Lawmaker Says He Understands “Rural People” Because He Watches “Dukes of Hazzard”

Live from the Liberty University Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, it's America's favorite gun totem, Bible-clinging, deplorable America. Truff. Love is the maritime. Todd start.

Well, hello, everybody. Happy Friday. We made it, America. Welcome. Great to have you with us.

Another open line Friday. And today, look, whatever you want to talk about, we will talk about today, and that's the whole point of Open Line Friday.

Sometimes you guys call in, and we're not talking about a particular topic, and we save all those conversations for Today, our telephone number, by the way, 901-260-5926. That's 901-260-5926, and we're going to be taking your calls. Uh today and throughout the program. Coming up, we have North Carolina. State Representative Brendan Jones.

who is going to be joining us over some pretty controversial comments being made by a superintendent there in North Carolina, suggesting that it's okay for children to be exposed to story books About gay sex. And we'll be talking to the representative. Also, Joe Messina is here, our good friend from out in California, nationally syndicated radio host, Joe Messina.

So, where do we begin?

Well, there is an interesting bit of audio. And I want you to listen to this. It is a. A Virginia lawmaker. And this Virginia lawmaker is out there, and yesterday, yesterday we played this audio yesterday.

And he was out there saying, we're trying to figure out Rural Virginia. All you folks that live out in the countryside, and he said. That uh the the guy's name, by the way, is State Senator Lamont Bagby. And Mr. Bagby is out there, and they're trying to figure out why all of the folks in rural America, and by the way, when he's talking about rural America, he's really talking about white people.

So, this is code for all of you white folks. And I don't think that he meant this in a really disparaging way at all. I think he was trying to be, well, he was trying to be conciliatory. with his remarks. But anyway, he was talking about the gerrymandering and why is it that so and by the way, when you go and look at the polls, an overwhelming number of country folks voted against this gerrymander, as well they should.

So anyway, he's holding court there at the General Assembly there in Virginia. And here's what he had to say about all of you country boys and girls getting down on the farm. And listen. I almost took His sick. Worth.

the other side saying that we don't understand. But I grew up watching the Waltons. I grew up the With OP. I even watch the Dukesa has it. I think I know a little bit about Bruel.

America. And When I think about While we are here. We're not just here. I'm not just here for Theo. I'm not just here.

For adult. Or Willis? I'm here for Opie, John Boy. Block so Yeah. Topanga.

What you talkin' about, Willis? Yeah, so that's Dylan has no idea what that means. You got to watch different strokes. And And by the way, the the it's a T V show from the what was it, the 70s, the 80s? It's a long time ago.

And you had a rich white guy adopt two poor black kids.

So it's it was a feel-good show back in the day.

So, anyway, Bagby says, Yeah, I watched the Dukes of Hazard. I watched the Waltons. I find that comment to be dubious. I'm just going to ask this question. I will ask this question, all of you Gen Xers out there.

Now, you boomers, you guys loved the Waltons, but if you were a Gen Xer growing up, Your parents probably made you watch the Waltons, and I would have rather eaten the wallpaper off the kitchen wall than watch the Waltons. It was brutal. But anyway, you had what, John Boy, and you had Mary Ellen and Goober. And no, that Goober was the. Oh, Andy Griffith shows What about Cooter?

No, Cooter was the yeah, Cooter was the Duke Zovastra. Pardon me, I digress here.

So anyway, he says, Yeah, you know what, I understand all those country folks.

Now, he seems to believe that all of us folks out in the country are just a bunch of good old boys driving around in Dodge chargers, waving, I don't know, Confederate flags. The women folk are serving us frosty root beers and their daisy dukes. As if we're all just a bunch of moonshiners named Gooter. Getting chased by Boss Hog and Roscoe P. Coultering.

I got to tell you something, Dylan. Yeah, I got no problem with that.

Sounds like a good time to me.

Sounds like pretty good life. That's pretty good living, if you ask me. But all of these, they're tropes, right? About this is what the Democrats really think about all of you guys. And They're pretty well worn, and it's really a bit of a stretch.

I mean, when you think about it.

Well, unless you live in Arkansas, maybe not so much of a. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. Don't. Uh Anyway, it's nothing new.

Look, they hate us. Do you realize that the loathing that is coming from the Democrat Party when it comes to white people who live in the country? It's just off the charts. And it's nothing new. It's really not.

You know, they're just so out of touch with really regular everyday Americans because they are the party of the elites. These are the Academics, the hoiti toiti, who live off the generous salaries provided to them by you, the taxpayers. And what do they do from their vast ivory towers? They sneer at all the farmers and the construction workers and the grocery store clerks. They really want to have nothing to do with you.

But the irony, and by the way, it's not just it is not just in Virginia. I want you to listen, you folks out in Iowa. I want you to listen to this audio. This woman is actually running for Congress, the first congressional district in Iowa. She is her name is Christina Bohannon.

And I want you to hear what she thinks about all of you people there in Iowa. Cut forty-five. It really focused on the fact that there were some of our revolutionary leaders who became supportive of that revolution because they wanted to preserve the institution of slavery.

Now, that doesn't mean that that's their only reason for doing it. Of course, there was taxation without representation, and there were a number of other things that some of the revolutionaries fought for, but it is just an attempt to say, hey, let's look at American history through the lens of slavery and through black experience and see what parts of that might have been driven by or affected by that history. You know, it um it it's interesting that, again, for the party who says that they're all about free speech, wanting to shut down an area of inquiry and an area of thought and speech to to get through a greater understanding about our history and and and ourselves as a country.

So so she thinks She thinks really, really Highly, of all you people in Iowa, this woman. Calls you people backwards. That's what she says. And she's look, and she's being very genuine. She deeply believes that this is not some sort of a.

You know, just sort of a slip of the tongue. They literally believe that, and this is a Democrat from Iowa, of all, so they all feel like this. Every Every single one of them. And This is why I believe they are going to continue to lose elections because they're so far out of touch with everybody. Everybody.

Now I want to get back to what this guy from Virginia had to say. You know, the irony is. She's actually going to need the votes of all those people. to be elected to Congress, the people that she just called backwards. And I would be willing to say that the Democrats there are actually so backwards, they would vote for somebody like that.

It wasn't so long ago, and many of you remember these days. What was it when Barack Hussein Obama? Called us a bunch of better people. Remember, he was talking to a group of people in San Francisco, talking about all of you folks in the Rust Belt. That's Pennsylvania, West Virginia.

Pardon me, that's West Virginia. All of those places. And he said, Oh, those are bitter people. They cling to their guns, they cling to their religion. Then there was Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mrs.

Bill Clinton. Speaking on Forty second Street in New York City to an LGBTQIA O. You know, Dylan, we're adding the O after yesterday's conversation about how people are now having relations with objects We want to be We want to be accepting here on the program. LGBT. Oh, oh, oh, oh, my.

Anyway, she was speaking to that crowd, and she said, What? Oh, we're a basket of irredeemable deplorables. And it was Joe Biden who said that, oh, those people, those Christians, they're the dregs of society. In one of his more lucid moments, actually. And then you had, everybody remembers Peter Strzok, the former FBI agent.

Remember, he was a. Yeah. He was cheating on his wife with some other female. Was it Lisa Page? Was her name?

The FBI chick. And they were getting it on. And what did he say about all of those? He called you folks the smelly Walmart people. But you know what I see?

And really, I mean, this is, he's describing, I mean, all of these things describe our audience. These are our people. And I see a bunch of hard working, red blooded Americans. That's what I see. I see families who who go to church on Sunday and they they march in the annual Fourth of July parade and they take their kids to Little League games or or the local ballet and they say grace before they eat supper.

That's what I see. And by the way, I see moms and dads who send their sons and daughters off to join the military. Those folks in the country are the ones that grow our groceries and fill up our gas tanks and fight our wars. Those country folks are also The same people who gave us some of the most incredible writers and musicians and scholars and artists of all time. I wrote about this in my book, Our Daily Biscuit: Devotions with a Draw.

This is the first time I've been able to quote that book in a political commentary. Our Daily Biscuit Devotions With a Drawl And I pointed out in that book that country is really not a place. Because you can be country in Believe it or not, New York City. You can be country in Chicago. Because country is really not geographic location.

It's a state of mind. And it's a place where you find a true grit. the sort of pick yourself up by the bootstraps mentality. It's a place where you've got family and loved ones. And when you find yourself in a rough spot and you hit a rough patch, well, you're going to find, as the country music songwriter said, that you've got friends with tractors.

So I don't get the Senator Bagby. I don't think he said what he said to be mean. He just sincerely believes that. And I I have to laugh because For him to suggest that he knows about country living just because he watches the Dukes of Hazzard makes about as much sense as me saying I know about urban living because I watch Sanford and Sun. All right, we got to take a break here.

901-260-5926 is our telephone number. That's 901-260-5926. This is the Todd Starring Show. Right now, our Jewish friends feel forgotten. There's a Jewish woman named Esther I'd like to tell you about.

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Okay. All right, welcome back, everybody. Good to have you with us. Also, coming up a little bit later, former governor. of Kansas.

Jeff Collier is going to be joining us and he is pretty fired up a staffer at the University of Kansas now calling for death to MACA.

So the employee is still working there at the University of Kansas. My concern would be for the safety and well being of the Well, dare I say, MAGA employees, if there are any, at the University of Kansas. But what a. What a crazy story that is. You know, I want to go back to Virginia for just a moment, and it's really sad because.

The establishment Republicans And by the establishment, I'm talking about the wealthy Republicans, they had that same mindset. When it comes to all of you country folks out there and And ultimately, you guys, we are the base of the party. We are the majority voice. They may have more money than we do, but we have more bodies. And that's why there's really so much tension right now within the Republican world is because the establishment don't like you.

They want you to stay home and sit in your home or go to work. They want you to go live your life, but they don't want you involved. In the everyday Comings and goings of the Republican Party. They don't want you to have a voice. They want your vote.

That's it, that's all they want. And you know what's interesting because that's what got Donald Trump elected in the first place. When you go all the way back. Go all the way back to 2015. And it was very clear back then.

That Jeb Bush was supposed to be the guy, Jeb Bush. Low energy Jeb was supposed to be the guy. And then what happened? All of you country folks, you woke up and you decided, well, wait a second. We like this guy, Donald Trump.

He's saying what we're thinking. And the great thing about Donald Trump, he's been saying what he's been thinking. Going all the way back to the 1970s.

So, Donald Trump's opinions really have not changed all that much. And the reality is, Donald Trump really isn't, he's really not a Republican. But we like to tell people that, and that's okay. That's okay. Donald Trump is a populist.

And this is why there's so much tension right now within the Republican Party. But all that to say, this is the only place for people to go right now unless you decide to bolt and start your own party or just vote for independent candidates. I know Elon Musk, even Elon Musk, wealthiest man in the world, even he realized. how hard, how difficult that prospect would be. Remember, Elon talked about starting his own little party, getting, I don't know, fifteen, twenty lawmakers together and really creating a coalition that both sides would need to get anything done.

And look, I think it's a great idea. I hate the fact that we're beholden to a political party that hates my guts. And really doesn't believe what I believe. But that's sort of where we are right now. That being said, we still win in the midterms.

I truly believe that we are going to win. And the only, and it has nothing to do with the Republicans at all. The Democrats are in such disarray right now. I don't think there's any way they're going to be able to muster the numbers they need to take over the House of Representatives. 901-260-5926 or a telephone number.

Open line Friday. That's 901-260-5926. During the break, head over to Amazon, ladies and gentlemen, and pre-order a copy of my brand new book. It's called The Golden Age: How Trump Saved America. And you're going to love it.

It's going to be, trust me, it is a great, great book. You're going to have a lot of fun, a lot of laughter. And hopefully, a little inspiration as well. The Golden Age: How Trump Saved America. Available wherever you buy your books.

You can pre-order right now. We'll be right back, everybody. Here's something most people don't know. When Warren Buffett was just 13 years old, he didn't put his money into a savings account. While other kids were earning next to nothing at local banks, Buffett put $114 into a little-known investment.

Today, that $114 would be worth over $15 million. And it wasn't a risky trade, it wasn't even insider knowledge. It was an account that's been around since 1888, and over the last 25 years, it's averaged 29% a year. That's what happens when your money is allowed to compound. Compare that to today's savings accounts, paying less than half a percent, while inflation quietly eats away at your buying power.

Buffett understood early: banks are great businesses, just not for savers. If you'd like to see what some investors call the 29% account, go now to secret account 29. That's secret account the numbers two nine dot com secret account twenty nine dot com Um All right, welcome back, everybody. This is the Todd Stearns Radio Show. Great to have you with us today.

I want to go right away to the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line. We're honored to have with us North Carolina State Representative Brendan Jones. Mr. Jones, good to see you. And thank you for joining us here on the show today.

Hey, good to see you as well, Todd. Thanks for having us. You know, it is an absolutely insane story that I read the other day on social media. You guys have been conducting some hearings about some very disturbing books that children have access to, young children, and you've been doing some hearings, and you had a chance to talk to a superintendent, and I want you to tell us what that superintendent said at that hearing.

Well Todd, the scariest thing the superintendent said is he had no idea what was taking place in his schools. That he was clueless to the curriculum, he was clueless to what was in his library. It was really shocking to hear him say those things.

So you described some of the books. And again, this is a radio show. And I'd love for you to describe to our listeners these books. And we're talking about books that were available to what, kindergarten students? Is that right?

Yes, kindergarten to fourth grade. All right, why don't you describe some of the images that you discovered in this storybook?

Well Todd, it's certainly frightening to think that they were letting mere babies look at pictures, pornographic type pictures. Fully exposing the male genitalia, the female genitalia, talking about non-binary, binary men and bondage outfits and kink outfits. It was It was frightening to know that's what children were looking at.

Well, and I know that you asked the superintendent we would have played the audio, but it was that the it was very difficult to hear what the superintendent was saying. But the superintendent, you showed him these images in that hearing room. And what did that superintendent tell you about the images? He saw them as non-controversial. He said that was love.

He saw the pride flag. He saw a couple, which was two men, again in pink outfits, loving each other.

So he has a very diminished sense of what's right and what's wrong for children. I know that you guys have been very concerned about this, and you have introduced, they're calling it a book ban. That's what local and state news is reporting. But is it really a book ban or is this an issue of books that are actually age-appropriate in school libraries?

Well, that's exactly what it is. The mainstream media likes to sensationalize things that are not true. There is no book ban. All we're doing is asking the school system to adhere to SP 49, the parental law, to just make it age appropriate. These images have no place in front of children of four, five, six, seven years old.

There's no ban on books. Yeah, no. And again, you know how the media is going to going to play this. But again, if you wanted to get I will say this, if you wanted to give the kids like a storybook about the Bible, you know all, you know what would break loose. Oh, absolutely.

I mean, these folks are doing nothing more than trying to make minions out of this children to carry their ideology out. They're not trying to educate. They're trying to make little soldiers of their social platform. We're not going to allow that in North Carolina. We're going to make sure that these school districts adhere to proper age-related material.

And again, we're honored to have a State Representative Brendan Jones on from North Carolina. I think a lot of people are surprised when they hear that even the Southern states, even a place like North Carolina, you guys are dealing with this radical indoctrination. It is crazy. I always tell folks there's two North Carolinas. There's rural North Carolina, where I'm from, and then the urban part of North Carolina, which is having an influx.

You take the triangle, there's 280 people a day moving into the triangle, and they certainly have different ideas than we do. But down where I'm from, we're going to stay into the Christian values. They're supposed to be set forth. We keep church and state separated. We understand that.

But still, we want value-minded teachers teaching our children.

Well, look, I think our audience greatly appreciates that and respects that. I know Senator Marshall Blackburn from Tennessee made some national news a few days ago when she said, Hey, look, we love for folks to move to the volunteer state, but we don't want you bringing your far-left ideology and your politics here as well. Because, again, Tennessee is a great rock-solid red state, and we're thriving economically. We're thriving culturally. And the reason why is we still believe that the Bible is the Bible and that the Bible is important to our way of life.

Well, it's what our country was founded on. I mean, it's in the Constitution, in the preamble for North Carolina. You know, we recognize God in the first sentence of what we've done. We've based our whole life, our country, our calendar, everything is based off of Christian values. I will not sway from that.

And as long as I'm serving, I will stand for the Christian values that my constituents have elected me to go do.

Well, we're honored to have again State Representative Brendan Jones from North Carolina. You know, when you look at what happened to your neighbors to the north there of Virginia with this crazy gerrymandering, I see it in a very different light. It looks to me like the Democrats are trying to outlaw Republicans in the Commonwealth, and I certainly hope that that doesn't happen there in North Carolina one day.

Well, as long as the Republicans are in control, it will not. We may have to put a wall up to keep the immigrants from Virginia from pouring into North Carolina. But we welcome those Christian-minded folks down here. You know, we've done great things since the Republicans took the majority, low taxes, bringing value systems back in just like this. You would never see a hearing like this under Democrat control.

They would be okay with it. But we're going to stand for what's right in North Carolina. All right.

Well, I'm glad you're doing that. Representative Jones, thank you for joining us today on the National Show. Keep up the good work, and thank you for standing up for those kids and for families there in the Tar Hill State. Absolutely. Thanks for having us, Todd.

All right.

Wow. I actually saw the images, and it's just awful. These are like little storybooks for kids, and you think, oh, that's cute. It's a little storybook for a child. And then when you open up the storybook, you realize, geez, a loo, there are two men wearing leather straps.

and one of them is a thong. Dylan, I'd be concerned about chafing. Yes, that's one of the concerns, yes. Among many, actually. But just right out of the gate, it gets really hot in the summertime in the southern part.

Sure, sure, yeah, yeah. And oh, there's a Subaru driver in the I Wow. It's oh my. all sorts of stuff, and then there's somebody else else, like a grown adult, oogling a child. There's no giraffe in the photo, so I guess the.

Farm animals are okay. Anyway, but the uh the superintendent said, No, no, no, no, no. This is community. I see community. I see I see two men with a fondness for leather embracing each other.

I see families wondering You're like Are you freaking kidding me? But that's what's going on right now in North Carolina. All right, we better take a break here, ladies and gentlemen. 901-260-5926 is our number on this open line Friday. That's 901-260-5926.

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Today, that $114 Would be worth over $15 million. And it wasn't a risky trade, it wasn't even insider knowledge. It was an account that's been around since 1888. And over the last 25 years, it's averaged 29% a year. That's what happens when your money is allowed to compound.

Compare that to today's savings accounts, paying less than half a percent, while inflation quietly eats away at your buying power. Buffett understood early: banks are great businesses, just not for savers. If you'd like to see what some investors call the 29% account, go now to secretaccount29.com. That's secretaccountthenumbers29.com. SecretAccount29.com.

And welcome back to the Toncerns Radio Show. New information out, new polling data from Fox News of all places. And for the first time since 2010, Democrats actually top Republicans on the economy. The Fox News poll found Democrats that 52% believed that Democrats would do a better job on the economy. Only 48% backed Republicans on the issue.

The last time Fox News recorded a Democratic edge on the economy, May 2010. That was when we were coming out of the Great Recession. Republicans do hold the advantage on other issues including border security by sixteen points, crime and immigration by eight points, and national security by six points.

So, I'm just curious here. We're going to conduct a Todd Stearns radio show poll today. And I want to know from you, who do you favor? to do a better job of the economy, the Democrats or the Republicans. 901-260-5926, our telephone number.

That's 901-260-5926. I want to say something here. I think I. I think I know, first of all, is the poll accurate? I mean, it's a Fox News poll, and they always skew to the left.

But let's just say for the sake of the argument here that this is accurate. And if and if in fact it is accurate. I believe that the issue is a marketing and communication issue. It was James Carville who once said infamously, It's the economy stupid. You know, you've got during the George H.W.

Bush years when the economy was in the toilet, H.W. Bush had all these incredible successes. You had the war in the Middle East, a desert storm, all these other things were happening, which were great. But the reality is the administration, they forgot about the home folks. And they got their butts handed to them in the election.

It's the economy stupid. And I think somebody needs to be sending that message to the Trump administration that it is the economy. People at the end of the day, when they go and vote, they're going to be voting based on these pocketbook issues. 901-260-5926. Let's go to the phones.

Mike in Memphis, Tennessee, listening to us on KWAM, wants to weigh in on Tennessee sheriffs. What's going on, Mike? Hey, greetings, Todd. Yeah, last night, the final bill that was passed through the Senate. Literally, the legislature wants to force every Tennessee sheriff to.

Actually, assist and basically do the job of ICE and What's ironic about this is that back in 1977, the Supreme Court ruled in Prince v. United States that that circumvents the sovereignty of the people who are the authority over the sheriff. And that law came from where they banned high-capacity magazines, which was passed by none other than Bill Clinton and the Democrats.

So, what we've got is a so-called conservative Christian Republican legislature pushing a bill that is a mirror image of that law that the Democrats passed in the 1990s.

So, what do you have a problem with here?

Okay. The Republicans are not Republicans. They're liberal Democrats tying the hands of the sheriff, which effectively is the people's. Um guy on the stand. We've got To take back control of our sheriffs.

The sheriff is the people's protector. The sheriffs work for the people, not the legislature or the governor. If you do a simple Google search, you can find it, Prinsvy, United States. Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional for the legislature to force a sheriff into acting for a federal agent. ICE is exclusive over enforcement of immigration, not the sheriff, not the state of Tennessee.

And what they're trying to do is force the sheriffs into doing their work for them. And we the people so no, all right. Take a breath here for a second, Mike. Let me get a word in edge-wise, if I may.

So let's just say you've got an illegal, and the illegal is shooting you, Mike. The illegal shot you, and the only person that's around to help out is a deputy sheriff.

So you're telling me that you would rather not have the assistance of the deputy sheriff in accosting or at least arresting the illegal who shot you? Why would the sheriff arrest somebody for being in the country illegally when they're committing a crime of assault? They would arrest them for the assault. No, no, no, but if they're illegal though, you know, you can't be no, no, no, if it's illegal, hands off. Hands off.

You're missing the point. No, I think I got the point. No, no, no. You're twisting it. I'm not twisting, I just asked a question.

No, you're doing what you always do. You twist the facts to suit your political agenda. And you're not doing that right now, Mike. You're not doing that. You've got an agenda.

So quoting the Supreme Court. I'm quoting history. You've got Democrats pushing the law to force sheriffs to function as a funky for the federal government.

So, Mike, let me ask you a question here. Because I don't want this to go on and on and on forever.

So, if ICE agents are in, for example, Nashville. And they need help. Rounding up 100 illegals that are on the run. And you're saying that those deputies would not be allowed to offer any assistance. It's not their purview.

The sheriff has no influence or control or need to be involved in immigration. That's the ICE job.

Now if they need more ice agents, well, they just get another sixty billion dollars.

Okay, Mike, we're good. We're done. I think you made whatever point that was. Let's go to Duane in North Carolina, WSJS. Dwayne, what's on your mind?

You asked if we would trust Democrats or Republicans to run the economy. I wouldn't trust a Democrat to run an elementary school fundraiser. Look, I hear you. I just think this is a perception issue, Duane. Right now, if you went out there and asked the average Republican, they would say that the administration is far too focused on foreign affairs than what's happening right here in America.

I think that's ultimately what that poll is about.

Well If you look at the inflation alone, The inflation has has come down from what it was under Biden. And Biden did that by giving out a lot of money. I work for the government for the local DSS. A lot of money was given out. The state of North Carolina gave every single person who was eligible for food stamps the maximum amount.

for three years for every household. Where did that money come from? We spent a lot of money You know, Dwayne, it really bothers me that we haven't spent as I really feel like we should have doubled down and maybe even doubled and tripled the number of people in the Doge committee to completely eliminate all of the grift and the corruption that's there because we know it's there because they already found a lot of it. And I'm not quite sure where we are. You know, I think they were going to what they said what they found two to three billion dollars or I forget how much money it was.

But whatever happened to that, the administration doesn't do good on follow-through. Not as much as what they promised, no, sir. No, they don't. And that's going to come back and bite them in the behind if they're not careful. Again, we're the President's doing his gut level best signing these executive orders.

He can't go out there and personally implement them all. That's up to the administration.

So I think his own administration is letting him down a lot, but I'm with you. I wouldn't trust the. I wouldn't trust these guys to run anything. Yeah. And part of it is you have to meet career politicians.

Yep, that's it. Dwayne, thank you for going. What part of North Carolina are you from? I'm originally from Winston-Salem, the home of Krispy Kreme. A fine city and a fine, a fine organization.

All right, Dwayne, God bless. Have a great weekend. 901-260-5926, our telephone number. That's 901-260-5926. Coming up, the former governor of Kansas, Jeff Collier, joins us.

And also a little bit later on, Joe Messina is going to be here. And Luke Simbel, a Republican strategist, will break down some of the amazing political news of the day that's coming up a little bit later. In the meantime, ladies and gentlemen, we've got to take a quick break. And that's an opportunity for you to go to ToddSterns.com. Check out our website.

We have lots of stories. We post original content every single day.

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All right, hang tight, everybody. Hour two of the big show, Open Line Friday. We'll be right back. Live from the Liberty University Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, it's common sense conservative commentary from Todd Starr. Sets us, that's right.

I love Love is American. All right, welcome everybody. Hour two of the big show. Great to have you with us. And I want to say a very special hello to all of our great listeners out in Coffeeville, Kansas.

Hope you guys are doing great today. And of course, Portland, the Portland, Oregon, Salem, Oregon, KYKN, our terrific affiliate out in those parts. Hope you're having a great start to your Friday. Our telephone number, by the way, Open Line Friday edition of the show, 901-260-5926. That's 901-260-5926.

Now, before we get to our special guest, I do want to get to Carol, who's been holding on for a few minutes from Memphis, Tennessee, listening to us on KWAM. And Carol, what is on your mind today?

Well, I'm a little nervous about this, so I hope I can make myself clear. I'm calling about. The relationship between the sheriff's department and the state legislature. It's my understanding that the state legislature at no time has any jurisdiction over the sheriff's department, which is why we elect our sheriff.

so that they're the only ones that can arrest a governor. Therefore, they're not beholden to the the legislature of the state.

So I think what that gentleman was trying to say that the state legislature cannot put any rule in place. that has any jurisdiction over the Sheriff's Department. And and therefore They they would c they could be involved. If something's happening, they certainly Say, see, a crime being committed doesn't matter what. Like the gentleman was saying, if they're Being arrested for a felony, but not because of their And Carol, that makes sense.

So you're saying that basically the state is overstepping its authority by ordering the local sheriff's departments to work with ICE agents. Right. That's the airship. Yeah, okay.

Well, that makes sense. Yeah, and that's what I think he was trying to say because, okay, that's all I wanted to clarify, because as I said, They're consid the sheriff is considered the people's police because like the city police is under the jurisdiction of the city government. That makes sense. All right, Carol, you did a great job. All right, well done, Carol.

Give us a holler back one of these days. All right, crazy story out of Kansas. And there is a situation at the University of Kansas involving a public affairs officer who posted an item on social media. And the allegation is, and I mean, I'm looking at this here, the guy is a public affairs officer, and he wrote the following words: death to MAGA. And apparently, it's not the first time that this guy, this public affairs officer, has made such comments.

Also, is a regular at the No Kings protest as well. We have reached out multiple times to the University of Kansas and their public affairs department to get a comment about this. And so far, they have not returned any of our phone calls or our emails. And we've sent about five or six so far.

Well, one person's pretty upset about all of this, Dr. Jeff Collier, former governor, and he wants to be governor again. And he is on our Patriot mobile newsmaker line. Dr. Collier, good to have you back with us again.

You know, it is always fun to be with you, Mr. Starnes, sir. Oh my goodness. No, we're not that formal. And this this isn't the Bill O'Reilly show.

I have to give you a little grief, my friend. Always great to talk to you. You know, Kansas is such a great place. It is beautiful today. It is 75 degrees here.

But we have a couple of little problems. And you know. People that do crazy things at our universities. And so sometimes the skies are a little cloudy.

So we're going to make sure that we stop that. Yeah, this is a pretty bizarre story. I want to get the guy's name out, but it's not good, what he wrote. And my concern is, you've got a student there. They might be able to see this, and they might want to act on what this guy wrote.

He is clearly a person in authority. What concerns you about what this guy wrote?

Well Here's the thing is you can be you can believe whatever you want in the political sphere. But I think all of us agree that saying death threats, you know, death to somebody That's not American, and certainly not Kansas. And it is not acceptable for That's being part of our public discourse. And When you have People that are in the limelight.

So he writes articles. all the time for the University of Kansas. He's expressing his views or he's reporting on students and reporting on the university. That is not who the university is, but he's their representative. You know, he's out in public.

you know, forward facing for the university. you know that's a terrible you know leadership That's a terrible thing to. Show to kids. you know, impressionable, you know, young people. That's not who we are.

And it's deeply frustrating on this because we have a whole pattern of this happening at our universities.

Well, we do, and it's not just in Kansas. I mean, we saw this in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's assassination.

So many faculty members and staff were posting some of the most heinous things. I think the big challenge is that initially universities fired these individuals or suspended them, and a good many of them now have their jobs back and they filed lawsuits. I think a lot of people are trying to figure out where is that line when it comes to freedom of speech. For me, it's an issue of okay, you're working for the taxpayers, so you know, you have, I think you have a higher responsibility. Absolutely, you do.

You were supposed to be modeling Yeah. which you can model what your beliefs are, but you don't call for death to people. We actually had several university professors here in Kansas at different universities. After the Charlie Kirk shooting, you know, when President Trump was elected. We've had these sorts of statements coming from them.

And that's a pattern, I think, is more systemic. It is not just a couple of bad actors. It is that a university is willing to tolerate this sort of language And what was interesting is You know, some of these were universities that tried to kick. Charlie Kirk off of campus. You know, and He wasn't calling for the death of anyone.

Charlotte Kirk was trying to argue, you know, from his point of view and This is just the wrong example for young people. It's very threatening. On the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line today is Dr. Jeff Collier, former governor of Kansas, and is running to be governor again. Why would you want to do that, Dr.

Collier? Why run again? You know, Kansas is a wonderful place. You know, it's the best place in the country. I'm sorry.

True heart of America in the exact center. and we have a fantastic state. But we have some cloudy skies. Yeah, the economy has been falling on kids. have had problems in their schools.

We are the highest tax state in the region. And we can turn this around. And Kansas can once again be the leading light that it has historically.

So I'm excited about the opportunity. We have a lot to do in this state, and I've got a lot of problems to clean up. We've got a budget that is underwater. We have problems like this on the university campuses. And we're going to bring back common sense.

Grow our economy. make sure we have good schools. making sure that we get rid of the waste, fraud and abuse, which just exploded after I left. And that does seem to be a big problem. Just again, all around the country, looking at these Doge committees, I know our good friend and the chief executive officer of the company I own, Dalton Glascock, is there on the Wichita Council and actually started up a local version of Doge.

Would you like to see those sort of expanding and maybe other communities doing the same thing, exposing all the wasteful spending?

So in Kansas We've we've got two big problems. In Kansas, We have more public employees per capita than almost every other state, more than California and New York, by the way.

So no wonder it's expensive to live here. One of the things that I did as Lieutenant Governor and Governor was we got rid of fifty five hundred unnecessary state employees And nobody noticed. Wow. Okay, but think about that. 1,000 employees is probably about $125 million.

Every year. And so we're going to send money. You know, we're saving the taxpayers money and getting better results for them. And with today's, technology that So we have We can really downsize on this. And I've done this already, I've shown how to do it.

and do it very effectively. you know, so that people find that their services are getting better And they're not hearing all of the screening. I think there's a lot of things local communities can do, counties and cities. And we want to empower them to do that. All right.

Well, Dr. Collier, where can people go if they want to get more information about your campaign and all the platform agenda items? Where can they do that? Yes.

So this is a great campaign. Just got to tell you one quick thing about it. Sarah Huckabee Sanders just endorsed us. today saying that we were the true mega Republican. Which is why this threat, you know, I take it kind of personally.

But you can find us at Dr. Jeff Collier on X or CollierForGovernor.com.

Well, I was going to surprise you with that at the very end, Governor.

So you kind of like, you know, jump the gun. Thank you for that. But let's listen to Sarah Huckabee Sanders. This is Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Kansas, you've got a big election this year to choose your next governor.

The clear choice is my good friend Jeff Collier. I got to know Jeff when he was governor and then later when we both served in the first Trump administration. Jeff's a devoted Christian with an incredible family, and he spent his whole life serving others and fighting for our values. Jeff's the proven MAGA conservative who gets results. Jeff's a great guy, and as President Trump has said, Jeff Collier is one hell of a governor.

A man of incredible integrity and class. Your governor, Jeff Collier. You have one hell of a governor. Join me today in supporting Jeff Collier for governor. All right.

Not only that, President Trump there too. Yeah. You know, we've got a lot to do in Kansas, and I'm proud of our state, but I've got a mess to clean up. And you're going to find Kansas over the next few years. Being the best place to have a family, have a business, the place to grow.

You're going to be proud of it. All right, good stuff.

Well, we're going to get you back on between now and then, Dr. Collier. Good to hear from you again, and thanks for fighting the good fight. Always great to talk with you, Todd. And I look forward to seeing you soon.

All right, Dr. Jeff Collier, everybody, former governor of Kansas and just got endorsed as the official MAGA candidate there in the great state of Kansas. I should have asked him. Dylan, there's a river that runs through Wichita, and I think it's I is it the It's the Arkansas River, but I don't think they call it better. They call it the Arkansas River or something.

That would make more sense. Arkansas. I don't I get I get very confused by those names. Right. Oh, well, 901-260-5926 is our telephone number.

That's 901-260-5926. You know what? Again, if you're working at a university, you're around young people, and you're saying, oh, yeah, MAGA people deserve to die, I got a big problem with that. And I don't think you ought to be working at that university. I mean, it really is that simple.

All right, got to take a break. We'll be right back. All right, welcome back, everybody, Open Line Friday. 901-260-5926 is our telephone number. That's 901-260-5926.

So, we've got an update on a story we first told you about a couple of weeks ago at the Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia. And. They had this cavernous arena, and the Vice President of the United States was there. Erica Kirk, who was supposed to be there at the very last second, backed out because of some sort of a security concern. The Secret Service said they didn't know anything about it.

We reached out to authorities there in Athens, Clark County, Georgia. They didn't know anything about that. And some people are alleging. That Erica skipped the event because there was just such a. Um you know, just a small crowd there.

And that was the reason why. And so now, and it really created a bit of a kerfuffle. And we've been hearing these reports, scattered reports. from all over the country really, that Turning Point USA Is going through some very difficult times right now, and it seems as though they're trying to find their footing. After Charlie's assassination, I've been pretty vocal about my observations and what I've seen.

And it's nothing against. The organization at all, but they're lacking organization, and that's a big problem. And that was really a problem that they faced for a very long time. Is trying to get established on so many university campuses and making sure not that you just have one solid year of. Of leadership, but you have multiple years of leadership, so the organization, those local clubs, just don't evaporate and fall apart.

And that's what's going on here. And that's a tough game. Don't get me wrong. It is a tough assignment. But anyway, Carolina, her name is Caroline Maddox, and she is the president of the.

Turning Point USA chapter at the University of Georgia. And she is just, you know, I did a little bit of research on her, just a very sweet person. She's a Christian girl. She's conservative. She's a good person.

And she has now resigned. as President of the University of Georgia Turning Point USA chapter. And I want to read to you what she wrote. And there's, she doesn't explain exactly why she's stepping away, so I'm just gonna say that up front. But she says, being a part of TPOSA has been a dream of mine for a very long time, and I was prepared to devote my college years to building the UGA chapter and carrying on Charlie Kirk's legacy.

Turning Point USA was founded to promote truth, false. Fight for conservative values, encourage independent thought, and defend free speech.

However, It became abundantly clear to me following our event on April 14th that TPUSA's mission and purpose. have been lost along the way. She went on to say that the organization's current direction no longer aligns with the principles upon which it was founded. Quote: I witnessed firsthand what I believe to be the organization's true direction. following Charlie's passing.

And I have significant concerns about its messaging and current trajectory. In light of this I am resigning from my position. While I am grateful for the experience, lessons, and people this chapter has brought me, I can no longer, in good conscience, continue to represent an organization That I believe has strayed so far from its original. PURPOSE AND PRINCIPELS. And there you have it.

I we are reaching out to her and trying to get her to come on the show, and hopefully she will.

So maybe she can expand on what concerns she actually had. I mean, that's a pretty significant thing. She saw something that was so disturbing. That she said, uh-uh, can't do this. Can't do this.

There have now been allegations that those organic student questions were not necessarily organic. That questions were planted in the crowd. There has been a lot of concern among young people that Turning Point USA has embraced Israel a bit too much. And again, I don't. I don't have a problem with that, but there are people who do.

And there are a lot of folks who just believe that TPOSA is not on the mission that it was originally on. I would contend that they are. But now you're just getting to see it for what it really is. And in a lot of it, it is a forced thing. And you can say what you want to about Charlie Kirk.

He was an authentic human being. What you saw with Charlie is what you got, and that's why he resonated so well.

Some of these folks they've got. They're not resonating. They're not resonating. All right, 901-260-5926. This is the Todd Stern Show.

All right, welcome back to the Todd Stearns Radio Show. Dylan, I was watching the strangest video. You know, on uh I hop on to X in in the commercial breaks. And there's a lady. And she's pregnant.

And so she's blasting music on her on her belly. And she wants her child to, I guess, what be born gay?

So she's playing gay music.

So that her kid will be gay. I don't know if you make it. Is that a gay song? You have to make s good songs and turn them into gay songs. Like, why do you have to do that for your kid?

Right. It's not a gay song. I mean, I don't. I think I know what she's trying to do, and it's not. It's a good song.

Why do you have to make it like this? But is it a gay song? I don't think so. I mean, what makes a song a gay song? I don't know.

I like ABBA. Why do we have to ruin it? Oh, it's A it's ABBA. Yeah. Oh, yeah, it's gay.

Okay. Sure. Should have started with that.

Well, then there you go. I guess I don't know my ABBA that well. No, wait a second. What is it? Trump said, YMCA.

That's the official gay anthem. How come the baby mama is not playing that? That's true. She should have rethought that. Yeah.

So apparently, she's not the only person. A lot of would-be, you know, soon-to-be moms. Are playing music. That they consider to be gay, hoping their sons are going to, you know, I don't know, pop out of the womb doing jazz hands. Hello, mommy, you look fabulous.

Spank me again, Doc. Gosh. Let's go to the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line. Our good buddy Joe Messina joins us. Joe, are you still there?

What is this? Todd Charge Comedy Hour? I mean, seriously. It's the craziest thing I've ever seen. I mean, you know.

These moms, you know, and when you're pregnant, from what I've heard, is that you go through these phases like you like ice cream or pickles, or you know, you just get angry all the time and want to hit men. I get that, but I've never heard of this. A new category. Remember when you used to buy those eight tracks and they had all the categories like country, jazz, hip-hop, gay now? I guess.

I don't know. Well, what if, I mean, again, what if their mom's out there on the other side of the aisle, the alphabet, and they're like, oh, we got to play some hataro music? Get some country music. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Play some Hank and Willie.

Get Charlie Daniels out there. Get him going. There you go. Steer clear of Dolly and Rebo, but you know, everybody else should be fair game. Oh god.

Anyway, Joe Messina, good to have you with us today. And of course, you guys. at the the center of a big spotlight, the big gubernatorial debate just a few days ago. Another one's coming up on Tuesday. I gotta tell I don't get this, Joe.

I watched and I tried to watch with an open mind. I don't see how anybody in their right mind could vote for any of those Democrats. You know, I have a joke. The only way you pull the Democrat handle anymore is you got to take a hit of acid before you walk to the polling booth. You're so correct.

I think I told you this the other day. You need to have that moment where Hilton or Bianco gets up there and says, This is what's happened over the last 20 years that your Democrats have had control. Here's what they've done to your kids. Here's what they've done to the economy. Here's what they've spent on homelessness.

And it's got like 1,400% worse. What do you have to lose by bringing me in or voting on us? Because I don't know if you know this, but California has a recall amendment that you can do.

So if you really hate the guy that's in office, you should be believe me, it'd be easy to recall a Republican here. But we need to hit they need to stay on that. And stop beating on each other. I thought it was interesting about Hilton, and I thought he actually won the debate, but I don't want to say I was disappointed in his performance. I'm not sure if he's used to being in those sorts of debate situations where you got to fight.

And he just seemed a little unsteady at times. Am I reading that wrong? No, no, I think you're right. I think, look, he's used to being a lot in front of his own people. I've seen him at two events.

He comes out as a cheerleader, and we're going to do this, and we're going to take him to task, and we're going to, you know, it's like that thing: we're going to lower taxes. All right, stop. How? How are you going to do that? I think Bianco did a great job.

He came out strong. He had the answers. I think he took the wind out of the sails of Hilton at times. But he's got a lot of baggage. He's got to figure out how to overcome.

Well, and he does. But that baggage would hurt him in any other rock-solid red state. I mean, I'm not sure that's going to be that's going to hurt him all that much with the even the Republican base, you know, taking the knee during the the BLM George Floyd stuff. And, you know, he's a little soft on deportation. Oh, yeah.

If we, if you know, I mean, the truth of the matter is, if we have a Republican and a Democrat, I'm sorry to say I think the Democrat will win. If we have the two Republicans, we have a really good chance. I got a little sneaky suspicion. Tell me what you think about this. You've got Steyer, who's now all over the place.

He's going anywhere with anybody.

Some of these other people are dropping out. There's more stuff coming out against Katie. I think he's kind of playing behind the scenes to keep trying to drop these people or knock these people out. With things they've done in the past. And who is the middle school guy on the end?

I didn't know that guy. Mahamin Mahimim I don't even know. He didn't register with me at all. The mayor was a San Jose or something. He looks like he's fourteen years old, and he had to grow a beard to make sure he didn't look like he was ten.

That's right. That's very true. And then you got Via Ragu. I mean, he's got some great ideas, but he can't move up at all. He blamed the Democrats for where we're at.

I mean, my God, that took guts. Joe, I'm curious. There was one issue, and we talked about this yesterday on Newsmax. The uh commercial driver's licenses and the idea that it's now apparently racist, according to the Democrats, to require truck drivers to actually have a rudimentary uh grasp of the English language. I was astounded by their answers.

I won't think about that for a second. They made the comment that it's racist, basically, to expect somebody to speak English properly or understand English. Who said anything about brown or black? They alluded to anybody who can't read, write, or speak uh speak English. There are uh Italian folks that can't read, write, or speak English, the Japanese folks.

Ooh, is talking about color here? It's a great point. And nobody did it, but they love trying to bring race into this. But again, California, what we've heard upwards of 17,000 CDLs that were issued to illegals and people that were not qualified. That puts every single person in danger.

And I thought Steve Hilton did a good job when he brought up the story of Delilah Krause. The little five-year-old girl whose life has been forever altered as a result of the Indian driver who was here illegally got a CDL. And by the way, he should have been deported when he was stopped at the border, but the Biden administration, Joe, let this guy into the country. Oh, yeah, no, he made some great points. But, you know, again, go back to that for a minute.

They're thinking that it's racist, they don't care who gets killed. They don't care who it hurts or what families it wipes out. And again, Think about the points. They were talking wonderfully about Gavin Newsom. This guy has flushed this state three times over.

So, they don't have anything to run on other than, you know, I'm going to fight Trump. I'm going to fight Trump. What are you going to do if you get become governor?

Well, I'm going to fight Trump. Yeah. Hello. How about helping the homeless? How about getting our vets off the street and getting them into real situations where they can get the help they need, they get the food, they can get.

Yeah. I'm amazed that this still sells, Todd. Joe, I was somewhat I was a little disappointed. I thought the Republicans had a missed opportunity. And sometimes you get so wound up in your memorized talking points that you can't really think on your feet.

But when they were talking about gas prices, somebody should have immediately shot back.

Well, you know what, those gas prices would be low if it wasn't for what, the dollar sixty cents or however many how many fees and taxes that the Democrats have imposed on the motorist of California. Oh, we You're right, it's like a dollar sixty three. But but there's there's another side to this cloud. It's going up n to almost another sixty one cents because of the summer California has what's called a summer blend.

So the the gas has to be changed for summertime burning. And uh so two bucks. Let's just say about two plus of of every gallon of gas is going to go to the state. And Steyer, was it? I think it was Steyer who said, No, we need the gas tax to fix the roads.

I just spent $2,000 not more than six weeks ago putting tires on my car because. They got blown out in potholes. It makes no sense. It makes no sense at all.

So again, I still go back to the original question, what are people smoking out there? Because the Democrats are making their lives unsustainable. This has nothing to do with Republicans. It has everything to do with Democrats and their taxes. Yeah, Todd, I I think I told you this the other day.

When when Governor Gavin Newsom was recalled, or we had the recall petition and he ran for governor again, when people were coming out of the polls when they do when they do the not the polling, but when they poll people as they come out of the polls, The general answer was: I don't know if I want Republicans running the government.

So it was a fear of Republicans having control, as opposed to this guy that's in there that's stealing the money out of your pocket.

So the fear is towards Republicans, not necessarily towards what the Democrats are doing. I think the only upside right now you've got is you've got a lot of celebrities pounding on Democrats in this state. To your point, You know, people have to decide: do I fill up the guests? Do I go a little short on that? Do I get a little bit more food?

They don't know what to do.

So, again, it's coming up in June. That's when you guys go to the polls. You think we're going to have two Republicans at the top, or is it going to be. One Republican and a Democrat.

Okay, one for sure, which is an easy call, obviously. If Steyer keeps doing what he's doing, I'm sorry. I think there's a good chance that him or Becerra, Becera, I can't believe it. Anyway, him or Becerra could end up as the number two slot. Oh, wait, wait.

It was Becera, by the way, who gave Gavin Newscomb on dealing with the homeless crisis? Yeah. I know. Seriously. Obviously, Becera has not had his glasses on when he's walking.

Through downtown LA. You can't even park your car close to the curb, Todd, because there's lumps of human excrement right there off the edge of the curb that you don't want your tires to go through. Yeah, okay.

Yeah, you could have done without the lumps of human excrement. We got people eating lunch out here, Messina. Yeah. I just I want to be clear in my language. That's all.

Thank you. No, very clear. Thank you for that. All right.

Joe Messina, JoeMessina.com, ladies and gentlemen. All things, Joe Messina. Joe, my good friend, hope you have a great weekend. Yeah, you too, and God bless. All right.

Wow. Lumps of human excrement. You know, they actually. They'll only have poop patrols. They're spending tens of millions of dollars in San Francisco, and they actually hire people.

And their job is to go around and pick up the human poop on the sidewalks in San Francisco. You would have to pay me a lot of money to do that. There's not enough money in the world. Not enough money in the world. All right.

We've got to take a break here. 901-260-5926, our telephone number. That's 901-260-5926. This is the Todd Stern Show. Uh All right, welcome back.

This is the Todd Sterns Radio Show. You know, Dylan, I was watching a little bit of the NFL draft. You know, every man in America is going to be parked in front of the TV this weekend. Oh, yeah. It's pretty much what?

Wall-to-wall coverage, isn't it? Pretty much. And the first day, you know, has already happened. Pretty much expected. How I thought.

How about old Fer what, Fernando Mendoza going to Vegas? You know, everyone thought it was going to happen, and it happened, and he reacted the exact way that I thought it would happen. Yeah, here's what he had to say: I cut 40. With the first pick in the 2026 NFL draft. The Las Vegas Raiders select Fernando Mendoza.

Quarterback. Indiana. Just like we drew it off, time for Welcome to Primetime presented by Pfizer. You can see the reaction from Mendoza, his family. This is what we had anticipated.

He's been outstanding in so many of his interviews throughout the course of this process. First Heisman Trophy winner that Indiana has had. Wow. How about that? Did you hear, by the way, Nashville?

Is this true? They may be getting the Super Bowl. In 2030. I didn't hear about this. That's exciting.

New stadium they got, you know. It's costing a bazillion dollars. Wow. The um The Lord was on hand. I was surprised at the number of athletes these guys get out there.

And man, they're just, it was like a church service. I went and take a listen. Our friends over at Sports Spectrum put this little compilation together. The last five months has been such a blessing by God, and I can't thank him enough. I'm just so thankful, so blessed.

The Lord, the Lord's doing work on me, and he's not done. I'm just going to keep this thing rolling. I'm going to give him all, and that's all I can do. First of all, I just want to say thank God. Without that, none of us would be here.

Just thanks for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Yeah, I ain't gonna lie, I'm just so blessed right now. You know, I just praise the Lord for every moment, really. I just, it's a dream cook show. I can't even believe this right now.

I mean, first off, I want to give all the glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The fact that I'm here on the NFL stage in the draft, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. Wow. You know, it's interesting, Dylan, because these are all young guys.

So these are Gen Zers. Yeah. Fresh out of college. And I think they're part of this whole new generation. I'm not afraid to say that I'm a Christian, that I'm a person of faith.

It's very refreshing to see. You see that so much in sports too nowadays, right? But I also think there is a movement, like you've been saying, where they are coming back to the faith. It's more. Different shift of perspective when they achieve something big.

They think God first, which is great to see. Except for golf, I've noticed. I heard one guy and he was shouting the Lord's name, but it turned out I don't think it was. I'm like, oh, oh, oh, my. Yikes.

But yeah, no, you're right. I mean, especially, you know, baseball, basketball, football. And that's it's an exciting it's really exciting to see. By the way, is it just me? I am ready for college football.

No, it's not just you. It's me too. I'm ready. I am ready to go. I by the way, the president of the White House now wants to expand.

They're working on a plan to fix what's broken in college sports with the NIL. They're wanting to expand the college football playoffs. I think 20-something teams, 24, 25 teams, 26 teams. Yeah, we'll see. My perspective on that has always been like, well, the top teams are still getting paid the most, and they're still going to be able to afford the best players.

And so, unless we fix that, the playoffs aren't really even my concern anymore because it's always going to be the same team. Still, though, I mean, when you look at, for example, March Madness. You've got teams that don't have the large NILs. And they're doing pretty good.

So, I mean, ultimately, that is a true team sport. Oh yeah, for sure. Basketball. Basketball is one of those things where Yeah, if you don't play as a team, it's not just going to be one guy. You're not going to have a Michael Jordan out there that's going to do everything for you.

Most of the time, it's going to take the whole team.

So, yeah, basketball can be different. There you go. All right.

Well, we'll see how it all plays out.

So. Just glad the president is on top of all of this. I really am. And I think he wants it to work as well. All right, 901-260-5926.

Coming up the final hour of the broadcast week here on the Todd Stearns radio show.

So we'd love to hear from you. 901-260-5926. How do you think President Trump is doing? How do you think the administration is doing? How would you grade?

The Trump White House so far. 901-260-5926. And don't forget, during the break, head over and pre-order a copy right now of my brand new book. It'll be out in May. It's called The Golden Age: How Trump Saved America.

Be sure to get yourself a copy. We'll be right back, everybody. Live from the Liberty University Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, it's America's conservative blowtorch. That's us! That's Right.

I love this American Dylan, you're not gonna believe this. This is huge. Huge, I say.

So we have, you've heard about looks maxing. We did a whole thing on this, right? Yes, I remember. It wasn't Charlemagne the god. No, who's the one?

Clavicular? Clavicular, yes. Yeah, Charlemagne's the black dude. Yeah. I don't think he does looks maxing.

I don't think so. So, anyway, looks maxing for all of you Gen Xers out there. That is going to great extremes to broaden your persona. I do that with barbecue. But apparently, Gen Zers are doing it with hammers, and they're literally breaking the bones in their cheeks and their jaws.

To and their chin rather, to like get a more chiseled jaw. Yeah, taking it a little too literally, in my opinion, but that's the idea.

So we're discussing it today. We've got two guys coming on the show. Two of our regulars, our Gen Z panelists. And we've got Ryan Leonard from NYU, the president of NYU, College of Republicans, and they're doing the whole looks maxing thing. I hope you get some answers.

Jackson Hill, I've got a lot of questions, but there's something even more. And we better bring Luke Simbel into this. Luke is our local Republican strategist here in Memphis. Luke, good to see you. Hey, good to see you, Tom.

Put down the hammer.

So it's not just the Gen Z, guys.

Now there is something called nanomaxing. And of course Nada is what the Italian people call their grandmothers.

So now the grandmothers are doing this. And so they're not hitting themselves in the head, but they've got. Um, they're doing videos where they're like making Italian food. Yes, I've seen this. Have you noticed this?

Yes, on the social media feeds. I'm addicted to it. Yeah, there's all these nonas that teach you how to make American Italian food, the meatballs. And there's controversy over whether you fry the meatballs in the pan first or if you just put them directly in the sauce. I can't remember.

Put them raw. Yeah. Raw in the sauce. Yeah. Let them cook.

What do you call it? It's not nana. It's nona. It's nona. It's nona.

Oh, what? Wait, I'm sother. We had a me-maw. I had a me-maw, and a me-me, and a lolo. and a BB.

On the female side. Todd, I uh I am participating in the look maxing. I don't know if you've noticed. I'm on a high protein diet. I am working out every day.

My goal is this summer, I never want to wear a shirt. Like, I want to feel so confident in how I look that I never, I want the housewives as they are, they're driving down the street and I'm mowing the lawn shirtless. I want them to get into a wreck. I don't think that's a good idea. Yeah, I know.

But that's the look I'm going for. I don't know if you've noticed, but that's the look I'm going for. I haven't noticed because it's hard to do. Why would I notice?

Sorry.

However, I will say this: I don't believe men over like. 30 or 35 should be wearing, like, should be going outside without a shirt on. I think, I believe in clothing. And Dylan, I'm talking on this, Dylan. What if it's hot outside?

What if you're like mowing the grass? You want a good tame? It doesn't matter. What if you have a chisel six-pack like I'm trying to? Yeah, it doesn't matter.

That's inappropriate. Anybody over that age has no business. What do you think the caveman did? Paul Shanklin says Dylan needs to play If I Had a Hammer or Hammer Time. All right, look it up.

Look it up. But I am concerned. This is interesting because I have noticed. About the um about the nonas. Because that's all I see are these freaking meatball episodes.

I'm addicted to it. I don't get it. But no, I saw that where it's like a big thing. Do you fry the meatballs or do you put them into the sauce raw? I put them in the sauce raw and they are so good.

You just cook them for a long time, but they're delicious. Dylan, is that what they call raw doggin? Oh, no. No, not quite. Oh, that's different.

That's different. Different generation, Dylan. There's no spaghetti in there. I'm still trying to figure. I just now learned what that little poop emoji was.

I thought it was like chocolate pudding. I had no idea.

So This is why America loves you. Yikes. I'm not going to look it up because then, you know, it's in your algorithm. And I don't want the word raw dogging. And I just ought to answer that.

You don't search that. No, I won't. I'll do that.

So I'm like, whoa, I don't think grandma's doing that to the meatball. But I am curious. Ladies, and especially of the Italian persuasion, how do you cook your meatballs? Because I had no idea that was, but apparently, it's all a big thing now. And these Italian grandchildren are going in and they're doing the whole cooking the family meals, and they call it Nona.

It's Nona, right? Nona. Nona maxing, is what they're calling it. I love it. I had no idea.

So Anyway, so yeah, 901-260-5926. Love to hear your meatball recipes. That's 901-260-5926. What's the word I'm looking for then, Dylan? I don't know.

I think we've lost the plot here. Did you warn the affiliates today that. Is that a bad thing?

Okay, I don't want to know. I don't want to know. All right.

I'm a good Southern Baptist.

So, Luke Symbol, you're generating some headlines. Of course, the big news in these parts is the official state takeover of the failing school system here in Memphis, the Memphis-Shelby County schools. Over 70% of the kids cannot read at grade level. And I was stunned by these numbers, but apparently the absentee rate is off the charts.

So kids aren't even showing up for school. And I guess instead they're going around and shooting things up and causing mayhem all over the city. This is a major issue across. America in large cities with large school districts. You saw it in Houston.

The state had to come take over the school system. You're seeing it here in Memphis. The state had to come take over the school system. And it is yet again another example of urban Democrat failure in leadership. That is what it is.

We have a terrible, like you said, chronic absentee rate. We have a terrible proficiency rate in reading and math. And what astounds me is when the state is wanting to come in and intervene and to spend resources and to offer up professionals to help, the current school boards are like, no. And again, this is happening across the country. Houston is a prime example.

Houston is turning its school district around. We have to do this in Memphis, Tennessee, as well. And it's my understanding that you guys are looking at Houston as the example. Of course, the state doing a takeover. And you're right.

I mean, the results have been phenomenal. And I'm sure some of our Houston listeners can attest to that. But the reality is, you know, most major I would say all cities are dealing with those two big issues: crime and education. And I think education is, I think you've got to get a handle on education because that will fix the crime problem. I agree.

And this is another example, Republicans. I hope that you are listening. It is another example of how we need to have our candidates focusing on local issues. When we have local Republicans running for office, focus on things like crime, focus on things like education and taxes. It is those basic and roads.

It is those fundamental things that people really, really care about. Don't get caught up in the national conversations. Focus on what is happening locally. And education is a big piece of. Far too many people are thinking they're going to be the next Donald Trump.

You just got to be yourself. And you're right. You've got to focus on those key issues. And if you do, I think that's a winning formula. It is.

It is. People care. Crime and education are winning formulas. And for the first time, Ever recently, during COVID, this changed. Nationally, Republicans were more trusted on education than Democrats.

First time in American history since that question started being polled, and we have to seize the opportunity. It was interesting to see, and again, the race has become a factor here. The Democrats are playing the race card. This is a majority black school district, and everybody except for one person on the school board happens to be black.

So I'm not quite sure how, you know, you know, how it's the white man's fault because they have all the resources they need, right? I mean, the state's been giving them, they get more money than any other school district in the entire state of Tennessee. And yet they're saying the majority white Republican legislature is trying to basically be like be plantation owners again. Yeah, one out of every $7 in the state of Tennessee goes for education goes to Memphis, our school district here. That is why the state has such an interest.

And look, if you want to improve education outcomes, and Texas experienced this, if you want. To improve education outcomes in the state of Tennessee, you have to do it in Memphis. Just like the crime issue, you had to focus on Memphis. We are cleaning up crime thanks to President Trump and the Memphis Safe Task Force, and we're going to solve education too. And the Tom Stern show.

Absolutely. Just kidding. But what are they calling it? The Digital Delta or something. There's some sort of a clever name they're giving this whole area.

Yes, because Elon Musk brought XAI here, and there's another data center coming, and all these companies are starting to pop up to supply these data centers.

So they're trying to brand it as the Digital Delta.

So there are good jobs to be had, and that's why we need a qualified job workforce. Look at what Ford is doing with Blue Oval City. If they ever decide to start building vehicles there, they're going to need that labor, well-trained labor. And again, when you have a school district where the kids are not even showing up for class, and when they do, they're not learning anything, that's a problem.

Well, and you know, for example, FedEx was started here in Memphis and is based here in Memphis. And they are having to bus in workers every night from Mississippi and from other areas of the country every night from three hours away in order to get the workers that they need. It's a problem. Wow. Let's get them off of welfare and get them working time.

Luke Symbol joining us here in studio in Memphis.

So you went on this local ABC affiliate. Yes.

And they're good folks over there. And you, it was sort of like a little debate, right?

Sort of like a CNN light. Yes.

And so they had you going up against one of the Memphis Shelby County School Board members, and her name is. Towana Murphy and Tojana is an aspiring what singer-songwriter. Yes.

A rapper, I think. A rapper. She wrote a lovely little tune called Who Can't He Be Kissing? I believe is the vernacular there. I think I got that right.

Anyway. That's the name of it. Dylan, that in your playlist? No, I don't have that one listing. Yeah.

That's my Spotify rap.

So you were on there with Tojana, and she's the school board member. I want people to understand what you're about to hear, an actual school board member, and y'all are sort of going toe-to-toe. Let's take a listen. Want to increase the proficiency rates, proficiency rates that are far too low right now coming out of MSCS? No, no, I'm going to piggyback off of that because we have level five schools.

We have a 85% graduation rate.

So you can't say that we're not focusing on literacy because we have.

Well, I agree, but that starts in pre-K.

So can you just get the help that's coming? Can you help me? No, no, I'm not going to accept any help. That's coming over as we first of all, we don't even know who these people are, and they all want to be Republicans. You can't come in from another state and tell us how to run our district.

70% black you cannot do that. Nearly $2 billion a year to the district, it certainly can't be. But you spent six billion to audit us.

So, I don't think she likes white people. I'm just going to go ahead and just rip that bandaid off. I think she's got a problem with whitey. You know, she actually made a point here that she did not intend to make. She tried to say, because we have an 85% graduation rate, that is a good thing.

Well, 75% of them are not proficient in reading and math. And that goes, the no child left behind policies under the Bush administration is part of the problem here, that they pass these kids along year after year after year, doing whatever it takes, and they're not. proficient. It is a major problem. I saw when she said, I want to piggyback, you kind of backed up a little bit.

I would have done the same thing. For folks that were not able to watch that live, she's scooting over closer and closer to me. She's yelling. Yeah, she's getting in your face. I thought she was going to smack you.

That would have been good television. It would have been great television.

So again, it's just, it goes back to this one central truth, Luke, is that. We've got to do something about the schools. And the only people willing to do something are the Republicans. And I really hope voters appreciate that. We've got about 30 seconds.

What say you? Look, I totally agree. And again, this is happening across the country. Memphis is such a microcasm for the rest of the country. And if we can solve, if Republicans are willing to have a backbone, come in and fix the problem and message it well, which is always a problem for us, I think it'll benefit us in the elections.

All right, you got to take a quick break. We've got Luke Simbel with us. We'll be right back. Um I paid. Had a hammer, I had a hammer in the morning, I had a hammer in the evening, all over this land.

I had a hammer out of danger, I had a hammer out of warning, I had a hammer out of love between my brothers and my sisters, all over this land. That was my chin, Lord. Is it bleeding? Bring it in the Good lord. Welcome back, everybody.

This is Todd Stern Show. We're trying to do some look-smaxing here. You know, Dylan, I don't think we should do that over a certain age. It can't be good for you. Brittle bones.

Oh, geez. That's terrible. Welcome back, everybody. This is the Todd Stearns Radio Show. Luke Symbol joining us.

And again, I'm impressed with this Nona maxing. You know what it is? The kids come up with something cool, and then the adults step in, and it doesn't become cool anymore. But I love it. I told you, if you go on my Instagram algorithms, I have a lot of Nonas cooking Italian food, and I could sit there all night and watch the videos.

It's called the Italian Grandma Lifestyle Trend.

So they've got, you know, I would say the Greeks too. You know, we had, oh, Kathy Zimbelis from the Memphis Greek Festival on the show.

Okay. And we introduced her to the, you know, to the nation. And, you know, the Greek grandmas and the moms have that same vibe. They do. And we have some great Greek and Italian fests here in Memphis.

And I know, you know, I'm from New York originally. I miss all that Italian food, but we do have some of it here in Memphis.

Well, there you go.

So you never know. All right, Luke Simple, good to see you. Good to see you. All right, folks, hang tight. We'll get some bandages and come back for the last half hour of this broadcast week.

And ladies, how do you make your meatballs? Apparently, there's some big controversy over do you fry them or do you just put them in the sauce? Raw on natural 901-260-5926, our number. That's 901-260-5926. We'll be uh coming up here.

In just a little while. Also, I want to remind you, ladies and gentlemen, that the Todd Stearns book now available for pre-order, it's called The golden, it's called the golden age, till it stop. Todd, you're distracted. You got to get your mind focused. No, you know what it was?

Yes.

I was misreading the clock, so I thought we were going to break, but I ended up going to break two minutes early. Yeah, that's quite quite a bit. It's quite all right. It's a Friday, Todd. It's almost the weekend.

Your mind is set elsewhere. No, you know why. I'm completely distracted now because of my faux pas. Which was all natural as well. Yes, it's all natural here on the hot start show.

I'm going to church. You know what? We don't even have church. I'm a Baptist. We go on so I got I gotta go to the Catholics.

Two more days, Tom. No, I gotta go to I gotta go see the Catholics. Are you a priest? Where's the confessional? Did they still do that?

I just say it. It's really that bad. Oh my word. All right.

In all seriousness, the golden age, ladies and gentlemen, and it is appropriate for children to read. Get yourself a copy at your favorite bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million. Or if you have a local bookstore, we would love for you to read it as well. Coming up tonight, 5 o'clock Eastern, the Todd Stern Show on Newsmax. As I mentioned, our look maxing panel, Ryan Leonard and Jackson Heberland join us.

Also, Angie Wong and Jeffrey Lord will be along, as well as live reports from the Middle East. We'll keep you updated on what's happening, as well as the big press conference Pete Hegseth had this morning. We've got some audio from that, and we'll bring that to you coming up right after the break.

So hang tight, everybody, again, ToddSterns.com. Go check out our website. Be sure to download our free resources for you, including our newsletter and our app. You can listen to 24 hours of Conservative Talk Radio at your leisure. At ToddSterns.com.

We'll be right back, everybody. All right, welcome back, everybody. This is the Todd Stern Radio Show. Let's go right to the phone lines. Let's start in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, KWON, our great affiliate there, Bill.

is going to teach us how to make meatballs. All right, Bill, talk to me. Talk to me.

Alrighty. I've been the recipient of and the beneficiary of several generations of good cooks. My wife has a catering business. The way she fixes them, mixes all the ingredients in the big pan and bakes them first Then makes her sauce and adds the baked meatballs, which are perfectly cooked, to the sauce. There's that.

As a matter of public service, please wear clothes. Nobody cares about your physique except you. Thirdly, you paint the song. If I had a hammer, we had some tornadoes here through Oklahoma, and it's interesting when you go on the Internet and read the comments.

Now, as an Okie, I sympathize and empathize with people who have earthquakes in California. killer snowstorms in the Northeast. drastic heat waves and droughts in Texas. And hurricanes in Florida. And as an Okie, we send church organizations to all of these places.

With Um with contributions and aid it takes a real sick person to blame an area. I actually read something that said it's Oklahoma who cares and that's what they get for going red, which Oklahoma, by the way, is the reddest state in the land for three. Yes, it is. This is no, I knew Oklahoma was. You guys are the reddest state.

As a matter of fact, you're the only state of the union where every county went for Donald Trump in all the elections, all the Trump elections. Yes, welcome to Oklahoma. We have three criteria. We are a sanctuary state, which this is an original. I made it up.

You have to. Have a three-digit IQ. Have a job and be able to speak English, and you can come here. Otherwise, we don't let people in as bad as that sounds. I like it.

I like that. That's. That's so former back. The song you played, If I Had a Hammer. encapsulates the American spirit.

to ridicule another nature area of this country of this great country because of their weather or their locale or their politics takes the one sick puppy to do that. Yeah, this makes no sense to me why they would do that. Bill, you confused me for a second, though, because I thought you said when you're making the meatballs, be sure to wear clothes. But what you were saying, because I would say, yes, you should wear clothes because of the splatter, but you're saying you should wear clothes outside. I understand what you're saying now.

As a public service, you should wear clothes. But we don't fry and don't throw them in raw. My wife bakes them to the perfect consistency, makes the sauce separately, and then puts them in there. And I will put them up against anyone in the world. We have people coming.

She has a catering business. We have people coming in from all over the actually world, but the country. To Oklahoma because it is a destination place for weddings, because we have so many great venues. And she has never had one put back, and people ask for the recipes. And everything.

But uh of course she says she'd have to kill him if she gives it to him. No, I'll make the world The world's best spinach artichoke dip, too. Oh, wow. Bill, what's the name of the catering company? Silver dollar catering in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

My wife is the best. Oh, wow. All right.

Well, Bill, you just gave her a shout-out. And I don't know about you. I could go for some meatballs now. Bill, thank you for calling in. And certainly we do pray for all the people in Oklahoma.

Man, got hit so hard last night. Big tornadoes. Vance Air Force Base took a hit. The good news is minor damage there. Bad news, a lot of the homes around the Air Force Base were completely flattened.

As far as I know, the last report I saw before I came on the show today was that there were lots of injuries, but no fatalities. And we certainly praise the good Lord for that. But you got to watch out for those tornadoes. 901-260-5926. We're learning how to make meatballs.

Let's go to Diana in Flat Rock, North Carolina, listening to us on WHKP. Hi, Diana. What's going on today? Hi, Todd.

Well, I thought I'd call in and tell you what. My ex-husband uh Nona how she taught me to make Italian meatballs. And that was She measured everything in her hand, and I watched, and I carefully paid attention to what she was doing, and then it was put in the sauce to cook.

So the sauce gets that nice flavor from the beef as well as the meatballs cooking.

However, At the end of the lesson, my Father-in-law asked her how I did, and in her Very broken English. That's why I had to watch what she put in. She could not speak English well. She said, She never learned. Oh, wow.

Because I refused to taste the raw meat. Yeah, you can't. I'm with you on that. 'Cause this dig will not taste raw hamburger meat. Oh, I don't blame you one bit.

Is that why those are the ex-in-laws?

Well, amongst many reasons.

Okay, no need to go any further. But I turned around and married another Italian.

So what can I say? Oh, well, there you go.

Now, I hear you have to, there was this great episode in Everybody Loves Raymond where Marie Barone is teaching Patty Heaton's character how to make meatballs. And she said, you make them with love. And then she pulled out a thing of wine. And she says, well, how much wine do I put in the sauce? And Marie Barone said, whatever's left.

So got to have a little bit of wine. We have to put two gloves in. Oh, w is that okay.

Well, that's good to know.

So I've you know, I've just started learning how to really cook well, and uh that's going to be my next adventure: is the uh spaghetti and the meatballs. I've been doing it for 50 years and I haven't had any complaints. Wow. All right.

So you're an expert. Yeah. Diana, thank you for calling in. And we certainly appreciate you listening to WHKP, a great radio station out there in North Carolina. 901-260-5926.

Let's go to Dahloniga, Georgia. Anna is on the line. Hi, Anna. Let's start meetballs. Hey, it's just What you do is you make the meatballs.

You don't throw them in the sauce right away. You have to bake them first. You put them in 400. for about thirty-five minutes, if there's twelve of them, about maybe two inches, three inches, you know. And circumference.

And you put them in there and you let them cook until they're done. And then you put them in a sauce, any kind of sauce you want to put them in. And that's it, pretty much. Wow. So do you make homemade meatballs yourself?

Yes, I do. I do. I'd I put a little bit of I put veal. And pork and a little bit of just ground beef, just a little bit. Oh, yeah, the Holy Trinity.

Yeah, and then I put garlic in there, I smashed the garlic. put it in there but I even the garlic and the onion I cook first before I put them in my meatballs. And you can pretty much put anything in your meatballs that you want. There's a lot of family recipes. And but that's what you do.

You need to cook them first. Good idea to cook them first, not just throw them in there raw. It's a little scary.

Now, Anna, help me understand this because I learned this term, and I hope I get this right. When I was up in New York City and I asked for something, and they said, Do you want the gravy? And I said, Yeah, I love gravy. And it came out, and it was like, That's what they call, I mean, gravy in the south is different than gravy in the north because that's what they call Sunday sauce or is you know, the sauce for like the spaghetti would be the gravy.

Sometimes some people, now I've got a French background, Canadian French background, so you know, I know but I do have family members that are Italian and Sicilian. And they call it gravy too. They don't call it tomato sauce. They don't call it sauce. And I'm from New England.

So, you know, but now I've been living in the South most of my life. And so um but they call it tomato sauce down here like we do.

So I I w I was wondering about that.

Now do you put it on like if the sauce I mean, it it needs to it needs to cook all day, right? You just don't like whip it up and then just serve it. It's got a You gotta you gotta get all the flavors gotta get acquainted. Exactly. When you cook it, when you cook the meatballs and you take them out, They might be a little greasy depending on what kind of meat you use.

You wanna you wanna go ahead and train them. and uh put some paper towels around them and then then put them I what I do is I have sauce in the crock pot and I'll put my meatballs in there and they cook the rest of the day, probably about maybe four or five hours real low. And by the time it's ready to eat, you know, everybody can smell that food cooking. My grandchildren love it.

So, you know, that's the way I do. I love it. When's the Italian Festival, Dylan? We need to. I don't know, but we need to announce a cleaning.

We're going to Olive Garden. Anna, we're bringing you to Memphis. You're going to be our honorary Nona.

Okay, that sounds like a fun debate. All right, and by the way, do you guys still have the Smith house in Dahlonega? Yes, we do. We have the Smith House and we have Rick Jackson over there today today listening to me trying to help him out. But uh he's running for governor of the state of Georgia and I really like this guy.

I really like him. Rick Jackson.

So if he's at the Smiths house Smith house, he's a good guy then.

So. Yes, he is. It's a great place to eat. It's an old place. It's been there for years and years.

And they serve family style. You know, they'll get you in there with a bunch of people that you don't even know, but it's kind of fun. You get to meet other people. It's a very nice place. It's a wonderful place, and our family's been eating there for, gosh, decades.

So just a great, great little place. Anna, thank you so much for calling in and hope you have a great weekend. Folks, we've got to take a quick break here: 901-260-5926. If you've got a good meatball story, we'd love to hear it. 901-260-5926.

This is the Todd Stern Show. All right, welcome back, everybody. This is the Todd Stearns Radio Show. So happy to have you with us, and we're just having a little bit of fun here talking about. Meatballs.

And Nonas. Let's go to David in Germantown, Tennessee, listening to us on KWAM. Hi, David. What's on your mind today? Afternoon, Pod.

How are you? David, I'm doing well. You brought up the Minis Italian Festival, which happens to be the twenty eighth, twenty ninth and thirtieth of May. Forty five teams cooking all the spaghetti gravy you would ever want to try and taste. I think we ought to get you in as a judge.

I am there. Twist my arm. I am there, David. I will talk to the lady next Thursday night at the meeting at the festival, and we will see if we can get you in as a judge for the gravy. I would be honored.

Now, David, tell me though about you. You say gravy.

So, what is the gravy?

Well, the gravy is what we down here in the south call spaghetti sauce.

So, uh I mean if You know, everything we do at the Italian Festival is based out of Italy.

So a little taste of Italy here in Memphis for the weekend. What we call spaghetti sauce or tomato sauce down here is what they call gravy. Boom. I see.

Now, there's a great little place right around the corner from my home, and it's called. I hope I get this correct: Vanelli's. Vanelli's deli, yep, been there, eat there all the time. Wow, yeah, the food there is just really good, and they do a great job. And then there's another guy that opened up a place not too far away from there, and they're really great sandwiches as well.

I'm curious, David, what is it that makes good Italian food great? I don't know. I get to eat from I get to eat from so many different teams during the festival. Every one of them has their own specialty and depending on what spices they put in it, how much oregano, how much of basil, everybody's a little different. Everybody's just great.

Just occasionally they they come up with the contest and Somebody has to win. And we use volunteer testers to do that with. Wow. That's. Oh, the name of the other place I was thinking about, and please, I'm going to get Pesci's?

P-E-S-C-E-S. Yeah, I've never been there. Heshey's Italian Deli. The guy listens to the radio show and has they just opened up, and it's a great shop, and they make their own meats and sausages and I'm like, wow, this is good eating, as they say. Yeah.

So and one of the things we do at the Italian Festival is we have cooking demos of people showing how they cook. Uh different restaurants how they cook their Italian food. Dylan, you gotta go. Dylan, you got to go. You got to learn.

I would love to go. Yeah. Okay. I will take care of that for you.

So I'll get it through I'll get it to you through Clint.

Well, that's well, sounds good. That's uh that the yeah, th that's our beloved Clint, the family member there.

So uh, David, I gotta tell you though, I've heard nothing but great things about the Italian Festival, and you guys just really it's a lot of fun to put on a a big festival like that. It's a lot of work, but it is a lot of fun. It's the hardest week of work you'll ever do. We're going to have to do it. We have to have the park turned back over to the city by Monday morning.

But there's wine-making contests. There's. gravy contest, there's anything but Italian contest. It just gets all sorts of food there. If you're a foodie person, this is where you need Now unfortunately, if you're not on a team, you won't get to eat there, but we have restaurants and stuff in the park that We serve a nice meal.

Pete and Sam's. will be there this year. What's the other? Garibaldis will be there. Colettas will be there.

Oh, wow. Yeah, we have we have lots of it's it's fun, it's exciting, it's something to learn.

Well, David, we appreciate you letting us know about that. And hang tight, and we'll get your info as well.

So don't hang up. Helen's going to pick up the phone. And thank you for what a great opportunity, Dylan. I could be an official judge. Already do the Great Tomato, the Great Memphis Tomato Festival.

So, I mean, that's the next logical step. It's an upgrade, it's gravy.

So hungry. I love that. Let's go back to Bartlesville, Oklahoma. KWON Keith is on the line and wants to talk meatballs. Hi, Keith.

How are you doing? I'm doing well. Thanks for asking. Because what you need to do is get some lean bison beef Then you need to use extra, extra virgin olive oil to saute your gun onions and garlic up. Then you set that aside, then you add a little veal to it.

You put the rest of it in when it's cooled off, you roll them into three inch balls, bake them for about twenty minutes until they're just not quite done, but they're done on the outside.

Okay. Then you throw them in your sauce. And then you what you the secret ingredient is Japanese panko crumbs. Oh, and so and it finishes cooking in the sauce. Is that how that works?

Yeah. They're almost done, but they're not. And the panko crunch will soak up the the blood in it. Oh, and it makes it they make them so soft, but they're great at the same time. Keith, how did you come up with bison?

Buffalo is just a little leaner than cattle is, but you could use either one. Yeah. Oh, that's a great idea. All right, I'm ready. And by the way, folks, if you want to go back and listen to some of these ideas, you can just get the podcast.

It's free, and you can go back and listen to it. Keith, this is a great idea.

So, are you the cook in the family? I am. All right.

Wow. I love this.

So, well, Keith, thank you. Again, we've had a lot of calls from Barglesville this week.

So we love you guys, and you've got a great town out there in Oklahoma. I've heard that too. Everybody, be safe out there for the tornadoes. Me and my Rottweiler say hi, and you guys have a good day. All right.

All right.

Be safe out there, Keith. And yes, all of our Kansas and Oklahoma listeners, be very careful those big storms out there. Dylan, I feel like we're doing a cooking show now. God, I'm going to have to release my stomach because it's growling so loudly. I'm so hungry.

So, Pesci's is not too far from you. You know, those big buildings over on the corner of that, they got a little place there. I might go there right after work. Great guy. Great guy.

Just a, it's a, it's a family, you know, it's like Vanelli's. If you haven't been to Vanelli's, you got to go to Vanelli's. They got some amazing food. Yeah, we have some of the best food in Memphis. Memphis, the Memphis food scene.

I know everybody loves to talk about our barbecue. We have an amazing food scene here in Memphis. I'm just telling you folks, it's time to go eat. All right, and it's also time for us to ramp up the show. It's been a lot of fun.

Folks, ToddSterns.com, go check it out. Pre-order the book, The Golden Age. We're going to see you tonight, 5 o'clock Eastern on Newsmax. In the meantime, have a great and safe Friday. And whatever you do, be sure to go to church this weekend, everybody.