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Hey, guys, we're back for another Tom Tuck. This time I was very, very fortunate to get to speak with former presidential candidate Andrew Yang. He has a really interesting perspective on a lot of things. And we get into it all. I hope you enjoy this talk.

This the guy who is right and don't bring anyone love into this book is Andrew Yang.

Thank you so much for jumping in with me, man. Appreciate it. Happy to be here, Tom, better admire your work a lot. I think comedians have such a special place in our lives at this point, like some of the last truth tellers who also know what's going on in the country because you performed in hundreds and hundreds of clubs. Yeah, in places big and small. I agree.

I mean, you do really get a perspective on the whole thing. You know, so many people live in their own bubble. And when you're when you travel to perform, you see the whole country. It's kind of a fascinating thing. I wanted to thank you for joining us. I know we were going to try something like a year or so ago, so I really appreciate you getting on them and. Well, I'm better now than I was last year.

Yeah, you have. I forget what you were doing, but I know it took up your some of your time. But this is a this is a wild time.

I mean. If you had, you know, during that busy time, it was its own thing, but the way that things have come along, I mean, I was just thinking about how when we talk, we're about the same age when and when we talk to people like our parents age and you go, you know, before this year, you go like what was nineteen sixty eight like, and they're like, oh it's pretty crazy. And then those people now tell us that that wasn't shit compared to what this year has been.

And I almost go like what really. Because we you know, we grew up on that documentary footage and stories and photos and they're like, yeah, that's nothing.

You miss the 80s. Yes. My gosh. Like, you and I grew up in that. And it was like Karate Kid, the original Back to the future. Yeah. You know, like all of the 80s movies, you know, that just made you feel pretty good. Yeah.

Or like or the way that people used to describe, you know, like you'd have a friend and then their parent was a liberal and you're like, what does that mean? And someone go, they like trees and you're like, oh OK. And then this guy is a Republican. He he likes money. And and that was like but everybody kind of felt like they got along. At least my memory was like, everybody's getting along. I mean, you know, now.

You get to this year and I in my lifetime, I definitely have never felt anything like this. I'm not an alarmist in the least either. You know, I'm not somebody. But I think it's impossible to ignore that this this divide feels much more real, much stronger than anything that I can ever recall.

Oh, yeah, it's been supercharged relative to anything that you and I have ever experienced, and there are some very big structural reasons for why that is. So if people are like, why are we all so pissed off all the time? The media landscape has changed a lot since, yes, I've been alive. And then you've lairds social media over it, which is just supercharged our ability to get pissed off at each other. And it's made it so that we're all on our own information bubbles.

We can't agree on facts.

And so you can have a president just argue that he didn't lose and then millions of people will be like, yeah, wait a minute, I was there was there something objective that's supposed to decide this? So it's it's structural. It's not in anyone's head. And it's going to continue to get worse. Not better, probably. Almost certainly. And that's the thing is that I guess that's the, um, the depressing and discouraging part, because I don't I don't, you know, a joke around a lot.

But like I, I, I am hopeful, optimistic person in in a general sense. And I mean, once you're a parent like I am.

Yeah. Parents you look at your kids are being like, holy crap. Yeah. What do we do.

This is this is madness. I mean, I think one of the big the big parts that I'm kind of like, I don't know, I feel like what what is happening is what you just brought up with with news and information. Right. Because when we were kids, you know, the nightly coverage you had, like Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, and they basically did the same thing, which was just like I'm saying, they're the same dude, the same dude you don't know.

But like, they were the same dude. You're right. And then when CNN took off, I mean, people now, you know, that's like it's wild that it's a polarizing thing to say.

If you grew up in the 80s and you're like, oh, CNN just had rotating anchors also just reading prompter. I mean, that's what it was. It was just 24/7. If you if news wasn't on one of the network channels, you could put on this cable channel and just find out news like just read to you now, it's like, you know, you say a news network and immediately people put you into a category because you're consuming news from one of these outlets and you're like, well, where do you get news from, man?

Your aunt's Facebook page like this is I mean, you know, people have this tremendous bias about where they're consuming. And then, you know, I've talked to people. You think a lot of times people should get their news from Newtown.

I feel the same way podcast and just say, you know what? I'm just not going to pay attention to anything on any of the networks until Tom tells me what's one.

Thank you for that endorsement. Please clip that and let's release that later today. Guys, thank you very much for that endorsement, Mr. Yang.

But here's the thing, man. I'm with you in the I don't see, uh, I don't see how that's going to improve also in the near future.

People people just collect the bit of information they want to push what they're saying.

And you're like, yeah, I don't feel like we're living in the same reality anymore. You know, the wild thing is that Trump has now turned on Fox and now, like Newsmax, is the future and I had to look it up. Like what? Yeah, or or one American, the guy who governs one American. One American network.

Oh, yeah. I mean, holy shit. That that thing where you're like, dude like I mean I have podcasts sets that are better put together than one American news like it is, it is straight, it's like straight from his Twitter feed.

He's like don't you talk about this. And they're like got it. Like that's not that, it's, it's so depressing.

It's in super bleak and again, so there are some structural reasons for it, if you want to try and dig in, I read a book, I guess now is sort of the beginning of my my campaign by a social psychologist named Jonathan Haidt. Have you seen his work?

I have not, no. Well, you're gonna love it because it explains a whole lot, so he wrote a book, The Righteous Mind, that said, like, why is it that good people can disagree on politics so viscerally? And he identified six universal human values that crossover cultures and countries. So everyone feels these things. And the six universal virtues are caring, fairness, liberty, loyalty, authority and sanctity. And so you reflect on that.

You're like, what's interesting and what Jonathan identified is that conservative language and media. Hits on the last three values, very heavily loyalty, authority and sanctity, and liberal and progressive programming hits caring in fairness, very heavily. So when you look at it, you're like, why is it that we're disagreeing so much on on these things? It's like they're kind of different strings being pulled by different news channels and different media outlets. And so it's dividing us into camps based upon which of those values that we most naturally find resonant.

And and that's one big reason why we feel the way we do. And the media networks, unfortunately, profit more based upon our polarization.

Yeah, no, that is I mean, that's a really good analysis of the situation. I also find that those divides and differences in in opinion grow more the more you stay separate to, you know, like a lot of time. Yeah.

You engage someone more. You know, one thing that used to glue us together, I mean, comedians glue things together. I want to say I love you all. But but one thing that used to glue us together, time that you remember because you were on the same page. You say local newspapers, remember. Yeah, sure. Yeah. Like a local paper and like the local paper. It is what's going on in your community. And it wasn't particularly partisan.

It wasn't like, you know, like bridges getting repaired like. Yeah. What do you think about that. Democrats or whatever. But, but, but now over 2000 local newspapers have gone out of business. So like how are you getting your news? You're getting it from cable news and social media outlets and there's not really a great alternative. So that's a real problem. And there's actually a law in Congress right now called the Local Journalism Sustainability Act that would help keep some of these local papers alive because they are going very, very quickly, especially now with covid.

Yeah, I could see.

I mean, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And that's a good thing because I don't know, man. You see, like you see people are I mean, basically people seek out the news that they want to hear.

Now that's that's one of the and it separates us more into those times when really, you know, and you just respond to it and you have certain anchors that like the only people you listen to.

That's one reason why I was like, you know, saying like I just listened to you, Tom, is that like, well, certain people you tweeted something the other day, maybe a week or so ago, or maybe that I was like I was like, oh, this is actually really important because I think it's you know, it's easy.

And as a as a comic or whatever and observer you can it's it's I can I've been pretty vocal about, you know, how I feel about the current administration. And I go, I've seen that like the trap though, of of like launching into not, let's say Trump, but like, you know, Trump supporter or something. And how that that every time I you do it or you see someone do it, even though you might agree with the critique, you go, it feels like this is probably going to just further push a divide.

Right. Like it. You end up feeling conflicted.

You know, one of the one of the darkest data points I've seen time, which was fascinating, is that if you show a conservative like liberal news in their news feed where vice versa, you show a liberal conservative news and their news feed, it actually has a big impact on their views. It doesn't change it to your point.

Yeah, I like so. But but what you tweeted was I think I actually do think is important. You said if 68 million people do something and it's grown since then. Right. That was like a vote count tally. So. Seventy one or whatever you said, it's vital we understand it. And I think that's a really good point, especially because you had a lot of people pre-election, you know, with their expectations, like, you know, this might be, you know, really show him what's up, because they've had four years of what many, like many people that say, categorized as utter nonsense and craziness.

And they go time to, like, get this shit out of here. And then you look at that vote tally and you're like, no, no.

Like, it's a lot of people, man, that's that's tens of millions of people that said, like, you know, we were on this team.

And it's kind of dangerous for people who even disagree with him or those people to just demonize them to such a degree that we can't engage anymore. Right. Hundred percent. It's one reason why I cite the Jonathan Haidt thinking so heavily is that, you know, I obviously did not think Donald Trump was a good president. What election?

What.

But but but of the seventy one million people who voted for him, you know, you have to listen and respect. Yeah. Dig in and hear it. And what what I'm hearing more and more, Tom, is just that people don't believe that our institutions are actually working for them. And by institutions, you certainly have government at the front of the list, but you put media in that list. You might throw, unfortunately, hospitals, doctors, scientists, experts, educators, you name it, everyone is dubious.

When I looked at the numbers because I'm a numbers guy and all that like that, I think the most trusted institution in American life still is the military. Like the last thing that people are like, yeah, that that that does more or less what it's supposed to do with the military. It has problems. But yeah, you know, it's like if you look at the public trust in it, it's actually still holding up better than, let's say, Congress.

Yeah. Congress as a twenty one percent approval rating. So there are a lot of folks who see in Trump like a big F you to these institutions that are not working for them, their families, their communities. And there has to be a real challenge for folks who went the other way to be like, OK, like, why is it you all don't think it is working? And my observation, Tom, is that they don't think shit is working because shit is not working for them.

Right. Genuinely like you to some of these towns. And you're like this place, like used to have a plant, used to be used to manufacture something or it used to have like a particular source of vitality and jobs. And then let's say that source is dried up and then your kid left and the people that are still there struggling with addiction and other things. And then someone comes and says, like, you know, vote for this and like, oh, fuck you, you know, I mean, that's like a reaction that more and more Americans are having.

Yeah.

I mean, you know, I just kind of go. I don't know, because I think it was kind of the natural thing for a while to be like, are you out of your mind to somebody who was supporting Trump, let's say?

And then you you know, you have legit critiques, like they're obviously like there are they come with tremendous merit and facts behind them. And then every time you're done doing it, you're like, oh, that like you said, it's not gonna change that person's mind. And it just feels like the divide is greater. But like things that you're saying right now make you go, OK, you have to make it is better to try to understand it.

It's not as easy as saying, like, these are just uneducated bigots, you know, like it's like seventy one million people, man.

Yeah, it's a lot of people say, too, like that. The big lesson I got too is that I thought, you know, I got it wrong. So I thought there were a lot of people who voted for Trump the first time who were like, you know, like this isn't really how we govern. He's just kind of sticking it to folks. Right. And by the way, he's going to be like, oh, wait, that's not good.

I mean, I had anecdotal accounts of this where you had, like, the 80 year old grandma in Missouri who voted for him in 16. It was like, this is terrible. Yeah, I like going to vote against this guy. So so that was my thesis going in. Was that like a significant number of people who voted for him in 16 were souring on him?

Yeah, of course. I mean, a lot of people that are like even have been lifelong Republicans like. I know. I know in my own family uncles who were like who just go like this is they reached a breaking point. They're like, this is enough like this. He's too chaotic. Yeah. I don't like the way he's treating people.

I don't like the way he's governing. And he's, you know, it's a mess.

The way to you to borrow from him is a mess. Andrew Trump is a mess.

So like people were saying that and you're like, OK, I just thought more people would would think that way.

Yeah, exactly. And so the fact that his vote count went up so significantly where I think it went up by, like you said, I think it went up from maybe sixty five million to seventy one million or so. So you have to reckon with it. It's like, wow, six million Americans.

More than that. Yeah. Yeah. This guy's really got his shit together. Yeah.

This is awesome. Yeah. Or it was just like a statement of values and allegiance in a particular way, because I think one of the problems we're having is that we're seeing things through like a lens of cognition where it's like I said, I'll reason with you. I'll be like, hey, this guy is not a very good president. Yeah.

And and people are operating through, like, a different. Lenzer formwork, then cognition. They're doing it based upon emotion or, yes, allegiance or tribalism or association or something, or in some cases still and this is something I really think the Democrats need to work on, dig into. It was like a version. It was like a version of something that the Democrats seem to stand for in their minds. And and that to me, it was like a very hard lesson, is that I saw Trump's election at 16 as a result of deep rooted rot.

But I also thought a significant number of people would have seen what happened over the last number of years and said, OK, like, this is not the solution. Like this is going to help. Right. Cause. And the fact that his vote total went up so significantly and Democrats lost, last I checked, seven incumbent seats, they did not expect that. They expected it to be plus five to 15, not minus five.

What's you know, that's like a that's a massive swing.

It's a massive swing. What's your analysis of, like, as a party hat? Like, why is their message not connect? I mean, I've heard a lot of people say, you know, well, a message can't be like a.. Trump is not a message, you know, like is it is it that is that they're not putting a message forward that's clear that people go like, oh, this is what this stands for, because that shouldn't I mean, a lot of people think that that wouldn't happen.

My critique has been that the Democratic Party needs to focus on things that are going to actually touch you and your life, improve your life and my chosen policy for that cash and still is cash. Yeah. Right now, my organization, Humanity Forward, is lobbying for tax relief. We should have had cash to leave all throughout this pandemic.

It's it's because what really tragic that we have it what went out to a stimulus check or to write, wasn't that what was.

Yeah, a stimulus check of twelve hundred dollars went out in April and now it's November. I mean, like any economist looks at it and says, like you should have been doing a lot more in this. The stock market has been pricing in another trillion. It's just DC is stuck and dysfunctional. I talked to several members of Congress every day now because I'm trying to help get something passed. That's how cool I am. Tom, you're very cool as members of Congress would be like, yo, yo, what's up, man?

So. So when you when you ask, like, you know, the Democratic Party messaging its Democratic Party just needs to get down to brass tacks in a way that people can touch and feel. And if it I think the best way is cash. Yeah, I think that that the Democratic Party making its case for people like that who feel left out more and more Americans just feel left out. And and the tough part now is that the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are both being increasingly defined by urban versus rural and diverse and cosmopolitan versus more homogeneous.

And it's toxic. It's awful. You know, I spent a significant portion, not that much. I mean, I spend weeks, maybe months in Iowa the last two years because I was running for president. And that's where we hang out a lot. Yeah. And you get a place there, too. Traditional. I got places that that I submitted.

OK, okay.

But but I developed a real affection for Iowa and, you know, it's a great place and the people are great. And Iowa went from being really purple like Obama won it in 2012 as an example to plus eight for Trump. And that was after a plus nine and 16 like it's gone red. And like that to me should be like a major challenge for the Democratic Party to be like, how is it that we're losing a place we won eight years ago by such a wide margin and and a lot of folks around the country would be like, well, it's because of race or racism.

And then I remind them that's like like freaking a black dude won this place years ago. Yeah. They, you know, did they just know did not notice, you know, like they were voting for. They're like, wait, that guy is black in 2012.

Yeah. And and so, so that's like the simplistic answer that unfortunately I think way too many people are embracing. And and that answer leads us to greater division because then you just give up and are like, well, you know, it's like if you have folks in the rural areas like there, not a vote for our people and blah, blah, blah. And it's like, well, you know, I mean, you kind of prove that wasn't the case not that long ago.

And things are getting worse for many, many people in those towns. You know, when I was in Iowa talking to them, I was talking to a doctor there and he said, hey, when people get sick here in Iowa, they lose their jobs because that happens, you know, and then when they lose their jobs, they lose their health insurance. And they show up to me, the town doctor, and I'm like, hey, you're not insured.

And then they often expire before they can get new coverage in the form of government aid. And so he was like, this is totally messed up. Yeah. And this is a family doctor in Iowa. And I was like, that sounds deeply fucked up, but like that that's what's going on, of course. So so there are real problems. And the the bigger problem is that like the folks who are living these problems just don't believe in us anymore, especially if Democrats come in and message around values.

It's like, look, I'm a decent person. In fairness. The rest of it, it's like I mean, I like decency and fairness, but, you know, like and some Democrats are fighting for health care improvements in a way that would touch that person's life. We just need to like the tough thing, Tom, is like if you were to say to someone like, hey, do you want to have health care for that farmer or whatever?

And we'll be like, yes, but then if you say, hey, do you want socialized medicine, then they'll they'll flinch and cringe because they've been trained to hate that by FOX.

And so it's like branding and like and wording that that is effective essentially.

Right. Like saying like socialized medicine. People are like, that's a bad thing.

And this is back to the Jonathan Haidt argument, which I believe is correct, especially now where what's happening is we're now charging words in terms positively and negatively in various ways. And they're not arguing about the terms. And it gets us nowhere, like no one really wins. Yes. And one and one thing that Republicans are awesome at is naming stuff, things that you like or dislike, like. They renamed the estate tax the death tax and where like repeal the death tax.

The death tax.

Yeah, but then you're like, hey, you should really rich people just bailed out, like, you know, give all our stuff tax free. Our kids. I don't know about that. Like, you know, if you call it the death tax, though, it seems terrible. Or they renamed anti-union rules right to work rules. And then I like I'm right to work, of course, look like they're really, really expert and naming stuff in a way that helps make their case.

And Democrats are less good at that.

Yeah, like death tax doesn't like you call it the rich kid tax also.

And everyone will be like, nah, we don't want no rich kids.

Yeah. Yeah, right. It really it is kind of a rich kid. I mean but but they, they won that one like they actually did greatly, greatly reduce the estate tax.

Yeah. Don't you feel like there's a little bit to what we're talking about with. I don't know if you saw the. The Bill Maher clip that went like pretty viral, where he was basically criticizing some of, I guess you would call it like the branding of the Democratic Party, saying like, well, you know, like if we're so hyper focused on like using like making sure someone's woak and using the right WOAK term, that's almost a distraction from what you're trying to accomplish as a party.

And like what your you know, what your agenda is if you're all caught up on did you use the right acronym or this term that can be a distraction to not that like you should ignore, you know, being decent and civil and respecting people and and speaking the right way. But like, if you're if that's such a big thing for you that like somebody didn't say the word of the day, then that almost fires up. I think, you know, the the right even more to go like, look at this nonsense and it's effective.

It's one reason why I was focused on something that would have a direct and concrete impact on folks like cash. Yeah, because I because I think that we've gotten distracted, like you said, by various conversations that aren't addressing the fact that entire communities way of life and getting worse and disintegrating for years, decades in some cases.

And that's the problem in my mind. Like if you address that problem, then it becomes easier to start thinking about other problems. But you should definitely start there. And there's part of me that feels like we're almost purposefully being distracted. Yeah, it's like we're all just running around like, you know, like like chasing the China certainly under Trump and the media, like, so guilty of this or anything. Trump data was like, you see what he said to see what he said.

And he like, come on. I mean, it's a distraction, you know. Yeah. Yeah. And so, like, the the fundamental inequities have been getting worse for decades. And what's wild times I had this experience too was like, you know, like I ran for president. And I genuinely believe that giving everyone money is the way to go like and I think we're going to get there now. Fifty five percent of Americans are for it now.

Wasn't like that when I was running. Yeah. Yes, I was. You know, it's like a result of the last four months. Seventy four percent. Our forecast to leave during the pandemic. I mean, cash is the answer and. I felt this way, obviously, the whole time, but if you reflect back and I don't know when you first heard about me in the campaign, I think you have some friends in common. Yeah, but it's.

Like, it was pretty far out when I first arrived on the scene, you know what I mean? Like, it wasn't terribly mainstream idea, universal basic income and yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

This guy's out of his mind. How's it going to get how are we going to, like you've pointed out, like where are we going get the money, you know, like, like that. That's so crazy to come up with this money to send out.

But like we definitely have enough money to pay for it and we just did it, which is a great point.

And we also I don't know, it's funny when people go where are we going to get the money? They only ask that on certain proposed spending of money. Other times it's just like, yeah, of course we have the money. Yeah, and the arguments I made, it's like, look, do you remember voting for the four trillion dollar bailout of Wall Street during the financial. I don't remember that crisis. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean?

Like, no one was like, where did the money then or even the Kahrizak that pass the other unanimously, like the headlines, two point two trillion, which by they couldn't find something like a thousand bucks a month for all Americans. How would they have do some math. OK, go ahead.

I think that I think that pays for about a year's worth for everyone, you know, stood out and gave it to us. So this is another thing that most people don't realize. So people got two hundred bucks. They're like, oh, that's great. That's 400 bucks. Might have added up to something like six or seven percent of the total two point two trillion. The vast majority of the money did not go to us. It went to corporations.

Let's let's call it 80 percent plus like it went to corporations. And that Castrilli portion was very, very small. Most people don't actually sit there and do the math to figure that out. Yeah, and that's that's, of course, like very depressing to hear that that that the money didn't go because there is nothing like it is awful to consider, you know, poverty in general.

It's a it's a horrible, horrible reality. But when you consider that, like this year, you have people that. You know, want to work, can work, were working and they're just in even a position where they're just like it's not even an option anymore, like you can't you can't even do anything.

And like, how do you get by? I mean, it's just got to feel like the emptiest feeling you can have. Yeah, for millions of Americans, over 10 million Americans, you have eight million Americans who have fallen into poverty over the last number of months. And if you think about the industries and occupations that are impacted, it's restaurants and servers and bartenders, cooks, but it's also personal trainers, airline attendants, yoga instructors, security guards, anything that touched live music concerts, conventions, events, comedy comedy clubs, you know, like the ripple effects just go on and on hotels like.

So we we have so much work to do to try and actually get us back on our feet.

And the thing that breaks my heart is that of the 10 million plus who lost their jobs through no fault of their own, like these are for the most part, people that did not have like a ton of cushion. Right. I mean, like like you you have folks who were best situated to life. I mean, life is inconvenient, but like you have the folks who are the worst situated and it's like existential crisis after crisis, you know, addiction, inability to to pay for gas or food or fuel.

I mean, like the rest of it's just empty, very angry. And and then, you know, you have our government unable to do what virtually every other developed countries government has done during this time. So in in that environment, you know, it's so crazy that I feel like we're inducing craziness. You know, it's like. Yeah, like we're making it easier to be unreasonable. And that is. That's a terrible state of affairs. Yeah, it's.

It is terrible, but you feel like we are actually getting closer to Congress, kind of coming on board with this, right? This is this is within reach. Well, I'm working on it every day. I think there's going to be a relief bill of some kind, certainly in the new year, because after Joe gets sworn in and Congress gets sworn in and around some.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You got to count the legal votes first, buddy. Don't give me this shit about Joe getting sworn in. Go ahead.

Like I was saying, Tom, I'm sorry. I'm so so. So they'll be relief Bill of some kind early next year, which is way too late, you know, like I mean, it should have passed months ago. There will be a cash component of that, and one of the things I'm working hard on is making the cash component bigger and more central. In my mind, the cash component should be the bread and butter of this whole thing, because if you get money into people's hands, I was talking to a very senior economist who I won't name, but he was like, you know, he was in charge of a lot of stuff.

And he said one of the great things about cash relief is that you put money into someone's hands and you're guaranteed that the worst case scenario is that they're just going to stick it in the bank and then spend it later. Yeah, but like like that's like the worst case scenario and what's going to happen, the vast majority of times there's going to spend it immediately. Yeah. So. So he said that's a pretty good solution because a lot of the other things you're going to try, you're going to plow money into institutions and environments where you're actually kind of guessing.

And the price is right now, if I if I plow millions of dollars into like a medium-sized company. Is that company going to lay off fewer workers? You know, I mean, you can try and tie it to various conditions. Sure, but but you try and do. But there are a lot of these environments where it's it's actually somewhat unclear, like you have to kind of hope. And if you put money into people's hands, you're pretty confident that that person is going to spend it or worst case, save and spend it later.

And let's not forget also that like that's the economic benefit of doing this, like, to that person's life and the environment. But there's also I think that that factor of if you wanted somebody who really needs that relief and that check comes to you, that you have cash in hand, what that does to so many people's emotions, you know, like like like your own mind and emotion in your household and your family, you know, to feel that relief.

It is you can't even almost put a price on that. You know, when you're struggling to get a check that feels that's it's an amazing feeling.

It's like a boot comes off your throat, yeah, you know, we can we can really help people feel like they have a future like that. Their kids are going to be all right. I mean, it's in our ability to do this.

So I'm fighting for it every day. I am optimistic. Certainly the will of the people is there. If anyone is really into this and we want to help. Yeah, our websites move humanity forward and then you can keep track of what we're doing and lend a hand. But we're working on it all the time. We have some other fun cooking, too, but it's all about cash. I mean, I am heading to Georgia. I'm going to be.

But like in that case, our organization is supporting other words. It's fun having to work. I got to say time. Yeah. You know, you run for president and then people can get into it and then you wind up with all these people that are excited about stuff you're doing. So it's it's incredible to be able to be able to have an impact in various ways.

Can I ask you this grateful for it about because I actually realized that only I've ever spoken to somebody that's run for president that like when you when when you actually make the decision to say, I'm going like I'm actually going to write like now it's just to consider what you're like.

I'm doing it. Does it feel crazy that you're saying I, you know, I could be president of the United States? Is it like a surreal feeling? Yeah, it was surreal and it was difficult because you would say those words, I'm running for president, tell folks that know you and they are like president of what you know or whatever that was to be.

And then you're like president of the United States. Yeah, not of the book club.

Oh. And so there was like a real uphill battle for months because I filed the paperwork in November twenty seventeen and then announced in February of twenty eighteen and no one gave a shit about like the twenty 20 race in early twenty eighteen. And so there was approximately a year of my just being like I'm running for president and people are like are you now.

And so it, so it required like a real belief and fortitude and to some extent like kind of laissez faire attitude where it's like, you know, don't take too seriously. I mean what one stupid story I tell that might be indicative is that I had an event at one of my boys school. There was like a book thing and I wrote a book. And so I was like I held this event at the school and I thought it might be good to like, you know, let folks in the community know what I was doing and like no one showed up.

I was like and the following year, people, when it became like a campaign that everyone was reading about in the news and whatnot, people who were other parents in the school were like, oh, my gosh. Like that thing was real because, you know, I guess, again, the message was like, did you?

But when you when you go to those early events like this, I wonder about this and like like the school or something and no one shows up. Would you feel dejected? Would you be like, I don't know if I should keep doing this. I'm a human being, so certainly there were times where I was like, well, that's not very cool, but yeah, but I'm also an entrepreneur. And when you're an entrepreneur, you. Set yourself like a goal in a timeline, and I set out said, look, I'm running for president, that means I'm going to be at this through.

You know, in my mind, it was 20, 20. And so anything that happens to me between now and 20, 20 is just part of the story, the building process.

And and so no matter what you did to me during those two years, I was just going to be like, whatever, like, you know, I'm and I knew that going in like when you flip that switch and decide to do it and it's not that dissimilar from if you start a business, let's say I started a business and it was like andrews' cupcakes, which would be a terrible business because, you know, I'm shit for baking.

And then you get money from people, which I did not not big money, but like I went to my friends, it was like, hey, I'm running for president, donate some money. And then some of them donated, like, you know, a thousand bucks or two thousand bucks that then if you take someone else's money for your presidential campaign or Andrews' Cupcake's, then you essentially forfeit the ability to to be negative. Right. For those right years.

You know what I mean? Sure. Because like, let's say if you invested in Andrew's cupcakes and then I go to someone to be like, try my cupcakes and they like, spit them out. They're like, oh, these are terrible. Then you can't be like, oh, like, well, I guess I quit. Yeah, I'm done.

That you have to be like, well I guess I should improve the cupcake. Yeah. I'd be like, hey Andrew.

So I gave you thousands of dollars for these goddamn cupcakes. You make better cupcakes, man. Jesus.

All part of it to Tom. I'll tell you what the real thing was like. The real thing that does make you self-conscious is you have a team around you. Yeah. So imagine like having these idealistic folks working for the campaign and then show up to an event like no one's there. And so I'm certainly not allowed to be sour because if I'm sour, then the people that were working with me will be like abandoning ship right and left. That's a good point, if anything.

And if there's anyone's fault that no one showed up to the event, it's my fault for not being you. So like no one to look at. That's a good point.

It would be like if it would be like if a comedian showed up to a club and then like no one had come to the comedian, you start, like, yelling at his team. It's like, what the hell are you talking about? Be funnier.

Well, I know quite a bit of comedians that could listen to that advice a lot, so.

Oh, one other thing I wanted to touch upon with regard to Trump and his, you know, presidency coming to an end here is that I'm going to bet I don't know if you would agree with me.

I'm going to guess that he is not going to follow in the tradition of past presidents who upon the day of departure go, I had my time.

It is now your time and I will step back and retire, you know, so they probably set up like a replica of the Oval Office. Yes. Have them sit there. Yes. And then just like film it and it'll be like this kind of weird phantom parallel universe.

Where is it? Is there some responsibility? Is there responsibility of at least the major outlets to not cover every thing he does post presidency? Because I feel like coverage of what he does and says that every moment does further that divide and make things more volatile. And I think that, like, if he's, you know, your president, he's over, you know, covering it as if it if it were you were a president is is not fair to even the whole general public.

So that was Trump as a candidate and the media networks covered him way too much, and I think I saw one story and so they gave him a billion dollars worth of coverage. Yeah. And it helps get him elected. Then he becomes president and then they cover everything he does. And then you're like, OK, he's the president. So I guess, you know, you can't fault a news station for just talking about everything he says and does.

Then he leaves. At that point, you have to draw a line and say like, hey, is it really newsworthy exactly what the former president is tweeting about or doing? I certainly hope that networks move on from Trump. One tough truth, though, Tom, is that Trump has been very, very good for a lot of businesses, a lot of ratings. And so there's going to be a temptation for them to reach back because covering some Biden industry panel is going to be much less interesting than covering Trump's latest ramblings.

So there is a line to be drawn, though I hope that the media does move on because a lot of Americans are ready to move on. I mean, what are we going to do to fixate on this guy? That's what I'm saying. Yeah, it's like there's got to be an end to it at some point.

Are you are we going to see you in the Obama administration? I you're on the spot with Tom's news.

Are you going to be that's why everyone should be looking to you for this.

I know I only hear it here. So, I mean, I've talked in the administration.

I've got to like, certainly a willingness to serve. There may be different paths for me in terms of service, but I'm going to do something that I think is going to have a positive impact because we really need a time. I mean, again, the seventy one million Americans like the tens of millions who are suffering right now, like I ran for president because I genuinely thought that things were not going well for a lot of people and I could do something about it.

And my sense of that is higher now than it was. Sure. So this isn't a time for Andrew to be like, oh, you know, like mission accomplished type shit. It's like like the urgency is higher, not lower. So I should be making a decision and have something out in the world about my next steps relatively soon. I would say, you know, like the next number of probably like sometime around, you know, the holidays.

But I've got a I've got like a fire burning where like, I need to freaking help move us in the right direction. We'll you things are going terribly. Yes.

Will you give us the exclusive when you make that announcement? Be back on your podcast. You know, I think I owe some other folks now and so do that.

Other people were there for me when I was running time. I was there. I was there. Look at your DMS.

So, look, I I think it's just it would it is a great thing that we have you seriously in in society and and dedicating yourself and committing to like improving society and humanity. It's a rare thing. So I think I want you to stay in administrations and run for office because, I mean, I connect to you much more so than I have any other guy that looks like my dad or uncle.

So. So I'm very hopeful that you keep, um, you know, in what you're doing. I think it means a lot. You know, I feel like a natural kinship with you and a lot of the folks who do what you do for a living.

And I'm not going anywhere because our kids aren't going anywhere, you know? I mean, like, what choice do you have really? Like, you know, we have to make these things better or just shrug and be like, well, I guess we're all going to hell in a handbasket. And like and I'm now one of the. In a relatively small number of people, you may be one or two who actually might be able to help them generally because like a lot of folks, we will not be able to change our course.

But I feel like I might be able to you might be able to do some of the people that we know might be able to. And so it's it's kind of a jerk move to walk away from that that responsibility, if you feel or opportunity like if you feel you can make a difference. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Good. My kids I used to joke all the time, like my kids are not very rugged. So, like, we need to make things better because a very, very poorly.

And in the country that is tearing itself apart. Yeah. Um.

Oh, I'm glad to hear that. Let me ask you, everyone wants to know, are you going to drop the turkey slicer on Vince McMahon and the WWE?

That's a family practices of the WWE are so wrong and they have been wrong for a long time, decades really, and it was almost somewhat justifiable when they were like coming up. And, you know, it was like this kind of carny roots business. But now it makes zero sense when you're like a multibillion dollar public company. One of the top rated shows on TV and you're still calling people independent contractors. Now he's restricting them from Twitch and Cameo.

Are you kidding me? Right. And at least one of the one of the wrestlers just got fired for for tweeting had previously felt like she had previously just tweeted something that seemed like pro pro union union organized labor. And then she gets fired and like, is that a coincidence? I mean, like tell me other performers are looking and being like, oh, like maybe I should not say a word about unions because then they just might fire me, too.

Right. So so I'm optimistic that the time for examining the U.S. labor practices is way overdue. And it will happen under this administration. And I and I do have the ability to help on that score. You know, either I'm going to be in a role where I might be able to do it, but at a minimum, I can just call someone in the administration because it's a small world at this point. You know, like I know enough people were.

I'm like, like, get me the National Labor Relations Board or the labor secretary on the phone. So it's coming. You know, I mean, I hope that they do the I mean, there's no evidence of this. I was going to say I hope they do the right thing before we get there, but doesn't seem like that's where the work that's going. If they're if they're firing people and doing these switch restrictions right now.

You hear that, Vince McMahon, you hear that you're going to be covered in Turkey. Sorry. Go ahead.

It's coming like it's it's just right. You know, I can't tell you how many former performers and current performers have reached out to me be like, yo, if you can do something about it, that would be straight up because they know they're getting exploited. But it's very, very hard for them to do anything about it because he holds all the cards, of course.

And there's other I mean, no other multibillion dollar, I would say, sports entertainment franchises that could be encouraged to do more of the fair thing. But I'm very happy that you're going to tackle that as well. Before you go here, will you let me know what's what you're going to be doing down in Georgia? I know we have the big state run off coming up. Are you going down there to, like, register more voters or encourage people or what's what's the plan?

Yeah, I'm going to go down and try to activate energy around voting, because a lot of people still are unregistered and a lot of people are registered, but they think the election's over and that's it. Yeah. So I've got an event with young people who are in high school, some of whom might have turned 18. So that's very exciting. I've got an event with the WNBA. That's fine.

I'm supposed to see my friend Dominique Wilkins, the man, the human highlight reel. And I know you and I are the age where we understand that Niek is like an all time great dude, like how these images of him cramming on people in our minds. I have an event with some Asian-American leaders and Asian-Americans are four point seven percent of the vote in Georgia. So I'm just going to be doing things that that can help animate voters there. Probably have some social media from there, too, so that folks will be like, what's going on to be like, oh, you know, in Georgia, why?

Why do I care then? Oh, it's because the Senate hangs in the balance. And one of the things I've been saying to myself is if you give Washington an excuse that I'll take it. You know what I mean? Like, if they're looking at each other being like, well, it's the other guy's fault, then we could be waiting for cash, relief and everything else for a longer time. Whereas if you clear excuses out, then maybe we have a chance to get something done that will actually help people that are listening to this.

Wow. So if people want to get involved anyway, is it move humanity forward? Yeah, the organization is called Humanity Forward, but our websites move humanity forward, dotcom, and we've always worked on something. You can get involved as a volunteer. You can just put down your email address, donate money, whatever you want. And we also have a relief effort where we've given ten million dollars to struggling American families. Thank you donors. Really, it's so we can do so.

We've given ten million dollars to about twenty thousand families. So it averages out to about five hundred dollars each. And so we're working with Oracle, the one K Project to do that now. So if you want to donate to struggling families, you can do that. You can also if you're an employer, you can sponsor family to receive that money because of a change in circumstance on the part. So, you know, we like to walk the walk like I'm trying to lobby for cash relief, but it's easier to lobby for cash relief if you demonstrate that you know, that that's what you're doing to.

That's incredible, man, you're doing you're doing amazing work. It's really it's really I don't know, it's encouraging. It's it makes me feel good that there's people out there like you thinking like that so we can donate on that site just to help struggling families. This is not a political thing. If you just want to help people who need help, you can just go there and donate. Yeah, you got to move humanity forward, Dotcom, and then you click through the one project you can just give money to, you can actually even see the family that you're helping.

So there are ways to help. We certainly need to keep this movement growing because the problems are getting worse, not better. Just like the way we opened up this conversation, Tom. But don't worry about it. When everyone's coming to you for their news, everything will be better than just turn off. I'm so happy. And and one American network that you have finally acknowledged, the great news man that I am.

And I feel like it's finally making its way through the channels that this is the place to go. Yes, come here to the cave like this. Look at this man, some Mursal action, that's why they keep me around.

Are you before you leave, are you very stoked about the possibility of James Harden going to the Brooklyn Nets?

I am stoked about it, like I'm a I'm a Mets fan. I think it'd be fun and good for the league. I will say that if I'm Houston, I probably don't do that because he wants you to because he's got two more years on his deal. You might be able to max out his value in a particular way. I really do like the Nats players that would be going to Houston, I think Jaroslava and then we are both very good.

But if you're the Rockets, you might think you can get some more value. So I don't know how it plays out. But if it if it does end up that Harden's on the nets, I think it's going to be the story. I'm also a Steve Nash guy, too. I met Steve Nash a while back in Fixity City. Yeah. So, you know, it'd be a fascinating story. And the East needs like a super team like that.

Yeah. I mean I mean, you've got like the Super Lakers coming. That would be a clash for the ages, like the Super Lakers against the Super Hornets. Yeah, no, the way we're describing this to you and I grew up in an era where it wasn't super team versus your team.

I do kind of miss that now a little bit like when when we grew up, you know, I was telling somebody because there was a period where I didn't follow like any of the, like, NBA stuff. And they're like, why? I was like, you know, when I was a kid, it was like, you know, Isaiah. And you knew that I was a Piston and Clyde Drexler and, you know, Jordan and and like everybody had, like, I don't know, their their identity was like it really was like teams would stay teams for a long period.

I mean, you know, the business and the game changed. And I want to say that I feel like baseball was kind of like that first of just like, you know, super signing like huge caps and making a super team. But it's just different now. It is different. Guys just switch all over the place and it is what it is, you know. Yeah, it is different, you got to try and not be a fuddy duddy being, like in my day.

Yeah, yeah, it is true, man, and like the name.

But in the nineties it was you know, I loved those next teams. It was like not just doing but Starks and Oakley and Mason and dude.

And those teams were like straight up.

And all those dudes, they're like, we're going to we might if we lose this game, you're going to have teeth knocked out of your mouth, like during the game, like they were such a physical team. Yeah, it was it was gritty and it felt. Like it had an identity that was aligned with with the New York market, and so those are the times that I remember fondly where but you know, like, I'll be psyched for super team.

That's to sure. I go watch a game as we we win the title in twenty twenty. Bold prediction is a bold prediction.

You don't just get Hard-Hitting news here on time. Why image talks.

You also get sports predictions. Is that Tony? Tony, what I'm trying to do this. Yeah, why don't you start then? Dude, it's so crazy. You know, when you're a comic, your agent's hit you up with offers for, like for four shows.

Right. So they'll go like, hey, you have an offer to do, you know, this Phoenix venue?

And usually it'll be like in six months or nine months, I am booked through 2022 and I get emails. It'll be like, hey, so Phillies confirmed four for November. I'm like for November and the like for November of twenty 2022.

You have a you have a week of work. And I'm like, what? It just feels it feels freaky.

It's just weird, you know. Well, good for you, Tom, thanks, exciting. And by the way, I'll leave tickets at every show until you come, just like in those movies where they're like, where's my dad? I will hit you up, man.

I'm going to surprise. You know what? I will come if you let me just randomly pop on stage and just, like, amuse. Yes. Everyone for like like 10 confused seconds and then walk on off. So that'll be a done deal. So if you go to Tom, Signori shows, you should know that eventually everything's going to pop up in one of them nights.

You have an open offer. You have an open offer. Absolutely. Any time you want, man. Anytime you want. Thank you very much for your time today, man. I really I really enjoyed talking to you. Thank you so much, Andrew.

You to be well. Stay safe. And, you know, see you at the club in November. Twenty twenty two states could count the votes, bro.

You got to count the votes. Bye bye, guys. Meant.

The St. Louis will be trying to meet on screen, maybe, you know you know, you go to work and you turn want to go for the bill de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de de no more God, you know, more down. You know, you want to know more and you want to know more about what you want to know more. I don't know. Hi, thank you for watching that episode of your mom's house, please continue to watch more.

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