Reel Justice

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson: Episode Summary – "Reel Justice"

Release Date: December 25, 2024
Host: Ben Ferguson
Guest: Senator Ted Cruz
Podcast Title: The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson
Episode Title: Reel Justice

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Introduction: A Holiday Pause for Cinema

In a special Christmas episode of The 47 Morning Update, host Ben Ferguson takes a festive detour from the usual political discourse to delve into the world of cinema, spotlighting Senator Ted Cruz's passion for movies and television. Acknowledging the holiday season, Ben opens the episode by wishing listeners a Merry Christmas and setting the stage for a heartwarming discussion about Cruz's favorite films and shows.

Senator Cruz's Holiday Movie Traditions

Senator Ted Cruz joins Ben Ferguson to share his family's cherished holiday traditions centered around movies. Cruz begins by extending his own Christmas greetings:

[00:44] Ted Cruz: "I hope you're having a wonderful and blessed day. I hope Santa came down the chimney and your kids are overjoyed and you're spending time maybe with some hot cocoa."

He reminisces about family movie nights during Thanksgiving and Christmas, expressing his love for the immersive experience of watching films in theaters:

[01:35] Ted Cruz: "I like popcorn and gummy bears and, you know, the experience of being there. And by the way, I'm also rabid about staying until the very end to the last moment of the credits play."

Cruz's Favorite Movies: A Comprehensive List

1. The Princess Bride
Cruz enthusiastically declares The Princess Bride as his all-time favorite movie, highlighting its memorable characters and quotable lines:

[05:53] Ted Cruz: "So my favorite movie of all time is the Princess Bride."

He shares a nostalgic anecdote about watching the movie repeatedly, even incorporating it into college games:

[06:01] Ted Cruz: "I probably watched the Princess Bride, I don't know, a couple hundred times."

2. The Godfather Saga
Ranked second on his list, Cruz praises The Godfather series for its depth and enduring impact:

[07:07] Ted Cruz: "The Godfather Saga... I quote all of them all the time."

He recounts a humorous incident where his Senate staffers were unfamiliar with the film's iconic dialogue:

[08:51] Ted Cruz: "I said, you know, this is the business we have chosen... All of them looked at me confused."

3. Scarface
Cruz's third pick, Scarface, reflects his admiration for Al Pacino and the crime genre:

[09:24] Ted Cruz: "Scarface. Oh, I love me some Scarface."

He appreciates the film's larger-than-life portrayal of Tony Montana, aligning it with his cultural heritage:

[09:25] Ted Cruz: "I'm Cuban. It is larger than life."

4. Fletch
*Cruz recommends Fletch as possibly Chevy Chase's best work, lauding its humor and entertainment value:

[10:34] Ted Cruz: "Fletch may be the funniest movie ever made."

5. Amazing Grace
This true-story film about William Wilberforce holds personal significance for Cruz, inspiring him to honor his mother's legacy:

[11:22] Ted Cruz: "Amazing Grace is the true story of William Wilberforce... he spends 50 years battling for it."

Cruz narrates his legislative effort to rename a street in front of NASA headquarters to "Hidden Figures Way," celebrating the contributions of African American female mathematicians:

[26:45] Ted Cruz: "NASA, the address of NASA is one hidden figures way."

6. Unforgiven
Cruz praises Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven for its nuanced portrayal of Western stereotypes:

[13:38] Ted Cruz: "Unforgiven is the best Western ever made, won the Academy Award for Best Picture."

7. Team America: World Police
Despite its controversial humor, Cruz finds Team America hilariously effective in its satire:

[16:05] Ted Cruz: "Team America makes fun of both sides. It’s screamingly funny now."

8. Patton
Cruz draws inspiration from Patton, particularly the opening speech, which he quotes as motivational advice for Supreme Court arguments:

[17:13] Ted Cruz: "The objective is not to give your life for your country. The objective is to make that other poor son of a bitch give his life for his country."

9. The Sting
He lauds The Sting for its intricate con-man storyline, recommending it as a must-watch classic:

[18:35] Ted Cruz: "The Sting is all-time classic. Robert Redford, Paul Newman. They’re con men. It is hysterical."

10. Awakenings
Appreciating Robin Williams' performance, Cruz discusses Awakenings as a powerful narrative:

[19:10] Ted Cruz: "Awakenings is fabulous. Robin Williams is one of my all-time favorite actors."

11. Braveheart & Gladiator
These epic films resonate with Cruz for their themes of fighting oppression and personal valor:

[20:34] Ted Cruz: "Braveheart and Gladiator are epic movies. If you're not inspired by them, you're dead."

12. Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places, Coming to America
Cruz highlights Eddie Murphy's comedic genius through these beloved comedies:

[21:30] Ted Cruz: "Eddie Murphy remains one of my favorite actors of all time. Beverly Hills Cop is just screamingly funny."

13. Wall Street
Cruz admires Wall Street for its portrayal of corporate greed and iconic character Gordon Gekko:

[23:31] Ted Cruz: "Gordon Gekko is an all-time classic. I quote him frequently."

14. Hidden Figures
Emphasizing its historical significance, Cruz connects the film to his family's legacy and educational efforts:

[24:05] Ted Cruz: "Hidden Figures is a wonderful movie about the African American female mathematicians who were foundational to America going to the moon."

15. Schindler's List & Lone Survivor
Cruz acknowledges the emotional weight of these films, linking them to personal reflections and historical honors:

[27:51] Ted Cruz: "Schindler's List... the most beautiful moment of that movie is the sort of, 'Did I do enough?'"

16. Musicals: My Fair Lady, Oliver, Hamilton, Les Misèrables
Contrary to expectations, Cruz shares his love for musicals, recounting personal experiences and emotional connections:

[29:48] Ted Cruz: "My favorite musicals are My Fair Lady, Oliver, Hamilton, and Les Misérables."

He reminisces about watching Les Misérables with his mother and the profound impact it had:

[35:02] Ted Cruz: "The two that get me choked up are... 'Let him live,' and 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables.'"

17. Magnificent Seven, Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds
Cruz concludes his list with a mix of Western classics and Quentin Tarantino masterpieces:

[37:28] Ted Cruz: "Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds are spectacular movies."

Personal Anecdotes and Reflections

Throughout the discussion, Cruz intertwines his favorite films with personal stories, illustrating how cinema has shaped his life and values. He shares moments like introducing legislation inspired by Hidden Figures, meeting Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, and the emotional resonance of films like Les Misérables during significant life events.

One poignant moment occurs when Cruz reflects on the heroism depicted in Schindler's List:

[29:34] Ted Cruz: "Why didn't I do even more? And that, to me, is the most beautiful moment of that movie."

Such reflections reveal Cruz's deep connection to the narratives of courage, sacrifice, and moral responsibility portrayed in his favorite films.

Final Thoughts: Desert Island Selections

In a lighthearted finale, Ben Ferguson asks Cruz what single movie and TV series he would choose to take to a desert island. Cruz confidently selects:

[38:07] Ted Cruz: "The Princess Bride and Criminal Minds."

These choices encapsulate his appreciation for both timeless storytelling and engaging, intellectually stimulating content.

Conclusion: Embracing the Power of Stories

Ben Ferguson wraps up the episode by highlighting the enriching conversation about Senator Cruz's cinematic preferences. He encourages listeners to subscribe and tune in for more insightful discussions and special episodes in the future.

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Notable Quotes:

• [05:53] Ted Cruz: "So my favorite movie of all time is the Princess Bride."
• [07:07] Ted Cruz: "The Godfather Saga... I quote all of them all the time."
• [09:24] Ted Cruz: "Scarface. Oh, I love me some Scarface."
• [11:22] Ted Cruz: "Amazing Grace is the true story of William Wilberforce..."
• [17:13] Ted Cruz: "The objective is not to give your life for your country. The objective is to make that other poor son of a bitch give his life for his country."
• [19:10] Ted Cruz: "Awakenings is fabulous. Robin Williams is one of my all-time favorite actors."
• [24:05] Ted Cruz: "Hidden Figures is a wonderful movie about the African American female mathematicians who were foundational to America going to the moon."
• [29:34] Ted Cruz: "Why didn't I do even more? And that, to me, is the most beautiful moment of that movie."
• [38:07] Ted Cruz: "The Princess Bride and Criminal Minds."

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Takeaway:
This Christmas special episode of The 47 Morning Update offers listeners an intimate glimpse into Senator Ted Cruz's love for cinema, revealing how his favorite movies and shows have influenced his personal and professional life. From classic Westerns to groundbreaking dramas and beloved comedies, Cruz's curated list underscores the profound impact of storytelling in shaping values and inspiring action. Whether you're a film enthusiast or simply enjoy a good holiday story, this episode provides engaging insights and heartwarming reflections sure to resonate with a wide audience.

Transcript

[Host]

Well, Merry Christmas, many of you that may be listening right now. You might be traveling to go see family right now. And we thought we would pause from politics on this Christmas and first off, just say Merry Christmas, but also to talk about something completely different. And that is, Senator, people that don't know you, well, I'm gonna. I'm gonna give them a little bit of a clue. You absolutely love movies, and you put together a list of your favorite movies and also series and shows that you watch. And if you've ever wondered what Senator Cruz is watching when he's flying all the time, here's a really good list we're going to be giving you on this Christmas.

[Ted Cruz]

Well, let me just echo that.

[Senator Cruz]

Merry Christmas.

[Ted Cruz]

I hope you're having a wonderful and blessed day. I hope Santa came down the chimney and your kids are overjoyed and you're spending time maybe with some hot cocoa. We often do Christmas by the tree where I'll be in my bathrobe, we'll all be in our pajamas, the kids will be opening presents. We all actually have cups of hot cocoa. And it's a beautiful time. And it's a beautiful time to reflect not just on the love your family has for each other, but the love God has for us and the salvation he sent for us. Now, I don't know about you, but over holidays, what my family has always done is we go to movies. We go to movies over Thanksgiving break. We go to movies over Christmas break. I love movies. As a kid, both my parents love movies. I would go to movies with my mom and dad when I was a little kid. I still go to movies with them now.

[Host]

By the way, you're a movie theater guy. Just so people know this.

[Ted Cruz]

Oh, I like the real theaters.

[Senator Cruz]

I like the big screen.

[Ted Cruz]

I like popcorn and gummy bears and, you know, the experience of being there. And by the way, I'm also rabid about staying until the very end to the last moment of the credits play. I will not get up and leave. There's a sense of completeness, of appreciating the entirety of the movie. And so what we decided we'd do today is put together just a compilation of movies that I love that I recommend to you. And hopefully, as you're taking some time with your family, maybe you'll go watch one of them and laugh or cry and it'll touch you and you'll enjoy it. And I think art and storytelling are beautiful, beautiful things.

[Host]

So with that being said, here are the big shows and the big movies on Senator Cruz's list. Merry Christmas. I get asked all the time from many of you guys that are watching or listening right now, what is Ted Cruz like behind the scenes? So we thought we'd have a little fun. I'm going to ask him some questions and you're even going to find out what his favorite movies are. Senator, we're going to have a little fun. I get asked all the time when I'm all over the country. It happened this last week in New York. So what does Ted Cruz really like behind the scenes? And I say I actually, if people got to see the side of you that I know, you're actually really fun to be around, you're also a huge movie buff as well. And so I'm gonna ask some fun questions just to kinda let people know behind the curtain who you really are. So let's start with this. What is the last thing you watched on a plane?

[Senator Cruz]

What is the last thing I watched on a plane was Outer Banks, which is a series. It's a teeny bopper series and it's phenomenal. I am in the middle of season three and there's a reason I'm watching a teeny bopper series, which is my youngest daughter Katherine loves Outer Banks. She's at camp right now and when I dropped her off at camp she said, dad, I want you to watch Outer Banks and I want you to write to me in letters and tell me what you think as the season's progressing. And so I've been regularly, I write to her about every couple of days and I tell her, okay, here's where I am. I'm at this point, I'm at this point, this character just died.

[Host]

Who's your favorite character?

[Senator Cruz]

Jb? John Dynam.

[Host]

Yeah, mine too. No doubt about it.

[Senator Cruz]

So she asked me that. I'm a little troubled. Her favorite character is JJ who is kind of a look, I guess if you're a 13 year old girl, he's, you know, he's always doing the dumbest thing imaginable, but he's kind of a. I like John B. John B. Is a good character.

[Host]

It's such a fun show. So when you were growing up, what was it that you were watching? High school. College.

[Senator Cruz]

By the way, spoiler alert. I apologize if you haven't seen it. I'm gonn give a spoiler alert right now. So just fast forward through this if you don't want a spoiler alert. But in season two when, when, when Ward has blow blown up. I knew Ward was not blown up and So I wrote her. I said, yeah, Ward just died. I'm very confident he's alive. And I remembered, they keep scuba gear in the boat. He got in the scuba gear. And then, like, seven episodes.

[Host]

Encyclopedia Brown books, remember those? You got to figure it out. And you're like, they got to keep this. They got to keep the series going.

[Senator Cruz]

So I felt pretty good that I was at least a step ahead of the Teeny Bopper series.

[Host]

I like that. So what were you watching in high school? Like, what were your favorite shows? What was your favorite movie?

[Senator Cruz]

So I love movies. My parents love movies. Like. Like, we would. You know, this is what we do. So. So every holiday, every Thanksgiving, every Christmas, my family would go out and watch movies.

[Host]

Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

[Senator Cruz]

Of course it is.

[Host]

Okay, good.

[Senator Cruz]

Absolutely. Yes. There's only one right answer.

[Host]

Okay, good.

[Senator Cruz]

Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie. But we would go out and do movies When I was a kid, when I was, like, 8, 9 years old, my dad would drop me off at the theater all Saturday, and I'd watch, like, five movies. I'd go from one theater to the next to the next and just watch everything there. It's. We all love movies. So what I've done done today for this show is I put together a list of 25 movies. Now, this is not exclusive. This is not the only 25 movies I like. And I don't even know that it's my 25 favorite, but it's 25 awesome movies, which, if you haven't watched, I recommend you watch. You will enjoy them, you will laugh, you will be moved. You will get good things from them. So let's go through the 25.

[Host]

Well, I gotta ask one more question for you. At 25, what movie have you watched the most in your life over and over again?

[Senator Cruz]

Well, that actually happens to be number one on the list.

[Host]

I knew it. I like this.

[Senator Cruz]

So. So my favorite movie of all time is the Princess Bride.

[Host]

Really?

[Senator Cruz]

I love the Princess Bride.

[Host]

Why?

[Senator Cruz]

I think every character in it is exquisite. Every line from every character is fantastic. I'll tell you, in college, we used to play a game called Drinking Princess Bride. And so the way you play Drinking Princess Bride is you sit down with a bunch of college kids, you put the movie on, and you try to say each line immediately before it's said. If you get it right, you point at somebody, they have to drink. If you screw it up even slightly, you drink. And if two or more people say the same line at the same time, everybody drinks. So when you get to the as you Wishes.

[Host]

That's why you were so sober in college. Now I understand it.

[Senator Cruz]

Look, when you get to the as yous Wishes, yeah, everyone can get them. So they're all socials, and it is a fun game. My problem is I know just about every line from the movie, but I'll screw them up slightly so I end up kind of getting myself. Cause I try an awful lot of them. But it is an exquisite movie. I probably watched the Princess Bride, I don't know, a couple hundred times.

[Host]

No way.

[Senator Cruz]

Yeah. It is fantastic.

[Host]

So that's number one on your list.

[Senator Cruz]

Far and away. Number two on my list is the Godfather Saga.

[Host]

Couldn't agree with you more. One of the best series ever made, period.

[Senator Cruz]

And I'm not going to break it down between 1, 2, and 3. I even like 3, which is a bit of a heretical idea. I think three stands on its own as its own movie. The least that three only makes sense in conjunction with one and two, which.

[Host]

Is when you're in the club. I kind of like that. Like, you can't fake it and go see number three and think, oh, that was incredible. You have to be in it.

[Senator Cruz]

And look, I quote all of them all the time, you know, from three. Every time I get out, they keep pulling me back in. I will say it was a little depressing with my team where I turned. You know, Senate staffers are all children. You know, your average.

[Host]

You should put that on a T shirt.

[Senator Cruz]

Your average Senate staffer is like, 23, 24, 25. So things like Godfather quotes, they just don't get. And so I said something. I said, you know, this is the business we have chosen. And, like, everyone looked at me confused, and I said, okay. I had like six staffers there. I said, all right. Do any of you have any idea what I'm saying? They're all like, no, no, no. I said, okay, this is Godfather 2. And this is a conversation between Hyman Roth, who is clearly modeled after Meyer Lansky, Hyman Roth, and Michael Corleone. And they're down in Miami. And Hyman Roth goes, Michael. I had a friend. I had a friend since childhood. Mo Green was his name. And one day, somebody put a bullet in his eye. I did not ask who was responsible. I did not seek retribution. I said, this is the business we have chosen. None of them had any idea what I was talking about.

[Host]

Team building night in the Senate. You should totally bring them in. One, two, and three.

[Senator Cruz]

Just nine hours. We're just.

[Host]

This is what you're going to do. That's Team Building 101.

[Senator Cruz]

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday.

[Host]

There you go. All right. Favorite line from any of the Godfathers. The best one. Mine's the canoli.

[Senator Cruz]

Leave. Leave the gun. Take the canoli.

[Host]

Yeah, no brainer. Number three on your list.

[Senator Cruz]

Scarface.

[Host]

Really?

[Senator Cruz]

Oh, I love me some Scarface.

[Host]

Why?

[Senator Cruz]

Notice Pacino has two spots in my top three? I like Pacino. Okay. I love crime movies. And look, Scarface. Tony Montanis. Cuban. I'm Cuban. It's, you know, it is larger than life. I can quote a lot of lines from it, to be honest. I'm not going to because they're pretty off color. And I'm going to avoid putting out on the podcast some of the language from. From it. But it is so crime genre is your thing. And I like Pacino.

[Host]

Yeah, he's amazing.

[Senator Cruz]

So my favorite TV show is Criminal Minds. I love Criminal Minds.

[Host]

I'm actually shocked by that one, because if there was only one box that I could take with me my whole life, like, if I was stuck on a desert island, it'd be West Wing.

[Senator Cruz]

West Wing is fabulous. I've watched every episode of West Wing. I've watched every episode of Criminal Minds. But Criminal Minds is. I just find it fascinating. Heidi hates it, by the way, when Criminal Minds is on, she's like, turn that garbage off. Because, you know, you've got evil, vicious murderers. I'm like, no, no. They're the bad guys, though. It's all about stopping them. But she just doesn't like that in the house. All right, number four, Fletch.

[Host]

Never seen it.

[Senator Cruz]

You've never seen Fletch?

[Host]

Never in my life.

[Senator Cruz]

Go home tonight.

[Host]

What's it about?

[Senator Cruz]

And watch Fletch. It may be the funniest movie ever made.

[Host]

Really?

[Senator Cruz]

Chevy Chase plays Irwin Fletcher, an undercover investigative reporter. It is absolutely hysterical. You know, I love Chevy Chase.

[Host]

So that's. That's.

[Senator Cruz]

It's Chevy Chase's best movie.

[Host]

No.

[Senator Cruz]

Much better than Lampoon's Vacation. Much better than. And he's done a ton. I love Chevy Chase, but Fletch is head and shoulders above them all. You know Grant, who heads up my security detail. Grant and I quote, fletch lines back and forth at each other every week.

[Host]

Really?

[Senator Cruz]

Go and watch the movie.

[Host]

I've never seen it.

[Senator Cruz]

It is spectacular.

[Host]

All right, Fletch. I'm on it.

[Senator Cruz]

All right, number five, Amazing Grace.

[Host]

Also never seen it.

[Senator Cruz]

A lot of people have not seen it, but it is a very good. It is the true story of William Wilberforce Now, William Wilberforce was a member of Parliament in the United Kingdom who led the effort to abolish the slave trade.

[Host]

Very cool. Is it a true story?

[Senator Cruz]

It's a true story.

[Host]

Okay.

[Senator Cruz]

And Wilberforce, so when he started as a young mp, the slave trade was the United Kingdom's single greatest source of revenue. It was their business. And he begins as this young mp, arguing, we must end the slave trade. It is wrong, it is immoral. And everyone laughs at him. And it would be like if you were in Texas standing up, saying, we should ban oil and gas.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Senator Cruz]

I mean, it was that absurd of.

[Host]

An idea back then.

[Senator Cruz]

And he spends 50 years battling for it. And the movie ends with him successfully championing and passing the legislation abolishing the slave trade and shutting down their most lucrative business because it was evil. And by the way, the title, Amazing Grace, do you know where it comes from?

[Host]

What?

[Senator Cruz]

So the person who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace was a friar who had been the former captain of a slave ship.

[Host]

Really?

[Senator Cruz]

He was the captain of a slave ship. And think of the words of the song. Amazing grace, Amazing grace How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found Was blind but now I see. And imagine the person writing that in that context was the captain of a slave ship. Presumably he had murdered people, he had beaten people, he had whipped people. I mean, you think of the evil entailed in being the captain of a slave ship. And then the amazing grace that God offered redemption. Even in the face of the horrific evil, it puts a whole different character. The book is by Eric Metaxas, who's a fantastic author, Christian author, does great biographies. I highly recommend Amazing Grace, number six, Unforgiven.

[Host]

Never seen it.

[Senator Cruz]

Oh, Unforgiven is.

[Host]

This is why it makes me laugh when we get to do shows like this, because, I mean, I will go watch these now.

[Senator Cruz]

Okay. So Unforgiven, best Western ever made, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Clint Eastwood is in it.

[Host]

I could do an age joke here. Was it in black and white?

[Senator Cruz]

No, no, no, no. It was actually Lady Eastwood. You were actually out of diapers when it came out.

[Host]

Okay, gotcha.

[Senator Cruz]

Morgan Freeman is in it. Gene Hackman is in it. Gene Hackman is spectacular. What's interesting about Unforgiven that is so powerful is it turns all of the stereotypes of the western on its head. So, for example, Clint Eastwood plays this outlaw who had turned over a good leaf and was good and then was going back, gets hired. What happens is a woman who is a prostitute is badly cut up by a drunk cowboy. And they put out a reward to kill the cowboy who cut her up. And Clint Eastwood, as this retired outlaw, needs the money and so is coming to collect the reward. And Morgan Freeman, his partner, comes with him. But there's a point where Clint Eastwood, you know, there's a young kid who wants to be a gunslinger, and he's like, practicing on shooting fast. And like Clint Eastwood says, well, you know, for me, this is about as fast as I can draw my gun, point it, aim at it, pull the trigger, and hit what I'm aiming at. And he said, in most firefights, people are scared out of their mind, and they're just terrified. And whoever can kind of calmly engage is who wins. And there's scenes where, like, everyone's like, oh, crap. And they shoot their foot and they drop their gun and they're like, freaking out. And he kind of. And he would just get drunk and just sort of systematically bang. And really did invert many of the conventional wisdom of being a fast draw and everything else. And Gene Hackman's character is hysterical. It is. He's the sheriff who initially you think might be the hero, but he very quickly becomes an anti hero. So excellent movie. Number eight, Team America.

[Host]

I've actually seen it. Hilarious.

[Senator Cruz]

Okay. And I'm going a little edgy. So Team America. Team America, World Police. It's a puppet movie.

[Host]

I remember when it came out and everybody was in shock, but I was dying laughing.

[Senator Cruz]

So Heidi doesn't like movies very much. I took Heidi to see it. She almost fell to the floor laughing.

[Host]

So she. Y'all clicked on that one.

[Senator Cruz]

It is screamingly funny now. It makes fun of both sides. It makes fun of Republicans, Democrats, everybody. It's the guys who do south park who did is puppets.

[Host]

They are truly equal opportunity offender.

[Senator Cruz]

It is. Now I'm going to give a warning. Every third word is a profanity. If you are offended by profanity, skip this suggestion. I will say, when we were fairly newlyweds, we went on vacation with Heidi's parents down at Lake Powell, which is fabulous. And we brought it with us and we sort of like Heidi. And I remember this is really, really funny. And I think we didn't quite remember that. Every third word is a profanity. And I'm sitting there with Heidi's parents as we're listening to Blinkety Blink Blink blink blink blink. We didn't finish the movie. Like, 10 minutes into it. We just.

[Host]

Heidi, I can't Believe you brought this in front of your parents.

[Senator Cruz]

Right? Yeah, yeah, it was. But it's still funny as. I'll get it. All right, next movie. Patton.

[Host]

Yep. Amazing, amazing movie. I've watched Patton probably five, six times in my life.

[Senator Cruz]

All right, do you know what I did before every Supreme Court argument I ever did?

[Host]

I can figure it out now. You watch Patton?

[Senator Cruz]

Not the whole thing.

[Host]

Just which scene.

[Senator Cruz]

The opening speech. Okay, yeah, just the opening speech. George C. Scott in front of the gigantic flag, standing up and saying, men, the objective is not to give your life for your country. The objective is to make that other poor son of a bitch give his life for his country. I mean, I can dig that.

[Host]

I can dig that.

[Senator Cruz]

It is sound advice. If you can watch that speech and not be inspired, you're dead. Yeah, like it is.

[Host]

See, those are my weakness movies. I love true stories. I love good versus evil movies. I absolutely love sports movies as well. But there's always usually a big speech in those.

[Senator Cruz]

By the way, a buddy of mine collects historical military equipment and clothing and uniforms, and he has Patton's dog tags.

[Host]

No way.

[Senator Cruz]

And I actually have worn Patton's dog tags. They have rested on my bare chest and I literally felt like I was ready to pull out a pistol and start shooting in an airplane. Like, it made you. You think about that. That actually rested right above the heart of Patton.

[Host]

That's incredible. That's a good thing to own.

[Senator Cruz]

All right, next movie. The Sting classic. Have you seen the Sting?

[Host]

No.

[Senator Cruz]

You've never seen the Sting?

[Host]

I don't even know what it's about.

[Senator Cruz]

Oh, oh, Benjamin, Benjamin, Benjamin. The Sting. All time classic. Robert Redford, Paul Newman. They're con man. It is.

[Host]

This is. This is when I could really mess with. Wait, Newman does something outside of like salsa, Like.

[Senator Cruz]

Yeah, it is hysterical. It is beautifully done. Go and watch this.

[Host]

And what's it about?

[Senator Cruz]

It's about con men. And it's worth watching. I probably watched it a hundred times. It's such a good movie. All right, next movie. Awakenings.

[Host]

Yes, I've seen that.

[Senator Cruz]

So Awakenings.

[Host]

Only once.

[Senator Cruz]

So Awakenings is fabulous. Robert De Niro.

[Host]

You're a De Niro fan?

[Senator Cruz]

I like De Niro a lot. Not a fan of his politics, but a big fan of his acting. He's a great actor, although as much De Niro got all the acclaim, but I actually thought Robin Williams stole the show.

[Host]

Well, I love Robin Williams, so this is right up my alley.

[Senator Cruz]

Robin Williams is one of my all time favorite actors ever. I mean, he's an incredible comedic actor.

[Host]

So you're gonna laugh. I was asked the question, if you could have dinner with like any five people who would be at your table living or alive or dead. I had Robin Williams for years in my list because I think he's just one of the most brilliant actors and genuinely funny human beings.

[Senator Cruz]

So when Robin Williams passed, I genuinely cried. And I wrote a long statement about Robin Williams on Facebook that I put up and it just. I hammered it out on my iPad because he is so funny. His stand up. If you've ever watched his stand up routine on golf. Oh, I've watched the one on golf. Is again, profane language warning, but as funny as anything that has ever been said. Like screamingly funny awakenings the portrayal he gives. I actually like Robin Williams even better in dramatic performances than comedy. And he's one of the funniest human beings ever alive. So awakening put on the list. Yes. Fabulous. All right, the next two I view together. Braveheart and Gladiator.

[Host]

Both amazing. No brainers.

[Senator Cruz]

Incredible.

[Host]

Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe. Right?

[Senator Cruz]

Yes.

[Host]

Back to back. How can you get that wrong?

[Senator Cruz]

And both standing and fighting and fighting against oppression and their epic, epic movies. Again, if you're not inspired by them, you're dead.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Senator Cruz]

I will say Mike Lee, there's an app where you can put yourself you speaking into an audio clip. And he and I used to send things back and forth and you know at the end when. When Mel Gibson is being executed, he screams freedom. So Mike would send me videos of him screaming to Mel Gibson's voice. Freedom. It was pretty powerful. All right, next. Beverly Hills Cop.

[Host]

Hands down one of the funniest movies ever.

[Senator Cruz]

Just screamingly funny. Eddie Murphy, you're laugh.

[Host]

I consider that a Christmas movie because it's like days off. I want to watch the classic. I watch that.

[Senator Cruz]

It is every moment of it. Eddie Murphy remains one of my favorite actors of all times. I love it.

[Host]

He's got a new one coming out, a sequel coming out on Amazon. I think it's on Amazon Prime. Did you see that recently? I just saw it this last week. I don't know which one it was, but they were teasing it.

[Senator Cruz]

Yes, they're doing a Beverly Hills Cop 2.

[Host]

Okay. Is that what it is?

[Senator Cruz]

Or 3? Yeah, but look, the original Beverly Hills Cop is screamingly funny. And I actually have three Eddie Murphy movies in a row because I love Eddie Murphy. Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places.

[Host]

Yes.

[Senator Cruz]

And Coming to America.

[Host]

So Coming to America was one of the first movies. It was like really edgy that I remember like in My adolescence seeing hilarious again.

[Senator Cruz]

Screamingly funny. And Eddie Murphy and Arsenio hall. And they play multiple characters at all the different. You know, in the barbershop, when you have Eddie Murphy and Arsenio hall going back and forth, I mean, it's amazing. And you know what? They probably wouldn't let you make that movie today.

[Host]

No, they would not.

[Senator Cruz]

It gets racially edgy in a way that, like now, you know the woke world. No, no, no, you can't laugh about it. No, no, no, no, no, no, you can't. You can't. You can't have any of that humor. By the way, you want funny humor, go back to young Eddie Murphy on SNL when he was like 19 years old. Brilliant and edgy and just edgy. Comedic like brilliance I love. He's by far my favorite character ever on snl. Really young Eddie Murphy, because it was just so funny.

[Host]

I like it. Mine's Farley, by the way.

[Senator Cruz]

Look, he was great. And he put his hole into it.

[Host]

Yeah, I mean, you know, I. I also love fat man in a little jacket. It's unbelievable, that man down by the river. I mean. But I also love, like, comedy when there's people falling over. And he could do that. His physical comedy was incredible.

[Senator Cruz]

Yep. All right, next on the list, Wall Street.

[Host]

Yep.

[Senator Cruz]

Just all time Gordon Gekko. One of the great all time classics. By the way, a line that I quote frequently. Gordon Gekko is. Is in the locker room getting cleaned up after playing, playing. And he turns to Charlie Sheen and he goes, I'm on the board of the Bronx Zoo. Cost me a million bucks. That's the thing about wasps. Love animals, hate people. There's some insight there.

[Host]

There is some insight there for sure.

[Senator Cruz]

Hidden figures.

[Host]

Yes.

[Senator Cruz]

Wonderful movie. Incredible movie about the African American female mathematicians who were foundational to America going to the moon. And for me, there are two kind of personal reasons why that movie is significant to me.

[Host]

One, it's gotta be because of Houston.

[Senator Cruz]

Well, when we went to see the movie, I took my mother to the movie. I took Heidi to the movie. I took both my daughters to the movie. And it was interesting. My girls, it was the first time they'd seen a movie that had segregation.

[Host]

Yeah. The bathroom is one of the most iconic scenes in that whole movie.

[Senator Cruz]

And it led to. I had a long conversation with both of them and they were like, well, why would people have done that? And to talk about segregation and civil rights and just sort of walk through the history of it. It prompted really good conversations with my girls. But secondly, so my mom. My mom graduated from Rice in 1956, and she had a math degree, and she went to work as a computer programmer at Shell. She subsequently went to work at the Smithsonian. And you remember the movie Hidden Figures begins with Sputnik being launched and sort of the space race beginning. One of my mother's first assignments at the Smithsonian was to help compute the orbits of Sputnik. And so in front of the girls, I asked my mom, I said, mom, you were doing this. And in fact, you were doing it 10 years earlier. You were doing it in the 50s. Hidden figures are set in the 60s. And I said, how accurate is it? And my mother thought it was very accurate, that it did a really good job of conveying what it was like to be a woman in space and science and a technical environment. And I commented to her, I said, okay, one of the strange things, to a more modern ear is that they referred to the women there as computers.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Senator Cruz]

And we think of a computer as a piece of metal, but they were.

[Host]

Actually called computers because they were actually doing the math.

[Senator Cruz]

And my mother started laughing at me, and she said her first job title was computer. And when she started at Shell, she had a business card that said, eleanor Darrah, Computer, no way. And so in response to that, I introduced legislation to rename the street in front of NASA headquarters Hidden Figures Way. And this is actually a really cool story. I introduced that legislation before it could pass. And we would have gotten it passed, but a D.C. city councilman saw that legislation and said, you know what? That's a great idea. And the D.C. city councilman introduced it in. The D.C. city council guy's a Democrat.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Senator Cruz]

And he got it passed. So the D.C. city Council passes it.

[Host]

That's cool.

[Senator Cruz]

So I went to the street sign dedication, and that is the street sign there. And I was there, I spoke at the dedication.

[Host]

And where is it?

[Senator Cruz]

It is the headquarters of NASA in D.C. okay, cool. And so NASA, the address of NASA is one hidden figures way. And so I spoke at the dedication. The D.C. city councilman spoke, and he's a Democrat, I'm a Republican. And I told the story of my mom, which was really cool to get to tell. And I said, look, at some level, you might say, listen, a street sign's not that big a deal that one is. But at another level, you know, 50 years from now, 100 years from now, some little girl, some little boy is going to come visit NASA, and they're going to look up and see the street sign, and they're going to Say, hey, what does that mean?

[Host]

Yeah.

[Senator Cruz]

And they're going to hear the story of the pioneering African American women who were the mathematicians that got us to the moon. And so it's where movies and stories are powerful.

[Host]

Did any of the characters of the movie, did any of them get to come to that?

[Senator Cruz]

They had passed by the time we did that. So no. All right. We just got a few more.

[Host]

Schindler's List, one of the hardest movies to watch.

[Senator Cruz]

Yes.

[Host]

The other one is that I can. I've only watched it one time because I just can't bring myself to watch it again is Lone Survivor. Those two movies, to me, are must sees. But I just. I don't know if it's because I've become a dad and having kids now and watching the kids, I just can't watch them like I used to.

[Senator Cruz]

So, as you know, a couple of weeks ago, I was at normandy for the 80th anniversary of D Day. And wildly enough, I got to meet Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, which was really cool. And I had pretty extended conversations with both of them. And they've done. Look, their politics are both left of center, but they've done an amazing job, really, honoring and telling the stories of the greatest generation, whether Saving Private Ryan, whether Band of Brothers, whether the Pacific. And so we're talking about that. And I was talking with Spielberg about Schindler's List and just, you know, talking with the heroes, The World War II heroes, who almost all say, well, I could have done more. I could have done more. And the real heroes are under those crosses behind us. And I was telling Spielberg, I said, hearing them say that reminds me of.

[Ted Cruz]

The end of Schindler's List where Oskar.

[Senator Cruz]

Schindler is like, I could have done more. And he looks down at his gold watch and he said, this watch. This watch could have saved three more people. Three more people are dead because I kept my watch. And you think about the heroism of his rescuing Jews from the Nazis and the incredible courage, but at the same time, the like, why didn't I do even more? And that, to me, is the most beautiful moment of that movie is the sort of.

[Host]

Did I do enough?

[Senator Cruz]

Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna take a detour, a detour to the world of musicals. So I like musicals.

[Host]

Do you like Broadway?

[Senator Cruz]

I do. I love Broadway. Absolutely.

[Host]

So, like you, if you go to New York, you would put it on your list to go see a show.

[Senator Cruz]

I love Broadway. And I'm gonna have four musicals on here.

[Host]

I'm ready.

[Senator Cruz]

So number one, Is. Is my father's favorite movie of all time, which is My Fair Lady.

[Host]

Okay.

[Senator Cruz]

And My Fair lady is fantastic.

[Host]

I've seen it because of my mom, my sister, multiple times. I've never watched outside of it.

[Senator Cruz]

Teach children how to speak Norwegians. Learn Norwegians. The Greeks are taught their Greek.

[Host]

See, this is why I said this show would be entertaining, because I would have never thought you were musical.

[Senator Cruz]

Oh, it is spectacular.

[Host]

Broadway show you've ever been to.

[Senator Cruz]

I'm gonna get to that.

[Host]

Okay, go ahead.

[Senator Cruz]

I'm gonna get to that. So the second one there is Oliver.

[Host]

Yep. Great.

[Senator Cruz]

Oliver is spectacular. So. So look, I was in high school. I was president of the drama club.

[Host]

I have way too many one liners, but I'll leave that for another show.

[Senator Cruz]

Keep going. You were captain of the tennis team. I was president of the drama club. Okay. I get that there's a reason why you would have stuck me in the locker if that would have.

[Host]

That would have gotten you a smackdown for sure.

[Senator Cruz]

Yeah, but. So look, I. All politicians are frustrated actors. It's just part of the. It is.

[Host]

Did you act in high school?

[Senator Cruz]

Oh, yes. A lot.

[Host]

What were you in?

[Senator Cruz]

So I did.

[Host]

Do we have eight tracks of this or what was it?

[Senator Cruz]

Beta cam there? They may be somewhere. Okay, so let's see. I've done Sound of Music twice.

[Host]

What'd you play?

[Senator Cruz]

So I played. The first time I played Rolf.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Senator Cruz]

You know, and I warbled out. You are 16 going on 17.

[Host]

No way.

[Senator Cruz]

And then the second time, I played Max.

[Host]

Yep.

[Senator Cruz]

I also. So I did Oliver. And Oliver's a fabulous.

[Host]

It's a classic. Yeah.

[Senator Cruz]

So Oliver was my senior year, and the head of the music department told me, hey, we're doing Oliver next year. And. And he said, you know, I'd love to have you play Fagan if you can sing it. And my curse. Look, I'm a terrible singer. I cannot carry to save my. In a bucket like I wish I could. I have.

[Host]

You were not given that. Neither was I.

[Senator Cruz]

And so I actually went and for like six months, I took voice lessons to try to get. Be able to sing. Fagan is such a.

[Host]

Did you get any better in the six months?

[Senator Cruz]

A little bit, yeah. And so what happened? And the nice thing about Fagan is Fagan's songs are more spoken than sang. So, for example, the song. Reviewing the situation. A man's got a heart, hasn't he? Joking apart, hasn't he? And though I'd be the first to admit that I wasn't a saint, I'm Finding it hard to be really as bad.

[Host]

So you're gonna see your dad next time. I'm gonna say those six months is worth it now, right?

[Senator Cruz]

I'm reviewing the situation. Can a fellow be a villain all his life? All the trials?

[Host]

I. Now, I'm not worried about it. Unless you retire, I know what you're gonna do.

[Senator Cruz]

I'm settle down and get myself a wife. And you remember it will cook and sew for you and come for you and go for you and go for you and nag at you. The finger she will wag at you.

[Host]

How many tickets they sell for this is what I really want to know.

[Senator Cruz]

So I prepared. That song was won. Now it's mostly spoken. It's not really. So I could do it marginally, competently after six months practicing. I did that at the tryout.

[Host]

What did he say?

[Senator Cruz]

And then afterwards, music director said, hey, Ted, stick around. And he went to the piano and he said, sing this. And he went. And I went. And he did it like three times. He goes, okay.

[Host]

Like, damn it, not happening.

[Senator Cruz]

So I was cast as Bill Sykes. It's the second male lead with no singing. Yeah, it's a fun role. You're the villain. You get to, like, beat up Oliver Twist and, like, you're. But. But I wanted your all. I wanted to play that role badly. And. And I did not get it. All right. Two more musicals. Hamilton, which is utterly exquisite. I've seen it multiple times. It is brilliant. It is beautiful. It is powerful. My girls know the songs. There are few things that make me happier than when my daughters are singing songs from Hamilton. I mean, it was. There was a period where they were obsessed with it.

[Host]

You and I were talking about this the other day. My dad. I took him to New York for the first time ever for his 70th birthday. And I. And you said, did you go see a. And I was like, do you want to see Hamilton? He's like, I'd rather go to the Yankees game. And then the next night, I was like, would you say I'd rather have a nice meal? I tried hard. I tried to get him to Hamilton. It just wasn't on the list.

[Senator Cruz]

And then my favorite music of all time is Les Mis.

[Host]

Really?

[Senator Cruz]

And I love Les Mis. I. I think.

[Host]

Do you get choked up? Be honest, because I'm a sucker for that song. I get the lump in the throat.

[Senator Cruz]

Choked up.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Senator Cruz]

All right, so what song gets you choked up?

[Host]

Oh, the one that. The most famous. I'm terrible with it. It's the one that Anne Hathaway does it so good.

[Senator Cruz]

Oh, and she won the Academy Award for it.

[Host]

Every time, it gets me.

[Senator Cruz]

So that is beautiful. I'll tell you, the two that get me choked up are number one, when John Valjean is saying, let him live.

[Host]

Yep.

[Senator Cruz]

And he's looking down and he says, you know, if I die, that one's incredible. Let me die. Yeah, let him live. And it's a prayer to God to let him live every time. I have tears every time. Then the other one that gets me is the song Empty Chairs and empty Tables at the end when everyone has died. And I will confess, at the end of the presidential campaign in 2016, as I walked through the empty campaign office and I saw the empty chairs and empty tables, I heard the refrains of that song. So Les Mis is exquisite. All right. By the way, when I was. All right. So 1993, I was just finished my first year of law school, and I had a job in New York. I was working a law firm in New York for the summer, and I decided to fly my mom to New York for the weekend. And so it's 1993. So I actually FedExed a plane ticket. And this is back when a plane ticket was a piece of cardboard.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Senator Cruz]

I FedExed a plane ticket to her with nothing else. It was literally. She opened the FedEx package, and just a plane ticket to New York fell out. And she called me, and she's like, ted, I assume this is you. I said, yeah. I had no note, no nothing. Just a plane ticket in the FedEx thing.

[Host]

Get on the plane. I'll see you soon, Mom.

[Senator Cruz]

So I flew her to New York, and we went out to dinner at Boulay, which at the time was the nicest restaurant in New York. Was fabulous. And then I took her one night to see Camelot, which was really fun. And then the next night to see Les Mis.

[Host]

And did she love it?

[Senator Cruz]

She loved it. And. And it. I.

[Host]

That's one of those ironed memories for us.

[Senator Cruz]

Yeah. No, that. That was just very cool to go do that. All right, so we have a total of three more. I'm gonna say the Magnificent Seven.

[Host]

Incredible. Watched it 10 times.

[Senator Cruz]

The original one.

[Host]

Yes. With my dad.

[Senator Cruz]

All right. All right.

[Host]

That's, like, in my dad's. Like, I grew up on John Wayne and war movies.

[Senator Cruz]

Yeah. Like Magnificent Seven.

[Host]

And that was, like. I remember watching.

[Senator Cruz]

Other than Unforgiven, Magnificent Seven is the greatest Western. That's actually originally at a Western. Unforgiven was of a modern remake format. But Magnificent Seven. Exquisite. With, you know, Yul Brenner and. And Charles Bronson and. And that was the Coburn.

[Host]

Oh, when mom was out of town, that was one of the movies we watched.

[Senator Cruz]

Oh, it was so good. It. It. It's. It. It's a fabulous movie. And then I'm going to end with two. Quentin Tarantino.

[Host]

Is it the Inglorious Basterds? Is that where we're going with this?

[Senator Cruz]

So I'm going to start with Pulp Fiction.

[Host]

Okay.

[Senator Cruz]

Which is fantastic. And then the last one is Inglourious Bastards.

[Host]

Yep.

[Senator Cruz]

And I feel bad that I left Reservoir Dogs off, because Reservoir Dogs is exquisite, too. But the other one, if you made me pick two, I go with Pulp Fiction and Inglourious. Inglourious Basterds is a spectacular movie. So that's 25 movies, which, if you've got some downtime, download them, watch them, you will enjoy them. You will laugh. You will be moved. You will be.

[Host]

And send your critiques on Twitter. We'll take them. And let me ask you one other question. If you could only take one movie and one TV series to a desert island with you, what would you pick? Only one movie and only one TV series. That's all you got to watch.

[Senator Cruz]

The Princess Bride and Criminal Minds.

[Host]

There you go. That's it. Yeah, I like it. See, now we know a little bit more about you. Don't forget, we do the show Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Every once in a while, we get to do something fun like this. So make sure you hit that subscribe or auto download button, and the Senator and I will see you back here in a couple of days.