Lovett or Leave It - ICC You Next Tuesday

Episode Date: July 24, 2026

Jon Ossoff lays into Pete Hegseth, Trump puts the squeeze on Canada, and Zohran Mamdani removes the welcome mat for Benjamin Netanyahu. This week, Brendan Hunt is at the top of his game, talking Ted Lasso, Jimothy, and the World Cup. Gregg Araki joins to talk about Gen X, Gen Z, and what happens when people are afraid of discomfort. And then we all get comfortable with our Second Thoughts.For a transcript of this episode, please email [e-mail].

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I'm John Lovett. And like every water main in Los Angeles, I'm cracking at the seams. We've got a great show for you tonight, but first let's get into it. What a week? On Tuesday, Defense Secretary and Guy who didn't wipe off the bench press

when he was done using it, Pete Hagseth, appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee demanding $70 billion in additional funding for the Pentagon to replenish stocks depleted in the war with Iran. I don't see why this man has to beg when we can more than pay for it with the money we saved by cutting food stamps, said a mother splitting a sandwich at half for her two kids. And yet, when questioned by Senator Dick Durbin, Hegeseth claimed that the war in Iran cost a fraction of that amount. Do you have a new estimate about what the war has cost us so far in this, the fifth month of the first year of this war in Iran?

Senator, the estimate we have as of today is $37.5 billion. Senator Durbin shot back, and am I reading this right? It says all we got is this lousy t-shirt. And the defense secretary dodged questions about $75 billion in defense funding that remains unspent. Here's Durbin again. We are told the Department of Defense still has $75 billion in obligated funding from last year's reconciliation. saliation package. Is that true? Roughly correct numbers, yes. So you left some change on the dresser before you prepared to come for this hearing.

What's going to happen to that $75 billion? Well, that $75 is, there's plans and designs on that, part of the rebuild of our military, which had to be undertaken. This is from 2026, one big beautiful bill, which helped move the president's priorities like Golden Dome for America, move away from all the woke priorities of what the Biden administration was pursuing. So he has $75 billion, but he needs that for signs that say, welcome to the Pentagon, no queer slash fatties. For the record, the Pentagon's budget increased every year that Joe Biden was president, though. God knows how much money we blew on woke priorities, like choosing pronouns for all the drones, and all drag queen combat unit called Delta Fierce,

the Office of Tactical Poetry and Women Lawyers. During the hearing, Georgia Senator John Ossoff questioned Hengseth on his rosy statements about the war, including his claim that Iran's military had been destroyed. Had Iran's military been rendered, quote, combat ineffective for years to come? That was a statement that you made four months ago. They had 160 naval vessels in the blue water navy, and they're gone. Their air force is completely combat ineffective, and they don't have a defense industrial base. So, described to me a country that doesn't have an air force, a Navy,

or a defense industrial base. And I will describe to you a company that, the country that does not have an effective military. It can lob missiles. Mr. Secretary, you stated four months ago that Iran's military had been rendered, quote, combat ineffective for years to come. Has Iran's military been for the last four months, combat ineffective? It's been set back not just years, but likely decades.

Kiss, kiss, kiss. Let's break down why John Alsoff is so good at this. He's under 70, and he can talk. Now we turn to someone over 70 who can't. On Wednesday, Trump ratcheted up his threats, writing on true social, quote, anytime the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by missile, rocket, drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant.

Trump still hasn't formally said the war is even back on, by the way. It's like a horrible situation ship. He says he doesn't like labels, but he's bombing my power plants like three nights a week, and I don't think he's at war with anyone else. So... When asked about Trump's comments, here's what Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. I saw Arachi, their foreign minister, who the other day say, or something about their policies, an eye for an eye.

The president's policy is ahead for an eye. I mean, honestly, that's what it's going to be. I mean, they will pay a very heavy price for the things they're doing. They're already paying a very heavy price. Ah, yes. A head for an eye. because nothing says we're the good guys like thinking Hamarabi was a soft little bitch boy.

Don't say what I say. I trained a long time to talk this way and I actually got approval from many layers of government to be allowed to say this. So I'm saying these words, but you can't say these words. It's terrible if you do it. I trained to do this. I prepared for years to get to the point

where I'm allowed to say these words. Okay? Okay. Okay. There are children here. The reason Trump's threats are escalating is because, as Asaf noted, for all of the administration's bluster, we have not destroyed Iran militarily. The actual cost of the war is by some estimates over $100 billion. And despite all of our might, the regime in Iran remains in power and in control of the strait. And so on Thursday, Trump told Axios that he is considering launching major strikes. against Iran saying, quote, I am considering a massive attack bigger than ever before. I am close to

making a decision. We're all set for it, which is still only the second worst situation in which to hear Trump say, I'm close. Speaking of things Trump can't do, the Department of Justice has withdrawn its subpoena aimed at journalists who reported on the security vulnerabilities of Trump's new Qatari plane. A great victory for journalism, said the AI being trained to replace those journalists. DOJ's capitulation came after a hearing in which a federal judge berated Trump's lawyers for errors in their filings and for their decision to hastily issue the subpoenas in the first place. It was a tough blow to the last lawyers willing to work for the Trump administration,

a recent graduate of Huntington Beach Law School, and a mop prepped up against a briefcase. Speaking of mopping up, last week, Zoran Mamdani, the mayor of New York, told the New York Times that his office was exploring whether or not New York City had the authority to a arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he attends the UN General Assembly in September, which is a weird thing to reveal publicly. You'd think, as a Hamas supporter, Mamdani would value the element of surprise. Then in a video released Tuesday,

Mamdani officially concluded that New York City cannot legally arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, and if I know anything about the NYPD, they're real sticklers for the rules, said the mayor. As human beings, we have spent generations building a human. shared understanding that there are crimes so grave they offend all of humanity. Anyone with their eyes, with their heart, with their conscience should recognize the devastation he has wrought and understand that he belongs before a court of law. Is it interesting that he doesn't suggest arresting the leaders of Hamas or that the only person he wants arrested just happens to be Jewish? No, that's actually

not interesting at all. Netanyahu is the only person with an active arrest warrant by the international criminal court planning a trip to New York, unless Joseph Coney has some unannounced travel plans. Remember Coney 2012? When people thought a hashtag could stop a war crime, and then the guy who started it had some kind of psychotic break? Remember that? Remember Obama? The only other alleged war criminal with an active arrest warrant by the ICC who has visited the United States in many years is Russian president and horse girl Vladimir Putin when Trump rolled out the red carpet for him in Alaska. Why didn't that state's governor try to arrest Putin? I'm. I don't know. I'll ask up.

Of course, it is absurd to suggest that New York could arrest Benjamin Netanyahu when the U.S. hasn't even signed on to the international tribunal. The ICC is like Tinkerbell. It only works when you believe in it, and it's a European fantasy for children. And finally, Hunter Biden has made a couple appearances lately, where he's said a version of this. I believe that the biggest problem in America is in Washington, D.C., with the federal government, is a is it not the oligarchy um closet cases it's the closetocracy as i call it it is and i'm and i'm

being totally serious everybody knows there is like this closeted gay mafia largely republican the the only reason that that is relevant is because i believe that internal conflict creates so much vitrial inside a person that they take it out on the the rest of the world. And they do. In the regular mafia, guys sleep with the fishes, but in the gay mafia, they're sleeping with the Mitches. In the gay mafia, you belong to a crime chosen family. And get this, in the gay mafia, everybody wants to get whacked. Not looking over there.

Biden, Biden went further with Don Lemon. Who else? And no, I'm not going to, like... Who else? I'm already in enough lawsuits, done. Allegedly. Allegedly. Allegedly. Allegedly. I mean, are you asking me if Josh Hawley's gay?

Yes. Are you acting me of Stephen Miller's gay? Yes. Yeah. I don't know. First of all, Stephen Miller does not have a sexuality. He produces and releases spores after emerging from the ground on a 13-year cycle. I have no doubt that there are are a bunch of Republicans who are secretly fabulous, but this old kind of fake, sophisticated

idea that the closet cases hate gay people the most is just bullshit. It's not about being gay. It's that having a selfish, small-minded worldview requires all kinds of hypocrisies and contradictions, some of which may relate to who you find attractive, passing a bill that cuts a trillion dollars from health care and food stamps in order to lower the top marginal tax rate and increase the exemption for the estate tax to $15 million while claiming you uphold Christian values is no less of a conflict in opposing gay marriage while soliciting gay prostitutes. It wasn't a secret cabal of gay Republicans that led us here. It was a Republican party that embraced Trump and all of his corruption and cruelty right out in the open. And it was a Democratic

party that was unable to convince enough Americans to side with us because too many saw Democrats as no better, in part because Hunter Biden's corruption made us look like hypocrites. And it is obviously a hard thing for me to say. It brings me no pleasure to say this because Hunter Biden is one of my favorite artists. Look at this beautiful tree, magnificent. And we've got a magnificent show for you tonight. And we'll be right back. Hey, don't go anywhere.

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sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com slash love it. That's better help.com slash love it. And we're back. Ted Lasso's Brendan Hunt will join me in just a moment. But first, Crooked has a new show with the producers of the circus and left-right TV that you'll definitely want to check out before the midterms. It's called Long Play. The six episode series hosted by Jen Palmary, Aaron Haynes, and Mitch Landru.

It's all about the South as the new epicenter of American Palmary. Each episode will focus on a different state, and the first two are out now at YouTube.com slash at longplay series and on the long play feed wherever you get your podcast. And if you are in LA, come grab your tickets for love it or leave it at crooked.com slash events to check out our new studio and upcoming guests, including Hamilton's DeVeed Diggs, Anthony Michael Hall, from the Breakfast Club and New Girl writer and comedian Elliot Glazer. All right. Please welcome to the stage from Ted Lassau and the World Cup halftime show. It's Brendan Hunt. Thanks for being here.

Welcome. Nice to see you. Ted Lassau. Ted Lassau. It was, we were done. It was over. Three seasons. Yeah.

And then, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Yep. Like Jeffrey Epstein showing up on a boat. Yes. In the Atlantic. Exact comparison we've all been using, yes. Ted Lassow, back. Yes.

For another season. Wow. Agree. What did it take, like, what was the thing that had to happen to go from? It's not happening to it is happening. Basically, it took Jason Siddicus waking up one morning and, you know, looking bleary-eyed at his image in the mirror and going, eh, fuck it. And that's about what it was.

Wow. We knew what we needed, we needed time off at the very least after three. And we literally, we just did not know if it was going to come back or not. And like, it's a full-on gig, especially for Jason. So, you know, give the man his space and he can decide. But eventually, yeah, he came around to it. And I think particularly because it's a women's team now, that just made it more interesting to, like, not come back and be doing the exact same thing.

So, I mean, it raises a level of difficulty a little bit to be like... Because women are worse actors. That's the main thing. I was thinking, yeah, yes, thank you, God. I was trying to fight. What's the nice way to say this? No, because it's like, welcome, well, you know, welcome to the... It's the show you loved before with

this is about 30% of the characters that you loved. So like, just stick with us. It's kind of on its way to a spinoff, but it's not a spinoff. It's not a spinoff, no. Was there a talk of a spinoff? There, I guess there was.

Yeah, I was not privy to these conversations, but apparently a few of my fellow castmates have taken their swing in one way or another. But, no, we have no Seattle setting here. There's nobody frasuring out so far. We're back in the same old place. We also talked about maybe it comes back and it's a women's team, but it's in Kansas City.

We were thinking about that for a while, but at the end, we're like, Richmond's too important and too lovely, and it's got to be Richmond. So that's where we are. Now, you've talked about Boom Chicago, which is in Amsterdam. So it's called Boom Chicago. It's very confusing.

Which is a trick. As a formative experience, as an improv theater, how did doing that, doing improv in, in Amsterdam, in Europe in front of a non-American audience, how did that get you ready for Ted Lassau? In two ways. Offstage and on. The main off-stage thing was,

before I moved to Amsterdam, I could not have given one, much less two shits about soccer. But I was open to many more experiences in Amsterdam, and then one of them was having pints at 3 o'clock in the afternoon every Saturday and Sunday to watch a bunch of English people, you know, kick each other. and becoming very, very into that. And if I had not gotten into football,

and then, you know, when Jason came out to work at Boom Chicago and Joe Kelly came out to work in Boom Chicago, if I had not, like, transmuted to them, like, guys, we were lied to. Suck or it doesn't suck. Then that might not have, then, yeah, Ted Lassen maybe never happens. But the other thing is, like, that theater at Boom, Chicago, it's just the best, it's the best fucking gig. Like, it's the first time for those of us who went out there,

and like a bunch of people you've heard of have gone to this weird-ass random theater in Amsterdam. Seth Myers, his last show was my first show, Jordan Peel was there, Jason was there for a while, et cetera, a bunch of folks, Amber Ruffin. And it's your first, like, professional acting job. And you're performing constantly, like at least five shows a week in a 300-seat house. And it was charitly described by a guest director as being, like, the Beatles in Hamburg, because you're getting your 10,000 hours, but you're performing for people who have English as a second language, and they're drunk. And you need to really, really give it you're all if you're going to reach them.

And that's just a certain kind of muscle that you're not really, you know, flexing anywhere else. When did the Beatles go to Hamburg? Oh. Oh, this is, well. I didn't know about that. I got ten minutes on that. Roughly, 1962. George was too young when they first went.

He got turned back at the airport. Wow. Wasn't old enough for George to go to Hamburg. No, no. But that's where they discovered leather jackets. Oh. Hey, you were part of the World Cup halftime show. Yeah.

The unanimously beloved halftime show. Was there people not like? What happened? Oh, well, a lot of people were like, there shouldn't be a halftime show at the World Cup final. Yeah, well, a lot of those people said there shouldn't be liberty. But we had another thing to say about that, didn't we? That's right.

Didn't we? The Venn diagram is two quarters resting on each other. Yeah, it just, it was bonkers. It was bonkers, and, you know, I don't think there should be a halftime show either. If there is going to be one, it shouldn't be 20. minutes, but it should be for a charity, which is a global citizen, which is a charity very worth having two billion, you know, pairs of eyes on. And I was delighted to be part of it. Like, it's just a fucking ridiculous thing. So they were, people are mad about like the

Americanization of the World Cup and that included having halftime shows. Yes, but it's like, hydration breaks and commercials in the middle of a half and, uh, and yeah, the halftime show was, was rather over the top. Which is, you know, it's like, all right, at a certain point, look, I know, Our president, he's terrible. And America, we make a lot of mistakes. But there are certain things where I wish the Europeans would give us a little bit of trust. Like, you're afraid we're going to take something and make it less entertaining? That's not what we do.

Like, that's not what we do? Like, let us do the thing we're good at. Take something that you did. And that was small, boring, and a little gay. And, like, let us do our thing with it, you know? and we'll make it more fun. Half-time show. Damn right, there should be a halftime show.

I go to soccer games all the time now because I have season tickets to Angel City, the team here in Los Angeles, because my husband used to be a lesbian, and they kept that. That's beautiful. That part did not change. No, they kept that.

Any highlights when you were rehearsing with Shakira, Dutamel and Justin Bieber. Hey, how did Dutemel? How does Gustavo Dutemal and Shakira get on? Apparently great. Sorry, as far as I can tell. Gustavo Dutamel, among other people there, call her Shaq, which is great since she's like 4-11.

But because there's so much other insanity at this halftime show, like when I heard people being like in Shacks next, I thought they were actually talking about Chiquel O'Neill. Like I thought Chiquel was actually part of the show. And because, like, of course it is. You know, cold play, Dudamel, the Muppet. It's Shaquille O'Neal? Totally.

It's possible. Turns out it's just Shakir. It's Shakir the whole time. And that's probably better in the long run. Was it, like, was being there with Dutamel with all of those people throwing their underwear at him? Did that make it challenging to be in character because people were losing their minds and ripping their clothes off for the great Dutemel? Hey, man. Some of that underwear was mine.

But back to FIFA. Was it strange being there amongst the FIFA? Yes and no. I mean, I focused pretty hard in it being a global citizen joint, you know, which it was. FIFA hired them to do this thing. And the problem is, like, FIFA

who are, like, nakedly corrupt and will stay that way until the Swiss government for the first time decides they don't want corrupt organizations in their country. So never. And unfortunately, they're good at one thing, is throwing the World Cup, at which they do an admirable job of something that is, like,

logistically. Insane. Insane. Like, it's as insane as, I can't even think of anything as big as doing it, like outside of, and I'm being a cavalier, but I think accurately, like, a war. Like, it's fucking huge. And then football rises above, you know, the players and the excellence and the, and the community that rises up around a World Cup all supersede what a fucking shit show.

FIFA is, but they make no mistake, despite them being good as one thing. They are 100% corrupt, and they don't care, who knows. Do you ever think about how right now in different Swiss mountains, there are just bombs that are set up that they can blow at any time to cut off the country and protect themselves from attack? I would say I never think about it, but that's because I didn't know. Oh, yeah. And out that I know, that's a heck of a defense system. Yeah, it's sort of an emergency, case of a real emergency. But they haven't had to use it because it's so high. If you ask me, Ted Lassau hits so hard at a show because at the end of the day, all we want

is for a nice guy with a mustache to give us a pep talk. You hear that, dad? No. All right. He doesn't listen. Brendan, our next segment is called Love It or Believe It. I will give you a person-placer thing, and you're going to have to give them a Ted Lassow style pep talk.

Then we'll switch off. Sure. And just so we're clear, we know that I don't play Ted Lassow. No, no, but it's Ted Lassau, the vote vibe of the show. Got it, got, got, got, got it. I'm not sorry, yes, Ted Lassow style in the optimistic vibe of the show. Okay, okay, okay, because you're not also your character on the show, you're running hot. Yeah, he doesn't talk very much.

It's right, so you're talking this whole time. So I don't have to do a drawl or anything. No, you need to be you. But I could do it. Because we're both doing it. Great. I'm not asking you to be Ted Lassow anymore than I'm asking myself to be Ted Lassau. And the style of Ted Lassau, the inspirational show with a belief sign that people hit with their hand.

I feel seen. That anybody can hit on the show. Okay. You know, when you think about it. Because I know you're not Ted Lassa. That's, that's clearer to me now than ever, and I appreciate it. All right, Brendan, you're up first. Jimothy, the Seattle Raccoon with a short spine who went viral.

What am I looking at? That's it. That's Jimothy. In any other era, he would have been like a cryptid that people thought was a monster. But now we know because of footage. So he needs a little pep talk. Hey there, Jimothy. buddy, buddy, I know it feels like people are making fun of you or trying to bring you down,

but that's just because you're special. And people don't like seeing special things. It makes them feel unspecial. So speaking for all, you know, the other people who have metaphorically grown up as short-spined raccoons at their elementary schools, it gets better. Gets better, Jimetty. That was beautiful. That was beautiful.

All right. I'm up next. I have a pep talk for the guy in charge of making Elon Musk's AI Odyssey. Hey, guy that Elon Musk is having made through GROC, an AI adaptation of Homer's Odyssey, no one is going to blame you. We might blame you for being the person that Elon asked. But when this turns out to be nothing or worse than nothing, just a bunch of absolute fucking slop, no one's going to say

who did this to Elon so it's kind of you're kind of in the money you're playing with the house as money which is Elon's money which is being used again not to build a hospital or a museum right which he could certainly do but in fact to pay for a couple everywhere give everyone one instead he's going to make

an AI version of an all white AI Odyssey that is what the richest human being in the history of our fucking species is spending his time on. That is amazing. That is amazing. Also, because it just shows a basic misunderstanding

of what people look like in the Mediterranean. It's not that white. It never really has been. I would say that being obviously white would be a surprise to the Greek immigrants who first arrived at this country and did not receive, I would say, a white welcome. The ancestors of the English and Scottish

did not roll out the red welcome whites carpet for the Greeks. The next person needs a pep talk from you, Brendan, is the little girl from the other mommy trailer, which is a new horror movie that just dropped for many fans who were shocked and fucking had their stomachs dropped when they're about to see The Odyssey, and they see this. Bella, you need a grown-up to help you.

So, uh, my mom. Mommy's a spider under the table now. It's super scary. It's super scary in the theater. Oh, my gosh. They got me with that. They got me, Brendan Hunt. They got me.

Pep talk for this little girl. What do you think? Hey, little girl. You know, when your kid, you think loves forever. But the older you get, the more you realize it's not. And your dad might have a bunch of wives by the time it's all said and done. And if this one's not so great, you know, it'll be like a funny thing you laugh about.

Unfortunately, it might be over his grave, but yeah, this is just a blip, a blip in time. Don't you worry about nothing? Can I say it gets better again? It gets better! It gets better! That was beautiful. And it says here, one final pep talk for ICE agents.

According to the Washington Examiner, morale amongst ICE agents is currently lower than it was during the Biden administration, with officers themselves describing the agency as a powder keg ready to blow. Sounds like they need a pep talk. Hey guys. Kill yourselves.

Classic lasso. That was one of them. That was one of them, I don't, you know, it wasn't like explicit, but that's what I took away from season two. Hey guys, quit. That's it. That's better.

All right. Brendan Hut, everybody, Ted Lassow, season four. Hey, don't go anywhere. There's more of Love It or Leave It coming up. Love It or Leave It is brought you by PolicyGenius. It's crazy how different your life can look from one summer to the next. Are you and your family financially protected for whatever the future holds?

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Sundays for Dogs.com slash love it or use code love it at checkout. And we're back. Thank you, Brendan. Season 4 of Ted Lassow premieres Wednesday, August 5th on Apple TV Plus. The plus stands for shows. Now please welcome to the stage. The director of films like the Doom Generation, Mysterious Skin, and the brand new I Want Your Sex.

It's Gregoraki. Hi, welcome. Thanks for being here. Come on through. Hey, I get to meet you here. Hi. Hello. So, you did an interview recently where you said, and I quote,

America has so much unhappiness, people are old and miserable, hate their fucking lives, so therefore they have to lash out at immigrants or trans people. A lot of them are sexually repressed. And start wars. And bomb people. Not the Americans I've met. What are you talking about?

Yeah, I mean, I, It is kind of like that old, like, cliche of like, make love, not war. I think that just in general, you know, we're living in such a fucking hellish kind of nightmare time that, you know, sexual repression. I think I'm a child, the generation of, like, sexual liberation, you know, and just, like, coming out and gay rights and all of that. So I feel like all the progress that has been made, you know, through all the. these ages, a lot of it's being sort of pushed back, you know, like it was that feeling of like going backwards. I mean, it's kind of what mega is, is like going back to the bad old days. So I feel like a lot of that oppression is sort of playing out in like these, this violence and

this kind of terrible shit going on. So I feel like there's a tension which is like, but isn't this a comedy show? Yeah, yeah, we'll laugh. I just feel like everyone's like, oh, fuck, it's so depressing. No, no, I'm interested. It's a comedy show where we can also just have like an interesting moment and they'll, and they'll be like, wow. Can we start to cry, though? Is that okay?

If you want, you can do whatever you want. They're laughing right now. But now they're going to stop. No, but I was thinking about it because the movie you have coming out is a little bit about this tension between like Gen Z and, millennials and gen X in like the kind of Gen Z kind of moving away for being like sex negative

not having as much sex but it's this strange thing where okay the older generations are repressed despite having part of the sexual sort of liberation you're talking about the younger generations more than any have been encouraged to try to be in touch

with their feelings be okay with their feelings and yet the end result seems to be moving away from sex like how do you think about that? Yeah I also it's interesting because the film it's kind of a major theme the movie, the Olivia Wilde character plays what I describe as a sort of cross between Madonna

and Robert Mapplethorpe. Like she's this kind of superstar artist, and her work is about sex and sexuality. And so she's sort of a child of the sexual revolution, and her work and her whole life trajectory, very much like my life trajectory, is all based on sex and sexuality and these sort of sexual adventures. And she talks about it in the movie where her... sexual experiences are her whole journey. You know what I mean? Like she would not be the person she is. She would not have made the art she makes without sex and without these experiences, which

sometimes in the moment are confusing, fucked up, traumatic, or what, you know I mean? But at the end of the day, that kind of confusion, those moments of uncomfortableness or conflict or when you have your heart broken, when you're with the wrong person, all of that is part of your life journey and really your evolution is a person. I know personally I feel that way. And so her character, that's where she's coming from. And then the Cooper Hoppin character is 23 in the movie, and he sort of is the Gen Z representative.

And he very eloquently talks about the predicament sort of a Gen Z in terms of They were raised during COVID. They've been so, you know, their technology has been part of their life from the time they were babies. And so communication in-person contact is difficult, you know, from the start. So it's a really interesting debate and something that I personally, as a filmmaker, I don't mean to lecture anybody, but I really want to just open a conversation. And I want people, the movie's 90 minutes. It's fun, it's sexy, it's a comedy.

It's meant to be enjoyed. But there are a lot of kind of themes and topics and ideas. And I really want people to be engaged in conversations and argue about it and pick aside. And really get into what is, you know, again, this sort of debate between this sort of asexual generation versus the, you know, promiscuous, like 70s. whatever, and just sort of talk about that, because I think it is something very important. And it's one thing that the other living wild character says in the movie that is kind of, she's a little bit of a mouthpiece for me in the sense that she's like, your whole generation's

about FOMO, but you're literally missing out on the sexual prime of your life. Is that okay? You know what I mean? Like, are you going to be 45, 50 years old one day and go, what the fuck was I thinking. Like, you know, I was 25 years old and beautiful and I just like hit away like all these years. And, you know, I'm in my 60s and life is fucking, it goes by very fast. You know what I mean? And you really, I live a life, my life personally, I have no regrets. Like, you know, I mean, I've literally had such an amazing life and career and got to make all, you know, 12 movies and I've done so many cool things that I never could have imagined doing. as a young person. But a lot of it was because, you know, I went out into the world and had these

adventures and took these risks, you know, and I feel like that's so much of what life is. But again, I don't want to preach to anybody. Like, everybody should have, you know, be on their own path. But I just would like to bring up that idea of don't miss out. Brendan, are you filled with sexual regrets about your youth? I might have been had I not moved to Amsterdam. But five years in Amsterdam, I saw some things, John. I saw some things, and I can feel pretty happy with what happened. Did you participate, though?

It was my question. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No spectators allowed in these situations. So what I also was thinking about is, like, all right, I feel like Jen Axe was considered kind of like a, Nealistic generation. Gen Z has a little bit about that too. And I often think that one reason there's like a tension between the boomers and the millennials is like we're kind of similar, right?

Like there's a narcissism of small difference. Like the boomers and the millennials, they're a little narcissistic, demanding. We're kind of a general, we're complainers. The Gen X and and Gen Z, you kind of hang at the back of the room a little bit in a similar way. Like you, you know what I'm saying? That there is like something in common between the two. And I'm wondering, like are you yelling a little bit at like is gen z kind of a stand-in for young gen x to you i mean i don't feel like again i don't feel like i'm yelling at anybody i just i i really just want it is a sub-dom thing like she's dominates cooper hoffman no she Olivia literally plays the dom and cooper's the sub and they have a very kind of charged but also unhealthy relationship

the way i describe the movie is that it's like this crazy concept sex comedy and it's it's like this adventure that he has that there's a point in the movie where he's all, you destroyed my fucking life, like you destroyed me, you know? And in that moment he feels like

my life is ruined because I had this affair with my boss. But I like to think that when the Cooper Cooper's character is 45 years old, he's going to look back on that experience and go that was fucking so crazy and insane. I can't believe that happened,

but I'm so glad it happened. Do you what I mean? Like it was such a valuable and important experience in my life. Like even things in your life, as I said, that are confusing at the time they're somewhat, you know, upsetting or they throw you off track or you just, a lot of times when you're young and your, you know, your heart gets broken. You're devastated.

I can remember as a young person, like, breaking up with somebody and just being like destroyed you know what I mean but that's life you know I mean it's something that I feel like and I think it's important I mean for me just again as something in my 60s looking back um yeah those those moments were formative they and I wouldn't trade them for anything even if at the time they were very painful thank you Greg the movie I want your sex hits theaters on five on Friday July 31st against Spider-Man So again, Spider-Man, I feel like it's a different audience. What?

And we'll be right back. Hey, don't go anywhere. There's more of Love It or Leave It coming up. Love It or Leave It is brought you by Helix. Sleep. God, it's important. A good night's rest sets you up for a great day. I didn't sleep that great last night. Honestly, I got back from Love It or Leave It.

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I have a dawn lock, because I sleep on it every goddamn night. It's great. Helixleep.com slash love it for 27% off sitewide. This offer is exclusive to love it or leave it listeners. That's helixleep.com slash love it for 27% off sitewide. Helixleep.com slash love it. There's no shortcut for saving time. But saving money is simple. Just combine your car and home insurance with Bel Air Direct and save. Get a quote at bellair direct.com. An inspirational portrait of a farmer's son who rises from humble beginnings to build a luxury fashion empire. Brunello, the gracious visionary, traces Brunello

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How Gay Is This Beloved Sports Monster? Here's how works. I'm going to ask you to rank the following mascots on the Kinsey Scale. As a reminder, in case you aren't doing any dated so that you're going to be a lot of sociological research. On the Kinsey scale, zero is absolutely straight, while six is 100% gay. Are you ready? First up.

Violet the Raven for the Golden State Valkyries. This is the WMBA. Meet Violet the Raven, the mascot for the Golden State Valkyries. Is she a straight lady raven? Are we looking at a femme lesbian? What do we think? Do we just yell out the answer? Whatever you think?

My answers are they're just? all fucking gay, super gay, gay. So I'm just going to say gay, gay, gay, and I'm just going to say top or bottom. And this is bottom completely. Okay. Okay. We're saying

this is a six and a bottom. Okay. I can only come from myself and my culture. Wait, straight culture? Wait, there's straight people in this show? Sometimes.

Then they get through the filter. But to be perfectly honest, my first reaction tour, just the pose alone, I was like, oh, well, that's pretty straight. But then I started looking at the accessories and the glasses and the hair, and I'm going five. Okay, okay. Wow. All right. Wow. Great.

Done. Wait. You don't put the answer up so we know who was wrong and who is right? We are the answer. Yeah. Here's the cool thing. There's actually no, we asked Raven, and she's not doing interviews right now. Violet the Raven wouldn't give his answer, so we can just decide for her, which is usually not acceptable on sexual orientation, but with the mascots will allow it.

All right. Next up, Freddie Fever for the Indiana fever. This is for Indiana. This is the mascot for a team named after something that, you know, can either be no big deal or can kill you. I mean, that is definitely not a, that is not a strong. straight outfit for sure. I don't know. I'm thinking three or four at least, right?

What do you think? I mean, I'm just being affected by the energy here, but I go six bottom. Six bottom. Six bottom all the way. Next up, Japanese mascot Kapparu. This is, according to the Japanese Foundation, Toronto website, this is the official mascot of Shiki Satama Prefecture.

He's a Kappa monster carrying a messenger bag. Recently, he won a Best Performance Award at a mascot contest in Taiwan for playing bass guitar. So what do we think about Kappa Roo? I mean, that's, again, pretty fucking gay. I don't know. Does the bass player part change anything? Yeah, that is a... Right.

It would be sort of a lesbian thing to do. We don't really know the gender either. I mean, I don't think Caparoo knows either, which is fine. I don't think Caparou believes in gender as a construct. Like that time when someone asked Joe Biden, he's like, that's a trick question, seven. Which is so funny. I'm going to say, asexual can't be charted. I think this is an ace situation.

That's what I think. Off the charts. Off the charts. I'm going to mix it up a bit. Say six talks. Wow. Wow. Surprising. Surprising. Next up we have the sentient pop-tart mascot. The mascots of the Pop-Tart bowl are giant Pop-Tarts who are sacrificed to a giant toaster and emerge toasted to be eaten by the winning college football team. Follow your dreams. That is being lowered into a toaster.

That's very symbolic, I think. Actually, chilling. Free the Pop-Tarts. I think they're all straight. I don't know. I feel like this was Greg's student film. It was 10 minutes long, but it was very powerful. Very powerful.

A lot of very important themes. My question is on this game, right? Uh-huh. Does anybody ever say, oh, yeah, that looks really straight? Like all these sports things are so gay, right? How often do you think we're playing mascot Kinsey Scale rating? It's not like there's, you know,

we don't come back to it that often. I thought it was like every week. It's not every week. Or like once a month. Like a, it's not a one so, it's a rare and special treats. Just for us. It's just for you.

So Greg, Greg, you're like concerned like that sometimes there's like a bad batch of the end of the end. And we go like, oh, well, we had 10 straight ones. that's another Kinsie Report Mascots situation Bad luck

Yeah like Mr. Mett straight married to Mrs. Mett Next up Or maybe by Maybe consented Next up and finally Earl Greyhound From Ted Lassow The original AFC Richmond mascot

RIP Oh RIP Yeah Talk about a bummer Like everybody's so quiet Yeah Is this the first Earl or is this Earl The second?

I don't know which Earl it is. Well, or the second one was wearing a helmet, I think. Yeah, I think it would be the first one. Yeah. Also, a guy in a mascot during the show's first season, but was, there, there, there, there you go. Greyhound. Nice pull.

I think that is, that mascot, I think, is pretty gay. I'm going to say three. I think that, ooh, now the dog. I'm going six in the mascot. Six on the mascot. Bottom. him and a down the middle three on Earl.

I'm going to give Earl a six because he's a cute. And that's correct. And that's ranking mascots on the Kinsey scale. And we'll be right back. And we're back.

And we've come to the end of yet another perfect episode if you asked me. However, if you ask our producers, they will say it was not perfect. In fact, they have given me a list of of things that I could have done better for a segment we call second thoughts. And I know you said, Greg, you live a life

with no regrets, but if you have any regrets or second thoughts from just the last hour of your life, this is the point, Brendan, as well, if there's anything you wish you had done differently, said differently, this is a space where we learn and grow, even about the things we did wrong while on the program. Let's see what we've learned today. Now, I will note

that I have yet, again, failed to earn a kudos, which I can occasionally earn. Occasionally on a second thoughts, they will say kudos. Not to Shame it. Not today. Let's see. I opened the monologue by making us all imagine a mother who can only afford one sandwich

for two or two children. I said, Hamarabi is a soft little bitch boy in front of kids and then drew attention to it. You guys didn't like the joke about Mom Dani being a Hamas supporter, but the joke is that he's not a Hamas supporter. Grow up. I don't regret that. I'm sorry for making fun of Hunter Biden's art. I actually think he's good.

My producers and I disagree about this, but I actually think he is a good artist. That's sincere. Brendan, I immediately compare Ted Laso to Jeffrey Epstein. And I'm sorry about that. I should have perhaps explained who Gustavo Dutamel is. And the answer is he's a conductor from signs around Los Angeles. And that is all I.

I know. He is often at the L.A. Philharmonic, and you're often kind of enticed. Wait, does the audience always fill in the answers for you? Greg, you're very interested in how this normally goes. And that says something about, for a guy that's so subversive, you're like, is this the normal way? Is this the normal way?

Are we doing it right? Who cares? Who cares, Greg? That's the whole fucking point. We're figuring it out as we go. We're trying things. Does it all work? No. Brendan, do you have any regrets?

I guess I should have anticipated that you didn't know the Beatles were in Hamburg. Pretty fundamental part of their history, but that's on me. Yep, nope. I didn't know about that time. I'll be clear next time. I thought they started on the rooftop of that barbershop. Oh, that's the opposite. The exact opposite.

Oh, boy. That's where they end. One suggested second thought is we shouldn't tell Jimavie that it gets better. He's a raccoon with a spinal deformity. That's how it is. It's not getting better. It's as good as it gets for Jimenez. Let's see.

I played the other mommy trailer in front of the 12-year-olds. When Greg said, I thought this was a comedy show, I responded, we'll laugh sometimes. Yes, also, perhaps I should regret that I explained what a fever is in the stranger in the strangest, way possible. And I remember what I said. Ah, yes, a fever, a thing that could be not so bad or could

kill you. Technically accurate. And that's our show. Thank you so much for Brendan Hunt and Greg Araki. There are 102 days until the midterms will be back next week with Guy Brownham and Missy Pyle. Have a great weekend. Love it or Leave it is a cricket media production. Our show is produced by Kendra James, Bill McGrath, Kelsey Gante, and me, John Lovett. Our production team includes Hallie Kiefer, Sarah Lazarus, Raman Borsalino, Peter Miller, David Tolls, Claudia, Shang, Jay Banks, Gavin Purcell, and Matt DeGrope. And our staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East. There's no shortcut for saving time.

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