Thirsty Topics podcast
A weekly podcast dedicated to trending topics on social media, pop culture and entertainment. Lawrence and Meryl have healthy discussions with multiple perspectives.
Thirsty Topics podcast
Unfiltered Hollywood: From Cheating CEOs to Shark TV for 7/22/25
The entertainment landscape shifted dramatically this week with Malcolm Jamal Warner's sudden passing from an accidental drowning. The beloved actor, most known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, leaves behind a powerful legacy of breaking stereotypes about Black families on television and his advocacy work around mental health issues. His rare ability to transition successfully from child star to respected adult actor made him a standout in an industry where such transitions often prove difficult.
Meanwhile, a viral moment at a Coldplay concert exposed a tech CEO's alleged affair when the venue's kiss cam caught him with a woman who wasn't his wife. When Andy Byron and his companion ducked for cover upon being featured on the big screen, Coldplay's Chris Martin jokingly asked if they were "having an affair," unwittingly setting off a chain reaction that culminated in Byron's resignation from data company Astronomer. The incident sparked widespread conversations about workplace relationships—particularly given that the woman involved reportedly worked in HR—and the consequences of personal indiscretions in our hyper-connected digital age.
Sports drama intensified when Shaquille O'Neal publicly threatened former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III over racially insensitive comments about basketball star Angel Reese. The controversy highlighted the unique challenges faced by Black female athletes and the importance of established figures using their platforms to call out discrimination. We also discuss concert safety concerns after both Beyoncé and Katy Perry experienced aerial stunt malfunctions, Bad Bunny's cultural impact through his Puerto Rico residency, and the dissolution of Jane's Addiction's reunion tour amid lawsuits between band members. What performers and celebrities do you think handle publicity best—both good and bad? Share your thoughts and subscribe for more unfiltered entertainment conversations.
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Hello, and thank you for listening to Thirsty Topics podcast! I'm Lawrence Elrod, and every week Meryl Klemow and I dive deep into the stories that matter, the conversations that shape our world."
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Hello everyone, Welcome to this week's episode of Thirsty Topics. I'm Lawrence Elrod.
Speaker 2:And I am Meryl Clemo.
Speaker 1:Hey Meryl, how are you doing today? I'm so good I feel like the news is juicy today yes, it is, yes, it is yeah, we've got some juicy news yes, we're gonna jump right in because we got a lot to go over. Yep, um, I do want to start off and we just found this out that um actor malcolm jamal warner has just passed away from an accidental drowning. He's been known for doing all kinds of great works, but I think his most memorable would be the Cosby Show.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and he's had a great career after. I feel like he's one of those actors that had a, was able to have a great reputation around Hollywood and still stay very active. And yeah, it's very shocking.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's one of those situations where, sadly, it's a rarity to have a child star that actually successful as an adult star, as well. So it was very shocking. I know I love watching the Cosby show and I also like this show. I think it's called Malcolm and Eddie. I love watching the Cosby show and I also like this show. I think it's called Malcolm and Eddie. When him and Eddie Griffin Jr Played on this comedy show, it came on weekly when they owned a restaurant. And they were also roommates.
Speaker 2:So I like this show too.
Speaker 2:That's cute and, as we're recording, the news is just breaking. But I always think about this kind of stuff when I feel like the news travels so fast now that sometimes family and friends hear about it at the same point that we do too. You know, so hopefully I'm sure his immediate family knows about this. But, like I just think, sometimes TMZ and all these places put out information before like most of the person's friends and you know close-ish family hear about it. So I hope that people have had a time, like time, to at least digest the information yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker 1:I think the worst thing is when your family finds out through the news media yeah yeah, directly.
Speaker 2:You know, it kind of puts a little sour taste in your mouth, you know right and people are so, and as news consumers, obviously, if we, we talk about this kind of stuff for our living. But it's also sometimes more of the salacious outlets try to get all the details and all the everythings and it's like everyone always just needs to wait a minute before. But I think the main point is just that that's so sad and shocking.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let me ask you this what's your greatest memory of Malcolm Jamal Warner? It could be a personal one, or even from his acting careers.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, I think, absolutely. I feel like on the Cosby show they did a really great job of showing that handsome, cool, popular people could still be really nice. And I feel like his. I'm sure it was a mixture of like who he was as a person and his character in the writing, but I just always thought of him as like really kind and really open and I just thought he did a good job for showing, like teenager boys, that you can be hot and and nice at the same time too, you know you know what that's true?
Speaker 1:I mean, one of my biggest memories from the cosby show is really not a particular show, but basically his overall character.
Speaker 1:Um, because the cosby show broke a lot of barriers back then, because it broke the stereotype of what a black family looked like yeah, yep and the other thing that it did, too, is show that, yes, you could belong to a very positive, strong family and still be a kid, still do the stupid stuff that kids do right, and you learn from it and you move forward. You know it wasn't fake, and what I mean by that is is like he wasn't the perfect role model.
Speaker 1:Never make a mistake because, yeah, that's not a kid, that's that's right, but you could tell he was still nice yes, yes, yes, so and um, I think he had a wife and a child that he left behind as well, too.
Speaker 2:That's so sad, so shocking and weird.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean I kind of am interested as to how that accidental drowning happened.
Speaker 2:I know. I mean, there's so many ways I've been hearing about that lately. I think in Lake Tahoe by us there was someone whose boat capsized and they drowned really quickly. Tahoe by us, there was someone whose their boat capsized and they drowned really quickly. I think you know it's just. I feel like around water people always have to be so careful, no matter if you're an adult or a child or whatever. You know, it's just, things can happen quickly.
Speaker 1:That's a good point, cause I know here in Chicago you know a lot of people like to go down to the beach, just like Michigan, and you know there's sometimes where the rip current is like really strong and they tell people, you know, stay out of water, and you'll have some people that feel, hey, I'm a great, I'm a very strong swimmer.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Take it and then you know there's. There's been some people that's lost their lives, even strong swimmers, because, again, if that current is so strong, it can literally pull you down.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, totally, and there's certain lakes that I've heard about too, where it's like the roots are down there and if your foot gets caught on it, it's just, yeah, it's so scary. So, yeah, all I see is just that he passed away on a family trip um but yeah, I'm sure we'll.
Speaker 1:We'll learn more by the time this comes, comes out that's actually even worse to be on a family trip, though I know, I know, oh, one more thing too about him.
Speaker 2:I forgot he did do a lot for mental health. I know he spoke out a lot about, just you know, depression and anxiety and all that stuff, and I thought that was that was good too. Like he seemed to make his celebrity matter to people and like try to do things with his name.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely. And you know, the thing is, he wasn't, he wasn't afraid to speak up, you know yeah. I remember, when you know, when you know, bill Cosby had his legal troubles, you know, and he stood up, you know, to say hey, he's with him, you know, he supports.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:And you know some people thought it was a great thing he did. Some people thought maybe it wasn't the smartest thing, but you know he stood on his principles. And yeah, but you know he stood on his principles and yeah, but to respect the person for that.
Speaker 2:Absolutely the only other Cosby person I hear from a lot is like I mean not personally but on podcast is I feel like I see who's the one that played Urkel as a Jaleel White, or yeah, I feel like he's out and about on the circuit a lot too.
Speaker 1:I wonder if him and.
Speaker 2:Malcolm. He was on the Cosby show, oh, that's right. He was on Family Matters, that's right. Whoops, other strong Black family shows I forgot. I feel like the Cosby show should have had an Urkel too.
Speaker 1:Did they ever have a crossover? The thing about it is you're right. You know, Jaleil White has a. I think he has a game show now that's on TV, now that he does.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh my gosh, that's totally right. Everyone can laugh at me for that.
Speaker 1:I think he has. Don't quote me on this, but I hear supposedly he has some kind of cannabis business too. I don't know if it's true or not. Wow, so just think Urkel's doing pot now. Huh.
Speaker 2:I know it makes sense. I feel like that would in 2025, that sounds exactly the type of sentence that we would say.
Speaker 1:Well, let's definitely give our condolences to Malcolm's family, his friends, and definitely let them know that we're praying for him.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Okay. Okay, well, not to completely change the subject, but the thing that everyone has been talking about this week that I couldn't wait to hear your thoughts on it was I mean, there's so many things to talk about with this situation the Coldplay concert affair being caught. As I'm sure everyone knows even if you are living under a rock, I'm sure it's made its way to most rocks by now the tech CEO that went viral, andy byron, and his uh affair partner. I mean and this is all alleged. Of course, we don't know like what this exact situation is, but it you know the proof was in the pudding in some ways. Um, not to have an old cosby reference, but anyway, the tech ceo just resigned. So data tech company astronomer released a statement on social media saying that andy byron has tendered his resignation.
Speaker 2:Um, and just to kind of recap, what happened is, at a coldplay concert, they were showing the kiss cam and they show like a bunch of different people, and then it showed, uh, this one man and woman and instead of just embracing or acting silly, these people basically ducked for cover and one went one way, the the other went the other way and, of course, it sparked a whole big thing and the lead singer, chris Martin, even joked are you guys having an affair or something? And so then people recognized the couple and soon realized, oh, these people are married, but not to each other. And it sparked like international. I mean I was seeing memes from, like you know, gavin Newsom, and like companies like a pierogi company that I follow were making funny memes about it.
Speaker 2:It's like it's definitely the biggest thing that we've seen in a long time and it just brought up a lot of conversation about affairs and CEOs and workplaces and you know, like I'm sure the board of directors was not really happy about this. I think allegedly the person that he was cheating with was part of the HR department, and so you know that brought up a whole big thing too. There's been a couple false statements that people I couldn't find an actual statement from Andy's wife like his real wife. There's been some like fake ones, but as of now I couldn't find an actual like legit thing. But I mean I'm sure she's retaining counsel and I don't know. I guess, like there's so many aspects, what do you want to talk about about this part of it?
Speaker 1:Wow. I know there's a lot to unpack in this.
Speaker 2:Exactly.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's like this Obviously you should not be cheating. Okay, that's right. Everybody knows that Bringing that person to a large public event like that, even if they didn't get caught, was kind of stupid, because you could run into anybody at a concert, especially a big concert, you know, yeah. And then the turnaround and they're hugging on each other like there's so much in love and you know, I gotta admit co-play didn't do them no favors. When they go hey either they're cheating or they're uh shy.
Speaker 2:I was like wow, that was I know, but that seems like like one of those interventions from the universe.
Speaker 2:You know, they always say kind of whatever's happening will resurface like you know, if you're worried about your partner having an affair, it somehow always comes across like I. I learned about a boyfriend cheating on me when he he meant to uh message a different woman about like driving carefully in the rain. And then he messaged me but as a girlfriend at the time and I'm like I'm not driving and it's not raining out, and then that's how it happened, but I swear the universe is always working to like expose things, I think.
Speaker 2:So you just have to have like faith in that. And then I feel like for this wife, that's probably what happened, like he probably told her, oh, don't worry about this, or you know, I'm just going to the concert with some friends or co-workers and then it's like the whoever or whatever did their job and then like it's national news oh yeah, and you and you know the other thing too, meryl, is that, besides the obvious with those two, just think about their spouses.
Speaker 1:How embarrassing.
Speaker 2:I know, I know, yeah, I feel like it's embarrassing, but wouldn't you? I would feel a little bit happier if this was the situation, cause you have, like the whole internet on your side and I feel like I would feel less embarrassed because of me and more Like I saw so many videos of women, older women, just saying to the wife if you're watching this, we have your back. I would just feel like I have a whole army of people just there for me.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, and the thing is for a CEO and head of HR. I mean, you can't get any worse than that in a company.
Speaker 2:I know, I know, I know, and supposedly she's married to the CEO and, like I bet, I bet he's going to tell her it wasn't that serious, we were just having a moment, or you know, like I bet he's going to try to weasel his way out of it. I don't know.
Speaker 1:I mean you know, when you burn a woman like that and embarrass her like that, I don't know. I mean you know, when you burn a woman like that and embarrass her like that, I don't know. I mean I could be wrong. I don't know because, again, it's different if the parties involved know. It's another thing when the whole world knows.
Speaker 2:You know I know, and exactly what it involves children and what it involves, like, I mean, who knows what would have happened, um, but I think do you think he did the right? I mean, who knows if would have happened? But I think do you think he did the right. I mean, who knows if he was given a choice or not, but do you think, like, resigning was the right move?
Speaker 1:Yes, I honestly think that he was encouraged to resign. I don't think he did that on his own.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have a or like. A part of me sometimes feels like and it's different on every circumstance, but I do feel like sometimes, when you get married and you make vows and you're like legally married, part of me does feel like when you cheat, I do feel like it should be some type of like fine or violation or you know, then we're, I know, then we're kind of getting into like church and state and it's getting everything like I understand. But a part of me does feel, like you, you should have like a big penalty when you cheat on, like a marriage where there's assets and like I don't know, because you're wasting someone's time and money and energy well, you know, the thing is is that all marriages have its ups and downs, all marriage, yeah, yeah you talk it out, you know, and if it gets that bad where you need to cheat, just leave.
Speaker 1:Exactly, I hear sometimes people go well, we grew apart, this person doesn't satisfy my needs, or whatever. Well, my philosophy is well, welcome to the real world.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and that happens, yeah, totally, and I think that's understandable. But I feel like so many marriages end so horribly when they don't need to, because it's like you betray the person instead of just being honest and say, oh, it's run its course or you know, let's like dissolve this nicely.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, and the reality is the wife for the CEO Took down all of her social media. Now I'm assuming and I could be wrong that she may have gotten some, some may have gotten some people that put some things in there for support, but, with the embarrassment of that, she probably didn't want anyone to be commenting on her stuff, so she shut it down, which I totally understand.
Speaker 2:Exactly and of course we don't know the situation, and I'm sure you feel this way as a man, but like as a woman, and I definitely didn't feel this way in my twenties but I think as you get older you just learn like I would never that such bad woman code to even do that and I definitely think it's karma, like I think anytime that I've been trifling in the past you know like like you get that back times a million and so I think it's just not good karma. You shouldn't do it to other people. It's just kind of weird. Everyone was saying too here's this man that you're having an affair with, and the minute the camera comes on you, he discarded of her and didn't protect her at all. You could tell they're clearly both embarrassed. Double down, stand by it. If you guys are into each other that much, it's too late.
Speaker 2:You can't deny it at this point, you know yeah, it looked and I was seeing all these ai things of what they should have done instead and it was so funny. They were like having him like fly up a superman and being like we're here you know, the craziest thing and you touched on it earlier is the memes.
Speaker 1:That's all over social media everybody I know everybody's doing the. You know the camera thing where you put the camera on there and then you zip in different directions.
Speaker 2:I'm like wow, exactly the Phillies. And then I saw Gavin Newsom made one of like Trump and Epstein and, of course, like I honestly, if I was this woman I would feel ridiculous, but there's something about knowing that, like, millions of people have your back. That would give you the strength to do it. And I hope she doesn't take him back and, of course, we don't know these people's lives at all but, like it, I feel like if you take a cheater back like three times, then it becomes one of those kind of like shame on you type of situations, but I also have strong viewpoints about it yeah, and I think he's going to have a hard time in the career because, um, you know, a lot of companies are going to be a little bit leery about bringing him on because of that baggage.
Speaker 2:I know Yep, and I hope he doesn't also go the route of like pretending to, like I'm checking myself into a center to see what's wrong with me. It's like, just own it. I was having an affair Like you know. Say, say exactly what it was and like move forward with that.
Speaker 1:And here's the crazy thing If he has children that are at least teenagers or older, how do you explain that to them?
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 1:I mean you know that if he has children that's a little bit older, that means they're probably getting teased and harassed a little bit because of what he did. So how do you have that conversation?
Speaker 2:You know, I know, and the very side thing is everyone making fun of Coldplay. They're actually an amazing concert to go to. So not to bring your side piece out, but Coldplay people were making fun of them like at a Coldplay concert. I'm like they've actually. Coldplay is an amazing show. They have like really great lighting and everything. But yeah, I just think, and from what I've heard too, and everything but um, yeah, I, I just think, and from what I've heard too, that the woman, hr person, like people have not liked working with her and for her. So I feel like a lot of stuff is coming out. There's people I saw some threads of people saying like oh, wow, I can't believe this is out, like I used to work with kristin directly and like they're they're spilling the tea wow, they said that she's a serial cheater.
Speaker 2:Wow, really, yep, and of course we don't know. This is all alleged, of course, but that's what the internet is saying.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 1:I tell you one thing they sure did. I mean this story, Merle, and I kid you not, was on the news, it was on Good Morning America, it was on the View and all these other talk shows.
Speaker 2:I mean it's really hitting the spectrum. Yeah, exactly I was listening to like a podcast with a crisis PR person and she was saying this week is the worst time to have a scandal the whole year because, like September, bigger news kicks up and we have more serious news. But she said like the beginning, middle of July is like the slowest news time, so anything that hits, and then it basically hits for the whole summer. So she was like this is like the worst day historically to have something go viral, because we're all just kind of like bored and watching Jurassic park and everything and you know there's no like, there's not that many politics stuff happening right now, so yeah, yeah, that makes sense, that makes sense.
Speaker 2:Whatever those people did to get caught, the universe was on the the wife's side. So much by just bringing this to light and like the chances that coldplay would put the camera on them and everything do you think it was cold for them to say, hey, either they're cheating or they're shy?
Speaker 2:no, I think that's hysterical and he probably didn't know. I feel like if you're standing there and you put the spotlight on two people and they act that way, I feel like that would be the normal assumption. I'm like what did we just catch, you know?
Speaker 1:That is so true. Talk about catching. I'm quite sure you know who Shaq is. Yeah, probably know who RG3 is.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:Well, shaq had made a statement and it was directed directly towards RG3. To give you a little bit of backstory, rg3 has been basically not a big Andrew Reese fan. He's talking all this stuff about her and her going against Kaylin and all this stuff like this Kate and Clark, and it's to me it's gotten a little bit out of hand. But, I think where it really really went overboard. I saw little clips of it where I guess RG3 was making comments about Andrew Rhys and then basically made Andrew Rhys look like a monkey.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:And you know his wife was in the background.
Speaker 1:The reason that's important is his wife is white, he's black, so you can kind of see where the optics are in this yeah, it's unbelievable and you know, the one thing that I don't understand is the obsession with angel reese, because she's been, he's been really riding her kind of hard and you know, basically shaq, well, it's not. Basically he said, jack said that. If you know, you say one more thing about Angel Reese, I'm going to punch you in the effing face. Really, he actually said that. So that's really out of his character, because you know, shaq doesn't really do that but you know, Shaq is more like a big brother, like a mentor to Angel.
Speaker 2:Exactly, I love that.
Speaker 1:I think sometimes violence is needed in that kind of way, but I guess I don't know. I mean to me the monkey, putting her as a monkey that kind of hits me a certain way. That hits me in a real bad way and the optics don't look good. You know, if you want to have a person outside of your race that happens to be a different race, that's fine. You know, if you want to have a person outside of your race that happens to be a different race, that's fine.
Speaker 2:You know that's your life, whatever.
Speaker 1:But the optics of what he did, and what he did to Andrew Reese to me was totally uncalled for.
Speaker 2:And I think that was cost-efficient. Absolutely, I agree. I think it's one thing like you don't have to like everyone, you don't have to be a fan of everyone. But when you don't have to be a fan of everyone, but when you start doing that, that should be just grounds for getting your platform taken away. And I love that Shaq's sticking up for her, and in this day and age, in any day and age, but that's just completely uncalled for.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, and the one thing that people got to understand too, once you really make it big in entertainment or sports, there's a thing in that contract called the morality clause. So with that morality clause, you create enough nonsense about something that you say or do that can void your contract, yep, so he needs to be careful about that as well too. Yeah, because that's a real thing, and we could think back in the past where you know, either celebrities, athletes, have either done or said something stupid and that cost them their career yeah, I've never seen someone who just wants to play basketball so much as angel reese, that has to deal with so much like side chatter and drama.
Speaker 1:It's unbelievable it really is. And you know the thing is, taylor Clark really isn't the nicest person either, because I've seen her throw some elbows, push people down. She's not an angel. She's a great player, but she's no angel, you know.
Speaker 2:Right. Yeah, I think it's funny too because, like I mean, I think a lot of men in sports have to endure this too, but it's like the women have to also deal with so much and, like you know, not only there are people calling them like bad players, but making fun of every single thing, and it's just like I could just imagine if I was them. It's like I just want to play basketball. I'll be left alone yeah, that's true.
Speaker 1:I do commend uh shaq for speaking up, because shaq said and I don't know if it's true or not, but he stated that the reason why Angel Reese isn't saying anything is he's telling her. You know what? Ignore it, you know. Don't respond back to it. And you know he said the reason she ain't saying that is because I told her not to say anything. You know, just ignore this nonsense, but he's gotten to the point where he's tired of it. I mean, it's ridiculous.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I think it's totally okay like we talk about memes and stuff like I've definitely laughed at some things about just Angel Rees, like missing shots and you know, like just lighthearted stuff, like where it's not attacking someone's character or race or anything. It's just like silly about the same way that you would about like Jake Paul boxing or you know what I mean, like any mean, like any type of athlete like that's, that's fine and it's silly. I think if you want to light heartedly like laugh at someone, like missing something or you know just taking a shot at them that way, but, um, when it gets into, this territory.
Speaker 1:It's just not right. Oh yeah, I mean talking about how a person plays, whether they play good or bad or whatever.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's fine you know, yeah, yeah, everyone feels that way about certain teams and certain players.
Speaker 1:I just feel that putting her as a monkey, that's personal.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely the internet can be so toxic.
Speaker 1:It really is. And the thing is, you know you got to ask this question because he's talking about her all the time is what is the obsession with her? You know?
Speaker 2:seriously, I know.
Speaker 1:So hopefully he calms this down, but, um, like I said, it's it's not a good look, but I have a feeling that sponsors are probably going to whisper in his ear.
Speaker 2:You need to move on to a different subject yeah, I agree, but good for shack, and he's probably just had enough. And if getting threatened to be punched by shack isn't enough, I don't know. I feel like if Shaq punched me, I would go into a different time zone or a state. I would fly across and end up in Portugal somehow, or something. That is one person I would not want to get punched by.
Speaker 1:That is true, that is true.
Speaker 2:Well, speaking about appearances and looking, this is something that has been a conspiracy for a long time of mine. Stevie Wonder finally addressed rumors of him not being blind at a recent concert. So I don't know if you're like me and you've seen these videos already of him like reaching for a microphone or waving hello, but there's been a big talk in the Internet about how Stevie Wonder has been able to see and that him being blind is just a ruse. He recently spoke out about this at a concert in Wales and said you know the truth. The truth is, shortly after my birth I became blind, he told the audience now that was a blessing because it allowed me to see the world in the vision of truth, of sight. I'm sticking with my conspiracy of that. I believe he's blind, but I'm also not quite sure now you know what?
Speaker 1:I don't know if it's true or not, but I heard that he can see shadows. He can't see, okay, okay so I guess he can see movement, but he can't really, you know, see colors or see shapes or anything. So he, he could be legally blind, but but you know, still see something. I get that.
Speaker 2:And my other take on this is Stevie Wonder is just so good that he wouldn't have to like fake blindness Like I don't think that would really help him just because he is that good and also if he is keeping up this ruse the whole time, that he could just say like, wow, I had the surgery that now I can see. What an amazing miracle you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and he doesn't strike me as the type of person that would use controversy to his benefit.
Speaker 2:No, not at all.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, talk about using something to your benefit. Now, the big thing now is everybody likes to do these aerial events at their concerts, where they're flying on cars and ships and all this other stuff. Now we all know what happened at thece concert, when the car just stopped in the middle of the air yep, yep now recently at a katy perry uh, katy perry concert.
Speaker 1:She was riding some kind of um animal or whatever it was, and it dropped, luckily. Luckily it didn't fall all the way, but it dropped to the point where people were like you know, Do you think that they're going a little bit too far with these aerial stunts, or do you think that should be a part of what they do?
Speaker 2:Yes, no. Also, katy Perry is not having the best year altogether. I feel like whatever voodoo Katy Perry did to get famous, she needs to undo fast because she's literally following, her stars following. But yeah, I think, with Beyonce we talked about, we don't need people flying through the air doing acrobatics in cars, and I think also, too, these concerts are so fast moving that they just need to. I know they're already putting security in place, but they just need to like quadruple down, cause it also seems like there's so many moving parts that it's just bound to happen where, like, something gets unhooked or unscrewed and it just is like a disaster. I mean, it's cool. I think we're expecting more and more from concerts, just as like lighting and every technology gets more advanced, but we don't need it and we need to go back to the basics, and I don't need to have Katy Perry flying through above me falling on me.
Speaker 1:That's true, Because the thing that makes it worse, Meryl and you actually hit the good point I was trying to make is it's one thing when they're doing it on stage, it's another thing when you're flying over.
Speaker 2:I know a lot of people that would like their dream would be to have Beyonce fall on them and, like you know, everyone's involved in a lawsuit together or something. But yeah, I think it's dangerous and I think I think it's just really unnecessary. I did see a Billie Eilish concert. It was cool because she went out using almost like a crane type thing. She kind of went around. But that has to be really weird for them too, and it's just you know, know it's cool, but not needed?
Speaker 1:oh, absolutely, and I'm quite sure that their managers get a little nervous when they do these thoughts too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think so too. I mean we don't, we don't need it, and maybe if you're going to stick to it just just like pink does just have it, be you doing cartwheels across the whole audience. Yeah, that's why I like Kelly Clarkson, because she's just. I mean, she does do stuff, but you don't see her like somersaulting through there, she's just kind of standing there nicely more my speed.
Speaker 1:There you go.
Speaker 2:Okay, well, mine is. I thought it was so silly. Now I have a birthday coming up in August, so this one I'm actually planning this now into my schedule where one man's quest to break a record for birthday freebies has gone viral. So pretty much this man, clint Savados, built a spreadsheet with meticulous notes to map out his birthday route. The night before his birthday he was up pretty much coming up with a game plan about like, okay, I'm going to go to Panda Express, I'm going to go to Dunkin' Donuts, and it started the conversation in some news stories about what they call competitive freeloading.
Speaker 2:So which is pretty much a plan for people to cash in on their birthday. Or you know other big days and people take it very seriously where they sign up for, uh, you know like auntie ann's pretzels and all this stuff and you have to make denny's and all the things where you make sure you sign up at least seven days ahead of time that you're on the list and then you can see what you can get. Um, supposedly you could get like a free steak dinner from a steak from black ingus steakhouse near us and there's some big things. So I'm actually like I'm going to look and see, like, how I can go about scheduling my day that way.
Speaker 1:Hey, you know what? If they're going to give it to you, why not?
Speaker 2:Exactly Like there's a really great sushi place by us called Sugarfish. That's like a really well-known sushi place and supposedly they give out a box that's normally like $48, but you have to be organized and sign up for their rewards and everything.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, and they give the person that for free.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's what I've heard. That's word on the street. Is that so I need to look into it myself.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:I can report back to everyone what the situation is, but if so, that's like something that people would pay, and you know, go to LA and normally pay almost like $50 for I would think they wouldn't advertise that that much.
Speaker 1:What do you think?
Speaker 2:I know I do too, and usually I feel like these kind of things come with purchase or with some type of small payment necessary.
Speaker 1:That's true. That's true. I mean, I know that I get a lot of free stuff when it comes around my birthday. What do you get? Free cookie here, free appetizer at this restaurant over here? Mostly it's like desserts and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Not any steaks or anything like that.
Speaker 2:I know, see, my plan is to coffee, maybe an Auntie Anne's pretzel sushi and then a steak dinner.
Speaker 1:You know, you got your whole day planned out Exactly exactly.
Speaker 2:It'll end up somehow costing me like $150. Pretzel sushi and then a steak dinner. There you go. You got your whole day planned out Exactly. It'll end up somehow costing me like $150.
Speaker 1:I just know it, but it's okay, it's the fun of it, right.
Speaker 2:Exactly, it's the fun.
Speaker 1:Well, talk about something that's not so fun. Recently in Atlanta, beyoncé's unreleased music was stolen from her choreographer's car. So I guess my biggest question would be why would that hard drive or that computer be in your car?
Speaker 2:I know.
Speaker 1:Something like that. But I don't know think that some somebody got a little sloppy there because you know, being that, I have a son that's in music and you know we understand the importance of especially unreleased stuff. You know, because people still stop all the time I know I don't understand at all.
Speaker 2:I think like I I mean that almost is asking for trouble. I don't know why on earth, unless it's like the most protected G-Wagon car. You know that is like locked 10 times, but you would think you would just not do that ever and not have one. Hopefully it's backed up and there's multiple ways to do it, but no, I would never keep anything in a car.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, for the person that stole it. I think it's kind of dumb because you really can't use it, because it's very easy to prove it's her music, yeah, if you try to copy it or duplicate it in any kind of way. So I don't even understand what you would be able to gain from that, and I could be wrong, but I just find it very hard to believe that someone's going to make music identical to what you made that's not released yet.
Speaker 2:I know, I know I've heard of too many musicians even keeping the gear in their car overnight and then it just gets stolen out of their car. I hate that so much.
Speaker 1:That is so, so true. I just hope that it wasn't an inside job.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, yeah, me too. An inside job? Yeah, oh, yeah, me too. Well, that would not be a good thing. Nope, not at all. Lock your cars, hide your music, don't trust anyone, don't trust your employees. Um well, speaking of musicians bad bunny, I love this story. Bad bunny has given puerto rico a new influence on the world stage, so he's doing his 30 show. Residency in his homeland of Puerto Rico and his focus on culture, music and the issues mean everything to Puerto Ricans. And you know, I think in the past, like especially with some of our situation now, puerto Rico has had to endure people, you know, wrongly making fun of them and calling them trash and everything. I think Puerto Rico is such a beautiful place and has so much culture and great food and great people and everything. I love that Bad Bunny is always writing for his home place. I just think it just seems like the kind of place that celebrates good music and good people. I love to see that.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely. The one thing that really puzzles me, and, in a way, kind of angers me at the same time, is you know, people talk about Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans. They're Americans. Yeah, I don't know if people understand that.
Speaker 2:I know, yeah, and even if they weren't like I know people used to talk so badly about, like Haiti and everything. I'm like if you go there, you go there. Of course there's stuff that's not great, but there's so much beauty and good culture and good food. You can't make fun of those places and then be okay about Ohio. I don't know. There's other places in America that are not as nice and whatever. Nothing against Ohio, I love Ohio, but yeah.
Speaker 1:I definitely understand what you say. I mean, you can go to any state in the United States and there are really really nice places and there are really really bad places.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes. And to call Puerto Rico trash when I can drive, la is one of the most trashiest places. Just under the bridge there's garbage everywhere. It really does look like a third world here so a lot of times, and so and I know places of new york and any big city, so it's like I wouldn't. Anyone that lives in one of those cities should not be able to talk smack on somewhere else.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, because, again, you can look at any city in the united states and I guarantee you there's a really nice area and there's an area you don't want to be in after dark yeah, yep, I was just in seattle's like that too, where it's.
Speaker 2:I kept on going back and forth of like this is beautiful, and I'm like, ew, this is disgusting. You know, like I don't, I'm never gonna ride in the subway again, and so it's just uh, um, yeah, but I love that and I think I love how proud the people in puerto rico are for bad money, and I think that they should be so absolutely.
Speaker 1:I've never been to Puerto Rico, but I definitely want to go there one day.
Speaker 2:It's cool. I love like I've been there like maybe twice and they've like the old town area. I really love like the non touristy. It's almost like New Orleans, where it's like you don't want to be in, like the French quarter version. You know, like I love just the kind of the outskirts and I thought it was so good and the people were so nice and like I loved it yeah, I would imagine that the best time you can have visiting a place is when you actually get shown around by somebody who lives there yeah, you would love the food there too.
Speaker 2:I feel like I every time I go. I like I don't know, I'm flying home like I'm stuffed to the gills hey well, you're on vacation.
Speaker 1:You gotta enjoy yourself, right exactly, yeah, so good well, talking about enjoying yourself. My last topic. This one's an interesting one. Here there is a new show called dancing with the sharks and people watching and listening. Yes, this is a real show, oh my gosh. And basically what the show is. People are jumping in with sharks and they're doing dancing. You know different type of choreographed dancing underwater with sharks?
Speaker 2:Now me personally, I wouldn't even want to be in water with sharks, I know.
Speaker 1:So let me ask you a question Meryl, if you had the opportunity, would you get on that show?
Speaker 2:No, not at all. Maybe, like Swimming with Manatees is definitely the one I'd want to do, but no, no, not dancing with sharks, not even dancing with stars or anything. But no, I would not, Even if the prize was so great or anything. I mean, I don't think anyone would want to see me dance with sharks, but I just wouldn't take the chance.
Speaker 1:I don't know With me. Personally, I would not do anything with wild animals. Here's the thing you can call them being as strange as they want. If they get spooked or something happens, you're screwed.
Speaker 2:I don't even really like being underwater as much too. I don't want to do anything where I'm submerged underwater for a long time. I also think too, doesn't? What were you gonna say? I was just gonna say doesn't this show also seem like a fake idea where, like the executives at abc, just sit around and say like what, what can we come up with?
Speaker 1:that's just a ridiculous show premise that does kind of seem like it doesn't it doesn't it.
Speaker 2:It just seems like some of the shows, like the reality shows between love is blind and all these island things, are just like I don't know. Could we really come up with some better ideas?
Speaker 1:Yeah, like there was this one show called Deal or no Deal that used to be on. Oh yeah, howie Mandel was on that. I loved that show.
Speaker 2:Was that like the two cases? Yes, yeah, howie Mandel was on that.
Speaker 1:I loved that show. Was that with the suitcases? Yes, they did a remake of it where deal or no deal, island something or whatever. It was kind of stupid, literally. I watched it for a few seconds and turned away. Oh my gosh. Certain classics you leave alone.
Speaker 2:I know I just heard about this podcaster that I used to like that I don't anymore. Him and his wife are being out with the show about, um, like age gaps and relationships, and like they're trying to get like the 50s together with the 20s. I'm just like we just we're getting dumber as a society. I think this is not helping.
Speaker 1:But you know the crazy thing that shows probably gonna do pretty well.
Speaker 2:I it will be, but I feel like it's just kind of not moving anyone forward. Yeah, I won't be watching, but yeah, well, my last one was remember a few months ago when Jane's Addiction went on tour and then we talked about the lead singer, perry Farrell, and Dave Navarro got into a fist fight. We covered it, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, we talked about it was like their big reunion show and I think they had one show that went well and then, like the second show, it just everything broke loose and so now, um, they're all suing each other in true band fashion after a fight broke out at the reunion tour. This is just like if everyone could have seen this coming. Um, so last year we know that Jane's Addiction had their first batch of shows in 14 years and then singer Perry Farrell attacked guitarist Dave Navarro and, like you know, the video was out there and I thought I thought Dave Navarro handled it pretty well, where you could tell his patience was just being tested and tested, and then finally he did snap, but it was just kind of like, understandable, perry Farrell was definitely flipping, flipping out.
Speaker 2:So now they're all suing each other like for, uh, emotional distress, negligence, breach of contract. It's just like a whole million, you know, 10 million dollar in damages for the front man. So it just seems like a nuts type of thing. Not to mention they really let their fans down a lot, because it's like they definitely, you know, a lot of people were looking forward to this so much and they just, you know, let their fans down. So I don't know, what do you think?
Speaker 2:yeah, it's kind of ridiculous right, it's like egos on ego and like I mean, I'm sure dave navarro and the other band members are probably so mad because this was their plan to go on tour and to make money again and be out on the road, and it's just like I.
Speaker 2:I think the lead singer definitely needs some extra help, or he always has, but yeah, they say why they were fighting in the first place I think perry is just known to be very like volatile and I don't know who knows about drug situation or not, but I think he was driving them crazy and just like acting very erratic.
Speaker 2:You hate to see that you really do I know, I know, and it's sad when people like mental illness or drug, whatever it was like, when it's ruining the experience for fans and bands and I'm sure they're not. There are no angels either. I'm sure there's like a lot of stuff behind the scenes, but it's so sad when they're just suing each other because it really just should be about the music and about, you know, good times and making fans happy.
Speaker 1:It really is, and you know the reality is is that the person who's going to the people who are going to win are going to be the lawyers when it's all said and done.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:Because I can see this being dragged out for a long, ridiculous amount of time because in the end it probably was something stupid. Yeah, I get it. You know some things are very irritable and you know kind of gets in your nerves and stuff. But when you get out there to perform, people don't want to come see you clown like that, you know.
Speaker 2:Exactly, I know. Yep, it's sad. I don't know if you've had this too, but so many of my favorite bands are now not great with each other. They've been suing each other. There's nothing worse for a music fan just to see you feel like mommy and daddy are fighting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true. It's really a shame and I've seen it where you have these great bands, great groups, they do well, they're very successful, and then something happens, and then now they can't stand each other.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yep, too sad. If I was the judge I'd be like get it together, boys.
Speaker 1:I wonder how much of that is ego over everything else, though?
Speaker 2:I bet at least like 65%, and then the other half is probably like drugs, mental illness, people in each other's ears and everything that is so true, so so true.
Speaker 1:Well, this has been a great I know well, meryl, what do you have coming up?
Speaker 2:um, I am very excited. I have a show this sunday and one of my favorite places in burbank called flappers and it's called Celebrity Sundays, so very excited.
Speaker 1:Nice, that sounds like a lot of fun, thank you.
Speaker 2:I will not be flying through the air on a car. I hate to tell everyone that what? No aerodynamics or anything Exactly. No one wants to see me swim with sharks or go over a crowd.
Speaker 1:Well, everyone, if you don't like swimwear shorts, you can watch and listen to us.
Speaker 2:How's that Sounds even better, much safer.
Speaker 1:Well, everyone, thank you for watching and for listening. We really appreciate your support. I'm Lawrence Elrod.
Speaker 2:I'm Meryl Clemo Sure is sure do Bye-bye.
