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- [00:01]
Dan Le Batard
Summer is pretty much my favorite time to be a sports fan. The biggest soccer tournament of the summer just wrapped up. Baseball's on every night, racing never takes a weekend off. And my calendar basically revolves around first pitches, green flags, and whatever game everybody's texting about. I realized I'm the MVP of my group. I'm always the friend that says, hey, I've got it. I've got a place. I've got some ice cold Miller Lights. I got the tv. I got a big comfy blue leather couch.
- [00:28]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Come on over.
- [00:30]
Dan Le Batard
That's the behavior of a Miller Time mvp. I almost never watch the big ones alone. I'd much rather be with my friends. And if I am alone, we're texting, we're sipping on our Miller Lites, toasting the day, toasting the big games. For me, Miller Lite is just a part of a big game routine. It's brewed for taste with simple ingredients, clean, refreshing and easy to drink, especially in the Miami heat. It's a true American pilsner. And the original light beer is since 1975. An all American summer starts with an all American beer, Miller lite. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. You are listening to the Dan Lebatar
- [01:20]
Oliver Darcy
show in partnership with the DraftKings sports app, now live in all 50 states.
- [01:30]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
I should credit the reporting on David Lloyd and Stefania Bell being expected to be laid off by ESPN today. That's Ryan Glass Piegle who is reporting that. And in keeping with some of these media conversations that we like to have around here, Oliver Darcy is the founder and lead author of the newsletter Status. He's the co host of Power Lines podcast. And the reason we're having him on is because I find super curious some of what's happening at cbs. Thank you for joining us, Oliver. Thank you for lending us your expertise. Can you explain to me in digestible portions why CBS seems to be going out of its way to get rid of and ruin some of its best shows.
- [02:12]
Oliver Darcy
Well, there's a big merger happening that is involving the parent company of CBS News. So that's Paramount. And to get approval for Paramount, this huge media corporation that owns obviously the iconic studio, the streamer, but also outlets like CBS News, they need federal government approval and they need to get. They need Donald Trump basically in their corner. And to get Donald Trump in your corner, you have to play to his ego. And how do you do that when you own CBS News? Well, you maybe adjust the programming to be more of his liking. He pays a lot of attention to what's on CBS News. And so when you wonder what's going on there, you have to think about this big $110 billion deal that Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, is going to hopefully complete. They were hoping to do it by this week, actually, or last week, and they've been stuck by the states. But that's why I think a lot of the decisions are being made. So when you look at what's happening at 60 minutes, you look at what's happening at the CBS Evening News, some of the other programs on that channel's air, that is the backdrop for these decisions being made.
- [03:25]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
When you say stuck by the states, 11 states are suing to stop this merger. So true or false question. Did CBS ax the Late show with Stephen Colbert and gut 60 Minutes? Because Trump hates both those shows.
- [03:40]
Oliver Darcy
I obviously think it's more nuanced than that. At least Paramount and CBS would say so. But it's hard to ignore. I mean, I think there's, I think if Stephen Colbert were, for instance, a conservative opinion or, sorry, a conservative comedian, I think he'd still be on there today. Now they are blaming budgets and saying that the Late Show's economic standing was not very good anymore and they needed to just get rid of the show and move on. And that's definitely true. Late Night's definitely in a tough spot from a budgetary standpoint, but it's the number one. It was the number one show on Late Night, Stephen Colbert. And so it's hard to ignore that. And Donald Trump had called for his firing. And so you look at the decisions being made basically universally. They are in a. Being made in a manner that, that helps them with the Trump administration. So I personally don't buy the fact that CBS canceled the Late show with Stephen Colbert just because of budget reasons. Maybe that was a factor in the whole thing. But there are other things they could have done. They could have slimmed down the budget. They could have got reduced the amount of days they were on air. They could have cut the band, they could have cut the studio audience. There's a lot of things they could have done is salvage that show if the budget was the only concern. But, but obviously, Donald Trump is a big factor looming over this whole thing. So to answer your question, it's, you know, it's not cut and dried as they canceled it to appease Trump. But, I mean, that certainly played a role. And with CBS, 60 Minutes, you know, Donald Trump has been ranting about 60 Minutes for a long, long time. He pays very close attention to that show. He sued the network, if you remember, for an absurd amount of money over an edit that 60 Minutes made on that show. So he hates 60 Minutes. He wants it destroyed. Now, again, CBS would say we're not trying to destroy 60 Minutes for Donald Trump. But you look at the decisions being made, and it certainly seems like they're trying to overhaul that show to be more friendly perhaps to that administration. So, you know, it's not as easy to say they're destroying these shows because they wanna appease Trump. But, you know, that's certainly playing a big role.
- [05:33]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Before I ask you about what 60 Minutes is gonna look like when it begins its 59th season, it's the highest rated news program for 52 straight seasons. Can you give me and the audience some perspective on what 60 Minutes is, what it was and what it's going to be?
- [05:54]
Oliver Darcy
I mean, it's the most successful show in all of television news. It's not only the most successful from a rating standpoint. This last season, they averaged 9 million viewers, I think, which was an increase over the previous season, which is incredible, given that linear television is declining. That 60 Minutes would actually increase its ratings. That's pretty much unheard of. But not only were they extremely successful in television ratings, extremely successful on social media, but they've been critically acclaimed. This show rakes in so many Emmys. For CBS News, it just won Emmys in the last. This last year, actually, right before they did some of these firings. And so from, you know, in television news, it's considered the crown jewel of journalism. All the other Networks, ABC and NBC, CNN, they'd all love to have a show like 60 Minutes. And it's been a powerhouse, not only just, you know, recently, obviously, but over the last several decades. It's, you know, done a lot of important investigative reporting. It's unearthed a lot of corruption, and people have grown up with the show. I think that's another thing. People have watched 60 Minutes, heard that clock ticking for many, many, many years. I think, you know, my wife, for instance, has memories watching that show with her parents. You know, that's when she first started watching. And we still watch it every Sunday. And so I think it means a lot of things to a lot of people. It's, you know, it's a part of their routine. It's been baked into Sunday evening for a long, long time. And to see these correspondents who they very much feel like they know that they're in their household every week, being fired without cause in many cases. And to see the show being radically overhauled when it is so successful, it doesn't sit well with a lot of people.
- [07:37]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Barry Weiss had no broadcast news or managerial experience and has come in feeling like she needs to fix 60 minutes. So tell me, is Scott Pelley right when he says, quote, she was brought in to kill 60 minutes?
- [07:53]
Oliver Darcy
Those are really tough words by Scott Pelley. And also, it's funny you say she was brought in the Fix. 60 Minutes. The show wasn't broken. This was the most successful. This is like having a Lamborghini in your garage just fresh out of the dealership and saying, you know what? I need to open the hood and just replace some parts for no reason. You're like, you have the fastest car in the neighborhood. Everyone around the neighborhood is looking at your car and saying, wow, that's a fast, beautiful car. And you have it in your garage. And for whatever reason, you just start to start tinkering with the engine and maybe giving it a new paint job, and you're like, what is going on there? Why would you do that? That makes no sense. I think that's sort of what's happening in 60 minutes. It wasn't broken. It was a perfectly well running show. It was the most successful show in terms of what Bari Weiss was brought in to do. Look, again, I don't want to be acting as her spokesperson, but I think they would disagree and say they want to improve the show and ensure that it has a long life after linear television is over. The problem for them is that this show has already been doing really well on digital. So when they say we want the show to be better on digital, which is why they would claim that they're overhauling it, you say, well, Paramount and CBS just put out a press release like a couple of months ago touting how well the show is doing on YouTube, how well it's doing on TikTok and Instagram, saying that it's growing at a very fast rate on these platforms. So their, you know, explanation for overhauling it doesn't really make sense. I think that's why Scott Pali and others are saying that Bari Weiss was brought in not to improve the show because the show didn't really need improvement, but to destroy the show. And then this all goes back to Donald Trump, because Donald Trump wants this show destroyed. He doesn't like the institution. He doesn't like being held accountable every Sunday evening when he knows record audiences are watching. He wants the show gone. And you know, again, it's very difficult to ignore that context when looking at what's happening at CBS News.
- [09:52]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Yes or no, 60 Minutes still exists a year from now?
- [09:55]
Oliver Darcy
Yes, of course. Whether it's the same 60 minutes though, that everyone knows, I think that's the open question.
- [10:01]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
More likely to be so in three years or so, Bari Weiss is still running CBS News, or 60 Minutes is gearing up for its 62nd season.
- [10:12]
Oliver Darcy
That's a tough one. I have a hard time imagining that Barry Weiss will be running CBS News in three years. But crazier things have happened. 60 Minutes, I'm confident we'll be around for a very, very long time. I think again, the question is, is it going to be the critically acclaimed program that we have grown up watching or is it going to be a shell of its former self like Newsweek or Time magazine?
- [10:31]
Dan Le Batard
So Paramount touts how well 60 Minutes is performing both on television and social media clips. But they cannot point to the same type of metrics when it comes to the evening news. All their choices on the evening news seem to be blowing up in their face. The ratings are abysmal, plummeting, and they seem to be keep heading in that direction every. Every month there's a new low. So do they address the changes that they made with cbs? Do they ever with CBS Evening News? Do they capitulate there?
- [11:00]
Oliver Darcy
Well, that's the question. It's like Barry Weiss, why are you messing with 60 minutes? It's the highest rated program on television news. And then you think about like if you imagine being a 60 Minutes producer, correspondent and the person tinkering with your show that's not broken is the same person who has overhauled the evening news and led that show to historic low ratings. Like these are the lowest ratings we've seen in the 21st century on the CBS Evening News. I mean, that show was already not doing super well. It's always been really in third place, at least in modern times, but it is now just dropping viewers like flies. And so it's like, why is this person now deciding that they want to overhaul the. The actually successful program on the network? Why not at least address the mess that you've made at CBS Evening News? And you know, whether they're going to acknowledge mistakes? I don't really think so. I don't really think that's the Perry Weiss's style She's left Tony de Capo in place. They're backing him as the anchor. They're trying to kind of spin these numbers to look as positive as possible, but it's really bad for Tony. And by the way, it's also really bad for the CBS Morning show. That show is seeing some of the lowest ratings ever posted, like, ever in the show's history. So all the shows that Bari Weiss has actually touched, you know, she's like the opposite of Midas, right? Everything she touches seems to crumble at her fingertips. And so again, people are wondering inside CBS News across the industry, why is David Ellison, the owner of Paramount, giving Bari Weiss so much power? She has no television news experience. She has no managerial experience. I think her digital experience is very questionable. At least she has it, though. But why is she overseeing a news network? You know, she used to brag to people, according to people I've talked to, that she didn't even own a television. And this is the person you put in charge of a news network that's on tv. It just doesn't add up.
- [12:53]
Dan Le Batard
So is the Ellison family just in line to be the next Murdochs and reshape network television in this conservative way, or are they just presently going the direction that the wind blows? And when Donald Trump is no longer in office, we might see them go back to the middle and ease up on this hard right turn, I assume.
- [13:13]
Oliver Darcy
I mean, look, they're going to have some big problems when Democrats take control of Washington. Like, there's no doubt about that. And they're already having problems now with the states, you know, the Democratic states, a dozen of them suing to block their deal. So they are going to, I think, change a little bit when the political winds start to change around them. That said Larry Ellison, you know, the, the Oracle founder and the person really bankrolling all this, you know, his son is in charge, but let's be honest, the money is money is the person who's actually in charge. He's a conservative. You know, according to the Washington Post, Larry Ellison joined a call of election deniers trying to figure out how to overturn the 2020 election. So this is someone who's a Trump ally, someone who seems to be quite maga, and he's the one in charge of this network. So, you know, I think yes, they will probably adapt as political winds change. But at the core, this company is an owner who is conservative, who until like, as of, like this year, I think, or maybe late last year, we asked Oracle, I asked them, I said Is Larry Ellison, does he still think the 2020 election was stolen like this? Can he clarify that for us? Like, is he an election denier? Pretty simple question, I'd say, especially if you have Washington Post stories out there saying you are trying to overturn the election with Trump and they won't answer. So I think that gives you an indication of where Larry Ellison's personal politics lie.
- [14:39]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
We have less than a minute left. Oliver, what do you have for Oliver
- [14:43]
Dan Le Batard
Roy, if not for the fcc, that's under the Trump administration right now. He brought up this lawsuit against cbs.
- [14:51]
Oliver Darcy
Do CBS actually defend themselves in this situation? If not for that? Because they had the potential merger here. So because of the merger, do they defend themselves?
- [15:02]
Mike
Well, they are.
- [15:02]
Oliver Darcy
They are trying to defend themselves.
- [15:03]
Jonathan Saslow
They are.
- [15:04]
Oliver Darcy
They're definitely trying to fight off these Democratic states that have sued. And I think what will be interesting to see is is there some sort of ultimately settlements between Paramount and these Democratic states that have sued to block their big merger of Warner brother Discovery? Remember, one of the things alarming people about them owning Warner Brothers Discovery is not only the significant antitrust issues with two major studios, Paramount and Warner Brothers, now potentially combining, which would definitely eliminate jobs in Hollywood. It's going to be a big, a big deal there. But also Warner Brother Discovery owns cnn. And so you would see the merging of CBS News and cnn and it would be controlled by someone who's behaving very much like a Trump ally kowtowing to the White House at every turn. And so that has alarmed a lot of people. Like, you know, it's one thing for Larry Ellison and David Ellison to own and control CBS News. CNN is a different animal to Global News Network and they would have complete control over the network. And so that's alarming people. And I think that's one of the things that the state attorney general's, even though it's not an antitrust thing, they are looking at and they're certainly paying attention to. And we talked, I talked to California Attorney General Rob Bonta last week and he told me, he said, you know, if David Ellison were to divest CNN from this deal, it wouldn't solve all their issues. They wouldn't get an approval right away from just that action. But it would certainly have a lot of value to a potential settlement. So I think that's the thing to keep an eye on is does Paramount walk away from CNN as they try to push through this $110 billion merger?
- [16:42]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
His newsletter, it's well reported, it's called Status. If you Want to subscribe his podcast Power Lines, wherever you get your podcast. Thank you, Oliver. Appreciate the time.
- [16:52]
Oliver Darcy
Thank you. It's been a blast.
- [16:53]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
All right, friends. You guys know what a big fan I am of Quint's. I'm constantly wearing their clothes. I've told you about it. I. I've got pants, I've got shirts, and it's what's in my wardrobe as I make an effort. Okay, making an effort matters. And it's why I've been leaning on quints, particularly as we head into these summer months, because you need to have stuff that's fit for the season. They're 100% European linen shirts and pants are breathable, lightweight, and perfect for the summer. I recently picked up one of their linen shirts. It's sky blue. It's awesome. It's become a piece that I am constantly throwing on without even thinking about it because it looks good on camera, but also it's comfortable when I'm running around all day. And it works whether I'm at the studio or heading somewhere else for work. Everything at Quint's is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. Quints has become one of those brands I end up recommending for everything from home goods to travel essentials. So make your summer wardrobe easier. Go to quince.com dan for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U-I-N C E.com dan for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com dan excited for summer?
- [18:05]
Jonathan Saslow
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- [18:37]
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- [19:55]
Jonathan Saslow
Jon, can you rate my Al Pacino from that billiard scene in Carlito's way if I do it for you? I think it's pretty good.
- [20:01]
Mike
Yeah.
- [20:02]
Jonathan Saslow
Jonathan Saslow, you think you're big time when you're going to die big time.
- [20:12]
Oliver Darcy
That is on my infamous scale of 1 to 10, that's a 7.6 solid.
- [20:22]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
Good job.
- [20:23]
Dan Le Batard
That's a suey nominee right there.
- [20:26]
Jonathan Saslow
This is the Dan Levatar show.
- [20:35]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Before he came on, we were talking about the layoff set ESPN and you mentioned Stephen A. Smith. And I saw something here recently. I don't know if you guys pay any attention to the Mark Twain award that's given out every year in comedy, but Bill Maher is getting it this year and he and Trump had some conflict and for a while it looked like he wasn't going to get it and now he is getting it. But it is a star studded affair that ends up getting televised by Netflix at least in part because previously when Jon Stewart wins it, a bunch of comedians show up to support the their friend, the comedian and they all do a show that's a comedy show in honoring whoever the comedian is. The problem is that Bill Maher has very few friends in comedy.
- [21:20]
Zaslow
So Stephen A. Smith is among the people who are going to be presenting Bill Maher because Stephen A. Smith in
- [21:28]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
his political turn has ended up on that show a few times and they've I guess become recent friends. But Bill Maher is one of these people that Norm MacDonald used to look down his nose at because he's like, do you want to be a comedian or you want to be a smart guy? Which, which one would you like to be? And because Bill Maher fancies himself smart guy, he has no comedian. He has very few comedian friends, I should say, or very few comedian friends. Were going to show up to this lifetime achievement to make this go look
- [21:57]
Zaslow
for me the list of people because
- [21:59]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Jay Leno is going to be there.
- [22:00]
Zaslow
He's famously neutral on all fronts.
- [22:02]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
But Bill Maher is having legitimately difficult
- [22:06]
Zaslow
times getting the comedians to be there to make that the kind of show
- [22:10]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
it is every year that people want
- [22:12]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
to watch you in reverse order of what they've put on Netflix here. Stephen A. Smith, John Mellencamp, Jay Leno, Ariana Huffington, Woody Harrelson, Matt Friend, Whitney Cummings, and of course, the ever lauded Louis CK Cougar.
- [22:32]
Mike
What's he going to say?
- [22:33]
Zaslow
That's the one that, that's the one that got you.
- [22:34]
Dan Le Batard
Probably a little ditty about Jack and Diane.
- [22:37]
Zaslow
John Cougar Mellencamp is the one.
- [22:40]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
No, Louis CK Is the one with the little Diddy.
- [22:42]
Zaslow
Wait a minute. A little ditty about Jackass and Diane.
- [22:50]
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, the previous one was the Conan o' Brien Mark Twain Award. Right. That one was dystopian. That was like, they're letting us have this party. It's probably the last one for a while.
- [23:00]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Conan o', Brien, though, is universally sort of beloved throughout the industry because of just his generosity, his kindness, his demeanor. And so look up comparatively, the guest list.
- [23:12]
Zaslow
Tell me the comedians who were there for Conan o' Brien because I'm guessing the people that Conan o' Brien had to say no to are better than the people that Bill Maher said yes to on who it is that would be representing him.
- [23:25]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Because the Conan o' Brien one had some. Some real comedy legends involved.
- [23:31]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
You have David Letterman, Adam Sandler, Stephen Colbert, Sarah Silverman, Bill Burr, Nikki Glaser, Will Ferrell and John Mulaney all there for Conan o'.
- [23:39]
Zaslow
Brien. So is this just.
- [23:40]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
So is this politics on Bill Maher though?
- [23:43]
Dan Le Batard
It's not just that. I mean, some people are looking past that. I think it's because of the involvement in the arts of this administration appearing. There might be a cosign and put people in a. In a tough spot for their brands.
- [23:56]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
So we were talking zaz about the brand of ESPN. What does the brand of 60 Minutes mean to you? And do you care what is happening to 60 Minutes? As someone who spent the entire.
- [24:08]
Mike
What are you doing to the boy? What's the thought about the Odyssey?
- [24:11]
Zaslow
Dan himself, he was thinking throughout the Odyssey. Maybe he's a changed person. He can't stop thinking about the Odyssey. Maybe he's got. Why do you guys laugh?
- [24:19]
Dan Le Batard
What does the brand of 60 minutes mean to you other than is that the ticking clock that shows up during nance and roll?
- [24:24]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Do you think.
- [24:25]
Jonathan Saslow
Do you think I like nothing outside sports are the only Thing that goes on in my head.
- [24:30]
Mike
You like Pearl Jam?
- [24:31]
Jonathan Saslow
Yeah, that's right. That's right.
- [24:32]
Mike
The Odyssey.
- [24:33]
Jonathan Saslow
I like other things. I'm dumb.
- [24:35]
Zaslow
So I asked a question, and you guys laughed at Zaz when I asked him. That's unfair, what you guys just did.
- [24:42]
Dan Le Batard
Thoughts, Your stories. He doesn't anything on 60 Minutes.
- [24:45]
Mike
What you did to him was.
- [24:46]
Jonathan Saslow
How do you know? Maybe you did.
- [24:47]
Dan Le Batard
I'll give you 60.
- [24:48]
Jonathan Saslow
Maybe I listen. Maybe I watch every Sunday night. Maybe it's part of my routine. Get ready for the work week. You know, I got to sit on the couch in the Zazzle mansion Family. That couch very uncomfortable. And we watch 60 Minutes.
- [24:58]
Dan Le Batard
I saw the look on your face one day and asked you that question. You couldn't hide. You're lucky we said nothing. You're lucky you got nothing.
- [25:04]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
You got.
- [25:04]
Dan Le Batard
Listen, what you had in that interview.
- [25:06]
Jonathan Saslow
You know what? I had so many thoughts. I had the best thoughts on 60 Minutes.
- [25:11]
Mike
You know what, Mike?
- [25:11]
Jonathan Saslow
We'll lay out.
- [25:12]
Mike
Go ahead.
- [25:12]
Jonathan Saslow
Oh, no, no, no, no.
- [25:13]
Dan Le Batard
Your thoughts.
- [25:13]
Jonathan Saslow
I'm not giving you any of them.
- [25:14]
Zaslow
Oh, you don't.
- [25:15]
Dan Le Batard
Des.
- [25:16]
Jonathan Saslow
He's not going to build up too much. It's been built up too much.
- [25:19]
Dan Le Batard
Make two people in the show.
- [25:20]
Jonathan Saslow
Maybe. Maybe on Zaslow Show 2.0, I'll give you some 60 minute thoughts. Maybe not. I don't know. We'll see. I can't break the future, but I was going to wind up giving you.
- [25:28]
Dan Le Batard
Do you know the theme song?
- [25:29]
Jonathan Saslow
Yeah. It's the clock. Do it.
- [25:34]
Oliver Darcy
Stay out.
- [25:34]
Mike
But it's because he's watching Broncos Raiders 425. I know what he's doing. He's watching Broncos Raiders.
- [25:40]
Jonathan Saslow
I'm not giving you anything on. I had so much material in 60 minutes right now. I was going to give you. And now you get nothing. You go home and you will think about, wow, I wonder what Zazlo thinks about 60 Minutes. And you're not going to get it now.
- [25:51]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
So you're withholding as an act of revenge and defiance.
- [25:54]
Jonathan Saslow
It's not revenge. It's more just like it's been built up too much. So I'm not saying it.
- [25:58]
Zaslow
The.
- [25:59]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
The reason that I asked the question is because sometimes around here, around the circus tent, I force feed you, as
- [26:07]
Zaslow
I'm going to in a little bit
- [26:08]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
here, some nutrients from the real world that aren't in the playground that I
- [26:12]
Zaslow
believe can be viewed as a tune
- [26:15]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
out by the audience. I don't much care on certain subject matter. And in the case of Oliver Darcy, is that A tune out for you, Zaz. Did you start checking your phone? Were you uninterested in the subject matter that was on our and your show? I want an honest answer here. Tony and Mike are looking at you
- [26:34]
Jonathan Saslow
as if they can look all they want. I don't know. I don't. I don't know why you think that. Just because I didn't ask any questions there, that means I'm not into 60 minutes. Maybe it's my favorite show. Maybe I was so enraptured with all the information there that's like. I don't want to interrupt. I just want to listen about my favorite.
- [26:48]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Okay, you've said that already, but I'm asking you if Oliver Darcy was a tune out. Was Oliver Darcy to you a tune out?
- [26:55]
Jonathan Saslow
I already told you, I've embargo my thoughts.
- [26:58]
Zaslow
So all thoughts. You're. You're embargoing all your thoughts so I can't ask you any follow up questions? All Your thoughts on 60 Minutes are now embargoed. If anybody wants them, they should get them on Zaslo 2.0.
- [27:09]
Jonathan Saslow
Zazlow show 2.0 with why do you
- [27:14]
Dan Le Batard
look like he was in Transylvania?
- [27:17]
Mike
The sun didn't move in 45 minutes that he was on with us. It just stayed the same.
- [27:21]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
Dark, cinematic.
- [27:22]
Mike
He was like Widow's Bay.
- [27:26]
Dan Le Batard
I feel like Renfield's gonna grab something off his desk.
- [27:28]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
You think he shot that in IMAX hopes?
- [27:31]
Jonathan Saslow
Listen up.
- [27:32]
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- [28:34]
Oliver Darcy
Dan Levitar.
- [28:35]
Jonathan Saslow
My algorithm on Instagram is. Dan. It's all boobs.
- [28:40]
Oliver Darcy
Jonathan Saslo.
- [28:41]
Jonathan Saslow
It's a good algo algorithm. This is the Dan Levatar Show.
- [28:59]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
What do you think is going to happen here with Jeff BER Deli when I start talking about climate change and
- [29:06]
Mike
El Nino manager for the Tampa Bay Rays, Isn't he?
- [29:10]
Zaslow
You think? Are you confusing him with Rico Baldelli?
- [29:12]
Dan Le Batard
Rocco.
- [29:13]
Mike
Rocco.
- [29:14]
Zaslow
Sorry. I'm sorry. My bad.
- [29:16]
Dan Le Batard
I thought we were getting an Italian baseball player today.
- [29:18]
Mike
Yeah, whatever.
- [29:19]
Oliver Darcy
Who's this guy?
- [29:19]
Dan Le Batard
That's why, man. Oh, no. Zaz is gonna have plenty there, though.
- [29:25]
Guest or Advertiser Voice
What.
- [29:25]
Mike
Let me see.
- [29:26]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
What is the fine on Rico Baldelli? What is. What is the fine?
- [29:30]
Dan Le Batard
$5. You messed up the first first name.
- [29:32]
Zaslow
Oh, but that's.
- [29:33]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Wait a minute. $5 is the maximum fine.
- [29:35]
Dan Le Batard
He's with the raise name. He was with the twins first.
- [29:38]
Zaslow
I'm trying to figure out who he was confusing.
- [29:40]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
No, he was.
- [29:41]
Zaslow
I'm trying to figure out who he was confusing Jeff Berrir Deli with.
- [29:45]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Because Jeff Berrir Deli, for those of you who do not know who that is, he is just about the only person that I have heard in weather talking about what is coming here with El Nino. Because I think the news media at large is sleeping on some of the major stories affecting our world. And I would think that if you needed to prepare for catastrophic events, I would think that you would want the media giving you some information so that you could prepare for that, so that you could feel slightly less helpless about what's coming this way. Because it is being ignored in a way that I find alarming. Because the people who have real expertise in this area are saying that what's headed this way this winter is going to be life altering for a great many people. And it's being undercovered because. Because of all of the things that are happening in media that make people comfortable climate denying, which they're not gonna be that comfortable with when what happens in Venezuela comes to the United States and all of a sudden it's your city that's being affected. So the reason I'm doing this is honestly, it is not to antagonize you. It is not to horrify you. It is simply to inform you of something that I believe is being wildly underreported by a news media whose it is to help you with some of these things, but is being gutted in a way that makes it hard to help with some of These things on just information.
- [31:22]
Zaslow
Die.
- [31:24]
Oliver Darcy
We're all gonna die. No one gets out on life. We're all gonna die. Our tap water is on fire and
- [31:38]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
we're all wondering why.
- [31:41]
Jonathan Saslow
Let's turn on the news and find out how we're gon die.
- [31:46]
Mike
Rocco Baldelli, now part of the front office for the Los Angeles Dodgers. That's where I thought he, you know, I thought he was gonna be on the show with us today.
- [31:54]
Dan Le Batard
So global warming will lead to rising sea tides, which put more pressure on tectonic plates, which mean for more and more. More frequent earthquakes and more powerful earthquakes worldwide. Because I was asking the same question. I'm like, are earthquakes tied to climate change? Apparently so.
- [32:13]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
So 20 minutes from now, if you think that's a tune out, I am warning you that this person will be here. And he is, I believe right now, America's foremost expert on these things. And it is. It's not to be alarmist, I promise you. It is simply so that you could get some information. In, for example, Florida, we run the risk, given what's happening around here and how difficult it is to get things to Florida. If you have major outlets, sort of flooded, there's gonna be food issues, issues that are gonna complicate your life. And so the only reason that I am doing this is because I don't really understand, and I really don't how it is that what would usually be one of the stories of our lifetime is being criminally underreported in a way that's going to leave people under prepared for something that they should at least see coming or be warned about. I promise you, I'm not doing this gratuitously. Cuz I don't think it gets clicks. I think it does the opposite. I think people run away from this. They're gonna right through this. Because many people don't want to hear about this because of how helpless it makes them feel.
- [33:18]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
And a crazy fun fact about Jeff Biradelli is that he actually met his wife at Camp Fiesta.
- [33:24]
Mike
Whoa.
- [33:25]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
Yeah.
- [33:25]
Dan Le Batard
His.
- [33:26]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
His wife is a former camper from Camp Fiesta turned counselor. And they met when Jeff was working at a local station down here and came out to do a news story. My dad introduced them.
- [33:35]
Dan Le Batard
You should lean in. All right, I'm being alarmist. I don't know how you can be not an alarmist and then play a song saying we're all gonna die.
- [33:44]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
I didn't play that. That was a.
- [33:47]
Dan Le Batard
Who wrote the lyrics? You like the song?
- [33:49]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
That is not. I think he wrote three of them.
- [33:51]
Dan Le Batard
I'm alarmed by everything that you said, so just lean in. Do the J Bilis. All right? Take offense.
- [33:58]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
I don't think that this is something that I get rewarded for in any way. Usually when you say of the news, it bleeds, it leads. It's because the news you think is doing something simply to get your eyes on it, that that's. I'm doing the opposite of that. Like, I believe that these things are largely a tune out, and yet I insist on doing them even though the rule.
- [34:24]
Oliver Darcy
What are the rewards?
- [34:25]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
The rewards are you guys think I'm rooting to be right on climate change. You've said when you show video on
- [34:30]
Dan Le Batard
a Friday of you're rooting to not be wrong.
- [34:32]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
No, I'm not.
- [34:33]
Zaslow
I wish to be. This is the most I've ever wished to be wrong.
- [34:37]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
This.
- [34:37]
Zaslow
I've never wished to be wrong. I hope all the climate change deniers are right and that when they say, no, we're not doing any damage to the earth by. By taking all its oil, that'll be
- [34:48]
Dan Le Batard
really embarrassing for you.
- [34:49]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Yeah. And then I will be wrong in fire.
- [34:52]
Dan Le Batard
Basically be Chris Cody.
- [34:53]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Yeah, I'll be wrong for firing Chris Cody as the leader of a media company who gets it wrong. But I look, me getting this wrong.
- [35:01]
Zaslow
It's almost the opposite, I think, in some ways, of Chris Cody, because you
- [35:04]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
guys argued on behalf of Chris Cody gets all the attention here. And there are no consequences to being wrong.
- [35:10]
Zaslow
Me being wrong saves everybody's life. Me being. Me being right here, hold on.
- [35:16]
Mike
You being wrong saves everybody's life.
- [35:18]
Dan Le Batard
So, like, there are a lot of people that have kind of tapped out on this, not because it's not something that they don't care about. I'm worried about this too. Consider me alarmed. I'm gonna vote that way, and we'll see if it works out. But I think the resignation that I have at this time is, well, whatever we got in place is only making this worse.
- [35:40]
Guest or Advertiser Voice
So.
- [35:40]
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, you're telling me that things are gonna be bad. I gotta prepare for em. I kinda know that. I feel hopeless.
- [35:46]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Okay, so let me just put some context on this for you, just so that you understand where portions of my life have been lived for. I'm gonna say the last five years, you've heard me say here that I am. We have talked about what our show's friendship is with Adam McKay. He has put me with a great many climate scientists. I can be more informed about this. I would say that Adam McKay has largely gone a little nuts over the last five years because he made a movie thinking that his art and ego, as somebody who was responsible for a decade of comedy in the movies. He made a movie during the pandemic, trying to warn everybody with all of America's major stars in it, hey, the world's gonna end here.
- [36:37]
Zaslow
It's a pretty big news story.
- [36:38]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
We should be paying attention to the fact that climate scientists are the like, moving to the northeast and learning how to hunt and fish, because the numbers that El Nino brings suggest the kind of calamity that we've never seen on earth before. When that person makes a movie where
- [36:57]
Zaslow
he's dedicating his life in the arts
- [36:59]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
to making something to get America's attention, and it doesn't work, he feels pretty alone with the knowledge that he understands the news media is not covering this correctly. It's kind of the biggest story of our lifetime, and we're not covering it.
- [37:12]
Dan Le Batard
It says, are your thoughts embargoed here?
- [37:14]
Zaslow
Probably.
- [37:15]
Jonathan Saslow
Like John Werth, I'm the best, to be honest with you. Embargo back on.
- [37:19]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
What are you looking at?
- [37:20]
Jonathan Saslow
On, yo, don't worry about what I'm looking at.
- [37:22]
Zaslow
What is what? While we were talking.
- [37:25]
Jonathan Saslow
Don't worry about that.
- [37:25]
Zaslow
What were you looking at there?
- [37:27]
Jonathan Saslow
Was I looking at the reporters on 60 Minutes?
- [37:30]
Mike
Maybe.
- [37:30]
Zaslow
Who's that guy with a mustache?
- [37:32]
Jonathan Saslow
That's Bill Whitaker, dog.
- [37:37]
Zaslow
You were trying to figure out how you were going to lead Zaslow Show 2.0 today. Because you got to do that now. You got to give us. You got to give us an essay, a written and read essay on how much you care about 60 minutes as the lead.
- [37:51]
Jonathan Saslow
I do. I just told you my favorite. Embargo back on.
- [37:59]
Zaslow
So at 11:15, we're going to be talking about this thing that nobody wants to talk about, and you can ignore
- [38:05]
Dan Le Batard
it unless LeBron has the courage to make his decision, and then we'll blow this out. So honestly, you can't blame us anymore. This one's on, bro. This entire day of programming on Braun,
- [38:16]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
if we were to go back to what it is that America put on display at the end during the World Cup, I ask you this question sincerely. Are we done with the buffers?
- [38:27]
Mike
No. God, no. Are you insane? Bruce and Michael Buffer, still titans of the industry. Still somebody who you can go. We were out there with Bruce Buffer in Vegas. Dan, you should see the way that he moves. Oh, my God. Walking through the crowd. No security, no nothing. Nothing. He just does his thing. He is on command.
- [38:43]
Dan Le Batard
He saunters.
- [38:44]
Mike
He saunters. He really does. He's kind of like, not McGregor as much as back, but, like a little bit more forward. But he's walking around and you're like, oh, my God, that's Bruce Buffer. Comes in, gives a hand, high shade, a little kiss, does his thing. Incredible. No, I'm not done with it. Maybe you might be done with him and you're. You're friends, but I don't know. Not us.
- [39:00]
Dan Le Batard
No, I'm. I'm a Bruce Buffer guy. I still get up for the. Let's get Ready to rumble, though. Michael Buffer has aged.
- [39:06]
Mike
He has.
- [39:06]
Dan Le Batard
What a crazy story.
- [39:07]
Mike
That's a great story. Do people know that story?
- [39:09]
Dan Le Batard
Crazy.
- [39:10]
Jonathan Saslow
I think it's believable.
- [39:12]
Guest or Advertiser Voice
There are.
- [39:12]
Dan Le Batard
No, no.
- [39:13]
Mike
What does this guy know?
- [39:14]
Dan Le Batard
Well, wait a second. You of all people, do not be skeptical with this story. It's pretty unbelievable. They're in the same line of work. You kidding me?
- [39:21]
Jonathan Saslow
It's not believable.
- [39:21]
Mike
He didn't know.
- [39:22]
Dan Le Batard
They're both like, the voice.
- [39:23]
Mike
They didn't know. He's like, hey, wait a second.
- [39:24]
Guest or Advertiser Voice
I know that.
- [39:25]
Dan Le Batard
I mean, I believe it. I've seen specials on it. Didn't quite cry.
- [39:29]
Mike
I met the man, came close. Met the man. I hugged him, came close.
- [39:32]
Dan Le Batard
It's a beautiful story.
- [39:33]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Put it on the poll at Lebatard show. Does Bruce Buffer saunter at Lebatard show? Because he does. He does walk a little bit like Conor McGrego. Some ways. He has passed his brother, even though his brother has copyrighted let's Get Ready to Rumble. And you just.
- [39:50]
Jonathan Saslow
Very litigious.
- [39:51]
Oliver Darcy
$3,000.
- [39:52]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Every time someone says that it's his, it's Michael, I'm crediting him. I'm telling you that it's his.
- [39:57]
Zaslow
It's not.
- [39:58]
Dan Le Batard
That's not how it works.
- [39:59]
Jonathan Saslow
I don't know if that's.
- [39:59]
Dan Le Batard
You can't sing hey Jude and credit the Beatles and expect to not be.
- [40:02]
Fellow Co-host or Contributor
Yeah, they're litigious.
- [40:03]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
I didn't say it his way.
- [40:05]
Zaslow
I just said, so you can't say the words. So you're saying.
- [40:08]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
You guys are saying. I don't think you guys understand how copywriting works. You guys are telling me that because he copyrighted, he' the only one allowed to say it in public.
- [40:16]
Zaslow
That's what you're saying.
- [40:17]
Mike
It's like what it means.
- [40:18]
Jonathan Saslow
It's like.
- [40:19]
Guest or Advertiser Voice
Yeah.
- [40:20]
Mike
You can't say that.
- [40:20]
Jonathan Saslow
You could say it, but you have to give him money now.
- [40:22]
Dan Le Batard
Yeah.
- [40:23]
Producer or Co-host (possibly Stugotz)
Has Bruce Buffer passed Michael, because he's been.
- [40:26]
Dan Le Batard
Nah, not for me. Really?
- [40:28]
Jonathan Saslow
No.
- [40:28]
Dan Le Batard
But I'm older. Yeah, I'm older. Like there was nothing, man. Like it legit. When Michael Buffer came out and said those words, you knew that you were either watching a big time heavyweight boxing match or a Halloween havoc.
- [40:43]
Zaslow
I don't even know what that is. He sold. He sold the rights to that phrase to Halloween Havoc.
- [40:50]
Dan Le Batard
That was a WCW deal.
- [40:51]
Jonathan Saslow
That's Bill Whitaker, dog.