- Chuck namedrops "The Crowd", the 1928 MGM silent flick about a man who learns about karma the hard way through personal tragedy.
- He then talks about people in his life who finally got to walk a mile in his shoes, but only after they made foolish mistakes.
- While discussing his medications during a visit this week, Chuck's father's VA doctor warned him about Trump's cuts to the administration.
- Actor James Van Der Beek died this past week from cancer at only 48. He spent his final days trying to raise money to pay his bills. Chuck calls for universal healthcare.
- The Olympian skater whose parents died in a plane crash caused by Trump's FAA cuts dedicated his performance to them.
- Trump posted a racist AI video of the Obamas as monkeys. Chuck talked about an estranged family member of his who posted something similar years ago.
- Kid Rock's 2001 song 'Cool Daddy Cool' contains lyrics about underage girls.
- TBN, a network showing Kid Rock's Super Bowl Halftime Show this weekend, had a scandal involving the rape of the network's co-founders' 13-year-old granddaughter by a 30-year-old employee in 2006.
- TBN's support for Kid Rock is seen as hypocritical due to his perceived Christian alignment with Trump.
Challenges in the Newspaper Industry
- USA Today's acquisition of Detroit News, already owning Free Press, raises concerns about journalistic bias.
- Washington Post lays off a third of its staff, including sports and foreign correspondents, due to financial issues.
- The sale of Washington Post to Jeff Bezos in 2013 is linked to its current struggles and shift in editorial integrity.
Jeff Bezos's Media Ownership and Financial Mismanagement
- Jeff Bezos invested heavily in a critically panned movie about Melania Trump, losing significant money.
- Bezos's financial losses on the film are contrasted with Amazon and Washington Post layoffs.
- The change of Washington Post's slogan to 'Democracy Dies in Darkness' is seen as ironic given Bezos's actions.
Decline of Independent Journalism
- The Northern Express, a formerly independent newspaper in Traverse City, declined after being sold to Luke Haas.
- Haas transformed the paper into a more-right-wing publication, featuring controversial cartoons.
- The closure of Gawker due to a lawsuit by Hulk Hogan and Peter Thiel highlights the vulnerability of independent media.
The Graham Family's Influence on Detroit Television
- The Graham family, former owners of the Washington Post, also owned WTOP-TV 9 Washington, DC.
- In 1978, Post-Newsweek traded WTOP-TV for Detroit's struggling WWJ-TV (Channel 4).
- Post-Newsweek revamped Channel 4, replacing comedian weatherman Sonny Elliott with meteorologists and improving news coverage.
Call Sign Changes and Station Revitalization
- Federal law necessitated call sign changes when TV stations were spun off from radio stations.
- WWJ-TV became WDIV (Detroit's Roman numeral 4) and WTOP-TV became WDVM (Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland).
- Channel 4's revitalization included hiring new talent and benefiting from NBC's resurgence in the 1980s.
Importance of Independent Media and Public Engagement
- Chuck advocates for supporting independent media due to the decline of traditional news outlets.
- Critiques mainstream news for biased reporting and focus on trivial stories.
- Encourages individuals to create their own independent platforms if they desire true pro-democracy content.
- Amazon's Melania movie bombed at the box office. The right spun the news to make it sound like a hit, but not when Amazon spends $80 million on the film, which hasn't even grossed $10 million.
- Chuck explains why he hates both the song "Don't Stop Believin'" and the band Journey.
- Turning Point USA is countering the Super Bowl Halftime Show - featuring Latin superstar Bad Bunny - with their own halftime show, featuring Kid Rock and a bunch of country music stars.
- Five networks will be carrying TPUSA's shitshow. Two of them are owned by conservative media giant Sinclair.
- Surprisingly, one of the networks carrying the halftime show is the Trinity Broadcasting Network, which has been scandal-prone for decades. Their biggest controversy was when the 13-year-old granddaughter of their founders was drugged and raped in a hotel room by a 30-year-old male employee and TBN swept it under the rug.
- Chuck explains that as a teen, he would watch TBN shows where they cry about sex and porn being bad. Yet, Kid Rock had naked women mud wrestling in one of his music videos.
- Chuck also rants about Jelly Roll for proclaiming that he doesn't know anything about ICE because he's a "dumb redneck". Bear in mind that Jelly is on the MAGA-friendly "Rock the Country" tour with Kid Rock, Jason Aldean and Staind lead singer Aaron Lewis.
- In all, even though he doesn't speak Spanish, Chuck would rather watch the Bad Bunny Halftime Show because country music is for MAGA morons.
- USA Today company (formerly Gannett) purchased The Detroit News from MediaNews Corporation, consolidating ownership with the Free Press.
- Historically, The Detroit News and Free Press operated under a joint agreement, offering distinct content like comics.
- Concerns about media consolidation persist despite assurances of separate operations, especially given the declining quality and thinness of modern newspapers.
Northern Michigan Media Ownership
- Sinclair, a conservative company, owns NBC affiliate 7&4, and operates ABC affiliate 29&8 through a shell company.
- Locally owned CBS affiliate 9&10 (Iacobelli family) is acquiring Fox 32 from an ally, consolidating ownership in the region.
- FCC documents show the Iacobellis purchasing Fox 32 outright, despite previous claims of only operating it, highlighting media consolidation under relaxed regulations.
Darren Gibson and WPRR Radio Saga
- Darren Gibson, station manager of WPRR 1680 AM, was fired after criticizing the Democratic Party's treatment of Bernie Sanders in 2016.
- Tyrone Bynum, who replaced Gibson, turned the successful progressive talk station into a struggling R&B station, 102.5 The Ride.
- Tyrone Bynum faces FCC fines for emergency alert system failures and operates 102.5 The Ride illegally as 1680 AM is off-air, with the station featuring low-quality advertisers.
Traci Kornak Embezzlement Scandal
- Traci Kornak, former treasurer of the Kent County Democratic Party, is accused of embezzling over $400,000 from a vulnerable adult.
- Kornak, who allegedly bullied progressives like Darren Gibson, faces arraignment on February 17th and potential 20-year jail sentence.
- The scandal highlights corruption within both political parties, with a call for accountability and more progressive representation.
Melania Film Box Office Failure
- The 'Melania' film, for which Amazon paid the Trump family $40 million, is a box office dud, grossing only $2.9 million in its opening.
- The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews, with only two positive reviews from right-wing publications.
- The film's failure is seen as a rejection of Trump and a financial loss for Amazon, which is also laying off thousands of workers.
MGM's Decline and Amazon Ownership
- MGM, once a dominant Hollywood studio, declined due to the breakup of the studio system and subsequent ownership by private equity firms.
- Ted Turner acquired MGM's film library in 1986, selling the studio back to Kirk Kerkorian and investors, leaving MGM without its original film library.
- Amazon's acquisition of MGM is seen as a further perversion of the studio's legacy, particularly with the release of the 'Melania' film.
Critique of Trump and Political Landscape
- Donald Trump is criticized for economic policies, healthcare issues, and tariffs, leading to increased costs.
- Trump is labeled a convicted felon and not a role model, with his actions linked to media consolidation and lack of transparency.
- A call for more true progressives within the Democratic Party is made, advocating for leaders who prioritize healthcare and affordability over corporate interests.
