Hour 2 - Clay Wants to Invest in Cuba

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 2 – Clay Wants to Invest in Cuba
Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

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Overview

This episode dives into a range of headlines and analysis surrounding the state of the U.S. economy under President Trump’s second term, the dramatic developments in Latin America (Venezuela, Cuba), and the untapped potential of Cuba as a near-future capitalist hotbed. The hosts also take engaging sidetracks into horror movie nostalgia, the realities of Hollywood, and superstitions tied to Friday the 13th. The episode is layered with the duo’s signature humor, rapid banter, and deep-dive speculative commentary about geopolitical shifts on America’s doorstep.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Economic Achievements and Analogies to Reagan

• Economic Metrics: The hosts discuss strong economic numbers, including 4.4% GDP growth, 2.4% inflation, record-high stock market, lowest murder rate since 1900, "most secure border in history," and a 10% decrease in government employees—marking the first year of President Trump’s second term.
• Historical Parallels: Clay and Buck draw comparisons to the Reagan era, debating which midterm analogies fit the current political landscape.

  “If I had told you…end 2025 at 4.4% GDP, 2.4% inflation, record high stock market, lowest murder rate since 1900, most secure border in history, and a 10% decline in government employees, I don’t think that most of you would have believed that was possible.” — Clay Travis [04:23]

• Midterm History: They analyze patterns where the party in power historically loses congressional seats during midterms, referencing 1982, 1986, 1998, and 2002.

Timestamps:

• [02:43] Trump’s press comments on the economy
• [04:23] Clay’s summary of Trump’s first-year economic record
• [06:39] Midterm election analogies

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2. Latin America in Flux: Venezuela, Colombia, and Cuba

Venezuela Developments

• Maduro’s Arrest: The arrest and ongoing legal situation for Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro is discussed as both a triumph and a precarious moment for the region.

  “…They have arrested him. He’s in federal court now, sitting in federal prison. So we’ll see where that ends up going…” — Buck Sexton [09:01]

Cuba’s Looming Collapse

• Economic Crisis: Clay details Cuba’s dire situation—fuel shortages due to the collapse of Venezuelan support and pressure from both the U.S. and Mexico, threatening a total economic collapse.

  “Cuba is within weeks of a complete economic collapse... one of the primary impacts of what happened in Venezuela has actually been what’s taking place in Cuba...freedom could be returning to Cuba on some level.” — Clay Travis [10:01]

• Tourism Impact: Airline access is restricted due to insufficient fuel for refueling at Cuban airports, causing Russian and Spanish tourists to consider pulling out.

• Market Opportunity: The hosts speculate on the potential for a capitalist-driven Cuban renaissance.

  “Cuba could be an absolute jewel of the global economy if they would just embrace capitalism… Cuba, as in any way embracing capitalism, would take off.” — Clay Travis [11:33]

• Personal Anecdotes:

  • Clay shares his experience cruising past Cuba, emphasizing its untapped potential as a major cruise and tourist destination.

    “The last cruise I went on was the Disney cruise with my kids... we went right by Cuba. So close, Buck, that you could see all of the spires and all of the buildings of Havana as we were passing.” — Clay Travis [12:44]

Timestamps:

• [08:17] Trump on Venezuela
• [09:15–15:18] Discussion of Cuba’s collapse, economic opportunity, and regional impact

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3. Investment Opportunity: “Clay Wants to Invest in Cuba”

• Speculative Commentary: Clay expresses a keen desire to invest capital (“I’d like to put a lot...”) in Cuba should the country open to market economics, envisioning an economic explosion akin to other Caribbean nations’ success as low-tax business havens and tourist hotspots.

  “If we could turn Cuba into an actual capitalistic country…the amount of beautiful countryside, beaches…Cuba would be…one of the most beautiful countries, I think, in the world.” — Clay Travis [15:18]

• Remittances: They note that remittances from abroad are currently the mainstay of the Cuban economy.

Memorable Moment:

• Buck jokes about the future prospect of Trump International towers in Caracas and Havana.

  “There will be something really full circle…when the incredible gleaming tower of Trump International Caracas goes up and Trump International Havana goes up…not impossible.” — Buck Sexton [14:02]

Timestamps:

• [14:02] Speculation on Trump International buildings
• [15:18] Clay’s investment ambitions

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4. Broader Headlines: National Security and Crime

• Nancy Guthrie State Case: Brief mention of speculation surrounding cartel involvement in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping, with Trump commenting on the complexity and lack of clear information.

  “Somebody either knew what they were doing very well or they were rank amateurs. Either way, it’s not a good situation.” — Trump (via audio) [21:51]

• Media Coverage: Buck and Clay remark on the media frenzy despite little actionable information.

Timestamps:

• [21:23] Trump on the possibility of cartel involvement

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5. Friday the 13th, Superstitions, and Horror Movies

• Superstitions: Lighthearted riffing on classic Friday the 13th warnings and regional American ghost stories like the Bell Witch legend.
• Horror Nostalgia:
  • Clay and Buck reminisce about formative horror films (e.g., Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist, Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch Project).
  • Discussion about why slasher and occult horror films remain so profitable and influential, despite changing media landscapes.

  “Was there ever a movie that you watched when you were younger, as a kid, that was so scary that you had to turn it off…?” — Buck Sexton [29:03] “Nightmare on Elm Street when I was a little kid…Freddy came to you while you were sleeping…That was the danger.” — Clay Travis [29:12]

• Fun Anecdotes:
  • Buck remembers a camp in Vermont taking kids to the Blair Witch Project against his better judgment, to much regret.

  “We had to go back to a dark, rainy campsite that night and the kids…the 13 and 14 year old kids were shaking like leaves after watching.” — Buck Sexton [37:14]

• Hollywood Realities:
  • Caller Brian, a former actor, joins to confirm the drudgery of film set life and the stifling culture for conservatives in Hollywood.

    “I did try to pursue playing major league baseball…then I was doing my Hollywood stuff…you learn these people are a bunch of communist idiots and demonic…yeah, it’s not fun.” — Brian [37:58]

Timestamps:

• [25:19–29:50] Superstition, horror stories, Bell Witch, horror film genre
• [37:24–40:38] Actor Brian on Hollywood culture

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Notable Quotes

• “Cuba is within weeks of a complete economic collapse ... it is possible that Cuba could be really, truly collapsing and freedom could be returning to Cuba on some level.” — Clay Travis [10:01]
• “Cuba could be an absolute jewel of the global economy if they would just embrace capitalism.” — Clay Travis [11:33]
• “There will be something really full circle about that moment when the incredible gleaming tower of Trump International Caracas goes up and Trump International Havana goes up.” — Buck Sexton [14:02]
• “If we could turn Cuba into an actual capitalistic country…the amount of beautiful countryside, beaches, it’s one of the most beautiful countries, I think, in the world.” — Clay Travis [15:18]
• “Was there ever a movie that you watched when you were younger as a kid that was so scary that you had to turn it off...?” — Buck Sexton [29:03]
• “Nightmare on Elm Street when I was a little kid…Freddy came to you while you were sleeping…” — Clay Travis [29:12]
• “These people are a bunch of communist idiots and demonic...it's not fun.” — Brian, former actor/caller [37:58]

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Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |---|---| | 02:43 | Trump’s press conference on economic numbers | | 04:23 | Clay’s rundown of economic record in Trump’s second term | | 08:17–09:15 | Trump, Venezuela, and potential military operations | | 10:01–15:18 | Detailed analysis of Cuba’s current crisis and future potential | | 14:02 | Speculation on Trump building luxury developments in Havana/Caracas | | 21:23–23:05 | The Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case and cartel speculation | | 25:19–29:50 | Friday the 13th superstitions and horror movies | | 37:24–40:38 | Caller Brian: The realities of life in Hollywood |

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Summary

A dynamic episode filled with optimism about America’s current economic trajectory, speculative investment dreams for a liberated Cuba, and classic banter about pop culture, especially horror movies. Clay and Buck strike a compelling balance between high-stakes geopolitics and good-natured nostalgia, all while keeping their commentary fun, sharp, and accessible—even for those who haven’t tuned in.

Transcript

[Buck Sexton]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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[Clay Travis]

Welcome to today's edition of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show podcast.

[Buck Sexton]

Welcome in everybody. Second hour of Clay and Buck kicks off right now and we just have some updates for you from President Trump talking about a few issues that we wanted to bring to your attention. Now, the audio on this is not going to be perfection because it is near Marine One, but we will make sure that you, we want to play it for you. You hear the president says the best of our ability. And then we'll talk about some of these issues because he does discuss, of course, the latest economic numbers. Think the Trumpster is feeling pretty good about as he should. He feels good and he knew that he would. It is in fact a strong economy. Here is Trump on this is just moments ago getting into Marine One, the helicopter. This is 24. Play it.

[Caller or Guest (possibly Darren)]

Financial numbers, very low. Inflation. We brought costs way down and the numbers were surprising. Except me, they weren't surprising. So the inflation numbers just announced, as you know, are way down and we haven't back in track. We had the worst inflation in the history of our country and now we have very modest inflation, which is what.

[Clay Travis]

You want to have.

[Buck Sexton]

Clay, it's all true. This is, this is the reality. And you'll notice if it wasn't true. This is something you always have to remember about Trump. If what he was saying, if there was a ready rejoinder to it, if there was some other side of the coin that they could focus in on right away. We adhere it. But no, these numbers are what they are and they're all trending in the positive direction.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah, here's what, here's what I tweeted out a little bit ago. In the wake of the inflation that Trump just hit. Sometimes I think it is hard because there's such a daily drumbeat of insanity that's happening in the country. It's sometimes hard to think big picture and you get kind of bogged down in the details. But just think about this. We're a little bit over a year into Trump 2.0. Okay, 4.4% GDP at the end of the year. That's the latest GDP numbers we have. That's extraordinary. 4.4%. And there's rumors, Buck, as, as we have discussed on this program, that GDP might be 5% or better in 2026, which is unheard of. People say, you know it typically you want 2 or 3%. If you got 5% to get 4.4% is extraordinary. 2.4% inflation. That's the number that just came out this, this morning. Record high stock market, lowest murder rate since 1900, most secure border in history, and a 10% decline in government employees. That's honestly pretty extraordinary for year one. Now I understand and trust me, I'm sure the Trump administration understands there's more work to be done. But if I had told you that we were going to end 2025 at 4.4% GDP, 2.4% inflation, record high stock market, lowest murder rate since 1900, most secure border in history, and a 10% decline in government employees, I don't think that most of you would have believed that was possible. I, I don't. And by the way, I was asking the question because I do think there is a little bit of a historical echo. 1992 versus 2026. Democrats gained 26 seats in Reagan. 1982, the midterm of Reagan and the Senate basically didn't change at all. And then in 1984, we had the landslide Reagan election victory over Mondale. What did I jot down? But Democrats won the national popular vote in 1982 by 11.

[Buck Sexton]

So if you're doing 86, I think 86 would be a better analogy to where we are now because we're in the second term of Trump and we just had a huge Trump win.

[Clay Travis]

The challenge, I think buck is you got double Reagan terms. So I almost think we got two one term Trumpers. Right? So to me, the analogy, Trump won bigger in 24 than he did in 16. So to me, yeah, you're, you're 86 and analogy is not a bad one. I'm sure that Ronald Reagan lost seats in the House and the Senate because I believe, and this is off the top of my head, I think in the modern era, only in 1998 and 2002 did the party in power gain seats in midterm elections. Usually the party in power loses seats and is on its back foot again. I think that's one of the challenges here.

[Buck Sexton]

2018 was a rough one for Trump's first term. Unfortunately in the House, as we recall, and also unfortunately, we've lost a number three should have won Senate seats. In Georgia alone, we gave up three Senate seats in one state that when you go back and look at, look at what happened there, it was total own goals by the Republicans in every sense, in every one of those but let's get back to Trump here and what he's saying because some questions about national security here, about potential strikes on Colombia, Venezuela and even Mexico against the cartels. This is 25. Let's hear what he said.

[Caller or Guest (possibly Darren)]

What about it? Don't worry about it.

[Buck Sexton]

Don't worry about it. That's a very Trump answer. He goes more here, though, clay. This is 26. He says he's going to have to go to Venezuela himself. That will be really interesting play 26.

[Caller or Guest (possibly Darren)]

What are you planning to visit Venezuela, sir? I'm going to make a visit to Venezuela. Wait, wait. Are you from Venezuela? From Colombia, sir. We should avoid them in Venezuela. We just had a good meeting with you then.

[Buck Sexton]

We had a good meeting with Colombia. Venezuela still very much. It remains to be seen how successful the aftermath of the Maduro arrest.

[Clay Travis]

The.

[Buck Sexton]

It's really a military operation, but they have arrested him. He's in federal court now, sitting in federal prison. So we'll see where that ends up going, Clay. But that's something that I think the president is going to have to focus in on and drive some of that policy himself.

[Clay Travis]

Not only that Buck, you're. You're down in South Florida. I'm up on the panhandle, so I'll be in the Panhandle for the weekend up in North Florida, which I love it here. But Cuba, we have not talked a great deal about Cuba as a major reverberation of the operation that took place in Venezuela. I don't know if you, you read this book, but there is so little fuel now in Cuba because Venezuela used to be providing a lot of the oil and gas to allow Cuba to exist. Trump has put pressure on Mexico and Feinbaum. Fein bomb is a friend of mine, Sheinbaum, who's the president of Mexico, not.

[Buck Sexton]

To be confused with Feinbaum.

[Clay Travis]

Very different, very different. Shine bomb and Fein bomb, two different people. One talks about Southeastern Conference football, is a friend of mine. The other is the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum. He has basically put pressure on Mexico not to continue to give oil and gas to Cuba either, such that the places that fly into Cuba and evidently there's a lot of Russian tourism and a lot of Spanish tourism people still go to Cuba from, from Europe. They don't have enough gas to be able to fly in and refuel at Cuban airports. So they're basically having to fly and refuel in other countries and start to pull their tourists out. In other words, why do you bring. Why do I bring this up? Cuba is within weeks of A complete economic collapse. And I don't know that a lot of people have focused on this, but one of the primary impacts of what happened in Venezuela has actually been what's taking place in Cuba. And it is possible, I say possible, that after, what is it, 79 years, basically 69 years, whatever the math is, since Fidel Castro came into power, it's possible that Cuba could be really, truly collapsing and freedom could be returning to Cuba on some level. I think it's actually been under the radar. A lot of people focused on Venezuela and there's the oil story there and everything else. But maybe the more immediate outcome might well be the collapse of the Cuban government and some forms of market based economy returning to Cuba after generations where that was not allowed. And in South Florida, I bet this is a major topic of conversation. But Cuba could be an absolute jewel of the global economy if they would just embrace capitalism. It's a beautiful country. It is surrounded by thriving Caribbean countries that particularly have taken advantage of sort of economic resource allocations, meaning the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands and some of these countries that have allowed businesses to be based there with low tax rates. I think Cuba could, would explode. And there is an argument that it could be utterly transformative to South Florida in many ways for the economic conditions there, because Cuba as a, in any way embracing capitalism would take off. Have you ever been on a cruise? You ever been on a cruise ship?

[Buck Sexton]

I have not. I am not a cruise guy.

[Clay Travis]

Doesn't surprise me. But I did a. The last cruise I went on was the Disney cruise with my kids. They loved it. Five people in one tiny little cruise cabin. Not ideal. We were all five in the same place. We went right by Cuba. So close buck that you could see all of the spires and all of the buildings of Havana as we were passing. If you go look at the cruise industry in general, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, whatever you want to point to the entire cruise industry by and large, at least based in, in the south, in Florida, they just circle Cuba. That's all they do. They just go to all of the beautiful islands around Cuba. I don't think people understand how transformative a free Cuba would be. A lot of people have forgotten, you know, Cuba was Las Vegas. Havana was where people would hop on fast boats.

[Buck Sexton]

Godfather Part two, that was the whole thing.

[Clay Travis]

Hey, I think that we are potentially seeing with Cuba, Venezuela, we'll see what happens with Iran again, the echo of the Reagan era with Trump. I don't think most people are realizing how quick the capitulation and collapse of Cuba could really be. We're on the precipice of that happening right now.

[Buck Sexton]

There will be something really full circle about that moment when the incredible gleaming tower of Trump International Caracas goes up and Trump International Havana goes up, you know. Yeah, it not, not impossible. I would even say, I give it 50, 50 that at some point it happens in both those places.

[Clay Travis]

I don't think it's crazy at all. Let me ask you this, because I know Venezuelans are already having these conversations. How many people go back, America's an awesome place. Right. The idea has been, you know, the Cubans toast and they say next year in Havana, all these things. How many people. I know there'd be a lot of cross.

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah, very few people don't like to necessarily admit that until they have to make that decision. But America's America pretty awesome here, you know. Yeah, South Florida's really nice. Like, you know, it's, yeah, Venezuela could get better, but Caracas is a long way from being south beach, my friends. And that's not going to change anytime soon.

[Clay Travis]

Havana, I mean, they basically can't keep the power on in Havana right now at all.

[Buck Sexton]

If you're an illegal and you're here, guess what? Be a good time to go back.

[Clay Travis]

I will say this. I'd like to invest. I, I'd, I, I'd like to put a lot. If we could turn Cuba into an actual capitalistic country, the amount of beautiful countryside, beaches, it's one of the most beautiful countries, I think, in the world. I mean, Cuba would be if you really kind of put resources behind it. There's a lot of Cuban money. I'm curious how much of that money would eventually go back. You know, the remittances is basically the only reason Cuba has an economy at all right now is people giving money back to their family members who still live in Cuba. So anyway, I just want you to put a pin in that story. I know some of you who are Cuban, South Floridians are paying more attention to it. The biggest impact of what we did to Maduro in Venezuela may actually be occurring in Cuba in the short terms and we'll continue to talk about that. I know we have a huge listenership in South Florida. Buck and I like to have fun with. 80s and 90s throwback, lots of memories. Guess what? Recorded back in the day on old school camcorders and lots of us from that generation. VHS tapes, old photo albums, priceless memories. Heck, just about. How about you thought how cool it would be to share some of your old high school photos with some of your friends from high school. These were pre digital photos that are out there floating around. They aren't easy to be distributed. That's what Legacy Box can do. They can take your old 8 millimeters. They can take your old family photos that have been hanging on the walls that maybe were in the attic, that were in the garage and they do a tremendous job. Over 200 technicians. Their job is to bring your memories into the 21st century. Legacy box simple and safe solution for digitizing old media. You order one of their specialty made shipping boxes, send off the tapes film photos to Legacy Box and their team will digitize everything by hand to ensure your memories are safely handled. You get your original media back and man it's like opening a time machine time capsule. It's awesome. We've relied on Legacy Box with great results. Memories matter. Your family will love reliving all those great moments. Go to legacybox.com clay for 50% off today. They do a great job down in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I've toured their facility. They go to legacybox.com clay.

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[Clay Travis]

We'll continue to update this story even though we don't really know much of what frankly has happened and what's going on. But President Trump on His way to the helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House was asked, do you think the cartels might be at all involved in the Nancy Guthrie state case? Here is his answer. Cut 27.

[Buck Sexton]

In Nancy Guthrie's case or another nation.

[Caller or Guest (possibly Darren)]

State, potentially, you can't say that yet. A little bit early, but it's. Somebody either knew what they were doing very well or they were rank amateurs. Either way, it's not a good situation.

[Clay Travis]

I think Trump is actually right there and the problem is that he's talking about the. Illustrating we really have no idea either. This is what we said, Buck, either this was a clear, calculated attempt to kidnap someone with a goal of getting back millions in dollars in ransom, which is one pathway, or this could be just a totally psychotic person who convinced themselves that this was necessary to be done. And it's hard to even logically trace any of their decision making. Regardless, we're coming up on two weeks now of this story dominating the news cycle. And really we still have virtually no actual information out there about it. I mean, we've talked about it as we've tried to on the show, as some of the reports have come out, but here we sit, what, 12 days after her kidnapping and there's still not very much knowledgeable information that is actionable in any way out there.

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah, I mean, you have the President saying really it could be anything at this point. And I think he's pretty up to speed on what's going on here. So I, I still am of the mindset that it's a very hard thing to do. He was asked whether it was a cartel connection. Very hard to pull off this kind of a crime and stay in the US and release the person. I think it'd be very, very challenging to do that. So I'm not sure where that leads us. But that's just my first sense on this. There's been a play. People are deeply fascinated by this. There's a lot of coverage of it going on everywhere. What's kind of remarkable is how little new information there is given the amount of coverage there is. So we continue to watch this, but we really, there's that the photos are out. That's where we are really. Not much beyond that. All right, look, power outages happen, particularly when there's severe weather. Suddenly you're cut off from the people you care about most unless you have a set of rapid radios at the ready. These are rugged long range emergency radios built for, for blackouts, natural disasters, and every unpredictable moment in between. Rapid radios work clear communication long battery life and durability that stands up to real world emergencies. Staying connected shouldn't depend on luck. It should depend on the tools you trust if you want to protect your family during the next blackout. If you want peace of mind when the weather turns dangerous, go to rapidradios.com right now. Check out the new Rad1, see the full emergency features and grab the launch offer while it's still live. When the world goes quiet, make sure you don't rapidradios.com Again, that's rapid radios.com. It is Friday the 13th. Do not walk under any ladders. Make sure you dodge any black cats in your path. Do not say candyman and then repeat that same thing several times into a mirror in the dark. What else am I missing, Clay? What are the other rules for superstition, the occult, and Friday the 13th for.

[Clay Travis]

Those of us who grew up in a certain region? I don't think it was well known. We were told don't screw around with the Bell witch. Have you ever heard of the Bell witch legend? B E L L they kind of based. You remember the movie, the handheld movie back in the day.

[Buck Sexton]

I mean, Blair. Real talk here for a second. Real talk here, Clay.

[Clay Travis]

We're friends.

[Buck Sexton]

Did you have a banjo growing up? Like, I feel like.

[Clay Travis]

They made the. They based the Blair Witch Project to a certain extent on some of the legacy of the Bell Witch. But back in the day when the Bell witch was the one that we focused on the most and actually the Bell.

[Buck Sexton]

What's the story of the Bell Witch?

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[Buck Sexton]

Anything to tell me?

[Clay Travis]

Bell witch is very famous. In fact, Andrew Jackson back in the day went to the home where the Bell witch was supposedly haunting. And there's a Bell witch cave which you can still tour. I think it's kind of had a new life on YouTube because there's a lot of these kids, you know, this, that go to the most haunted places and just take their own personal YouTube paraphernalia, film it. It's super popular. You know, I know they've done television shows about this, but it's, there's a certain genre of it on YouTube that my teenage boys have ended up following that has gotten a lot of attention. And so there's been, pardon the term, a resurrection of some of these old, you know, sort of ghost stories back in the day that have found a new life on, on social media, the Internet.

[Buck Sexton]

I, I think well written. So I'm not a horror genre guy in general, but I, and I, a lot of it Too. First of all, the older I get, actually, the less I'm okay with, like, really extreme violence in movies and things. I just. I don't want that negativity, like, entering my consciousness in my sphere. So I. Anything that I don't like the slasher genre is what I'm saying. The more occult, it's eerie. The writing that stuff I think can be. Can be very well done, and I think is far more effective as actual horror than the, like, you know, guy with, like, the Friday. The classic. They don't really make those movies anymore.

[Clay Travis]

But the Slasher 13 back in the.

[Buck Sexton]

Day, slasher films, Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Michael Myers, all that, that was a huge genre for a while, because dollars in, dollars out, it may still be the case. I know it was the case that horror movies were the most profitable genre of film to be involved in. You think about it. What are your costs? Like fake blood, you know, a hockey mask, people.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah, the. The bloom. I think it's. Jason Blumhouse has made a. It might be Blumhouse. I've read all about it. You're still right. The. The horror universe is the most profitable. Let me give you a couple of things here. The Conjuring movies are incredible. Have you watched the Conjuring movies?

[Buck Sexton]

I've not seen those. Have not seen those.

[Clay Travis]

I think you would like them because they're basically. It's about a husband and a wife. They are so well done. And it's really about their marriage as much, but they are. They're basically exorcists. They're investigating on behalf of religion, the idea of evil in the world. And I'm sure they're Hollywooded up, but they're based in reality on this husband and wife couple that. This is what they did. They went and they investigated evil of a. Of a vile nature from a religious perspective. And the movies are supremely pop.

[Buck Sexton]

That actually sounds like it's pretty good. Like it sounds like they are.

[Clay Travis]

They are really. They are really well done. I don't know what percentage of this audience would have watched them. They're scary.

[Buck Sexton]

Was there ever a movie that you watched when you were younger, as a kid that was so scary that you had to turn it off? Or like, you're like, I can't. I can't sit. I can't do this.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, It's Friday the 13th. I mean, sorry, the. No, sorry. Nightmare on Elm street when I was a little kid. Because Freddy came to you while you were sleeping. So if you were a kid and you got in bed and you had a wild imagination like I did. And you would be trying to go to sleep and you would think, I mean, that was what made, I think the Nightmare on Elm street movie so particularly well done was they were going to get you when you went to sleep so that you weren't even safe once you fell asleep. It was, that was the danger. Let me give you the conjuring are really good. Since It's Friday the 13th. Scream movies. I, I still really like the Scream movies.

[Buck Sexton]

I think those are more crime thriller than they are horror. There's nothing super nat. It's really just a serial killer.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah. I mean there's, it's typically stabbing, so I mean it's kind of nasty in the sense that you're getting stabbed with a knife.

[Buck Sexton]

Yes. Stabbing is now, I'm just saying as.

[Clay Travis]

A genre, they're not supremely gory to your point. So they're, they're coming out with a new Scream, Scream 7. This is the seventh version of it. So I would say to a large extent, you're right. Like the nine.

[Buck Sexton]

Would you make a cameo? Mr. Thespian in Scream 7 is if asked.

[Clay Travis]

People are coming after me for. People think that acting is awesome. That's what I thought. I was like, man, there's nothing cooler than being in a movie. It's really boring. You sit in a, you sit in like your little, you know, on set, you go out, you do the same thing 40 different times from 80 different angles. It's. And I was like, this is not, it's not as fast paced as I thought it.

[Buck Sexton]

My mom is going to, is going to chuckle right now. But before she had to just do the mom thing full time. When she was early on married to my dad, she, she was on a soap opera, Doctors, which I told you about. For a season she was a, she was a cast regular for a season. She was the starring role in a Hallmark movie, Summer of My German Soldier. She was in an. I mean these were real, like pro, you know, kind of.

[Clay Travis]

So was she the one who dated the German Soldier?

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah, yeah. She was the love interest for the German Soldier.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah.

[Buck Sexton]

And, and so she was in a number of these things. So she did, she was a working actress, like a person that was making a living acting.

[Clay Travis]

And she says his work, this is brutal.

[Buck Sexton]

It's a brutal profession because it's so fickle. And it was work. It's not all this stuff that people think about the like red carpet and everything else. That's the very end process.

[Clay Travis]

That's.

[Buck Sexton]

That's signing the books at Barnes and Noble.

[Clay Travis]

My very limited. Yeah, that's. Yeah. My very limited time as involved in doing acting. And again, I've only done it in the context of being an adult.

[Buck Sexton]

I love what you're even talking about you doing acting. You played yourself.

[Clay Travis]

Come on. I played myself, but I. I have to say, I did an incredible job playing the role of Clay Travis.

[Buck Sexton]

Playing Clay Travis.

[Clay Travis]

That's really very funny. I had never thought that I've only played myself in. In film and movie. I don't think I've ever played anybody else but this mustache. There's no telling who I could play. But my point on it is having done a limited amount of it, the idea that we give credence to actors. I spent one day in a trailer. You know, like, everybody goes and sits in their trailers or whatever. The first time I ever did it, and I was like, why have I ever cared what anybody who did this for their. For a living? I'm not saying, look, there's great, you know, art that can be produced, all those things, but the idea that I would desperately care what somebody who sits around in a trailer and says the Same line from 40 different angles thinks about politics. I remember having that revelation where I thought it was way more challenging and impressive of a thing to do until I did it.

[Buck Sexton]

Clay. Clay. This is where I get to remind everybody. This is where the history nerd comes out. Actors throughout history were like a step above clowns and prostitutes.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah.

[Buck Sexton]

And I'm not even sure a step above the clowns. Like, actors for thousands of years, going back to ancient Greece were kind of a disreputable bunch. And it was really only with the rise of cinema in the 20th century. And then I would say in our. I think actors and music acts in our lifetime were elevated to their absolute pinnacle of prestige and power. And I think in the last decade, we have seen a dramatic decline because there's also so many other ways and so many other people who get famous now because of the online world we live in. So it has dispersed a lot. But I wanted to go back to horror for a second. So you said Friday 13th movies were scary.

[Clay Travis]

What is Nightmare on Elm street scary? That was the one that I couldn't sleep after watching. Friday 13th was fine, but I'm. Freddy Krueger was the one that I was like, I'm terrified of.

[Buck Sexton]

I used whenever one of these movies would come on, even if it's flashed on for a second, if I was. My. My dad was around. He's Always like, I would just take my double out buck and I'd finish this guy. He was always like. He was always like, jason's not that scary. I take my 45, a guy would be toast. I'm like, yeah, but that's like, not really the point. But anyway, tell me the scary for you. The scariest movie that you have ever seen is that really hits the peak of the sort of fear center in your brain when you're watching that movie. For me, there is one.

[Clay Travis]

What is your mom.

[Buck Sexton]

What is your mom read to be in the movie as the starring role, by the way.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, wow. And I. Yeah, what was the movie for you?

[Buck Sexton]

The Exorcist. No question. Number one. Still by far, the Exorcist.

[Clay Travis]

So I watched Paranormal Activity and I was afraid to go to sleep after watching it. This has probably been like 15 years ago. I was a grown up. I mean, back in the day when I was a kid, it was Freddy Krueger, but I watched. I think it was Paranormal Activity and my wife and kids. And again, this was like 15 years ago, were out of the house and I was sleeping in the house by myself. So I went to go watch the movie by myself. My kids were out of town, my wife was out of town. And then I came back home and I turned on every light in the house and I barricaded the bedroom door before I went to sleep that night. Oh, yeah, I was probably.

[Buck Sexton]

Oh, yeah, dude.

[Clay Travis]

I was probably. Seriously, I was probably. Probably 30. Probably. It was about 15 years ago.

[Buck Sexton]

Now I know why Larry's the one doing all the firearms.

[Clay Travis]

Laura is on the ball with the firearms training. I turned on every light in the house and. And I put something in front of the bedroom door that. That was 30. I watched the Paranormal Activity movie. It was really, really scary.

[Buck Sexton]

Wasn't that the most successful financial. Again, not most. There's not the most money that's like Avatar in these big movies, but dollars in, dollars out as a percentage of profits.

[Clay Travis]

Nothing to make. And it was insanely profitable as a hit.

[Buck Sexton]

I always. My story about the Blair Witch Project is I was a junior counselor, so I think I was like 16 at a. a camp in Vermont. And when it would rain, it was all outdoor stuff. We had these little. When it would rain, what do we do? We go into Burlington, we go into town and we'd go to a movie. And the older counselor, who was like 19 or 20, who was like the main counselor, he was a crazy guy from New Zealand who was definitely like a little nuts and he was like, oi, this goes. Let's go take the kids to Blair Witch Project. And I was like, they're like 14, dude. Like, you really were gonna take all these 18 year old kids. The player who were the adult in a camp and he almost, I will tell you, he almost got fired and like sent home over it because I actually, I was not just saying it's now. I was like, I think, I'm not gonna say his name was like. I was like, I think dude, this is not a good idea. And he's like, oh. He basically pulled rank on me. He's like, that's fine. These kids. He bows will be good. Let's go. And I was like, I don't know, Clay. We had to go back to a dark, rainy campsite that night and the kids, the 13 and 14 year old kids were shaking like leaves after watching.

[Clay Travis]

I don't doubt that at all. That seems like. By the way, Brian in Florida is with us. He's a former actor. I mean, if, let me put it this way, if you're a professional baseball player or a basketball player, football player, it's awesome, right? A professor, that, that job is really cool. You get to play games, golfer, whatever. It is, like, I can see why people would aspire to it. I've gotten to cover it. I've thought to myself, this would be something really fun to do. I'm not kidding. Acting, I don't think would be a very funny, a very fun job. Brian.

[Buck Sexton]

Most actors are weirdos, but. Brian, go ahead. Yes.

[Caller or Guest (possibly Darren)]

First of all, you guys got me cracking up. Darren, so you brought up Jason Blum. I actually did productions with Jason Blum. But Clay, I will say, chased both of those dreams. I was a college athlete. I did try to pursue playing major league baseball. I fell short. I was a little older. I came out of high school to the military, but I was doing like modeling down in Miami, where Buck is, as a teenager. Then got into business. And then when I came home from the military, I was like, oh, let me go. I, you know, went to junior college in lacc, started playing ball. And then I was doing my Hollywood stuff and, and you're so right. Like I, I was just caught up in it, trying to chase the dream really for my family. And then you learn like, these people are a bunch of communist idiots and demonic and, and like it was just. Yeah, it's not fun. It's not the, like how they put on that perspective of, oh, it's such a, it's, it's highly lit no, it's. Man, it's brutal. It's. Everything you guys were saying was wanted on the money and. And low key when I, you know. Well, let me tell you, I played on a baseball league with James Vanderbeek. He was very kind, humble, man. He actually never acted like he was better than anybody. He was a shortstop on our team. I was first base, but. And so a lot like, you kind of talk to these guys a little and you. Like me, I was kind of open about being a conservative. I didn't care. Like, my career ended pretty quick once President Trump was coming down the escalators. I was avid voice, and Hollywood's like, well, we can't have this crazy MAGA guy in here. And then I ran when I found out, really, the undercover is when I ran for United States Congress during the China virus in 2020, and I was never wearing a mask. And in California, I would have a lot of these actors, like, send me a message, bro. Like, that's awesome, man. Like, I can't really come out publicly and support you because my career would be over. But, like, go for it. But you guys are so right. You guys are cracking me up because it is, like, who I wanted to be. A baseball player. That was my, like. Like you said, Clay, you're. You're out there playing ball. You're playing a game, doing something you love to do. Acting. Yeah, it's fun being different characters and different things like that. But you, like you said, you're sitting sometimes on the set for hours, bro. Like, yeah, you're seeing. You're seeing, like, oh, let's cut. And then we got to do it again. And then you didn't even get to get. Really get in there. And then you got to wait again for scene. And sometimes the actor could not even say this stupid line or two, right? Then they got to cut that, and then you're waiting for them to redo the lighting, or even if you're outside, then you got to wait for the lighting even outside to get. I'm like, oh, my gosh.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for the call. Look, if you could do a scene one time and be done with it, I would say, okay, this is better. I can understand why doing a, like, Broadway play would be pure because you do it for two hours. That's it. You're gone.

[Buck Sexton]

And.

[Clay Travis]

But the actual production of movies for people who dream of being an actor in Hollywood and stuff like that, the actual mechanics of it, in my limited experience, is awful. Look how many throw blankets are too many in winter. I'm down here in Florida right now and guess what? We have a bunch of Cozy Earth Cuddle Blankets North Florida. It's not as warm as where Buck is down in South Florida. And this is one of the softest, most luxurious items Cozy Earth makes. Over Thanksgiving my sister came in, we had one on the couch. She put it on like covered herself with it and said oh my God this is unbelievable. She went online and bought it right then and there. She had no idea that we did ads for them because Cuddle Blankets are just that awesome. And by the way, how incredible is the name Cuddle Blankets Valentine's Day coming up. We can have some fun with that. Cozyearth.com plentiful qualities, variety of colors, totally risk free 100 day money back guarantee, 10 year warranty. Go online to cozyearth.com use my name Clay to get up to a 20% discount on their Cuddle Blanket. And if you get a post purchase survey be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here one more time. Cozyearth.com promo code clay to get the discount on the purchase. That's cozyeart.com promo code clay.

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Cindy Crawford and I'm the founder of Meaningful Beauty. Well I don't know about you but like I never liked being told oh wow you look so good for your age. Like why even Bother saying that. Why don't you just say you look great at any age? Every age. That's what Meaningful Beauty is all about. We create products that make you feel confident in your skin at the age you are now. Meaningful Beauty. Beautiful skin at every age. Learn more@meaningful beauty.com.

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[Buck Sexton]

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[Clay Travis]

When we come back, we got all fired up there. We'll have Senator Ron Johnson on with us to talk about the budget, sanctuary cities and his big battle yesterday in Senate committee hearings. All that and more, final hour of the week coming up next on Clay and Buck.

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