GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM Talks California, ICE, New Book

Summary

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The Adam Friedland Show

Episode: GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM Talks California, ICE, New Book
Date: March 4, 2026

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Overview

In this lively, in-depth episode, Adam Friedland sits down with California Governor Gavin Newsom to discuss his new memoir "Young Man in a Hurry," his unconventional political journey, personal losses, the challenges and image of California, and the turbulence of America’s current political climate. The freewheeling, comic tone blends with moments of raw honesty as the two debate topics ranging from San Francisco’s unique character, political messaging, immigration, Donald Trump, and authenticity in public life. The conversation is both revealing and playful, alternating between personal reflection, biting satire, and policy critique.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Book Tour & Upbringing

Theme: Newsom’s new book and his personal background as a “work in progress.”

• Book Origins: Adam frames "Young Man in a Hurry" as a "memoir of discovery"—not just a political pitch but a chance for Newsom to reckon with his family history, parents’ struggles, and his own vulnerabilities. Newsom highlights deeply personal revelations uncovered during his research for the book, including FBI files on family members, a grandfather who was a POW, and buried family traumas.

  “I'm not this politician. I mean, this is about me… I'm a work in progress. I'm human. I make mistakes.” — Gavin Newsom (12:49)

• San Francisco Roots: Unlike many politicians, Newsom is a fifth-generation San Franciscan, underscoring both his deep local ties and the oddity of being a “native” in a transient American city. He notes how being from SF was even used against him in local politics.

  “No BS. When I was mayor, I think I was at one point, I was the only elected official in San Francisco from San Francisco.” — Newsom (15:46)

• Family Struggles: Newsom’s family history is marked by early parental divorce, a hardworking mother, a father involved in social justice, and an unusual relationship with the Getty family (including his father’s advisory role during the infamous Getty kidnapping).

• Academic Struggles & Dyslexia: Newsom openly discusses his struggles in school, referencing dyslexia and a low SAT score:

  “I can't read a speech because I can't read a speech. And that may not be interesting… but you know, those that hate me.”
  — Newsom (28:41)

2. The California & San Francisco Experience

Theme: Myths, realities, and stereotypes about California and its politics

• SF as a “Talent Factory”: The city has produced many major political figures thanks to its small-town/big-city dynamic and constant local engagement (08:21).

• Culture Wars & Political Messaging: Adam and Newsom riff on how California is depicted in right-wing media (“poop covered hobo infested hellscape” [33:25]). Newsom pushes back by listing the state’s economic and cultural strengths but is challenged by Adam to keep it simple.

  “Why don't you just start with 'bro, it's mad nice.' It's California—mad nice.”
  — Adam Friedland (35:45)

  “It's mad nice, man.”
  — Newsom (36:44)

• San Francisco Stories: Humorous detours about SF’s weather, Burning Man, local delicacies, and memorable personal stories (including live TV with earthquake survivors at 18:08 and the significance of the city’s phoenix flag [18:56]).

3. Political Authenticity & Vulnerability

Theme: Changing expectations for politicians' candor

• Raw Honesty vs. Polished Persona: Both men acknowledge the new pressures for authentic disclosure in the social media era, compared to historic figures like FDR or JFK who concealed personal challenges.

  “I think people just want… just be yourself, man. Let it go. And that's what this book is. It's me, as I said, scrutinizing, not sanitizing, who I am.”
  — Newsom (44:53)

• Impact of Personal Loss: The two share moving stories of being present for their mothers' deaths. Newsom recounts his regret for not being present enough and the profound effect of his mother’s assisted suicide on his outlook.

  “I was there with her by myself in those last sort of violent breaths and then just put my head on her stomach and was there quietly for another 10, 15 minutes, just bawling…”
  — Newsom (38:23)

4. The Trump Era & Immigration

Theme: California under siege, ICE raids, federal militarization, and the response

• Federal vs. State Conflict: Newsom discusses at length the unprecedented militarization of California cities under Trump, including the deployment of federal and military forces and the chilling effect it had on local communities (56:52).

  “Donald Trump federalized 4,000 National Guard in California and sent 700 active duty Marines... sent 5,000 troops. Talk about communities on edge…”
  — Newsom (56:52)

• Civil Liberties & Outrage Fatigue: Newsom expresses frustration that the public is not more outraged by ICE tactics and racial profiling. He details legislative actions California has taken, such as banning private prisons and enacting transparency around law enforcement.

  “People need to wake up. We can lose this country. I really believe that.”
  — Newsom (60:36)

• Media & Democratic Messaging: Adam and Newsom debate how Democrats too often play defense on right-wing culture war framing, with Adam urging Newsom to be direct and normal rather than defensive or overly intellectual (“Just say, pardon me, but you're a pussy and that's a baby movie. You're being a baby right now.” [65:23]).

5. The Democratic Party, Messaging, and “Normal” Politics

Theme: Culture wars, narrative control, and authenticity in appeals

• On Pronouns and Cultural Issues: Newsom admits “defensiveness” in his own messaging and how culture war issues like pronouns, DEI, or CRT can become distractions:

  “That's why I went on Fox to debate Ron DeSantis. Because they were winning that messaging war. We were flooding the zone. We were on our heels, not our toes. And narrative matters.”
  — Newsom (66:14)

• Advice from Friedland: The host repeatedly pushes Newsom to cut through jargon and speak to people plainly—not as a “slick” politician, but as a real Californian with a simple message: “It’s mad nice.”

6. Political Identity, Presidential Ambitions, and What’s Next

Theme: What drives Newsom, and speculation about a national run

• End of Political Career?: Newsom insists he’ll return to the restaurant world after politics, but Adam (tongue-in-cheek) presses him about a presidential run:

  “The reason you stood Trump down is because he thinks you're handsome. I mean it.”
  — Adam Friedland (72:55)

• Defining His “Why”: Newsom says he’s driven by “stand up for ideals, strike out against injustice,” identifying with the “spirit of the ‘60s” and legendary figures like King, Mandela, Gandhi.

  “I just gave you my why. But how do you translate that into human what?”
  — Newsom (72:04)

• Presidential Frontrunner?: Playful banter frames Newsom as the “good looking president” (“You do. If it was, like, on TV or something, it'd be, like, this guy.” [70:19]). Friedland argues the “cooler guy wins every time” (68:12), with discussion about the lack of a simple, direct slogan for Newsom.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Changing “Meter Maid” to Parking Control Officer:
  “By the way, I changed the name meter maid to parking control officer... it was very emotional. People appreciated that.”
  — Newsom (07:16)

• On Defensiveness and Realness:
  “I have this defensiveness about a lot of this stuff, and that comes across. And it comes across as slick and bullshitty. And you called it out. I appreciate that.”
  — Newsom (37:13)

• On Trump-Era ICE Raids:
  “This is a private police force, secret police force that has taken the oath of office to Trump, not the Constitution of the United States. It should outrage and infuriate everybody.”
  — Newsom (58:54)

• On Losing His Mom:
  “I was there with her by myself in those last sort of violent breaths... just bawling and what, you know, just reflected on what a piece of shit I was not to that experience.”
  — Newsom (38:23)

• On Simple Political Messaging:
  “It's mad nice, man.”
  — Newsom (36:44)

• On National Ambitions:
  “I don't have a brand. I don't have a tag... but for me, no bullshit, it's just standing up for ideals, striking out against injustice.”
  — Newsom (71:00)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:15] — Episode/Guest Introduction: Adam's sitcom-style riffing and injury update, introduces Newsom and book.
• [07:31] — Newsom’s Early Political Career: Changing "meter maid" to "Parking Control Officer," local government stories.
• [12:49] — Book Themes: Newsom on authenticity, family secrets, and introspection.
• [15:46] — SF Roots: Discussion of what it means to be a native San Franciscan politician.
• [28:41] — Dyslexia and Academic Struggles: Newsom discusses his relationship to reading/public speaking.
• [33:25] — California’s Reputation: Adam challenges Newsom on the California “hellscape” stereotype.
• [37:13] — Political Messaging & Defensiveness: Adam critiques Newsom's defensive style.
• [38:12] — Loss & Assisted Suicide: Emotional segment on Newsom’s mother’s death.
• [56:52] — Trump’s Federal Militarization/ICE: Deep dive on Trump-era ICE raids and state resistance.
• [65:23] — Responding to Culture Wars: Adam’s blunt advice on “normal” messaging.
• [71:00] — Newsom’s Political “Why”: Core motivation: standing up for ideals, fighting injustice.

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Tone and Language

• Conversational and comic with moments of poignant introspection.
• Adam plays the ribbing, irreverent host, poking at political messaging and stereotypes.
• Newsom is self-deprecating, reflective, and sometimes combative, willing to be candid about failings and pain.

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Summary

This episode oscillates between sharp political commentary, personal revelation, and comedic riffing. Newsom discusses his roots, formative pain, vision for leadership, and uncertainties about messaging in modern politics. Adam pushes Newsom to break from political boilerplate and “be normal,” leading to a rare candid and vulnerable conversation about loss, his parents, and how to communicate basic truths in an age of division.

The result is an unusually frank, funny, and emotionally honest conversation with one of the country’s most talked-about governors.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

What a legend he is. It's kind of like Chevy Chase had that reputation too.

[A]

I don't know. You like it, right? Jerry Lewis. It's like filmic to like it. Yeah. He's just being annoying. Yeah, but the French really know funny.

[B]

When are we walking in? Are we starting? When are we walking back in?

[A]

Starting here with Jerry Lewis is annoying and the French don't know anything. That's funny. Let's start this.

[B]

I don't want to get.

[A]

We don't need to do a walk out.

[B]

Jerry Lewis. He's a legend. Jerry, if you're watching, you're a legend.

[A]

I think he's dead. No, he's dead. Yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another special episode of the Adam Friedland Show. I'm Adam Freeland. I'm once again recording from home because I am gravely injured yesterday while trying to pick up this very large water bottle right here. I threw out my back and I'm now at home resting and medicating with this pill. But as we know, the show must go on. And our guest this week is sitting California governor Gavin Newsom, whose new memoir, Young man in a Hurry is available now wherever books are sold. It's actually Gavin Newsom's third book following Citizenville, my personal favorite, and Ben and Emma's big hit, a gripping sports drama that follows two school children as they learn how to read using baseball. Young Men in a Hurry certainly doesn't carry the same re readability, but it's the kind of book that you have to write because you write it before you run for the president. But here's hoping that someday down the line, Gavin returns to the Ben and Emma series, perhaps pending an even bigger hit. Please enjoy my interview with Gavin Newsom. The book is Young Men in a Hurry.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

It's about trying to find a bathroom, right?

[B]

Yeah, I did. Well, I finally found one on the third floor. By the way, it's a fine. You haven't been up to the third floor bathroom. You should get up there.

[A]

If they actually have a better bathroom than us, ours is like, well, you

[B]

don't even have a toilet in yours. So let's establish this.

[A]

We have two toilets and a uri.

[B]

You don't. Right now you have one toilet and there's someone in there working.

[A]

Why are you. You're talk. You letting them all know they're the second floor.

[B]

Be honest with people.

[A]

Second everyone. Can you. I. I really appreciate you coming on.

[B]

Good to be with you, man.

[A]

How's the book tour?

[B]

How did you enjoy this? It just came out yesterday.

[A]

You're moving.

[B]

I mean, this may be the end of the book tour. Day two.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. What you get on the SATs, by the way?

[B]

You know, really just jump right there. What'd you get on your sat? Let's have that conversation.

[A]

I don't remember, actually. I don't know.

[B]

You're on one of the.

[A]

I got like 14 or something.

[B]

Exactly right.

[A]

So what?

[B]

Yeah, well, 960.

[A]

Yeah, I'm smart.

[B]

Anything wrong with that? Yeah, you are. You probably are. I was going to take it again.

[A]

You are smart.

[B]

I don't know that I'm smart, but I'm a guy.960sat. Which by the way is, you know, that's a fact. And I was going to do it again. My mother said don't waste your time.

[A]

First of all, you got 1600. He's doing the George Bush thing right now. Yes, you are.

[B]

My wife, I think may have gotten 1600. Stanford people.

[A]

By all appearances, you like seem like this the lawyer to politician. You know, aesthetically you look like that.

[B]

I was doing pre launch.

[A]

You're the restaurant.

[B]

I was. That was the plan.

[A]

You're restaurant owner to politicians.

[B]

All screwed up. It all went south on me.

[A]

So it's you and Boebert are the two restaurant owner to politicians, by the way.

[B]

Well, there's a few others. Hickenlooper. We used to hang out. Well, there was a bunch of mayors. John Hickenlooper was mayor of Denver. He's the senator now. Was governor of Colorado. All those guys. Martin o'. Malley. There was a sort of group of people that were just different because they all had bar experience. They all had restaurant experience. So I'm a bar guy. I'm a restaurant guy. Still a bunch of bars.

[A]

Was Bobert hanging out or you did a letter.

[B]

I'm not with Boebert. I don't know. I've never met her.

[A]

You know what her restaurant is called? Shooters. It's a gun themed restaurant.

[B]

That just makes sense.

[A]

And apparently it's a diarrhea themed restaurant. I've heard too. I think we're getting soon.

[B]

But I'm a. That's who I. By the way, if I had an identity, it'd be that restaurant guy. Still have a bunch of them. And that's what. When I'm done with politics, I'll go back to the bar and restaurant.

[A]

Is that what you're gonna do now that you're done with governor?

[B]

I got a sell by date.

[A]

You're gonna be an author slash restaura

[B]

to grow a beard and. And then I'm probably just going to start delivering, you know, wine again or something. I don't know what I'm going to do.

[A]

That's what you're going to do. Well, you. You've kind of stepped up, you've kind of ascended, right? You were like city council kind of

[B]

parking in traffic, brother.

[A]

So you started at parking in traffic.

[B]

Yes. Don't forget that.

[A]

Then you went to. You worked your way up Mayor of San Francisco.

[B]

So I worked my way down to supervisor then Mayor. Yeah. But I was chair to meet or maid chair of. By the way, I changed the name meter maid to parking control officer. Oh, this is a woke bullshit. Yeah, that was, you know, by the way, it was very emotional. People appreciated that. By the way, we did the meter mates. Yeah, it's in the book.

[A]

It's actually lovely retail.

[B]

You must have read the damn book we're talking about.

[A]

I read the book, okay.

[B]

We not only changed. See, I actually accomplished something as parking traffic commissioner. We changed the name from meter maid to parking control officer and then we did parking Control officer of the month.

[A]

Did you give them guns?

[B]

They don't have guns. Yeah, yeah. No, they weren't.

[A]

That's why they're the least respected cop, because they don't have guns.

[B]

But Beater Maze is. You know that. Don't you like parking Control Officer better?

[A]

I have no respect until they get the gun. Okay, I'm sorry. They get a gun and then we'll talk.

[B]

I in the book, talk about a pellet gun that was used to shoot one of the parking control officers.

[A]

Yeah. And if they had. If they had an AR13, they would have been. Jesus.

[B]

Well, they had an AR15, it would mean more important.

[A]

I don't even know what that is. I don't know what a 15 is. They made a new one. Okay. San Francisco, from what I understand is kind of in terms of California politics, kind of like it's a talent factory, right?

[B]

Weirdly, right. I mean he may not speaker of the House, but it conveys all these.

[A]

Former Vice president.

[B]

Yeah. And then a legend, Willie Brown, who is connected to all this. There's sort of this Brown Burton Pelosi machine that it's referred to in Northern California and it's by the San Francisco man, everybody, I mean the folks out on the streets and sidewalks Know all about you yeah, Cabda. All about you. It's 24. 7 surround sound, political engagement. So you got to be on your game all the time. And it's a big enough city and small enough city that you're expected to know everything and be everywhere and do everything.

[A]

I go when I was a kid to sf, like, because I had family that lived there. And it was. It's a magical place. I mean, it's an unbelievable place. It's also, I'll say to you on the phone, it's like when it's winter everywhere else, it's like 75. And when it's summer everywhere else, it's like 32 degrees. It's like fog. It's really doing its own thing. But it's also just like. It's on the west coast, but it's, like, confined by geography, so they build up. It's like a real city.

[B]

By the way, it was, you know, who said it was about the summers? It was. Who the hell said it was?

[A]

Allen Ginsburg.

[B]

No, when in doubt, it was San Francisco was Ginsburg. No, but it was Mark Twain who said the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco because of the fog that comes in. And you get September, September, October, man, it's the most beautiful weather. And Golden Gate park is stunning. But you go down to Crissy Field, you walk down there right near the bay, under the Golden Gate Bridge. Come on. Presidio. There's nothing like it anywhere in the world. Is one of the most spectacular cities. For all the hate that they're spreading out.

[A]

A lot of those Burning man kind of singularity. Let's do ketamine fucking.

[B]

By the way, I was like, that was my people back in the day. I started do Burning Man. I started to. To do Burning man sculptures when I was mayor. We started put it out there. I never went, but I brought. They always. They were bringing the sculptures back. I'm like, can't we put this stuff out?

[A]

You can't have a president that goes. I'm not saying you're gonna. Whatever.

[B]

You've never been a Burning Man. No. Way back when, it was cool.

[A]

Okay?

[B]

The only way it's all

[A]

been cool. It's ridiculous.

[B]

You never bought into that.

[A]

It's ridiculous.

[B]

You haven't tried ketamine. You never did.

[A]

It's really. It's the whole thing.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

Listen, I have a lot of people talking about ketamine on the phone yesterday.

[B]

We.

[A]

We. It was like, Two Alpha. This is what Happens when two Alphas get together, butt heads, and let's just say the cameras weren't on. But it is one nothing to me, okay?

[B]

Oh, really? Is that how it starts?

[A]

One nothing.

[B]

Okay, so you've edited the first part of this, and we're just gonna, like, jump right into. It's one nothing new.

[A]

So the book, it's not like a celebration, by the way.

[B]

You shouldn't be so competitive. It's not zero sum, man. We're all in this together. Man. We're all in this together.

[A]

Whatever.

[B]

Yeah. Your success is my. We're all in this together.

[A]

No, no, no.

[B]

You don't buy that?

[A]

No, no.

[B]

Are you one of those people that begrudge other people's success? Like, you just like, damn, man. That guy.

[A]

If they suck, if it's like the squad, if it's the team and they're eating, that's great.

[B]

You're good.

[A]

I'm happy for the squad, boys.

[B]

I used to be.

[A]

This guy's gonna win Academy Award. This guy is.

[B]

This guy right now, he's unbelievable, Talented. Well, as long as we edit a few of the things and we'll be all right. Are you an editor or just a cinematographer?

[A]

No, with the camera there, he's just a cinematographer. Director of photography.

[B]

He's not.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Forgive me. Is that it? Do you pay him accordingly? Why are they laughing, man?

[A]

He doesn't.

[B]

What is that? What is. How you guys all doing here?

[A]

He doesn't have dog. He's undocumented.

[B]

Unionized.

[A]

What is this? Shut the up. Oh, okay. Oh, wow. The chess match. The chess match continues. Okay, I guess this is a very confessional book. It kind of ends right before your gubernatorial term. It's much more about where you come from and who you are. So, like, when someone reads this book, which I'm sure everyone.

[B]

Unbelievable. You're gonna get day two. Buy the book.

[A]

Buy the book. We're gonna move to.

[B]

Best way to buy it is in bulk.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Go to Costco, buy a packet. What kind of.

[B]

What.

[A]

What do you. What do you want people to know about you? What. What do you think the message is?

[B]

Well, then I'm not this politician. I mean, this is about me.

[A]

You are a politician.

[B]

I know, but that. But the political side, it's that I'm a work in progress. I'm human. I make mistakes. I'm not trying to be something I'm not. I'm trying to actually express that I tried to be someone I was not. And I walked through that. I put a mask on And I tried to be, you know, try to strike a pose. Tried to be what people expected me to be. And I didn't, you know, made mistakes. I didn't feel good about myself. Insecurities, anxieties. And so I scrutinized all that, man. I dove deep. And it was a five year process. And I call it a memoir of discovery because I didn't even understand all this stuff about my background, my life, my parents. My mom died 20 years ago, my dad died right after I got elected. And I never had a chance to talk to them about their childhood and their backgrounds and their struggles. And so this allowed me to do that. And I just, it was. I learned about this house of secrets.

[A]

How did you do it? Did you interview people?

[B]

Yeah, yeah. I went back. I got FBI files. I didn't know there was tons of FBI files in the family. I didn't know my grandfather was close to Oppenheimer. I, someone had randomly mentioned. I didn't know about his suicide and what led to it. I didn't know that he was a prisoner of war after marching in Corregidor in World War II. I didn't know about my dad's forays into some interesting mob related issues as it relates to old San Francisco back in the day. I didn't know my. The origin story of the Newsoms was an Irish cop. And my dad used to say he didn't know what came first, the Irish cop or San Francisco. And so you just start to learn about all that and it certain makes sense. All of a sudden you're like, that's why this is interesting. Or that's why my father did this 20 years years ago. Or that's why they got divorced. I didn't know why my parents got divorced.

[A]

Because your dad lost two races.

[B]

Yeah, lost two races. Why? My mom said don't get into politics. I didn't know why she didn't want me to get in politics. But it wrecked their marriage, it wrecked her youth, her life. She was 19 and he was how old?

[A]

32.

[B]

33. Man, 33, as he described it. Scandal.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, she's 19, bro.

[A]

It's tough.

[B]

That's ridiculous. Imagine being like 19 and a couple years later with two kids and you come from no money man in a broken household. I mean, her family mess in terms of just how she was.

[A]

Her mother was a, was a Red, right? Her mother moved to the Soviet Union.

[B]

She was the Soviet Union.

[A]

Pretty cool.

[B]

Triggeratus. That was her station. She was an actress.

[A]

She was an actress. It's like that movie Reds.

[B]

Yeah. And then her. That's why. Thus, the FBI files.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

On her parents. That they were, you know, they. They were, you know, they were very involved in, you know, in social justice and economic and racial justice. My great, great grandmother, suffragette back in the day. So it's interesting, this advocacy that ran through it. But she didn't talk about that. No one talked about it. I didn't know about it until I wrote this book.

[A]

One thing that's unique about you is that America is a place where no one's from somewhere for five generations.

[B]

Yeah. It's weird.

[A]

You're a fifth generation in San Francisco. This isn't like a thing in this country. Like, people aren't tied to a geographical place.

[B]

I want to make the point you're making because you just reminded me of something. No bs. When I was mayor, I think I was at one point, I was the only elected official in San Francisco from San Francisco.

[A]

Really.

[B]

And it was like used against me. Like I remember saying when I grew up, you know, in the Marine, people are like, who the do you think you are, man? I'm like, I don't know. I just grew up here. I talked about the old neighborhood. They're like, well, some elitist.

[A]

Where was everyone else from? Burning Man.

[B]

Yeah. You know what that, that San Francisco is like? Someone described it as 47 square miles surrounded by reality. Right. A city of dreamers. Reality. Oakland, Vallejo. Hercules. You remember Hercules? It's still there. Drive by it.

[A]

Do you ever ghost ride the whip?

[B]

I haven't.

[A]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. A lot of my friends actually hurt themselves severely in high school trying to ghost ride the whip. Have you ever heard the whistle go whoop, whoop? What's the whistle doing, by the way?

[B]

One of the things you got to do. No B.S. like, to really appreciate San Francisco, you got to walk the cable up the Golden Gate Bridge to the top.

[A]

It sounds scary.

[B]

It's off the chart. Amazing. Really done it twice. It is too scary. Zen, like relaxing. You want beauty, man. That you get. You look at that. You look down at Alcatraz, you see the skyline of San Francisco. The Farallon Islands wall where the great white sharks are. Marin county, you know, eat your heart out. All those folks on Fox just talking down to my old city. Such a. It's like. It is a spectacular place. And so five generations there, my kids, six generation, which is crazy. We finally moved.

[A]

You're great. I started the fire. Is that right?

[B]

They started.

[A]

They started the fire.

[B]

They started in 06. I remember. You know, one of the coolest things. I was there. I didn't write about this. There's called Valley. There's beautiful Lottos Fountain is where everyone came after the earthquake. And it was like the only working water. And remember, it wasn't the fire. It wasn't. Excuse me. It wasn't the earthquake that destroyed the city. It was the great fire afterwards. And so people started to descend on this area. And we had the hundredth anniversary when I was mayor, 2006. And I remember going down and there was five or six survivors and it went live. I interview people at five in the morning, freezing cold, and there's these wonderful old ladies wrapped up and they looked all demure and how old were they?

[A]

102.

[B]

Like. No, like 106. Seven crazy. And one of them. And so we're live on. I think it was Today show or something. I'm trying to be the MC Mayor. Tell me, what do you remember that day that's cute. And a few cute things. And then one woman says, oh, I remember getting frisky with my boyfriend in the tent.

[A]

Wait, that doesn't make sense. And I'm like, what are you, like,

[B]

14 years old or something? I can't even remember how old she was.

[A]

114.

[B]

Oh, man. I think she was making it up or something. But it was like she got.

[A]

Oh, she had dementia.

[B]

She got deep into the inappropriate stuff. And like, I'm live. I'm trying to act all. We're good and we'll be right back after the.

[A]

And I went to the forest and pulled my skirt off for the boys.

[B]

Yeah. I was like. So anyway, that's San Francisco, man. It's, by the way, interesting. Just where the flag of San Francisco is, the phoenix.

[A]

Oh, I didn't know that.

[B]

Phoenix rising from the ashes of the O6.

[A]

That's pretty pimp.

[B]

Which I feel like is where we are today or where we'll be in the future after we're done with Trump.

[A]

Can I. Rapid fire quiz. San Francisco quiz. Who's the best San Francisco band ever, bro?

[B]

I was just with. I was with Bobby Ware's family.

[A]

Oh, at the funeral.

[B]

Funeral, man. I mean, they gave me.

[A]

It has to be. It has.

[B]

I mean, come up with. The dead are just so synonymous with everything.

[A]

How many shows have you been to?

[B]

Not many. And they actually rubbed that in when I was there.

[A]

But you did a little bit of.

[B]

No, in fact, I write about that. No, that was weird.

[A]

You said you never did.

[B]

No, it was weird. I never got into that.

[A]

So you stood there listening to Deedle deedle, deedle deedle for four hours, not doing Eddie Weed?

[B]

It was the opposite. You know, I was the first Dead concert I went to. I wasn't even in the concert. I was working for. I wasn't working. I was volunteering for the Environmental Defense Fund, and I had a booth, and I was out there promoting the environment. I was that guy.

[A]

Here's second question. What's the best San Francisco delicacy?

[B]

Oh, a Lucas.

[A]

What? Are you serious?

[B]

What is that? How do you ask that? How do you not know that?

[A]

A Lucas.

[B]

Lucas. Deli on Chestnut Street.

[A]

Oh, delicatessen or delicacy?

[B]

Delicatessen.

[A]

Okay, who is the best San Francisco football star who later played at USC and won the Heisman Trophy and then played for the Buffalo bills, ran for 2,000 yards in one season, was in the Naked Gun, and then was falsely accused of who is the best?

[B]

And I ain't going to O.J. what are you talking about?

[A]

That's your goat, bro.

[B]

That's my goat. Back to the editing. I want to get. Can we edit this?

[A]

I'm saying, what's the best band, what's the best delicacy, and who is the best football stage standout star?

[B]

Come on. The best of the best.

[A]

Way to USC won the Heisman Trophy playing for the Buffalo Bills.

[B]

No, the goat is Joe Montana, bro. Number 16.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But he's not from there.

[B]

Five rings. What?

[A]

He's from SF.

[B]

He is. From my perspective. I don't know. Where did Joe grow up?

[A]

I should know this.

[B]

I. I've gotten to know him.

[A]

Probably Burning Man.

[B]

Everyone. Everyone comes from Burning Man. They all just appeared from the middle of Earth and just all emerged.

[A]

Oh, God, grow up. Okay.

[B]

I'm just saying.

[A]

Grow. We're sculpting.

[B]

As a kid, were you injured by someone who went to Burning man or something?

[A]

No, it wasn't a thing of Burning Man.

[B]

What was it? What. What effects?

[A]

I just don't need to listen to the guys that are like, like, quite frankly, gonna ruin the world talking about drugs and singularity.

[B]

Singularity. There is a little. By the way, you're on to some.

[A]

Those idiots. Like, yeah, they know all problems in the world, but they think only they can solve them. And then oftentimes their solutions are just moronic solutions.

[B]

Thank you. Yeah, no, we're. Now actually.

[A]

I hear you.

[B]

I got it.

[A]

All right. Did you see when. When Uber invented, they were like. It's called Uber, like, route. And you could just hop on and it goes on A route. And they just invented the bus. Yeah, like, they acted like this is the new innovation. Yeah. I will say, there's such dildos that stuff.

[B]

They definitely destroyed the taxi industry as we know it. By the way, when you're in San Francisco, I saw Waymo just announced they're rolling out to 10 more cities. They've been in six. But that future started in San Francisco first. And I got no bullshit the other day. I have a picture. I think there was six waymos in front of me. Driverless cars in traffic. I mean, it's like this is. Stuff's happening in real time.

[A]

Have you been.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

It's a confident driver.

[B]

It's a confident.

[A]

I thought it would be like a granny, but the robot is confident.

[B]

It's confident. And then they have the Zooks, which are not even cars. They're just like little convention things. By the way, the flying cars are coming too, for the Olympics. They're gonna have the first sort of quad flying cars. So that's the. That's the next iteration. It's all Jetsons are here, man. Not the Flintstones. Yeah, but you don't like that either.

[A]

Can we just go to the doctor? I guess.

[B]

I went to your third story bathroom, man. That's old school school. So that's maybe, you know.

[A]

You were a suit kid to school.

[B]

I was kind of. I was a dork. I told you. My sister said that she, like, was very expensive. I was trying to be like Remington Steve.

[A]

I love Pierce Brosnan. I don't know.

[B]

I love Pierce Brosnan, so I'll admit. I love that.

[A]

But did you chill at a. I wanted to be that other suit guys or. You were the only.

[B]

I was the only. I was complete loser. I mean, absolute loser. I had a Flock of Seagull haircut. Look it up. You guys are too young, you know, we know what it is. We're not you back in the day. And it was. It was bad, man. It was bad.

[A]

But like, bad suit bad grades is psychotic.

[B]

Yeah, no, I was. I was struggling, man.

[A]

Suit bad grades. Crazy.

[B]

Why is that?

[A]

It's just great. I didn't like. You're. You're a suit bad grades. But I don't buy. I think you're a liar because I

[B]

was a liar that I got photos.

[A]

You bat 460.

[B]

I was pretty good your senior year.

[A]

And you were suit bad.

[B]

I was pretty good bad grades.

[A]

460.

[B]

But I was a pretty good athlete back then. Now you have to be, you know, like. I mean, like eighth graders could. Are Better than I was in high school today. But no, I was like, basketball, baseball, and that saved me, man. Sports saved me. Got me into college. That's how you get into college. About the 900 or whatever.

[A]

Okay. Yeah.

[B]

You don't have to.

[A]

Why are you doing this? We. You're doing, like Jewish comedy with this book. Like, my mother sent me to the. To my analyst. Oh, look at that. Look at this. Look at everyone. Look. Do you think.

[B]

Okay, what do you say?

[A]

This is a suit guy.

[B]

That was it.

[A]

Yeah. Lost his virginity at 11. Okay.

[B]

That's not, by the way, coolest guy

[A]

I've ever seen him.

[B]

Senior in high school. I was senior in high school.

[A]

So you become cool at that point.

[B]

By the way, you see the flock of Seagull haircut under the hat? It's barely.

[A]

Barely a flock. It sound like you were gothic.

[B]

They had a little thing I'll never forget. I think it was. I can't remember her name.

[A]

Tracy.

[B]

Whatever. She was one of the lords. Dippity, you know, Dippity do. Dippity do. Gavin. Gavin. It was like one of those we love, you know, Someone weird cheer.

[A]

Had a cheer for you.

[B]

It was like a cheer.

[A]

I. One thing I don't know. I tossed her out of my mind. Is like. Is this like a preemptive, like, defense of, like, things that you get hated on? Because you look like. You look like. Just like your dad is CEO of the money company, Right. You look incredible. I mean, he's one of the hottest guys. And politics is ugly. Politics is ugly people, right?

[B]

Well, yeah, you have to chill with.

[A]

It's Hollywood Gremlins.

[B]

Hollywood.

[A]

You're like. You're walking around, you're like, the talent is not. But what I'm saying is this is like. It's like you're saying, like. No, my mother struggled. She had multiple jobs.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Three jobs all her life. She died, you know, as I said, 20 years ago.

[A]

Tell us about your dad.

[B]

My dad was. He wasn't around. He disappeared when we were kids. He ran for supervisors, county supervisor, state senate, lost. Said he was broke and broke in, and then just took off and went to Lake Tahoe region near Truckee. Became an attorney up there and eventually became a judge. But he was an activist judge. So it was like social justice, racial justice, environmental justice. That's why I was out there with edf, Environmental Defense Fund. He was on the board at the Dead concert. So there was always cause oriented. He always had social justice, and that was the influence he provided. But was my mom's ethic, hard work and grit. But what happened and what I write about in here is my. The perception of me, besides the blue suits and, you know, all that was the association with the Getty family, which is a wealthy family.

[A]

Your dad was like a. Like a consigliere kind of to one of the sons.

[B]

Yeah, he was just. He grew up with two of the kids in high school, and they used. They basically were raised by my grandfather. They used to show up at Boss Newsome and they called him Boss back then, and they just became boss back in the day, but just came incredibly close. Including, by the way, my dad was Paul Getty's godson or godfather, who's one who had his ear cut off, was kidnapped in the ransom.

[A]

And your dad did deliver the direct

[B]

ransom, but he was deeply part of it, which I describe in the book. And it was son of a sort of worldwide phenomenon back in the day in sort of that Dolce Vitae 70s day. One of the world's first billionaires was J. Paul Getty. Like, actually one of the first.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And he refused to provide the ransom for his grandson. It became an issue, and he eventually only did. Well, he said. He said, I got 13 others or 20 others, however many he had. And he said, now I'd be writing a check for all of them.

[A]

That is crazy. You're a billionaire.

[B]

And so the guy. So what they did, they cut his ear off. They're like, we mean business. And they put it in an envelope. And there was a strike in Italian strikes that didn't arrive in the mail for a while. And it was kind of deteriorated. And Paul Lucky survived because they gave him a date, certain that they would take his other ear and other parts of his body off. And eventually the ear arrived and there was a freckle on it that her mom, his mom, recognized to verify it. And that's when they got very serious about getting him home.

[A]

One thing I was like, wondering is, like, your dad had a relationship with one of the children where he was kind of like ran his investments.

[B]

Yeah. He was.

[A]

Personal wealth.

[B]

Yeah. He's working for one. There's many, like the family trust. Yeah. And so he. After he was judge and retired from judge, he began a more formal role. He was always. Did that help?

[A]

Did that help your mom?

[B]

No, he didn't get. In fact, I talk about how much he got paid, which was less than I got paid as governor. So he didn't. He never made any money. I mean, significant money. There's a perception that he made a Ton of money. He died. My dad died with a house in the gold country. Very concerned. Sounds rich. Sounds rich because it's.

[A]

Yeah, it sounds very rich to me.

[B]

An old cabin in Dutch flat, California with two mortgages and his inheritance was all these books that I talk about never reading because I have dyslexia. Pretty bad learning. Yeah. That's not my jam. That's the 960. And so anyway, I talk about that in relationship to some of the academic struggles, my reading struggles, which, you know, I don't read speeches today. I don't like. I'm a politician that doesn't read a speech because I can't read a speech. And that may not be interesting. And many of people, maybe they'll go, oh, that's why you're so boring and bad. I get it. But you know, those that hate me.

[A]

Well, did it help you learn how to schmooze?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, because you're more. You just. You pick up a room, you talk about whether or not people are unionized, how much they're getting paid, and you know, you just. You feel a different vibe.

[A]

You have no idea, no idea what I've covered.

[B]

Car check.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Don't you. I got your back.

[A]

Now I'm a nerd.

[B]

What's your pension?

[A]

I'm 63 and I'm a nerd.

[B]

The book. You don't have a pension.

[A]

Why do you write a book about.

[B]

You have the biggest. Are you doing full time health care care for these guys?

[A]

Yes, I guess I am. Boys. How's the health guy?

[B]

Give it up for the help. Maybe I won't get all this.

[A]

Give it up for the boys.

[B]

Yeah. Sickly though. What do you got?

[A]

Maybe, maybe you could help me by. I don't have to pay for it. We could do it through the taxes. I don't really know much about dyslexia, but whatever they want to do in the Castro district is fine by me.

[B]

When was the last time you were at Castro?

[A]

Constantly. Every day.

[B]

By the way. You know what you need to do? A lot of people go to the Castro street fair. You got to do the Folsom thing.

[A]

Street fair, that's like the bondage one. Yeah. You go to that. You say, vote for me to a gimp.

[B]

I never, never forget the first time I want to say what I'm gonna say. I'm not gonna say it because I still am in. I still I. I'm facing even more recalls.

[A]

You saw one of the biggest penises you've ever seen in your life.

[B]

I've got what you.

[A]

You.

[B]

I could never unsee what I saw. Really? Yeah, I'm looking at it right now. I just. But I can't share it.

[A]

We're jumping around a bit, but like the first time I became aware of you was like you were like performing gay marriages. Like you were kind of the first. You kind of like invented it. You kind of came up with the idea of two fellers gay. Do you think that it made San Francisco a place like that for like gay. That gay people like to live in?

[B]

We married 4,036 couples from 46 states. Six countries. In the winter, not summer of love. February 2004 in San Francisco. Man, it was off the charts. Amazing. Like next level. Just spirit, pride, the stuff that politics. You can't legislate that. It just, it happens. People coming together. Pilots and firefighters, doctors. So extraordinary. Because nothing about it was that extraordinary. It's just about love, man. It was just about people expressing their love, faith and devotion and partnership. And that energy was, you know, just. It inspires, you know, just a mindset of what public service can and should be. Yeah. It also was against the law.

[A]

They sent you to Alcatraz Design.

[B]

You know, he's working on doing. Well, no, he's. Well, he's doing the 400 million dollar Kremlin Imperial palace there. But he's spending your tax dollars now reviewing whether to turn Alcatraz back into a federal prison.

[A]

That'd be kind of cool actually.

[B]

The Rock wasn't that great movie.

[A]

He's so sick.

[B]

That was when movies were great.

[A]

Where he dies in the. The nuclear. Yeah, yeah. So sick. So sick.

[B]

That's good.

[A]

Great San Francisco flick.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Yeah. We got to go back to the Rock.

[B]

The Rock.

[A]

Yeah. I. I want to talk to you first of all. I really appreciate your time and I think we've. We've done enough of this grab assing and you know, you know.

[B]

Let's. Starting the interview. We're.

[A]

We're about. Do you have an announcement to make?

[B]

What is that?

[A]

So why don't you go ahead.

[B]

Boxers. What do you mean?

[A]

What do you. Come on, you promise.

[B]

What's the announcement?

[A]

It's big. It would be big for the show.

[B]

Unbelievable.

[A]

Just do it for me, dude. Honestly, I was nice enough to have you on. Even if you take.

[B]

What's your favorite Beatles.

[A]

I'm not running for president. Just say it on the show. I'll get a clip. It'll go viral. It'll be. It'll be good for me. I was nice enough to invite you.

[B]

You are nice enough to invite me. And I haven't been nice enough to organize your staff, get them the kind of health care and pension they deserve.

[A]

Oh yeah, yeah. You were nice enough to write a book like they all do before they announced that they're politician.

[B]

I'm surprised you have me on.

[A]

But your book is called I'm not cool. Actually, even though you're six, three and like a piece of two. You're two and a half. I can't even look at you.

[B]

And a half.

[A]

I can't even look. I can't even look at you. California is what, the fourth largest economy at this point?

[B]

$4.3 trillion a year.

[A]

The attitude in America isn't like, oh, these big. Just because they're so big and strong, they look down on us. The attitude is like poop covered hobo infested hellscape. Right?

[B]

Yeah. Pisses me off.

[A]

So the question is, honestly, obviously you've explained that this is like something that kind of the Murdoch sphere has pushed for 20 years. That makes total sense. But like if you are being attacked on those grounds directly, you're meeting some. Or let's not even attack. Let's say you meet someone in the middle of the country. Yeah, right. Some guy at the Iowa State Fair. He's eating fried shit or whatever. Are you gonna have to eat fried shit at the Iowa State?

[B]

No, it's. Is it, wait, it's fried with five fried butter fried. You know, you're literally.

[A]

You had a restaurant, you had a nice restaurant. You're like, oh, I love this fried turd.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

If someone comes up to you roots and they say you are a governor of a failed state, like if they say to you, your shit sucks.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's your fault.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You let in busloads of hobos and illegals. This is, this is a common perception. How do you address a person?

[B]

Well, I mean, we can talk about the fact we went from the sixth largest economy, the fourth largest economy. We could talk about the fact we went from 49 to 58 Fortune 500 headquartered companies, more than any other state in the nation. We could talk about having more scientists, engineers, more Nobel laureates, the finest system of higher education anywhere in the world. We could talk about the fact we're the center of innovation and entrepreneurialism with AI, with quantum, with robotics, with autonomy dominating in research and development, is the third largest R& D center in the world. We could talk about being the most diverse state and the most world's most diverse democracy and we're living and advancing together across our differences. We can talk about it being a tonic for our toxic politics. We can talk about how California's energy endearing across a spectrum of issues. On climate change, on social policy, on racial policies, and social justice policies are the dominant policies that have influenced more change across this country than any other state. I could begin there, and then I can get to the details of what the issue is that they want me to address is and try to balance that.

[A]

Okay. I'm a guy, like, in Dayton, Ohio. I don't know what any of that means. I just heard it's covered in poop and stuff.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

So just so exactly. Why don't you just start with the. Why do you say, like, bro, it's mad nice. It's California mad nice. We have the beach. It's gorgeous. Like, just come visit. It's mad nice, actually. Right. That's what people say about New York.

[B]

After you're a burning man, come to California. It's mad nice.

[A]

It's nice.

[B]

It's nice.

[A]

It's a nice place. They have nice restaurants. They got beaches.

[B]

Just tell the guy you like the mountains.

[A]

That guy's not gonna care about clean air.

[B]

The Nobel laureates, you don't like all the economic vibrancy.

[A]

It's really nice. But I'm saying, a regular guy who. 20 years, that it sucks.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Just be like, bro, just come through. It's nice. Yes, it's nice. Come right.

[B]

By the way, this is.

[A]

It's actually gorgeous.

[B]

Why do I have political consultants? No, no. Like, actually, like. No. Like, everyone is watching. This is like their team, like two. Two nothing right now you say, bro, it's nice. No, it's bad. I just got my ass kicked. Right. 100. I sound like a politician. Yeah. Going through limits.

[A]

Just.

[B]

It's mad nice, man.

[A]

Come on.

[B]

Beautiful, man.

[A]

I beat it. I don't know.

[B]

Walk with me in Venice Beach.

[A]

You think he feels Santa Monica?

[B]

I'm dead serious.

[A]

I think you're.

[B]

No, I appreciate the vibe. And it's a California vibe, which is ironic.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Just be like, dude, California dreaming, man.

[A]

There's hot girls. There's nice. It's just nice.

[B]

The west coast has the sunshine. The girls are, you know. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Just like, have you heard the Beach Boys? Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

[B]

By the way, you know what? That is the vibe we need back. See, I'm not even. I'm not. I'm dead serious. I appreciate this. You're right. You're 100% right. What happens and by the way, I write about this in the book, but that's what I. There's. I have this defensiveness about a lot of this stuff, and that comes across. And it comes across as slick and bullshitty. And you called it out. I appreciate that.

[A]

You're doing like the eight mile thing where you're like, I live in a trail. It's like.

[B]

But it's actually true. But it was true.

[A]

It's like, I'm hot. I'm hotter than the rest, by the way, that are in the government.

[B]

My mom deserves me to tell her truth, and so I told the truth. But look at a lot with the

[A]

story of her passing, because I was there for my mother's passing five years ago.

[B]

Well, what were you doing?

[A]

Well, I'd like you to share your story from. From the book first. And then.

[B]

Yeah, that was. That was intense, man. I mean, so you literally went through the same thing.

[A]

Well, I wasn't like, busy. I was like there for three months.

[B]

Okay. Through the whole.

[A]

Yeah, you were like the mayor.

[B]

I was. I was an ass. You know, as a little piece of son that was not paying attention to her. She calls me, leaves a voice message and says, if you want to see me, you should see me before next Thursday because that'll be my last day. And I'm like, that's a hell of a voice message.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And called my sister and like, what's going on? She goes, well, you haven't been around. You should pay attention. Mom is doing an assisted suicide, and it was illegal back then. It's 20 years ago. And. And so she got a courageous doctor and I started spending a little time with her and sort of, you know, talk about a pattern erupt in life. Get your shit together. Focus on what matters, not just yourself and what you're trying to achieve and be. And it was intense, man. I went there. Everyone spent time with my mom in the room in the back. Everyone's in the living room in her apartment. And she just wanted to be with my sister. And I, as the doctor gave her the final, you know, whatever the cocktail was. Doctor leaves and says it's all set. Just quietly disappears. My sister on one side, I'm on the other side. We're looking through all her old photos, the sort of 70s type photographs, and she's just. Oh, I remember there. And then she's having a hard time breathing. My sister just panics and just takes off and she's like, can I. I say go. And I didn't know what to do. And I was Like I. So I was there with her by myself in those last sort of violent breaths and then just put my head on her stomach and was there quietly for another 10, 15 minutes, just bawling and what, you know, just reflected on what a piece of shit I was not to that experience.

[A]

I hated that change.

[B]

I hated her. Pissed me off. I was like, don't do that. Yeah, don't, don't. Like. Who allows their kids to be there to go through this?

[A]

I think most. A lot of people do it that way.

[B]

Yeah. I just felt that at the time. I felt. Because I saw my sister breaking down, I'm like the pain she was struggling with. I was so glad she wasn't there to experience that. But no bullshit. And I write a lot about it over the process of a five year period. It's why that memoir, discovery, man. I'm now holding her hand. That breath is my breath. I want to like be modeling about it. And I'm so thankful to her that she gave me that privilege. And it took years to understand that.

[A]

Did you. Have you considered that she wanted to be with you and your sister at that moment? Right?

[B]

Yeah. No surprise. She wanted the last thing she saw. Yeah, man, it was make me.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

And I remember the last words she said.

[A]

Hey, man.

[B]

Yeah, that's. You don't get those things back. And so you know, when you're asshole in a hurry, you know, this is like I'm growing up, man, and every day I'm growing up and trying to be a better father. I've got 10 year old tomorrow, 12, 14, 16 year old and better husband. And so that's. That's the journey I'm on, man.

[A]

Yeah, I had the same experience. I think I told my dad I didn't want to be there. My dad said, that's your choice, obviously. And then I. It ended up that I was there. Yeah, it was like. It was the right thing.

[B]

She like, was it, Was it at home or is it.

[A]

It was at home.

[B]

Yeah, it was at home.

[A]

Yeah. Well, it was like the first three months of COVID she had brain cancer. So, yeah, we were all there.

[B]

God bless.

[A]

Yeah, she was the best. She was twit. She was twit. I was very close with her. Yeah.

[B]

How old was she?

[A]

She was. 58 or 68.

[B]

68.

[A]

Too young.

[B]

Too young. Yeah.

[A]

Really, really low.

[B]

My mom was. I'm much older than my mom when she passed away, which is, by the way, when you get to that age. That's. That's a hell of a Birthday. When you outlive your parents, when you meet that moment where you're like, jesus, my mom died at the age I am.

[A]

You're like, yeah.

[B]

So you just. You start to count blessings. But, man, you know, and the days, you know, the finality of it, you know, momento mori. You know, you can walk around with that. That. This notion, the finality of this.

[A]

What was the issue? She was just hard on you. She was, like, exhausted from work. And then she, like, told you your average.

[B]

Yeah, man. Because I was. I was struggling. I was bouncing out of schools and, you know, always faking being sick. And, you know, I honestly, like, you know, people have certain degrees of dyslexia. I'd like to. Literally couldn't do books. I faked reading. I was. Got into Cliff Notes. I'd copy the Cliff Notes and submit a book report. You know, getting caught, I mean, it was pathetic.

[A]

I used to chill out today. Yeah.

[B]

What kind of.

[A]

Out of laziness?

[B]

Yeah. Because the 1600 SAT, it was too easy. Again, I just got bored. But, yeah, no, for me, it was, like, desperation. Anyway, so she. One night, I'm just, you know, she's trying to put me to bed. She's back late from, you know, working. I'm not going to bed. I'm crying, you know, and she's like, it's okay to be average. Like, just. And I'm like, you.

[A]

That's really nice, actually, to say. And you don't have to.

[B]

I felt at the time that wasn't harsh in hindsight, but it was harsh at the moment. And it was her just saying, it's okay to be yourself. See, I didn't see it like that.

[A]

My parents told me it wasn't acceptable not to get straight A's.

[B]

I never. They had never had that expectation.

[A]

My parents. Chinese

[B]

tiger. Tiger parents. Yeah.

[A]

They're Mandarin. No, I totally, like, understand it. It does change completely everything, you know.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It changes your perception of kind of what the point of everything is. And I feel like I. I feel like you. It seems as if you've got it here. Got in there now. It's a very raw perspective. Do you feel like politicians have to, like, be more. I don't know. We, like, didn't know that FDR was in a wheelchair, Right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So Kennedy was just, like, slay, you know, like, barely.

[B]

Can I. His back was moving. He's on steroids and all pumped up with all kinds of.

[A]

We didn't know his body was broke. Yeah, like, you know, we didn't know that Reagan was senile. Like. No, I mean, you know, like, do you think that that's the problem? There's an aspect of public life now that you have to disclose. You have to. Because of, I guess, the concept of authenticity that like, you have to kind of be more forthcoming because people respond to it more.

[B]

I think it's, I think the proverbial over tin window as they refer to it. But, you know, it provides a little bit more latitude and grace in that respect. But I think, I think you can't get through this nowadays without people just like calling the bullshit like you did on my answer on California. And honestly, I think people just want. Just be your. Be yourself, man. Let it go.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that's what this book is. It's me, as I said, scrutinizing, not sanitizing.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Who I am. And you may not like me even more. You may not like me more because of this conversation. It is what it is, man. I can't control that. And it's. I always was trying to do that. I was always trying to control things. That's why I put the gel on. That's why I put the suits on in high school. That's why I try to be like people. I wasn't. That's why I was trying to always be something and not spend time with my mom like I should have and, you know, and people and family and friends. And so I went. So I think, you know, I went through this recall in California. They almost took me out. And I'll tell you, I don't, you know, no one gives a shit. But when you're on the receiving end of the humility of having a recall qualify when you literally mogged you, you, you did you.

[A]

No, but honestly, it was a non presidential election year. It was a special election.

[B]

Special election.

[A]

You won by a landslide. But enough people were like, I'm going to go to the polls. I'm going to go to the polls to be like that. I want to save Gavin. Right.

[B]

It was wild because the people that

[A]

want to vote against you really want to vote against you. Right? And you also were lucky you didn't have Arnold Schwarzenegger, otherwise you would. If you ran against Kona the Barbarian, dude, Ray Davis was, you know, you

[B]

know, you were gonna, you know, wake up, you know, these stage, you know, you know, these Democrats, you know, you know, they don't, they're so stupid, you know, slow in looking at your career.

[A]

I see like three inflection points kind of that were just like, there's, I

[B]

was one of them.

[A]

There's. That is the. The third. I. I would say kind of like the gay marriage.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then running against the. The big dog getting lenoed, basically. Right. Yeah. Like, you know how they gave code in the Tonight show that Atlanta wanted to come back.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. So Jerry Brown kind of.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Interesting. That's interesting.

[A]

You picked that up.

[B]

That's action. Wow.

[A]

So that's the second inflection point.

[B]

You do need to give your staff a raise. It's impressive.

[A]

You they're not doing. Dude. It's all smartest guy. This guy Thomas is a.

[B]

You said he want to get some damn Academy Award

[A]

from Home Depot. I got them at Home Depot.

[B]

We were at Costco. You talked about buy my book in bulk.

[A]

Hey, guys, I'd like to thank our members for supporting us here on YouTube.com you make the show possible. Members get access to all of our episodes early. And if you join the second or third tiers, you get your name in the credits of this fine program. If you'd like to join the Freeland Family foundation, do so by clicking the join button here on YouTube.com or by clicking the link in the description. You could also support us on Patreon if you prefer. The link for that is also in the in the description. Thanks a lot, guys. Hey, guys, I'm going on the road and I'm going to be doing side splitters. Tampa, April 17th to the 18th, San Francisco, California Cobbs Comedy Club, May 29th through the 30th and the Region Theater in Los Angeles, California, May 9th. There's a link in the description for tickets. We'll be adding more shows in more cities later this year, so stay tuned. AdamFreedland show for tickets and rest in peace to the one and only Robert Duvall. Thank you. 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[B]

I was going to make you my liaison to Burning Man. I can.

[A]

Dude, I that your first order.

[B]

My psychedelics are you can, you know,

[A]

work on business is ICBM straight to Burning Man. Okay. Jesus. Wipes up icbm?

[B]

Yeah. What do you think? The whole singular. It freaks you out, doesn't it? Are you AI? How panicked are you about AI? Seriously, scale like 1 to 10. Is it like, are you. It's over, you know, we're all gonna be computer chip or this is a computer. Is this. Are we.

[A]

I don't have enough time, you know? Yeah, like people call me about stuff and I like. I'm like, really? My sister's like mad about the east wing of the White House. And I'm like, she should be okay. It's Trump. He's obviously gonna build some gross crap.

[B]

The people contributing to it are getting special deals using tax dollars, crony capitalism.

[A]

And there are concentrations in the country. Right.

[B]

Well, that's a fact too, right?

[A]

I don't care about a ballroom as much as I Get that people are getting just as mad about that. Or like, we're like, we're funding a genocide. We're like, there are concentration camps in America. And like, you're from California, right? Yeah, I'm from the. I'm from the western part of the country. Like, I grew up around a lot of Latinos. And like, you worked in restaurant. You had restaurant in, like, these are people that fundamentally just want to make more money for their families. They work their asses off. They don't complain about anything. After what you. Your say went through in Los Angeles with the Marines, you know, I realized I just kind of went to the office the next day. You know, life kind of continues as normal. What did. Like, what do you do?

[B]

This resonates with me because I'm like, why is everyone going to their office? Why aren't people waking up to what's going on?

[A]

There's a fucking cage in Florida right. Right now, today. What do we do?

[B]

Just. Because what you just said is really important and I love the way you said it and I like sort of the outrage that you express. So last June, this all started when Donald Trump federalized 4,000 National Guard in California and sent 700 active duty Marines not overseas, but to the second largest city in the United States of America. And war with his own country. Sent 5,000 troops. Talk about communities on edge.

[A]

I've never seen that in my lifetime. No.

[B]

And he also sent out this guy dressed up as if he just came off a movie set. The Folsom street from the 1930s. No, bro, I wish it was the Folsom Street. If it was the Folsom street, we would be in a very different place. It was right out of the 1930s. I mean, with the Himmler haircut, Greg Bolvino in his masked men, where people are disappearing, cars are being smashed, windows are smashed. People quite literally on edge, racially profiled with sanction of the United States Supreme Court in their shadow docket that allow racial profiling on the basis of skin color, where you congregate or your accent. That's happening in the United States of America today. And that's why we drew the line. And I shifted. I don't know if you've seen some of my social media. It literally shifted because I was.

[A]

I was like, fuck a lot.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. That's why I'm counting on my cinematographer edit all that. Yeah. But like, no bullshit. I'm like, why are people more pissed off? Why aren't you more outraged? Why are you going like you. Why'd you go to work the next day? And I'm. I'm sued to your question. So we're filing lawsuits. We're trying to call this shit out. We're trying to put a mirror up to Donald Trump. That's why we ban private prisons in the state of California. That's why we have most progressive laws as it relates to getting masked men saying, you can't unmask these masked men, saying, I was fighting first law saying, you can't wear a f cking mask. You got to show your id, you got to tell us who you're from. I mean, if some guy dressed up in a mask sort of comes around me, I'm going to fight back. It's a miracle. There's been more violence. And now these sons of bitches are killing American citizens. I mean, this is a private police force, secret police force that has taken the oath of office to Trump, not the Constitution of the United States. It should outrage and infuriate everybody. And so I'm trying to exercise it legislatively, legally, using my voice, trying to get more aggressive and bowing back at Trump. I think I've been pretty aggressive against Trump by standards, you know, comparative standards.

[A]

And I think you've stared him down.

[B]

I can punch a bully in the mouth, fight fire with fire. Did a little redistricting stuff, Prop 50 in California. And every day the motherfucker's attacking me. I mean, two days new scum. You know, all this sort of 8th grade bully bullshit.

[A]

Like, what I'm seeing is, like, there's this guy watching YouTube in the white House, and then he saw a video about Somalis and didn't realize that they were 98% legal. And then now, you know, Mexican people in Minneapolis are getting their fucking skulls bashed because of, like, a you. Basically, he's arbitrarily just fucking with different Democratic states and cities. Yeah.

[B]

It's what it all has in common. And by the way, and he went into Democratic cities run by African American mayors as well. This guy's a piece of shit.

[A]

Are you calling your. Oh, no, no.

[B]

I mean, this is the guy that put out the Obama video just a few weeks ago. I mean, you know, and that didn't even get as much outrageous as it deserved of Michelle Obama. And Barack Obama is the birther guy. This is the guy called, you know, country shit. All country. I mean, it's. Connect all these damn dots. These guys want to roll back, you know, the last half century on racial justice, on issues of voting rights, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, Women's rights. You've seen it. I mean, anyway, so this is like, for me, it's code red. People need to wake up. We can lose this country. I really believe that. I talked about rigging the election before. I wasn't bullshitting about that. He doesn't believe in fair and free elections. He's a competitive authoritarian, which means he wants elections. The veneer one. Just like Putin, who got 87.3% of the vote last year.

[A]

Good for him.

[B]

Right. Just to show says largesse. And. And you saw it on display last night, this sort of vulgar display.

[A]

You watched it?

[B]

Yeah. You know, the state of, you know, red state.

[A]

You watched the whole thing?

[B]

I watched until the end and then

[A]

I. I was prepping for Gavin Newsom. I couldn't watch it.

[B]

You were reading my book. You weren't.

[A]

I have. No, I finished your book. I'm actually. I'm actually not cool. I actually don't get.

[B]

You didn't watch it. You didn't watch the Longest State of the Union in American history. Is it a story?

[A]

Was there any funny? There was no funny parts, though.

[B]

Funny.

[A]

Yeah. He didn't say anything.

[B]

I mean, I thought the funny part

[A]

is he was like, Arnold Palmer's dick is bigger than they used to say at the biggest.

[B]

Yeah. Amazing. The he said all the time.

[A]

It's just less funny, though.

[B]

It is less fun. Derivative. It does feel it's. The show is not as interesting.

[A]

Well, the truth is this, right. Like the first term, we didn't see stuff like this. We heard people talk about Russia and some James Bond conspiracy theory crap. And then we were told by the Democratic Party that in this last election, this is the most important election ever. And then Joe Biden made it seem like they didn't actually think it was the most important election if they sent him out on a debate stage like that. Like if it's the most important election ever. If you're saving democracy, you're not gonna do that. The Democratic Party isn't gonna. They're gonna take party.

[B]

The problem is everyone thinks there's like six people in a room. Smoke filled room. And we've got ashtrays like this and you know, we're deciding who the. You know, that's the black and white

[A]

movie that's even more depressing.

[B]

It's. It's. It's so diffused. The party is many. It's DCCs, it's D. You know, it's all the state parties. It's. It's all of us. It's the party is Clinton. It's a composite of Obama's, it's Pelosi, but it's Jeffries, it's Schumer. And so there was no. There's no sort of centralization of that kind of decision making, is my point.

[A]

Well, speaking of, what is the party like in the light of, like, Joe Biden was doing family separations, like, you know, like a lot of these. Like, you know, under Obama, like, ICE was dramatically expanded. Like, I think that there has to be kind of a conversation amongst your caucus as to, like, what morally they stand for, because it really runs the gamut. There are people that are, like, making a lot of money, you know, in the stock market. They're wolves.

[B]

The inside training is gross, man. I mean, in the role of all the door for lobbyists is gross. And the fact you can be there for 73 years. Come on. There's. But, yeah.

[A]

How long was fireside there? 750 years.

[B]

And that was hard, man. I was. I got. I remember, by the way, you know, it was hard. I have a story that I would share privately with you because she was such a powerful force in my life and supporter of mine, but it was hard near the end. And, you know, I was with her talking about some Pentagon satellite issues related to climate and how we could. Early fire detection near the end with her. And I didn't know how bad it was until

[A]

satellite.

[B]

No, she was. No, I was talking about that, but she. She was talking about other things.

[A]

I used to go to the forest and pull my skirts.

[B]

It was. It was. But she, you know, look, she's. She's a legend.

[A]

What does it look like to be president after Trump? Like, what is. Like, Baron's gonna be at his dad's funeral, right? He's gonna be president.

[B]

He was at the State of the Union last year.

[A]

But does he want to go to work as the president?

[B]

He doesn't have to work because he's made a ton of money. So, no.

[A]

I think Baron, after his dad dies, is going to assume the third throne of the presidency.

[B]

Right? The throne is a good way to describe it. How about this guy? What is an emperor? Put his picture. He's got those giant posters on the sides of buildings all over D.C. including the Department of justice, that says everything you need to know, just literally, like, right out of some fascist playbook. Can I.

[A]

Can I give you a critique on something you said?

[B]

What? You already have given many critiques.

[A]

You said the Democratic Party is too fixated on pronouns. Like, you're walking into Their trap. That's what they're saying.

[B]

No, I think.

[A]

No. No voter has decided, like, I was gonna go Democrat, but they changed the pronouns on pronouns. It's like.

[B]

No, I think it was a moment. There was some. I think it's not one thing. It's sort of the stacking of things where there was. I just. I'm just telling you, like, like, old school Democrats I talked to.

[A]

You're walking into the trap.

[B]

No, I get that.

[A]

But I also think there's some of the trails. Athletes. It's like, people are like, I would vote for the Democrats were it not for their. Like, they're damaging the integrity of girls sports. Like, come on, dude, you're walking on the trap. Here's my advice to you. If the. If they're doing their thing where they're like, the Little Mermaid is black. Right.

[B]

Well, that's.

[A]

And they're like, you ruined my childhood.

[B]

Yeah, that's.

[A]

The Democrats are gonna say, well, we sell it for all the black little mermaids out there. We celebrate.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Our sister queen Mermaid. Instead, you just say, the Republicans, like, they're upset about the Little Mermaid being black. Just say, pardon me, but you're a pussy and that's a baby movie. You're being a baby right now. No, the truth is this.

[B]

I like that. No, I like that.

[A]

They just act like SJWs at this point. They're mad at bad boneys.

[B]

Well, SJW. Why do I not know what the secret is?

[A]

Social justice. They act like SJWs.

[B]

Exchange. I was interested how old

[A]

people, right? They're, like, mad about. They're incensed. That Bad Bunnies song, he was good, man.

[B]

I like that.

[A]

But who cares who's mad at the. They're being. They're being babies.

[B]

I appreciate this, man.

[A]

You know, it's just like, by the

[B]

way, this was happening with crt, dei, esg. We were constantly on the. This is why I started. That's why I went on Fox to debate Ron DeSantis. Because they were winning that messaging war. They were flooding the zone. We were on our heels, not our toes. And narrative matters. And we were constantly on the defense. So what you're saying is there. I think I align with you on that in terms of being consistent where I have a mod up.

[A]

Shut up.

[B]

But you know, but there are some.

[A]

Be normal.

[B]

But be normal. And I think they want us normal to Everybody.

[A]

Everybody, look, just be like, mind your own business. You know, it's not your life. You know, it's good.

[B]

Oh, thank you. This is Good. See, I'm.

[A]

For me.

[B]

No. What are you gonna like? But it's good, though. This is helpful, man. It's healthy.

[A]

Look at that.

[B]

Look at that. He's looking. What do you think? So it's three.

[A]

Three.

[B]

And on that. All right, I'm gonna.

[A]

Well, I'm not beating. Okay, here's.

[B]

That's how you start.

[A]

Here's my final question. What? I did.

[B]

A framework, man.

[A]

Well, I mean, it's just. We'll let the girls decide. We'll let the ladies decide.

[B]

No, but. But what you're saying is. Thank you. As a guy who's a godfather of a trans son, a trans godson, I appreciate what you're saying, man. And there are certain things where we may have modest disagreement. But look, I've been. As we established, and it's well established in this book, I've been way out on all these issues, and I've been on the receiving end of the counter narrative, and I found myself often in a defensive posture. And so I appreciate what you're saying.

[A]

Here's my last question.

[B]

What is. It's always the worst. That's the one that gets politicians in trouble. The last.

[A]

I'm not sure. We're not gonna get you in trouble. I don't know.

[B]

I want to find out.

[A]

You're my boy. I'm not doing yellow journalism. I'm hanging out with my handsome new friend. What are you talking about? Yeah, I'm angling. You're gonna probably win. You think that J.D. vance is gonna. He's gonna look like a fucking potato next to you.

[B]

What is.

[A]

Seriously? The cooler guy wins every time.

[B]

I mean it. Is that it?

[A]

Yes. Go through every election.

[B]

Rubio is pretty cool. What do you think of Rubio? You don't like him?

[A]

Little Marco.

[B]

Little Marco. He is. I saw him in Munich.

[A]

He's a point.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're six. Three, bro. You were a shooting guard.

[B]

Yeah, well, sort of. Before it was. We were, you know, it was a short Little League. It was Marine County.

[A]

That's why you back. That's why we saw.

[B]

That was why I was captivated. Yeah.

[A]

The baseball field was a farmer's market.

[B]

Farmer's market. Where I was eating grasshoppers. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You never tried a grasshopper. You never answered. Oh, I'm a regular person. I go to Chipotle, by the way. They're struggling a little bit right now.

[A]

Chipotle?

[B]

Yeah. Which is.

[A]

They really fell off a cliff.

[B]

I don't know what's happened.

[A]

It was a great restaurant. I don't know what's happened to it.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

We saw you, you know, survive kind of a recall election and kind of win by a landslide, which I think is, like, adds to your bona fides as, like, someone that's, like, gotten scrubbed up.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

In addition, out of all people in state politics in California, you're kind of like the last one left during.

[B]

From COVID Yeah, but that generally. Yeah, like, that's. That. By the way, that's interesting that you say, why am I the one that's. I don't know a lot you've been interested. You're the invent.

[A]

You're the inventor of gay marriage.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You're the first person to come up with the idea of gay marriage, which is like, come on. Don't be ridiculous. What's the point of gay if you're gonna get married? Just be happy and rich. You don't have to get married. You don't have to what, like, get a dog?

[B]

Okay, okay, okay.

[A]

I'm just kidding. I'm a nightclub comedian.

[B]

Three dogs.

[A]

I have a dog, too, dude.

[B]

What's.

[A]

What?

[B]

What kind? Yeah, what's the name?

[A]

Oh, actually, you. Dude, what the. You try to ban peoples. You're a racist.

[B]

I did not.

[A]

You're a racist.

[B]

There was a dog falling, and two people got so.

[A]

They're all the same. They're all the same, actually.

[B]

It was horrible. Diane Whipple changed my life. I don't know.

[A]

I rescued her. She rescued me.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

We've seen you do these things at various, like, inflection points in your career that. That make are very impressive. Right. You also just, like. You look like the fucking president. You do. It's like, if it was, like, on TV or something, it'd be, like, this

[B]

guy, and it'd be, like, talking about my. Talking about more engineers, more scientists, more Nobias. You'll be yelling at the scream. Normal, bro. Be normal.

[A]

Al Qaeda has sent a comet from space. Somehow they've developed comet technology.

[B]

About that, bro. That could happen. We got to go. Space Force. It's a legit thing.

[A]

I know.

[B]

I don't mind your space.

[A]

I think you talk about, like, Bernie Sanders is Medicare for all. You know, like. Like what?

[B]

Like. Yeah, what's that?

[A]

What is your defined political project? Like, what. Throughout your career and, like, right now? Like, what is. What is the thing you want to, like, you want to accomplish, like, politically, you know?

[B]

I don't. I don't have, like, a brand. I don't have a tag. Make America great or. I don't. You Know the Great Society or you know, something like Medicare for all the billionaires. But I, you know, but for me, no bullshit. It's just standing up for ideals, striking out against injustice. It defines my why in every way, shape or form. Stand up for ideal. Strike out against injustice. I'm a Sarge Shriver Democrat. I'm into that whole 60s of vernacular, the 60s, solving for ignorance and poverty and disease and the spirit of the 60s and the spirit of King and you know, and how the non violent movement and Gandhi and you know, Havel and you know, Mandela, that whole, that moral authority now for that whole space, that's the zeitgeist.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that's. So that's me, that's my dad, that's my mom, that's the book, and that's my why. And so standing up for ideals is what Gay merged. It was about work I'm doing right now. Sort of push back, you know, we can lose this country. And just feeling like I have to be held to account and strike out against the injustices of the day.

[A]

So if you had to define it

[B]

like, I need your help and you get, you tell me you're better at this.

[A]

I don't know. I don't know who you.

[B]

I just gave you my why. But how do you translate that into human what?

[A]

So if you say, like, make an appeal to a voter, right? Say if you vote for me, you get X. Like what? In a, in a, in a kind of concise, tangible sense. Talking to a regular guy.

[B]

Yeah. No, no. What is that? I've struggled with being able to communicate. I told you what my why is and why I'm here. And I mean that. And that's ingrained in every aspect of my life. And it connects the dot, even in my private life in terms of the business things I've done. Stupid things like screw cap wines and selling wine at retail, just in restaurants, trying to sort of break up monopolies and try to strike out against the injustice, the rigging of the system, etc. And it's part of, you know, all the iterations I see now here we're going back. But that's in the book. You got to buy the book.

[A]

Oh, because it's like less classy. Yeah, yeah, I remember that.

[B]

Yeah. No, it's just like, that's one of

[A]

your L's in life. You're just. You're hot, dude. You're hot, dude. Why'd you write this book? Just, just write a follow up. Be like, this is how I became the hottest biggest pimp, dude. Honestly, the reason Donald Trump, you stood him down is because he thinks you're handsome. I mean it. I mean it. The reason you were like, fuck off, Trump. Like, when you sent the troops in was like. He was like, I like the hair. I like the way he dresses. You should be proud of it. I think that's our time.

[B]

That's all the time we have today. And next week,

[A]

Sam. Sat.