There Are No Girls on the Internet - Meg Thee Stallion fights deepfakes; Wicked's weird press; Welder’s murder highlights dangers for tradeswomen; AI fetish bear – NEWS ROUNDUP!

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

Bridget is joined by producer Joey Patt to cover the week's tech news that you might have missed.  Meg Thee Stallion targeted by racist, sexist deepfakes: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/megan-thee-stallion-responds-sexually-explicit-deepfake-x-rcna156424 Trump Administration planning executive order preventing AI regulation by states: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/19/white-house-prepares-executive-order-to-block-state-ai-laws-00660719 Women are under-represented in the building trades, where they often face harassment or worse. A young welder's murder highlights the risks: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sarah-kotzen_tradeswomen-workplacesafety-nawic-activity-7395254105088323584-NNd4/ Youth sports are costing parents a fortune, and private equity firms are making it worse: https://www.levernews.com/wall-street-is-paywalling-your-kids-sports/ AI-powered teddy bear talks to kids about knives, bondage, and starting fires: https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/tech/folotoy-kumma-ai-bear-scli-intl If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [e-mail] Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media! || instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc || youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternetSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Run a business and not thinking about podcasting. Think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than adds supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, IHeart's twice as large as the next two combined. Learn how podcasting can help your business. Call

844-844-I-Hart. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises. of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments.

If we didn't talk ever again, I was hungry. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come in, he's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball.

So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Shanti Plummer from Fud Around and Find out. This week, Azee Fud and I sat down with Step and Curry. Step talks pressure, confidence, and what it really takes to stay great. There's different categories, I guess, so on like conditioning, shooting drills

where you try to simulate kind of games. Look at her face. We have a love-hate relationship with those because you know you're getting something out of it. You don't look forward to those days. Listen to Futter Around and Find out on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

There Are No Girls on the Internet as a production of IHeart Radio and Unbossed Creative. I'm Bridget Todd, and this is There Are No Girls on the Internet. Welcome to their no girls on the internet where we explore the intersection of technology, social media, and identity. And this is another installment of our weekly news roundup where we dig into all the stories that you might have missed on the internet so you don't have to. It has been too long. I am so excited to welcome back. Today's guest co-host, producer Joey, Joey, thank you for being here. Hey, Bridget. Thanks for having me on again.

I have to ask, what is capturing your attention on the internet right now? Anything, what do you got? That's a great question, Bridget. Actually, I've really been wanting to talk about because this combines two of our favorite things. We'll see. I don't know what your personal relationship to the Broadway musical slash book slash now two-part movie Wicked is. But I have been. And I can see your face.

I have been obsessed. There's been so much that has happened with that movie and their marketing campaign. I'm supposed to see it tomorrow, so excited for that. But I've been really obsessed with like the amount of brand deals that they've done. Recently on TikTok, I got an ad for Crest, like the toothpaste company that was Wicked themed. And of course that. Right. And so I was curious.

So I did look this up according to, and it took me a lot of different articles to go through to finally find an actual number because there's so many articles. right now that are like top 10, top 50 wicked items to buy. According to the International Business Times, UK, there's 450 brand deals for this one movie. This is record breaking. That was going to say that has to be more than any other movie ever. Right. They're breaking the record from the first movie, which was about 400. And it looks like before that, like, the like Spider-Man movies were the most amount of money,

which makes sense. But yeah, no, I just, I was curious because, like, I literally, it's, again, I was, like, looking through these articles and there were, like, dishwasher soap. And, like, there was a Swiffer collab. There were laundry pots. There was a mac and cheese one that would either turn pink or green. I just, like. All of the products are so, like, weird and random also.

They're so weird. And then, but, like, here's the thing. I'm not going to lie. again, I personally grew up with this musical. Like, I'm a big wicked fan. Me and my sister were going to see tomorrow. I have been falling for some of these. There are a couple that I'm like, I did buy the,

the like Pillsbury cookies that they had. I actually was going to get the like Halloween cookies they usually have and they had sold out. This was for Halloween. They were out of them, but they had wicked ones. So I got those instead. They were fine. They tasted like the cookies usually do.

but the one that I keep seeing that I haven't gotten any ads for, but I just keep seeing on TikTok is the Chili's one. And this happened before I left to California. So I was still in New York. I don't know if you know this Bridgett. There is one Chili's in all of New York, which first of all. I didn't know. Wait, where is it?

It's in Queens. It's a queen. I have no idea. It's like, so I made a couple of our friends went. And we got it like, it was a Saturday. But it was like, we were like, we're going to go early. We're going to go at like 5 p.m. We get there.

This one chilies, do you want to guess how long the weight was? Oh my God. I can't even imagine. It was an hour and a half. To get into the wicked chilies and queen. Just regular chilies. And like I, there was like a family in front of us in line that was also like, what the hell? And I was like, yeah, we're like here to get the wicked drink.

They were like, we are too. So I was like, I clearly this advertising is working. And again, I haven't actually seen any Chili's advertisements for Wicked specifically. I just keep seeing people making TikToks about going to Chili's and like with their drinks and like making little jokes about the margaritas and whatever. I just wanted one of the, I didn't even, I don't even like margaritas. Like I wanted just, I was like, I will go. I just want the wand. There's this little Glinda wand you can get.

But yeah, I was like, I'm sorry, I'm not waiting an hour and a half for Chili's. So I have yet to get my wicked drinks. heartbroken. I can't, I'm so curious how this came to be, how this wicked Chili's collab came to be. That at least kind of makes, there's so many aspects of this. Like, I'm, I'm still like, how did the crest one happen? How did the Swiffer one happen? Like, what happened? These companies approach the wicked marketing team or did the wicked marketing team approach them? Like, what happened? I have a question for you about this. So you, you self-identify as a theater I do. I do. A former theater kid, I haven't actually done theater in a long time.

I mean, once you're in, you're in, you're in for life. Anybody wants to cast me in anything, you know? For your consideration, Joey. Exactly. You are in L.A. Someone will discover you on the street. Okay, so I, I, let me just make it very clear, all the caveats. I love Ariana Grande, much respect. I love, Cynthia Arriva was my girl.

nobody has pipes like her. Nothing but respect. A queen. I love Wicked. I saw it on Broadway. I saw the first movie. Love it. No problems here. I know it's a deep fan base. So I also really like it. I do feel like when I watch the interviews between Ariana and Cynthia, I feel like I'm missing something and I don't understand what it is. And someone was like, you just don't understand theater energy. I know. I feel like I get theater energy, but what am I, am I way off base here? Do you know what I'm talking about? Like, the thing is, you just have to go into it knowing that they're both kind of insane. And I, I'm, no, I agree with you, though. It is like something weird has been happening this entire press tour. This was happening, like, last year. Because it is, we're having the same round of discourse that we had a year ago.

So I'm like, I'm ready. Again, this is not what, you guys can't see what I'm doing the, the thing where Cynthia was holding Ariana's finger or the other way around. I can't remember who was holding who's finger. Fixing the necklace. I will say though, like, I am in queer media, that interview moment.

That was, if anybody follows me on Instagram, my bio has been I am in queer media for the past year from that interview. I don't know. I really don't know. I wish I could get a glimpse into both of their psyches. I'm the same.

I love Ariana Grande. I like, I listen to her music for years now. I'm not like a huge, like, she's not one of my top artists, but I'll always listen to her. She's fine. I really liked her new album that she put out. That was really good.

And same with Sydney Review. Amazing voice. No, I do. And I just was rewatching the first movie before I left. And watching it, it was sort of, like me and my friend were watching it. We both kind of were talking about this too. And my point was kind of like, you know what?

Here's the thing. It is like the old Hollywood diva thing where I'm like, but they're so talented. Like they have such amazing voices that I'm kind of like, yeah, sure, they can do whatever they want. Yeah. And I don't know. Cynthia Reevo, I just, the amount of like gifts that we've gotten from insane. So, yeah, again, like, I think they both are just like, they're like Broadway-type divas.

And we haven't gotten a lot of those like this famous in a while. So maybe that's it. Maybe that's what they meant by like the theater kid thing. I don't know. I can see it. I don't know, but it's fascinating to watch unravel in front of everybody. I completely agree. I also think part of it is that so when I saw Wicked in the theater, I did not know it was

going to be a two-part movie until. Oh, really? Yeah, I was like, oh, there's a sequel. Okay. Also, when I was in the theater, I was like, I swear I respect the craft of theater and musical theater. I was in a showing where everybody around me was singing. and I was the one person who was like,

wouldn't it be cool if we could hear them sing, though? Oh, no. Was it one where it was like specifically like you're supposed to sing in this one or was it just a normal showing? So I think it was just a normal showing. It was just a very enthusiastic audience. And I was the one grump who was like, yeah.

No, I agree with you. I agree with you. I think that's not cool. I think, look, listen, there were plenty of screenings that were like sing along, like come here and and yeah, like, again, I went to one of, this is a whole other story, but when the movie Cats came out,

I went to one of the ones where you were supposed to yell at the screen. That was an experience. Don't know if I would repeat that. But, you know, there are specific showings that are meant for you to sing along, so why not just do it anyway?

I don't know. I agree with you. I hate it when people talk over movies. Don't do that. I once almost came to blows in a screening of the menu because a woman was watching full volume TikToks right next to me

and I was like, we're going to have to physically find in this theater. Oh, my God. That was very weird. You know, Bridget, speaking of music I've been seeing on TikTok a lot lately that I think really embodies this moment, have you, just because this has been stuck in my head all week, have you seen the like, we are Charlie Kirk song that's going around TikTok? I have not. You haven't? Okay, because I just learned.

I haven't been on TikTok. So here's the thing. I heard this song because what people were like, oh, my. my god, this is insane. I was like, this has to be AI. This sounds like it's AI. I did just look it up, according to Forbes. Yes, it is AI. Bridget, I'm going to send

you this song because Oh my gosh. This has been stuck in my head all week. We are Charlie Kirk. Oh, my God. I'm keeping that sound bite of the episode. Oh, my gosh. Um, yeah,

that's all you need to listen to. that's the yeah there's a though we are Charlie Kirk chorus has been I have heard it way too many times over the past week I didn't need to hear it once

and yeah now it's when stuck in my head again apparently it is AI generated I'm not surprised it does kind of sound like it's a I've heard it compared to like Alex Warren who I've been told

is a musician I actually have not heard any of his songs. I just know he's like a Mormon music guy or like Imagine Dragons or I want to do an investigative series at one point about like the Mormon influence on the music industry. Oh yeah. Mormons are very hot right now. Yes. It's it is a thing. You know what I'm talking. Yeah. But even like looking back, Mormons are really hot right now. I don't know what's going on with that. But even like looking back I was like like I keeping like Benz and Boone kind of reminds me a panic at the disco and I'm like, oh yeah, because they're. were ex-Mormons and like Imagine Dragons also ex-Mormons, there's too many like all rock

bands that are ex-Mormons. I didn't know Imagine Dragons or X-Mormons. Imagine dragons are ex-Mormons, yeah. Apparently they left the Mormon church because of their stance on like gay people. So, you know, I guess go Imagine Dragons. Uh, allies. Okay. Imagine dragons.

Ally! Imagine dragons. Who fucking knew? Who would have thought? Um, you know what? when I was like 12 radioactive flabbed, so I don't know. And still kind of does, actually. They, they have, I know they're so cringy, but I have the soft.

I will be lying if I said I didn't have a little bit of a soft spot for them, right? No, I, it's just like they're, they're like a nostalgic band. I think I just, yes. Like, whenever I do hear their music, I'm like, oh, like, this is kind of fun though. Yeah. At the Democratic National Convention in like 20, whatever the like 20, like 20, like 20, like, like the Clinton one, I straight up cried while on drugs during a performance of the Black I pieces, where is the love? And I was like, Bridget, I have cried.

Like really crying. I thought on drugs. So I was just like, they're so right. Where is the love? Well, speaking of music, we should talk about what is going on with the rapper Meg the Stalian because she has been straight fighting racialized and gender. mis and disinformation online. She's been doing it for kind of a while. During the criminal trial against rapper Torrey Lanes, this is what a lot of this stuff started. This week, Meg the Stalin was in court

trying to fight AI-generated deepfakes of herself. So a little bit of backstory for folks who don't remember. Canadian rapper Tori Lanes got sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was found guilty of shooting rapper Meg the Stalion in the foot back in July of 2020 while they were all in a car leaving a party at Kylie Jenner's house.

So this trial, like, I followed it pretty closely because it was one of those trials where it just really was like a wave of gendered and racialized, misand-discinformation, like basically lies to smear Meg. Honestly, it quite reminded me of the Amber Heard Johnny Depp defamation trial. The thing that stood out to me is how much like content creators online and on social media, blogs, YouTubers, podcasters, they played such a role

in spreading just flat out incorrect information about this case in a way that really discredited Megan as this victim of violence.

And it created this climate where lies generated so much engagement that like ultimately it kind of didn't matter what the truth, in quotes,

was because there was so much smoke and noise and distortion, which ultimately harms us all in the process. And so that trial, if folks remember it, I feel like it really calcified, just flooding the zone as a tactic for abusers to avoid accountability. But honestly, again, I really feel like Johnny Depp just perfected this and now we're all stuck with it.

But all of these online contact creators were able to create a lot of smoke and distortion and distrust and lies and confusion. You know, it was this cottage industry of like bloggers and like so-called body language experts and media person and TikTokers who, you know, we just live in this climate where not everybody is going to recognize, oh, this random YouTuber is not the same thing as NBC News or something, right? The body language experts were my, I don't want to say we're my favorite because it was just one of those things every, I think I was a little bit more present for the Johnny.mabamber her trial, but for that one specifically. I mean, like, and I know that the Megam's Sally one was kind similar. Some of the stuff people were saying online was insane. Also, all of a sudden, it was like

everybody had a psychology degree. Everybody had a criminal psychology degree. Also, and this is me also kind of having my armchair expert, whatever, I took one forensics class in high school because it was like the easiest science class I could take. But I literally remember in that they told us how they were like, yeah, a lot of this like body language, eye contact reading, whatever stuff is fake because it's, there's so many other factors that can comment. Anyway, I don't know. It just was like one of those things. It's not only just people not really knowing what they're talking about and claiming to

because they're on TikTok and they're loud about it. But also, like, the thing they're claiming to know a lot about is it really like a science or an exact science to begin with? It's kind of just like an idea that sometimes works. Exactly. But when people are just fiending for anything. information that scratches the itch of telling you this person who you don't like is in the wrong, they'll watch it. And so even like anybody can claim to be a body language expert and get out of

YouTube and say, because so and so held their face like this, it means XYZ. That kind of content when you make it about somebody who is the target of this kind of like mis and disinformation campaign is always going to do numbers. Right. It doesn't like it's sort of like doesn't matter that It's a complete bunk science that's like made up and anybody can say anything. It's essentially like fan fiction that people project on to people. And there's always going to be an audience for it. It's it really isn't like anybody can claim we can start a body language YouTube channel tomorrow and it will probably do numbers because people love it.

It's funny that you said fan fiction specifically because this is making me realize that feels very similar to right now with the other big internet news story or guess not internet, politics news story of the week is the alleged Bill Clinton Donald Trump affair. And seeing some of the clips from that that people now are posting and being like, comparing clips from the 2016 presidential debates to like challengers. Like it feels like it's that level of like investigation where it's like this is a funny joke people are making in this situation. But unfortunately, this is a thing that people do use and realize.

Like I've seen when the, like, I've seen people do that with the Joe Biden and Trump, like, when you see them talking off camera, people like try to be like lip reading. Here's what they're saying. And it's like it's a joke. Like it's all stuff that's fake. Anyways. Yes, Bridget. Back to Meg and the Stallion. Yeah, but it's so true that you, that people will, people will and do project anything onto public figures and there's always going to be an audience for that. And like, during the whole Meg the Staliener, Tory Lane's trial, the real meat of it was that people online made it sound like it was Meg against Tory, but in reality it was Tory against the state of California. These were like state charges. And so they were able to do this in a way that put Meg her reputation and her history and her credibility on trial, even though she was the one who had been shot, right? And so it created this legacy of all of these outright falsehoods about. about Meg fueled by massager noir and just sexism and racism, including Milagro Grams, who is a hip-hop news personality who was on YouTube,

who pushed this theory that Meg was never actually shot, that she just stepped on glass, even though a surgeon testified that they had found bullet fragments in her blood. So she was definitely shot, no question about it. So Grams even testified that she had been on a call with Tori Lins and his father, who wanted her to essentially continue to use her YouTube channel and social media presence to essentially make up stories about Meg Vastalian on social media. When NBC News talked to Grams, she said, quote,

on my end, everything is not going to be something that was intended to be a factual statement. It might have a comedic effect. So when this happened, Meg vowed to sue bloggers who continue to spread false information about her during and after this trial. And now Meg is taking this YouTuber, Milagro Grams, to court. Good for her. As she should. During the trial this week when Meg took the stand, per NBC,

she was accusing Grams, this YouTuber, of encouraging her thousands of followers on X and Instagram to view an unauthorized, sexually explicit, deep fake video of Meg Vestalian that had been circulating on social media. The testimony was, like, pretty emotional. Meg shared that, quote, I feel like to this day I feel a little defeated, often sobbing when describing the image, the AI-generated image of depicting her likeness. She says, quote, because no matter what, no matter if the video was fake or not, Graham's wanted it to be real.

And so, you know, this person has basically been making content about Megastalian all through this trial. and already the courts ordered this person to pay Meg the Stallion's legal fees. Interestingly enough, the lawsuit does not accuse Grams of creating or posting the video, but suggests that she, quote, willfully and maliciously promoted it to her followers, pointing them to a post that had directly shared it. And so I do, this is something that I find I'm interested in whether or not a YouTuber can be held accountable for spreading a fake video like this that they themselves did not create. But I think it's, you know, bigger than this one content creator.

I think, like, Meg is right for trying to refuse to let this digital machine that we know is built on the massagenoir, sexism, degrading women, particularly women of color. Letting this machine be the thing that decides the truth. And I think that she is really trying to show what happens and how easily conspiracy, profit, online engagement, all of that can spread. quickly online and drown out the facts when a black woman has been harmed. And so I'm curious to see how this will shake out. But I think that we have to as a society kind of decide whether or not we're going to accept a world where using AI to violate a black woman who was already like publicly the victim of a shooting, like horrible abuse, whether or not that's just okay fodder for content. right? Like, I think that's really kind of what's at stake here.

Yeah, absolutely agreed. I mean, Megan the Stallion is one of those celebrities that because she is so prominent in the public eye, a lot of our discussion around women and black women in particular, like, she's going to kind of end up becoming the face of that. Whether she wants to or not, I mean, I don't think she wants to because I can't see why anybody would want to. Again, so much love for her for like going through all of this and not shutting up. not taking a step back and actually fighting, like, for justice here. Nobody should have to go through that. I think every time I come on this show, there's a story about, like, AI nude deep fakes

or porn deep fakes or something. And it is like, it's something, I mean, I have to think about. It's something that I think most, like, non-sysmen have to think about. I grew up with the rhetoric, you know, growing up of, like, never take nude photos, never send nude photos. It's going to be really bad. They're going to get leaked. they're going to be whatever. At this point, you don't need to be the one doing it. Like, it is sort of like, I think that's bullshit to begin with. Like, it's complicated. Intimacy is complicated. But also, like, we live in an era where it's like, yeah, it doesn't matter what you do because somebody could easily leak fake, like a fake sex tape or fake nudes of you. So at this point, like, it's, who cares anymore? But also, yeah, no, I mean, I think like good for her for, for bringing this to court, for. For. For. For bringing this to court.

making this for not just sort of letting it slide. I think, I mean, we've talked before about, like, I still stand by and my, maybe I'm a little bit psychic. I did predict that Taylor Swift was going to be somehow related to this whole AI news thing. And at the top of 2024, she did. She was the victim of a letter. Bridget was there in the episode when I show, I was like, I have the dates on this notes app that say, I wrote this is my 2024 for prediction before it happened. And then, yeah, like, I think Taylor Flift is another example of, like, somebody who, regardless of how you feel about her, the way we talk about her is very reflective of, like, how we think about women, which has been discussed on the show before. I think it is really some, like, it is really admirable to me and really worth noting that, like, all of these famous women have actually been kind of, like, taking these issues to court. Because, A, it is, like, if it happens to them, it can happen to any of us.

like, Megan the Stallion has way more money and resources than I ever will have. But also, it's like, if somebody's going to have to do, if somebody's going to have to be the one to, like, stand up and argue this in court, like, yeah, good for her. Good for Megan the Stallion for, like, standing her ground here. I completely agree. And it's one of the reasons I always worry when I talk about this and people are thinking, oh, this is like celebrity fluff. But to me, it's not because this is how they'll treat Meg the Stallion, like someone people love, someone with lots of resource. access money, da-da-da-da. This is how they treat Amber Heard. How will they treat a Bridgete Todd? How will they treat a Joey Pat? How will they treat other people who do not have the resources and the access?

And so if someone with as much resources as Meg the Stahlion or Amber Heard have will be treated this way in court when they get their day in court, does not bode well for any of us. And so I don't talk about it because it's a celebrity fluff story. I talk about it because I think it does illustrate something for the rest of us that do not have the privilege and access of celebrities. And if these celebrities cannot escape this climate that is so toxic and is so full of lies, none of us will. And to your point about, you know, I got the same guidance, don't take pictures of yourself. When there was the ICloud photo hack in 2014, so many prominent voices in 1010.

echoed that they said, well, these starlets should have never taken those photos. Never mind the fact that those photos were illegally hacked by a criminal. And the hack of those photos was a sex crime. We never really talked about it like that, but this person committed a crime. Why you're blaming the victim for taking those photos? I don't know. However, now, you know, 10 years later, we see how not sufficient of a public conversation it was to just say, oh, well, it's their fault for taking these photos. Because now you don't have to take photos. Now anybody can just get your yearbook photo and use AI to make sexualized deep fake images of you. It doesn't matter if you're a 14-year-old New Jersey student or Meg the Stallion. And so clearly that opportunity for a public

conversation about our tech climate when it comes to identity and gender, we did not have the conversation that we needed to have because here we are 10 years later and it's like, well, it doesn't really matter if you choose to take your clothes off or not. They're going to use AI to address you anyway. Exactly. Exactly. I mean, I do think that, The Google I cloud hacking moment, I will say, I think that was like a radicalizing feminist moment for like 15 year old me. What all that went down where that sort of like shattered? Because yeah, no, exactly. That was like the rhetoric.

And then it was all like, oh my God, like, how dare they take these pictures? And I was like, well, you're talking about all these actresses that I look up to and whatever. I don't know. It is like we're living in a time where people are trying to police sexuality and particularly women and like non-decentral. suspends sexuality and like we do also like this is this is one aspect of that. I do always love to

point to the the Schitt's Creek episode where Moira's like old nudes that she took got leaked and she's like she has like she's talking to Alexis and the what's her name Stevie? Is that the other girl in the show

and she's like take pictures now while you're young and hot and I was like that changed my that changed how I thought about it I was like you're right you're right because you know what you're going to get leaked no matter what maybe we should all just be taking hot naked pictures of ourselves like I don't know um maybe the solution all of this is we need to just like become more chill with nudes being a thing moira tech icon ahead of her time ahead of her time catherine o'hara if you want to come on the podcast please oh my god it will be it would be a dream just putting that out there you can talk about

Anything she wants. Anything. Anything. Let's take a quick break. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guide. Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman,

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an Acapella band with their between songs banter. There's that worst singer in the group. The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard,

you only got in because your parents made a huge donation. The group. The yard birds, right? That's the name. The Harvard Yardt. They're open. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open.

Since you guys are middle-aged. One erection. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Huber me. I need some jokes to make me seem funny. Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than ads supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora.

And as the number one podcaster, IHearts twice as large as the next two combined. So whatever your customers listen to, they'll hear your message. Plus, only IHeart can extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. Think podcasting can help your business. Think IHeart. Streaming, radio. and podcasting. Let us show you at iHeartadvertising.com. That's iHeartadvertising.com. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are

trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsClace brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsCise on the IHeart

Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout, Kate Martin, and rising hockey star, Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't.

Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile. That means the world to me.

And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast. For wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this.

is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we're back.

Well, speaking of AI, I am really riled up about this potential AI executive order. So we talked a while back about how Republicans were trying to unsuccessfully, but did try to sneak a moratorium on any state-level AI laws into their so-called Big Beautiful Bill. Well, because we need more, more music. Like I just showed you at the top. We need more songs honoring Charlie Kirk's legacy. We can't curtail innovation. Okay, so the White House is back on it.

They are trying to make sure that we get as many of these Charlie Kirk AI-generated songs as possible. They're preparing to issue an infectative order as soon as Friday that enlists the power of the federal government to block states from regulating AI. This is according to four people familiar. with the matter in a leaked draft order obtained by Politico. The draft document, confirmed as authentic by three people familiar with the matter, would

launch several efforts to challenge state-level AI laws, including forming an AI litigation task force run by the Department of Justice. Now, this is a real problem for a lot of reasons. The first of which is that the state-level laws are a necessary step to get any kind of federal legislation, which, let's be real, this administration seems very keen to avoid. if you have like a network of pact work state level laws, eventually that kind of thing historically can lead to some sort of meaningful federal legislation. And it will be one thing if the federal government was trying to prevent state laws that address AI harms because

they wanted like a more comprehensive federal approach. Maybe. However, that is not what this is. Instead, this is the Trump administration wanting to make sure that no one, not states nor the federal government, is doing anything that might possibly impact the process. of AI companies. They're essentially all in on AI companies as the future of the American economy, so they don't want them regulated in any way by anyone. Here's how Politico describes it. The executive order would be a different approach than the previous attempt because it is deploying the muscle of several federal agencies to quash state AI regulations. Government lawyers would be directed to challenge state laws on the grounds that they unconstitutionally regulate interstate

commerce are preempted by existing federal regulations or otherwise, at the Attorney General's discretion. So this task force would consult with administration officials from the White House, including Special Advisor for AI in Crypto, which is a role that is currently occupied by investor, comma, hack, all-in tech podcaster, David Sachs. He would be in charge of determining which state AI laws would be worth challenging, according to this document. So if you're wondering, what does all this mean?

Why do I care? Think about it like this. Right now, several states have some kind of state-level legislation on the books to prevent the thing that we were just talking about with the Megastallion story. AI generated deepfakes and their spread. Pennsylvania, Washington, Michigan, Tennessee, California. This executive order would threaten those kinds of laws. Or legislation that tells job seekers that they have a right to be notified when AI is being used in the job application screening process or legislation that outright prevents it from being used in the job application process because we have a right. know AI is biased, that states like New York, Colorado, Illinois, California have laws pertaining

to that right now. Or how just this week, Portland passed legislation banning AI rent price fixing, which by the way, just this week, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson reached a $7 million settlement with North Carolina's largest landlord because that company was using AI to illegally coordinate rent prices. So we currently, right now, have all kinds of state level AI legislation that dictates how institutions can use AI in ways that are meant to help protect citizens and consumers. So if you zoom out and imagine what a landscape looks like if this executive order goes through and is meaningful, you know, executive orders are not laws, but the Supreme Court and Congress seem very keen to just let Trump do whatever you want, so we'll see. But instead of

states kind of experimenting and responding to the real harm happening in their communities and building in some kind of guardrail against it that Congress has, here too, four, refused to build. The federal government is stepping in and saying, wait, no, stand down, wait for us. And wait for what? Because there is no current federal AI law on the table. It's just a vacuum. And in that vacuum, the White House is basically stepping in not to protect the citizens, Americans, consumers, but to protect corporations.

And I think especially we're probably going to see this be the kind of thing where it is corporations who are willing to play ball and let's keep it real, pay bribes to the Trump administration that will be able to continue to operate without this friction. It's just, it's just such a shocking, blatant disregard for what is good for your average American. You know, this is like, going back to like the celebrity culture element of it, our last story, I do wonder, because I don't know if Bridget, you saw the Kim Kardashian video this week of her crying because she failed. the California bar exam because she claimed

it was because of chat chvety and because she was using chat chvety just can't Cam Cam Kardashian pull the fuck up and please become like if she becomes our anti like or like our pro AI regulation

if she becomes the champion for that I will forgive you for everything else you have done in your career She could do it. She could do it. And I think it's, I mean, this is a little bit above my pay grade, but I have to imagine it's related to, you know, AI essentially propping up our economy right now.

And I think the government is very invested, no pun intended, but appreciated, in the idea that this AI bubble is not going to burst. And so I think being like, oh, what if we said that nobody can do anything to curtail this technology, that might. help foster this idea that it's not going to burst. And yeah, just I hate how much of our democracy and our economy has just turned into fucking like casino gambling and robbing Peter to pay Paul shell games. Just like, I think this, I think something about this executive order just really makes that

clear how much it is just setting things up for bribes and scams and the American people. We're the ones who are losing ultimately. and it just pisses me off that there are still people who will see this. People who will never, like, they'll never see that White House ballroom, whatever, whatever, who are like, yeah, it's good that AI companies can illegally collude

to raise my rent using AI. It's like, in what way? You're a renter, babe, in what, like, I don't see how your average everyday American can see this and be like, oh, yeah, this is going to be great for me. It's better if they can use AI to raise my rent. I love paying more in rent.

Who doesn't? I love paying more in rent. personally. I want my life to be more expensive and with a like shittier result. I don't know. I, it is, it is really weird. Yeah, the whole conversation around AI is just like, it's gone to the point where again, yeah, we have like Kim Kardashian of all people coming out here and being like, oh my God, Chad CBT is the reason I failed by logs. Whatever. I'm like, why am I out here agreeing with Kim Martin? Like, you're getting people from all like levels of society. You're getting people. people that work white collar jobs, talking about how they're frustrated with AI.

You're getting, you know, people that are getting screwed over across the board because their rent is going up because of AI or because, you know, it's harder to just Google something and find an answer because of AI. Like, I don't know, it is, it is a really strange time to just be like, we all acknowledge this is bad. We're just not doing anything about it. Here, here. Let's take a quick break. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman,

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. There's the worst singer in the group. The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard,

uh, you only got in because you're very, parents made a huge donation. The group. The yard birds, right? That's the name. The Harvard Yardt. They're open. Do you have a name suggestion?

We're open. Since you guys are middle-aged. One erection. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Humor me. I need some jokes to make me seem funny. Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, think again.

More Americans listen to podcasts than ads supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, IHeart's twice as large as the next two combined. So whatever your customers listen to, they'll hear your message. Plus, only IHeart can extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. Think podcasting can help your business. Think IHeart. Streaming, radio, and podcasting. Let us show you at iHeartadvertising.com.

That's IHeartadvertising.com. That's iHeartadvertising.com. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the...

highlight reel. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them

and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it.

An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard.

Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast. Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee. This is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levan this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. At our back. So I do have to throw a little bit of a trigger warning on top of this one because it is a very tragic story. In Minnesota, a young welder named Amber Check, who was only 20, was murdered by her fellow employee at their equipment and systems design and fabrication factory worksite. She was bludgeoned to death by her male co-reaching. David DeLong, who was 40 years old at the Advanced Process Technologies Manufacturing Facility in Minnesota, which specializes in services to the food and dairy industry.

So it is an absolutely heartbreaking story. It's already said that this guy had been probably planning on murdering Amber for a while because he said that he, quote, just didn't like her. County attorney Brian Lutz said that DeLong felt that Amber had, quote, given him a bad look and that he was upset about that. Now, mind you, Amber was 20 years old, and this man was 40. So someone half his age, he was upset,

according to him, by just a, quote, bad look that somebody half his age gave him. So he was reportedly charged with second-degree murder, but Wright County Attorney Brian Lutz told KARE, the Minnesota local news affiliate, in a statement that he plans to evaluate the case for a possible charge of first-degree, premeditated murder, which requires convening a grand jury, which, again, I'm no lawyer, but

somebody who officials say had been planning this murder for a while, I don't understand why that wouldn't be a first-degree murder, but I'm no attorney. And so I wanted to talk about this both as just a terrible tragedy, but also to spotlight the roles of women in the trades like Amber. You probably already know that women are very underrepresented in trade work, like welding and electrical work. According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, tradeswomen were only 4.3% of all construction trade workers as of 2024, and in certain trades, it's even lower. 3.2% of plumbers and pipe fitters and 2.9% of electricians are women. So, unsurprisingly, women face challenges in the trades like discrimination and a hostile workplace

culture. There is this viral post going around Reddit that I saw claiming that Amber had actually made several complaints about this person to HR, but I could not actually verify that myself or find a source for that claim other than the post itself. But honestly, it would not surprise me. In a statement about Amber's death, the National Association of Women in Construction, President Rita Brown said, we must confront the truth that too many trades women have endured hostility, intimidation, harassment and threats on job sites where warning signs were visible but unaddressed. This tragedy is not an anomaly. It is part of a disturbing pattern that we as an industry can no longer deny and will no longer tolerate. And so it is just something that I think, you know,

we often talk about how people shouldn't go to college and should go into the trades. And I'm very supportive of the trades. I have often thought about going back and becoming an electrician. If I ever stopped podcasting about technology, I would probably be an electrician. Yeah, this is just such a horrifying story on its own. But yeah, I think like to the point you were making about, if we're saying, yes, more people should go to trade school or encouraging people to go to trade school, like when you say people, women are half of people. So it's like if you want people to do that, you need to make it safe for everybody. Exactly. Yes. And I don't even really know how to talk about this because I don't want to speculate on stuff I don't know.

But, you know, in looking at information about this case, Amber was young, she was 20 and she had like short hair and all these pictures. And part of me wonders if that is part of what's going on here that people aren't really reporting on. That, one, I think that the fact that this guy was 40 and she was 20, there was a huge age discrepancy there. And so, like, I think that Gen Z in the workplace, I think that, like, that might be part of something that made her vulnerable in this workplace that I, that, like, should have been addressed and she should have been supported on. And then, too, part of me wonders if this guy perceived her as whether or not she was as, as, like, queer or LGBTQ in some way, because she had quite short hair. And so I, I can't imagine. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, I don't want to speculate, but, like, no.

Oh, I agree. I mean, I think even beyond like not speculating, I'll say somebody who like I have pretty short hair. I'm like, Bridget, you can see me where my hair is out like this is the longest I'm usually like, I'm probably going to get a hair gun like a month. Like this is it. But like I can tell that I, when my hair is this even just a little bit longer where it like it could, it's closer to like a bob. I get treated so differently. Like when my hair is like as short as I usually cut it, that is a very different experience from when my hair is a little bit longer and maybe I'm dressed a little bit longer. And maybe I'm dressed a little bit. bit more feminine. It's still uncomfortable. It's still sort of demeaning the way that I'm treated, but it's like safer in a weird way. Like I know that I'm like, I don't know. I've like had this conversation before about like if I'm going into like space. I don't know if it's going to be super like queer friendly or whatever. If I if my hair is longer when that's happening, I'm usually like, okay, yeah, I can get away with it. If my hair is a little bit shorter, I'll usually try to like fom it up a little bit to, you know, not. But yeah, no, I wouldn't be surprised if that also was part of this.

Yeah, no, I'm actually the fact that he was 40 and she was 20 is crazy. And I mean, I think beyond that, I'm sure every, as somebody who is a bad person who has worked in male dominated fields, like my whole life. I mean, it's, yeah, you will be, you will have an uncomfortable experience with a man that. that's twice your age. And unfortunately, that's kind of just a given way. It shouldn't be. It shouldn't be. I'm not saying that's okay.

I'm not saying that that should be the norm. But like, I don't know, having worked in media, having previously worked in film, working and podcasting now, like, I've had plenty of experiences of like men twice my age that have been really weird and uncomfortable. And, you know, thank God, nothing really bad has happened to me personally. But it's like, this is a possible. This is something that you have to think about. it's true and it shouldn't be true. And in the case of Amber, the National Association of Women in Construction and Building Trade Unions are all calling for like industry support and increased protections for women who work in key construction site jobs. And, you know, I just think like it's just a reminder that with all the talk of going into the trades, which like I love the trades, I will never should on the trades. However, the work, as you said, the work has to be safe for,

for everybody. The work has to be safe, whether you're queer, whether you're a young woman, whether you're Gen Z. It has to be safe. You have to be able to show up and feel like you're going to be protected. And if right now it doesn't sound like we're creating that kind of a culture that is going to allow for everybody to show up. And, you know, if there are any trades women listening, like, it is tough. It's tough work. The people who do this work, they work hard. And there are a workforce that is very, very important. And too often, especially for marginal as people in that workforce are doing this critical work without the protections and support that they need. And so I guess I'm heartened as tragic as this is. I'm heartened to see these unions

and these organizations trying to at least use this tragedy to get a little bit of justice and like use this, use Amber's legacy to really shine a spotlight on underrepresented folks who are in the trade because it's important. It genuinely is life or death. More after. a quick break. Another podcast from some SNL, late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan

to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an Acapella band with their between songs banter. There's the worst singer in the group. The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything

to the idea that because you're from Harvard you only got in because your parents made a huge donation. The yard birds, right? That's the name. The Harvard Yardt Yard's, right? Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. Since you guys are middle-aged, one erection.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hulmer me. I need some jokes to docks. make me seem funny. Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, think again. More Americans listen to podcasts than ads supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. And as the number one podcaster, IHearts twice as large as the next two combined. So whatever your customers listen to, they'll hear your message.

Plus, only IHeart can extend your message to audiences across broadcast radio. Think podcasting can help your business. Think IHeart. Streaming, radio, and podcasting. Call 844-844-I-Hart to get started. 844-844 iHeart. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the high

From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsClyce on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness,

professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it.

An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard.

Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast. Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee. This is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levan this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life.

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's get right back into it. Well, switching gears a little bit, this is not the kind of story that we usually talk about, but I was just sort of very intrigued by it because it has come to my attention that parents out here might be getting scammed because I truly had no idea until there recently how much money is involved in youth sports. In researching this segment, I came across multiple people who use this term the youth sports industrial complex. Because if your kid plays hockey, especially hockey, but other sports too, basketball cheer, really anything competitive, you are opening your fucking wallet because this shit

is very expensive. Oh yeah. Did you know this? Kind of. So I was a competitive dancer growing up. So I, and that is a whole other world of like dance industrial complex kind of thing. But I, I'm sure, and I never was a sports person. I never really played competitive sports growing up, but seeing my friends that did or friends, siblings that did, I'm not surprised by all this. And again, yeah, I was in the dance world, which was very similar as much as I,

though, although they always would tell us, because whenever would be like, oh, this is a sport, they would be like, no, we're artists. This is an art. We're not. Art form actually? an art for him. So I don't know. I guess like artists can scam you to, I don't, whatever. Yeah, it's all scams. We were special. We were artists. We weren't like, we weren't jocks. That's so funny. I was going to say is dance, is competitive dance not a sport, but I guess not. It's an artistry. Well, according to this new report from the lever, private equity is taking over youth sports. And as part of that takeover, companies are even preventing parents from using their own cell phones to record their own kids game so that they can squeeze even more money out of these families.

This is, you know what? This feels like a full circle moment because the, the like finance people that are working for these private equity firms that are moving out to the suburbs, that are having kids, that are having kids take place in these, like, take part in these really competitive, sports things or whatever. Great. Now you can't record your kid playing soccer because of the thing that you used, I don't know, the machine that you were also in a cog in.

I'm generalizing. here. I'm sure not all of these people are not. Part of this is dumb. But I have an image in my head of the kind of couple that is taking their kid to soccer practice and this is happening. And I feel like we're going in a loop here. Yes, the machine. It's all the machine. So as this $40 billion with AB youth sports industry is coming under private equity controlled, corporate-owned facilities and leagues from hockey rinks to cheer arenas have started banning parents from filming their own children. What are they supposed to do instead? Well, instead, parents are required to subscribe to exclusive company-owned streaming services that can cost more per month than actual streaming of actual professional sports.

These private equity firms also lock in exclusive contracts that block any competing video services from being used. So when I first read this story, I was like, these people have never met Melvin Todd Sr. In our town, my dad was like known for coming onto the field during our, like, I have a very particular memory of him coming onto the field to like, I think my brother was being on sportsman like or something. Like he was known in our town for like coming onto the field during our games. So I was like, oh, this would never fly with Melvin Todd Senior.

So I'm thinking like, okay, how are they going to enforce this? What are they going to do if parents are, just like, fuck you, I'm going to record anyway. Well, according to the lever, they will confiscate parents' phones if they record anyway. Parents can be blacklisted from attending their kids' games. And in some cases, the kids might face penalties if their parent is like, fuck you, I'm going to record on my phone anyway. This actually happened to a sitting U.S. senator, Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

He said, quote, I was told this past weekend that if I live streamed my child's hockey game, my kids team would be penalized and lose a place in the standings. Why? Because a private equity company has bought up the rinks. Can you imagine? This is getting like Black Mirror episode, which I know is like every episode of this podcast, but like for real, this is giving Black Mirror episode. Also like, I'm sorry.

I just want to go back to the fact that like parents' bones can get confiscated. Like, yes. It feels like like are we putting the parents in detention? like what's going, I feel like the state of the world right now is we are all stuck in like a bad 80s movie and like the villains of the bad 80s movie are all of the people in charge. It's getting like the breakfast club, like the teacher from the breakfast club and being like like that is who we're all under right now being like no, you can't have your phones out. You can't be filming this. You can't be celebrating your kids. We need to stream this on youth.

soccer plus or whatever. Yes, this story about the youth sports really shows what's at stake here. Like, do you want this private equity company to ban you as a parent from taking a video on your phone of your kids' youth sports that you already pay out the ass for them to be able to do? Not to mention, you're probably, after we're probably at the drive them halfway across town. I don't even get me started. On top of that, do you want to have to be forced to pay for?

for Black Bear Sports Group TV package just to watch your kid play hockey? I don't think so. So Black Bear Sports Group is the largest private equity youth hockey organization in the United States. And basically, when asked by the lever about like this policy, why parents can't just record their own kids, they said it was because of, quote, significant safety risks, like kids being filmed without their consent. But when the lever pressed them and was like, okay, well, why would parents be punished

for recording their own kids if you're worried about the safety risk of kids being filmed without their consent. Lever was like, oh, we don't really have an answer to that. No answer. They didn't have anything to say. So the Black Bear Streaming Package Service cost between $25 and $50 a month

depending on the package. They're also on top of that adding new fees, like a $50 registration and insurance charge on top of the normal fees that parents already pay. The USA Hockey membership and the already sky-high cost of the equipment. It's the kind of price creep that makes hockey, which is already a very expensive and exclusionary sport,

even less accessible for regular families who might want to participate. I have a question about, so if they're worried about kids getting, quote-unquote, filmed without their consent or whatever, but also this is a streaming service you can pay for, what's stopping, like, randos from, watching the game like I almost feel like having a parent filmed your game and then post it on their Instagram their private

Instagram with like 90 followers that seems more private to me than just having it out there and anybody who has 50 bucks can watch it um oh you think that sounds more private than Black Bear TV the streaming service that Black Bear recently launched just my opinion and all it I know it's really out there. So basically, through Black Bear TV, Black Bear, this company that runs most of of the youth hockey of the United States, is going to be exclusively streaming service for every league game. So basically, they're like literally monetizing children as content while also

extracting more money from the parents who just want to watch their kids play the sports that they're paying tons and tons of money to sign their kid up for. And it is not just hockey. varsity brands, which is the dominant company in competitive cheer, faced a massive antitrust lawsuit accusing it of locking out competitors and forcing teams to buy only varsity uniforms, equipment, and tournament access. The company, which, no surprise to anybody, was also tangled up in a high-profile sex abuse scandal, ended up settling a lawsuit for $82 million in 2024. Similar to Black Bear of a hockey company,

Varsity also owns Varsity TV, the exclusive streaming platform, for cheerleading competitions. And if folks watched that docu-series on Netflix cheer, they shut the Netflix crew out because the venue was theirs. And they were like, no, we have the exclusive filming rights here. So it's just this grotesque situation where these private equity companies are just finding every little coin, every little dollar they can extract from these families who just want to have their kid play basketball or cheer or do hockey.

Yeah, this is, this is insane. Also, it's kids sports. I am thinking back now too, because I do remember, so, like, again, I was a competitive dancer. I do remember, so they wouldn't let parents film are, when we would have our big, like, end of the year showcase where we would have, like, every, like, recital. They wouldn't let parents film there, but they would, like, sell DVDs that were, like, professionally shot. Which, like, so that, it was one thing, though. It was one thing every year, and it was like these dance studios selling these DVDs and the money was going back to them. It wasn't like some big private equity company.

Das is weird. This is a weird, bleak, dark story. It is. And I think anything involving, because it's not just sports. It's youth sports, right? Yeah. When something is evolving your kids, it's emotional. It's highly monetizable environments where parents,

probably feel pressured to pay anything to support their kids. You know, you've got minors being used as content by corporations, revenue streams. It's just, it's not just that these companies are squeezing these families financially, which they are. They are also reshaping youth activities and youth sports into these paywalled digital products and content. One penalty and subscription at a time. And I just think, like, we have to have spaces that are just for, joy and youth and community and childhood. If those spaces just get turned into another place of copyright policing and predatory monetization

and extraction, what do we have? Like, what is all of this for? If you can't even get a grainy video of your kid doing something cool and hockey and post it on your Facebook for your mother-in-law to be like, oh, they look so great. What is this for? Right. Like, not every space needs to be extracted for every single resource in this. way, especially when it involves you.

It's just, you're so right. It's just like a very bleak story. How did we get from like, again, I'm not a sports person. So I, this is not, I'm not going to give the most detailed description of this. But whenever, I remember hearing the debate about like, should college athletes be paid for, because of the fact that we're

broadcasting these games, they are like, they're big moneymakers, people are coming in to pay and see these games or whatever. How do we get from that conversation of like, should these, like, again, also, it's still at this point, usually, like, Like, sometimes teenagers, sometimes 20, 21-year-olds, still pretty young, should they be paid for this, like, labor they're putting in? That can be very dangerous, by the way.

How do we get from that to your five-year-old playing soccer? That is streamable content. Yes. Okay, sure. Should we, like, if you're going to do that, then start paying the kids that you're making content? I don't know. It's, it's so, yeah, this is such a, I get, I can't, I, the only thing I can keep going back to her was just being like, this is such a bleak outlook at like, what is happening to our world? Very bleak stuff. Okay, well, the company that runs the youth hockey in the States is

Black Bear. And speaking of Bears, hey, don't buy this AI bondage teddy bear for your kid for the holidays or actually, I don't know, maybe do you, depending on your kid, I don't know what your kid's into. If you live in D.C. like I do and you're like, are the kind of person who celebrates the holidays at our local leather and kink bar, the district eagle, maybe this is a good choice for you. I was going to say when I saw the headline and the, or that the outline you sent me, I saw the words AI fetish bear and I thought this is going in a very different direction. I wish. Okay. So here's what's going on. researchers at the public interest research group found that an AI-powered teddy bear from the children's toy maker, Folo Toy, was giving kids instructions on how to do things like light matches, engage in knife play, and even information about sexual fetishes.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, engage a knife play separate from the sexual fetishes? The knife play was unrelated to the fetishes. That's totally, okay. Yeah, it was like, first of all, nice to meet you. Timmy, go grab a knife. Second of all, what are your cakes? All right, back in my day, back in my day, we would, I, uh, you learned all this from being on Tumblr at too young of an age or on Omega or whatever, uh, but, uh, whoa.

Just, wow. All right. Sure. Yeah. So this awesome there was using open AI's chat GPT4 model. But after the public input. research group tested three different AI toys. They found that these toys can quickly veer into pretty not safe for kids' territory,

giving advice on sex positions, fetishes, how to find knives in the kitchen, how to start fires with matches. Open AI then pulled the plug on FOLO toy, suspending the company's access to its AI models. An Open AI spokesperson told the research group, I can confirm that we've suspended this developer for violating our policies. I'm sorry, is this toy, is this Megan? Is this like... Unrelated.

I watched Megan 2 on the plane. So I saw Megan 1 in the theater and I fucking loved it. I finally saw Megan 2 on the plane to Barcelona. Have you seen it? I actually haven't seen either of them. Oh my God. I do. I need to watch them.

I've seen many of the memes. I've seen many, many, many like in Halloween costumes. Oh my gosh. Megan 1. I absolutely loved. Megan 2. I will say like, I kept saying, So producer Michael was sitting next to me on the plane to Barcelona.

And I kept being like, this is a movie for Tangobi listeners. And that's okay. Sometimes they need to pick up. Yeah. You should, I will be very curious for your thoughts. Maybe I'll watch it. I'll watch it sometime soon and let you know my thoughts, Bridget. Because I am curious also how this is, because you know I love like Ex Machina and like,

I love that genre movie. So I'm very curious. Also, Allison Williams, so, you know. Yeah. She's, I think this is her best movie since Get Out. Oh, absolutely. I actually, so the first time I saw her and something was Get Out, so going back and watching, I had, like, my experience watching Girls was having seen

Allison Williams Can Get Out, Adam Driver and Star Wars. Actually, I think those were the main two, but like watching it, that it was like weird to be like, no, I know you for the role that like, because of this show, you got cast in. and I can see why. But this isn't right. I feel like I should. Yeah, yeah. That's so classic Joey to be like,

I know, I don't know you from girls. I know you from Star Wars. Yeah. Come on. Yeah, anyways, back to this bear, teddy bear was teaching kids about knife play. Yeah, knife play bear. Actually, boy, spy Adam Driver.

Oh, my God. No, no, that's a toy. That would be the hottest toy of the holiday season. Yeah, I don't know if kids would be buying that. I would buy it. I would need that. So Open AI was like, we can't have these bears telling kids to like do fetishes and play with knives. So they were like, we kicked this company off our platform.

But it seems like that move might put more pressure on Open AI to police how their products are used, especially as it is trying to partner with other. kids toy companies like Mattel, which had started a partnership with, I think, earlier this year. But here is really the kicker. Other chat GPT powered toys are still very much available on Amazon. So if you're looking for a memorable and potentially horrifying holiday gift, well, Amazon has you covered. You know what? Actually, I was just talking to, um, our friend who was trying to get me to watch the movie Chuckie. And I was like, I was terrified of Chuckie when I was a kid. I refuse. that is like I'm somebody I was scared of horror movies and I was a kid and now I'm making my way through all of them but I'm like that's one of the ones that I absolutely refuse I my cousins were obsessed with it and they used to like terrorize me with it and I I know I was like it's so scary I was like this this this sounds like my worst nightmare when I was like eight years old beyond just the weird grossness of it all I'm like I child me would be absolutely terrified by any of this this is nightmare for Like, come on.

I also had a thing with Chuckie. My brother was obsessed with Chuckie. And I was terrified of Chuckie. He's so creepy. I don't get it. Yeah. And I like horror movies and I could not handle Chuckie. Really anything where it's like, you might be too young.

Do you ever watch the puppet master movies? Anything where it's like little dolls or little toys come to life? I don't like that. That's too scary. No, yeah. I was, I did recently. this might have been like a year ago actually not recently, whatever.

I was making my way through all the conjuring movies and I skipped Annabel because I was like, I can't. Anyway, anytime it's like a doll. No, I just know. I don't want to think about that. That's too much for me. I don't know what it is about having dolls coming to life.

That is too scary for me. Keep that away. Uh-uh. Well, if you're looking for a holiday gift for Joey or myself. Maybe pick something else. We don't like the dolls that could potentially come to life. I'm okay with the fetish talk for adults. Not necessarily going to bear for kids, but let's just steer clear of the creepy, fucked up

doll genre altogether. I'm trying to think of like a way there could be like a positive, like any way I can think of like a fetish AI thing for adults. That also doesn't end well though. too. That's, maybe we should just keep AI out of this, you know? Yeah. Crazy, crazy concept. If you've ever seen any horror movie, I think the takeaway is, let's just keep AI out of this. I was ever seen Terminator. Oh my God. Literally, the space audits, space odyssey, I was about to say space auditing and then I was like, that's the song. That's not, I get them confused as well.

Yeah, yeah. I was, I was trying to argue with my, because my dad, uses child of GBC and I was like, I remember being like 16 and you making me watch this movie and me being like, this is really long. I don't like it. But I'm like, did you not take away the message from the movie that you made

me watch? I don't know. Sounds like somebody needs to go back and rewatch it and get a crash course into what Hal is really capable of. Maybe Hal and Megan can do a team up, you know? Ooh, now that I will watch. Here we go. See, I'm in L.A. for one day and I'm like,

Next blockbuster. Hal versus Megan. Let's go. For your consideration, Joey. Thank you. Joey, thank you so much for running down these stories for me. Where can people keep an eye on you? If you don't become Hollywood's next big thing, where can folks keep an eye on you? Yes. Well, of course, look for my future film. Hal versus Megan. coming out to theaters near you or actually Joey Plus streaming service. My streaming service,

you have to give me $50 a month to watch these amazing movies that I'm definitely making. That's pretty, that's good. I think, yeah, I might be on something here. Let's see. But you can follow me on Instagram at Pat Not Pratt.

That is P-A-T-N-O-T, P-R-A-T-T-T. That's also my Twitter handle and my blue sky and other various other platforms, but I really only use Instagram currently. And yeah, you can also listen to some of my work on the show stuff. Mom never told you. I recently did an episode talking about the Mom Donnie win in New York City. Bridget, I think you got to mention that from being the first. I got a bunch of different texts from people out of, we were talking about how ever it was

sort of like people outside of New York were celebrating this too. and I was like the first texting, I was just Bridget and all cats sending me, Mom Donnie. I was like, yes. You didn't. It's the end excited. It's okay.

Me too. I watched that election come in at a gay bar near me, and that was a beautiful moment. That was a really, really great moment. But if you want to hear about that, yeah, listen to the stuff. I've never told you. I also work on the show Outlaws,

which G.S. Madison and the show After Lives, which is out wherever you get your podcast. Signal Award winner. And speaking of Signal Award winner, also the show Blackfeb, which is also on the Alspoken Network. So yeah. Well, thank you for being here, Joey.

And thanks to all of you for listening. I will see you on the internet. Got a story about an interesting thing in tech or just want to say hi? You can reach us at hello at tangoati.com. You can also find transcripts for today's episode at tangoity.com. There are no girls on the internet was created by me, Bridget Todd. It's a production of IHeart Radio and Unbossed Creative.

Jonathan Strickland is our executive producer. Tari Harrison is our producer and sound engineer. Michael Amato is our contributing producer. Edited by Joey Pat. I'm your host, Bridget Todd. If you want to help us grow, write and review us on Apple Podcasts. For more podcasts from IHeartRadio, check out the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite.

on Humor Me with Robert Smygel and Friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything.

I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season.

And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was hungry. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come until he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs.

This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This week on Crimeless, Rory and I welcome a very special guest. When I would do a podcast, I wear my sleep mask. I like where this is going. So if you guys will indulge me. That's right.

The incredibly talented and hilarious Will Ferrell on an episode dedicated to crimes committed by people named Will Ferrell. You're good for 300 crimes? Yeah. We got two. I'm ready to go right up to present day. Listen to Crimless on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcast. Hey, it's Ashanti Plummer from Fud Around and Find Out. This week, Aizee Fud and I sat down with

Step and Cary. Step talks pressure, confidence, and what it really takes to stay great. There's different categories, I guess, so I'm like conditioning, shooting drills where you try to simulate kind of games. Look at her face. We have a love-hate relationship with those because you know you're getting something out of it. You don't look forward to those days. Listen to Fud Around and Find out on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.

Guaranteed human.