Why Neil deGrasse Tyson says it’s time to ‘wake the f**k up!’

[0:00] We got to have these conversations. [0:02] And at the end of the day, if people want to vote for power, [0:05] if people say, I don't give a ding-dong dip what they did [0:07] unless they raped somebody or they harmed children or killed someone, [0:11] we vote for this person because we want the Republicans out. [0:14] Well, that's their prerogative. [0:16] And frankly, I understand if that's where a number of Democratic voters especially are [0:21] because they've been taking the moral high ground for a very long time [0:23] and we've been losing, okay? [0:25] And now the stakes are entirely too high to be sitting up on a high horse. [0:31] Yes. [0:36] Greetings and welcome to Clock It, everybody. [0:39] Hello, everyone. We're trying to get it together. [0:41] Greetings. We're trying to get it together. [0:43] I'm feeling very vindicated this week. Can we start there? [0:46] Why am I feeling vindicated? [0:48] Because our former president, Barack Obama, [0:51] said what I have been saying for months, folks, okay? [0:54] But y'all don't want to listen to me. Listen to Obama. [0:57] By saying, eh, we can't gerrymander and screw things around so badly [1:01] that some people's votes are worth four or five times more than other people. [1:05] That is good for all citizens, not just black citizens. [1:09] The fight for justice for black folks ends up being the lever [1:15] by which we can identify, correct, preserve rights for everyone. [1:24] Yeah, I've been saying that a lot. Very similar tone. [1:28] Very similar tone. You know what? [1:30] I feel good that perhaps President Obama listens to our podcast [1:33] or he sees our clips on social media. [1:36] I don't think that's true. [1:39] Well, or we're just on the same brain wavelength, okay? [1:42] Either way, folks, that was from a little piece of a podcast [1:46] at the Obama's production company that they made with Malcolm Gladwell. [1:51] The podcast is called Reconstruction, the Unfinished Promise. [1:54] Yeah, I think the thing that's interesting, Simone, [1:58] is this what makes me think of during COVID, [2:01] when folks were talking about the racial disparities, [2:06] especially of vaccines, etc. [2:09] The thing that I always came back to, [2:11] and I feel like it matters here too, [2:12] is that when white America gets the cold, [2:15] black people get the flu. [2:16] And what doctors would say to me at the time, [2:19] okay, what doctors would say to me, [2:23] was that if you get the flu together, [2:25] we can deal with the cough, [2:27] and that there'll be less cough, right? [2:28] And so I think it's kind of the same thing. [2:30] Like, if you deal with the folks [2:31] who have the least amount of rights, [2:33] the folks who are the most hurt by the country, [2:37] then the rest of them will also lift up. [2:39] But like, I don't know why [2:41] that doesn't seem to be breaking through [2:42] in certain eras of the politics. [2:44] It sounds like, I don't want people [2:46] to misconstrue what you're saying, [2:47] that a rising tide lifts all boats, [2:49] but to be very clear, [2:50] addressing the issues of our democracy [2:52] when they are using black people [2:54] to attack our democracy, [2:55] if we address that attack, [2:57] if we address that issue, [2:58] it does lift our democracy higher. [3:02] But we digress. [3:03] Simone has vindicated. [3:04] There's a lot happening this week. [3:07] We are going to talk about [3:08] the June 9th primary results and the margins. [3:11] Various southern states are trying to rebrand [3:13] the month of June. [3:14] They want to get rid of pride, y'all, [3:17] because I guess there's not bigger issues to deal with. [3:19] They got to fuck with the gays and the queers. [3:21] And stick around, folks, [3:23] because the one and only Neil deGrasse Tyson, [3:26] who legitimately blew our minds, [3:28] and I kept referring to his doctor, [3:31] he joins the group chat. [3:33] It's slightly wider below the equator [3:35] than at the equator. [3:37] So we're pear-shaped, not a sphere. [3:40] You want to know more? [3:42] Okay. [3:43] We're orbiting the sun, but not really. [3:47] Earth and the moon orbit a common center of gravity, [3:50] and it's that center of gravity [3:52] that's orbiting the sun. [3:54] So Earth is doing these loop-de-loops around the sun. [3:58] These faces you were making. [4:01] You two, you're like, [4:02] I had never heard this before. [4:04] It was crazy. [4:05] We also talked about aliens. [4:07] We talked about deep fakes. [4:08] And we also talked about how bad it's got to get [4:12] before anything around here gets better. [4:13] I know it didn't sound hopeful, [4:14] but it was a very good conversation. [4:16] There's not a lot. [4:17] I will say there's a lot of sad news [4:19] in the conversation with Mr. Tyson. [4:22] But it's engaging, okay? [4:23] It is very engaging. [4:24] I can't wait for people to hear it. [4:25] Very good. [4:25] But I would like to start the show today [4:27] with some good news. [4:29] On Tuesday, NASA announced the crew [4:31] for their next trip to space. [4:33] And, y'all, we're getting another black astronaut. [4:36] Andre Doug... [4:37] And really black. [4:38] Andre Douglass will be a mission specialist [4:40] on Artemis III, which is very exciting. [4:44] And now I will say I'm very excited [4:46] about Mr. Douglass and all the astronauts. [4:49] There is some consternation from some folks online [4:51] because there is not a woman [4:52] that is part of this mission. [4:53] Oh, yes. [4:54] But maybe this means we're getting [4:55] the next Artemis mission after this one [4:57] is going to be an all lady crew. [5:01] Well, Simone... [5:02] Well, the other mission specialist [5:04] on this Artemis III crew [5:07] is Francisco Rubio, [5:08] who immigrated here from El Salvador [5:10] when he was a little kid. [5:11] Mm-hmm. [5:12] Plus, the pilot is an Italian astronaut. [5:16] Like, he's actually Italian. [5:18] This is where we wanted to shout out [5:19] our producer, Iggy Monda. [5:21] But you know what? [5:21] He told me to pop my collar earlier. [5:23] Nah, he said... [5:24] Buttons were undone. [5:26] So I don't even know. [5:27] Simone's op, Iggy. [5:29] These astronauts are going to be... [5:32] This is crazy, y'all. [5:33] They're going to space [5:34] wearing head-to-toe Prada. [5:38] Oh, baby, this... [5:39] Oh, this is nice. [5:42] Oh, you know what? [5:43] This is going to be on Shein [5:45] in about a month. [5:46] And I will be getting it. [5:48] I have a lot of questions about this. [5:50] I'm not sure they made it [5:51] so that it will work in space, [5:52] but I just feel like Prada [5:53] is not exactly like space... [5:55] They have space materials. [5:57] Maybe they were given space materials. [5:58] Very concerned. [5:59] Maybe they were. [6:00] It's a partnership. [6:01] I mean, clearly, [6:02] it's luxury selling. [6:03] They're trying to get us [6:04] by any means necessary, [6:05] anything possible. [6:06] You know, someone [6:07] who shall remain nameless [6:08] when we heard about the Prada... [6:10] It is your husband. [6:12] He was in the background [6:15] of our call. [6:16] And when we heard [6:17] about the Prada suits, [6:18] Nate was like, [6:19] this is an elite capture [6:20] of the state. [6:21] Look at y'all celebrating. [6:22] I just like the fashions, Nate. [6:25] Yes. [6:25] I just like the fashions. [6:27] But Nate, he's a good one [6:28] to remind us that [6:30] always watch them elites [6:31] doing something [6:32] with the government. [6:33] Always watch the elites. [6:35] Stay woke. [6:37] The elites were out [6:38] of full force this week. [6:39] A lot has happened, Eugene. [6:41] Where would you like to start? [6:42] Let's get into [6:43] the primary results first. [6:44] You know me. [6:45] We now have a lot more information [6:47] about the voters of Maine. [6:48] We don't have to keep guessing [6:49] and thinking, [6:50] what are they going to do, [6:51] what they think of Graham Plattner [6:53] is clear, [6:54] and how many of them [6:55] went out and voted. [6:56] Yes. [6:57] Now, Plattner is officially [6:59] the Democrats' pick [7:00] to go up against Susan Collins, [7:01] who is the sitting Republican senator [7:03] in the fall [7:04] for this Senate race. [7:05] But did you know [7:06] that more than 25% of voters [7:07] backed someone else [7:09] in this primary? [7:10] And it could have been [7:11] Janet Mills, right, [7:12] who had stopped campaigning, [7:14] or a lesser-known candidate. [7:16] But 25% is a lot. [7:18] The other thing to note [7:19] for the race in Maine [7:20] is turnout is up. [7:23] As of this conversation, [7:24] with only 80% of the votes counted, [7:26] about 20,000 more people voted [7:28] in the Senate primary [7:29] than did in 2020. [7:31] That, to me, Eugene, [7:32] says people are engaged. [7:33] They were ready [7:34] to make their voice heard. [7:36] And this is, I think, [7:37] a window indicative [7:38] into what we may see this fall. [7:40] Because this is just [7:41] a Democratic primary, [7:42] Lord knows what we're going to see [7:43] come November. [7:44] And frankly, Democrats [7:46] who are extra, extra, [7:48] extra engaged, right? [7:49] And so there are probably [7:49] a lot of Democrats in Maine [7:51] who didn't vote. [7:52] And that happens [7:52] in every state. [7:54] I will say, [7:55] we've been talking [7:56] about this a lot, [7:56] this state is very interesting [7:58] to me. [7:59] Democrats have, [8:00] for a long time, [8:01] seen this as like, [8:02] okay, this is going to be [8:03] a good pickup for us. [8:04] And, you know, [8:04] that's what they tell me. [8:05] Eugene, this is going to be [8:06] a good pickup for us [8:07] come November. [8:08] They feel a little different now, [8:09] but they seem all in [8:10] on Graham Platt. [8:11] And I will say, [8:12] Susan Collins traditionally [8:14] polls worse [8:15] than she performs, actually. [8:17] There are many reasons [8:18] for this. [8:18] One, [8:19] this is a blue state, right? [8:21] It's like, [8:22] largely a blue state. [8:23] Well, yes, okay, yes. [8:25] But she's, [8:26] but she has represented [8:27] the state for forever. [8:28] And this is why, [8:28] but this is why [8:29] she keeps winning. [8:30] One, [8:30] she is the chair [8:31] of the Senate [8:33] Appropriations Committee, [8:34] meaning she is able [8:35] to be like, [8:36] I'm bringing money [8:37] back to my state. [8:38] So that's number one. [8:39] Number two, [8:39] she has done, [8:41] voted 10,000 times. [8:43] She hasn't missed [8:43] any votes at all [8:45] since she's been [8:45] in the Senate. [8:46] And three, [8:47] she has been able to [8:48] not convince a bunch [8:49] of Democrats [8:50] that they should love her, [8:51] but Republicans [8:52] and Independents. [8:54] So when you look [8:54] at the buckets [8:55] of how folks vote [8:56] in Maine, [8:58] there's mostly Democrats, [8:59] right? [8:59] There's a huge swath [9:01] of Democrats. [9:01] And then the next group [9:03] is Independents [9:03] and then Republicans. [9:05] And so, [9:06] Susan Collins [9:07] has been able [9:07] to get those bottom two, [9:08] and that's how [9:09] she's been winning [9:09] over and over [9:10] and over again. [9:11] And I think Democrats [9:13] have to figure out [9:14] a way to slough [9:15] off the Independents. [9:16] I don't think [9:17] they're going to get [9:17] a bunch of Republicans [9:18] who are going to run away [9:20] from her. [9:20] I think these people [9:21] who are talking about, [9:21] these people who talk [9:23] about, oh, Democrats, [9:24] they have to appeal [9:25] to the Republican voters. [9:26] I think Democrats [9:27] have to appeal [9:28] to their base [9:29] and then the swing voter. [9:30] And the swing voter, [9:31] frankly, sometimes [9:32] a Democratic voter [9:32] is a swing voter. [9:33] They need to be [9:34] persuaded, child. [9:34] But that's another story [9:36] nowadays. [9:37] But I don't think [9:38] the focus should be [9:39] about trying [9:39] to get Republicans. [9:40] I think the focus [9:41] should be, again, [9:42] turnout was up [9:43] in this primary race. [9:44] If the turnout [9:45] is high on the side [9:46] of very motivated [9:47] Democratic voters [9:48] and some of those [9:49] swing independents [9:50] that don't like [9:50] what they're seeing [9:51] and there's not [9:52] as much excitement [9:53] on the Republican [9:54] side of the aisle, [9:54] I think that it [9:55] bodes well for Democrats. [9:56] Can I just say this [9:57] about the whole [9:57] Graham Plattner thing? [9:59] Go ahead. [10:00] I think two things, right? [10:02] Two things can be true [10:02] at the same time. [10:03] One, I think that [10:05] Democrats are having [10:06] a different conversation [10:08] in this particular race [10:10] about power. [10:12] And the reason people have [10:14] from the DSCC, [10:16] the Democratic [10:16] Senatorial Campaign Committee, [10:18] to Democratic leadership [10:20] in actual [10:21] the state of Maine, [10:23] the reason they didn't [10:24] poo-poo Plattner [10:24] right away [10:25] and walk away from him [10:25] is because they want [10:26] to win this seat. [10:27] And they want to win [10:28] this seat by any means [10:29] necessary. [10:29] So if Graham Plattner [10:30] is a person that they [10:31] think voters are going [10:32] to support, [10:33] then they're going [10:33] to support Graham Plattner [10:34] Nazi tattoo be damned [10:36] that he has since [10:38] gotten removed [10:38] because he didn't know [10:40] it was covered up [10:41] since he didn't know [10:42] it was a Nazi tattoo. [10:43] Whether people believe [10:44] Graham Plattner or not, [10:45] I'm going to leave [10:46] that up to them. [10:47] Do I think some of the [10:48] explanations sound believable? [10:49] No. [10:50] Right. [10:50] But it has been working [10:52] for the people in Maine [10:53] and the voters are the folks [10:54] that get the final say. [10:55] There's always all this [10:56] poppin' circumstance [10:58] and these predilections [11:00] and these, you know, [11:02] things that the consultants [11:03] and the pundits want to say. [11:04] And I guess I'm a pundit now, [11:05] right? [11:06] Or I'm an anchor. [11:07] I'm an anchor. [11:07] She's a host, honey. [11:09] I'm a host with experience. [11:10] Yes. [11:11] But the voters [11:12] are the people [11:13] at the end of the day [11:13] that will have a say. [11:14] And I think the voters [11:16] in Maine are being [11:16] very, very clear [11:17] that they're willing [11:18] to forgive a lot, [11:19] the Democratic voters [11:20] at least, [11:20] because they want to win. [11:21] They want power. [11:22] They have seen [11:22] what Susan Collins [11:24] says she's going to do. [11:25] Forgive or ignore, right? [11:27] I think, like, [11:27] what I heard [11:28] from a lot of voters [11:29] of his [11:30] were that they were, [11:31] you know, [11:31] some of them were, like, [11:32] not happy about [11:34] Graham Plattner [11:35] and these accusations. [11:36] They were worried [11:37] that more, well, [11:39] there are a few. [11:41] So, first, [11:41] you start with [11:42] the Nazi tattoo, [11:43] the way that he talked [11:44] about Black people [11:45] and women [11:45] and sexual assault survivors [11:47] on Reddit. [11:48] So, that's one bucket [11:49] of things. [11:50] There's him using [11:51] the R word, [11:52] which he had to [11:52] apologize for. [11:53] There were the accusations, [11:56] and apparently it was true [11:57] because he and his wife [11:58] talked about it publicly, [12:00] that he had at least [12:01] cheated on his wife [12:02] through text messages [12:03] and was- [12:04] Sexually, he was exchanging [12:05] sexually explicit messages. [12:07] Sex- [12:07] S-E-X-T-S-es, [12:09] sex with, [12:10] he says, adults. [12:12] So, we have no other reason [12:13] to believe anything else, [12:14] but there, you know, [12:15] some of the questions [12:16] have been asked of him. [12:17] You know, [12:17] are you sure everybody [12:18] was 18? [12:18] He said yes. [12:19] I know you want to give [12:20] some privacy in marriage, [12:21] but I really do feel like [12:22] I need to get these [12:23] answers from you, [12:24] which is like, [12:25] the people you were [12:26] texting with, [12:27] whatever that was, [12:27] in whatever context, [12:28] they were adult women, [12:29] you knew that, [12:31] and it was consensual. [12:32] Is that true? [12:34] Yes. [12:36] And you have that, [12:37] you confirmed that, [12:37] you knew their age. [12:41] Yes, oh God, [12:41] I mean, yes, of course. [12:44] So, that's another bucket, [12:45] and that came out, [12:46] he and his wife said, [12:47] like, basically, [12:47] mind your business, [12:48] this is our marriage. [12:49] And there was another [12:50] where the, [12:53] there was this very long report [12:54] in the New York Times [12:56] where you have this woman [12:57] who says she, [12:59] the two of them [13:00] had a relationship, [13:01] she has a Republican operative [13:03] who they had a relationship [13:04] for a while, [13:05] she says he was aggressive [13:06] with her, [13:07] she said that he, [13:09] she knew that it was [13:10] a Nazi tattoo, [13:10] and basically said, [13:12] you know, [13:12] she wasn't sure why [13:12] he didn't know [13:13] it was a Nazi tattoo. [13:14] He denies all of these things, [13:16] and there were women [13:16] who had dated him [13:17] in that article [13:19] who said that [13:20] he was a fine boyfriend. [13:22] I will say, [13:23] Graham Plattner [13:23] has talked about [13:24] being a shitty boyfriend, [13:26] right? [13:26] He said publicly [13:27] that he was a, [13:28] he was a shitty boyfriend, [13:29] that he was in a dark space [13:30] in his past, [13:31] and so this is just [13:32] adding more detail [13:33] to something I think [13:34] voters already knew, [13:35] so it's not a new revelation, [13:37] per se, [13:38] the details are interesting [13:39] and important [13:40] for folks to talk about, [13:41] because despite power [13:43] being super important, [13:44] I think, [13:45] you know, [13:45] people still care [13:47] about the morals [13:48] of their leaders, [13:49] or they, [13:49] you know, [13:50] Democrats say that they do. [13:52] Now, [13:52] you look at the Republican side, [13:54] and I think what people [13:54] are weighing [13:55] is Donald Trump [13:57] is a, [13:59] is a felon, [14:01] 34 counts, [14:01] found guilty, [14:02] too, [14:03] he has been found liable [14:05] for sexual misconduct [14:08] with E. Jean Carroll. [14:09] There are all these stories [14:11] about him cheating [14:12] on his own wives [14:13] with the next wife. [14:14] There are all of these [14:16] other types of allegations [14:18] around Donald Trump [14:19] and other Republicans, [14:20] right, [14:21] that are like similar, [14:22] in a similar vein [14:23] or worse than what [14:24] Graham Plattner is accused of. [14:25] And so my question is, [14:27] as someone who covers politics [14:30] and frankly cares about [14:32] the way that politics [14:33] can actually change [14:34] people's lives [14:35] and how power [14:36] can be utilized [14:37] and wielded [14:38] to make the lives [14:39] of the American people [14:40] and the people [14:41] that live in this country better, [14:42] is, [14:44] you know, [14:44] I do think [14:45] we should ask [14:45] more of our leaders. [14:47] I don't know. [14:47] Maybe that's just me. [14:49] We should ask [14:51] more of our leaders. [14:52] I don't think you're wrong. [14:52] Because he was black [14:53] if he was a woman. [14:54] Well, well. [14:55] If he was black [14:56] or he was a woman, [14:57] they might not have, [14:58] they as in the voters. [15:00] History has shown [15:01] the voters [15:02] in other instances [15:04] have not been [15:05] as forgiving, [15:07] if you will, [15:07] or as graceful [15:08] or as willing [15:08] to give grace [15:09] as they seem [15:10] to be [15:11] in this situation. [15:12] But maybe [15:13] this is specific [15:14] to the voters in Maine. [15:15] I don't know. [15:15] I will just say this [15:16] because the people [15:17] are like, [15:18] you know, [15:18] sometimes the people [15:19] in the comments, [15:19] shout out, [15:20] you know, [15:20] I don't respond [15:20] to them on the internet. [15:21] I just come here. [15:23] I need to be, [15:24] I like to be [15:24] an informed citizen. [15:26] And... [15:27] That is not what that, [15:27] that is not what [15:28] that phrase means. [15:30] You are not [15:31] a more informed citizen [15:32] by the comments. [15:32] I feel, [15:33] I feel very more informed. [15:34] Folks who are like, [15:35] oh, [15:36] why are y'all focusing [15:37] on this, [15:37] trying to tear him down? [15:38] What about Susan Collins? [15:39] You know, [15:40] you are not being helpful. [15:41] I want to be very clear. [15:42] You don't actually [15:42] get to have your cake [15:43] and eat it too, [15:44] which is a phrase [15:44] I actually don't understand [15:45] because if I'm buying [15:46] the cake, [15:46] why am I not eating it? [15:48] So, [15:48] I'ma look it up. [15:51] So maybe this is a bad example. [15:52] It's a phrase [15:52] that makes no sense. [15:54] Right? [15:54] It actually is stupid. [15:55] You don't get to have [15:55] your cake and eat it too. [15:56] Well, then why the fuck [15:57] do I have the cake? [15:59] Why we got the damn cake? [16:02] Am I supposed [16:02] to look at the cake? [16:04] Take pictures? [16:05] Maybe that's for the Instagram. [16:05] I'm spending money [16:06] on a cake [16:06] in this economy? [16:08] My point is, [16:09] is that people [16:10] don't want to talk [16:11] about Graham Plattner [16:12] or frankly any of [16:13] the shortcomings [16:14] of Democratic candidates, [16:15] right? [16:15] Democratic voters [16:16] don't seem to want [16:16] to do that. [16:17] But everybody was [16:18] jumping on the bandwagon [16:18] to talk about [16:19] Ken Paxton. [16:20] And in my opinion, [16:20] rightfully so [16:21] because he is [16:22] very problematic. [16:23] Okay? [16:23] Somebody else [16:24] who has been [16:24] investigated by the FBI, [16:25] his own staff [16:26] called on him. [16:27] He literally cheated [16:28] on his wife, [16:28] was misappropriating funds [16:30] allegedly, [16:31] survived an impeachment [16:32] attempt in Texas. [16:34] And so I do think [16:36] that the conduct [16:37] of the elected officials [16:38] is not something [16:40] that we can not discuss [16:42] just because somebody [16:42] is a Democrat [16:43] or an independent [16:44] or, you know, [16:45] has a good chance [16:45] of beating a Republican. [16:46] Folks got to be able [16:47] to, you know, [16:48] walk and chew gum [16:49] at the same time. [16:49] Maybe that's a better analogy. [16:50] That's a much better analogy. [16:52] Right? [16:52] They got to be able [16:53] to walk and chew gum [16:54] at the same time. [16:55] And we got to have [16:56] these conversations. [16:58] It's the part of the vetting. [16:59] If people want to vote [17:00] for power, [17:01] if people say, [17:01] I don't give a ding-dong dip [17:03] what they did [17:03] unless they raped somebody [17:04] or they harmed children [17:06] or killed someone, [17:07] we vote for this person [17:08] because we want [17:09] the Republicans out. [17:10] Well, that's their prerogative. [17:12] And frankly, [17:13] I understand [17:14] if that's where [17:15] a number of Democratic voters [17:16] especially are [17:17] because they've been [17:18] taking the moral high ground [17:18] for a very long time [17:19] and we've been losing. [17:21] Okay? [17:22] And now the stakes [17:23] are entirely too high [17:24] to be sitting up [17:26] on a high horse. [17:27] Yes. [17:27] And that's the, [17:28] and I think [17:29] that is what's so interesting [17:30] about this moment [17:31] is you're having, [17:34] we're forced to have [17:34] a different conversation [17:35] about what it means [17:37] to wield power [17:38] and who's allowed to have it. [17:40] And I think, [17:41] you know, [17:41] I've talked to a lot [17:42] of Democrats, [17:43] Simone, [17:43] who said that [17:44] they want to see [17:46] more people, [17:47] the party has said, [17:48] and then they, [17:48] you know, [17:49] it's not always [17:49] ends up being true. [17:50] The leadership [17:51] doesn't always go this way, [17:52] but they want to see [17:53] like regular people [17:54] running for office, right? [17:56] They want to see people [17:56] who aren't as polished, [17:58] people who aren't, [17:59] you know, [17:59] professional politicians, [18:01] people who don't seem [18:01] like they've been [18:02] put through a McKenzie factory [18:05] or that who came [18:06] and lived in D.C. [18:07] for a very long time [18:08] and worked on the Hill [18:09] and had all these connections. [18:11] They don't want [18:11] to see that anymore. [18:12] They want to see people [18:13] who they recognize. [18:14] They want to see people [18:15] like Graham Plattner, [18:17] AOC, [18:17] who was a bartender, [18:18] right? [18:19] People who had regular jobs [18:20] before they decided [18:21] to come to Washington, D.C. [18:24] But when you have that, [18:25] the vetting happens publicly. [18:27] He was on Morning Joe [18:29] on Wednesday afternoon [18:30] and our girl Mika [18:31] asked him [18:32] if there were going [18:34] to be any other things [18:36] that were concerning [18:37] that were going to come out. [18:38] He said, [18:39] he kind of interrupted her [18:41] and goes, [18:41] well, there's nothing [18:42] that's actually concerning. [18:44] There's nothing [18:44] that's actually concerning. [18:44] People will make everything [18:46] seem very concerning [18:47] because that's what [18:49] people do in politics. [18:50] But, you know, [18:53] I think the thing [18:54] about all of this [18:55] is what I find [18:57] to be kind of most curious [18:58] is this is what everyone [19:01] wants to make [19:02] the campaign about [19:03] so we do not talk [19:04] about the struggles [19:06] of working mayors. [19:07] Now, I don't know [19:08] what it actually means, [19:09] but here we are. [19:11] I think the last point [19:12] I want to make [19:13] specifically about [19:13] Graham Plattner [19:14] and then, I mean, [19:15] broader about the map, [19:16] if you will, [19:17] coming into November [19:17] is that when people say [19:20] they want more [19:21] regular folks in office [19:22] and that's what Plattner [19:23] himself has been saying. [19:24] He's like, look, [19:24] I'm not a professional [19:25] politician. [19:27] Exactly. [19:27] He's like, I've made mistakes. [19:28] I went and served my country. [19:29] I came back with, [19:30] you know, some trauma [19:31] and it caused me [19:32] to make mistakes. [19:33] I think that, yes, [19:34] I agree with more [19:35] regular folk [19:36] that people can identify with [19:37] running for office [19:38] across the political spectrum, [19:40] but I don't know [19:42] a lot of regular folk [19:43] with a Nazi tattoo. [19:46] Well. [19:47] Regular, you know [19:48] what I'm saying? [19:48] And so, sure, [19:49] people are imperfect, [19:51] but sometimes [19:52] when things are coming out, [19:54] oh, okay, all right, [19:55] he pops the pro. [19:56] Well, I am an imperfect person. [19:58] Most people are imperfect. [20:00] There are levels to this. [20:01] And when, [20:02] I'm concerned [20:03] when I'm hearing people say, [20:04] I don't like this part [20:05] about politics. [20:06] I don't like, [20:06] I don't like when they're, [20:08] you know, [20:08] digging up dirt on people. [20:09] The reason things [20:10] like this matter [20:11] is because [20:12] you elect the officials [20:14] to make the political decisions, [20:15] right? [20:16] It's the elected officials [20:16] to make the decisions [20:17] about legislation. [20:18] It's the president [20:19] that's making the decision [20:20] if we're dropping the bomb [20:21] or not, [20:21] sending our young men [20:22] and women in the war. [20:24] What kind of person [20:25] that person is [20:25] does matter. [20:26] What they believe [20:27] does matter. [20:28] And so, [20:28] that's why people [20:29] have to do the digging. [20:29] Where do they tell you [20:29] the truth? [20:30] Come on now! [20:31] Because Graham Plattner [20:32] is someone [20:33] who went to the Hill, [20:36] came to Washington, D.C., [20:37] and sat there [20:40] and told senators [20:41] in a meeting [20:42] that nothing else [20:43] was coming out. [20:44] And then literally, [20:45] within 36 hours, [20:47] that story comes out [20:48] from the New York Times [20:49] about his alleged treatment [20:51] of ex-girlfriends. [20:53] My eyelash [20:54] was getting stuck together. [20:55] I was like, oh, lord. [20:56] That was a stress. [20:57] And so, like, [20:57] that's the question. [20:58] And again, [20:59] maybe voters don't care. [21:00] But you know who does care? [21:01] The people that work here [21:02] in Washington, D.C. [21:04] and on the Hill. [21:04] The people that are going [21:05] to be in meetings [21:05] with these folks. [21:06] They want to know [21:06] who this kind of person is. [21:08] They want to know who, [21:10] and I think a lot of the women [21:11] on Capitol Hill, [21:12] especially when it comes [21:14] to men possibly behaving badly, [21:17] wherever, you know, [21:17] there's obviously levels [21:18] to badly. [21:20] But like, [21:21] they want to know [21:22] who are you bringing [21:23] to Washington, D.C. [21:24] that's going to be around us. [21:27] And I think [21:27] it's not just Graham Plattner. [21:28] Obviously, [21:29] there's the question [21:30] about Kim Baxton, right? [21:31] There's just like [21:31] a lot of people [21:32] that are running [21:34] that have baggage, [21:35] but the parties [21:37] are allowed [21:37] to have conversations [21:38] about do we want [21:40] this kind of person [21:41] representing us? [21:41] And then let's not forget, [21:43] a lot of people are like, [21:44] you know, [21:44] John Fetterman [21:45] reminds me of Graham Plattner. [21:47] Well, [21:47] John Fetterman is here [21:48] and there are a lot [21:49] of people who are like, [21:50] he lied to us [21:51] about who he was. [21:52] I just, [21:52] there's a lot of people [21:53] that O'Connor lay [21:54] him an apology. [21:55] Let's just say that. [21:56] In the case of [21:57] John Fetterman, [21:58] is, [21:59] there were people [22:00] that tried to point out [22:01] he, [22:02] come on, [22:03] he wasn't who [22:03] he was saying he was [22:05] or he was still [22:06] who he used to be. [22:07] Come on, [22:07] catch it. [22:08] If you get it, [22:08] catch it. [22:09] And now, [22:11] we are seeing [22:11] what John Fetterman [22:13] is doing. [22:13] Now, [22:13] we'll see what happens [22:14] in November. [22:15] You don't think [22:15] Susan Collins [22:16] is going to get beat. [22:17] I think that she could. [22:18] I think it's going to be [22:20] extremely difficult [22:21] to beat her. [22:22] Even if they don't, [22:23] Maine is not the only [22:24] place in which [22:25] gives Democrats [22:26] the opportunity [22:27] to take back [22:28] the United States. [22:29] Iowa, [22:29] I do think [22:29] it's probably [22:30] a better chance [22:30] for them [22:31] than it has been [22:31] before. [22:32] And Mississippi. [22:33] Scott Cullum [22:34] is running against [22:35] the sitting [22:36] Senator Cindy [22:37] Hyde-Smith [22:38] who, [22:40] Scott Cullum, [22:40] he's a current [22:41] DA down in Jackson. [22:42] He was nominated [22:43] to be a judge [22:44] during the Biden [22:44] administration [22:45] and Cindy Hyde-Smith [22:47] wouldn't sign off [22:48] on it. [22:48] Now, [22:48] he happens to be [22:49] black. [22:50] Democrats and Republicans [22:51] and independents [22:52] have voted for him. [22:53] The people in [22:54] Mississippi say [22:55] they don't really [22:56] see Cindy Hyde-Smith. [22:57] She don't really [22:58] campaign. [22:58] She ain't have [22:59] knock no door. [22:59] She has bad [23:00] constituent services. [23:01] And recently [23:02] she did an interview, [23:03] like a local interview. [23:05] She was asked [23:05] about the economy [23:06] and she's basically [23:07] just like, [23:08] people gotta just [23:08] make some [23:08] different decisions. [23:09] You have so many [23:10] proteins to choose [23:11] from, I think [23:12] was the quote. [23:13] What do you think [23:13] Republicans are doing [23:14] right now? [23:15] You're involved [23:15] closely with agriculture. [23:16] You're on the committee. [23:18] Price of food is high. [23:19] We just did a story [23:19] this week on price of beef [23:21] continuing to go up. [23:22] What are Republicans [23:23] doing to get this [23:24] cost of living [23:24] under control? [23:25] It is on everybody's [23:26] mind. [23:27] You know, [23:27] it certainly is me [23:28] at my house. [23:29] And, you know, [23:30] you have so many [23:31] proteins to choose [23:32] from and all [23:33] commodities go [23:34] through peaks [23:35] and valleys. [23:35] You know, [23:36] it is a global [23:36] market, but we [23:39] will be seeing [23:40] a difference. [23:41] I truly believe [23:42] because of so [23:43] many things. [23:43] You have so many [23:44] proteins to choose [23:46] from. [23:46] It's crazy. [23:47] So, yeah, [23:48] I think there are [23:48] other options [23:49] and people gotta, [23:49] you know, [23:50] everybody wanna talk [23:50] about Maine, [23:51] people wanna talk [23:51] about Grand Plattener, [23:52] but I wanna hear [23:53] more people talking [23:53] about Scott Colum, [23:55] honey, Scott Colum. [23:56] Yes, you are [23:57] people, so. [23:59] I guess I am [24:00] people. [24:00] Can we lighten [24:01] the moment? [24:02] Is it light, [24:03] Ter? [24:04] Yes, okay. [24:06] Sports is lighter. [24:08] Maybe this is also [24:09] not a light topic [24:09] because the president [24:10] is making sports [24:11] unavoidable. [24:13] He went to the [24:13] Knicks game. [24:15] People at Madison [24:15] Square Garden, [24:16] I do not think [24:17] appreciated the [24:18] president at the [24:19] Knicks game on [24:20] Monday. [24:20] This was their [24:21] reaction when they [24:22] showed him on the [24:23] screen during the [24:24] National Anthem. [24:24] Baby, they snatched [24:37] Trump down off [24:38] that screen so quick. [24:40] They snatched. [24:41] Oh, get him off, [24:44] get him off, [24:44] get him off. [24:45] No, no. [24:46] No, no, no. [24:47] You know what? [24:47] They probably thought [24:48] they not gonna boo [24:50] during the National Anthem. [24:52] Them Knicks fans, [24:53] baby, [24:53] and some Spurs fans [24:54] still were like, [24:55] They have never been [24:55] in New York [24:56] if they think [24:56] that people ain't gonna [24:57] boo at any point [24:58] they won't. [24:59] The orchestra, [24:59] what the hell [24:59] they want? [25:00] Avery Wilson, [25:01] who is the Grammy [25:02] nominated artiste [25:04] who was singing [25:05] the National Anthem, [25:07] he sang down, [25:08] okay, [25:09] even over the booths. [25:09] He was like, [25:10] For the rest. [25:11] Yeah, he said, [25:11] I'm gonna keep going. [25:12] Shout out to [25:13] Avery Wilson, honey. [25:14] Just a quintessential, [25:16] like, [25:17] I'm sad that Trump [25:18] kind of ruined his [25:19] moment. [25:19] He is a quintessential [25:20] talent, [25:20] a big Knicks fan. [25:21] They think he's [25:22] a good luck charm. [25:23] The thing that was [25:23] so funny to me, [25:24] we should put this [25:25] in too, guys, [25:26] is when Trump [25:27] was asked about it, [25:28] when Trump was asked [25:29] about, [25:29] the boo [25:30] when he was on [25:31] the tarmac [25:31] from the reporters, [25:32] he said he think [25:34] they were cheering. [25:35] It was certainly [25:35] amazing. [25:36] It was, [25:37] it was, [25:37] I think, [25:38] mostly cheers. [25:39] It was, [25:39] it was loud [25:41] and it was [25:41] very enthusiastic. [25:43] Now, sir, [25:44] now, sir. [25:45] Okay. [25:46] Okay. [25:47] Okay. [25:47] I think, [25:47] I think, [25:49] as someone who [25:49] has gotten booed [25:50] one time, [25:51] those ones, [25:52] it is very [25:53] disconcerting. [25:54] I've been booed [25:55] before. [25:55] I've been, [25:56] well, you got booed. [25:57] I got booed, [25:59] oh, [25:59] some D.C. [26:00] people booed me [26:01] the other day. [26:01] D.C. and Maryland. [26:02] The other day? [26:03] Let me tell you [26:03] something. [26:04] Yes, [26:04] I was, [26:05] now we on a tangent, [26:06] but yes, [26:07] the other day. [26:07] Oh, yeah, [26:08] you told me about this? [26:09] Yes. [26:10] My, [26:10] for people who don't know, [26:11] my husband, [26:12] he runs the restaurant [26:14] association of [26:14] metropolitan Washington, [26:15] and they do this [26:16] big awards thing. [26:17] During the honor [26:18] celebration, [26:19] I interviewed [26:21] Mayor Bowser, [26:21] the outgoing mayor [26:22] of D.C., [26:22] and then [26:23] they flipped it [26:24] on me, [26:25] and Mayor Bowser [26:25] said, [26:26] they told me [26:26] she actually [26:27] had some questions [26:27] for me. [26:28] But I'm in a room [26:29] for two weeks. [26:30] On this stage, [26:31] I was sat up. [26:32] She asked me [26:33] about Maryland crabs [26:34] or some other [26:35] kind of crab, [26:36] and I was just like, [26:37] oh, [26:38] neither, [26:38] South Carolina crabs. [26:39] And everybody was like, [26:40] it was like a pause [26:41] in the room. [26:42] And then I started [26:43] explaining South Carolina [26:44] crabs. [26:44] I said, [26:45] you know, [26:45] you put them [26:45] in the pot, [26:47] and then you get [26:47] some egg. [26:48] Boo! [26:48] I'm a big fan. [26:50] I said egg, [26:50] all you heard was [26:51] boo! [26:52] Boo! [26:54] And I was just like, [26:55] no, no! [26:56] Eggs, [26:56] and it's all, [26:57] boo! [26:58] Boo! [26:59] And I was like, [26:59] uh, okay, [27:00] I'm fine being unpopular. [27:02] And I kept trying [27:03] to explain the crabs, [27:04] and the mayor was like, [27:05] you just need to let it go [27:06] and move on. [27:08] And I did not, [27:10] you know, [27:10] so the one thing [27:11] that will bring [27:11] the D.C., [27:13] Maryland, [27:13] Virginia together, [27:14] baby, [27:15] do not come [27:15] for the Maryland crabs, [27:16] okay? [27:17] I'm gonna post a picture [27:18] of the South Carolina crabs, [27:20] okay, [27:20] because [27:20] the crabs is good. [27:22] Oh, baby, [27:22] the South Carolina crabs [27:23] are the shit, [27:24] to be very clear. [27:24] I did not explain it well, [27:26] but I digress. [27:27] The World Cup, [27:28] it starts this week, [27:30] and the Department [27:32] of Homeland Security [27:33] policies under [27:34] the Trump administration, [27:35] Eugene, [27:36] well, [27:36] they are having [27:36] a direct effect, [27:37] not just on the players, [27:38] but also on the referees. [27:40] The Iraqis team photographer [27:42] was actually denied [27:43] entry into the United States. [27:45] One of their players [27:46] was held for seven hours [27:48] before they let him in, [27:50] and then there's [27:51] that referee [27:52] from Somalia. [27:53] Did you say that? [27:54] Apparently, [27:55] one of the best referees [27:56] in the world, [27:56] just trying to fly in [27:58] over the weekend. [27:59] This is Omar Artin. [28:00] I hope I'm saying [28:00] his name right. [28:02] He was named [28:02] as Referee of the Year [28:03] last year [28:04] by the Confederation [28:05] of African Football. [28:07] You know, [28:07] because that's not football [28:08] like we do. [28:09] It's like, [28:09] F-U-T. [28:11] F-U-T-Bowl. [28:12] And because he is Somali, [28:15] he was stopped [28:16] at the Miami airport. [28:17] He told the New York Times [28:18] that he was interviewed, [28:20] you guys, [28:20] for 11 hours, [28:21] held for several more, [28:22] and then put on a plane [28:23] to, [28:24] was it home? [28:25] No. [28:26] Istanbul, Turkey. [28:27] Let me just say something. [28:28] This is like, [28:29] this is, [28:30] this is one of the top five [28:31] racist things [28:32] America has, [28:33] has ever engaged in. [28:35] And to be clear, [28:35] like, [28:35] we have a strong record [28:36] here in America. [28:38] You know, [28:39] chattel slavery, [28:41] the internment [28:42] of the Japanese. [28:43] Yes. [28:44] Jim Crow. [28:46] The Trail of Tears. [28:47] The Trail of Tears, [28:48] right? [28:49] So this is actually [28:50] not new to America, [28:52] but it is, [28:53] in fact, [28:53] racist. [28:53] These people are being [28:54] picked out of lines [28:56] and questioned [28:56] because of what [28:57] they look like. [28:58] So the fact that [28:59] the World Cup [29:00] is being played here [29:00] and the players [29:02] and the referees [29:03] can't even get in, [29:04] the team folks [29:05] can't even get in [29:06] without a conundrum, [29:07] this is the FIFA. [29:10] It's insane. [29:11] FIFA like, [29:12] FIFA like FIFA. [29:13] FIFA. [29:13] Oh, Lord. [29:15] FIFA. [29:16] Yes. [29:16] The fact that [29:17] FIFA still went ahead [29:19] and, like, [29:20] wanted to [29:21] smooth everything over [29:23] to keep [29:23] the World Cup [29:24] games here. [29:26] Gave Trump that award, [29:27] maybe he got the [29:27] FIFA Peace Prize. [29:28] Yeah, they made it up. [29:29] I think it was [29:30] an egregious, [29:31] egregious mistake [29:32] and somebody need to [29:33] hold the FIFA people [29:34] accountable. [29:34] Now, this is what [29:35] U.S. Customs [29:36] and Border Protection said. [29:37] In a statement, [29:37] they said that [29:38] their decisions [29:39] were made on a [29:39] case-by-case basis, [29:40] but they did not [29:41] provide details [29:42] about why the referee [29:43] was denied entry. [29:45] Arden said, [29:47] and he told [29:47] the New York Times, [29:48] that border officials [29:49] had asked him repeatedly [29:50] if he had ever met [29:52] anyone from Al-Shabaab. [29:54] He said he replied [29:55] that he knew nothing [29:56] about the militant group [29:57] and was simply [29:58] a soccer referee [29:59] going about his [30:00] damn business [30:01] to do his job. [30:03] Why would they think [30:04] he knows anything [30:05] about Al-Shabaab? [30:06] Why would they think [30:07] he's a terrorist [30:08] just because he's [30:09] Somalian? [30:10] No idea. [30:11] You know what? [30:12] I don't think [30:12] every white man [30:13] in America [30:14] is a school shooter. [30:15] I mean, like that, [30:21] I have to put it [30:22] in stark terms [30:23] because that is what [30:24] they are doing [30:25] with this profiling [30:26] of people. [30:27] Eugene just put [30:28] the podcast. [30:28] that, please. [30:30] You look like [30:31] I got on sweatpants [30:32] so I would stand up [30:32] and walk out. [30:34] Okay, let me go back [30:36] to what you said [30:37] about Mr. Arden. [30:39] Why did they think [30:40] he knew Al-Shabaab? [30:41] Why did they think [30:42] he was a terrorist? [30:43] They were racial profiling. [30:45] The Somalis, [30:46] the Iraqis, [30:48] El Salvadorian, [30:49] people from El Salvador. [30:50] Everyone brown and black. [30:52] Literally, it's like, [30:54] y'all are not beating [30:55] the racism allegations. [30:56] And now, if there was, [30:58] if there was [30:59] derogatory information [31:00] as Andrew Giuliani said, [31:02] yes, that is Giuliani's son, [31:04] the head of the [31:05] White House task force [31:06] on the FIFA World Cup 2026, [31:08] they could release it [31:09] and say, [31:10] this is what we actually [31:10] found out about him. [31:11] He isn't just [31:13] a simple referee, [31:14] but I don't think [31:15] we've seen that. [31:16] And when I don't see [31:17] information [31:17] as a reporter, [31:20] I always [31:21] err on the side of [31:23] someone is keeping [31:24] something quiet [31:24] for a reason. [31:25] So, there's that. [31:27] And then there's [31:27] the Iranian team, [31:28] Simone. [31:29] Oh, yes. [31:30] You know that Trump [31:30] banned the team [31:32] from spending the night [31:33] on U.S. soil? [31:34] Apparently, they're not [31:35] even good enough [31:35] to sleep here. [31:36] Do you know what that means? [31:37] That when the Iranian team [31:39] plays in Los Angeles [31:40] on Monday, [31:41] they have a kickoff [31:42] at 6 p.m. [31:43] L.A. time. [31:44] After the game, [31:45] they have to get to LAX [31:47] and they have to fly [31:47] to Tijuana [31:48] so they can go to bed. [31:50] Yeah. [31:51] And they are not [31:51] Mexican, [31:52] so Tijuana [31:53] is not their home. [31:54] I just think that like [31:55] this, just to be clear, [31:56] when you talk to folks [31:57] for years [31:58] and especially [31:59] after Trump won [32:00] was like, [32:01] oh my God, [32:02] they cannot have [32:02] the World Cup [32:03] in the Americas, [32:05] right? [32:05] There cannot be games [32:06] in the United States [32:07] because of this. [32:09] And people said [32:11] those folks [32:12] were being too alarmist, [32:14] that everything [32:15] was going to be okay [32:15] and of course, [32:16] oh my God, [32:16] like the athletes [32:17] and the referees [32:18] will be fine [32:18] and look at them. [32:20] The athletes [32:20] and the referees [32:21] are not fine. [32:22] They are not okay. [32:23] And can I just note, [32:24] obviously, [32:25] we are in the middle [32:25] of a war with Iran, [32:26] a war of choice [32:27] that the president started, [32:28] but we are not at war [32:29] with the people of Iran. [32:31] And finally, [32:33] finally, [32:34] there's the matter [32:35] of Trump's birthday [32:37] on Sunday. [32:37] He is turning eight, [32:39] the big eight zero, [32:40] maybe that's why [32:40] he's falling asleep. [32:41] He's allegedly [32:41] falling asleep. [32:43] He is celebrating. [32:46] Are you okay? [32:50] No, [32:51] are you okay? [32:52] I hope the bosses [32:54] are watching. [32:55] This is what happens [32:55] when this woman [32:56] doesn't sleep. [32:58] Does the president [33:00] not look 80? [33:01] He is celebrating. [33:02] He looks like [33:03] a different kind of 80. [33:03] I saw a video [33:04] of former Senator Tom Daschle [33:06] the other day, [33:07] who also, [33:08] I believe, [33:08] is about 80. [33:09] He looks phenomenal. [33:12] But you know what? [33:12] The presidency does age you. [33:14] Go ahead. [33:16] Jim Clyburn's also 80-something. [33:21] He don't look like the president. [33:22] I think he's 85. [33:24] Exactly. [33:24] I think he's 85. [33:25] Nancy Pelosi. [33:26] Also 80-something. [33:28] Yes, yes, yes. [33:29] There's some 80-year-olds. [33:30] 80 has range. [33:31] Yes. [33:33] Trump is celebrating [33:35] his birthday [33:36] by hosting a UFC fight [33:38] on the White House lawn. [33:39] We, Simone, [33:40] were driving [33:41] to a source dinner [33:42] last night [33:43] and actually saw it all [33:44] lit up for the first time. [33:46] It was crazy. [33:47] It's crazy. [33:48] It is actually... [33:49] It was so crazy. [33:50] It's ugly also. [33:51] I mean, [33:51] I'm not a UFC person, [33:52] but I think, [33:53] like I know that [33:54] I've seen a couple fights, [33:55] not the whole fight, [33:56] but you know, [33:56] you watch it there [33:57] and they're in little shorts [33:58] and they beat each other up. [33:59] It's boxing without rules, [34:00] it seems. [34:01] But one of the things [34:02] I think that's so interesting, [34:05] other than like the details of this, [34:06] is that this is very American, [34:09] actually. [34:10] Throwing people [34:11] into like a gladiator-style octagon [34:16] and having them beat each other [34:18] to a bloody pulp, [34:20] having them the example [34:22] of what masculinity is. [34:24] It feels very Trumpian. [34:25] It feels very of the moment. [34:27] And frankly, [34:27] I think it's very strange [34:30] for there to be a UFC fight [34:33] at the White House, [34:34] at the People's House, [34:35] at your home, y'all. [34:36] That's your home, [34:37] not the president's. [34:38] They get to lease it [34:40] for four years [34:41] with an option for renewal. [34:42] That is from scandal. [34:43] If you know, you know. [34:44] But the fact that [34:46] that it's happening, [34:48] it is actually [34:48] the perfect metaphor [34:49] for the world [34:51] in which we live. [34:52] And more importantly, [34:52] the world in which [34:53] some people [34:53] who have a certain view [34:55] of masculinity [34:56] want us to live. [34:58] You know, [34:59] there's weight requirements [35:00] for the soldiers [35:02] who would like to attend. [35:05] Michael Steele [35:05] keeps talking about this [35:07] on our show [35:07] and I had no idea. [35:09] So, first of all, [35:10] they want the military [35:10] to attend. [35:11] They have to pay [35:14] their own way [35:14] to get there. [35:15] And they have to fit [35:17] a certain weight requirement. [35:18] Height and weight. [35:19] It's a height [35:19] and weight requirement. [35:20] Or no reporting. [35:21] Yes. [35:21] The president of the United States [35:22] doesn't fit this height [35:23] or weight requirement. [35:24] Like, this is just, [35:26] it's crazy. [35:27] It's crazy. [35:28] It's like, [35:29] the emperor has no clothes. [35:31] He is not who [35:32] he thinks he is. [35:33] The president is unwell. [35:35] He is not okay. [35:36] And this little UFC fight [35:38] is not gonna distract me. [35:39] We all think [35:40] our height and weight [35:40] may be a little different [35:41] than what it really is. [35:43] I'm gonna leave it there. [35:44] We're gonna leave it right there. [35:46] I mean, [35:47] many, [35:48] a lot of other things happen, [35:49] but let's just talk about pride. [35:52] Let's just talk about pride. [35:54] Let's talk about pride. [35:55] Now, [35:56] it is pride month, [35:57] as we all know. [35:58] We've talked about it [35:59] on here. [36:01] Two things can be true [36:02] at the same time. [36:03] That's when I feel [36:03] my most powerful, [36:04] the gay and black in me [36:06] become one. [36:07] It's when the stars align. [36:09] And I can fucking fly. [36:11] That's when I'm most powerful. [36:13] It's gonna be a great show [36:14] that weekend. [36:15] But in the South, [36:16] where my family's from, [36:18] a few states are trying [36:19] to rebrand June [36:20] as something other [36:22] than pride. [36:23] The Associated Press [36:24] published the story [36:25] about this last week. [36:27] What's the saying? [36:28] You know, [36:28] I was like, [36:30] I want small government, [36:31] just small enough [36:32] to fit it in your bedroom, [36:34] because that's the focus. [36:35] That is the focus. [36:36] Because I guess [36:36] they forgot about the pocket. [36:38] And now they want to be [36:39] up in people's bedrooms. [36:40] And more and more [36:41] and more and more [36:42] in their bathrooms, [36:43] then up in their houses, [36:44] up in the uteruses. [36:46] Uterine? [36:47] I thought these are people [36:48] that believed in [36:49] that the government [36:51] should stay out [36:52] of people's personal lives [36:53] and personal business. [36:54] And the government [36:54] shouldn't be telling people [36:55] what to do. [36:55] It's just out of their business [36:57] is what they want. [36:57] Yeah, I guess it doesn't [36:58] apply to gay people, [37:00] trans people, [37:01] women, [37:02] people of color, [37:04] immigrants. [37:06] I guess anybody [37:07] that's not a straight [37:08] white man who's Christian. [37:10] Because also, [37:10] if you happen to be [37:11] maybe Muslim, [37:12] they don't even like that. [37:14] So, you know what? [37:16] Two weeks ago, [37:17] I don't know if you saw this, [37:18] but Alabama Governor [37:19] Kay Ivey, [37:21] she officially declared [37:22] June 2026, [37:24] wait for it, [37:24] Strong Families Month. [37:25] She even signed [37:27] a proclamation, [37:28] okay? [37:28] And let me read, [37:29] where is this proclamation? [37:30] Let me read part of it for you. [37:31] Homes, [37:32] homes led by stable parents [37:35] and a father [37:36] and a mother, [37:37] okay, [37:38] provide children [37:39] with the structure [37:40] and discipline [37:41] necessary to succeed. [37:42] Now, I want to be very clear, [37:44] they're using very [37:44] benign language [37:45] that a lot of people [37:47] would agree with. [37:49] You know, there's a lot of people [37:49] who would be like, [37:50] yeah, yeah, yeah. [37:51] However, [37:52] I don't think Kay Ivey was, [37:54] I think she was saying [37:55] a little bit more [37:56] than that. [37:57] I know a lot of people [37:58] who have two fathers, [37:59] two mothers [37:59] who are doing just fine. [38:02] In April, also, [38:03] Tennessee passed a resolution [38:04] to designate June [38:05] Nuclear Families Month. [38:07] And the woman who wrote it [38:09] spoke to WHLJ, [38:11] that's the local station [38:12] in Johnson City, Tennessee. [38:14] Let's listen to this. [38:15] I first got this idea [38:17] whenever I saw [38:18] it's the Italian prime minister [38:19] and she dedicated June [38:21] and had a nuclear family celebration. [38:23] She also told the station, [38:25] quote, [38:26] we all know what that month is [38:28] across America [38:28] and many other states [38:29] and really all over the world. [38:31] It's celebrating pride [38:32] and celebrating something [38:33] that is not what the foundation [38:35] of this country was built on [38:36] and is something [38:37] completely opposite [38:38] to our state. [38:38] No, you know what the country [38:39] was built on? [38:40] Slavery, [38:40] but we're going to move on [38:41] from that. [38:41] Slavery. [38:41] No, actually, [38:42] we can't move on from slavery. [38:43] We will never move on [38:45] from slavery. [38:46] That's what they want us to do. [38:47] I think it's an important point [38:49] what you just said [38:50] because her saying [38:51] it's not what the foundation [38:53] of this country was built on [38:54] and it's something [38:54] completely opposite [38:55] to our state. [38:56] They are talking about [38:57] who belongs. [38:58] They as in, [38:59] I'm assuming this young lady [39:01] is a Republican, [39:02] a Republican persuasion. [39:05] Licky? [39:06] I think it's [39:06] Lakey Michael Steele. [39:09] Lakey Derrick. [39:11] Not the chairman [39:12] catching a stray here [39:13] because he will butcher a name [39:15] and be like, [39:15] I'm sorry. [39:16] And then make it [39:18] a weird one. [39:18] They're trying to tell us [39:19] who is and is not American [39:21] and they're trying to say [39:22] LGBTQ plus people [39:23] are not foundational [39:25] to this country. [39:26] There were gay people [39:27] back when the country [39:28] was founded. [39:29] Okay, I just want people to, [39:30] I just want these people [39:32] to have a brain [39:32] for a second. [39:33] If you think [39:34] for one damn second [39:36] that all them men [39:38] went in them heels [39:39] and them powdered wigs [39:41] went some of them [39:42] up in the same bed together, [39:44] you have another thing coming. [39:47] The fact that men and women [39:48] were not able to hang out [39:50] all together in the rooms, [39:52] the men all together, [39:53] you think all of them [39:53] were straight? [39:54] They were talking about what? [39:54] Fucking sports? [39:55] No! [39:57] I'm about to Google. [39:58] I've never Googled. [39:59] I should have Googled this [39:59] before we started recording. [40:01] I'm about to Google [40:01] were any of the founders gay? [40:03] Probably not openly. [40:04] But like, [40:05] a lot of these men [40:05] slept in the same bed. [40:06] Abraham Lincoln had a friend [40:07] that had slept in the same bed. [40:08] Now, you know, [40:09] there's never been any proof [40:10] that he was a homosexual, [40:12] but there are a lot of gays [40:13] that feel like he is. [40:14] And a lot of historians [40:15] have a lot of questions. [40:16] But I think the thing [40:17] that you said most importantly [40:19] and what she said [40:20] is not what the foundation [40:22] of this country was built on. [40:23] So what she is saying [40:24] that the only things [40:25] that matter in the year [40:26] of our Lord, 2026, [40:27] 250 years into this experiment [40:30] that is America [40:31] are the things [40:32] that were happening [40:32] at that time. [40:33] That means her ass [40:34] couldn't vote, [40:34] so I guess she needed to get up [40:35] out of whatever office she at. [40:37] That means that me and you [40:38] could not be a full human, [40:40] so I guess we going out [40:41] back to the fields. [40:42] Like, what is the mind? [40:43] I might have been in the house, [40:44] let's be honest. [40:45] You would have been [40:45] in the house as well. [40:46] Yes, I would have. [40:48] I would have been sneaking out [40:48] sugar cubes and stuff for folks. [40:50] I would have been there. [40:51] Because you would have been, [40:53] exactly, because you would have been [40:54] on the side of Harriet and them. [40:55] Correct, correct, correct. [40:56] Get it? Come on now. [40:57] Correct. Let's be very fucking clear. [40:59] All skin folk ain't. [41:01] Kin folk. [41:03] Now, but, and so, [41:04] this frustration that I continue to have, [41:07] and I think you have as well [41:08] when we share this, [41:09] is that there are so many things [41:13] that are happening [41:14] to the American people. [41:15] Mm-hmm. [41:16] There are so many things, [41:17] and what your lawmakers focus on [41:22] tell you what they think is important. [41:24] And so what Lakey thinks [41:25] is the most important thing [41:27] to do for the folks in Tennessee [41:28] is to tell queer people [41:31] that they don't belong in that state. [41:33] That is what they're saying, right? [41:35] There are a lot of damn months. [41:36] They can pick any other month, right? [41:38] Nuclear Families Month. [41:40] Mm-hmm. [41:41] Okay, sure. [41:42] It is not just... [41:42] Your point is so right, [41:44] and it's not just Lakey. [41:45] The governor of Indiana [41:45] also rebranded June [41:47] as Nuclear Family Month, [41:48] and the governor of Utah [41:49] and the governor of Arkansas, [41:51] Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas, [41:53] deemed it Fidelity Month. [41:54] And just to be clear, [41:55] the governor of Utah, [41:56] a lot of Democrats will be celebrating [41:57] and say they love so much [41:58] because he stands up to Donald Trump, [42:00] but let's move on from that. [42:02] Well, he was deeming it Fidelity Month, [42:04] which emphasizes fidelity, [42:05] I'm using air quotes, [42:06] to faith, country, and family. [42:08] Maybe you should talk to Donald Trump [42:09] about fidelity. [42:10] Mm-hmm. [42:11] Mm-hmm. [42:11] Mm-hmm. [42:12] Mm-hmm. [42:13] Mm-hmm. [42:14] Mm-hmm. [42:15] I mean, take a steal. [42:15] Ask the wives. [42:16] Ask the wives. [42:17] I didn't say it. [42:19] Now, in Arkansas and Utah, [42:20] they never commented [42:21] on how those families [42:23] might be composed, [42:25] but just last week, [42:26] Sarah Huckabee Sanders, [42:27] the governor of Arkansas, [42:29] she had a little post on X, [42:32] and she posted a link [42:33] to an article about her proclamation [42:35] that declared, quote, [42:37] another red state [42:38] is counter-programming Pride Month. [42:40] It's given homophobia [42:42] and it's given racism. [42:43] And meanwhile, [42:44] meanwhile, [42:45] you have Republicans [42:47] who are queer, [42:50] who still support this president, [42:52] still support the party, [42:53] and yet they are not letting you [42:55] all the way in. [42:56] And I think that is something [42:57] that I think is so interesting. [42:59] You have, like, [43:01] it is not as if [43:02] there aren't any gay Republicans. [43:04] And so... [43:04] Richard Grinnell, [43:05] who had worked [43:06] in the Trump administration [43:07] and is one of the chief cheerleaders [43:08] for Trump right now, [43:09] he would not qualify [43:10] as a nuclear family. [43:12] Scott Bessent, [43:12] who is the secretary of the Treasury, [43:14] who is openly gay. [43:16] You don't got a nuclear family [43:18] according to this, Mr. Bessent. [43:19] Are you okay with that? [43:20] I mean, again, [43:22] there are gay Republicans. [43:23] There are Republicans [43:24] who are trans. [43:25] This is not just about Democrats. [43:27] But, Eugene, [43:27] why are they always trying [43:28] to make it about? [43:29] Why are they always [43:29] bringing this up? [43:31] Nobody else is bringing it up. [43:33] The Republicans are always [43:34] bringing this and race up. [43:35] They're bringing up gay people [43:36] and they're bringing up race. [43:37] The thing that is so interesting [43:39] is that all queer people [43:40] want to do [43:41] is live their lives. [43:42] This idea that they're trying [43:43] to indoctrinate your little children. [43:45] They don't care about [43:46] your children, actually. [43:47] They don't. [43:48] They want to live their own lives. [43:49] What they want for children [43:50] is for them to have [43:51] what we did not have as kids, [43:53] which is to have a world [43:54] that will accept them [43:54] no matter what, [43:55] that they would have [43:56] the adults around them [43:59] who will say, [44:00] baby, everything that is happening [44:02] to you that you feel [44:04] does not make you a bad person. [44:06] It does not make you evil. [44:08] There's not a demon inside of you [44:09] that is forcing you [44:10] to feel this way. [44:11] This is who you are. [44:12] And as a matter of fact, [44:13] I'm going to make sure [44:14] that you know that [44:15] so that you don't kill yourself. [44:17] Because to this day, [44:19] so many queer kids, [44:21] whether they are gay, [44:23] lesbian, bisexual, [44:24] or, most importantly, transgender, [44:26] those are the kids [44:27] that are killing themselves. [44:29] So what some of these folks [44:31] are saying [44:32] that it is more important [44:33] for them to call something [44:35] a stupid fucking name [44:36] than whether or not [44:38] a child feels supported enough [44:40] to make sure [44:40] that they stay on this earth. [44:42] That is what we're talking about here. [44:45] Those are the stakes. [44:46] Those are the stakes. [44:47] And I think when you, [44:49] when we talk about it [44:50] as kind of like, [44:51] oh, they don't care [44:52] about same-sex marriage anymore. [44:54] It's 20 points down [44:55] from a couple, [44:56] from a few years ago [44:57] with Republicans. [44:58] Whatever. [44:59] The marriage is one thing. [45:01] It is, are these children [45:02] going to be able [45:02] to make it to 18? [45:03] Are they going to be able [45:04] to make it to 25? [45:05] Are they going to be able [45:06] to make it to 30? [45:07] Are they going to be able [45:07] to live a full life [45:09] knowing who they are, [45:11] celebrating who they are, [45:12] and being able [45:13] to do everything else? [45:13] When I came out, Simone, [45:15] came out late, right? [45:16] Like in the theory [45:17] of how folks want to. [45:19] But I came out right [45:19] when I was supposed to, [45:21] when I felt ready. [45:21] I was 27 years old. [45:22] So it's only been 10 years. [45:23] I'm 37 this year. [45:26] And when I came out, [45:29] the thing that I realized [45:30] was like I could die [45:33] and no one would know [45:34] who I am. [45:36] And that was what [45:37] made me come out. [45:38] If I'm being frank, [45:39] it was because of Pulse. [45:41] Pulse happened. [45:42] And I was in Missouri [45:43] working at a place [45:44] called Newsy. [45:45] And I was sitting [45:46] in my little terrible apartment. [45:48] It was what I lived [45:49] in an apartment building [45:50] with a bunch [45:50] of college students. [45:51] I was too old [45:52] to be living there, [45:52] but it was very cheap. [45:54] And so I'm in there. [45:56] Pulse is happening. [45:57] And I did my last prayer. [46:00] The shooting at Pulse nightclub [46:01] for folks that don't remember. [46:03] Which is 10 years ago [46:04] this week, [46:05] this month. [46:06] And so I'm sitting [46:08] in the room [46:08] and I did the last [46:10] pray the gay away [46:11] that I've done [46:11] in my life that day. [46:13] And I said, [46:15] God, [46:15] if this is not of you, [46:19] if this is the, [46:20] if I'm not supposed [46:21] to be this, [46:22] if this is evil, [46:23] if this makes me [46:23] a bad person, [46:24] I want it out. [46:25] And I'll do whatever [46:27] else you want. [46:27] I want it out. [46:29] I woke up the next day [46:30] still was gay. [46:30] So, you know, [46:31] clearly, [46:32] Oh, I need a tissue. [46:33] Clearly, [46:35] clearly, [46:35] it is okay. [46:36] And to the kids [46:38] who, [46:38] and for the kids [46:39] and the parents [46:40] who are watching this [46:41] and who have queer kids. [46:42] I feel so bad [46:43] that you were trying [46:43] to pray the gay away. [46:45] It's just who you are. [46:45] Oh my God, [46:45] my whole life. [46:46] Like, I think, [46:47] and there are so many people [46:48] going through this [46:49] and have it, [46:50] and who have it worse. [46:51] Because when I came out, [46:53] my friends and family, [46:54] basically, [46:55] well, [46:55] many of them shrugged. [46:56] Many of them were like, [46:57] well, [46:57] we knew. [46:59] I was like, [46:59] well, [46:59] you could have told a bitch. [47:01] Like, [47:01] you could have said [47:02] it was okay. [47:03] But I think [47:04] there are so many people [47:06] who are going through [47:07] the exact same thing [47:09] or worse. [47:10] And to know [47:11] that there are adults [47:14] out there [47:14] who aren't weighing [47:17] whether or not [47:19] it is important [47:20] for these kids [47:20] to live [47:21] and live as themselves [47:24] and be, [47:25] and then be able [47:26] to be full members [47:26] of society. [47:27] Because after I came out, [47:28] Simone, [47:28] the thing that was [47:29] so interesting [47:30] is that as it was happening, [47:32] one, [47:32] it was like, [47:33] it was so fucking stressful. [47:35] But as you're doing it, [47:36] you start pulling off [47:36] all this baggage, right? [47:38] And as I came out, [47:40] especially when I moved [47:40] here to D.C., [47:41] which was the gayest city [47:42] per capita, [47:43] I was really excited [47:44] to come to D.C. [47:45] That was something [47:46] to the New York Times. [47:47] And so I started coming out [47:49] to my coworkers, [47:51] and what I realized [47:52] is I had so much more room [47:54] in my head [47:55] to live. [47:56] I had more room [47:58] to be a better friend, [47:59] to be a better worker, [48:02] to be a better brother [48:04] and son, [48:05] or a person [48:05] who feels like [48:05] they can fulfill [48:06] the things [48:06] they're supposed [48:07] to do in life. [48:08] After I came out, [48:09] I was no longer thinking [48:10] about like, [48:11] okay, don't hold [48:11] your hand like this. [48:12] Okay, if you look [48:13] at your nails, [48:13] you gotta look at it [48:13] like this. [48:14] You can't look at your, [48:15] you know, [48:15] your nails like this. [48:16] Don't put your hands [48:17] on your hips. [48:17] When you're at a desk, [48:19] don't lean too much. [48:20] Tote your ass out. [48:21] People don't think [48:21] you want it. [48:22] Like, I spent so much time [48:24] thinking about that shit. [48:26] And so when you, [48:27] and I'm not the only one. [48:29] All queer people do this. [48:30] You're always thinking [48:30] about how to perform [48:31] what the world tells you [48:33] is masculine. [48:35] And so then once I came out [48:37] and I threw all of that off, [48:38] that is when my career changed. [48:40] That is when I fell in love. [48:42] That is when I got [48:44] the strongest friendships [48:45] of my life. [48:46] When you leaned into [48:47] being your authentic self. [48:48] When I leaned into [48:49] being my authentic self. [48:50] And the fact that [48:53] there are kids, [48:55] kids who would, [48:56] who, [48:57] because they don't have [48:58] support from their family [49:00] or friends [49:00] and because the state [49:02] is attacking them [49:03] and they feel [49:05] there's only one way out. [49:07] And that is to kill themselves. [49:09] That, [49:10] those are the stakes. [49:11] And the frustration I have [49:13] with the folks [49:14] that are in Capitol Hills [49:15] around the country [49:17] is that they think [49:19] it's a game. [49:20] They see this shit [49:20] as a game. [49:21] They see these people [49:22] as political pawns. [49:23] Let's play with this. [49:24] But they're playing [49:25] with people's lives. [49:26] And so the blood [49:27] of these kids [49:28] are on their fucking hands. [49:30] And I think that [49:31] is just that. [49:32] I might get in trouble [49:32] for that, [49:33] but that is how I feel. [49:35] Because if you are not [49:36] going to protect kids, [49:37] what the fuck are you doing? [49:38] The least among us, [49:39] the ones who deserve [49:40] the most, [49:41] the best treatment. [49:42] And if you're not [49:44] focused on them, [49:45] all of them, [49:46] then what are you doing? [49:47] First of all, [49:51] you had me crying [49:52] over here. [49:53] It's just like, [49:54] I, [49:54] I, [49:55] and I had me crying. [49:57] And I appreciate you [49:59] for, [49:59] not me, [50:00] not me using [50:01] my therapy language. [50:02] I appreciate you [50:03] for sharing, [50:03] but I really do [50:04] because your, [50:07] to the point [50:08] that you made, [50:08] your story is not unique. [50:09] There are many people [50:10] that felt the way you did. [50:12] I never knew [50:13] that you tried [50:13] to pray it away. [50:14] That is so crazy. [50:16] But the fact [50:17] that you are living [50:18] your authentic self [50:20] now, [50:20] that you are thriving [50:22] in life, [50:23] you're not just surviving, [50:24] you are thriving. [50:25] You're thriving [50:26] because you're leaning [50:26] into a thousand percent [50:28] who you are. [50:29] You're not putting on [50:30] anything else [50:30] for the rest of the world. [50:31] I think that there are [50:32] people out there [50:32] that need to hear that. [50:34] And you are, [50:35] I want to be, [50:36] I want to be [50:37] very, very clear. [50:38] What Eugene just said [50:39] about the state, [50:40] and by state, [50:41] we're talking about [50:42] the governments, [50:43] state governments [50:43] across the country, [50:44] but also the federal government. [50:45] What he said [50:46] about the blood [50:47] on the hands [50:48] of the state, [50:49] the hate rhetoric [50:49] that happens online, [50:50] it spills over [50:51] into our everyday [50:52] regular lives. [50:53] It pops up [50:54] in schools, [50:56] in community centers, [50:57] in organizations, [50:58] right? [50:59] It is, [50:59] people have been radicalized [51:01] for what they're seeing online, [51:02] from what they see [51:02] on television, [51:03] right? [51:03] What they're reading [51:04] in the newspapers, [51:05] from what elected officials [51:06] are saying and doing. [51:07] And so elected officials, [51:09] they have a responsibility here. [51:10] Just like when there's [51:11] a rise in violence, [51:12] political violence [51:13] across the country, [51:14] and, you know, [51:15] every time, [51:15] you know, [51:15] somebody tries to [51:16] assassinate the president, [51:17] everybody's like, [51:18] see, we gotta take [51:19] the rhetoric down. [51:20] Yeah. [51:20] I agree we need [51:21] to take the rhetoric down, [51:22] but who are the people [51:23] with the rhetoric? [51:24] Right. [51:24] Who are the people [51:24] with the policies [51:25] that are putting the target [51:26] on the back [51:27] of other Americans? [51:28] And to be clear, [51:29] the facts say, [51:30] and the data shows, [51:31] it is one political party [51:33] that believes this is a game, [51:34] and that is the Republican Party [51:35] apparatus here [51:36] in the United States of America. [51:38] So we gotta talk about that, [51:39] okay? [51:39] So the culture wars [51:40] are not a distraction. [51:41] The culture wars are, [51:42] in fact, [51:42] the playbook of the culture wars. [51:44] It is not an aside, [51:45] the attack on LGBTQ plus people. [51:48] It is not an aside, [51:49] the attack on black people [51:50] in this country. [51:51] It is not an aside, [51:53] the attack on women's [51:54] reproductive autonomy, [51:56] being able to get [51:56] the healthcare I need, [51:57] even if that healthcare [51:58] is an abortion. [51:59] That is not an aside. [52:00] Those are my kitchen table issues. [52:02] Yes. [52:03] Yes. [52:04] Hmm. [52:06] Oh, okay. [52:06] I guess I can skip therapy [52:08] this week. [52:08] This was very healing. [52:09] No, no, no. [52:10] We still need that. [52:11] No. [52:12] No. [52:13] You need to go [52:14] and you need to let [52:14] your therapist know [52:15] that you told the world [52:16] all your business today. [52:16] All my business. [52:17] So that the therapist [52:19] can say, [52:19] well, now, [52:19] why did we feel [52:20] the need to do that? [52:21] Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. [52:22] Do you feel good about that? [52:24] And I hope you feel good about it. [52:25] I do. [52:25] Because I think [52:26] you're gonna help some people. [52:28] We're gonna take it [52:29] to another level, [52:30] or frankly, [52:31] we're gonna take it [52:32] to outer space. [52:33] A new stratosphere, honey. [52:34] A new stratosphere. [52:35] We're going out. [52:37] And the legendary [52:39] Neil deGrasse Tyson [52:40] is going to help us [52:42] think about [52:42] some loftier things. [52:44] I just love space. [52:45] Eugene loves space. [52:46] And so everybody knows [52:47] we did record [52:49] this conversation [52:49] a few days ago. [52:50] That's why Eugene and I [52:52] are in different outfits. [52:53] So if you're wondering [52:54] what is going on, [52:55] that's what's going on. [52:57] Welcome back [52:58] and welcome [52:59] Neil deGrasse Tyson. [53:01] Of course, [53:01] you know his work [53:02] in astronomy, space, [53:03] helping the [53:04] less STEM-minded people [53:05] among us understand [53:06] things like astrophysics, [53:08] black holes in gravity, [53:09] those little bitty things. [53:11] He's also been using [53:12] his skills as a communicator [53:13] to show people [53:14] how to inoculate themselves [53:16] against misinformation. [53:17] We'll get into that. [53:18] His latest book, [53:19] Take Me to Your Leader, [53:20] is a bestseller. [53:21] And yes, [53:22] we do want to talk to him [53:23] about aliens, obviously, [53:24] but more importantly, [53:26] since science is figuring out [53:27] how everything works, [53:28] we want to talk with him [53:30] about how space, [53:31] the moon, UFOs [53:33] are working [53:33] or being used [53:34] in this moment [53:35] in history. [53:36] Bring it on. [53:37] Sir. [53:38] Thank you so much [53:38] for coming up. [53:39] Bring it on. [53:39] I know all of that. [53:41] Thank you for coming on. [53:42] I'm here for you. [53:43] I'm here for you. [53:44] We're excited. [53:45] We are very excited. [53:45] Lots of questions. [53:46] You know what? [53:47] Dr. DeGrasse Tyson, [53:49] it really does all [53:50] go back to science. [53:50] I was like, [53:51] do I look a little dark? [53:52] Do I look too light? [53:53] He's like, [53:54] well, actually, [53:55] the reflection of the shirt, [53:56] I'm like, [53:56] not science. [53:57] Not a yes or no. [53:58] Not a yes or no. [53:59] I try to avoid [54:01] the word actually [54:01] when I explain things, [54:03] but yes, [54:04] it is an actually moment. [54:06] To be clear. [54:06] No, because it's so pedantic. [54:09] You know, [54:09] actually, [54:10] it's blah, blah, blah. [54:11] Nobody wants to hear that. [54:12] It's very true. [54:14] It's very true. [54:15] I'm getting gems already. [54:16] Let me get my writing down. [54:18] Okay, [54:18] can we talk about [54:19] the deep fakes? [54:20] Lately, [54:21] I've been doing calculations [54:23] as well as looking back [54:25] at old NASA footage [54:26] and raw data [54:27] from satellites [54:28] hovering above Earth. [54:30] And I just can't escape [54:32] the conclusion [54:32] that the Earth [54:35] might actually be flat. [54:37] That's not me. [54:43] It was never me. [54:44] Those aren't my words. [54:46] That's what's called [54:47] a deep fake. [54:48] Baby. [54:49] That was scary as hell. [54:51] They were, [54:51] um, [54:52] I'm spooked. [54:53] Right? [54:53] The podcast team [54:54] was playing some of the audio [54:56] before we got started, [54:57] just, I guess, [54:58] to make sure it worked. [54:59] And when I heard it, [55:00] I'm like, [55:01] is the Earth flat? [55:03] And then, [55:04] and then, [55:06] so I looked at the screen. [55:08] I was like, [55:08] wait now, [55:09] what? [55:10] And then I looked [55:10] at the screen [55:11] and you pulled it back [55:11] and I'm like, [55:13] what is going on? [55:14] Can you explain [55:15] what happened here? [55:15] Yeah, [55:16] so beginning a year [55:17] and a half [55:18] or two years ago, [55:18] I started noticing, [55:19] uh, [55:20] deep fakes of me [55:21] with me [55:23] and my words [55:24] and me sitting [55:24] in my office [55:25] uttering script [55:27] that I didn't write. [55:28] I never thought, [55:29] I'd never said. [55:30] And on the premise [55:31] that it's actually me. [55:33] So that would be [55:34] a deep fake [55:34] that of the illegal kind, [55:37] even though we don't [55:37] really have laws yet [55:38] related to it. [55:40] Okay. [55:40] Then there's other fakes, [55:42] which are just sort of [55:43] fun and parody [55:45] where I get babyfied [55:47] in a conversation [55:48] with NASA. [55:50] There are plans [55:52] to cut half [55:53] of its science budget, [55:54] including the removal [55:55] of the office [55:57] of the chief scientist. [55:59] So you want to cut that [55:59] to save money? [56:01] And how much money [56:02] is that? [56:02] How much is the total [56:03] NASA budget [56:04] compared to your tax dollar? [56:06] It is less than [56:07] four-tenths of one percent [56:09] of your tax dollar. [56:10] So you can't chase [56:11] after them [56:12] because they're just [56:13] having fun. [56:13] With my actual words [56:15] placed inside of a baby. [56:17] Okay. [56:17] Then, [56:19] April of this year, [56:20] there's a movie trailer [56:21] called Pie Hard. [56:24] Pie, [56:25] like pie. [56:26] Mathematics. [56:27] Like 3.14. [56:29] Yes. [56:30] Yeah, [56:30] Pie Hard, [56:31] where I'm an action hero [56:33] trying to figure out [56:36] who is meddling [56:37] with the laws of physics [56:38] of the universe. [56:39] And it turns out [56:39] to be Stephen Hawking. [56:41] The math doesn't add up anymore, [56:43] which means someone, [56:45] something, [56:46] is changing the math. [56:50] It's like they built [56:51] a back door [56:51] into the universe. [56:53] Uh-oh. [56:54] The deal. [57:04] And there's a chase scene, [57:08] and there's an alien, [57:09] and everything [57:10] that you've ever seen [57:12] in any crazy action movie [57:14] is in this [57:15] two-and-a-half-minute trailer. [57:16] And so that one is, [57:19] do people think [57:20] it's actually me or not? [57:22] It says AI or die. [57:24] That's the name [57:24] of the production company. [57:26] So you know it's AI [57:27] to begin with. [57:28] But that's one [57:29] that's a fuzzier line, [57:30] right? [57:31] It's clearly [57:32] they're just having fun. [57:34] The video we just saw [57:36] of me saying Earth is flat. [57:38] AI has the capacity [57:39] to put words in my mouth [57:40] using the integrity [57:42] that I've long hard earned [57:44] and using that [57:45] to distort reality. [57:47] So that's a problem. [57:48] So we made that video [57:49] to highlight [57:50] how easy it is [57:51] to be fooled. [57:52] And it looks just like you. [57:54] I thought it was you. [57:56] The enunciation, [57:58] the ways in which [57:59] you're speaking. [58:00] And so I guess [58:00] I wonder as someone [58:01] who thinks about this a lot [58:03] and probably is now [58:04] much more focused on it [58:05] than a lot of us are. [58:07] What are your biggest concerns? [58:08] Because now me and Simone [58:09] haven't talked about this [58:10] for a long time. [58:11] Yeah, yeah. [58:11] So in terms of deepfakes, [58:13] my, quote, [58:15] reputation is pales [58:17] compared with [58:18] if you deepfake [58:20] a politician [58:21] who's a head of state [58:23] claiming that they're [58:25] about to drop a bomb [58:26] or declare war [58:27] or even surrender, [58:29] whatever, [58:29] you can disrupt [58:30] geopolitics badly [58:32] as a destabilizing force. [58:34] Can I note, [58:35] I actually, [58:36] I don't disagree with you [58:38] that the ability [58:39] to deepfake politicians [58:40] and world leaders [58:42] is actually a huge problem [58:44] that folks have to figure out [58:45] what we're going to do [58:45] about that. [58:46] But I would actually argue [58:48] someone deepfaking [58:50] someone like you, [58:51] it matters. [58:52] You know, [58:52] when I went to the White House, [58:53] I worked there during COVID. [58:55] We was trying to clean it up [58:56] after the current president [58:58] who was the president [58:59] before messed it up. [58:59] So it was your fault. [59:00] It just won't be clear. [59:03] It wasn't us. [59:04] We came in, [59:05] the damage was done. [59:06] We vaccinated the world, [59:07] America. [59:08] We had a lot of meetings [59:09] specifically about [59:11] how to get people [59:11] to take the vaccine. [59:13] And the research told us [59:15] and the experts [59:15] were telling us [59:16] that the best way [59:18] to get people [59:18] to believe in the science [59:20] was to get people [59:23] whom they respected, [59:24] whom they believed, [59:25] whom they thought [59:26] were the experts, [59:26] who they trusted, [59:27] to talk about it. [59:28] And so it wasn't [59:29] then-President Biden [59:30] or then-Vice President Harris, [59:32] the best... [59:32] It was people like you. [59:33] Yeah, your pediatricians [59:34] or the doctors [59:35] or the scientists. [59:35] It's more complicated. [59:36] It's more complicated than that [59:38] because many people [59:39] get their information [59:40] from the internet. [59:41] Well... [59:41] And if not social media, [59:43] then other platforms [59:44] like YouTube. [59:45] There will always be [59:47] some pedigreed expert [59:49] who has a contrarian view [59:52] on the consensus. [59:54] And so you can find someone [59:55] with pedigree saying, [59:56] oh, the vaccine [59:57] is going to kill you [59:58] and well, I'm an MD [59:59] with some medical center [1:00:01] and they say something [1:00:03] that resonates [1:00:04] with what you want [1:00:05] to believe, [1:00:06] what you want to be true [1:00:07] and that then [1:00:08] becomes your source. [1:00:09] What we've lost [1:00:10] is people's awareness [1:00:12] and trust [1:00:13] in what I'll call [1:00:14] a scientific consensus. [1:00:16] There's not a good word [1:00:17] to describe it [1:00:18] because consensus is... [1:00:20] The word technically [1:00:21] refers to opinions. [1:00:23] But in science, [1:00:24] it's not about opinions. [1:00:25] It's about [1:00:25] what do the data show? [1:00:26] What do the observations show? [1:00:28] And a scientific consensus [1:00:30] is 12 different people [1:00:31] did different experiments [1:00:33] that got the same result. [1:00:35] And there's one guy [1:00:35] who did some other experiment [1:00:37] and got a different result. [1:00:38] Oh, and they've got [1:00:39] a YouTube channel [1:00:39] and a charismatic [1:00:40] and you're going to ignore [1:00:42] everybody else [1:00:43] because the consensus [1:00:44] doesn't have charisma. [1:00:46] It's just data. [1:00:48] Consensus doesn't have [1:00:49] a YouTube channel. [1:00:50] And so that's a problem. [1:00:53] That's a problem. [1:00:54] So it's more nuanced [1:00:55] than just find a person [1:00:57] who you trust [1:00:57] and then believe them. [1:00:58] Not only that, [1:01:00] I don't want you [1:01:00] to do something [1:01:01] just because I told you. [1:01:02] I want you to do something [1:01:03] because I convinced you [1:01:05] why you should do it. [1:01:07] So that when you do it, [1:01:08] you're not doing it [1:01:09] just because I said so. [1:01:11] You're doing it [1:01:11] because I gave you [1:01:13] an argument [1:01:14] that you then understood [1:01:15] that you can then [1:01:16] repeat to others. [1:01:17] That's the difference. [1:01:18] This all sounds [1:01:20] and comes down [1:01:20] to critical thinking, [1:01:21] whether it's misinformation [1:01:22] and these deepfakes [1:01:23] on the Internet [1:01:23] or folks who, [1:01:25] you know, [1:01:26] say they're doing [1:01:26] their own research [1:01:27] when it comes to vaccines [1:01:29] or ivermectin [1:01:30] and they decide [1:01:31] that their research [1:01:32] is better than the folks [1:01:34] who have been studying [1:01:35] this for a long time. [1:01:36] I think you've said [1:01:37] in the past [1:01:38] that critical thinking [1:01:39] should be taught [1:01:39] and should be its own [1:01:41] class in schools. [1:01:42] When you look out [1:01:43] into the world [1:01:44] and you think about [1:01:45] the ways in which [1:01:47] we all have so much [1:01:49] access to information [1:01:50] and also ignorant [1:01:52] and sometimes by choice [1:01:54] of so many things [1:01:55] and the ways [1:01:56] that politicians [1:01:57] use that ignorance [1:01:59] and that lack [1:02:00] of critical thinking skills [1:02:01] that are in their world [1:02:02] exactly against folks. [1:02:04] I'm concerned about it. [1:02:05] I know Simone's concerned about it. [1:02:06] I believe you're concerned [1:02:07] about it as well. [1:02:08] Yeah, I want people [1:02:08] to be inoculated [1:02:09] against charlatans. [1:02:10] The real problem [1:02:11] in the world [1:02:12] is knowing enough [1:02:14] about a subject [1:02:15] to think you're right [1:02:17] but not enough [1:02:19] about the subject [1:02:19] to know you're wrong. [1:02:22] There's this valley [1:02:23] of perceived knowledge [1:02:26] that is really [1:02:27] profound ignorance [1:02:28] and this is the person [1:02:31] who does 10 minutes [1:02:32] of their own research [1:02:33] on YouTube [1:02:34] and they're going to defy [1:02:36] the recommendations [1:02:37] of the CDC. [1:02:39] By the way, [1:02:40] now there's meddling [1:02:41] in the CDC. [1:02:42] So if you change out people [1:02:45] for whatever [1:02:47] is your ideology [1:02:48] then no longer [1:02:49] can you even trust [1:02:50] official postings [1:02:52] of official organizations. [1:02:54] So yeah, [1:02:55] it's really bad [1:02:56] out there [1:02:57] and the extent [1:02:58] to which people [1:02:59] cannot decide [1:03:00] what is true [1:03:00] and what is not [1:03:01] is the unraveling [1:03:02] of an informed democracy. [1:03:04] Are we screwed? [1:03:05] Can we fix it? [1:03:07] Yeah, we're screwed. [1:03:08] Well in the age of AI [1:03:12] critical thinking [1:03:13] is actually [1:03:14] one of the most [1:03:16] important skills [1:03:17] because, right? [1:03:19] Like critical thinking [1:03:20] is what we all need. [1:03:21] Okay, no, [1:03:21] let me not leave you [1:03:23] with such a bleak outlook here. [1:03:25] You can. [1:03:26] You wouldn't be the first. [1:03:28] We are screwed [1:03:28] for a while [1:03:29] until it gets so bad [1:03:32] that pick an adversary. [1:03:35] China starts beating us [1:03:38] in every possible way [1:03:40] in renewable energy, [1:03:42] in vaccine treatment, [1:03:45] in antiviral serums, [1:03:47] in space exploration, [1:03:49] and they have [1:03:50] special research programs [1:03:51] just worrying on [1:03:52] quantum entanglement, [1:03:53] for example. [1:03:54] And as we are firing [1:03:55] our scientists, [1:03:56] not rehiring them, [1:03:58] we will just simply fade [1:03:59] on the world stage [1:04:00] and become irrelevant. [1:04:02] Not only for not having [1:04:03] the scientists, [1:04:04] but there's a time delay [1:04:05] between when you get rid [1:04:06] of your scientists [1:04:07] and how it then [1:04:08] affects your economy [1:04:09] because frontier research, [1:04:12] which people like [1:04:13] to want to judge, [1:04:14] why are you doing that? [1:04:15] I don't see how [1:04:15] that relates [1:04:17] because the science [1:04:18] fundamental research, [1:04:20] not the R in R&D [1:04:22] for corporations, [1:04:23] I'm talking about [1:04:23] the R that goes on [1:04:25] with scientists [1:04:25] in laboratories [1:04:26] in universities typically, [1:04:29] that research [1:04:30] is five years, [1:04:31] ten years, [1:04:31] in some cases [1:04:32] twenty years ahead [1:04:34] of what would ultimately [1:04:35] stoke your economy. [1:04:37] And that is, [1:04:39] we're just taking out [1:04:39] our kneecaps [1:04:40] by doing this. [1:04:41] We'll coast for a little bit [1:04:42] and then we will sink fast [1:04:44] because the foundations [1:04:46] How are you going to make us [1:04:46] feel better, sir? [1:04:48] No, no, hang on, [1:04:49] hang on, hang on. [1:04:50] So the foundations, [1:04:51] I'm getting there, [1:04:51] I'm getting there. [1:04:52] So the foundations [1:04:53] of our economy [1:04:54] will be flattened, okay? [1:04:56] Do you realize [1:04:57] that half of my fellow [1:05:01] graduate students [1:05:01] when I was getting my PhD [1:05:03] were foreign nationals? [1:05:04] Why? [1:05:05] Because we were [1:05:06] where the opportunities were. [1:05:07] Now we have this xenophobia [1:05:09] and we don't want [1:05:10] to let in foreign students. [1:05:11] Do you realize [1:05:12] one third of all [1:05:14] the Nobel Prizes [1:05:15] in Sciences [1:05:16] won by Americans [1:05:17] were won by immigrants [1:05:19] to America? [1:05:20] A third! [1:05:22] A third! [1:05:23] So somebody's missing [1:05:24] these foundational facts. [1:05:26] We will fade [1:05:27] and at the point [1:05:29] we are at the bottom, [1:05:30] Republicans and Democrats [1:05:32] will look at each other [1:05:33] and say, [1:05:34] we got to fix this [1:05:35] and we have to fix it together [1:05:36] because we're no longer [1:05:37] relevant in the world. [1:05:39] And if you're going to [1:05:39] trail the world [1:05:40] and practically everything [1:05:41] including your economy, [1:05:43] it's time to wake [1:05:44] the fuck up, okay? [1:05:46] And forgive my language. [1:05:48] No, that's a podcast. [1:05:49] It's a podcast. [1:05:51] We are, we, [1:05:51] I am, frankly, [1:05:53] I'm glad that you [1:05:54] are fired the fuck up. [1:05:55] So when that happens, [1:05:56] then we align [1:05:58] all of our forces [1:05:59] to recover what was lost. [1:06:01] And we've done that before. [1:06:03] 1957, October 4th, [1:06:05] Sputnik flu. [1:06:07] And we didn't have [1:06:08] a space program yet, okay? [1:06:10] We freaked out. [1:06:11] And we said, [1:06:12] oh my gosh, [1:06:13] the Russians are beating us. [1:06:15] We got to show the world [1:06:15] that we're better, [1:06:16] not then. [1:06:17] And so within a year [1:06:18] we created NASA. [1:06:20] Within a few years [1:06:20] we had our first satellite [1:06:22] and we had to catch up. [1:06:24] We spent 10 years catching up. [1:06:26] And then we landed [1:06:27] on the moon [1:06:28] and we said, [1:06:28] we win. [1:06:29] We made that our goal. [1:06:31] When at the time, [1:06:32] what? [1:06:33] Is that even possible? [1:06:34] So I've seen [1:06:35] the United States [1:06:36] bounce back. [1:06:38] And we only bounce back [1:06:40] when we are so far down [1:06:42] that our in-house bickering [1:06:44] looks trite and trivial [1:06:47] compared with the greater [1:06:48] needs to regain [1:06:51] what so much of us [1:06:52] just took for granted. [1:06:53] I just want to say [1:06:54] that didn't make me [1:06:55] feel that much better. [1:06:56] You know what? [1:06:57] It made me feel better [1:06:58] because at the end [1:06:59] of the day [1:06:59] there is a path forward [1:07:01] that a path might be [1:07:02] might not be [1:07:03] around the corner. [1:07:03] It's a raggedy path [1:07:04] forward with glass [1:07:06] and rocks [1:07:06] and knives on it. [1:07:08] There is a path. [1:07:09] There is a path. [1:07:09] No, no, so [1:07:09] if there's glass [1:07:10] you're worried of stepping on [1:07:11] just wear shoes. [1:07:13] Okay? [1:07:14] Okay, okay, okay, okay. [1:07:16] Okay? [1:07:16] And if there's rocks [1:07:17] that is an uneven terrain [1:07:18] practice some balance. [1:07:20] Do some yoga [1:07:21] before you go on the rocks. [1:07:22] Yes, come on science. [1:07:23] Come on science. [1:07:23] When there's a will [1:07:25] there's a way, okay? [1:07:27] My only point is [1:07:28] once we're aligned [1:07:30] in mission statement [1:07:32] nothing is in our way. [1:07:35] Do you realize [1:07:35] that in 1940 [1:07:36] we created [1:07:38] the element plutonium? [1:07:40] That element doesn't exist [1:07:41] anywhere in the universe. [1:07:43] We created it [1:07:43] in a laboratory. [1:07:44] Within five years [1:07:46] it was weaponized [1:07:47] and became [1:07:48] the first atomic bomb. [1:07:50] Talk about resolve. [1:07:52] Oh my gosh. [1:07:53] And in 1940 [1:07:54] we were not yet at war. [1:07:55] 1941 hits. [1:07:57] Oh my gosh. [1:07:59] We're attacked [1:07:59] at Pearl Harbor. [1:08:00] Everybody was aligned. [1:08:02] Congress voted unanimously [1:08:03] in the declarations of war. [1:08:05] So it's unfortunate [1:08:07] that war is a force [1:08:08] that enables that [1:08:09] but so would [1:08:10] too with falling behind [1:08:12] in your economy. [1:08:13] And that's basically [1:08:14] what will happen. [1:08:15] It's not happening yet [1:08:16] but it will happen [1:08:17] because you're taking out [1:08:19] the science at the base. [1:08:20] Last 18 months [1:08:21] the government [1:08:22] has lost 10,000 [1:08:23] PhD scientists [1:08:24] in the ranks. [1:08:26] That will come back [1:08:27] and bite you on the ass. [1:08:28] And we will recover. [1:08:30] So that is the source [1:08:31] of hope here. [1:08:32] That is the hope. [1:08:33] Okay, okay, okay. [1:08:35] We gonna recover, Eugene. [1:08:36] But right now [1:08:37] we're in the trenches. [1:08:37] I feel like that's my [1:08:38] for the people explanation [1:08:40] of what our resident [1:08:42] scientist just laid out. [1:08:44] So I find space [1:08:46] like most people [1:08:47] so interesting. [1:08:48] When I went to the White House [1:08:49] space was one of the [1:08:51] pieces of the portfolio [1:08:51] I worked on [1:08:52] because the vice president [1:08:53] is head of the Space Council. [1:08:55] When the government [1:08:55] released a lot of files [1:08:57] about the UFOs. [1:08:58] Yes. [1:08:59] UAPs now. [1:09:00] UAPs, yes, yes. [1:09:02] They got rebranded. [1:09:03] Yeah. [1:09:04] We love rebranding, honey. [1:09:06] She's a cop professional. [1:09:07] From unidentified flying objects [1:09:08] to unidentified [1:09:09] anomalous phenomena. [1:09:11] Who they care about [1:09:11] talking about UFOs. [1:09:12] What do you feel about this? [1:09:13] Yeah, what do you feel [1:09:14] about this change? [1:09:15] I know you have [1:09:16] a whole hotbed in the time. [1:09:17] It had a giggle. [1:09:18] I did. [1:09:18] Thank you for remembering that. [1:09:19] Yes. [1:09:20] For catching that. [1:09:20] The UFO had a little [1:09:21] giggle factor [1:09:22] and if they rebrand it [1:09:23] then plus it could be [1:09:26] any phenomenon [1:09:26] also in the oceans [1:09:27] and anomalous [1:09:29] is any phenomenon [1:09:30] that we otherwise [1:09:31] have a hard time explaining. [1:09:33] So it's a little [1:09:33] more encompassing [1:09:34] but face it, [1:09:35] they're talking [1:09:35] about the same thing. [1:09:37] Yeah. [1:09:37] Aliens are clearly real. [1:09:40] Correct? [1:09:40] Well, are you asking me [1:09:42] a question? [1:09:42] You just made a statement. [1:09:44] I did. [1:09:45] I did make a statement. [1:09:46] And I want you to agree [1:09:47] with that [1:09:48] because I think you're agreeing. [1:09:49] Are aliens real? [1:09:52] Given the age of the universe, [1:09:54] given how vast it is, [1:09:55] how many stars, [1:09:56] how many planets [1:09:57] there are, [1:09:59] and our catalog [1:10:00] is swelling [1:10:00] beyond 6,000 exoplanets [1:10:02] just in our little [1:10:03] sector of the galaxy, [1:10:04] given that we are made [1:10:06] of the same ingredients, [1:10:08] the most common ingredients [1:10:10] of the universe itself, [1:10:11] it would be inexcusably [1:10:13] egocentric to suggest [1:10:15] that we are alone [1:10:16] in the universe. [1:10:18] Given all the places [1:10:19] life could thrive [1:10:20] and all the ways [1:10:21] of being alive [1:10:22] that we can even imagine, [1:10:24] no one who studied [1:10:25] that problem [1:10:26] would say we are alone. [1:10:28] Do you think [1:10:28] the UAPs [1:10:29] and slash UFOs [1:10:31] are some kind [1:10:33] of alien life [1:10:34] visiting us? [1:10:36] So that's a different question. [1:10:37] There's life in the universe [1:10:39] that we all agree to [1:10:40] who studied the problem. [1:10:42] And by the way, [1:10:42] that's what Obama meant [1:10:43] on that podcast [1:10:44] when he said, [1:10:45] yeah, I'm sure [1:10:45] there are aliens out there. [1:10:47] Are aliens real? [1:10:49] They're real, [1:10:50] but I haven't seen them [1:10:51] and they're not being kept [1:10:53] in, what is it? [1:10:55] Area 51. [1:10:55] Area 51. [1:10:57] There's no underground. [1:10:59] facility [1:10:59] unless there's [1:11:01] this enormous conspiracy [1:11:03] and they hid it [1:11:05] from the President [1:11:05] of the United States. [1:11:07] What was the first question [1:11:08] you wanted answered [1:11:09] when you became President? [1:11:12] Where are the aliens? [1:11:13] Where are the aliens? [1:11:14] Everyone thought that, [1:11:15] like he meant, [1:11:16] they're in the basement [1:11:17] of the White House [1:11:18] and they completely [1:11:19] over-interpreted [1:11:21] what the man said. [1:11:22] He's scientifically literate [1:11:23] and he spoke [1:11:24] what is scientific consensus [1:11:26] about the likelihood [1:11:27] of life in the universe. [1:11:28] Have we been visited? [1:11:30] So just because you see something [1:11:34] you don't know what it is, [1:11:36] it doesn't mean you know [1:11:37] what it is. [1:11:38] It sounds obvious, [1:11:40] but look what people do. [1:11:41] It did this in the tracking [1:11:43] and it did this. [1:11:43] I don't know what it is. [1:11:44] It must be aliens. [1:11:46] If you don't know what it is, [1:11:47] that's period. [1:11:48] That's the end of your sentence. [1:11:50] It's a mystery. [1:11:52] Let's explore it further. [1:11:54] That's how science works. [1:11:55] If you don't know what it is, [1:11:57] get better data. [1:11:59] Notice all the images you saw [1:12:01] were monochromatic, fuzzy images. [1:12:04] When three out of four people [1:12:06] who walk this earth [1:12:07] carry a high-resolution, [1:12:09] data-taking device [1:12:10] in their pocket [1:12:10] called a smartphone. [1:12:12] You could take high-res videos, [1:12:14] high-res images, [1:12:15] and none of those [1:12:16] were high-res videos or images. [1:12:18] So why is it [1:12:19] that the fuzzier the image is, [1:12:21] the less you know what it is [1:12:22] and the more likely you are [1:12:23] to think it's an alien? [1:12:25] Why? [1:12:26] And even if you get better data, [1:12:28] you might still not be able [1:12:29] to explain it. [1:12:30] That's possible. [1:12:32] I don't have a problem with that. [1:12:33] The military budget is, [1:12:34] what, a trillion dollars almost? [1:12:36] Mm-hmm. [1:12:36] Mm-hmm. [1:12:36] I don't want to be harmed [1:12:38] by stuff in the sky [1:12:39] or in the ocean. [1:12:40] Figure it out. [1:12:41] Get better data. [1:12:42] Okay, there are a lot [1:12:45] of people out there [1:12:46] that were of the belief [1:12:47] that the government [1:12:49] releasing these files [1:12:51] was actually like a distraction. [1:12:54] And I am somebody [1:12:56] that believes that two things [1:12:57] can be true at the same time. [1:12:58] Like, maybe it's not always [1:13:00] a mastermind distraction. [1:13:01] Maybe there isn't, [1:13:02] there isn't another explanation sometimes. [1:13:04] It's not always that [1:13:06] the government is trying [1:13:07] to distract us [1:13:08] from this thing [1:13:08] that's happening over here. [1:13:10] Alien files are [1:13:11] one of a hundred things [1:13:13] you could list [1:13:14] that would serve [1:13:14] as distractions [1:13:15] from other things. [1:13:16] So, it's not uniquely [1:13:18] implicatable [1:13:19] as the distracting moment [1:13:21] in government today. [1:13:23] So, fine. [1:13:24] And people do want to see [1:13:26] what the Pentagon files show [1:13:27] and files from other agencies [1:13:29] as the president has requested. [1:13:31] And that's what's happening now. [1:13:32] So, it's fun to read over them. [1:13:34] You see letters from 1947 [1:13:36] commenting on the Roswell crash. [1:13:39] You see, you know, [1:13:41] people torturously asking themselves, [1:13:43] what is this? [1:13:43] I can't explain it. [1:13:45] Sure. [1:13:45] And by the way, [1:13:46] nothing in those files [1:13:47] was fundamentally different [1:13:49] from what I would have presumed [1:13:51] to be there [1:13:51] after we heard the testimonies [1:13:53] in Congress. [1:13:55] The whistleblower, [1:13:56] the ex-NSA guy, [1:13:57] or was it just [1:13:59] ex-intelligence, [1:14:00] ex-military, [1:14:01] and listened to them talk [1:14:03] under oath [1:14:05] saying that they have, [1:14:06] well, he said, [1:14:07] non-human biologics, [1:14:08] I think was the phrase, [1:14:10] and crashed saucers [1:14:11] and reverse-engineered. [1:14:14] So, we have people telling you this [1:14:16] who's not the farmer [1:14:18] on the back 40 [1:14:19] or the revelers [1:14:20] who just came out of the bar [1:14:21] at 2 a.m. [1:14:22] So, there's some integrity [1:14:23] to their accounts [1:14:24] that makes it different [1:14:26] from anybody else [1:14:28] who just talking about [1:14:30] their abduction [1:14:32] and what anal cavities [1:14:34] were probed [1:14:35] by the aliens. [1:14:36] So, it elevates it [1:14:39] to another level. [1:14:40] I'm just saying, [1:14:42] at this point, [1:14:43] is it too much to ask [1:14:45] for them to bring out the alien? [1:14:48] Is that too much to ask? [1:14:50] If you have the alien, [1:14:52] just bring it out, [1:14:53] and then no one [1:14:54] will anymore have to ask, [1:14:56] do you believe in aliens? [1:14:58] And I'm saying, [1:14:59] I don't like to believe in things [1:15:01] that I have to believe in [1:15:03] to be true. [1:15:04] I want to stay in space. [1:15:06] I want to get away [1:15:07] from the anal probes. [1:15:08] I want to stay in space [1:15:09] when it comes to... [1:15:11] And how big is your ego? [1:15:13] Hold on. [1:15:13] How big is your ego [1:15:15] that aliens came across the galaxy [1:15:18] to look up your butthole? [1:15:20] How important do you think you are? [1:15:24] Ask yourself that. [1:15:26] Why your butt, [1:15:27] not another butt? [1:15:28] These are the real butt. [1:15:28] Thank you. [1:15:29] That too. [1:15:30] They're looking at my butt. [1:15:31] My beautiful one. [1:15:33] Okay, let's move on. [1:15:34] There's a lot of questions [1:15:35] about space, [1:15:36] but one of the things I think [1:15:37] that is maybe concerning [1:15:38] for a lot of people [1:15:39] is the privatization of space, right? [1:15:41] You have these billionaires [1:15:43] who are going up there [1:15:46] in their little phallic symbols [1:15:48] and, you know, [1:15:49] taking their wives and girlfriends [1:15:51] and everyone's calling them astronauts. [1:15:53] I would like to go to space. [1:15:54] You have NASA. [1:15:55] No, you are not. [1:15:56] I want to do it. [1:15:56] No, you're not. [1:15:58] I'm not letting you. [1:15:58] That's crazy. [1:15:59] No, you can't. [1:16:00] No. [1:16:00] Why did you let the woman [1:16:01] go into space? [1:16:02] No, because I don't need [1:16:03] my girl up there. [1:16:05] What if she don't come back? [1:16:05] What if something bad happens? [1:16:06] It's a quick up-down. [1:16:08] No, you know. [1:16:09] Like, I want to get on [1:16:11] the Blue Origin flight. [1:16:12] I just want to see it for myself. [1:16:14] No, thank you. [1:16:15] No, no. [1:16:16] And no one books Simone [1:16:17] going to space. [1:16:18] Then you keep your own ass down on Earth. [1:16:19] Let other people go up [1:16:20] if they want to go up. [1:16:21] No, thank you. [1:16:21] Do you want to go? [1:16:22] Don't we all want to go? [1:16:25] No. [1:16:26] You don't want to go to space? [1:16:27] I would love to go to space. [1:16:29] I just do not trust Jeff Bezos [1:16:31] to take me to space. [1:16:32] That's more... [1:16:32] I guess that's the case. [1:16:34] Is that because you just saw [1:16:35] his rocket blow up? [1:16:36] Correct. [1:16:37] That would have something [1:16:37] to do with it. [1:16:39] That would... [1:16:40] I do have some questions about it. [1:16:41] NASA is retiring the ISS, [1:16:43] I think, in 2030. [1:16:44] The International Space Station, [1:16:46] for the people that don't know. [1:16:47] They're going to be renting space [1:16:48] on private stations, [1:16:50] wherever these private stations are. [1:16:52] I don't think there's any [1:16:53] up there just yet. [1:16:53] And there's a lot of questions [1:16:56] about accountability. [1:16:57] There are a lot of questions [1:16:59] about the idea that billionaires [1:17:02] and maybe trillionaires, [1:17:03] if we get to those at some point, [1:17:05] are going to be the people [1:17:06] who have the access to space, [1:17:10] which is supposed to be a thing [1:17:11] that we were all learning from [1:17:12] and able to send someone up there, [1:17:16] give us some information, [1:17:17] and then the world changes [1:17:18] based off of that. [1:17:19] Do you have concerns [1:17:20] about the privatization [1:17:21] of the space travel? [1:17:23] No. [1:17:24] No. [1:17:24] Tell us why. [1:17:25] Yes, come on. [1:17:26] We're going to meet me [1:17:27] and Mr. Grass Tyson [1:17:30] are going to space, okay? [1:17:31] I can go. [1:17:32] We're going to leave you down here. [1:17:33] We'll be back. [1:17:35] NASA has been in bed [1:17:36] with private enterprise [1:17:37] since the beginning. [1:17:39] The difference is [1:17:41] NASA had specs [1:17:42] that needed to be met, [1:17:44] and they would bid it out, [1:17:45] and it would go to Lockheed. [1:17:47] It went to Martin Marinetta. [1:17:48] It went to Grumman Aerospace [1:17:50] on Bethpage, Long Island, [1:17:52] made the LEM that landed on the moon. [1:17:55] To this day, [1:17:56] people walk proud [1:17:57] who had aunts and uncles [1:17:58] and grandparents [1:17:59] who worked on that LEM. [1:18:01] It didn't say Grumman on the LEM [1:18:04] because it was built to NASA's specs. [1:18:10] It only said NASA and USA [1:18:12] on all of the parts. [1:18:15] What's shifting is [1:18:17] private enterprise [1:18:19] has interest in going into space. [1:18:21] So does NASA. [1:18:22] It may be cheaper [1:18:23] for NASA [1:18:24] to buy parts [1:18:26] off of these private enterprises. [1:18:28] That's no different [1:18:29] from the U.S. Postal Service. [1:18:31] Have you ever seen an airplane [1:18:32] that said, [1:18:33] U.S. Postal Service airmail? [1:18:35] No, [1:18:35] because they rent space [1:18:36] in the belly [1:18:37] of private enterprise. [1:18:39] This is America. [1:18:41] What country do you think [1:18:42] you live in? [1:18:43] So now, [1:18:45] private enterprise [1:18:46] is making a significant presence [1:18:48] in space [1:18:49] and NASA said, [1:18:50] I'll take two of those [1:18:51] and one of those [1:18:51] because I have this other thing [1:18:52] I want to do. [1:18:53] Oh, by the way, [1:18:54] we've already done space station. [1:18:56] Now, [1:18:56] make private space stations. [1:18:58] Who cares? [1:18:59] The government [1:18:59] will always do [1:19:01] expensive things first [1:19:02] because there's no return [1:19:04] on that investment [1:19:05] for private enterprises. [1:19:07] That's why [1:19:07] the Dutch East India Trading Company [1:19:09] was not the first Europeans [1:19:12] to the new world. [1:19:13] It was Columbus [1:19:14] paid by Queen Isabella [1:19:16] and King Ferdinand. [1:19:17] Okay, [1:19:17] there was some private investment [1:19:19] in that, [1:19:19] but it was a national goal [1:19:21] to do that. [1:19:23] Once he came back [1:19:24] and here's where [1:19:25] the trade winds are [1:19:25] and here's the hostels [1:19:26] and here's the friendlies, [1:19:28] then you can quantify those risks [1:19:30] and make a buck out of it, [1:19:32] which is exactly [1:19:33] what the Dutch East India [1:19:35] Trading Company did [1:19:36] as well as others. [1:19:37] Point is, [1:19:38] NASA already built [1:19:39] the space station. [1:19:40] NASA's already been [1:19:41] to the moon. [1:19:42] Now we're going to bring [1:19:43] private enterprise [1:19:44] to make that happen. [1:19:45] Didn't you see the movie [1:19:46] 2001 A Space Odyssey? [1:19:48] That was 1967 [1:19:49] imagining the year 2001 [1:19:51] and they're on the space station [1:19:53] and they get there [1:19:54] in a space shuttle [1:19:55] flown by Pan Am [1:19:56] and there's a Howard Johnson's [1:19:58] restaurant there [1:19:59] and there's an AT&T telephone. [1:20:01] They knew [1:20:02] that if space [1:20:03] was going to convert [1:20:04] from a space program [1:20:05] to a space industry, [1:20:08] you need private investment. [1:20:09] So here's my, [1:20:11] because I'm, again, [1:20:12] we are going to space, [1:20:13] Dr. Eugene, [1:20:15] we can leave him. [1:20:17] The only thing that I'm like, [1:20:18] okay, gives me pause [1:20:20] about the private enterprise [1:20:22] or the privatization of space [1:20:24] is that something [1:20:26] doesn't feel right [1:20:27] about the fact [1:20:27] that Elon Musk [1:20:29] has all the contracts, [1:20:30] has all the satellites, [1:20:32] has a lot of information [1:20:35] that is very central [1:20:37] to some national security issues [1:20:41] and interests. [1:20:42] And he could decide, [1:20:44] you know, [1:20:44] he's like Lex Luthor, [1:20:47] okay, [1:20:47] and Lex Luthor [1:20:47] was not a hero [1:20:49] in the comics, child. [1:20:51] Not the ones I read. [1:20:52] Okay, [1:20:53] so do we really want [1:20:55] Lex Luthor [1:20:56] to have the keys [1:20:57] to the spatial kingdom? [1:20:59] I think [1:20:59] if he were not [1:21:00] so singular [1:21:01] in his ownership [1:21:03] of SpaceX, [1:21:04] suppose he had long ago [1:21:06] sold his interest in it [1:21:07] and there was a board [1:21:08] and there was a CEO [1:21:09] that comes in and out, [1:21:11] then you wouldn't be [1:21:11] finger pointing [1:21:12] to an individual [1:21:13] who is singularly wealthy, [1:21:15] but SpaceX would have [1:21:16] no less control [1:21:18] over satellites [1:21:20] that are going into space. [1:21:21] You don't know [1:21:22] who's head of IBM, [1:21:23] so you're not pointing fingers [1:21:24] at an individual. [1:21:25] It's just a company. [1:21:26] Who's head of Ford? [1:21:27] You don't know who that is. [1:21:29] It's just a company. [1:21:30] Big old companies. [1:21:31] But you happen to know [1:21:32] that some of the tech bros [1:21:34] maintain their interest [1:21:35] in their companies. [1:21:36] So you're pointing to them [1:21:37] as though they're singularly liable. [1:21:40] But they're not. [1:21:41] They're companies. [1:21:42] Just think about it that way. [1:21:44] But they're very [1:21:45] untrustworthy characters. [1:21:48] Well, [1:21:48] are they more untrustworthy [1:21:49] than a board [1:21:50] who has nefarious interests [1:21:51] in exploiting people? [1:21:52] No, I don't trust them either, [1:21:53] but they ain't got no names. [1:21:54] But there you go. [1:21:54] That's why. [1:21:55] There you go. [1:21:55] But we do have a space force now [1:21:57] that has interests. [1:21:59] Oh, by the way, [1:22:00] anytime we did anything big in space, [1:22:03] it was geopolitically driven. [1:22:05] We didn't go to the moon [1:22:06] because it was, [1:22:07] oh, because we're Americans [1:22:08] and we're, [1:22:10] it's in our DNA. [1:22:10] We went to the moon [1:22:11] because Russia [1:22:12] threatened us [1:22:13] implicitly [1:22:15] by their launch of Sputnik, [1:22:16] a radio transmitter [1:22:18] embedded in the hollowed-out shell [1:22:21] of an intercontinental [1:22:22] ballistic missile. [1:22:23] We freaked out [1:22:25] when that happened [1:22:26] because it was flying [1:22:26] over our heads. [1:22:28] Now, there are laws [1:22:29] that you can't fly [1:22:29] in the airspace [1:22:30] over countries [1:22:31] without agreed treaties, [1:22:33] but there was no laws yet [1:22:34] for flying in the space space [1:22:36] above countries. [1:22:37] So if they could deliver [1:22:39] a radio transmitter [1:22:40] over our heads [1:22:41] within 45 minutes, [1:22:42] they could deliver [1:22:43] a nuclear warhead. [1:22:44] And so it was geopolitics [1:22:47] that drove [1:22:48] the government expenditures [1:22:49] on this. [1:22:50] Right now, [1:22:51] what is that frontier? [1:22:52] It's the moon. [1:22:53] It's Mars. [1:22:54] It's beyond. [1:22:55] Private enterprise [1:22:56] will be assisting NASA [1:22:58] in its goals on the moon. [1:23:00] It will not be leading [1:23:01] that enterprise. [1:23:03] One of the things [1:23:03] that I think [1:23:04] is so interesting [1:23:04] about you [1:23:05] is that you work [1:23:08] to make science [1:23:10] and space [1:23:11] and all of these things [1:23:12] that are very confusing [1:23:13] and complicated [1:23:14] for a lot of regular folk [1:23:16] who aren't experts [1:23:17] in astrophysicists, [1:23:19] you make it accessible [1:23:21] to people. [1:23:22] And I guess as you, [1:23:23] in a world in which [1:23:24] the critical thinking [1:23:25] is low, [1:23:26] the students seem closed, [1:23:28] the kids don't seem [1:23:29] like they care to learn. [1:23:30] They can't even write cursive. [1:23:31] They can't even write cursive. [1:23:33] But how important [1:23:36] is it to make [1:23:37] all of this accessible? [1:23:39] Because, you know, [1:23:40] we were joking [1:23:40] at the beginning [1:23:41] and before we started [1:23:42] the podcast, [1:23:42] but science [1:23:43] is the root of everything. [1:23:45] Yeah, it is. [1:23:46] It is. [1:23:47] And in fact, [1:23:47] if anyone ever tells you, [1:23:49] oh, things happen [1:23:50] for a reason, [1:23:51] just answer, [1:23:52] yeah, the reason is physics. [1:23:54] Just give you an answer [1:23:56] for anyone who says that. [1:23:58] So, you saw the excitement [1:23:59] over the Artemis launch [1:24:01] and the astronauts [1:24:02] that went around the moon. [1:24:03] So, that's the kind [1:24:05] of force operator [1:24:06] that was happening [1:24:07] in the 1960s. [1:24:09] You didn't need special programs [1:24:10] to get kids interested [1:24:11] in science. [1:24:12] Science was writ large [1:24:13] daily in the headlines. [1:24:15] And so, [1:24:17] when you have [1:24:18] big, hairy, audacious [1:24:19] projects [1:24:20] enabled by government interest, [1:24:23] even if it's [1:24:24] geopolitically driven, [1:24:25] that's the kind of force [1:24:26] that can transform [1:24:27] a society [1:24:28] and have everybody [1:24:29] value STEM fields. [1:24:31] And STEM fields [1:24:31] are the engines [1:24:32] of tomorrow's economy. [1:24:34] So, [1:24:35] returning to the moon [1:24:36] is a good boost, [1:24:37] a good kick in our pants [1:24:38] to try to get us [1:24:39] back on track for that. [1:24:41] I know we have to go, [1:24:43] but I just, [1:24:44] I have a burning question. [1:24:46] What are your thoughts [1:24:47] on the multiverse? [1:24:49] Is the multiverse real? [1:24:50] Oh, interesting. [1:24:51] Yeah, so if you follow [1:24:52] our equations [1:24:53] through their natural [1:24:54] conclusions, [1:24:55] and, you know, [1:24:56] a multiverse just pops out [1:24:57] of the calculations. [1:24:59] And it's intriguing [1:25:00] because it means [1:25:01] that before the Big Bang, [1:25:03] we were just [1:25:03] part of a multiverse [1:25:05] and the universe [1:25:06] is popping in [1:25:07] and out of existence. [1:25:08] So, [1:25:09] we're into existence, [1:25:10] unfolding according [1:25:12] to slightly different [1:25:13] laws of physics [1:25:14] that they may have. [1:25:15] So, [1:25:16] it's fun to talk about it. [1:25:17] It's fun to manifest it, [1:25:19] like in the Marvel comics, [1:25:20] there are multiverses [1:25:21] in the storytelling. [1:25:22] It's made it [1:25:23] into our pop culture, [1:25:24] but there's no evidence [1:25:25] for it yet, [1:25:26] but it is theoretically plausible. [1:25:29] So, [1:25:29] we're entertaining [1:25:29] what that would mean [1:25:31] in terms of future [1:25:32] observations and the like. [1:25:33] I'm the reason [1:25:34] that we have to go, [1:25:35] but now I have another question [1:25:36] because I think about this [1:25:37] all the time. [1:25:38] So, [1:25:38] when you're a kid, [1:25:39] at least when we were kids, [1:25:40] I feel like the thing [1:25:41] that we learned [1:25:42] about the planet [1:25:43] and the solar systems [1:25:44] were that we were all [1:25:45] just going around the sun, [1:25:46] right? [1:25:47] And then, [1:25:48] as we got older, [1:25:50] I have learned, [1:25:51] at least I don't know [1:25:51] if you know this, Simone, [1:25:52] but we're, [1:25:53] and you correct me, [1:25:54] obviously, sir, [1:25:55] we're going around the sun, [1:25:56] but we're also moving. [1:25:58] Where are we going? [1:26:00] The whole universe [1:26:01] is just going. [1:26:03] Wait, where are we going? [1:26:03] Are we moving? [1:26:04] And then we're going [1:26:05] to crash into Andromeda. [1:26:06] It's not good, Simone. [1:26:07] You got to, [1:26:08] we won't see it. [1:26:09] We won't see it. [1:26:10] But the doctor is like, [1:26:10] their schools don't seem [1:26:11] to be open either [1:26:12] because we probably [1:26:13] obviously don't have it right. [1:26:14] Open the schools, [1:26:14] send Eugene and Simone [1:26:15] back to the schools. [1:26:16] We can't tell you [1:26:17] everything all at once. [1:26:19] It's too much information. [1:26:20] Okay? [1:26:21] Now, I'll give an example. [1:26:22] There's something called [1:26:22] a pedagogical lie. [1:26:24] A pedagogical lie [1:26:25] is something [1:26:26] that is not intended [1:26:28] to mislead or deceive. [1:26:30] It's just the first step [1:26:32] in the information, [1:26:33] in the flow of information. [1:26:35] Once you learn that, [1:26:36] then I give you more details. [1:26:37] Okay? [1:26:38] I say the earth is a sphere. [1:26:41] Okay? [1:26:41] That gives you an image [1:26:42] in your head. [1:26:43] Once you got that, [1:26:44] I say, well, [1:26:45] actually the earth [1:26:46] is slightly wider [1:26:47] at the equator [1:26:48] than it is at the poles [1:26:49] by about 15 miles. [1:26:51] It's not very much [1:26:53] given the size of earth, [1:26:54] but it's a detail [1:26:55] on top of your information [1:26:57] that it's a perfect sphere. [1:26:58] Let me keep going. [1:26:59] Oh, by the way, [1:27:01] it's slightly wider [1:27:02] below the equator [1:27:03] than at the equator. [1:27:05] So we're pear-shaped, [1:27:07] not a sphere. [1:27:08] You want to know more? [1:27:10] Okay. [1:27:10] We're orbiting the sun, [1:27:12] but not really. [1:27:14] Earth and the moon [1:27:15] orbit a common center [1:27:17] of gravity, [1:27:18] and it's that center [1:27:19] of gravity [1:27:19] that's orbiting the sun. [1:27:21] So earth is doing [1:27:22] these loop-de-loops [1:27:23] around the sun [1:27:25] in a circular orbit. [1:27:27] Oh, actually, [1:27:28] it's not a perfect circle. [1:27:29] It's an ellipse. [1:27:31] We are sometimes [1:27:32] closer to the sun [1:27:33] and sometimes farther away. [1:27:35] Oh, by the way, [1:27:36] earth is tipped [1:27:37] on its axis. [1:27:39] Oh, by the way, [1:27:40] that tip precesses. [1:27:42] It wobbles [1:27:43] every 26,000 years. [1:27:45] Oh, by the way, [1:27:47] while we're precessing, [1:27:48] it bobs up and down [1:27:49] every 18 and a half years [1:27:52] while it's precessing, [1:27:53] while it's moving [1:27:54] around its center of mass [1:27:55] while it's going [1:27:56] around the sun. [1:27:57] Oh, by the way, [1:27:59] earth and the sun [1:28:01] and all the planets [1:28:01] are orbiting the center [1:28:04] of the Milky Way galaxy [1:28:05] together. [1:28:06] So we don't just have [1:28:08] an orbit. [1:28:08] It's like a helix [1:28:09] moving through space. [1:28:11] Oh, by the way, [1:28:12] the Milky Way [1:28:13] and Andromeda [1:28:15] are falling towards each other [1:28:16] and they will collide [1:28:18] in five or six billion years. [1:28:20] Ask yourself, [1:28:21] how much information [1:28:22] do you want to know? [1:28:24] I want everything. [1:28:26] I'm a journalist. [1:28:26] I want it all. [1:28:27] Where are we going? [1:28:28] Where is the galaxy going? [1:28:31] We're falling towards [1:28:31] Andromeda. [1:28:33] Why? [1:28:34] Because we have gravity [1:28:35] attracting us. [1:28:37] I don't like this. [1:28:38] Well, you don't have [1:28:39] any say in the matter. [1:28:40] Okay? [1:28:40] So, just get real. [1:28:44] Not Uncle Neil [1:28:45] getting me together. [1:28:47] I'm just telling it [1:28:48] like it is. [1:28:48] Keep it 100. [1:28:49] The universe [1:28:50] is under no obligation [1:28:52] to make sense to you. [1:28:54] And with that, [1:28:57] Neil deGrasse Tyson. [1:28:58] Thank you so much. [1:28:59] You stressed out Simone. [1:29:01] Neil deGrasse Tyson [1:29:03] is officially [1:29:04] Uncle Neil. [1:29:06] Yeah. [1:29:07] And Uncle Neil, [1:29:08] we will be calling [1:29:10] on you again [1:29:11] maybe very soon. [1:29:12] I'll give you [1:29:13] my emergency number. [1:29:15] Correct. [1:29:15] You have a bat signal [1:29:16] and then we'll connect up. [1:29:17] The nieces and the nephews [1:29:20] have questions. [1:29:21] We appreciate you so much. [1:29:22] And I'll talk you [1:29:22] off the ledge [1:29:23] in the emergency case. [1:29:25] All right, guys. [1:29:26] Thank you. [1:29:26] Thank you so, so much. [1:29:27] You got it. [1:29:28] Good to have you.