Ahh yes, the spirit is in the air for the Christmas season of 2017. It has been a long year and this final show of 2017 brings light to that fact. Mark Bland is joined by Jason Kull and Andy Echele to discuss the big things that we as a country had to deal with in Trump's MERICA this year.
First up the guys discuss Doug Jones beating out Republican Roy Moore which was easily the biggest political race of the entire year. Trump had put his name behind a few different people and they all lost. What does this mean for the 2018 elections and how will this affect the way the republican party is viewed?
Finally the guys discuss about Christmas traditions within their house and discuss a few movies from the Christmas season. This leads into the discuss regarding the biggest issue of the year that was overturned by the FCC. The guys jump in and discuss all the good and potentially bad things about net neutrality. Did the guys agree with the FCC or are they against it...download and listen!
Politics, politics, politics...The show get's the complaint all the time from the fans because they hammer on the same topics all the time. NOT THIS TIME! Mark took the cue and decided to bring in famed St. Louis Chef Rob Connoley of St. Louis' own Squatters Cafe/Bulrush to come in and discuss the culinary arts. They discuss how he made the jump from his previous job into being a chef, plus what living in New Orleans and New Mexico taught him about life and food. Rob is also quite the politically motivated individual and this brings around a conversation about Roy Moore, the embattled Alabama senate hopeful, who is dealing with allegations about dating and molesting underage girls back in his earlier career. But that doesn't stop President Donald Trump from sticking his foot in his mouth again and deciding to team up with Moore to try and help him ensure victory. Should the President do this? What can Rob infuse with Salmon to make a delicious winter treat taste amazing? All this and more is discussed on the new Q!
One of the best things about poker is the flop and the cards that get turned over during the game. Well this Trump situation seems to have a lot of people around it that could change everything at every turn. Michael Flynn is definitely one of those people and he is currently set to turn on Trump and explain all the Russia stuff he has knowledge of. we don't know how damning the evidence could be but he was one of the highest ranking officials at the White House and was privy to many convo's and plans for the Trump presidency. So Jason Kull decides to jump in and discuss the Tweets from Trump, the Michael Flynn debacle and everything flying through the political atmosphere of today. All this and much more on this episode of The Q!
Andy Echele and Mark Bland discuss the GOP backing of senator Roy Moore and how it affects the view Donald Trump as President of the US. After some political banter, Mark decides to bring up a Which is Better scenario with the Christmas movies Elf and Christmas Vacation. This leads to a deeper conversation about comedic movies and the best ones of the past 20 Years. Did yours make the list? Listen to this and find out through the forest of topics Mark and Andy cover!
Andy Echele and Jason Kull join to discuss the Lavar Ball, LiAngelo Ball, UCLA and Donald Trump story. Lavar Ball is not happy about Trump stating he helped get his kid out of China...even though Trump probably did help somewhat. Jason thinks one way about the events and Andy has a completely different stance on what was and should have been done. Listen to find out what happens.
Also, Mark decides to dust off the old "F My Life" website and look through some of the raunchier things on it. In what becomes one of the best ending to a show all year, Mark, Andy and Jason breka down the F MY LIFE stories and figure out who really has a bad life or who deserved the comeuppance.
Whether holding up guns at campaign rally's or just touching a 14 year old girl inappropriately, we all know that the republicans and conservatives are going to defend Roy Moore from Alabama. Why? Well that seems to be the issues we are having but it's still happening.
Jason Kull joins this week to discuss the Roy Moore situation and how we got here. Also discussed is the first of a few of Donald Trump's trips to asia. Trips where he goes out of his way to trash an asian nation to others. A Trip where he chooses to try and joke about climate change and the US stance on it. A trip where he hob nobbed and hung out with dignitaries while getting absolutely nothing accomplished to better the USA. Oh don't forget the speech where he basically told all the press in every country that whatever country he was currently in was screwing the USA on trade.
Plus Mark discusses the hit TV show Stranger Things...find out if you agree with him.
So there's a lot to take in and discuss on this newest episode of the Q!
A church in Texas is attacked and 26 people are killed in the carnage. Once again the USA is thrust right back into the Gun Control discussion and the president says that it is a Mental Health issue. Find out what guest Andy Echele and Mark Bland think about this newest and freshest mass shooting. Where will it end and why can't we do anything about it.
Also, Mark hasn't really pushed for anyone to write in lately regarding the letters from the listeners, so he compromises and grabs some Savage Love stories for him and Andy to pick through and discuss. Also, Mark did get some questions from the listeners and wants to knock some of them out with Andy.
Similar to the walls of Jericho, the trump administration might have their walls start crumbling in. Mark Bland, Jason Kull and Producer Bobby discuss why they waited so long for this episode. Well, Robert Mueller who has been following Trump and investigating him decided to arrest Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign manager, for conspiracy against the United States. The guys discuss this.
Plus, Producer Bobby attempts to change the Halloween game before Mark stops him...AND there are a ton of weird conspiracy theories out there. The guys decide to read through a list of 20 and figure out which ones might or might not have merit.
It's been a minute, but DJ Gelner (author) joins the Q for another round in the world of politics and pop culture. Immediately the show starts ripping and roaring right out the gate with Gelner telling guest Andy Echele about his work with GothamClub.com, a dating site for guys to get tips about women. Andy then lets on about how he is the kink master of all kink and starts describing all his sex capades in an attempt to make Mark and DJ impressed. They seemed like they were!
Then Mark asks the question of the show...Is the country more divided than ever, or is the media trying to make it look like that. Mark, Andy and DJ discuss which leads to what the breakdown divide looks like and some of the components. Do they figure out if it's truly divided or not, find out!
Finally the guys discuss some questions with Gelner since he hasn't been to the newer studio, so he needs to be run through the ringer. This brings up an interesting story that perks Mark back into the idea that there are natural dividers in society and Gelner's topic is one of them.
Halloween is just around the corner and Jason Kull joins Mark to discuss some of the greatest horror films of all times. The guys read through a list of the greatest horror movies you should know about and add in those films they think you should see.
Plus, Trump is on a tear again and it's discussed about his need to repeal and replace healthcare. Signing executive orders just like Obama did (and all the presidents before him), Trump takes away the ability to have pre-existing conditions guarded from disclosure while signing up. So having one means that they can drop you from coverage or deny you coverage at a new company. It's a dagger into the heart of many and the guys discuss it in glorious detail and explain how we got to this problem in our country.
Finally, Taxes are a hot issue and should we pay them? Are they too high? Mark and Jason discuss why we have them and how people should look at taxing in 2017.
Las Vegas was the most recent outbreak of gun violence the entire country is talking about and Mark and Andy Echele break down whether there should or should not be gun control. With so many people discussing each time something happens, it's hard to turn away and say nothing. Mark breaks out the idea that this will never go away and how much it will affect the Presidency of Trump.
Next up, Mark discusses how the word "snowflake" is improperly used in the lexicon of 2017 and why conservative voters gravitate towards using it. Mark then discusses with Andy about DACA kids and illegal immigration and why there shouldn't be as much focus and worry about illegals as the media and Trump would like for you to believe.
Finally mark discusses the whole vibe of our forefathers and how they landed in our country. People usually stop at Washington and 1776 as their forefathers, but Mark makes a valiant plea for the forefathers to be the Pilgrims.
All this and much more on the new Q!
Have you ever been to Reddit and looked around on the subreddits out of interest? Well Mark has and talks with Jason Kull and Producer Bobby about the justice porn subreddit. Mark discusses how the video and ideals on the subreddit are interchangeable with certain blog stories from Conservative blog websites. There is a ton of correlation and Mark explains how they use it in regards to keeping their fan bases close by and primed for anger.
Also, Trump doesn't really care for Puerto Rico's mayor or the people of the country. He has tweeted out many times since the hurricane disasters to other locales but not until a week later did Trump finally get around to helping the people of Puerto Rico...then he called them lazy and wanted everything done for them. The guys discuss a little about this because honestly it's difficult to keep up with Trump constantly starting issue and fist fights with everyone daily.
Finally, the guys stumble upon a game when they try and guess the User rating score for a Fast and Furious movie.
President Donald Trump decided to turn his ire towards the NFL and NBA this week. He tweeted out many tweets downplaying the NFL for their allowing of players to kneel during the national anthem. When the NFL found out, they took umbrage with it and decided to fight back and kneel or even avoid the national anthem outright. Was it right or wrong? Mark and Andy Echele discuss all the things surrounding this topic.
Also, Mark had an interesting week being attacked for absolutely no reason through a certain section of St. Louis' media community. Mark discusses why it was inappropriate to attack him and how the attackers were just wrong in their disseminating of information too. Plus there was a shooting at a 7-11 in Calirfornia with a police officer and assailant. Mark was asked his opinion on the videos and that set Mark off on a different direction totally regarding the way people handle video taping these interactions. What's the stance on this shooting...listen and find out!
Matthew Krueger makes his grand return to the Q and it was a busy week in racial justice and inequality here in St. Louis where the show is based.
Jason Kull and Matt discuss the impact of the Jason Stockley verdict and how it played out versus what should have happened. People immediately jumped into the streets to protest the situation. Should they be protesting and why are the protests getting so out of control that 80 people are arrested at once. Mark and the guys break down how they view the situation and what they think people should take from verdict.
Finally Matt brings up discussing controversy and how it affects the views of what we are talking about. This leads to a discussion of prayer and god, along with popular churches in the STL area. Matt explains his church is into something unique...take a listen and find out what made Mark and Jason loose it live on the show.
The Polar Vortex RETURNS!!!!
Dan Walsh makes his long awaited return to the Q and jumps in describing life in LA. Him and his room mate working to get ahead in the world of entertainment. Dan dishes on the way that LA works and what he likes and doesn't like about living there. Then Mark decides to help Dan get a movie but there are stipulations to the job. From there Mark and Dan discuss California and their drug policy regarding cannabis.
Mark and Dan discuss the Trump and hurricane connection which is on the mind of everyone currently. But to not be outdone, Mark decides to put Walsh onto the Q Hotseat and gun him with some tough independent thinking style questions....Dan delivers some interesting stories! Take a listen and enjoy.
Oh it's been an amazing week and it just keeps getting better people. First up Producer Bobby is the co-host this week and we start off discussing Black Lives Matter and specifically the fact that there is this push to get people within the movement to stop saying "White Privilege" and start saying "White Supremacy". Mark and Bobby feel this is change in the narrative for a purpose. Why...Mark explains in the show.
Next Kim Jong Un is evidently not "respecting US like he should". Trump recently tweeted out that North Korea (NK) backed down from us because they respect & are scared of our power. Then they went dropped a hydrogen bomb to test it and BOOM...it worked great. So they are currently threatening the USA and Trump is mad that China is not making NK bend to their power. So Trump has the USA on the brink of Going to Nuclear War and there is nothing to do but listen to the Q.
Well it happened....McGregor fought 40 yr old Floyd MONEY Mayweather and it delivered. Conor and Floyd put on a show up till the main event happened and then they put on one more show for everyone. There was nobody that walked away unhappy with the fight at all. Jason Kull and Producer Bobby join Mark to discuss the aftermath of the MONEY FIGHT and what it means for Floyd's legacy and where McGregor can go from here.
Then we move on to the pardoning of former Sheriff Joe Arpaio by President Trump. Trump had made claims multiple times explaining that he would not pardon the lawman, but that changed when during Hurricane Harvey hitting Texas, he quietly made it happen behind the scenes. This is Trump M.O. to a "T". Arpaio didn't deserve a pardoning and the guys discuss how this was mishandled and why Joe should serve out the 6 month potential sentence on the table.
Tony Cabral joins the show for the first time in a long while. First up the two guys discuss this whole Trump phenomena and how we exactly got to this point. Discussing Colbert and Kimmel recently taken it to Trump and whether or not they were just in their statements.
Next the aura of the Confederacy still being a talking point after a lady was killed in Charlottesville and more protesting in Boston. Is there value to that rag the Confederates call a flag? What do statues have to do with 2017? And how long will this petulant baby whining the conservatives are constantly doing about their freedom of things. At this point it seems like everything has been taken away from them and really nothing has. Plus INDIANS/NATIVE AMERICANS get discussed.
Finally Mark and Tony dig into a solid discussion of Jean Twenge new book I-Gen and an interview Tony saw regarding the breakdown of what this newest generation definition means. But where exactly does Gen-X, Gen-Y/millennials and the I-Gen start and stop.
All this and much, much more on this episode of The Q!
Oh it is a good week according to White Nationalist trump supporters. They came out in droves to the university of Virginia in Charlottesville. All because a Civil War monument was being removed from the school grounds. KKK, Skinheads, Nazi sympathizers and White Nationalist (aka ALT-Right) descended on the school grounds the night before and were dressed like yuppie college kids carrying Tiki Torches. All because they can't reserve their racism and bigotry anymore. They are out and they are quite proud. But then someone drove a car into a crowd and killed a person along with two cops that also died. Jason Kull and Producer Bobby sit in to discuss all the events.
Then we switch gears to World War 3 and the potential for it ignite with President Trump in a war of words and nuclear showing off with Kim Jong Un of North Korea. KJU has threatened to destroy the island of Guam and is basically throwing a middle finger to the world. Should we accept the invite and level their country or do we sit back and wait for what will happen. The guys discuss at length the nuclear threats and this whole situation.
Two special little guests join the show with Sean Vincent and Jason Kull. They happen to be Mark's children and they fulfill a wish to come on their dads show and talk. After that, the show kicks into high gear welcoming Sean and diving head first into the Robert Mueller FBI investigation of Trump and Russia. Mueller impaneled a Grand Jury and Mark thinks this protects him against any chance that Trump could fire him.
Then, Mark brings up a facebook post regarding Sean Vincent and something he said to the affect of "people should handle their personal finances better". Jason, Mark and Shawn discuss how this affects people. It jogs Mark's memory regarding the 2008 crash and how a lack of handling personal finanace with a realistic view is what lead to the crash. Also Mark reads a note left to a waitress about blue lives matter. Mark discusses the first amendment and the value of blue lives matter.
All this and much more on this episode of the Q.
Jason Kull and Ed Reggi join Mark to discuss the newest member of team Trump and figure out whether this will last or not. Anthony Scaramucci is the new Director of Communications for President Trump and Sean Spicer resigned after he was appointed to the position. Will Scaramucci be able to handle the daunting job of Trump and his tweets? The guys discuss in detail.
Also, movies come up and the guys start discussing what actors and actresses are underrated and deserve more recognition. Listen and find out who the guys pick to applaud with credibility. Do these people stand up in your mind as worthy or not?
Anthony Rogers is not new to controversy. In the past few years he has made some significant statements on social media regarding Michael Brown and the Ferguson situation from 2014. He has been back and forth with angry promoters kicking him off paid comedy gigs. AND NOW....Anthony, a previous guest on the Q, is in the sights of the Riverfront Times. The RFT is a local news magazine in the St. Louis area that focuses on pop culture and entertainment. Mark has had his fair share of going around with the RFT in the past and Anthony brings the whole dismay with that company back around with a hit piece they did on him. Mark and Anthony try to explain that they are representative of St. Louis to many people outside this metro area and there are companies pretending it is not true. The guys discuss in glorious detail.
Also, Mark and the guys focus on the Donald Trump Jr. email with Russia and how everything that was considered fake is slowly coming out to be true. So MSNBC, NY Times and Washington Post were not lying as previously stated. This brings the conversation around when Producer Bobby and Anthony state that all sports is fixed and fake. Mark disagrees. Sit back and enjoy the conversation between these verified entertainers from STL.
Donald Trump recently went to the G20 and in our opinion did not represent our country as well as he could. Jason Kull joins Mark to discuss Ivanka sitting in on G20 meeting on behalf her dad, and his awkward and lonely vibe he gave off.
This leads to a report from an Australian journalist covering the G20 that reported on Trump in the most scathing way possible. The guys play the clip and proceed to discuss all the points and merits the journalist brings up in the video. From the vibe that world leaders are working around him, to their decision to just ignore him. All of this leading to what is now called the G19, not 20.
Finally Mark and Jason focus on the Donald Trump Jr. Saga regarding campaigning and meeting with Russia. He's stated a bunch of times that the Russia thing has been a Witch hunt until now. They have proof and DT Jr. is back pedaling a ton on this one. Will it seal the fate of Trump Sr....it will be discussed.
CRAZY CHEAP FIREWORKS is the PROUD sponsor of this weeks show.
Mark and Producer Bobby are back with a vengeance and Donald Trump makes it all the sweeter. This week Donald tee'd off on two MSNBC news hosts about their personal lives and took pot shots at Mika Brzezinski for a face lift that was personal and a problem for her. Then called them good people. Mark and Bobby discuss the impact of Trump Tweeting and attacking Citizens. This leads to a discussion about Tom Brady and whether or not we feel he has hit "Michael Jordan sports ICON" level yet.
And thats not all. Chris Christie decided to close the state beaches and parks due to budget issues in New Jersey. This coincided with the 4th of july holiday weekend and people got pissed. But to add insult to injury, Christie took his family to an empty beach and let his family have a blast. Super uncool. We discuss all this and much more on this weeks Q.
Chris Cyr the holder of the empire that is stlouiscomedy.com , a place for all comedians to find out about all the shows and comedy opportunities that exist in the St. Louis metro area. Chris is a very funny man who joins Mark and Jason on this weeks episode of the show.
First up Mark and the guys discuss something that is not on the agenda. Because of June being PRIDE month, Mark brings back his whole "You don't need to make sure everyone knows you're gay argument". He loves the LGBTQ community, but the constant need to talk about it and promote it with rainbows seems like overkill.
Then they move on to Trump and the AHCA along with discussing gun rights and the Philando Castile dash cam video. This leads to internet troll Mark Dice being brought up and discussed on the show. All this and much more on this episode.