PEOPLE'S DONKEY: ‘If The Government Is Shutdown The American People Should Too’

Summary

The Breakfast Club – PEOPLE'S DONKEY: ‘If The Government Is Shutdown The American People Should Too’

Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Date: October 24, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Breakfast Club's recurring "People's Donkey" segment hands the mic to listeners to nominate their "Donkey of the Day"—those deserving the biggest “he haw” for foolish behavior. Callers vent about everything from NBA game shenanigans and family Halloween drama to university homecoming restrictions and, notably, governmental dysfunction amid shutdown threats. The most passionate call centers on the idea that if the government stops working, Americans should too, sparking a larger conversation about people power and civic responsibility.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listeners’ Donkey of the Day Nominations

• NBA and Sports Betting Frustrations (03:06–04:00)

  • Caller K.P. mansfield nominates the NBA for “blowing everybody parlays” (bets), alleging players are “not trying to score”—frustrating sports bettors.
  • Charlamagne jokes about a future class action lawsuit by bettors against the NBA and players:

    “That’s gonna be funny when people do a class action lawsuit against NBA and NBA players.” (03:25)

• Halloween Costume Procrastination (04:11–05:56)

  • Caller Adrian lightheartedly nominates his 9-year-old son for last-minute Halloween costume demands (“inflatable alien”) and losing his school Chromebook.
  • The hosts share relatable Halloween shopping struggles and banter about sneaking into Target for costumes despite boycotts.
  • Charlamagne jests:

    “Well, maybe he don’t deserve a Halloween present. Maybe that’s your excuse. No, you lost your book. You don’t get a Halloween costume.” (05:51)

• Norfolk State’s Homecoming Restrictions (06:02–08:41)

  • Caller Lolita calls out the Norfolk State administration and athletic department for fencing off campus, limiting tailgating, and generally “making homecoming miserable.”
  • The hosts discuss crowd control concerns, especially with Michael Vick appearing this year. Lolita and others detail how restrictions are making an HBCU tradition less enjoyable.
  • Quote:

    “You don’t make one person change your entire relationship.” (07:28, Lolita commenting on how one star presence shouldn't alter community traditions)

2. Government Shutdown and National Strike Debate

• Call for a People’s Shutdown (08:56–10:26)

  • T from Charleston, SC nominates “all Americans” for complacency:

    “We are literally sitting back and letting the government play with us. If they're going to shut down, I feel like we need to shut down as well. Stop going to work, stop paying bills. It’s getting ridiculous.” (09:03)

  • She argues that "the people have the power," and that if everyday Americans stopped participating in the economy, the government would be forced to respond.
  • Charlamagne agrees, escalating the conversation into collective action:

    “I do feel like we're past the point of political solutions, and it’s going to take some type of national strike in order to really, really… get this government to act right.” (09:31)

  • T continues:

    “If we as Americans literally say, hey, we are not going to work, they will panic. They will go crazy, literally.” (09:43)

• Pop Culture vs. Civic Engagement (09:59–10:32)

  • Charlamagne draws a parallel between consumer activism around pop culture and the lack thereof for more serious issues:

    “I think we got to start caring about the Constitution the way we care about pop culture... The uproar there was when Jimmy Kimmel got removed, and then everybody decided they was going to cancel their Disney subscriptions… we gotta start caring about things like that [the Constitution, health care, government shutdowns] the way we care about pop culture.” (09:59)

  • T agrees, highlighting the need for civic awakening.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On NBA Allegations:

  “We need our money back.”
  (03:12, K.P. on NBA players allegedly influencing game outcomes and ruining bets)

• On Halloween Shopping Drama:

  “Inflatable aliens are easy to get. You could go to Spirits or any of those… I had to order it. Next day, Amazon.”
  (04:46, Caller and hosts sharing family Halloween chaos)

• On Norfolk State Restrictions:

  "Why are they doing this?… You're just making an inconvenience for people."
  (06:19–08:18, Lolita)

• On Government Shutdown Response:

  “If they're going to shut down, I feel like we need to shut down as well. Stop going to work, stop paying bills.”
  (09:03, T from Charleston) "It's going to take some type of national strike in order to really, really… get this government to act right."
  (09:31, Charlamagne) "...we gotta start caring about things like that [the Constitution, health care, government shutdowns] the way we care about pop culture."
  (09:59, Charlamagne)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:06] – NBA Donkey of the Day nomination and sports betting complaints
• [04:11] – Halloween costume stress and parenting banter
• [06:02] – Norfolk State Homecoming crackdown discussion
• [08:56] – T from Charleston calls for a ‘people’s shutdown’
• [09:31] – Charlamagne endorses a national strike idea
• [09:59] – Pop culture vs. constitutional engagement conversation

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Episode Tone & Style

Consistent with The Breakfast Club's trademark blend of humor, realness, and cultural commentary, this episode swings from lighthearted family talk to fiery civic debate, with callers and hosts alike contributing sharp insights and memorable quips. The show remains rooted in community engagement—amplifying everyday frustrations, serious or silly, and contextualizing them within the bigger picture of American life.

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Takeaways

• Listeners use the “People’s Donkey” segment to air out both petty grievances and deep systemic frustrations.
• The episode’s most significant turn is the call for a national work stoppage in response to governmental dysfunction, highlighting a rising appetite for direct civic action.
• The Breakfast Club panel fosters space for nuanced conversations about both pop culture and political power, with Charlamagne notably bridging the two spheres.
• The call for Americans to value their collective power—beyond outrage over TV or sports—strikes as timely, lively, and reflective of undercurrents in national discourse.

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Transcript

[iHeart Podcast Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[BET Sports Promo Announcer]

Wednesday at 10, 9 Central on BET. An all new episode of 106 in Sports from executive producers LeBron James and Maverick Carter. It's a new top five countdown with hosts Ashley Nicole Moss and Cam Newton. They're breaking down the top moments in sports, culture and entertainment and highlighting both established pros and the stars on the come up. Watch the all new series 106 in sports Wednesday at 10, 9 Central on BET or catch up the next day on BET.

[iHeart Podcast Announcer]

Everybody needs a break and that's why Diet Coke is the perfect reset. The crisp, refreshing taste turns any pause, whether it's after work, running errands or kicking back with your crew into you time. It's that signal to slow down, take a deep breath and enjoy the moment. However you choose to recharge, an ice cold Diet Coke makes that break even better. Make time for a Diet Coke break. Diet Coke. This is my taste.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Hello America's sweetheart. Johnny Knoxville here. I want to tell you about my new true crime podcast, Crimeless Hillbilly Heist. From Smartless Media, Campside media and big money players. It's a wild tale about a gang of high functioning nitwits who somehow pulled off America's third largest cash heist.

[Johnny Knoxville's Co-host]

Kind of like Robin Hood, except for the part where he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. I'm not that generous.

[Johnny Knoxville]

It's a damn near inspiring true story for anyone out there who's ever shot for the moon, then just totally muffed up the landing. They stole $17 million and had not bought a ticket to help him escape.

[Caller or Listener]

So we're sitting like, oh God, what do we do?

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

What do we do?

[Johnny Knoxville's Co-host]

That was dumb. People do not follow my example.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Listen to Crimeless Hillbilly Heist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Graves County Podcast Narrator]

The murder of an 18 year old girl in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved for years until a local housewife, a journalist and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

America, y' all better wake the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small towns.

[Graves County Podcast Narrator]

Listen to Graves county on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and to binge the entire season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

It'S your time to nominate a donkey of your own. Remember now, that is how they choose. Call in now. 800-585-1051. The Donkey of the Day for Friday, October 3rd is the People's donkey. You know, every Friday we allow you, the people to call in and give someone the biggest he haw. So. Good morning. Who this?

[Caller or Listener]

It's K.P. mansfield.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

K.P. who you want to get a biggest he haw to, Brother man?

[Caller or Listener]

I want to give it to the NBA. I was just gonna give it to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but I'm gonna just give it to the NBA. Everybody that was trying not to score them points and blowing everybody parlays, they wrong. We need our money back.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

That's gonna be funny when people do a class action lawsuit against NBA and NBA players.

[Caller or Listener]

It ain't the NBA, but I wonder about that. Like if I bet money on a game, right? And he threw the game on purpose.

Right.

How do you make that hole for people?

You know, I think we think, my group think Gilbert arena snitched on everybody.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Well, Gilbert is kind of leaning into that a little bit from what I saw yesterday.

[Caller or Listener]

Right, yeah, we, we think, we think he snitched on everybody and we need to see. Matter of fact, get him dog here today.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

I think everybody need to stop thinking and just let everybody have their day in court. That's what I think should happen.

[BET Sports Promo Announcer]

Absolutely.

[Caller or Listener]

Well, Terry Rosaire, we know he was really throwing them games because.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Yeah, I remember that video from that was like what, 20, 23? Good morning. Who's this?

[Caller or Listener]

Adrian.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Peace. Adrian, who you want to get a biggest he haw to?

[Caller or Listener]

I have to give the biggest he haw to my son Jacob, my nine year old son.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Damn. What do you do?

[Caller or Listener]

Because I've been asking him for a month what he wanted to be for Halloween and he didn't know. And then now this morning he decides that he knows what he wants to be. And now it's like pulling teeth, hoping that the costume will come by Halloween.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

What does he want to be on top of that?

[Caller or Listener]

He wants to be some inflatable alien.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Lord have mercy.

[Caller or Listener]

Inflatable aliens are easy to get. You could go to spirits or any of those. They have that even I think Target has that. Cause my kid was there last year. My daughter did the same thing to me. She wanted to be a yellow Care Bear and they ain't got that at spirits, so I had to order it. Next day, Amazon.

[iHeart Podcast Announcer]

Damn.

[Caller or Listener]

Yeah, so.

But Amazon says it might come after Halloween.

Oh, damn.

Walmart doesn't have it.

[BET Sports Promo Announcer]

Oh, damn.

[Caller or Listener]

I don't go to Target anymore.

Yeah, Amazon is backed up.

It's backed up.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

So listen, nobody gonna judge you if you sneak and talk. Matter of fact, this what you listen. Just put On a Halloween costume so nobody knows it's you. Yeah, wear a mask.

[Caller or Listener]

You might have to just go there. Nobody gonna say nothing. Just sneaking in. Right? In and out. Just get that one thing.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

I promise you we won't tell Tamika Mallory. I promise you we won't tell Nina Turner.

[Caller or Listener]

I promise we won't tell Jamal Target this year, guys.

All right?

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Stick to your convictions.

[Caller or Listener]

I'm just playing.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

All right, but we not judging.

[Caller or Listener]

I appreciate y'. All. Oh, yeah, and also, he lost his school Chromebook, so he's done too much in one week.

Damn.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Damn.

[Caller or Listener]

Damn.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Well, maybe he don't deserve a Halloween present. Maybe that's your excuse. No, you lost your book. You don't get a Halloween. A costume.

[Caller or Listener]

Halloween present is crazy.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Thank you. Thank you for calling.

[Caller or Listener]

All right.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Good morning. Who's this?

[Caller or Listener]

Hi, this is Lita. Good morning.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

You said Lolita?

[Caller or Listener]

Yeah.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Hey, Lolita. Who you want to get a biggest.

[Caller or Listener]

He hauled to the entire Norfolk State administration staff.

[Johnny Knoxville's Co-host]

Wow.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Damn.

[Caller or Listener]

And athletic department. What they do, what they do. They are making Norfolk State homecoming miserable. And just. Just. They're doing too much. They're doing too much. This year they have fenced off the entire campus. They want homecoming just to be boring. You have to get your tickets. Then today you got to get your wristbands. Because if you don't have a wristband, you can't do the tailgating. They want the tailgating to be over by 8pm and the grills and music to be off by 6pm why are they doing this?

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Is it for security reasons or.

[Caller or Listener]

Honestly, what we think is because the Michael Vick.

That's exactly what it is. Norfolk State Homecoming, big thing in years. But now that they got Mike Vick, everybody outside of just alum want to come. So I guess they're trying to. To try to make it all secure.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Everything.

[Caller or Listener]

Yeah.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Keep your schedule. I mean, what's wrong with that? If you try to keep it organized, keep everything on schedule, you don't make.

[Caller or Listener]

You don't make. You don't make one person change your entire relationship.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Well, maybe.

[Caller or Listener]

The thing is, I've been there before. Before Mike Vick.

[BET Sports Promo Announcer]

You right.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Yeah, but what if it's crazy? What if it's two times the size that it. That it usually is?

[Caller or Listener]

It is gonna be crazy.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

With no order.

[Caller or Listener]

It's always is. Last year, Norfolk state had over 30,000 without Mike. And this was last year.

It's going to be double that this year. And you know, there's Old Dominion Homecoming and Hampton homecoming. So the 757 and Virginia State, this is going to be flooded. The whole 757. That's 804. But the whole 757 is going to be flooded with people. So that I guess they're trying to control it because police are going to be spread thin in that 757 this weekend.

Man, the police has been crazy since he's got there, and that's no problem. No problem. But it's like you just making an inconvenience for people. You know, you have to get your tickets, and then now you have to go and get your. Your wristband.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Well, that's crazy. You know that. That's crushing. Yeah.

[Caller or Listener]

Well, I'm gonna see what happens.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Yeah, that structure might be good. I don't know.

[Caller or Listener]

I'll keep you posted.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

All right. And why do people act like they don't go to these events just to sit in traffic? That's what y' all go to. Y' all go just to be able to text everybody, be like, boy, it's. We can't even move. No, you got one more.

[Caller or Listener]

One more personal line.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Yes. Good morning. Who's this?

[Caller or Listener]

Hey, this your girl T from Charleston, South Carolina.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

Hey, what's up, home team? Who you want to get a biggest he haw to?

[Caller or Listener]

I want to give it to all Americans. Right now, we are literally sitting back and letting the government play with us. If they're going to shut down, I feel like we need to shut down as well. Stop going to work, stop paying bills. It's getting ridiculous. Premiums are going up and pay wages aren't going up. I feel like we are. The people, have the power. And when we open our eyes and realize that the government won't have nothing to do but to submit to us, that's just how I feel about it.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

I do feel like we're past the point of political solutions, and it's going to take some type of national strike in order to really, really, really, really get this government to act right. I do. I am starting to feel like that.

[Caller or Listener]

Yes. Like it's our everyday American paychecks that keeps them in power, that keeps their bank account full. If we as Americans literally say, hey, we are not going to work, they will panic. They will go crazy, literally.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

I think we got to start caring about the Constitution the way we care about pop culture. Because I think about, like, the uproar there was when Jimmy Kimmel got removed, and then everybody decided they was going to cancel their Disney subscriptions, and then, you know, the Disney stock prices pummeled it and all Of a sudden, Disney was like, oh, nope, you got to put him back on air. So maybe we got to start caring about the Constitution and things like health care and, you know, government shutdowns. We got to start caring about things like that the way we care about pop culture.

[Caller or Listener]

Yes, we definitely do. Thank you, guys. I have a great morning. You too.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

We do that every Friday. It's the people's donkey. You can call us 1-800-585-1051 on Fridays or you can go to the iHeartRadio app. Click the Talkback app on the Breakfast Club page and leave a message. Donkey of the Day is sponsored by renowned personal injury attorney Michael the Bull Laminsthoff. Don't be a donkey when you need a fighter on your side. If you're ever injured, go to Michael the Bull dot com. That's Michael the Bull Dot com. And when you mess with the bull, you get the horns. Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club. Y' all finished or y' all done?

[Johnny Knoxville]

Hello, America's sweetheart. Johnny Knoxville here. I want to tell you about my new true crime podcast, Crimeless Hillbilly Heist from Smartless Media, Campside Media, and big Money Players. It's a wild tale about a gang of high functioning nitwits who somehow pulled off America's third largest cash heist.

[Johnny Knoxville's Co-host]

Kind of like Robin Hood, except for the part where he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. I'm not that generous.

[Johnny Knoxville]

It's a damn near inspiring true story for anyone out there who's ever shot for the moon, then just totally muffed up the landing. They stole $17 million and had not bought a ticket to help him escape.

[Caller or Listener]

So we're sitting like, oh God, what do we do?

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

What do we do?

[Johnny Knoxville's Co-host]

That was dumb. People, do not follow my example.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Listen to Crimeless Hillbilly Heist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Graves County Podcast Narrator]

The murder of an 18 year old girl in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved for years until a local housewife, a journalist, and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[Breakfast Club Host (likely Charlamagne Tha God)]

America, y' all better wake the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small towns.

[Graves County Podcast Narrator]

Listen to Graves county on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to binge the entire season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Hunter, Host of Hunting for Answers]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. Stories like Erica Hunt, a young mother vanished without a trace after a family gathering on 4th of July weekend, 2016. No goodbyes, no clues, just gone. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio, Apple, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Caller or Listener]

Sami Gente. It's Ana Ortiz. And I'm Mark and Delicato. You might know us as Hilda and Justin from Ugly Betty. Welcome to our new podcast, Be by Betty.

Yay.

We're rewatching the series from start to finish and talking to iconic guests like Betty herself, America Ferreira. There was this moment when the glasses went on and it was like, this is our Betty. Listen to Viva Betty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[iHeart Podcast Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.