Too Many Tabs with Pearlmania500

Episode 155: "Your Pizza Party Funded a Hate Group"
Release Date: November 23, 2025
Hosts: Pearlmania500 (A) & Mrs. P (B)

Overview

In this Thanksgiving-themed episode, Pearlmania500 uncovers the surprising, and disturbing, story behind the founders of Domino’s Pizza. Prompted by a bizarre sculpture depicting Jesus Christ cradling right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk, the hosts trace a web of connections from childhood trauma, the origins of Domino’s, billionaire eccentricities, and private religious universities, all leading to the revelation that the founder of Domino’s funded hate groups and a hardline Catholic university. The episode delivers a satirical, conversational, and deeply researched take-down laced with personal anecdotes and pointed social commentary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Sculpture & Its Symbolism (00:00–02:00)

• The episode opens with a strange clay bust: "Jesus of Nazareth, big spooning Charlie Kirk" [A, 00:14].
• The hosts riff on its bizarre origin and composition, highlighting the mismatch: a sculpture of Jesus (a Jewish Palestinian) holding a modern American evangelical, commissioned by a Catholic university, sculpted by a Canadian—all funded by Domino's Pizza (00:22–00:41).

2. Tom Monahan’s Origins: Tragedy, Orphanage, and Catholic Zeal (04:53–07:13)

• Tom Monahan (founder of Domino’s) and his brother lose their father and are sent to a Catholic orphanage, a practice common at the time.
• A formative experience with the Felician Sisters of Livonia sparks Tom’s lifelong passion for Catholicism and earnest aim to be a priest.
  • Notably, Mrs. P compares this to her own family history of Catholic foster care.

3. The Pizza Empire: Humble Beginnings (10:03–19:05)

• Tom Monahan wanted to be an architect, idolizing Frank Lloyd Wright (10:05).
• Unable to afford college, he and his brother buy a pizzeria for $900 (11:08)—roughly the cost of a modern iPhone.
• In a twist, his brother leaves, trading his share for a VW Beetle—“two guys buy a pizza shop for the cost of an iPhone … and one leaves for a beetle” [B, 13:32].
• The business expands rapidly, and an employee (unpaid for the idea) coins the name “Domino’s” after a trademark dispute (17:17–17:29).
  • Quote: "Never give an idea away for free. Make sure you’re getting paid for any idea." [B, 17:48]

4. Legal Battles & Franchise Expansion (18:04–21:00)

• Domino’s faces a five-year lawsuit from Domino Sugar (18:30–20:39).
• The hosts cover branding (i.e., logistics over quality), the company’s expansion, and how it staved off a potentially disastrous rebrand (“Pizza Dispatch”).

5. Selling to Bain Capital and Becoming a Billionaire (25:07–27:41)

• In 1998, Tom sells 93% of Domino’s to Bain Capital (Mitt Romney’s notorious vulture capitalist firm) for nearly $1 billion (26:44).
  • This frees Tom to pivot fully into Catholic philanthropy.
  • Quote: “This has been but a prelude to what he calls the main event of his life. His philanthropic support of Roman Catholic causes.” [A, 30:10]

6. Philanthropy with a Dark Side (30:10–35:36)

• Tom focuses his fortune on advancing conservative Catholic causes—including anti-abortion activism—via his Ave Maria Foundation.
  • Quote (Tom Monahan):
    "There’s a lot of philanthropy out there ... but I don't think they're as important as helping people get to heaven." [A quoting Tom, 30:52]
• Mrs. P notes her Catholic school experience was rife with social issues Tom claims religion prevents (32:24).
• Host reveals Monahan literally counts his age from conception, not birth, in accordance with his anti-abortion stance—a detail both hosts find deeply unsettling (35:49–36:19).

7. Ave Maria University: A Conservative Catholic Utopia (38:12–44:04)

• Monahan attempted to build a hardline Catholic university in Michigan, but local permitting led to "permitting hell."
• Eventually relocates project to Florida, creating both Ave Maria University and a surrounding "Catholic town" (59:53–61:44).
  • Businesses prohibited from carrying birth control, per his strict interpretation of doctrine.

8. The Hate Group: Thomas More Law Center (45:52–50:01)

• Domino’s Farms (the company HQ) hosts various tenants—including the Thomas More Law Center, a hate group per the Southern Poverty Law Center.
• The Center, founded by Monahan, has prosecuted cases to:
  • Force religion into public schools
  • Undermine abortion rights
  • Oppose euthanasia (notably the Terry Schiavo case)
  • Write anti-gay legislation
  • Sue to block diversity/anti-Islam measures, and more
  • Quote: “Let me tell you a quote. This is a quote by Richard Thompson, executive director at the Thomas Moore center, in 1999: 'Our aim is to overthrow Roe v. Wade, to bring prayer and religion back into the school system where it was until just a few decades ago, and return our nation back to the principles upon which it was founded.'” [A quoting Thompson, 49:41]

9. The Wild History of Thomas More (52:00–58:08)

• The hosts riff on the irony that the Law Center is named after Thomas More, a Catholic martyr who lost his own legal case and his head under Henry VIII.
  • Quote: "He lost his case. He lost his case." [A, 57:00]

10. The Pizza Chain Evil Scale: Who’s the Worst? (66:36–71:36)

• Domino’s is ranked "most evil" due to its funding of hate groups.
• Pizza Hut gets side-eyed for being another massive, nostalgia-driven corporation.
• Little Caesars is surprisingly declared the “least evil” pizza chain.
  • Reason: Founder Mike Ilitch quietly paid Rosa Parks’ rent for years after she was attacked as an elderly woman.
  • Quote: "The wokest pizza out there is named after a Roman dictator." [A, 72:34]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Tom Monahan's ambitions:
  "I was good at pizza, therefore I’m good at everything else." [A, 29:58]
• On Domino’s legal branding:
  _"Be silent during every meeting and poop at work." [A, 17:52]
• On the conservative rebranding of Catholicism:
  "Anyone you see on any social media where in their bio it says Christ is king, you know you're about to deal with the worst person." [B, 63:30]
• On gender roles at Catholic school:
  _"All the things you mentioned, teen pregnancy, crime, drugs, on and on, happened in my high school every single day. ... and it wasn't a lack of religion. We had, like, two religion classes a day. ... I don't know math." [B, 31:24–33:00]
• On seeing that infamous sculpture:
  "I literally saw that and went, why am I big spooning Gavin Newsom?" [A, 49:23]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic / Quote | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:14 | "Jesus Christ holding Charlie Kirk" sculpture discussion | | 04:56 | Tom Monahan’s orphanage & Catholic upbringing | | 10:09 | Love of Frank Lloyd Wright & why Tom didn’t become an architect| | 13:13 | The $900 pizzeria & brother trades out for a Beetle | | 17:12 | Coining the name “Domino’s” | | 26:44 | Sale to Bain Capital for almost $1B | | 30:10 | Tom’s "main event" is religious philanthropy | | 35:49 | Tom considers his age as starting from conception | | 38:12 | The Ave Maria Foundation & University begins | | 45:52 | Introduction of Thomas More Law Center as a hate group | | 49:41 | Explicit quote from law center director Richard Thompson | | 59:53 | Florida: The Catholic town and university are founded | | 66:36 | Ranking pizza chains by evil | | 69:06 | Little Caesars founder paid for Rosa Parks’ housing | | 72:34 | "The wokest pizza out there..." |

Podcast Tone & Style

• Warm and comedic, with candid personal asides and pop culture riffs.
• Deep dives into obscure history and recent politics laced with sarcasm and acid wit.
• Hosts use their own family backgrounds, Catholic schools, and holiday prep as recurring relatable touchstones.
• Conversation flows rapidly, segues frequently, but always circles back to theme of corporate power and its unintended, often destructive, social impacts.

For Those Who Haven’t Listened...

This episode is both a wild Thanksgiving journey through American pizza history and a scalding critique of how seemingly innocuous purchases can help fund extremist causes. You’ll come away with practical holiday talking points, a better understanding of food-chain-funded fundamentalism, and probably a new favorite (or least favorite) pizza brand. The playful bickering of the hosts keeps it all highly digestible—pun intended—and you’ll be alternately cringing, laughing, and googling “Ave Maria, Florida.”

Summary Table: Most Evil to Least Evil Pizza Chains

| Rank | Pizza Chain | Notable Fact | |------|------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1 | Domino’s | Founder funded hate group, anti-abortion/lawfare efforts, Ave Maria University | | 2 | Pizza Hut | Part of the corporate food industrial complex; nostalgia bait | | ... | [others skipped] | | | LEAST| Little Caesars | Founder covertly supported Rosa Parks' housing; less evil than competitors |

Final Words

• “Make sure to take a second plate home to make a sandwich with all the stuff.” [B, 72:57]
• “The wokest pizza out there is named after a Roman dictator.” [A, 72:34]

If your holiday pizza party order just got a little heavier, now you know why.