Best of the Glenn Beck Program
Guests: Marcus Lemonis & Jack Hibbs | August 21, 2025
Podcast Host: Glenn Beck (Blaze Podcast Network)
Episode Overview
This episode centers around the current climate of American business and politics, focusing on the challenges faced by companies in highly regulated states such as California, the shifting landscape of corporate America amidst “wokeness,” and urgent social issues facing California families. Glenn Beck is joined by Marcus Lemonis, Executive Chairman of Bed, Bath and Beyond, to discuss the company’s withdrawal from California and the political-economic pressures at play. Later, Pastor Jack Hibbs details a controversial California bill (AB495) he believes threatens parental rights, calling for mass action by parents.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Marcus Lemonis & Bed Bath and Beyond’s Departure from California
[03:26 – 17:36]
Business, Not Politics:
- Glenn Beck opens by clarifying Lemonis’s stance is grounded in business realities, not partisan politics.
“You started yesterday saying this is not about politics…you are doing this because you’re a big Trump supporter. I…thought, no, no, this is about business.” (Glenn Beck, 04:03)
Changing Views Based on Facts:
- Lemonis describes a personal evolution—he’s more supportive of deregulation as experience has shown him the impact of overreach.
“I would say that I feel very differently today than I used to…one gets smarter and one gets older and one learns more…and you evolve as a human.” (Marcus Lemonis, 05:12)
California’s Overregulation:
- Lemonis explains why Bed, Bath and Beyond (acquired through Overstock) is pulling back in California:
- Excessive expense and regulation make it unfeasible.
- Newsom’s reaction, he believes, is performative rather than solutions-focused.
- Lemonis expresses frustration with Governor Newsom, wishing Newsom would meet with business leaders for real dialogue.
"If Governor Newsom was really thinking about a political run... he would invite myself. Maybe not me, maybe I'm not qualified to be in a room with him, but other CEOs to say, hey, I'm hearing this and I want to learn and I want to change. That's the sign of a good leader." (Marcus Lemonis, 11:20)
Business Sentiment on Capitalism in California:
- Lemonis notes significant tech leaders have reached out, also frustrated by anti-capitalist sentiment coming from Newsom’s administration.
Global Sourcing & Tariffs:
- Glenn Beck inquires about trade with China and tariffs. Lemonis says he’s diversified sourcing to minimize risk, but acknowledges tariffs are a “rebalancing act”—they’re less than ideal but sometimes necessary to reposition the U.S. globally.
“The tariffs are not great. And I don't think that Trump would even try to defend that they're great. It's a rebalancing act.” (Marcus Lemonis, 12:34)
Economic Outlook:
- Lemonis projects “more of the same” difficulty for businesses and consumers; high debt and pressured consumers need measured relief (not abrupt interest rate changes).
- Lemonis distinguishes between types of inflation:
- “Runaway” inflation (COVID era: too much money/demand)
- “Reset” inflation (current: supply/cost-driven, adjustment period)
- Praises Trump and others for focusing on relief for consumers.
“Inflation driven by demand outpacing supply is a runaway train inflation… recalibrating prices when supply and demand are relatively tight in nature is…an adjustment period. It’s transitory.” (Marcus Lemonis, 16:02)
- Lemonis distinguishes between types of inflation:
Notable Quote:
"America is built on the modern-day comeback... We've invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Bed Bath. We run a billion-dollar online business."
(Marcus Lemonis, 07:51)
2. Corporate Chaos: Target CEO Departure & Cracker Barrel Rebrand
[20:03 – 31:56]
Target CEO Steps Down
- Discussion around Target CEO Brian Cornell's resignation and the stock's decline.
- Debated reasons: Is it due to wokeness (DEI controversies), or broader business missteps?
- The hosts and co-hosts illustrate how both left and right attribute corporate upheavals to their opposing narratives (e.g., withdrawal or pursuit of DEI).
Quote:
"They were involved with DEI."
"That's because they got rid of DEI."
(Glenn Beck and co-host exchange, 20:22–20:27)
- The conclusion: It's difficult to pinpoint causation; companies should perhaps avoid politics to survive the shifting winds of public opinion.
Advice:
"This is why you just don't get involved in politics. Politics change all the time. Anybody who's looking at the...celebratory numbers of the Democrats right now and how they are just imploding, be careful because it's gonna come back around. It always does." (Glenn Beck, 22:54)
Cracker Barrel Logo Rebrand
- They mock the outcry over Cracker Barrel’s minor logo update—some call it “selling out.”
- Glenn theorizes that rapid, widespread change can produce a backlash rooted in nostalgia; companies with nostalgic brands face intense scrutiny.
Quote:
"Cracker Barrel is one of these things. It's nostalgic...with Cracker Barrel, I can see people getting upset." (Glenn Beck, 28:01)
On Changing Times:
“We are living in a time that is as dramatic as it was when the car came in…the kind of change we’re living in, [others] are like, ‘I used to plow those fields by hand’...because everything is changing.” (Glenn Beck, 30:28)
3. Jack Hibbs & Urgent Opposition to California’s AB495
[32:55 – 45:01]
Pastor Jack Hibbs’ Advocacy Against AB495
- Jack Hibbs, founder/senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, warns families to consider leaving California if “the Compassion Bill” (AB495) is signed into law.
"If Newsom does not veto this bill, you've got to get your kid out of California for their own safety. It's that bad." (Jack Hibbs, 34:45)
What is AB495? (The "Compassion Bill")
- Premise: On the surface, designed to help children of parents detained by ICE.
- Hibbs' Critique:
- Anyone (not just relatives) could download and submit a form, check a box, and remove a child from a school or daycare with no requirement for proof of identity or relationship.
- The school is legally forbidden from telling the parent who collected their child or where they went.
- The bill is “so vague…it would be hard to defend a parent trying to get their child…because it is so loosely and so broadly written.” (Jack Hibbs, 38:01)
- California already has a law (Ed Code 234.7) for proper child custody procedures in emergencies; this bill circumvents that.
Legal & Social Ramifications:
- Hibbs says national legal minds believe the bill is uniquely dangerous because of its vagueness.
- A mass rally to oppose the bill drew over 6,500 people—the largest such protest in 30 years at the California capitol.
"Largest gathering regarding legislation concern in 30 years." (Jack Hibbs, 39:18)
Status & Call to Action
- The bill is currently “in suspension,” pending further review or advancement.
- RealImpact.us provides updates and information for contacting legislators.
- Hibbs fears Governor Newsom may veto it for political optics, then run as a centrist in 2028.
Concerns Over California’s Political Climate
- Hibbs and Beck lament the decline of California under current leadership.
- Both warn that policies in California could become a national issue if Newsom advances politically.
Notable Quote:
“People need to wake up, Glenn, nationally, and rally with us, because if you don’t like California people, you need to help us because Newsom is coming for America and he’s the worst possible thing.” (Jack Hibbs, 44:33)
Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps
-
“As time has gone on and the facts have been revealed…one gets smarter and one gets older…you evolve as a human…”
— Marcus Lemonis, 05:12 -
“America is built on the modern-day comeback…We run a billion dollar online business…”
— Marcus Lemonis, 07:51 -
“If Governor Newsom was really thinking about a political run…he would invite…other CEOs to say, hey, I’m hearing this and I want to learn and I want to change. That's the sign of a good leader.”
— Marcus Lemonis, 11:20 -
“What Trump is doing…I can finally breathe again as a businessman.”
— Glenn Beck, 12:07 -
“Inflation driven by demand outpacing supply is a runaway train… recalibrating prices…is an adjustment period. It’s transitory.”
— Marcus Lemonis, 16:02 -
"This is why you just don't get involved in politics. Politics change all the time."
— Glenn Beck, 22:54 -
"If Newsom does not veto this bill, you've got to get your kid out of California for their own safety. It's that bad."
— Jack Hibbs, 34:45 -
"The school cannot refuse the requester of that child. When you, Glenn, go back to pick up your child… the school is under no obligation to tell you who it was or where they went."
— Jack Hibbs, 37:00 -
“Largest gathering regarding legislation concern in 30 years.”
— Jack Hibbs, 39:18 -
“People need to wake up, Glenn, nationally, and rally with us, because if you don’t like California people, you need to help us because Newsom is coming for America and he’s the worst possible thing.”
— Jack Hibbs, 44:33
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:26 — Marcus Lemonis conversation begins
- 05:12 — Lemonis on changing political perspectives
- 07:51 — Bed Bath and Beyond’s comeback and California context
- 11:20 — Lemonis on ideal government-business dialogue
- 12:34 — Tariffs discussion
- 16:02 — Economic/inflation analysis
- 20:03 — Target CEO and company culture/politics
- 26:49 — Cracker Barrel logo response and nostalgia in branding
- 32:55 — Jack Hibbs interview begins
- 34:45 — AB495 explained and warning to parents
- 39:18 — Public rally against AB495, media response
- 41:42 — Next steps and public mobilization
- 44:33 — Final warning about California politics going national
Conclusion
This episode delivers candid, high-level insight into the intersection of business, politics, regulation, and American values. Marcus Lemonis provides a real-world look at how corporate America navigates political extremes, supply chain challenges, and regulatory barriers, while Pastor Jack Hibbs sounds an alarm about policy developments he sees as existential threats to California families. Throughout, Glenn Beck maintains his signature tone—provocative, skeptical, and wry—while engaging guests who amplify the stakes of today’s American cultural battles.