Merry Christmas: The 30 Best Movies of the 21st Century

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Merry Christmas: The 30 Best Movies of the 21st Century"

Podcast: Verdict with Ted Cruz
Hosts: Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson (with Heidi Cruz)
Date: December 26, 2025
Episode Theme: Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson share and discuss Senator Cruz's list of the greatest movies (and a few series and musicals), suitable for family viewing and holiday relaxation.

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Overview

In this special holiday episode, Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson, joined briefly by Heidi Cruz, set aside politics to dive into Cruz’s great passion: movies. Inspired by Cruz’s longstanding family tradition of watching films together during the holidays, they reveal and discuss his curated list of must-watch movies, spanning genres from classics and comedies to musicals and Westerns. The episode is light-hearted and nostalgic, offering fans a rare look at Cruz’s personal tastes and family memories.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Movie Traditions and Family (03:27–06:01)

• Senator Cruz shares the importance of movies in his own family’s holiday traditions, recalling trips to theaters with his parents and now with his own children.
• Heidi Cruz adds warm Christmas wishes and describes their family custom: cocoa and presents by the tree, watching movies together.

2. Behind-the-Scenes Cruz: Movie Buff Revelations (06:01–06:54)

• Ben Ferguson describes Cruz as a "huge movie buff," often asked by voters what Cruz is like outside politics. This list reflects Cruz’s genuine off-air personality.

3. What is Ted Cruz Watching? (06:54–08:29)

• Cruz recounts currently watching the teen drama "Outer Banks" with his daughter through camp letters.

  "She said, Dad, I want you to watch Outer Banks and I want you to write to me in letters and tell me what you think as the season's progressing." (06:58)

• Cruz notes the generational gaps in preferences but enjoys sharing these experiences with his kids.

4. Moviegoing Habits and Cinema Etiquette (05:17–05:22)

• Cruz and Heidi both agree on loving the “full theater experience,” from popcorn and candy to staying for the credits.

  "I will not get up and leave. There's a sense of completeness, of appreciating the entirety of the movie." – Heidi Cruz (05:22)

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The List: Ted Cruz’s Top Picks with Commentary

1. All-Time Favorite: The Princess Bride (09:40–10:46)

• Cruz’s “number one” and most-rewatched film ever.

  "My favorite movie of all time is The Princess Bride." (09:40)

• Shares a college drinking game based on reciting lines from the film, emphasizing its quotable script and joyful nostalgia.

  "Every line from every character is fantastic." (09:42)

2. The Godfather Saga (10:48–12:40)

• Praises all three films, adds that even the often-maligned third installment “stands on its own.”
• Favorite quote:

  "Every time I get out, they keep pulling me back in." (11:20)

• Cruz bemoans his young staffers not getting Godfather references, illustrating generational divides.

3. Scarface (13:02–13:36)

• Notes his fondness for crime movies, Al Pacino, and the Cuban-American connection.

4. Criminal Minds (TV Series) (13:37–13:49)

• Cruz’s favorite television series, highlighting his love for crime dramas—even when his wife isn’t a fan.

5. Fletch (14:10–14:53)

• Declares it “the funniest movie ever made,” especially loving Chevy Chase’s performance.

6. Amazing Grace (14:55–17:11)

• Based on the abolition of the slave trade in Britain, recounts the backstory of the hymn and its message of redemption.

  "It is a true story of William Wilberforce … who led the effort to abolish the slave trade." (15:00)

7. Unforgiven (17:11–19:25)

• Praises Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning Western for subverting typical genre tropes.

  “It turns all of the stereotypes of the western on its head.” (17:37)

8. Team America: World Police (22:58–24:03)

• Cruz gives a tongue-in-cheek warning about the profuse profanity but lauds the film’s equal opportunity satire:

  "It makes fun of both sides. It makes fun of Republicans, Democrats, everybody." (23:14)

9. Patton (24:12–25:29)

• Shares that he watches Patton’s iconic opening speech before Supreme Court arguments to fire himself up.

  "If you can watch that speech and not be inspired, you’re dead." (24:45)

• Reveals a story of wearing Patton’s actual dog tags.

10. The Sting (25:29–25:54)

• “All-time classic con man movie” starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman.

11. Awakenings (26:06–27:26)

• Appreciates Robin Williams’ dramatic talent and emotional range, sharing his admiration and sadness for Williams’ passing.

12–13. Braveheart & Gladiator (27:27–27:53)

• Puts them together as “epic, inspiring” tales of fighting oppression.

14–16. Eddie Murphy Comedies

• Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places, Coming to America (28:29–29:31)
• Celebrates Eddie Murphy’s comedic brilliance and the irreverent humor of the era, noting how some could not be made today due to changing cultural norms.

17. Wall Street (30:22–30:54)

• Quotes Gordon Gekko’s line about WASPs:

  “That’s the thing about wasps. Love animals, hate people.” (30:54)

18. Hidden Figures (30:56–34:22)

• Deeply personal connection: Cruz’s mother was one of the first female computer programmers at Shell. He describes taking his family to the film and how it prompted important conversations about civil rights.

  "My mother’s first job title was computer." (32:57)

• Led to Cruz sponsoring legislation to name the street outside NASA “Hidden Figures Way.”

19. Schindler’s List (34:43–36:26)

• Emotional discussion about redemption, survivor’s guilt, and the message of "could I have done more?"

20–23. Musicals

• My Fair Lady, Oliver, Hamilton, Les Misérables (36:35–43:26)
• Cruz joyfully admits love for musicals, recounts leading the drama club in high school, nearly landing the role of Fagin in Oliver, and the sentimental experience of attending Les Mis with his mother.

  "My favorite musical of all time is Les Mis." (41:20)

• Names songs from Les Mis that always bring him to tears, especially “Let him live” and “Empty Chairs and Empty Tables.”

24. Magnificent Seven (43:37–44:06)

• Labels it, apart from Unforgiven, as the greatest western, fondly recalling watching it with his father.

25. Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction & Inglourious Basterds (44:14–44:44)

• Praises both for brilliance, regretful not to include Reservoir Dogs but calls these two his personal picks from Tarantino.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Family Traditions:

  “We all actually have cups of hot cocoa. And it’s a beautiful time and it’s... a time to reflect not just on the love your family has for each other, but the love God has for us…” – Heidi Cruz (04:37)

• On Die Hard as a Christmas Movie:

  “Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?” – Ben Ferguson
  “Of course it is.” – Ted Cruz (08:47)

• On Redemption in Amazing Grace:

  “Imagine the person writing that in that context was the captain of a slave ship...and then the amazing grace that God offered redemption even in the face of the horrific evil.” – Ted Cruz (16:17)

• On The Power of Movies:

  “At another level, you know, 50 years from now, 100 years from now, some little girl, some little boy is going to come visit NASA… and they're going to hear the story of the pioneering African-American women who were the mathematicians that got us to the moon.” – Ted Cruz (34:09)

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Fun Rapid-Fire and Personal Insights

• Which movie has Cruz seen the most?

  "I probably watched the Princess Bride, I don’t know, a couple hundred times." (10:44)

• Movie & TV series choice for a desert island:

  "The Princess Bride and Criminal Minds." (44:58)

• Broadway and the arts: Cruz recounts leading his high school drama club, singing (badly) for parts, and the emotional resonance of major musicals.

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Key Timestamps

• 03:27: Ted Cruz on family holiday movie traditions
• 06:54: Latest show watched: Outer Banks
• 09:40: #1 Favorite: The Princess Bride
• 10:48–13:36: Godfather, Scarface, and Crime Film Commentary
• 14:10: Fletch as “funniest movie ever made”
• 14:55–17:11: Amazing Grace and Wilberforce’s Redemption
• 22:58: Team America: World Police
• 24:12–25:29: Patton and court prep rituals
• 26:06: Awakenings, Robin Williams tribute
• 27:27: Braveheart & Gladiator as epics
• 28:29–29:31: Eddie Murphy’s comedy classics
• 30:56: Hidden Figures and Cruz’s mother’s legacy at NASA
• 34:43: Schindler’s List and survivor’s guilt
• 36:35–43:26: Musicals, drama club tales, and Les Mis’ emotional power
• 43:37: Magnificent Seven & classic Westerns
• 44:14: Quentin Tarantino picks: Pulp Fiction & Inglourious Basterds
• 44:58: Cruz’s desert island picks

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Conclusion

This episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz" offers a heartfelt, energetic detour from political debate—delivering nostalgia, movie recommendations galore, behind-the-scenes personality, and reflections on why storytelling matters. Whether you’re spending the year-end holidays with family, looking for new films to watch, or simply curious about what drives one of America’s prominent conservative figures when he’s off-duty, Cruz’s list is an engaging and varied window into his passions.

“Art and storytelling are beautiful, beautiful things.” – Senator Ted Cruz (05:22)

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[End of summary]

Transcript

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[Ben Ferguson]

It is vertic with center Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you. And on this holiday weekend, we decided to replay an awesome episode that we did about a year ago. And that is Senator Ted Cruz's favorite movies. A great list. And if you are like the two of us and you love to watch movies over the holiday break with your family, you do not want to miss this list. Senator, what's on your list? What are you going to rewatch during Christmas this year?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, well, listen, let me just say Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope you're having a wonderful, relaxing Christmas. And one of the things that I've always done at Christmas from, from when I was a kid to now is my family, we go to the movies. My, my dad loves movies. My mom loves movies. And so we go to the movies. Particularly Christmas time, we'll go see movies. And, and so we want to play you a list of, of, of 30 of the greatest movies of, of the 21st century. And, and, and, and, and if you watch them, put it, put a comment down below. Let us know if you like the movies. Let us know if there are any you want to add. But, but here is 30, any one of which would be a great way to spend some time with your family over this Christmas break.

[Ben Ferguson]

Senator, people that don't know you. Well, I'm going to, I'm going to give them a little bit of a clue. You absolutely love movies and you put together a list of your favorite movies and also series and shows that you watch. And if you've ever wondered what Senator Cruz is watching when he's flying all the time, here's a really good list we're going to be giving you on this Christmas.

[Heidi Cruz]

Well, let me just echo that. Merry Christmas. I hope you're having a wonderful and blessed day.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I hope Santa came down the chimney.

[Heidi Cruz]

And your kids are overjoyed and you're spending time maybe with some hot cocoa. We often do Christmas by the tree where I'll be in my bathrobe, we'll all be in our pajamas. The kids will be opening presents. We all actually have cups of hot cocoa. And it's a beautiful time and it's A beautiful time to reflect not just on the love your family has for each other, but. But the love God has for us and the salvation he sent for us. Now, I don't know about you, but. But over holidays, what. What my family has always done is.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

We go to movies.

[Heidi Cruz]

We go to movies over Thanksgiving break, we go to movies over Christmas break. I love movies. As a kid, both my parents love movies. I would go to movies with my mom and dad when I was a little kid. I still go to movies with them now.

[Ben Ferguson]

But you're a movie theater guy. Just so people know this, I like the real theaters.

[Heidi Cruz]

I like the big screen. I like popcorn and gummy bears and, you know, the experience of being there. And by the way, I'm also rabid about staying until the very end to the last moment of the credits play. I will not get up and leave. There's a sense of completeness, of appreciating the entirety of the movie. And so what we decided we do today is put together just a compilation of movies that I love, that I recommend to you. And hopefully, as you're taking some time with your family, maybe you'll go watch one of them and laugh or cry and it'll touch you and. And you'll enjoy it. And I think art and storytelling are beautiful, beautiful things.

[Ben Ferguson]

So with that being said, here are the big shows and the big movies on Senator Cruz's list. Merry Christmas. I get asked all the time from many of you guys that are watching or listening right now, what is Ted Cruz like behind the scenes? So we thought we'd have a little fun. I'm gonna ask him some questions, and you're even gonna find out what his favorite movies are. Senator, we're going to have a little fun. I get asked all the time when I'm all over the country. It happened this last week in New York. So what is Ted Cruz really like behind the scenes? And I say, I actually, if people got to see the side of you that I know, you're actually really fun to be around, you're also a huge movie buff as well. And so I'm going to ask some fun questions just to kind of let people know behind the curtain who you really are. So let's start with this. What is the last thing you watched on a plane?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

What is the last thing I watched on a plane was Outer Banks, which is a series. It's a teeny Bopper series, and it's phenomenal. I am in the middle of season three, and there's a reason I'm watching a Teeny Bopper series, which is my youngest daughter, Katherine, loves Outer Banks. She's at camp right now. And when I dropped her off at camp, she said, dad, I want you to watch Outer Banks and I want you to write to me in letters and tell me what you think as the season's progressing. And so I've been regularly, I write to her about every couple of days and I tell her, okay, here's where I am. I'm at this point, I'm at this point, this character just died. Who's your favorite character, jb?

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, mine too. No doubt about it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So she asked me that. I'm a little troubled. Her favorite character is jj who is kind of a, I guess if you're a 13 year old girl. He's, you know, he's always doing the dumbest thing imaginable, but he's kind of a. I like John B. John B. Is a good character.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's such a fun show. So when you were growing up, what was it that you were watching? High school. College.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

By the way, spoiler alert. I apologize if you haven't seen seen it. I'm gonna give a spoiler alert right now, so just fast forward through this if you don't want a spoiler alert. But in season two, when, when, when Ward has blown up, I knew Ward was not blown up. And so I wrote her, I said, yeah, Ward just died. I, I'm very confident he's alive. And I remembered they keep scuba gear in the boat. He got in the scuba gear and then like seven episodes.

[Ben Ferguson]

Encyclopedia Brown books, remember those? You got to figure it out. And you're like, they got to keep this. They got to keep the series going.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So I felt pretty good that I was at least a step ahead of the Teeny Bopper series.

[Ben Ferguson]

I like that. So what were you watching in high school? Like, what were your favorite shows? What was your favorite movie?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So I love movies. My parents love movies. Like, like we would, you know, this is what we do. So. So every holiday, every Thanksgiving, every Christmas, my family would go out and watch movies.

[Ben Ferguson]

Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Of course it is.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay, good.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Absolutely. Yes. There's only one right answer.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay, good.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie, but we would go out and do movies. When I was a kid, when I was like 8, 9 years old, my dad would drop me off at the theater all Saturday and I'd watch like five movies. I'd go from one theater to the next to the next and just watch everything there. It's we all love movies. So what I've done done today for this show is I put together a list of 25 movies. Now, this is not exclusive. This is not the only 25 movies I like. And I don't even know that it's my 25 favorite. But it's 25 awesome movies, which if you haven't watched, I recommend you watch. You will enjoy them, you will laugh, you will be moved. You will get good things from them. So let's go through the 25.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, I gotta ask one more question for you. At 25, what movie have you watched the most in your life over and over again?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, that actually happens to be number.

[Heidi Cruz]

One on the list.

[Ben Ferguson]

I knew it. I like this.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So. So my favorite movie of all time is the Princess Bride. Really? I love the Princess Bride. Why? I think every character in it is exquisite. Every line from every character is fantastic. I'll tell you, in college, we used to play a game called Drinking Princess Bride. And so the way you play Drinking Princess Bride is you sit down with a bunch of college kids, you put the movie on, and you try to say each line immediately before it's said. If you get it right, you point at somebody, they have to drink. If you screw it up even slightly, you drink. And if two or more people say the same line at the same time, everybody drinks. So when you get to the as you wishes.

[Ben Ferguson]

But this is why you were so sober in college. Now I understand.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, when you get to the as you wishes. Yeah, everyone can get them. So they're all socials, and it is a fun game. My problem is I know just about every line from the movie, but I'll screw them up slightly. So I end up kind of getting myself because I try an awful lot of them. But is an exquisite movie. I probably watched the Princess Bride, I don't know, a couple hundred times.

[Ben Ferguson]

No way.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah, it is fantastic.

[Ben Ferguson]

So that's number one on your list.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Far and away. Number two on my list is the Godfather Saga.

[Ben Ferguson]

Couldn't agree with you more. One of the best series ever made, period.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And I'm not gonna break it down between 1, 2, and 3. I even like 3, which is a bit of a heretical idea. I think three stands on its own as its own movie. The least that three only makes sense in conjunction with one and two, which.

[Ben Ferguson]

Is when you're in the club. I kind of like that. Like, you can't fake it and go see number three and think, oh, that was incredible. You have to be in it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And look, I quote all of them, all the time. You know, from three. Every I get out, they keep pulling me back in. I will say it was a little depressing with my team where I turned. You know, Senate staffers are all children. You know, your average.

[Ben Ferguson]

You should put that on a T shirt.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Your average Senate staffer is like, 23, 24, 25. So things like Godfather quotes, they just don't get. And so I said something. I said, you know, this is the business we have chosen. And, like, everyone looked at me confused, and I said, okay. I had, like, six staffers there. I said, all right. Do any of you have any idea what I'm saying? They're all like, no, no, no. I said, okay, this is Godfather 2. And this is a conversation between Hyman Roth, who is clearly modeled after Meyer Lansky, Hyman Roth, and Michael Corleone. And they're down in Miami. And Hyman Roth goes, Michael. I had a friend. I had a friend since childhood. Mo Green was his name. And one day, somebody put a bullet in his eye. I did not ask who was responsible. I did not seek retribution. I said, this is the business we have chosen. None of them had any idea what I was talking about.

[Ben Ferguson]

Team building night in the Senate. You should totally bring them in. One, two, and three.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Just nine hours. We're gonna sit down.

[Ben Ferguson]

This is what you're gonna do. That's team building. 101.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday.

[Ben Ferguson]

All right. Favorite line from any of the Godfathers? The best one. Mine's the cannoli.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, no brainer. Number three on your list, Scarface.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Really? Oh, I love me some Scarface.

[Ben Ferguson]

Why?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Notice Pacino has two spots in my top three? I like Pacino. Okay. I love crime movies. And look, Scarface. Tony Montanis. Cuban. I'm Cuban. It's, you know, it is larger than life. I can quote a lot of lines from it, to be honest. I'm not going to because they're pretty off color. And I'm going to avoid putting out on the podcast some of the language from. From it. But it is so crime genre is your thing. And I like Pacino.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah, he's amazing.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So my favorite TV show is Criminal Minds. I love Criminal Minds.

[Ben Ferguson]

I'm actually shocked by that one. Because if there was only one box that I could take with me my whole life, like, if I was stuck on a desert island, it'd be West Wing.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

West Wing is fabulous. I've watched every episode of West Wing. I've watched every episode of Criminal Minds. But Criminal Minds is. I just find it fascinating. Heidi hates it, by the way, when Criminal Minds is on. She's like, turn that garbage off. Because, you know, you've got evil, vicious murderers. I'm like, no, no. They're the bad guys, though. It's all about stopping them. But she just doesn't like that in the house. All right, number four, Fletch.

[Ben Ferguson]

Never seen it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You've never seen Fletch?

[Ben Ferguson]

Never in my life.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Never been. Go home tonight.

[Ben Ferguson]

What's it about?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And watch Fletch. It may be the funniest movie ever made.

[Ben Ferguson]

Really?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Chevy Chase plays Irwin Fletcher, an undercover investigative reporter. It is absolutely hysterical. You know, I love Chevy Chase.

[Ben Ferguson]

So that's.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It's Chevy Chase's best movie.

[Ben Ferguson]

No way.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Much better than Lampoon's Vacation. Much better than. And he's done a ton. I love Chevy Chase. But Fletch is head and shoulders above them all. You know, Grant, who heads up my security detail. Grant and I quote, fletch lines back and forth at each other every week. Really go and watch the movie.

[Ben Ferguson]

I've never seen it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It is spectacular.

[Ben Ferguson]

All right, Fletch. I'm on it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

All right, number five, Amazing Grace.

[Ben Ferguson]

Also never seen it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

A lot of people have not seen it, but it is a very good. It is the true story of William Wilberforce. Now, William Wilberforce was a member of Parliament in the United Kingdom who led the effort to abolish the slave trade.

[Ben Ferguson]

Very cool. Is it a true story?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It's a true story.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And Wilberforce. So when he started as a young mp, the slave trade was the United Kingdom's single greatest source of revenue. It was their business. And he begins as this young mp, arguing, we must end the slave trade. It is wrong, it is immoral, and everyone laughs at him. And it would be like if you were in Texas standing up saying, we should ban oil and gas.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I mean, it was that absurd of.

[Ben Ferguson]

An idea back then.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And he spends 50 years battling for it. And the movie ends with him successfully championing and passing the legislation abolishing the slave trade and shutting down their most lucrative business because it was evil. And by the way, the title, Amazing Grace, do you know where it comes from?

[Ben Ferguson]

What?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So the person who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace was a friar who had been the former captain of a slave ship.

[Ben Ferguson]

Really?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

He was the captain of a slave ship. And think of the words of the song. Amazing Grace Amazing grace How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now Am found, was blind. But now I see and imagine the person writing that in that context was the captain of a slave ship. Presumably he had murdered people, he had beaten people, he had whipped people. I mean, you think of the evil entailed in being the captain of a slave ship, and then the amazing grace that God offered redemption even in the face of the horrific evil. It puts a whole different character. The book is by Eric Metaxas, who's a fantastic author, Christian author, does great biographies. I highly recommend Amazing Grace, number six, Unforgiven.

[Ben Ferguson]

Never seen it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Oh, Unforgiveness.

[Ben Ferguson]

This is why it makes me laugh when we get to do shows like this, because, I mean, I will go watch these now.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Okay, so Unforgiven, best Western ever made, won the Academy Award for best picture. Clint Eastwood is in it.

[Ben Ferguson]

I could do an age joke here. Was it in black and white?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

No, no, no, no. It was actually lade Eastwood. You were actually out of diapers when it came out.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay, gotcha.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Morgan Freeman is in it. Gene Hackman is in it. Gene Hackman is spectacular. What's interesting about Unforgiven that is so powerful is it turns all of the stereotypes of the western on its head. So, for example, Clint Eastwood plays this outlaw who had turned over a good leaf and was good and then was going back, gets hired. What happens is a woman who is a prostitute is badly cut up by a drunk cowboy, and they put out a reward to kill the cowboy who cut her up. And Clint Eastwood, as this retired outlaw, needs the money and so is coming to collect the reward. And Morgan Freeman, his partner, comes with him. But there's a point where Clint Eastwood. There's a young kid who wants to be a gunslinger, and he's practicing on shooting fast. And Clint Eastwood says, well, you know, for me, this is about as fast as I can draw my gun, point it, aim at it, pull the trigger, and hit what I'm aiming at. And he said, in most firefights, people are scared out of their mind and they're just terrified. And whoever can kind of calmly engage is who wins. And there's scenes where, like, everyone's like, oh, crap. And they shoot their foot and they drop their gun and they're, like, freaking out. And he kind of. And he would just get drunk and just sort of systematically bang. And it. It really did invert many of the conventional wisdom of being a fast draw and everything else. And Gene Hackman's character is hysterical. It is. He's the sheriff who initially, you think might be the hero but he very quickly becomes an antihero. So excellent movie.

[Ben Ferguson]

I want you to just pause what you're doing for the next 60 seconds and I want you to imagine Lucy, a 7 year old. Her stomach often aches with hunger. Her small hands, instead of holding crayons, know only the struggle of survival on dusty streets. School is a distant dream, medical care a forgotten hope. Lucy's potential is overshadowed. Her future is dim. But what if someone stepped in? What if there was a way to ignite hope for children just like Lucy? Well, there is. And that is with Compassion International Partners and the local churches that provide children whole holistic support. More than just food, they receive critical medical care, life changing education, vital skills training and spiritual development all in Jesus's name. And you can empower a child just like Lucy to break free from poverty. I want you to do what I've done and sponsor a child today. You can visit compassion.com that's compassion.com 10.

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Athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Trainer Games Announcer]

Someone will be eliminated.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Pressure is coming down. Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th watch the trailer on trainergames.com did you.

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Know Microsoft has officially ended Support for Windows 10? Upgrade to Windows 11 with an LG Gram laptop voted PCMag's Reader's Choice Top Laptop Brand for 2025. Thin and ultra lightweight, the LG Gram keeps you productive anywhere and Windows 11 gives you access to free security updates and ongoing feature upgrades. Visit LGUSA.com iHeart for great seasonal savings on LG Gram laptops with Windows 11 PC Mag Reader's Choice Used with permission. All rights reserved.

[Podcast Host]

Season two of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball Season 2, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5 on TNT, TruTV and HBO.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Max support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.comdisclosures number eight Team America.

[Ben Ferguson]

I've actually seen it. Hilarious.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Okay? And I'm going a little edgy. So Team America. Team America. World Police. It's a puppet movie.

[Ben Ferguson]

I remember when it came out and everybody was in shock, but I was dying laughing.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So Heidi doesn't like movies very much. I took Heidi to see it. She almost fell to the floor laughing.

[Ben Ferguson]

So she. Y' all clicked on that one.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It is screamingly funny now. It makes fun of both sides. It makes fun of Republicans, Democrats, everybody. It's the guys who do south park who did is puppets.

[Ben Ferguson]

They are truly equal opportunity offender.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It is. Now I'm gonna give a warning. Every third word is a profanity. If you are offended by profanity, skip this suggestion. I will say, when we were fairly newlyweds, we went on vacation with Heidi's parents down at Lake Powell, which is fabulous. And we brought it with us and we sort of like Heidi. And I remember this is really, really funny. And I think we didn't quite remember that every third word is a profanity. And I'm sitting there with Heidi's parents as we're listening to the blinkety blink, blink, blink, blink, blink. We didn't finish the movie, like 10 minutes into it. We just.

[Ben Ferguson]

Heidi, I can't believe you brought this in front of your parents.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah, it was, but it's still funny as I'll get out. All right, next movie. Patton.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yep. Amazing, amazing movie. I've watched Patton probably five, six times in my life.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

All right, do you know what I did before every Supreme Court argument I ever did?

[Ben Ferguson]

I can figure it out now. You watch Patton.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Not the whole thing, just which scene. The opening speech.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah, just the opening speech. George C. Scott in front of the gigantic flag, standing up and saying, men, the objective is not to give your Life for your country. The objective is to make that other poor son of a bitch give his life for his country.

[Ben Ferguson]

I mean, I can dig that. I can dig that.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It is sound advice. If you can watch that speech and not be inspired, you're dead. Yeah, like it is.

[Ben Ferguson]

See, those are my weakness movies. I love true stories. I love good versus evil movies. I absolutely love sports movies as well. But there's always usually a big speech in those.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

By the way, a buddy of mine collects historical military equipment and clothing and uniforms, and he has Patton's dog tags.

[Ben Ferguson]

No way.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And I actually have worn Patton's dog tags. They have rested on my bare chest and I literally felt like I was ready to pull out a pistol and start shooting in an airplane. Like it made you. You think about that. That actually rested right above the heart of Patton.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's incredible.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Pretty wild.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's a good thing to own.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

All right, next movie. The Sting. Classic. Have you seen the Sting?

[Ben Ferguson]

No.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You've never seen the Sting?

[Ben Ferguson]

I don't even know what it's about.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Oh, oh, Benjamin, Benjamin, Benjamin. The Sting. All time classic. Robert Redford, Paul Newman. They're con man. It is.

[Ben Ferguson]

This is when I could really mess with me. Wait, Newman does something outside of like salsa.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It is hysterical. It is beautifully done. Go and watch it.

[Ben Ferguson]

And what's it about?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It's about con men. And it's worth watching. I've probably watched it a hundred times. It's such a good movie. All right, next movie. Awakenings.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yes, I've seen that.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So awesome. So Awakenings is fabulous. Robert De Niro.

[Ben Ferguson]

You're a De Niro fan?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I like De Niro a lot. Not a fan of his politics, but a big fan of his acting. He's a great actor, although as much De Niro got all the acclaim, but I actually thought Robin Williams stole the show.

[Ben Ferguson]

Well, I love Robin Williams, so this is right up my alley.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Robin Williams is one of my all time favorite actors ever. I mean, he's an incredible comedic actor.

[Ben Ferguson]

So you're gonna laugh. I was asked a question. If you could have dinner with like any five people who would be at your table living or alive or dead. I had Robin Williams for years in my list because I think he's just one of the most brilliant actors and genuinely funny human beings.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So when Robin Williams passed, I genuinely cried. And I wrote a long statement about Robin Williams on Facebook that I put up and it just. I hammered it out on my iPad because he is so funny. His stand up. If you've ever watched his Stand up routine on golf.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah. Oh, I've watched it hundred years.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

The one on golf is again, profane language, warning, but as funny as anything that has ever been said. Like screamingly funny. Awakenings. The portrayal he gives. I actually like Robin Williams even better in dramatic performances than comedy. And he's one of the funniest human beings ever alive. So awakenings put it on the list. Yes. Fabulous. All right, the next two I view together, Braveheart and Gladiator.

[Ben Ferguson]

Both amazing. No brainers.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Incredible.

[Ben Ferguson]

Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe. Right?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yes.

[Ben Ferguson]

Back to back. How can you get that wrong?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And both standing and fighting and fighting against oppression. And they're epic, epic movies. Again, if you're not inspired by them, you're dead.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I will say Mike Lee, there's an app where you can put yourself you speaking into an audio clip. And he and I used to send things back and forth. And you know at the end when, when Mel Gibson is being executed, he screams freedom. So Mike would send me videos of him screaming to Mel Gibson's voice. Freedom. It was pretty powerful. All right, next. Beverly Hills Cop.

[Ben Ferguson]

Hands down one of the funniest movies ever.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Just screamingly funny. Eddie Murphy, you're gonna laugh.

[Ben Ferguson]

I consider that a Christmas movie. Cause it's like days off. I wanna watch the classic. I watch that.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It is every moment of it. Eddie Murphy remains one of my favorite actors of all times. I love.

[Ben Ferguson]

He's got a new one coming out, a sequel coming out on Amazon. I think it's on Amazon Prime. Did you see that recently? I just saw it this last week. I don't know which one it was, but they were teasing it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yes, they're doing a Beverly Hills Cop 2. Okay.

[Ben Ferguson]

Is that what it is?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Or 3? Yeah, but look, the original Beverly Hills Cop is screamingly funny. And I actually have three Eddie Murphy movies in a row because I love Eddie Murphy. Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yes.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And Coming to America.

[Ben Ferguson]

So Coming to America was one of the first movies that was like really edgy that I remember like in my adolescence seeing hilarious again.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Screamingly funny and Eddie Murphy and Arsenio hall and they play multiple characters and all of the different. You know, in the barbershop when you have Eddie Murphy and Arsenio hall going back and forth, I mean, it's amazing. And you know what? They probably wouldn't let you make that movie today.

[Ben Ferguson]

No, they would not.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It gets racially edgy in a way that like now you know the woke world. No, no, no.

[Ben Ferguson]

You can't laugh about it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

No, no, no, no. You can't have any of that humor. By the way, you want funny humor, go back to young Eddie Murphy on SNL when he was like 19 years old. Brilliant and edgy and just edgy. Comedic like brilliance I love. He's by far my favorite character ever on snl. Really? Young Eddie Murphy, because it was just so funny.

[Ben Ferguson]

I like it. Mine's Farley, by the way.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Look, he was. He was great. And he put his hole into it.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah. I mean, you know, I. I also.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Love fat man in a little jacket.

[Ben Ferguson]

It's unbelievable, that man down by the river. I mean. But I also love, like, comedy when there's people falling over. And he could do that. His physical comedy was incredible.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yep. All right, next on the list, Wall Street. Yep. Just all time Gordon Gekko. One of the great all time classics. By the way, a line that I quote frequently. Gordon Gekko is. Is in the locker room getting cleaned up after playing. Playing racquetball. And he turns to Charlie Sheen and he goes, I'm on the board of the Bronx Zoo. Cost me a million bucks. That's the thing about wasps. Love animals, hate people. There's some insight there.

[Ben Ferguson]

There is some insight there for sure.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Hidden figures.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yes.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Wonderful movie. Incredible movie about the African American female mathematicians who were foundational to America going to the moon. And for me, there are two kind of personal reasons why that movie is significant to me.

[Ben Ferguson]

One, it's gotta be because of Houston.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Well, when we went to see the movie, I took my mother to the movie. I took Heidi to the movie. I took both my daughters to the movie. And it was interesting. My girls, it was the first time they'd seen a movie that had segregation.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah. The bathroom is one of the most iconic scenes in that whole movie.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And it led to. I had a long conversation with both of them, and they were like, well, why would people have done that? And to talk about segregation and civil rights and just sort of walk through the history of it. It prompted really good conversations with my girls. But secondly, so my mom, My mom graduated from Rice in 1956 and she had a math degree and she went to work as a computer programmer at Shell. She subsequently went to work at the Smithsonian. And you remember the movie Hidden Figures begins with Sputnik being launched and sort of the space race being launched, beginning. One of my mother's first assignments at the Smithsonian was to help compute the orbits of Sputnik. And so in front of the girls, I asked my mom, I said, mom, you were doing this, and in fact, you were doing it 10 years earlier, you were doing it in the 50s. Hidden Figures is set in the 60s. And I said, how accurate is it? And my mother thought it was very accurate, that it did a really good job of conveying what it was like to be a woman in space and science and a technical environment. And I commented to her, I said, okay, one of the strange things to a more modern ear is that they referred to the women there as computers. Yeah. And we think of a computer as a piece of metal, but they were.

[Ben Ferguson]

Actually called computers because they were actually doing the math.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And my mother started laughing at me, and she said her first job title was computer. And when she started at Shell, she had a business card that said, eleanor Darragh, Computer.

[Ben Ferguson]

No way.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And so in response to that, I introduced legislation to rename the street in front of NASA headquarters Hidden Figures Way. And this is actually a really cool story. I introduced that legislation before it could pass. And we would have gotten it passed, but a D.C. city councilman saw that legislation and said, you know what? That's a great idea. And the D.C. city Councilman introduced it in the D.C. city Council. The guy's a Democrat. Yeah. And he got it passed. So the D.C. city Council passes it.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's cool.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So I went to the street sign dedication, and that is the street sign there. And I was there. I spoke at the dedication.

[Ben Ferguson]

And where is it?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It is the headquarters of NASA in D.C. okay, cool. And so NASA, the address of NASA is one hidden figures way. And so I spoke at the dedication. The D.C. city councilman spoke, and he's a Democrat, I'm a Republican. And I told the story of my mom, which was really cool to get to tell. And I said, look, at some level, you might say, listen, the street sign's not that big a deal.

[Ben Ferguson]

That one is.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

But at another level, you know, 50 years from now, 100 years from now, some little girl, some little boy is going to come visit NASA. They're going to look up and see the street sign, and they're going to say, hey, what does that mean?

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And they're going to hear the story of the pioneering African American women who were the mathematicians that got us to the moon. And so it's where movies and stories are powerful.

[Ben Ferguson]

Did any of the characters of the movie, did any of them get to come to that?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

They had passed by the time we did that, so no. All right. We just got a few more.

[Ben Ferguson]

Schindler's List, one of the hardest movies to watch.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yes.

[Ben Ferguson]

The other one is that I can. I've only Watched it one time because I just can't bring myself to watch it again. Is Lone Survivor. Those two movies to me are must sees. But I just. I don't know if it's because I've become a dad and having kids now and watching the kids, I just can't watch them like I used to.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So, as you know, a couple of weeks ago, I was at normandy for the 80th anniversary of D Day. And wildly enough, I got to meet Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, which was really cool. And I had pretty extended conversations with both of them. And they've done. Look, their politics are both left of center, but they've done an amazing job, really, honoring and telling the stories of the greatest generation, whether Saving Private Ryan, whether Band of Brothers, whether the Pacific. And so we're talking about that. And I was talking with Spielberg about Schindler's List and just, you know, talking with the heroes, the World War II heroes who almost all say, well, I could have done more. I could have done more. And the real heroes are under those crosses behind us. And I was telling Spielberg, I said, hearing them say that reminds me of the end of Schindler's List where Oskar Schindler is like, I could have done more. And he looks down at his gold watch and he said, this watch. This watch could have saved three more people. Three more people are dead because I kept my watch. And you think about the heroism of his rescuing Jews from the Nazis and the incredible courage, but at the same time, the like, why didn't I do even more? And that, to me, is the most beautiful moment of that movie, is the.

[Ben Ferguson]

Sort of, did I do enough?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna take a detour. A detour to the world of musicals. So I like musicals.

[Ben Ferguson]

Do you like Broadway?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I do. I love Broadway. Absolutely.

[Ben Ferguson]

So like you, if you go to New York, you would put it on your list to go see a show.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I love Broadway. And I'm gonna have four musicals here.

[Ben Ferguson]

I'm ready.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So number one is. Is my father's favorite movie of all time, which is My Fair Lady.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And My Fair lady is fantastic.

[Ben Ferguson]

I've seen it because of my mom, my sister, multiple times.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Watch the English.

[Ben Ferguson]

I've never watched that.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Teach their children how to speak. Norwegians. Learn Norwegians. The Greeks are taught their Greek.

[Ben Ferguson]

See, this is why I said this show would be entertaining, because I would have never thought you were musical.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Oh, it is spectacular Broadway show you've ever been to. I'm gonna get to that.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay, go ahead.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I'M gonna get to that. So the second one there is Oliver.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yep. Great.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Oliver is spectacular. So. So look, I was in high school. I was president the drama club.

[Ben Ferguson]

I have way too many one liners, but I'll leave that for another show. Keep going.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You were captain of the tennis team. I was president of the drama club. Okay, I get that there's a reason why you would have stuck me in the locker if we had known.

[Ben Ferguson]

That would have gotten you a smackdown for sure.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yep. But. So look, I, I. All politicians are frustrated actors. It's just, it's just part of the. The. It is.

[Ben Ferguson]

Did you act in high school?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Oh, yes. A lot.

[Ben Ferguson]

What were you in?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So I did.

[Ben Ferguson]

Do we have eight tracks of this or what? What was it?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Beta cam there. They may be somewhere. Okay, so let's see. I've done Sound of Music twice.

[Ben Ferguson]

What'd you play?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So I played. The first time I played Rolf.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

You know, and I warbled out. You are 16 going on 17.

[Ben Ferguson]

No way.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And then the second time I played Max.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yep.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I also. So I did Oliver, and Oliver's a fabulous classic.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So Oliver was my senior year, and the head of the music department told me, hey, we're doing Oliver next year. And. And he said, you know, I'd love to have you play Fagan if you can sing it. And my curse. Look, I'm a terrible singer. I cannot carry to save my In a bucket like, like I wish I could I have seen you were not given that.

[Ben Ferguson]

Neither was I it.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And so I actually went and for like six months I took voice lessons to try to get be able to sing. Fagin is such a.

[Ben Ferguson]

Did you get any better in the six months?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

A little bit, yeah. And so what happened? And the nice thing about Fagan is Fagan songs are more spoken than sang. So, for example, the song. Reviewing the situation. A man's got a heart, hasn't he? Joking apart, hasn't he? And though I'd be the first to admit that I wasn't a saint, I'm finding it hard to be really as bad.

[Ben Ferguson]

So you're gonna see your dad next time. I'm gonna say those six months is worth it now. Right.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I'm reviewing the situation Can a fellow be a villain all his life? All the trials I Now I'm not.

[Ben Ferguson]

Worried about you Retire. I know if you're gonna.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I have to settle down and get myself a wife. And you remember, wife will cook and sew for you and come for you and go for you and go for you and Nag at you the finger she will wag at you how many.

[Ben Ferguson]

Tickets they sell for this is what I really want to know.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So I prepared. That song was one. Now it's mostly spoken. It's not really. So I could do it marginally, competently. After six months practicing. I did that at the tryout. And then. And then afterwards, music director said, hey, Ted, stick around. And he went to the piano, and he said, sing this. And he went. And I went. And he did it, like, three times. He goes, okay.

[Ben Ferguson]

Like, damn it, not happening.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So I was cast as Bill Sykes. It's the second male lead with no singing. Yeah, it's a fun role. You're the villain. You get to, like, beat up Oliver Twist and, like, you're. But. But I wanted to give it your. I wanted to play that role badly, and. And I did not get it. All right. Two more musicals. Hamilton, which is utterly exquisite. I've seen it multiple times. It is brilliant. It is beautiful. It is powerful. My girls know the songs. There are few things that make me happier than when my daughters are singing songs from Hamilton. I mean, it was. There was a period where they were obsessed with it.

[Ben Ferguson]

You and I were talking about this the other day. My dad. I took him to New York for the first time ever for his 70th birthday. And I. And you said, did you go see a show? And I was like, do you want to see Hamilton? He's like, I'd rather go to the Yankees game. And then the next night, I was like, would you say I'd rather have a nice meal? I tried hard. I tried to get him to Hamilton. It just wasn't on the list.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And then my favorite music of all time is Les Mis.

[Ben Ferguson]

Really?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And I love Les Mis. I. I think.

[Ben Ferguson]

Do you get choked up? Be honest, because I'm a sucker for this. I get the lump in the throat.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Choked up. Yeah. All right, so what song gets you choked up?

[Ben Ferguson]

Oh, the one that. The most famous. I'm terrible. It's the one that Anne Hathaway does. That's so good.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Oh, and. And she won. Won the Academy Awards for it.

[Ben Ferguson]

Every time.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

It gets so. That is beautiful. I'll tell you, the two that get me choked up are number one, when John Valjean is saying, let him live.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yep.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And he's looking down and he says, you know, if I die, that one's incredible. Let me die. Let him live. And it's a prayer to God to let him live every time. I have tears every time. Then the other one that gets me is the song Empty chairs and empty tables at the end when everyone has died. And I will confess, at the end of the presidential campaign in 2016, as I walked through the empty campaign office and I saw the empty chairs and empty tables, I heard the frames of that song. So Les Mis is exquisite. All right. By the way, when I was. All right. So 1993, I was just finished my first year of law school, and I had a job in New York. I was working a law firm in New York for the summer, and I decided to fly my mom to New York for the weekend. And so it's 1993. So I actually FedExed a plane ticket. And this is back when a plane ticket was a piece of cardboard.

[Ben Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

I FedExed a plane ticket to her with nothing else. It was literally. She opened the FedEx package and just a plane ticket to New York fell out. And she called me, and she's like, ted, I assume this is you. I said, yeah. I had no note, no nothing. Just a plane ticket in the FedEx thing.

[Ben Ferguson]

Get on the plane. I'll see you soon, Mom.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So I flew her to New York, and we went out to dinner at Boulay, which at the time was the nicest restaurant in New York. Was fabulous. And then I took her one night to see Camelot, which was really fun.

[Heidi Cruz]

Yep.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

And then the next night to see Les Mis.

[Ben Ferguson]

And did she love it?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

She loved it. And it. I.

[Ben Ferguson]

That's one of those ironed memories for us, life.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah. No, that was just very cool to go do that. All right, so we have a total of three more. I'm gonna say the Magnificent Seven.

[Ben Ferguson]

Incredible. Watched it 10 times.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

The original one. Yes.

[Ben Ferguson]

With my dad.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

All right.

[Ben Ferguson]

All right. That's like, in my dad's. Like, I grew up on John Wayne and war movies.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Yeah. Like Magnificent Seven.

[Ben Ferguson]

And that was like. I remember.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Other than Unforgiven, Magnificent Seven is the greatest western. That's actually originally the western. Unforgiven was sort of a modern remake format. But Magnificent Seven, exquisite with, you know, Yul Brenner and Charles Bronson, and that was the Coburn. Oh.

[Ben Ferguson]

When mom was out of town, that was one of the movies we watched.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Oh, it was so good. It's a fabulous movie. And then I'm gonna end with two. Quentin Tarantino.

[Ben Ferguson]

Is it the Inglourious Bastards? Is that where we're going with this?

[Senator Ted Cruz]

So I'm gonna start with Pulp Fiction.

[Ben Ferguson]

Okay.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Which is fantastic. And then the last one is Inglourious Basterds. Yep. And I feel bad that I left Reservoir Dogs off because Reservoir Dogs is exquisite too. But the other if you made me pick two, I go with Pulp Fiction and Inglourious. Inglourious Basterds is a spectacular movie. So that's 25 movies, which, if you've got some downtime, download them, watch them. You will enjoy them. You will laugh. You will be moved. You will be.

[Ben Ferguson]

And send your critiques on Twitter. We'll take them. And let me ask you one other question. If you can only take one movie and one TV series to a desert island with you, what would you pick? Only one movie and only one TV series. That's all you got to watch.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

The Princess Bride and Criminal Minds.

[Ben Ferguson]

There you go. That's it. Yeah, I like it. See, now we know a little bit more about you. Don't forget, we do this show Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Every once in a while we get to do something fun like this. So make sure you hit that subscribe or auto download button and the Senator and I will see you back here in a couple of days.

[Trainer Games Announcer]

10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

This is where mindset comes in.

[Trainer Games Announcer]

Someone will be eliminated.

[Senator Ted Cruz]

Pressure is coming down. Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th watch the trailer on trainergames.com did you.

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[Podcast Host]

Season 2 of unrivaled basketball is here, and the talent is unreal. The best women's players on the planet are running it back with even bigger moments and bigger stakes. Don't miss as Paige Becker, Snafeeza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more take the court and redefine the game. This isn't your regular season. This is unrivaled, where the pace is faster, the energy is higher, and every athlete shines. Unrivaled basketball season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5 on TNT, TruTV and HBO.

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Max support for the show comes from public. The investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comDisclosures bring incredible.

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[Podcast Host]

Guaranteed Human.