Dive into a nostalgic journey through the iconic TV moments of the 60s as we reminisce about The Monkees and The Munsters, unpacking their cultural impact. Transitioning seamlessly from old TV memories to modern-day Broadway shows, our hosts discuss the irresistible charm of re-watching favorites and the allure of live performances. As the conversation unfolds, we explore the nuances of revisiting beloved musicals and the personal connections forged through these experiences.
00:00:42 The Legacy of The Monkees and 60s TV Shows
00:12:15 Political Discourse and Charlie Kirk’s Interview
SPEAKER 04 :
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SPEAKER 1 :
Bye.
SPEAKER 02 :
Six-year-old Mike Gallagher? Nope. August 66, were you grooving to some Monkees? Nope.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I remember the Monkees. Oh, dude. Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees.
SPEAKER 02 :
People say we monkey around, but we’re too busy singing to put anybody down. That’s the great Mickey Dolenz out front of the Monkees there for their first hit, August of 66. Mickey Dolenz is 80 today, the last remaining monkey, I guess. Did they really, they really sang? Yes, he really sang, and Mike Nesmith really played, and Peter Tork played some things, and Mickey Dolenz played some. It was studio musicians, a lot of the songs, in some cases. Most of the songs like that one written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. The TV show was like slapstick meets early MTV. It was kind of genius. I was like nine or ten, and I’m like… Oh, totally. Totally. The Monkees was genius? The songs were actually fantastic. Wow. The TV show was a kind of a wacky and yet trailblazing combination, again, of slapstick, of Three Stooges. Wow. And sort of a precursor to music videos, too. So, yes, sir.
SPEAKER 03 :
My idea of genius in those days was the Munsters. Now, that was genius. No doubt.
SPEAKER 02 :
Okay, Munsters or Addams Family? Pick it.
SPEAKER 03 :
Either one. I like them both. I kind of like the Munsters more because I like the theme song better. I love the Munsters theme song. Do you remember it? Hey, Eric, don’t we have it somewhere? I love the Munsters. To me, this is the best theme song for any TV show.
SPEAKER 02 :
But as soon as you mention it, the first thing that occurs to me, the one that’s more iconic is do-do-do-do. No, but I think the Munsters is better. You ready? Sure, go ahead. Here we go. Hit it. Of course. Has kind of a Dick Dale surf guitar feel to it.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, like a surfer thing. But I just always loved it. Always put me in a good mood.
SPEAKER 02 :
And the great Fred Gwynn. And the absolute great Fred. The wonderful Fred Gwynn in that. And Yvonne DiCarlo. Absolutely.
SPEAKER 03 :
Wait a minute. Yvonne DiCarlo. Who is Morticia in The Addams Family? Carolyn Jones. That’s right. Carolyn Jones. That’s right. Good for you. You’re like an encyclopedia. I know this, but I can’t find my car keys.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, ask me about Broadway.
SPEAKER 03 :
You could do TV shows from the 60s and 70s. I could do Broadway. Somebody texted me from Dallas yesterday. They said, you should go on some kind of game show and just be tested on Broadway shows. I’m pretty good at that. You would own it. I don’t know anything else in life, but I can tell you who played the third Phantom of the Opera in 1990. That’s it.
SPEAKER 02 :
Can’t find my car keys, but I can give you the cast of sitcoms and all 12 guys who walked on the moon.
SPEAKER 03 :
I’m overdosing on The Great Right Way this week here in New York. I figured, well, if I’m going to be here for work, I might as well see some shows at night.
SPEAKER 02 :
Do you have more coming up this weekend?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, I saw Wicked last night. Caught up on Wicked. Okay.
SPEAKER 02 :
interesting. How many times have you seen Flippin’ Flippin’?
SPEAKER 03 :
When I see a show I like, I go back, because I love the familiarity of it, you know? So, seeing Harry Potter tonight.
SPEAKER 02 :
Okay, is it like, because I’m not a big revisitor. You’re not? No, because when I’m, if somebody says, well, you ought to go watch that again, I get the value of it, because maybe you see something a little different on the revisit. Wow, didn’t notice that the first time. But especially with the fire hose, the fire hose analogy again, of things that are out there. If I’m spending two hours watching some movie I’ve seen already, that’s two hours I could spend watching something I haven’t seen yet.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, I’m thinking about whether I revisit TV shows. I do, though. You did Sopranos. You did the whole Sopranos again.
SPEAKER 02 :
Sopranos again?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, there’s three big long series that I’ve revisited and I’ve been binging. The Sopranos I told you about. Yep. West Wing. I know they’re a bunch of touchy-feely liberals. But it’s awesome. The writing is so good. And the best of all time, especially these days, Veep starring the incomparable Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Oh, is that funny?
SPEAKER 02 :
And you know what? And on this, for 30 more seconds, and then I’ve got questions for you. I am immersed in, we are in a truly golden age, three shows that are as good as anything I’ve seen in absolute years.
SPEAKER 01 :
I’m ready.
SPEAKER 02 :
Quick thumbnail on both. One, I’m afraid people aren’t seeing it. We all remember ER with young Noah Wiley as Dr. Carter. Well, he’s 50 something now. And he’s Dr. Robbie, Dr. Rabinowitz in a thing called The Pit, P-I-T-T, a Pittsburgh urban ER drama. And it is just one of the finest medical shows I have ever seen. We’re 10 episodes in of 15 episodes. It’s on HBO, Max, whatever they’re calling it, The Pit. Unbelievable cast, unbelievable medical drama. And unlike Grey’s Anatomy, which is 100% soap opera and pure chick TV, and unlike ER, which was awesome but was about 30% soap opera, this is nothing but medical stuff and dramas within The Pit with two Ts. It is incredible. Number two, in the Taylor Sheridan Enterprise. We’re in season two of 1923, one of the Yellowstone prequels. Harrison Ford? Shh. Oh, just… He’s the hardest working man in show business. And Helen Mirren, right? And Helen… Absolutely. Wow. Unbelievable cast. It’s just underway. Good. And the third one is something I’ve been… I was kind of dragged to. I watched it win 47 awards. It’s like, okay, all right, whatever. Ethan wanted us to watch it. It’s like, oh, okay. I thought it was going to be Game of Thrones in 17th century Japan. And I don’t do dwarves, realms, dragons. I don’t do any of that. However, I’m… 75% through Shogun, and it is a masterpiece. Oh, Shogun. Absolutely. 1923, Shogun for your weekend streaming.
SPEAKER 03 :
Boom. You can’t put anything past this audience, and thanks to the text line. I’ll tell you what. This text message gives me more ammo against you. All right. Instant feedback, instant shots across the bow. So you can text me. I always open up my text line before the M&M experience so that people who are listening to us from all over the country. It’s always fascinating to me when we get texts from people listening to us in Hawaii, Oregon, California. People love the M&M experience, not just in North Texas, but beyond. But one of my favorite texters is Aaron. Oh, no, this is from Dallas, not from Aaron. But here’s Dallas, who said, ask Mr. I never revisit. How many times he’s seen Tom Petty?
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, we’re talking about revisiting shows, which is exactly the same frame by frame. But as far as an act that I value going and seeing somebody in concert, I got you. I got you. By definition, every every performance is different.
SPEAKER 01 :
OK, well, that’s the same. And that’s the same with theater. There’s truly no place on Earth like Israel. This extraordinary land is a living tapestry of ancient history, vibrant culture, and profound spiritual significance. From the winding streets of Jerusalem where history and faith converge, to the breathtaking shores of the Dead Sea where travelers float effortlessly in its mineral-rich waters. Every corner of Israel tells a story. The bustling energy of Tel Aviv with its modern innovation and world-renowned nightlife stands in striking contrast to the timeless beauty of the Galilee, where rolling hills and serene landscapes inspire reflection. For those who have visited, the experience is nothing short of transformative. They speak of moments of deep connection, whether standing before the Western Wall, exploring the ruins of Masada at sunrise, or sharing meals infused with the warmth of Israeli hospitality. Now more than ever, it’s essential to stand with Israel, to pray for its peace and safety, and to celebrate its enduring spirit. Discover Israel’s beauty and richness at GoIsrael.com. Like somebody else just texted, live theater is different.
SPEAKER 02 :
I mean, I know it is, but it’s so much less so. Because the ten times I saw Petty, the set list was different. Sometimes the players were different. Oh, yeah, yeah, I know, I know. With Broadway, it’s the exact same characters and the exact… But it’s different. But I do know that there’s nuance that makes. There is.
SPEAKER 03 :
And if you know what to look for and they also put different people in long running shows, which I love to see different actors. Now, this is kind of a fun fact. You probably followed the whole drama. Maybe you saw it. Hamilton will not will not perform at the Kennedy Center in 2026 because of Orange Man Bad. It’s like, oh, great. OK, well, then don’t let people see Hamilton. Knock yourself out there. Theater, of course, is so hopelessly woke and they’re in this little bubble. This is interesting to me. The actress who’s currently who just started as Elphaba, the Green Witch. Hmm. African-American because, of course, they don’t dare put a white actress in the role with the success of the movie starring Cynthia Erivo.
SPEAKER 02 :
Right.
SPEAKER 03 :
And, you know, I had theater people tell me they’re green. Yeah. Well, no, but she’s black. Yeah. But that’s right. Exactly. You don’t even know.
SPEAKER 02 :
That’s the funny part about it. One would think that somebody who’s black or white or any color can be turned into green. Well, thank you.
SPEAKER 03 :
You could be brown. You could be Indian. You could be Hispanic. You could be black. But Elphaba is the green witch. But oh, no, no, no, no. Cynthia Erivo is certainly very proud of her heritage, I guess. And they don’t want to have… It’s all about… I had a theater executive tell me, it’s all about the optics, Mike. It’s all about the optics. I guess. We can’t – we’ll get in trouble, they think, if they were to cast a – We’ll get in trouble. We’ll get in trouble. Well, and let’s talk about some trouble here because I happen to peruse the New York Times. Do you ever browse through the Times?
SPEAKER 02 :
And I do. I wonder through that cesspool every once in a while just to learn something.
SPEAKER 03 :
Here’s a headline that caught my eye from this morning. Fearing retribution, Trump critics muzzle themselves. Great. The silence grows louder every day, writes Elizabeth Bumiller. Hmm. Fired federal workers worried about losing their homes ask not to be quoted by name. University presidents fearing that millions of dollars in funding could disappear are holding their fire. They’re worried about Trump being mean to them. Here’s what I find fascinating about this whole premise of this article and the Times now and the left bellyaching about Muslim. They’re not critical enough of Trump because they’re afraid of retribution. For years, we’ve watched conservatives lose their jobs, lose their homes, lose their livelihood. People have been canceled. Ask Mike Lindell how tough it’s been for MyPillow. Ask anybody who’s lost their – they’ve been deplatformed. They’ve lost their – careers. Now, all of a sudden, the gripe is, oh, well, Trump could be mean to the left, so the left is holding their fire and they’re muzzling themselves. What hypocrisy. You know, this is how they are, Mark. When the shoe’s on the other foot, they scream to the high heavens. They didn’t care when people lost their businesses. Look at the—what’s her name? Shelly Luther in Dallas. Ask anybody who got canceled, who’s gotten just crucified for their views, for their beliefs, for their opinions about anything from the— covid mandates to the lockdowns to border security and now the big complaint is because trump pushes back and because our side isn’t rolling over for them now they’re upset about it and one of the other reasons one of the other things that’s happening is some of the because trump 1.0 was filled with
SPEAKER 02 :
faux conservatives, former conservatives, weak conservatives choosing to get mouthy about him. Some of them have simply chosen a better path of shutting up because they realize how ridiculous they have looked and how the marketplace has moved on from them. So they’re just showing wisdom and restraint.
SPEAKER 03 :
Now Democrats, according to Axios, Democrat leadership is calling out the Democrats who engaged in all the hijinks and shenanigans at the president’s speech the other night. Now they’re not doing it because all of a sudden they have a soul. They’re doing it because of the incredible pushback. I mean, look at these clowns with their stupid paddles and they booing and hissing. It used to be the biggest scoundrel of all was Joe Wilson for saying two words, you lied at Obama. That would have been a walk in the park compared to that circus the other night. Incidentally, poor Aaron. Aaron in Southlake said, you almost gave me a shout out. Yes, Aaron, he’s listening to us vacationing in St. Thomas.
SPEAKER 02 :
So that’s good. That’s pretty cool.
SPEAKER 03 :
So he’s taking time away from his vacation.
SPEAKER 02 :
In our remaining 60 seconds here, real quick. Charlie Kirk going on Gavin Newsom. I’m going to say awesome. And in fact, good for everybody involved. Good for Newsom for inviting him. Good for Charlie for going there. Charlie getting Gavin Newsom to admit that it’s unfair for boys to play in girls’ sports. Why is that bad?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, here’s what it’s bad, unintentionally. And I love me some Charlie Kirk, and you do too. And I’m glad he’s our colleague. Here’s why it’s bad. Why is he elevating I don’t think he means to do it. Why is he elevating Gavin Newsom? Gavin Newsom is on a rehabilitation tour.
SPEAKER 02 :
Indeed so, but it attracted enormous attention. The story yesterday, the story was Gavin Newsom was goaded craftily by Charlie Kirk into admitting that boys and girls sports is unfair. That’s your version of the story. Take the win.
SPEAKER 03 :
No, here’s the story. Gavin Newsom looked pretty appealing to a whole lot of Democrats and a whole lot of moderate Republicans. Gavin Newsom is going to run. Gavin Newsom, oh, Charlie, my son, he never misses your podcast. Oh, Charlie. Charlie.
SPEAKER 02 :
Obsequious much? No kidding.
SPEAKER 03 :
And he’s running. He’s running. Guarantee it. He’s the guy in 20. Well, listen, I don’t know. You better not hope so. Jasmine Crockett is mentioned as a presidential candidate. Now, that’s who we have to support. This. I’m all in for President Jasmine. Me too.
SPEAKER 02 :
I love you. Happy Friday. Have a great weekend. Happy Friday. Mike Gallagher there for us as soon as we’re done. 10 o’clock right here on 660 AM The Answer.
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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.
Mike Gallagher Show Week in Review – 07.11.25