The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 10.26 Maine Shooter Manhunt Rages On, Disturbing Vaccine Updates, MrBeast, & The “Woke” War On Halloween

Episode Date: October 26, 2023

Check out Vessi Styles at  http://www.vessi.com/PDS  to get 15% off with free shipping  to CA, US, AUS, NZ, JP, TW, KR, SGP Head to https://tryfum.com/defranco and use code DEFRANCO to save an additional 10% off your order today. https://wakeandmakecoffee.com We Just RESTOCKED! Up to 50% OFF Your First Bag! Catch up on our latest PDS: https://youtu.be/8Xq4Q6cAAYQ?si=v70fDJ_i1y05fFhf –✩ TODAY’S STORIES ✩ – 00:00 - Manhunt Ensues After Attack Leaves 18 Dead in Maine 03:42 - Women’s Gym Owner Caught With Camera in Bathroom  05:39 - Gen Z Doesn’t Want Adult Scenes in Movies 09:50 - Sponsored by Vessi 10:46 - NJ School District Cancels Halloween Celebrations Over DEI 12:36 - Lawsuits Accuse Rent-Pricing Algorithms of Enabling Collusion 14:40 - Israel Carries Out Cross-Border Raid into Northern Gaza 17:32 - Twitter Use Down One Year Since Musk Takeover 19:44 - Sponsored by FUM 20:38 - Tuberculosis Vaccine Shelved For Years Because Shingles Vax Was More Profitable 25:36 - TIA  26:30 - Your Thoughts on Yesterday’s Stories ——————————   Produced by: Cory Ray Edited by: James Girardier, Maxx Enright, Julie Goldberg, Christian Meeks Art Department: William Crespo Writing/Research: Philip DeFranco, Brian Espinoza, Lili Stenn, Maddie Crichton, Star Pralle, Chris Tolve  ———————————— #DeFranco #MrBeast #OliviaRodrigo ———————————— Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Y'all, today we're talking about everything we know so far about the manhunt for the shooter who killed 18 in Maine, updates on Israel and Hamas, we dive into how landlords are allegedly working together to jack up your rent, Gen Z is reportedly tired of sex, an alleged peeping Tom says he has an explanation, schools are canceling Halloween. We're talking about all that and so much more on today's extra-large Philip DeFranco show. You daily dive into the news, so just make sure you subscribe, hit that like button, and let's jump into it. Starting with, we need to talk about what we know so far from this horrific

mass shooting that happened in Maine last night. Because it took place in Lewiston, a city of less than 40,000 people, though that is the second largest in the state. And at about 7 p.m., a gunman opened fire at Justin Time Recreation Bowling Alley, previously known as Spare Time Recreation, which also happened as it was hosting a youth night for a kid's bowling league. And according to police, he killed seven people there with a semi-automatic rifle. He then drove to a bar and grill a few miles away and opened fire there as well, with him reportedly killing eight people there, then fleeing the scene. And now as of recording this video, three more people have died at local hospitals, adding up to a total of 18 fatalities

so far. And another 13 people reportedly injured. And all of this is we currently don't know at the ages of the victims. But we do know that at least some children were present because one mother described how her children hid behind a table and a bench while she shielded her 11-year-old daughter. I kind of like laid on top of her, and my mom was kind of on top of me. Also, you had another survivor describing what she saw. Probably the hardest part, seeing just families, families pouring out of there, and knowing that that that happened in there while they were just probably trying to have a family night and this guy explaining how he escaped getting shot just 10 minutes after he arrived at the bowling alley and as soon as i turned and saw it was not a balloon he was holding a weapon i just booked it um down the lane and i slid basically into where

the pins are and climbed up in the machine and was on top of the machines for about 10 minutes until the cops got there. So no more than an hour after these massacres, authorities told residents of the city and nearby towns to shelter in place. Then at around 9.15 PM, police released photos of a vehicle that they were looking for, a small white Subaru with a front bumper

possibly painted black. But then reporting at 11.30 that the same vehicle had been found in Lisbon, some eight miles from Lewiston. And reportedly the shooter has two other vehicles registered to him, a 2022 Yamaha motorcycle and a 2019 Sea-Doo Green Bo boat. And since then, police have identified a suspect, a 40-year-old man whom the Pentagon confirms is a Sergeant First Class in the Army Reserve, with him enlisting back in 2002, getting trained as a Petroleum Supply Specialist, but

having no combat experience. Very notably, it was reported that he was committed to a mental health facility for two weeks over the summer and recently threatened to shoot up a military base, with him saying at the time that he was hearing voices. Now, as of this recording, the shooter is still at large and hundreds of cops are sweeping across Maine looking for him. Though, as of recording, there have been no reported sightings since Wednesday night. And so following what now is the deadliest mass shooting so far this year, we're seeing the same things that we always see. Some people calling for gun control, others just blaming mental illness. And I'll say what I sometimes share but always feel, and that is I just, I feel hopeless in moments like this. You know, I feel like since Sandy Hook, I think most

Americans went like, well, if that didn't really change anything, then nothing's going to change anything. You know, I just think of that, that meme from The Onion where it's like, there's no way to stop this, says only country this happens in. And so somehow in this weird, twisted American thing, we end up treating these things like natural disasters, but there's nothing natural about it. Like if there was a way to stop an earthquake, we'd probably try that, right? Like if we had the tools and the drive, or maybe we wouldn't, maybe big earthquake would have lobbyists. I don't know. So where I'm going to leave this story, two things. One, if you see this person, please call the authorities. Please be safe out there. And the only reason we're showing this guy's face here, because, you know, normally in shooting stories, we don't talk about

the name or the face is because he is not dead or captured at this time. And he is still out there. And the only reason we're showing this guy's face here, because, you know, normally in shooting stories, we don't talk about the name or the face, is because he is not dead or captured at this time. And he is still out there and people need to know what to look out for. And secondly, and I ask this, of course, in general, because it's the show, but also because I am so just lost in this. What are your thoughts with this situation, but also with the uniquely American situation we find ourselves in? And then there's this big debate online right now about whether this alleged peeping Tom is telling the truth or not. So his name is Cole Corrigan and he's the owner of CCC Fitness,

a 24-hour women-only gym in California. One day back in August, a new member walked into the bathroom, spotted a camera, then walked out and canceled her membership. Now, of course, cameras shouldn't be in any bathroom, but this was especially shocking because this gym was touted as a safe space for women.

And in fact, you had one former customer reacting to this discovery like this. I couldn't even imagine like what the women right now feel like that like potentially were on like being filmed in the restroom of all places. And just to see where that camera was like facing towards a toilet, like I'm, I'm shocked. So the police end up executing a search warrant on his home and they report that they found a ghost gun and a misdemeanor quantity of testosterone. And so for a while, people just assumed that he was this disgusting creep.

But now he's come out with an explanation that many are feeling, conflicted on whether to believe or not. In essence, he claims that he planted the camera there to catch a thief. Because according to him, he stored teeth whitening gel, tanning foam, a tanning glove, and $180 worth of face serum beneath the sink in a place that he felt was clear it was not for public use. And according to him, products disappeared from that stash five times between June and August, right around when a family friend began going to the gym. So he says he placed a GoPro on top of a

mop bucket facing the vanity. He says he also didn't put a memory card in it or save any recordings to the cloud. Instead, he says that he put it on a live view setting where he would have to be within 30 feet of it to watch the video and would only do so when the suspected thief was there. But when a new member asked him about it, he claims he went into the bathroom and found the camera shifted more toward the toilet. Notably, he initially told both that customer and the police that he didn't know about the camera, which he admits was a lie now. And also with this, you have people saying they're backing up his story, that being an employee and a close client of Corrigan who confirmed that he had been told about the suspected theft prior to the camera being planted. So now you have this situation

where people are essentially debating, you know, is he a repulsive pervert or possibly one of the stupider people on the planet? But regardless there, Corrigan says that more than 100 of his 130 members have now quit the gym. And he's also now been charged with a misdemeanor count of using an instrument to view an area of privacy. And with all that, him saying, this was the sole worst decision I have ever made in my entire life. And then sex is out and friendships are in. That apparently not only the slogan of some guitar playing youth pastor in a church basement, but also what teens and young people actually prefer in the media they consume. At least according to the teens and screens report from UCLA,

with data being collected back in August from 1500 adolescents aged 10 to 24. With just over half expressing a desire for more content around friendships and platonic relationships. And in fact, only 15.2% disagreeing with that preference. So with that nearly half said that sex is not needed for the plot of most TV shows and movies. In fact, 44% saying they actually feel that romance is overused in media, and 39% wanting more aromantic or asexual characters on screen.

And this is reportedly reflecting some of the habits in their real lives, right? 56% of Gen Z say they notice more people are actively choosing to be single. And as far as why young people are rejecting romance is the report cited a few people who said that it feels forced that every time a boy and a girl are on screen or are friends, there's a romance plot. With UCLA also publishing a video

where a handful gave their thoughts about sex and media. When there's media that has too much sex, me and my friends often feel uncomfortable. My friends and I maybe awkwardly bear through it. I think that sex should be shown accurately. I feel that it's way too graphic. At the moment, I don't think I can think of a character that would consider themselves asexual or aromantic. You also saw the report referring to a quote Olivia Rodrigo gave to the Guardian earlier this year after she was asked if she had seen the idol,

to which she said, oh no, I don't have the desire to. I remember walking out of Barbie and being like, wow, it's so long since I've seen a movie that is female centered in a way that isn't sexual or about her pain or her being traumatized. So it seems like there's a whole spectrum of reasons why a lot of Gen Z aren't into sexual media. You also had Dr. Yalda Oo as one of the authors of the study explaining in a statement, while it's true that adolescents want less sex on TV and in movies, what the survey is really

saying is that they want more and different kinds of relationships reflected in the media they want. And adding, we know that young people are suffering an epidemic of loneliness and they're seeking modeling in the art they consume. While some storytellers use sex and romance as a shortcut to character connection, it's important for Hollywood to recognize that adolescents want stories that reflect the full spectrum of relationships. Also looking into the content Gen Z is looking for, they have a pretty strong preference for original content over franchises, adaptations, and remakes. When it comes to the topics or themes that they're interested in, hopeful and uplifting stories came in first, followed by stories about people with lives like their own, then by action, superheroes, and friendships. They also have a massive preference for authentic content. They believe social media is the most authentic media

space. So actually on that front, they rated Mr. Beast's content as the most authentic media. They are pointing to an 11-year-old in Tennessee who said that he likes that Mr. Beast helps people and gives back and that his entertainment brings people together, which it sounds like if we could like oversimplify everything that we've learned, everyone kind of just wants a friend and to not be sad anymore. Stop the sads, please. And to a certain degree, I kind of understand that. Like unless you actively try to avoid what's happening around you, it's hard.

You know, it's very easy for it to feel like there's just a hurricane of bad information that is whacking you every single day. And all you can do is like really brace for it or run away. And, you know, it's nice to feel seen, to have friends, to have hope. I mean, it impacted everyone. But I mean, we're talking about a generation that during their most formative years, among other so many of the once in a lifetime things, many of their lives just got completely uplifted because of everything with COVID.

I understand that desire for authenticity because the world, it's weird. Anytime I go on social media, I feel like 90% of the stuff is like fake authenticity and empathy and then just people that have no empathy whatsoever. Like I saw on social media, a lot of millennials, Gen X and boomers kind of just like making fun of this girl that she just got out of college and she has her first real job.

And she's like, wow, nine to five feels like a scam. I'm working 40 hours a week in an office. I'm losing 15 hours a week for comm office. I'm losing 15 hours a week for commuting. I feel like I have no energy, no time for anything. So many people are like, yeah, suck it up. Welcome to the real world. And it's like, shouldn't we be aware that, yeah, it does feel like this is a scam? That's daunting and overwhelming and is going to lead to someone on a deathbed going, man, I really wish I lived more. I understand. I say that as someone who has worked jobs starting as off the books since I've been

like 10, 11. It prepared me for the world, but I don't like a world where we normalize people just feeling miserable working jobs that they hate. Like I'm happy and I feel like it's a strong character trait that I will do whatever the fuck. Like if I didn't have this job, which is just such a fucking blessing, like I'll work multiple shitty jobs and take care of me and mine. But I don't like all this punching down that I'm seeing.

But anyway, I'm getting lost on a tangent. What are your thoughts here? And then, y'all know I'm a huge fan of our longtime sponsor, Vessi. They just make getting outdoors easier through all weather because their products keep you dry. You don't have to worry about wet socks turning into wet feet, but you also got to check out all of their waterproof products like the Overcast Jacket. It's 100% waterproof and wind resistant with a soft fleece lining it, customizable hood to shield from unpredictable weather, or their stretchy knit waterproof gloves with insulated lining to keep your hands warm and dry. Also, for those of you carrying around sling bags, check out Bessie's rain-ready shoreline bag, which not only looks good, but has huge functionality

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And that's because the first shot's been fired in New Jersey with the South Orange Maplewood School District ban celebrations of the holiday this year. With the superintendent sending out a letter to parents informing them that there will be no Halloween-themed events during school hours and that students cannot wear costumes. And as for why, they cited their values of diversity, equity, and inclusion generally. But also more specifically, the letter suggested that school-sponsored activities may cause, quote, indirect and unintentional financial hardships for students and families, and that they might, quote, violate the dignity of some students and families, either culturally or religiously. So now, in response to this change, we've heard a mix of reaction from people who spoke to reporters. Very bad. I don't like it. It would be nice if they got to dress up and do it in school

and, you know, enjoy each other's costumes. I think the reason why they don't like it. It would be nice if they got to dress up and do it in school and, you know, enjoy each other's costumes. I think the reason why they don't want to do it is because it makes some other kids feel uncomfortable. And the school is, I think, for the most part, all about inclusion. What's better than a well-marbled ribeye sizzling on the barbecue? A well-marbled ribeye sizzling on the barbecue that was carefully selected by an Instacart shopper and delivered to your door. A well-marbled ribeye you ordered without even leaving the kiddie pool. Whatever groceries your summer calls for, Instacart has you covered. Download the Instacart app and enjoy $0 delivery fees on your first three orders. Service fees, exclusions, and terms apply. Instacart. Groceries that over-deliver. I don't think it's really a problem.

But also New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, throwing his two cents on Twitter saying, Seriously? We can't let kids celebrate Halloween? Give me a break. But then you have others arguing this district's just doing what other districts have already done for a while now. Because as it turns out, at least eight schools and districts in New Jersey have canceled Halloween in the past decade for similar reasons. With that even including an elementary school in the same district which passed its ban way back in 2015. They are citing complaints from some Christian, Muslim, and Orthodox Jewish students and families who felt excluded because they don't celebrate Halloween. And so instead, they replaced the holiday with a generic fall festival activities like pumpkin picking and decorating, stuff that everyone can participate

in. And also saying that if you want to celebrate Halloween, you just have to do it after school hours. But with this, I'd love to know, do you think this goes too far? And for me personally, I find the ban to be somewhat silly. Like, I don't know who's actually celebrating Halloween because they're like, you know, it's a pagan thing that we like to do. And for me, it's like just random bullshit. You're like, hey, it would be fun to wear a costume for some reason. And, you know, fill my dumb face with some sweet potato pie because it's better than pumpkin pie. You know, that's a story, some of my thoughts, and I'll pass the question off to you. Whether you agree or you disagree with me, where do you stand on this? And then, you know, it's already

been a known thing that many landlords are screwing you over. And now not only are they working together to screw you over, they're using algorithms to do it. It turns out when determining what to charge their countless tenants for rent, dozens of landlords across the U.S. rely on algorithmic pricing systems developed by two companies, RealPage and Yardi Systems. And now we're actually seeing those two firms facing lawsuits accusing them of facilitating collusion among some of the largest apartment owners in the country. Specifically, the lawsuits allege that the algorithmic pricing systems allow for confidential pricing information to be shared when setting rents across buildings and markets, therefore reducing competition. You know, because naturally you have a system where property owners try to keep vacancies at a minimum in order to maximize their profits,

which usually to some degree results in people slashing rent prices when the demand for apartments drops. But one of these suits accuses the pricing algorithm of driving up rates for higher profits, even if it means more units are sitting empty. Well, you know, everyone kind of has been talking about algorithms for the past few years. Rent algorithms actually first started popping up about 20 years ago. They just took a long time to catch on, but now you have many landlords viewing them

as essential parts of their business. And in fact, it's become such a big thing, it's captured the attention of the Department of Justice, with their antitrust division reportedly investigating RealPage's practices. Now that said, for their part, RealPage and Yardi have denied the allegations, with RealPage saying in a letter to said, for their part, RealPage and Yardi have denied the allegations, with RealPage saying in a letter to Congress last year that the system isn't meant to drive up prices,

but analyze supply and demand to help landlords better manage their buildings. With RealPage pointing to a general decline in apartment vacancies to show that their systems don't contribute to an uptick in empty units. And both firms have said that they don't allow customers to see each other's pricing information. So we'll have to see what happens in those suits. But also, the issue of algorithmic pricing goes beyond just apartments. They're being used in student housing and single-family home rentals as well. And of course, we've also seen algorithms in play, pricing at grocery stores, rideshare services, many, many other companies. With Zach Brown,

an economics professor at the University of Michigan, saying, so many of the products we buy have prices set by algorithms. These issues are going to be increasingly relevant and for a long time, which of course, in one hand, absolutely makes sense. If you have a business, you want to take whatever advantage you can get. But where there is a potentially huge issue is if all those algorithms and those systems work together, because then you're essentially dealing with a pseudo monopoly. In an ideal world for consumers, the market is supposed to have competition, so you get the best product or best deal possible. Whereas if you have an industry or a system where all the people that are trying to make money off of consumers are working together,

then that's where you have an issue. That's where the consumer, that's where the everyday person, that's where you get screwed. And then Israel is really keeping everyone on their toes right now. That's kind of one way to put it. So yesterday we got the news that they'd be holding off the ground invasion of Gaza until the U.S. moved more military assets to the region. But then suddenly there was footage being released of Israeli forces breaking down the border barriers between it and Gaza and rushing into the territory. And so for a bit, it felt like they pulled the wool over everyone's eyes by claiming they were delaying the invasion to only then do it. Then it ends up that that wasn't actually quite the case. With it being reported that last night's incursion into Gaza was just a raid, albeit a very large one

into the territory. And according to the Israeli military, IDF tanks and infantry struck numerous terrorist cells, infrastructure, and anti-tank missile launch posts. There's a report saying that all the soldiers involved have since left. With all that said, there's a lot of things that we don't know about the raid, notably how many casualties were there and were any civilians killed. Because while it's just across the border, so you have many saying it's probably just Hamas targets, we actually have no idea how deep they penetrated into Gaza, so it's impossible to say for certain. Also, one of the big questions out there is what is going to happen to Gaza after any invasion. Because the reality is that militarily, we all know that Israel can crush Hamas, assuming it's willing to deal with the fallout of how many

Israeli and Palestinians will die from it. But as far as what happens, Israeli ministers have said that they intend to establish a buffer zone rather than occupying or annexing the Gaza Strip. While President Biden has said, Hamas can't continue to terrorize Israeli citizens. When the crisis is over, there has to be a vision of what comes next. And in our view, it has to be a two-state solution. And that's not shocking, as that's long been the U.S.'s position and was even put forward as a requirement for the U.S. to support Israel and Saudi Arabia's normalization deal. Speaking of that, though, that deal has since been postponed since Hamas' attack. But regardless, for those who are only kind of paying attention because of everything that's happened, you might be wondering, what is

a two-state solution? Well, it's kind of in the name, but it means formally making two countries, Israel and Palestine. And on the surface, that might sound ideal and like a good compromise, but also here's the thing. It has been offered before and turned down by Palestinian groups. For many, they want all of the land in the region, which is where the popular pro-Palestinian protest phrase from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free, comes from.

Though also on the note, I should point out that many Jewish people and groups feel the phrase promotes violence and justifies genocide. We're saying because getting all the land inherently means the elimination of Israel. When you couple that with the stances of many Palestinian groups within Palestine, such as Hamas, land inherently means the elimination of Israel. When you couple that with the stances of many Palestinian groups within Palestine, such as Hamas, they advocate for the elimination of all Jewish people. And it's easy to see why

they're uneasy about the phrase. On the other side, you have pro-Palestinian protesters often saying that it's meant more as a metaphor for Palestinian equality. And there, what the phrase actually means, it depends on who you ask. Also, another thing is even if Palestinian groups accept a two-state solution, it's unclear if Israel will. Because while past governments have offered it, the current one is the most far right ever and is long chipped away at what little land and rights Palestinians have left. Also with that said, there's even doubts that Prime Minister Netanyahu's government will last beyond this war. Especially as the reality is that most Israelis think a large chunk of the blame for Hamas's successful attack that killed nearly a thousand Israeli civilians rests on his shoulders. Because while you do have people

saying that Netanyahu is trying to use this moment to be the strong man, to try to label himself as like the hero of Israel, to hold on to or even consolidate power, there's also a very real expectation that he'll resign or be toppled the second peace happens. And altogether, there are a lot of moving parts, and any one of them could derail any lasting peace. But as for what is actually going to happen, we'll have to wait to see. And then, I know some of you out there think that Elon Musk killed Twitter, but here's the thing.

You're 100% right. And I don't just mean the name, fucking X. But rather, the numbers back up your thoughts. With some new data from Axios really painting a picture of just how bleak the situation really is. With the outlet saying that investors who back the Musk deal believe that he would just skyrocket Twitter's popularity, but in the past year, engagement has actually gone down. Despite how Musk himself has tried to frame things. With Axios obtaining data that shows that global app downloads fell 38% between October of 2022 and September of 2023.

And specifically in the US, it actually fell a whopping 57%. Also, active monthly users went down nearly 15% globally and 18% in the US year over year. Time spent on platform and web traffic also seeing dips. So all of that said, there was an increase. So unfortunately for Elon Musk and X, that was user churn numbers, right? People stopping using the app because those numbers went up 30% year over year as of September. Though also the traffic to Musk's page and posts

went up a staggering 96%. And so while he might see that as good news, there's also a reason to speculate that a good chunk of that traffic is just people dunking on him in quote tweets. But also to be fair here, Axios did also know that other social media platforms have also seen engagement declines. It's just that the key thing is that it was so much worse for Twitter. Notably, this also comes at a time where some competitor platforms are

doing well, right? I mean, Mark Zuckerberg recently said that MetaThreads now has 100 million monthly users. With a number of experts saying that mass adoption of threads and then a lot of people not using it, that was to be expected. Saying that it's all about finding that initial core audience and then building off of that. And actually with that, we saw Zuckerberg say during an earnings call this week, we're three months in now and I'm very happy with the trajectory. We're now getting to the point where we're going to be focusing on growing the community further. From what we can tell, people love it so far. But ultimately for now, we're gonna have to see what is next for Twitter, right? Can it bounce back? Is it salvageable? We saw X this week showcasing,

hey, like you can make phone calls in the app. That's kind of more of it pushing towards being the everything app. I mean, there is reason to believe with next year being an election year, we're going to see an uptick. But also, you know, I find myself in the camp of feeling like the whole Twitter experience is just a fucking dumpster fire right now. Like it genuinely feels like he took over the public square, diarrhea-ed all over it. Now we're going into a fucking election year.

We're going to see how all that plays out. While just, I mean, just in the last few weeks, we've seen how insane misinformation has become. And so many safeguards have been removed. At times, it feels fucking unusable. But, you know, we'll see how it plays out. We get to live through history. And then I want to talk about a cool and innovative way to take the bad out of bad habits.

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And then we need to talk about the second worst infectious disease in the world right now. And it's not COVID, it is tuberculosis. Because it's estimated that a quarter of humanity has actually been infected with TB. And of that, just five to 10% of them will develop symptoms. And then of those, another fraction will die approximately 1.6 million people every year,

mostly in the third world, which makes it the second leading infectious killer on earth, only ranking below COVID. And with this, if you get TB, you can treat it with antibiotics, but you'll have to suffer through months of side effects until it's cured. So ideally you get vaccinated before that happens. And thankfully we actually have a TB vaccine and we've had it for about a century now. But also the thing with that one is immunity wanes over time and it does little to protect you from the most common type of infection in the lungs. So starting in 1994, a pharmaceutical giant named GSK began working on a new TB vaccine that reached its peak in 2018.

Right that year, Dr. Neil Martinson waited anxiously to join a call announcing the verdict on a proof-of-concept trial that he had worked on. And when that call connected and he got the news, he was utterly blown away. The shot prevented half of all patients from getting sick. So he hung up and he waited for the next step in the process of trial to make sure that the vaccine

was safe enough and effective enough to distribute. But then he waited and he waited. And y'all hold on to your pants for this one. He still is waiting today after more than five years. And as far as what happened, well, ProPublica dug into all this and they discovered that GSK hit the brakes on this life-saving drug so that it could focus on a vaccine for another disease instead, shingles. Which if you don't know, shingles is a virus that causes a painful rash, mostly for older people in richer countries. And it only kills in extremely rare cases when left untreated. But a key thing here is that the shingles vaccine and the TB vaccine shared a key ingredient that was in limited supply, and that being an adjuvant, which is a substance that boosts the vaccine's effectiveness. GSK got

its adjuvant from a malaria vaccine project the U.S. Army invited one of its subsidiaries to work on, where the military supplied much of the science, animal testing labs, clinical trial sites, assistance for regulatory approval, and even scientists who infected themselves with malaria to test the shot. But despite the government's contribution to the research, GSK patented the adjuvant and locked up ownership over the supply of ingredients used to make it. And so then you fast forward years later, and the adjuvant was a key component for many more vaccines, including the TB shot, which by the way, was developed with crucial government and nonprofit funds. I mean, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as the US, UK, Dutch, and Australian governments

all pitched in, but the ingredients needed to make the adjuvant were scarce, meaning GSK had to decide which vaccines to prioritize. So when faced with the choice between saving tons and tons of lives and making tons and tons of money, these executives listened to their hearts. They preyed on it. They asked their grandmothers for moral advice. And then they ignored all that. And they were like, money, baby. And holy shit, did it make them money. With the shingles vaccine bringing them over $14 billion since 2018, something that the company calls a crown jewel.

Also with this, it's not like the TB shot wouldn't have been profitable as well. I mean, it could have. It just wouldn't have been as profitable as the one for shingles because its market is largely poor people and poor governments. So also with this, it should be noted that the company's decision didn't come as a surprise

to really anyone who was paying attention. Its priorities have become clear ever since 2003 when it began testing the adjuvant in its shingles vaccine at a much faster speed than for TB. With it conducting a small proof-of-concept study to justify moving to a larger one for TB, though there's no evidence it did the same for shingles. It's by the time the study showed groundbreaking effectiveness

in 2018 with Martinson's calls, the shingles vaccine had already gotten FDA approval a year earlier. But still, with such promising results for the TB shot, some scientists were still optimistic that the company might start taking it more seriously. With Dr. Tom Evans, the former president and CEO of the nonprofit that led and paid for half of the proof of concept studies saying, you'd have thought people would have said, oh shit, this is doable. Let's double down. Let's quadruple down. But that

didn't happen. But also the company didn't just shelve the vaccine. No, they were much smarter than that. Because while they weren't willing to keep developing it themselves, they were like, we can still make money off this. So in 2020, GSK struck a deal with a nonprofit, Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute to keep the TB research going. Essentially, here's how it worked. Even though the Gates nonprofit would pay for it, GSK would still keep the rights to sell the shot in wealthy countries when it was finished. And since GSK also owned the rights to the adjuvant, whoever wanted to produce the vaccine for poor countries would have to pay the company more to use it. And so now the trial that'll determine

whether the vaccine gets approved, the one Martinson's been waiting for since 2018, it begins in 2024, which, hey, you can see is hope on the horizon. But also that means between the two trials, approximately 9 million people have died from TB. And that final trial is not expected to finish until at least 2028. And the extra infuriating and heartbreaking thing is while we're talking about TB, it needs to be noted that this is not unique to GSK or tuberculosis. Pharmaceutical companies have long been criticized for putting most of their resources into drugs that only consumers in the U.S. and Europe will buy. But the World Health Organization even compiling a list of 20 neglected tropical diseases, or NTDs, that affect more than a billion people, mainly in poor regions where little profit is to be made.

And those poor countries don't have the resources themselves to invest in their own vaccine development and public health programs. And that's partly because, as we've talked about before, they are deeply indebted to rich countries. 45 developing nations, home to billions of people, spend more on interest payments than health expenditures. And that's also an issue that was made much, much worse during the pandemic, a time when public health and vaccines were needed more than ever. So instead, these countries put themselves at the mercy of pharmaceutical giants who tout their work in the third world as benevolent philanthropy. But as ProPublica notes, it's an open secret in the pharmaceutical world that the companies participate in global health research because it's where they get to try out new

technologies that can be applied to other more lucrative diseases. And the president of vaccines at GSK in 2016 even admitted as much during an investor presentation, explaining that the malaria vaccine research gave him the adjuvant that's used in the shingles vaccine and saying, of those of you who think this is just philanthropy, it is not. But now with all that said, I got to pass the question off to you. What are your thoughts here? And then since we're headed into the weekend, I want to leave you with two final segments. The first is a tweak, but a reintroduction on today in awesome with a tweak being it's actually just a recommendation for something I think you'll enjoy. I've been reading and listening to way more books recently. You know, I hadn't had something that I just couldn't

stop in a while. I got through Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk, which I was disappointed in. I really liked some of his other work, but this was just not it. Then I listened to Goblin. That was pretty good. I enjoyed that. But then I went online. I asked y'all for recommendations and there were a lot. Someone recommended Project Hail Mary.

It's by Andy Weir. I didn't even know he came out with a book in 2021. Loved The Martian. I loved Artemis. And Project Hail Mary is fucking fantastic. So whether you want to sit down and read or you want to listen to an audio book on Audible or whatever you use, do it. It's genuinely so good. Ray Porter is a fantastic narrator. It's like genuinely top 10, top 20 books of all time for me. With that said, we need to talk about

Yesterday Today, the part of the show where we look back to yesterday's show. We dive into those comments and see what stood out to you. What are your thoughts? What are your opinions? What are sometimes your experiences? And there we saw a lot of conversation about YouTubers abroad who were sometimes breaking laws and doing so for the content they're putting out. With y'all saying things like, quote, if we made them feel bad, oh look, it's one of those I'm sorry you feel that way apologies. Always a great sign of sincerity. And the trend of you can't charge me, I didn't know it was illegal is an interesting direction for us to be going in, People adding, This is why I don't take anyone saying it was just a joke seriously.

Because of people like that being as vile as possible only to try and skirt any responsibility for their actions. Others noting, And saying, But also noting, And adding, I won't be surprised if the Japanese government decides to pass a law that limits international tourists from visiting Japan. And finally here, I've lived in Japan for over 10 years and literally anything another foreigner does makes it worse for the rest of us. The majority of apartments already don't allow

foreigners to rent. I fight every day to show that we're all human and equal and actions like these set us back so far. You also have people saying I'm Japanese and I find these specific Westerners seem to like to do this in Japan due to Japanese citizens disposition towards being non-confrontational and polite and saying for example Logan Paul did this type of thing a few years back and it really disgusted Japanese citizens. We all saw a lot of conversation around the off-duty pilot that tried to kill all those passengers. Y'all sharing things like this is such an important topic that often gets overlooked. A point that many people don't realize is that pilots literally can't see therapists or counselors for mental health treatment without risking their careers. The FAA has strict regulations about disclosing mental health conditions, which can make pilots hesitant to seek help when they really need it.

Saying this creates an environment where mental health issues can go untreated, posing a risk not only to the pilots themselves, but also the passengers and crew. And arguing it's crucial that we work toward creating a more supportive system that allows pilots to get mental health care that they need without jeopardizing their livelihoods. Others also adding pilots often have to self-medicate because of rules against getting actual help for mental health problems. And saying it's a really scary problem in that industry. And at the same time, others saying, I don't think the flight crew on that Alaskan flight is getting enough credit. One of the pilots had to wrestle him away from the controls. That crew is a bunch of heroes, and I'm glad they were able to handle the situation. But that is where your daily dive into the news is going to end today.

For more news, you need to know I got you covered right here. You can click or tap, or I got links in the description. And of course, as always, my name's Philip DeFranco. You've just been filled in. I love your faces, and I'll see you right back here for more news next time.