Hour 1: The Maniacal Giggler (feat. Brian Stelter)

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Hour 1: "The Maniacal Giggler" (feat. Brian Stelter)

Date: September 24, 2025

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Episode Overview

Recorded live from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, this episode features sports-talk veterans Dan Le Batard and Stugotz joined by CNN media analyst Brian Stelter. The conversation centers on the controversy and comeback of Jimmy Kimmel after his suspension by Disney/ABC amid political pressure, and explores the broader implications for free speech, media ownership, and political influence over American late-night television. The show splits its attention between sharp cultural commentary and its trademark irreverent takes on sports, including NFL and college football banter, well-worn gambling grievances, and the signature "useless sound montage."

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News and Rising Political Tensions ([01:07])

• Dan Le Batard opens by highlighting the turbulent state of America, with recent violence at a Dallas ICE facility and how quickly tragic news is politicized:

  "There are things being weaponized and political conversations immediately happening after violence and death because the content mill is something that is fed too quickly before we even have a chance to process, never mind getting to mourning." ([02:00])

2. The Kimmel-Disney Saga: Corporate Pressures, Public Outcry, and Political Influence ([02:00] - [13:00])

• Dan introduces Brian Stelter to unpack why Jimmy Kimmel was suspended and subsequently brought back, emphasizing the unusual degree of national unity the controversy generated.

• Brian Stelter asserts that audience pushback—including Disney/Hulu subscription cancellations—played a significant role in Kimmel's return, despite corporate reluctance:

  "They reacted by pulling the show...I think the audience pressure, Dan, the consumer pressure, it did make a big difference. But they always wanted to bring the show back anyway." ([03:04])

• On the unique nature of the Kimmel backlash:

  "This story was unique in some ways amid all the other Trump controversies because it did create so much outrage and backlash." ([04:20])

• Network Affiliates' Role: Even with major affiliate owners like Nexstar and Sinclair still refusing to air Kimmel in some markets (~20% reach), Stelter argues interest and viewership have exploded on digital platforms:

  "Clearly there's so much interest in this story that Kimmel and ABC are benefiting from a surge of viewer interest...those viewers are just going to work a little harder. They're going to go to YouTube or Hulu or Disney." ([05:51])

3. Kimmel’s Emotional Return Monologue: Seeking Reconciliation ([07:09])

• Kimmel’s words are played, showing a measured attempt to reach across divides and clarify his position after the controversy:

  "It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man...Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual..." ([07:20])

• Stelter analyzes the monologue:

  "He was trying to offer a little bit of a bridge or an on-ramp in to conservatives while at the same time making clear he's going to continue to satirize Donald Trump." ([08:29])

4. The Future of Late Night: Kimmel’s Leverage, Streaming vs. Broadcast, and Industry Impact ([09:24])

• Dan: Wonders about the evolution of the Disney-Kimmel relationship.

• Stelter: Acknowledges Kimmel’s contract nears end; speculates a future where the show might go fully digital or streaming if government pressure escalates:

  "If the government is going to continue to wield its power to punish private companies, ABC might decide it’s better to put the show onto streaming..." ([09:48])

• Stelter reiterates the remarkable lack of leaks between Disney and Kimmel—compared to late night drama of the past—signaling mutual respect and strategic alignment, with Kimmel stronger than ever as a symbol for free speech.

5. Late-Night Comedy as Political Platform ([16:24])

• Dan and Stelter marvel at Kimmel’s transformation from "The Man Show" to spearheading anti-Trump and political commentary—a path very few comedians have taken, especially with such audience resonance:

  “The most popular clips...are not his celebrity interviews. They are his anti-Trump commentaries. They are his political monologues. That is what people come to look for now from Jimmy Kimmel.” ([16:24])

6. The Media Economy & Trump-Era Censorship ([18:36] - [24:03])

• Comparing Colbert’s CBS show’s "strictly financial" cancellation (which the hosts question), Stelter suggests bluntly:

  "If Kamala Harris were president, Colbert’s show would still be on the air...in a Harris administration, this would not be happening." ([18:53])

• The hosts and Stelter examine the chilling effect of Trump/FCC intimidation on corporate media—and how public outcry and digital migration are creating new rally points and alternatives:

  "Every time a major media company appears to be caving, a new Substack is born, a new podcast is born, a new YouTube stream is born." ([24:08])

  "Trump’s gonna continue to try this pressure campaign...this tug of war is still very much, it’s still ongoing." ([22:53])

7. Historical Parallels: Hungary and Democratic Backsliding ([25:31])

• Stelter draws sobering parallels with Viktor Orbán’s Hungary in his efforts to consolidate control over independent media, though noting key differences with America:

  "The parallels between the US And Hungary are really striking right now. Orban’s control of the media, his consolidation of power...his attempts to weaken public broadcasting and break the backs of independent media...all of that is very eerily similar to what Trump is attempting." ([25:38])

8. Other Memorable Moments and Sports Diversions

• The panel riffs on NFL and college football "bad beats," rambles into the psychology of losing bets, and analyzes quirky football lingo like “ball search culture” and “flight risk.” The "useless sound montage" lampoons press conference clichés and brings levity to weightier topics.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Dan Le Batard on the Kimmel outrage:

  "We have found at least two issues where it seems like most Americans are pretty close to united..." ([02:00])

• Brian Stelter:

  "Kimmel is a cause. For better or worse, whatever you think of it, Kimmel’s a cause. What he went through and the public pressure from the administration is part of the cause." ([17:50])

• Dan:

  "Do any of you or did any of you have any inkling that Young way Ku was going to lose his job this season?...I thought of that guy as wildly, wildly consistent." ([36:16])

• Mike Ryan on NFL heartbreaks:

  "You never feel more alive than when they're pulling the chips away. I love, I love those things." ([35:04])

• Brian Stelter on wider implications:

  "Maybe the point, Dan, is Americans are not numb to it all yet." ([31:19])

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:07 | Breaking news: Dallas ICE shooting, political weaponization | | 02:00 | Kimmel controversy intro, unifying outrage | | 03:04 | Stelter on Disney’s motives and public cancellations | | 04:20 | Pressure on Disney, groundswell of protest | | 05:51 | Nexstar/Sinclair blackout & impact of streaming platforms | | 07:09 | Kimmel’s emotional monologue, response analysis | | 09:24 | Evolution of Disney-Kimmel relationship, contract questions | | 13:00 | Brief promo cut, transition to life and media intricacies | | 16:24 | Kimmel’s unique late-night path, political comedy analysis | | 18:53 | Colbert’s CBS fate, political factors in entertainment | | 20:41 | FCC’s tactics, future subtlety in political pressure | | 22:53 | The ongoing pressure tug-of-war and public mobilization | | 25:38 | Hungary comparison, warning signs of democratic erosion | | 29:32 | Reflections on the week’s biggest media surprise | | 31:19 | Americans’ engagement and "not numb" to controversy |

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Tone & Final Thoughts

Throughout the episode, the tone is a blend of urgency, frustration, and dark humor. Dan Le Batard’s exasperation with political meddling in media meets Brian Stelter’s journalistic skepticism and insight. The crew maintains a Miami-savvy casualness—shifting from dense media analysis to raucous sports fan camaraderie without missing a beat.

Concluding Note:
The Kimmel/Disney saga is painted as a microcosm of broader anxieties about American democracy, media independence, and corporate accountability—while the sports banter serves as comic relief and community glue for the show’s devoted fans. The conversation closes on an optimistic note, with both hosts and guest agreeing the American public still cares deeply about these issues and can move powerful institutions—in this case, drawing a line in the sand for free speech and entertainment.

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For fans and newcomers, this episode captures The Dan Le Batard Show’s rare blend: insightful media critique, acute political analysis, and the lovable chaos of sports radio.

Transcript

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[Dan Le Batard]

Before we get to Brian Stelter to talk about Jimmy Kimmel. These are obviously really turbulent times all over America and there is danger and chaos and violence everywhere. Mike, what is the breaking news now on what's happening with ICE and the state militia that we are weaponizing?

[Mike Ryan]

Well, details are still going in and we want to be responsible because I saw Christy Noem and J.D. vance also went to Twitter probably a little too soon to send out a certain message, but there was a shooting at a Dallas ICE facility. Two detainees at this facility are dead, one is injured. The suspect is dead. Silkman over the news cycle. But according to social media, these shots were fired from a nearby rooftop.

[Dan Le Batard]

There are things being weaponized and political conversations immediately happening after violence and death because the content mill is something that is fed too quickly before we even have a chance to process, nevermind getting to mourning. But with Jeffrey Epstein and with Jimmy Kimmel, we have found at least two issues where it seems like most Americans are pretty close to united. And in the case of Kimmel, this feels like a situation where public outcry made Disney do something that Disney didn't want to do. So Brian Stelter is the former media correspondent for the New York Times and Vanity Fair. He's got three bestselling books, Top of the Morning Hoax and Network of Lies, and he's the current CNN media analyst. Brian, in your reporting, what is it that has happened over the last four days? Was it simply that everyone started canceling Hulu and Disney subscriptions.

[Brian Stelter]

It's more complicated, but I do believe people dropping those subscriptions did make a difference. Let's start from the premise that Disney always wanted to bring Kimmel back on the show. It's not as if the executives who run Disney like Bob Iger, the CEO, and his deputy Dana Walden, it's not like they're secret Trumpers who are big fans of MAGA media and want to turn ABC into Fox News. That is far from the case. All right, Bob Iger donates to Democrats he thought about running for president against Trump. Dana Walden is known for being best buds with Kamala Harris. These executives not only love Jimmy Kimmel personally, they are also politically in, I would say, some sort of sync with Jimmy Kimmel. But they looked around, they react very quickly to pressure last week, and that's what they did, right? They reacted by pulling the show, and they wanted to find a path forward. It took them a few days. And I think the audience pressure, Dan, the consumer pressure, it did make a big difference. But they always wanted to bring the show back anyway.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're sure about that? Because the original reporting I saw on that, it seemed like people were saying that Indefinite was likely to become. He wasn't coming back. You're sure about that?

[Brian Stelter]

Well, look, I was skeptical. I thought it was unlikely his show was gonna be back on broadcast tv because I was thinking to myself, these station owners were not gonna let it go back. They were too fearful. The Trump administration, they were too concerned about pressure from Trump and Brendan Carr. I think it is important there was this groundswell of public concern. All these free speech groups, all these First Amendment experts, all. All of these random, ordinary consumers, right? All these protesters outside Disneyland. It's never a good look for Disney when you have free speech protesters outside Disneyland. So, yeah, I think this story was unique in some ways amid all the other Trump controversies because it did create so much outrage and backlash. And yes, I do think that made a difference. We don't know for sure, right, what Disney was thinking. We don't know what the bottom line impact of the cancellations were. But I think what we do know for sure is that these executives love Jimmy Kimmel. They wanted the show to be back, and they decided by Monday the temperature had cooled down enough that they could do it, they could bring him back. And now here's the thing, right? Kimmel's more powerful than ever because he's been explicitly approved and backed up by.

[Dan Le Batard]

Abc, nextstar Media and Sinclair, though are still in a position as affiliate owners where Kimmel isn't airing everywhere. Can you please tell me what the consequences and what the cost of that is and if that's going to change?

[Brian Stelter]

Normally we would say Nexstar and Sinclair total, they represent about 20% of the markets across the US where Kimmel show airs. So normally we would say, wow, 20% of the viewers can't watch Kimmel. That's gonna mean a ratings hit. That's gonna mean the ratings are gonna drop. That's gonna be a big, big bad problem for ABC. But not in this case. Right, because more than 20% of an additional audience poured in last night. I can say that without even seeing the ratings yet. Clearly there's so much interest in this story that Kimmel and ABC are benefiting from a surge of viewer interest. So yes, in Seattle and Washington and in some smaller markets, people were not able to watch the show at 11:35. But those viewers are just going to work a little harder. They're going to go to YouTube or Hulu or Disney. They're gonna watch the monologue this morning. And you know, that monologue is getting millions of views per hour on YouTube right now. It is already by 8am Eastern, it was already Kimmel's most watched YouTube video of the year, not surprisingly. You know, everybody wanted to hear what he was gonna say. So nexstar and Sinclair, they don't hold a lot of cards right now. They can continue to protest Kimmel's show, but ABC has contracts with these companies and they're gonna probably start to enforce those contracts.

[Dan Le Batard]

Here is some of what it is that Kimmel said last night. He was emotional when talking during his monologue. An unusual monologue that was probably twice as long as it usually is. Let's play some of that sound for Brian and get his reaction. Yes, it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don't think there's anything funny about it. I posted a message on Instagram of the day he was killed sending love to his family and asking for compassion. And I meant it and I still do. Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what it was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some that felt either ill timed or unclear or maybe both. And for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you're upset. If the situation was reversed, there's a good chance I'd have felt the same way I have many friends and family members on the other side who I love and remain close to, even though we don't agree on politics at all. I don't think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone. This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution and it isn't ever. Brian, what were your thoughts on his monologue last night?

[Brian Stelter]

Number one, he's trying to say I am not. He's trying to say, I, Jimmy Kimmel, am not anti Republican. I am not against you, conservative America. He is clearly against President Trump, but he was almost trying to split off Trump and Trump's aberrant behavior from the rest of the party and the rest of the movement. He was offering condolences to Erica Kirk. He was complimenting and praising Erica Kirk's speech over the weekend, her tribute to her late husband. He was trying to offer a little bit of a bridge or an on ramp and to conservatives while at the same time making clear he's going to continue to satirize Donald Trump. He's gonna continue to speak out against the administration. So I think he said exactly what ABC wanted him to say. You know, he wanted. ABC wanted him to acknowledge the controversy, wanted him to try to extend maybe an olive branch of some sort. And Kimmel did just that. And I think it was genuine. It seemed genuine to me.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, but when you say he said exactly what Disney wanted him to say, I disagree. When he went into his pocket and said, I have only one condition on my return that Disney forced on me, and he just said, here's how you stop canceling your Hulu subscription. Yes. I don't. What do you think that. What do you think that Disney's relationship is with Jimmy today that it wasn't a week ago?

[Brian Stelter]

That's probably the most interesting question. Well, number one, his contract is coming due in May. So this may not be a long term relationship. I have no reason to believe ABC wants to drop the show in May. I have no reason to believe Kimmel wants to leave. Yes, he's made noise about retiring, but, you know, lots of stars do that in advance of contract talks. It is possible, I think we could imagine a world where next spring Kimmel's show moves off broadcast. Maybe it's just going to go to streaming. Maybe it's going to become a pure subscription play and maybe that's actually in the best interest of everybody involved. If the government is going to continue to wield its power to punish private companies, ABC might decide it is better to put the show onto streaming. But I think that was the decision they would make with Jimmy and, and not for Jimmy, you know what I mean? That would be a conversation, and it's, you know, that's a sad reflection of our times if companies are gonna feel they have to take that kind of action because of the Trump administration.

[Mike Ryan]

Brian, through your reporting, what do you know about the dialogue from between Disney and Jimmy about exactly what he was gonna say, what hard lines Jimmy had, what was the initial ask? And I'm sure what we saw on television last night was basically both sides kind of giving in a little bit to what they believed.

[Brian Stelter]

Yeah, you know, nobody's really leaking, which is unusual in these situations. Usually when there's a late night drama, we hear some pretty spicy information from sources. In this case, I think everybody is trying to play it cool. It was not in Kimmel's interest to go out there trying to burn ABC down, trying to leak against abc. His camp, so to speak, has not been out there trying to push certain narratives. As far as I can tell, certainly my phone's not ringing, neither are other media reporters. So it is telling that this has not exploded, you know, with background quotes and anonymous jabs back and forth. It is interesting, though, that ABC's statement, when they announced he was coming back, they referred to thoughtful conversations with Jimmy. And I think that's a euphemism for some pretty strong language that was used back and forth. Right. Kimmel was clear on the air last night. He did not agree with ABC's decision to suspend the show. He did not want to be sidelined. So I imagine there were expletives at first. Right? I imagine this was pretty heated at first. And then as the days went by, they were able to reach a compromise and find common ground. But look, that's notable, right? Sometimes these late night stories, they erupt. Think about Conan o' Brien and Jay Leno. Sometimes this stuff does get aired in public, and this time it hasn't. Maybe that's number one. These two camps really do like each other. But number two, Kimmel knows his power right now, doesn't he? He has this free speech platform and he's making it about so much more than himself. He's telling his viewers, if they come for Jimmy Fallon next, you better speak out ten times as loudly. He's telling his viewers Trump's trying to destroy American journalism. He pointed to the Pentagon implementing new restrictions on journalists at the Pentagon. He is using his platform to. To make this about so much more than one late night show. You know what I mean Thursday Night.

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[Dan Le Batard]

Don Levator what is the worst part of the life stuff? The worst part of the life of what? This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats. Do you have a lot of examples of anything that looks like Jimmy Kimmel's career, from the man show to this, where he has turned the monologue like he's consistently doing healthcare monologues, like he has become he has done politics in a way that Fallon can't do politics.

[Brian Stelter]

I agree with you. And I went looking through his YouTube views this morning trying to get a sense of what viewers want, right? At least online, on streaming, what do viewers want out of Kimmel? And what I found was very clear. The most popular clips, the most shared clips, they are not his celebrity interviews. They are not his sketches. They are not his absurd segments. They are his anti Trump commentaries. They are his political monologues. That is what people come to look for now from Jimmy Kimmel. So when we hear conservatives bemoan Kimmel and say he's not funny and say he should be canceled and all that stuff, stuff that's out there, that's all across Fox News, it's not true in terms of what the audience that Kimmel has wants. Kimmel's audience wants him to take on Donald Trump. Kimmel's audience wants him to point out the Trump administration's conduct, in some cases misconduct. So yeah, it is amazing to go from the man show to where Kimmel is now, but he seems perfectly positioned to do it, at least between now and May.

[Dan Le Batard]

If you had to guess, would Jimmy Kimmel, instead of doing what he has done, which is be a polite and good Disney employee throughout, if not in protection of the paychecks for his staff? Does Jimmy Kimmel quit, become a martyr and just get on with his life? Because it's better for Colbert right now at this point and for him to be on their own the way Conan o' Brien is, instead of, you know, being working in the mainstream, threatened mainstream media.

[Brian Stelter]

I suppose there's a world where he does see benefits to being free from some parent company. But working for Disney also conveys a lot of benefits, including the fact that he was on almost 200 stations last night even though a few dozen of them refused to air the show. Working for Disney does bring him some even more high profile visibility. There are some benefits to his platform as well as certainly some drawbacks. And I think now we're in this moment where Kimmel is a cause. For better or worse, whatever you think of it, Kimmel's a cause. What he went through and the public pressure from the administration is part of the cause. If anything, this, I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, Dan. Maybe this weds him more to ABC and Disney in the short term at least. Probably gets free theme park tickets. Oh yeah, he does. Those are the best.

[Dan Le Batard]

Have you done more reporting on Colbert and gotten to the bottom more of what it is that happened there? Because they avoided this by making it, quote unquote, a strictly financial decision when I don't believe it was a strictly financial decision. I don't think you do either.

[Brian Stelter]

The way I like to think about Colbert, the way I frame it is if Kamala Harris were president, Colbert show would still be on the air. It wouldn't be facing this may cancellation. That's the way I think about it. Yes, the financial story is real. Yes, the show was losing money depending on how you, depending on how you do the math. And there's lots of ways to do TV math. But the bottom line is in a Harris administration, this would not be happening. That being said, Colbert is no slouch, right? Colbert is using every day he has left on CBS to speak out. And at some point CBS is going to have to put on a new show. They're going to have to do something at 11:35. What are they going to do? Here's what I keep thinking about this week. The approval ratings for Trump are very clear. Pretty much every poll has them around 40% approval. This is a country where 6 in 10Americans disapprove of the President. They certainly don't want their own free speech rights impaired. So if you are a major media company, if you are thinking about consumer demand and consumer attention, aren't you going to try to appeal to the 6 out of 10 just from a pure cynical. I'm not talking about newsrooms now, okay? I'm not talking about journalists. I'm talking about major media companies, CEOs, the ones who have been caving, the ones who have been bending the knee. If they keep doing that Isn't that going to create even more market demand for alternatives? Isn't that going to create even more opportunity for other companies to appeal to the 6 and 10? Do you see what I'm saying here?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. I mean, a lot of this business stuff is interesting to me, and I just wonder if any of this is actually going to go away or if Trump and the FCC just learned, next time, let's not make the threat and do it that way. Let's not do it out in public so that the public. Let's do it quieter, let's cloud it, let's confuse it. Let's not do it brazenly and honestly, drunk on arrogance.

[Brian Stelter]

That is exactly what my gut says. I've been covering Brendan Carr all year. I've been texting with him all year. I've seen him write letter after letter, make statement after statement where he pressures these media companies in more thoughtful, nuanced, legalistic ways. You know, it's clear that Carr hears Trump's threats. He hears whatcarr, hears what the president wants from Truth, Social, and presumably from private conversations. And then Carr tries to translate that in a legal, regulatory way. Last week, Carr went a big step further, Right? And as Ted Cruz said, Carr sounded more like a mob boss. I don't know if Carr's gonna make that mistake again. I don't know if he thinks it was a mistake, but a lot of people think it was a mistake. I don't know if Carr will go that way again. It seems to me he'll be more careful next time.

[Dan Le Batard]

He wasn't careful with you, right? You're the one that he tweeted the office gif to celebrate that Kimmel had been taken off of the air, right?

[Brian Stelter]

Yes. He sent me the Michael Scott, whatever this is called thing. Raise the roof. Raising the roof, yeah, raising the roof. Yes. He sent me that gif. He did that in the heat of the moment. And then he didn't send any gifts again. You know, he hasn't sent me any memes in the week since. I think there's probably a part of him, because he's a savvy guy. He knows how this world works. He knows the limits of the FCC's power. He knows that his bully pulpit is one of the most powerful tools he has. I suspect that he is thinking about how to use his bully pulpit in ways that will not draw so much backlash next time.

[Dan Le Batard]

But do you sense that he's chastened at all because this was a really public hit that he took? I don't believe that most people before this knew who the FCC chairman was. And it's his arrogance that we now know. And sending a reporter that shows a general tone deafness that you didn't think America was gonna turn on you this way. Because the public outcry on this one has been something. To see the people move this way, move something as powerful as Disney and moved a weaponized federal institution has been something not only emboldening, inspiring, because I was worried that that's not the America we lived in anymore.

[Brian Stelter]

I've got to play devil's advocate with you, though, and point out that I think some MAGA media influencers loved seeing what Carr did last week. I think some Trump voters loved seeing him use his power in a clenched fist against those liberal elites in the media. You know, for every reaction, there's a counter reaction. So Carr's pressure caused this dramatic counter reaction, these Disney plus cancellations, this free speech movement. What I wonder now is what do Trump loyalists do next? Right. Trump pressured ABC again overnight, threatened action against abc, kind of hinted at a new lawsuit. I doubt he'll file it, but maybe he will. He sued the New York Times last week. He got thrown out, but he might try again. So, you know, Trump's gonna continue to try this pressure campaign. That's what Kimmel said last night. He said Trump's not stopping. And many Trump voters still want to see this happen. They want revenge, they want retribution, they want to punish their perceived enemies. So I want to recognize for all that's happened in the past week, there's also this energy out there to try to stick it to Jimmy Kimmel. Right, to try to get him canceled. And that's not going away either. Right, Dan? In other words, this is, this tug of war is still very much, it's still ongoing.

[Dan Le Batard]

Best guess on what's next, beyond what you just said, what do you think's going to happen next?

[Brian Stelter]

I think every time a major media company appears to be caving, a new substack is born, a new podcast is born, a new YouTube stream is born. Right now, Kimmel's racking up millions of views for his ABC monologue. But if this goes south, if Disney comes under more government pressure, if the DOJ starts blocking Disney's deals, if Kimmel's show ends next May, he'll probably be bigger than ever on podcasts.

[Mike Ryan]

Brian, is there any way that these media companies can fight fire with fire? Can they countersue when they receive any frivolous lawsuits that Trump might file?

[Brian Stelter]

Yes, in some cases, they can and some First Amendment scholars wish ABC had gone that route last week. They wish ABC had gone to court. I think the reason that didn't happen was because this happened so quickly, like literally from 1pm to 5pm eastern time on Wednesday afternoon. All of this went down, all of this erupted. And ABC did what was maybe what they believed was smartest in the moment. If this had happened with a little bit more time, less time constraints, fewer time pressures, that legal route may have been the one. And you know, it's important to keep an eye on the courts here because the New York Times throwing out Trump's defamation suit last week, sorry, the New York, not New York. A Florida judge throwing out Trump's suit against the New York Times last week is an example of how the courts are the ultimate backstop here.

[Dan Le Batard]

You've covered the media for a long time. Give me the closest thing you've seen to something that looks or feels like any of this.

[Brian Stelter]

Yeah, I don't wanna sound hyperbolic because America's a whole hell of a lot bigger and stronger than an Eastern European landlocked country like Hungary. We're very different than Hungary. President Trump is different than Viktor Orban in some ways. But the parallels between the US And Hungary are really striking right now. Orban's control of the media, his consolidation of power, his attempts to weaken public broadcasting and break the backs of independent media and privatize media companies with the control of the state, all of that is very eerily similar to what Trump is attempting and some of what's happened in the past nine months. I've talked to former Hungarian members of parliament and other experts who have studied Hungary's democratic backsliding and more authoritarian moves. They say that what they're seeing in the US Is very similar. So, you know, if you want to nerd out this weekend, go read about Hungary, read about the model there, the autocratic carrots and sticks, because I think that's what we're seeing here in some ways.

[Mike Ryan]

Howdy, folks, it's Mike Ryan and I know it's early in the NFL season, but it has shown you exactly why the NFL is indeed king sport in the United States of America. Great games, incredible matchups, in demand tickets for these high profile games. Sometimes, often times these games are sold out and you're left with the secondary market. Well, let me tell you about my go to on the secondary market, the official ticketing partner of the Dan Levatard Show. I'm talking of course about gametime. Gametime's amazing for a lot of different reasons, zone deals, panoramic CPUs, the low price guarantee, and game times unparalleled ticket coverage. I'm an NFL free agent, so I'm always looking for the biggest games and gametime makes it so easy to peruse the app. One of my favorite features is fees are always included. What you see is what you pay and that is hugely important when you're traveling abroad to catch the game du jour. Take the guesswork out of buying NFL tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use Code dan and get $20 off your first purchase terms. Apply again. Create an account and redeem code dan for $20 off swipe tap ticket. Go download the Gametime app today.

[Brian Stelter]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Brian Stelter]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Brian Stelter]

Awards for trucks than any other brand.

[Dan Le Batard]

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[Brian Stelter]

Chevrolet received the highest total number of awards among all the trucks in the.

[Dan Le Batard]

JD powered 2025 U.S. vehicle Dependability Study Awards based on 2022 models. Newer models may visit jd power.com awards for more details. Chevrolet Together, let's drive.

[Mike Ryan]

Don LeBatard in terms of Heat fans, you're the most irrational of us right now.

[Dan Le Batard]

What?

[Mike Ryan]

What's the pivot?

[Dan Le Batard]

Irrational St. You don't hear your voice. Your voice. You. If I were making a cartoon thing that was meant to symbolize irrational, that's.

[Brian Stelter]

The voice I would give higher Premise.

[Dan Le Batard]

Premise this is the Dan Levatar show with the ST Gods. Put it on the poll, please. At Lebatard show, Did you think that you were gonna hear someone say on today's show? I've talked to members of Hungarian Parliament. What do you think was the most interesting thing from the last week?

[Brian Stelter]

Ooh, spicy. Most interesting thing about the past week? I think the most interesting thing about the past week is that. What's the can you answer first? I'm trying to. I'm going to Try to stall the time.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, the reason. Okay, I'll allow you to filibuster, but.

[Brian Stelter]

When Eagles come back.

[Dan Le Batard]

I wasn't talking. Oh, wait a minute. I'm asking about the Kimmel situation.

[Mike Ryan]

This isn't Jake tapping seven in a row, right?

[Brian Stelter]

Brian Marlins.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm asking him as it relates to this situation because I believe in your media career you will have never covered anything like this. When you're mentioning Hungarian parliament, you are, you're talking about these things that are so macro. But a talk show host created a frenzy in this country.

[Brian Stelter]

Yeah, I think I know what it is. I think I know what it is. Every day there's a new scandal. Every day there's a new Trump controversy. Every day he's trying to use his power in ways that are unseen and unprecedented and different. CNN beat reporters cover this in different ways every day. You know, one day it's some obscure federal agency, the next day it's Harvard. You know, one day it's a Smithsonian, the next day it's some private company you've never heard of. Every day we're seeing this happen. But the Kimmel story broke through. Unlike most of those controversies like the Kimmel story has resonated. I can feel it in the TV ratings. I can feel it in the protests that we've covered in New York and la. We can feel it, I think all of us, that's why we're here talking about it right now. I think the big surprise, maybe it's not, shouldn't be surprising. The big statement here is that there is an interest in the American public that people are paying attention, these stories can break through. Maybe the point, Dan, is Americans are not numb to it all yet.

[Dan Le Batard]

Thank you, Brian. Excellent. Appreciate the time. Appreciate the work, sir.

[Brian Stelter]

Thank you. Thanks, y'. All. Go bird.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes. So you mentioned the Eagles, and I did wanna talk for a second about a couple of the bad gambling beats this weekend. One of them was the Eagles. If you had the Rams plus three or plus three and a half, that's.

[Brian Stelter]

Kick a hole in the tv.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh my God. If you had, you're sitting there kicking for the game and the only thing that beats you is the unprecedented act of a 340 pound guy not just blocking the kick, but having the athleticism to then grab the ball. And instead of just taking a knee and ending the football game, doing the dangerous thing of running down the field with your money.

[Brian Stelter]

Well, I think. And when you see the guy who.

[Dan Le Batard]

Picks up the football.

[Brian Stelter]

All right, it's a disaster right now, but okay, Somebody's gonna catch that guy.

[Mike Ryan]

He's really fat.

[Dan Le Batard]

Nope, you're.

[Mike Ryan]

You're missing 19 miles an hour.

[Dan Le Batard]

Missing the S from the word you tried to say. He's really fat. He's really fast is what he was. That was a bad beat. But I'm gonna go back for a second and it was the worst there. I don't think there was a worse one this weekend. If you had the Rams plus three Rams on the money line. Rams plus three and a half because they were winning the whole game.

[Mike Ryan]

Auburn was bad.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, like that's the one I want to get to. So listen to this. So I'm going to set it up for you. If you were not watching the Auburn Oklahoma game, okay, Oklahoma is favored by six and a half. They score a touchdown to go up five, go for the two point conversion and miss the two point conversion on a wide open pass because it appears their quarterback's hand was broken at some point during the game. So he throws a bad pass. At the end of the game it would have been an easy completion wide open in the end zone. You would have been up by seven instead of five. You would have covered if you had Oklahoma, but now you're down five and a half. And it's not just that Auburn has the ball. Auburn has the ball at the 30 yard line. You're not thinking safety there like you're thinking in any case, interception return for a touchdown, fumble return for a touchdown. But they start getting penalties and you're like oh my God. If you have Auburn plus six and a half with the ball and the game is five points. I know people don't like math here. What you are not expecting is a safety when you're on the 30 yard line. But in this game you had to be expecting a safety because all Oklahoma was doing was getting more sacks than they had at any game Oklahoma has ever played. Do you know how many football games Oklahoma has played?

[Mike Ryan]

Not just that, the benefit of the whistle. Because the SEC has come out and said that a touchdown that they scored shouldn't have stand. Shouldn't have stood anyways because they tried some hijinks, some dark arts, fake a sub. By the way, I was on Auburn and the Rams.

[Dan Le Batard]

I know you mentioned earlier, I was.

[Brian Stelter]

On Oklahoma minus six and a half.

[Dan Le Batard]

You don't deserve to win, that you shouldn't be breakdancing back there. Mike had those in parlays as well that got crushed.

[Mike Ryan]

SGP with Kyron Williams anytime. Touchdown Nakua Puka. Nakua over six and a Half catches. And to close it, everything else was one was Rams plus three and a half.

[Dan Le Batard]

So when Zaslow says it's kick a hole in your television time. Just take me into your face, Mike. As it's not just that Auburn gets a safety there and it becomes a seven point loss. It's that whoever was rushing the quarterback there, he's a university. He, he could have been at the University of Miami, but he run, he runs over the right tackle, just steamrolls the right tackle. And the reason Auburn's quarterback was not expecting that is at least in part because there's a human being on right tackle who's 300 pounds that he was not expecting to just get bowled over that way. And then he's engulfed in the end zone and you lose your bed.

[Mike Ryan]

I laugh. You know, there was a great Al Pacino that said in the iconic film Two for the Money. You never feel more alive than when they're pulling the chips away. I love, I love those things.

[Brian Stelter]

Great movie.

[Mike Ryan]

I'd rather there was.

[Dan Le Batard]

There is ought to be John Anthony.

[Mike Ryan]

There's a strange part of me that was good would rather lose those bets than win them just because it's a great war story. But everything kind of just pales in comparison. Cameron Dicker missing the kick against Jacksonville. Come to find out now he's just nailing big kick after big kick and is one of the most accurate kickers ever. And it's just, it's weird. He's the most accurate kicker in history.

[Brian Stelter]

94% for his career. I love how in two for the money, McConaughey's process is just. I'm going to walk into my office and I'm going to look at this sheet with the lines on it and I'm gonna circle one side.

[Mike Ryan]

No. What if that doesn't do it for him? Then he has to take off his shirt, oil up and lift some weight. That's when he's, you know, I'm in. I'm in a rock stretch here. And the whole room is just wants.

[Brian Stelter]

This paper because they're gonna sell the.

[Mike Ryan]

Shit out of this paper. He promised ARMAND ASSANTE A 130 weekend.

[Dan Le Batard]

You guys have heard me say over the years that I feel like quarterback measurements that we in are pretty bad at it. I feel like we're pretty bad at the kicker measurements too. Do any of you or did any of you have any inkling that Young way KU was going to lose his job this season? Is that something that you guys knew was coming? I thought of that guy as Wildly, wildly consistent. And also when he missed a kick earlier this season, I was surprised by it. He missed a game winning kick. Do you guys. Did you guys have an inkling that young wake who was about to lose his job in Atlanta.

[Mike Ryan]

You would have, you would have thought that he would have had more of a Runway to. To mess up, but they didn't. Missed a lot of kicks, Mike. The last couple years he missed a lot of kicks and it's like, oh, yeah, he's good. But yeah, he shouldn't have missed that 42 yarder when the game is, you know, in hand.

[Brian Stelter]

It was weird and I felt like.

[Mike Ryan]

It was kind of coming.

[Dan Le Batard]

Zazlo, did you have any opinions on Young way ku? I didn't.

[Brian Stelter]

That's strong. My bad.

[Mike Ryan]

I'm very strong. I just didn't think that here pretty dialed in. I was, I was surprised in on the Falcons. As you know.

[Dan Le Batard]

I had to Hungarian Parliament to Young Huay Ku.

[Brian Stelter]

I think that when you. You name part of the stadium Kuville, it's a little bit of a surprise that they cut the cord on him.

[Dan Le Batard]

Not the coup I thought we'd be talking about off of that Kimmel story. Let's talk useless sound here, shall we? Let's do some useless sound montage here where we go throughout the Sport and get 2 minutes, 2 minute Mayfield of just useless sound. Man, it's great to win in the National Football League.

[Brian Stelter]

Great to play at home in front of our fans.

[Dan Le Batard]

They're just, they're unique and we love them. Good win to get in particular when you haven't had one. I'll always remember this win and we don't need to learn a football game and know that turnovers are very hard to overcome.

[Mike Ryan]

It feels like we lost the game.

[Brian Stelter]

Matt threw it right to the guy, so it wasn't like he made a good play. I mean, good for Amy Kade.

[Mike Ryan]

Like off.

[Brian Stelter]

Can't let the Eagles beat us twice.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know, we spent a lot of time on our ball search culture. Yeah, we had to have a drive there.

[Brian Stelter]

So guys made some plays for our group. We talk about we don't care how we get on the field, we don't care the situation. We gotta find a way to get off the field. They had a good plan today. The grit, the mental toughness of our.

[Dan Le Batard]

Football team was on display. You know, I'd rather be 2 and 1 than 1 and 2. The bears are the Bears. You know, we have played three out.

[Mike Ryan]

Of 17, but there's no flinch really out of that.

[Dan Le Batard]

That group.

[Brian Stelter]

Our Guys, our guys didn't blink again.

[Dan Le Batard]

Saying it doesn't make it so.

[Brian Stelter]

Frustration that turns to focus. I would say that I'm very focused and motivated to continue eliminating things that cost us games. It was a screen that I hadn't really run before, and I was like, christian, what is this again? So you reminded me.

[Mike Ryan]

He's like, oh. I was like, oh, yeah, I got you. So that was bad by me.

[Brian Stelter]

I got to know exactly what it is.

[Dan Le Batard]

Offensively, he's got some good things going. He's got. He's got Wilson there, which is a plus. The flea flicker. We're right there, you know, and it's.

[Brian Stelter]

Like, you know, whatever. It's a tough job to do when there's someone in your face. We need.

[Dan Le Batard]

Everybody needs to do better. This game is. The margin between winning and losing is so small. If you don't take care of business, you don't play well, then you're not going to win.

[Brian Stelter]

Guys were connected against a high, strained team, which leads to some extra yardage.

[Dan Le Batard]

Give Brian an opportunity, man. He's got a great personality for this sport. And for you people here, there's a.

[Brian Stelter]

Lot of things that took part in that game. We lost that game as a team. We took the lead as a team, and we're going to. You know, these are the chances to be able to lean in and see what you're really about. Well, I like Micah and enjoy his family. Like I said, I've sat at ball games with him apart from the Cowboys. So, as a matter of fact, I watched the whole first half of our last preseason game with his mom, and we sat there and watched the whole.

[Dan Le Batard]

Up in the suite together. Listen, he's an emotional guy. He's Irish. Who was the maniacal giggler that.

[Mike Ryan]

What was the one and only keeping San Francisco afloat? Dano, That's a ripped jersey.

[Dan Le Batard]

That was Mac Jones. That was three and. Oh. That was three and. Oh, Mac Jones.

[Brian Stelter]

He also didn't know the play. He had to ask Christian.

[Dan Le Batard]

Roy, find for me isolated, please. What? I believe if I played secret audio from somebody who had been administered into a facility where they had lost their sanity and what they would sound like if I just had secret audio of somebody who had officially lost their mind. He's laughing at the joker. He's laughing at the fact that he threw an interception to a defender who didn't have to do much of anything to intercept the ball.

[Mike Ryan]

You can't win with that. That's undefeated. But big picture, you can't win with that. What is the Bears or the Bears mean? Like, what does that mean? Like, I don't. I don't know what he means by that. The Bears are the Bears. Of course the Bears are the Bears. But I know what it used to mean in the 80s. I don't know what it.

[Brian Stelter]

Also, Cam Hayward has learned from his.

[Mike Ryan]

Coach talking about getting off the field. I'm trying to know what ball search culture is. What is a high strain team? Yeah, the Dolphins.

[Dan Le Batard]

I like some of the terminology used throughout this sport. I was listening to a game on satellite radio this weekend when I was just driving and a running back broke out into the open field and the announcer just yelled, he's a flight risk. It's a good call. It is. It was a good call.

[Mike Ryan]

Who was on the call there, Dan?

[Dan Le Batard]

Who was it? I know, I know.

[Brian Stelter]

We gotta find that guy.

[Mike Ryan]

That guy knows what he's doing.

[Brian Stelter]

Why were you driving during football?

[Mike Ryan]

Farmer's Market. Dan.

[Brian Stelter]

Ah. Ah. You're married. Dude, you're so nice.

[Mike Ryan]

My favorite part of this show so far today. Was it just dawning on you that you're married?

[Brian Stelter]

Aaron's. Let's go to the pumpkin patch, Dan.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, it's fall.

[Dan Le Batard]

You guys don't drive during college football at any point on a Saturday. You guys don't leave the television at any point on a Saturday.

[Mike Ryan]

I did.

[Brian Stelter]

If I do, I'm not happy.

[Mike Ryan]

We know Roy does. Roy doesn't watch football. I mean, no. I'm locked in on the game.

[Brian Stelter]

Unless I got a kids party I.

[Dan Le Batard]

Got to go to or something.

[Mike Ryan]

That's what I had to do.

[Brian Stelter]

This couch right here, this is where I live all day.

[Dan Le Batard]

Please keep playing. Mack Jones again, this is him talking about throwing an interception where a defender didn't have to do anything because Mac Jones just realized that he threw the ball to a defender who didn't have to do anything to intercept it.

[Brian Stelter]

That's me. If the Marlins make the playoffs.

[Mike Ryan]

Howdy, folks. It's Mike Ryan. And I know it's early in the NFL season, but it has shown you exactly why the NFL is indeed kingsport in the United States of America. Great games, incredible matchups. In demand tickets for these high profile games. Sometimes, often times, these games are sold out and you're left with the secondary market. Well, let me tell you about my go to on the secondary market. The official ticketing partner of the Dan LeBatard Show. I'm talking, of course, about game time. Game time's amazing for a lot of different reasons. Zone deals, panoramic CPUs the low price guarantee and game time's unparalleled ticket coverage. I'm an NFL free agent, so I'm always looking for the biggest games, and Game Time makes it so easy to peruse the app. One of my favorite features is fees are always included. What you see is what you pay, and that is hugely important when you're traveling abroad to catch the game du jour. Take the guesswork out of buying NFL tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use Code dan and get $20 off your first purchase terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code dan for $20 off. Swipe, tap Ticket. Go download the Gametime app today.