Meghan Markle Abandons Dad, Halle Berry Torches Newsom Over Menopause, and Shock Somali Fraud Scheme

Summary

Spot On with Link Lauren

Episode Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Link Lauren
Guest: Lydia Moynihan (New York Post)
Major Topics: Meghan Markle and her father, Halle Berry vs. Gavin Newsom, Somali fraud scandal in Minnesota, trends like "doll moms," Sydney Sweeney, and changes to Southwest Airlines' seating policy.

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Episode Overview

This episode of “Spot On with Link Lauren” continues Link’s signature blend of irreverent commentary and unfiltered perspectives, focusing on headline cultural and political stories. Link welcomes guest Lydia Moynihan for an energetic discussion of topics ranging from Meghan Markle’s fraught family dynamics and celebrity politics, to a sprawling welfare fraud scheme allegedly involving the Somali community in Minnesota, and cultural trends that exemplify contemporary anxieties. The conversation weaves through serious scandal, pop culture flashpoints, and societal phenomena with relentless wit and skepticism.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meghan Markle 'Abandons' Her Father [02:25–10:30]

• Situation: Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, is hospitalized in the Philippines after his foot (possibly leg) was amputated. He has publicly pleaded for Meghan to visit or contact him.
• Link’s Take:
  • Meghan’s estrangement from her father is highlighted, with Link criticizing her refusal to reconcile despite her vast resources.
  • Suggests Meghan is embarrassed by her father’s image and background, more interested in celebrity than family.
  • Raises skepticism about Meghan’s claim of having emailed her father—emphasizes that with her resources, contact would be simple if she cared.
  • Criticizes Meghan for “revisionist history” regarding her upbringing.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “He didn’t beat you. He didn’t kill anyone. I don’t see what’s so bad that’s irreparable.” — Link Lauren (03:40)
  • “She can do revisionist history, but the dad hasn’t done anything that terrible, right?” — Link Lauren (03:50)
  • “I think Meghan Markle wanted Oprah and the Beckhams and all these celebrities at her big royal wedding … She was perfectly fine throwing her dad under the bus.” — Link Lauren (05:05)
  • “Get over it. The man is 81 years old. He’s pleading for help in a hospital bed in the Philippines, and it speaks to your character Megan Markle.” — Link Lauren (09:08)
• Perspective on Family:
  • Link allows for the idea of cutting off toxic family, but insists “that’s not the situation here.”

Prince Harry’s Media Appearance [09:38–10:30]

• Context: Harry’s appearance on Stephen Colbert is described as “cringe” and unfunny.
• Criticism:
  • Both Harry and Meghan are accused of hypocrisy for leveraging their royal identities for fame while claiming to despise the institution.
  • “You’re both two little hucksters. You’re two little jokes. … Nobody wants you.” — Link Lauren (10:24)

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2. Halle Berry vs. Gavin Newsom on Menopause Support [12:05–13:30]

• Issue: Halle Berry criticizes California Governor Gavin Newsom for vetoing menopause support legislation.
• Analysis:
  • Lydia and Link suggest Newsom’s policies are disconnected from the needs of women, with Link launching into humorous but cutting jabs at the governor’s demeanor.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “He’s a bizarre, weird, beta male. Even the way he sits … Gavin Newsom’s testicles might be the size of like an Eminem.” — Link Lauren (13:24)
• Broader Implication:
  • Suggests Hollywood’s turn against Newsom could signal wider political trouble for the governor.
  • Critiques Dem leadership for neglecting women’s interests.

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3. The Minnesota Somali Fraud Scheme: "Single Greatest Theft" [16:51–26:36]

• Background: Major welfare scam involving Minnesota’s Somali community; may total billions in taxpayer loss.
• Guest Commentary (Lydia Moynihan):
  • Sees the scandal as transformative for U.S. attitudes on immigration and government trust.
  • References a Trump analogy: “the woman takes in the snake … and the snake bites her.”
  • Believes the story’s only getting traction in mainstream media because of Trump’s inflammatory comments.
  • Suggests politicians likely knew more than they claim; expects files/paper trails are being destroyed to avoid repercussions.
  • Questions about Ilhan Omar’s awareness and involvement are raised: “Was she just clueless, or was she aware and not raising alarm bells?” — Lydia Moynihan (19:29)
• Political Fallout:
  • Both hosts argue the right could leverage this as a unifying “midterms” issue, able to bring along independents and even some Democrats.
  • “There’s something for everyone … this has really united a lot of people.” — Link Lauren (24:18)
• Notable Anecdote:
  • Lydia describes how even liberal acquaintances are outraged, showing the story’s broad resonance.
• Broader Themes:
  • Frustration with waste, fraud, and abuse of public funds.
  • Disillusionment with political leadership and lack of accountability.

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4. “Doll Moms”: A Symptom of Modern Malaise? [26:36–33:48]

• Phenomenon: Women, many single and childless, raising life-like dolls as if they were children and posting about it online.
• Analysis:
  • Lydia (self-disclosing as a single, childless woman) suggests it’s driven by unfulfilled desires for family, and challenges around modern dating.
  • Notes cultural disdain for traditional family life, leading women to channel maternal instincts into such hobbies.
  • “It’s a tragedy to me … most women want to get married and have babies and have a family. And that is so fulfilling and important.” — Lydia Moynihan (28:26)
  • Link connects “doll moms” to political radicalization, suggesting isolation drives people to seek fulfillment in politics or government as surrogate family.
  • “These women do expect folks like Mamdani and others to parent them in a way or take the reins.” — Link Lauren (33:33)
• Suggested Solution:
  • Lydia: “Download a dating app.” — (32:53)
• Cultural Criticism:
  • Both see this as symptomatic of deeper problems in men’s achievement and engagement, women’s mental wellbeing, and declining birthrates.

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5. Sydney Sweeney and the Perils of Not Being "Woke" in Hollywood [33:48–42:05]

• Context: Sydney Sweeney walked back previous comments and distanced herself from culture war accusations after facing backlash for an American Eagle campaign.
• Host & Guest Analysis:
  • Both think Sweeney’s neutral or conservative stances made her uniquely popular but also a lightning rod in Hollywood.
  • “I do think conservatives got way too excited about somebody in Hollywood who seemed kind of normal.” — Lydia Moynihan (35:49)
  • “If you’re even in the middle now, if you’re an independent, you’re a MAGA to these liberals in Hollywood.” — Link Lauren (39:02)
• On Culture Wars:
  • Argue that standing firm and refusing to capitulate to online mobs is increasingly rare and admired.
  • “People are really drawn to strong individuals who stand their ground.” — Lydia Moynihan (39:48)
• Wider Cultural Critique:
  • Normalcy is now exceptional—Link jokes that at an SEC school you’d find “100 Sydney Sweeneys in 30 seconds,” but Hollywood’s culture wars blow up any hint of non-wokeness.

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6. Southwest Airlines’ New Obesity Policy [46:06–50:14]

• Policy Change: Southwest Airlines will remove open seating, require obese passengers to purchase extra seats.
• Link’s Perspective:
  • Supports policy, says personal responsibility should trump entitlement to accommodations.
  • Noted that special boarding for disabled is regularly abused (“20 people in wheelchairs at boarding, all waltzing off the plane at landing”).
  • “If you know you’re bigger, you’re thick, maybe you’re big boned … that’s on you, right? It’s not on the airline to accommodate you, especially Southwest.” — Link Lauren (48:22)
• Guest Soundbite (Charlamagne, The Breakfast Club):
  • “If you’re too big for one seat, then you just gotta buy two seats… You shouldn’t have been eating so much bread.” — (47:52)
• Community Reaction:
  • Link encourages listeners to weigh in, but insists the airline should not be blamed for refusing to accommodate extreme cases.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Meghan Markle:
  • “I don’t think anything that terrible has happened where she can’t forgive. ... He didn’t beat you. He didn’t kill anyone.” — Link Lauren [03:40]
• On Family Estrangement:
  • “You can cut off family members if something terrible happens... But that’s not the situation here.” — Link Lauren [08:40]
• On American Royals:
  • “You’re two little hucksters. ... You can try and knock President Trump... Nobody wants you.” — Link Lauren [10:24]
• Halle Berry’s Call-Out:
  • “He’s a bizarre, weird, beta male. Even the way he sits...” — Link Lauren [13:24]
• On Minnesota Fraud:
  • “That’s not a good defense… their best defense is we’re utterly incompetent and stupid and have no clue what’s going on in our state.” — Lydia Moynihan [21:55]
• On “Doll Moms”:
  • “If you don’t acknowledge it, you’re gonna become a psycho who’s recording yourself getting your dolls up in the morning.” — Lydia Moynihan [30:22]
• On Sydney Sweeney:
  • “She was sort of teaching a masterclass before this in just like, you don’t have to give an inch.” — Lydia Moynihan [38:15]
• On Southwest Fat Policy:
  • “If you know you are bigger, you’re thick, maybe you’re big boned and you need two seats on an airplane. There’s no shame in that. But that’s on you, right? That is on you. It’s not on the airline to accommodate you…” — Link Lauren [48:22]

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Segment Timestamps

• [01:00] — Show intro, episode preview.
• [02:25] — Meghan Markle–Thomas Markle family drama commentary.
• [09:38] — Prince Harry’s Colbert appearance and critique.
• [12:05] — Halle Berry torches Gavin Newsom over menopause bill.
• [16:51] — Lydia Moynihan joins: Somali welfare fraud scheme breakdown.
• [26:36] — “Doll moms” trend and cultural commentary.
• [33:48] — Sydney Sweeney backlash, PR, and the Hollywood culture war.
• [46:06] — Southwest Airlines seating/obesity policy.
• [50:14] — Snacks endorsement (Masa chips)/wrap-up.
• [52:29] — Final remarks and teaser for next episode.

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Overall Tone

Link’s style is humorous, direct, and sometimes biting, blending cultural and political skepticism with pop culture snark. Guest Lydia Moynihan matches with thoughtful, sometimes self-deprecating observations, offering a balance of seriousness with levity.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode, true to Link Lauren’s “no-nonsense” tagline, tears into both establishment figures and fringe trends, intertwined with bold critiques and moments of wit. Whether lambasting Meghan Markle’s family choices or dissecting large-scale political fraud, the discussion is fast-paced, sharp, and unapologetically opinionated—serving listeners a rapid-fire rundown of the week’s most talked-about scandals and culture shocks.

Transcript

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[Lydia Moynihan]

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Well, my friends, welcome back to Spot on with Link. Lauren, Happy Monday. We've only got a few more weeks until Christmas. Okay? If you're like me, you are counting down the days. Or maybe you're not because you don't want to be around your family again. You are just with them on Thanksgiving. You need a break. Maybe you're spending the holidays alone, but I'm thinking of you. So you're not alone. We have a jam packed show. Okay? We have a guest coming on today, a friend of mine, Lydia Moynihan. She works for the New York Post. You've probably seen her on TV or on the Internet. She's so funny. She's smart as a whip. I'm excited to talk to her about the. The Somalian fraud scheme in Minnesota. Okay, this is not good. This is not good. The Somalian fraud. We're going to talk about Sydney Sweeney. Sydney Sweeney is back, sort of apologizing for this whole American eagle situation. I would not have apologized and capitulated to the woke mob on the Internet, okay? Because a majority of the country, they're with Sydney Sweeney. And then we have to talk about. We have to talk about Meghan Markle's father who is in the hospital, okay? He apparently had his foot or part of his leg amputated and she has not spoken to him as of this taping. Okay? She claims that she reached out to him or she sent an email. What pisses me off is that she has the resources. Prince Harry has the resources. To help this man, this 81 year old man. So we're going to dive into all of that, including something that's happening on airplanes with Southwest Airlines. So stick around. We're going to dive right in.

Well, blood is thicker than water. But apparently not for Meghan Markle. We all know Meghan Markle has had issues with her dad, Thomas Markle, for years. Okay? She did not have him at the wedding. They had a falling out. He has never met. He has never met his grandkids, Archie and Lily Bet. But then again, has anybody met Archie and Lily Bet? And what's so upsetting to me about this whole situation with Thomas Markle, let's say he's done some things to piss you off. Let's say he talked to the press here and there 10 years ago. Okay? He got caught up in something. He made a bad decision, maybe make amends. Okay? He didn't kill anyone. He didn't really hurt you. You're making hundreds of millions of dollars from Netflix and all your deals and your books. Okay? You are the Duchess of Sussex. You call yourself. Okay, even though you live in California and we don't have royalty here, you still call yourself the Duchess of Sussex. You are a member of the royal family, right? Your dad is 81 years old. He's not getting any younger. And you haven't allowed him to meet your grandkids, even in a supervised environment. And then what broke over the weekend to. Thomas Markle is in a hospital in the Philippines pleading for help. He is in a hospital pleading for help. And he had his foot amputated. We have a quote. The surgeon says we had to remove the foot. There was a massive blood clot in his thigh and that had stopped circulation to his foot and lower leg. It was life or death surgery. Had the infection in the foot moved to his heart, it would mostly like. It would most likely have been fatal. He's doing well, but he is not out of the woods yet. Now, Thomas Markle, here's what he has asked his daughter. And if you don't know the whole backstory, Thomas Markle allegedly paid for his daughter to go to Northwestern. He worked on the set of a soap opera. He had a very good job. He paid for his daughter to go to private school. He really was the parent, right? There were rumors, rumors online that Doria Ragland was in prison or that she wasn't around. And now Megan is close with her mom again, but her father, if you see in these pictures, her father was very close to, to her. Okay? So she can do revisionist history, but the dad hasn't done anything that terrible, right? He didn't beat you. He didn't kill anyone. I don't see what's so bad that's irreparable. Right? He got caught up in some situations with the press, allegedly, years ago, you didn't have him at your royal wedding. I still contend, okay, I still contend that Meghan Markle did not have her dad at her big royal wedding because she didn't like the way he looked. I think she was embarrassed by some of her family members. It's why she uninvited that. Like cousin Ashley, she uninvited her father. I think Meghan Markle wanted Oprah and the Beckhams and all these celebrities at her big royal wedding. She knew all the paparazzi in the world's press would be there back in 2018. I think she was perfectly fine throwing her dad under the bus and not having him at the wedding. That is just my take. But he is pleading with his daughter. Here's what he's saying. He says, please come see me one more time before I die. As he's laying in a hospital bed after having his leg, his foot, foot amputated. We're still unsure. Okay. Is it the leg? Is it the foot? None of it is looking good to me. Okay. It's a dicey situation. Of course I want to speak to Megan, but I'm not sure if these are the right circumstances. Thomas said, I've always said I'm open to reconciling with my daughter. I've never stopped loving her. Now I know what some folks in the comments are going to say. Why is he going to the press? Why is he talking to the press about his daughter? But how is he supposed to get in contact with Meghan Markle in her mansion, with all her publicist and her assistants and her agents over in California when he's on the other side of the world? She has not picked up his calls. She does not speak to him. She has not helped him financially as far as we know. As far as we know, she has not done any of those things for her 81 year old sick father. And I will circle back, okay? I'll circle back to what I said. I don't think anything that terrible has happened where she can't forgive. You know, it would be nice. It would be nice for the little kids to meet the grandfather, right? For Archie and Lilibet to know some of their family. They don't even know the family over In London, they don't know William and Catherine and any of those folks. They don't know Charles and Camilla, Right? So they've kept them all sequestered, I think Meghan Markle, she claims through her agent that she tried to send an email to her dad, but he no longer uses the email account. I'm here to tell you sleuths on the Internet, using the picture of Thomas Markle, they found the hospital he's in. They know exactly where he is. Don't tell me that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, with their security detail, their team, their agents, all of the resources at their disposal, they can't find their father, right? You could pick up the phone and call one of five people. Samantha Markle, whoever. Doesn't matter if you hate them. Doesn't matter if they've sold you out to the press before and you don't like them. Okay? You could find a reason and a way to call and get in touch with your father. You could have your father flown to the United States to have really good health care, Right? You could get him out of the Philippines. No disrespect to anybody in the Philippines, but I feel like, you know, maybe Meghan and Harry have resources that you don't have in the Philippines. But Meghan Markle is not doing any of that. And I really think it comes to this narrative that she's embarrassed by her dad. She doesn't like the way he looks. He doesn't fit into her sort of glossy, Southern California brand. And she is perfectly fine excising and extricating him from her life, which she has done since 2018, around the time of the wedding. But we will be monitoring this story. And I am the type of person, right, I believe you can cut off family members if something terrible happens, if this does not serve you anymore, if they've done something to really screw you over and hurt you and it's very damaged, yes, you can cut off a family member, right? I had a friend who was a therapist years ago, and I was like, what would your advice to be? Do you cut off a parent? Do you stay in touch with the parent? He's like, actually, as a therapist, I sometimes tell my clients, if a parent is making your life miserable and terrible, you can actually cut them off. Right? There's no requirement that you keep trying to reconcile. But that's not the situation here. Nothing bad has happened. Nothing bad has happened, okay? Around the time of the wedding, she's mad that he allegedly worked with a paparazzi or did Something he allowed himself to be filmed getting ready for her wedding or photographed getting ready for her wedding. Right? And she feels like he's trying to sell her out to the press. You know what, Meghan Markle, there's no one who sells herself out to the press more than you, okay? You've talked about every personal conversation you've had with the royal family. Your husband did a book called Spare, which was a tell all on his family. You've talked to Oprah. You've done documentaries, reality shows. For you to act like your father is some demonic, horrible person because he maybe talked to a reporter here and there. Get over it. Get over it. The man is 81 years old. He's pleading for help in a hospital bed in the Philippines, and it speaks to your character Meghan Markle. Now, moving on to Prince Harry. Last week, Prince Harry stopped by the Late show with Stephen Colbert. Now, Stephen Colbert show is running a $40 million deficit, okay? He has a massive, massive staff. I'm here to tell you, none of the jokes. None of them, none of the material was good, okay? You have Prince Harry coming on. Y' all can't come up with good jokes and good skin skits and good sketches. The whole thing was an utter calamity. And Stephen Colbert, I can't wait till you're off the air, which I think is happening quite soon. Could you imagine running a $40 million deficit in your business and even getting to show up the next day? He gets to keep showing up and being praised and lauded and loved by the liberal media establishment. But we have a clip, okay? Prince Harry goes on the show. It was cringe. It was cringe. It wasn't funny. But here he is talking about Americans who are obsessed with the royal family. I thought this. I thought this. I genuinely thought this was the audition for the gingerbread prince says Christmas in Nebraska. What?

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[Link Lord]

I mean, that sounds like a fantastic movie. But you're. You're an actual prince. Why would you be. Why would you want to be in one of those movies? Well, you Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies, and you're clearly obsessed with royalty, so why not I. Hold on, hold on. Look, look.

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[Link Lord]

Obsessed with royalty. Really?

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That's a fair point. None of that was funny, okay? The elected a king joke, we get it. No kings. President Trump. Why doesn't he go and call the King of England his father? Why don't you go call your father and reconcile with him? Why are you so worried, Prince Harry, about what we have going on here in the United States. You can't vote, okay? Last time I checked, you don't have a vote. You're dining out on your title. You still call yourself Prince Harry in the United States of America. We don't have titles, okay? We don't have titles here. And you still call yourself Prince Harry and your wife, okay, this like a washed up wannabe duchess. She still puts her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex on things and she lives in California. So you're both two little hucksters. You're two little jokes. You can try and knock President Trump, you can try and knock our political system here in the United States. Nobody wants you. You're not wanted in the uk, you're not wanted here. Prince Harry, nobody wants you. And that's the hard pill for you to swallow and to say Americans are obsessed with royalty. They're obsessed with royalty. You know, a little bit guilty as charged. But we're not obsessed with royalty. We like to follow the tradition and the pomp and the circumstance of the royal family, a family you actually are a part of. Okay? I know you forget that. I know you forget that when you're whoring yourself out on these reality shows on Netflix with your wife. I know you forget that when you're sitting there with Oprah lying through your teeth. Allegedly. We will say for legal reasons, but why don't you try and go pay a little bit of attention to the royal family, the royalty you try to mock and denigrate every single day. Because that's your brother, that's her sister in law, Catherine. She's been sick with cancer. You're going to go check on her. Are your kids ever going to meet their relatives over in the uk? Are they going to meet their uncles and their cousins? Is that going to happen? Are they going to stay on the compound in Montecito so you can keep going on Stephen Colbert? Okay? It's easy to get laughs. It's easy to get laughs on a liberal hack show. But Prince Harry, I really think your clout is down, your time is up, your wife's products aren't selling, and it's not looking great for you guys. Now, someone we don't talk about a lot on here is Halle Berry, an iconic actress, except for that one Catwoman movie that we will try to forget. Halle Berry, she's an iconic, award winning Hollywood actress. Well, she was speaking at a summit recently in New York City, was a New York Times summit. And she called out Gavin newsom for not supporting women in menopause. Right? Women who are going through menopause, women who have just gone through menopause, anybody who is post menopausal. Halle Berry was basically saying, does. Does Gavin Newsom value us? Does he only value these young, hot chicks in his home state of California, or does he care about us? Let's take a look at the clip and then discuss. Back in my great state of California, my very own Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed our menopause bill not one, but.

[Lydia Moynihan]

Two years in a row.

[Link Lord]

But that's okay because he's not going.

[Lydia Moynihan]

To be governor forever.

And with the way he's overlooked women.

[Link Lord]

Half the population by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either. Thank you, Halle Berry. When these Hollywood actresses start to turn on Gavin Newsom, that is when you know he is in trouble. But none of this is shocking to me, right? I remember asking President Trump about Gavin Newsom a few months ago when we were standing in a gaggle. I said, president Trump, Gavin Newsom, he's a father. He has a wife who he calls his first partner or his first spouse. That's bizarre. But Gavin Newsom, he is a father of a young girl. He has a wife. But why does he support men and women's sports? Does he hate women? All of Gavin Newsom's policies are counterproductive to women being able to walk the streets safely. He doesn't care to clean up homelessness or crime. He's pushing men into girls locker rooms. Gavin Newsom, state of California is fighting with the DOJ to keep men and women's sports. Right? So I know Halle Berry, this might be shocking to her. And Hollywood actresses are starting to come around. Gavin Newsom has never supported women. The Democrat leadership in this country, they don't support women. Joe Biden did not. Kamala Harris did not. They do not care. Women live or die. And I know it sounds harsh, but that is the truth. And it's why women, unfortunately have to take matters into their own hands and protect themselves. So I support Halle Berry. I'm glad she is calling out Gavin Newsom. But Gavin Newsom, he is a bizarre, weird, beta male. Even the way he sits. Okay. Even the way he sits okay. He sits like a man who has no testicles. Gavin Newsom. Have you all noticed this? Gavin Newsom's testicles might be the size of like an Eminem. Okay? You might have Eminem size cojones because the way he is sitting like that, I've Just never seen an alpha male sit with their legs crossed that far, right. It's almost like he's doing yoga or Pilates. I mean, can he put those things behind his head? What's going on with Gavin Newsom? I don't know. I'm seeing this actually on the screen right now and I'm going, I don't think I've ever sat like that. And I've spoken at a Politico conference. I've spoken at different conferences and events. You're always cognizant, right? You got to do a little bit of the man spread. This is on the tour with Megyn Kelly. We joked about this on stage. You got to sit, you know, legs a little bit apart, not too much, okay? Because too much is like Basic Instinct and Sharon Stone. You know what I'm saying? So you don't want to have too much spread. But having her legs legs crossed like that, it's a no go for me. I think he's cutting off circulation to that region if there's anything happening in that region whatsoever. So, Gavin Newsom, you're a joke. You're a beta male and we support you, Halle Berry, wholeheartedly. And I'm glad more Democrat women are coming around to realize even though they voted blue no matter who, and they voted for these Democrat men for years, these Democrat men aren't going to protect you. They don't care. They do not care. But we got to pay some bills. And when we come back, we have a special guest joining us for some really hot topics, like sizzling Hot topics. I'll see you guys in a sec.

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Well, my friends, for the next part of the show, I am so excited to welcome a friend of mine. We've hung out in person, we've been on shows together, but she has not been on this show yet. So please give a warm welcome to Lydia Moynihan, the New York Post correspondent. You've probably seen her on tv, on the Internet. I see clips of her all the time. Lydia, how are you doing today, my friend?

[Lydia Moynihan]

I am great. This is so fun because as you mentioned, we know each other from doing tv, seeing each other around, and it's really amazing to see your success and now be on your very own show.

[Link Lord]

So thank you, thank you, thank you so much. I remember, maybe we can put a picture and I remember we were on the Fourth of July show of like Saturday Night with Jimmy Fayler. And I think we're like the only people willing to come on that week because everyone was gone. So it's like, okay, good week for me to get booked because nobody else wants to show up on the 4th of July. But I remember we were on that together, were we not?

[Lydia Moynihan]

That is, that is the reality of like trying to get your start in tv. I remember one show literally called me on Christmas Day at 4pm and was like, can you be here in person in 15 minutes? And I was like, I physically cannot. I would like, I can join. They're like, no, no, no, never mind. Don't, don't join via Zoom. Just don't worry.

[Link Lord]

No, that's why it's like you got to, we got to take the scraps and then, you know, make something out of the scraps. But speaking of scraps and people stealing and scamming, I have to ask you about the Somalian fraud scheme happening in Minnesota right now. I want to read you a quote, okay, from Stephen Miller. The welfare fraud scam engulfing Minnesota Somali community is the single greatest theft of taxp dollars through welfare fraud in American history. This is White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who I'm sure everybody knows. Do you think we are actually going to see investigations? Do you think heads will roll from this fraud scheme? Or is it going to be another thing that gets sort of shoved under the rug and people forget and the news cycle moves on?

[Lydia Moynihan]

No, I think this is going to be potentially transformative when it talks, when it comes to migration. I feel like this is sort of like that analogy that Donald Trump always references where the woman takes in the snake and then the snake bites her, and she's like, why did you. Why did you bite me? I took you in. I took care of you. And the snake is like, I'm literally a snake. That's what I do. And I kind of feel like representative of welcoming people who were not vetting. And this is exactly what happens. And so I think this is emblematic of a lot of what's going on when it comes to mass migration. And I think this is going to be a perfect analogy that Republicans can point to and say, why do we want more of this? And I also think Minnesotans are sort of known as the nicest people in the world. Right? Like, I remember you're. You're too young for this link, but Garrison Keiller, I would listen to that growing up, and it was always about how Minnesotans are so nice and relaxed. I think this is going to radicalize some Minnesotans who are like, wait, I'm just paying my taxes, doing my job, struggling to make ends meet, and lo and behold, I'm actually funding terrorism just by being a good citizen. I think that's gonna absolutely radicalize some people. And I think there's other questions, too, about Iliane Omar. Like, what did she know? When did she know? We know she was close with some people who were involved in the scam. Was she just clueless, or was she aware and not raising alarm bells? And one final thing that I'll add in all of this, the mainstream media has actually finally covered this. After Chris Ruffo broke the story. The New York Times wrote a bit about it. They haven't confirmed the terrorism link yet, but the only reason that this has been on any of the networks or gotten broader attention is because Donald Trump called Tim Waltz a retard. So the way that the mainstream media has been covering this is they backed into it by being like, isn't Donald Trump the worst? Like, that is their angle for the story. And then they're like, oh, yes, and also, Somalians stole billions of dollars, but Donald Trump is the worst. In one daily episode from the New York Times that I listened to about this, though, they did acknowledge one of the reporters was like, yeah, I think some officials probably knew what was going on, but, you know, it was the height of blm and they were really worried about being called racist.

[Link Lord]

Mm. No, I think There is no way. There is no way. Tim Walls, Ilan Omar. The leadership in Minnesota had no idea this is going on. Right. You guys can play dumb. You can act like you did not know. There's some reporting that shows it could be in the billions. There was someone on TV over the weekend saying it could be close to $8 billion over this course of time. There's no way you don't know that's happening in your own state. I think there are probably files being destroyed right now, papers being burned, emails being wiped. They are probably doing everything they can to obfuscate and hide the fact that this was going on. Think it's going to hit California next? I think if we go look under the hood in states like California, a lot of these blue states, you're going to see probably tens of billions of dollars of corruption, hundreds of billions of dollars. I mean, don't you think we should go to California and some of these other places next and look?

[Lydia Moynihan]

Yeah, and I mean, you make such a great point. I mean, like, okay, their best defense is we're utterly incompetent and stupid and have no clue what's going on in our state. Like, that's not a good defense.

[Link Lord]

Like, that's me when I get pulled over. If I get pulled over for speeding. I like, I had no idea I was on the metric system. What do you mean? I'm going 90. What? Okay, go on.

[Lydia Moynihan]

I'm curious to get your thoughts. Like, do you think this could be pause and ultimately, like, push people to want to denaturalize and deport this huge Somalian population in Minnesota?

[Link Lord]

So what I think, and I've been feeling this the last few days, and I wanted to bring it up today, I think if Republicans are smart, they can hone in on this story in Minnesota, branch it out to every other blue state and write it to the midterms. I think they can ride this to the midterms. And I. Republicans could screw this up. But if they're smart, because there's a lot in this story, right? There's corruption, there's immigration, there's mass migration from third world countries. There's crime. There are people who are upset their tax dollars are being wasted. I got a text from someone I haven't spoken to in years, transgender liberal person I went to school with at NYU in New York who now lives in California. I get a text from this person.

[Lydia Moynihan]

It's like everyone at nyu. Right, Right.

[Link Lord]

Everyone. That doesn't narrow it down, but I get a text and I'm like, oh, God, I've said something a little too right wing, too cons. I open the text, I think I'm going to get lambasted by this person. It's two paragraphs about how people need to wake up. This fraud is pissing off this old friend of mine, how upset they are, how America needs to know how people need to support President Trump and rooting out this waste, fraud and abuse and use common sense. And this isn't a partisan issue that our tax dollars are going to these blue states and it's being funneled for terrorism. And I was reading this text going, my God, I would love to share this, because this is not someone who has probably ever voted Republican or is conservative. And I think it can bring a lot of independence out in the midterms and some of these soft Democrats because they're tired of seeing their tax dollars wasted. And I think it also ties into, unfortunately, the shooting of the two national guardsmen in D.C. right. There was a whole story about the Afghan nationals that Biden flew here. And President Trump said, I'm banning third world migration. I think you can tie that in with Minnesota, the fraud and branch it out and ride it till the midterms if Republicans are smart with the messaging.

[Lydia Moynihan]

You're, you're so, you're so right. I feel like the way you're laying it out, you're like, there's something for everyone.

[Link Lord]

There's, there's.

Yes, everybody, come out and vote. I mean, it's going to. Here's the thing. I worry about the midterms because you're not going to have President Trump on the ballot. Right? As we just saw recently in some elections, people aren't just going to turn out. Right. You really have to get them enthused, and you got to get them turning out. It's not going to happen. You have to have compelling candidates. But I think there's something here for everybody, because this has really united a lot of people, the old school, like 90s Democrats, independents, saying, I think everybody can agree we're fine deporting these Somalian criminals. Like, I don't think we're heartless. We're fine with it. Right, Lydia? Is that what you're hearing?

[Lydia Moynihan]

I also think this is an important sort of issue for us right now because in the last year, Donald Trump has closed the southern border. And that was ultimately an issue that I think pushed him to victory because people were so fed up with just having the open borders that we did under Joe Biden. And so the question is, okay, Great. Trump's done a really good job of securing the border. And in a way it's like, is that going to backfire on us? Right? Like, what is our issue going to be that's uniting Republicans? And I think to your point, it could be this. Right. And I also think it's coming at an important time where I feel like the left is embracing socialism and pushing more and more government. And obviously in New York we have Madani and, and I think Democrats feel empowered at some level that they should have more and more power. And I think this is such a good instance to point to and say, really, the people who are like, just sort of either oblivious or don't care that our tax dollars are getting sent to fund terrorism, you want these people to have even more power than they do now. So I think it hits basically everything that Democrats want to push and is a counter that Republicans can point to. I think it's a really important talking point that again, is just, it's so clear cut. It's, you know, there's certain issues that I think, like Republicans got really fired up about but were really hard to sell. Like a year ago when Trump was talking about, like the Haitian immigrants eating the cats and the dogs. I think there's, I think that's definitely has happened. But as soon as you said that to a liberal, they're like, are you serious? Like you said, I'm like a lunatic. This is an issue that is so clear cut that again, the New York Times is now reported on and confirmed. That's a really easy way to sort of engage people and say, yeah, we should be mad about this.

[Link Lord]

Absolutely. I mean, it's A, B, C. One plus one equals three. Okay. You've got these Somalians, they're stealing money from hungry children, the elderly. They're routing it to terrorism. They're filling their own pockets. Ilhan Omar's net worth is going up by millions. I'm not saying it has to do with this Somalian broad scheme, but it's dicey. It's worth looking into questions. And then you, yeah, there are questions. We have questions. And then there's Tim Walls and his failed leadership. Right. And I think it can just really bring together, okay, all of these Democrats who were actually fed up with the corruption and saying, you know what, we might actually give a Republican a chance or maybe we're going to sit out. Right. If some Democrats sit out in the midterms, that can make a big difference, too. But I want to move on to another topic. This is a Cultural topic. And I saw that you liked this post and I thought we had to discuss it. There's this growing trend of doll moms, they're called doll moms on social media. And these are women who don't have kids of their own yet or don't plan to have kids of their own. And they go and they have, some of them have five dolls, some of them have six dolls. And they're raising these dolls like they're real children and documenting it online. And I think there's this one woman, she has like eight or nine dolls in her house and she feeds them and they have routines and she burps them. And for me, when I watch this, right, there's a whole, you know, narrative going on right now about these liberal single white women who report having the highest rates of mental health issues and all of these polls, they report being unhappy, they have more mental health problems. And there's this big push obviously on the right for the nuclear family. Conservative values, having children. That's what Charlie Kirk was espousing all the time. Have kids, get married, settle down even if you got a struggle, right? Especially we have the birth rates at an all time low according to the cdc. So when I see these doll moms, it gives me the heebie GB's. I will turn it over to you, Lydia, because I imagine you have some thoughts on this.

[Lydia Moynihan]

I think I need to caveat this by saying that I am currently unmarried.

Woman in New York City. I have a long term boyfriend, but I'm not married, I don't have children yet. So I just want viewers to be aware of that. But this is something I've been thinking about so much and just paying attention to in my own social circles here in New York. And I think a lot of this is a tragedy to me because I think most women, they don't want to say it because culturally it's still sort of frowned upon because women are supposed to want to be boss babes all the time. But most women want to get married and have babies and have a family. And that is so fulfilling and important. And again, there's exceptions, but my overwhelming number of friends all feel that way. And what they would say is that young men kind of suck. And so I think part of the way that we get young women, 84% of whom voted for Mamdani in New York to be a bit more moderate is to make sure that young men are like getting it together, getting out of their parents basement and getting married to these young women. And so I think A lot of this is born out of not being able to find a partner who is, like, remotely motivated or intelligent. And it's funny because my mom would always say this. I grew up in, like, Portland, Oregon area, and this was. This was like 20 years ago now. But we would see people, like, pushing dogs in strollers and cats and strollers.

[Link Lord]

It's like Naples, Florida.

[Lydia Moynihan]

And I think, like, there is this maternal instinct and probably paternal instinct that men have too, where it's like, it's just a very evolutionary, natural thing to want to have a family, and we don't value that, or it's frowned upon in society. And so people, like, funnel it into these really bizarre sort of hobbies where then, like, they have dolls. The thing too is I'm like, why is somebody filming themselves do that?

[Link Lord]

Like, set up on a tripod? It's very bizarre thing.

[Lydia Moynihan]

I cannot wrap my head around. But I think it's totally an acknowledgment that, like, what the right is pushing in terms of family values is the most natural thing. And if you don't acknowledge it, like, you're gonna become a psycho who's, like, recording yourself, getting your dolls up in the morning. I don't know.

[Link Lord]

Like, it's almost like a horror film. And I bet you like a 24, you know, movie studio is probably working on a horror film about this right now. Like, it almost reminds me of. What was that movie with the doll? The robot doll from a few years ago. What was her name? Like, Molly or Sarah? Anyway, it just reminds me of that. But no, I'm glad you brought that up, because I'm never shaming people. When I say. When I talk about single women without children, I'm never shitting. One thing I say almost every episode is shout out to the woman. The women who are watching us at home alone right now, they're women who have been widowed, who maybe lost a kid, who have had bad luck with love. And that's the hand they've been dealt in life. I have no issue with anybody being single. What I find bizarre is that these women, and when I look into these doll moms and I go through their pages, a huge majority of them, by.

[Lydia Moynihan]

The way, a doll mom.

[Link Lord]

When I look at these doll moms, Lydia and I go to their pages and I research, okay, they look liberal to me, right? They hate Trump. You look at their other post, a lot of them are Trump Derangement Syndrome. They're at home raising these dolls. And that, to me, is what's so sad and I think speaks to this larger culture conversation of, okay, these liberal, sort of affluent women, right, in some of these enclaves like New York City, who watch MSNBC all day long and sort of read this Blue Anon content. They're perfectly content not having kids because they were told, hey, be boss, babes. Focus on your career. But then isn't it kind of sad that they're at home raising dolls? And it just gives me the creeps. The whole thing gives me the creeps. Right. And I agree with what you said about this issue with young men, because there's, I think one in five young men are what we call neat, which means not in education, employment, or training. Right. There are millions of young men in this country who totally. What?

[Lydia Moynihan]

Stay at home sons?

[Link Lord]

Stay at home sons. Yeah. And it's like there are millions of men who have checked out from society, whether it was like Covid, whether it was like, being beaten down, maybe it was a little bit of retraction from the MeToo movement. There are a lot of things that added into why a lot of men said, we're done. We're checking out from society. It's AI coming in, I think, and taking some of the jobs. And they just feel like we can't get ahead. The American dream's unattainable to us. Never own a home. We'll never have the white. The white picket fence and the wife. So I think it all comes together with this doll mom situation. It'll be interesting to see the trend take off. Would you recommend. Before we move on to the last topic, would you recommend these doll moms seek some type of therapy and counseling? Or do you think there are some people who are perfectly fine at home raising their dog?

[Lydia Moynihan]

Download a dating app. Okay, just one more point I want to make because. Because I've been trying to understand how these women have become so radicalized. And I was talking with my brother about this, and if you think about it, like, most of these women are at the age where they would have in any other period of time, like, be devoting their energy and their obsession and their love to family and maybe like, also work, too. But now that we're so socially isolated, they're putting that towards politics and being really extreme. And the other piece of this, and Erica Kirk addressed this at the DealBook conference last year, basically, like, you look at these women, and they kind of want the government, not even in a financial way, but it's like they want the government to sort of be the husband or the family that they don't have. And it's just sad because you're not going to get that fulfillment from the government or from a doll that, like, you need from other human beings.

[Link Lord]

Totally. I mean, when we look at even the Democrat platform, especially this sort of democratic socialism, it's more government overreach. It's more government controlled housing, government controlled transportation, everything. The government calling the shots. Whereas folks on the right and libertarians and independents are like, we want small government, we want less government. We want to fire half the people in government and then fire another half. And so it is interesting. I think these women do expect folks like Mamdani and others to parent them in a way or take the reins. And I do feel like, even with the president, with President Trump, I say it's like he is the father of the country. He is a father figure of the country. And I think that's what has a lot of these liberal women really upset because maybe they have daddy issues. And he's just sort of like the paragon of that for them. It pulls it out. But I want to move on. The last sort of topic we have to discuss, Sydney Sweeney. So Sydney Sweeney went totally viral over the weekend because she's sort of walking back her American Eagle campaign. You know, there was that famous interview where she was asked if she wanted to apologize or opine, and she's like, no, when I have something to say, I will say it. And that went viral. But she's come back. Clearly she has a new publicist. And she says, I was honestly surprised by the reaction this is to People magazine. I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don't support the views. Some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren't true. And then she says she's someone who leads with kindness, which sounds like principal speak to me. And she's addressing the campaign to show her stance and dispel negativity. Anyone who knows me knows I'm always trying to bring people together. I'm against hate and divisiveness. In the past, my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press. But recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us. I'm here to tell you, you don't you think Sydney Sweeney has hired a publicist? I don't think this is something she wrote herself. This sounds like PR jargon.

[Lydia Moynihan]

Sounds like statement by ChatGPT.

[Link Lord]

Yeah, exactly.

[Lydia Moynihan]

Yeah. Okay, so some thoughts I think. One, I do think conservatives got way too excited about somebody in Hollywood who seemed kind of normal. And I think they looked at that and were like, okay, we've won the culture wars. I don't think you should ever look at somebody in Hollywood or entertainment is like ushering in the kingdom of God on earth, essentially. And I feel like people just put too much stock in Sydney Sweeney and like she's ultimately just like a 20 something year old Hollywood starlet. Like, I don't think we should be looking to her to like win the culture wars for us. So that's one thing. And two, I mean, I can't imagine like I. And then the fetal position when people say too many mean things to me on Twitter, I can't even imagine like the backlash she had. Any other reports? Zendaya, who she's in euphoria with, didn't want to campaign with her for not campaign, didn't want to like do press tours with her because she was too sully. Like, I think she didn't just get backlash, but like her co stars were probably being really nasty to her. And I'm sure she thought like, okay, I just, I don't have the ability to deal with this anymore. I just want to like move on with my life. So this feels like a statement where she just doesn't want to deal with this, doesn't want to be political anymore and just wants to move on. Which I get it. Like, I get it. She was literally like leading TV shows on Fox News for months on end.

[Link Lord]

Well, right. And I think what happened was, like you said, when you find someone in Hollywood who is normal by today's standards, you can just glom on to that. And I like that Sydney Sweeney, for a long time was, was not capitulating to the online mob. Like, she wasn't apologizing, she wasn't backing down. And I love that because so often these celebrities apologize immediately the second they are embraced by conservatives, the second they get backlash from Democrats. So I like that she wasn't just apologizing, but I do think now that it's affected her new show that's coming out, Euphoria, this new Christmas movie. I'm sure the studios and the PR have come in and she's now dating Scooter Braun, who's a huge Hollywood manager, managed Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. I think she has people around her now who are like, just apologize, let them know you're not Republican. Because there's nothing worse than Hollywood, unfortunately, than coming out as a Republican. Like, you can come out as gay, you can come out as trans, but coming out as a Republican in Tinseltown is tough. Lydia.

[Lydia Moynihan]

And I mean, she technically is registered as a Republican, I think, in Florida. So I feel like she probably. And again, maybe like I'm doing what I criticize other people doing. I feel like she probably is still more conservative. Just like, watching her, her sensibilities, like, I think she probably is not a crazy, woke leftist person. That's the vibe that she gives. But yeah, I'm sure for her, she was like, this is outrageous. Why don't I just apologize? But I still think she was sort of teaching a masterclass before this in just like, you don't have to give an inch. Like, that interview that she gave to GQ is still iconic, where the woman is like asked like a hundred different ways like, are you a white supremacist? And she was like, no.

[Link Lord]

Like, exactly. That's what I miss though. But I miss her not giving an inch. And my thing is this. If you. Right, let's say you're just not a woke person, right? You don't want men and women's sports, you want to secure border. You actually have a lot of like 90s Clinton policies, right? Like, you're tough on crime, you want common sense, you want voter id. To these folks on the left, some of them, them, you're considered really far right. They're like, oh my God, you right wing grifter and you MAGA and this. And that's like, well, wait, no, I just want normal things. I want a country to function. But because the pendulum has swung so far, if you're even in the middle now, if you're an independent, you're a maha to these liberals in Hollywood, they think you are the enemy, right? Like, you are Persona non grata. Even if you're not some far right person. All you want is common sense. Have you noticed that too, Lydia, this trend.

[Lydia Moynihan]

Oh, my gosh. Well, this is. And this is why Trump won, right? It's like literally for decades, anyone who was a Republican was like a racist and hateful and likened to Hitler. And Trump was the first one who was like, I'm not gonna apologize. Like, no, this is outrageous. Like, and he had this playbook of like, I'm just gonna attack. Like, I'm not gonna apologize for anything. People loved that. Like, people loved it. For the first time, there was somebody who was just, just owning what they believe. And I feel like in Some ways that's kind of what Sydney Sweeney embodied was. Like people are so used to just somebody capitulating as soon as they're under attack and saying like, I'm not racist, I'm not. And she was like, I have nothing to apologize for. Like, I think people are really drawn to strong individuals who, who stand their ground. And I think that's what she was embodied of. Like she had nothing to apologize for. Like this, this insane woke mob went after her for doing nothing wrong. Like that's on the crazy book mom. That's not on her, you know.

[Link Lord]

Right. And I just. The last thing I'll say before we end, because I know you got it run. But Sydney Sweeney, what she did was like a normal jeans ad. Sydney Sweeney, also, I get some hate for saying this, but like you go to any SEC school, you'll find like 100 Sydney Sweeneys in 30 seconds. Like Sydney Sweeney is not like some supermodel, but everybody because she's normal. And we had years of commercials with Calvin Klein where you had like non binary women with beards and they had scars on their chest. In the Calvin Klein ads, when you have someone like Sidney Sweeney who's a normal functioning human girl, you're like, oh my God, thank you. After all the woke, like after Bud Light with Dylan Mulvaney, I think people just blew this American Eagle campaign up because it was like something normal. Like normalcy is back. We have a cute girl with great breasts and an American Eagle ad selling jeans. You know what I'm saying? I think that's why we glommed onto it. It.

[Lydia Moynihan]

It's like normaly. And it felt like the return of just like culture before. Yeah, you're right. Like this woke insanity took over. Like it was something that would have been very normal 15 years ago. And now we're like, wait, this is a breath of fresh air. We're not being like absolutely attacked and barraged with like woke insanity. I like this. I could get used to this.

[Link Lord]

I could get used to this. So we'll see. It'll be interesting to see what happens with American Eagle. They're going to have to hire someone for another ad campaign. We will see what happens. They should hire who? Oh, Martha Stewart. That was genius too. That was genius. I actually think brands should lean into. We'll have to have you come back. I think brands should lean into different demographics too because I hate so many people who watch the podcast. We have tons of women who are 65 and up and shout out to you ladies, I love them. I love my moms, I love my grandmas, my great grandmas. I think these brands sometimes act like when a woman becomes like 45, she's done having purchasing power. The women who are older are usually the purchasers of their household and they're more financially secure than the 22 year olds. So I think we should see more brands hire Martha Stewart's and hire women in their 70s and 80s do a campaign because these women aren't just like shriveling up and going away. They're vibrant. They're living till 100. I just think, I love that we're leaning in and hiring different people.

[Lydia Moynihan]

I love and hiring like, yeah, people for a normal campaign. Because I see, I think the only women we see are the ones who are like anti aging eye cream. And you're like, right, no, like they can do more than literally just like anti aging products. Which is kind of that. That's literally right. Now the only time we see a woman over like 40 is over 25.

[Link Lord]

Oh my gosh. Well, I love you. I'm so grateful you came on today. It's going to be week. Who knows what's going to happen with the Somalian fraud scheme. There's so much that's going to happen between now and Christmas in this era of Trump in this news cycle. I feel like by tomorrow something cataclysmic.

[Lydia Moynihan]

Also, I love that you literally do it all, Link. You're like, we're getting tough on Somalian crime and Sydney Sweeney.

[Link Lord]

Sydney Sweeney, yes. Multifaceted here. Okay, multifaceted. If I offended the two Somalians watching us on a hot spot right now, I apologize. But Lydia, thank you, thank you, thank you. Have an amazing week and we'll see you soon.

[Lydia Moynihan]

So fun. You too. Thank you. Link.

[Link Lord]

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[Link Lord]

This last topic we have to discuss is about one of my favorite airlines. Okay. Being from Dallas, Texas, I fly Southwest often. Okay. If you've seen me on Southwest, hello. I try to get into the A group. I try to board early because as many of you know, Southwest Airlines has an open seating policy, or at least they have until now. And this open seating policy means that you pay to board in a certain position, but then once you're on the plane, it's like the Hunger Games. It is survival of the fittest, okay? People are fighting to get up front. You all know how Southwest Airlines is, okay? And Southwest Airlines, I'll also say this, y' all are a little bit shady. There are about 20 people every time I fly Southwest who are in wheelchairs or who need extra time. And then when we land, okay, when we land the plane in Florida or wherever we've gone to, they get up and they sort of watusi and waltz off the plane. So I don't know why they needed special boarding to get on. And it's because they know it's first come, first serve on Southwest. So a lot of them are gaming the system. But Southwest is implementing a new policy for those Americans who haven't yet gotten their Ozempic. Their new policy says basically, if you are obese or overweight beginning on January 27th of 2026, so very soon, in a couple of weeks, you might need to purchase two seats for yourself because they are doing away with the open seating policy. Southwest has said, we tried it. We're done having fist fights in the aisles. But if you are obese or if you are big, you need to purchase two seats, three seats for yourselves. You are on your own that we are not going to accommodate you anymore now that we're changing our policies. Now, Charlamagne, who is part of the Breakfast Club, he actually discussed this. Let's take a look at what he had to say.

[Lydia Moynihan]

A lot of people are already pushing back, saying the airline is putting the.

[Link Lord]

Burden on passengers instead of facing the real issue.

[Lydia Moynihan]

They say the seats are already too small, right?

[Link Lord]

And a lot of fat people, they fly Southwest because, you know, the accommodation. So why would they change that? Why don't they just make them fly cargo? And furthermore, what? I don't have a problem at all with this, okay? If you are too big for one seat, then you just gotta buy two seats. Don't act like, don't act like the plane is doing something to you. You know how big you are. But what if you don't got the bread to buy another seat? But you fat. Well, you shouldn't have been eating so much bread.

Now, I don't think this is racist or whatever we say about people who are big sizes, ableist, whatever those liberal words are that they use. I don't think this is offensive whatsoever. If you know you are bigger, you're thick, maybe you're big boned and you need two seats on an airplane. There's no shame in that. But that's on you, right? That is on you. It's not on the airline to accommodate you, especially Southwest. Okay, no offense to Southwest, but it's not some elite airline, okay? So if you know you need more space, you're going to have to do that. And I think some people are upset. They feel like, well, we're bigger, we should get special accommodations, the airline should accommodate us, but that is just not borne out in reality, right? Because there's no way the airlines can accommodate that many people. If you buy one seat and you actually need two, or you need the whole row or the whole plane, how are they supposed to even know that before you show up because you're not putting your height and your weight and your BMI when you purchase a ticket. So they don't know. They have no clue. And so it is on you. The onus is on the purchaser of the ticket, the person traveling, the passenger, to buy two seats if they need. I don't think this is bad. I think it might be incentive for some folks to get active, to get healthy. Maybe not take that, you know, third trip to the fridge for another piece of pie. Guilty, guilty sometimes. But I do think this is a necessary change. The Southwest is getting going away with their open seat policy. People are going to have to be more proactive and ask themselves and maybe measure, measure how big the seats are. And then, you know, get a measuring tape out at home and see, okay, am I going to fit into the seat? But I want to hear from you guys, okay, drop a comment. Tell me if you approve of the seating policy. Do you think Southwest, do you think they're being jerks or they're being assholes to say you might need to purchase two seats? I don't think so. And I love people of all different shapes, sizes and persuasions. If you're big, you're small, I don't care. But if you're traveling, you got to take care of of yourself.

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[Commercial Announcer]

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[Lydia Moynihan]

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[Link Lord]

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[Link Lord]

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[Link Lord]

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[Link Lord]

Well, my friends, that concludes this episode of spot on with link Lorde. I'm glad we can discuss a wide range of topics on this show. Okay, we can get into politics, politics, royals, ex royals, Southwest airlines, new policy. I absolutely love all of you guys. And we will be back on Wednesday or Thursday on Sirius xm, depending how you're listening to us, how you're finding us. We have Scott Jennings from cnn. He is coming on the show. We're supposed to have him a few weeks ago. And with travel and the holidays and Thanksgiving, we have Scott Jennings coming on. Who you guys know from the roundtable on CNN where he's fighting and sparring with people. He has a new book out all about this revolution of common sense sense in the United States of America. So we will be here on Wednesday discussing that with him. As for you guys, have an amazing rest of your week. We will see you soon. Bye.

[Commercial Announcer]

Before the trophy and bragging rights are rightfully yours. Before your sleeper turns. In a season no one saw coming before stats and projections turn into points on the board and your line falls perfectly into place. You flip the lid on a can of on nicotine pouches and as you make your first pick, you know this is the season where fantasy's going to surpass reality. It's on products for tobacco consumers 21 years of age or older. Warning. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

[Lydia Moynihan]

I'm a high note hitting songbird, but.

[Wellness Advertiser]

I'm also a bird watching backpacker.

[Link Lord]

Wood thrush, three o'. Clock.

[Wellness Advertiser]

Walmart has a wellness side too, with tons of things I need to feel good. From electrolytes to help keep me hydrated, to soothing cough drops for after every show.

[Link Lord]

Oh, man. How about waterproof boots, size 10?

[Wellness Advertiser]

They've got half a billion things online, on the app and in store.

[Commercial Announcer]

Really?

[Link Lord]

Who knew?

[Commercial Announcer]

Okay, Was that you or the birds?

[Wellness Advertiser]

Check out the wellness side of Walmart today.