The Glenn Beck Program: Best of the Program | Guest: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya | 9/25/25

Date: September 25, 2025
Host: Glenn Beck (A)
Guest: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institute of Health (B)
Key Theme:
A frank, passionate examination of free speech, American societal unraveling, and the controversy over recent health recommendations regarding Tylenol during pregnancy, with deep dives into the nature of Western Civilization.

Episode Overview

This episode centers around the importance of free speech, integrity, and societal health—both literally and metaphorically. Glenn Beck reflects on the ideological breakdown in America, the value and vulnerability of Western civilization, and recent explosive reactions to scientific recommendations about Tylenol use during pregnancy. Through a substantive interview with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, listeners gain powerful insight into the interplay between public health messaging, political polarization, and scientific uncertainty.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Free Speech, Societal Choice, and Personal Responsibility

[02:57–12:30]

• Beck explores definitions for varied political and social stances (liberal, fundamentalist, totalitarian, terrorist) referencing J.K. Rowling, stressing the absolute necessity of free speech for all—even those with whom we wildly disagree.
• The power of daily choice: “You can change your thinking and change your life so quickly. I have seen it. I've done it myself. ... What kind of society do you want to live in?... You have to choose the thoughts in your own life every day that will create that society.” (A, [05:20])
• He critiques hypocrisy on both sides, linking tribal rage and performative outrage (e.g., “Tylenol challenge” videos) to deeper breakdowns in social and political trust.

2. Hypocrisy, Civilizational Decay, and a Call for Consistency

[10:00–17:00]

• Beck draws historical parallels—Rome’s fall, Weimar’s chaos, America’s Civil War—to warn of the dangers of hypocrisy and ideological violence today.
• “Hypocrisy erodes so much more than trust. It feeds chaos. ... A society that is truly unraveling at the edges.” (A, [07:40])
• The road from mockery to madness and eventually violence is, he warns, surprisingly short.

3. Existential Reflection: Is Western Civilization Worth Saving?

[17:20–22:20]

• Heartfelt, philosophical reflection on the value of Western civilization, exploring its lineage from Jerusalem to Athens to Rome and the present.
• “This is a gift that we were all handed. ... Do we want it? Do we even want it? Because if we don't want it, what are we doing? Is it worth saving?” (A, [18:10])
• He navigates the concept that the West is not a race, place, or constitution, but an “idea” rooted in the dignity of every person and the sanctity of liberty.
• “The west is an idea. The west was an idea to escape all of the old oppressive ideas. ... It's the idea that man himself is made in the image of God and that liberty does not come from kings or government, but it is a responsibility from heaven.” (A, [20:02])

Notable Quote

“If not now, when? ... Is this worth dying for? Oh, yes. Yes, it is. And so much more. It's worth living for. Truly living. It's worth saving.”
—Glenn Beck, [21:17]

4. The Tylenol Controversy and Public Health Messaging

[26:55–41:41]

Background & Event

• Recent health recommendations about cautious Tylenol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy led to social media backlash, with some engaging in “performance protest” by overdosing—a tragic result put one pregnant woman in the hospital.

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya Interview

• Key Takeaways:
  • Overdosing on Tylenol is unequivocally dangerous due to risk of liver failure—even outside pregnancy. (B, [27:34])
  • Recent research suggests a possible association between late-pregnancy Tylenol use and higher rates of neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, ADHD), but the extent is disputed and uncertain. Calling for prudence—not panic or bans. (B, [28:15])
  • “I thought there was enough there to tell people, especially pregnant women, to be careful with it. ... But if it's less serious than that, avoid taking it because it's just good medicine.” (B, [28:30])
  • The intent was not to ban or demonize Tylenol, but to provide informed consent and empower doctor-patient conversations.
• Political Reaction:
  • The scientific advisory was turned into a culture war flashpoint, fueled (in Beck's and Bhattacharya's view) by anti-Trump sentiment and a reflexive tendency to politicize health recommendations. (B, [30:03]; [30:49])
  • Dr. Bhattacharya notes many critics are the same prominent figures who strongly advocated past COVID policies now viewed as controversial.
  • “Many of the same, quote, experts that are like taking this in a hyperbolic way were absolutely fine when people were getting fired over the vaccine mandates. ... There was no good science behind the recommendations about the vaccine mandates.” (B, [37:04])

Discussion of the Research

• Addresses the 2013 and 2017 findings, and a large 2.5-million-kid Swedish study showing only a modest correlation between maternal Tylenol use and autism.
• Notes limitations of such studies: self-reporting bias, confounding genetic/environmental factors in “sibling controls,” and the difficulty of conducting rigorous drug safety tests on pregnant women. (B, [38:29–41:22])

Notable Quotes

“Certainly don't overdo it to make some ridiculous political point. It's just heartbreaking to hear that story of someone whose liver failed because of some crazy, crazy politics.”
—Dr. Jay Bhattacharya [27:37]

“If you're pregnant, think carefully about whether you should take it, given this evidence. I mean, I don't want five years from now, after the scientific debate's been resolved, and maybe it turns out that it is actually directly linked to autism ... You could just say, now, do prudent medicine take it only if you really need it.”
—Dr. Jay Bhattacharya [31:22]

“I want [the NIH and FDA] to make recommendations, follow the research, and then say, hey, we recommend this. ... I don't want them making decisions for me. I want my doctor to make the decisions.”
—Glenn Beck [36:28]

Notable Timestamps

• [02:57]–[12:30]: Definitions of political stances; defense of free speech and personal choice; the Tylenol outrage as a case study in hypocrisy.
• [17:20]–[22:20]: Beck’s philosophical reflection: What is Western civilization? Is it worth saving?
• [26:55]–[41:41]: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya details the Tylenol research, messaging, and media/political reaction; thoughtful critique of public health communication.
• [38:15]–[41:22]: Discussion of the Swedish autism study and limits of current research.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Free Speech:
  “If you believe that free speech is for you but not your political opponents, you're a liberal. If no contrary evidence, you could, could change your belief, you're a fundamentalist. If you believe the state should punish those with contrary views, you are a totalitarian. ... If you can't agree with those things, ... you don't believe in liberal principles.” (A, paraphrasing J.K. Rowling) [03:00–03:55]

• On Hypocrisy and Self-Reflection:
  “If you're listening to me, you're like, you know what? Everything he says is right. You're a moron. Form your own opinions. Go do your own homework. Study it yourself.” (A, [10:30])

• On the Dangers of Reactionary Outrage:
  “From mockery to madness is not a long road. It's not. How much hate, how much hypocrisy does it take to nudge you into one more step to violence?” (A, [09:40])

• On the Collapse (and Hope) of the West:
  “I believe resurrection is real. And not just in the tomb outside of Jerusalem, but in the bones of any group of people that return to truth.” (A, [21:47])

• On Scientific Integrity:
  “We're finally starting to ask the questions in a way that's going to likely produce answers. ... I thought that was going to be the big news out of this. ... Instead we got this craziest over autism of Tylenol.” (B, [34:15])

Conclusion

This richly layered episode weaves together warnings about tribal politics and eroding civilizational values with stunning real-time examples (the Tylenol panic), urging both humility and clarity. Listeners come away with a strong sense that the very principles underpinning Western society—freedom of expression, reasoned debate, scientific honesty, and the courage to stand for truth—are under threat, but still worth reclaiming and defending, one careful, principled choice at a time.