RADIO

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.

RADIO

This Russian nuke warning is HORRIFIC… for an UNEXPECTED reason

Glenn Beck reviews a video of Aleksandr Dugin, known as “Putin’s brain,” warning that nuclear war is inevitable. But this warning from Russia is absolutely terrifying for another reason: it’s NOT REAL …

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Operation Fast and Furious: The TRUE Story of How the Feds were Running Guns into Mexico

The Border Crisis has been ongoing for years, and one of the biggest scandals was the ATF “gunwalking” scandal known as Operation Fast and Furious which occurred during when Barack Obama was President. Glenn Beck talks with John Dodson, the whistleblower who revealed the scandal to get the facts about what happened and why it was a flawed operation from its inception.
Watch the FULL Interview HERE

VIDEOS

Glenn Beck & Piers Morgan REACT to Trump's Iran Strike & What Comes Next

Glenn Beck joins Piers Morgan to react to President Trump's decision to strike Iran's Nuclear Facilities and what could come next with the conflict. Is this just the start of a larger conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, or will this move by Trump put at least a temporary end to the brewing tensions?

RADIO

Meet the pro-Intifada candidate NYC Democrats just elected

New York City Democrats just elected 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a "socialist Muslim", as the Party's candidate for mayor. But Glenn Beck argues that his radical beliefs are actually communist and Islamist.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

VOICE: Z10852. Something weird is going on. The World Trade Center is on fire.

VOICE: Seriously the top of the building. We're trying to get information.

VOICE: Top level of one of the --

VOICE: To unfold from New York City.

VOICE: A plane crashed just --

VOICE: My sister is in that believe. I hope she's okay. I have to come to New York.

VOICE: It's pandemonium.

VOICE: It's raining papers.

VOICE: Wait a minute! Stop just a second. Why are we -- why are we -- I've got breaking news. Breaking news, yesterday. New York City just elected as their mayoral candidate for the left. And the Democrats, a -- a Muslim radical, who is also a communist!

So, you know, it only took you 25 years. It only took you 25 years, New York, to go completely insane.

Somebody who is -- well, I mean, if I might quote Michael malice today. I am old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.

But you've got a -- you've got a communist jihadist apologist now.

Who was -- you know, well, CAIR put $100,000 behind his bid for New York City mayor.

So you have somebody who is endorsed by CAIR. That's really good.

He also was somebody who said, you know, he was -- he was for the shooting of the United Health Care CEO.

Said he was looking forward to driving down magnum Joan avenue. I don't know. Sounds like supporting people in the streets. Maybe it's just me.

Then he also said that he was going to globalize the intifada, which I think that's -- maybe -- maybe that's just me.

I mean, what do I know?

Tim Miller who is a podcaster. Asked him a few weeks ago. Asked him about his pro Palestinian slogan. Globalized the intifada. And he said, for me, ultimately, what I hear in so many, is a desperate desire for equality and equal rights, in standing up for Palistinian human rights. Oh, is that what you hear, Mr. CAIR?

Really? Huh, that's interesting.

Right. So globalize the intifada.

I mean, I mean, sure, that's -- I mean well, let me go on.

Because I don't want to take him out of context.

He then delved into the semantics of the intifada, citing the United States Holocaust memorial museum's use of a word for a translation for uprising, in an Arabic version of an article, a museum published about the Warsaw ghetto.

Oh!

So this is just a comparison, about the -- the armed rebellion against the Nazis!

I don't know if that makes me feel better!

I mean, if we're globalizing that.

We're the Nazis in this scenario.

Because I don't think it's the Palestinians.

I certainly don't think it's anybody who is like, hey.

Global jihad. I don't think it's those guys.

Or the Nazis. Who are the Nazis in that?

And it seems, if that's what you mean, then it's not just a harmless kind of slogan about human rights. It is a call for violence on the streets.

Because I don't know if you know, that's what happened when the Jews had their uprising against the Nazis.

I'm just saying!

But, hey, hey, free Palestine.

Oh, that's not what that means, gang. That is not what that means, but don't worry about it. He's just going to be possibly the new mayor.

And that's great. By the way, the Columbia faculty members signed a letter defending Hamas.

They were also among the donors to his mayoral campaign.

So, you know, you don't have anything to worry about.

And his father, who used to work at Columbia. Do you know, Stu?

Is his Dad -- is he still a professor at Columbia University?

He said that -- this violent terror thing of Islam, is not a part of Islam. Now, I've read the Koran, and much of the hadith.

And I'm pretty sure the violence is a part of that. But no.

No. This is something entirely new.

And his father while at Columbia university, wanted everybody to know, that this is actually -- this is something that came out of America!

America is really responsible for this.

And, you know, it really started with the Reagan administration, you know, when he started -- when he started with his very religious terms, to finish the war against the evil empire.

So, you know, that's where -- that's where 9/11 came from.

Is what -- don't worry about it! Don't worry about it!

Because who am I? I'm clearly just -- am I an anti-Semite today, or am I an Islamophobic? I can't remember which one.

Oh, it's probably both. Anyway, Islamophobia. Let me just explain Islamophobia. I haven't even gotten to the Communist part of it. Which is really, really -- New York, you're in one for hell of a ride. Buckle up.

It will be a fun rollercoaster for you. My gosh, I've never been happier that I've been away are if New York.

Anyway, I just want I to know, there is Islam. And then there is Islamists. Now, an Islamist is somebody who really wants Sharia law.

That's political Islam!

That's not a faith. That's political Islam.

Now, let me make really -- something really clear. Criticizing Islamism, is not Islamophobia. Pointing out the dangers of, oh. I don't know.

Political Islam. The ideology that seeks to use the tools of democracy, ultimately to destroy democracy, is not an attack on Muslims.

No. Uh-uh.

You know why?

Because Muslims are often the first people in line.

The first victims of the ideology.

So let's draw a bright, bright line between Islam as a faith, millions of people can practice that faithfully and peacefully.

It's mostly peaceful, okay?

Then there's the Islamism.

Islamism is something entirely -- that's a political project.

A theocratic political -- oh. Left loves theocracies. They love it.

Of course, you never see a problem with it.

See it when an Islamist is touting it. Anyway, it's not about prayer. It's not about fasting. It's not about spiritual life.

It's all about power. It's about merging of mosque and state. It's about implementing Sharia, not as a personal code of conduct. But as a governing legal system.

And it's -- it's supremacy.

Absolutely. Faith.

Religion.

It's -- there's one thing that's supreme.

It's misogynistic.

Deeply intolerant of all kinds of things.

Descent. Secularism. Other faiths. Even competing interpretations from inside the faith itself.

It will behead them too.

So let's -- let's be honest here for a second.

You know, CAIR should be labeled an international terror organization.

In my opinion. In my opinion.

Oh, does that make me -- that makes me an Islamophobe. I'm sure. I'm sure they will start a campaign against me on being an Islamophobe.

Stand in line, guys. You've been doing it since 2001, okay?

I don't really care. And I don't think the American people. I think that record, all the grooves are worn-out on that one, okay?

This is not a religion we're talking about. When we're talking about Sharia law. And we're talking about globalize the intifada. What does that mean, actually, to globalize it?

Does that mean we now want to do what is happening to Israel? All over the world?

Has the Palestinian plight become our plight you now, as Americans?

That there has to be an intifada here!

Because it's the kind of the same. You know. It's kind of the same over, you know, with what the Palestinians are going through.

Well, it's very much like what the Jews went through with the Nazis.

That's a weird one. That one makes my head hurt. It's very much the same as that. And very much the same as the fight against Donald Trump.

Oh, this is going to be fun. It's fun!

Really fun. You know, the irony here is, the ones that will scream Islamophobia the most, are the ones in the progressive left, the champions of feminism, LGBTQ rights. And secularism.

They're going to -- no. You want -- they're going to stand with the people, who want to kill them first.

See, this is how smart they are!

This is why it's going to work out well, in New York City.

Let me just say. If you have an ounce of common sense, you run a business, you have an ounce of wealth. And I don't mean wealth like, you know, hey, Lovey.

Let's get on the boat for a three-hour tour with a suitcase full of cash. I mean you saved anything, anything, get the hell out of New York City.

I mean, this is about survival. This is about free speech. This is about women's rights.
Religious pluralism. Secular legal systems. Liberal democracy.

But it's also about failed principles of Communism. Okay?

First, you have to call out political Islam for what it is. Okay?

And we have to do it with the clarity that we call out white nationalism.

Got to do it with that. Got to -- you know, the Klan. Really bad people.

Really bad people.

Anybody who is shouting for globalized intifada?

Pretty bad. Pretty bad people.

Okay?

Now, let's get to communism.

Because that's another cool, cool angle of the new Democratic candidate for -- for mayor of New York City.

That I just -- I think is cuddly and cute. Sure, it led to 100 million deaths. But this time, New York is going to be radically different. Oh, did I use the word radical?

I didn't mean to use that. What's radical about this guy?

Nothing. He's just like you!

Well, not exactly.

But let's talk about communism, next!

Now, the new mayoral candidate that's running there in New York City. That so many young people rushed to defend and vote for. He's promising free buses.

That's going to work out.

Where are you going to get the money for free buses.

It's free!

City-run grocery stores.

Oh, rent freezes. And finally somebody has done it. A 30-dollar minimum wage.

So under the banner of equity. And, you know, we will tax the wealthy. And the corporations. You know, we're going to squeeze another $10 billion out of them.

Really?

Because they're going to call a U-Haul.

You know, they will call something like U-Haul. There will be a lot of -- there will be a lot of movers that are like, how do I get the truck back from Texas or Florida back up to New York? Nobody is moving up there.

But he's going to do it.

Now, his vision isn't really new. You know, just -- just tax people, so we could have city-run grocery stores. You know, I remember -- I'm old enough to remember those city-run grocery stores in Moscow.

They were great.

The shelves were empty.

But that's just Moscow.

It worked out completely different in Venezuela.

Where, oh, no.

It didn't. That's right. The grocery store.

They were eating the zoo animals.

But it will be different in New York.

Because they have rent controls too.

And that will just choke the housing supply, but don't worry. As a young family.

You know, you voted for it.

You know better.

It will work this time.

So, you know, I like building ideas, I just don't like usually building on the graves of 100 million people.

But, you know, why not? Why not?

You know, use this dogma.

And this time, it will be different. It's not like it was in China. Where the great leap forward, was a gross -- a gross parody of progress. Venezuela, which was oil rich. One of the richest nations in the hemisphere now sees 90 percent of its population in poverty!

Yeah. Darn it. You know what they did?

They decided to take state control of things.

You know, like grocery stores. And it worked out well. How is that free busing working out in Venezuela?

I just want to -- I just want to know.

Anyway, then you've got the globalize the intifada. Which is going to drop a little violence in, and anti-Semitism in with your communism.

Which is weird!

Because violence and anti-Semitism, always happen. When it -- when it comes to -- when it comes to communism.

This is weird!

I've got to play something for you. Because this has talked about on me earlier this morning.

Oh, wow.

Wait a minute. This is -- this is the whole coalition coming together here.

So this is going to be good. New York, this is going to be great.

It's going to be great for you.

No. He's going to uplift you. Then the social fabric of New York City is just going to be -- just one.

It's going to be fantastic. Don't worry about your 120 billion dollars in debt. Or your 10 billion-dollar deficit that you have right now.

You are going to charge the rich more taxes, and they will stay right there.

They will be like, you know what, that 46 percent in taxes that I'm paying, this is just not enough. It's just not enough.

I need to pay 60 or 70 percent to be able to pay my fair share. So that's good. That's good. That's good.

You know, they're not risking 100 million people. It's just 8 million people.

This time, it's just 8 million people.

But, hey. For those of you in upstate New York. That aren't going to be part of this experiment.

Don't worry, you get to pay for it. Because they'll kick it up to the state. The state will have to subsidize everything. And don't you love it?

Really, don't you want to subsidize the really crazy ideas of New York City?

I mean, why don't you have a -- why don't you have a democratic socialist. A/k/a communist mayor.

Why haven't you done that? Are you not progressive enough? Are you not looking into the future?

Are you stuck in the past?

I don't know. I don't know. The graveyard is pretty big. I have a hard time getting past that one. You know, yeah, so I'm stuck in the past. Because I can't seem to pass that graveyard, and get to be down the path with you. But it's going to be a paradise.

Forget arithmetic. You know, or human nature. This time, it's going to work. It's going to work. So all right!

Wish I lived in this morning.

No wait. Nope. I don't. Nope, I don't.

And Ted Cruz, stop it. Stop writing, hey, come to Texas. No. No. Don't come to Texas. Don't come to Florida. Go to California. It's beautiful this time of year. Go there. Go there.