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Ted Cruz
You wake up, put on your Ray Ban Meta glasses. You're living all in. You realize you need coffee so you.
Senator Cruz
Say hey Meta, how do I make.
Unknown Host
A latte brew two shots of espresso.
Ted Cruz
After Meta AI gets you caffeinated, you're ready for some beats.
Senator Cruz
Hey Meta. Play hip hop music.
Ted Cruz
You head to meet some friends but can't remember the place.
Senator Cruz
Hey Meta Call Eva Ray banned Meta.
Ted Cruz
Glasses the next generation of AI glasses. Just say hey Meta to harness the power of Meta AI shop now at meta.com smartglasses it's beginning to sound a.
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Unknown Host
Well, Merry Christmas, many of you that may be listening right now. You might be traveling to go see family right now and we thought we would pause from politics on this Christmas and first off, just say Merry Christmas. But also to talk about something completely different. And that is, Senator, people that don't know you. Well, I'm gonna. I'm gonna 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.
Senator Cruz
Well, let me just echo that. Merry Christmas. I hope you're having a wonderful and blessed day. I hope Santa came down the chimney 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 the love God has for us and the salvation he sent for us. Now, I don't know about you, but over holidays, what my family has always done is we go to movies. We go to movies over Thanksgiving break.
Unknown Host
We.
Senator Cruz
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.
Unknown Host
By the way, you're a movie theater guy. Just so people know this.
Senator Cruz
Oh, I like the real theaters. I like the big screen. I like popcorn and gummy bears and 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 you'll enjoy it. And I think art and storytelling are beautiful, beautiful things.
Unknown Host
So with that being said, here are the big shows and the big movies on cinder cruise'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 going to ask him some questions, and you're even going to 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 gonna 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 Cruz
What is the Last thing I watched on a plane was Outer Banks, okay? Which is a series. It's a Teeny Bopper series and it's Phenomen, 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 now.
Unknown Host
Who's Your favorite character?
Senator Cruz
J.B. yeah, mine too.
Unknown Host
No doubt about it.
Senator Cruz
So she asked me that. I'm a little troubled. Her favorite character is jj who is kind of a. Look, 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.
Unknown Host
It's such a fun show. So when you were growing up, what was it that you were watching? High school. College.
Senator Cruz
By the way, spoiler alert. I apologize if you haven't 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 is blow blown up, I knew Ward was not blown up. And so I wrote her, I said, yeah, Ward just died. 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.
Unknown Host
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.
Senator Cruz
So I felt pretty good that I was at least a step ahead of the Teeny Bopper series.
Unknown Host
That's. I like that. So what were you watching in high school? Like, what were your favorite shows? What was your favorite movie growing up?
Senator Cruz
So I love movies. My parents love movies. Like, we would, you know, this is what we do. So every holiday, every Thanksgiving, every Christmas, my family would go out and watch movies.
Unknown Host
Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?
Senator Cruz
Of course it is.
Unknown Host
Okay, good.
Senator Cruz
Absolutely. Yes. There's only one right answer.
Unknown Host
Okay, good.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
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 Cruz
Well, that actually happens to be number one on the list.
Unknown Host
I knew it. I like this.
Senator Cruz
So. So my favorite movie of all time is the Princess Bride.
Unknown Host
Really?
Senator Cruz
I love the Princess Bride.
Unknown Host
Why?
Senator Cruz
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.
Unknown Host
You Wishes, that's why you were so sober in college. Now I understand it.
Senator Cruz
Look, when you get to the as yous 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. Cause I try an awful lot of them. But it is an exquisite movie. I probably watched the Princess Bride, I don't know, a couple hundred times.
Unknown Host
No way.
Senator Cruz
Yeah, it is fantastic.
Unknown Host
So that's number one on your list?
Senator Cruz
Far and away. Number two on my list is the Godfather Saga.
Unknown Host
Couldn't agree with you more. One of the best series ever made, period.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
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 Cruz
And look, I quote all of them all the time, you know, from three. Every time 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.
Unknown Host
You should put that on a T shirt.
Senator 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, this is the business we have chosen. And everyone looked at me confused, and I said, okay, I have, 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.
Unknown Host
Team building night in the Senate. You should totally bring them in. One, two, and three.
Senator Cruz
Just nine hours. We're going to sit down.
Unknown Host
This is what you're going to do. That's Team Building 101.
Senator Cruz
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday.
Unknown Host
All right. Favorite line from any of the Godfathers. The best one. Mine's the cannoli.
Senator Cruz
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.
Unknown Host
Yeah, no brainer. Number three on your list, Scarface. Really?
Senator Cruz
Oh, I love me some Scarface.
Unknown Host
Why?
Senator Cruz
Notice Pacino has two spots in my top three. I like Pacino. Okay. I love crime movies. And look, Scarface. Tony Montana. He's 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.
Unknown Host
Yeah, he's amazing.
Senator Cruz
So my favorite TV show is Criminal Minds. I love Criminal Minds.
Unknown Host
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 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.
Unknown Host
Never seen it.
Senator Cruz
You've never seen Fletch?
Unknown Host
Never in my life.
Senator Cruz
Go home tonight.
Unknown Host
What's it about?
Senator Cruz
And watch Fletch. It may be the funniest movie ever made.
Unknown Host
Really?
Senator Cruz
Chevy Chase plays Irwin Fletcher, an undercover investigative reporter. It is absolutely hysterical. You know, I love Chevy Chase.
Unknown Host
So that's. That's.
Senator Cruz
It's Chevy Chase's best movie.
Unknown Host
No way.
Senator Cruz
Much better. Much better than. Than Lampoon's Vacation. Much better than. And he's done a ton. I. I love Chevy Chase, but Fletch is. 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.
Unknown Host
I've never seen it.
Senator Cruz
It is spectacular.
Unknown Host
All right, Fletch. I'm on it.
Senator Cruz
All right, number five, Amazing Grace.
Unknown Host
Also never seen it.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
Very cool. Is it a true story?
Senator Cruz
It's a true story. 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.
Unknown Host
Yeah.
Senator Cruz
I mean, it was that absurd of.
Unknown Host
An idea back then.
Senator 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?
Unknown Host
What?
Senator Cruz
So the person who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace was a friar who had been the former captain of a slave ship. Really, 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.
Unknown Host
Never seen it.
Senator Cruz
Oh, Unforgiven is true.
Unknown Host
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 Cruz
Okay, so Unforgiven, best Western ever made, won the Academy Award for best Picture. Clint Eastwood is in it.
Unknown Host
I could do an age joke here. Was it in black and white?
Senator Cruz
No, no, no. It was actually lade Eastwood. You were actually out of diapers when it came out.
Unknown Host
Okay, gotcha.
Senator 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, you know, there's a young kid who wants to be a gunslinger, and he's, like, practicing on shooting fast. And like 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 really did invert many of the conventional wisdom of being a fast.
Unknown Host
Draw and everything else.
Senator Cruz
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 anti hero. So excellent movie.
Ted Cruz
You wake up, put on your Ray Ban meta glasses. Classic style, innovative tech. You're living all in. You realize you need coffee desperately.
Senator Cruz
So you say, hey Meta, how do I make a latte? To make a latte, brew two shots of espresso.
Ted Cruz
After Meta AI gets you caffeinated, you start walking to work and you need a soundtrack.
Senator Cruz
Hey Meta.
Ted Cruz
Play hip hop music with a built in camera. You snap a pic of a dope mural on the side of a building that you think is worth sharing.
Unknown Host
Hey Meta.
Paris Hilton
Text my last photo to Eva.
Senator Cruz
Sending message.
Ted Cruz
After work you head to meet some friends.
Senator Cruz
Hey, nice glasses.
Ted Cruz
Ray Ban Meta glasses. The next generation of AI glasses. Just say hey Meta. To harness the power of Meta AI, listen to music, make hands free calls with open air audio and built in microphones and so much more. All while staying present to the world around you. Shop Ray Ban meta glasses@meta.com smartglasses it's.
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Senator Cruz
Number eight, Team America.
Unknown Host
I've actually seen it. Hilarious.
Senator Cruz
Okay. And I'm going a little edgy. So. Team America. Team America. World Police. It's a puppet movie.
Unknown Host
I remember when it came out and everybody was in shock, but I was dying laughing.
Senator Cruz
So Heidi doesn't like movies very much. I took Heidi to see it. She almost fell to the floor laughing.
Unknown Host
So she. Y'all clicked on that one.
Senator Cruz
It is screamingly funny now. It makes fun of both sides. Yeah, it makes fun of Republicans, Democrats, everybody. It's the guys who do south park who did it. It is puppets.
Unknown Host
They are truly equal opportunity offenders.
Senator 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, and, 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.
Unknown Host
Heidi, I can't believe you brought this in front of your parents.
Senator Cruz
Yeah, it was, but it's still fun. Funny as. I'll get it. All right, next movie. Patton.
Unknown Host
Yep. Amazing, amazing movie. I've watched Patton probably five, six times in my life.
Senator Cruz
All right. Do you know what I did before every Supreme Court argument I ever did?
Unknown Host
Well, I can figure it out now. You watch Patton.
Senator Cruz
Not the whole thing.
Unknown Host
Just which scene.
Senator Cruz
The opening speech. Okay, 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. I mean, I can dig that.
Unknown Host
I can dig that. It is sound advice.
Senator Cruz
If you can watch that speech and not be inspired, you're dead. Yeah, like. Like it is.
Unknown Host
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 Cruz
By the way, a buddy of mine collects historical military equip and clothing and uniforms, and he has Patton's dog tags.
Unknown Host
No way.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
That's incredible. That's a good thing to own.
Senator Cruz
All right. Next movie, the Sting. Classic. Have you seen the Sting?
Unknown Host
No.
Senator Cruz
You've never seen the Sting?
Unknown Host
I don't even know what it's about.
Senator Cruz
Oh, oh, Benjamin, Benjamin, Benjamin. The Sting. All time classic. Robert Redford, Paul Newman, they're con man. It is.
Unknown Host
This is when I can really mess with. Wait. Newman does something outside of like salsa.
Senator Cruz
It is hysterical. It is beautifully done. Go and watch it.
Unknown Host
And what's it about?
Senator Cruz
It's about con men and it's worth watching. I probably watched it a hundred times. It's such a good movie. All right, next movie. Awakenings.
Unknown Host
Yes, I've seen that once. Only once.
Senator Cruz
So Awakenings is fabulous. Robert De Niro.
Unknown Host
You're a De Niro fan.
Senator Cruz
I like De Niro a lot. Not a fan of his politics, but 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.
Unknown Host
Well, I love Robin Williams, so this is right up my alley.
Senator Cruz
Robin Williams is one of my all time favorite actors ever. I mean, he's an incredible comedic actor.
Unknown Host
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 being.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
Yeah.
Senator Cruz
Oh, I've watched 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 Awakening.
Unknown Host
Put it on the list.
Senator Cruz
Yes. Fabulous. All right, the next two I view together, Braveheart and Gladiator.
Unknown Host
Both amazing. No brainers.
Senator Cruz
Incredible.
Unknown Host
Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe, right? Yes, back to back. How can you get that wrong?
Senator Cruz
And both standing and fighting and fighting against oppression and their epic, epic movies. Again, if you're not inspired by them, you're dead.
Unknown Host
Yeah.
Senator 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 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.
Unknown Host
Hands down, one of the funniest movies ever.
Senator Cruz
Just screamingly funny. Eddie Murphy, you're laugh.
Unknown Host
I consider that a Christmas movie because it's like days off. I want to watch the classic. I watch that.
Senator Cruz
It is every moment of it. Eddie Murphy remains one of my favorite actors of all times. I love it.
Unknown Host
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.
Senator Cruz
Yes, yes. They're doing a Beverly Hills Cop 2.
Unknown Host
Okay. Is that what it is?
Senator 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 copy, Trading Places.
Unknown Host
Yes.
Senator Cruz
And Coming to America.
Unknown Host
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 Cruz
Screamingly funny. And Eddie Murphy and Arsenio hall and they play multiple characters and all of the different, you know, in the barber shop 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.
Unknown Host
No, they would not.
Senator Cruz
Gets racially edgy in a way that like now, you know. The woke world. No, no, no.
Unknown Host
You can't laugh about it all over that.
Senator Cruz
No, no, no, no. You can't. You can't. 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.
Unknown Host
Really?
Senator Cruz
Young Eddie Murphy. Because it was just so funny.
Unknown Host
I like it. Mine's Farley, by the way.
Senator Cruz
Look, he was. He was great. And he put his hole into it.
Unknown Host
Yeah, I mean, you know, I. I also love fat man in a little jacket. 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 really incredible.
Senator Cruz
Yep. All right, next on the list, Wall Street.
Unknown Host
Yep.
Senator Cruz
Just all time Gordon Gekko. One of the great all time classics. By the way, a line that I quote frequently. Gordon Gekko is in the locker room getting Cleaned up after 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.
Unknown Host
There is some insight there for sure.
Senator Cruz
Hidden Figures.
Unknown Host
Yes.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
One, it's gotta be because of Houston.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
Yeah, the bathroom is the most. One of the most iconic scenes in that whole movie.
Senator 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 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. 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.
Unknown Host
Yeah.
Senator Cruz
And we think of a computer as a piece of metal, but they were.
Unknown Host
Actually called computers because they were actually doing the math.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
No way.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
Yeah.
Senator Cruz
And he got it passed. So the D.C. city Council passes it.
Unknown Host
That's cool.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
And where is it?
Senator Cruz
It is the headquarters of NASA in D.C. okay, cool. And so NASA, the address of NASA is one hidden figures way. That's awesome. 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.
Unknown Host
That one is.
Senator Cruz
But at another level, 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? 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.
Unknown Host
Did any of the characters of the movie, did any of them get to come to that?
Senator Cruz
They had passed by the time we did that. So now. All right, we just got a few more.
Unknown Host
Schindler's List, one of the hardest movies to watch.
Senator Cruz
Yes.
Unknown Host
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 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, that to me is the most beautiful moment of that movie, is the sort of, Did I do enough? Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna take a detour. A detour to the world of musicals. So I like musicals.
Unknown Host
Do you like Broadway?
Senator Cruz
I do. I love Broadway. Absolutely.
Unknown Host
So, like you, if you go to New York, you would put it on your list to go see a show.
Senator Cruz
I love Broadway. And I'm gonna have four musicals on.
Unknown Host
I'm ready.
Senator Cruz
So number one is, is my father's favorite movie of all time, which is My Fair Lady.
Unknown Host
Okay.
Senator Cruz
And My Fair lady is fantastic.
Unknown Host
I've seen it because of my mom, my sister, multiple times.
Senator Cruz
Watch the English.
Unknown Host
I've never watched that.
Senator Cruz
Teach their children how to speak Norwegians. Learn Norwegians. The Greeks are taught their Greek.
Unknown Host
See, this is why I said this show would be entertaining, because I would have never thought you were musical.
Senator Cruz
Oh, it is spectacular Broadway show you've ever been to. I'm gonna get to that.
Unknown Host
Okay, go ahead.
Senator Cruz
I'm gonna get to that. So the second one there is Oliver.
Unknown Host
Yep. Great.
Senator Cruz
Oliver is spectacular. So. So, look, I was in high school. I was president the drama club.
Unknown Host
I have way too many one liners, but I'll leave that for another show.
Senator Cruz
Keep going. 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 noticed.
Unknown Host
That would have gotten you a smackdown for sure.
Senator Cruz
Yeah, but, but so look, I, I. All politicians are frustrated actors. It's just. It's just part of the. The. It is.
Unknown Host
Did you act in high school?
Senator Cruz
Oh, yes. A lot.
Unknown Host
What were you in?
Senator Cruz
So I did.
Unknown Host
Do we have eight tracks of this or what? What was it?
Senator Cruz
Beta cam. They.
Unknown Host
They're.
Senator Cruz
They may be somewhere. Okay, so let's see. I've done Sound of Music twice.
Unknown Host
What did you play?
Senator Cruz
So I Played the first time I played Rolf.
Unknown Host
Yeah.
Senator Cruz
You know, and I warbled out. You are 16 going on 17.
Unknown Host
No way.
Senator Cruz
And then the second time I played Max.
Unknown Host
Yep.
Senator Cruz
I also. So I did Oliver, and Oliver's a fabulous.
Unknown Host
It's a classic. Yeah.
Senator 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. And my curse, look, I'm a terrible singer. I cannot carry you to save my in a bucket Like. Like I wish I could I have.
Unknown Host
Seen you were not given that. Neither was I it.
Senator Cruz
And so I actually went and for like six months, I took voice lessons to try to get. Be able to sing. Fagan is such a.
Unknown Host
Did you get any better in the six months?
Senator Cruz
A little bit, yeah. And so what happened? And the nice thing about Fagan is Fagan's 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.
Unknown Host
So when I see your dad next time I'm gonna say, those six months is worth it Now. Right.
Senator Cruz
I'm reviewing the situation Can a fellow be a villain all his life? All the trials I now I'm not.
Unknown Host
Worried about retire I know you're gonna.
Senator Cruz
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.
Unknown Host
Tickets they sell for this is what I really want to know.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
And then what he say?
Senator Cruz
And then afterwards, music director said, hey, Ted, stick around. And he went to the piano and he said, sing this. And he went, da, da, da, da. And I went. And he did it like three times. He goes, okay.
Unknown Host
Like, damn it, not happening.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
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 Cruz
And then my favorite music of all time is Les Mis.
Unknown Host
Really?
Senator Cruz
And I love Les Mis. I. I think.
Unknown Host
Do you get choked up? Be honest. Because I'm a sucker for those. I get the lump in the throat.
Senator Cruz
Choked up.
Unknown Host
Yeah.
Senator Cruz
All right, so what song gets you choked up?
Unknown Host
Oh, the one that. The most famous. I'm terrible with it. It's the one that Anne Hathaway does that's so good.
Senator Cruz
Oh, and. And she won. Won Academy Award for it.
Unknown Host
Every time. It gets me.
Senator Cruz
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.
Unknown Host
Yep.
Senator 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. Yeah, 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.
Unknown Host
Get on the plane. I'll see you soon, Mom.
Senator 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.
Unknown Host
Yep.
Senator Cruz
And then the next night to see Les Mis.
Unknown Host
And did she love it?
Senator Cruz
She loved it. And. And it. I.
Unknown Host
That's one of those ironed memories for us, life.
Senator Cruz
Yeah, no, that. 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.
Unknown Host
Incredible. Watched it 10 times.
Senator Cruz
The original one.
Unknown Host
Yes. With my dad.
Senator Cruz
All right. All right.
Unknown Host
That's like, in my dad's. Like, I grew up on John Wayne and war movies.
Senator Cruz
Yeah. Like Magnificent Seven.
Unknown Host
And that was like.
Senator Cruz
I remember. Other than Unforgiven, Magnificent Seven is the greatest western. That's actually originally at a western. Unforgiven was sort of a modern remake format. But Magnificent Seven, exquisite with, you know, Yul Brenner and. And Charles Bronson, and that was the Coburn.
Unknown Host
Oh, when mom was out of town, that was one of the movies we watched.
Senator Cruz
Oh, it was so good. It's. It's a fabulous movie. And then I'm gonna end with two. Quentin Tarantino.
Unknown Host
Is it the Inglorious Basterds? Is that where we're going with this?
Senator Cruz
So I'm gonna start with Pulp Fiction.
Unknown Host
Okay.
Senator Cruz
Which is fantastic. And then the last one is Inglourious Bastards.
Unknown Host
Yep.
Senator Cruz
And I feel bad that I left Reservoir Dogs off, because Reservoir Dogs is exquisite, too. But the other one, 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.
Unknown Host
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 Cruz
The Princess Bride and Criminal Minds.
Unknown Host
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.
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Podcast Summary: Verdict with Ted Cruz – Episode "Reel Justice" (December 25, 2024)
Verdict with Ted Cruz, hosted by Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson, delves into the intersection of politics, personal interests, and cultural influences. In the episode titled "Reel Justice," released on December 25, 2024, Cruz offers an intimate look into his passion for movies and television, illustrating how storytelling shapes his worldview and legislative priorities.
The episode opens with a festive holiday greeting from the hosts, setting a warm tone for the discussion. Ben Ferguson introduces the theme, highlighting Senator Cruz's love for cinema and television as a window into his personal life and values.
Senator Cruz passionately shares his list of favorite movies and TV shows, explaining their significance in his life and career. He emphasizes the role of storytelling in shaping ethical and moral perspectives.
Cruz declares The Princess Bride as his all-time favorite movie, recounting fond memories from college where he and peers played a drinking game inspired by the film:
"My favorite movie of all time is The Princess Bride. I have probably watched it a couple hundred times." [07:27]
He appreciates the film's memorable characters and quotable lines, which have become a staple in his personal interactions:
"Every character in it is exquisite. Every line from every character is fantastic." [07:34]
Cruz praises The Godfather trilogy, particularly admiring the depth of its characters and the intricate portrayal of power dynamics:
"I quote all of them all the time, you know, from three. Every time I get out, they keep pulling me back in." [09:00]
He humorously suggests using the movies as team-building tools for Senate staffers, highlighting the generational gap in appreciating classic cinema.
Reflecting on Scarface, Cruz connects the film to his Cuban heritage and admiration for Al Pacino's performances:
"Tony Montana. He's Cuban. I'm Cuban." [11:02]
Additionally, he mentions his affinity for Criminal Minds as his favorite TV show, despite differing tastes within his household:
"My favorite TV show is Criminal Minds. I love it." [11:33]
Cruz introduces Fletch as a comedic favorite, commending Chevy Chase's performance:
"It may be the funniest movie ever made. Chevy Chase plays Irwin Fletcher, an undercover investigative reporter." [12:12]
He also discusses Amazing Grace, a historical film about William Wilberforce, linking it to his legislative efforts:
"I introduced legislation to rename the street in front of NASA headquarters Hidden Figures Way." [29:42]
Highlighting Unforgiven and Magnificent Seven, Cruz appreciates how these films subvert traditional Western tropes and portray complex moral landscapes:
"Clint Eastwood plays this outlaw who had turned over a good leaf and was good, and then was going back." [16:26]
He shares a personal anecdote about introducing these movies to his Senate staffers, emphasizing their timeless lessons on integrity and duty.
Concluding his list, Cruz underscores the brilliance of Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, acknowledging their impact on modern cinema:
"Inglourious Basterds is a spectacular movie." [41:07]
He expresses regret at omitting Reservoir Dogs but stands by his selections as essential viewing.
Throughout the episode, Cruz intertwines his cinematic preferences with personal stories, illustrating the profound influence of films on his life and legislative actions.
Cruz recounts his personal connection to Hidden Figures, a film about African American female mathematicians pivotal to NASA's success:
"I introduced legislation to rename the street in front of NASA headquarters Hidden Figures Way." [29:53]
This act symbolizes his commitment to honoring unsung heroes and promoting diversity in STEM fields.
Senator Cruz shares his experience meeting Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks during the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Their conversations about Schindler's List and recognizing unsung heroes inspired Cruz to reflect on personal and collective responsibilities:
"Hearing them say 'I could have done more' reminds me of the end of Schindler's List, where Oskar Schindler says, 'This watch could have saved three more people.'" [31:50]
This reflection reinforces themes of sacrifice and the continual quest for improvement in public service.
In a surprising turn, Cruz discusses his high school acting endeavors, revealing his attempts to balance political aspirations with creative pursuits.
Cruz humorously narrates his roles in school productions of Sound of Music and Oliver, despite his self-professed lack of singing talent:
"I took voice lessons to try to get. Be able to sing. Fagan is such a... it's mostly spoken." [35:29]
His experiences highlight the intersection of personal growth and public persona, emphasizing resilience and adaptability.
Cruz extols the virtues of contemporary musicals like Hamilton and Les Misérables, drawing parallels between their narratives and his political ethos:
"There are few things that make me happier than when my daughters are singing songs from Hamilton." [37:50]
He reflects on the emotional impact of Les Misérables, connecting its themes to his own political journey:
"The two that get me choked up are 'Let Him Live' and 'Empty Chairs and Empty Tables'." [38:19]
As the episode wraps up, Cruz synthesizes his cinematic experiences with his role as a public servant, emphasizing the importance of storytelling in shaping societal values and policies. He encourages listeners to engage with diverse narratives, fostering empathy and informed decision-making.
"You will laugh, you will be moved, you will get good things from them." [41:30]
Key Takeaways:
Cinematic Influence: Ted Cruz's favorite films and TV shows are deeply intertwined with his personal values and political ethos.
Legislative Inspiration: Movies like Hidden Figures have directly influenced Cruz's legislative initiatives, showcasing the power of storytelling in public policy.
Personal Growth: Cruz’s reflections on acting and musicals reveal a multifaceted personality, blending creativity with his political identity.
Cultural Appreciation: His admiration for diverse genres, from Westerns to musicals, underscores the importance of varied narratives in understanding complex societal issues.
Notable Quotes:
"Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie, but we would go out and do movies." [02:54]
"If you can watch that speech and not be inspired, you're dead." [21:26]
"Movies and stories are powerful." [30:54]
This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz offers a rich exploration of how personal interests and cultural narratives shape a public figure's approach to leadership and governance. Through his cinematic journey, Cruz illustrates the enduring impact of storytelling on individual lives and broader societal frameworks.