Stu and the Story of the Bulletproof Vest

March 07, 2016

Writer

In case you hadn't heard, Glenn threatened to stab co-host Stu Burguiere last Friday. It was a joke, but some folks can't take a joke these days. So, naturally, the Secret Service became involved. That's what happens when you joke about something, right? Well, it is if Trumpsters jump to the wrong conclusion.

"So I walk in, they're in this room, these two Secret Service agents are there. And they're big fans. And they're like, 'Mr. Beck, we're really sorry. We know the story. We know what's going on. We just have to hear it from you.' And they had the audiotape and the videotape there. They had everything."

According to Glenn, the Secret Service detail may be the only ones with a sense of humor. (The world really is upside down.) They evidently said, 'We listen to you. We know you threaten Stu's life all the time.' Now that's funny . . . Secret Service making a dry joke.

Long story short, Glenn did not threaten anyone's life. He and his co-worker friends like to joke around. It's called having fun. Trumpsters should try it sometime.

Enjoy this complimentary clip from The Glenn Beck Program:

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

GLENN: And it's suicide.

Are you wearing a bullet-proof vest?

STU: Yes, I am.

GLENN: I'm sorry. I just noticed that Stu is wearing a bullet-proof vest.

JEFFY: Good for him.

STU: I mean, you've talked many times about being prepared. And obviously with the events of this weekend, I think it's sensible for me to take precautions.

GLENN: You're worried about someone coming in here and shooting us?

STU: You're under FBI investigation. Okay?

(laughter)

I think it may have even gone higher than that at this point. Has the United Nations contacted you? I don't know.

GLENN: Interpol. I'm wanted by Interpol.

STU: Interpol.

PAT: It's the Secret Service. It's the FBI. It's the NSA. It's the CIA. It's the NCAA.

GLENN: Wait. Wait. It's not just the CIA, Central Intelligence Agency, it's also the Culinary Institute of America.

PAT: It is.

STU: You're threatening to stab everybody with knives. So the Culinary Institute of America is going to get involved in that.

JEFFY: You don't just get involved in that.

PAT: They're intervening.

GLENN: In case you don't know what happened on Friday, I threatened to stab Stu and just wouldn't stop stabbing him.

STU: You did. Because I made fun of you because you blew an analogy. You said -- you meant to say --

PAT: Walking in the shoes. And instead, he said sitting in his shoes.

STU: And I pointed out that they would have to be very large shoes.

PAT: For you to sit in.

GLENN: Have you seen Marco Rubio in the big chair?

STU: I have. Yes. Apparently a big story this weekend.

JEFFY: That was post stabbing. The Marco Rubio chair was post stabbing.

GLENN: I'm just saying, somewhere with that big chair, there's big shoes that he probably could have sat in as well.

STU: That's probably true. So you -- after I criticized blowing the analogy, you threatened to kill me.

(laughter)

If you were in the same location, you would not stop stabbing is the way that --

GLENN: Okay. Let me tell you what happened. Because this is out of control. And this is Trump. Trump, his campaign manager tweeted this, tweeted that I was under FBI investigation or Secret Service investigation. Absolutely not true. The Secret Service knew this was not true.

PAT: Seems that's a lie being spread by the campaign. Doesn't it? What kind of dirty tricks are they playing? Wow.

GLENN: Yeah, I know. I know. Anything to discredit.

So they knew -- the Secret Service knew from the instant it happened, and here's how I know.

5 o'clock in the afternoon, I finished my TV show at 6 o'clock on Friday. And I finished my show at CPAC. Now, Secret Service is there all day long. And my security guy comes up to me and says, "Glenn, we have to meet with the Secret Service."

And I said, "I thought we already had this conversation." Because the Secret Service called immediately because they were getting so many Trumpsters calling. And they have to --

STU: They should.

GLENN: Yeah, they should.

STU: A lot of media sources were reporting that you had targeted Trump with your stabbing. Of course, we got that corrected -- all the legitimate ones corrected almost --

GLENN: Immediately. Immediately. Not the Daily Caller and not the --

STU: The Daily Caller did add an update. Politico had it initially. The Hill had it. I mean, a lot of places started carrying it, and they did pull it down.

GLENN: Yeah, everybody pulled it down.

GLENN: The Daily Caller, I'm sorry. I'm not giving them any slack. It's ridiculous what the Daily Caller is doing. But, anyway, so the Secret Service, they don't even call me. Did they call you?

STU: No, I was just on Twitter tweeting all the reporters individually. Being like, you guys know -- and I know you don't listen to the show, per se, so you might not understand that Glenn threatens my life every day. But let me tell you that this is actually normal.

GLENN: Right. So, anyway, they knew early on. And I asked about it. I said, "They don't believe that, do they?" And they said, they already talked to the Secret Service. They didn't believe it. Everything is fine.

So 6 o'clock rolls around. And my security guy says, "You got to go meet with the Secret Service." And I said, "You got to be kidding me. This is still going on?" And he said, "No, no. In fact, they're very nervous about meeting with you because there's been an ongoing argument today inside because they know this is ridiculous and they don't want to -- they don't want you to go on the air and hammer how stupid they are."

STU: And they're not stupid. At all.

GLENN: And they're not stupid. But they have -- to be able to close this out, they have to have a statement from you. And I'm like, "I'm not going to hammer them on the air. They should be doing this stuff." If a complaint, they should follow every step of the way.

STU: Absolutely.

GLENN: So I walk in, they're in this room. These two Secret Service agents are there. And they're big fans. And they're like, "Mr. Beck, we're really sorry. We know the story. We know what's going on. We just have to hear it from you." And they had the audiotape and the videotape there. They had everything.

And they said, "You know -- and one of them said, "We listen to you. We know you threaten Stu's life all the time."

STU: Wait a minute.

(laughter)

GLENN: And I believe -- and they said something like, "We don't care if you kill him." I'm not sure. But that's the way I remember it.

STU: Really?

JEFFY: Bless them.

GLENN: Yeah, but they were really, really nice and very professional and exactly the way the Secret Service should behave. And I said, "If you guys listen to me -- first of all, thank you for doing this. Thank you for protecting even people like Donald Trump. I really don't like him, but he has a right to say these things and he should be protected. And so you're exactly right. If you have something -- a lead, you have to follow it and everything else." I know. But if you do listen to me, you know that I've asked multiple times for prayers for you guys and prayers for you guys around Donald Trump to keep him safe because he's a crazy man.

And they didn't respond to the crazy man thing. But they did respond to, "Yes, we do know. And we're very appreciative of all your support and everything else." And I said, "You guys are doing an important job. And you need to continue to do it. And I support you and everyone on our show supports you." They were really, really gracious and very professional. And it was over. It was over that morning.

I leave there, an hour later, I think it's the Daily Caller printing than at that I'm now under federal investigation with the FBI. The FBI hasn't been involved. This was closed an hour after this was brought to their attention. This is ridiculous.

STU: Yeah.

GLENN: Absolutely ridiculous.

STU: It's completely ridiculous. And you're right. They should go through and go through the motions and make sure nothing is there. It was pretty obvious.

PAT: If you heard this show though, you know there was nothing there.

GLENN: As soon as they heard the show, they knew. And so the only reason why this was a deal was because of Trump people and people like Donald Trump's manager saying that I threatened his life. It's clear to anyone who listened to the show, I was threatening Stu's life.

STU: It was comical to see all of the Trump supporters like cycle through all the arguments as each one gets to feed it. One of their first big arguments was, "Well, if Glenn said that it was -- if it was his co-host there, then why did he say, if I were near him or if I were up there, not knowing that we were in two different locations." You were at CPAC. We were in Dallas. So then the video comes out, shows that we're in two different locations.

Then it's, "Well, he didn't even make a veiled reference to his co-host." It's like, "Well, I spoke the sentence immediately before the thing you're saying." So, no, he didn't make a reference to me. I was actually speaking on the air.

It was a weird Friday. I will say, I spent most of my Friday defending my boss for threatening my life. I was actually -- I was saying, "You know, wait a minute, guys. He wasn't threatening Donald Trump's life. He was only threatening my life." And then think about how weird it is to go through that process. Then the media sources say back to you, "Oh, okay. He wasn't threatening Donald Trump's life. It was only you." Which, like, there's no story here. Your life is in danger. There's no more story. We'll pull that down immediately.

(laughter)

This is the Jeffy way of living.

JEFFY: You're welcome. It is.

STU: Well, that's why I have the bullet-proof vest today. Because, look, I don't know that I can trust you.

GLENN: I know.

STU: You're obviously a very dangerous guy. You're under investigation by multiple authorities.

GLENN: I know. FBI. Culinary Institute of America.

STU: Yes, they're all over you. Pat was saying I guess it's the FBI, the CIA, and the NCAA.

PAT: NCAA is in on it too.

GLENN: WACP, are they in on it?

STU: I don't know.

PAT: Not yet. But they're considering.

Featured Image: Screenshot from The Glenn Beck Program

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

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Picking up his torch

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two turning points, decades apart

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

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

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

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

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

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

A time for courage

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

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

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From Muhammad to Marx

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

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

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

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

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

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

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

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

Glenn's Show Prep

Stu and the Story of the Bulletproof Vest

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

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

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

Picking up his torch

Two turning points, decades apart

A time for courage

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

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

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

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

From Muhammad to Marx

Gifts from God, not the state

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

Do you think the Gen Z support for Trump is an opportunity for conservatives to win them over with anti-establishment reforms that preserve liberty?