever it is, I wanna try it.

[Kendra James]

It's fucking delicious.

[Unknown]

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