Actor Mark Ruffalo on Blocking the Paramount Merger Plus Olivia Troye Runs for Congress, LA Mayor Karen Bass and Norm Eisen.

Summary

The Jim Acosta Show – April 14, 2026

Actor Mark Ruffalo on Blocking the Paramount Merger, Olivia Troye Runs for Congress, LA Mayor Karen Bass and Norm Eisen

---

Episode Overview

This episode centers on urgent political and media developments: the fight against the proposed Warner Bros Discovery–Paramount merger, the congressional run of former White House official Olivia Troye, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s leadership on homelessness and local industry, and broader threats to American democracy. A surprise appearance by actor and activist Mark Ruffalo – alongside legal expert Norm Eisen – puts a spotlight on the mobilization in Hollywood to block media consolidation. The tone is urgent, passionate, and deeply engaged with questions of justice, democracy, and the future of independent news.

---

Key Segments and Insights

1. Olivia Troye Announces Congressional Run (00:06–11:53)

• Background & Motivation (00:49–03:17)
  • Olivia Troye recounts her journey as the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, a national security professional, and whistleblower against the Trump administration.
  • Troye frames her candidacy as part of a personal and national struggle to hold powerful figures accountable, particularly Donald Trump and his allies.
    • “MAGAs have been coming after me and... they should be [scared] because they better be ready... I know exactly how to go after these people.” (02:48 – Olivia Troye)
• Campaign Platform (05:20–07:33)
  • Emphasizes affordability, healthcare (Medicare/Medicaid), and education (Pell Grants), speaking from her lived experience as a first-generation college graduate.
  • Strong critique of current domestic and foreign policy, highlighting the impact of ongoing war with Iran on American families.
  • Calls for oversight of ICE and DHS.
    • “I'm watching what's happening... never mind the doge cuts... affordability here... [impacts] working class families... I want to go after THS and ICE and really do a full review of what they're doing...” (06:38 – Olivia Troye)
• Response to Trump, 25th Amendment (07:33–10:54)
  • Discusses Trump’s social media post depicting himself as Christ; shares her outrage as a Catholic and calls for action on the 25th Amendment to assess Trump’s mental fitness.
    • “I never saw that asshole pray once when I was there in the White House. Sorry, am I allowed to say that word when you’re running for Congress?” (09:19 – Olivia Troye)
• Campaign Engagement (11:06)
  • Invites voters to engage at OliviaTroy.com, promises closeness to the community and accessibility as a candidate.
    • “If you’re in Virginia, please come out. I will come out and meet you...” (11:13 – Olivia Troye)

---

2. LA Mayor Karen Bass on Leadership Challenges (12:13–25:50)

• Reaction to Eric Swalwell’s Resignation (13:04–15:14)
  • Expresses shock and concern, underscores importance of stability in California's governorship to avoid Republican leadership.
  • Endorses Antonio Villaraigosa for governor: “Day one, the minute he jumped into the race... he’s a fighter to the end.” (14:28 – Karen Bass)
• Homelessness & Housing Solutions (15:36–17:06)
  • Details LA’s first two-year decline in street homelessness and ongoing efforts to fast-track affordable housing construction.
    • “It was a tough decision to leave Congress, but that's how important the issue was... We have 40,000 people who are unhoused, and a good 40%... literally living on our streets.” (15:37 – Karen Bass)
• ICE & Federal Government Tensions (17:06–19:35)
  • Describes continued aggressive ICE enforcement despite less public attention, recounts the trauma of military occupation of LA and the chilling effect on immigrants and local economies.
    • “It’s just not in the headlines ... And that's when it becomes even more frightening...” (18:37 – Karen Bass)
• Impact of Potential Warner Bros–Paramount Merger (19:35–21:51)
  • Warns of a “serious setback” for LA’s creative economy if the merger leads to middle-class job losses and studio shutdowns.
    • “This is our foundational industry... we do not want it to be another body blow to our local economy.” (20:16 – Karen Bass)
• LA’s Readiness for Olympics & Trump’s Unpredictability (22:01–24:53)
  • Expresses confidence in LA’s Olympic preparations, reassures listeners that Trump is too invested in the Games’ global prestige to sabotage them.
    • “I think he is as obsessed and as interested and committed to these Games as anybody...” (23:13 – Karen Bass)
• Blasphemous Trump Imagery (24:53–25:22)
  • Dismisses Trump’s behavior as predictable but troubling, emphasizing the large and offended Catholic community in LA.

---

3. Spotlight: Blocking the Media Merger

Jim Acosta, Norm Eisen, & Surprise Guest Mark Ruffalo (25:50–46:53)

Background and Reporting (25:50–28:28)

• Acosta details industry outrage and breaking coverage of Paramount pulling ads from The Ankler for opposing the merger.
• Paramount’s intimidation tactics signal broader threats to dissent and independent journalism.

Mark Ruffalo’s Perspective & The Artists’ Campaign (28:28–41:02)

• Ruffalo’s Industry Warning (30:42–33:01)
  • Outlines the devastating impact of prior media consolidation (Disney-Fox) on film/TV output and jobs.
  • Analyzes the math: $78B of debt, “goofy trumpy math,” and impossibility of producing promised film output.
    • “To make 30 pictures a year, starting out at $78 billion in debt... that's 30 Avengers: Endgame... It's insane.” (31:21 – Mark Ruffalo)
• Experience Organizing the Open Letter (33:02–34:11)
  • Describes initial defeatism among artists, then a flood of support for the letter — over 1,000 signatures in days, including filmmakers with deep studio ties.
    • “Everyone signed it. Everyone we asked. And in four days, there's a thousand people... These are people who have deals inside of Paramount and Warner Brothers.” (33:20 – Mark Ruffalo)
• Solidarity, Fear, Industry Power (36:23–39:01)
  • Warns of a chilling effect: retaliation against journalists and workers, referencing the canceled Ankler ads.
    • “The first thing they do out of the gate is they, they, they cancel the anchor's [ads]...” (37:42 – Mark Ruffalo)
  • Norm Eisen emphasizes unity as the key to past victories against authoritarian overreach: “When people have stood together and stood up to the administration, they succeed.” (41:09 – Norm Eisen)

Democracy vs. Oligarchy — Why This Merger Matters (41:02–45:30)

• Comparison to Hungary and Global Backsliding (39:09–39:29)
  • Acosta likens the danger to the erosion of free media under Viktor Orban, asking whether America will face years of recovery if oligarchs gain control.
• Working People on the Line (39:29–41:02)
  • Ruffalo highlights the “crews and working people” whose jobs are at risk.
    • “If you merge these two groups... the first thing that they're going to do is start firing people and laying people off to service $78 billion in debt.”
• Call for United Action & Broader Significance (44:13–45:30)
  • Ruffalo urges every agency, union, and management firm to unite, painting the anti-merger fight as part of a nationwide struggle against oligarchy and worker disempowerment.
    • “We're not just fighting for our industry. It’s also signals to all of the other industries that are under consolidation right now in the United States... this is a moment where we have to fight an oligarchy that is in full control of our Congress and presidency. And the only way that we're going to win is if we fight — together.” (44:13 – Mark Ruffalo)

Emotional Close and Rally to Action (45:30–46:53)

• Acosta thanks Ruffalo and Eisen, calling Ruffalo an “American hero for early days” and pledges to support the activist fight.
• The segment closes on a note of urgency and solidarity, with references to the responsibility of public figures and ordinary citizens alike.

---

Most Notable Quotes & Highlights

• “MAGAs have been coming after me and... they should be [scared] because... I’m coming for them and I know exactly how to go after these people.”
  — Olivia Troye (02:48)

• “I never saw that asshole pray once when I was there in the White House.”
  — Olivia Troye (09:19)

• "This is our foundational industry... and to lose these middle class jobs... we do not want it to be another body blow to our local economy."
  — Karen Bass (20:16)

• “To make 30 pictures a year, starting out at $78 billion in debt... that's 30 Avengers: Endgame... It's insane.”
  — Mark Ruffalo (31:21)

• "Everyone signed it. Everyone we asked. And in four days, there's a thousand people... These are people who have deals inside of Paramount and Warner Brothers."
  — Mark Ruffalo (33:20)

• "The first thing they do out of the gate is they, they, they cancel the anchor's [ads]..."
  — Mark Ruffalo (37:42)

• "The only way we can fight is by doing it together... the more we see each other, the braver we become. Every industry in the United States is under attack. The workers are under attack."
  — Mark Ruffalo (44:13, 45:27)

• "The oligarchs, people like the Ellisons, who not only want to take over CBS and Paramount, they now want to take over Warner Brothers, Discovery and CNN... this is not the American way... Rising up against it is very much the American way."
  — Jim Acosta (49:13)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Olivia Troye Congressional Announcement: 00:06–11:53

  • Personal story and campaign launch: 00:49–03:17
  • Video excerpt: 03:28–05:20
  • Domestic policy positions: 05:20–07:33
  • Trump discussion, 25th Amendment: 07:33–10:54

• LA Mayor Karen Bass: 12:13–25:50

  • Swalwell resignation & endorsement: 13:04–15:14
  • Homelessness & housing: 15:36–17:06
  • ICE practices & military occupation: 17:06–19:35
  • Merger impact: 19:35–21:51
  • Olympic prep & Trump: 22:01–24:53

• Media Merger Fight (Ruffalo, Eisen, Acosta): 25:50–46:53

  • Background and intimidation tactics: 25:50–28:28
  • Ruffalo’s activism and letter organizing: 28:28–41:02
  • Unity, democracy, and the meaning of the fight: 41:02–45:30
  • Closing remarks and rally to action: 45:30–46:53

---

Takeaways

• Troye’s candidacy is a testament to courage and the hope for accountability in government, while also foregrounding essential “bread and butter” issues.
• Mayor Bass’s leadership highlights the intersection of economic, social, and political challenges facing urban America, especially for the entertainment capital.
• Mark Ruffalo and Norm Eisen’s surprise appearance galvanizes listeners with a call to collective action against media oligarchy, linking the future of news and democracy in the fight against the Warner-Paramount merger.
• Throughout, Jim Acosta’s passionate, unapologetically activist tone reinforces the stakes for democracy and independent media.

---

This episode serves as both a newsmaking discussion and a rallying cry for listeners concerned with democracy, media freedom, and the power of collective action – whether in politics or in Hollywood.

Transcript

[Karen Bass]

Foreign.

[Jim Acosta]

Show. It's another day that ends and why with more and more questions about Donald Trump's mental state. Today, 50 House Democrats called for a commission to assess Trump's fitness for office. Meanwhile, the 2026 midterms are getting closer, and there's a new contender for Congress. Right here on the Jim Acosta show, it's my old pal, Olivia Troy. Olivia, great to see you. Thank you so much. This is very cool stuff.

[Olivia Troy]

Hi, nice to see you all again.

[Jim Acosta]

And congratulations. I know, I know.

[Donald Trump]

What.

[Jim Acosta]

And I have to be a bit more professional now because now we're it's journalist and candidates, so you have to, you know, the tough questions are coming your way here.

[Olivia Troy]

I'm prepared. I realize this, but you are running

[Jim Acosta]

for Congress in Northern Virginia. This is the newly created district, which I guess has not been fully approved by the voters yet. There's a referendum to redraw the congressional map in Virginia early next week. And stop me if I'm getting any of this wrong, but the New York Times wrote up the fact that you're jumping into the race for this congressional seat. Olivia, I guess give us, give the voters your pitch, why are you doing this? And we'll show your video which also says why you're doing it. But, but fill us in. Why did you decide to do this?

[Olivia Troy]

Yeah, look, I think you and I have talked about this. I never thought I'd actually be running for office. We've had the conversations about how I also never thought I'd be a whistleblower. I never thought I'd take on Donald Trump. I was a career national security person who was assigned to the White house. And in 2020, that's when I broke and went public. I resigned from my job. And I think for me, I actually had voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. But in national security, we serve in a nonpartisan way. I felt very strongly that I love my country. I did everything I could to serve in that role, both at DHS and in the White House. When I was seeing what was happening firsthand, I finally, in 2020, did not want this person to be anywhere near the Oval Office and broke with them and went public with, with what I had seen. I have since spent the last six years, you know, this, we've been out there on the field taking a stand to take this on. And I'm just watching what they continue to do, too, on a daily basis. And I've been, you know, angry about what ICE has been doing to our communities. I mean, you know, this. You've Met my mom. I'm the daughter of a Mexican immigrant. I grew up in a working class family. And, you know, I'm watching the impact that it's also had on Virginia. You know, a lot of us here work in government. I come from public service. My husband's in public service. And this has been really, really awful for, for this area in terms of what has happened in Transpire. So, you know, I just felt strongly I couldn't sit on the sidelines. I just, I. I feel like I've been fighting these people and now I want to go in and hold them accountable, and that is what I plan to do. And, you know, MAGA has been coming after me and, you know, I think they're scared and they should be because. Because they better be ready for me if I get elected because I'm coming for them and I know exactly how to go after these people, so I know you do.

[Jim Acosta]

Well, let's. And this is a theme in your launch video. Let's watch this. For the folks who haven't seen this yet, it is very powerful. Let's. Let's take a look.

[Olivia Troy (Video)]

How did this little girl from a Texas border town land on the biggest stage in the world? Taking on Donald Trump, standing up for our country. Thank you.

[Olivia Troy]

I'm Olivia Troy.

[Olivia Troy (Video)]

I'm the daughter of a truck driver and a Mexican immigrant. I learned English watching Sesame Street. We didn't have money or a famous name, but my parents gave me everything I needed to work my way through Penn. After 9 11, I chose to serve. So I went to the Pentagon, spent a year in a war zone in Iraq, and worked counterterrorism for Bush and Obama. In 2016, I voted for Hillary. But after Trump won, I kept showing up to work because serving your country isn't supposed to be partisan. The evil I saw in that White House was staggering. In 2020, I finally said enough. And they came for me. Cash Patel, Stephen Miller, even Trump himself.

[Norm Eisen]

I don't know her.

[Mark Ruffalo]

I never met her.

[Olivia Troy (Video)]

They sent MAGA after me, tried to bankrupt me, threatened to kill me. They thought they could silence me. They obviously don't know me very well. In 2024, nothing could keep me from telling the truth on the stage of the Democratic National Convention because I believe in fighting for what's right for those who can't fight for themselves. That's why I'm a Democrat and that's why I'm running for Congress. Too many families are struggling to get by while Washington looks the other way. I won't, because I've lived it. Virginia deserves someone who's been through the fire, who isn't afraid to fight for our freedom, for our values, for our future. Trump doesn't scare me. I took him on when it mattered the most, and I'm ready to do it again. It's time to send some real courage to Congress. Or as my mom would say, estiempo de mandar Valentia al Congreso. I'm Olivia Troy. Join me, because I won't back down. Not then, not now, not ever

[Jim Acosta]

now. Virginia, I mean, Virginia is a very blue state now, a very blue commonwealth now. But they care about bread and butter issues, which I think you're going to get into this campaign too, right? Affordability, schools, transportation. The late Jerry Connolly, he was a master at this stuff. Olivia, talk about that, because, you know, that kind of stuff is important. I mean, yes, you're a fighter and yes, you've taken on Trump, but that stuff's important. It's going to matter to the voters, too.

[Olivia Troy]

Yeah, And I think that's part of it. On why I couldn't just sit on the sidelines. I think that, you know, I'm watching a lot of people in Congress on both sides, like Republican and Democrats, stay silent instead of putting up a fight. And like, meanwhile, they're, you know, they're attacking our health care, they're attacking ACA subsidies, which I really care about. I really care about Medicare and Medicaid because there are a lot of members in my family who really rely on that. My mom relies on it. I know the difference that it makes in people's lives. And then I'm also watching what they're doing in education. Look, I was the first first generation college student. They've cut Pell Grants. I would not have been able to afford college without grants. I mean, I graduated a lot of debt. And that is actually truly impacting families. And never mind this war with Iran. I mean, we're watching it at the gas pumps, right? I mean, we're in this never ending war that was unjustified, which is infuriating to me, you know that as a national security person, like, I am angry over this war. That's one of the main driving reasons that decided I needed to throw my hat in the ring. And I'm watching what's happening as that all boomerangs here domestically to Americans. That's what's happening here, right? Grocery, grocery prices, when we look at that. And I mean, it's going to continue. It's going to affect everything. And there's no end in sight. And so I think you're right. I mean, looking at what's happening here in our community, I'm watching this. I mean, never mind the doge cuts that have happened where a lot of people lost their jobs. I mean, affordability here, especially in working class families, are people who are trying to figure out how they're going to make ends meet. And that is where I'm focused, is how are we going to push back on this type of legislation and then also hold these people accountable for the things that they are doing. And like, I think, you know, we're going. I want to go after ths and ice and really do a full review of what they're doing there, because I think that they are way out of line.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah, yeah. And, Olivia, I mean, you're gonna have to be careful because Donald Trump is, you know, he's showing off some otherworldly superpowers these days. I don't know if you saw the truth social post that he put out portraying himself as a Christ like figure, but he was, you know, he was asking, what's that?

[Olivia Troy]

I said, I. Senor Dios mio is my. Is what my grandmother would have said if she would have seen that.

[Jim Acosta]

And of course, Trump was asked about this and he, he claimed that he was just posting an image of himself as a doctor. I think we have that video. If we have it, we should play it. And I want to get your picture

[Olivia Troy (Video)]

of yourself depicted as Jesus Christ.

[Donald Trump]

Well, it wasn't depiction. It was me. I, I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support. And only the fake news could come up with that one. So I, I had, I just heard about it and I said, how did they come that it's supposed to be me as a doctor making people better? And I do make people better. I make people a lot better. As an example, the 11,000. I understand your husband's going through treatment.

[Karen Bass]

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

[Jim Acosta]

But, Olivia, the other thing we should point out is that Jamie Raskin is leading like 50 House Democrats. They're putting together some legislation that says that they want a commission to determine whether to invoke the 25th Amendment to determine whether or not Donald Trump is mentally fit for office or what do you think about that? Is that something you would want to sign on to? I mean, I know it's kind of a crazy question to be asked just as you're launching a campaign, but I think Donald Trump's mental cognitive state is. Is an issue now.

[Olivia Troy]

Yeah. I mean, look, he's out there taking, like, he's punching, like, at the Pope. I mean, and then he posts that and, yeah, Donald Trump is a healer. Yeah. Give me a break. I was like, I never saw that asshole pray once when I was there in the White House. Sorry, am I allowed to say that word when you're running for Congress?

[Jim Acosta]

I think. I think you just did. You know, he has said far worse. I think when you threaten to blow up a civilization, you can say it's okay.

[Olivia Troy]

Yeah, well, I mean, so that's one thing that was infuriating and enraging to me and a lot of my family members. Like, I mean, I grew up in a Catholic household, and just watching the blasphemy and the hypocrisy of this man, it's just astounding. But look, yeah, I think they should move forward with that. This 25th Amendment. Let's move it. Let's move forward ASAP, because this guy is completely unfit. He's showing his instability every single day. And meanwhile, he's costing us lives. He's costing us lives here, he's costing us lives overseas. Like, he's costing, like, I mean, innocent children have died in this war. Military service members have died in this war. And I don't know where these regional conflicts end, Jim. I mean, this guy is. I.

[Jim Acosta]

He promised no forever wars. He promised no wars in the Middle East.

[Olivia Troy]

Yeah, yeah. And so he's proclaiming himself as a healer. He's hurt so many people in this country and so many people around the world. And so it. Honestly, that was just horrid. And the fact that I was reading, like, the Vatican, I mean, I'm sure you saw this. Like, they were wondering, like, they were felt. They felt threatened. They didn't know what Donald Trump was going to do, the Trump administration was going to come after them. When we have an American Pope. That's incredible. I mean, it's just. It's just there's no end for this guy. And I just hope that Latino voters, Catholic voters, all religious voters on every single side are watching this.

[Mark Ruffalo]

Yeah.

[Olivia Troy]

It's just. It's disgusting.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah. And, Olivia, I mean, we already have folks getting into the comments saying, where can they pitch in? How can they help Olivia's campaign? Olivia, tell us how. How can folks help your campaign?

[Olivia Troy]

I appreciate that. It's Olivia Troy Dot com. I'll be posting updates there. I'll be posting updates regularly on the campaign trail. And if you're In Virginia. Please come out. Like, send me a note. I will come out and meet you. I'll be all over the district. I plan to work very, very hard for this and meet the voters where.

[Jim Acosta]

Excellent. All right. Well, good luck, Olivia. Great to talk to you. See you out on the campaign trail. And you know this, I know you've been talking about this for some time, and this is very important. It means a whole lot to you. And you feel this deep down in your heart and in your soul that this country needs to change, that this democracy is on the line, that these midterms, they really do matter. And I know that you believe in that wholeheartedly. So, Olivia, best of luck to you. Please let me, let me know when you want to come back.

[Olivia Troy]

Thank you. Thank you, Jim.

[Jim Acosta]

All right. Best of luck. Take care. All right. And Olivia could. She could curse all she wants on this program. This is. This is how we do things. This is how we roll on this show. Let me quickly turn to the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, who is standing by. She probably also has some thoughts on Donald Trump and his mental state. But I wasn't going to start there first, Mayor, but good to see you.

[Karen Bass]

Thank you. Good to see you as well.

[Jim Acosta]

Thanks for coming on the program. Really appreciate it. And if I'm not mistaken, you've also said you're running for reelection as the mayor of Los Angeles. Did I get that wrong?

[Karen Bass]

No, you did not.

[Jim Acosta]

And, yes, I am very good. And I guess a lot of different places to start. I know one of the things that we wanted to talk to you about is this pending merger between Warner Brothers Discovery and Paramount. I know a lot of people in your community are very concerned about that. I definitely want to ask about that. But if you don't mind me being kind of a newsy guy and starting with the newsy question, what was your reaction to former Congressman Eric Swalwell deciding to resign from Congress, dropping out of the race for governor? I know this has been huge news out in your neck of the woods. What are your thoughts?

[Karen Bass]

Well, honestly, I was shocked. I was shocked by what I learned about my former colleague. Literally, I sat one seat away from him in judiciary for 10 years. I never had any idea. Never had any idea. So I was shocked, as I'm sure a lot of people were. And, and I think, you know, boy, talk about that. That was a downfall. That was lightning fast. I think it's really tragic. I really do. And I don't know, you know, he's going to have to pick up his Life. You know, he's got three small children and obviously a wife. And. And so, you know, I'm concerned about him personally, but definitely think he did the right thing.

[Jim Acosta]

And I know you called for him to resign and get out of the race. Why did you think that was important?

[Karen Bass]

Well, I mean, I don't think that you can really move forward, especially, you know, in the fourth largest economy in the world. That just doesn't make it. And then, of course, we're all concerned that, you know, having a Republican governor in the state of California would be, you know, quite tragic, considering Republican choices, that is.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah. And have you made a decision as to who you're backing in that race? I don't want to get you in any trouble.

[Karen Bass]

No, no, no, you're not getting me any trouble. Antonio Villarago, So the former mayor of Los Angeles. And I know a lot of people counted him out, but, you know, I have known Antonio for five decades, and we have worked together, and I've been. I endorsed him day one, the minute he jumped into the race. And what I think a lot of people don't understand about him is that he's a fighter to the end. And he was mayor of Los Angeles very successfully, and he also was speaker of the Assembly. I followed in his footsteps. And so he's been in Sacramento. He's led the legislature before. He knows how Sacramento works, and I. I think he very qualified for the job. No disrespect to the other candidates, but he's my candidate, and he's been my candidate from day one.

[Jim Acosta]

And I know that a big part of your campaign for reelection and a big initiative that you've undertaken as mayor is to take on homelessness and to try to help people who are unhoused in Los Angeles. Tell us about what. What you're up to. It sounds like this is a pretty big initiative, I guess, for folks who haven't heard about it. What can you tell us about it?

[Olivia Troy]

Sure.

[Karen Bass]

Well, let me just tell you. It was a tough decision to leave Congress, but that's how important the issue was in the nation's second largest city. We have 40,000 people who are unhoused, and a good 40% of them are literally living on our streets. So while homelessness went up by 18% in the nation, it went down by just about that amount in the city of Los Angeles for two years in a row. And what's notable is that's the first time we've had a decline in street homelessness. So I came in to change. I'VE been doing everything I can to disrupt the status quo here and to make a new approach. And it's the first time we've had a reduction in street homelessness. But the other big issue in Los Angeles is this city is so expensive, and one of the key drivers to the lack of affordability is the price of housing. So I have fast tracked building. We have 40,000 units that are currently going through the process. 6,000 of those units are actively under construction. Now, we have a long way to go in our city, but we have so much to look forward to. We have the World cup in literally a few weeks. We have the Olympics in two years. So Los Angeles has a very, very bright future. And it's my goal in seeking reelection is that we carry this out and prepare our city to welcome the world and that the Games benefit the entire city, not just the elite of Los Angeles.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah. And I guess, you know, I was just talking to Olivia Troy, who you probably know, and she just announced that she's running for Congress, and she brought up ice as a really important issue for her campaign. I'm wondering what your thoughts are. It sort of feels like we haven't heard a whole heck of a lot from Stephen Miller lately. It sort of seems as though ice, the ice issue, has not been on the front burner and that the Trump administration, the White House, has decided to maybe turn down the temperature a little bit on that. What have you noticed in la? Are they still out there and doing what. What we've all watched them do on our TV screens and our phone screens over the last year or so?

[Karen Bass]

Well, and let me just tell you, Jim, this was such a tragic moment in the history of our country. You know, the anniversary. This is the 250th year of our democracy, and to be invaded by my own military, to worry in the city of Los Angeles that the federal government was literally attacking us. 4,000 National Guard troops, 700 Marines, and there was nothing happening here. Yes, we had some protests. At the end of the protest, there was some vandalism. I would say it was akin to a Laker championship. Plus where everybody is celebrating. And then there's knuckleheads at the end who start graffiti up and breaking windows. And of course, we absolutely aggressively denounce that. But there were no riots in the city. And what I believed from day one is that we were a laboratory, that we were the petri dish, and that this was going to go around the country. And in fact, it did. But to directly answer your question, no, this has not stopped. It's not as dramatic as it was before. They're not speeding down the street, hunting people down, but they absolutely are still chasing people through the parking lots of Home Depot, chasing people in car washes and just, you know, arresting people and detaining people almost every day here. It's just not in the headlines. And that's when, when it becomes even more frightening is when people think that this has gone away and it hasn't. So our neighborhoods are still being terrified and it has continued to depress sectors of our economy, destroying businesses where workers and employ workers and customers don't want to go, parents who don't want to send their kids to school. This is still having massive consequences in our city.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah. And I know one of the issues that has come up just in recent weeks, I actually traveled out there to offer my thoughts on this. I testified at a hearing that was chaired by Adam Schiff, the senator out there, on the merger of Warner Brothers, Discovery and Paramount. And just the other day, I'm sure you saw this, I think this was in Monday's New York Times. They broke the story that there were hundreds of artists and other folks who were in the entertainment industry. And some journalists like myself, signed on to a letter to say that this merger should not happen. What are your thoughts on this and what would the impact be for la? Because we're talking about production, studio shutting down, that kind of thing.

[Karen Bass]

Well, and I will tell you that I think it was a thousand or more and I am deeply concerned about it especially, I mean, this is our foundational industry. You know, we are the creative capital of the world and we were just on the rebound in terms of filming, returning to Los Angeles. And so we just opened up thousands of square feet of sound stages ready for production. And so I'm very concerned that while we were moving things forward, that it could be a very serious setback. So the idea and I already described as the city as being not affordable and all of that and to lose these middle class jobs. And so we definitely are keeping an eye out because whatever happens, we do not want it to be another body blow to our local economy.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah. And I, when I was at this hearing with Senator Schiff, Noah Wiley, the star of the hit TV show the Pit, he testified there and he said, you know, there's been this trend to take television and film production to other parts of the country, like places in Georgia and so on. And he made a point of wanting the show basically done in LA to show that this can be done. And so it's an extremely important part of the community, and it had been on the decline, but like you said, it's coming back. But it seems to me if this merger were to go through, it would. It would be kind of a body blow.

[Karen Bass]

Well, that's. That's what we're. Yes, that's what we're fearful of.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah.

[Karen Bass]

And as I said, whatever happens, it cannot result in massive layoffs, are a setback in our, in our, in our economy. We just. It just can't.

[Jim Acosta]

And you mentioned the Olympics, you mentioned the World Cup. When I was out there, I thought to myself, wow, the Summer Olympics coming back to la. This is going to be extraordinary. Is the city going to be ready? I know we've got some time to go, but I guess in mayor time, it's not a lot of time.

[Karen Bass]

Oh, no, my God, no. We have a clock up. We have a countdown for the Olympics and the Paralympics. And no, I will tell you that I'm quite confident the city will be prepared. We have an entire office in my administration that is set up just to stay on top of city preparations, working lockstep with LA28. As you know, LA28 is an independent, separate organization that is literally putting on the Games. But as hosts for the Games, we have to make sure that every aspect of our city is prepared, from the roads to the venues to the transportation system, all of those things that are in support of the Games.

[Jim Acosta]

And are you concerned at all that Donald Trump might mess with it in some way? I mean, he's talked about, you know, retaliating against certain places if they don't go along with what he wants to do. You know, is that part of your calculus?

[Karen Bass]

You know, this might be ironic for some of your viewers, but I'm actually not worried about it. You know, it's so helpful to me in this job that I served in Congress, that I went through Trump's first term, that many of the people he's appointed as cabinet members were my former colleagues in the House, and I continue to have relationships and communication with them. I think he is as obsessed and as interested and committed to these Games as anybody. I mean, just think about it. It puts him on the world stage. Not that he needs to be put on the world stage, he's automatically on the world stage, but it puts him on the world stage in such a positive way. The last thing in the world he would want would be to stain his reputation. That's weird for me to say. Right, by messing with the Games?

[Jim Acosta]

No, that's True. But I will say, you know, he has proven himself to be pretty unpredictable lately. And I mean, just lastly, I did want to ask. I mean, you know, his true social post, portraying himself as Jesus. You know, he claims that he was just showing himself as a doctor, which doesn't sound believable at all. I don't know if there's anybody on earth who believes that, but, you know, LA has a pretty sizable Roman Catholic community. I have to assume that they were pretty peeved about that. They're already peeved at him as, as a. Already in LA these days. But what was your reaction to that? And do you think Donald Trump can go the distance? I mean, we talked about whether he might mess with you in 2020. Do you think he can make it to the rest of his term the way he's been behaving?

[Karen Bass]

Well, yeah, I do. I mean, I don't have any reason to think he won't. I think we raised the same questions through his first term.

[Mark Ruffalo]

Yeah.

[Karen Bass]

And that was a long time ago. And, you know, he's still there. I have to assume that he will be just fine. And, you know, I don't know what time of the night that true social tweet was done, but, you know, who knows? But no, I. I think that he's invested in these games in an absolute major way.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah. And maybe that's an incentive that maybe he might not mess with it too much. He wants us.

[Karen Bass]

I don't think so.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, all right. Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, great to see, as always. Thanks. Thanks for coming on the program. And, uh, let's do this again soon.

[Karen Bass]

Absolutely, I would appreciate that. And congratulations to you on your show.

[Jim Acosta]

I appreciate. Best of luck getting ready for the games. I know it's. It's going to be here fast, so

[Karen Bass]

I know you'll be ready.

[Jim Acosta]

Thanks, Mayor. Really appreciate it. And coming up on the program in, in just a few short minutes is the great Norm Eisen. He's going to be coming by. Norm, as we all know, has been working on lots of different legal issues that are important to preserving and protecting American democracy. But one of the things I have to let you in on, and I think we talked about it a little bit on the show, is that Norm has been working on this Warner Brothers Discovery, Paramount merger. And Norm was very much involved in helping put together that we put it up on screen again. The story that broke in the New York Times just the other day, the thousand plus actors and artists and directors, I mean, there were some big, big names on this list. And our friend Rosie o' Donnell was on the list. I got on the list. I'm very. I'm one of the much smaller names on the list. But to have a thousand plus people in this industry speaking out and saying to stop this merger, I think it sends. It sends a really important message. And Norm's going to be bringing that to us in just a few moments. But I also want to point out something that's just been brought to my attention just this afternoon, and that is that Paramount is already engaging in a. In an intimidation campaign. They have gone after the people at the Ankler, which is an entertainment publication, covers the entertainment industry. And I was just told about this. Just. I mean, just before we were getting on the program. Let's see here. Let's see here. Somebody was just telling me about this. I can just tell you right now. This, this story, I might not even shared it with my team, but this is a very important story. This was in the Ankler just this afternoon. Paramount pulls ads from the Ankler after. This is one of their writers. Boost blocked the merger movement. And this is how the story goes. Paramount has pulled its advertising from the Ankler, and it's after its editorial director and chief columnist, Richard Rushfeld. Rushfield, excuse me, Was seen at Cinemacon on Monday with a bag of block the merger buttons. Rushfield had a picture of the buttons on his Instagram as he landed in Las Vegas for the convention. He told the Rap that he was delivering the buttons to fellow members of the organization Future Film Coalition. So, I mean, that is extremely. That is extremely disturbing. Okay, I'm being. Wait a minute. Do we have a special guest who is standing by right now? Do we have a special guest? Am I. Oh, my goodness. It's Mark Ruffalo.

[Mark Ruffalo]

Hey, Jim. How are you?

[Jim Acosta]

Good to see you, man. Oh, my gosh. This is such a great surprise.

[Mark Ruffalo]

Thank you.

[Karen Bass]

Wow.

[Jim Acosta]

I. I think I got. I got surprised here on this one. I think there were some texts going back and forth that maybe we might have you later on in the week or something, but you were able to pop in. This is fantastic. How are you?

[Mark Ruffalo]

I'm doing okay. I'm doing okay. I'm actually shooting a movie in Italy right now, so.

[Jim Acosta]

Oh, man, it's so late over there.

[Mark Ruffalo]

Yeah. But I wanted to. Norm Eisen, who. Who I've been organizing with on this merger issue, invited me to. To join him with you tonight. And there's so much going on, so I wanted to be here.

[Norm Eisen]

There he is.

[Jim Acosta]

And there's there's our other Hollywood celebrity, Norm Eisen.

[Norm Eisen]

Not hardly. But I'm so pleased that Mark was able to join because the two of you, as I'm looking at my screen, Jim, you testified and you led in speaking out at the shadow hearing that Senator Schiff held in LA in Burbank. And now Mark has taken your example and I saved a great story about the two of us.

[Jim Acosta]

Oh man.

[Norm Eisen]

And is leading similarly speaking out and has really, as much as anyone has led what is now well over a thousand Hollywood actors and producers and writers and directors and working people. That's such an important part. Documentarians, independent filmmakers. So it's a surprise appearance. Jim and Mark, it's great to see you From Italy.

[Jim Acosta]

This is incredible.

[Mark Ruffalo]

You too. Mark.

[Jim Acosta]

Tell us why you're getting involved in this. I mean, I went out to Burbank and spoke on it. I mean, to me the, the prospect of combining two new news organizations, putting them under the umbrella of the Ellisons, which is a very trumpy maga family that's already purchased Paramount and CBS to have them in control of CNN2 to me is, is not a good scenario. But your thoughts on, on how it might affect your side of the industry, what your thoughts are?

[Mark Ruffalo]

Well, just on the consolidation front, we, you know, we've just seen consolidation decimate our, our business over the, the last several years. I mean I have some statistics here that Disney pre Disney Fox merger we were putting out, they were putting out 20 to 26 wide release films a year and after the merger was 10 to 17. And there are much smaller films and most put out by searchlight. On the TV front before the merger, there was 900 TV shows in 2018 from a high of 1,182 in 2016. And leaving out Covid and the strikes after that. After the merger it was 319 to 739. And it's just been a downward spiral every time we've had these consolidations. What is terrifying to me is these guys are telling us they're going to make 30 pictures a year, starting out at $78 billion in debt. Now just to make this tangible for people, that's 30 Avengers Endgame at $3 billion in wow, okay, they'd have to make 30 of those. Now that's a once in a decade movie that was put together, used billions of dollars to put together the entire franchise to get to the place where they can make $3 billion on it. It's. It's insane. And the idea that somehow they're going to make more movies. Right now, between Paramount and Warner Brothers, they can only get 24 movies out a year separately. And that's in a very good year. Usually it's more like 14. And they're telling us that they're going to put 30 out with $78 billion in debt. And the idea that somehow they're going to put more movies out now than they have been those two studios did in the past decade with less money is just goofy trumpy math.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah.

[Mark Ruffalo]

And so I just. We're not buying it. It's funny, I. I was talking to people in the business about this merger and saying, how can we let this happen? Everyone is saying, you know, it's a done deal. It's, you know, just. Just lay down. Don't. Just, Just. Just go back to some sleep.

[Karen Bass]

It's.

[Mark Ruffalo]

And I. And I thought, well, maybe. Maybe that's true. But then I started to talk to people and they were. We had this idea for the letter, and then it was just. Everyone signed it. Everyone. We asked. And in four days, there's a thousand people. And we're talking from David. These are not just the usual suspects. He's a David Fincher. It's Yorgos Lathamos, It's Denis, it's J.J. abrams. These are people who have deals inside of Paramount.

[Jim Acosta]

Right.

[Mark Ruffalo]

And Warner Brothers.

[Jim Acosta]

Right. And you would think in. In, you know, in the case of the names you just mentioned, some of those folks would say, wait a minute, you know, I don't want to. I don't want to mess with a good thing, what I got going here. And. And they showed some courage here, showed some spine.

[Mark Ruffalo]

Yes. And it's incredible. And it's only growing. We signed 500 more people on yesterday, another 500 more, more today. And. And it's. Yeah, go ahead, Norm. I don't want to.

[Norm Eisen]

Jim, we wanted to come on and save something special for you. We thank you. The story of how this letter came to be, there was some conversation back and forth, and. And Mark sent me a note. And, Jim, it actually was the morning of the Supreme Court argument in the Birthright case, and I was there at the Supreme Court with the rest of the legal team. And Mark called and said, hey, are we going to do a letter? And he and I and a small group of others actually wrote the first draft of that letter. What more appropriate place we brainstormed was later in the day in Italy, where he was. He was on a break from filming. I was early morning here in D.C. and other wonderful partners in this coalition. And that was the origin story, that was the origin story of this letter. And of course I was so honored to be able to carry forward this battle for our democracy because that's what this merger is about. On the entertainment on the side and on the news side, it also represents a tremendous threat to our democracy. We cannot see this kind of consolidation. Can you imagine if you're watching Fox News and you're like, I've had enough of that, I'll turn over to cnn and it's exactly the same. Well, and that's the danger when you look at what the Ellisons have done to cbs. Jim, you're a news professional.

[Jim Acosta]

Yes. It bothers me to no end to see what they've done over at CBS, what they've done to 60 Minutes and Mark. I mean to me it just. This is a no brainer. The oligarch should not own the news. It's bad enough as it is.

[Mark Ruffalo]

We would never see this happen if it wasn't under Trump administration. The DOJ would never, would never allow this to happen or we would spend three or four years in debate about about it. Right now the DOJ has just basically rubber stamped it. Tomorrow is a oversight committee hearing and Senator Booker's is holding oversight committee. Not one Republican is showing up. The whole place was full during the last the Net, the Netflix merger with Warner Brothers. Every Republican showed up to that. Not one. The writing's on the wall. Hegseth said that he wants CNN to be owned by the Ellisons so that he gets the war coverage that he wants, not the truth that the American people need to know about the war that we're sending our children into to die for. Okay? We don't need a cheerleading operation for the news. We have Trump saying he can't wait till the Ellison's own cnn. It's crazy for us to lay down. This is the Trumpification of the media, of our media and our news. The same way they did to the universities. This is the exact same thing. And if you don't fight it, if you capitulate, you degradate, you're degradated.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah.

[Mark Ruffalo]

And so we have to fight. And that's what we're asking we're at right now. We're asking our agents and the agencies and managers to get behind us because we're putting our asses on the line. Paramount, we saw today what they did to the anchor. Even with their PR note of being so thoughtful and conciliatory and we really care about the artists. The first thing they do out of the gate Is they, they, they, they cancel the anchors,

[Norm Eisen]

Any of their advertising?

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah. They want to send a message.

[Norm Eisen]

How can someone who will do that if a journalist exercises their First Amendment right, their power, freedom of speech, as Richard Rushfield did of the Ankler, to say this merger is a bad idea, express that and then they crack down economically by pulling the advertising, as has been reported by the Wrap. So that's what the reporting is. Can you trust that kind of an owner to protect opinions on cnn? I don't think so.

[Jim Acosta]

I don't think so either. I don't. I don't think so either. Norman.

[Norm Eisen]

Words yesterday meant nothing.

[Jim Acosta]

Right. And look what Viktor Orban did in Hungary. I mean, he just got his ass handed to him, but some of the damage is already done over there. It's going to take years to unravel that. Do we want a situation like that in this country, Mark, where it's going to take us years to unravel? Media consolidate. I call it media domination by people who are close to the folks in power.

[Mark Ruffalo]

What's going to happen is, you know, to do this merger, this is the other thing that really needs to be said is the crews. It's all the groups that are underneath us. Like, honestly, most of the people on that letter, they have either nothing to lose or they have everything to lose by not signing it. It's the crews. It's the working people that this industry is supporting. And if you merge these two groups together, the first thing that they're going to do is start firing people and laying people off to service $78 billion in, in debt. They're gonna have to get rid of half the crews. They're gonna have to get rid of half of their, the, the bureaucratic side of one of these, one of these studios. And, and Los Angeles. And Hollywood's already suffering so immensely. And that's the part of the story that needs to be talked about. And, and what? And this is happening throughout the United States. And the thing that antitrust laws are supposed to do is protect people from. And I'll tell you the one thing I keep hearing is we're afraid to speak out against Paramount and Warner Brothers because we know how vindictive Paramount is. And so as a group, we have to come together.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah.

[Mark Ruffalo]

It's only in our grouping that we have any power.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah.

[Norm Eisen]

This moment is so powerful because we've seen again and again, Jim, over the past 15 months of the Trump administration, that when people have stood together and stood up to the administration, they succeed.

[Jim Acosta]

That's right.

[Norm Eisen]

CBS and ABC paid tribute money to the dictator by settling those cases. The Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch, of all people, they fought. That case was thrown out this week. And we've seen that some law firms capitulated, some fought. The ones who fought, they went to court. They were successful. And that's been anthropic.

[Jim Acosta]

The Pope, you know, everybody's a big Leo fan.

[Norm Eisen]

I don't know when I've been. I don't know when I've been so proud of a Pope. My favorite line was, I don't know anything about politics. I'm just here to follow the gospel.

[Jim Acosta]

There you go.

[Norm Eisen]

When they taped him on the plane. So I think that when we look back on this era, we're going to ask, where were the people who stood up? Just like now, they're going to ask that question in Hungary. They're going to take account. And Mark and I, from that conversation with a few others on the steps of the Supreme Court on my phone, I walked by the other lawyers. Ted Hope, the wonderful Ted Hope was on that conversation. Multiple others. The Committee for the First Amendment, Jane Fonda's group. Jim, you were part of their gathering at the Kennedy center recently and a number of others.

[Jim Acosta]

Incredible.

[Norm Eisen]

Mark and I wondered, you know, who would step across, who would break that, that thin blue line of fear. But then Mark jumped and Ben Stiller jumped and the wonderful Damon Lindelof. He's worked at Warner Brothers for 15 years as a producer. And, and that was one of the highlights when he said to us, I'm taking the plunge. And then it became a deluge, and it was over a thousand. Now it's over 2,000. And, you know, we're only beginning. It's a message to the state AGs and other litigants. You can investigate. You go to court, block this merger. We have your backs. And these people have the data and the information. They're the witnesses. They're. They'll testify. They will help. The same day our letter was released, the UK Antitrust Authority announced they were looking into it. No. To quote a. A Netflix show, nobody wants this.

[Jim Acosta]

Nobody. Nobody wants. Exactly. And Mark, I know it's very late where you are. Any final thoughts from you? I don't want to hold you up because I know you're in production and everything, but any final thoughts?

[Mark Ruffalo]

I just think it's really important that we come together as a united front in our industry and that every management firm, every agency, uta, caa, wme, all the smaller agencies, every union join together in this, because we're not just fighting for our industry. It's also signals to all of the other industries that are under consolidation right now in the United States that are driving workers wages down, that are laying people off, that are offshoring our jobs. This is a moment where we have to fight an oligarchy that is in full control of our Congress and our presidency. And the only way that we're going to win is if we fight. And the only way we can fight is by doing it together. And that's the message that we all have to understand. And the more we see each other, the braver we become. And that's for every industry in the United States right now, because every industry in the United States is under attack. The workers are under attack.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah, I. I couldn't have said it better myself, Mark. I mean, I think that's. It's absolutely dead on. I think the people feel that right now. It's why you're seeing so many people take to the streets these days for the no Kings protest. It's why you saw the people of Minnesota chase ice out of their city. And it's happening in the. In this industry that's being threatened again by another oligarchal takeover. But, Mark Ruffalo, what an honor to have you in here, man. Thank you so much.

[Mark Ruffalo]

Honored to be here. I love you. Your work, Jim, and I have for a long time, and I appreciate it. You're one of those brave people who stood up very early on. American hero for early days.

[Norm Eisen]

Credit for doing it in the dark days. Not now. When the moment.

[Mark Ruffalo]

Now it's fun.

[Jim Acosta]

All I ask is put me in the next Avengers movie. That's all I ask. If it's.

[Mark Ruffalo]

You're in, buddy.

[Olivia Troy]

All right.

[Jim Acosta]

Thanks, Mark. And thanks. Norm is our Captain America. Norm, thank you so much. Good to see you. My man.

[Norm Eisen]

Always, Jim. Thank you. Was fun having our surprise guest, wasn't it?

[Jim Acosta]

You got it. You pulled the fast one on me today, Norm. I'm gonna get you for that. I was like, yeah. Texted me and said, mark Ruffalo is in. I was like, what? Incredible.

[Norm Eisen]

It's the first appearance we've done together. You deserve it, buddy.

[Karen Bass]

You.

[Norm Eisen]

You better than anybody. Truthful, not neutral.

[Jim Acosta]

That's it.

[Norm Eisen]

Thank you for all you do. We. We admire you.

[Jim Acosta]

All right. Thank you, Captain America. Really appreciate it. Thanks, Norm. All right, that's the great Norm Eisen and the great Mark Ruffalo. Holy. Folks, I. I'm. I'm not being facetious here. I'm not being a showman here. And and playing this up as some kind of surprise. This was an actual surprise. I did not know that Mark Ruffalo, an actor who I've admired for many, many years. I mean, not just for his artistic endeavors, but also for the passion that he brings as an activist. You know, the conservative MAGA folks like to make the term activist a dirty word. It's not. It means you care about your community. It means that you care about your country. Mark Ruffalo has been doing that for a very long time. And I think Norm Eisen falls under that category too, as somebody who believes in activism because it is what is good for our country. It's the American way. And I'll tell you what's not the American way. Oligarchs taking over the news, oligarchs taking over the media. You know, maybe I'm a little old fashioned, maybe it's because I'm a little long in the, in the tooth and a little gray up here, but I, I'm sort of, you know, romantic about the days when we had people like Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather and Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings and, and David Brinkley and those kinds of journalists. The New York Times in its heyday, although it's doing quite well today, the Washington Post of Woodward and Bernstein, not the Washington Post of Jeff Bezos. Can we just, can we just get back to that era when PBS was fully funded, NPR was fully funded, when Fox was not the most powerful voice in media? That is when we had, I think, a better educated society, a better educated public. And now we have a media, a mass media in this country that is under attack. It's under attack by the oligarchs, people like the Ellisons, who not only want to take over CBS and Paramount, they now want to take over Warner Brothers, Discovery and cnn. And of course, they're already taking control of Tick Tock. I mean, this is not the American way. This is what the Hungarians just rebelled against in an election just over the weekend. And it's that kind of spirit that we need to see injected into the United States of America. We need a little Hungarian injection over here in America because that's the kind of taking it to the streets that we need. We've seen it so far. We've seen it thus far in this country. People have got a whiff of one year of Donald Trump returning to the White House. And they said that that's, that's enough of that, thank you very much. When Donald Trump goes out there and posts images of himself as Jesus. I think people are saying enough is enough. And when, make no mistake, when Mark Ruffalo just a few moments ago says that there's a congressional hearing that is being prepared on this merger, on this Warner Brothers Discovery Paramount merger, and the Republicans won't even show up for the hearing, I hope that that ends up not being the case. Are there any of you guys up there on Capitol Hill with any guts, any guts whatsoever? If a Democratic administration, if this were happening under Barack Obama, if this were happening under Joe Biden and somehow there was a Democratic, a billionaire oligarch who is trying to take control of the media, you better believe they would be hopping mad. You better believe it would be pitchforks and tortures time here in Washington, D.C. and just because it's their side of the aisle, they're just going to go along with it, taking oligarchs, taking over the media in this country. That is why you have a voter revolt taking shape in the United States right now. And that's why you're going to see, mark my words, a voter revolt going to the polls this November. That's going to be too big to rig, too big for Donald Trump to cheat at the the voting cheater himself, the voting cheater in chief himself. He thinks he can pull a fast one. He thinks he can the American people. He thinks he can control the news cycle and change the narrative with stupid images of himself posing as Jesus. He is not the chosen one, folks. Let's, let's face we're the chosen ones, the voters, the American people were the chosen ones. We're going to take this democracy back. And I'm a little fired up that Mark Ruffalo surprised me on my program today and injected all of us, I think, with a little bit of what we all needed, which is a little Chuck on the shoulder to say the work is not done yet. That's the saving this democracy, preserving and protecting the freedoms that we have. That work is not finished yet. And the work continues each and every day. And my hat is off to all of those artists, directors, producers, crew members, people who work in the entertainment industry and are trying to stop the oligarchs taking over the media and the news in this country. That is not the American way. Rising up against it is very much the American way. And I appreciate Mark Ruffalo for coming on the program. I appreciate Norm Eisen as well, LA Mayor Karen Bass and my friend Olivia Troy, who's running for Congress. Congratulations to her. Good luck with her campaign and thanks to all of you. For watching. Thanks for you for tuning in and subscribing to this program. Independent Media Matters, folks. With the oligarchs taking over the media, with the oligarchs taking over the news now more than ever, supporting independent media, supporting independent voices, strong independent voices. I don't have a boss upstairs who's going to call me after my show is over and say, oh, you know, you really should take it easy on the Ellisons. You really should take it easy on Donald Trump posing as Jesus, you know, you know those television executives, they might call you and say, what was he really trying to be like? Jesus, Maybe he was trying to be like that doctor Maybe he does care about the Red Cross. Baloney. I don't have to put up with any of that because I'm independent. That's why I'm here. That's why we do this each and every day. And when you support, support, you subscribe, you share, you like. It does. It does wonders in terms of supporting the work that we do. And in the meantime, thanks everybody for watching. I'm still a little blown away by having this surprise day. Really means a lot to have Mark Ruffalo on the program. If you missed it, we'll put it online in just a little bit so you can catch up and watch what you just can't miss. You can't miss a moment on this show, folks. You never know what's going to happen. But in the meantime, still reporting from Washington, I'm Jim Acosta. I'll see you next time.