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This Comedian Nails the Insanity of 2017 in New Special

September 06, 2017
Staff

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.

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

JEFF KOWALSKY / Contributor | Getty Images

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.