Podcast Summary: Something Wrong With The Podcast

Episode: SWWP #41 – NBA Gambling Scandal / World Series, Louvre Update, Mamdani
Host: Julian Delgado
Date: October 28, 2025

Overview:

In this solo episode, Julian Delgado dives deep into the week’s biggest “something wrong with the culture” topics: the explosive NBA gambling scandal, World Series drama, a high-profile Louvre theft update, and the polarizing New York City mayoral race featuring socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani. Julian brings his hallmark mix of humor, blunt honesty, and relatable armchair analysis, peppering in commentary on pop culture, music, and reflections on modern Halloween.

1. Opening: Listener Comments & Show Format (00:00–08:00)

• Julian thanks listeners for comments and addresses requests for more guests.
  “I do know you love for me to have some guests and I plan on doing it. It's just difficult to land some of the people I want on. Please cut me some slack.” (01:00)

• Plant Parenting Wisdom:
  Responds to King Kareem’s observation of his snake plant’s lean with botanical facts and a joke:
  “My plant popped the blue chewy on camera. Bricked up looks amazing.” (01:42)

• On Dividing Episodes:
  Reads Obido Official’s suggestion for separate pop culture and political shows, appreciates the idea but stresses his one-man production limit:
  “I've always been on the side of don't over commit and then under deliver.” (03:02)

• Brief aside about podcast drama (Rory & Maul):
  “Sometimes when you are tethered to somebody it can be a double edged sword.” (05:00)

2. NBA Gambling Scandal Exploded (08:00–29:00)

Scandal Breakdown

• Summary of the Case:
  Details the FBI investigation: Over 30 people charged in two separate, related probes.

  • Terry Rozier and Damon Jones arrested for alleged roles in sports betting conspiracy.
  • Chauncey Billups (Portland head coach) among 31 arrested for rigged illegal poker games tied to organized crime (08:40).

• Evidence & Implications:

  • Rozier allegedly faked injuries to affect bets and collected $200,000 for throwing games.
  • “There have been videos, there’s video evidence and very like damning evidence at that of Terry Rozier throwing the game or faking an ankle injury to go sit.” (10:12)

• Incriminating Poker Tactics:

  • Use of tech like shuffling machines and “X-ray poker tables” (11:35).
  • Rigged games drew in “fish” (unwitting players), with ex-players as bait.
  • Mention of special glasses letting players see card backs, “It’s like Room Raiders… but for poker with hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line.” (12:40)

Causation & Culture Critique

• Gambling Normalization Blame:
  Points finger at legalized sports betting, especially the NBA’s embrace:
  “I have been... The way we have glorified and been pushing sports gambling… it’s like the way we look at commercials for cigarettes.” (14:10)

• Broadcast Irony:
  ESPN broke the gambling story while running live betting tickers, only noticing midway.
  “They realized about three, four minutes into the segment and then stripped it off the screen.” (15:45)

• On Gambling’s Addictive Impact:
  Offers a passionate, expletive-laced critique of the “parlay culture” and gambling predation:

  “You’re targeting Americans with a scientifically proven addictive habit just as dangerous, if not dangerous to your health, like cigarettes, but emotionally and financially could lead to mental breakdowns, could lead to crash outs in self deletes.” (19:30)

• NBA’s Business Over Basketball:
  Critiques Adam Silver’s regime, focusing on monetization over fan/community interests.

  • Example: Mavericks’ Luka trade and Mark Cuban’s comments.
  • “The NBA is becoming a real estate league… to only get teams to build casinos attached to these stadiums.” (23:15)

• Memorable Quote:

  “What good is globalizing a game if you’re going to kill it in the process on its own soil?” (28:55)

3. World Series & Drake’s Diamond Records (29:00–35:00)

Baseball Breakdown

• Recaps World Series Game 1 blowout:
  “If you had asked me at the beginning of this series if Toronto had a chance, I would have assumed you’re smoking crack. But they smacked the shit out of LA in game one.” (29:50)

• Drake’s presence at Game 1 (in a Rob Ford jacket) calls back to pop culture and Canadian humor.

• Drake’s New Milestones:
  “He just got six more diamond records, I believe all of Take Care is now Diamond…” (31:12)
  Shares anecdote about Drake DMing DJ Akademiks on his birthday.
  “What it—get the meat out of your mouth, bro. Jesus Christ.” (32:08)

On Gambling Culture’s Spread:

• Notes how even companies like Stake.com are gifting huge money to celebrities to glamorize gambling.
  “Again creating this facade that gambling is the cool. You're got to be cool to gamble. And it's a lifestyle you should aspire to. Do not fall for it. It is fucking stupid and it is bullshit.” (33:10)

4. Louvre Heist Update (35:00–38:00)

• Arrests Made:
  Two suspects arrested for the audacious jewelry heist via DNA evidence:
  “Did they not wear gloves? Like, were they smoking cigs and tossing the butts around the Louvre?” (36:40)

• Stolen Items Not Recovered:
  Napoleon's diamond-and-emerald necklace, among other items, still missing; black market speculation follows.

  “You really have to be like a Saudi or like Russian oligarch to pick those pieces up. I feel like was the only two people I would trust with not turning me in...” (37:30)

5. NYC Mayoral Race & Mamdani’s Candidacy (38:00–46:30)

The Mamdani Moment

• Early voting is live; Mamdani’s grassroots buzz gets compared to the conditions that led to Trump’s rise:

  “I believe the same way in which we got to the point where Trump made sense, it’s the same thing for Mamdani… birthed from the same anger and from the same will to change the government landscape of this country.” (39:45)

• Draws contrasts in their ideology, but similarities in outsider status and disruptive appeal.

• Bleak Prognosis for Progressive Change:
  “To be quite honest, I don’t think anything much, if anything at all that he wants to get done will get done.” (41:00)
  Predicts entrenched NY Dems and GOP will block his agenda to kill any “democratic socialist” momentum.

• Quote from Mamdani (via Flagrant):
  “[Ackman]’s already poured more money into ads against me than I would have if I were to win and I would have taxed him.” (43:15)

• On Billionaire Panic:
  “If anybody’s lifestyle needs to be threatened in this country, not threatened with violence… but maybe you pay 2% more taxes.” (42:45)

• Declares his intent to vote for Mamdani as a call for “something different.”

6. Music & Culture Rapid Fire (46:30–54:00)

• Concerts:
  Reports on attending Parcels at Forest Hills (“genuinely one of the best shows I’ve ever been to.”).
• Quick Reviews:
  • Daniel Caesar’s album: “For me, doesn’t miss.”
  • Mac Miller estate releases: “Even his posthumous stuff, you know, 10 years later is still in better shape than a lot of these current rappers.”
  • Tame Impala: “I like it a lot… bit more down tempo, but I’m a fan.” (52:20)

7. Halloween, Horror, and Social Commentary (54:00–End)

• Halloween as Adult Spectacle:
  “When did Halloween not become for children anymore?... When did it become so hoary? And this isn’t me bashing women… but when did it become so sexual?” (55:32)
  Links film history—John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween’—to horror tropes about female characters.

• Quick Knicks NBA Rant:
  “Terrible loss to the Miami Heat… My prediction is Wemby wins MVP, but the Knicks will… definitely the Eastern Conference finals. Our bench sucks. That’s always the case.” (57:00)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Sports Gambling:

  “You’re not going to walk in there and come out a winner. You’re not going to pay rent because you want a 10 leg parlay.” (17:10)

• On NBA’s Monetization:

  “The NBA is becoming a real estate league … just to get casinos attached to these stadiums.” (23:05)

• On Billionaires & Politics:

  “If anybody’s lifestyle needs to be threatened in this country ... maybe you pay 2% more taxes.” (42:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – Listener comments + show format
• 08:00 – NBA gambling scandal deep-dive
• 29:00 – World Series & Drake
• 35:00 – Louvre heist update
• 38:00 – NYC Mayoral race and Mamdani
• 46:30 – Music/concert updates
• 54:00 – Halloween & horror film reflections
• 57:00 – Knicks/NBA closing thoughts

Tone & Takeaways

• Language: Direct, salty, self-aware, and frequently humorous with candid social and political insight.
• Vibes: “Unlicensed therapist” energy with strong opinions about media’s manipulation, systemic greed, and cultural decay—always tied back to personal experience and everyday listener concerns.

For those who missed it, this episode is a thorough, passionate critique of how gambling, business interests, and entrenched political power shape sports, city life, and the American experience, all filtered through Julian’s comedic yet earnest style.