RADIONovember 29, 2022

Glenn: Ralphie from A Christmas Story is my celebrity encounter REGRET

HBO recently released a sequel to ‘A Christmas Story,’ and Peter Billingsley — who plays Ralphie — will star in the film. But that reminds Glenn of a story he hasn’t told before: The time he met a now-grown ‘Ralphie’ in person. Glenn tells the story in this clip, explaining why it was one of his bigger ‘celebrity encounter regrets…

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

STU: There are good news. Good things on the horizon.

GLENN: Right.

STU: You know we are three days away from fundamentally getting a sequel to a Christmas Story. Isn't that cool? Ralphie, from back in the day, who has done a lot more since Ralphie. But he always gets called Ralphie anyway.

GLENN: He has now, that's one of my bigger regrets.

In --

STU: Really?

GLENN: In Celebrity Encounters.

STU: Really?

GLENN: Yeah. Well, remember in the days, when we were really, really, really busy.

STU: Yes. I do.

GLENN: Okay. Where I didn't really have time to even think, you know.

And people would make appointments for me and stuff, and then brief me on the way into the room.

Yeah. Yeah. And Peter Billingsley was -- was in my office, one day.

And -- and I said, who the hell is Peter Billingsley? And they said, Ralphie, from A Christmas Story. And I said, why is Ralphie from A Christmas Story in my office? And we're walking towards my office.

STU: Uh-huh.

GLENN: And they said, he's really fascinating. He really wants to meet you. Door open. I walk in. Hey, Peter!

Okay? I know nothing about his life.

STU: Or what you're doing in the meeting.

GLENN: Or what I'm even doing in the meeting. I'm just there by myself, with Peter Billingsley, and he looks like a grownup Ralphie, which he is.

STU: Which people used to say about you. People used to say, you look like a grownup Ralphie. I don't know if they still say that.

GLENN: No. They don't. No, they don't.

So Peter was there. And I said, hey, Peter. You know, feeling kind of bad for him.

STU: You're thinking, this guy worked as Ralphie. That was it, now he's I don't know. Flipping pancakes at the Waffle House.

STU: Sure.

GLENN: And I said, so what -- what -- what have you been doing lately?
(laughter)
And he just -- he said, well, we just finished Ironman. And I was like ah. I've got to reevaluate everything I've got to say to you.

STU: He was the executive producer of Ironman.

GLENN: Yeah. So now he has a new movie out. He has a new movie out.

STU: Yes, he does.

GLENN: And he's playing Ralphie.

STU: Yes. He's excited.

GLENN: I think that's awesome.

STU: I'm a person that absolutely loves that movie. And I know it's not necessarily universal. But it's a Christmas classic. Christmas story, which they've done a bunch of stuff on that. They have a Broadway show for a while.

GLENN: It was really good.

STU: Oh, you saw it?

GLENN: Oh, I saw it. I went with Peter.

STU: Of course you did. Of course you did, you jerk. I went to a Christmas story with Ralphie. Your life is too good. It's better than you deserve. That's what I will say.

GLENN: It really is. It really is.

STU: It really is.

But he -- they're actually doing a sequel to it with Ralphie grown up, hosting his own Christmas.

GLENN: It looks fantastic.

STU: It looks really cool.

GLENN: And I think it's the same mom.

STU: Yeah. I think you're right. And it's coming out, this week, on HBO Max I believe. I don't know if it's in theaters as well. Which, I don't know. I'm excited about it.

GLENN: I did not see Yellowstone last night, which is something that may have improved my mood a little bit.

STU: Really? I thought you loved Yellowstone.

GLENN: I do. I just didn't see it.

STU: So you were disappointed.

GLENN: Watch it tonight.

STU: Let me ask you, are you the type of person -- because I am this type of person, that if I'm watching a series and a big episode airs and I don't see it, I will literally not go anywhere near social media until I've seen it.

GLENN: Yes.

STU: Because you go on Twitter. People are like, hey. That was great.

Yellowstone, when the alien came down and killed Kevin Costner. You're like, holy crap. Really?

GLENN: Yeah. Good thing they saved it for the very end though.

STU: Like no.

And you can't even -- there's no way to filter it out. Like, I want a -- this is a website I've been dreaming up for a while. You tell me if this is a good idea. I want a spoiler-free zone. Right? Where I can go and read -- especially -- especially with these things -- these series, they had five years of episodes out, and you're just picking them up. Because I did that all the time. I really refuse to commit to a series at this point, unless there's five years of it.

GLENN: I'm kind of like that.

STU: Give me five -- show me you can stay on the air for five years. Then I'll start investing my time.

GLENN: There's nothing worse -- I skip everything that says, one season, 2016.

You're like, gone.

STU: I'm not going to give it a try. It might be great.

But I will be frustrated, because it will just stop.

Unless you get five seasons, then you'll go in. Let's say I'm on season two, episode three, and some amazing thing happens.

I can't -- I can't look at any content, about this show. Because they're going to give me what happened in season four, and season five and season three.

So I can't know any of it. I don't get the full experience of watching the show. A big part of that now, is you're following -- the people are speculating as to what happens next. People are trying to figure it out. What happens to this character is that you can't do that, in that community vibe.

So I want a site, that's like a spoiler-free zone. I'm on season two, episode three, and I can read all the articles from that time.

GLENN: Yeah. I like that. I like that.

STU: I like that. So someone do that. And cut me in on the profits, because I don't want to do that.

GLENN: That sounds like a binding contract.

STU: Anyone out there doing that, that's you.

GLENN: You are legally bound now to cut him in. Fifty percent.

STU: I think you'll back me up on this. Anything said on the radio is a binding contract. To anyone who has the same idea and might do it better.

GLENN: Right.

So I went to see George Clooney. Now, see if this --

STU: This is another Billingsley story. Where you're hanging out with George Clooney, and you didn't know who he is.

GLENN: No. I knew who he was. So I went to see George Clooney and Julia Roberts in the movie Ticket to Paradise.

STU: Did you watch it with George Clooney and Julia Roberts?

GLENN: No. I did not. No, no.

Here's the thing: That one was not a decision that I made, per se.

STU: Right.

GLENN: Right, yeah?

So I go, and I realize, before the movie starts, there's no one under 50 in that room.

Okay? There's nobody -- there's no youngings going to see that one, you know.

STU: And those are two big stars.

GLENN: Yeah. Now, it's been out for a while, you think.

However, I realized, I -- I just fell into the Driving Miss Daisy category. You know, nobody who was young, went to see that, or Steel Magnolias.

STU: Right. Yeah. There's a genre there.

GLENN: Oh, I remember when they were young and in their '40s, and they were making movies. They were so great. And then you're seeing all these people that you grew up with, and you're like, boy, they sure are aging well, aren't they?

You know and they have to stop shooting about 4:30 in the afternoon for these people. I realize, that's what this movie is. That's like, I remember -- yeah. Yeah.

STU: Really? They were the stars of my day.

GLENN: With they were so great, in Ocean's Eleven.

STU: Right.

GLENN: Back in the day, and they're still together.

STU: It's been a while, Glenn. Since Ocean's Eleven.

Don't tell me how long it's been.

STU: That movie came out the same year as the September 11th attacks came out. 2001. Ocean's Eleven. That's a 21 years old. When was the last time George Clooney was in a movie, you've seen?

Or made any -- of any note?

GLENN: So I saw on an airplane once. Something he was in, where I don't remember. He wasn't happy in his job. And I don't remember.

I can't tell you the last time I saw a George Clooney movie.

STU: Isn't that weird? Because I still think of him as one of the biggest stars out there. I would say, you have Ticket to Paradise.

GLENN: I just saw. It was actually good. It was actually really good.

Yeah. You know none of this funny business, goes on these days. Anyway.

STU: No. I don't remember the midnight sky. Do you remember the midnight sky? Okay. That was 2020.

Then there was nothing in 2019, other than TV stuff. Do you remember money monster from 2016?

GLENN: Do not remember money monster.

STU: I do not either.

GLENN: Doesn't sound good.

STU: Do you remember kale Caesar from 2016?

GLENN: Oh, ow. I saw that one because someone wrote it, or it had --

STU: It did --

GLENN: Yeah. I'm trying to remember, it was some reason, we went. And it wasn't for George Clooney, and it was bad.

STU: So I can see you remembering tomorrow land from 2015. Again, we're back in 2015 here. I still haven't gotten to one I'm sure you've seen. Or anyone in the audience.

GLENN: Tomorrowland. Wasn't Tomorrowland that awful, awful movie that I thought looked really cool? No, that was --

STU: That was another one. Yeah. That was long before that one.

GLENN: Yeah. No. Didn't see Tomorrowland.

STU: Then I'll get to one that I do know, that you would appreciate. Which is the Monument's Men.

That's 2014. That's really the last George Clooney movie I would say he was a star, and that wasn't a big hit. But it was critically acclaimed, and I liked it.

GLENN: He was looking a little like he was wearing a toupee.

I don't think he was. But he was looking a little like he was wearing a toupee.

STU: What does that mean? He wasn't wearing a toupee. But he looked like he was wearing a --

GLENN: Well, his hair was just not -- it made me feel better as a man, you know.

You can go to this George Clooney movie. It's not like every Tom Cruise movie, that just pisses you off. This one is like, okay. All right. He's looking pretty rough, and then you find out he's 70. And you're like, okay. I no longer feel good about myself.

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Watch Glenn Beck's FULL Interview with Dr. Jeremiah Johnston HERE

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Glenn Beck and Stu Burguiere unpack JD Vance’s viral response to a potential 2028 Vance-Rubio presidential ticket, where Vance praises Rubio as his “best friend” and credits Trump’s “grand strategy” for the administration’s success.

The SECRET every young man NEEDS to hear

The world has a plentiful, seemingly endless supply of angry boys. What it's lacking is real MEN. Glenn Beck shares the secret that our young men must learn if they truly want to protect and perfect our country.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: There's a difference between a revival and an awakening. We are in a revival right now, but that doesn't necessarily lead to anything. Except, oh, I have to re-learn those principles. But that doesn't mean you apply them in your life. Okay?

That's an awakening. There's been two great awakenings in American history. One brought us the American Revolution. The second one brought us the Civil War and the freedom of slaves.

We have the possibility of going into a third great awakening. That's the only thing that will save us. If you don't know the difference between a revival and an awakening. Let me give you the negative print of a godly awakening. Our kids right now, they don't have any purpose. They don't have any meaning.

They look at everything, and it doesn't -- it's not real. None of it is real. It's money. It's fame.

It's -- you know, it's ever changing truths and definitions. And they have no purpose in their life. Okay?

So they're looking for that. Because man has to have purpose in his life. Man has to search for meaning.

So they're searching for meaning. And they found a group of people that actually mean something. And they're willing to die for it. And it's ISIS.

And so they're like, at least these people believe in something. They believe it. And they're willing to die for it. I'm going to stand with them. And they put that twisted understanding into action. That's the -- that is -- that's an awakening. It's just an awakening to the dark side. And that one is already happening. It has to happen on the good side. And let me speak directly to young men: Look, you are inheriting a very loud, angry, cynical and worst of all spiritually starving and malnourished society. And you are being sold a future of cheap pleasures and hollow heroes and screens with blue light that just rob you of your strength, one distracted second after another.

And in the middle of all that noise, may I just give you one piece of instruction. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report or praise-worthy, seek those things.

Don't admire them. Don't nod at them. Seek them!

Hunt them. Chase them. Build your life around those things. A man who will do that. A boy. A young man who will do that, will become different. Noticeably different.

He will stop letting the culture feed him garbage. He stops applauding the trivial. He stops laughing at the obscene or cheering for the cruel.

He will become a curator of -- of real, lasting beauty in an age that has forgotten what beauty even looks like.

When other men are chasing down or holding up cynicism, this man holds up hope!

When everyone around him is chasing dopamine, he chooses discipline. When others will blame their circumstance, he'll take responsibility for his own action. When the world worships the shallow, he goes and searches for the deep!

You want to know what the secret of becoming strong is, or becoming trusted, or becoming the kind of man that your future wife, your future children, your future nation can depend on?

Here it is!

You become what you seek. If you seek trash, you become trash. If you seek virtue, you become a man of virtue. You seek excellence, and your life will begin to shine, not loudly, but steadily. Like the steel glow of a blade being forged.

That's who you'll be.

The world has a plentiful, seemingly never-ending supply of angry boys. We don't need any more addicted boys.

We don't need any more distracted boys. The world needs men. Whole men. Clear-eyed men.

Men whose souls are anchored to something higher than the algorithms, trying to own them!

Build a life worthy of admiration. Forget about the applause. Fill your mind with words that make you wiser. Fill your days with work, hard work, that makes you stronger. Fill your home with beauty that lifts every soul who walks into it.

Have your home a place where people walk in and go, man, I say so great here. I just love it here. I don't know what it is about your house. I just love it. It's the spirit that's there! Because you built it! You protect it.

Protect your integrity like a watchman on the wall. Don't lie. Don't cheat. Don't steal. And when you fail, and you will, stand back up again.

Because a man who seeks the virtuous, is not a man who never fails. He just -- he just becomes a man who refuses to stay on the ground.

If you seek things that are lovely and pure, trustworthy, praiseworthy, you'll become a kind of man this age almost never produces. A man whose very existence is a rebuke to the darkness.

That's your calling. That's why you were born.

Not to be lost. Not to play video games. Not to give up. Not to say, there's no hope. Not to end up in the trash bin of human history because you've -- you've taken so many drugs, you can't stand up straight anymore.

You're not destined to be alone.

You were destined for great things. You are destined to find an amazing woman!

Believe me. I didn't think I would ever find an amazing woman. Because I didn't think I was worth it. I didn't think I was worth it.

And until I started understanding how God works. That, yeah. I'm not worth any of the stuff that I have.

When you realize, it's all a gift. It's all a gift. And even if you work your brains out, you may not ever get all the things that you want. But you're going to have everything you need. Once you realize, carefully selecting friends makes a difference. My mother used to always say, show me your friends. I will show you your future.

It's true. Be careful who you select as friends. Watch your language. Watch what you're putting into your brain and what's coming out of your mouth. Because the brain is so amazing. It's being turned to mush. Did you know that there is a new study that just came out. I have to tell you about it next week, maybe.

New study going out. It is -- it's AI. And it has access to social media, and they have found that the AI -- the AI that is scrolling through social media all day, just to keep updated on everything that's going on in social media. It's getting brain mush. It's actually becoming dumber. It's become less effective!

It's a machine. What do you think this, flesh and blood, this thing is going to do?

We say life is meaningless. And life is the only thing that has any value. And yet, we spend all of our time, on things like social media. And that has absolutely no value.

But we think that's life.

I'm not that smart. I've just lived a long time. And I've made so many mistakes.

And I decided at one point, I'm going to stop saying, it's somebody else's fault. I'm going to start saying. Maybe -- what did I do to create that?

What did I do to attract that?

Why does this thing keep happening to me?

Why is it that I always find myself involved with these same kind of people?

Because, Glenn, dummy, it's you!

What you think, it's like -- it's like think of yourself as a -- as a beacon. It's just -- you're a beacon. Your GPS pin, that is constantly saying, here I am. Here I am. Here I am.

Except, it's transmitting more than just your location. It's -- it's transmitting what you're looking for, who you are. And it's attracting other dropped pins to you. It's saying, "I like this. I think this way. I believe these things. I am afraid of these things."

Whatever it is, you're thinking. It's constantly putting that out.

And saying, here I am. Is there anything else like that?

Anything else that can reinforce that? Anything else that can live like this?

Because that's me. Here I am. Here I am. Here I am.

That's why you keep finding yourself in exactly the same situations. Nothing will change, if nothing changes!

And the only thing that you can change, is you!

Seek the things, that have virtue.

Seek the things, that have beauty in music, in -- in art, in life, in architecture, in clothing! Whatever it is. Look for real, lasting beauty and value.

Find the things that are true! Truly true.

Universally true. Find the things that uplift. Seek those things!

And you will change your life and your world!