Something special about this new Broadway show compels people to stand

Glenn doesn't often go around praising Broadway shows - not since Spider-Man came out anyway. After recently attending a special pre-showing for Amazing Grace, Glenn had more than a little praise for the new musical.

"I don't promote things and really stand on them if it's just because, hey, this is a message and we should support this message. No, the message needs to be done right," Glenn said.

Glenn described Amazing Grace as a story about slavery in colonial times, told accurately, in a really entertaining and compelling way, and how one man was changed and then began to change the world. It's also about God, Glenn added.

Chuck Cooper as Thomas & Josh Young as John Newton in Amazing Grace. Photo by Joan Marcus (Broadway.com). Chuck Cooper as Thomas & Josh Young as John Newton in Amazing Grace. Photo by Joan Marcus (Broadway.com).

After watching it a month and a half ago, Glenn predicted the show would be criticized harshly by the press, and sure enough, that's what's happening.

"They actually had a little hope that that wouldn't happen. Because before it went to Broadway, it was in Chicago, and it got great reviews. Well, The New York Times and Variety and everybody else came out and just slaughtered this show."

Despite the harsh reviews, Glenn said he couldn't recommend the show highly enough.

"There is something special about this," Glenn said. "While the song was going on - it was the finale, but it wasn't like the point you clap - everybody stood up. We all just felt compelled to stand. There's something happening with this show."

He went on.

"If every American could see this show, you wouldn't be having people say black lives matter. And you can't dare say white lives don't -- or, white lives do. You know, all lives matter."

If you're anywhere near New York City and would like to attend Amazing Grace, tickets are available here.

Listen to the segment below.

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors.

GLENN: I want to tell you that if you are anywhere in the New York area or planning to go to New York in the next six months, you need to see a show called Amazing Grace. We saw it in rehearsals before it opened up on Broadway. And, Pat, you thought it was really good.

PAT: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

GLENN: I saw it in a preview, before it opened up. I saw it finished. And I'm telling you, it is Les Miserables quality. The story is Les Miserables quality. The singing and acting is off the charts. These guys are top, top people. And what's amazing about this is, this is the story of how the song Amazing Grace was written. If you know the story, it is so compelling to see it actually on Broadway. You can't believe you're sitting in a Broadway -- New York City Broadway theater. Because you go to Broadway, and you can see all kinds of stuff that is degenerate. It is anything that is -- just about anything that you see on Broadway today is tearing our culture, our traditional culture apart.

Now, here's what's happened. Because this is so unbelievably -- it's the story of slavery. It is the story of how one man was changed and then began to change the world. And it -- so it's slavery, black and white. And it's about God. I said before when it was -- before I even saw any of it, I said, you know you're going to get panned by the New York Times and everyone else. No matter how good it is, you're going to get slaughtered in the press. And they actually had a little hope that that wouldn't happen. Because before it went to Broadway, it was in Chicago, and it got great reviews. Well, the New York Times and Variety and everybody else came out and just slaughtered this show. I left the show -- and this is about a month and a half ago. And I wrote a review of it. I can't recommend this highly enough.

When I heard -- and Pat was there, we saw them do in rehearsal, we saw them do Amazing Grace, they just sat at the edge of the stage and sang it. I saw the full two and a half hour show, and the finale is Amazing Grace. And I heard that when it was in Chicago, people started just standing up during Amazing Grace. The whole audience just stood up. I will tell you that I was there, yeah, yeah, I'm sure. I was there, it compels you to stand up. When they begin to sing it, about halfway that song, the entire audience is in tears, and they're all just standing. It's not -- it's not an applause thing. It's just like, I have to stand.

It's truly remarkable. Truly remarkable. We have the guy who actually wrote it and wrote the music, Chris Smith is with us on the phone now. And I want to tell you something special because there's a clause in the contract that they're doing that is -- that has put this show in even more jeopardy than just the New York Times trashing it.

Chris, are you there?

CHRIS: Hello. How are you doing, guys?

GLENN: Very good.

So tell me, Chris, what's in the contract that can get you guys shut down?

CHRIS: Well, it's not that anybody is looking to shut us down right now. But what happens, in any theater, you have to make it through a certain amount of tickets to get through the next month or week or whatever it is. So basically what we have to do is we have to get out there and people really have to demand this kind of entertainment having a place on Broadway.

GLENN: Okay. Hang on just a second. Because it's not a problem -- I was there, it was sold out. It's not a problem with selling tickets. You have to sell them this week and next week to make it to Christmas, right?

CHRIS: We have to do this week and next week to make it to anywhere. But that's always been the case. I mean, that's every show. The problem is that August is so tough because nobody is around. You just have to get the word out. And, you know, that's why I appreciate you having me on because we just really need to let people know that now is the time to come and say, this is what we want. This is what we want to see on Broadway. And bring a friend. Bring a relative. Bring a stranger.

GLENN: You will not believe -- there were people in the crowd that I -- I saw it -- probably like a Harlem church or something was there, and it's me and my family. And I'm telling you, we walked out, and all of us were hugging at the end. That doesn't happen in New York. There is something special about this show that you will not feel. And you will not see this in any other show on Broadway. You just won't.

So can you -- go ahead.

CHRIS: Sorry. Go ahead.

No, every night somebody comes up to me and they say, you know, I've gone to the theater for however many decades. And I've never seen an audience connect with a cast like in this. So there's something going on at the Nederlander Theatre that really can't be explained. And just as you said, it's just an amazing thing.

GLENN: As you -- if you're a regular listener of mine, you know that I don't like -- I don't promote things and really stand on them if it's just because, hey, this is a message and we should support this message. No, the message needs to be done right. And I'll support the message when the message is done right. I'm not going to support something that is just crap, even if the message is good. This is an unbelievable message. This is -- there is something magical that happens in this theater every night. And on top of it, this is a tremendous production. Just really, really good.

You want to tell the story real quick?

CHRIS: Well, basically it's the story of John Newton who was a slave trader in the 1700s. He was an atheist. And he was just a miserable person. Man of the world. And he, in the midst of being a slave trader, actually was enslaved himself. And actually got just a little taste of what he was actually doing to other human beings. And on a voyage back from Africa, he was caught in a hurricane and had a really -- he had to really come face-to-face what he had done and eternity. And it changed him. And not only did it change him and his relationships and his choices, but it actually influenced our world down to today. Because he was instrumental in blowing the lid off the slave trade. He did it from the inside. He was one of the world's first whistle-blowers. And he said, this is what we're really doing. This is what this empire really is. I was a part of it. We have to stop this. So it really does affect history.

GLENN: Yeah, and it's not politically correct at all. I mean, at one point -- he is captured as a slave by the black African queen.

CHRIS: And that's true. That actually happened.

GLENN: Yeah. It shows black and whites were both in on this. And blacks and whites were both enslaved. And it's the ugly truth all the way. And one of the reasons I think why people are panning this is because it doesn't -- it just says what it is. It just says this was evil. And it doesn't play into anybody's agenda except the truth. And it is something that I saw with the kids and my 9-year-old daughter at the very beginning was a little afraid. But she walked out absolutely loving it. My son loved it. My older kids loved it. We loved it as a family. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Buy your tickets now. Go to AmazingGraceMusical.com. That's AmazingGraceMusical.com. Buy a ticket from their portal at that website.

Can they buy a ticket -- do they have to buy it for the next two weeks, or can they buy it for upcoming?

CHRIS: No. You can buy for -- the only reason we're pushing the next two weeks is just because August is so important. Every ticket that's sold in the next two weeks really speaks -- it speaks for the industry. It speaks for the cast and to us, and we really appreciate it.

GLENN: Thank you very much, Chris. I really appreciate it. God bless.

CHRIS: Thank you, Glenn.

GLENN: You bet. You bet.

PAT: Good luck. I haven't heard you stand on a musical since Spider-Man probably.

GLENN: And I see musicals all the time. I see Broadway shows all the time.

PAT: Did you like this better than Spider-Man?

GLENN: Yeah.

PAT: Better than Spider-Man?

GLENN: Spider-Man I really liked because as you guys know, I said the show had problems, but for what they were doing, they broke all kinds of ground. You know what I mean?

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: So I liked it for the bravery. Not only for the bravery, but also for the show itself. But I really liked it and respected it because they had balls. These guys do as well.

I mean, when you read the reviews, it's like, how can white people possibly tell the story of slavery? It's that kind of review that they're getting. And it's sickening. One of the guys who plays the -- the older father's personal slave who is enslaved with John Newton. This guy is -- he'll remind you of James Earl Jones. And I heard that from the audience -- somebody said, I thought that was James Earl Jones when he was came out. He's like a young James Earl Jones. This is just top quality all the way along, American history -- well, colonial history. Told accurately, in a really entertaining and compelling way. And I will tell you, I have -- there is something special about this. I have never felt like -- I've never -- I've never been like this. While the song was going on -- it was the finale. But it wasn't like the point you clap, everybody stood up. We all just felt compelled to stand. There's something happening with this -- with this show. I mean, if every American could see this show, you would -- you wouldn't be having people say black lives matter. And you can't dare say white lives don't -- or, white lives do. You know, all lives matter. You don't dare say all lives matter. It's black lives matter. We would have an end to that conversation. Literally.

I was crying. The woman sitting right behind me on the aisle was crying. And as I walked out, she looked at me, I don't have any idea if she knows who I was, but she just looked at me and she just opened up her arms at me. And I walked and she hugged me and I hugged her. I mean, it's that powerful. It's that powerful.

STU: Can you opt out of the hugs with random people in the audience? Is that possible?

GLENN: You can. No one will threaten you with a hug.

STU: Okay. Good. I'm in.

GLENN: You and Pat. That would make you wildly uncomfortable, wouldn't it?

PAT: Possibly.

GLENN: I just think I scream huggable. I think the ladies know: huggable.

PAT: That's it.

STU: Oh, my gosh, the entire media noticed it. MSNBC is talking about it.

GLENN: They're like, Glenn Beck, there's one thing about him, huggable. Huggable.

PAT: How many times have we seen that? Too many.

STU: Oh, gosh.

GLENN: I think people hug me because they're like, it doesn't look like he has any bones in that body. I think he's like Flubber. I think he's like Jell-O. I think -- just, he's the Pillsbury Doughboy.

STU: I will say, when we're in New York, I hear a lot of people yelling, hug you, at you. And I was like, why are they doing that? That's weird.

GLENN: Is that what they're saying? That makes me feel better.

STU: I think so.

JEFFY: Are you sure that's hug?

STU: Pretty sure. It sounds like it.

Remembering Charlie Kirk: A tribute through song

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On September 17th, Glenn commemorated his late friend Charlie Kirk by hosting The Charlie Kirk Show Podcast, where he celebrated and remembered the life of a remarkable young man.

During the broadcast, Glenn shared an emotional new song performed by his daughter, Cheyenne, who was standing only feet away from Charlie when he was assassinated. The song, titled "We Are One," has been dedicated to Charlie Kirk as a tribute and was written and co-performed by David Osmond, son of Alan Osmond, founding member of The Osmonds.

Glenn first asked David Osmond to write "We Are One" in 2018, as he predicted that dark days were on the horizon, but he never imagined that it would be sung by his daughter in honor of Charlie Kirk. The Lord works in mysterious ways; could there have been a more fitting song to honor such a brave man?

"We Are One" is available for download or listening on Spotify HERE


Has free speech been twisted into a defense of violence?

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Celebrating murder is not speech. It is a revelation of the heart. America must distinguish between debate and the glorification of evil.

Over the weekend, the world mourned the murder of Charlie Kirk. In London, crowds filled the streets, chanting “Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!” and holding up pictures of the fallen conservative giant. Protests in his honor spread as far away as South Korea. This wasn’t just admiration for one man; it was a global acknowledgment that courage and conviction — the kind embodied by Kirk during his lifetime — still matter. But it was also a warning. This is a test for our society, our morality, and our willingness to defend truth.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently delivered a speech that struck at the heart of this crisis. She praised Kirk as a man who welcomed debate, who smiled while defending his ideas, and who faced opposition with respect. That courage is frightening to those who have no arguments. When reason fails, the weapons left are insults, criminalization, and sometimes violence. We see it again today, in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Charlie Kirk’s life was a challenge. His death is a call.

Some professors and public intellectuals have written things that should chill every American soul. They argue that shooting a right-wing figure is somehow less serious than murdering others. They suggest it could be mitigated because of political disagreement. These aren’t careless words — they are a rationalization for murder.

Some will argue that holding such figures accountable is “cancel culture.” They will say that we are silencing debate. They are wrong. Accountability is not cancel culture. A critical difference lies between debating ideas and celebrating death. Debate challenges minds. Celebrating murder abandons humanity. Charlie Kirk’s death draws that line sharply.

History offers us lessons. In France, mobs cheered executions as the guillotine claimed the heads of their enemies — and their own heads soon rolled. Cicero begged his countrymen to reason, yet the mob chose blood over law, and liberty was lost. Charlie Kirk’s assassination reminds us that violence ensues when virtue is abandoned.

We must also distinguish between debates over policy and attacks on life itself. A teacher who argues that children should not undergo gender-transition procedures before adulthood participates in a policy debate. A person who says Charlie Kirk’s death is a victory rejoices in violence. That person has no place shaping minds or guiding children.

PATRICK T. FALLON / Contributor | Getty Images

For liberty and virtue

Liberty without virtue is national suicide. The Constitution protects speech — even dangerous ideas — but it cannot shield those who glorify murder. Society has the right to demand virtue from its leaders, educators, and public figures. Charlie Kirk’s life was a challenge. His death is a call. It is a call to defend our children, our communities, and the principles that make America free.

Cancel culture silences debate. But accountability preserves it. A society that distinguishes between debating ideas and celebrating death still has a moral compass. It still has hope. It still has us.

Are Gen Z's socialist sympathies a threat to America's future?

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In a republic forged on the anvil of liberty and self-reliance, where generations have fought to preserve free markets against the siren song of tyranny, Gen Z's alarming embrace of socialism amid housing crises and economic despair has sparked urgent alarm. But in a recent poll, Glenn asked the tough questions: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from—and what does it mean for America's future? Glenn asked, and you answered—hundreds weighed in on this volatile mix of youthful frustration and ideological peril.

The results paint a stark picture of distrust in the system. A whopping 79% of you affirm that Gen Z's socialist sympathies stem from real economic gripes, like sky-high housing costs and a rigged game tilted toward the elite and corporations—defying the argument that it's just youthful naivety. Even more telling, 97% believe this trend arises from a glaring educational void on socialism's bloody historical track record, where failed regimes have crushed freedoms under the boot of big government. And 97% see these poll findings as a harbinger of deepening generational rifts, potentially fueling political chaos and authoritarian overreach if left unchecked.

Your verdict underscores a moral imperative: America's soul hangs on reclaiming timeless values like self-reliance and liberty. This feedback amplifies your concerns, sending a clear message to the powers that be.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.

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

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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.

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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.