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Ep 238 | Zachary Levi Gets Real About Suicide, God & Being a Dad | The Glenn Beck Podcast - The Glenn Beck Program | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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Ep 238 | Zachary Levi Gets Real About Suicide, God & Being a Dad | The Glenn Beck Podcast

The Glenn Beck Program

Sat Dec 14 2024

Summary

Episode 238 Summary: Zachary Levi Opens Up on Mental Health, Forgiveness, and the Future of AI on The Glenn Beck Podcast

Released on December 14, 2024, Episode 238 of "The Glenn Beck Program" features a candid and heartfelt conversation with actor Zachary Levi. The discussion delves deep into personal struggles, the importance of mental health, forgiveness, political corruption, the rising threat of artificial intelligence, and the transformative power of parenting.

1. Introduction

Glenn Beck welcomes Zachary Levi, highlighting his multifaceted career as an actor known for roles in Shazam, Chuck, and Tangled, as well as his work as an author. Beck sets the stage for an in-depth conversation about Levi's personal vulnerabilities beyond his Hollywood persona.

2. On Celebrity and Personal Struggles ([03:17] – [05:01])

Zachary Levi reflects on his place among esteemed actors like Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt, acknowledging their wisdom and integrity.

Zachary Levi ([05:01]): "I really believe that we are called to love every single soul, that we are all children of God, even the people that are acting like complete imbeciles or hatefully or whatever."

3. Mental Health and Overcoming Suicidal Thoughts ([05:01] – [20:14])

Levi opens up about his battle with mental health issues, detailing a severe mental breakdown triggered by moving to Austin to pursue a vision of creating a new kind of movie studio. He candidly discusses his suicidal ideation, influenced by his mother's suicide and personal traumas.

Zachary Levi ([13:19]): "Suicidal. Suicidal."

Zachary Levi ([15:19]): "I think that's part of the problem in helping people to understand self-love, which is there's a stark difference between narcissism and loving yourself."

Levi emphasizes the transformative power of therapy, which helped him recognize his lack of self-love and the destructive self-talk rooted in his childhood experiences.

Zachary Levi ([15:19]): "Self-love is recognizing that no matter what you do... you are worthy of that love."

4. The Power of Forgiveness and Understanding ([19:03] – [27:09])

The conversation shifts to the concept of forgiveness, both towards oneself and others. Levi shares powerful anecdotes about individuals who have found forgiveness despite enduring horrific circumstances, highlighting the strength it takes to see the humanity in others.

Zachary Levi ([25:57]): "You can both have mercy and understanding with the bad doer and still hold them entirely accountable for everything that they have done and are doing."

Levi advocates for a justice system that balances accountability with rehabilitation, arguing that empathy can coexist with holding individuals responsible for their actions.

5. Political Corruption and Media Division ([27:10] – [46:03])

Beck and Levi critique the current state of American politics and media, discussing how a corrupt administrative state and biased media contribute to societal division. They express concern over the manipulation of public discourse, leading to an "us versus them" mentality.

Zachary Levi ([41:03]): "We're all going to interact with [AI] and we're not gonna talk about it. It's terrifying."

Levi stresses the importance of transparency and accountability in government to restore trust and unity among citizens.

6. The Impact of AI on Society ([48:17] – [61:38])

Levi and Beck explore the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and its potential to disrupt industries and the workforce dramatically. They predict significant societal changes, including massive layoffs and the transformation of creative industries, as AI becomes more integrated into everyday life.

Zachary Levi ([59:02]): "We're on the precipice of massive layoffs. Like, massive layoffs."

Levi foresees a future where AI could render traditional roles obsolete, urging proactive measures to address these impending challenges.

7. Marriage, Parenting, and Breaking Generational Trauma ([63:17] – [75:46])

The discussion turns personal as Levi shares his journey towards fatherhood, reflecting on his past fears of becoming an older dad and his determination to break the cycle of generational trauma.

Glenn Beck ([64:17]): "There is nothing more that will challenge you than being a parent."

Levi speaks passionately about his non-profit, NerdHQ, aimed at funding therapy for those who cannot afford it, emphasizing the critical role of mental health support in healing and personal growth.

Zachary Levi ([72:23]): "If we can help heal everybody's hearts and minds, if we can do that as parents... we can also help other people in whatever their journeys are."

8. Zachary Levi's Mental Health Advocacy and NerdHQ ([72:23] – [75:46])

Levi elaborates on his commitment to mental health advocacy through NerdHQ, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to destigmatizing mental illness and providing financial assistance for therapy. He recounts his successful efforts with Operation Smile, raising millions for cleft palate surgeries, and his shift towards focusing on mental health as a pressing societal need.

Zachary Levi ([74:29]): "Mental health is like dental health. We've all got a cavity here or there... and you want to go address that as soon as possible."

9. Conclusion

The episode wraps up with mutual appreciation between Beck and Levi, reinforcing the themes of personal responsibility, the importance of mental health, and the need for societal change. Levi expresses gratitude for the opportunity to share his story and advocate for mental health support.

Glenn Beck ([76:01]): "Just a reminder, I'd love you to rate and subscribe to the podcast and pass this on to a friend so it can be discovered by other people."

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

Zachary Levi ([05:01]): "I really believe that we are called to love every single soul, that we are all children of God..."
Zachary Levi ([15:19]): "Self-love is recognizing that no matter what you do... you are worthy of that love."
Zachary Levi ([25:57]): "You can both have mercy and understanding with the bad doer and still hold them entirely accountable..."
Zachary Levi ([59:02]): "We're on the precipice of massive layoffs. Like, massive layoffs."
Zachary Levi ([72:23]): "If we can help heal everybody's hearts and minds, if we can do that as parents..."
Zachary Levi ([74:29]): "Mental health is like dental health. We've all got a cavity here or there..."

Key Takeaways:

Mental Health is Crucial: Personal stories highlight the importance of addressing mental health and seeking therapy.
Forgiveness and Empathy: Understanding and forgiving others does not negate holding them accountable.
Political and Media Critique: Corruption and biased media contribute to societal divisions that need addressing.
AI's Future Impact: Rapid AI advancements pose significant challenges for the workforce and societal structures.
Parenting as Transformation: Embracing parenthood can be a powerful means to break generational trauma and foster personal growth.
Advocacy for Mental Health Support: Initiatives like NerdHQ are vital in making mental health services accessible to all.

This episode offers a profound exploration of personal resilience, societal challenges, and the enduring quest for a better, more compassionate world.

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Transcript

Glenn Beck (0:00)

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Zachary Levi (3:17)

Gift bowl at the Johnson's house.

Glenn Beck (3:19)

They're unwrapping it and wow. Tommy John, Tommy John pajamas. These could go on, right? No. Yes, Peter, With Tommy John you are the go goat, greatest gifter of all time. What were you thinking? Owe it all to Tommy John with their best pair you'll ever wear or its free guarantee they're the real MVP. Hurry to TommyJohn.com Spotify for last minute gifts and save 40% site wide. See site for details I was thinking the other day that somebody asked me, glenn, who is it that you want to talk to that you haven't had access to because of your political stance or whatever and you know, like Hollywood people. And I, that list used to be very long and I went, Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Zach Levi. There might have been two others, but I don't even know who they were. I mean, I had to think for a long time and I don't know if that's true. Those are just the people that seem like they have something to say. Interesting. That's not necessarily about politics.

Zachary Levi (64:17)

Yeah, I think so. I mean, listen, I've cried a lot of tears and spent a lot of time on my knees pleading with God, when will that happen for me, ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a dad. I've known it and I really do think I always knew I was going to be an actor too. Not just that I wanted to be an actor, which I did, but I knew I was going to be. Like weird things that I think that like, almost like our soul has a mission. Select screen like a video game before it comes down and inhabits our body. And it's like your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be, you're gonna be an actor, you're gonna do this, you're gonna be a dad, right? So it's like in your DNA, you know what you're supposed to be or some of those guideposts. And so I've just always known it and I've always wanted it and I've always been Uncle Zach to all of my friends, kids, and to my actual nephews now. And people my whole life would be like, you're such a, like, you'd be such a great dad. Why aren't you a dad? And I'd be like, it just hasn't been the right time. And I'm. And ultimately I was not the right person and to attract the right person who was at the right point in their life. And now my girlfriend Maggie and I are embarking on this wonderful journey together and I am so pumped to be a dad. But because I always knew it in my DNA, I don't think that I would be surprised had I been able to talk to myself five years ago. But I would have been relieved because I definitely was like, oh, man, I'm 44 now. My dad was 34 when I was born and I remember him being 44 and I was 10 and we would be playing ball, playing catch. And granted, my dad didn't. He wasn't a super athletic guy, didn't really take care of himself all that much. But I remember we'd be playing catch, and I'd get an errant ball by him or something, and then. And he would turn around and kind of go trudge to get the ball. And I would feel horrible. Like, it was. It was a really weird internalized kind of trauma. I felt like I was putting him out. I felt like I was making him work extra hard. And that internalized in me. And I was like, I don't ever want to be an older dad to my younger kids. Yeah. And so I'm already 10 years beyond that. But I've also taken care of myself, and I am, you know, reasonably athletic, and I can't wait to play ball with my kid when I'm now 54. And he's. But I'm just so pumped about it, man. I think that being. And you can speak to this, but I know. I know that. I know that in the same way that everything that we go through in our life, every hardship, anything that is difficult, that is a challenge. It makes us a better version of ourselves. And there is nothing that will challenge you and reward you like being a parent. And I can't wait to become the man I'm supposed to be because of that.

Zachary Levi (73:34)

And that ultimately with every single life, and this is why mental health to me is the thing I champion the most. I have A Mental Health 501C3 called NerdHQ. NerdHQ.org, go check it out, donate, whatever, explain it. Well, basically it was an event that I did for many years during San Diego Comic Con that was we did celebrity panels and photos and signings and it was all for charity. It was for Operation Smile, who I was an ambassador for that does cleft lip and palate surgeries. And we raised two and a half million dollars over seven years. And we had dance parties every night. It was wonderful, built a wonderful community. I had to shutter that as a for business operation. We never really, we were always like break even. But we raised a lot of money for nonprofit. And I was like, you know what? Right around the time I had my mental breakdown, went to therapy, saved my life. Mental health was like, this is the most important thing I can be fighting for. And I want to turn nerdhq into a 501C3 that is just constantly raising money in every way, shape and form we can to help pay for people's therapy who can't afford it. I think that, you know, for a long time there was so much stigma around mental illness and mental health, that was the barrier of entry. We needed to get people to destigmatize that, to recognize, no, it's good, it's healthy. You want to go and work on yourself, it doesn't make you crazy. Everyone's dealing with it on some level. Mental health is like dental health. We've all got a cavity here or there, right? Hopefully not, but maybe we do. And you want to go address that as soon as possible. If you don't, it festers, it rots, it becomes a full blown root canal later on. I'm trying to help people get to those cavities as soon as they can, and if not, then even if they need a root canal. But the problem is that most people now more and more people are making less and less money. They don't have the extra cash to go blow 200, $250 on a therapy session. And so if I do nothing else in this world, I want to be able to help people heal. If we can help heal everybody's hearts and minds, if we can do that as parents, as fathers of breaking the generational trauma. And then we can also help other people in whatever their journeys are. All that does is keep raising the vibrational energy of this world into more love, into more light. And that is where God wants us to take it. That's what we want to do. So that's what I want to do with NerdHQ. And we're still going to do events and all that stuff to raise money and bring people joy, but the baseline of it all is go and donate. Help us out. We're just going to keep paying for people's therapy. That's what we're going to do.