Karol Markowicz Show: Billy Binion on Civil Liberties & Political Independence

Summary

Summary of "Karol Markowicz Show: Billy Binion on Civil Liberties & Political Independence"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
• Host/Author: Premiere Networks
• Episode: Karol Markowicz Show: Billy Binion on Civil Liberties & Political Independence
• Release Date: April 4, 2025
• Description: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics, and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

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Introduction to the Episode Timestamp: [09:48]

In this episode of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, host Karol Markowicz welcomes Billy Binion, a reporter at Reason, to discuss civil liberties and political independence. The conversation delves into the challenges of libertarianism, government overreach, and strategies for personal well-being in a politically charged environment.

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Political Homelessness and Libertarianism Timestamp: [09:58 - 12:48]

Karol and Billy begin by exploring the concept of political homelessness, a state where individuals do not fully align with traditional political parties like Democrats or Republicans. Billy describes the libertarian stance as both a strength and a challenge:

Billy Binion [10:30]: "Being politically homeless means you will always find agreement with people, whether you're on the far left, Democrats, Republicans, whatever the case may be. But it also means that you will find there will always be someone who hates everything you have to say or can nitpick something you have to say."

Billy emphasizes that while libertarianism allows for independent thought and avoids the extremes of the traditional parties, it also leads to being misunderstood and criticized from all sides. He notes:

Billy Binion [10:56]: "We joke at Reason. When you look at the comments or, like, the emails we get, it's a lot of people are like, wow, you guys love Trump, or, wow, you guys are really Biden fan girls or whatever. It's like, well, neither one of those things are true."

---

Billy Binion’s Career Path Timestamp: [13:01 - 17:00]

Billy shares his unconventional journey into journalism, transitioning from a performer with a background in opera and musical theater to a reporter focused on civil liberties and criminal justice issues. He recounts his early experiences:

Billy Binion [13:10]: "I used to be a performer. I studied voice and worked at an opera company for a bit after school, for a couple of years onto some professional musical theater and that kind of thing."

Billy explains his shift from performing to media roles, eventually landing at Reason where he could combine his passion for storytelling with his interest in civil liberties. He highlights the importance of storytelling in his work:

Billy Binion [14:17]: "I really do love telling stories, and I'm very interested in people stories. I cover civil liberties and criminal justice issues."

---

Civil Liberties: Qualified Immunity and Civil Forfeiture Timestamp: [17:12 - 23:17]

The discussion shifts to civil liberties, with Billy focusing on qualified immunity and civil forfeiture. He explains how qualified immunity shields law enforcement officers from being held accountable in many situations:

Billy Binion [17:12]: "I used to focus really narrowly on stuff like qualified immunity, things that make it very hard to hold government accountable."

Billy elaborates on civil forfeiture, a controversial practice where law enforcement can seize property without requiring a criminal conviction:

Billy Binion [18:03]: "The idea is that civil forfeiture is constitutional because the law enforcement are taking assets that are supposedly connected to criminal activity. But in a lot of states, you don't even have to have an arrest required."

He highlights the systemic issues and personal hardships caused by such practices, sharing specific cases where individuals had their assets seized despite not being convicted of any crimes.

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The Impact of Government Seizing Assets Timestamp: [21:24 - 23:17]

Billy provides real-world examples to illustrate the impact of government overreach:

Billy Binion [22:11]: "There are some cases where police will seize if they just find someone with like a large share of cash in their car. This happens at the airport a lot where federal law enforcement, if you're traveling with a lot of cash, they will just say, well, people, normal people don't travel with a lot of cash, so this must be connected to the drug trade."

He argues for the necessity of requiring the government to prove a connection to criminal activity before seizing assets, advocating for procedural fairness and accountability.

---

Personal Insights: Worrying and Mental Health Timestamp: [27:13 - 33:38]

Transitioning from political discourse, Billy shares personal philosophies on worrying and mental health. He references his interview with Amanda Knox to discuss the importance of focusing on controllable aspects of life:

Billy Binion [27:23]: "The only thing I had control over was my day to day. So like worrying or panicking about the position she was in, it wasn't going to do anything. She just had to make the best of that situation."

Billy introduces his concept of an "anti-panic bias", advocating for a balanced approach to stress and anxiety:

Billy Binion [28:59]: "Don't take things so seriously. Don't take things so seriously has been something that has made my life really fulfilling. It is my friendships."

He emphasizes the value of friendships and personal connections as the cornerstone of a fulfilling life, advising listeners to avoid unnecessary stress and focus on meaningful relationships.

---

Final Advice and Life Lessons Timestamp: [33:00 - 34:36]

In concluding the interview, Billy offers practical advice for improving one's life. He encourages listeners to tune out negative influences and prioritize personal well-being:

Billy Binion [32:43]: "When my friends come to me and they're like, I'm so sorry, I can't listen to or I can't read your stuff right now because I'm just like, too stressed. It's okay to tune that out."

Billy reinforces the importance of surrounding oneself with good people and maintaining healthy relationships:

Billy Binion [33:28]: "A fulfilling life is the people around you. And if you have good people around you, then that's a pretty good life lived."

Karol echoes Billy's sentiments, advising listeners to avoid engaging with content that provokes anger and to seek out authentic, meaningful connections beyond political divides.

---

Conclusion

This episode of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, featuring Karol Markowicz and Billy Binion, provides a deep dive into the complexities of political independence, the challenges of libertarianism, and critical civil liberties issues such as qualified immunity and civil forfeiture. Additionally, Billy shares valuable personal insights on managing stress and the importance of relationships, offering listeners actionable advice for personal growth and well-being.

Notable Quotes:

• Billy Binion [10:30]: "Being politically homeless means you will always find agreement with people, whether you're on the far left, Democrats, Republicans, whatever the case may be. But it also means that you will find there will always be someone who hates everything you have to say or can nitpick something you have to say."
• Billy Binion [22:11]: "There are some cases where police will seize if they just find someone with like a large share of cash in their car. This happens at the airport a lot where federal law enforcement, if you're traveling with a lot of cash, they will just say, well, people, normal people don't travel with a lot of cash, so this must be connected to the drug trade."
• Billy Binion [33:28]: "A fulfilling life is the people around you. And if you have good people around you, then that's a pretty good life lived."

This comprehensive discussion not only sheds light on important societal issues but also offers personal strategies for maintaining mental well-being in an increasingly polarized world.

Transcript

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[Carol Markowitz]

Hi and welcome back to the Carol Markowitz show on iheartradio. A few episodes ago, I challenged mildly something that Clay Travis said about social media being the reason for unhappiness for young people. I said it wasn't social media exactly. And I know listeners of the show have heard this before because there is no social media anymore. Nobody is socializing, not even on their phones or anywhere. And that is the bigger problem. A listener named Kurt wrote in to add to the conversation, and I'll read you part of his email. Hi Carol, fan of you and the show. You led with Clay Travis blaming social media for the decline in the happiness index. You added that scrolling through videos for hours and hours contributes too. Of course, you're both correct. But why is social media dragging people down, not up? Now? Kurt writes that intersectionality is effectively causing this. That's the belief that more relevance is attained by those belonging to more victim groups, he writes, and that politics is affecting the way people see themselves. He writes. This mindset and fixation on victims over heroes permeates our culture. Dark pop, categorized by its dark, moody, and often melancholic sound, is a top genre and home to many cultural icons like Billie Eilish and Halsey. It's now cool to be depressed and seek and celebrate victim status. I agree with that. But I would say I listened to heavy metal growing up. That didn't mean that, you know, I became a moody kind of angry person. That was common of those bands. I think music a lot of times is an emotional release and doesn't really represent what people are doing. But I agree, I agree that it's a sign of something, he writes, when we celebrate milestones today, instead of celebrating heroism, we're still celebrating victimhood. Like Pete Buttigieg being the first openly gay cabinet secretary as defined at the top of his Wikipedia page, his identity to a victim group is celebrated first and foremost. Intersectionality. The implicit part of that is it's still a world and society of oppression. How could you be happy with our society and status quo because of this bigotry? Our fixation with victim status is a major problem affecting our culture and happiness, he writes. We're training kids to look for victim groups to belong to, and we've supplanted victims for heroes and role models. Put yourself in the shoes of a minor in the 2000s. Who are you being told to view as a hero, and why is that person heroic. Now I agree with all of that, of course, but I think both things can be true. When you see yourself as a perpetual victim and you don't have friends to socialize with, then you never have anyone telling you to just get over it. An episode earlier in the show with Kirsten Fleming earlier this year, you know, she said that one of the best parts of having friends is learning how to make fun of each other and learning how to take the humor at you. And I think when you're a perpetual victim and you don't have anybody to tell you cut that out, it reinforces it and you wallow in your loneliness. A lot of our problems are because of this. People who can't meet a romantic partner, for example, often don't have a friend to tell them why that is is really truly the case. I agree that the victimhood era has hurt us all, but it's much harder to peel yourself out of that when you have no one to talk to because you're staring at your phone. Thanks for listening and I love getting your emails. Carolmarkowitzshowmail.com Would love to hear from you. Coming up next, an interview with Billy Binion. Join us after the break.

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[Carol Markowitz]

Welcome back to the Carol Markowitz show on iheartradio. My guest today is Billy Binion. Billy is a reporter at Reason. Hi Billy. So nice to have you on.

[Billy Binion]

Thanks for having me.

[Carol Markowitz]

So I've had a lot of libertarians on. I consider myself very libertarian adjacent. You guys have the best parties. I say that all the time. You know it's true.

[Billy Binion]

Definitely true.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. Matt Welch, Nick Gillespie, you know, Nancy Rommelman, etc. What is the worst part about being a libertarian? Because I know what the best part is. The Best part is you don't have to be on either lun lunatic side. You don't have to support anything you don't want to support. You could just go your own way. But what's the worst part?

[Billy Binion]

Okay, so I would say that the description you gave is very accurate, but I would also say that that's kind of the flip side of that same coin is the worst part, which is that being politically homeless, you will always find agreement with people, whether you're on the far left, Democrats, Republicans, whatever the case may be. But it also means that you will find there will always be someone who hates everything you have to say or can nitpick something you have to say.

[Carol Markowitz]

Sure.

[Billy Binion]

And so I think the. We joke at reason. You know, you. When you look at the comments or, like, the emails we get, it's. It's, you know, a lot of people are like, wow, you guys love Trump, or, wow, you guys are really in. And, you know, you guys are all Biden fan girls or whatever. It's like. Well, neither one of those things are true.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. You know, it's funny that you refer to yourself as politically homeless, because I always saw, like, I see politically homeless, like Bridget Fedisi, you know, used to be on the left, can't be on the left anymore, voted for Trump. Like that, to me, is politically homeless. Libertarian was always its own kind of category. Do you not see it like that?

[Billy Binion]

I don't. I've never been a member of the Libertarian Party. I don't know how familiar you are with it.

[Carol Markowitz]

I am blue skin. Every once in a while, somebody dyes their skin blue by accident.

[Billy Binion]

Um, it's a bit of a circus, and it's not really. It's not my thing. I mean, libertarian, like, the. The value, the basic philosophy is something I very much align with. But when it comes to a political party, I. I mean, the current iteration is a bunch of people who are just trying to get attention on the Internet. They're not really interested in winning elections.

[Carol Markowitz]

And this is different, you think, from Republicans and Democrats?

[Ryan Seacrest]

Well, I think.

[Billy Binion]

I think that basically any political party kind of falls is. Is vulnerable to becoming a bit of a circus. I mean, it just. I think it's. You know, you become beholden to kind of the loudest voices in the party who are often advocating for things that are out of touch with the mainstream. I mean, I know libertarianism is not mainstream in a lot of ways, but in some ways, you know, the whole, like, socially liberal, fiscally conservative is an oversimplification. Yeah, right. Exactly. It's an oversimplification of the philosophy, but that does resonate with a lot of people. And you have a party apparatus that I think if most people were to acquaint themselves with, they would be. What is this? It's not something that I really relate with.

[Carol Markowitz]

I see.

[Billy Binion]

So even though I'm not really formally of the left, I actually very much relate with Bridget. And being politically homeless, I feel like there's no one that really speaks for me on the mainstream political stage.

[Carol Markowitz]

Interesting. Did you always want to be a reporter?

[Billy Binion]

No. So I have a very weird entry into journalism.

[Carol Markowitz]

All right, let's hear it.

[Billy Binion]

I used to be a performer. I studied voice and worked at an opera company for a bit after school, for a couple years onto some professional musical theater and that kind of thing. I know that. Politics and media.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, you seem too good looking for journalism.

[Billy Binion]

Politics and Media, I feel like, is full of a bunch of ex theater kids. And I am. I don't want to say among them, but I can't hide it. And I remember I was doing a show, actually Reefer Madness, which is a parody of the 1920s topic that was meant to scare kids out of smoking weed. And it's about this teenage boy who smokes weed and descends into madness. And so that was me and the director's wife. I remember after one of the shows was like, well, how are you feeling about every. Like, how life is going? And I was like, well, not great. I was, I think, 22 at the time. And she was like, well, I work at a defense contractor. Would you want to come try it? So I ended up working.

[Carol Markowitz]

Can I act there?

[Billy Binion]

Right. So I am thinking involved planning at NATO, which randomly is on a Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia.

[Carol Markowitz]

Okay.

[Billy Binion]

And then eventually segued into doing some media stuff for them, was like, okay, I really like this, but I don't know if I'm really. If I really want to do it, like, exclusively for the military. And so eventually made my way to D.C. and landed at Reason. And I think the through line, you know, the thing that kind of connects all those things. I really do love telling stories, and I'm very interested in people stories. I cover civil liberties and criminal justice issues. Stories that are very. There's always, you know, people or at least one person at the center of a. You know, when you look at a court case or something and it might sound really boring, and then you dig into the weeds like, oh, this is actually like, there are a lot of moving parts to this, and it's very Human. I never actually. I loved rehearsing. I never actually liked performing.

[Carol Markowitz]

Really?

[Billy Binion]

Yes. Oh, my gosh.

[Carol Markowitz]

I thought performing was the whole thing. I thought rehearsing was the thing everybody doesn't like.

[Billy Binion]

You're totally right. When you talk to a lot of professional performers, usually it's the inverse of what I just said. You know, going to rehearsal is kind of a chore for them, and then performing is what they're, like, all about. I found that, you know, I would kind. I just nitpicked everything. And live performance is thrilling in that way where you never know what's going to happen, but it's also dreadful in that way in that you never know what's going to happen, especially when it's your voice and, like, it's very physical. So you just never really know. Sometimes it just simply does not come out the way you want it to. And I really had a hard time with that. I also. I don't know if you've seen Miss Congeniality. One of the best movies.

[Carol Markowitz]

I've seen it. Yes. Sandra Bullock, right? Yes, yes.

[Billy Binion]

And she has this line about how, you know, all the other beauty queens are, like, hoping the other one fails because they want the title. And I felt that way. I felt like even in some rehearsals, you know, you go and you're still kind of like, everyone's kind of evaluating you and they want your spot. And I don't know when.

[Carol Markowitz]

When celebrities say we were just one big family on the show, they're lying.

[Billy Binion]

Well, I never did television, at least in. In. I just did, you know, theater and, like, stage stuff.

[Carol Markowitz]

Well, theater even more so. I think people. They all say. Yeah.

[Billy Binion]

Ever heard someone say that? Yeah, that's definitely a lie. But, I mean, friends with a lot of these people, because it's very intense, it's very social. But, yeah, it's some of the backstabbiest. The most backstabbiest environment I've ever been in.

[Carol Markowitz]

Interesting. Not libertarian politics, then, I guess.

[Billy Binion]

Well, it's probably up there, too, to be honest. I like with writing and in journalism, you can, like, you're still telling a story, but, you know, before I publish an article, I can, like, put the finishing touches on it and be happy with what I'm putting out into the world. Whereas, like, if you walk on stage and you crack, you can't take that back.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Billy Binion]

That's what people remember.

[Carol Markowitz]

That is what people remember. Yeah.

[Billy Binion]

They're like, oh, yeah, he was great. Except for the. You know, that came out at one point.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. So you write about civil liberties. Do you have like a beat within that?

[Billy Binion]

So it used to be. I used to, like, focus really narrowly on stuff like qualified immunity, things that make it very hard to hold government accountable. I've kind of expanded out from that. I'm very interested in the idea that, you know, people who enforce the law should not be above it. And I think that is. I used to see that more narrowly, but now, I mean, it's kind of widened out. For instance, I cover. I did a series last year and the year before on people who fell behind on their property taxes. And so the local government seized their homes, sold them and kept the profit.

[Carol Markowitz]

I read that.

[Billy Binion]

Yeah, right. Which is like, I mean, people wouldn't necessarily think of that as government accountability, but like, to me it was because it was just like. I mean, like that if you set someone on the street, told someone on the street, they would think that was theft.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Billy Binion]

I'm just kind of fascinated by the idea that the government gets to hold itself to a different standard. So that's.

[Carol Markowitz]

There been any movement on that? Has anything changed?

[Billy Binion]

The Supreme Court case, The Supreme Court ruled in favor of one of the women that I covered. But a lot of states have responded by trying to write debt collection statutes to get allowed, get around the Supreme Court's ruling, which is both predictable and really perverse. So still kind of still following stories like that. But I'm interested in stuff like civil forfeiture or police law enforcement can seize property without necessarily proving in a court of law that it was connected to criminal wrongdoing.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Billy Binion]

These things.

[Carol Markowitz]

How do they get to do that? Like, what's the. What's the law that allows that?

[Billy Binion]

So the idea is that civil forfeiture is constitutional because the law enforcement are taking assets that are supposedly connected to criminal activity. But in a lot of states, but.

[Carol Markowitz]

They could do it even before a guilty verdict.

[Billy Binion]

In most cases, that is the case where a conviction isn't required, sometimes not even an arrest. In a lot of states, you don't even have to have an arrest required. And since it's a civil action, not a criminal action, you're not entitled to an attorney. And so a lot of people would respond, well, why don't they just go to court? If they're innocent, they can go prove. So, well, if you don't have any money because law enforcement seized it, or if you can't afford an attorney, generally the state doesn't have to appoint you one. People either have to give up and walk away or they have to represent themselves, which Goes about as well as you would assume. And to me, I know criminal justice has, you know, kind of the. The conversation on a national level has become a little unhinged, at least in my view, and is another one of those cases where a lot of, you know, the voices or hogging the microphone. But this is an issue that I really think, whether you're Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, whatever. I mean, in Congress, that's the case. There's bipartisan proposals around curtailing this, but it, you know, it's not like an issue that gets a lot of play in the press, so they always kind of stall. But I think this is an everyone issue. If the government, the monopoly on force and power, is going to take your car, your cash, your home, I think at the very least, people can agree that they should have to prove in a court of law, you know, with a convicted, that it was connected, that.

[Carol Markowitz]

Should be an easy call. I mean, even if you agree with the premise, just getting to the guilty verdict first seems like that. I feel we can all agree on that. I consider myself pretty hardcore on crime, but that's. If you're not even convicted of anything yet, how could they take away your assets? It's crazy.

[Billy Binion]

It is. And it sounds kind of like a parody, but it's real. I mean, I covered a case a couple years ago where it was two women in Alabama, both of whose cars were seized because they let. I think in one case it was her son. In one case it was her friend. They let these two men borrow their cars and they didn't know each other. Two different cases, but just very similar outcomes where the police pulled them over. I think in one case the guy had weed. In the other case, it might have been methamphetamine. Not sure exactly which, but they seized both vehicles despite the fact that the owners of those cars were not even accused of a crime, much less arrested or convicted. And just crazy stories like that. It's something that. I think it offends most people's perception of basic fairness.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. It just doesn't seem like that's justice.

[Billy Binion]

Right. And. And I think people who haven't had this happen to them, which is most people.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Billy Binion]

It's hard for people to. To put themselves in these shoes. But just imagine, like, you know, having your car seized. A lot of people have to drive to work.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Billy Binion]

It makes getting by in life very difficult, makes supporting yourself hard. And it can have all these domino ripple effects that are really catastrophic for people who haven't even been convicted.

[Carol Markowitz]

And I think the argument that becomes, you know, people would say, oh, well, I wouldn't let my car, like lent my car to somebody who was doing drugs. And, you know, sometimes you just don't know. Sometimes it is your kid, sometimes it's a relative. And you just are not aware. It doesn't mean that you're like, hey, crack user, come take my car. You know, like, absolutely.

[Billy Binion]

And I'll also say that there are some cases where police will seize if they just find someone with like a large share of cash in their car. This happens at the airport a lot where federal law enforcement, if you're traveling with a lot of cash, they will just say, well, people, normal people don't travel with a lot of cash, so this must be connected to the drug trade, for instance, even if they don't find drugs on the person at all. And there are plenty of cases of this. I'm not just pulling this out of my ass. This happens, you know, it's well documented and I think, you know, maybe some people agree it is weird to travel with a lot of cash, but also it's weird.

[Carol Markowitz]

But yeah, I mean, it definitely makes me suspicious. Suspicious. If you're traveling with a bunch of cash, I, I'm suspicious. Yeah. I just don't have, I don't even know where to even get cash.

[Billy Binion]

But I think at the very least we should expect the government to prove that it was actually part of a drug as opposed to, you know, one case I cover where the guy was like, I was trying to start a business and I was moving. Stay. It's always, you know, it's. There's more nuance than people would like to believe.

[Carol Markowitz]

I think we're going to take a quick break and be right back on the Carol Markowitz Show.

[Ryan Seacrest]

It's tax season and by now. I know we're all a bit tired of numbers, but here's an important one you need to hear. $16.5 billion. That's how much money in refunds the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year. Here's another 20%. That's the overall increase in identity theft related to tax fraud in 2024 alone. But it's not all grim news. Here's a good number. 100 million. That's how many data points Lifelock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it, backed by another good number, the million dollar protection plan. In fact, restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't face identity theft and financial losses alone. There's strength in numbers with LifeLock Identity Theft Protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40% off. Terms apply. Looking for excitement? Chumba Casino is here. Play anytime. Play anywhere. Play on the train. Play at the store. Play at home. Play when you're bored. Play today for your chance to win and get daily bonuses when you log in. So what are you waiting for? Don't delay. Chumba Casino is free to play. Experience social gameplay like never before. Go to Chumba Casino right now to play hundreds of games, including online slots, Bingo, Slingo and more. Live the chumba [e-mail] no purchase necessary. VGW Group void we're prohibited by law 21/ Terms and conditions apply At Ameca Insurance. We know it's more than just a house. It's your home. The place that's filled with memories. The early days of figuring it out to the later years of still figuring it out for the place you've put down roots. Trust Amica Home Insurance Ameca Empathy is our best policy. AT&T has a new guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed. Like actually getting the rental car you requested or your wedding turning out just like you dreamed it would. And someone making another pot of coffee in the break room after drinking the last drop of the last one. Yeah, don't get me started. Not guaranteed. In a world where Nothing is guaranteed, AT&T is bringing something new to the table. AT&T is introducing a guarantee with connectivity you depend on, deals you want and service you deserve. Or they'll make it right. So. So if you want to know more about the AT&T guarantee, head to att.com guarantee AT&T connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.comguaranty for details. If you could do one thing this year that could help you lose up to 20 to 30 pounds without lifting a single weight and it would actually be good for you, would you do it? And if it would actually improve your health and digestion and it tastes like a chocolate shake, wouldn't that be the ultimate win? Well, here it is. It's called shakeology. Packed with vital nutrients, protein, probiotics, adaptogens and superfoods, it's the easiest way to reset your nutrition, curb cravings, and feel incredible all in under the two minutes it takes to make a simple shake. No meal prep, no guesswork, just a smarter way to fuel your body and start feeling your best. Shakeology isn't just a shake. It's a lifestyle upgrade that makes healthy living easy, delicious and totally doable. Shakeology is all your vital nutrition made simple. You can get free shipping, big discounts and a free Shaker cup when you [e-mail] that's shakeology.com.

[Carol Markowitz]

What do you worry about?

[Billy Binion]

Okay, so I do not mean this as a cop out, but I'm going to make the case.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Billy Binion]

For not worrying.

[Carol Markowitz]

I like it. Let's do it.

[Billy Binion]

That's why there is, I suppose, plenty to worry about.

[Carol Markowitz]

How old are you?

[Billy Binion]

I am 33.

[Carol Markowitz]

Okay. You look like 21.

[Billy Binion]

I appreciate that. I.

[Carol Markowitz]

So I was gonna be like, yeah, of course you're not worrying.

[Billy Binion]

You're like just the good lighting.

[Carol Markowitz]

It's 20 years old. Yeah.

[Billy Binion]

I recently interviewed Amanda Knox, the woman who was arrested in Italy. She's a murdering roommate and later exonerated. And so in talking to her, she, she had this, this little nugget of wisdom where I was basically just like, how do you go about life for four years locked up in like terr. She was constantly harassed. I mean of course her. For people who aren't familiar, her case was sensationalized in every way. And she said something where she was just like the only thing I had control over was my day to day. So like worrying or panicking about the position she was in, it wasn't going to do anything. She just had to make the best of that situation. And most of us aren't going to end up in prison for a crime we didn't commit. But I think that is very transferable to anyone. I mean, I think that especially working in the media, there is a pro panic bias where I mean, because it's a business model and panic gets people engaged, activated. And I understand it. I mean, I'm probably guilty of it too sometimes. But I think it is also objectively true that panicking or worrying about something doesn't do anything to change it other than get your cortisol levels up, you know. And so even though there is much wrong with the world, I think if I have one big bias, it's like an anti panic bias.

[Carol Markowitz]

I like it and I hope you maintain that. I feel like it gets harder a.

[Billy Binion]

Little bit as you get older probably. And I also don't have kids. I mean, you have kids, right?

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. And a lot of people on the show answer that. They worry about their kids. I mean, just general, general worry, you know. But Tom Petty said, you know, most things I worry about never happen any. And there's definitely some truth to that as well. So what advice would you give your 16 year old self?

[Billy Binion]

I would tell myself to stop taking yourself so seriously. I took myself so seriously at that age and into early adulthood. I just, I wanted so badly to be successful and I thought that every little decision you made so consequential and in some cases that's true. But yeah, I don't know.

[Carol Markowitz]

Sounds like you worried a little when you were younger.

[Billy Binion]

Oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah. My anti panic bias rather has not been something that has. I used to panic a lot. I'll say.

[Carol Markowitz]

Was it part of the performing life? Like.

[Billy Binion]

Oh, for sure. Absolutely. I have to say that was the main part of it actually. I was so caught up in feeling like that's what made me special was that I was a good singer, especially as a male. You know people, when you're a guy who can sing in theater and like dance and act, whatever, people are just like, you're such a commodity. Whereas like for women it's just so much more competitive because more women frankly are just more, they're more interested in doing it. I was actually talking to a good friend last night whose daughter is pursuing ballet and she was learning pointe for the first time. And it's three men who they had to bring in from professional company because they don't have any boys in their school and like 20 girls and it's like, I don't know, I, you know, as a guy in the performing arts, it's, it's, you're just kind of held up on a pedestal and I just, I was so neurotic about being perfect and.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Billy Binion]

And having that be like the thing that defined me. And the thing is, it's not that serious. There are more important things in life than getting an opportunity on stage or.

[Carol Markowitz]

My 6th grade son just tried out for his school play and we were like, you're not going to make it. Like, not because we're terrible parents or anything. He's in sixth grade so, you know, bottom of the totem pole in middle school. He has zero acting or singing ability. I mean, you know, he's just new to it. So we were like, you know, prepare yourself to knock. Not to knock it apart, but you're going to be like truck driver number 12. Like don't, don't, don't think you're getting the lead. He got two speaking parts because there are just no boys trying for any.

[Billy Binion]

Right.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. So we'll see how that goes. But maybe he'll follow you to the life on the, on the stage.

[Billy Binion]

Hey, I wish you the best of luck. I mean, it can be really great and really fun.

[Carol Markowitz]

Bye bye Birdie. You know, so.

[Billy Binion]

Oh, my gosh. That's a classic.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, he's. He's Hugo, the boyfriend and then another.

[Billy Binion]

Great role.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. And then another.

[Billy Binion]

And also it's a big enough role that you would usually never be double cast. So that's how, you know they really don't have anyone. Right.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. So, you know, he's, he's very happy and he's like, excited about being on the stage and, you know, we'll see. I'm not going to let him worry about it, but do you think he'll.

[Billy Binion]

Be nervous watching from the audience?

[Carol Markowitz]

No, I don't think so. He's, he's a, he's a performer in his, in his everyday life, so. Yeah. Well, I've loved this conversation. This has been so much fun. End us here with your best tip for my listeners on how they can improve their lives.

[Billy Binion]

I don't know if this sounds super corny, and maybe it sounds hypocritical if someone works in the media, but I. When my friends come to me and they're like, I'm so sorry, I can't listen to or I can't read your stuff right now because I'm just like, too stressed. Right.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, just.

[Billy Binion]

It's okay to tune that out. And I think it's important to, like, know what's going on. But if there's one thing in my life when I say earlier, you know, like, don't take things so seriously, if there's one thing that has made my life really fulfilling, it is my friendships. And that sounds super corny and I'm more aware of how corny that sounds. But, yeah, I think that's the most important part of life, and a fulfilling life is the people around you. And if you have good people around you, then that's a, that's a pretty good life lived.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, I love that. And I encourage my friends not to read my stuff and not to read anything that pisses them off or enrages them in any way, even if it's.

[Billy Binion]

I totally agree.

[Carol Markowitz]

You know, why go through life, like, angry at things you can't control?

[Billy Binion]

And sure, not everything in life has to be filtered through a political lens. You know, I feel like you and I both know very well that essentially everything in life, if you're in a certain space, is political. It doesn't have to be that way.

[Carol Markowitz]

It doesn't. And I would say also to people who are, you know, not in our world, but end up reading something and it makes them angry and whatever. A lot of the left and the right at, you know, in our world and in, let's say like in the, in the government world as well, they hang out together, they have friendships they're able to overcome, overlook all of this. What you see is a lot of like professional wrestling stuff on the Internet. Yeah, it's not, it's not really the way it is. I like to say, you know, Ann Coulter used to hang out with like lots of MSNBC people and, you know, if she could do it, the rest of us are okay.

[Billy Binion]

That's very true.

[Carol Markowitz]

He is Billy Binion. Check him out at Reason. Thank you so much, Billy, for coming on.

[Billy Binion]

Thanks, Carol.

[Carol Markowitz]

Thanks so much for joining us on the Carol Markowitz Show. Subscribe wherever you get your podcast podcasts.

[Ryan Seacrest]

It's tax season and by now I know we're all a bit tired of numbers, but here's an important one you need to hear. $16.5 billion. That's how much money in refunds the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year. Here's another 20%. That's the overall increase in identity theft related to tax fraud in 2024 alone. But it's not all grim news. Here's a good number. 100 million. That's how many data points Lifelock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it, backed by another good number, the million dollar protection plan. In fact, restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't face identity theft and financial losses alone. There's strength in numbers with Lifelock identity theft protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40% off terms apply it is Ryan here and I have a question for you. What do you do when you win? Like, are you a fist pumper, a woohooer, a hand clapper, a high fiver? If you want to hone in on those winning moves, check out Chumba Casino. Choose from hundreds of social casino style games for your chance to redeem serious cash prizes. There are new game releases weekly, plus free daily bonuses, so don't wait. Start having the most Fun [e-mail] no purchase necessary. VGW Group void where prohibited by law.

[Billy Binion]

21/ Terms and Conditions apply for Some of us.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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