Podcast Summary: The Glenn Beck Program — Best of the Program | Guests: Brad Reese & Bowen Troyer | 2/24/26

Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Glenn Beck (Mercury Radio Arts)
Featured Guests: Dennis Prager, Brad Reese, panelists Jason, Sarah, Ricky
Theme: American culture, politics, the impact of outrage and media on society, State of the Union, legacy brands

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on pivotal cultural and political issues in America. Glenn Beck and guests discuss the anticipated State of the Union address by President Trump, the increasingly divisive and “outrage-driven” media climate, family and faith as foundations for national values, and the erosion of American manufacturing standards, exemplified by a candid conversation with Brad Reese—grandson of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup inventor. The show weaves humor and gravity, highlighting current events, personal stories, and the hidden costs of societal stressors.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Anticipation of the State of the Union Address

• Panel Discussion: Glenn brings in Sarah, Jason, and Ricky to outline what Americans hope to hear from President Trump during his speech.

  • Sarah wants facts, numbers, and real economic comparisons (08:44).
  • Jason highlights the importance of addressing election integrity (the SAVE Act), and connecting Trump’s foreign policy focus with domestic impact (09:02).
  • Ricky emphasizes the need for bipartisan reassurance on Iran, and clarity that ICE’s mission is national safety, not purely partisan (10:07).

• Democratic Strategy Critique: Discussion on Democrats inviting Epstein victims as State of the Union guests, questioning the effectiveness and ethical optics given Epstein’s donation history.

  • Notable Stat: “89% of Epstein's political contributions went to... the left and Democrats.” — Jason (11:27)

• Other Guests: Recognition of international human rights with Jimmy Lai’s daughter, Claire, being in attendance (12:00).

2. What President Trump Should Address (Glenn Beck’s List, 12:30 - 18:00)

• Main Themes Glenn Outlines:

  • Economic Affordability: Trump needs to explicitly tie his policies to middle-class wellbeing and everyday costs.
  • Foreign Affairs with Domestic Impact: Clearly link overseas decisions (tariffs, Iran, peace deals) to American citizens’ wallets and security.
  • Immigration: Must distinguish between lawful immigration and criminal elements, emphasizing public safety, especially in liberal and low-income communities.
  • DHS Funding: Warns against defunding ICE at this volatile international moment.
  • Election Integrity (SAVE Act): Explain why safeguards are necessary without invoking historical discrimination.
  • Vision for America: Define core national values that unify, rather than divide, the country.
  • Critique of “victory lap” risks: The President must acknowledge lingering concerns, not just tout progress.
  • Admonishment against attacking institutions (e.g., Supreme Court): Cautioned to avoid sounding like political rivals.

  “If he ever did that, [clearly state the vision of America] ... the left would be forced to be against that vision ... it would put people in a very awkward position.” — Glenn Beck (17:30)

3. Media Outrage and Its Neurological Impact

• Personal Story — Glenn’s Health Crisis (19:30+)

  • Glenn details his own decade-long physical breakdown, which doctors compared to being poisoned, but was ultimately due to relentless, stress-fueled work and media consumption.
  • He explains "adrenal fatigue" and how constant exposure to alarming news and social media rewired his brain, causing chronic fight-or-flight responses, memory issues, and physical symptoms.

  "We are poisoning ourselves... When your nervous system is constantly activated by outrage, catastrophe, framing, existential politics, doom scrolling Nazis, pedophiles—cortisol stops being a tool and starts to become a poison.” — Glenn Beck (22:30)

  • He delineates the neurological consequences:
    • Reduced emotional regulation and memory
    • Heightened threat sensitivity and fear
    • Less nuanced, more polarized black-and-white thinking
    • Anxiety, irritability, sleep disruption becomes the norm
  • Highlights how this media climate fractures society, polarizes Americans, and makes nuanced dialogue almost impossible.

  "That's why your friends cannot hold two thoughts... you no longer physically can do it.” — Glenn Beck (27:55)

  • Calls for intentional "rewiring" and mindfulness to break the cycle.
  • Promises a full explanatory article to be posted on his website (32:10).

4. Interview: Brad Reese — The Legacy and Decline of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Segment Start: 33:44

• Brad Reese’s Family Legacy

  • Grandson of the original inventor of the Peanut Butter Cup; deeply connected to brand heritage.
  • Describes how after a 1963 merger with Hershey, the Reese family retained substantial stock, but no longer controls the product or process.

• Declining Quality & Corporate Greed

  • Brad details how Hershey’s cost-cutting (“cheap ingredients” and “compound coatings”) is eroding product quality and causing industrial chaos at manufacturing plants.
  • Glenn shares his own disappointment with recent Reese’s product ("mini hearts, unwrapped")—"I actually spat it out." (34:47).

  “What they're saving in cheap compounds... there’s spiraling costs and the production problems. When a line closes down, that’s catastrophic revenue-wise.” — Brad Reese (37:35)

• Personal Connection and Final Days

  • For Brad, Reese’s represents “everything” — pride, family identity, and a legacy he wishes to honor as he faces terminal illness (38:09).
  • Wears Reese’s-branded apparel and relishes public enthusiasm for the peanut butter cup, contrasting it with the relative anonymity of Hershey’s logo.
  • Shares origin story of the Peanut Butter Cup — a production innovation to streamline outputs and meet overwhelming customer demand.

• Corporate Inertia and “Chocolate Wars”

  • Hershey ignores Brad’s letters about quality, citing arrogance and family conflicts.
  • Brad recounts his and a cousin's role in stopping the sale of Hershey in 2002, and failed expansion efforts (Cadbury buyout).
  • He laments the shift from family craftsmanship to faceless Wall Street business logic: “Wall Street loves it when you increase your margins at whatever cost to the public.”

  “Rhesus is so well loved ... If I wear a Hershey's logo, I'm invisible. No one says anything to me. But Reese’s... people are gonna mob me. Oh, that's my favorite.” — Brad Reese (38:09)

• Final Sentiments

  • Glenn thanks Brad for upholding his family’s vision and validates consumer disappointment.
  • Brad succinctly: “All I can do is do the best I can.”

5. Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Judeo-Christian Roots:

  “There’s no Christianity. There is no Christ without the Judeo. Jesus was a Jew... all the ideas that Christians use to validate their faith are based on the Jewish Bible... We need each other tremendously, and I believe there’s a divine role for both.” — Dennis Prager (05:14 – 06:48)

• On Media-Induced Stress:

  “We are poisoning ourselves. And I’m not speaking theoretically. I’m speaking from experience.” — Glenn Beck (22:26)

• On State of the Union Division:

  “They’ve trained you to do it. Not talk to each other. Not trust each other. Just scream ‘Nazi’ at each other. ‘Pedophile.’ That only leads one place.” — Glenn Beck (31:30)

• On Product Decline:

  “There is, my understanding, chaos at the Reese plant... the cheap ingredients... are not working well... It’s breaking down the production lines.” — Brad Reese (36:35)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dennis Prager on Judeo-Christian values: 04:58 – 06:48
• Panel: What Trump must address at State of the Union: 08:44 – 18:00
• Epstein victims at State of the Union/Media criticism: 11:06 – 12:30
• Glenn’s story of stress and brain rewiring: 19:30 – 32:10
• Brad Reese on family legacy and product quality: 33:44 – 44:58

Final Thoughts

This episode is a blend of cultural commentary, policy debate, and personal stories. Beck’s warnings about outrage media are both a personal confession and a societal call-to-action, urging listeners to resist polarization and remember common values. The conversation with Brad Reese serves as an allegory for American industry—a plea to value integrity and craftsmanship over cost-cutting and corporate indifference. The recurring theme is that both politics and business must remember their roots—faith, family, integrity, and quality—to sustain greatness and unity.