Episode Summary: "It's The News" — Interrupted by Matt Jones

Podcast: Interrupted by Matt Jones (iHeartPodcasts)
Host: Matt Jones
Episode: 19 — "It's The News"
Date: August 29, 2025

Overview

In this special "headlines" episode, Matt Jones and regulars Billy and Drew Franklin take a break from their usual interviews to catch up on major recent news and pop culture stories—from politics and crime to sports, celebrity engagements, and quirky world festivals. With both seriousness and signature irreverent humor, the trio riffs on 10 news items curated by Billy, often digressing into sharp observations, personal stories, and jokes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Minneapolis Church Shooting & America’s Numbness to Gun Violence

• Summary: The hosts open by offering condolences following a shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic church and school, reflecting on the disturbing frequency and normalization of such tragedies.
• Insight: All three lament that these incidents no longer shock the nation, highlighting societal numbness.
  • Quote [03:02] – Billy: "The saddest part... is how they don't even really make a lot of news anymore. We just kind of move on. We've become numb to them."
  • Quote [03:30] – Matt: "This is a church in Minneapolis with kids... literally anywhere."
• Tone: Serious, somber, but brief to focus on news highlights.

2. National Guard Deployments & the “Tough on Crime” Optics

• Summary: Discussion shifts to President Trump's deployment of National Guard troops in US cities, especially Washington DC and threats to send them to Chicago and Baltimore.
  • Legalities of federal authority in DC vs. other cities.
  • Critique of deploying military in non-military public safety roles.
  • Focus on optics rather than addressing root causes of crime.
• Quote [06:59] – Billy: "It actually makes me feel less safe to see dudes walking around with guns in military uniforms. I'm like, oh, wait a minute, where am I?"
• Memorable Moment: The hosts riff on the difference between "homicides," "homocides," and "domestic" vs. "same sex sides" in a comedic misunderstanding [04:52].
• Insight: Real solutions to crime are absent amid political theater.

3. Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift’s Engagement — Pop Culture Earthquake

• Summary: The engagement of NFL star Travis Kelce and pop icon Taylor Swift is dissected as possibly “America’s biggest wedding ever.”
  • Details on the low-key proposal, wedding logistics, and prenup jokes.
  • Speculation on who gets invited, last names, their bachelor party, and the couple's mass public appeal.
• Quote [13:32] – Billy: "If you're Taylor, you got to have a prenup, right? ... I feel like Travis's lawyer is gonna be a little overmatched in the negotiation."
• Quote [17:45] – Billy: "Seems like everybody likes them... I always thought Travis Kelce was a goober, and I kind of like him."
• Memorable Moment: Hosts riff about the wild speculation on Swift’s and Kelce’s guest lists, and lovingly mock their own obsessions.
• Insight: Cultural events like this create rare moments of national fixation and bridge disparate fan bases (NFL and Swifties).

4. Trump’s Executive Order on Flag Burning

• Summary: Trump’s latest executive order aims to criminalize flag burning, despite Supreme Court precedent.
  • Discussion of constitutional free speech rights.
  • Stories about the perceived sanctity of the flag across generations.
• Quote [24:30] – Billy: "Either he just tried to do something illegal or he just did something that was already illegal... So it either is unconstitutional or it's meaningless."
• Insight: Culture war moves often lack true substance but spark emotional reaction.

5. Cracker Barrel’s Failed Rebrand: Wokeness & Outrage Culture

• Summary: Cracker Barrel’s move to change its logo and “modernize” its interiors led to backlash and a stock drop, only for the company to quickly revert.
  • Dissection of why such corporate rebrands are labeled "woke."
  • Criticism of outrage cycles over trivial issues.
• Quote [31:30] – Matt: "I am missing the part of my brain that cares what a corporation is doing... It has no effect on your life."
• Insight: Both left and right engage in consumer outrage, yet such outbursts usually lack real-world impact beyond media cycles.

6. Trump’s “The Apprentice”-Style Firings: CDC & Federal Reserve

• Summary: President Trump fires key officials (CDC Director, Federal Reserve Governor) over disagreements, with Billy lamenting the lack of respect for expertise and independence.
  • Special focus on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial role in health policy.
• Quote [41:30] – Billy: "He has no medical training. None. And the sentence, 'he’s in charge of health and he has no medical training,' that should end the conversation right there."
• Insight: Chaotic personnel moves further polarize government, erode institutional trust.

7. World News: Spain’s Tomato Festival & International Traditions

• Summary: The team celebrates Spain's 80th La Tomatina, a citywide tomato fight.
  • Joyful appreciation for regional traditions like Siena’s Il Palio and running with the bulls in Pamplona.
• Quote [45:14] – Matt: "Who cleans that up, though? ... The citric acid from the tomatoes actually helps clean the street."
• Insight: Such festivals highlight community bonds and cultural uniqueness.

8. Las Vegas Sphere: The Wizard of Oz Immersive Experience

• Summary: The group is intrigued by the Sphere’s immersive “Wizard of Oz,” which uses 4D “AI Outpainting” to expand the imagery and orchestrate physical effects (wind, shaking seats).
• Quote [51:24] – Billy: "I kind of feel like it's gonna give me a seizure... but I do think it would be cool to be sort of encapsulated like that."
• Insight: Entertainment innovation may be key for theaters to compete with streaming at home.

9. Global Peace Index 2025: Safest & Most Dangerous Countries

• Summary: The Global Peace Index’s rankings spark discussion about perceptions of safety and surprise at the US's low rank (128th).
  • Safest: Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand.
  • Most dangerous: Yemen, South Sudan, Ukraine, Russia, DRC.
• Quote [56:51] – Matt: "128 is surprising to me, though… We got to do better than that. We got to get top 100."
• Insight: America's gun violence and internal issues drag down international safety ratings.

10. Feel-Good Sports Story: Hawaii Kicker’s Wild Journey

• Summary: Hawaii kicker Ken Say Matsuzawa, once a waiter in Japan, taught himself kicking via YouTube and booted a game-winner over Stanford.
• Quote [58:39] – Billy: "That is a movie I'd like to see. That is a great story… taught himself from YouTube."
• Insight: Sports can still produce Cinderella stories—globalization is opening new, inspirational paths to success.

Additional Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Perceived Safety in Cities:
  [09:22] – Matt: "It'd be like coming to Lexington and just putting all the military in Chevy Chase. That's not really doing anything."
• On Corporate Logo Backlash:
  [32:04] – Billy: "The answer to your question is no one. The reason they do it is the outrage."
• On Outrage Fatigue:
  [33:14] – Matt: "I'm glad all these people have perfect lives where they can use their brain to worry about a corporation's logo or their commercial. Go play with your kids. Go get a job."
• On New Sumo Hockey Goalies:
  [60:58] – Billy: "I've heard it, but then I've heard people say they have to stand on skates. Their ankles are not going to be..."
• On Pumpkin Spice Season:
  [62:44] – Billy: "I know people really like it. I've always wondered, why not just keep it all the time?" [63:06] – Matt: "The pumpkin just doesn't do it for me... but it's kind of like the turn of the seasons… it's more of a… we're moving into a new season of the year."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening & Intro: [00:00–02:40]
• Minneapolis Shooting: [02:40–04:00]
• National Guard/Crime: [04:04–10:40]
• Kelce-Swift Engagement: [10:50–21:40]
• Flag Burning Law: [22:58–28:12]
• Cracker Barrel Backlash: [28:54–36:56]
• Trump "The Apprentice" Firings: [38:32–44:34]
• Spain Tomatina Festival/Traditions: [44:35–49:21]
• Las Vegas Sphere/Oz: [49:21–53:20]
• Global Peace Index: [53:22–57:31]
• Hawaii Kicker Story: [57:33–62:10]
• Pumpkin Spice/Seasonal Changes: [62:14–63:31]

Tone & Style

The mood veers from sober (discussing violence, politics) to lighthearted and often satirical. The hosts maintain a fast pace, blend strong opinions with self-awareness, and display a knack for teasing both themselves and the culture at large.

For Listeners Who Haven't Heard the Episode

This episode delivers a rapid-fire, banter-filled run through the week's most-discussed news and viral stories—mixing politics, sports, pop culture, and oddities. You'll feel updated, entertained, and challenged to care just a little less about the outrage of the week.

Next Week: Governor Andy Beshear joins as the 20th guest.