This Comedian Nails the Insanity of 2017 in New Special

September 06, 2017

WRITER

In a new Netflix special, comedian Marc Maron made some canny points about the absurdity of life in 2017. We’re almost at the point where we’ll believe that any crazy thing happened because we’ve seen so much insanity.

The Grand Canyon as a landfill? OK. Zoos as legal hunting grounds? Sure, that makes sense. “Some things you never thought you’d say like ‘Wow, these Nazis are annoying,’” Maron joked darkly in his “Too Real” special. Glenn and Stu looked at his insights on radio Wednesday and essentially agreed that it’s hard to question anything because we’ve seen so many crazy-but-true stories by now.

“They’ve just added a 93rd gender,” Glenn quipped. “OK, I can see that.”

“We’re at that point now where we just accept it,” Stu added.

This article provided courtesy of TheBlaze.

GLENN: So today I come in, and I turn on the television monitor array that is sitting in front of me with the -- with the time and the four television monitors, et cetera, et cetera. And I have to tell you, I took a picture because I -- in 40 years of broadcast, I've never seen anything like this. In one monitor was what was happening in Texas, a major US humanitarian and economic disaster, with Irma on the way. That was the topic I think on Fox. Then underneath that was CNN, which was the pretty credible threat of nuclear war with -- with North Korea. And then the bottom one was about DACA and the seeds of political and civil unrest.

And I thought to myself, "No, I've never seen anything like that before."

STU: All that and they've taken Coke Zero off the market too.

GLENN: We're reading the Book of Revelation. You know, you kind of get to -- you get to get to the point to where you're like, "Huh. This is going to be interesting. It's going to be interesting to see how this all works out, isn't it?"

It's kind of like -- I saw Marc Maron, a special that he did, I think it was on Netflix. And the guy is super, super, super, I believe, liberal, but there is something that is bringing us together. And it is that whole idea of, "Huh, this is going to be interesting." He was talking about how, you're not surprised by anything anymore.

VOICE: I don't know what he's going to do next.

(laughter)

And the people that voted for him, they don't know what he's going to do next.

(laughter)

And it's just crazy. You know, the people he's appointing is crazy. It's gotten to the point to where I could say things to you that would never make sense previously, but now you'd be like, all right.

Like, I could walk up to you and be like, hey, man, did you hear, they're making the Grand Canyon a landfill?

What?

Yeah. Yeah. They're doing that.

Yeah, I guess that makes sense, I guess.

(laughter)

But what's their logic?

Well, you know, how many times do you got to see that thing? They're just going to do half of it, and the other half you can still see. But I bet people go see the garbage too because that's a lot of garbage. It's going to be a double thing now. I can see why they would do that.

(laughter)

It's okay to hunt at zoos now.

(laughter)

What?

Yeah, the new EPA guy. I don't know. I guess it's okay. Like, eh.

I guess that's at that makes sense with their logic, I guess. It's going to be a whole different thing for the kids now, I guess. You know, a lot of those animals are almost extinct anyway. Might as well just get it over with, you know. Extinction is sort of a proactive term with these guys.

Some things you never thought you'd say like, wow, these Nazis are annoying.

(laughter)

STU: They've been annoying for a long time, to be fair.

GLENN: Yeah.

STU: It's funny because he obviously applies the sort of liberal anti-Trump thing there. But, I mean, it really is I think for everybody the exact same way.

GLENN: It is exactly the same. We've been there longer than they have. They think they're tired of it. We just went through eight years of feeling that way. You are the replacement troops. We're the ones that have been on the beach for a while going, "Yeah. Okay. I guess I can see that now." How many --

STU: So crazy.

GLENN: They've just added a 93rd gender. Yeah, I can see that.

STU: Yeah, it's true. We're at that point now where we just accept it. We've been hit with so many things we never thought we would see in our entire lives.

GLENN: And you're just like, "Yeah, I got it. Sure. Just throw it in the bag."

STU: See, we are becoming more tolerant. Look at that.

GLENN: We are. We are. It's not that we're tolerant. We've just given up.

STU: Well, that's kind of the same thing as tolerance, isn't it?

GLENN: I don't know.

STU: Tolerance is just the idea -- all right. Whatever.

That's why I never understood why it was something you'd argue for. Like, hey, the high-minded goal we have is everyone just kind of shrugs their shoulders as we walk by. That's kind of the standard.

GLENN: It really is. Kind of like, hmm. Okay.

STU: All right.

GLENN: Yeah, okay. We'll see how that works out. Sure. That sounds -- sounds great.

STU: It's not all horrific news, however. I mean, there are actual good, sane, sensible people doing --

GLENN: They're hard to find.

STU: -- doing sane, sensible things.

Well, that's why they're news stories when you find them.

GLENN: That's right. That's exactly right. That's why they're in the news now.

STU: Right. Nobody says, hey, a man went to go get coffee at McDonald's today. That's common. When people do things that are good, they become news stories.

GLENN: Right.

STU: But JJ Watt is the latest greatest example, I think. JJ Watt, if you don't know, and I know you don't know, Glenn.

GLENN: I do. I know this, he plays for Houston, and they're not the Oilers anymore.

STU: That's -- they are not the Oilers anymore. Oil is hateful. So you can't be the Oilers anymore. This is, of course, a new franchise, the Houston Texans, which, I guess it's still okay to be a Texan. See how long that lasts.

GLENN: No. You can hear, "They're banning all Texans." Yeah, I could see that.

STU: Yeah.

So Watt, is arguably the best player in the NFL, I mean, depending on how you define that. He's a great player. And he -- his city gets hit by this hurricane. They're suffering through it. He decides he's going to do something. He texts his PR person. I'm going to start this campaign. Hopefully, others will join in on it. This is going to be the page.

Links to a YouCaring page. YouCaring.com. Then he is going to donate $100,000 to hurricane relief. And he's going back and forth with the PR person, like I don't know whether it should be -- I should add my $100,000 first to kind of get it going or wait until it gets to $100,000 and then double it to get to my goal of 200,000. He wanted to raise $200,000, which is not nothing. Even for an NFL --

GLENN: Last time I saw this, I think it was at 5 million.

STU: It's gone up a little bit more.

GLENN: What's it at now?

STU: Yesterday, it hit $20 million. $20 million. Again, you could say it's JJ Watt, he's a big star, he's a celebrity. But he started this with the hopes of a normal person, linking to a campaign. He's going to throw in a big chunk of money, but he wasn't looking for this. And it's because people came together. They have reacted to it. I think Ellen put a million dollars of her own money into this campaign. Tons of big organizations have come in. It's still going to be mainly small donations.

GLENN: Yeah. I think this is a deal where it really shows, I don't trust people. We don't trust organizations anymore. You know, I see that guy on TV, and, you know, I like him. And I trust him. And, yeah, he's doing something. I'll go with him. I'm not sure -- how many people have you heard say, "Yeah, I want to give, but I just don't know who to give to," right now. You know, I think this is a testimony of that. And also, testimony on how generous this country still is.

TOP 5 takeaways from JD Vance's 'Face the Nation' interview

Anna Moneymaker / Staff | Getty Images

After an eventful first week in office, JD Vance wrapped the week up with a bang of an interview on "Face the Nation."

Last weekend, Vice President Vance joined "Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan, who drilled Vance on everything from the economy to immigration. Vance clapped back with polite yet cutting responses, and he defended Trump against some of her more accusatory queries.

If there was any lingering doubt that JD Vance wasn't vice presidential (or presidential) material, they have just been blown away. Here are the major takeaways from his electricinterview on Sunday:

1. J.D. Vance defends Trump's cabinet picks

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

Brennan opened the interview with a barrage of questions that brought up concerns surrounding some of Trump's cabinet picks, specifically Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard.

Brennan began by questioning how effective Pete Hegseth could be as Secretary of Defence, given that he was confirmed with a tie in the Senate that VP Vance broke. Vance responded with a quick breakdown of all of the issues the military is currently facing. Vance argued that Hegseth's unpopularity in the Senate results from his being a disruptor.

Brennan also attacked Tulsi Gabbard, calling her unfit for the title of "Director of National Intelligence." Vance defended Gabbard, citing her formidable resume and strong character. Vance also discussed the corruption of our intelligence services, which out-of-control bureaucrats have weaponized against the interests of the American people. He expressed his belief that Gabbard would be the right person to reign in the corruption and return the National Intelligence Service to its intended purpose.

2. J.D. Vance explains how Trump's economic policies will lower consumer prices

Brandon Bell / Staff | Getty Images

Brennan pushed Vance on the economy, specifically questioning when prices for consumer goods would begin to fall. Vance explained that within the plethora of executive orders issued by Trump during his first week in office, many were aimed at bringing more jobs back into America, which will raise wages and lower prices. Other orders will boost energy production, which will reduce energy costs and decrease the costs of goods.

3. J.D. Vance sheds light on needed FEMA reforms

ROBYN BECK / Staff | Getty Images

Brennan drilled Vance on President Trump's proposed FEMA reforms, specifically regarding Trump's suggestion to send states a percentage of federal disaster relief funds so that they can quickly distribute aid rather than wait on federal action. While Brennen argued that FEMA has specialists and resources that states would not have access to, leaving people without aid, Vance argued that recent disasters, like Hurricane Helene, have proven that FEMA's current bureaucratic red tape deprived Americans of immediate aid when they needed it most.

4. J.D. Vance defends Trump's mass deportations

PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / Contributor | Getty Images

Vance defended Trump's decision to allow ICE to conduct raids into churches and schools against Brennen's criticisms, arguing that law enforcement should remove a dangerous criminal from a school or church, regardless of their immigration status. He also advocated for Trump's proposed changes to birthright citizenship to prevent illegal immigrants from abusing the constitutional amendment by having "anchor babies" on U.S. soil.

Vance also took a hard stance supporting Trump suspension of admitting Afghan refugees. Brennan argued that Afghan refugees were going through a thorough vetting process and were now being abandoned by the U.S. However, Vance cited the foiled terrorist attack in Oklahoma City during Trump's 2024 campaign that was orchestrated by an Afghan refugee, who was allegedly vetted by federal agents. The vetting process is clearly flawed, and it was a prudent decision to halt the admission of these refugees until further notice.

5. J.D. Vance insists that Trump will still reign in Big Tech

PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU / Contributor | Getty Images

To wrap up the interview, Brennan questioned the Trump administration's stance on Big Tech given the attendance of the industry's biggest names at Trump's inauguration, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. Vance assured Brennan that Trump is still resolved to curb the power and influence of Big Tech.

Top THREE reasons the U.S. NEEDS Greenland

EMIL STACH / Contributor | Getty Images

Are Trump's repeated promises to claim Greenland for the U.S. just belligerent imperialism or a deft move to secure the future of America?

During his patriotic inaugural address, President Trump reiterated his campaign promise to expand American territories, including securing U.S. control over Greenland. This is not a new idea despite what the mainstream media may claim.

The idea of buying Greenland was originally introduced by progressive hero Woodrow Wilson in 1917 as an attempt to secure the homeland as America was gearing up to enter the First World War. The second attempt came after World War II when President Truman tried to buy the island from Denmark in another attempt to shore up national security, this time against the Soviets. Since then, Trump floated the idea in 2019, which was met with much the same ridicule as now.

The truth is that the acquisition of Greenland represents far more than just an outlet for repressed imperialist desires. It would be one of America's best investments in a long time, which is why we've been eyeballing it for so long. Here are three reasons the U.S. needs Greenland:

Strategic Military Position

THOMAS TRAASDAHL / Contributor | Getty Images

For the majority of the 20th century, Europe was the region from which a foreign attack on American soil could be launched: the Germans for the first half of the century, and the Russians for the second half. On both occasions, Greenland stood between our foreign enemies and the United States.

After the World War II, America was the official military defender of Greenland, per an agreement with Denmark. Under this agreement, the U.S. built Pituffik Air Force Base, a remote base 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Due to its location, approximately halfway between D.C. and Moscow, the Pentagon still views Pituffik as a vital component of America's nuclear defense.

The U.S. also built a secret base within the ice cap known as Camp Century. Camp Century was part scientific outpost, part nuclear-tipped ballistic missile silo built in the ice to withstand a direct atomic strike. The nearly two miles of icy tunnels were powered by a nuclear reactor and were designed to survive a nuclear first strike, and return fire. Although abandoned in 1967, Camp Century still symbolizes the strategic importance of Greenland for U.S. security.

Untapped Resources

OLIVIER MORIN / Contributor | Getty Images

While Greenland's population is a mere 56,000, the island has a total landmass nearly three times the size of Texas. According to a 2009 geological assessment, a whopping 30 percent of the Earth's undiscovered natural gas, and 13 percent of its undiscovered oil is locked away beneath Greenland's icy ground. There are also untapped deposits of valuable rare earth metals including copper, graphite, and lithium.

Neither Greenland nor Denmark have any real plans to tap into this immense wealth trapped beneath the ice, but it could prove crucial for ending the West's dependency on China. China has the global market cornered on rare earth minerals- including America. We acquire 72 percent of our rare earth mineral imports from China, making us entirely dependent on them for the manufacturing of many essential goods. Tapping Greenland's natural resources would help free America, and the West, from China's yolk.

Polar Silk Road

mark peterson / Contributor | Getty Images

In 2018 China launched an ambitious project that aimed to cut the travel time of cargo vessels between its ports and European markets in half. China, in collaboration with Russia, plans on developing new shipping routes through the Arctic Ocean. This bold new strategy, dubbed the "Polar Silk Road," has been made possible thanks to new tech, including a fleet of Russian, nuclear-powered icebreakers, the latest of which is capable of breaking through nearly 10 feet of ice.

With clear waterways from eastern China and Northern Europe, it won't be long before the first cargo ships brave the frigid sea and China looks to the next leg of the journey: the Northwest Passage. The Northwest Passage is the area of sea between Canada and the North Pole that would be an optimal shipping route between America's East Coast and Asia if it wasn't frozen over most of the year. But with new technology, we may be able to overcome the challenges of the ice and open the passage to commercial traffic, and Greenland is positioned directly on the passage's easternmost mouth.

Greenland would quickly become a key location along the Northwestern Passage, acting as a sentinel of the east, with the ability to control traffic through the trade route. If China or Russia were to take control of Greenland, they would dominate the Northwestern Passage, along with the rest of the new northern trade routes.

Is Romania squashing its own 'Trump' candidate?

DANIEL MIHAILESCU / Contributor | Getty Images

This week the streets of Bucharest, the capital of Romania, erupted in protest after the Constitutional Courts annulled the recent first round of the presidential election after the "far-right" candidate won.

The government is lying to you. If you have been listening to Glenn for a long time you already know that, and you also know that if you try to call attention to the lies you get labeled a conspiracy theorist or "far-right." This is not only true in America but across the world. Politicians cheat, steal, and grab power, then lie about all of it. This is the root of countless issues across every government on the planet, and recently Romania has become the latest example of this unfortunate phenomenon.

But what is really happening in Romania? Was this an actual attempt to stamp out someone who would shed light on lies and corruption? Or did the Romanian government put a stop to a genuine bad actor?

The Election

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

On December 6th, 2024, the Romanian Constitutional Court canceled the second round of the presidential election amid claims of Russian interference. The second round of the election would have seen right-wing candidate, Calin Georgescu face off against pro-European centrist Elena Lasconi.

The trouble surrounds Georgescu, who stands accused of using Russian aid to run an unprecedented social media campaign that helped him win an election pollsters claimed he stood no chance of winning. Georgescu's rapid rise in popularity on social media does raise some eyebrows, and to add to the suspicion he declared he had zero campaign spending. On the other hand, Georgescu's supporters claim that his quick rise to stardom and underdog victory is due to the growing resentment for the ever-out-of-touch political elite.

Georgescu's Platform

Andrei Pungovschi / Stringer | Getty Images

Georgescu rose to prominence on a platform many of his detractors have labeled "far-right," "pro-Russian," and "populist" (sound familiar?). His positions include supporting Romanian farmers, increasing Romanian self-reliance, and increasing local energy production. Georgescu has been lauded for his message of hope and vision for the future and his dedication to truth, freedom, and sovereignty.

Georgescu is also a vocal Christian and a supporter of the Romanian Orthodox Church. He has questioned the climate change and COVID-19 narrative as well as NATO and the war in Ukraine, which is how he earned his "Pro-Russian" monicker. Georgescu promised to respect and honor its obligations to the EU and NATO, but only to the extent that they respect Romania and its interests.

What Happens Next?

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

After Georgescu's unexpected victory, the Romanian Constitutional Courts annulled the election's first round and scheduled it to restart on May 4th. As of now, it is unclear whether Georgescu will be allowed to participate in the new election. This act by the Constitutional Courts triggered mass protests in the capital, Bucharest, and has caused many Romainians to question the state of democracy within their country.

Many of the protesters are calling what happened a coup and are demanding the election be allowed to continue to the second round. They are also calling for the resignation of current President Klaus Iohannis, who has maintained power thanks to the incomplete elections. Georgescu has officially challenged the court's decision and even made a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights, but it is unclear if his appeal will make any difference.

Glenn: Texas judge deals a crushing blow to ESG agenda

The tides have turned — and now the very same banks that were pushing heavy-handed environmental, social, governance rules are running away from them.

In a significant victory, a federal judge in Texas has ruled that employers and asset managers cannot use environmental, social, and governance factors in employee retirement accounts. If this ruling holds up — which is likely, given the conservative composition of the appellate court — it will dramatically shift the balance of power between corporations and their employees.

This decision represents one of the most substantial blows to the ESG agenda to date. Companies that have been steering employees into ESG-focused investments, which prioritize progressive values over financial returns, now face legal repercussions. Continuing such practices would directly violate federal law. The ruling forces companies to re-evaluate their commitment to ESG initiatives, and many may withdraw from these funds before the case even reaches the appellate court.

Watching these corporations squirm as they try to backtrack and avoid legal repercussions is ever so satisfying.

The impact of this ruling could very well be the beginning of the end for the ESG movement as it’s been pushed by elites.

In even better news, BlackRock, a major player in the ESG movement, has officially left the United Nations’ International Association of Asset Managers. This is a direct rebuke of the global push for ESG initiatives and a major sign that the tide is turning. In contrast to the Glasgow Net Zero Conference in which the Global Financial Alliance for Net Zero — an organization championed by global elites — was pushing for ESG to be a central focus, BlackRock’s departure from the group signals that even those who were at the forefront of this movement are starting to distance themselves.

But it doesn't stop there. Every major U.S. bank has now announced that they too are leaving the U.N.’s Association of Net Zero ESG Bankers, another key part of the Glasgow Financial Alliance. For years, we’ve been warning that ESG in banking was one of the primary ways elites like Biden, the Davos crowd, and others were planning to reset the world’s economy.

The tides have turned — and now those very same banks are running away from ESG, a powerful signal of things to come. They know they’re on the losing side, and they’re scared that a new administration will come down hard on them for their involvement in these globalist initiatives.

In another win, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau unveiled a shocking new rule that, if it survives, would prohibit many financial institutions from de-banking customers based on their political or religious views, or even certain types of speech. While the rule is not as comprehensive as we need it to be, it’s a step in the right direction — and it includes concerns raised by our allies about the dangers of ESG. The Trump administration has promised to come down even harder on the banks with tougher rules, and this is a very good start.

Watching these corporations squirm as they try to backtrack and avoid legal repercussions is ever so satisfying. Some are running for cover while others are desperately trying to ingratiate themselves with the powers that be. It’s clear that the backbone of these companies is made of rubber, not steel. They don’t really believe in the ESG values they preach — they’re just playing the game to get in bed with the political elites.

Now that Trump is back in town, these corporations are showing their true colors. They never cared about their customers or the values they forced upon them. It was always about the power they could acquire through catering to those in power at the time.

No company should be afraid of the president of the United States. But they’re not afraid of Donald Trump. They’re afraid of the return of the rule of law. They know that fascistic public-private partnerships between the government and corporations are on the way out. That’s a victory for freedom and a victory for the American people.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn's Show Prep

This Comedian Nails the Insanity of 2017 in New Special

TOP 5 takeaways from JD Vance's 'Face the Nation' interview

1. J.D. Vance defends Trump's cabinet picks

2. J.D. Vance explains how Trump's economic policies will lower consumer prices

3. J.D. Vance sheds light on needed FEMA reforms

4. J.D. Vance defends Trump's mass deportations

5. J.D. Vance insists that Trump will still reign in Big Tech

Top THREE reasons the U.S. NEEDS Greenland

Strategic Military Position

Untapped Resources

Polar Silk Road

Is Romania squashing its own 'Trump' candidate?

The Election

Georgescu's Platform

What Happens Next?

Glenn: Texas judge deals a crushing blow to ESG agenda

The tides have turned — and now the very same banks that were pushing heavy-handed environmental, social, governance rules are running away from them.

Watching these corporations squirm as they try to backtrack and avoid legal repercussions is ever so satisfying.