Normally Podcast: Running Away from Political Correctness

Summary

Summary of "Normally Podcast: Running Away from Political Correctness"

Episode Details:

• Podcast Title: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
• Episode: Normally Podcast: Running Away from Political Correctness
• Release Date: May 6, 2025
• Hosts: Mary Kathryn Ham and Carol Markowitz

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1. Weekend Recap and Personal Anecdotes

Timestamp: 03:49 - 05:35

The episode opens with hosts Mary Kathryn Ham and Carol Markowitz sharing their weekend experiences. Mary recounts a challenging camping trip with her children, marred by cold weather and rain, followed by an intense workout session supporting the Travis Manion Foundation and an unenjoyable movie night watching "Another Simple Favor."

Notable Quote:

• Mary Kathryn Ham at [04:47]: “Anna Kendrick is the other lead and she is charming as usual, but there's only so much you can do. Girl, that thing's a disaster.”

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2. Donald Trump’s Proposals: Rebuilding Alcatraz and Hollywood Tariffs

Timestamp: 05:35 - 12:43

The conversation shifts to recent tweets by former President Donald Trump, where he introduced two significant proposals:

1. Rebuilding and Reopening Alcatraz as a Prison:

   • Mary Kathryn Ham [05:50]: Trump advocates for transforming Alcatraz into a modern prison to incarcerate violent and repeat offenders, emphasizing its historical significance.
   • Carol Markowitz [06:54]: She expresses support for building more prisons but criticizes the practicality of using Alcatraz due to its status as a museum and federal property. Carol suggests alternative solutions, such as utilizing other islands for new prison facilities.

2. Imposing 100% Tariffs on Foreign-Produced Movies:

   • Mary Kathryn Ham [08:07]: Trump labels the decline of the American movie industry as a national security threat, blaming foreign competition and advocating for hefty tariffs to protect Hollywood.
   • Carol Markowitz [09:33]: She disputes the effectiveness of protectionist measures, attributing Hollywood’s struggles to restrictive state policies in California and New York. Carol argues that imposing tariffs on foreign films could backfire, especially since the U.S. is a net exporter of services.

Notable Quotes:

• Mary Kathryn Ham [05:50]: “When we were a more serious nation in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals and keep them far away from anyone they could harm.”
• Carol Markowitz [09:33]: “Why should they get this big boon from the President in order to make it easier for them to make their movies here?”

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3. Barstool Sports Incident: Anti-Semitic Sign Controversy

Timestamp: 17:34 - 26:54

Mary Kathryn and Carol discuss a controversial incident at a Barstool Sports-owned bar in Philadelphia, where patrons ordered anti-Semitic signage. The staff complied, leading to backlash and dismissals. Dave Portnoy, the owner, publicly condemned the actions but took an extreme stance by suggesting that the perpetrators should be sent on a trip to Auschwitz to educate them about the Holocaust.

Notable Quotes:

• Carol Markowitz [17:34]: “Dave Portnoy is a hero to many of them. He is the fearless leader.”
• Mary Kathryn Ham [21:15]: “Showing them Holocaust stuff just has never worked for me.”

The hosts debate the effectiveness and morality of using Holocaust tours as punitive measures, with Carol expressing skepticism about their impact and Mary highlighting the insufficiency of such actions in fostering genuine understanding and change.

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4. Influencer Controversy: Kate Max and White House Tour Video

Timestamp: 30:30 - 43:01

The discussion turns to a recent backlash against running influencer Kate Max, who posted a video interviewing White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt during a run. The video was criticized by Hope Walsh, daughter of Tim Walls, for normalizing Trump administration figures and political messaging within a fitness context.

Key Points:

• Kate Max’s Video:

  • She conducts a casual interview with Caroline Levitt at the White House, blending fitness with political discourse.
  • Mary Kathryn Ham [31:48]: Highlights the incongruity of treating the White House tour as a mere fitness accessory.

• Criticism from Hope Walsh:

  • Critiques the video for appearing to endorse or normalize the administration’s policies.
  • Emphasizes that running should not be politicized or used as a platform for political messaging.

• Hosts’ Perspectives:

  • Carol Markowitz [37:13]: Argues that punitive measures like Auschwitz tours are ineffective and that conversation is a better approach.
  • Mary Kathryn Ham [38:19]: Points out the double standards in media reactions, noting the lack of similar backlash against Democratic figures.

Notable Quotes:

• Kate Max [34:48]: “Running as an act is political... It is a privilege.”
• Mary Kathryn Ham [33:02]: “We cannot normalize Caroline Levitt by chatting with her as she gives you a tour of the White House.”

The hosts critique the blending of fitness and politics, arguing that it detracts from the primary purpose of community and health associated with running. They also discuss broader issues of cancel culture and partisan biases in media coverage.

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5. Cultural Commentary: Media Narratives and Political Polarization

Timestamp: 41:27 - 43:01

In their concluding segments, Mary Kathryn and Carol delve into how media narratives shape public perception and contribute to political polarization. They critique how certain topics, like protein consumption and fitness activities, are framed within political contexts, often misleadingly attributing them to specific political ideologies.

Notable Quotes:

• Mary Kathryn Ham [41:32]: “If you ate a bunch of protein instead of whatever the government told you to do with that stupid pyramid for the last generation, you'd be in better health.”
• Carol Markowitz [42:29]: “It's so weird. Just be normal.”

The hosts advocate for more straightforward and less politicized discussions in media, emphasizing the importance of maintaining normalcy and resisting the over-politicization of everyday activities.

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Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Mary Kathryn Ham and Carol Markowitz engage in a robust discussion centered on the perceived retreat from political correctness. They critique recent political proposals, highlight incidents showcasing anti-Semitism and partisan biases, and analyze how media narratives contribute to societal divisions. The hosts advocate for practical solutions over punitive measures and call for a more balanced and less politicized approach to public discourse.

Final Notable Quote:

• Mary Kathryn Ham [42:41]: “I do protein and lifting now because I'm MAGA.”
• Carol Markowitz [43:01]: “You're listening to an iHeart podcast.”

---

This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the "Normally Podcast: Running Away from Political Correctness" episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who have not listened to the full episode.

Transcript

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[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Hey guys, we are back on normally the show with normalish takes for when the news gets weird. I am Mary Kathryn Ham.

[Carol Markowitz]

I'm Carol Markowitz. You know, Mary Kathryn, I was thinking this, that we record on Mondays and air on Tuesdays, but and I ask you how your weekend went and sometimes that's, you know, a little, a little delayed on Tuesday. But I think you had a very eventful weekend. Right? You did. I think your weekend holds into Tuesday.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, I took my children camping this weekend, which I think we're a little camping cursed because it's in the past like five years. I've taken them two times and one time it was 34 degrees outside and the second time it rained all night. Yeah, the entire night. So I did that and then in my great wisdom, I came back and did a huge workout for the Travis Manion foundation with like 300 back squats and a bunch of running. And then I watched a terrible, terrible, terrible movie.

[Carol Markowitz]

What movie?

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Another simple favor.

[Carol Markowitz]

Oh yeah, that did not look good.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

No. The only reason this is getting pressed is because Blake Lively's in it and so her controversy is giving it press.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Anna Kendrick is the other lead and she is charming as usual, but there's only so much you can do. Girl, that thing's a disaster.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, you know, the socials are really trying to sell me on that movie, but I don't really watch that many things to Begin with. So it's not going to be that. I'm glad you previewed it for me so I can conclusively say I will not be watching that.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I went in knowing it was going to be bad. I was kind of hoping it'd be a hate watch. And I knew that I was going to be semi immobilized from camping planning plus workout. So just. You might as well.

[Carol Markowitz]

It's perfect.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Do that. So that's what I did.

[Carol Markowitz]

I love it.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Well, coming off the weekend, I think we might need to have a semi regular segment that's just like weird ass weekend ideas from Donald Trump because the President's tweeting through it like he does.

[Carol Markowitz]

Sure.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And. And he had a couple things to pitch this weekend. Two ideas. One, I'll start with Alcatraz, but the other one is Hollywood based and we'll get into that. The first one is rebuild and open Alcatraz. For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders. The dregs of society who will never contribute anything other than misery and suffering. Both with capital beginnings. Yeah.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yes.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

When we were a more serious nation in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals and keep them far away from anyone they could harm. That's the way it's supposed to be. No longer will we tolerate these serial offenders who spread filthy bloodshed and mayhem on our streets. Anyway, he's directing the Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice, FBI, Homeland Security to all get together to figure out how to enlarge and rebuild Alcatraz. It can only be as large as the island. Correct. So I don't. I don't know how much enlarging we can do. It's currently a museum owned by the federal government, so at least they got that going.

[Carol Markowitz]

So run by the Parks Department.

[Kate Max]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

This is the pitch. Carol, what do you think?

[Carol Markowitz]

You know, I think what he's saying is we need a badass prison in order to scare people away from doing crimes. I'm not opposed to that. But if he starts reworking Alcatraz, which, as you mentioned, is a museum, it's going to take years and years. I don't think that he'll still be president by the time that happens. You know, he's a real estate developer. Buy a different island, make a different prison. The thing is, that prison building over the last decade plus has become something that is very difficult to do because we had this big movement of decriminalize everything and defund police and don't put anyone in jail. And it got to where private prisons, for example, couldn't get bank funding to build those prisons because it was just seen as such a touchy subject. So I get what Donald Trump is saying, build more prisons. I'm for it. Forget about Alcatraz. It's just too complicated. I visited Devil's Island a long time ago. That's also a island prison. It's now a resort. You know, maybe that could be the backup plan B here.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, no, he has, he has a way of doing very specific weird pitches that I'm like, no immediate no on that. But the very specific weird pitch touches on a larger issue that I'm like, he'll, he'll do it a different way. Like he one time in one of his many, many speaking engagements last week, he just said, like, we're going to do all the normal stuff. We're going to put the prisoner, put the criminals in jail and we're not going to have the boys play on the girls teams. And he just lists them off. And I was like, so much more of that. Just like say the normal things over, over again instead of the weird specific thing. I imagine that will be abandoned in a couple days. But the Hollywood one is interesting as well. He has this to say the movie industry. These are truth posts, by the way. The movie industry in America is dying a very fast death. Other countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood and many other areas within the USA are being devastated. This is a concerted effort by other nations and therefore a national security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda. Therefore, I am authorizing the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% tariff on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands capitalized again. We want movies made in America again. Okay. Nope.

[Carol Markowitz]

And I don't like it because I, I don't see why movies can't be made in America. And the reason that they're not is because of leftist local government in place like California. There were a number of artists over the last few years who have taken a risk and spoken out and said it's very tough to make movies in California. And that's also true for New York, of course. All of this is kind of the problem of the culture of those states. Why should they get this big boon from the President in order to make it easier for them to make their movies here?

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And it provides a ready made excuse for Hollywood for all these losses that it has incurred because of California's terrible, terrible policies and government.

[Carol Markowitz]

Exactly.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And now they can be like, aha, the foreigners did it to us. That's it. Now they might be so negatively partisanly polarized that maybe California would be like, we should be a low regulation state who allows people to make things they're not in our borders. So like, I would love that. I don't think that's going to happen. I don't think Gavin Newsom is going to become an abundance Democrat. Right. But this is goes to our old complaint about Donald Trump from the very beginning, which is he's too liberal for us.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yes, exactly.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

He's too much of a Democrat for me. And this is an old school protectionist makeup excuses for lefty policies kind of pitch. And I am anti. The other problem with it is that a. I just like a lot of choices. So if I pass on all the subtitle movies, fine, but I want to have those choices. Him saying we should have fewer choices of either movies or dolls is not good. But we also are a net exporter of services.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

We are a service nation. So if we decide that we're going to tariff services and entertainment and people decide they're gonna retaliate, that's gonna go badly for us.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. Considering we make most of the movies still. You know, the protectionist stuff, I don't like it. But I particularly don't like it when it's protecting industries that caused the protectionism in the first place. Yeah. They screw up, Right. It becomes like there are other industries that I would quicker be quicker to protect. Although again, I don't think the president should be picking winners or losers. I'm stating that very clearly. But if you're going to protect certain industries, Hollywood is the one that you've picked.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah. Why? Why? These folks don't need your help, man.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, exactly. Look, I think if we've seen anything from California since the fires, it's that they will not learn lessons. They refuse to learn lessons. The politicians just absolutely will keep doing what they're doing. The people seem poised to keep re electing those politicians after a while. It has to be their problem that their economy and the fact that movies, films have left Hollywood has to be their problem.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yes. Like y'all created this issue. I will say as, as far as it goes with California possibly learning a lesson. I have enjoyed seeing Steve Hilton, who is a Republican running for governor, used to be Fox News host and he has this great branding which is all beautiful yellow bright, sunny and the tag is golden again. And I just think as far as simple political messaging goes, even the most hardened lib Californian has to be like oh, oh, that does sound okay, right?

[Carol Markowitz]

I hope they lean into it. I like Steve Hilton a lot, but I always have hope that places like California and New York will turn themselves around and they always disappoint me. But I would love to see Steve Hilton make a run of it and show California what they can be again. And really, I don't want to say make them great again, but really make them great again. Make them the kind of place that people will want to make movies in again.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yep, it could be done. But you'd have to give more than like four permits in four months after to rebuild homes after these devastating files. The fires. Like that would be part of.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, that would be part of it. Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah.

[Carol Markowitz]

We'll be right back on normally Are.

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[Carol Markowitz]

Well, another incident over the crazy weekend on Saturday. Apparently Barstool Sports owns bars. I did not know this. It's a great idea though. Like Barstool is I think really capturing a large segment of the young males. Dave Portnoy is a hero to many of them. He is the fearless leader. So apparently at the Barstool Sansom street in downtown Philadelphia over the weekend, when you order bottle service, you can order a sign with it. So you could be like Happy birthday Mary Catherine, you know, whatever. Apparently a group ordered f the Jews and the bar people made the sign for them. Those people have been fired. Wow. Yeah, that's like the first thing right? When I.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

That's the first. The gatekeeping should have happened there.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. Or like somebody should be like this is a poor idea. But apparently they made the sign and Dave Portnoy who owns the bar is Jewish.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And it was caught on video of course.

[Carol Markowitz]

Caught on video Proudly, they were all very happy and dancing around with the sign. Now, of course, the proverbial shit has hit the fan and they are saying, who are these people? Let's find them. One of them is a Temple University student who has been named Dave Portnoy. Took to X saying that he was flaming mad and he was shaking and he was so angry about this. And you know, I feel him, that's it makes me angry too. And it's in his own bar and I'm sure that has to be painful and hard. His initial reaction was, I will find these people and end them. For that I'm very much for the idea of you do something like that. You should be named your name. Not saying kick them out of school or anything, which actually turns out to be a possibility as some of them go to Temple University. I'm not saying ruin their lives, but there absolutely should be consequences to this kind of thing. But then his follow up tweet is he spoke to some people and now he thinks that he will be sending the students or the people involved on a trip to Auschwitz to take a tour of the Auschwitz death camp and teach them about the Holocaust. And I hate this. I hate this so much. I hate this from the bottom of my soul. I'm okay with teaching, I'm okay with showing people the way. I'm okay with talking people out of hate, which I think is a very difficult thing to do. And I don't think it's that possible. I think people need to come to it on their own.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Right.

[Carol Markowitz]

Showing them Holocaust stuff just has never worked for me. And if you Recall maybe about 10 years ago, there was a D.C. city councilman who said the Jews control the weather. The first thing people did was take him to the Holocaust Museum. He left the tour halfway through because he was like, you know, these people are not going to be like, wow, other people hated Jews, so I shouldn't. That's never going to be the lesson. What do you think?

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah. So one, I appreciate that Portnoy was actually mad about it. And our friend Adam Rubenstein I think was tweeting, oh, I'm surprised to see Stool Presidente, which is what his X handle is more morally outraged by anti Semitism than Harvard and Columbia. And I'm like, I'm not.

[Carol Markowitz]

No, me neither.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, Portnoy is very outspoken, pretty ballsy, pretty clear eyed on some stuff, I would say I often end up falling into the same category as him. I feel like I might be a barstool Republican. Like that's kind Of I can see that. Actually that's kind of where I am.

[Carol Markowitz]

You're gonna hang your Saturdays are for the boys flag outside your house.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Well, and he created what he did, by the way. The reason he's so successful is that he created Fox News for sports. Right. So it's just filling a gap for people who want news about sports that's not explicitly leftist. Like that's what he did. He was like let's, let's do that and let's make it fun. So he did that. And then he also likes pizza. So that, that took off as well. Because who doesn't like pizza?

[Carol Markowitz]

Everybody likes pizza.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I like that he was angry about it and it was more clear eyed than Harvard or any of the Ivys have been about this because it takes them a year and a half to put together a 300 page report that is also presented alongside an Islamophobia report. Because you couldn't just do anti Philippines.

[Carol Markowitz]

Of course not. Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

But I do agree with you that like a trip to Europe is not what these people deserve.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right. I'm big on. You should give trips to Europe to the people who have supported you, not the people who despise you. I've been saying this the whole time. I think the Jewish community needs to do a much better job of celebrating people who have been so good to us. Obviously I include you in that. I include Guy Benson, I include so many amazing people. And I don't think we do that enough. And instead we send people like this to Europe to. And you know, these people are going to be like hanging out in bars in Poland. Like they're not going to be. I just can't picture the kind of person who a doesn't know about the Holocaust, doesn't know enough about the Holocaust, but then will be moved by the Holocaust when they see that people that they also hate have been murdered en masse. I can't picture how that works.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, I think you also make a good point about you've said taking them on a tour of the weakest moment for the Jewish people maybe isn't the thing. And by the way, by that token, if you're gonna give them a fully funded trip somewhere, maybe go right in the middle of Israel and be like this. This is where the Jews defend themselves. How do you like that? Go on a little IDF tour. But yeah, I, I do think there is this big modern question of what, what is the thing that you teach? How is the way that you teach it? Because all of the money that went into all of the Holocaust museums so that we could say, never again. Post October 7th, it became quite clear that a bunch of people had seen those museums and they didn't care.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right? Not only did that not care, they saw that as, like, either blueprint or something that they had to deny. They had to say that this never happened in order for them to have the views that they have. I just, again, if you're in a bar and that's the sign you pick, I don't want to say you're beyond help, because it sounded like their parents were mortified. And I hope that. I hope so. I hope this isn't something that they grew up with in their homes. I hope that this is just something stupid that they did drunkenly one night. But I just. I've been drunk. I've been stupid.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I just done this.

[Carol Markowitz]

I've never been like, you know what we should put on the sign? Like, you know, I'd put, like, jimmy's an asshole. I wouldn't put, you know, like, I just. I. I just cannot give them the kind of leeway that I'm supposed to give them. And of course, when I tweet about this, I get a lot of like, well, this is why people hate Jews. Like, I don't think that this is why people hate Jews, actually, because we have refused to.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Just, like, because you're mad at the F. The Juice, that's why.

[Carol Markowitz]

I'm not sure that's it. I don't know that that's really it. And so, yeah, I hope Dave Portnoy changes his mind on that again. You don't need to destroy these people alive. You want to have conversations with them, do it. But a free trip to Europe to see our weakest point to, you know, just. I just don't get it.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Yeah, well. And also, just Harvard and Columbia. Take a look at what it looks like when someone's upset about antisemitism on the institution that they started.

[Carol Markowitz]

Exactly.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

That's what it looks like when somebody is ticked off about this.

[Carol Markowitz]

Dana White actually was very good on it. Also, there was an MMA fighter that did a podcast, Denying the Holocaust. And it was like his first episode of the podcast, and Dana White went on this rip of him, and he said, I'm not going to take away his right to speak and say what he wants. I'm not gonna fire him, but I just wanna say he's a moron and has been hit in the head too often. But he was mad. He was angry that this guy was getting to use his business to kind of promote himself in order to say this kind of stupid stuff.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

That fighter also got knocked out and Dave Portnoy was at that knockout. Oh yeah, with an Israeli flag, wearing a yarmulke with in the crowd. So yeah, again Columbia and Harvard maybe take a look at.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, take a look at Dana White.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

At the Portnoy and Dana White pr. I don't know if they're going to look there.

[Carol Markowitz]

They're not.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

But there's a lot more clarity than they have.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yes, exactly. We're going to take a short break and come right back with Normale.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Mary Kathryn Ham]

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[Jenny Garth]

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 Wasn't that delicious?

[Carol Markowitz]

So good.

[Dana White]

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[Mary Kathryn Ham]

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[Jenny Garth]

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[Mary Kathryn Ham]

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[Carol Markowitz]

Our last topic today running is Privileged Mary Katherine.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

So this is. This is one of these, like, influencer micro controversies, but it says a lot about where we are. So there's a running influencer, and I believe her name is Kate Max. I'm not sure exactly how you, how you pronounce it.

[Carol Markowitz]

MMA, C, K, Z. I hear you, Ms. Max. On the Z ending. I understand.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I did not. I did not follow her before. I do now, and here's why. This is the cut reporting on this, by the way, just so you can understand where the tone is coming from. It says in times like these, what's so wrong with doing a little puff piece about the White House and its press secretary? A lot, actually. That's what running influencer Kate Max found out this week when she posted a video in which she gleefully interviewed the mouthpiece of the Trump administration, Caroline Levitt. Turns out that's not really the content her followers wanted to see. Jog along with me while I answer your questions about this whole ordeal. Okay, we'll play just the beginning of this little influencer vid where she just does. She tapes herself, she tapes Caroline, and generally she goes running with each person she does this with, whether it's the guy who played. I think she did one with Patrick Schwarzenegger recently. She's done one with Tim Walls. In the past, we will get to that. But here she is just getting an intro to Caroline Levitt and then doing a walkthrough of the White House.

[Carol Markowitz]

Hey, how many miles are you running today? No miles, because we're at the beautiful White House. But why don't I give you a tour? Let's do it. My name is Caroline Lovett. I am from New Hampshire, and I am the White House press secretary. And this is the beautiful White House. We're currently walking on what we call Pebble Beach. This is where all of the press hang out. Guys, we have to stop for a second and look at this. I can't believe you get to wake up and be here every single day.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Is this a dream come true for you?

[Carol Markowitz]

It is a dream come true. The White House is so beautiful, especially this time of year. That's where President Trump and the first family live.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

So she goes. She gives her a tour of the press room, all this stuff. Okay? My only complaint about this video is that they just should have run for the video because Caroline is an athlete, and that's the format that she generally follows. But I get it. It's the White House. The objection, of course, is that nothing can be done around the White House while Donald Trump is in office. That is not explicitly made to tear down Donald Trump. Right. We cannot normalize Caroline Levitt by chatting with her as she gives you a tour of the White House. And Kate is very clearly acting as if, oh, this is cool. I'm at the White House because it is cool. That's how normal people react.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right?

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And a lot of the Internet was upset by this, so they went after her. I followed her because I'm like, girl, you didn't do anything wrong. Everybody needs to calm down. And of course, if this had been a Democratic press secretary spouting whatever her boss wants her to spout, no problem, the Internet would have been fine with it. The silliest response, which also went viral, is from Hope Walsh, who is Tim Waltz's daughter. And she objects to this content because it's on the same page as a pinned video of her dad running with Kate. So here. Here's a little bit about the sport of running as conceptualized by the Walsh family.

[Kate Max]

Running as an act is political. And you know who taught me that? Tim Walsh. The first thing he told me when I was first getting into it in high school, granted, I don't really do it as much anymore. I go in spurts. But when I was first getting into it in high school, the first thing he told me was that running is a privilege. And being a part of the running community is a privilege that not all people have access to. Whether you do it recreationally or you race a lot, or you are, you know, at the elite level, it is a privilege whether it be you just having the time to run. Access, like to funds to buy the gear. Access to, you know, healthy quality foods that fuel you as you're training and as you're running. Access to, you know, a safe, stable situation that allows you to be in a good mental state to be able to run. All of those things are hard to come by. And if you have them and are a part of the running community, that is a privilege. And that, again, was the first thing he taught me.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Can we pause it right here?

[Kate Max]

I don't really understand how platform she goes on.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

And we're going to listen to more of this, but can I just interject with a couple of things, please? The first thing he taught you about running, like, not, not hydrate, tell a friend you're running route, stretch your quads. Like, none of those things. The first thing was this is a political act. Second gear for running shoes. And actually not even shoes. Sometimes some of the best long distance runners come from developing countries where they run barefoot because there is a theory that that is in fact the best way to long distance run. So there's. That we can take gear off the. Off the table. Healthy food, the trashiest possible food is the best food for fueling when you are running. When you are running a marathon, you get to eat Reese's peanut butter cups while you're running the marathon.

[Carol Markowitz]

Man, I should do that.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Just trash. Because it's just quick carbs. That's all you need, right? Okay. And then, of course, safety to run. This is so silly and overwrought and we're gonna let her go on because it gets dumber.

[Kate Max]

Platforming and administration that cuts mental health services, cuts, you know, funding and literal shipments to food banks is entirely hurting the climate. Because you can get into running in the climate. That's a whole nother thing. But it's cutting, you know, funds to climate initiatives and actively hurting the planet in that way. Sending people away without due process, villainize, villainizing minorities. All of those things are preventing people from getting into the running community, which is what I thought Kate's platform was for. But it's also just damaging to society as a whole. We should not be normalizing these people. I'm not going to tell anyone what to do with their page, but I Think it's insulting to my dad to leave a certain video pinned, especially when he stands for quite literally the opposite of what this administration is doing. You don't get to both sides this. It's not both sides. We are quite literally talking about good versus evil here. And I'm just really disappointed the whole thing happened. I was there when that video with my dad was filmed, and I was very impressed with Kate. And this is just extremely disappointing.

[Carol Markowitz]

Insane. I don't say this a lot, actually.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Insane.

[Carol Markowitz]

But this is why you lost. This is why you lost. You do this to people. And this is why people don't want to be associated with the Democrats right now. It is a toxic brand because of this kind of stuff. Cancel Culture, for example, was always largely a left on left phenomenon. So it's not enough that Kate had a video with Tim Walls that she pinned to the top of her page. She also has to walk the line and do exactly as they. After. Tim Walls is no longer running after. That's already over. And the reason that Hope Walls feels so comfortable targeting Kate Max, I think is because it is the way to get somebody who is ostensibly on the left herself. Kate Matz, I assume, is a liberal. She wants to get her back in line and say, you're not allowed to do this. We don't do this. And she gives this insane list of reasons why that ends up including, you know, immigration and climate change. Who. And ties it back to running. Like that's a real thing. It's just not.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

It's just not. And I would argue that to the extent anyone is preventing people from getting into the running community, it's people who talk like this.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Who convince people that getting into that community would be scary and weird and bad. Because you seem weird. I don't like you. You imagining that there's these giant barriers to going on a run and telling people that it's super hard because of the climate is not encouraging people to run. She also.

[Carol Markowitz]

I am discouraged. Yes.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I also enjoyed. You've been thoroughly discouraged. You can put it on her. I also enjoy that she's not gonna tell anyone what to do with their page. Except that she is exactly telling someone what to do with her page. And then finally, the pathetic appeal to authority, which is proximity to her dad while he filmed an influencer video when he was running his failed campaign for vice president. I'm not impressed. I'm not impressed.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah. You people are just weird.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I know. And then the part where she's like, I was really impressed with Kate. Maybe Maybe there's a reason for that. Maybe it's not just that Kate agreed with you on politics or seemed to in the moment. Maybe it's because Kate was worth being impressed with and that's why she has a huge following.

[Carol Markowitz]

I can't think. Did this happen to anybody on the opposite side? Like, has anybody been targeted for visiting the Biden warehouse? White. I said warehouse. Biden White House.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I mean, they did sort of warehouse him there for four years, so. Fair enough.

[Carol Markowitz]

The Biden White House over the last four years, I cannot think of a single incident, and I can't imagine what that would look like. If you went to the Biden where. What's wrong with me? The Biden White House. Would there be outrage? Would there be people saying, how dare you? I. I don't think so.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I think there might be, like, there might be some complaints, but I don't know that it is a. It's a concerted.

[Carol Markowitz]

It wouldn't be that high up.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

You know what I mean?

[Carol Markowitz]

It would be randos on Twitter.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

It wouldn't get written up in the cut. Right. It wouldn't be this imposed punishment that is meant. It isn't just meant for Kate, by the way. It's meant for whoever comes next. Oh, yeah, right. Of course. That's the idea behind this. And I also just think the way that they are, the left is letting go of all of these totally normal things now that now running is going to be one of them. Where they're like, ew, icky. Running. Right. Coded. I think we discussed last week how weightlifting and going to the gym is becoming.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Coded. Wearing cross necklaces.

[Carol Markowitz]

Right.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Coated.

[Carol Markowitz]

The new one today is protein. I know.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I was just going to say this. You're reading my mind. I'll read the Vanity Fair headline. Why are Americans so obsessed with protein? Blame MAGA. From the liver king to the podcast bros to RFK Jr. S MAHA constituents, America's infatuation with protein has reached a fever pitch, and it's undeniably gendered. Oh, God. I just.

[Carol Markowitz]

I've been craving steak, so I think I've gone to maga.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Protein's good for you.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, protein's good.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Protein's good for you. If you ate a bunch of protein instead of whatever the government told you to do with that stupid pyramid for the last generation, you'd be in better health. And this is the thing that kills me about all these journalists is, like, they have a chance to do something interesting. When she says it's gendered, what she means is that eating protein is manosphere coded. That's not the interesting story. The interesting story is that women are finally getting the message that rice cakes are not the best for them.

[Carol Markowitz]

Totally.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

It's interesting that a bunch of women in their 40s are actually protein loading. Like that's the interesting counterintuitive trend. But she can't see that, because the only reason you can write about crosses or weightlifting or protein is when you can pathologize it as a righty thing.

[Carol Markowitz]

And fit it into your preconceived ideas about the world.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

It's so dumb.

[Carol Markowitz]

It's so weird. Just be normal.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Anyway, Tate Max, give her a follow if you I'm not a big runner anymore, but you know, I appreciate the effort.

[Carol Markowitz]

Yeah, and I appreciate you.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

I do protein and lifting now because I'm maga.

[Carol Markowitz]

Anyway, well, thanks for joining us on Normally Normalely 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.

[Jenny Garth]

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 Clorox Sentiva smells like grapefruit, cleans like Clorox, and feels like yay.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Okay, we could be here all day. Try Clorox Scentiva for a trusted clean with long lasting freshness. Also available in lavender and coconut. Use as directed.

[Ryan Seacrest]

This podcast is supported by Talkspace.

[Dana White]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

Talkspace works with most major insurers, including Tricare. Match with a licensed therapist [e-mail] military go to talkspace.com military to get started today. That's talkspace.com military 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.

[Carol Markowitz]

The things that happened were so bizarre.

[Kate Max]

And insane I can't begin to tell you.

[Carol Markowitz]

Please do.

[Ryan Seacrest]

To hear the whole story, listen to Fiasco Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey Clay, if there was a summer.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Camp for critical thinking, we'd be the chief counselors.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Those jelly heads in June would be intellectual warriors by August. Be a lot of fun, too. Some Bill and Ted's excellent adventure references.

[Mary Kathryn Ham]

Thrown in this podcast like a daily dose of that, minus the campfires, archery and pranking the girls.

[Ryan Seacrest]

The Bonafide 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. Play and Buck. Listen and subscribe.

[Carol Markowitz]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.