Best of the Program | Guest: Andrew Klavan | 10/31/25

Summary

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The Glenn Beck Program: Best of the Program | Guest: Andrew Klavan | 10/31/25

Episode Overview

In this episode, Glenn Beck and his co-hosts deliver their trademark blend of humor and sharp cultural commentary, discussing everything from unusual pet laws to the state of American discourse and publishing. The centerpiece features bestselling author and commentator Andrew Klavan, who shares insights on storytelling, the feminization and politicization of publishing, the decline in reading habits, and the cultural malaise in America. The episode weaves together satire, personal anecdotes, and pressing issues in media, free speech, and national identity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Monkeys on the Loose and Texan Animal Laws (02:25–09:20)

• Glenn, Stu, and Jason open with light-hearted banter about a news story: a monkey in a diaper loose in a Texas Halloween store, expanding to discuss the abundance of private zoos in Texas and the oddities of state animal regulations.
• Highlights the unusual freedoms allowed in Texas related to exotic pets, with Jason explaining insurance and inspection requirements for larger primates.
• The conversation takes a darker turn with stories of pet monkeys causing harm, prompting debate on the sense (or lack thereof) behind these laws.

“Texas has more private zoos than any other place on Earth.” — Glenn Beck (05:19)

Satirizing Political Hypocrisy: Kamala Harris, Election Night, and ‘Found’ Votes (09:20–13:38)

• Shift to politics, dissecting Kamala Harris's comments about her election shock and the infamous “we need 200,000 more votes we can’t find” phone call.
• Glenn and Stu mock the double standards in media treatment, comparing Harris’s words with Trump’s controversial Georgia call.

"[Kamala] said it was shock, like losing her mother—get some perspective!" — Glenn Beck (11:01)

• Points out the performative outrage of the left and media’s willful misunderstandings, as with the usage of words like “targeting” districts.

The Modern Left and Selective Amnesia (13:38–16:57)

• Discussion of how left-wing discourse, as Beck and Stu see it, operates on pretending not to understand opponents’ statements, to create narrative controversies out of everyday political language.

“So much of left wing discourse is pretending they don’t understand what’s happening.” — Stu (14:38)

Purity Tests and Cancel Culture in Conservative Circles (16:57–35:28)

• Glenn addresses recent internecine fights among conservative voices, specifically referencing Tucker Carlson, the Heritage Foundation, and debates about antisemitism, Zionism, and the push to “cancel” figures over controversial guests or statements.
• He calls for clarity, civility, and debate rather than absolutist, “Sith-like” thinking that divides the movement.
• Stresses the need for free speech and moral restraint, condemns actual antisemitism, and insists on distinguishing between criticizing Israel and antisemitic tropes.

“Our founders were really, really clear on this. This is why the First Amendment. They knew that liberty doesn’t die with a bang. It dies with a hush.” — Glenn Beck (32:00)

The State of Reading, Publishing, and Storytelling in America

(Andrew Klavan Interview Segment Begins: 35:28)

The Decline of Fiction and Reading (35:28–40:23)

• Klavan observes a dramatic decline in both male readership and overall book sales, attributing it to the feminization of publishing and political blacklisting of white male authors.
• Glenn shares similar experiences with mainstream publishers pushing ideological angles on nonfiction.

“The business is so feminized… men hardly read novels at all anymore. I’m one of the last remaining guys who writes books for men and women.” — Andrew Klavan (36:36)

On Klavan's New Book and Writing for a Broader Audience (37:57–39:56)

• Klavan introduces his new novel After That, the Dark—a blend of mystery and love story, tackling themes like evil, redemption, and human nature.
• Glenn jokes about perceived real-world inspirations for Klavan’s villains.

Literacy, Education, and the Joys of Reading (40:23–44:10)

• Glenn laments statistics showing most Americans now read at a sixth-grade level or below.
• Klavan decries educational neglect in poor communities and the loss of values in mainstream schooling.
• Both agree the decline of reading is not just sad but destructive for culture and individual growth.

“The way they treat poor people… in education is a crime.” — Andrew Klavan (40:30)

The Lost Art of Reading Aloud and Storytelling (43:03–45:54)

• Reminiscing about teachers who read to students and family traditions of reading literature aloud.
• Glenn recalls a story about Orson Welles’s daughter learning Shakespeare via live performances from her father.

“Nobody is reading to their children out loud and really taking them for adventures.” — Glenn Beck (43:03)

Cultural Memory, Patriotism, and the Neglect of American Heritage (45:54–48:55)

• Discusses America’s disregard for its own heritage, as exemplified by a lack of bicentennial celebrations for the nation’s 250th birthday.
• Glenn recalls being told the American flag had never been onstage at the Kennedy Center before his show, underscoring cultural amnesia.

Reviving Traditional Storytelling and Art (49:15–50:18)

• Klavan contends the dominance of leftist gatekeepers in the arts has stifled dissent and vision in literature and media, calling for conservatives to reinvest in cultural creation.

“The culture has flatlined because of these woke ideas, which basically call evil good and good evil.” — Andrew Klavan (49:15)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Monkey Mayhem & Texas Law
  “It’s Texas. Who’s number two? Nobody. It’s just Texas.” — Glenn Beck (05:46)

• On Political Hypocrisy
  “They really do. Get some perspective.” — Glenn Beck, on politicians’ self-importance (11:01)

• On Cancel Culture
  “You know, if you don’t like it, don’t watch it. That is the solution.” — Glenn Beck (22:25)

• On Silencing Speech vs. Combating Bad Ideas
  “The best way to make bad ideas grow is to suppress them.” — Glenn Beck (24:00)

• On the Decline in Reading
  “No, of course not. We have no future with that at all.” — Andrew Klavan, on declining literacy rates (40:30)

• On Artistic Heritage
  “When I put the flag on the [Kennedy Center] stage, I was told… this is the first time the American flag has ever been on stage at the Kennedy Center. That’s crazy.” — Glenn Beck (48:55)

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Key Timestamps for Sections

• Monkey News and Texas Laws — 02:25–09:20
• Kamala Harris & Election Night Reaction — 09:20–13:38
• Media Hypocrisy / Discourse Satire — 13:38–16:57
• Cancel Culture Within Conservatism — 16:57–35:28
• Andrew Klavan Interview (Fiction, Publishing, Culture) — 35:28–50:18

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Tone & Style

The tone is classic Glenn Beck: irreverent, lively, and at times sardonic, blending humor with impassioned calls for clarity, freedom of speech, and cultural renewal. Klavan brings a wry, introspective perspective, highlighting cultural decline and the need to reignite the joy and value of storytelling.

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Takeaways

• The show underscores the importance of clear, honest debate and letting ideas, however unpopular, be openly discussed.
• It highlights the decline of literacy, the perils of cancel culture, and the superficiality of current political discourse.
• Klavan and Beck advocate for a return to storytelling, tradition, and genuine engagement with the past to bolster the nation’s future.

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For Further Listening

• Andrew Klavan’s After That, the Dark for a literary take on themes discussed.
• Past Glenn Beck episodes on American morality, free speech, and cultural heritage.

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This summary delivers a comprehensive, engaging overview for listeners, capturing the episode’s themes, key discussions, and memorable moments, complete with clear attribution and timestamps.

Transcript

[Glenn Beck]

Stu, what was your favorite part of today's show? I mean, if you had to only pick one part, B B, you have to listen yourself and you decide all on today's podcast. So you remember when you were a kid and you thought being an adult meant that you could stay up late at night and watch whatever you want and maybe have ice cream for dinner? Yeah. Nobody mentioned the mortgage part at that time. Now it's interest rates and credit scores. And why is my bank charging? You know, for breath? This is where American Financing comes in. They help people take control of their money instead of letting your money control you. They're salary based, so they're not trying to sell you anything. They just want to help lower your payments. They want you to consolidate debt, perhaps, if it's the right thing for you, finally pay off that credit card that you swear is almost paid off. They've helped thousands of families in this audience save hundreds. The average is about $800 a month. And they do it without pushing salespeople or calls or anything like that. They talk to you like a human being because that's what you and they work for you. Not the bank, not some mysterious financial wizard hiding in a tower. You is who they work for. And they make the whole process easy. So call American Financing at 800-906-2440. Save a buttload of money. Get your finances in order. 800-906-2440americanfinancing.net hello America. You know we've been fighting every single day. We push back against the lies, the censorship, the nonsense of the mainstream media that they're trying to feed you. We work tire effortlessly to bring you the unfiltered truth because you deserve it. But to keep this fight going, we need you right now. Would you take a moment and rate and review the Glenn Beck podcast? Give us five stars and leave a comment. Because every single review helps us break through Big Tech's algorithm to reach more Americans who need to hear the truth. This isn't a podcast. This is a movement. And you're part of it. A big part of it. So if you believe in what we're doing, you want more people to wake up, help us push this podcast to the top rate review share together we'll make it difference and thanks for standing with us. Now, let's get to work.

[Andrew Klavan]

You're listening to the best of the Glenn Beck Program. I'm glad you're here.

[Glenn Beck]

Say hello to Jason Butler, chief researcher.

[Jason Butler]

Hello, Glenn, how are you?

[Glenn Beck]

Hello, good Jason, how are you?

[Jason Butler]

I mean, I was fine until I saw this monkey again. And now I'm starting to get kind of worried.

[Glenn Beck]

It's a little frightening and it still stu. Is here. Terrifying. A little terrifying. This time it's in Dallas, Texas. Yeah, yeah, it's spreading. Let me just. Let me just give you the story. Plano, Texas. Shoppers at a Spirit Halloween store in Texas were shocked to see a live monkey wearing a diaper swinging from the rafters. It happened Monday night at the Spirit Halloween store at 15th street in Plano. Plano police officers confirmed its officers were dispatched for a call concerning a pet monkey that had gotten away. The officer There have been seven monkeys on the loose this. This week in America.

[Stu]

Well, actually it's not even. I mean, was 21 in that initial batch?

[Glenn Beck]

Was it.

[Stu]

Now they're saying it was 21, which was not the number we got.

[Glenn Beck]

No, it was like seven.

[Stu]

And then they said, you know, many of them were captured. A few got. Now there were six. Now there's six that got away. Then there was two, three.

[Glenn Beck]

What?

[Stu]

I believe there's now three that got away in Mississippi.

[Glenn Beck]

I thought there was one. Yesterday they made a big deal.

[Stu]

It was one cover up.

[Glenn Beck]

Just the monkey cover up just doesn't end. Anyway, let me get back to Plano because this one is very.

[Stu]

Could this be the same monkey? Like one of the three just made it up?

[Jason Butler]

That's a good theory.

[Glenn Beck]

Well, he had to stop and get a diaper. He had to stop and get a diaper. If he did. Scene was captured on video. It happened while the person with the video was shopping for Halloween costumes. Store employee said the monkey had gotten spooked by one of the stores animatronic decorations. Well, of course, monkeys are good. Monkeys are people too. Of course they're going to get spooked. You know, you bring your kid in, you know, and they're wearing a diaper and you stick them up next to the, you know, audio animatronic, you know, Halloween store. Course I'm going to jump to poor monkey. Ultimately, the monkey's owner was able to entice it with a cookie to regain control. So it looks like we're no longer in DEF CON 1 on monkey patrol. The cookie did entice the monkey to come back to the owner. Police didn't have to shoot it, which was very, very good. Neither the monkey nor anyone else was hurt, but that's what they'd have you believe.

[Jason Butler]

I was curious about the legality of this, Glen, because is it seriously legal to own a monkey? You can Just buy one and just have it hanging out in your house?

[Glenn Beck]

Yes.

[Jason Butler]

And apparently, well, so, okay, so apparently Texas is a little bit of a free for all. So they leave it up to cities.

[Glenn Beck]

No, no, no. Texas has. Is the state with the most private zoos in the world. We have more private zoos. Not like taking, you know, tickets. People that just have zoos at their house. Texas has more private zoos than any other place on Earth.

[Jason Butler]

Yeah.

[Stu]

Is there competition on this? Is there a countdown I can look up somewhere?

[Glenn Beck]

I don't think so. I don't think. I think it's like, who has more? It's Texas. Who's number two? Nobody. It's just Texas.

[Stu]

Where was. Where was Tiger King? Well, that was Oklahoma, right?

[Glenn Beck]

Yeah, it was Oklahoma. Yeah.

[Stu]

Maybe per capita Oklahoma would be in that competition, but I don't think there's much more outside.

[Glenn Beck]

And it's all just because people were like, you know, I want some of those elephants. Why can't I have an elephant?

[Stu]

Why can't I have an elephant? That's a great question. That's a great Texas question. I want an elephant. How do. Why can't I have an elephant?

[Glenn Beck]

Ross Perot's son Because when I moved to Texas, we live right around Ross Perot, and he had a big ranch out by where we live, and he had buffalo. That was the greatest thing ever. You'd see the buffalo running on the side of the highway. I mean, behind a fence, but they were running on the side of the highway. And it was just so beautiful and so Texan. And then you'd come around the corner and there. There'd be like, a camel. Be like, what the. Why all this buffalo and then a camel? Why a camel? Ross told me that he bought it for his father, ROSS Perot Sr. He bought it for his father for Christmas. And he said to his. He said to his dad, what do you get the man who has literally everything? Dad, you don't have a camel. That's a good point.

[Stu]

I didn't have a camel. Now he has a camel.

[Glenn Beck]

Now he has a camel. He went out with a camel.

[Jason Butler]

I did a little bit of research on this, Glenn. And so if you're in Plano or most cities in Texas, you can have small monkeys, pretty much any small monkey. And there's nothing that you really have to do, but it goes even crazier. So you can actually, if you wanted to have a gorilla, I guess, sitting in a La Z boy hanging out at your house if you wanted to. But you have to be Committed. I mean, you. I mean committed.

[Glenn Beck]

Wait a minute, what do you mean? Like, like you're insane. You shouldn't have a gorilla in your Lazy Boy.

[Jason Butler]

Okay, so, yeah, that's a very important part of it, I think, which should be analyzed. But you need to have a registrar, a. A hundred thousand dollar liability insurance policy, a secure enclosure, and you have to have random annual inspections to make sure that your gorilla is properly, I guess, taken care of while he's sitting in this Lazy Boy chilling in your living room.

[Glenn Beck]

Can you believe that the state actually had to be put through that exercise? Okay, if somebody wants a gorilla, what do we do? What's the line? What's the line here? And that there's somebody who wants a gorilla. Do you remember the woman who had the chimpanzee up in. Or the. The guy who had the chimpanzee? And when they get older, they get really mean. Really, really mean. So at a certain age, I don't remember what it is, but a certain age, you really need to turn them over to somebody else who just like lets them go run in the forest or whatever.

[Stu]

So when they get really mean, we let them run free in the forest.

[Glenn Beck]

I don't know what they're doing.

[Stu]

It sounds like a terrible.

[Glenn Beck]

Metaphorically, the forest. They kill them, I think. I don't know what they do. But at a certain age, you got to keep them in a cage because they get really mean teenagers. And there was this, this woman who was living next door to somebody who had a monkey. The monkey got out, she was getting into her car. The monkey came running across the street to her and literally clawed her face off. Do you remember that? And she survived. And I think. Did we do an interview with her at some point? At some point.

[Stu]

Totally ruined the buzz of the story, though. We had a good vibe going talking about monkeys. It was fun.

[Jason Butler]

And then all of a sudden, faces.

[Glenn Beck]

Are getting clawed off. Well, anyway, okay, so let's stop with the monkey talk. Let's talk a little bit about how Kamala Harris was in shock on election night.

[Kamala Harris (clip)]

Cut to in a state of shock.

[Stu]

Really? Did you think the day before that you were going to win?

[Andrew Klavan]

Yeah.

[Stu]

And so when did the proverbial penny drop?

[Kamala Harris (clip)]

When I got a call from my campaign manager that it looks like we need 200,000 more votes that we can't find.

[Glenn Beck]

We can't find just the time.

[Kamala Harris (clip)]

Meaning it's just the map, the numbers and the thing I kept saying over and over again. I was in a state of shock. I was, I was.

[Glenn Beck]

Stop Freeze this frame. Freeze this frame for me, please. Look how she's talking behind her hands. She is hiding behind her hands. She's talking like this. She's got her hands up over part of her nose, and she's covering half of her face. I mean, that is bizarre body language. Anyway, go ahead.

[Kamala Harris (clip)]

So inarticulate, but maybe very articulate. What I kept saying over and over again is, my God, my God, my God. Really over. And I couldn't stop.

[Stu]

I. Kamala said she was articulated.

[Glenn Beck]

I haven't felt shocking.

[Kamala Harris (clip)]

No, that's weird emotion. Anything similar to the emotion I felt that day and for quite some time, other than the grief I felt when my mother died.

[Glenn Beck]

Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

[Stu]

These people really think they're important.

[Glenn Beck]

They really do. Get some perspective.

[Stu]

Hey, I didn't get a job. Basically, my mom croaking.

[Glenn Beck]

Jeez, shut up. You say that with such compassion.

[Stu]

It's real disdain, isn't it? Can you sense it typing? Careful.

[Glenn Beck]

It can a little bit. Just hints of it here. And there she is. I mean, first of all, think of the arrogance that it takes to be in that battle, and then to be shocked to the point to where you are almost catatonic, just going, oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God. For the longest time. Think about how arrogant you have to be.

[Stu]

You know, it's funny. Her opponent took a bullet during the campaign. Did she have any of that sort of feeling that day? Was there any feeling about losing your country the day that her donors were firing at her opponent?

[Glenn Beck]

Hey, can I ask Jason. Yeah. Can I ask you? Stu is over the age where monkeys get mean. Should I put Stu in a cage? I'm noticing. I'm noticing. He might just claw somebody's face off here at any time.

[Jason Butler]

I think we might.

[Glenn Beck]

You're the only one in the room with it.

[Stu]

Good luck on how that works.

[Glenn Beck]

Yeah, I know. It's not good.

[Jason Butler]

We might have to get that $100,000 insurance policy just in case. Not sure.

[Glenn Beck]

You're working with Stu. Yeah. You need that insurance policy.

[Jason Butler]

Hey, Glenn, can we go back to finding 200,000 votes? I mean, I feel like we kind of blew past that really quick, but just a direct quote.

[Stu]

Really quick.

[Jason Butler]

And just tell me if you remember where this came from. Quote, all I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is more than we have because we won the state. That was from the Georgia call. That was part of the entire impeachment thing. Let's impeachment for saying find votes. Now is that okay now?

[Glenn Beck]

Because. Play that again. That's such a great, such a great point. Play that again.

[Kamala Harris (clip)]

I was in a state of shock.

[Stu]

Really? Did you think the day before that you were going to win?

[Glenn Beck]

I did, yeah. Yeah, completely.

[Stu]

And so when did the proverbial penny drop?

[Kamala Harris (clip)]

When I got a call from my campaign manager that it looks like we need 200,000 more votes that we can't find.

[Glenn Beck]

That is so crazy. It's so crazy.

[Stu]

No, I mean, it's especially because they made that phrase.

[Glenn Beck]

That's the only reason it's crazy. Right.

[Stu]

I mean, obviously you understand what she's saying here. She's not saying they're going to exactly.

[Glenn Beck]

Exactly the way they should have. Understand. Understood with Donald Trump.

[Stu]

I generally agree with that. I mean, I think their argument there would be that, you know, that call was made to an election official in a state. This is a. You know, she's saying it to her campaign people. Where are we gonna find these votes? He was making a call to the people running the elections in Georgia. I mean, that's what they would say. The difference is.

[Glenn Beck]

Yeah, that's what they would say again.

[Stu]

Like the bigger than that. And what makes it comical, I guess, is just that they made that phrase into such a big deal. It's the same thing they did with Sarah Palin back in the day to target the district. And then they went on every election since they said something similar or maybe. Exactly. We're targeting these districts and it was as if we weren't supposed to remember.

[Glenn Beck]

Yeah.

[Stu]

Like all these things happen and we're just supposed to forget them the next day.

[Glenn Beck]

Maybe the entire left has the beginnings of Alzheimer's, but it's only affecting their short term memory. Like they can say something one day and the next day it's like. They never said that.

[Stu]

You know, it's interesting. It's on the back of something that I saw the other day. I think it was on Twitter. I can't remember who tweeted it. So I apologize. But it was a great point. And I think it's really. It really boils down where we are a lot. And the way it was phrased was so much of left wing discourse is pretending they don't understand what's happening.

[Glenn Beck]

Yes, yes. Right.

[Stu]

Like it's like, oh, you know, like, you know, there's. They just act as if they don't understand what you said. Targeting a district, that means that they're trying to kill the person. Yes, that's what that means. Well, you know that's not what that means, right? That's what that means. They just deny. It's like, normally you fake one that.

[Glenn Beck]

You know more, right?

[Stu]

Like someone. Hey, do you know about mortgage rates today?

[Glenn Beck]

Well, yeah, sure.

[Stu]

I mean, yeah, you know, I know where they are. And you're. You're trying to act as if you have more knowledge about a situation. They're constantly acting as if they have less knowledge. They don't understand what these terms are. They're just an unfrozen caveman lawyer. They don't understand what any of these things are in this crazy new modern world.

[Glenn Beck]

What?

[Stu]

People use the word target to talk about districts. I don't even understand it. And like, they. That. And then we get a week of conversation about their intentional misunderstanding.

[Glenn Beck]

I've got one for you. I think it's cut 20. Let me play this and see if this isn't exactly what you're talking about. Stuff. Listen to this from Kamala yesterday.

[Kamala Harris (clip)]

Are you kidding me? This guy wants to create a ballroom for his rich friends while completely turning a blind eye to the fact that babies are going to starve when the snap benefits end in just hours from now. Come on. So I'm not going to be distracted by. Oh, does the guy have a big hammer? What about those babies?

[Glenn Beck]

I can't even make sense of her. What I don't even understand. So they're pretending they don't understand the ballroom thing. This is just for his rich friends.

[Stu]

Or how SNAP benefits work.

[Glenn Beck]

Yeah, or how snap benefits work. You know, and they're like, wait, wait, that's what he meant. That's what he wants. Babies to starve to death starting tomorrow while he only cares about this opulent, golden crusted, you know, rich friend zone that he's building.

[Stu]

Which is hilarious, right? Like, the date it's supposed to be done is basically the end of his presidency.

[Glenn Beck]

I know, right?

[Stu]

Like, he's not really. He is really not going to get.

[Glenn Beck]

Much use at all out of this room.

[Stu]

It's going to be future presidents.

[Glenn Beck]

And you know what's crazy is they're actually talking. They were trying to pass a bill in Congress to have it torn down the minute he leaves office.

[Stu]

Oh, yeah. Stupid Eric Swalwell said that.

[Glenn Beck]

What a stupid, stupid, moronic idea.

[Stu]

I'm going to. I'm going to knock down a 300 million doll are building out of spite.

[Glenn Beck]

They do it. They would do it, and they would do it.

[Stu]

They would act as if it was some pure gesture, right? Like, this is how you're gonna prove that you're really a liberal. You're really. You're really one of those people. I mean, Swalwell's construction of this was if you don't. If you don't say you're going to knock down the ballroom, you shouldn't be running for president in 2028.

[Glenn Beck]

I'm so tired of the purity tests. I'm so tired of the purity tests. Here's an idea. Just be who you are and let people decide. You know what I mean? Just, just, just.

[Stu]

That goes to this entire conversation today.

[Glenn Beck]

You know what?

[Stu]

I get that you think we should be talking about something. I get it.

[Glenn Beck]

Whatever.

[Stu]

The thing is that you think is the most important thing in the world. You think all other people should not only share your view about it, but also be talking about it constantly. I got news for you. I have a life, too, and I'm going to live it. And everyone should make their own decisions. You know what I'm focused on tonight? The Toronto Blue Jays play game six of the World Series.

[Glenn Beck]

Hyper.

[Stu]

I can't even.

[Glenn Beck]

It kills him not to be talking about that. All I want to talk about Toronto.

[Stu]

Is that I know. And yet I have to. Every time you talk to somebody else, think, oh, well, you got to talk about this. You need to vote this way. You need to do this. You need to support this policy. You need to excommunicate this individual. Whatever your thing is today, just note that maybe your life and the thoughts going on in your head aren't supposed to be applied to everyone else.

[Glenn Beck]

And you know what's crazy is we literally pray every day before this show. I pray at night. I pray all the time when I'm preparing the show. Show me what I need to say that is important. Show me what I should be talking about that will be useful. And how many times have you tuned in and went, well, that's not useful.

[Stu]

Right?

[Glenn Beck]

You know what I mean?

[Stu]

I get it. We're selling videos.

[Glenn Beck]

Yeah, it happens all the time. I mean, you know, we're doing our best and you are, too. Everybody's doing their best. Relax.

[Stu]

Go Blue Jays.

[Glenn Beck]

Well, Stu's not doing his best. I mean, he is as a Canadian spy, but that's a different story every month. Most people pay a phone bill without thinking about where that money goes. But some of those big mobile companies use your hard earned dollars to fund causes that undermine everything you believe in while charging you more for the privilege. Patriot Mobile is different. They're America's only Christian conservative wireless provider, and they put values first, every plan, every call, every text supports organizations that defend faith and family and freedom and the sanctity of life. And here's the thing. The service is every bit as strong as the big guys. Nationwide coverage, excellent customer support, and no compromise on quality. When you switch to Patriot Mobile, you're not just getting great service. You're making a statement. You're saying you're done funding the agenda of companies that despise you. And that feels good, not just as a customer, but as an American. Patriot Mobile, they offer all three US Major networks, so you're going to have the same or better premium coverage as the major carriers. So go to patriot mobile.com beck or call 972 Patriot 972 Patriot Use the promo code Beck. You get a free month of Service. It's patriot mobile.com Beck972 Patriot make the switch today. Now back to the podcast. This is the best of the Glenn Beck program and we really want to thank you for listening. Well, Mommy and Daddy are fighting. And when Mommy and Daddy are fighting, as always, it should happen in private. And it has been happening in private. These conversations have been going on with people who are, you know, people like me and other leaders, if you will. We have been having many, multiple conversations on how's the best way to handle this? Because you don't want Mommy and daddy fighting in front of the kids. Because then the kids have to decide whose side am I on? Am I a mommy side or daddy side? Mommy and Daddy are. Are fighting. The whole family's gonna break up and then everything is destroyed. But since we're having a fight now on social media, the worst place to have a fight now that we're having a fight on social media, we, for the kids sake and for the family's sake, Mommy and Daddy have to figure this out in front of the kids so they know we love each other and we can still stick together. So let me start here because there are so many sides to this argument. But let me get into it. This is all revolving around anti Semitism, what that even means, Zionism, what that means. Tucker Carlson, is he on our side or not on our side? Oh, God. So let me start here. I really do not like seeing people ripped apart like Tucker Carlson ripped apart for bringing a guy on who says, I love Stalin. Do you? You love Stalin? Okay, let me talk to you for an hour. I think that's ridiculous. But that's not my show. That's his show. He bring on whoever he wants to bring on. I do not like people trying to cancel people. You know, if you don't like it, don't watch it. That is the solution. I really despise the idea of people mounting campaigns to, quote, drive someone out of the movement. No, no, you don't do that. And the same thing could be said now on the other side with the Heritage foundation for saying they won't distance themselves from Tucker. So now they. Their funding all has to stop. And people are starting to say we should cancel our funding to the Heritage Foundation. I mean, I got to tell you, if I'm on the left, there is nothing that I would want more than to pour fuel on this fire. We're destroying ourselves. I also don't like it when people start ripping other. Invite them on the show. Give you the example. And I love Tucker, but, you know, inviting Ted Cruz on, I thought, I felt. And I could be wrong. I haven't talked to Tucker about this one, but I felt that that was setting him up. I never invite somebody on the show to then rip them apart. Okay? I just. I don't do that. I didn't like it when he did that. I wouldn't do it, and I wouldn't do it to Tucker, and I just don't like it. I also have a problem with anybody who says. Who say they despise Christian Zionists. And mainly because I don't even know what your definition of a Christian Zionist is. What is that? It's got to stop. We are mixing the stream, Remember, in Ghostbusters. Don't cross the streams. We're crossing the streams all the time. We're crossing them from political to personal to religious. Nobody even knows what the hell we're even talking about anymore. But something dark is happening in our country. So I want to try to take this apart piece by piece. Let's start with the rise of anti Semitism, because that's not the only dark thing that is rising in our country. That alone should be enough to chill everybody's blood. The other part of it is this loss of a moral compass and these stories all tied together. Debate over Tucker and his guests, the Heritage foundation, their refusal to cancel him. So now they're the enemy. And the condemnation of the Heritage Foundation. Does anybody notice that we find ourselves in exactly the same place, circling the same idea over and over and over again. Different views, different words, but the same problem circling the drain. Same problem, same solution. What do we do with speech we find reprehensible? It seems some people think it's really, really easy. You know, it seems to Be very easy on the left if. If it's a conservative that says something that you don't like or is politically, you know, advantageous to you to stand up against. You stand up against, and then you get them canceled. Okay? You do everything you can to cancel them. If it's somebody on your side that you like and they say exactly the same thing, you just make excuses or exceptions. You know, I mean, that. That. That it's easy on the left to do that. That's simple. But now we find ourselves split between these two camps. And here are the two camps. Those who believe silencing is the cure for evil ideas, and those who fear that silencing is a bigger issue, evil in itself. Okay, both sides are missing something here. So I just want to talk about freedom of speech here for a second. There's so many other things that are part of this, but freedom of speech. I think both sides are missing something. They're both staring at the same fire, but from opposite sides of the flame. So let's break it down into two parts. You should be able. And I learned this from Stu, you should be able to change the topic or the words of any statement. And the outcome you're feeling on it should be exactly the same. Okay? Because it should be. The principles that we're arguing here. Let me give you an example. The vaccine is dangerous, and you can't force me to take it. Should you be canceled on that Trump is a Nazi? Should you be canceled on that men cannot have babies? Should you be canceled I love Stalin. Should you be canceled? No matter what is said on either side, we can condemn. We can speak out and debate. But the best way to make bad ideas grow is to suppress them. If you're a parent, you might get this. You raise your kids, and once they hit teenage years, you'll start to understand this. The more mom and dad are against something, the more mom and dad hate something. Oh, the more likely it is that your kids just turn the knife in you. Because that's what teenagers do. They'll embrace it. But when your children are trying to provoke you for attention, the last thing you do is give them the win they're looking for. You just don't do that. You remember in Star Wars? Yes, Young Skywalker, Take it. Strike me down. Why did he say that? Because he knew the emperor knew you. Strike me down. I am more powerful than ever. So stop with Cancel Culture 2. Let me make something else really clear. Anti Semitism is evil. Now, how do you define that? How do you define Zionism I don't know, everybody seems to have their own definition here, being against Israel's policies, Israel's war. The way Israel or any country handles itself in foreign relations, that's not antisemitism. You know, let me take, let me take Great Britain, okay? I disagree with the British government the way they are silencing people. You know that 4,000 people last year have been arrested for speech crimes. I think Russia arrested less than 200 people last year. 4,000 in England. That's a problem. You want to talk about fascism, but if I'm against this, and vehemently against this, and if I say, you know, their politicians are destroying England, that the Islamification of Great Britain is almost complete and the silence, the official silence from the King and from all of the politicians is evil, does that make me anti British? No, no, I'm not anti British. I have a problem with their policies. I find their policies really stupid. Okay, Anti Semitism means I have an unreasonable view that all the Jews are in some global plot. So let me bring it about, just changing a couple of words and you'll see it quickly. All the Jews, you know, all the Jews, all the Jews, they control the whole world. Yeah, they do. They, they're all in on some evil plot. Okay, let me just change one word. Let me just change it from Jew to, I don't know, black, whites, blue eyed, blonde haired people, you know, all blue eyed people, they're all in a plot. They're all in on it together and they control the world. Okay, that's just stupid. That's just stupid. Anti Semitism is the ancient hatred that is burned through every civilization that ever thought it was enlightened. Every time. And it starts the same way. And in the last 200 years, it's always started with Marxism. What a surprise. Well, that's, you know, Marx was a Jewish, he hated the Jews. Oh my gosh. Starts the same way. Whispers, scapegoats. And the lie that one, one group of people, those blacks, all the whites, all the blue eyed people, all the Jews, they control the world. You know, how does that end? It always ends in blood. Always. And not just Jewish blood. I mean that's first. But it ends in the blood of any nation that embraces that kind of stuff. Every time it destroys the nation. Now clarity is what we need. So let's talk about clarity. You can disagree with a government, the government of Israel, without being an anti Semitist you can question, or an anti Semite you can question foreign aid, you can question military policy, you can Question the leadership without hatred for the Jews. The inability to distinguish between hatred of a people and criticism of a government is part of what is poisoning our national discourse. Okay, there's no problem. Question Israel all you want. I do. If America stands for anything, it stands for the right to speak freely and to question power and any power without being condemned. A heretic. That's what we do and do best. That's what we should do. Now, on that, seeing I brought the word heretic up, don't tell me that my support. Because I'm a Christian and I believe it and you don't have to be a Christian and you don't have to believe what I believe. But don't tell me that my support of the Jewish people to exist in their ancient homeland, which is how I define Zionism, is heresy. How dare you? I mean, we don't even agree probably on the definition of Zionism. Maybe we should do that. But stop calling my faith and my understanding of my faith heretical. Christianity. And that's a quote. But we could have that conversation. We should have that conversation between civilized people. Let's have that discussion. What does that mean? Here's what I mean. Me and everybody else, we must stop dealing in absolutes. You're either for us or against us. You know who thinks like that again? Let me go back to Star Wars. Sith. That's Sith thinking that first leads to the silencing of voices and then in extreme cases, the execution of those voices that just won't be silenced. Look, our founders were really, really clear on this. This is why the First Amendment. Our founders understood all of this. They knew that liberty doesn't die with a bang. It dies with a hush. When voices are silenced, even the ugly ones, we begin the descent. We circle the drain and then go down. Jefferson wrote, the error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it. What the hell is that? It means as long as there's a free man that is willing and able to say, that's a dumb idea. Leave it alone. Leave it alone. An error of opinion, your thinking. Let just free people have that debate and it will solve itself. They also knew that liberty without moral restraint curdles into chaos. Paul wrote, everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Just because you have the right to say something doesn't mean it's morally right to say it. Have some restraint. Well, but that comes with responsibility, which we don't have. That comes with morality, which we're losing day by day. Comes with religion. I mean, that's what I'm sorry. George Washington said religion and morality are the twill, the twin pillars of political prosperity. You mean he wanted everybody to be religious? No, he didn't want everybody to be religious. He meant that a republic cannot survive without shared virtue, the moral foundation of our society, the idea that every man is created equal, that rights come from God, not government, that springs directly from, dare I say it, our Judeo Christian values. You don't have to be religious to understand that or to cherish it. But if that pillar falls, so does the republic. This is the best of the Glenn Beck program. Andrew, my man, how are you?

[Andrew Klavan]

I'm good. It's great to talk to you. Thank you for that lovely introduction. I have to tell you that behind your back, I was talking to Steve Deese about you yesterday and we were saying that you are, you are the only major conservative voice that actually loves fiction. You know that when we, when we come on, we, when we talk to you, we feel like, oh, at least here's somebody who actually reads and appreciates the art. So we were giving you appreciation and behind your back.

[Glenn Beck]

Yeah, that's really, that's really nice. It's, it's really. I was wondering, I wanted to ask you this off the air because I didn't know if anybody would be interested, but I'm going to ask you now because you kind of brought it up. What, what are book sales like now? I haven't written a fiction book in years. And I mean, it used to be, you know, you could have millions sold and then, you know, having a 1 million or a 2 million sales book became harder and harder. Now I would imagine a book that sells a million copies is a wild, out of control bestseller. Is that true?

[Andrew Klavan]

Oh, absolutely. It's really, really hard.

[Glenn Beck]

It's crazy.

[Andrew Klavan]

Businesses has, yeah. The reading has gone down and the business has been, is so feminized that, you know, writing books, men hardly read novels at all anymore. I'm one of the last remaining guys. There are others, I'm not alone, but I'm one of the last remaining guys who writes books for men and women. You know, they have love stories in them, but they're action books and they're full of, full of the questions that men are thinking about and like, it's just really tough to get that out there. And they, they also, you know, they blacklist white men. And my, my editor, Otto Pensler, who is probably the major figure in the 20th century for mystery publishing, he's been, he's been canceled at Things because they say he publishes too many white men. It's just. It's nuts out there.

[Glenn Beck]

Yeah, no, I got out of my relationship with Simon and Schuster because it got so crazy just on. Just on nonfiction books. You know, you gotta really take this angle. And I'm like, you don't know my audience. What are you talking about? You guys are New York liberals. Don't tell me what to write.

[Andrew Klavan]

That's exactly it. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's why they hire you. That's what they're paying you to do. They're paying you to give you your vision, and then they want to make sure that your. Your vision is their vision.

[Glenn Beck]

It doesn't work. It's so stupid. So stupid.

[Andrew Klavan]

Yeah.

[Glenn Beck]

So tell me about this book.

[Andrew Klavan]

This is after that, the Dark. I'm going to tell you, Glenn, absolutely, honestly, this is one of the best books I ever wrote. It is a mystery and a love story. It's about this. This guy, Cameron Winter, who's been trying to escape his past as a government assassin.

[Glenn Beck]

Can I pick it up? Can I pick it up with this book, Andrew? Because I know this is number five. Can I pick it up here?

[Andrew Klavan]

Yes.

[Glenn Beck]

Or do I have to?

[Andrew Klavan]

Yes. This book has all of the things. All of the themes that have been playing out are in this book. And he meets this girl that he's really falling for, and they go out on a date and she tells him she. She knows he likes kind of odd murders. And she tells him a true story about a murder in a locked room, a classic locker room mystery. And he, just to impress her, he tries to solve the murder. And he opens up this absolute hornet's nest of evil that starts to surround him. So he's this guy who's trying to escape being an assassin, but he finds it. He's gonna have to kill some people to get out of this alive. And it's, you know.

[Glenn Beck]

Wait, wait, wait, wait. Can I ask, you know, in the Locked room, it's an institution. A padded. It does feel a little inspired by Jeffrey Epstein.

[Andrew Klavan]

Well, Jeff Epstein is always on a good crime writer's mind.

[Glenn Beck]

A little bit. A little bit. Is that just a coincidence? No.

[Andrew Klavan]

There are all kinds of Epsteinian themes in the book, I have to say, because of the. There's a lot of dark stuff going on behind the scenes.

[Glenn Beck]

So you also have, you know, the billionaire that is played also has a. Again, I'm sure. Because I'm sure it says at the very beginning, any. Anything that would make you think this billionaire was like George. Soros and that's on you.

[Andrew Klavan]

You just have an evil mind. You just have an evil mind. It's not my fault. I give you these books and you just turn them into these horrible conspiracies.

[Glenn Beck]

I know, I know, I know. How horrible of me. Just horrible. So. So, Andrew, how do we turn this? Because I'm really. I'm really bothered by. You know, I saw a poll. What was it, Stu? It was. The stat was. Was it 58. 58% of Americans have a sixth grade level reading ability.

[Andrew Klavan]

Yeah.

[Glenn Beck]

And over 50% or less. We don't survive with that.

[Andrew Klavan]

No, of course not. And we have no future with that at all. And they're shutting down schools for gifted kids. And the schools. And I have to tell you, the way they treat poor people, black people, people in underserved neighborhoods, in education is a crime. It's a crime. I mean, my daughter taught in one of the worst schools in the country for a couple of years and she had to close the door in order to teach kids values because if they caught her teaching kids good values, they would tell her she was doing something terribly wrong. And it was just. It's just amazing. It's amazing the things that they withhold from underprivileged children and the fact that they shut down these schools as they did during COVID and the teachers union just ruled the party and ruled the country there for a couple years.

[Glenn Beck]

No, no, no, no, no. Weingarten said that she was for the opening of schools. I don't know if you saw that recently. It was for opening.

[Andrew Klavan]

That's right. I missed that in real time, but I'm glad.

[Glenn Beck]

No, I know. We could see it in the playback. Yeah.

[Andrew Klavan]

And you know, you take away reading. It's one of the great joys of life. Reading one of the great joys of life. If anything expands your soul, if that is a possible thing, it's reading. And I think reading fiction, you know, approaching the arts. I think the arts do so much for the human mind and soul. And like, I mean, just. Just being able to understand the culture that you're in, good and bad, what's happening. It helps you understand human nature. And to take that away from kids and sort of take it away from people in general, it's just. It's a sin. It's a crime.

[Glenn Beck]

I remember at lunchtime my fourth grade teacher read. You could stay in for lunch and she would read Little House on the Prairie and she was a great reader. And it was just. It just lit my imagination. And you know, I read, you know, books back then especially, you know, written, you know, prior to the modern age. They were written to be read out loud. Especially people like Edgar Allan Poe. He was. He was men, and I think Mark Twain too. If you had a great reader, a great storyteller in your family, that. And you had access to these books, you had television, you had movies, it would come to life when you would read these things. That is a totally lost art. Nobody is. Nobody is reading to their children out loud and really taking them for adventures.

[Andrew Klavan]

You know, when I was in sixth grade, we had to memorize a poem and I memorized the Raven because I loved Edgar Allan Poe so much. And I have to say, having that poem in my head and having other poems in my head, I have a bad memory. So I have to really work at memorizing things. It's like having company. It's like having somebody in the dark of night. There's something you can always think go to that is like connecting with another soul. And I have memories too. Like you were talking about teachers who introduce things to you. I remember this teacher who introduced us the first scene from Macbeth with the witches and all this stuff, and which is telling Macbeth that he was going to be king. So he thought, well, maybe I have to murder the king to be king. And I just thought, wow, that is so cool, you know, And I've been. I've been a Shakespeare lover all my life. And that was in third grade. And this stuff just sticks with you forever. And it's a terrible thing to be deprived of. And I think for some people, I think for people who are past childhood, I think the Internet gets in the way. You know, I think the phones that draw you into these little bursts of information without drawing you into real stories and real life. Yeah.

[Glenn Beck]

You know, I became friends with Orson Welles daughter and you know, because I collect. I have a lot of his. I have his original War of the World script. I have all of his original scripts, you know, with his hand annotated, you know, scripts from everything from Citizen Kane to, you know, all of it. And we were talking one time, his daughter and I, and she said, you know, I didn't realize how weird I was until my dad died. And she said, he was my best friend and we did everything together. And she said, my dad homeschooled me. Now imagine being homeschooled by Orson Wellesley, right? He was such a stickler on things. But anyway, she said, you want to know how I learned Shakespeare? And I said, sure. And she said, Friday came and my dad said, be ready Monday morning when we start school. We're going someplace, so be ready by seven and be ready to, you know, bring a. Bring a jacket because Monday we start Shakespeare. And she said, he came into my room and said, come on, let's go on Monday morning. He had packed a picnic basket, brought a blanket. She said, we drove for a long time. They lived in Europe at the time. And she said, we drove a long time. And my dad pulled up to this old castle and he stood with the castle as the backdrop and the moat in front. And he laid the blanket down and I sat down and he stood up with the backdrop of the castle and he said, macbeth, act one. And he acted out. She said, that's how I learned Shakespeare. He acted all of these plays out him himself. Can you imagine?

[Andrew Klavan]

That's amazing. That is amazing. And, you know, he. He made a film. He made a film of a fellow that has been pieced together. That's one of the best Shakespeare films ever made. I mean, he was just brilliant at Shakespeare. Unbelievable. That's an unbelievable story, you know. You know, you ought to take that collection. You have such a great collection. You ought to do. For the 250th birthday of America. You ought to just put it on display. Like they didn't the last time, I think it was 200, they did a train that went across the country carrying memorabilia. You're the. You're the only person left.

[Glenn Beck]

So I think. I think we are. I don't know. I haven't been involved in this. I was involved in the beginning and I don't know what. Where the ending is, but we talked about doing something with trucks, with the White House and I. The last I heard, we were going to be taking it on buses or trucks around the country for the 250th. I don't know if that's. I don't know if that's happening still or not, but we are going to be. We're going to be doing a lot of. A lot of stuff with it because it's. It's. You know, I thought about the train, you know, 1976, you know, isn't it weird?

[Andrew Klavan]

You.

[Glenn Beck]

You remember this? Do you remember the bicentennial logo? You know, the star, the red, white.

[Andrew Klavan]

The logo? No, I don't remember the logo. No.

[Glenn Beck]

Okay, so it was a red, white and blue star. And I thought. I remember this being everywhere. I remember it being, you know, 1776, 1976, on our coins, everything. Here we are at 250. And there's nothing. You're not even talking about anything. There's nothing coming from our government. And it's like pulling teeth. I mean, Trump is doing something, but the government, they're not doing anything. It's crazy.

[Andrew Klavan]

Yeah, it's crazy. And, you know, I mean, it has been. One of the things that I love about Trump is the fact that he does care, you know, about the culture, about the arts, about fiction and things like that, taken over the Kennedy center, which I think is great. People are protesting it and all that stuff. But it's. No, these are great things because. Because we've lost it to this little group of people who feel, like, entitled to hound artists out of the. You know, we're talking about the publishing industry. That's just leftism. Leftists hounding artists out of the square because they don't like their vision, they don't like their opinions. And people like me are getting very rare. You know, people who write novels that actually have a vision that other people can agree with and is not impos. That's left nonsense on them.

[Glenn Beck]

And I love it.

[Andrew Klavan]

It's just becoming a really rare thing.

[Glenn Beck]

You know, we were talking a few weeks ago, I think, off the air. I don't think we shared this on the air, but back in 2010, I think I did something at the. I rented out the. The Kennedy center, and I was doing A Night at the Kennedy center, and I said I wanted the backdrop to be a giant flag, and I asked them if they had one, assuming it's Washington, D.C. of course they have a backdrop of a giant flag. You know what I mean?

[Andrew Klavan]

Really, Honestly, had you never been to the Kennedy Center? Yeah, I know.

[Glenn Beck]

And they said the American flag. When I put the flag on the stage, I was told by the Kennedy center, this is the first time the American flag has ever been on stage at the Kennedy Center. That's crazy. That is absolutely crazy. So I'm thrilled.

[Andrew Klavan]

No, it's great. And he's the only person who ever thought that maybe this could be changed. You know, the only time it ever occurred to anybody that we don't have to live like this. We don't have to live with this little small sliver of the population who hate our country, who hate our values, dictating everything that we see and do. We don't have to do that. And I think that the Republicans have a lot to answer for. The 50 years in which they just sort of shrugged this off. They shrugged off the news media that, you know, was all on one side they kind of just kowtowed to it. And I think that that's, you know, that's kind of what's brought us here. I think we're in this really weird moment when the culture has flatlined because of these woke ideas, which basically call evil good and good evil. And I think it's about to come back, and I would really like it if conservatives and people of traditional mind, you know, would sort of get involved and sort of say, yeah, you know, I want to do this. I want to make sure that our culture doesn't fall like this again, because it's so bad. It's so bad for children. It's bad for young people, people. It's bad for everybody. It's bad for everybody's brain.

[Glenn Beck]

And here is how you fix it. Just start reading again. There's a great book, Andrew Clavin. After that, the Dark. It is available now. It's a mystery story. Really, really good. After that, the Dark. Andrew Clavin, as always, my friend, it is good to talk to you. Thank you.