108.) European Travel + Trump at MSG (5/28/26)

Summary

The Ebro, Laura, Rosenberg Show

Episode 108: European Travel + Trump at MSG (5/28/26)

Date: May 28, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode delves into summer travel chaos in Europe, airline industry frustrations, and cultural commentary on political privilege and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in America. The hosts also passionately debate comedy "cancellation," music chart records (Drake vs. Michael Jackson vs. Mariah Carey), and Michael Jackson's legacy, before ending with the hypothetical of Trump at Madison Square Garden for the NBA Finals.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Validate Me Show Launch & European Travel Headaches

• Host Excitement: Rosenberg kicks off with excitement over his new project, "Validate Me Show," premiering on YouTube and podcast platforms. He discusses working with talented animator Lara ("larabrain_juice").

• Travel Plans: Rosenberg is about to head to Italy, working a WWE event in Turin, then vacationing in Florence and Rome.

• Travel Anxiety: The crew discusses viral clips of long airport lines in Europe due to new EU EES (Entry/Exit System) rules for non-EU passport holders ([02:32]).

  “This CNN video freaked me out... they're changing the system, so instead of passport stamping, it's something else”
  — Rosenberg ([04:56])

• Personal Anecdotes: Laura recounts getting stranded in Puerto Rico during a government shutdown, empathizing with families trapped for hours at airports ([05:18]).

  “When I was at the airport in San Juan, at least the people were wonderful. Everybody built community... It's still shitty. It was terrible.”
  — Laura ([05:28])

• Industry Impact: Delays cause cascading problems for airlines, including missed connections/free tickets and further public frustration.

2. Politics, Privilege, and DEI: The Trump/MSG Debate

• Leaked Immigration Audio: Ebro and Rosenberg play a conservative clip about restricting international flights to sanctuary cities, discussing political overreach ([09:01]).

• Privilege Disconnect: Rosenberg voices deep frustration with privileged (especially white male) commentators’ obliviousness to lived realities and structural racism ([10:01], [15:09]).

  “There is such a disconnect. I am so frustrated... people of privilege—very often white men—talking about politics... without understanding how it affects other people’s lives.”
  — Rosenberg ([10:01])

• The Trump Sports Rally Controversy: They break down radio host Boomer Esiason’s take on players attending or protesting Trump events, calling out hypocrisy and lack of empathy ([12:04]).

  “You are saying that Abdul Carter is not a man because he responded on Twitter... the hypocrisy.”
  — Rosenberg ([13:06])

• Personal Impact: Laura recounts Trump-era cuts in nonprofit funding and the real-life effects of anti-DEI policies ([17:12]).

  “All of them are gone. All of them. I want to say 85% of the women that were supporting us have been fired... because of DEI.”
  — Laura ([17:14])

• Historical Parallels: The hosts stress that erasing DEI and equity policies will set the country back generations:

  “Who, as an American, could be against equity? Do you not understand what the principles of the country are supposed to be?”
  — Rosenberg ([18:43])

3. Comedy, Cancel Culture, and Social Double Standards

• Marlon Wayans and ‘Cancelling’: The hosts react to Marlon Wayans’ claim that comedy is in crisis due to fear of cancel culture ([27:23]).

  “I just want to know where people are seeing the cancellation... Where are all these comedians who have said the thing that... got cancelled?”
  — Rosenberg ([28:11])

• Comedy vs. Broadcasting: They observe broadcasters get penalized far more than comedians for controversial speech:

  “The only people I ever see who end up getting quote unquote, canceled... it's broadcasters.”
  — Rosenberg ([31:20])

4. Music Chart Wars: Drake vs. Michael Jackson vs. Mariah Carey

• Drake Breaks Records: Discussion of Drake’s new Hot 100 record, his celebratory posts comparing himself to Michael Jackson ([32:03]).

  “It's great... he's breaking all these records, but the Michael Jackson comparison is like, bro, it's so different than just streaming an album.”
  — Laura ([32:38])

• Chart Methodology: Louie provides the lists of #1 singles for Michael Jackson, Drake, and Mariah Carey, unpacking the nuances of solo records vs. features, sales vs. streaming ([34:08] – [44:37]).

• Legacy and Context: The show emphasizes shifts in the music business—a physical sales era for Michael/Mariah vs. the streaming era for Drake.

5. Michael Jackson’s Complicated Legacy

• Upcoming Docuseries: Announcement and discussion of Netflix’s “Michael Jackson: The Verdict,” covering his criminal trial and what the biopic omitted ([47:44]).

  “The series revisits his 2005 child sex abuse trial and features new interviews with jurors, eyewitnesses, reporters.”
  — Rosenberg ([47:44])

• Biopic Sequel Tensions: The hosts predict challenges in making a sequel—demand for coverage of controversies, but family interests in reputation management ([50:19]).

• Fan Arguments & Reality: Personal memories and generational divides on Michael’s “weird” behavior and allegations, the impact of living through the news cycle ([52:07] – [54:15]).

  “Multiple things can be true at the same time, guys... Yes, blame the parents. But also, why are you staying with children in your own bedroom?”
  — Laura ([53:04])

  “Compared to people who I meet, I sound like a crazy Michael Jackson defender. Compared to the people online... I'm a crazy hater. Just because we acknowledge these serious claims.”
  — Rosenberg ([52:41])

6. Trump at the NBA Finals/MSG

• Trump’s Interest in Attending Knicks Finals at MSG: The show explores the hypotheticals, security nightmares, and social ramifications ([56:14]).

  “Can you imagine what it would do... They gotta tell him no and he's going to get booed out of the building.”
  — Rosenberg ([56:27])

  “It would destroy... the experience. People who paid money to be in the building, people who want to party outside... it adds hours.”
  — Laura ([56:37])

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• [02:32] — Rosenberg explains anxiety about EU’s new airport lines: “Yo, I'm not gonna lie. That gives me such agita. Like, I really hope that is not something...”
• [13:06] — Rosenberg critiques Boomer Esiason’s stance on “manhood” and protest: “The idea that you would blame Abdul Carter for something Jackson Dart did, the hypocrisy...”
• [17:14] — Laura on real-world impact of DEI cuts: “All of them are gone... because of dei. And these are black majority black women, by the way.”
• [28:11] — Rosenberg on “cancelation” complaints: “I just want to know where people are seeing the cancellation. I've been talking about this for years now.”
• [32:38] — Laura on the difference between streaming and physical sales: “To me, the Michael Jackson comparison is like, bro, it's actually leaving your home and going to a store... so different...”
• [47:44] — Rosenberg previews the new MJ docuseries: “A three part docu series titled Michael Jackson the Verdict launches on June 3rd...”
• [56:27] — Rosenberg on Trump at MSG: “They got to tell him no and. And he's going to get booed out of the building.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:19] Validate Me Show launch & Rosenberg's travel plans
• [02:32] Summer European travel chaos & airport lines
• [09:01] Immigration, privilege, and politics
• [12:04] Boomer Esiason/Trump rally football debate
• [17:14] Laura on DEI and nonprofit challenges
• [27:23] Marlon Wayans and comedy cancel culture
• [32:03] Drake breaks Michael Jackson’s chart record
• [34:08] – [44:37] Full music #1 singles breakdown, industry analysis
• [47:44] New Michael Jackson docuseries and biopic discussion
• [52:07] Reflecting on Michael Jackson’s legal issues & legacy debate
• [56:14] Trump wants to attend NBA Finals at MSG scenario

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Summary Tone & Style

The conversation is lively, raw, and full of cultural references, mixing music, humor, news, and personal stories with an unapologetically New York edge. The hosts challenge each other and their audience, aiming for empathy and honesty over consensus or comfort.

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For listeners curious about summer travel realities, the future of DEI, cultural privilege, pop music’s shifting landscape, or the intersection of sports, politics, and race—this episode delivers sharp analysis and plenty of spirited debate, true to the show’s roots.

Transcript

[A]

Just don't call it a podcast. The Ebro Laura Rosenberg Show.

[B]

What's up, family? Good morning. Good morning, Good morning.

[A]

Big day. Big day for your boy. I can stop telling you Validate Me is coming and Validate Me is here. So while we're sitting here, I just ask. Obviously you're not gonna listen right now because you're gonna watch us live, but when you get a moment, go subscribe to Validate me show on YouTube or wherever you find podcasts. We would really, really appreciate it. I think you're gonna enjoy it. Laura, how are you? I'm good.

[B]

I'm good. I'm excited. I'm just happy for you. I've enjoyed the rollout. First of all, the animation trailers that you did for Validavi were Fire bro.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

And I'm. And shout out to Lara, who is the talented creator who did it. We had a journey to getting here.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You know, Lara and I had a little bit of a generational difference.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Which over the period that we've known each other now through the Internet over the last couple years, led to some ups and some downs.

[B]

Okay. Okay. But you made it.

[A]

But we made it. And I just. The main thing was I just thought she was so exceptionally talented. And, yeah, I think just her style of stuff just completely stands out. So I tagged her in one of the trailers on the Validate Me show account. So if you haven't seen it, go to the Validate Me Show Instagram account and you can see her work. But she was super duper talented. I was trying to send the damn hate. Here it is. Her name is Ch, ch, ch, ch, ch. Lara's brain juice.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Larabrain underscore juice. But, yeah, she's an exceptionally talented animator. She made me look a little bit too thin. But guess what? I'll take it. So anyways, really excited to start the show. A little bit nervous about it. I'm gonna try my best, ironically, Laura, to not be obsessed with. With like the amount of views it gets at first. And listen, especially because I know this is gonna be a project of love. That takes time. That's it. And I'm gonna go to. I'm go on vacation next week after I first. I have WWE in Torino, Italy on Sunday.

[B]

Tell me, break it down. What's going on?

[A]

We have. We're in Torino, Italy, Sunday for Clash in Italy. Roman Reigns versus Jacob Fatu. Rhea Ripley versus Jade Cargill.

[B]

It's gonna be a good one.

[A]

Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar too. Lot of great matches. I Don't know much about Torino as a city, but we're gonna go check it out and then we're gonna travel from there to Florence and Rome. I think we're debating whether we wanna do like all city or whether we like maybe cut Rome short and go to Tuscany and go out to the countryside.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

So I think we're gonna bit.

[B]

I.

[A]

You freaked me out now with this video. That was. Who sent the video? Ebro.

[B]

Ebro. Don't blame me.

[A]

You have the video from cnn.

[B]

I was excited for Italia travels.

[A]

I'm. I'm excited. But Joe, this CNN video freaked me out.

[D]

I want you to take a look at this line here in Lisbon airport. To leave the country. It is quite honestly astonishing and testimony to just what a disaster EES rules are regarding all passport holders who are not from the European Union. And British tourists have been warned that this summer they should be prepared to wait up to six hours upon arrival. I asked the people who work here what happens if you're going to miss your flight? And they said, well, you're going to miss your flight. So you can imagine how much money that is costing the airlines. The airlines are asking for it to be temporarily waved, at least during the peak tourist summer months. And you just see like small children, toddlers, people waiting and waiting. Missing flights, missing connections. So I just got to the gate. Obviously I'd missed my flight. The next one I can get on is in six hours time. But this really isn't about me at all. This is about thousands and thousands of people who are basically going through complete insanity. The system doesn't work.

[A]

So I guess in the eu, they, as she pointed out, they changed the system. So instead of passport stamping, it's something else.

[B]

So what is it like?

[A]

Is it a scan? It looks like there are machines getting scanned and it's obviously not working in some way. Yo, I'm not gonna lie. That gives me such agita. Like, I really hope that is not something.

[B]

Listen, Peter, that's very triggering because remember when I was stuck in Puerto Rico for two days during the government shutdown?

[A]

How long was this? A year ago?

[B]

It was in November.

[A]

It was this past November.

[B]

Yeah, in this past November. And it's like, all right, so not only are you just waiting for hours and hours and hours and people giving you like, little to no updates, like, will update you in three hours. Three hours. Come for them to tell you, we'll update you in another four hours. It just kept going. Then you have children with you. Then you have Elderly folks. Like, when. When I was at the airport in San Juan, at least the people were wonderful. Everybody built community and, like, helping, like, the elderly folks to get up and stretch, which was really nice. It's still shitty. It was terrible. And then. Okay, so there's that, right? Let's say they cancel the flight now. Then you gotta get on another line to rebook. That's two hours long. Then good luck getting an airport close by, because they're all sold out. Like, it is the most insane domino effect. And I don't know, man. Go to Thailand. Go somewhere else.

[A]

Yo, bro, I don't know how you did it. I mean, Kenza, Fortunately, Kenza is of an age where it's still a disaster, but at least she can, like, communicate with you.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. She was a trooper, man. She was really, like. People kept coming up to me, like, man, she's really well behaved, and she was just kind of like, what am I gonna do?

[A]

I don't know. But, like, at Maya's age, if that ended up happening.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I don't know what I'd do in an Airport for 16 hours, and she

[B]

would have meltdowns, and you just kind of have to deal with it, and there's nothing you can do about it like that. I know.

[A]

So both of my flights are direct. One is into Milan and then out from Rome. So at least there's no connections to think about.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I guess what I'm gonna do is a little research on the individual airports and then just find out how early. Well, I guess it would only be. I mean, arriving there, there's nothing you can do.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

So I guess arriving there, you just hope it's not a nightmare. And then leaving from Rome, looking up and seeing how bad it is. Because even though I hate getting to airports too early, if showing up three hours early is the difference between you make your flight or you want to show up two hours early and you might not make it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. I guess I got to find out how early I got to make it.

[B]

Yeah. Just. That's just the only way to do it. But it's gonna be serious this summer, because I know it's gonna be a nightmare everywhere. And then. Oh, God, I can't.

[A]

And again, we talked about this week, Laura, the airline business being bad.

[B]

Mm.

[A]

This. This is also bad for them.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

People don't want to travel. Plus, when they rebook flights, you can't charge people if the airport won't let them get through. And they've been waiting for four Hours. The airline has to give them another ticket. They can't charge you another full price ticket.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

So they're, they'll find another flight for you, but that's more free tickets they're giving away.

[B]

And then all the people that missed their connecting flights, all those seats gone. So you're. Yeah. You're missing out on two fares basically. Well, no, because you paid for the first one, but still.

[A]

But then you got to put them on another plane and that's someone else who can't get on the plane. Yeah, it's just. Yo, the travel. Travel is a really fascinating thing in that it sounds like it's only gotten worse as the years have gone on.

[B]

And then we just talked about this yesterday. What about these bozos who are trying to make, you know, airlines not, not could not fly directly into sanctuary cities.

[A]

Right.

[B]

They're so crazy. But. And they're trying to do it.

[A]

No, the U.S. of course, wants to do their part to make it worse.

[C]

Don't forget the jet fuel prices are going up.

[B]

Oh, thanks, Louie. Cause that, that's another one.

[A]

Oh yeah, I think we have a video about that actually. Do you have video 11 about the six year wait for $3 gas. That's interesting.

[E]

Especially the fact that local law enforcement wouldn't respond. And so I visited with the White House today, Sean, and I said, you know, if they're going to, if they're

[A]

going to throw other white people, I

[E]

think this is the one to go out and arrest the worst of the worst. And then when we call for assistance at the facilities that the street, it belongs to the city. If it belonged to us, we would take care of it, but it belongs to the city and they're barricading our employees from coming in and out of the facility. Then why are we processing international flights into the airport there? And we are currently. Which we're not initiate yet, but we're currently drawing up plans to say, listen, in these sanctuary cities where the local radical left Democrats aren't allowing us to do our job and enforce federal laws, then we shouldn't be processing international flights into their cities either. Because they don't want us to enforce immigration, but they want us to process immigration at their facilities. Nothing about that makes sense to me.

[A]

Let me tell you something. They're aiding and abetting lawbreaking and yeah. The worst human beings on planet earth, these people. So because no one wants to help you guys detain people without due process and just throw people in facilities because we don't want to help you with that you don't think that we should be able to have people travel to our yo. Sometimes I think, guys, there's a series of events in which it ends up being, like, civil war, like, in which there's no way to get to. Now, I'm not saying it'll happen. I think my hope is we have peaceful elections and the people come out and vote and vote these people out, and the elections are fair. But there's a world. There is such a disconnect. I am so frustrated, Laura, with the. And we were trying to go to the gas prices, but that actually fit even better with the conversation we were having. I am so frustrated with people of privilege. In other words, very often white men talking about politics in a way that's disconnected, and they act as if it's just like an opinion, but it's not affecting anyone's personal lives. There's so much privilege embedded in it where the people don't even understand what they're doing. In fact, it's a perfect transition to speaking of someone of privilege. I've always thought this guy just comes off as so incredibly, the white privileges drips off of his entire life. Boomer Esiason on the Fan earlier this week spoke about Abdul Carter and Jackson Dart and the situation where Jackson Dart spoke at a Trump rally. Abdul Carter responded on Twitter like, nah, fam. Is this AI Boomer assassin white man extraordinaire with the most appropriate nickname. Speaking on that situation.

[F]

This was a real error on the part of Abdul Carter, not on the part of Jackson Dart. Jackson Dart was asked to do something to introduce the president, United States. How many people get an opportunity to do something like that regardless of who the president is? You may not like. You may have hated Barack Obama. You may have hated Joe Biden, you know, and some guys didn't want to go to the White House because they didn't like those presidents, just like other guys didn't want to go to the White House because they didn't like President Trump. You know, but. But to put this out like a child on. On social media is. Is ridiculous. And then when I heard, yeah, we spoke man to man. Yeah, there was only one man on that call, and that was Jackson Dart. You were a man who was late to meetings. You were a man who didn't live up to your draft choice. You're a man who wanted to wear number 56. And by the way, your idol number 56 has introduced Donald Trump numerous times. So I. I don't want to hear this. So he made another Just boneheaded error by going to social media.

[A]

So, Boomer, let me get this straight. The person you are blaming here is not the starting quarterback of your team who decided to go to a rally to introduce President Trump, by the way, how many people. Let me answer some questions for you, Boomer. How many people get the chance to introduce President Trump? A lot of no name yo yos and embarrassing people, including the aforementioned Lawrence Taylor, who, let's be honest, you're going to pick and choose who you like based on where they stand politically. Lawrence Taylor is a disgrace. He has always been a disgrace. He was incredible on the football field and in basically every other way as a human being has been a complete disgrace, including statutory rape charges. You name it, he's been a disgrace. But that's the. Okay, that's your standard. So to answer the first question, a lot of people get the opportunity to introduce Donald Trump. Number two, you are saying that Abdul Carter is not a man because he responded on Twitter. He responded in public to something Jackson Dart did in public. The idea that you would blame Abdul Carter for something Jackson Dart did, the hypocrisy. And Laura, this is the part that I find frustrating. I just, I look at Boomer Esiason's face and I've seen this come up on so many different issues. He is, in some ways, everything that's wrong with a lot of people in America. He does not think about how other people are affected by anything. So to him, Donald Trump is president. He's just a politician. Now, of course, what he's not saying out loud is the quiet part of why we know so many people gravitate towards Donald Trump. But that part's not said out loud.

[B]

Right, right, right, right, right.

[A]

So let's just take it at face value. He's a politician. You like, you agree with his policy. Has it ever crossed your mind that the things that are happening in this country at detention centers, at the ICE center that we just talked about in Newark, New Jersey, the attack on diversity, equity and inclusion. Because to you, Boomer Assiassen, that's just a word. It's a political term. Oh, yeah, I love it. They're going after dei. No, no, no. Abdul Carter knows that this administration is purposefully attempting to dismantle any attempts for programming that is beneficial to Abdul Carter's family, to other people who look like Abdul Carter. People who look like Abdul Carter and who have a name like Abdul Carter are under attack by the person who his starting quarterback chose to go out and introduce. And yet you Sit there with no thought about how any of those things could affect Abdul Carter. All you do is attack his manhood and say he's not a man because he posted. What is this? AI?

[B]

It's because it doesn't affect him, Rosenberg. And that's bottom line. People who speak like this, they do not care because it does not affect their everyday life. The people they choose to surround themselves, their family members, it does not affect them. I had somebody, I went to, like, dinner with somebody who I don't know if this person was, like, a Trump supporter, but was very, like, I don't know, both sides. Like one of those, you know, Oh, I love those. And then I remember he asked me, yeah, but how. How has it affected your life? I was like, I'll give you an example. I work in nonprofit. I said, I run a nonprofit. And before Trump, I was like, that sounds baller, Lars.

[A]

I run a nonprofit. Sounds tight. I mean, yeah, it's good that she's doing great things for the kids, but let's not front. Like, it all sounds kind of balder. She's like, listen, I run a nonprofit.

[B]

I really do, but.

[A]

You do. No, it's legit. You do.

[B]

And then I was like, yo, shoot. We had incredible women who actually believed in the work that we do, who went out of their ways to pitch our ideas, to go to all these companies. This is why they need funding, right? All of them are gone. All of them. I want to say 85 of the women that were supporting us have been fired. And they were looking at me like, what? Why? Because of dei. And these are black majority black women, by the way, Major. And we all know black women have lost their jobs. I. I don't even know the. The statistics, but it's up there. And then it was black and then Latina women and a few. And a few, you know, like, maybe Middle Eastern women that were, like, working with us. But bottom line, they're all gone because of dei. And he was just looking at me like, oh, okay. He did not know what to say.

[A]

But you know that they're proud of their attack on dei. We talked about this last week on the show or two weeks ago. It was day one that the Trump administration started attacking dei, literally day one of Trump. Two, they started going after dei, as they put it. When you make up that phrase dei, it gives cover to what they're doing.

[B]

If we were to say just diversity,

[A]

even that would be better. Or people of color or black folks or whatever it is they are.

[B]

Inclusion, diversity, equity and inclusion. That's what it is.

[A]

Who as an American could be against equity? Like, do you not understand what the principles of the country are supposed to be? Listen, I get it. It's confusing. Cuz when they founded this country, they were talking a lot of equity and equality and they also had people who were worth 3/5 of a person who were doing all the work.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

So I get it, it's confusing to you. But we've had, I don't know, 250 years it seems to figure out how this thing works. And the answer that we all agreed to and as a society, Republicans and Democrats, white and black, men and women, was that way that they did it was wrong, it was criminal, it was evil. And we will make up for it by trying to push this country the right direction and give some opportunity to people who have been generationally screwed over by those racist behaviors.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And now in 2024, we are gonna have a president come in and directly work against. They are going to go after all of these law of the land, true anti racist things that were done. Brown versus the board of education. The idea that separate is inherently unequal. They will go after them, they will go for segregation. And so to a Boomer Esiason, who you know and I know Boomer, I don't want to like, you know, tear everything down about his life. I know he's gone through hard stuff with his family, with illnesses and different things in his life, as everybody does. Okay. So I'm not trying to kill everything about the man. But what I'm trying to point out is that for a white 65 year old with blonde hair named Boomer, who could play football really well, maybe you don't fully understand just how hard life can be day to day.

[B]

Yeah. When somebody would look at your resume and just pass you because of your name, not look at your qualifications, be like, oh, this is, you know, a black name or a Latino name. You know what I mean?

[A]

Quite the opposite.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Your man got a nickname because he was a big football player and that name opened every door he ever had.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, Boomer Siason's not the greatest quarterback who ever lived. He never won a Super bowl, made a lot of money. Boomer Esiason is not the greatest radio broadcaster of all time, but guess what? People knew his name. He was a New York jet. Sat next to some pretty talented people as the years went on, made a ton of money, and now he's going into the radio hall of fame. Everything has been set up for Boomer to be successful. And so much of it was because of the black players that he was throwing the ball to or who were protecting his slow ass on the football field, or the black athletes that he spoke about for a living every single day. And yet, when a black player has the gall and audacity to be offended that his white teammate decided to go intentionally prop up and talk about how pleased and honored he was to introduce someone who that player feels is attacking his father, friends, family, etc. You now have to call him less of a man.

[B]

Yeah, it's insane.

[A]

What an incredible piece of work by Boomer.

[B]

But it's people like him though. It's people like him who are like, well, why do we need dei? You need to earn it. Well, because it was never fair. People have been discriminated because of their natural hair. What are we talking about, bro?

[A]

Laura, I want to explain something. This is deep, but this is. If you're a football fan, this is for you. You wanted to know why DEI is necessary. Because for 20 years I've had to turn on CBS football on the weekend and at that desk have Boomer Esiason and Phil Sims. We needed two blonde 60 year old quarterbacks from New York to be sitting on the same desk. You couldn't find anyone else who looked different for all those years on cbs. They had Phil Sims, who is the likable, nice one, and Boomer, who's the asshole with a bit of an attitude. Same resume, except Boomer. Don't forget Phil has that Super Bowl. They had you both sitting there, the exact same demographics and never thought. Wonder if Randall Cunningham would be good at talking football. I wonder if any other players of color from that era would have been good. No, they didn't. They brought in Bill Cower. They brought in different people over the years. Now, eventually, of course, things have evolved. Nate Burleson does a great job on cbs. But at some point, Louie, they realized maybe we don't need to have two of the exact same guy to satisfy white America's need to always hear from white guys telling them about everything.

[C]

To be honest, I still get them both confused when I see him sometimes, bro.

[A]

Laura, you don't get it. They're the exact. They're the exact same level of player from the same era who played in the same market, who have blonde hair, like they're the same guy, like I said. Except Phil, I think, comes off as affable and nice and Boomer comes off like a cock, if I'm being honest.

[B]

Okay, okay, okay.

[A]

So it's just that. And so to have people like that know that they don't care about dei. Well, why would you? Because they always had a million of people like you everywhere.

[B]

Mm. Yeah. Yeah. And just by looking at your name or what you look like, no one ever said, like, ooh, yeah, we can't have them in here. Oh, no, that's.

[A]

People are gonna. Hmm. And it's funny, you know, like, that is actually the one area of. Of where my, you know, I get to live in the life of white privilege, like most people with my skin tone in this country. But the one area where I do sometimes feel, are they gonna think I'm right for the room?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Is my name.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That I have always felt like. And I remember when I sort of, like, started breaking through more and doing more stuff, and I would, like, look up on WWE TV and see, like, it says, Peter Rosenberg. I'm like, wow. You didn't. You know, with the exception of Goldberg, of course. Course you don't. It's just, like, uncommon if you have. If there are things that are not like everything else that's always been put in. In front of everybody.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Anyways, that bothered me this week. Laura, you want to do a little rundown? Actually, sure.

[B]

Let's get to it. Let's do it.

[A]

Oh, oh, wait, hold on. You want to talk about something first?

[B]

Because we gotta get to business. Rosenberg.

[A]

All right, talk to him.

[B]

Listen, I'm the type of person who has. I'm the type of guy battled with my stomach. Rosenberg would roll his eyes like, again, Eber. Be like, again. Your stomach hurts. When are you gonna do something about it?

[A]

It was annoying. Francis. She'd be like, I had one sip of black coffee.

[B]

I just didn't understand what was going on, and I needed to get my gut right, bro. And once I discovered probiotics, I was like, finally, this is what I needed. Listen, it's what worked for me. And Just Thrive probiotic gummies are the bomb. First of all, they taste great. They're easy. We have them in the studio. We literally walk in and be like, oh, grab your Just Thrive probiotic gummy and pop it in. And it just changes the game. So I always tell everyone. My girlfriend was like, are you serious about these? I was like, yeah, fam. Cop yourself a few bottles. It's needed.

[A]

Couldn't agree with you more. I pop the gummy when I get to the studio. Keeping things together, I've had. I just had been in a better way since I started popping my Just Thrive Gummy. So if you hear what Laura says and you're going, I've been meaning to do it, but I haven't done it yet. Here is the time for you to do it because not only can you change your life, you can support the program as well. Start your 90 day risk free [e-mail] Stop hearing us say it, folks. And today's the day you do it. JustThriveHealth.com ELR Like Ibra Laura Rosenberg, JustThriveHealth.com ELr you save 20% on your first order. That's JustThriveHealth.com promo code. ELR be the best you with just thrive. Let's go now, Laura, give us some rundown.

[B]

All right. A lot going on in the world. I don't know if you saw this.

[A]

If you bring another Ray J Story.

[B]

Oh, so should I not talk about Ray J? I'm just kidding.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

So, so speaking of comedians, Marlon Wayans had something interesting to say. He was opening up on why he believes comedy has lost some of its edge. So he sat down for an interview with GQ while promoting his upcoming film scary movie 6. So he shared some thoughts on today's comedy climate. He basically says fear of backlash is affecting the industry. Now, here's this quote. I feel like in the past 15 years we've been in a recession in terms of comedy. I think people are scared. I think executives are scared. Like, you can't say that. You can't say this. You can't say that. It's like, yeah, you're right, you can't, but I can. And he just feels that people are scared to being their true selves because they're scared of cancel culture.

[A]

I just want to know where people are seeing the cancellation. I've been talking about this for years now. I mean, the number one example everyone gives of cancellation is Shane Gillis, who was about to end up on snl. They unearthed an old racist joke. He lost a job, and now he's one of the biggest comedians in the world.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I just. And that's the one example people have. Where are all these comedians who have said the thing that, like, where. I just want. I don't, I don't see the example.

[B]

And what topics are you dying to talk about? Like dying to talk about that. You're like, wait, I might get canceled for it.

[A]

And you can't do it in a

[B]

way that's like thoughtful because that's the beauty of comedy. Right.

[A]

I think it's just the. Yes, yes. And it's the beauty of English. Like, we have to get on here every day. I don't know if you know this. You know, Ebro works at a big corporation. I work at big, multiple corporations. We talk about really touchy, important, sensitive subjects where we have thoughts that really differ from other people. But we try to come up short of saying things that would just be really mean, offensive to a group.

[B]

We can't even do it on Patreon because you guys are going to clip us. We're going to get cooked.

[A]

Yeah. No, if we say it on Patreon, Danny from A Stop will put out the whole thing. So, you know. Yes, earlier I did. I maybe referred to boomer as a body part, but you know what I'm saying? We try to do our best to walk a fine line. Yet comedians who write their stuff, they're not ad libbing off the top of their head every night. They're writing sets and performing for comedy. Fans feel like they can't do their job. I'm confused by this.

[B]

Yeah, I don't get it either, man.

[A]

Who said this again?

[B]

Marlon.

[A]

Marlon, you and I have the same birthday. I'm disappointed in you, bruh. And, like, what is Marlon not able to say?

[B]

That's what I'm saying. Like, what is it? Yo, Marlon, what topics are you dying to talk about that you can't because you're scared to get canceled?

[A]

Marlon, you guys just put out another scary movie. And the sign. I saw a billboard. There's a billboard on the west side highway that's like, nah, this ish is scurry.

[C]

Oh, no, no.

[A]

I'm. I'm dead ass. The billboard says something along the lines of it spells scurr S C U R, R R R, R. And it has an S and it has the S word bleeped out. It's something like this ish is scurry.

[B]

Mm.

[A]

They're letting you do it. Seems like you're doing all right, buddy. Like, you're making another movie. These movies are ridiculous. And you're able to make whatever jokes it seems that you want, and then people come out and spend lots of

[B]

money and people love it.

[A]

Yeah, and people love them, and you have a great time. I just don't know. Where are your friends in comedy that aren't able. I'm calling bullish on this whole thing. I'm just so sick of the complaining. Even the number one poster child for comedy like I brought up the other day was Dave Chappelle. And Dave had the whole world complain. Errol, not the whole world. A lot of people complaining about what he did. And Netflix had him do it in special after special after special. So, like, I get it. He's unusual. He's very powerful. But, like, I just want to know. I mean, Kevin Hart people were offended by the Kevin Hart roast. Are they canceling Tony Hinchliffe show on Netflix?

[B]

No.

[A]

Are they not doing any more roasts? Like, where are the repercussions? And I'm not saying there should be, but I'm saying don't tell me that there are all these huge repercussions when I'm looking around and like, frankly, the only people I ever see who end up getting quote unquote, canceled. It's always people in our field. It's broadcasters. It's broadcasters who on a hot mic, say something they shouldn't say, say something offensive, so the company that hires does away with them. I have not seen comedians unable to do their job. Not seeing it.

[B]

So in other news. I don't know. Well, I'm sure you saw this. Drake posted a picture of a frozen Michael Jackson. You saw this?

[A]

Wait, he posted that? What is that?

[B]

It's Michael Jackson.

[A]

It's supposed to be iced out.

[B]

I mean, I don't know. I just. Because you know how everyone's, like, freezing, you know, themselves to support Drake.

[A]

But what. But why does it look so bad?

[B]

So Drake broke Michael Jackson's record for the most number ones on Billboard Hot 100 for a solo male artist. So he wrote, neck broke from carrying the chain bat Broke from carrying the game. Records broken. Carry on my name. Carry on. Carry on.

[A]

Why are you doing this?

[B]

I'm just. I mean, he posted it.

[A]

Why is. Why is Laura. Why is Laura trying to make me say more things about drink?

[B]

I mean, listen, I think it's great that he has all these. That he's breaking all these records, but to me, the Michael Jackson comparison is like, bro, it's actually leaving your home and going to a store to purchase a physical copy of an album is so, so different than just going like

[A]

this, just letting the album stream.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So some of these number ones. Yeah. It's just based on your streaming numbers and your fans running up numbers over and over again.

[B]

Listen, it's great. Congratulations. It's dope. Because he's pulling in crazy numbers, but I just think it's different.

[A]

It's incredible. Listen, try to here. When you clip this, clip the whole thing. Drake is incredibly impressive. The numbers game. He's Played have been insane. As I've always said, more hits than anyone in hip hop history. And it continues to roll. Your man is a hit maker. He ain't Michael Jackson. I don't care what record he breaks, it's never going to be Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson. There's on two counts. Number one, people were going out buying the 45 single or the cassette single. Completely different animal than you streaming, like you just said, Laura. Number two, it was brought up on the Internet. Drake is counting every chart topper he's had. Michaels are just solo, so Jackson 5 not counted. What about. What about duets, Louie? Did he like, is. Somebody's watching me? I don't know if that hit number one.

[C]

No, I don't think I hit number one. So it's basically 13 of Michael Jackson's solo songs. And if you wanted to add, like, the Jackson Jackson 5, that's 4 extra on the count for Michael Jackson alone, where Drake's music is eight solo tracks and the rest are features.

[A]

So in terms of solo, he's really. Drake is still down 13 to 8, essentially. Yeah, but he's counting it. So that's including the Rihanna collabs, right? What? All his biggest collabs that he has.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Whereas Michaels were just solos.

[C]

Just solo. All 13 of Michael Jackson.

[A]

Do you have. Do you have the list of the Michael Jackson number ones?

[C]

I do, actually.

[A]

I would like to hear them. I would like. I want to compare. Oh, do you have a list of both?

[C]

Yeah, they do.

[A]

Ah, wow. I want to hear it.

[C]

Are you ready?

[B]

Okay, let's go for it.

[C]

Here are Michael Jackson.

[A]

Put our camera on Louie Joe.

[B]

I don't know if he can.

[A]

I'm just kidding. Sorry, we don't have. Yeah. What if I went and turned that camera right there?

[C]

Well, you can turn that. It's. It was that one.

[A]

But would it work? Would it get to him? He'd be off in the distance in the dark.

[B]

It's okay. It's okay.

[A]

All right, go ahead, Louie.

[C]

Go ahead. It's all good. All right, so starting from 1972, Ben, don't stop till you get enough.

[A]

All right, Ben.

[C]

Rock with you, Billie Jean. Beat it. Your favorite song, say, say, say, say,

[A]

say, say was number one. Wait, but hold on. That's a Paul McCartney record, though, right? Well, it's both.

[C]

There were. That's an. And not a feature. They're both equally credited.

[B]

Okay, okay.

[C]

Not a feature. I can't stop loving you bad the way you make me feel man in the mirror. Dirty Diana. Black or white? And you are not alone.

[F]

Wow.

[A]

Isn't that crazy? So much of that list is ass compared to the rest of Michael's catalog.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Like, it's not the records you would think I could. I could take or leave so many of those. All right, let's go to Drizzy.

[C]

Okay, so Drake's first number one came with Rihanna with what's My Name.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Oh, nah, nah.

[B]

Love that record.

[A]

What's My Name? Wait, that's. And that's. That's Drake's record.

[C]

No, that's Rihanna's.

[A]

That's Rihanna. That's riri's record.

[C]

His second number one came with Rihanna on work. Also her record, third one, One Dance, Hyenie, Noah Nance.

[B]

Love it.

[C]

Then God's Plan. Nice for what?

[A]

God's Plan is the first, like, true Drake record. I mean, one Dance, I guess, too.

[C]

I. But, you know, this was hot and then. And nice for what was pretty damn good too.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Can you show Laura some, too? They've been staring at my face non stop. Can we get a wide joke? You have?

[B]

Yeah, he has.

[A]

I thought I just saw me over and over. Damn. Okay, damn. Calm down, Joe.

[C]

So then, in my feelings. Toosie Slide. What's next?

[A]

Toosie Slide was a number one record.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Get the. Are you.

[B]

Yes. Rosenberg. Keep going.

[C]

Remember, this was 20. 20, 20.

[A]

Bad times. That was pandemic times.

[C]

Pandemic. We wanted to dance.

[B]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

[C]

Okay, we have Way Too Sexy. Wait for you. That's Future featuring Drake and Thames. Jimmy Cooks. Slime you out.

[A]

Slime you out. Yeah, like poetry.

[C]

And then first person shooter.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And that. Wait, no, but hold on. What's the one for right now?

[C]

Oh, and the one from right now is Janice. Janice.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah. Okay.

[B]

See that, that's okay. Yes. You don't. You don't. You don't necessarily like the line.

[C]

I don't love.

[A]

I don't love the Michael ones either.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, fine. But you. But you see, it's like that. Like the first two off the top, it's like, oh, wait, they are Rihanna's records.

[C]

Right?

[B]

So listen, I'm still.

[A]

I'm still surprised that say, say, say is is considered because that. I get it. It's Michael Jackson. Ample. Let's see how it's listed right here on Spotify. So.

[C]

So as you're looking, just Drake now ties Rihanna and Taylor Swift for most number ones across all acts. Okay. With 14.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Total. The only other artists ahead of them right now are Mariah Carey with 19, and the Beatles with 20.

[B]

Okay, okay, okay, okay.

[C]

So just to give that.

[B]

But that's why these, like, things kind of just give me, like I have to scratch my head sometimes. I just feel like it's not. It's not the same.

[A]

Well, it's not. But no, the reason you think that, that's not. You just like thinking it. They're not the same. Michaels are. I mean, I'm sorry. Now, Michael getting the Paul McCartney one to me is a reach. But Drake has multiple that are features great records, but. And you said. Who's above them now?

[B]

Mariah.

[C]

Mariah.

[A]

Mariah. How does Mariah have more than Michael?

[C]

No, Mariah.

[B]

Mariah's.

[A]

That's crazy to me. What are the Mariah ones? You have those listed?

[C]

Okay, I'll get the list.

[A]

That doesn't like. I know Mariah's Mariah. Yeah, but that doesn't surprise you more than Michael Jackson?

[B]

No, I was surprised when he told me. But it's Mariah. Have you ever seen Mariah live?

[A]

Probably. I mean. Yes, I've seen her at Summer Jam.

[B]

Okay. Okay.

[A]

I've seen moments. I've seen someone come out holding her hand.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

All right, go ahead.

[C]

All right, so we have. It's. It starts at 1990 with Vision of Love.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Of course.

[C]

Love Takes Time.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Someday.

[A]

So for the record, we're off to a great start because. Because Love Takes Time and Vision of Love were monsters at the moment.

[B]

Some days off.

[A]

Some days. Some days pretty big. I'm kind of surprised. Number one, but that's pretty big. That's a big record.

[C]

I don't want to cry.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I don't want to cry.

[C]

Emotions.

[A]

I don't remember. I don't want to cry. Emotions is big. Ah.

[C]

What note was that?

[A]

When she hits the high one. No, no, I know, but you've got me. You remember what? You remember the vibes.

[C]

I mean, this can count for Michael. No, I'll be there.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I'll be there as Michael, too. But that was a hammer.

[C]

Dream Lover.

[A]

Yes, the greatest. Maybe my favorite one is Dream Lover.

[B]

Love it.

[A]

Hero is. I mean, now we're in Bette Midler category. Now we're just going Graduation vibes.

[C]

That was Music Box, I believe, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Fantasy.

[A]

Fantasy. You know, love.

[C]

Once we date, Boys to men.

[A]

Once we daze. I mean, the death anthem of all death anthems.

[B]

No, I know.

[A]

Shout out to Mr. C who always loved a death celebration. Let me tell you one sweet day. I know. Chef's Kiss. I will cry my eyes out every single Time. Go ahead.

[C]

Always be my baby.

[A]

I mean, listen, you'll always be a part of me. Honey, that has no business. I mean, I like Honey. I like Honey Number one.

[B]

It was my favorite, but it was

[C]

big at the time.

[A]

I like it. Yeah, I like it.

[C]

And then you have the Bad Boys remix that.

[A]

Yeah. Ain't no money in the world.

[E]

My all.

[B]

I loved my all. I had a moment.

[A]

My all is like a. That's like a specific thing.

[B]

It's not for me, but I loved it.

[C]

Heartbreaker Rehove.

[A]

I mean, come on. This, by the way. And Clue.

[C]

Yeah, Yeah.

[A]

I don't know if he gets a feature on that, but he's on it.

[C]

Yeah, he was on it. Thank God I found you. That was a good song.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

All right.

[A]

Surprise. Number one again. Some of these do surprises. Heartbreaker Number one surprises me. Thank God I found you. Like some of these do. Sincerely surprise me.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[C]

Certified banga. We belong together.

[B]

I mean, of course.

[A]

Yeah. It's a big one.

[C]

Don't forget about us. I did touch My Body.

[A]

I did forget about us. I don't touch my body. Touch My Body was number one. All right, now you were just putting on whatever she sees 2008.

[C]

And then of course, all I want for Christmas is you.

[A]

Of course.

[B]

I mean, that's the money maker.

[C]

It reached number one, 2019, and again in 2024.

[A]

That's impressive.

[B]

How much money you think she's made from that record?

[C]

Oh my God. Oh, man. With re releases and everything.

[A]

No. And she wrote it. Don't forget. I can't believe this didn't make it. Play it for two seconds. Better than. Better than Touch My Body. Touch My Body made it Touch My Body. No, we don't need to.

[C]

Louie.

[A]

Now wait, wait, hold on. So those were the Mariah ones. And who else did you say was that? The Beatles.

[B]

Oh, God. We're going to go.

[A]

No, I'm not going to go over the Beatles. No, we're not.

[B]

Jesus Rosenberg.

[A]

We're not going to go through the Beatles. We know there's a lot of smash.

[C]

Stop reading.

[A]

Who else? It was the Beatles. Mariah Beatles.

[C]

Mariah.

[A]

That was it. Yeah. And listen, it's. It's cute, but all these records in 2026, they just don't hit in like. Like the era where you had to go out, buy the records. And even some of those Mariah records guys. Friggin Touch My Body was streaming. Era later. Like, I don't think that people were running out to the store to buy the Touch My Body single like that either, but you get the idea.

[C]

Things change now with Mariah Carey. Do you think, like, she, like, let's say with songs like Fantasy and things like that dude and Honey, do you think she got a lot more success because of the different remixes and the different versions of songs that she had? I forgot what song. I think Hero even has like a Spanish version and things like that.

[A]

So I think it did feed into that. And like, is my all the one that has, like the Bone Thugs, which one has the Bone Thugs? Is that to the Break of Dawn? I forget. But I do think the remixes and stuff factor in. When you read what makes a number one Billboard hit, it's actually a kind of like, interesting breakdown. It's not just copy sold. It's a combination of things. What makes a Billboard number one hit? Because you would think it's just numbers sold. It's not. To get a Billboard number one hit, specifically on the Hot 100, a song must achieve the highest combined weekly score across three metrics, sales, streaming and radio airplay. Billboard weighs these different forms of music consumption to calculate an exact mathematical ranking every week. And obviously one of those didn't exist for a long time. And you have to remember some of these things, obviously, like budget and how much a company was willing to pay to push and market a record would. Would have a major impact again. I still can't believe some of those Michael ones, though. Screen. Would you say Scream was on there?

[C]

No.

[B]

No, he didn't.

[A]

Black or white?

[C]

Black or White wasn't on there.

[B]

Although I love Scream.

[A]

No, it wasn't Scream, but it was one of the bad ones at the end. What were the ones you did at the end of Michael? It wasn't black or white.

[B]

No Hebrew Hate. Scream. I love it.

[A]

Scream is okay.

[B]

I just, you know, for me it was a moment. You know, it was him and his sister. And I thought. I thought the whole futuristic thing was so, so freaking cool. I remember watching the behind the Scenes just being hyped. Like, listen, I know a lot of people think it's cheesy, but I really like it.

[A]

The truth is in the. In the middle sometime, like, it was the moment was the moment. But the song is like. You don't. I don't sit there and go, right.

[B]

I don't. But I do, like, look for it and play it.

[A]

Like, you know, I like the chorus, though.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

I liked. I like the way they sound on the chorus. But then there's like, other parts of it. The Tired of it I'm tired of it. Like, I just. It's not my yes scream.

[C]

Reach number five.

[B]

Wow. Okay.

[A]

I mean, listen. But think about that. That's a failure when you think that it's Michael.

[B]

When it's Michael and Janet. Yes.

[A]

But still, I just like that they had the moment and then they were at the, like, VMAs together. Or was it the VMAs together? They had a couple of moments together that were really cool. You know what came up? My algorithm the other day, speaking of Michael Jackson, that was really funny. He went on TRL to promote Invincible, and it was just so funny. Like, he did Carson Daly and they were hyping in the thing. Like, Michael Jackson's here and they show outside, and it's all the TRL stuff. They hyped it so bad. Guys, I swear to you, he must have sat down for three minutes. The actual interview time he gave them was like a crisp three minutes.

[C]

Wow.

[A]

But I got to give Carson Daly credit, bro. Back in the day, I remember hating on Carson Daly. I'm like, who is this Carson Daly?

[B]

You hated him because you wanted his job so bad. Yeah.

[A]

Watching it back now, considering he was a pretty young guy, he'd only done radio for like a handful of years prior to getting that opportunity. He was pretty comfortable sitting there with Michael Jackson. Like, Carson was in some big. I did not give enough credit to how comfortable he was in, like, really high level star situations.

[B]

I mean, even. Even when you think of Clue and lala during trl, like, they would have the most. You know, like, it wasn't. They weren't just giving them the hip hop acts. They were giving them everyone that came by and they held it down. It was fun to me. I loved watching them because it felt like my friends were doing it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what I mean? And it was so cool. That era is so special.

[A]

It's another thing that just kids today are gonna miss out on.

[B]

It was fun.

[A]

Now you're speaking of how big. We talked a lot about Michael Jackson and how big the summer would be for Michael Jackson. I heard from the inside that after the Knicks won Game 4 to sweep Cleveland, the song that was like blasting from the locker room was the Way youy Make Me Feel by Michael.

[B]

Really?

[C]

Really.

[A]

That's what they were partying to.

[B]

That's fire.

[A]

That's where Michael's at right now. And also, do you see that the new Michael show is starting June 3rd?

[B]

No.

[A]

Come on, Laura.

[B]

Damn. I'm not up on this. I didn't see that.

[A]

Let's be honest. You're never up on anything.

[B]

I am.

[A]

You stumble. If you stumble into. You happen to like it.

[B]

Listen, I'm covering Ray J all day, okay?

[A]

You're too busy.

[B]

I'm busy.

[A]

She's got too much Ray J.

[B]

No, but what is it, like a TV show?

[A]

It's a. The Trial.

[B]

Oh, the trial.

[A]

Yeah. Michael Jackson.

[B]

Okay, okay, I'm gonna tell you.

[A]

I'm gonna tell you what they say about it right now. I'm very interested in it.

[B]

Me too.

[A]

A three part docu series titled Michael Jackson the Verdict launches on June 3rd. The series revisits his 2005 child sex abuse trial and features new interviews with jurors, eyewitnesses, and reporters.

[B]

Yeah, I want to see it.

[C]

Yeah, that's gonna be good.

[A]

Cause, like, not a lot of us remember exactly what happened at that time.

[B]

And this is so important because it just really puts you back. You feel it, you see it, you remember. That's a. I mean, this is. I don't want to compare, but remember when I was obsessed with the Menendez brothers?

[A]

Oh, yeah, we know how the trial, the old trial stories get.

[B]

Yes. I didn't. You know, I forgot about all of this. So it's just watching it, you're just like, wow, I forgot how this went down.

[A]

Well, it's a very interesting thing because obviously Michael is so on fire right now. The biopic broke all these records. It's made over $700 million globally. They got greenlit for a second one.

[B]

I mean, and let's be real. And then the asterisk of the family not wanting any of that. Any of that controversy, a part of it. That was a big deal, too.

[A]

So, like, you know, here's an article from Collider right now. Netflix's new Michael Jackson series will show what the biopic skipped over.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So the timing. The timing of it is very interesting in that regard.

[B]

I wish.

[C]

But it's in pre production, so maybe it'll cover it in the second movie.

[B]

Maybe. Maybe.

[A]

How, though? But even if they were to cover it, how would they cover. They'd have to cover it from the standpoint of they were coming after Michael. Like, it's not. It's Michael's the hero of the movie. They're not gonna all of a sudden turn him into the villain.

[C]

Right.

[B]

I mean, you got to remember, I mean, from what I read, the family invested a lot of money to have that say.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So why would they do it now after they paid all that bread?

[C]

It's very interesting. Because, look, within the second Michael movie, you're gonna have. Okay, Black, or you'll have the Dangerous album. You know, going to the new Jack Swing and all that stuff. You're going to have the first situation when they ransacked his house.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Then you're going to have to have the comeback with history.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And then.

[A]

But they don't have to do all those things. Remember, they left mad shit out of the first.

[C]

But how much? Well, the marriage.

[A]

I mean, they're not going to. That's where. Now you're getting to the interesting stuff, by the way, before the marriage. Wait, you mean the Lisa Marie.

[C]

Lisa Marie, Yes.

[A]

So marries Lisa Marie. Then there's having the kids with Debbie Rowe.

[B]

Debbie Rowe, Yeah.

[A]

So I just. It's very complicated because there's going to be a demand for another movie because the first one was so big. So they're going to go, well, we can make a lot more money. But at the same time, if we make the sequel now, we have to go get into more stuff. So you're sort of damned either way. And, you know, one of the things I was interested in, in about the movie is like, in watching his son promote it. Like, you see a kid who's like, seems really well adjusted and now was a producer on this, like, seemed like a pretty active producer on this gigantic movie. So he's had his foray into Hollywood. It'll be interesting now to see what they do with it. I don't know. I feel like you made so much money from that movie. I know everybody always wants more, but don't you just sometimes think, like, hey, we made 700 million and it hasn't ended up whatever. It's release deal will be on streamers.

[B]

Facts.

[A]

So it'll probably make more money. His music is all streaming up. Like, when it's all said and done, they could end up netting out like a billion dollars for that family from. How much like is enough. I would probably think the risk you take with a sequel is bigger than the reward you could get.

[B]

Yeah, but they just see money. They're just like, no, we're gonna make a lot more.

[A]

As I mentioned on the show, it's not just like, him that's rich. Everybody's rich. But brothers and like, everybody is rich.

[B]

The family's good.

[A]

The family's really, really good.

[B]

Really good.

[A]

I am really interested in seeing the doc, though. Do you remember, like, the Finding Neverland, like, when we were. There were a lot of. If you go back and look on YouTube, there were a lot of arguments on our show, mostly probably between me and Seanie, who doesn't like to believe things about Finding Neverland.

[B]

I remember he was like, no, no, no, no. I'm like, well, Seanie, I did see this. And he would be like, no, no, no.

[A]

It's annoying. Michael Jackson fans are like, all fans are crazy. So they can't hear the nuance of it. Compared to people who I meet, I sound like a crazy Michael Jackson defender. Compared to the people online who see our conversations, they think, like, I'm a crazy hater. Just because we acknowledge these serious claims, of which there are many, combined with the fact that there's no getting around the fact that his behavior is super weird.

[B]

Yeah, man. Like, come on. Like, I don't. Listen, all of us don't know for a fact if things happen, but there was some weird ish going on. Like, weird. And someone's like, blame the parents. Yeah, Multiple things can be true at the same time, guys. You know what I mean? Yes. Blame the parents. But also, why are you staying with children in your own bedroom? Why do you have rando children in your own bedroom?

[A]

They always wanted to be in my bedroom.

[B]

Like, why?

[A]

Yeah, but they asked to be. Well, okay, why are you having a sleepover? So listen, I really do empathize and think there's a lot of sad stuff about Michael. And I think there is a world in which none that of. Of this happened in the way that it's been portrayed to be. Yes. I've always said. I think the fact that Finding Neverland was based on two people. One of those people at another point in time went to court and testified on Michael Jackson's behalf. I don't think that's a really strong case. If one of the people who you have once was completely on the opposite side, no matter how you cut it to me, that's not the strongest case possible. But at the same time, guys, we.

[C]

Come on.

[A]

We can't. We lived through this. You also realize a lot of these people are young and they didn't, like, live through it, and they didn't, like, live through watching Michael evolve into something very odd. And don't get me wrong, even in the thick of it, I was always grossed out by the New York Post and all the places that called him Wacko Jacko. I thought they treated him incredibly inhumanely to someone who had given us so much joy. But you also have to look at these things with an open mind and process them.

[B]

So I do agree with you. I think it makes a difference if you live through it. Because I was. I was chatting with my. My girls from Envision who are, like, I said, they're like 19, 20, 21 to 24. Right. And we were. I don't know how we started talking about the O.J. trial. And I was like, guys, I was in high school, and I remember teachers and people celebrating, because finally they were like, it was a moment in time. I remember people in the hallways, people, like, clapping, screaming. And they're looking at me like, what are you saying? I'm like, yes. Because this was fresh off the Rodney King situation. You know what I mean?

[A]

Trying to explain how stupid we are as a country is really complicated. So it's like, wait a second. You're saying people celebrated? Yeah. But they kind of still thought he might have done it.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

And what about white people? Well, they were angry.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, why? Because they thought it wasn't justice. Well, but what about. But were they angry about Rodney King? Not all of them. Some of them didn't care. Yeah, but they didn't care about justice then. No, no, no. It was just like, I remember sitting there. I remember, like, sitting there as the verdict happened in school, and black friends of mine were, like, running up and down the hallway celebrating, and I was just like. I was just, like, looking around like, huh, Interesting. Interesting. Because obviously I was still the person then, for the most part that I am now. I remember being like, but he did it. And poor Ron Goldman just went to return the glasses to her house. And I was also super upset about Rodney Kings. Like, I was able at the time to be upset about all the things, but. But it's just. If you ever think our timeline has gotten dumb now, just know the timeline's been dumb. We've been on this dumb time. All right? Like, that has been a continuous thing in America now. I don't think we have time to hit a guru.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

But we did. I do want to hit one that we didn't get to this week. Trump, speaking of our dumb timeline, has said that he wants to go to the NBA Finals.

[B]

Oh, God. I think saw this.

[A]

He still considers himself to be a Knick fan.

[B]

Laura Styles, considering.

[A]

Can you imagine what it would do to getting into msg? They got to tell him no and. And he's going to get booed out of the building.

[B]

Yo. And Knicks fans, like, he would destroy their. Something that they've been waiting for. Like, just the experience. You know, people who paid money to be in the building, people who want to party outside because, you know, secret Service is going to be everywhere, and it adds hours. Yes, yes. So it's just going to destroy the experience for the fans.

[A]

So they have one and two will be out west. Is it 232 or two two, one, one one.

[C]

I think it's 232.

[A]

Let me double check, though, because they never can make up their mind. Hold on. I think I have a list here. It's. No, yeah, it's not. It's 2, 211 1.

[C]

2, 2 1, 1, 1, 1.

[A]

So. So June 8th and 10th in New York, and then June 16th in New York. If it were to happen, honestly, the funniest part is he would be better off going to Oklahoma City or San Antonio.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But he'd be rooting for the Knicks.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'll tell you what the whole thing sounds like. Damn it. I. My app closed and I couldn't play. Congratulations. You played yourself, but it's not what you want. Nobody wants this.

[C]

I was gonna say let him come on the same days the. The World cup starts.

[A]

Bro. Can you imagine what will be happening in this nightmare? It's.

[B]

It's.

[A]

It's a mess, guys. There's. It's gonna be a messy situation. Knicks fans, do not get caught up. Do not let Donald Trump get in the way of this beautiful time.

[B]

Absolutely. Anyways, thank you, guys. We love y'.

[D]

All.

[B]

Subscribe. Hit that like button.

[A]

Today's the day. Go check out Validate me. Give me your honest feelings. Validate me show on YouTube and Instagram. Would love your feedback. Laura, thank you for your undying and unwavering support.

[B]

Of course.

[A]

Very excited for you to hear episode one.

[B]

Yeah, I'm excited for you.

[A]

It's not too awkward. Just me pouring out my heart and how I screwed up my life.

[B]

I was there for a lot of it.

[A]

Oh, no. Yeah. Oh, as you gotta. You gotta shout out in this. Like I said, I redid the first episode. In the first one, I talked about you a bit more, but those stories will come. Validate me. Show YouTube wherever you find. Podcasts would love your feedback. Enjoy it. And we'll see you guys for Big fat Friday tomorrow.

[B]

That's right.

[D]

Bye, guys.

[A]

The. Don't call it a podcast.