Hour 2 - Yes, Reverse Racism Exists

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show Episode: Hour 2 - Yes, Reverse Racism Exists
Release Date: May 23, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction

In the second hour of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," titled "Yes, Reverse Racism Exists," Clay Travis delves into the complex and often contentious topic of reverse racism within the realm of sports, particularly focusing on the WNBA and the reception of white athletes like Caitlin Clark. Joined by guest Carol Markowitz from the New York Post, the discussion navigates through themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), race relations, and the broader societal implications of these issues.

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Reverse Racism and Caitlin Clark in the WNBA

Clay Travis opens the discussion by addressing the backlash faced by Caitlin Clark, a dominant white and straight athlete in the WNBA. He highlights the unique resentment directed towards her, contrasting it with the warm receptions historically granted to black athletes like Tiger Woods and Serena Williams.

Clay Travis [17:30]: "I think it's because racism in this country has convinced black women that they can't be racist. [...] Black basketball players have decided that they hate Caitlin Clark."

Clay argues that Clark's presence should be beneficial to the WNBA, drawing parallels to how Tiger Woods elevated golf and how Venus and Serena Williams boosted tennis. However, unlike these athletes, Clark faces unwarranted animosity, which Travis attributes to underlying racial and possibly sexual biases within the league.

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Diversity of Thought vs. Diversity of Skin Color

Transitioning from the specific case of Caitlin Clark, Clay expands the conversation to the broader concept of diversity. He emphasizes the importance of diversity of thought over mere diversity of appearance, arguing that genuine inclusion involves a variety of perspectives that can drive innovation and success.

Clay Travis [20:00]: "Diversity actually of thought makes total sense. You are going to be successful more in life if you challenge your opinions than if you surround people who always say, oh, you're right."

To illustrate his point, Travis uses a provocative analogy related to strip clubs, suggesting that diversity in appearances draws a wider clientele, thereby benefiting the business as a whole. This analogy underscores his belief that diversity should enhance rather than hinder collective success.

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Listener Emails and Reactions

Throughout the episode, Clay references emails and calls from listeners that support his viewpoints. One notable email from a former Division I basketball player in Memphis praises Travis's stance, emphasizing that Clark's success has attracted new fans to the WNBA and brought diversity to the league.

Clay Travis [19:30]: "If you think about it, this is like your business suddenly getting a meteor streaking across the night sky. [...] The league should be losing its mind over how excited they are."

This listener feedback reinforces Travis's argument that Clark's dominance should be viewed as an asset rather than a point of contention.

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Conversation with Carol Markowitz: Anti-Semitism and Political Alignments

Guest Carol Markowitz brings depth to the conversation by discussing the rise in anti-Semitism, especially following the tragic events of October 7th. She elaborates on how these incidents have shifted perspectives within the Jewish community, highlighting a growing inclination towards gun ownership for self-defense.

Carol Markowitz [32:00]: "I've written about it before October 7th. [...] People are getting armed, they're getting trained, and it's really important to do that."

Markowitz also touches upon the political realignments among Jewish Americans, noting an increase in support for conservative candidates who advocate for strong Israel ties and protection against anti-Semitic threats.

Carol Markowitz [35:00]: "The Jewish vote for Donald Trump, for example, increased by a lot this last time. [...] Jews in America should wake up and notice."

This segment highlights the intersection of race, religion, and politics, illustrating how societal issues influence political affiliations and community behaviors.

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Impact of Racism on Athletic Opportunities and Compensation

Clay returns to the topic of race in sports by discussing the disparities in compensation between male and female athletes, particularly within the WNBA. He points out that the average rookie salary in the WNBA is $75,000—a figure comparable to professions like law—and contrasts this with the earnings of male athletes and tradesmen.

Clay Travis [25:45]: "The average player rookie contract in The WNBA is 75K. Now, I'm not trying to shoot down 75K. [...] Some people out there, they're sexist and they're like, well, it's just. That's how women are."

He criticizes the financial undervaluing of WNBA players, suggesting that broader acceptance and support could lead to increased salaries and better conditions for female athletes.

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Conclusion: Societal Reflections and Moving Forward

As the episode draws to a close, Clay synthesizes the discussions, reflecting on how issues of race and diversity within sports mirror larger societal dynamics. He underscores the importance of embracing diversity not just in appearance but in thought and experience to foster environments where all individuals can thrive.

Clay Travis [34:00]: "Are we starting to do the same in the 2020s because of racial politics? I think the answer is yes. [...] History rhymes. It doesn't repeat."

By drawing historical parallels and emphasizing the interconnectedness of various forms of discrimination, Travis advocates for a more inclusive and equitable approach both within sports and society at large.

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Notable Quotes

• Clay Travis [20:00]: "Diversity actually of thought makes total sense. You are going to be successful more in life if you challenge your opinions than if you surround people who always say, oh, you're right."

• Carol Markowitz [32:00]: "People are getting armed, they're getting trained, and it's really important to do that."

• Clay Travis [25:45]: "Some people out there, they're sexist and they're like, well, it's just. That's how women are."

• Carol Markowitz [35:00]: "Jews in America should wake up and notice."

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Final Thoughts

This episode of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" offers a thought-provoking examination of reverse racism, diversity, and their implications within professional sports and broader society. Through incisive analysis and candid conversations, Clay Travis and Carol Markowitz challenge listeners to reconsider preconceived notions and advocate for genuine inclusivity and equity.

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For those interested in exploring these topics further, consider tuning into future episodes where Clay and Buck continue to tackle pressing issues with intelligence and humor.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

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[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on Demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing and makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong.

[Clay Travis]

He's Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out this crazy modern world.

[Clay Travis]

How about something about a comedic tone?

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner. Yes. Listen to Armstrong and Yeti on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Leon Neyfakh]

In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. It became known as the Iran Contra Affair.

[Jack Armstrong]

The things that happened were so bizarre and insane I can't begin to tell you.

[Leon Neyfakh]

Please do to hear the whole story. Listen to Fiasco Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Clay Travis]

Welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton show. Buck is out will be back with me on Tuesday. He's starting his Memorial Day holiday weekend a little bit early, as I'm sure many of you are as well. We got a bunch of guests coming up on the back half of the program. Carol Markowitz, Frank Siller, and West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrissey. All still to come, lots of reaction rolling in. And you guys have been really great at this. But I, I, I, A lot of you are reacting to the Caitlin Clark analogy because I think it has struck you, and I don't know that anybody else, frankly, would make the analogy, because even if you thought of it in sports, so many people are terrified of saying anything that could be considered controversial in the realm of race. And to say, hey, a white girl's being treated differently because she's a white girl, it's like, oh, my, oh, my goodness. How dare you? And this email is actually great. And again, I just want you to think about it in the context of the culture and the idea of, again, a rising tide lifted all boats. Last hour, I said, look, I wish there was. It's, you know, NFL quarterbacks. Everybody's contract comes up and they make more money. I'm always of the opinion, I want everybody to make as much money as possible. I want everybody that does what I do to make as much money as possible. Charlemagne, the God, I want you swimming in a, in a Scrooge McDuck vault full of cash. Bobby Bones, I want you buying your own plane. Sean Hannity, you already got your own plane, but more power to you. By the way, not a small plane either. Like a really awesome, badass plane. Good for Sean Hannity. Rush, we've been here four years. Rush is the most successful person in the history of radio. Howard Stern, back before he lost his mind. I want all those people to make as much money as possible. I want them to be as successful as possible because a rising tide lifts all boats. I made this argument a while back. You guys remember when Tony Romo, out of Nowhere, suddenly made $17 million to call NFL games out of nowhere, Tony Romo. CBS had to pay him $17 million a year to call games. You know what ended up happening? Everybody else got nearly $17 million to call games. You shouldn't, in my opinion, if you are a capitalist, be angry when someone else in your realm of life makes good money. You should be looking at them, give them the thumbs up and figure out how to do it yourself and hopefully exceed what they do. That's how the golfers responded to Tiger Woods. The Tiger Tide lifted all boats. That's how the tennis players responded to Venus and Serena Williams. The Venus and Serena Williams tide lifted all boats. All tennis players made way more money. All golfers made way more money. People who didn't look like most of the golfers and most of the tennis players came in and made everybody more Money. Why isn't the same happening in the wnba? I think it's because racism in this country has convinced black women that they can't be racist. And so, unlike white golfers and unlike white tennis players who were like, man, I'm not going to do anything racist. I'm going to make sure that I welcome these people who look differently than me, and everybody ends up benefiting as a result. A lot of these black basketball players have decided that they hate Caitlin Clark. And a lot of you are reacting. I wanted to read this email if I can find it. This is from one of our VIPs. She's in Memphis, says, Hey, I played D1 basketball. And she writes as follows. You're so correct on this issue. I play D1 women's college basketball. I live in Memphis, a city I love, but can be super racially hypersensitive. Uh, my husband is a public school administrator. We see it and live it within the circles we live in. We're white. For Caitlin Clark, it's not only because she's white, but also because she's straight. There are a ton of lesbians as well. No shock to a lot of you, I would imagine, but in the wnba. So Caitlin Clark has two differences compared to the group that she is entering. She's white and straight in a league that has a lot of black lesbians. If she weren't so dominant, it wouldn't be an issue. Again, this is according to One of our VIPs, former D1 basketball player. Other players are jealous of her. She said, I never cared. This is our VIP emailer about paying attention to the wnba. Prior to her arrival, I took my daughter to her first game last year. We drove to Indianapolis. Two rows below us was a father and an adult daughter from my hometown in Alabama. It was their first game. Also, she has brought in many people that did not support the league previously. And she says, and we're a big sports family, and it's not. And by the way, I appreciate the email. She said, thanks for all you do. We appreciate you listening, but this is what you want, right? Think about it. If you're a business and your business has been, let's be honest, the WNBA business, awful. And suddenly you get this meteor streaking across the night sky. You get your Tiger, you get your Venus or your Serena. The league should be losing its mind over how excited they are. Every player. You know what? The average player rookie contract in The WNBA is 75K. Now, I'm not trying to shoot down 75K. My starting salary as a lawyer. After I spent a 3 years, I made less than 75k. For much of my life, I made less than 75k. I'm not trying to denigrate it, but there are dudes coming to work as plumbers now making more money in their 20s than WNBA athletes. So, like, if the WNBA ladies, the girls, they were just like, oh, we don't want. We're doing great without her. I'd be like, okay, well, I don't really get it, but the jealousy would make sense. You're all gonna make more money. You might make six figures. I saw the other day a girl got fined in the WNBA. They kept a paycheck. It was $48. All right, I'm just saying. I did radio for $50 a show, so I know what it's like to not make much money. But when you get fined and you're fined for what you did is less than a parking ticket, you're probably not making a ton of money. It is so moronic. How does it happen now? Some people out there, they're sexist and they're like, well, it's just. That's how women are. Women are super jealous. But it didn't apply in tennis. I don't think it's gender based. I think it's race based and maybe, as the emailer said, sexuality based too. But it's also so counterproductive. And I worry that it is, unfortunately a metaphor for what is going on in the country as a whole. This one's going to get me in trouble. Turn down the radio if you got young kids in the car. I was saying, major issue is dei. It's not so much the D or the I, it's the E. Right? It's equity instead of equality. Because most of you out there, well, look, diversity, the diversity that matters is diversity of thought, not diversity of skin color. But I do think diversity of thought matters. If I run a company and I got eight people sitting around on my board and they all look different, but give me the exact same advice, is that really helping me as a CEO? Larry David made fun of this. The idea of cosmetic diversity. There's a great scene in Curb youb Enthusiasm, A great season in Curb youb Enthusiasm, where a white guy is in charge of making all the creative decisions, but he has, like, a woman in a wheelchair and, like, a gay trans person, like, sitting on the couch in his room, and all they do is nod. That is the diversity. But he's still the dude making the decision. If I'm Asking people for advice. I want a variety of opinions. My wife used to get mad at me because I would ask her for an opinion or advice and then I wouldn't do what she said. I didn't. Not a smart guy. I didn't realize that she was like, like, I've given you 32 straight advice points and you haven't done any of them or what? But I. She's super smart. She went to Vanderbilt Law School. I want somebody super smart telling me what they think to make sure that I'm not missing something. Doesn't mean that I'm going to make the choice that you suggest or follow your guidance completely. I just want to make sure that I'm considering the entirety of opinions. So diversity actually of thought makes total sense. You are going to be successful more in life if you challenge your opinions than if you surround people who always say, oh, you're right. So diversity of thought matters. Inclusion matters. You want to include as many different opinions as possible because I have the idea that this is how you end up in a better place. The reason why I think we're going to be more successful than China in the long run is because China artificially circumscribes what its people can be exposed to. And if you can't see everything and consider everything, particularly in a modern AI era, how do you come up with something new? Newness is, generally speaking, a conflict between two divergent perspectives. Boom. It creates something new. All right, this keep. Now I told you to turn down the radio too quick. You know the analogy that actually should get used that nobody talks about. Strip clubs make way more money if the girls look different. I'm just telling you, if you only have a strip club and every girl is a blonde, maybe that exists in Sweden. I don't know. It doesn't do as well as a Vegas style strip club where every girl looks different. I'm just telling you, strip club is probably the greatest example of diversity working. Because if every girl looks the same, they're all competing for the same dude. And a dude who might be interested in something else, he comes in, he doesn't spend his money. I don't know if we have any strip club operators listening right now, but I guarantee the guy who gal who runs a strip club is like clapping their hands together. It's like you're the first person to ever make this analogy to millions of people on a radio show ever. Probably for a reason. But it's true. The WNBA has an opportunity with a unique talent the likes of which has never existed in the history of the league to actually make people care about their product. And they hate her because she's straight, and they hate her because she's white. And what does the WNBA's response to Caitlin Clark in a larger context tell us about not allowing the rising tide to lift all boats? That certainly was the case in the 1950s, because if you were black in America, you had a lot less opportunities than a white kid did. And that's offensive to me because it means we didn't get the best maximal talent from everybody who was a United States citizen. Are we starting to do the same in the 2020s because of racial politics? I think the answer is yes. And I think, unfortunately, it's not the exact same story. But history rhymes. It doesn't repeat. And the rhyme is Caitlin Clark isn't getting treated like Tiger woods or Serena Williams or Venus Williams. Why? I think because black women in the WNBA are convinced they can't be racist and they're not concerned at all about welcoming Caitlin into their sorority, into their business, even though the Caitlin Clark tied would make them all richer, and maybe you'd make more than $75,000 a year because of all the new fans coming in. I think this is such a huge, evocative moment, and I think it connects with so much of what we're seeing in far more significant and serious arenas. I'm going to ask Carol Markowitz about this here in a minute, see if she thinks I'm a moron. You may think I'm a moron, and certainly you're welcome to call and tell me to a 800-282-2882. Is the phone number 800-282-2882? Kate writes in. You made so much sense. I've been trying to figure all this out myself. Awesome job, Clay. Happy Memorial Weekend. Well, Kate, I love you. Thank you for having such great taste in how you're deciding to spend the Friday before your Memorial Day weekend. What do I need to talk about right now? I need to talk about trusts and wills. Look, here's the reality. Kind of a bummer, but we're all gonna die. Yeah. So far, death is undefeated is the. It is the one thing that we all share, no matter what. Are you prepared for when that day arises? Are you prepared, most significantly, for limiting how much grief and stress your family feels when you pass? You can take care of a lot of that by just putting your life in order before you go. And. And that's what trustandwill.com is designed to do. They make it simple, affordable, give you peace of mind. Your surviving family doesn't have to worry about anything. Don't put it off. I know it's not fun to think about, but it is important. You spend I spend. All of us spend a great deal of time thinking about taking care of our families. This is one of the most important things you can do to take care of your family. Trustandwill.com has made it easy to accomplish without having to hire a lawyer or a law firm to you take great pride in making your family's life better than it otherwise would be without you being involved. Have you taken the step of going to trustandwill.com today? Experts in creating personalized trust and wills that will protect your legacy and make your family's grief far more easy to deal with because there won't be all the complexities out there otherwise. Trust in will. Com. That is trustinwill.com start today stories of freedom. Stories of America. Inspirational stories that unite us all. Each day. Spend time with Clay and Buck. Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Buck Sexton]

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[Leon Neyfakh]

In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency.

[Jack Armstrong]

Did you make a mistake in sending arms to Tehran, sir?

[Clay Travis]

No.

[Leon Neyfakh]

It became known as the Iran Contra.

[Jack Armstrong]

Affair, and I'm not taking any more questions.

[Clay Travis]

In just a second, I'm going to.

[Leon Neyfakh]

Ask I'm Leon Nayfak, co creator of Slow Burn. In my podcast, Fiasco Iran Contra, you'll hear all the unbelievable details of a scandal that captivated the nation nearly 40 years ago, but which few of us still remember today.

[Jack Armstrong]

The things that happened were so bizarre and insane I can't begin to tell you.

[Carol Markowitz]

Please do.

[Leon Neyfakh]

To hear the whole story. Listen to Fiasco Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing. It makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong.

[Clay Travis]

He's Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the trut and help you figure out this crazy.

[Clay Travis]

Modern world about something about a comedic tone.

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner. Yes. Listen to Armstrong. You get it on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Clay Travis]

Welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton show. Appreciate all of you hanging out with us and there are a lot of you who want to weigh in. Let me pull up and see who we want to go to first. Matt in Maryland. What you got? Hello? I don't know if. Matt. Yeah, we're here. You called us.

[Unknown Caller]

Hey. Hey, guys. Oh, Clay, real quick. About two weeks ago today, I was at brewers beach, so I got to see your, your schools area. It was pretty cool.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, awesome.

[Unknown Caller]

Just, just wanted to say the, the CEO, the Luigi Mangioni thing, if you think about how the races were, if, if the shooter was black, this would be ignored. If the CEO was black, this would be about racism. There'd be no fan fan girling over this guy. If either of these people were black, there'd be no fan girling. There'd be no, you know, the idiot saying, well, he's righteous in what he's doing. You wouldn't have any of that.

[Clay Travis]

Thank you for the call because we got it. Coming up on a break. Let me give you a perfect example of what you're arguing. Do you remember the Nashville trans shooter? She went and shot white kids because she was concerned she would be seen as racist if she shot black kids. The trans shooter who was gonna kill and did kill a bunch of elementary school kids was concerned that people might consider her racist if she killed black kids. So she went and killed white kids instead. I mean, she's evil, but yet she was still, still willing to follow prevailing left wing orthodoxy and be concerned about what people thought about her, whether she was racist or not. Look, you can save a bundle right now with Pure Talk Memorial Day, great tribute to a thousand different military veterans. Every member of Pure Talk believes every service member faithfully served this country deserves to proudly fly an American flag made in America. That's why PureTalk's on a mission to give an allegiance flag to 1,000 US veterans in time for Memorial Day. You can help make this happen and cut your cell phone bill in half in the process saving over $1000 a year by dialing pound250 saying Clay and Buck Pure talks US based customer service team will take care of you. That's £250. Say clay and Buck. Welcome back in Clay Travis, Buck Sexton show. By the way, I want to get Carol's take on this. I have challenged Angel Reese, who hates Caitlin Clark to a basketball game to 15 after I watched Angel Reese miss like nine consecutive layups in a basketball game last night. Ones and twos. I'm 46, 6 foot, 185. Angel Reese is 6 foot 3, 165. This would be interesting, but Carol, have you seen this yet? I'm texting it to you. So the Daily Wire wrote about this.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Clay Travis]

And they picked a photo of the wrong white guy. Like they have. They have misidentified. This is racism of the highest magnitude. They just think they could put a white guy in a ball cap with a beard and sunglasses. Do you see this? I don't even know who that is. Do you know who that is?

[Carol Markowitz]

I don't know. He looks like he just won maybe a golf something.

[Clay Travis]

So the headline is Clay Travis challenges W. One of my buddies just sent me this, like, who is the white guy? They use the wrong white guy picture for me. They got Angel Reese. Right. Good for them. Because if they got in the wrong black girl. Yeah, if they got in the wrong black girl photo, the company wouldn't exist anymore. But they got the wrong white guy photo. So first of all, I don't know how much time you spend in basketball analysis. How do you think I would do against Angel Reese one on one?

[Carol Markowitz]

See, this is how you try to make me care about women's basketball. Right?

[Clay Travis]

You would watch, would you watch? Yes, of course. Everybody would watch this.

[Carol Markowitz]

I like your quote. She plays basketball all the time. I occasionally play my 14 year old in our backyard.

[Clay Travis]

That's accurate. That's 100% accurate.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. I think you could take her. I think anybody who is that full of themselves is ripe for being beat.

[Clay Travis]

Well, then certainly that would be a real battle of egos between me and Angel. I am a little bit concerned about my tendons and my. And my ankles holding up. So I'd only be able to play one game, but I really think that I could beat her. She's. She's got me on a few inches, but. But I have her on, I think, shooting ability, which is an indictment of her often. She does play all the time. It's actually her job. Do you know that you may not know this. Do you know what the rookie salary is for WNBA players?

[Carol Markowitz]

I don't. Tell me what it is.

[Clay Travis]

$75,000 a year legitimately. You get drafted into the WNBA, they put it on television and then you get paid $75,000 a year.

[Jack Armstrong]

All right.

[Carol Markowitz]

Wow.

[Clay Travis]

We brought. We brought you on for a variety of serious things. You didn't know what you were walking into there.

[Carol Markowitz]

Before we get to serious though, I looked up that image that they had of you. It appears to be just a model for sunglasses.

[Clay Travis]

You like did. You can search images to see. So they just picked a random white guy who was modeling sunglasses?

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Clay Travis]

Again, I think the company would cease to exist if they had misidentified Angel Reese. But the fact that they have just picked a random white guy as opposed to actually using me is. Oh, some people are saying it looks like Chris Harrison from the Bachelor. Which is. Which is even funnier potentially. All right, so by the way, happy early Memorial Day. Are you and the kids doing anything, anything special this weekend?

[Carol Markowitz]

I'm at a history tournament, Clay. I'm at a history tournament with my middle son for four days, so. Oh, yeah, it's.

[Clay Travis]

So how does the history tournament work? Is it like Quiz Bowl?

[Carol Markowitz]

It is, it is. It's a bunch of nerdy kids all staying in one hotel and it's quite wonderful. Obviously I'm joking about it, but what.

[Clay Travis]

Percentage of the questions do you know the answer to?

[Carol Markowitz]

I know approximately. Like on his regional competitions. I would know about half at the nationals or international competitions that he does. I know like 10%.

[Clay Travis]

So is it world history? Like they can be asked anything under the sun?

[Carol Markowitz]

It could be anything. Yeah.

[Clay Travis]

Do they still have the bell, like.

[Carol Markowitz]

You have to hit later?

[Clay Travis]

I would like to see the list.

[Carol Markowitz]

You have to hit the buzzer. They're tough. They're tough questions.

[Clay Travis]

This is, by the way, I would. I would be super interested in this and. But four days, how many rounds? I mean, how. Like that's unbelievable.

[Carol Markowitz]

You know, it starts with two rounds and you have to advance and you know, so on.

[Clay Travis]

So where is the tournament? What part of the country?

[Carol Markowitz]

It's in Orlando.

[Clay Travis]

Okay. Well, I mean, there are worse places you could be. I'm going to be there next week to go to the new Universal Studios with my kids.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Clay Travis]

So. Well, that's a heck of a way to spend Memorial Day weekend. That is a very parent answer. I have a question for you. I know you're not a die hard sports person, but I know you will know in general, this idea, the Reason we were talking about the Caitlin Clark and the reason that picture is up is I was comparing it to Tiger woods comes into golf and everybody suddenly cares about golf. A lot of you out there listening to me right now watched a Masters tournament that you would have never watched if Tiger hadn't been involved. Then you have Venus and Serena Williams come into tennis and the number of people watching women's tennis, especially in the United States, skyrockets. And now you have Caitlin Clark and way more people are paying attention to women's basketball. Venus, Serena and Tiger were in general all welcomed with open arms by golf and tennis. My theory on why Caitlin Clark is being disrespected and actually not welcomed at all is because of racism and because a lot of the black women in the WNBA don't feel like there are any consequences for being racist. And I think it actually ties in with the larger culture, unfortunately, of what we've seen happen with Israel since October 7, where Jews are seen as white. And so people don't actually look at good or evil or even acknowledge their own behavior because they feel like that is the system under which they're viewing it. Do you see those as connected or am I crazy?

[Carol Markowitz]

Absolutely. No, I absolutely see that connection. And it's funny, you know, funny, not funny. But my 15 year old daughter and I have this running joke that Jews are whatever the worst thing is. So when it's white, then we're white. When it's not white, then we're not white. It's whatever the bad thing is. But yeah, absolutely, it's who you're allowed to hate, who it's okay to hate openly and to do bad things too openly. And it's. You're right in making that connection because I think that's where we are. Like some people, you're some racist, some religion they're allowed to just talk negatively about openly, you know, and obviously Christianity has the same issue, maybe on a less intense scale, but it's the same thing. Right? You can make fun of Christians all you want, try to make fun of some other religions and you're not going to be greeted with the same level of humor.

[Clay Travis]

So, no, I mean, it's a great example. I didn't think about the Christian angle, but certainly think about the Olympics. They made fun of the Last Supper in France, which is a Christian nation in a way. They never would have made fun of Islam, for instance. I mean, they would have. I mean, Charlie Hibdo, they all got killed for putting a poster, a picture up of Muhammad. But Mocking in sort of a disgusting fashion. The Last Supper is perfectly okay. That's. That's a good analogy, too. Let me ask you this.

[Carol Markowitz]

Absolutely.

[Clay Travis]

You after October 7th. Well, you talked about this. Buck and I did yesterday. Buck said, hey, I want to teach Carol how to use guns. You've got three young kids. And I think many Jewish people, in the wake of October 7, suddenly thought, even if they hadn't traditionally been people who own guns, hey, it's time to go get guns now. We have to be able to protect our family because the rising tide of anti Semitism is sweeping across the world. And that certainly is connected to the awful murder in Washington, D.C. we saw. Do you think that other Jews, based on your conversations, are making this same decision when it comes to weapons? And take us into conversations that you have had since the untimely and unfortunate and awful murder of these two young Jewish people in Washington, D.C. what have conversations sounded like in the Jewish community?

[Carol Markowitz]

Well, you're absolutely right. Well, first of all, I just want to clarify. The man in the couple was actually a Christian. He was a dedicated Christian. His mom was Christian. He had lived in Israel. He had served in the idf, but he was a Christian Israel. And that's sort of the thing here. It's that these monsters who want to harm Jews or harm people connected to Israel, they don't care if you're Jewish or not. They're going to hurt whoever's around. They're not making calculated decisions as to who to kill. They just sprayed bullets into people. Leaving an event. It could have been anybody. So this idea that, you know, you absolutely need to protect yourself. Jewish spaces have been amazing at it, terrifically amazing at it. Had this person tried to go into the event, they would have not succeeded, but he waited outside, which is really a dangerous place for anybody leaving an event like this. That's where the danger would come in, because he wouldn't be able to get through the security. Having said all that, I've absolutely seen such a shift in the Jewish community. I've written about it in a number of different ways. I wrote about it before October 7th. I wrote a column called the New Jew because I was at a Jewish comedy show in Miami, and it was a lot of different Jewish comics. And one of the Jewish comics started talking negatively about God and the crowd started booing her. And I had never seen anything like it. I was a fairly new Floridian. You know, I've only been there three years. The Jewish community had long been anti guns. And again, this is before October 7th. This is January 2023. So when the crowd started booing her, I was like, wow, something has really changed in the Jewish world. And I hear from Jews all the time, they're getting armed, they're getting trained, and it's really important to do that. You know, another thing I've written about in terms of guns is you don't, you know, people say, oh, I'm not a gun person when you say that. When you say I'm not a gun person, you're saying, a. I'm not a helping other people person. I want to be the kind of person that can step in and help. Therefore, I am a gun person.

[Clay Travis]

I think that is incredibly well said. And all over Israel, when I traveled in December, I saw moms carrying guns on their hips now in a way that they never would have before. October 7th. I like your. Your question of basically, like, who you are allowed to hate, because I do think it goes to the embodiment here of the Jewish faith. I mean, Jewish people look around and they say, we've been hated for thousands of years. The idea that we would suddenly be. And by the way, also have spoken up for so many other groups that we believe have been oppressed or treated unfairly. And then suddenly you look around and the people that you have been fighting for don't have your back at all. What has that realization been like?

[Carol Markowitz]

Well, it's interesting because I don't have that as much because I'm a conservative and I've been a lifelong conservative. You know, I can't. I was born in the Soviet Union. I came to America as a small child. You don't become a liberal after that. So I was a conservative my whole life. And my conservative world has been generally amazing. Amazing on protecting Jews in America, amazing on Israel in the conservative side has been just above and beyond. I mean, just, you know, yesterday, Buck Sexton, now your co host, posted some commentary about the shooting and just how, you know, America won't stand for it and how Jews deserve to feel safe here and that kind of thing. And I reposted it on my Instagram because I wanted my liberal Jewish friends to see it. And I posted, you know, if this isn't your friends today, you don't want them. And my friends have been unbelievable. You've been unbelievable. I just, I feel such a warm embrace from the conservative side. Having said all that, obviously there's been an uptick on the right of people kind of moving in a dangerous direction. I think the villainization of Israel on the Right. Has been kind of scary. But I also think it's still very limited. You still have the people who kind of say bad things about Jews or say bad things about Israel. Even the Candace Owens of the world, they still kind have to dance around it. You know, they'll always be like, I have no problem with Jews, I have no problem with Israel. I just have a problem with. And then they'll say something like Netanyahu or something, the democratically elected leader of Israel. So it's still far better to be on the right than it is to be on the left. And I understand why so many of my liberal Jewish friends are feeling, you know, like they've lost their bearings. They've stood with these people in a variety of marches and causes and whatever, and these people don't have their backs. And what I would say to them is, this is the time to have your eyes be open, realize who does stand with you. The Jewish vote for Donald Trump, for example, increased by a lot this last time. He got 30% in 2020. I think it's in the 40s this time. And that should keep moving up because the right is a friend, are friends to Jews, they're friends to Israel. And Jews in America should wake up and notice that.

[Clay Travis]

Carol, your podcast is up. Everybody should be checking it out if they aren't. As a part of the Clay and Buck Podcast Network, four days of Quiz bowl is a heck of a long time of quiz bowls. We appreciate you stepping away from that to hang out with us. And good luck to your 15 year old on dominating the Quiz Bowl Conference.

[Carol Markowitz]

12 year old. My 12 year old.

[Clay Travis]

12 year old. Sorry, 15 year old girl is the oldest, right? This is the middle one. Yes.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yep. Middle one.

[Clay Travis]

All right, good deal. Well, we'll talk again soon, but keep up the good work.

[Carol Markowitz]

Thank you.

[Clay Travis]

Carol Markowitz, I really do highly impress upon you that you check out. Obviously she writes at the New York Post and does fabulous work there, but I really do impress upon you, if you haven't checked out the Clay and Buck podcast network, we have a lot of super talented people from a variety of different perspectives that I believe you will enjoy. Maybe now's the time you can check it out because you're on the road for Memorial Day looking for something to listen to. I know I'm going to be doing that tomorrow as I go up to the Indy 500. Look, as we kind of are talking about the awfulness of what happened to those two Israelis, or I guess it was one Israeli and one, I think the woman was born in Kansas. If I'm not mistaken. It is unfortunately reflective of the rise in anti Semitism that we are seeing not only in the United States, but around the world. I mean, wasn't very long ago that the Governor of Pennsylvania's house was burned down, the Governor's mansion, by someone who was trying to stand up, they thought for Palestine. That is completely unacceptable. And that's one of the things that the IFCJ is trying to fight back against. They've rushed so much emergency aid to Israel, purchasing everything from prepackaged emergency food, water, flashlights, building bomb shelters, fortifying emergency vehicles. They even helped move entire hospital wing structures underground, which we saw when we were there. Because of the concern about missiles that might otherwise be arriving in northern Israel. The IFCJ has helped install nearly 200 mobile bomb shelters near bus stops. You can join us in supporting the international fellowship of Christians and Jews by calling 888-488 IFCJ. That's 888-488-4325. You can also go online to [e-mail] that's ifcj.org stories of freedom, stories of America, inspirational stories that unite us all. Each day. Spend time with Clay and Buck. Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Buck Sexton]

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[Leon Neyfakh]

In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency.

[Jack Armstrong]

Did you make a mistake in sending arms to Tehran, sir?

[Clay Travis]

No. No one was let go.

[Leon Neyfakh]

It became known as the Iran Contra.

[Clay Travis]

Affair and I'm not taking any more questions. In just a second, I'm going to ask.

[Leon Neyfakh]

I'm Leon Naifak, co creator of Slow Burn. In my podcast Fiasco Moscow, Iran Contra, you'll hear all the unbelievable details of a scandal that captivated the nation nearly 40 years ago, but which few of us still remember today.

[Jack Armstrong]

The things that happened were so bizarre and insane I can't begin to tell you.

[Carol Markowitz]

Please do.

[Leon Neyfakh]

To Hear the whole story. Listen to Fiasco Iran Contrast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing and makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong.

[Clay Travis]

He's Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out this crazy modern world.

[Clay Travis]

How about something about a comedic tone?

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner. Yes. Listen to Armstrong. You get it on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Clay Travis]

Welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton show. Strip club owners are weighing in in big numbers about the importance of diversity. Todd in Tampa says he does marketing for strip clubs. Here's what he had to say.

[Todd]

Clay, I work in marketing in Tampa Bay and strip clubs. You're absolutely right. They need more diversity in the clubs. White girls, black girls, Hispanic. Right now there's a ton of Cuban girls and customers are not spending their money. They want something different. Try to get some Asian girls in here. That would actually be be very beneficial for us. All right, Clay, Keep, keep doing a good job, Buck. Miss you today. Have a good one.

[Clay Travis]

Just call me the MLK of strip clubs. Just trying to bring all the races together. It makes total sense to me. I don't know that anybody else has ever had that analogy and not worked in a strip club for a living. But, but that is where you would, everybody would make more money. Everybody looks the exact same. That one type of guy spends a lot of money. Nobody else makes money. Girls all make less. Just trying to make America great again in strip clubs as well. When we come back, Frank Siller will join us tunnel the Towers Memorial Day weekend. We're going to talk about the importance of so many people who have given so much to this country and what they're trying to do to help tunnel the towers. Also, Governor of West Virginia Patrick Morrissey is going to join us at the bottom of that hour. All of that still to come, final hour before the long weekend. We appreciate all of you and certainly we appreciate all of you who have family members who have made the ultimate sacrifice that allow us to celebrate all as one nation all around the country with a lot of of you already underway on those celebrations. We appreciate the time you spend with us. When we come back, Frank Siller and we will shift gears a little bit, talk Memorial Day impact with him. All that and more. Final hour of the week Next, slay Travis and Buck Sexton on the front lines of truth.

[Jack Armstrong]

Made in America means something to us.

[Clay Travis]

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[Joe Getty]

This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Talkspace, the leading virtual therapy provider, is telling everyone, let's face it in therapy by talking or texting with a supportive licensed therapist at Talkspace, you can face whatever is holding you back, whether it's mental health symptoms, relationship drama, past trauma, bad habits, or another challenge that you need support to work through. It's easy to sign up. Just go to talkspace.com and you'll be paired with a provider, typically within 48 hours. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule. Plus, Talkspace is in network with most major insurers, and most insured members have a $0 copay. Make your mental health a priority and start today. If you're not covered by insurance, get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to talkspace.com and enter promo code SPACE80. That's S P A CE80. To match with a licensed therapist today, go to talkspace.com and Enter promo code SPACE80.

[Jack Armstrong]

Why should you listen to Armstrong and Getty on demand? We're not boring. A lot of news is boring and tedious and depressing and makes you angry. You don't want to live your life like that. Hey, I'm Jack Armstrong.

[Clay Travis]

He's Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

We're Armstrong and Getty. We try to bring you the truth and help you figure out the this.

[Clay Travis]

Crazy modern world about something about a comedic tone.

[Jack Armstrong]

We have a winner. Yes, Listen to Armstrong. You geti on Demand on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Leon Neyfakh]

In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency. It became known as the Iran Contra Affair.

[Jack Armstrong]

The things that happened were so bizarre and insane I can't begin to tell you.

[Leon Neyfakh]

Please do. To hear the whole story. Listen to fiasco, Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts, you're listening to an iHeart podcast.