The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 3.4 SHE LIED! Russia Risks Nuclear Disaster in Ukraine, 3 Failed Zelensky Assassination Attempts, & More

Starting point is 00:00:00 Sup you beautiful bastards! Welcome back to the Philip DeFranco Show. No, hell has not frozen over. You have not died and gone to heaven, not only because we both know what you've done in this life, but this is real life, The Friday Show. There's just too much important and weird stuff we needed to dive through together before we went into the weekend, so I figured, hey, I'm all healed up, let's do this thing. So if you're a fan of The Unexpected Show, be sure to hit that like button. Let's just jump into it. Hey y'all, first up today, do you remember back in 2016 where there was this California jogger who mysteriously went missing, her phone and earbuds found on the side of the road? It sparked this nationwide search.

Starting point is 00:00:33 And then, three weeks later, she flagged down a driver 150 miles from her home, covered in bruises, her hair cut short, she was even in chains, saying two armed women had kidnapped her and branded her, which led to the FBI putting out sketches of the suspects. And there's that memorable clip of her husband Keith saying, I thought about her being there screaming my name. Well, according to the FBI, the entire story was a complete fucking lie. She was never kidnapped, never abused, never held captive.

Starting point is 00:00:58 Right, DOJ investigators just determined that she inflicted all of those injuries on herself and stayed with an ex-boyfriend while everyone was looking for her. So she was arrested yesterday for lying to a federal law enforcement officer, as well as mail fraud, and now faces up to 25 years behind bars

Starting point is 00:01:11 and up to $500,000 in fines. So she may be on the receiving end of all the stuff she lied about. And as far as why she did it, no one knows. Maybe it was a Munchausen syndrome type of thing where she wanted attention, or maybe she just wanted a three-week getaway with her ex. But no matter the reason, this woman, Sherry Papini, you are our douchebag of the day.

Starting point is 00:01:29 Especially because not only did you say two women kidnapped you, you specifically said two Hispanic women. Feeding that fear of the other and who knows how many Hispanic women ended up just being harassed because they existed and you lied. But I will say there is something beautiful about the fact that you allegedly lied about being held captive. And so because of that, you might actually legally be held captive.

Starting point is 00:01:51 But then, you know, Sherry wasn't the only liar in the news today. You know how a lot of us had that one person in our community growing up who was just like impossible not to like? They help old ladies with groceries, save cats from trees, basically Superman without the superpowers. What if one day you found this Randy, this Janet,

Starting point is 00:02:04 or whoever, it turned out they were actually a wanted fugitive murderer? Well for this community in Puerto Rico that is seemingly what happened with this 44 year old man Johnny Williams. For at least several months, though authorities aren't exactly sure when he arrived, he'd been living in this unassuming house in a rural working class neighborhood. He organized philanthropic efforts like a Christmas toy drive for needy children and renovations for an elementary school. Also joining employees of the non-profit Karma Honey Project to a farmer's market every month And then last week out of nowhere people were shocked when their good guy was suddenly arrested for being the leader of one of the Most powerful and violent gangs in British Columbia and unsurprisingly his name wasn't actually even Johnny Williams

Starting point is 00:02:38 It was Connor Vincent DeMonte and he's been on the run from Canadian authorities for over a decade for first-degree murder So now he's just sitting in federal prison awaiting extradition and yesterday his attorney said the Canadian and Irish consulates where he has citizenship They've been notified with a woman who knew him saying she was always struck by his quiet demeanor and adding no one knew anything We were surprised another man saying this guy fooled us all and the thing that's amazing is that he was able to pull this off For so long because he did not live like this small quiet life This guy had a super loud presence for someone trying to hide from the police. He had met with the agriculture secretary, a local Senator, and he was even invited

Starting point is 00:03:09 to the governor's mansion last month for helping to try to save honeybees after Hurricane Maria. I think the main point of this story is it's like my grandma always says, you never know what people are struggling with inside and or if they're actually a fugitive murderer. And then let's talk about misinformation on social media. And it involves a platform you usually don't think about with this. Twitch, and they're actually a fugitive murderer. And then, let's talk about misinformation on social media, and it involves a platform you usually don't think about with this.

Starting point is 00:03:27 Twitch. And they're in the news because they just announced plans to combat misinformation on their platform, saying they're updating their spam, scams, and malicious conduct policy to prohibit harmful misinformation actors on the site, with Twitch noting that this update will likely not impact the vast majority of streamers, and saying that they will be focused solely on individuals whose online presence is dedicated to spreading harmful false information. And in an effort to make it so that it's not illegal to just happen to be wrong, because if you do this long enough, you will eventually be wrong, they say the policy is designed for repeated behavior.

Starting point is 00:03:52 Further explaining, together, we've identified three characteristics that all of these actors share. Their online presence, whether on or off Twitch, is dedicated to 1. Persistently sharing 2. Widely, disproven, and broadly shared 3. Harmful misinformation topics, such as conspiracies that promote violence. We've selected these criteria because taken together, they create the highest risk of harm, including inciting real world harm.

Starting point is 00:04:10 We will only enforce against actors who meet all three of these criteria. And with this, an investigation team will review cases. Twitch users can also report misinformation actors themselves if they spot an issue. Twitch also noting they'll continue to take action against misinformation that specifically targets communities under its hate and harassment policy as as well as content that might encourage

Starting point is 00:04:26 physically harmful behavior under the self-destructive behavior policy. And in this, Twitch noting, this is a preemptive move, saying, while harmful misinformation is not currently prevalent on Twitch, we understand that it can evolve very quickly and we'll continue consulting with experts to ensure our approach to curbing

Starting point is 00:04:38 its potential harm is effective. Right, so a lot of this is just the next eventual step of just yet another platform realizing, oh, we need to get ahead of misinformation. Because while Twitch is overwhelmingly not news content, I mean, you look at how popular people like Hasan Piker are on the platform and you go, yeah, okay, this makes sense.

Starting point is 00:04:53 And understand, I'm not using Hasan as like an example of misinformation or anything like that, but rather the reach that Twitch can have when it comes to news and facts and commentary. Hasan himself has 1.9 million followers there. That's a lot of influence, tens of thousands, if not at times, hundreds of thousands of people concurrently watching.

Starting point is 00:05:10 And that shouldn't be shocking, right? It's not just Hassan. People get their news from digital media now more than ever. With Pew finding last year that over eight in 10 Americans get their news from digital devices. And a 2020 Pew report, right, even before we were like really deep into the pandemic, finding that 26% of US adults get their news from YouTube

Starting point is 00:05:25 and of those consumers. 72% said that it's an important way for them to get the news, with 13% of that group going as far to say it's the most important way. Right, and back to Twitch, this is a platform that rakes in as many viewers as some of the most popular network TV shows, and in some cases, even more.

Starting point is 00:05:38 And we're currently in the very specific time of people going online more than ever to see what's happening between Russia and Ukraine. People get this increased interest in current affairs, they take more efforts to stay informed. I mean, just speaking from personal experience, in February we gained a million followers on TikTok. And so at the same time, it's not surprising reports are saying that people like Hasan are getting near record viewership right now. But also with that increased appetite and the increased output from tons of creators of different qualities, there's been tons of misinformation

Starting point is 00:06:03 getting thrown out into the news cycle as well. Though, and I don't mean to talk too much shit, it's a little bit shocking that Twitch is actually getting ahead of this because it really has felt like their MO to just wait until they get hit and then scramble. But with this story, I do wanna ask the question of, where do you get your news? Like, obviously you're here.

Starting point is 00:06:18 You don't need to mention my name, feed my ego. You're a beautiful bastard, I know that. But where else? What platforms, social networks, how much of it is more traditional, whether it be TV or even a newspaper? I know I ask this question like three times a year, but it's always interesting to see

Starting point is 00:06:31 how the responses change and evolve. But from that, I wanna take a second to thank the fantastic sponsor of today's show, Public.com, and more specifically, Public.com slash DeFranco. Public is an investing platform that helps people be better investors in the public markets. Some of you already know that I personally switched over to Public after I was, let's just say, not too happy

Starting point is 00:06:47 with one of their just garbage competitors. And with Public, not only do I get all the tools and information that I wanted, Public has also made stock investing social. Stock ownership unlocks content and education that is relevant to your portfolio, created by a million plus strong community of investors, creators, and analysts.

Starting point is 00:07:02 Public puts investors first and doesn't sell trades to market makers, take money from payment for order flow, and standard stock trades are commission-free. They also offer 29 crypto offerings alongside thousands of stocks and ETFs. And for those of you crypto-curious members new to the space, Public added features like educational slideshows and volatility reminders to help educate you along your journey. And y'all, when you go to public.com slash DeFranco, you'll actually receive a slice of stock valued between $3 and $1,000 once you open an account and make a deposit.

Starting point is 00:07:28 So that's public.com slash defranco because you should definitely start investing in your future now. Then, in Florida news, the Florida Senate yesterday passed a bill that would ban abortions after 15 weeks. Passing the legislation 23 to 15 after heated debates, emotional speeches, and protesters disrupting multiple hearings. And notably, this proposal was already approved by the Florida House last month. So for it to become a law, it just needs to be signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, who has already signaled his support. And as far as what this change looks like,

Starting point is 00:07:52 the state currently allows abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. And so with this law, yes, it would significantly reduce the timeframe, right? You're talking about 15 weeks. But also with the law, there are no exceptions for rape, incest, or human trafficking.

Starting point is 00:08:02 Though it does include exceptions if the procedure is necessary to save the mother's life, as well as for fatal fetal anomalies identified by two physicians. But also, the impact of this new policy goes beyond Florida. If you didn't know, for decades, Florida's kind of been this refuge for people in the South seeking an abortion

Starting point is 00:08:15 because its 24-week limit is much later than those in surrounding states. With reports noting that Florida is also the only state south of Virginia and east of New Mexico that doesn't make people get a consultation at least 24 hours before they can get an abortion, meaning that out-of-state patients can have access to the procedure without having to stay overnight. So this law will try to put Florida more in line with the other southern states, with the proposed restrictions even

Starting point is 00:08:34 specifically being modeled after a nearly identical ban in Mississippi that has become one of the most significant Supreme Court cases this year, and which the conservative majority has already signaled they will uphold. And yes, that means it could entirely upend decades of President Senator Roe v. Wade, which barred states from banning abortion before fetal viability, which is around 23 weeks. And Florida isn't the only state that's rushing to restrict abortion ahead of the anticipated SCOTUS decision this summer. Similar 15-week bans based on Mississippis are also currently being considered in Arizona and West Virginia. And at the same time, Republicans in some states have taken the matter even further, modeling legislation after the Texas law that essentially bans all abortions after six weeks,

Starting point is 00:09:06 before many people even know they're pregnant. Hell, I mean, just yesterday, Idaho's state senate became the first to pass a copycat ban of the Texas law. And we can expect to see a lot more of this legal battle play out, with lawmakers in at least 11 other states proposing similar bans. But for now, we're going to have to wait and see, and in the meantime, of course, I'd love to know your thoughts on this topic. And then, in politicians saying they care about our troops, but not really caring about our troops news

Starting point is 00:09:25 Let's talk about the House of Representatives and this because yesterday the house passed a bill that would provide expanded health care to 3.5 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other toxins while 34 Republicans joined all Democrats a whopping 174 voted against it right for some context here during both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars The military used burn pits to dispose of waste, jet fuel, and other hazardous materials, exposing troops to toxins that caused long-term medical issues. But exposed vets often have issues with the difficult process of filing disability benefit claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs. And so as a result, you have Democrats pushing this bill that would provide 300 billion dollars over ten years to expand healthcare eligibility to vets who are exposed to burn pits, even if they do not have a service-connected disability.

Starting point is 00:10:05 And notably, it also provides retroactive benefits to those whose claims have been denied in the past, as well as survivors of now-deceased veterans. But the Republicans who oppose this bill argue that this is just too much money to give to people who served our country and are now dying of cancer because of it. With House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arguing against that thinking, saying, if we're not willing to pay the price of war, we shouldn't go. And adding tax cuts for the rich, cancer for our veterans. That's how we see this discussion. Now, as far as what happens next, this bill will have to be reconciled with another version passed by the Senate last month, and very

Starting point is 00:10:32 notably, that legislation is much more narrow, so lawmakers will have their work cut out for them. But hopefully, Congress can work together, and you can get enough Republicans on board to help the people who served and sacrificed their bodies for this country. And then finally, today, we need to continue our now unfortunate tradition of updating you on the war in Ukraine. Starting with, despite yesterday there being reports of fighting still going on in Kherson,

Starting point is 00:10:51 it now looks like the city has actually been taken by Russian forces, leaving them in control of a major port. Beyond that, we had worrying news of Russian troops assaulting the largest nuclear power plant in Europe with fears that a stray shell could lead to a nuclear disaster. And for a while there were reports that the plant caught fire during the fighting,

Starting point is 00:11:05 but it looks like the fire was actually isolated to an administrative building, and current reports indicate that the potentially dangerous parts of the plant are fine, although it's now in Russian control. But either way, the assault has been internationally condemned as reckless. But reckless might not even be the right word,

Starting point is 00:11:17 rather it was just a severe disregard for human life. Right, because beyond shelling a nuclear power plant, the Russian military has seemingly grown increasingly frustrated at how the war has been going. Which has led to their widespread shelling of civilians in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and anywhere they're trying to take. Though, the Russian military is claiming that Ukraine has combatants in there, which would make them a valid target, but those claims have not been backed up by any evidence. And on top of bombarding civilian centers, Putin has also allegedly tried to have Zelensky assassinated at least three times now. Apparently thinking that killing him will somehow stop this war rather than forever turn him into a martyr. However, it is not all bad news for Ukraine.

Starting point is 00:11:47 Pentagon officials held a meeting and revealed that Russia has committed over 90% of the forces it had built up along the border to the fighting already, meaning Ukraine is effectively dealing with most of the Russian forces prepared to fight them. And the next was that Ukraine apparently still has a significant majority of its aircraft still available despite targeted strikes against its airfields. On top of that, these American officials are also claiming that the airspace in Ukraine is still widely contested. Also, as far as international help, there's been more than just money and weapons, with President Zelensky claiming that upwards of 16,000 foreigners with combat experience have already entered Ukraine and began training to be a part of its Foreign Legion, with reportedly many more

Starting point is 00:12:19 signing up to make the voyage. Also, as far as international help, I mean, we're seeing things small and large when it comes to fundraising. Instances where you have streamers in their community managing to raise tens of thousands of dollars. At the same time, on the other mainstream end, you have people like Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis launching a fundraiser promising to match three million dollars in donations for Ukrainian refugees. Also, one of the biggest donations may actually indirectly come from a Russian oligarch with past ties to Putin. Yeah, as weird as it sounds, the owner of Chelsea Football Club is Roman Abramovich, who decided to sell the club rather than let it be associated with him. And in a statement about the decision, he said,

Starting point is 00:12:49 This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and club. Moreover, I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated. The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine. This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery. Chelsea is one of the war in Ukraine. This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery. Chelsea is one of the largest football clubs in the world, and any sale of it would likely be worth billions, meaning this fund could end up being quite large. That said, you have many people saying, you know, don't praise him too much. Like many Russian oligarchs, he became rich after the fall of the

Starting point is 00:13:18 Soviet Union by pillaging the country. So you have many saying, right, by no means is he a superhero or anything. Also regarding this war and celebrities, we've seen people popping up in the news for things they've been saying. But for the most part, it's been really stupid stuff like, oh, Jake Paul and Logan Paul made these jokes that may be insensitive. With many calling it cloud chasing and self-promo on top of lives being lost. And while in no way am I going to try and defend those guys for being fuckheads, that is the least concerning thing being said on social media to me. Where I think it's more important to focus on what Lindsey Graham, an elected senator, said publicly. Tweeting yesterday, "'Is there a Brutus in Russia?

Starting point is 00:13:49 "'Is there a more successful Colonel Stauffenberg "'in the Russian military? "'The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia "'to take this guy out. "'You would be doing your country "'and the world a great service. "'The only people who can fix this are the Russian people. "'Easy to say, hard to do.

Starting point is 00:14:02 "'Unless you want to live in darkness "'for the rest of your life, "'be isolated from the rest of the world in abject poverty and live in darkness, you need to step up to the plate. And that tweet and his statements on Fox News led to an almost universal, bro, what the fuck are you doing?

Starting point is 00:14:14 Like what you said is something that, yes, exists in my head and maybe in casual conversation, but you're an elected official making a statement about someone killing the leader of Russia. You're publicly calling for an assassination attempt, which is why hell froze over and you had Ilhan Omar and Ted Cruz agreeing on something, saying what the hell is wrong with you? And when you have those two agreeing, you know someone fucked up. But ultimately, that is where I'm going to end this story. I mean, we could

Starting point is 00:14:40 be here all day. If you want up-to-date updates on this story, especially even over the weekend or days that I don't normally post, be sure to follow us also on TikTok. The account name is just Philip DeFranco. But ultimately that is where that story and today's show ends. Also a quick note for the most loyal of you beautiful bastards who stay for my goodbye.

Starting point is 00:14:56 A quick friendly reminder, the first full real drop from beautifulbastard.com in the last three months is going live on Monday. And two things with that, one, it's the first time that we're actually with a number of items, not all of them, but a number of items able to go up to 5XL. The goal is eventually all products, but hey, step. And secondly, if you want to be the first to be able to snag it, because there's going to be some limited stock, make sure you text me at

Starting point is 00:15:16 813-213-4423, or you join the mailing list over at beautifulbastard.com. Yeah. With that said, of course, as always, my name's Philip DeFranco. You've just been filled in. I love yo faces, and I'll see you Monday.

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The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 3.4 SHE LIED! Russia Risks Nuclear Disaster in Ukraine, 3 Failed Zelensky Assassination Attempts, & More

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