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Matt Jones
This is interrupted by Matt Jones. Hey everybody. It is interrupted by Matt Jones. Presented by Cornbread Hemp. This is The Good Life, episode 10. We are coming at you for another exciting news hour. It is, it's the news with my good friend Drew Franklin. Drew, you were on vacation last week. It is great to have you back and since you've been gone, I felt like you would, you know, like to hear the news.
Drew Franklin
This is the second time I've returned from vacation to immediately go into recording one of these. And once again I will be learning.
Matt Jones
Some people would say that's a lot of vacation. I mean, I feel like you've been vacating a lot. Are you.
Drew Franklin
I've done two weeks before that. It had been a long time though.
Matt Jones
Well, I'm glad. Did you. You went to Devil's Mountain, Devil's Tower.
Drew Franklin
Devil's Tower, Mount Rushmore?
Matt Jones
Yes.
Drew Franklin
You went to Deadwood Badlands?
Matt Jones
That's right.
Drew Franklin
I swam in Sylvan Lake.
Matt Jones
What is that?
Drew Franklin
I don't know. I went to see the lake and there were people getting in it and I was like, that looks fun. So I just got in it.
Matt Jones
That's the difference between me and you. If I see people getting in water, I'm not like, that looks fun. I'm like, that looks like something I don't want to do.
Drew Franklin
So good times out in the our most southern Dakota.
Matt Jones
Well, I'm glad you enjoyed and today's show is sponsored by Clayton and Croom. They're founded on a simple idea. All leather goods should last a lifetime. They make everything from bags, belts, wallets and much more. And the best part, they're doing it right here, here in Kentucky. You can check them out at clayton and croom.com that c r u m e.com or visit their flagship retail store in Louisville at 216 S. Selby St. Located in Nulu. It's Clayton and Croom quality leather goods built to last. So this is, we call it, it's the news. Billy gives us the top 10 news stories. Of the day. Before we get started, we would be remiss if we didn't talk about just the absolute tragedy that has been taking place in Texas with the floods. One of the sadder stories I can remember seeing, the last I looked, 81 deaths. There are still over four. There's still 40 people, I believe, missing, including, you know, 15 girls from the camp Mystic. You know, we. I think everybody has followed that story. We're not going to put that as one of the 10 news items, but I did want to say, you know, huge level of thoughts and prayers. That's not enough to say how sad it is and just an absolutely awful story, but also a reminder of how not only precious every day is, but how much we all have to be on alert. It's easy sometimes to. My phone will buzz and there'll be weather warnings, etcetera, and you kind of look the other way. But this came in the middle of the night, Fourth of July weekend. About as bad a time as it could have. And I can't imagine the stories of the people at camps like that. I've been to camps like that. Have you been to camps like that in your childhood? Just terrifying. And to all those families, my prayers out to you. It's, It's. It's a terribly, terribly sad story. This now. We do, however, have 10 news items. We don't know what they are. Billy picks them. I asked him to try to make them equally as newsy, but maybe with a couple of brighter spots.
Drew Franklin
We got pretty dark last week. He was pretty dark last week, but it was the news. It wasn't Billy. It was the news.
Matt Jones
The news is what it is. But Billy has created 10 news items. Well, he hasn't created them. They actually exist. It's the news. Uh, Billy, let's get started. What. What is. What is the first news story today?
Billy Gillespie
Yeah, let's start out with number one, guys. And that is the one big, beautiful bill has passed and is now law in the United States of America. Trump signed it into law on July 4th. But the one big, beautiful bill has passed by narrow margins in the House and the Senate. It will have deep tax cuts, immigration crackdowns, military expansions, and sweeping reductions to social welfare programs like Medicare and food assistance programs. But only two members of the GOP voted no on the bill. That's Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick. But Trump called it the most popular bill in the history of the country, and it is now a part of law.
Matt Jones
Did he really say that?
Billy Gillespie
He did.
Matt Jones
Wow. Sounds like you can't just say it's a good bill. It has to be the most popular bill in the history of the country. All right, couple things before the specifics of it. Number one, Brian Fitzpatrick, one of the two guys that voted no, thought had a really interesting strategy. Did you see what he did?
Drew Franklin
I did not.
Matt Jones
He voted no, and then he ran away. So they couldn't find.
Drew Franklin
Just went and hid.
Matt Jones
He hid because they were trying to, you know, convince him to change their vote. He apparently turned his phone off and just went and hid. And so they could not find him for, like. Like, I was following this. There was like 36 hours. They're like, we're trying to get in touch with Brian Fitzpatrick. Nobody is. He literally did the Billy Gillespie. I'm just going to make it to where no one can find me. And then he ended up votes to keeping his vote. No.
Drew Franklin
Do we know what he did? Like, what do you do there? Do you go to a movie theater and just marathon movies? Do you like yourself in your bedroom at home?
Matt Jones
You want to vote no because you think the bill's terrible, but you just don't want to be nagged about it.
Drew Franklin
Just drive around town, just.
Matt Jones
You cannot get in touch with me. So I like that. One second. I find it fascinating how people will just accept whatever nonsense Donald Trump says, and then it just becomes. So, for instance, the Big Beautiful Bill. Why do we call it that? Like, that's what its name is.
Drew Franklin
That's my first question. This is so unserious. Calling it Big Beautiful Bill.
Matt Jones
And, like, I see it in the news like the New York Times. I mean, it's the news right here. And Billy didn't say they passed the budget bill. Billy said they passed the Big Beautiful Bill. What country is it that we're just like. So can I just call it the Drew Franklin Gets it done Bill? And then everybody just calls it that beautiful.
Drew Franklin
There's just so many words you could use if you did want really to have some punch. I can't think of any bill as being beautiful.
Matt Jones
No, the sexy, sexy, Give it to me Girl Bill. You can't just call it things like that.
Drew Franklin
There's a male dancer somewhere named Big Beautiful Bill, and he is cashing in right now.
Matt Jones
If there's not, they definitely should be.
Drew Franklin
If you were, there's a guy somewhere.
Matt Jones
In the world, dude. If you were a male stripper, would you not go by Big Beautiful Bill now?
Drew Franklin
I might do that after. After we're done here. I might launch my own career. I think there's potential There.
Matt Jones
Coming up on stage one, ladies, he's straight from the hollers of Hazard. Everybody, meet big beautiful bill.
Drew Franklin
President says he's the most popular bill of all time.
Matt Jones
So we're going to do our own podcast on the big beautiful bill I want to go through because it's, I think it's actually, I won't say one of the worst bills of all time. That's probably not fair, but it's pretty terrible. And it's going to have a huge impact on Kentucky. And it doesn't seem very popular. It only has like, 29% support. Lisa Murkowski, the senator from Alaska. She voted yes. And then after voted yes goes, I think this bill's terrible. I'm just hoping they'll change it. And then, guess what? They didn't change it because she had already voted yes.
Drew Franklin
She should have done the other move of vote no and run.
Billy Gillespie
That have been better.
Matt Jones
So it just goes to show how much all these people, they're so scared of Trump, like, once he's for it, even if they're against it. So it raises the debt more than any bill in the history of the country. Raises the debt more than any bill in the history of the country. It's going to take, they estimate, 16 to 17 million people off of Medicaid and it will probably close hospitals all around the country. And it triples the amount of ICE people in America so that it becomes ICE will now be bigger than the FBI. Do you like that, what I've said so far?
Drew Franklin
But the rich people are going to pay more in taxes, right?
Matt Jones
No.
Drew Franklin
Aren't they paying more? I thought they were going to pay more.
Matt Jones
The rich people are actually getting a huge tax cut.
Drew Franklin
Oh, so then the poor people, they get the tax cut, too?
Matt Jones
No, the poor people's taxes stay the same. Except if you make tips, you will get to write off your cash tips, of course, because everyone pays with cash nowadays, so that will start. So it's pretty awful. I don't know anybody that's really for it strongly, except maybe the president, who there were reports that the day of the bill didn't know what was in it.
Drew Franklin
Well, I don't like anything. I think the Medicaid part's the most serious because that will affect a lot of people that need health care, and who knows how bad that will get over time. But I started with the very basic of the rich people getting another benefit that they don't need.
Matt Jones
That.
Drew Franklin
That right there alone throws it away from me. Yeah, we have people that are way.
Matt Jones
Too rich as it is people are.
Drew Franklin
That that is going to be the ultimate thing that destroys everything, is people getting too rich.
Matt Jones
I think if you're talking, if you were to ask me, Matt, what are the things long term you're the most worried about in the world? Wealth inequality. If it's not number one, if it's up there. Because if you go look at society, when the wealth inequalities get too big, that's when people revolt. And like, how much money does Elon Musk need in this day and age?
Drew Franklin
They can make it so much faster too. That gap is just getting bigger and bigger, quicker and quicker.
Matt Jones
Look at this economist here.
Billy Gillespie
It bothers him.
Matt Jones
What do you say? No, he's exactly right. Like in the Middle Ages, if you were very wealthy, there was only so much you could physically do to make more money. Now you can just invest it. And immediately your month, your. Your money can continue to exponentially grow. And the theory of giving people rich tax people who are rich tax cuts is, well, they'll invest it back in the economy and it'll circulate the money. But now they have ways of investing it in things that don't help anyone. So it doesn't really stimulate the economy either. If you look historically, tax cuts for the rich are the worst stimulators of the economy. Oddly, you know what has historically shown to be the best stimulators of the economy? The government giving people money. And you would say, well, why is that? Because poor people spend their money. That's actually the case. Like when you give poor people money, I'm not saying we should, but when you do, poor people spend their money, rich people saved their money, accumulated, they accumulate it. So poor people re put it in the economy. So oddly, even though it raised our debt and you know, the COVID packages helped the economy a lot because the people got the money and then they immediately spent it. So it's terrible. We'll do more on it tomorrow. But it was frustrating.
Drew Franklin
And the name's not serious at all. Can't believe the name, do you think? I thought that was just something people were calling it on tv.
Matt Jones
No, no, it's.
Drew Franklin
No, it's actually called that.
Matt Jones
It's actually on the top of it, it says big beautiful bill. Couple things real quick to slow it down. One of the things the Democrats were allowed to do was make them read it.
Billy Gillespie
What a concept.
Matt Jones
They made them read all 900 pages on the House floor. Fair or foul?
Billy Gillespie
Fair.
Drew Franklin
Fair.
Billy Gillespie
And should be done with every bill that has passed.
Matt Jones
So you think the person. They should have to. How many? In all seriousness, of the 435 members of the House, 100 members of the Senate, how many do you think read it all? In all seriousness, Any.
Drew Franklin
I say zero. If we're talking front page to back page without skimming, I'm going to say none. Zero.
Matt Jones
None.
Billy Gillespie
I was going to give somebody credit out here. I don't have a name, but somebody has got to read the entire legislation.
Matt Jones
Nobody.
Billy Gillespie
Not one.
Matt Jones
Because the way they do it is they let the committee chairs write each separate part. And it's not even the committee chairs, it's their staffers, and more to the point, it's lobbyist. Did you see there was something where they gave, like people who got tanning beds. Did you see this?
Billy Gillespie
No.
Matt Jones
People who operate tanning beds were able to get a tax deduction for tanning beds.
Drew Franklin
What's the case on that one?
Matt Jones
Probably just giving people kidding. Probably some representative owns a tanning bed salon. And when they asked the head, Mike Johnson, why is this in there? He goes, well, not 100% sure about that provision. Like you're in charge. If you don't know, who knows?
Drew Franklin
I know it's never been this way. This is just politics and why it stinks. But I would make the case that everyone should have to read everything that they're voting on.
Matt Jones
You think they should have a test, did you read this or not?
Billy Gillespie
On the bills.
Matt Jones
Okay, then another thing. You tell me. Fair or foul. They have a rule that the leaders of each party are, on any bill, allowed to talk as long as they want. Other people only have five minutes. So Hakeem Jeffries said, all right, I'm going to speak for nine and a half straight hours to slow this down. Fair or foul?
Billy Gillespie
I think that's fair. The filibuster has been used many times, and if it's only the one person doing it, then I can put up with it. If they don't have to pee for nine hours, then you can talk.
Matt Jones
But nine and a half hours, as.
Billy Gillespie
Soon as you have to pee, you.
Matt Jones
Think you could do it?
Drew Franklin
Oh, I couldn't do it. I'll go foul. I say we put a time limit on this.
Matt Jones
All right, what's the time limit?
Drew Franklin
Two hours. Each person gets two hours. No one has nine hours worth of things to say.
Matt Jones
Well, he didn't. He just read big chunks of the bill, too.
Drew Franklin
It's just more. We're wasting more time.
Matt Jones
Well, they were trying to waste more time to get people to guilt their congressmen. Not to vote for it, but that didn't work so far.
Drew Franklin
Of everything that going on in politics, I disagree with, except the guy voting and running. I like that. I like that strategy. Fitzpatrick. Was that the name?
Matt Jones
Fitzpatrick?
Drew Franklin
I need more Fitzpatrick. What's the plural? Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick.
Matt Jones
Yes.
Drew Franklin
In office.
Matt Jones
Thomas Massie from Kentucky voted against it.
Billy Gillespie
Yep.
Matt Jones
And then went on Theo Vaughn's podcast.
Billy Gillespie
That's huge.
Matt Jones
He was Mr.
Drew Franklin
Political.
Matt Jones
You and I met Thomas Massie at the Republican convention in 2016. And little awkward guy, right?
Drew Franklin
Oh, yeah.
Matt Jones
Would you have ever thought in 2016. First of all, the OVN didn't have a podcast in 2016.
Drew Franklin
I wouldn't have believed.
Matt Jones
I told you this guy right here is going to be on the former Road Rules Star political podcast. Would you have believed that was positive?
Drew Franklin
I would a need to sit down and just put all those words together and make sure I'm processing them clearly, because none of it makes sense. But that's just the world we live in now. I feel like Theo Vaughn's doing something in the political world about every other week these days.
Matt Jones
Whatever. I mean, whatever happened to Theo Vaughn? Just being like, bro, like, I like apple pie. When did he become. And what's crazy is I've heard him do some of these interviews, and I kind of like some of the questions he's asking.
Drew Franklin
I like the ovon, but who would.
Matt Jones
This can't be what he wants.
Drew Franklin
He can't know what he's talking about. I think that's kind of the point.
Matt Jones
He plays that role had on Thomas Massie and, like, Ted Cruz and like, he's got to think, can I get back to Shane Gillis and Nate? Like, do I have to Chris Rock? Do I have to talk?
Drew Franklin
He's seen how far he can go. Wasn't he on the. The Air Force One, didn't he? I think he did some kind of international tour.
Billy Gillespie
He went overseas and did comedy stuff for the soldiers over.
Matt Jones
Well, a lot of people have done that over the years.
Drew Franklin
But he went like, on Air Force One with Trump, I think, is what.
Matt Jones
Sets him up on. There's got to be a part where he's like, I was like, the bro.
Drew Franklin
I thought it was amazing that he had any kind of comeback whatsoever from Road Rules. There was a big gap.
Matt Jones
There was a big gap. I mean, when does Puck come back?
Drew Franklin
Puck and Putin have an interview coming up soon on his podcast.
Matt Jones
John Brennan is interviewing Obama. True story. Good for Theo Vaughn, though. Good for Theo Vaughn. Do your thing. All right, there's news item one. One what's next.
Billy Gillespie
Well, somebody that's been very critical of the one big beautiful bill is Elon Musk. And after a public falling out and open criticisms of the president, Elon just announced that he is starting his new his own political party. The America Party will be coming out. He says when it comes to bankrupting our country with waste and graft, we live in a one party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom. Do you think your freedom will be given back with Elon Musk?
Matt Jones
What's the name of his new party? The America Party.
Billy Gillespie
That's right.
Matt Jones
Very creative. So, you know, I mean, I'm not Trump fan, but I have enjoyed watching the downfall of Elon Musk. First of all, predicted it, called it knew there was no way that partnership was gonna work. This will be a humongous failure. Like a he will forget about it in six months failure. Do you agree? Yeah.
Drew Franklin
It feels like a tweet he just sent when he was being bored. Like, what do you. How does one even start a political party?
Matt Jones
You and I can do it. You just need signatures. Like every state, there are so many signatures to get on the ballot. You get. And it's, it's some states, it's surprisingly low. Like a thousand. Okay, thousand signatures. We have the Mario Loves Bronnie Party and then we can, we can nominate people and they can run for office.
Drew Franklin
So he's just got to do a little paperwork and he can, he'll get.
Matt Jones
If he wants to, he can have this party in every state. He's got the means. But who's voting? Actually, Billy, you're the kind of person I could see voting in the America Party.
Billy Gillespie
Well, would you disagree that we need another party? Like, do you think that Republicans and Democrats, this two party system is ideal?
Matt Jones
I'm for a third party, but the key question is what does that third party stand for? Everybody likes the idea of a third party, but for me, I'd like a third party in the middle. I think Elon wants a third party that's like libertarian. And then there are people who want a third party that's like communist or socialist. So lots of people like a third party. Question just Drew, what is the third party believe in?
Drew Franklin
And then there are people who are like, hey, Elon, get over here. Back to Tesla. Just, why don't you just work here and stay out of all this.
Matt Jones
You own Tesla stock, right?
Drew Franklin
Down 8% today.
Matt Jones
It's down a lot though, for the last few couple weeks. Right?
Drew Franklin
I bought it years ago. So I'm still doing all right. But it is a roller coaster of a ride. And I don't have a lot. It's not like a ton of money. But I do follow it. And it is. The Tesla chart is not for the faint of heart. If you're investing.
Matt Jones
Did you ever hear when Jesse. You ought to read sometime Jesse Ventura, When Jesse Ventura was at the peak of his. He was the governor of Minnesota. When he was the peak of it, he was going to run for president under the third party. And it was going to be like the Reform Party. And every crazy person in America showed up at the convention because they were like, we have a third party. I want to be part of it. And there's a documentary about how it was just the land of misfits. Everyone who didn't feel like they fit in anywhere just showed up. And I think Jesse Venture got there and was like, all right, this is too much.
Drew Franklin
I need a party. I'm jumping in one of these other two parties.
Matt Jones
If you're going to have. I want a third party. But honestly, what we probably need is five parties. We need a far left party, a moderate left party, moderates, Republicans, and then crazy people. Like, that's what we need. But that feels like a lot of work. So we'll probably just end up with the same two we got.
Drew Franklin
But this party's America, Matt. It's the America Party.
Matt Jones
Write this down, Billy.
Billy Gillespie
Okay?
Matt Jones
Be gone within a year.
Billy Gillespie
One year. Not even getting to the next presidential election. Not even making the midterms.
Matt Jones
You get to like November of this year. Trump's poll ratings will be low enough that Musk will be back and then they'll break up again. No, I mean, they're like a relationship of two people. I mean, do you know two crazy people that date each other?
Billy Gillespie
I can think of some. Yeah.
Matt Jones
What happens on again, off again, on again. We love each other, hate each other. They make out, they put.
Drew Franklin
They overshare on social media.
Matt Jones
Yeah, that's exactly right. You're the best person ever. You're in the Epstein report. Like, it's just. It's just back and forth and back and forth. That's what's going to happen. This party goes nowhere, Drew.
Drew Franklin
Well, if it gets to that point where it is picking up some steam, we're going to go to some America Party events just for people.
Billy Gillespie
Watch, dude, bring ksr.
Matt Jones
I would love to go.
Drew Franklin
We've already done the conventions.
Matt Jones
An America Party convention would be.
Drew Franklin
It's only fair that we go to the other Convention.
Matt Jones
Now be in an America party convention. Women. I mean, have you ever looked at Elon comment section? Besides Russian bots?
Drew Franklin
They're mostly robots.
Matt Jones
Russian bots. And in. What is it? What do you call the people who don't have sex? I was going to say infantiles. Incels. Okay. And then really rich people, there are no women and people that love their.
Drew Franklin
Tesla way too much. They like own one and just want to talk about their Tesla all the time. They're usually in there too.
Billy Gillespie
Well, Musk isn't going anywhere, so we'll see.
Matt Jones
You want to bet?
Billy Gillespie
I mean, I bet you it lasts longer than a year.
Matt Jones
Trump versus Elon is not a fair fight. Trump wins. Easy, easy. Because he has people that like him.
Billy Gillespie
Right?
Matt Jones
Who likes Elon?
Billy Gillespie
His robots, not his shareholders.
Matt Jones
Speaking of his robots, did you see the guy. I'm going to tell you an interview you need to watch that'll scare the bleep out of you. Did you see Peter Thiel? Do you know who that is?
Billy Gillespie
Do you know who he is?
Matt Jones
Peter Thiel's like. He's like Elon, but you just don't know who he is. He's basically the person that gave J.D. vance to America. He created J.D. vance.
Billy Gillespie
Thanks, Peter.
Drew Franklin
Appreciate it.
Matt Jones
And did you see the interview where he, they asked him, do you want humanity to survive? And he was like, it's a hard question. No.
Billy Gillespie
Seems like a no brainer. Easy, quick answer.
Matt Jones
I'm not kidding. I'll tell you what, Billy, when we discuss number three, I want you to look up the clip and I want you to play it because I want you to hear his answer to that question. And remember, this was Trump's third biggest donor.
Drew Franklin
He's one of the richest people in the world.
Matt Jones
He's one of the richest people in the world. And he basically was like, yeah, if we switch from humans to robots, it's cool.
Drew Franklin
See, I don't like this. Just say the rich. I've already made my opinions of AI clear. They're coming for us. And the rich people being too rich. This is, this is a combination of both.
Matt Jones
He also has.
Drew Franklin
He's got that planetar. Planet. Planetarium. Planetar something. It's scary.
Matt Jones
Do you want to say planetarium?
Drew Franklin
No. Some, some.
Matt Jones
Oh, no, no. Pallet, palatine, something.
Drew Franklin
Clearly I don't know enough to know.
Matt Jones
The name of the gathering all of our information. And then they're gonna like have. I don't know what they're gonna do.
Drew Franklin
This guy who doesn't want us to exist.
Matt Jones
Yeah, that's What's. The government's about to enter into a contract with this guy for him to have all of our information. And he's on record going, yeah, I'm not sure humans should exist. Palantir.
Drew Franklin
There you go. I was trying to get there. I think I had the dinosaur from running. That's what I said.
Billy Gillespie
I do. But it's not timed out. Who knows how long it would take to get to there. This is a 59 second clip. If you want to hear the whole.
Matt Jones
Let's just play it.
Drew Franklin
All right.
E
Involved in artificial intelligence see it as a kind of mechanism for transhumanism, for transcendence of our mortal flesh. And either some kind of creation of a successor species or some kind of merger of mind and machine. And do you think that's just all kind of irrelevant fantasy or do you think it's just hype? Do you think people are trying to raise money by pretending that we're going to build a machine? God. Right. Is it, is it hype? Is it delusion? Is it something you worry about? You. I think you, you would prefer the human race to endure, right? You're hesitating.
Matt Jones
Well, I.
E
Yes.
Matt Jones
I don't know. I, I would. I would.
E
This is a long hesitation. There's so many questions and should the human race survive?
Billy Gillespie
That's it.
Matt Jones
Should the human race survive? Well, that's a hard question.
Drew Franklin
No, that should be a hard yes. What have to think on that one.
Matt Jones
Just telling you.
Drew Franklin
I don't, I don't want people scare.
Matt Jones
Me when you just go, should the human race survive? And they don't have a quick answer.
Drew Franklin
What was he saying? We need to set up our like successors of species. Like. No, I like what we have here.
Billy Gillespie
We're good machine.
Drew Franklin
God, I don't need a machine.
Matt Jones
We should have stopped. Stuff is scary. And that was like, that wasn't on. That was on like the BBC. That was not on like a fringe show.
Drew Franklin
So we should have stopped at the Industrial revolution like no one else invented anything. We're stopping right here.
Matt Jones
We're good. What's number three?
Billy Gillespie
Well, Musk has had some recent criticism about Donald Trump saying that he was on the Jeffrey Epstein list on X. But the DOJ and the FBI have just announced news about Jeffrey Epstein. One, they released 11 hours of footage confirming that Epstein died by suicide in a jail cell in 2019. And nobody entered the facility that day.
Matt Jones
They released that.
Billy Gillespie
They released 11 hours of footage. Yeah.
Matt Jones
Where is that? I'm not watching it. But where did they put that on.
Billy Gillespie
The web I guess they just put.
Matt Jones
It on the Web.
Billy Gillespie
It's available to watch.
Matt Jones
So you just Google Jeffrey Epstein kills himself on the Web, and there it is.
Billy Gillespie
You know, I don't know if it's on YouTube, but there may be some hoops that you have to go through to get it, but it's out there. They also found that there is no incriminating client list. There's also no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals. Epstein's been the center of conspiracy for a while now after his death in 2019. Elon Musk Fanning those flames recently. But the FBI and DOJ announcing they found no incriminating client list.
Matt Jones
All right, so I actually have thoughts on this, but, Drew, I'd be interested in yours. You're not a. You know, you don't follow every moment when you hear that the FBI, DOJ says Epstein client list doesn't exist, he did kill himself. What are your thoughts?
Drew Franklin
I reach for my tinfoil hat. I try to not pick it up very often, but on this one, there's some funny business going on. And if not, why? Like, remember when they gave out the binders to podcasters? We're like, check out this list.
Matt Jones
Look, I have binders full of names.
Drew Franklin
There have been people in high profile positions that have been like, yeah, I have it. It's sitting on my desk.
Matt Jones
I'm reviewing it. No, that person was the Attorney general over there.
Drew Franklin
Gang. There you go. I don't know all my positions there, but I knew someone high up had said that. And now we're just supposed to be like, oh, it didn't exist. What the hell do we just. What was all the stuff we had been talking about? Why did you tell us it existed?
Matt Jones
So I actually tend to believe that this is true. I actually tend to believe that he did kill himself and that there isn't a quote, unquote list, because I never believed either of those things were true. First of all, did they think Epstein kept a list that was, like, people who. Like, under a. Like, that's my favorite thing.
Drew Franklin
It was. It was tucked under his bed, and.
Matt Jones
They think he just had it, like, in a diary. So every time they would say, this is a list, I always thought that was not. That's just not how the world works. People don't write down. You know, he was known for being.
Drew Franklin
Secretive, but he just wrote down everything.
Matt Jones
But this is the problem with conspiracy theories, because, Billy, here's what happens with people with conspiracy theories. People who believe in conspiracy theories would rather believe them than actually find out the truth. Because we put conspiracy theorists in charge of the FBI. Cash Patel and Dan Bungino were just podcast hosts who used to fan the flames of this. And then they're in charge and they're like, oh, yeah, there's nothing. Because people just say stuff and then they don't want. People never want to hear the boring truth that maybe, yeah, he did just kill himself. They don't want to hear that. Now, of course, there are people who are conspiracy theorists now saying, well, Trump must be on the list. That's why they don't want to put it out. But when you set up a conspiracy theory, you set it up to where there's no way your opinion can be disproved. Right? And we even put conspiracy theorists in charge. They say they're going to do it and then they come out and say it doesn't exist. And people still don't believe them. There's just like, so this is. I actually think this is probably true, but the woman has to answer for the binders, for a name. She's got an answer for that.
Drew Franklin
How does that happen if it never existed? What was that whole charade?
Matt Jones
They made it up. They just go on TV and make things up and then they hope everybody forgets. I mean, she got on TV and said, the list is on my desk. And then today they're like, there's no list.
Drew Franklin
Well, then at that point, maybe she's not fit for office. If she had an imaginary thing on.
Matt Jones
Her desk come out and say, did you lie?
Drew Franklin
Are you seeing things because you said.
Matt Jones
There was a list? I never believed there was a list. Which is not a popular opinion because again, people don't just write down lists of things. What do you believe?
Drew Franklin
A drug dealer keeps a log of everyone that comes by their house at the front door.
Matt Jones
Dealer has an official.
Billy Gillespie
But a drug dealer has clientele.
Matt Jones
He does, but I don't. I think they do things. I think the whole phrase off book, that's the thing.
Billy Gillespie
It's not in a leather bound journal with, you know, but they handed those.
Matt Jones
Things out to those podcasters and said, ah, look at here.
Drew Franklin
I think it's Steve Buscemi and Billy Madison laying on a couch and he's actually making a list.
Matt Jones
So what do you think? You've been pretty adamant. I remember you saying that you thought Epstein didn't kill himself. And do Patel and Bongino saying this change anything for you?
Billy Gillespie
I've never known specifics or had a strong opinion on the suicide or not, but I have always thought There was some kind of list out there that was being used to blackmail people in the past. Yes, I did think that Jeffrey Epstein. So do you still believe that on celebs? No. I mean, the DOJ and the FBI are saying that it wasn't, but the doj.
Matt Jones
See, this is what, I don't mean to get upset at you, but the DOJ and the FBI said that before and you didn't believe it. So why do you believe it now?
Billy Gillespie
Yeah, I don't know. It's just the point of time that we find ourselves now. And I'm finding.
Matt Jones
If you didn't believe it when Biden's DOJ said it, why would you now believe it that Trump's DOJ said.
Billy Gillespie
I don't think it's the matter if it was Biden's or Trump's DOJ's. I guess it was the fact that Trump was like, this is one of my initiatives. I'm gonna find the Epstein list, we'll reveal it.
Matt Jones
But what if he was on it?
Billy Gillespie
Like that? It's fair. I mean, that is a definite possible situation. I'm just. You have to believe in somebody. We've talked about this.
Matt Jones
I agree. So why didn't. I'm with you. You gotta believe in something. But why do these crazy people now believe in Trump's DOJ but they didn't believe in the other one?
Billy Gillespie
I'm not sure. I wouldn't call myself crazy for not having this opinion before today though.
Matt Jones
But you say so Cash Patel and Dan Bongino changed your mind.
Billy Gillespie
The recent reporting, the release of footage and this news. Yes. Has changed my mind.
Matt Jones
Okay. I never believe. I agree. You have to believe in something. So what are you going to. Cash Patel and Dan Bongino believing? It changes nothing for me. But I've always believed this didn't exist because it's just, people just act like it was going to be a book that was like, here are the pervs.
Drew Franklin
It was a sign up, sign up list, you know.
Matt Jones
So anyway, we'll see. We'll see what the. If you look in the comments section, the Elon bots, they're all saying, now you're a liar. But I'm glad, I'm actually glad that they put the crazy people in charge so that even the crazy people have to go, well, maybe we were being a little crazy.
Drew Franklin
It did seem reckless with names that they're around to, like my guy Tom Hanks out here catching strays, you know?
Matt Jones
Yeah. I mean, what Jimmy Kimmel became. Aaron Rodgers said Jimmy Kimmel.
Drew Franklin
I don't know anything, but it just. The people that truly were involved.
Matt Jones
I mean, when stuff was going on, Jimmy Kimmel was on the man show.
Drew Franklin
It's probably more likely to go when he was on the man show than now.
Matt Jones
But then. Yeah. Well, anyway, what's up next?
Billy Gillespie
All right, let's change gears for a little bit and wish a happy birthday to the Dalai lama. He turned 90 this past Sunday on the list. Who knows?
Drew Franklin
Are these two stories associated?
Billy Gillespie
They didn't release this connection here. Thousands gathered in India to celebrate the spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhism's birthday on X. The Dalai Lama emphasized the importance of achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate. Matt, it is the 14th Dalai Lama. He's been in exile for over 60 years, as him and the Chinese government are now fighting on who will replace the Dalai Lama.
Matt Jones
Where is he? Is he in Tibet?
Billy Gillespie
He is in India. He is in exile from Tibet, which is a part of China, I guess. The Dalai Lama is a reincarnation every year. And who the next Dalai Lama is.
Matt Jones
What does that mean? He's a reincarnation every year?
Billy Gillespie
Yeah. So the Dalai Lama. That's not his name. Like, that's his title. It's like the Pope, I believe.
Matt Jones
And what's his name, Bob?
Billy Gillespie
I don't know. I don't know his name. But there's a lot to do with reincarnation when it comes to what Tibetan Buddhism stands for.
Drew Franklin
No.
Matt Jones
Okay, but he has to be reincarnated, like, every year.
Billy Gillespie
He has to be renewed this Sunday. He said he plans on living till he's 130. Talked about his longevity. He's at 90 right now.
Matt Jones
Let me say it's a. It's a hard. You know, you're going to be proved right or wrong there. Llama.
Drew Franklin
I'll take the. Under all due respect to him.
Matt Jones
Dalai Lama is a person you don't hear a lot bad about, right?
Drew Franklin
No, not popping up on TMZ too often. There's not a lot of people for the Netflix scandal.
Matt Jones
So he's been in office for 30. I say office.
Drew Franklin
I don't think he has an office.
Matt Jones
How's he picked. How do we pick the llamas?
Billy Gillespie
See, that's what's in debate right now.
Matt Jones
I guess it's in debate. How'd he get it?
Billy Gillespie
You know, I'm not sure about that. There's a spiritual process that depends on.
Matt Jones
Somebody's got to decide.
Billy Gillespie
Well, yeah, that's the thing. Like, he has made it so only One person's decides. Somebody within the Tibetan Buddhism sphere.
Matt Jones
Every year they decide again that he's the llama.
Billy Gillespie
No, no. I guess there's a decision for life. For life, yeah. And then the Chinese government or the people in Beijing, they think that they are the ones that think that should determine who is the next person to have that role. And it's a big struggling match right now. That is the undertone. That's true. That is. That's the research I've done. Yeah.
Matt Jones
So because I didn't know this, the Chinese government says they get to decide who the Dolly.
Billy Gillespie
The government says.
Matt Jones
So do they have their own llama?
Billy Gillespie
No, but the, you know, the Tibetan Buddhists say that they have no say in this election. And the Chinese government obviously disagrees.
Matt Jones
I'm not sure that. I totally think that's what that fight's about. But regardless. So you never told me who got to pick.
Billy Gillespie
Yeah. So the Dalai Lama fled in 1959 from now controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. The Tibetan Buddhism sphere. Who gets to pick is who. The Dalai Lama chose choosing the next one.
Matt Jones
He chooses himself.
Billy Gillespie
Well, no, he didn't choose himself. There's an organization or it's a group that will decide the next one. Each potential Dalai Lama is also shown. Yeah, yeah. So like the Pope, there is a voting process.
Matt Jones
So he's had it for 60 years. That means he got it when he was 30.
Drew Franklin
It sounds. I thought, and I may sound crazy, I thought, like, a child was selected after the Dalai Lama dies because they think that's just them coming back in their new form, and then that's the next.
Billy Gillespie
There's some truth in that. There's a reincarnation that decides who is the next Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama.
Drew Franklin
So they're like. Toddlers were pretty.
Billy Gillespie
His office could only appoint his successor.
Matt Jones
But who's in the office? Like, someone has to decide. They don't just all of a sudden, a baby isn't just like, somebody's got to say, that's the baby.
Drew Franklin
They have, like, a board of monks around the pain.
Matt Jones
Billy, for you to say you don't.
Billy Gillespie
Know, it must be like.
Matt Jones
I feel like you're just saying things.
Billy Gillespie
Must be like a vibe check or something like that.
Matt Jones
Okay. So I think it's fair to say Billy does not know how you pick the Dalai Lama. All right, well, somebody will know.
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I was trying to read on the phone.
Matt Jones
Somebody will know and we'll find out. But happy 90th to the llama.
Drew Franklin
So it says he was selected in 1930. 9. So, yeah, he would have had to have been very young.
Matt Jones
So that was 1939 is 66 years ago. And if he's 90, that means he was picked at 24.
Drew Franklin
Okay. A little older than I thought.
Billy Gillespie
And he wants to make it to110.130 would be a stretch.
Matt Jones
So the news is a little shaky on this one.
Billy Gillespie
It's his birthday.
Matt Jones
Maybe some of the other facts were a little shaky.
Billy Gillespie
It's all part of it.
Drew Franklin
You think he does anything different on his birthday? Maybe working a Sig?
Matt Jones
I don't know.
Drew Franklin
Maybe a White Claw. One White Claw.
Matt Jones
Do you know anybody that's met the Dolly?
Drew Franklin
No, never met him. Like his teachings? No, I have not.
Matt Jones
Yeah, but sometimes I feel like that. Like, does he tour? No, but I feel like, you know, like Eddie Vedder meets him. People like. I feel like people like that go into.
Drew Franklin
I don't know Eddie Vedder either, but that's good. Good for him.
Billy Gillespie
Choosing the next Dalai Lama is a specific process rooted in ancient spiritual rituals, including which way the smoke blows when he's cremated and which way he was looking when he died. Each potential Dalai Lama is also shown objects belonging to the previous Dalai Lama to see who can identify the belongings.
Drew Franklin
Oh, they're test something which according to.
Billy Gillespie
The belief, would indicate that they are. This is a documentary, a reincarnation of the spiritual.
Matt Jones
So far you've told me some things like which way he looks, where the smoke is blowing, and then a test. I would not put it past as this becoming a reality show at some point, but figuring out who the Dalai Lama. I'd like to see a documentary on that.
Drew Franklin
Have you seen Hook? Robin Williams? Peter Pan? You familiar? All right, there's a moment where the Lost Boys, they realize it's Pan inside there, and they're like, there you are, Peter. Maybe they wait until they think they've found the Dalai Lama in a new form. Like Billy said, they're showing him toys. Do they recognize this? Do you remember this person?
Matt Jones
Have you seen Hook? I didn't.
Drew Franklin
Great film.
Matt Jones
There's a lot of things I thought you were gonna say. I didn't think it was good.
Drew Franklin
Dustin Hoffman.
Matt Jones
All right, what's. What's our next news item? Number five.
Billy Gillespie
All right, we'll move on from the Dalai Lama. We'll go back stateside, where United States measles cases have reached a 33 year record high. 1277 confirmed cases across 38 states. There have been three measles related deaths in the year of 2025. 92% of cases this year were in people who were either unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown. This was a disease that was considered eliminated in the United States in the year 2000. The vaccination has been in place since 1963. I guess nobody's getting vaccinations anymore. And the measles are back.
Matt Jones
So one of the good things about the Trump era is that the crazy people have united. Like, there used to be crazy people on the left and crazy people on the right, and now when it comes to vaccinations, they have found common ground. They are crazy together. Because it used to be the anti vax people were mostly on the left. It was like Jenny McCarthy and it was like Singled Out.
Drew Franklin
MTV.
Matt Jones
Jenny McCarthy, yes. She was one of the biggest. She made for a long time. She. When I thought of anti vax, I thought of her. She was like the main person. But the anti vax people, it was generally hippies who didn't want. It was like Dalai Lama types.
Drew Franklin
Let me be pure.
Matt Jones
Yeah, no, that's exactly who it was. And then during COVID the right wing started doing it. And then RFK is kind of the figure because he was a left wing guy, he was far left. And they came together and you get this, Maha, make America healthy again. It feels to me like if a disease is dead and we have a way to keep it dead, we should have done that. The only other person I knew that said don't give the measles vaccine was Matt Bevin. And he left his kid in.
Drew Franklin
You know, he's not the best we've had.
Matt Jones
He doesn't seem like the best dude in the world. RFK does not seem like the best dude in the world to me. So. But does measles, does it kill you? What does it do to you?
Billy Gillespie
Yeah, I don't have that answer.
Drew Franklin
I mean, a lot of rashes. I know that much. I don't know how deadly it is.
Matt Jones
Yeah. And I saw a couple kid or two has died and that's bad.
Billy Gillespie
Three total.
Matt Jones
Three total. So feels like it was gone. We had a way to stop it. Might as well just kept going down that route.
Drew Franklin
Yeah, I feel like we're in a good place to fight against measles. We had one. I feel like we've really, we've blown a big lead here against the measles. Feel like we were doing a great job. Some things we could have just focused our efforts elsewhere.
Matt Jones
It was the bottom of the night. Two out. Well, I hope there aren't other diseases.
Drew Franklin
That come back and let's try to put it back in the dead before it gets too out of hand, because it is very, very, very contagious.
Matt Jones
Yeah. Robert Kennedy, even I really like. If you're talking about people historically that I really respect, his father is maybe number one. But what does that tell you? Kids? Famous and rich people should not be allowed to run anything because they end up being crazy.
Drew Franklin
And our health. Let's leave the experts in charge.
Matt Jones
I mean, when Billy and I did that one thing the other day, Billy was shocked to find out he's not a doctor. We put the guy in charge of health, not a doctor. No medical training.
Drew Franklin
He has a communications degree.
Matt Jones
Yeah. I don't even think he has that. Yeah. Let's run the health service. How about Ryan, the guy's gonna eat.
Drew Franklin
10 donuts on Friday.
Matt Jones
I knew. You want to know when I knew RFK was a fraud? Mr. Make America Healthy again? When he was on the plane with Trump and they were eating McDonald's.
Drew Franklin
Yeah.
Matt Jones
If all things stop, man, the Dalai.
Billy Gillespie
Lama has a cigarette every now and then. He can't have a McDonald's burger.
Matt Jones
No, not if. I mean, I'm. He can have McDonald's every day if he wants. But don't say like you don't like artificial things if you're eating McDonald's.
Drew Franklin
One of the most artificial things you can get.
Matt Jones
Good, by the way. Yeah.
Drew Franklin
Might get it for dinner on the way home tonight.
Matt Jones
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Billy Gillespie
All right, one more slightly serious news story, and we'll get into some more fun stuff. Bringing up Donald Trump again. He has delayed the tariff deadline. If you remember the April 2, Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on countries that plan on doing business with the United States. They lowered the rates for 10% for 90 days, and that deadline is coming up. But Donald Trump has decided to delay that from July 9 to August 1. He did say that now that letters are going to be sent through the mail Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to foreign countries.
Matt Jones
No, he didn't say through the mail.
Billy Gillespie
I may have added through the mail, but letters would be being sent. Obviously, the timing and severity of tariffs have gone up and down and has constantly changed, but it looks like we're going to be getting that pretty soon.
Matt Jones
So I think they said when they introduced the tariffs, 90 deals in 90 days. And I saw this morning they have two. One was with Great Britain, where I feel like things were pretty good before.
Drew Franklin
Again, we're just free opening things.
Matt Jones
I feel like things were pretty good since the 1780s. I feel like Great Britain and I've been. We've been on the same side. Most of the time.
Drew Franklin
We get it.
Matt Jones
And then Vietnam, which I was happy they had to deal with Vietnam because my Nike stock went up. My stunt, my Nike stock had taken a hit. But then when the Vietnam wouldn't happen because they make. Most of their stuff in Vietnam went way up. Tariffs are stupid. They just are. They raise. I mean, they raise prices on Americans. People don't understand. You know, they go, vietnam's paying tariffs. No, they're not. You're paying tariffs. Tariffs. You know, I will remind you, that T shirt you make when it's imported from Vietnam, do you know who pays that tariff? The company that makes that T shirt. And you know who they then charge more for it? You, Mario. Vietnam doesn't pay anything at all. And that simple truth is lost. And then Trump says, well, we need to have equal rates with these other countries. Vietnam can't afford our stuff. They don't have any money. So he's like, I saw in the announcement, he was like, now Vietnam is able to buy American SUVs.
Drew Franklin
We've sold two.
Matt Jones
First of all, if you've seen Vietnam, their roads are like, they can't have SUVs. It's not like it's Louisville. It's Vietnam. So, you know, this is another one, like the terrorist thing. It wasn't going to work August 1st. They'll just extend the deadline even longer.
Drew Franklin
We're going to have to pay a lot more. I mean, that's just simple business. If you have a condo, you rent out and they raise the hoa, you're like, all right, whatever. I'm just going to raise the building.
Matt Jones
What I'm charging for my condo. You know, that's exactly right. Back to my left and right have converged in idiocy. You know, who used to be for tariffs? The far left. That was who was for tariffs. It Was only like crazy liberals that were for tariffs. Like crazy liberals. And now it's the policy of America. But thankfully we get another month till the letters go out and my Nike stock is back up. Congrats to Vietnam. Go ahead.
Billy Gillespie
All right, this one is out of left field for sure. Tell me if you've heard any of this. The federal government announced recently that they are planning to breed millions of flies and dump them over Mexico and Texas via airplanes in an effort to combat a flesh eating maggot. Has this crossed your desk?
Matt Jones
I haven't seen this.
Billy Gillespie
Okay, so the pest. Let me introduce you to the new World screwworm fly.
Matt Jones
What's the name of it?
Billy Gillespie
The New World screwworm fly.
Matt Jones
Wow.
Billy Gillespie
And it is the department of agriculture's plan to breed these flies to sterilize them in radiation and then release them out into, I guess the environment. The thought is that they would breed with the females. They would not produce the larva that many times spawn and live in cattle and horses. This problem has gotten so bad that they had to close the Mexican border for the, I guess the movement of cattle across the border.
Matt Jones
All right, so you're saying a lot of words. Let me be simple. There's a flesh eating maggot in cows in Mexico.
Billy Gillespie
Cattle, horses and bison and all imports along the southern border have then.
Matt Jones
So the maggots eat the cows. Well, that seems like a problem. All right, so they're going to release flies. Are these like flies that really exist or did we create them?
Billy Gillespie
These flies actually exist.
Matt Jones
So we're. So we're just releasing. They're somewhere else and we're taking them down there, correct?
Billy Gillespie
Yes.
Drew Franklin
Just putting them in planes and opening the doors.
Billy Gillespie
Just opening the doors. Yes.
Matt Jones
Interesting.
Billy Gillespie
These flies are native to many of the Central American countries. And so we're bringing them to Mexico in Texas. We're gonna have a whole distribution center in 20, 26.
Matt Jones
And then what'd you say? They're sterile. So how are that. You said they needed to mate. How are they gonna mate if they're sterile?
Billy Gillespie
Right. So they, I guess they put them in radiation that makes them sterile. Then these flies come down with the population. They mate with the females.
Matt Jones
How do they mate if they're sterile?
Billy Gillespie
They don't produce.
Drew Franklin
Oh, they still don't react. It just doesn't lead to anything.
Billy Gillespie
The maggots don't come eventually.
Matt Jones
So they mate with flies that are.
Billy Gillespie
There or with maggots, female flies that are already down there looking around.
Matt Jones
Well, how do they know that this is not a fertile fly? We mean they don't. So they just bang all the flies.
Billy Gillespie
The hope is that you release so many flies that the. That the population is mostly radiated flies that then have, you know, intercourse with the other flies that don't then produce a maggots log on here.
Matt Jones
I don't. I understand letting the flies go to eat the maggots. Do the flies eat the maggots?
Billy Gillespie
No, the flies.
Matt Jones
What do the maggots do?
Billy Gillespie
They're in the flies turn into flies.
Matt Jones
Maggots turn into flies or do flies turn into maggots?
Billy Gillespie
Come on, you know that one. You're screwing with me here.
Drew Franklin
I'm so confused on all of this. Who even thinks of this idea? Let's just load these all up in a plane and open the door and let them out.
Matt Jones
I don't know. I mean, I think it sounds like a good idea though.
Drew Franklin
It's worth a shot. Unless it backfires. Then you just have all these.
Matt Jones
I don't understand all the sex part of it. I don't know who's. Who's having sex with who and what that's going to do. But you know what? No. You got to trust somebody. I think I'll trust the government on the fly eating maggots. Over. Over us.
Drew Franklin
I wasn't aware we had this problem. It's hitting close to home. I saw a bison last week. Several of them like 200. We counted very. Got very close to them. I don't want the maggots. I didn't. I don't want the population. This was on Wildlife loop road.
Matt Jones
So has this had an effect on our beef prices or anything? I haven't. This is the first I've ever heard of. I mean this is the news but this is the first I've ever heard of this.
Billy Gillespie
This is the news. I have not heard of any prices being impacted. I knew the imports have stopped of cattle, horse and bison. This is actually a problem that was eradicated in the United States in 1966. Just like measles. But I guess a new outbreak in Mexico has changed things recently.
Matt Jones
Well, good luck to the flies.
Drew Franklin
Yeah, we can't let the flesh eating maggots win this one.
Matt Jones
I can't. Is there anything grosser than the word flesh eating Maggot?
Drew Franklin
No. Maggot. I don't really get weirded out by stuff but maggots. That's pretty. That one will get me. Makes my skin crawl a little bit thinking about those.
Matt Jones
When you were a kid, do you remember when there was like you'd see on the Newsstands about the flesh eating virus. There was that. What was it called? Ebola?
Drew Franklin
Yeah, that was one of them.
Matt Jones
When I was a kid, that scared me to death that I saw the movie Outbreak. Do you remember the Outbreak with Dustin Hoffman? And I saw it in a movie theater in Mexico and surrounded by these maggots. No, we were in Mexico. It was when I was working at a. At a youth at like a orphanage and I was in high school and we went and saw Outbreak at the movie theater and people. There were some people in the theater that got scared and started screaming and ran outside.
Billy Gillespie
Wow.
Matt Jones
And it only. It made me more scared because the movie was in Spanish, so I didn't know. No, I mean, there wasn't like, subtitles. The movie was in Spanish, so I was watching the movie, but I couldn't understand. And these people got up screaming and ran outside. And I started getting scared because I didn't know what was on the screen. Billy, that was so scary. Right. Because it was in Spanish.
Drew Franklin
Did you like the. Get Lisa and them while we were running? Need to run coordinator from Kings of Comedy. You just running with the crowd.
Matt Jones
I was like, oh, no, you couldn't look it up on the Internet. I just remember the flesh eating virus would always be on the. Like when you're at the grocery store, the newsstand, you know those, like tabloids.
Drew Franklin
Yeah.
Matt Jones
You'd be like, kid in something.
Drew Franklin
Sun.
Matt Jones
Kid in Michigan has flesh eating virus. And I was like, oh, it's coming for us next.
Drew Franklin
This poor kid.
Matt Jones
It scared me.
Drew Franklin
Before Outbreak, Dustin Hoffman was in a great movie called Hook.
Billy Gillespie
Here it is.
Drew Franklin
He played the captain.
Matt Jones
Two references to Hook. All right, what's next?
Billy Gillespie
All right, if you are a subscriber to Spotify, you may have heard the new band called the Velvet Sundown. They've been popping up on popular national playlist and people have been confused. You know, this band doesn't have much of a digital footprint. Where did they come from? Who is the Velvet Sundown? Well, this is actually a full AI band that has over 1.1 million monthly listeners. Andrew Freelon tried to take credit for the Velvet Sundown, but he was a hoaxer. And the actual real people behind the magic had to step forward just recently to say that the Velvet Sundown's tracks use generative AI tools. And the whole band is now done with AI they have a new updated Spotify bio. And people feel a little deceived that the band that they liked was completely AI hmm.
Matt Jones
Would it bother you if music you liked was all AI A little bit.
Drew Franklin
I've heard some songs that are AI and I bob my head and they're catchy. They're usually like combining country or rap or something. But at the end of the day, if I'm listening to music, I want to actually hear someone's talent.
Matt Jones
So it matters to you that like a person is a person?
Drew Franklin
A little bit. I'm not going to say I wouldn't enjoy it. Like I said, there's some I have on my phone that I laugh and text friends occasionally because they're funny. But if I'm sitting around listening to music, I would want it to be a human being.
Matt Jones
Does that would that matter to you, Billy?
Billy Gillespie
If it was?
Matt Jones
Yes.
Billy Gillespie
Yeah. I don't want to hear robots.
Matt Jones
But what if you don't know they're robots?
Billy Gillespie
It will it bother me, me not knowing? I like to learn about Tyler Childers, who he is, you know, like the. The reason why he's making the music that he is.
Matt Jones
So that matters to you?
Billy Gillespie
Yeah. If it's just computer generated, it's just be just like anything else.
Matt Jones
Yeah, it's interesting. That's one of those things that I don't think it would matter to me until I knew and then it would matter to me. Like if I couldn't tell the difference, what difference would it make? But then once you know you're right, you're like, this isn't a real person. I can't go see him in concert. Do you think they'll ever come a time that all of our music it's just a one cares.
Drew Franklin
Well, get ready for like movies that are just look completely real but none of it was ever filmed.
Matt Jones
So would that matter to you?
Drew Franklin
That one I think is even worse than. Than or excuse me, I think music is worse than that music. Kind of want to hear someone movies we're gonna have like action scenes that are just people typing in to AI and having it created.
Matt Jones
Cool. With that.
Drew Franklin
That one I could sit with a little more because a lot of movies are already CGI and fake anyway. But the music I would want to actually hear from someone with talent.
Matt Jones
Yeah. I don't know. It's an interesting question, like would you rather see a movie? I mean movies could probably end up costing very little money if you didn't have to pay actors and camera people. But then that's a whole industry that would just collapse.
Drew Franklin
I've already seen some crazy examples of movies AIs made just like short 10 minute clips. But once they finally perfect it and they're putting out, you know, blockbuster films by not leaving the computer.
Matt Jones
Yeah. So depressing, though, you know, it's just so depressing, isn't it?
Billy Gillespie
Yeah.
Drew Franklin
And you want to see human acting.
Matt Jones
I don't know. I. I hate it.
Drew Franklin
Like, every time we get together, we.
Matt Jones
Steer off to AI it just didn't. I hate it. Like the whole point is to be human. Like that. There's, you know, there's human. There's something about humans need to connect with each other. And if all of our art is just AI but then there's also a part of me that says, like the picture of Mark Stoop smoking and drinking, that's AI Is kind of awesome.
Drew Franklin
And we enjoy those as we're just walking straight into it, getting bigger and bigger and bigger.
Billy Gillespie
But we know it's AI as soon as we see it.
Matt Jones
But there'll come a point where we won't. There's gonna be a point where the technology is so good that we won't know. I mean, think about just special effects. There was a time if you watch special effects in the 70s and 80s, you can see that it's not real. But now you can't really tell. So does it matter if in Mission Impossible, Tom Cruise is there or not?
Drew Franklin
Soon it won't even be Tom Cruise. It'll just be a person that was made for that one role.
Matt Jones
Do you. Will Mission Impossible be worse to you if it's not Tom Cruise and it's just a computer figment of Tom Cruise?
Drew Franklin
That's what I was saying. I think I get used to a movie a little easier than music. Music. I'm still going to want a human eventually. I think movies just going to be what it is. I mean, they already make them up so much that in movies you can't tell who they are. So what's it matter if it's just computer generated?
Matt Jones
Do you think it'll ever get that way with, like, radio and podcasts where it doesn't matter if we're here?
Drew Franklin
Radio. I feel like it's more like music where you want to actually have a human.
Matt Jones
Yeah, this is depressing. Billy, what's next?
Billy Gillespie
All right.
Drew Franklin
Are you still Billy over there? Have you turned to new computer?
Billy Gillespie
You can call me Big Beautiful Bill.
Matt Jones
If you'd like, but I will not.
Billy Gillespie
Number nine. Let's go to something that's happening this week. The release of Superman this Friday, July 11th. A lot of people are excited for Superman to come back, but James Gunn, the director's comments recently has caused for some people to not be so Excited, he says Superman is going to be political. And here's the full quote. I mean, Superman is the story of America. An immigrant that comes from other places and populates the country. But for me, it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we've lost. Yes, it's about pop politics, but on another level, it's about mortality. Do you never kill to no matter what, which is what Superman believes, or do you have some balance as Lois believes? It's really about their relationship and the way different opinions on basic moral beliefs can tear two people apart.
Matt Jones
Yeah, if I was the movie studio, I'd be like, dude, stop talking. You know, I mean, I. That. That's a lot of words. He should never. Just. Just.
Drew Franklin
Just unnecessary.
Matt Jones
Just like, okay. I mean, it's a movie about kindness.
Drew Franklin
No, it's about a movie of a guy who works at the Daily Planet who flies and, you know, has a lot of power. We don't have to get in the other stuff.
Matt Jones
I don't know if I ever thought.
Drew Franklin
Just fly them on the screen.
Matt Jones
Did you ever think of Superman as being an immigrant?
Drew Franklin
No, not at all. Well, what are we doing? Just let him fly. Catch the big planet rock.
Matt Jones
To be fair, though, when he comes down from Krypton, they don't ask if he has his papers.
Billy Gillespie
Are you here legally Superman?
Drew Franklin
His disguise was actually for ice.
Matt Jones
Superman, I ain't getting you Medicaid. No, I mean, like, I. I think that's a little much by that guy. Because the whole point of the movies in some respect, is the. To not to get away from the world. You know, I think.
Drew Franklin
I don't want to sound like the people are like, get politics out of my sports or get it. But really, can I just watch Superman and it be Superman?
Matt Jones
And also just like, we don't have to think about that.
Drew Franklin
Like, why did that even enter your mind on Superman?
Matt Jones
I don't sit there and go, okay, Talladega Nights. What is the political statement they were trying to make by having the French driver? And did he get his C1 visa before he came to raise it? I just don't think like that. So maybe the dude just needs to chill out. Who. Who is Superman?
Billy Gillespie
Oh, it's. It's changed. I'm not sure the actor's name, but I only know this because the previous actor refused to help the new actor. He didn't get.
Matt Jones
What do you mean, refused to help.
Drew Franklin
Me solve the controversy.
Billy Gillespie
He didn't give him any tips. I guess the new guy asked for Some tips.
Matt Jones
What tips did he want?
Billy Gillespie
And the old guy was like, nah.
Drew Franklin
Stick your right arm up in the air, have the cape on.
Matt Jones
All right, look, man, there's this phone book, phone booth.
Drew Franklin
You're gonna get inside that.
Matt Jones
You're gonna want to be in the phone, all right? There's this rock. It's green. Stay away from it.
Drew Franklin
You're gonna want to wear some glasses. They're gonna blow your cover at the Daily Planet.
Matt Jones
No, I don't know who you are. Here's a little secret I picked up. I put the glasses in a towel, and no one knows it's me.
Billy Gillespie
David Corrin Sweat is the new one.
Matt Jones
His name is what? David Corn Sweat.
Billy Gillespie
David Corenswet.
Matt Jones
He should more worry about his name than the politics of the movie.
Drew Franklin
I've never heard of that one guy.
Matt Jones
Who was the last Superman.
Billy Gillespie
It was like Henry Cavill.
Drew Franklin
It's not Dean Cain anymore.
Billy Gillespie
No, Dean.
Matt Jones
It's funny. For as big as Batman movies are, I don't think of Superman movies.
Drew Franklin
Oh, yeah. I'm more of a Batman guy myself.
Matt Jones
What's. What happens in Superman movies?
Billy Gillespie
Same thing every time. Same thing, really?
Matt Jones
Because the Batman movies, there's a lot of different things that happens depending on which one you see.
Billy Gillespie
And Kirk Allen was the first one. George Reeves, Christopher.
Matt Jones
George Reeves was the one on television. Christopher Reeve was the one famous one in the movie.
Billy Gillespie
Dean Cain, he was on television. And then who, let's see, going down the list here, then we had Tom Welling.
Matt Jones
Never heard of him.
Billy Gillespie
Brandon Roof.
Matt Jones
Brandon Roof. I think he works at ovw.
Billy Gillespie
Henry Cavill.
Matt Jones
Henry Cavill.
Billy Gillespie
And then, yeah, Brandon Roof works at ovw.
Matt Jones
They call him Cornbread. He was Superman.
Billy Gillespie
Tyler Hoechlin was the TV adaptation recently. And then David Corn Sweat is the new one.
Matt Jones
Well, I have a feeling. It's just my prediction. I think this Superman is going to be a bust.
Drew Franklin
I didn't even know there was a new Superman coming out. It feels like Superman and Spider man, especially every two years. The studios are like, all right, let's do another one. So run it back.
Matt Jones
Have you seen. Have you seen any movies this year?
Drew Franklin
I'm a very bad movie watcher. I think this week, though, I'm going to try to catch F1 before it leaves theaters, because that just seems like one that'll be better in the.
Matt Jones
Yeah, I saw Sinners.
Drew Franklin
Ooh, that's streaming now, Mike. Sinners is great.
Matt Jones
I was. I'm a big fan of Sinners. That first three fourths of that movie is one of my favorite movies in a long time. Then it's a little vampirey for me, but. But the first three fourths, and you've seen it. Mario. The Irish music is kind of awesome. I know they're supposed to be the bad guys, but when they sing on. When they sing. What is it? Come Ye Lassie or whatever. Dude. So good. The Irish. The Irish. And then the scene where they're in the dance place and all the different kinds of music blend together and what? That's a great scene. It's a really, really good movie, I think. I don't like vampires, but besides that, I think it's good.
Drew Franklin
Now that that's streaming, I'll see it before the end of the week. I usually watch more things that are like a. Our episode. Like Poop Cruise on Netflix. You seen that one? Good stuff, right? Crazy.
Billy Gillespie
Yeah, crazy.
Matt Jones
They were stuck on a. I don't.
Drew Franklin
Know if it's gonna win any awards.
Billy Gillespie
Engine fire. Cut the power to a cruise ship for four days or so, and they couldn't use the toilets. And so it all backed up.
Matt Jones
And when you say they couldn't use them. They could. It just wouldn't go down.
Billy Gillespie
It overflowed. Yeah.
Drew Franklin
Couldn't cook anything. So they're eating just whatever.
Matt Jones
Has anybody seen the American Apparel?
Drew Franklin
Watched it yesterday.
Matt Jones
Good. No, not good.
Drew Franklin
No. I was pretty looking forward to a little bit at the end.
Matt Jones
I've read the book about that, and it was. It was like, kind of crazy. It didn't come through in the documentary.
Drew Franklin
Not really. It's pretty short. They don't get too specific.
Matt Jones
Okay.
Drew Franklin
I mean, spoiler. The guy's a little creepy.
Matt Jones
Yeah, well, that's the premise of the book, too. When I saw it was only 50 minutes, I thought that was kind of short.
Drew Franklin
Yeah, they kind of rushed through. I think that was the issue.
Matt Jones
Yeah, I thought it was kind of. I saw the Materialist, which was. Okay. It's about a person who, like, matchmaker. And she's got two hot guys. Which one's she gonna pick? I'm gonna. Spoiler alert. One's rich, one doesn't have a lot of money. Oh, wow. She's kinda into the poor one, but the rich one gives her the kind of life she would want.
Drew Franklin
What a dilemma.
Matt Jones
What are you gonna do? Which one's it gonna be?
Drew Franklin
Has anyone been in this spot before?
Matt Jones
But it was actually all right. But anyway. All right, let's do it with our last one.
Billy Gillespie
All right. Our final news bit of the day. We all love a good pivot. And the newest pivot is coming from Chuck E. Cheese. They are opening adult arcades called Chuck's Arcade.
Matt Jones
No, they're not.
Drew Franklin
Yep.
Billy Gillespie
And it features a variety of new and current video games and retro video Games like Ms. Pac Man, Galaga, Mortal Kombat, Donkey Kong and Centipede. It has already opened in eight different states. And each arcade has an animatronic character.
Matt Jones
It's got the things that it has at least one.
Billy Gillespie
Yes. Are you interested in Chuck's Arcade?
Matt Jones
No, but, I mean, this isn't going to work, right?
Billy Gillespie
Is there a market for a adult?
Matt Jones
I'm amazed at how many people. How many adults go to things like that? Like, let me give you an example. Last night, it was 11:15 at night, and I went for a walk downtown and I was walking down Broadway and I don't know if you know, in that one building, people listening around the country won't know this, but there's a building between Rupp arena and where we have a bar. There's a building coming from Rupp towards KS Bar on the right that's like, got all these apartments, and now there's some commercial stuff in there. I think there's a place called, like the Kitty Titty or something in there.
Drew Franklin
That's what it's called.
Billy Gillespie
Is that the name?
Drew Franklin
Kitty Lounge, something like that.
Matt Jones
Okay. Next to it is a bar where you can come play like Dungeons and Dragons. That did, you know that's there.
Drew Franklin
Chaotic something. Chaotic something.
Matt Jones
They sell coffee, but they also. You can play like.
Drew Franklin
I don't know, it's coffee and games. Chaotic goods.
Billy Gillespie
Trading card games.
Matt Jones
Yeah. So it's 11:15 on a Sunday night, and there were 20 people in there playing games. And I was like, wow, Kitty Titty doesn't have anybody in it. But Chaotic Dungeons and Dragons has a lot of people. My point is to say there's a lot more people into this stuff than I would think there would be. So maybe there is a market for Chucks.
Drew Franklin
I didn't know this was happening. And would I go twice? No, but I would probably make one trip. I'm a big nostalgia guy. I got to see the bears in the. In their little theater.
Matt Jones
They don't have the whole music group.
Billy Gillespie
Just at least one in the. The new.
Matt Jones
What states is this in?
Billy Gillespie
I'd have to look that back up. Texas, New York. That's all I know off the top of my head.
Drew Franklin
Well, I missed the old. I think it used to be showbiz pizza at one point. So I would pop in one time just to Scratch that nostalgia itch. And then I would not want to be anywhere near it again because it's probably a little creepy.
Matt Jones
My problem with Chuck E. Cheese was always the same, which was there's little kids snotting in the pepperoni. Right. And they were always like. You know, the little kid would, like, take the cheese sticks and rub them on their face and then, like, throw them back down, and they would just. It just felt like a very unhygienic place to me. So if you get all those stupid kids out of there and then you just have the pizza buffet and the bear and the bear playing the banjo, and I can play Ms. Pac Man.
Drew Franklin
Starting to talk into it.
Billy Gillespie
Georgia, Oklahoma, Florida, New York, Texas, New Hampshire, Missouri and Connecticut.
Matt Jones
Those are very different states. So they're kind of going for all markets.
Billy Gillespie
More locations coming in California in August.
Drew Franklin
I don't think it'll work, though.
Matt Jones
I kind of think it won't either.
Billy Gillespie
Pizza was good.
Matt Jones
It's Chuck E. Cheese. That's still open.
Drew Franklin
I think Lexington still has one, right? Over on New Circle.
Billy Gillespie
Yeah.
Matt Jones
So do kids, like, still have their parties there and stuff?
Billy Gillespie
Yeah, it's still a thing. It's just, you know, tough to keep up with the times.
Drew Franklin
Right.
Matt Jones
Can I ask you one last question before we go?
Drew Franklin
You can ask me as many questions.
Matt Jones
A little bit off topic. Went to an Indian restaurant on Saturday, and they were having an Indian child's birthday party. Okay. And everyone was dressed up. So when I walk in, there's like 15 or 20 people there, men and women and children. They are in native Indian garb. So I'm talking about India, like the Asian country, Right? Native Indian garb. The. What do you call them? I don't even know what you call them. But you know what? I'm talking, like, the robe kind of stuff. And as I was leaving the restaurant, a woman was walking in with her daughter, and they were both white, and they were dressed like that. And it felt racist to me because it didn't. Like, it looked like. What do you call it? Appropriation. That's what it looked like. But they were going to a party that was all Indian people and they were all dressed like that. I'm going to presume that they checked first to see if that was okay. And I'm not asking you if it's okay, but you can you see why I would have felt like that? It felt sort of weird. Now, maybe if I'd seen him in the context of everyone else, I wouldn't have felt like that. The person I was with then told me that when. When there's an Indian wedding, they do that, and everyone that goes to the wedding is supposed to dress like that.
Billy Gillespie
That I didn't know that.
Drew Franklin
I know people who have gone to Indian weddings and they had to kind of go out of their way to find the traditional time.
Matt Jones
But it would feel very weird if you went to, like, a Mexican wedding and everybody wore sombreros and, like. Like, I would feel like. I would feel like I was being racist doing that. Does it not feel like that?
Drew Franklin
I mean, to me, someone that's not involved, it does seem a little odd, but I've seen many examples of it happen. I was at a coffee shop this summer where there was an Indian wedding on the other side. And I would say half the guests were, you know, white people that probably had to go out and find that. That attire to be guests at the wedding.
Matt Jones
During the Black Lives Matter movement, when Nancy Pelosi dressed in, like, African gear, and I was like, nancy, what. What are you doing? You look ridiculous. Like, that's. You're clearly like, you know, come on. But I guess. But think about it. If it was anything but Indian, I feel like it wouldn't be appropriate.
Billy Gillespie
Well, I feel like there is, like, my culture is not your costume here.
Matt Jones
But at the same time, I agree with you. But this. But.
Billy Gillespie
But they seem welcoming, like they did.
Matt Jones
Well, I didn't see her walk in, so, like, I. I'm going to assume when she got there, they didn't say, get out of here. Yeah, I'm gonna assume she wore it because she was told to or thought to. But when they walked in, it was very striking to me. I felt like if they had asked me to come to this party, I just would go, are you sure you want me to wear this? Can I just wear this together? It would feel like my culture is not your costume, and that's disrespectful.
Billy Gillespie
And I don't think that people want that. Like, when you dress up with a sombrero and go out.
Matt Jones
But clearly I say this. I don't know. But I do wonder, is it different with Indian people?
Billy Gillespie
Could be.
Matt Jones
They want you to do that.
Drew Franklin
Yeah. I think at least with weddings, it's like, kind of showing respect to their culture, I guess.
Matt Jones
Would you feel, let's say we got invited to an Indian wedding. Would you feel like, I mean, this is what I should be wearing? Yeah.
Drew Franklin
I wouldn't know where to start, but I would have to go out of my way to find it, to be part of it.
Matt Jones
But you'd have to wear it, but also not be like, look at me, I'm wearing the Indian gloves.
Drew Franklin
I know people have done it and they. I've heard from them, like, it's hard to go out and buy all this stuff and wear it. And you feel a little.
Matt Jones
Yeah, you go into the store.
Drew Franklin
But that's going to the. But that's what they want at their Indian clothing store.
Matt Jones
And you're like, all right, man, here we go.
Drew Franklin
32.
Matt Jones
Anyway, I'm not gonna wear that to Chuck's. I'm just saying. I don't know what made me think of that, but. Well, Billy, thank you.
Billy Gillespie
Thank you.
Matt Jones
Feels like we learned a lot of news.
Drew Franklin
Learned about the Dalai Lama. Got to shout out hook not once but twice.
Billy Gillespie
Flesh eating maggots. Maggots, yeah.
Matt Jones
All kinds of stuff. Well, thank you all very much. I'll be back tomorrow and we will do a little bit about the big beautiful bill and its effect on Kentucky. This is interrupted by Matt.
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Interrupted by Matt Jones - Episode 10: It's The News
Released on July 7, 2025 by iHeartPodcasts
In Episode 10 of "Interrupted by Matt Jones," host Matt Jones joins co-host Drew Franklin and guest Billy Gillespie to delve into the top ten news stories shaping the nation. This engaging episode provides insightful discussions, diverse viewpoints, and notable quotes that encapsulate the essence of each news item. Below is a comprehensive summary of the episode’s key topics, complete with timestamps and attributed quotes.
Timestamp: 04:10 – 09:18
The episode kicks off with an analysis of the newly passed "Big Beautiful Bill," signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4th. This controversial legislation encompasses significant tax cuts, stringent immigration measures, military expansions, and substantial reductions to social welfare programs like Medicare and food assistance.
Matt Jones remarks on the bill's passing with limited support:
"It will have deep tax cuts, immigration crackdowns, military expansions, and sweeping reductions to social welfare programs... only two members of the GOP voted no on the bill. That's Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick."
[04:48]
Billy Gillespie highlights Trump’s characterization of the bill:
"He called it the most popular bill in the history of the country."
[04:49]
The hosts express skepticism about the bill's actual popularity and potential consequences, discussing its impact on wealth inequality and the national debt. They also critique the minimal opposition within the GOP and the strategies employed by dissenting members like Brian Fitzpatrick.
Timestamp: 16:59 – 23:01
Elon Musk’s announcement to form a new political party, the "America Party," is met with doubt and humor by the hosts. They question Musk's political ambitions and the feasibility of establishing a new party in the current two-party system.
Billy Gillespie introduces the news:
"Elon just announced that he is starting his new his own political party. The America Party will be coming out."
[16:59]
Matt Jones expresses skepticism:
"This will be a humongous failure. Like, he will forget about it in six months."
[17:28]
The discussion covers logistical challenges like ballot access and questions the party's platform and voter base. The conversation also touches on historical attempts at third parties and the inherent difficulties they face in gaining traction.
Timestamp: 25:00 – 33:04
The hosts delve into recent developments regarding Jeffrey Epstein, focusing on the Department of Justice and FBI's release of footage confirming Epstein's death by suicide and the absence of an incriminating client list.
Billy Gillespie reports the DOJ and FBI findings:
"They released 11 hours of footage confirming that Epstein died by suicide in a jail cell in 2019. And nobody entered the facility that day."
[27:07]
Matt Jones discusses the lingering conspiracy theories:
"If you set up a conspiracy theory, you set it up to where there's no way your opinion can be disproved."
[29:34]
The conversation highlights the enduring public skepticism and the role of prominent figures in fueling conspiracy narratives. The hosts debate the credibility of official statements and the impact of influential media personalities on public perception.
Timestamp: 34:15 – 38:44
Celebrating the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, the hosts explore the complexities surrounding his succession and the geopolitical tensions with the Chinese government over the selection process of his successor.
Billy Gillespie explains the selection process:
"Each potential Dalai Lama is also shown objects belonging to the previous Dalai Lama to see who can identify the belongings."
[39:45]
Matt Jones expresses confusion about the reincarnation process:
"I feel like you're just saying things."
[38:10]
The discussion underscores the cultural and religious significance of the Dalai Lama within Tibetan Buddhism and the ongoing dispute with China, which seeks to influence the succession contrary to Tibetan traditions.
Timestamp: 40:37 – 43:31
A resurgence of measles in the United States reaches a 33-year high, with 1,277 confirmed cases across 38 states and three related deaths. The outbreak is predominantly among unvaccinated individuals.
Billy Gillespie presents the statistics:
"United States measles cases have reached a 33 year record high. 1277 confirmed cases across 38 states."
[41:13]
Matt Jones criticizes the anti-vaccination movement:
"RFK is kind of the figure because he was a left wing guy, he was far left. And they came together and you get this, Maha, make America healthy again."
[42:24]
The hosts discuss the public health implications, the role of misinformation, and the critical importance of vaccination programs in preventing such outbreaks.
Timestamp: 46:04 – 48:19
President Trump delays the implementation of reciprocal tariffs initially set for July 9th to August 1st, extending the window for foreign countries to adjust their trade practices with the United States.
Billy Gillespie details the delay:
"Donald Trump has decided to delay that from July 9 to August 1."
[45:33]
Matt Jones criticizes the economic impact:
"Tariffs are stupid. They just are. They raise... prices on Americans."
[47:54]
The conversation highlights the economic ramifications for both consumers and businesses, emphasizing how tariffs ultimately increase costs for American purchasers while failing to achieve their intended trade balance objectives.
Timestamp: 49:13 – 52:17
The Department of Agriculture announces a novel approach to eradicate the New World screwworm fly by breeding sterile flies and releasing them into affected regions in Mexico and Texas.
Billy Gillespie explains the program:
"The USDA's plan to breed these flies to sterilize them in radiation and then release them into the environment."
[49:13]
Matt Jones expresses skepticism:
"So you want to trust the government on the fly eating maggots. Over. Over us."
[51:49]
The hosts debate the efficacy and potential ecological consequences of this method, questioning whether introducing large populations of even sterile insects could have unforeseen impacts on local ecosystems.
Timestamp: 54:58 – 57:02
A new Spotify band, "Velvet Sundown," amasses over 1.1 million monthly listeners before it’s revealed that the entire band is AI-generated, sparking discussions about authenticity in the music industry.
Billy Gillespie introduces the controversy:
"This is actually a full AI band that has over 1.1 million monthly listeners."
[54:58]
Drew Franklin shares his viewpoint:
"I would want it to be a human being."
[55:55]
The hosts explore the ethical implications of AI in creative industries, the listener's right to authenticity, and the future landscape of music production where artificial intelligence plays a more prominent role.
Timestamp: 60:01 – 67:19
The release of a new Superman movie is accompanied by director James Gunn’s remarks that the film will incorporate political themes, sparking debate about the intersection of politics and entertainment.
Billy Gillespie reports Gunn’s statement:
"Superman is going to be political."
[60:37]
Matt Jones critiques the politicization of superhero narratives:
"The whole point of the movies in some respect, is to not to get away from the world."
[61:07]
The discussion centers on maintaining the traditional essence of superhero stories while addressing contemporary social issues, and how political undertones might affect audience reception and the film’s success.
Timestamp: 67:19 – 75:30
Expanding its market, Chuck E. Cheese launches "Chuck's Arcade," an adult-oriented arcade featuring both new and retro video games, aiming to tap into nostalgia and attract a mature audience.
Billy Gillespie describes the new venture:
"They are opening adult arcades called Chuck's Arcade."
[67:19]
Drew Franklin shares his perspective:
"I don't think it'll work, though."
[70:43]
The hosts debate the viability of repurposing a family-centric brand to cater to adults, considering factors like market demand, cultural shifts, and the potential challenges in rebranding.
Throughout the episode, Matt Jones, Drew Franklin, and Billy Gillespie provide a blend of factual reporting and personal opinions, creating a dynamic and thought-provoking discussion on pressing news topics. The inclusion of direct quotes with timestamps enhances the authenticity and allows listeners to reference specific moments in the conversation.
Listeners gain a multifaceted understanding of each story, complemented by the hosts' critical analyses and humorous exchanges, making this episode a comprehensive resource for those seeking to stay informed without having listened to the full broadcast.
Note: This summary excludes promotional segments and focuses solely on the content discussed by the hosts and guest.