KLZ 560 AM DENVER'S CONSERVATIVE HOME STATION
Menu
In this episode, we explore a startling trend of public support for individuals accused of heinous crimes. Focusing on Luigi Mangione, an alleged murderer with a fan base, we delve into the moral complexities surrounding such backing. Through interviews and discussions, we aim to understand why people rally behind controversial figures and what this says about society’s current moral compass. Join us as we dissect this cultural phenomenon and the implications it holds for the nation’s future.
SPEAKER 19 :
Keep up with the Trump administration when you subscribe to The Trump Report. This email brings you daily highlights from the Oval Office right to your inbox five days a week. Subscribe to The Trump Report.
SPEAKER 16 :
Mike Gallagher
SPEAKER 13 :
We talk a lot about the kind of evil that led to the murder of those little babies and all the innocent Jews on October 7th in Israel. We have evil right here in America. And if we don’t have the wherewithal to face it, to confront it, to deal with it, we’re doomed. And I’m loathe to even mention this scoundrel’s name, but I’m going to say it anyway. This Luigi Mangione. has uncorked such contemptuous, vile evil for the life of me. I’m stunned at the lack of pushback. I want to give you some examples here in just a moment. Before we do that, though, let me tell you a little bit about our friend Dean Owen, CPA. I want to introduce you to a true leader in tax and financial strategy. In fact, I talked to him yesterday about a tax question I had. Dean Owen is so good. And, look, you think about something that is, you know, kind of day-to-day accounting and taxes and who’s the right person to work with. Don’t you want to work with somebody who shares your values? Dean is a combat veteran. He holds the same conservative values that we hold dear. His work reflects integrity, faith in God. He’s a good guy. And Dean and his team specialize in it. And as I’m learning and working with him, he doesn’t work for the IRS. He doesn’t work for the government. He’s all about you. Dean and his team specialize in helping families and businesses reduce their tax burden and build financial and tax plans that are aligned with your goals and values. They are trusted experts who understand the importance of protecting what you’ve earned. So don’t wait. Take control of your financial future today. I’m going to give you a number to call. It’s M. Dean Owen, CPA. Got an easy… website to remember if you just want to go online, owencpa.com. Go to owencpa.com, owencpa.com, or better still, pick up the phone and call his office, 270-554-0720. This guy is amazing. You’ll see. You’ll thank me later. You want an accountant? You want a tax guy? You want a financial strategist who’s looking out for you? Call Dean Owen. 270-554-0720. That’s 270-554-0720. Or go to OwenCPA.com today. OwenCPA.com. So the authorities say they’ve got Luigi Mangione dead to rights. They’ve got this. They’ve got him on video. They’ve got all this evidence. He’s going to have very… skilled he has some of the best legal representation money can buy comes from a wealthy family and the family i guess is standing by him i’ve always wondered about that too if your loved one was accused of the horrific cowardly evil unspeakable act of walking up behind a husband and a father who’s walking down the street and pumping him full of bullets from behind You’d stand by him? I mean, that’s one of the great dilemmas, one of the great moral quandaries of our time. What do you do when a loved one has become so rotten to the core? But it’s not just the alleged killer, Luigi. How about his fans? How about his supporters? Here’s a montage of people who were standing outside the courthouse, and wanted to get a glimpse of him and expressing to reporters why they support and how they support this alleged brutal murderer of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
SPEAKER 10 :
Have, like, Luigi fever, though?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, of course I have Luigi fever, yeah.
SPEAKER 10 :
Is what he did good?
SPEAKER 08 :
It’s great, actually. I believe we should do more.
SPEAKER 11 :
Did Luigi do the right thing?
SPEAKER 08 :
I think he did what needed to be done.
SPEAKER 11 :
Should every healthcare CEO be unalived?
SPEAKER 08 :
Only the corrupt ones, yes.
SPEAKER 11 :
Is Elon Musk next?
SPEAKER 08 :
Oh, I hope so. I hope his Luigi’s out there somewhere.
SPEAKER 11 :
Where does Luigi compare to, say, Nelson Mandela?
SPEAKER 07 :
Oh, he’s up there with Nelson Mandela.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, who’s hotter, Luigi or George Floyd?
SPEAKER 08 :
Luigi or George Floyd?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 08 :
Luigi.
SPEAKER 11 :
You ready to fight the war, man? Is Luigi the new Martin Luther King?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes. Political prisoners should be supported.
SPEAKER 13 :
You know what was fascinating about that video clip that we saw last night? Almost all of those monstrous scum had masks on. Did you notice that? And they’re outside. What are you wearing masks for with your stupid Luigi is a hero sign? What are you wearing a stupid mask for? Are you worried about COVID? You think you’re going to be outside getting COVID when you’re protesting in support of Luigi, an alleged brutal murderer? You got a mask on? I think they have a mask on because they don’t want people to know who they are. And a whole lot of bad people wear masks in America now. And COVID gave them the inspiration to do so. I mean, and if that hasn’t sickened you enough, what you just heard, I want you to hear a woman, this was from X, but a woman being interviewed explaining why she supports Luigi Mangione. You see, she has some personal connections. to the taking of an innocent life.
SPEAKER 11 :
You’ve got to hear this. What made you want to organize this protest?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, I spent 26 months in prison for DUI negligent homicide.
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER 01 :
Respect. Thanks, man. Appreciate it. That was after I was the victim of domestic violence, and so the experience really taught me that whoever goes to prison is a victim first. So when I saw Luigi Mangione and I heard what was going on, I…
SPEAKER 11 :
You was getting abused, then you was having a couple drinks to deal with your pain, and then you was driving, and then someone happened to be in the way?
SPEAKER 01 :
Actually, I hit a shopping cart at three miles an hour in a parking lot. And the shopping cart knocked someone over, and he died about a week later.
SPEAKER 11 :
Man, so it was really the shopping cart that should have been in prison, realistically.
SPEAKER 01 :
Fair to say.
SPEAKER 13 :
Fair to say. Fair to say. She killed a man while drunk. And she’s the victim because, as she said, everybody who goes to prison, what was the line, guys? Everybody who goes to prison is a victim first. Now, let that sink in. I truly feel like we’re in the funny farm. I feel like we’re absolutely down the rabbit hole. I really do. I truly feel like we are absolutely on the other side of the looking glass. insanity but you know we can laugh at kooky people there’s a lot of them these are not just these are not just a handful of people there are many people who are nuts and they’re they’re mean and they’re evil there’s no way around this and we can’t we can’t unring this bell i can’t unhear what i just heard Luigi, oh, he’s hot. We’ve got to kill more people. We’ve got to kill more corrupt CEOs. Sure. Elon Musk is next. And incidentally, are the authorities investigating that woman who clearly threatened the life of Elon Musk? James in Florida. James, welcome to the Mike Gallagher Show. Hello. Hey, Mike. How you doing? How you doing? I’m good. Welcome to the NRB here in Texas.
SPEAKER 05 :
I wanted to tell you, because you’re talking about the Mangione guy. Right. I was watching, there’s a video of Jon Stewart, and it’s the one where he bloodies his hand because he gets on this diatribe. He’s just going off, being crazy.
SPEAKER 13 :
Cuts his hand. He smashes the coffee cup on his set, and he cut his hand open.
SPEAKER 05 :
At the end of that video, he starts talking about solutions or maybe what we need more of. I forget the exact phrase, but he starts spelling that guy’s name and leaves off like the last letter. What guy’s name? And he’s praising him. Mangione. You’re kidding me. He says M-A-N-G-I, and then he stops spelling it. Yep. Take a look at the video. It just blew my mind. I was like, this guy’s on national television. He leaves off the last couple of letters of the name because he’s trying to give himself an out.
SPEAKER 13 :
Wow. It’s like good is evil. PhD weight loss has changed my life, and I’ve got a little secret for you. You know Big Pharma and semaglutide and the shots in the belly. You’ve seen the story recently about the study that shows that a lot of people that are getting this are going blind. You don’t want to do this. You want a program to lose weight that’s centered around science and nutrition, a proven roadmap that has helped over 8,000 clients lose weight and keep it off, like me. I lost 53 pounds a few years ago, and I’ve kept it off. I know what to eat and when. I know how to quiet any of the cravings I might get and release that fat. Finally, release that unhealthy belly fat that I carried along for so long. Make the phone call that can change your life in the way it changed mine. It’s called PhD Weight Loss. PhD Weight Loss, Dr. Ashley Lucas’ program is brilliant. And how do I know? Well, 53 pounds later, here I am. 864-644-1900 is their number. Call and schedule your consultation. You can do this program from anywhere in America. Call 864-644-1900, 864-644-1900, or visit myphdweightloss.com.
SPEAKER 15 :
He’s the happy conservative warrior. From the Relief Factor studios, here’s Mike Geller.
SPEAKER 13 :
Day two from the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in North Texas. We’ve had a great week, a great visit. I was profoundly impacted by our visit with Yael Eckstein yesterday from the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. We posted the picture of that beautiful… baby’s cherished elephant, baby Kafir, who was murdered by Hamas terrorists. Look, I have worried about the fate of Israel almost my entire life. Been to Israel many times. I’m going back in October with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. We were heartbroken to hold that little pink elephant yesterday that was baby kafir’s favorite toy and the uh the bibas family gave yael and the international fellowship of christians and jews that that stuffed elephant to take around the country and around the world so that the world won’t forget what these monsters did on october the 7th and uh The brutality of October 7th is kind of hard to put into words. But the support for the brutality by Americans is something that I still can’t wrap my brain around. I saw a poll today that said that Israel is less popular than Cuba with young people. Israel is so unpopular, they have been brainwashed into believing that Israel is the bad guy. Isn’t it wild to see Americans cheering for the bad guys? And I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t know how to define it. I don’t know how to describe it. I don’t know. I can’t understand it. And young people in particular are doing things that are exhibiting signs of something that are virtually unrecognizable. Not only in the conflict between Israel and Hamas and siding with the terrorists, as many young people are doing, but even domestic terrorists, like the alleged killer of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Luigi Mangione. Young people, you understand, many of them think this alleged monster, and I always say alleged because in America you’re… Not guilty until proven otherwise. You’re innocent until convicted. But the police say they’ve got this punk dead to rights. They’ve got him on video. They’ve got mountains of evidence. He has the best attorneys money can buy because Luigi comes from a wealthy family. And they’re already questioning the evidence gathering. They’re already trying to get these cops to have to forfeit a lot of the proof of the murder in the court. And if somehow this kid did it and he gets away with it, it will be another example of of very skillful, highly compensated lawyers knowing how to work the system. No other way around that, if he did it. And let’s let the trial commence, and I’ll let the game come to me. We’ll observe, and we’ll know, and you’ll know, and we’re going to find out. But you’ve got people lining up hoping he did it, People convinced he did it, and they’re glad he did it. Brian Thompson was a father, a husband, an American, a very successful CEO. And because a lot of leftist young people, progressives as they like to call themselves, don’t like the health care system and want universal health care, they then think that companies like UnitedHealthcare are villainous, and they want the executives… Gunned down in the streets. And they act as if… I’ve got to play this. This cut 14. A montage. I don’t know who this person is who’s conducting the interviews. I think he’s kind of trolling these young people without them knowing it. He’s pretending to be one of them, I think. He’s talking in kind of a slang sort of vernacular. He’s kind of funny. But they organized a protest in support of Luigi Mangione. So a bunch of young people are outside the courthouse supporting Luigi. And this guy, this podcaster or YouTuber or whatever he is, ventures into the crowd and starts interviewing these people. And I want you to check out… What responses he got. When my team first played these for me, I said, this isn’t possible. There’s no way people are this evil. There’s no way there are people this monstrous. No way there are people this twisted who are Americans. I mean, I kind of understand depravity and evil of terrorists overseas. You know, you want to believe that they’re over there. They’re not among us. Monsters don’t walk among us, do they? Well, I guess they do. Let me give you some evidence.
SPEAKER 10 :
Have like Luigi fever though?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, of course I have Luigi fever, yeah.
SPEAKER 10 :
Is what he did good?
SPEAKER 08 :
It’s great actually. I believe we should do more.
SPEAKER 11 :
Did Luigi do the right thing?
SPEAKER 08 :
I think he did what needed to be done.
SPEAKER 11 :
Should every healthcare CEO be unalived?
SPEAKER 08 :
Only the corrupt ones, yes.
SPEAKER 11 :
Is Elon Musk next?
SPEAKER 08 :
Oh, I hope so. I hope his Luigi’s out there somewhere.
SPEAKER 11 :
Where does Luigi compare to say Nelson Mandela?
SPEAKER 07 :
Oh, he’s up there with Nelson Mandela.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, who’s hotter, Luigi or George Floyd?
SPEAKER 08 :
Luigi or George Floyd?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 08 :
Luigi.
SPEAKER 11 :
Are you ready to fight the war, man? Is Luigi the new Martin Luther King?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes. Political prisoners should be supported.
SPEAKER 13 :
The new Martin Luther King. You know, I’m at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention. There’s a whole bunch of spiritual people here. These are Christian broadcasters who know all about the presence of evil. We believe in Satan. We believe in satanic things. We understand that evil is real. The left doesn’t want to acknowledge it. Maybe it’s because the left often exhibits that kind of evil. And if that clip doesn’t stun you enough, let me give you another example of evil. That podcaster finds a young woman… who feels that she can relate to Luigi Mangione because she killed a guy as a drunk driver and believes that she, the killer, is the real victim.
SPEAKER 11 :
What made you want to organize this protest?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, I spent 26 months in prison for DUI negligent homicide.
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER 01 :
Respect. Thanks, man. Appreciate it.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 01 :
That was after I was the victim of domestic violence. And so the experience really taught me that whoever goes to prison is a victim first. So when I saw Luigi Mangione and I heard what was going on, I…
SPEAKER 11 :
You was getting abused, then you was having a couple drinks to deal with your pain, and then you was driving, and then someone happened to be in the way?
SPEAKER 01 :
Actually, I hit a shopping cart at three miles an hour in a parking lot. And the shopping cart knocked someone over, and he died about a week later.
SPEAKER 11 :
Man, so it was really the shopping cart that should have been in prison, realistically.
SPEAKER 01 :
Fair to say.
SPEAKER 13 :
Fair to say. I mean, I don’t know anything about the guy doing the interview, but he’s clearly goofing on these awful people, and they’re too stupid to recognize it. They’re so dumb, they don’t know that he’s playing them. He’s trolling them. And that’s how moronic these young people are. But they are expressing a point of view that is not isolated. There are a lot of people who seem to think that what Luigi Mangione is accused of doing was virtuous. It was a good thing. You know, when she talks about the guy she killed in the DUI, when she said he died, that he is somebody’s son, somebody’s brother, husband, father. And she laughed about it. And I guarantee you’re capable of doing it again. But, again, these aren’t isolated people. It is good to remember that evil exists. It is good to remember that evil is real. It is good to be reminded of the presence of evil. And if you can explain it otherwise, you let me know. 800-655-MIKE, 800-655-6453. In Dallas, Fort Worth, the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, Day 3. We’ve had a splendid week. Hope you’ve enjoyed our shows. And, hey, we’re not going anywhere. I hope you join us. 800-655-MIKE. How do you explain it? How do you explain support for Luigi Mangione? You tell me. You tell your son, your daughter. Maybe you’ve got a 20-something-year-old kid who thinks Luigi is all that and a bag of chips. Yeah, pretty good guy. Pump a couple bullets in the back of the UnitedHealthcare CEO and you’re doing Martin Luther King Jr. kind of work. He’s the next Martin Luther King Jr. How do you explain it? Can you help me understand it? I always turn to the smartest audience in the world, you. 800-655-MIKE. One call does it all. Call or text 800-655-6453. Your voice, your call, your perspective. Coming up. And you say that you love me. Portions of our show brought to you by MyPillow. And the flannel sheets are 50% off right now. You’ll save over 50% the flannel sheets mega sale from MyPillow. Look, you know what Mike Lindell was put through. You understand the way they’ve targeted MyPillow and tried to shut them down. But you keep standing in their way, and MyPillow goes strong thanks to your support. MyPillow is excited about their first ever mega sale on overstock clearance and brand new products like the flannel sheets. And Mike is also offering right now as a thank you to you. The multi-use MyPillow 2.0 with the roll-and-go case, regularly $49.94. It’s now just $9.98. That price is unbelievable. The multi-use MyPillow 2.0 with the roll-and-go case. For just $9.98. And they’ve got cases with American flags and Bible verses. You’ve got to use the promo code MikeG. Limit 15 per customer, please, because of that incredibly low price. MyPillow.com. Look for the Mike Gallagher specials. Click on that box. And then with anything you order, enter the promo code MikeG. MyPillow.com. Promo code MikeG. MyPillow.com. Promo code MikeG. Or call 800-928-6034. 800-928-6034. MyPillow.
SPEAKER 16 :
Mike Gallagher.
SPEAKER 13 :
You know, here’s a text message from San Diego that is a real thought-provoking comment about young people siding with, you know, an alleged brutal, cowardly, gutless killer like Luigi Mangione. San Diego writes, it’s mental illness. People have been polarized by constantly seeing death around them and glamorized through the media, coupled with their own selfish needs of their lives. These people become mentally ill. You know, that’s almost not a cop-out, because I think that, too. I think, well, these people are sick. These are just sick people. But I think it’s deeper than that. I don’t know that it’s just somebody who’s mentally ill. You have to have a darkness in your heart to side with a terrorist from Hamas, to cheer the murder of these little babies and women and men and people of all walks of life. You have to be so, so demonically dark. To support Luigi. And, you know, I was just talking to somebody on my team. Christian has a family member, and there was kind of a joking exchange they had. Have you seen the picture, the images of Luigi as a saint with a halo? I’ve seen these. He looks like they’ve got him as a sainted figure. And Christian has a family member who thinks Luigi’s great. Now, I’d like to talk to that person. I’d like to say, can you tell me what went wrong in your life that would enable you to literally root for evil? How have we gotten so lost? What’s missing here? 800-655-MIKE. Rich is in Oregon. Rich, you’re on the Mike Gallagher Show. Hello.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, greetings from the liberal side in Oregon on the West Coast. Is there a conservative side of Oregon? I don’t know. The county I live in actually always votes conservative. Oh, good, good. Yeah, it’s great. Good for you. I was listening this morning, and I think this goes deeper than just health insurance, because I think it was a couple days ago in Oregon, Oregon’s largest work comp insurer, Safe Corporation, said, The CEO’s house got shot at in Lake Oswego.
SPEAKER 03 :
You’re kidding me.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, so it doesn’t just end there. There’s obviously anger towards insurance, obviously.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, and look, we can all stipulate that we can be angry at health insurance. I can be angry at the grocery store. I don’t want to murder the meat market manager.
SPEAKER 04 :
I spent 25 years in the insurance industry, in the property casualty side. But, yeah, people get really angry about insurance issues.
SPEAKER 13 :
But so much so that they’re going to shoot up the guy’s house, so much so that they want to put bullets in a young husband and father’s back and celebrate that? Honestly, I’ve been thinking a lot about Christian’s family member, and I want to try something. I want to do something here, and once in a while we do this. It’s an exercise. I usually kick myself for doing it, but I’m going to try again. If you somehow can call this show and tell me why and how you support Luigi Mangione, I’m going to give you the floor. Because I’ve got to get into your brain. I’ve really got to figure out. I believe in my heart that you’ve got to confront evil. And I give you my word. I won’t scream at you. I won’t hang up on you. I am inviting you to call. Tracy, clear a line. And I want a caller, please, who can defend and excuse and explain your support for Luigi Mangione. I really would. I’m going to give it my best effort here. 800-655-MIKE. Let’s give this a shot. Again, every time I usually do this, it crashes and burns. I get some crackpot who’s telling me that they’re hearing voices from their fillings on their left side of their head and that they’re Napoleon Bonaparte. But let me give it a try. I’m going to give it a shot. If you support Luigi, I hope you’ll call and explain it to me and to this audience. Let’s get this out of the way once and for all, because there’s obviously a lot of people out there. You just heard the clip from all those women. Oh, Luigi’s sexy is great. This is fantastic. We’ve got to do more. Elon Musk is next. Incidentally, I hope the lady who said that, I hope the police are investigating her as we speak. 800-655-MIKE. Join us. Doctor, doctor, give me the news.
SPEAKER 19 :
President Trump is moving at lightning speed. Billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse. Executive orders, new policies, promises kept. It’s hard to keep up until now. Subscribe to the Trump Report. This email brings you daily highlights from the Oval Office right to your inbox five days a week. The golden age of America begins right now. It’ll help you follow President Trump at the speed of Trump.
SPEAKER 15 :
The Mike Gallagher Show.
SPEAKER 02 :
Everything the president has done on the border, we have got to empower him to do it, not just for a month, but for the next four years. And we’ve got to hire more Border Patrol agents. We’ve got to give Tom Homan and Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem the resources they need to secure the border.
SPEAKER 15 :
In the ReliefFactor.com studios, here’s Mike.
SPEAKER 13 :
A lot of people are sending me text messages on the MyPillow text line sharing their favorite Gene Hackman movie, film, moment, scene. What a tragic announcement out of Santa Fe, New Mexico yesterday. Gene Hackman and his wife and dog were all discovered deceased in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home. Now, if you have all of the three living creatures in a home suddenly pass away… With the police saying foul play is not suspected, that suggests to me carbon monoxide poisoning. I don’t know what else could have taken their lives if foul play is not suspected by the authorities there. So we have a good scene, right? Do we have a Gene Hackman moment? I think this is from Hoosiers. which is one of the classic Gene Hackman films, one of my favorite films. You want to be inspired, go watch Hoosiers this weekend. I mean, it gives you a good sense of, you know, hope and redemption and loss and wins and fails and successes. Here’s a scene from the late Gene Hackman from the classic film Hoosiers.
SPEAKER 17 :
There’s a… Tradition in tournament play, not talk about the next step until you’ve climbed the one in front of you. I’m sure going to the state finals is beyond your wildest dreams, so let’s just keep it right there.
SPEAKER 18 :
Forget about the crowds, the size of the school, their fancy uniforms, and remember what got you here. Focus on the fundamentals that we’ve gone over time and time again. And most important, don’t get caught up thinking about winning or losing this game. If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don’t care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game. In my book, we’re going to be winners.
SPEAKER 13 :
Great, great, great performances for many, many years. Going back to 1967, the great Gene Hackman passed away this week in New Mexico along with his wife and dog. So strange circumstances. I’m sure those will be revealed soon enough. All right, we’ve got a caller on hold who supports Luigi Mangione. Some thoughtful comments. text messages on the MyPillow text line. Here’s one from Illinois. I’m not in favor of anyone who commits a murder like the one that happened to the CEO, but I also am not in favor of blindly trusting whoever the media points their finger at and says is to blame. Look, I’m not on Luigi’s side, but I want to know that whoever we’re sentencing is the actual perpetrator, not a scapegoat. Okay, fair enough, thoughtful. Here’s from Maryland. I do not support Luigi, but I do not feel bad for the CEO of a corrupt organization. Is that wrong? These people have taken advantage of everyday Americans for decades. I’m supposed to feel bad for a man who is an overpaid scam artist? Love your show, Mike. You really put me onto the conservative perspective. Much appreciated. Well, Maryland, if that’s true, let me bring you back down to earth for a moment. Because your position is reprehensible. If you’re going to use the justification of a murder of a husband and father by saying that health care industry has taken advantage of people, well, go down the list. I’m in a beautiful resort right now for the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, the Gaylord. It’s a great hotel, great property. I stay in hotels a great deal of my life. I stay in Washington, D.C. all the time. I spend $400 or $500 a night for a hotel room at one of the Marriott properties. $400 or $500 a night for a room. And it’s a nice room. It’s a comfortable room. It’s a beautiful hotel. Do you know what that same room rate was? When I tried to book the room for President Trump’s inauguration, it was $3,800 a night. Now, one could argue that hotels are scam artists and gouging people and taking advantage of people because, look, it’s an inauguration. It is great. You know, that’s… Look… I know it’s probably apples and oranges, but if you want to start saying we’re going to gun down CEOs of companies that you believe take advantage of people, take advantage of people, let me break it to you, Maryland. UnitedHealthcare has millions of people who are insured who believe that UnitedHealthcare was a godsend for them. You know, you don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. I know there are claims denied, and I get that people have challenging experiences with insurance companies. We all do. Check out auto insurance. How about people that are denied benefits for their car insurance? How about people who can’t get all kinds of access because of the costs and premiums? You’re going to start gunning people down? You’re going to shoot and kill executives because you don’t like the way they conduct business? If you’re on board with that, you are evil personified. No other way to describe that. So I’m truly trying to understand where people are coming from who support this policy. Monster, according to the authorities, who stalked and hunted down like prey the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Now, Walter is in North Carolina and says he supports what Luigi did. Walter, I very much appreciate your call because this is going to be difficult for probably both of us, but you’ve got to help us understand what you’re thinking. How can you support the actions of an alleged cold-blooded murderer like Luigi Mangione?
SPEAKER 12 :
I didn’t say that. I said what he did was wrong, and I do not support it, but I understand why he did it.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right.
SPEAKER 12 :
It’s not because of money. It’s because they’re taking people’s lives. I’m a 63-year-old colon cancer survivor, and I nearly died because Pfizer wanted to make a huge profit off of Zantac. You’re not looking at this in the right direction. It’s not about money. What these folks do causes people to die.
SPEAKER 13 :
What is it they do, Walter?
SPEAKER 12 :
They knew that Zantac was contaminated with a carcinogen. They’ve already settled cases in Florida and in California. for the damages they did and so what so what last cases are going through in delaware i wish i could get my hands on anthony policy and take him behind the woodshed i’d give anything for that well what i’d what i’d like to understand blame him for this what you you blame the pfizer you well wait a minute ruined my life they took my career i was a licensed electrical contractor I’m a lifelong loyal conservative Trump supporter, and they ruined my life because they wanted to make a profit off of a drug they knew was bad.
SPEAKER 13 :
We got it. Now, can I please respond, Walter? Will you give me an opportunity to ask you a couple of questions?
SPEAKER 12 :
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER 13 :
And first of all, let me stipulate and tell you how sorry I am for the path you’ve been on. All of us. feel saddened by what you’ve been through. And I’m sure just like you’re saddened for every American who’s gone through a rough time, because you’re not the only one that’s had a rough time, my friend.
SPEAKER 12 :
Let me please finish. Walter, we heard you. I want to respond, please.
SPEAKER 13 :
Number one, we empathize and we sympathize with the tough road you’ve been on, just like I know you sympathize with fellow Americans who’ve also been through a tough road. You’re not the only one who’s had a tough time. There’s a lot of people who’ve had just as bad, if not worse, than you. You know that, I’m sure, in your heart. Walter, what did Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, have to do with your situation?
SPEAKER 12 :
I have no idea. Well, you just said you understand how the guy did what he did. I do not support what he did. I support the fact that these people are killing people, and that’s why they’re… How did Brian Thompson… You say these people killed people.
SPEAKER 13 :
Brian Thompson killed people?
SPEAKER 12 :
I have no clue about what he’s done. I don’t know him. I know what happened to me.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, again, we’re sorry. We’re not going to get anywhere. And I’m very sorry for what you’ve experienced. You’re bitter. You’re angry. You’re upset. And believe me, a lot of people in your shoes, I’m sure, would feel the same way. But you’re not particularly rational, with all due respect. To say you understand that people are killing people because people are frustrated with the medical process or the health care system, that is insane, Walter. And I beg you to pray about it, to think about it, to study what you just said to a national audience because it’s reprehensible. You can’t understand that’s not the solution to anything, to go gun down young husbands and fathers in the streets because you believe that their business practices are wrong. And look, I don’t doubt for one minute… the horrors that you’ve experienced. But like I said, there’s lots of Americans who’ve been through a horrible personal experience like yours. They’re not going around saying, well, I understand killing a guy in the street. Yep, I understand why Luigi did what he did. If you understand why Luigi did what they said he did, You’re evil. You’ve got to look in the mirror, and you’ve got to gut check, and you’ve got to pray, and you’ve got to see somebody. You’ve got to talk to a pastor, or you’ve got to talk to a psychiatrist, because something’s wrong with you. Something’s gone so wrong with you that you need help. And again, you’re hurting, Walter, and we hurt with you. I’m not trying to be cruel or mean-spirited. We get it. But you can’t let that hurt turn into an anarchy, a cruelty. Brian Thompson was loved. Brian Thompson was a husband, was a father. And you’re saying, well, I understand putting bullets in his back because I don’t like the way the health care system works. That’s awful. That’s awful. Horrible. And you’ve got to come to terms with that. We’re praying for you, Walter, and I do appreciate you sharing your story with us. And I hope things get better for you. I really do. 15 before the hour. And maybe this is part of the problem. And a lot of young people, maybe they’re all down this rabbit hole, too. Well, you know, the health care system, bad. So let’s just gun people down. Good. Nah, nah. We better stop this real quick. You’ve got to call evil out. or evil’s going to prevail. If we don’t stand up to it, they’re going to win. The bad guys like these punks protesting outside the courthouse saying, Oh, Luigi’s great. Elon’s next. If we don’t stand up to that, we’re going to fall. Big time. 800-655-MIKE, 800-655-6453. I hope you join us.
SPEAKER 15 :
We have spent, you and I, and we’re in our mid-60s, late 60s if you’re me.
SPEAKER 14 :
The movie is watching Gene Hagman. It is a lifetime of movie going. What an iconic, iconic figure.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, he was a real renaissance man, too. I mean, here’s a guy who had all these years in the limelight and then went off to Santa Fe with his wife of 30-plus years. And he was a stock car racer. He was a photographer. He was an artist. He was the kind of person you’d really love to get to meet, I think, and get to know. And what an end. I mean, I heard the first part of the news that he passed away. I thought, well, sure, 95 years old. He’s 95, exactly. And then they say they discovered he and his wife and his dog.
SPEAKER 14 :
So stop there. When it was him and his wife, I thought, oh, my Lord, did somebody snap into a murder-suicide?
SPEAKER 13 :
I know.
SPEAKER 14 :
The dog.
SPEAKER 13 :
The dog.
SPEAKER 14 :
Great minds think alike. Because I don’t think anybody crept into the house and killed Gene Hackman and his wife and their dog. You thought what I thought, which was?
SPEAKER 13 :
Carbon monoxide poisoning. Maybe so. The silent killer. And it’s probably, if that’s what it turns out to be. be a cautionary tale to everybody to have one of those detectors we got them yeah i do too i got them in the condo i mean that you have to have that because something can go wrong a piece of equipment can malfunction before you know it uh and you don’t you have no idea because it’s odorless and so you know you just go to sleep and you never wake up so what a real what a tragic end i’m always so fascinated by 95-year-old people who die accidentally.
SPEAKER 14 :
I know. How long might he have lasted? Did you see the paparazzi pictures of him on the streets of whatever little town in New Mexico they lived in? I mean, some people Chuck Grassley in his 90s tweeting like a teenager with all of his marbles. So it is doable. Most people in their 90s are a little more shopworn. Gene was one of those. I mean, he kind of looked like somebody who’s living under a bridge. And it’s like, can we leave this man alone?
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, it’s jarring to see icons in person as they age. Because when they appear even on television, they don’t look… So old. I mean, you know, they’re made up and they’re used to being performers. And when the light goes on, like I’ve run into people on elevators. Bob Newhart. I remember running into Bob Newhart once. And he was so frail and infirm. And I thought, oh, gosh. He made it to his 90s, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, you know, hey, God bless him and what a life and what a legacy.
SPEAKER 14 :
You know, the other thing that lends to this is also if you see somebody, like the reason those pictures are a little jarring is we haven’t seen Gene Hackman on a screen of any kind in almost 20 years. I think the last thing he did was there was like a documentary. Welcome to Mooseport 2004 was the last actual movie that he was kind of in.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Mooseport? You’re making that up.
SPEAKER 14 :
No, no, no.
SPEAKER 13 :
Really?
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, it was Ray Romano, Gene Hackman, you know. Oh, dear. Sounds unfortunate. Yeah, hey, not everything’s going to be Hoosiers, you know. What would be your favorite? Give me a couple. When you think Gene Hackman, close your eyes, what jumps out at you?
SPEAKER 13 :
I guess Superman, but there wasn’t anything he did that I didn’t love. The French Connection.
SPEAKER 14 :
French Connection, Hoosiers, Mississippi Burning with Willem Dafoe. Oh, my gosh.
SPEAKER 13 :
I mean, think about it. Is there any movie, really? I don’t know about the one you mentioned, but anything he appeared in, he just brought. And he was not your classic movie star. No, no. Groff, you know. Yep, yep, yep, yep. But one of those actors, look, we are blessed to have some of the most spectacular actors imaginable who become the character. I loathe Meryl Streep’s politics, but she’s somebody who I could watch, read a phone book, you know, just do anything.
SPEAKER 14 :
I love De Niro. De Niro’s got something new, and I’ll probably, what is the difference between, are you out? What is the difference between Because it’s a short list. We and I talk about compartmentalizing all the time. We know almost all these people loathe our politics, but we’ve got to watch TV and watch movies and listen to music. You don’t have to, but if you’re going to. So if there’s somebody that doesn’t club me over the head with it, like Meryl Streep doesn’t really, so I’m okay with her. De Niro does, but he’s just so doggone good. I’m probably going to compartmentalize. Is there somebody who I’ll search my brain pan. Is there anybody you just can’t look at or just can’t listen to? Look, De Niro.
SPEAKER 13 :
I mean, I have to say it. And I’ve loved his work over the years, too, although a little bit one-dimensional, if you ask me. Sometimes I think there are icons that are a little overrated. Springsteen comes to mind. That’s just me. But nonetheless, the vicious things De Niro has said about wanting to assault Trump and beat him up and he’s this and he’s that. I just get so tired of some of these people. But you’re right. I… This is a conflict that I’ve had for years. I’ve got friends who say, look, you don’t like these guys. Why do you line their pockets by going to their movies or buying their music or supporting them? And I’m like, well, I enjoy the arts. And I don’t know why I have to be deprived of whatever talents they can. But I also respect their point of view. Totally get it. I totally get it. I’ve got a friend who will not spend one dime on a Barbara Streisand movie or a Robert De Niro film. Look, if you’re going to spit all over us, why should we do anything in kind? And I respect that and I appreciate that. But speaking of people evaluation, I saw a story I wanted to bounce off you. Have you heard of Mr. Beast?
SPEAKER 14 :
Oh, well, why?
SPEAKER 13 :
Yes, but why? He’s a YouTuber. And he’s a 26-year-old kid. Do you know what his company is worth now?
SPEAKER 14 :
What does he do?
SPEAKER 13 :
He’s a YouTuber.
SPEAKER 14 :
What does he do? He does YouTube videos. I know that, but doing what? That’s like writing a book. About what? That’s the point.
SPEAKER 13 :
Whatever he wants it to be. That’s the thing. There is no focus. He just riffs. He’s just riffs, and he has taken off. He’s got 367 million subscribers on YouTube. And Mark, I’m not kidding you. As I understand it, he pretty much does nothing. He just looks into a camera. He goes to the Grand Canyon and says, look at me. I’m Mr. Beast at the Grand Canyon. I don’t even know what his talent is, what his skill set is. You know what his company’s worth? Five billion dollars. I know.
SPEAKER 14 :
Does that make us want to go bang our heads against a brick wall? Or do we celebrate him and say, dude, success is success?
SPEAKER 13 :
Whatever you’re doing. I say celebrate. I do too. I just find it so fascinating how you hit. I’m struggling to get, you know, like a thousand Facebook followers. I mean, and I got a big platform.
SPEAKER 14 :
And I’m, you know, look, I’m no slouch. He donates a lot. He does a lot of philanthropy. He does a lot of kind things.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, he’s got a lot of money to give to philanthropy. 26 years old, too. That’s what aggravates the heck out of me. Can you imagine being 26 and being a billionaire?
SPEAKER 14 :
The Beatles were 22.
SPEAKER 13 :
But they had talent.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yes. Yes, I’m sorry.
SPEAKER 13 :
They could sing.
SPEAKER 14 :
I lifted up the lob for the overhand smash on that one.
SPEAKER 13 :
Oh, my gosh. Jimmy Donaldson is his real name. He’s right now raising money to fund a holding company that will put his value. The business is profitable. His business, now his YouTube channel generated, are you ready? $400 million in profit last year. All righty. Okay. That’s ridiculous. I’m sorry.
SPEAKER 14 :
It’s not ridiculous.
SPEAKER 13 :
It just ticks me off.
SPEAKER 14 :
It’s the marketplace. All right. Speaking of people and a lot of money, there’s something I’ve had my vest pocket here to offer up to this audience. I’m going to offer it up to you. It’s just one of those silly little things. Does this bother you or does it not? Not bother you, but here’s the thing. Right. So Super Bowl, Tom Brady’s doing the Super Bowl, right? Right. Something he was wearing attracted attention. Have you heard? No, I’ve not. He was wearing a watch. Nice watch. Oh, I have heard about this. $750,000 watch. Let us stipulate. It’s completely his money. Nothing drives me crazy. Elon deserves every dime of all those billions. It’s your money. This YouTube dude, God bless him. It’s all his. There’s no such thing as too much money. No such thing. The $750,000 watch stuck in me for some reason. I couldn’t. So a little voice in my head said something. Do I listen to this voice or tell it to shut up? And that voice says, you’re Tom Brady. You got $750,000. Get a $50,000 watch and donate the $700K to a local Boys and Girls Club. And that’s me telling somebody what to do with their money, and I don’t want to ever do that.
SPEAKER 13 :
And yet, and yet, and yet. And yet, because here’s what I often think about when I read about high-profile people who are aggravated about only making… $37 million when they had the chance to make $41 million. And I think, how much do you need? And I think I sound like Bernie Sanders here. And I don’t ever want to do that. I don’t want to do that. It’s a stupid watch.
SPEAKER 14 :
If somebody does it on their house or even on a million-dollar car like Elon did, but a stupid watch. It’s an affectation. That’s a bit.
SPEAKER 13 :
That’s a shtick. Well, it’s a product of blank you money. That’s somebody who says, I can spend $750,000 on a watch because I can. Because I can. Because I can. And, you know, again, you’re right. I mean, but think of how much good $750,000. That would change Gallagher’s Heroes, my foundation, forever. And I’m giving him a $50,000 watch. $50,000.
SPEAKER 14 :
I mean, I got a couple of Rolexes. I like those things.
SPEAKER 13 :
I’ve got one expensive watch. I have a Rolex that I bought in the Caribbean 23 years ago. Yep. And I remember I paid, at the time, it was a lot of money, $7,000. There you go. And you know what? You could argue the same thing for you and me. You and I could say, you’ve got a couple. How many Rolexes do you have?
SPEAKER 14 :
Two, and they were both roughly five, and I bought them five and 20 years ago.
SPEAKER 13 :
And you need two? Why do you need two?
SPEAKER 14 :
How about one?
SPEAKER 13 :
They’re different.
SPEAKER 14 :
You’re right. How far are we going to winnow this now? Yeah. But I also do a buttload, charitably, thank you. And I know you do too. And I bet Tom Brady does as well. But the $750,000, man, I just kind of went, ugh. Hey, let me end on a verse. Not criticism, not at all.
SPEAKER 13 :
It is his money.
SPEAKER 14 :
I’m not coming at you. I’ll shut up about that.
SPEAKER 13 :
What do you got? I’m with you. I want to end on a sober note. Here at the Gaylord, our final day before we head off to New York for a week and a half, pray for me. So they’re working on refurbishing my studio in Tampa, so I’m going to spend all next week as they put the finishing touches on that. We’ve got some new monitors going up and some lighting and stuff, so that’ll be kind of cool. And I have the privilege and the honor of interviewing Yael Eckstein yesterday for the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. We’re going back to Israel in October. I’ll be broadcasting from over there. The IFCJ helps families like the husband and father of this family that was slaughtered by Hamas. And because IFCJ has helped this man, because he’s in the depths of despair now. He lost his wife, his little boys. Those monsters killed those two babies apparently with their bare hands. They didn’t shoot them. They killed them with their hands. This is a little nine-month-old baby and a little three- or four-year-old boy. Now, Kaffir, the little boy, had a favorite pet, a favorite toy, a pink stuffed elephant, a little pink elephant that was little baby Kaffir’s favorite. The family gave that little pink elephant to Yael, and she brought it with her yesterday, and she allowed me to hold it and hold it to my heart. And I just felt that little boy, and I just recognized that we’ve got to stare evil in the face. It’s a battle of civilizations. We have to eradicate it.
SPEAKER 14 :
A CBS story said about them, about that death. They said they referred to them as having… died while in custody.
SPEAKER 13 :
Died while in captivity.
SPEAKER 14 :
Died while in Hamas captivity. Just happened to die. I don’t know how that happened.
SPEAKER 13 :
They were brutally murdered by monsters. And the Palestinians in Gaza, which further complicates this, cheered their deaths. I know. They cheered and they had a parade. And, Mike, the numbers.
SPEAKER 14 :
The numbers. I mean, I love every hostage we’re getting out. I’d like them to come back alive, ideally. Thank you. And Mork will come out ravaged but alive. Others will. But for every three we’re getting, how many… How many hundred terrorists do we give back?
SPEAKER 13 :
I know.
SPEAKER 14 :
Is that kind of okay? I mean, I guess.
SPEAKER 13 :
And the bad news is, with these little babies’ murders and the mother, the wrong body was in the coffin and everything, a line has been crossed with Israel. Yep. And I believe that it’s impossible. Can you defend a two-state solution? Oh, I’ve been…
SPEAKER 14 :
spitting on the two-state solution for 20 years. It’s stupid. You can’t have a two-state solution when one of the states, God bless so many peace-loving Palestinian people because they exist, but their leadership has been soaked with the blood of terrorists like Yasser Arafat for generations.
SPEAKER 13 :
So not just no blank note to the two-state solution. I would point out that there weren’t many peace-loving Palestinians cheering the murder funeral of that family the other day. You are correct. The vast majority of Palestinians in Gaza support Hamas. Yes. And that’s an inconvenient truth that we all have to deal with and we all have to live with. So anyway, I hate to end on a sad note like that, but back to business. And we’ll be in New York tomorrow and then in New York all next week. Really?
SPEAKER 14 :
So you’re done at the Gaylord today. So Gaylord finishing up, wrapping up there, and then you’re on a plane later today. Out to DFW and out to LaGuardia. And from Big Apple tomorrow morning, eh? You bet. You bet.
SPEAKER 15 :
Download the podcast and hear all of Mike and Mark’s conversations at MikeOnline.com for the Eminem experience.
SPEAKER 19 :
President Trump is moving at lightning speed.
SPEAKER 18 :
And after that, all hell is going to break out.
SPEAKER 19 :
Executive orders, new policies, promises kept. It’s hard to keep up until now. Subscribe to the Trump Report. This email brings you daily highlights from the Oval Office right to your inbox five days a week. I will put America first. It’ll help you follow President Trump at the speed of Trump.
Cracker Barrel Goes WOKE