Normally Podcast: A New Direction for the FDA

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – "Normally Podcast: A New Direction for the FDA"

Episode Details:

• Title: Normally Podcast: A New Direction for the FDA
• Release Date: April 22, 2025
• Host/Authors: Mary Kathryn Ham and Carol Markowitz
• 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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1. Weekend Recap and Digital Detox (02:32 - 05:02)

Mary Kathryn Ham and Carol Markowitz kick off the episode by sharing their recent weekend experiences. Both hosts highlight the benefits of disconnecting from social media to focus on family and personal well-being.

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "I did not do [social media]... I like to actually hang out with them." [04:09]

• Carol Markowitz: "Getting back on X today has been like returning to a mental asylum... Where the crazy people live." [03:03]

They discuss the challenges of re-acclimating to social media after a break and the addictive nature of these platforms.

2. Transformative Changes at the FDA Under Dr. Marty Makary (05:32 - 14:30)

The conversation shifts to significant developments at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) led by Dr. Marty Makary. Both hosts express strong support for his initiatives aimed at enhancing the FDA's integrity and scientific rigor.

a. Removal of Pharmaceutical Industry Members from FDA Advisory Committees

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "We're removing industry members, pharma members, from FDA advisory committees... replacing them... with patients and family caregivers." [10:48]

This move is intended to eliminate conflicts of interest and ensure more independent scientific evaluations within the FDA.

b. Re-evaluation of Nutrition Guidelines

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "They are going to be re-evaluating that [food pyramid]... it might actually give you some nuance about processed foods versus whole foods." [07:14]

Dr. Makary's approach promises a more nuanced understanding of nutrition, moving away from the outdated and overly simplistic food pyramid model.

c. Defense of Dr. Makary's Reputation

Both hosts defend Dr. Makary against negative media portrayals, emphasizing his extensive credentials and contributions to public health.

• Carol Markowitz: "He is a very solid guy... trusted by many in the medical community." [07:43]

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "He gives a measured, scientifically based answer that gives a little bit of hope." [09:13]

Notable Quotes:

• Dr. Marty Makary: "We want American pharma companies to do well... But the scientific evaluation needs to be independent." [10:48]

• Carol Markowitz: "He's a surgeon, a public policy researcher... published 250 peer-reviewed scientific articles." [07:43]

3. Media Sensationalism: The White House Easter Egg Roll (16:58 - 24:59)

Mary Kathryn and Carol critique the media's tendency to sensationalize minor events, using the White House Easter Egg Roll as a primary example.

a. Overblown Media Coverage

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "The New York Times headline is Easter eggs are... Americans are dying potatoes." [17:04]

They highlight how trivial stories are made into major controversies, detracting from more pressing issues.

b. Comparison with Previous Administrations

The hosts contrast the Trump administration's handling of the Easter Egg Roll with previous administrations, noting the exaggerated attention it receives.

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "The coordinating yogi for the yoga garden, a tradition of the Obama years, had not been contacted." [20:29]

c. Humor and Public Perception

They inject humor by discussing the transformation of the Easter Bunny's costume and Melania Trump's impeccable style.

• Carol Markowitz: "The Easter Bunny got a glow up. I'm all for it." [24:32]

4. Theft Incident: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Stolen Bag (25:46 - 32:51)

The hosts shift to a concerning incident involving the theft of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's bag from a Washington D.C. restaurant.

a. Details of the Theft

• Carol Markowitz: "It was a Louis Vuitton Clement's purse... included $3,000 in cash." [28:11]

They discuss the implications of such a security breach and the contents stolen, emphasizing the seriousness of the incident.

b. Personal Reflections and Anecdotes

Both hosts share personal anecdotes about what they carry in their bags, highlighting the vulnerability and inconvenience caused by such thefts.

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "The makeup bag... is a real pain to replace." [32:21]

• Carol Markowitz: "My small bag has two lip glosses, my wallet, my house keys and car keys..." [31:30]

5. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts (32:51 - 35:19)

Mary Kathryn and Carol wrap up the episode by reiterating the importance of focusing on substantive issues over media hype. They encourage listeners to act normally and stay informed without falling prey to sensationalism.

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "When things get weird, act normally." [33:09]

They also briefly mention upcoming episodes and promote their podcast for continued discussions on current events.

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Key Takeaways:

1. FDA Reforms: Dr. Marty Makary's leadership is steering the FDA towards greater independence and more scientifically rigorous evaluations by removing pharmaceutical industry members from advisory committees and re-evaluating outdated nutritional guidelines.

2. Media Critique: The hosts criticize the media for sensationalizing minor events, using the White House Easter Egg Roll as an example of how trivial matters are blown out of proportion.

3. Security Concerns: The theft of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s bag underscores the importance of security and the challenges faced by public officials.

4. Personal Well-being: Emphasizing the benefits of disconnecting from social media to enhance personal relationships and reduce stress.

Notable Quotes:

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "They are going to be re-evaluating that... [nutrition guidelines]... a little bit of based nutrition coming to the FDA." [07:14]

• Dr. Marty Makary: "We want American pharma companies to do well... But the scientific evaluation needs to be independent." [10:48]

• Carol Markowitz: "He's a surgeon, a public policy researcher... published 250 peer-reviewed scientific articles." [07:43]

• Mary Kathryn Ham: "When things get weird, act normally." [33:09]

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This episode of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" delves into significant changes within the FDA, critiques media sensationalism, and discusses real-world security issues, all while offering personal insights and humor. The hosts provide a balanced perspective on current events, encouraging listeners to stay informed and maintain normalcy amidst chaos.

Transcript

[Ryan]

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[Mary Kathryn Ham]

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[Carol Markowitz]

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[Mary Kathryn Ham]

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[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Hey, guys.

[Ryan]

We are back on normal in the.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Show with normalish takes for when the news gets weird. I am Mary Kathryn Ham.

[Carol Markowitz]

And I am Carol Markowitz. Hi, Mary Kathryn. How was your weekend?

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

It was good. We had a lovely Easter. No one fought too much over any particular color of egg. And I got all of my children to look at the camera ish one time.

[Carol Markowitz]

Wow, that is a wild success, actually.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I mean, the ish is doing some work in that sentence, but it's a picture of all four of them. Nice.

[Carol Markowitz]

We visited the west coast of Florida, the Gulf of America. It was a birthday weekend trip for me, and it was very, very nice. I had not seen a lot of the west coast before. It was really beautiful. But the best part of my trip was that I largely disconnected from the Internet. I still used Instagram a little bit. I use it to, like, get recommendations and things, and Instagram is just a happy place for me. But getting back on X today has been like returning to a mental asylum. It's like, oh, God, I remember this. This is where the crazy people live.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I did the same thing because, you know, it's Easter weekend, I'm with my family, my kids are on spring break, and I like to actually hang out with them. And if you're on the social media too much, you will tempt yourself into just like getting distracted and floating away or getting really stressed out. And so I did not do that. So I have also been sort of picking up whatever threads are here.

[Carol Markowitz]

It's hard. When I got back re acclimated, you know, a lot of the time I start thinking like, well, maybe I'll just stay off for a little bit. But obviously our jobs and our general world exists on these platforms. And, you know, mostly X for me, I mean, that's the one that I. That's the one I have the hardest time quitting and then the hardest time coming back to. But, you know, I. It's. It. I. I really appreciate the breaks. And I think that if you're listening and you are angry at just what you saw on, on your social media feed on any given day, um, take a break, you know, disconnect, take it off your phone. That's. That's kind of my big piece of advice because my finger automatically opens it all the time.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Oh, yeah.

[Carol Markowitz]

It's an addiction.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

You will notice real fast if you take it off your phone how big your addiction is.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. Because when your finger is clicking the blank space, that's what I always say. Like when you. When your finger's like, where did this go?

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yes, it also turns out like you can do a bunch of stuff in a day if you don't have your phone. Like my kids and I made a pillowcase for a throw pillow and I was like, look at me, I'm a trad wife in one day when I put my phone down.

[Carol Markowitz]

Amazing.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Patriotic pillowcase too. Look at me.

[Carol Markowitz]

Oh, nice. Just post a picture of that on X. Well, let's get into the news. Marty Macari is at the FDA and he is making some changes. And I like it. I like a lot of things that he's doing.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, he talked to Megyn Kelly last week and I also enjoy that a lot of these officials are giving their first interviews and in depth interviews to non traditional media sources. So yeah, Makarya's talked to Megyn Kelly, I believe. Senator Rubio, Secretary of State Rubio spoke to Catherine Herridge, who is independent now for his first big interview. Usha Vance, the second lady, spoke to the Free press. So I like this direction. And Marty, I shouldn't call him that. Excuse me, the FDA head, Dr. Makary, who I have been a fan of for quite some time and was a reasonable voice during the COVID years, which were few and far between in the recognized sort of medical expert community. And so I appreciated him very much. He talked about a couple things. Number one, one of my favorite bugaboos, which is the food pyramid devised by the federal government. They're gonna throw that out the window, which love it. Look, I'm not even sure that they should be dictating and telling people what is healthy and what is not. But as long as they're gonna do it, they should maybe not do it so terribly wrong.

[Carol Markowitz]

Maybe don't get it completely wrong.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Like so he said they're going to be re evaluating that and it won't just be simply an evaluation of, oh, these calories good, these calories, whatever, the number of calories in, the number of calories out. It might actually give you some nuance about processed foods versus whole foods and what that means. So I look forward to a little bit of based nutrition coming to the fda. So that was one of his announcements.

[Carol Markowitz]

Love it. You know, as I was preparing for our conversation, I was googling kind of what he's been up to. And it's interesting because a lot of the media outlets are trying to tie him to, you know, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy. And I get that Kennedy has some more controversial views, but Macquarie to me is very much a trustworthy kind of person. He doesn't say anything kooky. He's a very solid guy. So the fact that a lot of these news outlets, and they've been doing this to him obviously since COVID have been trying to turn him into a questionable character is appalling because he is such a solid person. And I looked up his bio. He's obviously, he's a surgeon, a public policy researcher. He was at Johns Hopkins. He used to write for the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, and he had two New York Times bestselling books. He was in the leadership of the who, and he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine. He was all of these things and so many other things, visiting professor at all these Medical Schools, published 250 peer reviewed scientific articles, et cetera, et cetera. And so I think that it's important to defend this man when the mob will continue to come for him and say he' you know, he, he's kind of kooky.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, well, to your point, he actually answers a question from Megyn Kelly about autism rates. And now this is a perfect contrast where RFK got in trouble this weekend for saying something that's pretty like pretty ham handed about autism, as he has a way of doing, whereas the Macri is like, hey, so if I had deposit a theory, this is what it might entail. And you know, we bombard our microbiome with all of these chemicals. We really haven't studied a bunch of them. And there may be some ways that those interact that cause differences. And we've seen differences in these studies between children affected by autism and others who are not. And so that would be something that I would look into. And I think that Jay Bhattacharya has announced that we will be looking into. Like that is a measured, scientifically based answer that gives a little bit of insight to people who don't follow this, that gives a little bit of hope to those who might want this looked at in a critical way. And to me, he's always struck me as somebody who is just interested in evaluating evidence and is brave enough to talk about things that might be outside the approved topics that, you know, Anthony Fauci, up until recently was in charge of approving.

[Carol Markowitz]

That's right.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

So I appreciate that. The last and perhaps most splashy one, I believe we have a clip of him talking to Megyn Kelly about this FDA way of doing things that will be changing.

[Marty Makary]

We want American pharma companies to do well and companies that do business in the United States to do well. But the scientific evaluation needs to be independent. And that's why today we are announcing we are removing industry members, pharma members, from FDA advisory committees. I was shocked when I learned that employees of big pharma companies sit on FDA advisory committees as members of those committees. So we're going to be replacing them whenever statutorily possible with patients and family givers, family caregivers. We are going to be inviting pharma companies to send representatives to the advisory committees. But they can sit with the rest of the public and watch and pose questions as the rest of the American public can.

[Carol Markowitz]

That seems like such an obvious thing to do. Yeah, I, you know, in our world, I just feel like I'm probably more of a pharma defender than most people. First couple of jobs out of college were at pharmaceutical companies in their legal departments. I don't see them as, you know, the evil empire. And I definitely have my problems with a lot of the things that they do, but I just don't see them as this great evil. The fact that they weren't allowed to be involved in FDA policy is wild to me.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yes. I think this is one of those instances of the wait, what are we doing? Effect, which is when people, an Elon Musk or a Marty Makari come in and say, yeah, we're gonna make a change to the way we're doing this thing. And a bunch of people go, wait, what? That's how we were doing that. That seems bad. Now, people who are maha or who are interested in these conflicts of interest have known this for a while, but a lot of people would probably be like, wait, yeah, we definitely shouldn't have those people doing those particular jobs. And look, I understand, I'm with you, that I'm sort of medium on pharma. I used to be more of a booster, and I think they do some amazing things and come up with amazing treatments for various things. However, I do want room for looking at health holistically, for looking at nutrition holistically, to use a hippie adjective. But you know what I'm saying, There are things that might be at the root of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms, that would do people better. Right. And so I think this change in particular could be very interesting and would change the way that things are regulated and the way that things come to the fore. He also noted that when it comes to the food pyramid, the government, FDA have, you know, basically partnered with the industries that make the processed food or the farming industries or whatever interests are there to make these decisions. Like I don't find this surprising because I have followed government and how it operates for many years. But a lot of people will be like seems like a seems like a bad idea. Maybe we should do it independently of those forces. So I appreciate his his take on these things. And like, like you said Carol, I think there's going to be an ongoing effort to tie anyone who's doing interesting things under the HHS directly to rfk. And look, he's their boss. But these are people, these are men in their own right. Jay Bhattacharya another one who have great reputations and who I think deal seriously with the facts.

[Carol Markowitz]

Exactly. So I love the seriousness of him and I love would love to see what they do next.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

We shall see.

[Carol Markowitz]

We'll be right back on Normally hello.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

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[Carol Markowitz]

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[Ryan]

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[Carol Markowitz]

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[Jennifer L. Armentrout]

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[Clay]

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[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Do you know what the biggest story of the week is, Carol?

[Carol Markowitz]

I'm sure it's very controversial, Mary Katherine.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Well, you know, one of the issues in a, in a Trump administration. Look, there's a lot of stuff that happens regardless. Like, and you're going from the pace of a Biden administration to a Trump administration, which is why, you know, you and I have to take a break over the weekend and then catch up. But, like, there is something to that. But as I've always said with the media in a Trump administration, they get themselves ratcheted up to such a degree about every story that it ends up not making sense. Which ones are important, which ones aren't. Yet again, Carol, in this administration, as it was last time, the Easter Egg roll at the White House is a thing, Right? It's a thing, Carol, because when a Republican is in office, particularly Trump, we gotta make an issue of this very silly event that happens on the White House lawn this year. The New York Times headline is Easter eggs are. It's, it's, it's attached to this, to this story. But the Easter eggs are so expensive, Americans are dying potatoes.

[Carol Markowitz]

You know, I heard that and I was like, I don't think potatoes are cheaper than eggs. No.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And here's the thing that's not real, right? What? They're taking a tongue in cheek TikTok video and turning it into the thesis of a New York Times piece. Because someone was like, ha, ha, eggs are expensive. So we're painting potatoes, right? Then the DNC is like, aha. The White House has ordered $30,000 worth of eggs for the role when Americans are dying potatoes. And thus we have the controversy of.

[Carol Markowitz]

The Easter egg roll, the fakest story ever, when we should all clearly be focusing our attention on Melania's soft yellow trench coat. Wow.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah. I mean, look, the woman knows the coat, okay?

[Carol Markowitz]

She is just, she really is perfection. It's so ridiculous that she could knock out every outfit every single time.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah. Could I give you a quick flashback to 2017? I flagged this and wrote it in when Trump was elected the first time. This is a quote from the New York Times. Could this White House, plagued by slow hiring and lacking an on site first lady, manage to pull off the largest, most elaborate and most heavily scrutinized public event of the year? This is the central question of a lengthy news story printed in the New York Times this week. What, might you ask, is the largest, most elaborate and most heavily scrutinized public event of the year? It is indeed asserted as fact. The White House Easter Egg Roll.

[Carol Markowitz]

It just. That is bananas. And it's funny.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Mind blowing.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. It's also. It's funny because all I remember of the Biden Easter events is one where the Easter Bunny had to pull him away from people.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yes.

[Carol Markowitz]

The Easter Bunny got between him and, like a media member. I mean, it was. Everybody was like, who is in the Easter Bunny costume that has that kind of sway over the president? And then, of course, where the trans people lifted up their shirts and showed.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Oh, yeah, that was a good one.

[Carol Markowitz]

What they got. Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

By the way, those, those little mishaps. Not a story.

[Carol Markowitz]

No, obviously.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

But the idea that Melania Trump might have dropped the ball in 2017, because Melania Trump, of course, has no idea how to host an event. Being Donald Trump's wife. Yeah, right. We learn in this story, by the way, that even Curious George and Elmo did not know for sure that the iced Easter Egg roll was happening until late last month. And the coordinating yogi for the yoga garden, a tradition of the Obama years, had not been contacted.

[Carol Markowitz]

How that is controversy.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

There were also anonymous sources who spoke to the times for that 2017 story. Like, this is. We're doing it again.

[Carol Markowitz]

It looked like just such an old fashioned Easter egg hunt. I really trump coloring with the kids. The other thing, and I know we didn't queue this up to talk about, so I don't want to just throw this at you, but is Trump getting more religious? Is he getting more religious or is this my imagination? I feel like he mentions Jesus more often. I would have said he's not a religious man before, and I really think he's changed since the shooting, since his attempt.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I think there's a little of that to be sure. He still says, happy Easter. We need God. The losers also need God.

[Carol Markowitz]

Listen, he's still Donald Trump. Just because you accept Jesus into your life doesn't mean you change personalities.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I have never been to the White House Easter Egg Roll.

[Carol Markowitz]

That's a travesty.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Well, can I be honest? I haven't gone. But part of the reason, not part of the reason. Maybe I'm rationalizing because everyone's having fun without me. But I do think that getting your kids dressed up and standing in a security line and then particularly when they're very young, I think I would just wait till mine are a little older. Particularly when they're very young. To go into the White House lawn and then hope that they behave themselves should a president come over and talk to them is just a lot. That's a lot. Lord knows what my children would say.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, I had had during the first Trump administration. A friend of mine was in the administration and she had gotten us a private White House tour. And my youngest son, he's now 9, so somebody has to do the math. I think he was like three the time. Cracked his face like he fell right outside the Oval Office and bled all over the driveway. And all the pictures from that day are him in his, like, little suit with, like, bloody feet.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Oh, bless his heart.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, I hear you.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

But someday, maybe when they got a few more years on the little babies, we will do that. But, yes, this is yet another situation where we make a deal out of something that isn't a deal, and then people can't trust you on other stories. Although I will say the freakout does seem slightly less than 2017. Trump, for his part, by the way, did mention to the cameras, hey, remember when Biden had to get led around by the Easter Bunny? Not me, not this guy.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, that's great.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

One more thing.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I do think this is important. Did you see that there's an upgraded Easter Bunny at the Easter Egg Roll this year?

[Carol Markowitz]

I did. That is a good looking Easter Bunny.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

He looks brand new. He's like a light brown color. Somebody joked he has no glasses like the old one did. The old one was like a very freaky white, fluffy bunny with the glasses, kind of crossed eyes. Sean Spicer used to dress up in that costume. That's from back in the Bush years. This one is updated, like a light brown color. Someone joked that he got Lasik and a tan cause he has no glasses and yeah, looking good with a green coat on. Adorable. Very springy. I'm sure there will be a hard hitting story on how much money we spent on that costume.

[Carol Markowitz]

Hey, the Easter Bunny got a glow up. I'm all for it.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Doge goes after the Easter Bunny next in the New York times. Anyway, Easter Egg Roll. Have fun everybody.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, enjoy. It's fine. We're going to take a short break and come right back with Normally, for.

[Ryan]

Some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with [e-mail] Big contest even bigger.

[Carol Markowitz]

Prizes it's the big Circle K Giveaway. Visit Circle K four times and you'll get a reward. Come in for fuel, snacks, meal deals, anything. After every four visits, you'll unlock a reward. So what are you waiting for? Come to Circle K and get a head start on your fourth visit. Reward Visit Circle K today. No purchase necessary. US residents 18/ ends May 6, 2025. For official rules, visit circlek.com Big-Giveaway Captivating.

[Jennifer L. Armentrout]

An action packed the Blood and Ash series by number one New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout is a sexy, addictive series perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros. Chosen at birth to usher in a new era, Poppy's life is not hers. A maiden in solitary waiting for the day of her ascension, Poppy would rather be with the gods, fighting the evil that took her family. The entire kingdom rests on her shoulders. When Hook, a guard bound to protect, enters her life, he tempts her with the forbidden A kingdom, Blood and Ash. A thrilling, steamy escape. Available in print, ebook and audiobook.

[Clay]

This is what you do when you have high standards and fancy. All the fancy things like a Dior saddlebag or that diamond tennis bracelet, you go to ebay. There you'll find new loves that will never disappoint. Expertly authenticated. Whether it's that vintage pearl necklace or brand new ruby earrings, a Prada crossbody bag or classic watches like that Rolex Oyster or that Cartier tank. On ebay, there are no limits to your high standards. Yeah, ebay the place for new, pre loved vintage and rare fashion. Ebay Things People Love did you know.

[Carol Markowitz]

That parents rank financial literacy as the number one most difficult life skill to teach? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app for families. With greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores automate allowance, and keep an eye on what your kids are spending. With real time notifications, kids learn to earn Save and spend wisely. And parents can rest easy knowing their kids are learning about money with guardrails in place. Try greenlight Risk free [e-mail] iheartra Last story. And we're keeping it light today as everyone gets back into the swing of things at work. DHS secretary Kristi Noem had her bag stolen over the weekend from a D.C. restaurant. And it is kind of an interesting story because, well, the New York Post has all the best details. Security footage reviewed by the Secret Service showed a white man in an N95 surgical mask, dark pants, a fur type collar, and a ball cap snatching Gnome's bag before leaving the restaurant. I don't really know what a fur type collar is.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Hmm. Interesting. It's a strange choice, one that Melania Trump wouldn't make.

[Carol Markowitz]

And if she did, it would look flawless.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

That's true.

[Carol Markowitz]

The Post also says it was a Louis Vuitton Clement's purse. And I was like, wait, isn't that a wallet? And I looked it up, and that is a wallet. So as we're about to read all the contents, it's almost, like, confusing. I mean, they might be. They might have gotten the name of the purse wrong. I don't know.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Well, here's the thing. They should have consulted Carol Markowitz, purse expert, clearly, before they reported this.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, I don't know how they're even running this story without talking to me.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

True.

[Carol Markowitz]

But she had a lot of stuff in what appears to be this little wallet, including $3,000 in cash.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

3,000. By the way, I heard a rumor that the restaurant was Capital Burger, which is an interesting choice.

[Jennifer L. Armentrout]

What is?

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah.

[Carol Markowitz]

Why? Why is it an interesting choice for those of us who don't live in.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

D.C. i just was expecting maybe something a little more fancy pants.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

But particularly if you have $3,000 in your.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yes.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Do you have $3,000 in YOUR purse, Carol?

[Carol Markowitz]

I will say that I. I am a rare person that probably has had $3,000 in my purse because I'm a poker player and you can only take home in cash, so. But the days that I am carrying my poker winnings to my home, I can tell you I am on guard with that money in my wallet. And we talked about this on a previous episode, but I'm already kind of crazy. Like, I do not take my hand off of my bag. My bag has to be touching me at all times. I'm not blaming her. Obviously, no one's blaming the victim here. It's just an interesting detail that she had $3,000. And somehow this bag got taken away.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

So I'm one of those sad people. I think we've discussed this dynamic before where if somebody's getting tipped, it's only if my husband is there. Like, do you have a QR code or do I have my husband? Those are the two ways you might get it.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Because otherwise there are hair bows and mechanical pencils in my purse. Like, that's not. It's not the same fare as. As Kristi Noam. I do think for the thief DHS secretary. Like, not. Not the one you want to rob. That seems like a mistake because I feel like they have a lot of resources to bring to bear, particularly because her badges were in that bag, which is no good. But yeah, the contents of my bag currently are a book about COVID Because I'm still mad bro.

[Carol Markowitz]

I'm mad bro.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

My calendar.

[Carol Markowitz]

Wait, which book? Let's give them a shout out. Who is it?

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

This is actually. It's a book from Chapp Peterson, who was the one rogue Democrat state senator in Virginia, about his fight against his own party to put some of those ideas to rest. Right. I have a hairbrush and some Claritin. So, yeah, not. Oh, and some goldfish. Not a lucrative steal for anyone. Partly because I left my laptop at home on my trip to New York today, so. Whoops.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah.

[Carol Markowitz]

In my small bag, I have two lip glosses, my wallet, my house keys and car keys, and three packs of matches from the last three restaurants that I went to. If you have matches, I am taking them.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yep. Well, and then whoever gets your purse from your clutches would have plenty of matches at their disposal Now. I hope they catch the guy. I assume they probably will. Again, a lot of resources to bring to bear. And there seems like there's footage of.

[Carol Markowitz]

This person right in his little fur collar.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Also, her whole makeup bag was stolen. And let me just say, that is a real pain to replace.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yes. That is such a bummer. That is. Actually. I'm like, the badges, that's tough. Apartment keys. Okay. Passport. That's annoying. But the makeup bag. Oof.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

The makeup bag. Do you realize the work that goes into this?

[Carol Markowitz]

It's years of effort. It's not like a one day shopping trip.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

No, no, this is a. This is a treasured. A treasured thing. A curated collection.

[Carol Markowitz]

That's right.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yep. Well, yeah, we hope it's returned to her. By the way, should. Should remind everyone of the dangers of dining in D.C. watch out. Be safe.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, yeah. Stay safe out there, friends. Well, thanks for joining us. On Normally Normally airs Tuesdays and Thursdays and you can subscribe anywhere you get your podcasts. Get in touch with us@ normallythepodmail.com thanks for listening and when things get weird, act normally.

[Ryan]

For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent where Money means more Connect with [e-mail] it's the big Circle K giveaway.

[Carol Markowitz]

Where every four visits you'll unlock a reward. Come in for fuel, snacks, meal deals, anything. Get a head start on your reward. Visit Circle K today. No purchase necessary. Visit circlek.com for details.

[Buck]

People choose Morton Buildings to build a variety of buildings for their property any time of year because they know Morton Buildings are built stronger, last longer and look better. If you need a garage, a stall barn or a storage building for an rv, boat or other vehicles, a shop for your farm hobbies or car restoration projects or anything in between, Morton can create a building for you that's attractive, easy to maintain and dependable enough to stand the test of time. Just visit MortonBuildings.com today to find out more. They use quality materials and expert craftsmen with an industry leading warranty to ensure your structure is enjoyed by generations to come. Morton buildings is 100% employee owned with thousands of satisfied customers. That means they're the industry leader you can trust. To get started on your next building project, visit MortonBuildings.com don't delay. Construction schedules are filling up fast, so now's the time to start planning your building project with Morton. That's MortonBuildings.com hey Clay, if there was.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

A summer camp for critical thinking, we'd.

[Marty Makary]

Be the chief counselors.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Those jelly heads in June would be intellectual warriors by August. Be a lot of fun too. Some Bill and Ted's excellent adventure records just thrown in this podcast like a daily dose of that. Minus the campfires, archery and pranking the girls. The bona fide boot camp for critical thinking. You can get in on it for.

Free at the iHeartRadio app or wherever.

You get your podcast. Just search our names Clay and Buck listen and subscribe.