Diving Into The Motley Idiot Vault of Audio Gold

Motley Idiot co-founders Tom and David Gardner revisit and talk about conversations, predictions, and classes from 20 years in the past. They have: 

• Jim Sinegal on competitors and development.
• Meg Whitman on eBay‘s acquisition of PayPal.
• John Antioco on Blockbuster’s vivid future.
• Roger Ebert on Blockbuster’s imminent demise.
• Loretta Lynn on rising up poor.
• Sir Bob Geldof on the futility of bribery.
• Mike Veeck on inventive advertising and marketing.

To catch full episodes of all The Motley Idiot’s free podcasts, try our podcast middle. To get began investing, try our quick-start information to investing in shares. A full transcript follows the video.

This video was recorded on March 8, 2023.

David Gardner: For 3 years on AM radio, Coast to Coast, a reside name in again within the day. My brother Tom Gardner and I hosted The Motley Idiot radio present, Saturdays three hours via the afternoon. Because of our celebrated producer, longtime fellow Idiot, Mac Greer, celebrated. We at the very least rejoice the man. We did dozens of interviews with vivid lights from Jeff Bezos to the San Diego rooster. Our profile then rose larger when with Mac. We transitioned The Motley Idiot radio present from the world of AM radio to nationwide public radio. For a number of years we have been an NPR present and we started to usher in much more superb visitors. Effectively, that was then, that is now.

We ultimately transitioned our on-air presence from radio to podcasts, which we have beloved bringing you for greater than a decade and counting. However what ought to by no means be forgotten? The interviews we did with celebrities main and principally minor from again within the day. It’s a deep vault of audio gold. On this fourth episode of the recurring sequence Blast From The Radio Previous, our first return to this sequence since earlier than the pandemic, we return in time to pay attention in as soon as once more to the knowledge of Costco Founder and CEO Jim Sinegal, say, or to Loretta Lynn. Thriller Science Theater 3,000 model a bit bit as we pay attention once more and opine. A particular deal with for you this week, the gang’s again collectively, my brother Tom Gardner, our producer, Mac Greer, and me, and also you, solely on this week’s Rule Breaker Investing. 

Welcome again to Rule Breaker Investing. Hey, Tom.

Tom Gardner: Hey, Dave.

David Gardner: Hey, Mac.

Mac Greer: Hey, David.

Tom Gardner: Hey, Mac, I’ve a query for you.

Mac Greer: Fireplace away.

Tom Gardner: Was three hours of reside radio an excessive amount of for America to deal with?

Mac Greer: I believe arguably in all probability two-and-a-half hours, an excessive amount of prime.

David Gardner: Effectively, it is a delight to be joined once more by this Motley two-some. We three gents, we will return via clips from outdated Motley Idiot radio exhibits, folks nonetheless well-known right this moment, most of them residing, and we will have enjoyable reflecting on the previous. Mac, the theme that you’ve got chosen, that is the fourth episode within the sequence, as I discussed on the prime, what’s the theme Mac that you just’re bringing Tom and me and all of our listeners this week?

Mac Greer: David, the theme is 20 years in the past. A lot of the interviews we will listed below are from 2003, a pair are from 2002. Let’s go together with 20 years in the past. However in the event you do not like that theme, I’ve a few different themes. Visions of the previous, visions of the long run. That is your second selection.

David Gardner: That appears like a nationwide geographic particular.

Mac Greer: Thanks. The third theme, all the time a strong go-to, extra issues that individuals stated on Idiot Radio.

David Gardner: Tom, are you able to pop both of these?

Tom Gardner: No, I believe I like 20 years in the past as a result of 2003, the markets is perhaps a bit bit much like the place they’re right this moment, the Nasdaq in disarray expertise corporations. We’ll be listening to from individuals who have been experiencing a market much like the one which we’re experiencing right this moment. I prefer it.

David Gardner: Effectively stated. Gents, I do wish to say, I is probably not the one one, or perhaps I’m, however I went again and listened to our most up-to-date model of this Episode 3. The date was February eleventh, 2020. Appears like a few month earlier than we closed our workplaces and the world shutdown. That is what we did. On the time, and I believe lots of people predict an replace Mac now, three years later, on the time, there was loads of dialogue at the beginning of that podcast in regards to the possession of the next URL, and I might say Web area property, macgreer.com. I believe it might have been Tom who rapidly simply began speaking about who owns macgreer.com? Who owns Mac Greer perhaps? However because it seems, on the time anyway, Mac, no one owned macgreer.com. Tom, you exhorted our listeners to exit and purchase it, register it. Mac, any updates?

Mac Greer: David, I’m actually happy to announce that to utterly nobody’s shock, it’s nonetheless accessible. So macgreer.com is extensive open.

David Gardner: That surprises me, Tom, as a result of, in a approach, I believe that may be a testimony to perhaps the lethargy or alienation of our listeners, not a single particular person, not a single one, 9 bucks. Effectively, macgreer.com.

Tom Gardner: Consider all of the missed alternatives of nice enterprise capitalists who had the possibility to spend money on [Alphabet‘s] Google and handed on it. I do not suppose it is uncommon that lots of people would not see this one but. However sometime, we’ll look again and do not forget that within the month of March in 2023, someone heard this dialog and realized, I could make a life, a profession out of macgreer.com.

David Gardner: Certainly that will occur this time. We’ll see.

Mac Greer: Tom, you talked about missed alternatives, so I have to confess that one different factor that got here up on our Final Blast From The Previous is that Tom on the finish of the present challenged me to e-book Queen Elizabeth. Effectively, I am right here to say that that’s in all probability not going to occur, and it is for apparent causes now. However I additionally wish to inform you that the explanation that we by no means booked Queen Elizabeth is that, properly, it was utterly for lack of making an attempt. I’ve forgotten about Tom’s request, and so that did not occur. However later within the present, we’re going to hear from somebody who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

Tom Gardner: I take into consideration Queen Elizabeth the best way, you hear Warren Buffett say, I’ll proceed to handle Berkshire Hathaway 10 years after I’ve died, and I believe that Queen Elizabeth continues to rule at this stage and so we will commune along with her right here. The one factor I wish to observe as we now enterprise ahead into the 20-year look again, is that is for these of you baseball followers, it is a baseball reference that can join with about 2.4 p.c of our listening viewers proper now, and that is excessive for me really. It is a Luis Tiant windup to getting the present began. I believe we have executed a very nice job of revisiting a few completely different angles, and now the image is leaning ahead and about to launch the pitch.

David Gardner: Adore it. Tiant who turned himself, he turned his again to the batter, regarded on the centerfield wall as he went into his movement toast the pitch.

Mac Greer: Possibly he had a head bob even.

David Gardner: I really feel like we will get distracted by baseball, which by the best way guarantees to be about 23 minutes sooner per recreation due to the pitch clock this yr. However associates, talking of clocks, I believe we must always keep on the clock as a result of Mac, what number of clips do you could have for us this time?

Mac Greer: We’ve round 9 clips.

David Gardner: Wow, we must always get began. Mac, what’s clip number one?

Mac Greer: Clip number one takes us again to March of 2003, so this very month 20 years in the past. Costco Co-Founder after which CEO Jim Sinegal was our visitor on The Motley Idiot radio present. We requested him about competitors and development.

Tom Gardner: Jim, why would a client pay a payment to affix Costco when for example she will be able to go to Walmart totally free?

Jim Sinegal: Effectively, I believe the worth proposition in it. Clearly, the shoppers are voting on the money register and our numbers, as you already know, within the US, we common over $100 million in revenues, and one among our Costco warehouses, that is the buyer voting on the money register. They see the worth. You discover I did not point out low value, I stated worth. We provide nice high quality merchandise at the most effective costs round.

Tom Gardner: There’s a very lively debate amongst Wall Road analysts and completely different members of the investing neighborhood that comply with the enterprise of retailing, and that debate facilities round whether or not or not the marketplace for superstore warehouses is oversaturated within the US right this moment.

Jim Sinegal: We hope our competitors believes that. In our view, we will proceed to develop our enterprise and we’ll proceed to develop our enterprise. We predict there are loads of alternatives for us to proceed to develop, and we expect that the roughly 300 warehouses that now we have within the US in the meanwhile, is actually not maxed out, we in the meanwhile really feel that we may at the very least double the variety of Costcos in the USA, and naturally, we expect we will proceed to develop on a global foundation as properly.

Mac Greer: David and Tom, right here is the 20-year replace. Costco shops within the US now, 584-ish, so that they have virtually doubled. Worldwide, they’ve round 848.

David Gardner: I am simply checking the inventory Mac, it was someplace proper round. I’ll say about $40 a share then it is at 489. Issues have gone fairly properly for Costco during the last 20 years.

Tom Gardner: Effectively, Costco was my first advice in Inventory Advisor, this all comes full-circle. There have been a few unhealthy ones in between right here and there nevertheless it’s good to have that one. I do not know if everyone knows this about Jim Sinegal, however he was orphaned as a baby and his mom readopted him when he was round 10 years outdated. The essential determination she made apparently wasn’t monetary ones. You could not afford it. I do surprise how a lot that is woven into his philosophy about I wish to make life inexpensive for folks.

I wish to deliver them monetary stability as a result of actually Costco members see it as greater than residence to product. It is a philosophy and it is a subscription. So it isn’t a bunch of one-offs right here and there I make this buy, it is a partnership between Jim Sinegal and enjoyable reality trivia query for anybody at residence. Jim Sinegal stepfather Giuseppe Siniscalli is how he will get the title Sinegal as a result of Giuseppe Siniscalli modified his title, final title to Sinegal within the US and that is Jim Sinegal’s stepfather. He is adopted by his mom and stepfather and I believe the age of 11. I imply returned from the orphanage on the age of 11.

David Gardner: Wow, Tom, you might be rocking critical Sinegal data there. It is virtually such as you knew this clip was coming.

Tom Gardner: Actually, I did not, however you already know what’s superb.

David Gardner: That was much more spectacular. I do know you did not as a result of we wish to inform you.

Tom Gardner: What’s superb is 2 issues. A analysis group that does exceptional work and the facility of Google simply to double-check actual time.

David Gardner: Talking of Google, Jim Sinegal remains to be residing right this moment, age 87 guys, that was 20 years in the past. He was 67 as he spoke. Earlier than we transfer on to quantity 2, Mac, one factor that has all the time been distinctive is that synagogue continued to reply his personal telephone, proper whenever you have been reserving Jim Sinegal for The Motley Idiot radio present, you did not have to undergo his peeps.

Mac Greer: The very first time I booked him was 2002 and I talked to this man for like 4 or 5 minutes and I am like this appears like this will likely occur. Then I lastly observed in all probability about 5 minutes into the dialog. I believe that can work and I understand I’m speaking to the CEO  I’ve been speaking to the CEO your complete time He solutions his personal telephone and I had no concept. I assumed I used to be speaking to their IR there some publicist. That speaks simply volumes of Sinegal. We have had the chance to get to know him a bit over time. He is come to our member occasions and he’s probably the most humble. He is simply fantastic. I I am a Costco fan via I am a client, I am an investor, love the corporate.

David Gardner: Prime 10 residing founder, CEOs guys, perhaps.

Tom Gardner: I must say, I’ve a query about that follow-up query, however my follow-up query so that you can ponder on as as I replicate on one thing as Mac simply stated is, what’s the different founder CEO, the opposite chief that we have interviewed talked to you that we all know that almost all reminds you of Jim Sinegal, who is sort of a sibling to Jim Sinegal and the enterprise the place I would like to listen to what you suppose I’ve an concept of that myself. Mac, I do recall that when Jim retired, he stated one thing like I haven’t got to take Mac’s calls anymore.

Mac Greer: He really in contrast me to a contaminated milk scare when he was at Idiot HQ, somebody requested him about like what was the problem you needed to take care of, and so they had some contaminated milk. Then sooner or later he stated that was worse than Mac or worse than coping with Mac calls. I took that as a praise.

David Gardner: Tom, who does Sinegal remind you of?

Tom Gardner: Jack Bogle. I believe they each construct one thing at scale that was constant subscription primarily, and that was designed round decreasing prices for the buyer than they each had enormous impacts on a really giant viewers.

David Gardner: Adore it. They have been each taking part in the lengthy recreation and you concentrate on the efficiency of Costco proper as much as the 20 years main as much as that interview. Mac and now the 20 years after.

Mac Greer: Okay, let’s transfer from Costco to eBay. Now, again in 2002, eBay acquired a bit outfit known as PayPal for 1.5 billion in eBay inventory. That was shortly after PayPal’s IPO. In 2003 eBay CEO Meg Whitman was on The Motley Idiot radio present. We talked along with her in regards to the PayPal deal.

David Gardner: In as plain English as doable for listeners of The Motley Idiot radio present who could properly know eBay however probably not perceive PayPal. Are you able to simply in a few sentences, clarify the technique why purchase PayPal?

Meg Whitman: Effectively, PayPal was in some ways the usual for patrons and sellers paying one another on eBay earlier than we acquired the corporate. Actually, over 50 p.c of eBay.com listings, the sellers provided PayPal. That is as a result of PayPal was and is an extremely simple to make use of mechanism for comparatively small greenback transactions from a person to a small enterprise or a person to a person. It enabled folks like me to have the ability to settle for a bank card, after I put issues up on the market on eBay or besides cash from one PayPal account to a different PayPal account.

Mac Greer: David and Tom as you already know, eBay spun PayPal off in 2015. We have a look at the market caps right this moment. eBay coming in round 24 billion, PayPal 85 billion.

David Gardner: Certainly that is the place I used to be going to begin us Mac as a result of we play the market cap recreation present on this podcast, it is exceptional to suppose that PayPal is now thrice the worth of eBay. I imply, they each executed very well and whenever you add it up, it involves over $100 billion of worth. A reminder, the Web actually was for actual again in 2002-’03. As left for lifeless is it typically was by Barron’s journal and loads of issues, I might say monetary commentators who thought that the Web was toast. Tom.

Tom Gardner: Effectively, in PayPal was over $300 billion market cap about a bit bit lower than two years in the past. It is down from North of $300 a share to $75 a share right this moment. It together with loads of corporations of its ilk, have actually gotten shlacked right here during the last 15 months. That’s the 20 yr return to the place we have been again in 2003. A number of nice corporations, we’re taking a look at their shares down 50 p.c, 70 p.c. One of many many errors that I made over time, why not revisit it very briefly. Actually, you possibly can edit this out if you would like to. I keep in mind writing an article the place I examine to eBay to Amazon and I stated I believe eBay goes to win this one as a result of they don’t seem to be carrying any stock. That is the great thing about the eBay mannequin is only a platform. They do not must take any duty for logistics. They do not must get garden furnishings right into a warehouse after which ship to someone’s home that’ll by no means fairly work.

Mac Greer: I really like that, Tom, as a result of I keep in mind for years simply feeling that eBay was superior to Amazon, and I exploit the phrase lighter enterprise mannequin. I am now realizing, you already know who additionally has a lighter enterprise mannequin? A enterprise that does not actually have any enterprise. 

Tom Gardner: Is that what you are saying about eBay.

Mac Greer: I am not saying that.

Tom Gardner: I believe it is a David G. funding level. I do not wish to communicate for my brother, however in evaluating a lighter enterprise mannequin to a bigger client viewers mannequin, in all probability a good suggestion to have a look at the latter. Should you can actually captivate tens and tens and tens and a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of individuals, you may give up a bit little bit of margin to get that sort of viewers.

Mac Greer: Figuring out what we all know now about how this has performed out for PayPal and eBay, was it a mistake for eBay to spin off PayPal?

Tom Gardner: Sure, they need to have spun off eBay.

Mac Greer: I obtained to consider that.

David Gardner: Talking of spinning off, Meg Whitman has spun off into changing into right this moment’s US ambassador to Kenya. Chances are you’ll keep in mind she tried to run for governor of California. She spent some huge cash. She didn’t win. Jerry Brown defeated her. The election was the 2010 election. She spent some huge cash. However Tom, we all the time loved Meg. We obtained to fulfill her some. I keep in mind we had endure along with her as soon as. All people talks about our divided nation, however the Democratic President, Joe Biden, appointed the Republican, Meg Whitman, to be ambassador to Kenya.

Mac Greer: I believe we obtained to present her critical credit score for the PayPal acquisition. Everybody talks about Bob Iger and Marvel and Pixar and Lucasfilm. I get it. However let’s give Meg Whitman loads of credit score for PayPal.

Tom Gardner: Talking of Bob Iger, Meg Whitman got here from the Disney Firm. Let’s transfer on to clip quantity 3, Mac.

Mac Greer: Guys, in the event you’re like me, again in 2003, you might be in all probability enjoyable on the weekend and perhaps you’re making it a Blockbuster night time. Blockbuster was the dominant film rental firm on the time. Now, we interviewed Blockbuster CEO, John Antioco, in July of 2003. On the time of this interview, Blockbuster had a $3 billion market cap and the inventory had crushed the market over the earlier three and 5 years. On this interview, you are going to hear a blockbuster CEO, John Antioco, speaking about competitors and expertise.

John Antioco: Lots of people have a look at the video world and suppose it is aggressive. I may say, what companies is not? I believe a number of the aggressive fears in our companies are overblown as a result of it is the notion of this expertise will at some point, perhaps sometime quickly, wipe out Blockbuster. We do not imagine that is the case.

Tom Gardner: Why do not you imagine that?

John Antioco: A few elements. I believe the largest issue is whenever you have a look at the film enterprise during the last 10 years, the entire new channels of distribution have primarily been incremental. Dwelling film, if you’ll, was a 10-billion-dollar enterprise 10 years in the past; it is 22 billion right this moment, and it is going over 30 billion over the following 10 years. That is as a result of each retail and rental film consumption has grown, pay-per-view has grown, VOD will enter the enterprise, it would develop. It is simply not going to be a state of affairs the place the following channel goes to wipe out the earlier ones.

David Gardner: I beloved the incremental, the evaluation that each earlier expertise has been an incremental shift. Mac, I believe that is a corridor of fame, prime 20 quotes from Motley Idiot radio present historical past.

Mac Greer: Yeah, I really feel prefer it’s whenever you’re watching the horror film and you’ll see the killer earlier than the folks within the film can. You wish to say, he’s behind you. On this case, he, after all, has no concept that Netflix goes to begin streaming in 2007. That is only some years after this interview. To his credit score, I believe it is simple to suppose Blockbuster did no innovation, nevertheless it’s the way you outline innovation and it is how briskly you suppose the long run goes to return. Earlier within the interview, he talked about how they did this huge income sharing with the film studios and that modified the expertise at Blockbuster as a result of it was that you just’d go in and there weren’t many tapes accessible. Then as soon as they began sharing revenues with the studios, they all the time had your film in inventory. In that regard, Blockbuster was progressive, however in all probability should not have written off expertise that shortly.

Tom Gardner: The tempo of change is selecting up, I believe. I do not suppose I am distinctive in that view. We have lived collectively in Motley Idiot historical past and audio historical past via the emergence of the Web and the substitute of journal, journal stands, and print newspaper. I keep in mind being in a enterprise media assembly of a bunch of executives, and everybody there went across the desk like, I’ll by no means cancel my print subscription to The Wall Road Journal. That was a unified factor, and it obtained to me. I used to be like, I do not subscribe to The Wall Road Journal, however i take pleasure in it. I benefit from the paper, I simply haven’t got that subscription.

It was like, OK, Motley Idiot, we see you competitively. However level being, these items transfer quick and so they’re transferring sooner now as a result of you do not have to make as a lot funding in infrastructure. One of many main adjustments that is taking place proper now’s migration to the cloud. Some organizations are going to attempt to migrate over eight years; that is a bit bit Blockbuster like; others have already migrated. I believe transferring shortly into the cloud is a really good transfer. I do wish to make one reference to this interview. I will simply go away it on the market and we will refer again to it. If anybody can inform me, in the event you can examine and distinction the voice John Antioco to Irwin Mainway; Irwin Mainway, that is what I requested you to replicate on.

David Gardner: Who’s Irwin Mainway?

Tom Gardner: You’ll have to attempt to reply that by the top of this present. Should you can not, I’ll reply it for you.

David Gardner: Talking of voices, I do wish to say, I really feel like my voice has modified from a few of these clips. Mac, I am an older male now. I do not like the best way my voice has modified. I like my youthful voice.

Tom Gardner: You do not prefer it?

David Gardner: I like youthful Dave.

Mac Greer: It is all good.

David Gardner: what I really like? I really like that you just requested him whether or not Blockbuster might be put out of enterprise. That was such a superbly timed cash query, and searching backwards, visionary.

Mac Greer: Having heard the CEO of blockbuster, I do know what you are each considering. You are considering, that is wonderful, however what did Pulitzer prize-winning movie critic, Roger Ebert, take into consideration the way forward for Blockbuster? Effectively, you might be in luck from our 2002 interview with Roger Ebert.

Tom Gardner: Purchase, promote, or maintain, given the encroaching applied sciences, Blockbuster?

Roger Elbert: I might promote.

Tom Gardner: Why?

Roger Elbert: As a result of I believe that digital technique of transmission are going to ultimately substitute the journey to the video retailer. I believe Blockbuster itself is investing in that space. I believe there will be video-on-demand that can are available in by satellite tv for pc or Web. Then again, when video shops began, all people laughed at them, mentioning that lending libraries have gone out of enterprise. Video shops are very fashionable as a result of folks do like to depart the home and go to the video retailer. It is the identical as each workplace has a espresso machine, however folks wish to exit to Starbucks, and in a approach, each Blockbuster and Starbucks are promoting the identical factor. They are not promoting espresso, they don’t seem to be promoting movies, they’re promoting the journey to the shop.

Tom Gardner: Now, you are simply convincing me it is a purchase, Roger?

Roger Elbert: Effectively, it might be a maintain.

Tom Gardner: A ravishing head proper earlier than our eyes. However we all know what he led with. Promote.

David Gardner: He did, and video on-demand, I suppose that got here alongside and changed issues from a satellite tv for pc standpoint. However then all of it turned streaming anyway. However do not you like how on-point I believe Roger Ebert was there. It is also humorous to consider how he was saying that we benefit from the journey all the way down to the shop; that is what it is all about. I nonetheless do agree with that, guys, on the subject of Starbucks.

Mac Greer: I completely agree.

David Gardner: However clearly the world would not really feel that approach about renting movies.

Mac Greer: I completely agree with that, and I felt that approach about blockbuster again within the day. I are usually indecisive. After I lived in DC, there’d be many an evening the place I might go to Blockbuster. I might spend 1-2 hours searching for the film, [laughs] after which I understand I do not want a film anymore as a result of I’ve used that point already, and I might simply go away the shop. I believe I am a part of the issue or I used to be a part of the issue.

David Gardner: Possibly shopping for the mega bag of M&M’s, or peanut M&M’s on the best way out; that is the place they made their cash, guys.

Mac Greer: Precisely. Guys, in the event you went to Blockbuster again within the day one film you will have rented is Coal Miner’s Daughter. Now that one finest image in 1981 and that was primarily based on the lifetime of nation music legend, Loretta Lynn, who died final October. Now, she was the primary lady in nation music to develop into a millionaire. She had 24 number one singles. She had 11 number one albums and he or she had one look on The Motley Idiot radio present again in 2002.

Tom Gardner: Effectively we will go backwards in time to your upbringing for the start-up of our dialog, you grew up in a log cabin within the mountains of Butcher Hole, Kentucky, a coal miner’s daughter. What was your opinion of your father’s work and the cash he offered the household?

Lorretta Lynn: I assumed all people reside that approach so it did not even have an effect on me so far as how we lived, how poor we have been or something like that. I assumed all people was like that till I obtained away. Then I knew I used to be poor. 

David Gardner: Loretta by age 13, you have been married to a person, because it turned out, you would be married to for nearly half a century, by 17 you had 4 kids, is that proper?

Lorretta Lynn: Sure and I had all of them at school by the point I used to be 21. Then after I got here to Nashville, I used to be 27 after I began singing and I obtained pregnant, and had twins so I stated to my husband, “Hey, you higher do one thing as a result of the following one goes to be a litter.” 

Tom Gardner: Now how did you make ends meet via all of that?

Lorretta Lynn: With out cash? It was very exhausting. My husband obtained a job at a filling station making $1.10 an hour and the Grand Ole Opry was sort sufficient to let me on the Opry each Saturday night time and I makes $17 to be on the Opry and if I did the second music I obtained three extra {dollars}. Boy, did that turn out to be useful.

David Gardner: What an outstanding American dearly departed 90 years of age when she died final October. I really like that interview Mac, I knew she had loads of children. I did not keep in mind she had 4 children by the age of 17. Simply an unbelievable American story in loads of methods. Generally we hear about these in the midst of the nation being a bit bit extra disaffected, rural populations, particularly not being as linked in. However whereas that was actually true of Loretta Lynn, guys, she introduced a delicate cheerfulness and humility and I might say positivity reflecting again on her youth, I suppose it is simpler whenever you’ve had 42 singles and also you made your first million {dollars}. However what an outstanding life.

Tom Gardner: True grit. Loretta Lynn, true grit, I would say and that was one among my favourite Motley Idiot interviews in historical past. No query. I’ve just a few others and I am questioning if Mac’s going to deliver them ahead right this moment.

David Gardner: I hope so.

Tom Gardner: Even when he would not there will be different exhibits the place we replicate again on a number of the superb interviews, for instance, sitting in Spanish class. Father McBride, are you able to guess the place I am going with this one?

Mac Greer: I do know the place you are going with this. We do not have that clip, however now we have one other clip.

David Gardner: Followers of sir Bob. We cannot give his final title. Followers of the person will probably be glad to know that we did cowl that on a earlier episode very Googleable, so it is on the market however Mac would not deliver again the identical stuff every time, proper Mac?

Mac Greer: Sure.

David Gardner: It is all the time one thing new from the deep vault of audio gold.

Tom Gardner: I’ve by no means heard you rejoice Mac like this. I believe he is certified ultimately. Like lastly this time, Mac. 

Mac Greer: I want no celebration. We’ve yet one more clip from that Loretta Lynn interview that I wish to share the place she talks about celebrities and their monetary issues.

Tom Gardner: We’re all the time executed once we hear that somebody like Billy Joel is submitting for chapter, how does that occur?

Lorretta Lynn: Who’s that?

Tom Gardner: After we heard that Billy Joel.

Lorretta Lynn: Is he a rock and curler?

Tom Gardner: Yeah, properly, he is obtained his rock and roll tuned. Possibly he is throwing a rustic music in there someplace, however he is principally a rock and curler.

David Gardner: How about Willy Nelson? We hear Willy Nelson goes bankrupt.

Tom Gardner: How can Willy Nelson go bankrupt? Are there folks benefiting from these musicians?

Lorretta Lynn: Let me inform you what occurs. They go spending their cash on foolishness and so they have a good time. I do not suppose I’ve to say extra however that is what takes their cash.

Tom Gardner: Now, Loretta, are you telling us that you have by no means spent a dime on foolishness?

Lorretta Lynn: Effectively, you already know, after Doodad, a few yr as goofy as heck, and so I will ask the house down right here at Hurricane meals and moved right into a home I’ve in Nashville and I went out with my little granddaughter and he or she’s loopy too. So me and her went out procuring and I purchased a full-length mink coat. I’ve by no means worn that coat, by no means worn it. I suppose I ain’t been no place to must put on it.

David Gardner: Foolishness, guys. I believe she was utilizing small f when she talked in that interview.

Tom Gardner: I obtained confused in that reference.

Mac Greer: My favourite a part of that was debating whether or not Billy Joel was a rocker which I might say, no. I like Billy Joel, however I believe no, he’s not.

Tom Gardner: It froze me. I wasn’t positive how to answer that.

Mac Greer: It was a superb query.

Tom Gardner: I used to be making an attempt to recall if he had a rustic music.

Mac Greer: Effectively, guys sticking with music, we will transfer from Butcher Hole, Kentucky to Dublin, Eire. Bob Geldof’s was the chief of The Boomtown Rats, which he began again in Dublin in 1975. He is maybe finest identified for his humanitarian work with Band Assist and Dwell Assist efforts to battle hunger in Africa. He was knighted for that work by Queen Elizabeth. He is additionally an creator and profitable businessman. Now now we have the possibility to interview him again in January of 2002 and he talked in regards to the challenges and beginning a then music newspaper and the way that led him to music.

Bob Geldolf: Within the afternoons after I was making an attempt to get this paper factor taking place it was inconceivable. I attempted to get 11 telephone strains in as a result of folks needed to telephone in with their free adverts after which I charged for the show adverts. That was the sport. I could not get 11 strains. I may get one line, so I used to be really not 20, I used to be 19 so I went to see the minister answerable for telephones, who was an important Irish mental known as Conor Cruise O’Brien, who’s nonetheless is and one among our nice writers, nevertheless it’s sometimes are is that they get to be a ministry. Howdy. I get to see Conor Cruise O’Brien and he stated, “I believe it is an important concept, younger man,” and I stated, look, I am taking 11 folks off on employment right here. He stated, “I can do nothing for you in any respect. It is going to take 5 years to place 11 telephone strains,” and I stated, minister, what do I do? He stated, “Try to bribe one of many unions,” so I really did.

I known as up two guys who gave the impression to be in in all probability two of the 60 unions who management phone strains in my space and introduced them out to this 3D lame dinner. As a result of I would actually did not have a lot cash. I would by no means bribed anybody and I did not know the way to introduce the topic. I did not have any cash to bribe them with and so they have been saying, “No, there is no approach we will put in 11 strains. We’d be capable to offer you a one in two years.” I stated, “Effectively, lads, have you ever ever been to Benidorm?” Benidorm I do not know of an equal, however what’s a very unhealthy resort the place households go actually low-cost, actually cheesy, actually crap. Effectively, there’s one in Spain known as Benidorm and I stated, have you ever ever been to Benidorm guys and so they stated no and I stated, properly, perhaps it’s best to go. Pay attention, I’ve obtained some tickets. You can deliver the spouse and so they have been simply taking a look at me like I used to be utterly nuts. 

Tom Gardner: Was that the primary and final bribe of your life?

Bob Geldolf: Yeah, overlook it. I used to be hopeless at this in order that was the top of that. Hey, I went into music.

Mac Greer: That clip by no means aired on the radio present as a result of for the NPR Present we needed to take lengthy interviews and edit them down in order that’s the primary time we have ever aired that.

Tom Gardner: Wow, you edited that out.

Mac Greer: Sure.

David Gardner: However it reappeared.

Mac Greer: Sure. I do know.

Tom Gardner: 20 years for that.

Mac Greer: That is how good Bob Geldof was, is there was simply an excessive amount of to select from.

Tom Gardner: The numerous issues that Bob Geldof is nice at is naming kids. Are you aware the names of any of his kids?

David Gardner: I do not.

Tom Gardner: Anybody prefer to take a shot?

David Gardner: Mac. 

Tom Gardner: Little Pixie Geldof.

Mac Greer: Little Pixie.

Tom Gardner: Peaches Geldof. Fifi Trixibelle Geldof. Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily Hutchence Geldof.

Mac Greer: Oh my gosh.

Tom Gardner: These are the 4 daughters of Bob Geldof. A inventive genius on many fronts.

David Gardner: I simply beloved the minister telling him to bribe. I imply, simply considering shortly again via the ten commandments. I do not keep in mind. Thou shalt not bribe. I am considering that was legit.

Tom Gardner: It appears to me we must always do a greater job of celebrating people who find themselves actually deeply intellectually engaged on this planet round them. Should you consider the place the Boomtown rats, Bob Geldof and the entire issues that he is chosen to be concerned in. At any level alongside the best way you might take one other facet of some place that he is taken. However there’s someone who has thrown himself into the world in an try to make it higher. The goal of The Motley Idiot is to make the world smarter, happier, and richer. I rejoice the foolishness of Bob Geldof right this moment.

Mac Greer: Yeah.

David Gardner: Stunning. That is undoubtedly a cliche guys, however Bob Geldof 71 years younger.

Mac Greer: Guys, as we wrap up baseball season gearing up, there’s loads of change with the twenty second pitch clock. It obtained me eager about change brokers in baseball. It obtained me eager about an interview we did with baseball promoter Mike Veeck, the son of the legendary Invoice Veeck. Now if you do not know the title Invoice Veeck, he is finest identified for signing Eddie Gaedel in 1951. Gaedel was three toes, seven inches tall. He made one performed look. He walked on for pitches. Now, Mike Veeck is Invoice Veeck’s son. He is the co-owner of a number of minor-league baseball groups. Effectively, he had his personal inventive makes an attempt at advertising and marketing again in March of 2003. This month, 20 years in the past, Mike Veeck talked about his most well-known promotion, Disco Demolition Night time.

Mike Veeck: In 1979, the White Sox, have been probably not a really thrilling ball membership to observe that, that they had a rescheduled twinight doubleheader in opposition to the Detroit Tigers on July twelfth. There was a disc jockey in Chicago, by the title is Steve Doll, who had began blowing up disco information on his morning broadcast on WLUP. The primary time I heard it, I name him up. I stated, would you want to do this in particular person? We schedule it for Thursday night time, a rescheduled, a rainout, a twinight doubleheader, and invited all people in Chicago to deliver a disco report getting for $0.98 and 100,000 folks got here to thirty fifth after which shields, 100,000 folks.

We had 60,000 folks inside, 40,000 folks exterior. After the primary recreation, we blew up 12,000 Donna Summers information and KC and The Sunshine Band, which was nice theater till 10 or 15,000 children determined to look magically on the sector. As a few of your listeners may think, it’s extremely troublesome to play the second recreation for doubleheader with 15,000 folks on the sector. We forfeited the second recreation due to an incredible efficiency by Sparky Anderson. The following day I used to be gone. I did not know what a gradual information day meant till Friday, thirteenth of July 1979. However the date, shall we embrace was very acceptable. I did not work once more till I went to Tampa bay 20 years later.

David Gardner: An outstanding factor to suppose again on. Mac, I actually had forgotten Disco Demolition Night time. I undoubtedly remembered having Mike Veeck on. I believe he’d written a e-book about how enterprise needs to be enjoyable or your company tradition needs to be enjoyable. That was our extensible cause for having him on our present again then, however yeah. Wow.

Tom Gardner: Something that is going to explode Donna Summer time albums, I am glad it failed. That by no means actually resonated with me. The entire idea disco sucks. I simply do not fairly get that. Possibly I am an island. I do not know, however that one I used to be glad that that one fell aside on the market.

Mac Greer: I agree. I’ve a gentle spot for disco. If a Bee Gee music comes on, I listened to it a lot to my spouse’s chagrin, however I’ve a gentle spot for the Bee Gees.

Tom Gardner: Effectively, the Bee Gees could also be an outlier. I believe you do not have to like the Bee Gees to like disco. I keep in mind at one of many Bee Gees apologized. This will probably be like 15 years in the past. One of many Bee Gees bros got here out, “I am sorry for what we did.”

Mac Greer: Mike Veeck, primarily, as he stated, will get excommunicated from baseball. However he comes again and to his credit score, or perhaps to different folks’s chagrin, he’s nonetheless at it. However this time, no disco, no demolition, it is a a lot quieter promotion.

David Gardner: One other Mike Veeck promotional concept, mimes performing incident replays between innings talks about that Mike.

Mike Veeck: That is my all time favourite. We employed 5 mimes. I did not understand that in Central Park, mimes soar out of the bushes on a regular basis. Folks do not kill them. They only are intrigued by them. We had a detailed play in St. Paul within the fifth inning, as I recall, 5 mimes jumped up on prime of the dugout, recreated the closed play at first and there have been 6,329 folks sitting there in absolute stupefied silence. It was tanking past perception when abruptly a child within the entrance row threw a hotdog, the gang adopted swimsuit. Fairly quickly they have been throwing every little thing that wasn’t nailed down at these mines within the seventh inning, they stated one thing that wasn’t mime like. We offered 26,000 sizzling canine to a crowd of 6,000 folks, which is gastrointestinal inconceivable. It was fairly an evening. The next yr, we tried to return again with a mime is a horrible factor to waste, however the mimes is not going to come again.

David Gardner: What a incredible storyteller Mike Veeck is. I used to be checking simply to see what number of majorly baseball video games, by the best way, have been forfeited. That does not occur fairly often, however on August tenth, 1995, the Dodgers gave out baseball’s to paying prospects as they enter dodgers stadium for a recreation in opposition to the Cardinals. The followers by the seventh inning, we’re interrupting the sport, throwing baseball’s onto the sector once more within the backside of the ninth. I am studying that from Wikipedia. First Dodgers, batter Raul Mondesí was known as out on strikes rejected by residence performed umpire. Tommy Lasorda runs out. He is abusing the empire, the Dodger followers fueled by a sequence of shut calls, once more threw their memento baseball’s onto the sector that Cardinals simply left as a result of security considerations.

Tom Gardner: I keep in mind seat cushions at one level, some recreation everybody was throwing their seat cushions on the sector typically. In all probability a good suggestion to be very considerate about what you hand out to twenty-eight,000 individuals who even have entry to concession stands. 

David Gardner: It is all coming all the way down to freebies that you just’re giving folks as they stroll in your state and watch out what you hand out.

Mac Greer: That won’t have been his most misguided concept in one other a part of the interview that we cannot air. However he talked about vasectomy night time and the way the concept was that you’d get a free vasectomy and that promotion by no means occurred. Actually, it solely lasted about an hour as a result of the outcry was so intense. However I really like Mike Veeck as a result of he simply goes for it.

Tom Gardner: Effectively, I might say Mike Veeck is an unbelievable promotional thoughts. If you concentrate on it. I imply, perhaps there’s Veeck integrated. I am proper now on his Twitter web page, so I see that he has a Twitter account, but when anyone wants a promotional concept, clearly, that may have been an important subscription enterprise for him to run. Simply veeck.com, what’s your business? What’s your product? Who’re you making an attempt to achieve? Then I will simply ship you three concepts, and I like to recommend being very cautious about all of them.

David Gardner: I really like that properly, we’re very close to the top of our time, however Mac, I requested you this final time, it was once more about three years in the past, simply earlier than the pandemic once we lasted Blast From The Radio Previous. I requested you and I’ll do it once more proper now Mac. Why did we do that week?

Mac Greer: Effectively, I do not know if my reply has modified a lot as a result of I believe everybody has a narrative and we’re all about making the world happier, smarter, and richer. You hear these insights and also you hear how persons are considering on the time. For me, it brings to thoughts that outdated adage about historical past would not repeat itself, nevertheless it rhymes. Understanding historical past, understanding how folks noticed the long run again in 2002, in 2003 makes us smarter right this moment.

David Gardner: Adore it. It additionally lets us showcase a deep vault of audio gold. Tom particularly, Mac began rocking issues that by no means aired. He is sitting on a fair deeper vault than I spotted.

Tom Gardner: It is a very highly effective place to be in, to have the ability to choose what you wish to deliver to the world. It makes me suppose that what we beforehand known as The Motley Idiot radio present, and the place because it was constructed as the 2 brothers David and Tom Gardner. That is really all been about Mac Greer. Mac Greer has been controlling every little thing that you have skilled in Motley Idiot audio. That is why somebody, please I plead with you to step ahead and on behalf of Irwin Mainway, somebody tackle macgreer.com. I am leaving that mysterious folks can Google Irwin Mainway and relisten to the present, the interview with the Blockbuster CEO.

Mac Greer: How do you spell Mainway?

David Gardner: M-A-I-N-W-A-Y, Irwin Mainway, and John Antioco AKA and listening to a few of their voice, I heard some similarities there, however all of this might be introduced collectively on a single URL, macgreer.com.

Mac Greer: If somebody buys macgreer.com, to me, that’s each an indication of the apocalypse and it is a very bearish signal. It means now we have more cash to burn than we even thought.

Tom Gardner: Even Mac Greer himself will not buy macgreer.com.

Mac Greer: It is not price it. I do know the man and he is overrated.

David Gardner: Effectively, one factor is for positive right here, in conclusion, guys, I am not going to let three years move earlier than we do that once more. The fourth and our long-running beloved Blast From The Radio Previous episodic sequence. Effectively, I wish to thank my brother, Tom. Tom, thanks.

Tom Gardner: Look ahead to seeing you once more in lower than three years.

Tom Gardner: I wish to thank Mac Greer, our celebrated longtime producer, Mac. You made this present. Thanks.

Mac Greer: Thanks David Gardner, go Astros.

David Gardner: We three flip and thanks for struggling Fools gladly this week. Have an important week forward. Idiot on.