Latest / Culture Brief - Christian perspectives on the week's biggest news, sports & pop-culture stories / 2025 recap: Most influential people, biggest stories, biggest flops, & spiritual highlights | Ep. 50

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2025 recap: Most influential people, biggest stories, biggest flops, & spiritual highlights | Ep. 50 · Culture Brief - Christian perspectives on the week's biggest news, sports & pop-culture stories

• 0:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hi, I'm Connor Jones.
• 0:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm Mike Atama-Sella.
• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this is Culture Brief, a Dinnison Foreign Podcast where we navigate the constant stream of top stories and news, politics, sports, pop culture, technology, and so much more.
• 0:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we do it all from a Christian perspective.
• 0:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we are doing a 20-25 recap episode, Michael.
• 0:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are you excited?
• 0:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I'm excited.
• 0:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know that our audience, if they could speak right back to us right now, are just brimming with joint excitement to recap the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2025 together.
• 0:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, man, I would say it was definitely an interesting chaotic, but somewhat formative here, you know, yeah, for sure.
• 0:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: For sure.
• 0:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I think here's what we're going to do, Michael.
• 0:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 0:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to go back to our very first episode of 20 25 and January.
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: We made some predictions of what we thought could happen this year.
• 0:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we're going to hit on those predictions.
• 0:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to go through some other fun stats.
• 0:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to tell about prominent people in 2025.
• 0:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to talk about the most bizarre stories.
• 0:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: The biggest flop of 25 and then we're also going to hit on the most important stories that happened this year.
• 1:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Looking back at the episodes.
• 1:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: We recorded just looking back at headlines and news and then we'll definitely talk about.
• 1:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: What did God teach us this year?
• 1:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: That is something so big.
• 1:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: What are we learning through this?
• 1:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: What did we hope you guys learned through this and what's God pressing on our hearts as we look forward to 2026 and just the cultural impact of these stories is something that kind of keep in mind and frame the mindset as we head into this discussion.
• 1:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's going to be a fun one.
• 1:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to fly through a lot of information together, looking back in order to look forward.
• 1:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not just living in the past, just to live in the past, like we're looking forward to what God's going to do in our lives and in your lives and in the lives of those who are in our country and around the world heading into 2026.
• 1:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: But just keep in mind, Connor said a great word here.
• 1:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a very formative year.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that's the perfect way to put it.
• 1:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Good things and bad things.
• 1:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think 2025 really helps shape what culture is going to look like moving forward.
• 1:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's always surprises, but we saw a big shift here.
• 1:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, prayerfully, I hope some things change.
• 1:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: And honestly, prayerfully, I hope some things stay the same.
• 1:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, let's jump into it.
• 1:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, let's jump into it.
• 1:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: We call this the brief?
• 1:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
• 2:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let's jump into the recap.
• 2:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: The recap.
• 2:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: There we go.
• 2:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: The recap.
• 2:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, perfect.
• 2:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, let's start with our 2025 predictions from January.
• 2:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Very first episode.
• 2:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: We dropped these predictions already.
• 2:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know what, Micah?
• 2:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm a little, I'm a little proud.
• 2:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: And some instances, I'm a little ashamed another.
• 2:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: So let's just start off.
• 2:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: We both predicted the Super Bowl champs right up front.
• 2:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: You had predicted the bills.
• 2:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: I had predicted the lines.
• 2:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: We both wrong that ended up being the Eagles.
• 2:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 2:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: And again, that was in that was in February of this year.
• 2:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, so we could technically predict again who's going to win the Super Bowl early next year for this season.
• 2:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: But anyway, yes, the Eagles won.
• 2:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Connor and I would never pick the Eagles, even if even if we knew we were going to be wrong, we're not going to pick the Eagles to win anything whatsoever.
• 2:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Nope, we'll go in 17.
• 2:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, so yeah, no kidding.
• 2:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Every year.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Then we predicted the master's champion.
• 2:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is the biggest golf tournament in the world every year.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Mike, you had predicted a good one.
• 2:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Scottie Sheffler.
• 3:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 3:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I had predicted Rory Macalroy and guess what?
• 3:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Rory did it.
• 3:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Rory won.
• 3:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: He finally got his master.
• 3:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we took that one.
• 3:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Good for him.
• 3:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, good for him.
• 3:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, it was happy to get that one.
• 3:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then the biggest movie at the box office we made predictions there.
• 3:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Micah you had said mission impossible the final reckoning or Superman.
• 3:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: You gave two and it took a second.
• 3:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Still got him bro.
• 3:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I had predicted Avatar Fire and Ash, but as of this recording we're recording on December 19th.
• 3:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is Friday.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: That movie comes out today.
• 3:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we're not going to know the answer to this one quite yet.
• 3:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: I have a feeling it's going to get up there, but we'll see you in a big one.
• 3:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, but just so y'all are aware, the biggest movie of the year technically was a movie called Nizatu from China that made $2.2 billion.
• 3:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It blew up over here in America too.
• 3:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And a sense, it was translated, but the biggest U.S. movie was a minecraft movie.
• 3:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then you told me it too as well.
• 3:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: So in all three animated movie films, the kids want to go to the movies guys.
• 3:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's what Hollywood needs to know.
• 3:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, okay, Mike a biggest song of the year, we were trying to predict who would have it.
• 4:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: You said, post-malone, I said Bruno Mars, correct answer was, die with a smile by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga.
• 4:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, but you didn't know he'd partner up with Lady Gaga on put out a banger like that goodness gracious I'm just telling you man.
• 4:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know good for you.
• 4:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's just a magic touch there.
• 4:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's for you.
• 4:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I personally don't even like his music that much, but I understand Hosty Yeah
• 4:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think his transition has been interesting from more R&B hip-hop to country, but kind of still R&B hip-hop type of country, I think it's been an interesting transition, but yeah, he's all right.
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, and then we threw out some big wild card predictions.
• 4:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: I had predicted, and this was a big thing back in January when Trump was coming into office when we were doing this.
• 4:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I predicted that the U.S. would annex Greenland and Puerto Rico as new states completely wrong there.
• 4:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, just totally off base, actually kind of happy I was wrong.
• 4:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think we need them as as states.
• 4:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Puerto Rico is a territory already in Greenland as its own nation.
• 5:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, that was going to be interesting if we went down that route.
• 5:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Micah, you got a good one here.
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, that was what your prediction was on this one.
• 5:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I mean, it was a good one.
• 5:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was a good prediction to have, but I was wrong.
• 5:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: The prediction was that the AI investment bubble will take a hit in 2025, and it didn't at all.
• 5:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: If anything, it's a gain steam, and it's really been the driving force, been the foundation for why we've continued to have a bull market in 2025, and why if us with having an investments in the stock market and any of our listeners who invested in the stock market, you can think AI investments for why your portfolio looks good this year.
• 5:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: there were so many industries that took a hit and AI undergirded all of it.
• 5:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so, if anything, I'm glad that it didn't take a massive hit.
• 5:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, the only thing could be it's actually building an even bigger bubble than it did back in January.
• 5:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: I actually would say you could give me like a wild card like another one for 2026.
• 5:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think this is a bubble at all.
• 5:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think this is good.
• 5:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is the way.
• 5:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is the economy now.
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it is.
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: there are certain companies doing more or like doing less than we think, but there's so many companies that you can invest in now that are focusing on different sectors within AI and what AI can do.
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so as long as the technology continues to progress, which it will, and competition does that, we're in this big competition with China right now.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so competition's going to continue to drive that.
• 6:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think this is only going to continue to go up.
• 6:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: It definitely seems like the future.
• 6:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think so.
• 6:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: And there's causing constant that, but I'm just saying investment wise, it helped all of our investments in 2025.
• 6:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: True, very true.
• 6:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, those are where our predictions will come back in January.
• 6:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll do some more predictions.
• 6:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we'll add some things to that or change it up a little bit and see what we can come up with.
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: But Michael, let's hit on a couple little fun things from 2025.
• 6:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just some little stats and tidbits that I think are interesting.
• 6:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Would you like to guess what the most downloaded app in 2025 was?
• 6:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: You would be correct.
• 6:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, man.
• 6:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's got to get the AI just investment like without it out chatty.
• 7:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just up there.
• 7:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's just he's the most popular guy was popular pal for everybody right now.
• 7:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I call him chat But you know just chat for short, you know what I mean?
• 7:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's I think only his mother calls him chatty
• 7:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know dude.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've been in a lot of conversations with people like yeah, I asked chatty about this.
• 7:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like That was definitely a Gen Z or Gen Alpha who said that?
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, maybe I mean I'm talking about even some of our co-workers here Dinosaur mysteries.
• 7:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, we have Gen Z. Gen Z.
• 7:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: We do we do okay something else.
• 7:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is a cool stat interesting stat
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Gallup says that Americans at 2025 drink alcohol at the lowest level that they have since 1939.
• 7:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: That isn't saying to me.
• 7:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: It seems like a positive.
• 7:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think there's a lot of reasons for that.
• 7:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not going to dive into all the reasons, but is it that interesting, Michael?
• 7:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's very interesting.
• 7:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let me give one good reason, one bad reason.
• 7:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: There is a more investment in health, because there's just so much at our fingertips now and knowledge is power, and so people are understanding the negative results of drinking alcohol.
• 8:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's the pro.
• 8:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: The con, I think people are getting together less than they ever have.
• 8:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think there's more isolation and I don't think people are meeting for happy hours and I don't think people are meeting for a drink anymore.
• 8:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: You might not love that people go and get a drink and you might not partake in drinking.
• 8:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: However, it is a medium to get people together and talking.
• 8:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I think that that's also a reason isolation has led to this as well, which is the con.
• 8:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yep.
• 8:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: And there's also been this massive uptick and non alcoholic beer and beverages and mock tails and stuff.
• 8:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you get kind of the flavor, but not the ingredients that cause it to be alcohol.
• 8:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 8:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is a big cultural touch point.
• 8:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 8:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Words of the year.
• 8:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: So let's look back at the last two years from Words of the Year that came from like Oxford and dictionary.com of your Webster.
• 8:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mike, a 2023, everybody's going to remember this one.
• 8:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: the word era was like the center of everything to switch on her big era story tour era's everybody's like I'm in my blah blah blah era, you know all of that the word read you know I'm talking about every every post on Instagram and social media was like in my whatever era and then the word Riz and AI came up in 2023.
• 9:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's when AI became kind of like a word everybody knew but Riz Yeah 23 and 23 AI was kind of a thought
• 9:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: you know what I mean like some people had a little bit of AI they were using it's way different now and then riz yeah I'm glad people aren't saying that as much anymore.
• 9:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, me too.
• 9:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: 24.
• 9:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: The words were brat, brain rot, and demure all just, you know, related to demure stuff.
• 9:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, that was that big word on TikTok this year, though.
• 9:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: We talked about this one earlier in a podcast a few weeks ago.
• 9:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: The Oxford word of the year was rage bait.
• 9:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, we discussed that and what that means dictionary.com's word of the year was 67 or 67.
• 9:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's what I was saying.
• 9:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Which I still don't think anybody knows what that actually means.
• 9:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: It just that's the point.
• 9:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: It gets said the point.
• 9:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is what it is and then Miriam Webster's word was Slop.
• 9:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, which I think they were relating to AI, but I think you could also apply it to we talked about this Netflix Slop like Netflix just produces so much bad television, but so does so many other places to sort of say AI
• 10:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's the cheesecake factory menu of options on things like Netflix.
• 10:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you do so many things, you can't do much in excellence.
• 10:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that's the trade-off.
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: So there's more.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: You get Slap.
• 10:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was reading about the origin of the word Slap and it came from in like the 1800s.
• 10:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: They would just mix together a bunch of foods to try to make something and when it plop down on the plate or whatever, it just came up with the word Slap.
• 10:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: I was going to like what they fed pigs like pig slap, you know, something like that.
• 10:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Exactly.
• 10:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, poured into the, whatever container.
• 10:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: What a pig's out of the trough.
• 10:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: The trough.
• 10:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 10:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: The trough.
• 10:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Slop in the trough.
• 10:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe.
• 10:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: And now that what those pigs are eating is basically what we're just ingesting is our entertainment, right?
• 10:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just on your screens.
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 10:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, Michael, let's do something fun here.
• 11:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let's rank the most influential people of 2025.
• 11:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, I want to clarify.
• 11:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: We've both come up with our names.
• 11:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mike is going to say his.
• 11:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to say my.
• 11:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to go five to one.
• 11:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is not necessarily people.
• 11:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: We think are great.
• 11:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is most influential.
• 11:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: They had the biggest impact on the world on our country in 2025.
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we're going to give some honorable mentions afterwards as well.
• 11:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: People that like, it's just their year for whatever reason, whether they're doing bad things, good things.
• 11:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: high achievements, loaves.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to talk about all of that.
• 11:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, Micah, let's go five, four, three, two, one and just give us our power rankings.
• 11:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would love to start with your number five.
• 11:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to do five and then you're going to do five and then.
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: So forth.
• 11:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: All right.
• 11:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: So just to clarify, the rubric of this was the power rankings of the top five most influential people of 2025, the way that I would define influence is not somebody that you always hear about all the time.
• 11:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Certainly that does fit this.
• 11:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: My definition of influence is
• 12:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: somebody who has sway, somebody who has power, somebody who changed the dynamics of our culture, our country, what's going on in the world now, but also for the future.
• 12:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: So let me just clarify, that was kind of my rubric for why I came up with this top five.
• 12:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: All right.
• 12:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Number five would be Jerome Powell.
• 12:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: So he's not
• 12:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Flashy, he leads the Federal Reserve.
• 12:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not a flashy pick, but it's powerful because he's still there after everything Trump has hurled at him this year.
• 12:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: So Trump has tried everything he can legally to remove him.
• 12:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: He has stayed in power, but he has big influence over interest rates, inflation, housing markets, economic confidence, a lot of power in Jerome Powell's hands.
• 12:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that's why
• 12:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think that's a good pick.
• 12:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just one of those guys who's kind of behind the scenes a lot of times, but his words carry a lot of weight because the economy listens.
• 12:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 12:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: We all are impacted by that.
• 12:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: My number five is another one that you may not know super well, but it's Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, and the reason I've picked him is because man, he's been, his hands have been and everything from Hollywood to politics to just world affairs and everything.
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 13:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would say,
• 13:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: First and foremost, he's just a massive Trump donor.
• 13:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: So he's a lot of influence over Trump.
• 13:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was at one point this year.
• 13:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: The world's wealthiest man.
• 13:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: He took over Elon Musk for like two days.
• 13:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're back in September.
• 13:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's not that anymore.
• 13:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was worth 400 billion at that point.
• 13:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's now sitting at like 233 billion.
• 13:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not a bad bag.
• 13:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: But he's definitely he's dropped back down to Earth a little bit.
• 13:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, that's close to half.
• 13:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Wow, yeah, he's it goes up and down, you know, stocks.
• 13:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, but with Oracle, he's now got his fingers in defense department contracts department of energy contracts AI contracts to the government.
• 13:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, his son is trying to buy Warner Brothers with Paramount and he's also now a part of a group that is buying TikTok.
• 13:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was actually announced this week.
• 13:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's going to have his hands on TikTok.
• 13:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: So a lot of influence from this guy who a lot of people don't know, but he's he's got his hands on everything.
• 13:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
• 13:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
• 13:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: So my number four is Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the, he's the prime minister of Israel, right?
• 14:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's his title.
• 14:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, PM.
• 14:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
• 14:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: So you got Israel's ongoing war, regional instability in the Middle East, global diplomatic fallout, keep Netanyahu at the center, BB, as his friends would call him, of one of the most consequential geopolitical moments in decades.
• 14:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: So like he's had a lot of
• 14:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: accusations hurled at him, people love him, people hate him, but there's a peace deal now in place.
• 14:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're trying to regulate and try to get some relations moving forward between Israel and Saudi Arabia and him and Trump have been going at it kind of back and forth with each other all year.
• 14:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: So for global stability purposes, that's why I picked him in number four.
• 14:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I agree.
• 14:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: He is definitely up there on my list as well.
• 14:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, number four for me was Elon Musk just because I mean, you say his name everybody knows who he is he's got his hands in a I obviously social media with X obviously at the beginning of the year he was one of the most powerful figures in government briefly Even though he wasn't even like an official employee.
• 15:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, just just
• 15:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: everywhere trying to get us to space trying to get us an AI trying to get the government to slash funds.
• 15:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is insane how much Elon Musk was involved in this year and he's just is and probably will be for many, many years one of the most influential people on earth.
• 15:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
• 15:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: That makes sense.
• 15:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: All right.
• 15:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: My number three is Sam Altman.
• 15:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Sam Altman is the CEO and founder of OpenAI.
• 15:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And AI is no longer theoretical guys.
• 15:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like we've been talking about at shaping education, work, warfare, ethics.
• 15:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: in real time.
• 15:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: And Altman sits at the center of that conversation and has outsized influence over where all of this AI stuff goes, his influence in the White House.
• 15:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: But even just the fact that open AI is like going head to head with like Google in AI, with meta in AI.
• 15:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he's going up against Elon in AI and kind of winning most of the time.
• 16:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's it's actually unbelievable.
• 16:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: kind of how he came out of nowhere in wields a tremendous amount of influence in the tool that we're starting to all use now.
• 16:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to be using more in the future.
• 16:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's funny.
• 16:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: My number three is also same.
• 16:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because you're exactly right, man.
• 16:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's just this AI thing is huge.
• 16:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if he will stay at the forefront of it forever, but this year was a big-year form big-year form.
• 16:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: He came a household name and it opened AI just grew and grew and grew.
• 16:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now they're losing money daily, like they have not made it profit yet.
• 16:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: So a lot of them are,
• 16:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's got to turn the ship around, but if he can, it's going to be huge.
• 16:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, Michael was number two.
• 16:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, so, okay, so we had the same.
• 16:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Number three, my number two is actually G, G, Jing Ping of China, the leader of the people's Republic of China.
• 16:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, China's had an economic slowdown that they've tried to put a bandaid on.
• 16:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're building up their military infrastructure to potentially trade, you know, to attack and invade Taiwan.
• 17:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: And there's growing tension with the West, specifically Donald Trump in the US of A, which makes Qi one of the most influential figures shaping global stability this year.
• 17:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would say the reason why I put him at number two is that whatever America is doing to stay on top to become on top, whether if that's.
• 17:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: with energy, with AI, with modern warfare, with the fleets and the military and planes.
• 17:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, just name it, education, whatever it might be.
• 17:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Qi and his leadership in what China's doing is a huge driver for everybody here in America who's in a position of power of we can't lose ground to them.
• 17:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that's why I put him at number two, because he's been kind of the boogie man, which has led to good and bad things of what we've been doing here in the West.
• 17:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we're in kind of this odd cold warish state with China.
• 17:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we used to be the Soviet Union was our biggest foe.
• 17:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, definitely feels like China is, but for sure.
• 17:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're trying to build a relationship.
• 17:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know Trump and Chi are meant to meet like four times in twenty six.
• 17:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, their frenemies, you know what I mean?
• 18:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's like, right, nobody wants war.
• 18:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think, but they drive each other to grow.
• 18:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: They drive each other to be better.
• 18:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Whatever you would define is better.
• 18:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: They drive a share of the make more money.
• 18:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: How about that?
• 18:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll say that.
• 18:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we need each other, essentially.
• 18:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, certain extent.
• 18:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, my number two was actually Charlie Kirk, who obviously is no one because, but man, just the impact, and this is going to be more American impact.
• 18:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: So global wise, maybe not as much, but I just think the impact that he had even before he died on US policy and the way people thought about politics and stuff and especially in the right wingsphere, to even after he died, really having this posthumous impact, man, what a
• 18:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: what a life he lived and what a legacy he's left and we're actually seeing the whole of his leadership in the right wing here now there seems to be like no central figure that's tying it all together the way that he did and there's warring factions within the right I think we're just seeing how much of an impact Charlie had in politics but also now we're going to see how much of an impact he had in faith and we're going to talk about that again later.
• 19:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, I just think number two cannot hate on that pick it all man.
• 19:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Rest in peace Charlie Kirk.
• 19:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: What an impact.
• 19:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: What a legacy.
• 19:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: He left.
• 19:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 19:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 19:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: My code.
• 19:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: We both had the same number one.
• 19:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: So should we say that the same.
• 19:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: So so.
• 19:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
• 19:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: On three one two three Donald Donald J. Trump.
• 19:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: You didn't know why I was going to say the change in you.
• 19:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know.
• 19:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't know when you were going to say it.
• 19:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: So people are tired of his name, right?
• 19:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: But the reality is that US politics, global alliances, markets, media narratives completely and utterly orbit around him.
• 19:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Love and were hate him.
• 19:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: His gravitational pull is absolutely unmatched in 2025.
• 19:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's the most important person, not only in America.
• 19:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's the most important person in the world.
• 19:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it's clear.
• 19:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's clear.
• 19:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Good, good badnugly.
• 19:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's the truth.
• 19:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Look, there's some things.
• 19:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you've listened to us all year, you know, Mike and I both have things that we like that trumped it.
• 19:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: We both have things that we don't like totally.
• 19:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: And there's things that he's done that match up with scripture things he's done that does not.
• 20:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's hardly to fully judge that, but there is no denying.
• 20:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's not even just the most influential person of this year maybe just in history one of the top and when you think about world history He's up there man since he's 2016.
• 20:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's had a vice grip and he know what's just the way he likes it Yep, just the way he's been it never been as strong as now.
• 20:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, let's hit on some honorable mentions here Mike that we did not rank in our top five, but we thought we're worth mentioning of other influential people.
• 20:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay
• 20:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was just give us some of your names.
• 20:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to run through mine.
• 20:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin, Voldemort Zelensky, Bob Eiger, Pope Leo, Choheotani, and I said, Luca Donchich.
• 20:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because that was, that was the biggest sports story of the year, probably.
• 20:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Probably close when he got traded for a bag of beans, basically like maybe an old washing machine or something.
• 20:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: That that was a gigantic story.
• 20:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's why I threw him in there.
• 20:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and then what we're going to the Lakers and he's just take it off.
• 21:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's been a year for him, man.
• 21:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: My honorable Mitchens also, I said, Bob Iger, that's the Disney CEO, and then also Pope Leo the Forty, just coming into the Vatican there, Volodymyr Solinsky, president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Putin, obviously president of Russia.
• 21:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Showhail Otani as well just probably dominating sports and making clear he's the best athlete on the planet And then another one I said this is kind of interesting because this guy has not even been alive at all this year But I do not think we can deny the fact that Jeffrey Epstein still is having an impact on at least American culture
• 21:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: to this day.
• 21:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: And honestly, like a word for 2025, if like another dictionary type website that's looking for some like recognition, they could say the word for 25 was Epstein or like Epstein files.
• 21:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like if you could say that, the amount of times Americans have said Epstein individually, just think about it yourself.
• 21:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like we've said Epstein a lot.
• 21:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: I've definitely said it more than
• 22:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and even on the internet, Epstein is just everywhere and I also want to point out I think his victims are part of this too Like they are also influential.
• 22:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: They've been so influential in getting this push of the forefront of culture I'm getting trying to get us this for Thanks, and we're kind of backed up on this a little bit by Wikipedia's top five searches I looked to see what they had Publishes their top five searches of 2025 on Wikipedia's website and includes number five was popular the 14th
• 22:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Number four was Donald Trump.
• 22:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Number three was Ed Gain, the serial killer, which had the Netflix show come out this year, so I assume a lot of people would say.
• 22:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Wow.
• 22:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
• 22:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Instead of him as a serial killer, interesting.
• 22:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Number two is deaths in 2025, and the number one page visited in 2025 was Charlie Kirk's Wikipedia page.
• 22:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, make sense.
• 22:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mike, we lost some prominent people this year, sadly.
• 22:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, lots of people die every year, and that also includes just people who were celebrities or athletes had some sort of influence in culture and in the world.
• 22:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's just kind of one of the list these out.
• 22:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of interesting to go back and you forget some of the people that passed away this year, but we'll hit on some of those.
• 23:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to go backwards from December all the way to January.
• 23:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: So as we go through this, if you're listening, you'll be like trying to remember, you know, and think, wow, I totally
• 23:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, just this week's Adley, we lost a NASCAR racer, Greg Biffle, and you and I were talking about him before this incredible NASCAR racer.
• 23:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: One of my favorites as a kid growing up.
• 23:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I loved watching Greg Biffle race.
• 23:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: His car is in his trucks.
• 23:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: He died in a plane crash this week that he possibly was flying as a private jet.
• 23:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: His whole family was on there with him just so tragic in that way.
• 23:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I just wanted to mention that real fast.
• 23:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: But also, we lost Rob Reiner in a terrible way just a couple of weeks ago.
• 23:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, Charlie Kirk, Hulk Hogan, Ozzy Osborn, Michael Madsen, Pope Francis, Val Kilmer, man.
• 23:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I forgot.
• 23:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: We lost Val Kilmer.
• 23:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: George Foreman, Jean Hackman.
• 23:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was also a bizarre story back in February the way he passed away.
• 23:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: And the David Lynch, the director.
• 23:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: And obviously, that's not everybody's in peace, y'all.
• 24:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, hard year for those families.
• 24:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so if anything, we can be praying for those families and also just remember some of the great things that those
• 24:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Totally My god, I'm ready for a fun part here.
• 24:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we got to hit on the biggest flops of 2025.
• 24:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, by flops we're talking like stories or headlines that just just not go the way anybody wanted Major disappointments people being stupid organizations being stupid.
• 24:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, let's do it.
• 24:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: All right What do you have first up there?
• 24:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, the one that seems most obvious was Karen Bass, who's the mayor of LA, when she knew of a fire risk and decided to go on her trip to Africa while her city burned to the ground.
• 24:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: That was that was terrible leadership and to come back and make excuses.
• 24:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: It just did not look good.
• 24:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: She had people on her side of the aisle, really not liking her and really haven't forgiven her for how all that worked out.
• 24:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: And even the just the decisions made,
• 24:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: within the California government, but also just the city government that led to those wildfires.
• 25:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, just just a failure of leadership there.
• 25:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: That was, that was a big flop.
• 25:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Lots of failures.
• 25:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I honestly am surprised she has not been like impeached by the city, but she's like talking about running for president or something.
• 25:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Everybody's talking about the president.
• 25:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: But she has no chance, man.
• 25:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then signal gate, dude.
• 25:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was a fun one.
• 25:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, not really, but kind of, you know, like it was just these guys and power, like the most powerful people in government, Peter Hexx and Eddie Vance, texting war plans to bomb the hooties, just on signal, accidentally adding a journalist to that who then published the messages.
• 25:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: just unreal I just can I almost don't believe it was on accident but I don't know that just seems crazy to me especially because like you and I talked about this this was the the guy who heads up the Atlantic they're like New York Times level left so
• 25:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: of all the media people to include it, you know, I just, it's hard to believe that was an accident, somehow, some way, whether if it was, I don't even know what the reason would be, I can't even come up with it, but that doesn't feel like an accident.
• 26:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Something else I said, just legacy media.
• 26:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Legacy Media had another terrible year in the eyes of the public, like no traction and gained trust, trusted even less, Legacy Media is taking a huge hit, social media news, YouTube news, independent news organizations and people are popping up, and Legacy Media continues to falter.
• 26:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I would just say that it no damage control, it made it worse for themselves in 2025.
• 26:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I fully agree with that.
• 26:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, the big one that kind of a flop was Doge, the Department of Government, that was a big flop.
• 26:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: Totally.
• 26:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was headed up by Elon Musk for like a solid two months.
• 26:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Made a big impact, freaked a lot of people out, cut a lot of aid, agencies and all of that, but then Elon left and it seems like we've never heard of Doge again.
• 26:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Remember how big of a deal that was back in like February and March and everyone was.
• 26:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: talking about it all the time, and then don't mind your choice, they're bromance that they had just blew up and then Elon tweeted that Trump's in the Epstein files, and it just it just went from like their best friends and buddy buddy cops like Elon's standing next to them, the over office every other day to they hate each other public love and public hate just really signifies, oh my goodness gracious, if this ain't 20 25 for you, Connor, tell us about Snow White.
• 27:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Snow White was probably the biggest movie flop of the year.
• 27:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was why I put that in here.
• 27:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just massive budget.
• 27:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is Disney movie $270 million in only brought in $43 million in box office.
• 27:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: We even had an episode where we talked about why this happened.
• 27:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: The liberal part of it, the activism part of it, what caused it to blow up.
• 27:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it was just a big flop.
• 27:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yep, big one.
• 27:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then also my God, we have to just say,
• 27:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: A big flop is the Democrats shutting down the government and quite literally getting nothing out of it.
• 27:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: The government was shut down for a month and a half and they kind of like held the US population hostage in a way to extract things that they were wanting for healthcare and Obamacare and they didn't get a thing.
• 27:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think you could add to the flop of 2025 is all the lawmakers on both sides who made that battle about themselves while the American people specifically those who work for the government suffered and struggled and didn't get paid for 43 days.
• 28:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that that was probably the bigger flop.
• 28:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: And while they got paid in Congress, just unbelievable.
• 28:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, absolutely, and then finally, you know, I added just infighting within MAGA in the Republican Party, just sticking their nose up and saying, I guess we're just allergic to any kind of prosperity, right, to just be like, hey, the Republican say, like, hey, we've got control of all three major branches of government.
• 28:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we're going to get significantly less than I'm not saying stuff to get done, but significantly less done because there's been so much time fighting and putting out fires, as opposed to just from their perspective, getting done when he's to get done for the American people.
• 28:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'd say the same thing.
• 28:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: If the Democrats were in charge of all three, and then they were fighting within, you know, their own ranks and there has been a lot of fighting within their ranks, but they're not power right now.
• 28:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that's felt like a big flop to me.
• 29:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 29:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just a little bit.
• 29:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, big, well, and the big thing was the Epstein files ripped the party apart in a way.
• 29:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, other bizarre stories.
• 29:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're just calling it the most bizarre things that happened this year, at least that we could think of.
• 29:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, one of them I would just say up top is the unfortunately the robberiner and his wife being killed by their son like just.
• 29:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: That whole thing is just very sad and tragic, but also just so weird and bizarre.
• 29:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: All three of these people would be arrested.
• 29:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would have thought you were crazy.
• 29:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Who am I talking about?
• 29:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Chancy Billups in BA Hall of Famer.
• 29:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mark Sanchez.
• 29:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: And head coach of the for the trailblazers, Fox sports contributor, yeah, Mark Sanchez and then Jerome Moore head coach of the Michigan football team, all three of these guys, huge and sports world arrested for bizarre things, Chelsea billips being caught up in illegal poker games with the mafia, Mark Sanchez, stabbing a man in Indianapolis, after everybody thought that he was the one who got attacked.
• 30:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was apparently him who did the attack and then Schroen Moore getting arrested for threatening the life of a female staffer that he was apparently having
• 30:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: just godly crazy so bizarre easy stories bizarre yep all right my kids time let's discuss our biggest stories of 20 25 and we're gonna do this through different sections we're kind of got a broken down it's a different categories that speak to culture so let's just start up top with kind of the lighter thing so let's start with fashion I would say maybe you agree with me
• 30:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: The biggest story in fashion, we're not fashionistas.
• 30:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So this is just kind of what we know, right?
• 30:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Things that let out of the fashion world, like what story let out of that into the general population.
• 30:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because that's why we would pay attention to it.
• 30:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
• 30:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'm, you know, you don't find me reading like the band of the fair magazine pieces.
• 30:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't lie.
• 30:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't lie.
• 30:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 30:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would say the biggest story was American Eagle and the Sydney Swinney jeans campaign that they had that just like took over the world by storm and July August and everybody was upset or they were happy For like three weeks it was like the biggest story.
• 31:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely that makes sense.
• 31:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, here's what we can say American Eagle made a lot of money during that time and they ended up this year in the green and nobody apologized for anything like no Sydney Swinney, not American Eagle, nobody apologized for a darn thing
• 31:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: nope they just made money so good for them I guess this could have been in the flop range but this food story this is the food category we got to go with cracker barrels rebranding disaster right terrible yeah that did not go well they're gonna teach that one of the business schools for a long time marketing advertising yeah totally marketing yeah literally every leadership everything just
• 31:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: the whole thing was a disaster, they literally reverted back to what they just currently are.
• 31:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was a big expensive disaster.
• 31:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, let's talk about pop culture.
• 31:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think one of the big things that happened this year for a lot of people was Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey got engaged.
• 31:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: That does not really impact any of our lives individually, but, you know, people are happy about it.
• 31:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: They like Travis, they like Taylor, obviously.
• 32:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Another big one, Jimmy Kimmel.
• 32:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Remember he got suspended a few months ago, and that was like a huge deal because of what he said about Charlie Kirk after Charlie was killed and all of that.
• 32:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that was crazy.
• 32:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I felt like that was a big one.
• 32:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Netflix buying Warner Bros.
• 32:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you're curious about that, we dedicated a whole episode of that at the beginning of December.
• 32:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would highly suggest listening to that episode because we just broke down what that's gonna mean for culture and entertainment.
• 32:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's still not done yet, we'll see, but it's looking like it's moving in that direction, but there's a lot of hurdles still to jump through.
• 32:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Definitely definitely.
• 32:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, Micah.
• 32:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're gonna go through IMDB's five most popular TV shows of 2025.
• 32:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: They were gonna give our own and so here's what IMDB said was so popular.
• 32:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is based off their page views just so you are aware like here's what got the most traction on their website app
• 32:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: White Lotus, the last of us, Severance, Wednesday in Squid Game, most watch show of the year, was Squid Game Season 3.
• 32:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: None of that surprising to me, those were all very big popular shows, but my God, I'm curious, what was your favorite show of the year?
• 33:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, before I answer that, which of these did you watch?
• 33:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Uh, your severance guy, right?
• 33:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I love Severance, dude.
• 33:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 33:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was almost my best show of the year.
• 33:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I love Severance,
• 33:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Actually, I've not seen Wednesday.
• 33:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Have you seen Wednesday?
• 33:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, that's on Netflix, right.
• 33:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Did you watch the second season of last of us?
• 33:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: I did not get it worth it.
• 33:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Nope.
• 33:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
• 33:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: See, that's what I was thinking.
• 33:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's what I was hearing.
• 33:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's what I was saying.
• 33:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
• 33:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: So my favorite show of the year honestly, I'll say was psych.
• 33:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: which is an old show that's not even that's not even from USA network, but that was probably what my wife and I watched the most of and then secondly I probably say my favorite show of the year that came out this year that had episodes was Tulsa King.
• 33:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, on Paramount It's a Taylor shared in show where so best just alone is this
• 33:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: New York crime family mobster moves down to Tulsa, Oklahoma creates his own crime empire, but kind of has a good heart.
• 33:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then the last several episodes, Samuel L. Jackson was in it.
• 33:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so you just see Samuel L. Jackson and so best just alone just tearing it up dude.
• 34:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: I loved every second of it.
• 34:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: I had no idea Jackson came into that show.
• 34:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Wow.
• 34:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 34:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not surprised, but you're a big charred guy.
• 34:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I am.
• 34:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I am.
• 34:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, because it's just, I mean, I'm not saying it's real, but it's just, fits more of like what real life is, and they put you at like in an environment, no matter how gritty it might be.
• 34:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: It just feels more realistic than what a lot of, it's say Hollywood puts out.
• 34:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, the whole country is watching Billy Bob Thorne driving a truck, just through West Texas.
• 34:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Landman, too.
• 34:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's, yeah, yeah.
• 34:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Landman, it's really popular.
• 34:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yeah.
• 34:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: My favorite show over there was the pit if you're talking about just real that is the best show of the year if you want realism and realist sickness and just on max I'm actually a max.
• 34:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's just incredible hospital show.
• 34:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would highly recommend no one Well, it's popular movies of the year according to IMDB Michael was Superman weapons sinners One battle after another in Jurassic World rebirth.
• 34:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Did you see any of these films now?
• 34:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, and they'll discuss it.
• 34:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's all of them, but I didn't see any of them.
• 34:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, you didn't see Superman.
• 35:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, you can see Superman.
• 35:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now I maybe I'll see him.
• 35:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know.
• 35:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, if if they're coming out in theaters first, maybe I'll stream it later.
• 35:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, that's what I think all of them were pretty much on streaming at this point.
• 35:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you get your Okay, what would you guess I'm not going to watch him?
• 35:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, I'm saying they are on streaming.
• 35:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, no, and then I'm saying.
• 35:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, like they're already out on streaming and I haven't watched them yet.
• 35:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: I guess I'm not going to watch you.
• 35:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, I got you.
• 35:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, got you.
• 35:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, then what was your favorite movie of the year?
• 35:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Did you my favorite movie was a movie?
• 35:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: I watched a couple weeks ago called wake up dead man and knives out mystery on Netflix.
• 35:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: The knives out series with
• 35:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Daniel Craig, Bill Walblanc, I love those mystery types shows my wife and I love watching those and it was an awesome movie so and it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time so that's my never one movie of 25.
• 35:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I'm glad you said that because I'm literally planning to watch that one tonight because it's always so good.
• 35:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, it's so good.
• 35:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 35:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've heard good things.
• 35:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I did not enjoy the second knives out movie.
• 35:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: I thought it was terrible.
• 35:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: I did not either.
• 35:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is better.
• 35:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's what I've heard.
• 35:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: My favorite movie of the year was F1.
• 35:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oddly enough, like it's just a fun, just racing movie.
• 36:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's like Top Gun, but an F1 car.
• 36:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just fun.
• 36:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Go watch that one.
• 36:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sports stories, Micah.
• 36:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: What would you say was the biggest sports story of the year?
• 36:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: let me go ahead and warn everybody that some of the shows and movies that we mentioned are not always for kids to just keep that.
• 36:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, sports stories.
• 36:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: So we had the Luca Donchitz trade, which I already mentioned for the Mavs.
• 36:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Shipped Luca Donchich, a generational talent that wanted to be in Dallas for his entire career over to the hated lakers and got basically almost nothing in return.
• 36:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: However, we didn't end up getting Cooper Flag, that's a different story and he's playing out of his mind right now, but that was through draft.
• 36:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Roy McRoy finally wins the masters.
• 36:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: That was a huge story that was as big as win by far in 2025.
• 36:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Scottie Sheffler still won player the year and had a better overall year, but this is the last major that Rory needed to win to actually have all of them.
• 36:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so good for Rory, I think he's kind of a controversial guy kind of comes off like a baby sometimes, even to me, like I don't.
• 37:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm happy for him, but I don't love his personality from being honest.
• 37:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, same, but this was a big moment for him when he hit the ground just after winning the Masters.
• 37:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, cried.
• 37:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was powerful.
• 37:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would say also in the golf world, this is just big for faith in general.
• 37:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Scotty Sheffler is the world's best golfer, and he's very clear that success in being number one and winning championship.
• 37:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Some winning tournaments is not what brings happiness.
• 37:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 37:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: He finds joy in his faith and in his family.
• 37:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just really cool to hear.
• 37:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it'd be so vulnerable and honest about it.
• 37:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would also say another big story was just the NBA betting scambles.
• 37:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is what took Tonsi Bill ups down, but just having rigged players in the games and then poker games tied to that with NBA players just bad look on the league.
• 37:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think I think it's also just a bigger, a bigger story of as these leagues and players get more intertwined with sports betting and gambling.
• 37:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to keep sing stories like this.
• 37:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's a big story for sports in 25 as you've got leagues and teams being large benefactors of gambling companies.
• 38:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: of shady characters right like this is this is not going to get better before it gets worse I mean it's just it's not going to be good no and just they all around destruction of sports gambling getting intertwined in culture everywhere then I would also say just the Dodgers winning world series in that in the same game seven like what what a series and then that was also yeah the chiefs losing their dynasty that's a big deal in the NFL world and just sports world all around because they've been 11 years in a row making the playoffs
• 38:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: and it being in the fc championship like how many years and I just like unbelievable them not being at the center of the NFL going to the postseason is a big deal okay micotravel i would say there's two things here one when the government shut down it just dismantled air traffic control for several weeks and we were on the verge of like air traffic control being
• 38:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: totally decimated for Thanksgiving travel.
• 38:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thankfully it wasn't.
• 38:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it was a big deal with that did to travel and Already the air traffic control shortages we have and we just had crashes throughout the year and that doesn't typically happen We don't get lots of plane crashes in America first a passenger crash
• 39:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Since I think 2009 in America was over the Potomac at the beginning of the year where 64 people unfortunately were killed on an American Eagle flight and in three military crew members of the helicopter that collided with them.
• 39:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Two days later, there's a Mexican leer jet that crashed into a block in Philadelphia.
• 39:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it was India.
• 39:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
• 39:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Air India had a massive crash in India.
• 39:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was the biggest one of the year that killed 242 people on board in the 19 people on the ground and that a few weeks ago we had the UPS playing that crashed into buildings in Louisville Kentucky that killed 11 people on the ground and the three crew members on board just said and then of course even the great bifful thing we just talked about a minute ago
• 39:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: where his plane crashed just a weird year in aviation.
• 39:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's not not typically like yeah, it definitely was a tough year in that regard.
• 39:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll let's do a couple of nature stories.
• 39:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: So the LA wildfires where he mentioned 31 deaths more than 50,000 acres, 16,000 homes and businesses were destroyed.
• 39:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that was just terrible in terms of nature, but also just a complete and utter failure of government leadership to prepare for that and also just some issues and putting the fire out and how that even got political it was weird and then you know this one hit really close to home, you know for those who are in Texas, the Texas Hill Country floods, you can almost forget that even happen sometimes because of everything that happens, but that was.
• 40:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I think emotionally-wise, I think the Texas Hill Country floods in the Charlie Kirk things were like very similar for me this year.
• 40:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Those hit me very hard had me questioning a processing through a lot with God when it came to those stories.
• 40:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: We lost the 135 people, many of them, young girls at a Christian camp, and a lot of them were children, just a terrible failure to plan as well in Texas with alert systems and people and leadership in the way the cabins were placed.
• 40:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: terrible terrible tragedy.
• 40:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just awful.
• 40:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, both things were so heavy.
• 40:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and we continue to pray for those people and the cover efforts.
• 40:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: No stuff there.
• 40:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, tech.
• 40:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think there's one big clear winner here and it's just AI as we've already talked about AI is just the center of the tech world a kind of become the center of the economic world.
• 41:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: It just has become central to life in America now.
• 41:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think coming into this year with their questions.
• 41:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think at the end of the year, it's like, no, AI is it.
• 41:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is, this is the future.
• 41:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't think there's any arguing that another thing I would say is that TikTok is still around too.
• 41:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 41:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's kind of getting 50% by US companies, but China's still going to have their hands in it.
• 41:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we deal there.
• 41:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 41:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: But whenever we literally did like a eulogy for TikTok back in January, because it was about to die, and it still here lives on.
• 41:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think I sang.
• 41:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, man, I think you did some Sarah McLaughlin.
• 41:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Keep going.
• 41:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for that even though it continues to live it never even died TikToks out here.
• 41:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would also want to point out what do we think the most viral moment of 2020 five was I think there's no doubt it was the astronomer CEO Canoodling with his HR director at the Coldplay concert that became just the meme of the year the biggest thing of the year Massage you just say canoodling.
• 42:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I don't know why that just came to mind.
• 42:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Is that even all that?
• 42:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, I think that's the right word
• 42:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's at a better myself, bud.
• 42:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Could there have possibly been a more viral moment?
• 42:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think so.
• 42:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: No.
• 42:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: There was no.
• 42:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, biggest global headlines, Micah.
• 42:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think Israel Hamas, right?
• 42:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just the deal that was made there, the war seems to finally come to a close.
• 42:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: We don't know about reconstruction and Gaza, but that has to be just one of the biggest things.
• 42:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's been such a cool touch point.
• 42:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So many deaths, so much destruction.
• 42:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: But that agreement's entering into the second phase.
• 42:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it's faded from the headlines a little bit.
• 42:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Terrible, terrible tragedy in so many ways.
• 42:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: how it all started, how it ended.
• 42:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: But then I would say that the next global headline that was huge was when Trump and the U.S. just had to bomb the nuclear sites in Iran.
• 42:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that was a precursor for the Israel Hamas deal happening.
• 42:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: When Hamas loses its largest backer, at least in some way, and they get hampered, I think that's what allowed this piece to take place.
• 43:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: So actually,
• 43:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Kudos to America's leadership on this one, actually.
• 43:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll just go and say that.
• 43:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think I think I think it didn't cause the blowback that we were all concerned it would.
• 43:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, I don't want to still crazy.
• 43:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think people forget that that even happened, but we literally sent B2 stealth bombers across the world bomb.
• 43:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I ran got out of the country and it was just like Whoa, yeah, all of a sudden you realize America is the military might in the world, which is absolutely Absolutely, let's end here with politics and then we'll give our overall biggest story of the year after this
• 43:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: But Micah, I think in politics, everything revolves really just around Donald Trump this year as we've already discussed he's probably the most influential person on the planet and when he came into the office in January Everything just shifted it all started changed.
• 43:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: We've seen a lot of policies and acted the border was shut down immigration's been cracked down on
• 43:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Tariffs, you've talked so much about Tariffs.
• 43:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: How many times have we done Tariff corner with Micah this year?
• 43:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Or Tariff talk?
• 43:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's what you called it.
• 44:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's been, it's been probably one of my top five words of the year.
• 44:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, it's just so intricate and how tariffs have impacted the global economy.
• 44:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: How it's been worse than people thought, but mostly better than people thought, but hasn't necessarily yielded.
• 44:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: everything that Trump said it would yield to.
• 44:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it's been it's been up and down with those for sure.
• 44:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, we've also had a lot of peace deals internationally too.
• 44:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: I would say Trump did accomplish a lot of the things he said he would some of the things.
• 44:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think this was also a year of Trump just being Trump being able to like.
• 44:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not get out of his own way.
• 44:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: You and I've talked about this a lot not being able to stay on point not being able to stay on message making it about things that he shouldn't being petty Just he just can't not be himself for better or for worse and there were just some better moments, but also a lot of worse moments too.
• 44:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Would you agree?
• 44:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah
• 44:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, absolutely agree.
• 44:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's he's I think his own worst enemy.
• 44:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's things he could be doing and then he steps up on a toast So he's in a niggas part of it.
• 44:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is an absolute Absolute enigma.
• 45:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's nothing we're no one that I can compare him to ever great word for him because it's not necessarily negative It's not necessarily positive.
• 45:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just like
• 45:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: he's certainly in the nigma.
• 45:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's unique.
• 45:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Other big stories would be obviously the government shut down as we've discussed.
• 45:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that was just a big deal.
• 45:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would say the rise of Zoroan mom, Donnie as the now mayor elect.
• 45:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's about to become mayor.
• 45:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think on January first of New York City as a socialist, as a Muslim, which is a big deal for New York.
• 45:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: And on a shamed socialist, you know, like not hiding it, leaning into it and winning.
• 45:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: That is a big story.
• 45:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Unbelievable.
• 45:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll see how that pans out in 2026.
• 45:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: the other thing obviously as we've discussed is just at the center of politics this year was the Epstein files it really drove a lot of stuff drove Congress drove specific Congress people to turn on Trump.
• 45:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: It kind of gave them leverage just such a big big story and we're hoping to get those files soon.
• 45:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're supposed to come out.
• 45:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think today as we're recording this on December 19.
• 45:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh my goodness.
• 45:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: They said deadline.
• 45:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so right time.
• 45:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: By the time y'all are listening to this we might have some answers.
• 46:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know that will know anything more I don't know that we will but maybe well have some sort of insights on what was going on with him I just don't think it's gonna give us all the answers we're yearning for now.
• 46:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think I think everybody just loves a mystery We'll see we'll see.
• 46:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
• 46:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe I'm wrong
• 46:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, Mike, a overall biggest story of the year.
• 46:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is not just relegated to one subsection of culture.
• 46:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: This was the biggest cultural story, biggest thing that happened this year.
• 46:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think both agreed with on this one immediately.
• 46:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: We knew what this was and it was, you want to tell us what it was?
• 46:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 46:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I mean, it was the Charlie Kirkus assassination.
• 46:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, it really wasn't even close.
• 46:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was a, it was a moment that really changed everything in terms of the way that we viewed politics, the way that we viewed our tribes, the way that we viewed our faith.
• 46:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think, especially from a Christian perspective, this was.
• 46:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just a big moment and I think like an American perspective for Unity's sake, for the lack of Unity's sake, I think it revealed a lot of issues within our country too.
• 46:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's truly sad because you're right, it was just one man.
• 46:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, we lost so many other people and we've been through a lot of that.
• 47:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I think this story encapsulated where we are as a country, what's worth fighting for, what needs to change, what doesn't need to change.
• 47:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: But you know, you and I talk a lot about revival.
• 47:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: We work for a ministry that's been working diligently to be a part of a revival happening within our country.
• 47:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: This has given fuel to the fire and laid the framework for revival really taking place here in our country.
• 47:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I pray and hope that that's what comes out of it.
• 47:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not more division, not more people hating each other, but that more people would repent and turn to Jesus because of this.
• 47:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I really think it caused a lot of people to stop and say, oh my gosh, we were always headed toward something catastrophic with the way people talk to each other and the way they perceive each other's enemies with their words.
• 47:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's what happened.
• 47:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: This was just a disaster in a sense of
• 47:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: This was a man who just like to speak his opinions and debate people and it led to him being killed Now some people would say his words are harmful, but here I am to say That doesn't always matter words They're not the same thing as actions.
• 47:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was not ever really harming somebody Physically or anything like that and then he got physically harmed himself for just debating people now You may not agree with everything you said and that's totally fine.
• 48:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think a lot of people did it, but it never should have warranted What came about so really sad and you're right
• 48:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right, but I think it caused a lot of people to really reflect on that and think, okay, we got to be better about debate and all of that in rhetoric.
• 48:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: But as you're saying, I think one of the most important things of this is just the sense of revival that came out of it.
• 48:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: So many people recognizing that what Charlie preached was kind of true in terms of faith.
• 48:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: And they were very interested in learning more about that.
• 48:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: We saw a surge in attendance.
• 48:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: particularly of young people at church.
• 48:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: We saw a surge in interest in attorney point USA chapters on school campuses 50,000 plus chapter application right and just an insane legacy that he kind of left it was really unique and I think we can take all of that.
• 48:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: and say, you know, some of the tragic did happen, but God can also redeem anything that he allows.
• 48:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's one thing that Dr. Jim didn't always says.
• 48:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Founder here at Dennis and Mysteries, God can redeem anything he allows.
• 49:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's something we can take into just 2026, too.
• 49:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so as we in this episode, Mike, I'd love for us both to just share.
• 49:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: What did God teach us this year?
• 49:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, what did we learn as we went through this podcast?
• 49:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: What did we learn at faith in through church and through our own time with the Lord?
• 49:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: And what can we take into 26?
• 49:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'll just start off here and then I'll hand it off to you to kind of discuss your own faith journey this year.
• 49:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I just feel like diving into all of these massive stories this year.
• 49:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: you know, everything from the good to the bad, from January to December, really force myself to take like a deeper look at scriptures and figure out how to apply them to the things that are going on in this world, like it's it's one thing to say you live in Christ and live in a faithful way in your daily life, but to actually take scripture and apply that is really
• 49:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: In a way, it's a challenge, but in another way, it's really a sweet thing to do.
• 49:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a very powerful thing to take God's word and apply it to everyday happenings.
• 49:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 49:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just think it's cool to see how the Lord open up our eyes in our heart to truths in his ways.
• 50:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then ways you could never have expected through new stories or headlines or even pop culture stuff.
• 50:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: And for some of the specific I really do,
• 50:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I feel like one of the verses we probably mentioned the most was John 1010, you know, the theme comes only to kill, steal and destroy, yeah.
• 50:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of a frightening verse in that sense.
• 50:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 50:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: But, you know, it's very true.
• 50:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: We see that in the world.
• 50:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: We see that in so many of the stories.
• 50:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: We just discussed like the the enemy is here and he was lurking and he was seeking out death and destruction and he did that.
• 50:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to be doing the same thing in 2026.
• 50:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's going to continue doing it now.
• 50:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: That sounds very negative.
• 50:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: The positive part is the second part of verse John Tintin.
• 50:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's Jesus talking.
• 50:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: He says, I have come that they may have life and have it to the fool.
• 50:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: Amen.
• 50:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the powerful part of that.
• 50:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, the whole verse is just powerful.
• 50:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: But just the if you only focus on the beginning part, you'll be very negative.
• 50:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you'll think about the world as the worst and in a way that enemy makes it terrible.
• 50:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: But then Jesus says, but I'm here.
• 51:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've come that you may have life and live it in abundance and Romans 12 9 and 10 says, let love be genuine, up horror what is evil, hold fast to what is good, love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one another and showing honor.
• 51:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it gives us that playbook.
• 51:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 51:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: How do we be a light in such a dark world?
• 51:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think we could take that.
• 51:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think we've tried to do that.
• 51:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, this year going through all these stories and I hope you guys as listeners have been able to do the same thing.
• 51:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like,
• 51:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Go be a light in a dark world.
• 51:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's what we're called to do and I just love that God has laid that out for us That is what I think I've learned this year and going into next year.
• 51:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: I hope we can continue to do
• 51:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, absolutely.
• 51:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think in order to be a light and like the old kids song like hiding it or a bushel, no, I'm going to let it, you know, I'm going to let it shine.
• 51:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think in order to do that, I think you've got to be spirit empowered, but you've also, you can't bear your head in the sand.
• 51:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've got to be able to be in the world and not of it.
• 51:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've got to be able to approach culture, live amongst culture, live with your neighbors, live with your friends, make friends and talk to people who you don't necessarily deal with and or want to deal with.
• 52:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that comes with trusting God, but also just being confident, hey, like I know what's going on in the world.
• 52:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so we just hope that we were able to be a part of that for you guys in 25.
• 52:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we're even more resolute in what that looks like in 2026.
• 52:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're even more motivated to be able to do that.
• 52:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think for me personally, real quick, in 2025, I had a goal with my wife, her and I set goals for ourselves and for our families.
• 52:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I just wanted to be even more present with God and with others this year.
• 52:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I really believe
• 52:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: that I did exactly that and I'm really grateful that God empowered me to do that to so many beautiful moments with my family.
• 52:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: And there was a part of this reason why I'm saying this is, you know, Carter and I consume a lot of news to be able to understand we read a lot of different perspectives to be able to really present to you guys what's going on.
• 52:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like we actually know what we're talking about.
• 52:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right?
• 52:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like we wanted to study to show ourselves a prove.
• 52:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I was pushed in ways to do that more than I ever have before in 2025.
• 52:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: And when I was doing that, it was forcing me to at the right time.
• 52:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Shut the brain off, compartmentalize, say a prayer, God, you've got this, I can't do anything about that global conflict, I can't do anything about that economic issue, about that plane crash, about that murder, God, I trust you and then I went and I just spent time with my family, I went and I spent time with God, I went and I enjoyed the beautiful moments that God had for me in 2025.
• 53:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: As Dave Ramsey always says, what happens in your house is more important than what happens in the White House.
• 53:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: I love that quote.
• 53:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's really important.
• 53:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then in 2026, I am so resolute on this and you guys have been here and we beat this drum for a lot.
• 53:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Conor's heard this over the years, but also just our loyal audience has heard me say this a lot.
• 53:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: And the consumption of my news and studying data and all these polls and how people are feeling, stop letting exterior problems dictate your destiny.
• 53:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Stop believing that systems are out to get you, that groups of people are out to get you, that the economy is so bad that I might as well just not try.
• 53:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, get up, say a prayer, ask God to lead you and guide your steps, pray throughout the day, and then work your tail off.
• 54:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think you're going to have a really good 2026.
• 54:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think if we stop making excuses, I think 2026 should be the year of no more excuses with God's help.
• 54:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to take control of my life and stop letting other people tell me that I can't or other people tell me that it's so bad.
• 54:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to take control with God's help, like I said, and make a better future.
• 54:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that we could all learn from that.
• 54:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that we should encourage people around us to have that same attitude.
• 54:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's a good attitude to have for sure, especially going into a new year, but you sound like a motivational speaker right there.
• 54:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: I appreciate that.
• 54:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, but again, it comes from what we study, Connor.
• 54:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's just a lot of people and organizations out there trying to scare people and make them feel like it's so bad that it's not even worth trying.
• 54:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're going to guarantee failure if you don't try.
• 54:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yep, one thing the news and just all these websites or apps or whatever really rely on is kind of like we said rage bait to an extent, but yeah driving fear because that drives clicks that drives viewership.
• 54:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: So remember that like remember that there are so many positive things happening in the world that you just don't see in the news.
• 55:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: You don't see reported, you don't see on social media because people like to produce fear and I think you're right, Mike, have that mindset be able to unplug and just go focus on your friends and your family and your faith and go do things.
• 55:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: and have fun.
• 55:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's something, yeah, we have to do too.
• 55:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: We have to remind ourselves sometimes, because it can be God's Word.
• 55:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: God's Word.
• 55:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: God's Word.
• 55:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word.
• 55:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: God's Word
• 55:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Gifted you specifically and has a plan for your life.
• 55:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's time to grab hold of it.
• 55:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, definitely Well guys, thank you for just joining us for going through 2025 and honestly, maybe we missed a story So if we did I would encourage you to let us know what was the biggest story you think happened in 2025 Also, we'd love to hear what did the Lord teach you what did he teach you this year What did he teach you about engaging culture what did he teach you through you know news and podcast and pop culture and all of that
• 56:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Is there anything that you think we should try to cover 2026?
• 56:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Is there anything you think we should try to predict in our first episode of 2026?
• 56:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: We love to do that.
• 56:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let us know.
• 56:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Our mailback is always open.
• 56:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can send us those thoughts or questions at CultureBreefe Adinisonform.org or follow us on Instagram, shoot us a DM at CultureBreefe podcast.
• 56:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: And those will be linked down there in our show notes on whatever podcast platform you're listening on.
• 56:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah guys, who's so grateful for you?
• 56:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for joining us on this first year of Culture Reef.
• 56:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's been a blast, it's been a pleasure.
• 56:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: We've loved engaging with you guys, and it's just so fun.
• 56:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Micah, I've enjoyed doing it with you as well.
• 56:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe we'll come back next year and still be partners in doing this again.
• 56:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's been fun, buddy.
• 56:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yep, guys, we'll be back and I think January 8th is our first episode back.
• 56:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: 2026.
• 56:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: So see you next year.
• 56:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: See you all.
• 56:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Wow.
• 56:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, classic joke.
• 56:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Anyways, thank you all for joining us on this episode of Culture Reef at Dinnison Form podcast.
• 57:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: All the articles, videos, anything that we talk about.
• 57:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's always the links in our show notes.
• 57:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if you enjoyed today's episode, would you please like, subscribe, and rate or review the show and share it with a friend and we will see you in January.