by hairclub. when it comes to fighting hair loss, one name stands above the rest, hairclub, the number-one trusted name in fighting hair loss. stay tuned to hear about film and tv star frankie muniz's personal hairclub experience, and other inspiring stories of the lives that have been changed by hairclub. including a few celebrity surprises. - there's nothing quite like driving with the top down. the feeling of the wind rushing through your hair is pretty exhilarating. and that's not something i could always say.

hi, i'm frankie muniz. you may know me from film, tv, or even the racetrack, but what you might not know is that i faced my own battle with hair loss. i'd like to share with you my story of how i was losing my hair, and for years couldn't find the right solution until the day i found hairclub. it's a story that stars my favorite co-star ever. but first, listen to these amazing hairclub stories. - i think i started losing my hair somewhere in my mid-20s. i was actually in the navy. and i used to go to some salons to get my hair done. avoiding the navy barbers. know they would say that like, oh, i think you're losing your hair. of course i was in denial, thinking that oh no, they don't know what they're talking about. maybe they just cut it wrong, you know? one day i was outside, it was a hot day, in uniform. someone had tipped off my hat and a girl had called out, "oh my god, you had lost all your hair." yeah, that's kind of when it really hit me like, oh wow, i am really actually losing hair. i found out about hairclub. it just happened to be really close to where i had lived. and i gave it a try. i definitely found the results

i was looking for, the quality, the level of detail, and the results were absolutely there. hairclub provided all of the above, whether it was the level of service, the level of quality, the talent that was available, the way i was treated like a valued customer. and not even just a customer, actually, i would say like a friend to a lot of the staff. i always felt great leaving there. if you're thinking about going to hairclub, there's three things that you should do. call hairclub, set up an appointment, and get in the door. it will change your life. hairclub, changing lives. (lively music) - [announcer] is hair loss holding you back from feeling your best? it's time to stop ignoring your hair loss, and discover how hairclub's life-changing solutions can help you regain your confidence. at hairclub, we believe in more than just restoring hair. we believe in the power of feeling happy, confident, and secure. with a deep sense of care and compassion, our hair loss specialists understands the impact of hair loss, and provide personalized solutions that have changed the lives of thousands of people.

with over 100 locations across the u.s., canada, and puerto rico, it's never been easier to get started with your complimentary hair loss consultation. - noticed i've been losing my hair as early as 19. i was a teenager, almost fresh outta high school. new in college. college is a competition, right? you wanna look good, you wanna be able to pick up dates, and things like that. and it's tough as a kid to have issues that you would think your dad or grandfather would have. any kind of like hair restoration or anything like that just seems so out of reach for me. and expensive. a razor's much cheaper. that was a turning point in my life, really, because this is like me finally succumbing to the fact that like, i am suffering hair loss. i don't know how to fix it. this is my only solution and this is what the rest of my life will look like. before coming to hairclub, when i first learned about it, i was a bit apprehensive. it wasn't until i was online and doing some research and i saw somebody that looked like me. i'm like, okay, i could see myself doing this. that gave me a little bit more confidence

to come and get it done. i had not even thought about doing anything like this before because it always seemed so far out of reach for me. it wasn't until i spun around in the chair and i got to see it, and i said to her, i said, "this is the hairstyle i had when i was 19 years old." i didn't show her any pictures. she hadn't seen my before pictures at all. i got back to the room, and i just stared at myself for a while and i'm just like, i recognize that guy, but i just haven't seen him in a while. it's not something that's out of this world. it's obtainable. they can help you maintain your confidence and not be regretful 12 years later. hairclub has been a fantastic experience. from the staff to my consultation walking through what's important to me down into the final reveal, everybody's been super supportive and answering all my questions. hairclub has been nothing but kind and opened its doors to me. so if you're sitting at home, stop thinking, start doing. pick up the phone, call hairclub. make an appointment for your consultation. it's gonna change your life. thank you hairclub for giving me the confidence to be me again.

- [narrator] getting in-person treatment is easier than ever. in as little as one visit, your entire life will be changed. with your complimentary in-person consultation, a hair loss specialist will show you all the options customized just for you. you can get back to looking and feeling your best self with great-looking hair. call hairclub now to receive a $250 virtual prepaid hairclub mastercard with the purchase of a qualifying hair loss solution. you deserve to look and feel your best. hairclub, changing lives, call now. - what do you think of when you think of hair loss? do you cover it up, do you hide it? do you start to lose confidence? these questions are why hairclub was started over 45 years ago. with virtually every leading solution to hair loss, hairclub clients get access to over a hundred locations across north america, where highly-trained hair loss specialists help you understand the reason for your hair loss, and provide a personalized solution perfect for you.

since the initial consultation is complimentary, there's absolutely no risk to you. isn't it worth it to find out how great getting your hair back can be? of course it is. book your complimentary hair loss consultation. call us or book online now. (lively music) - i started noticing losing hair probably in my early-20s. and it wasn't even me. it was other people, coworkers, and friends that would be like, "hey man, i think you're starting "to lose some hair, you're starting to thin out there." and i'd be like, man, quit. what are you talking about? and i think for a certain period of time, i was a little bit in denial. it did bother me. you know, i always pictured myself with a nice, full, head full of hair. noticing that it was going away, i tried to take certain precautions and certain things to preserve it as long as i could. but i think over time it definitely affected my confidence to a certain extent. i went as far as i even got a hair transplant. i would say the results were good for some time. i still had a lot of natural hair still left in my scalp. and over time that hair started falling out, so i never really did get the density that i hoped out of it. it kind of got to a point where i was like, "you know what, man? "i'm pretty sick of this.

"i'm just gonna shave my head." and i went all bald. when i went in for my consultation, it was a very, very good experience. like it was a positive experience. i went in, immediately felt comfortable with the staff. based on my needs and where i was at in life, they were very understanding, they were very, very good in terms of explaining the process. based on kind of the trust that we were able to generate in that initial consultation, i decided, you know what? this is something that i wanna try. it was pretty spectacular. i mean, it was like a reveal should be. i was pretty amazed with how the hairline looked. i was amazed with the amount of density and the volume that it had. i looked like the pictures i would find on instagram or on pinterest, and be like, whoa, that's kind of how i want my hair to look. reveal was good, i felt kind of like myself again. having been through this journey and having kind of gone through the things that i've gone through, a lot of people i guess would say, you look so much younger, you look like you've gotten younger. more than the young me, i feel like i see the new me. i really like it. if hair is very important to you

and if there is something that you would like and if it is something that you are interested in, pick up the phone, call hairclub, get a consultation. take that first leap of faith, 'cause i did, and it's worked out for me as it has worked out for a lot of other members. take that first step, reach out to hairclub and explore your opportunities and explore your options. hairclub, changing lives. - those are some great stories, and we'll hear a lot more of those today. but right now i would like to introduce my favorite co-star, my wife paige. - hi, everyone. - if it wasn't for paige, i might have never gone to hairclub on my own. - after seeing the effect hair loss was having on him, i knew we had to do something. he lost his confidence, his swagger. and that had taken a toll on all of us. - before hairclub, i tried so many different options and nothing worked. some were even painful. i had all but given up. - and that's when i told him we're in this together. after doing a lot of research, i called hairclub and set up the complimentary hair loss consultation.

because with over 45 years of experience, i knew hairclub would have the right solution for frankie. - and as usual, she was right. after just one visit, my life would change for the better and i would forever be thankful to not only paige, but also to hairclub. from the moment we walked in for our consultation, we knew we were in good hands and the results speak for themselves. i feel like myself again, thanks to hairclub. if you're struggling with hair loss, go online or pick up the phone to schedule your very own complimentary consultation right now. - i first started losing my hair when i was four. my mom woke up one day and said she tried to do my hair, combed it, and handful of hair came out. the older i got like first, second, third grade, the kids got crueler and crueler. it had me head down, quiet. it hit me hard, it hit hard. then third grade, it's probably the earliest i remember becoming a hairclub for kids member. once i finally got my hair, oh, i'm gonna whip now. i can walk into my classroom. back then and actually, hello, everyone, like i just felt like a new person.

to me, the hairclub difference, i wanna say it's the energy in general, the company's energy have you feeling amazing. from the moment you walk in to the moment you leave, you feel like you can smile, you feel like everything's gonna be okay. my mother herself is a cosmetologist. so growing up with essentially nothing, i felt like my mom could do everybody's hair but mine. hairclub has had a huge impact on my life. seeing it on my own mother's face, that looking at your child's struggle with stuff, the struggle goes away, the playfulness comes back, the youthful experience comes back 'cause you're no longer hiding or dealing with something that a lot of people don't have to deal with anymore. from the moment the stylist flips you around in the chair and it's like, who is this? hello. i don't even know if i could actually put it into words, but the feeling is in light. you almost feel like, okay, let me sit up straight, let me smile a little brighter. let me speak to random people walking down the street because look at me. hey, this is my hair and i do whatever i want with it.

i would tell somebody sitting at home, make the call. if you're unsure, make it. what did you do yesterday? if you were upset about yesterday, you have to do something today to change it. make the call, set the appointment, walk through the door, be brand new, with hairclub, no bad hair days. - [narrator] call and schedule a complimentary hair loss consultation today. call now to receive a $250 virtual prepaid hairclub mastercard with a purchase of a qualifying hair loss solution. stay tuned for our surprise celebrity guests. film and tv star, jeremy piven and his friend, talent manager and hollywood movie producer henry penzi. (mellow music) - i'm sitting here with my longtime friend henry penzi. and he's gonna tell us about his journey with hairclub. i met you a hundred years ago. - yeah. - you were part of wahlberg's entourage. - correct. - you were part of the original. - the original- - actual entourage. - yeah. - so you've been losing your hair for a while. - since i was 30 years old. - you said to me, i wanna do something about my hair. - i hadn't seen you for a couple years, and i was shocked.

i was like, oh my god, i have to do this. - tell me what has happened to you. - well, i got a phone call from hairclub. they said, come in, we have a new technology, a new hair system that could probably work for you. i was just there sitting down in the lobby and all of a sudden i see one guy go by, and i'm like, wow. then another guy came by, i got up and i tapped him in the back and i go, is that your hair? is that your real hair? and he goes, they did it here. and i said, i could look like that guy? and the guy hugged me and he goes, you could look like me. - walk me through it really quickly. what's the experience like? - you walk in the door, they offer you a great cup of coffee, explain the procedure and how it would work. and this works. - so you basically just said, this is me at 30, recreate this, i want to go back. - and the thing is that i didn't show 'em any pictures to the young lady that put it all together for me. after they put it all together, i showed them a picture and they were like shocked. - how do you feel now compared to- - well, i feel like a million bucks. i feel like i'm feeling like i'm 30 again.

- henry, do you have any regrets? - well, my regret is that i wish i would've called hairclub sooner, and had this done, because they've done a wonderful job. - would you say that hairclub changed your life? - hairclub has changed my life, i feel good. i feel confident, now i can go out there and i feel good by myself. - you heard henry's story, now it's up to you to create your own story. call hairclub now. hairclub, changing lives. (bright music) - hair loss affects millions of people each year. it doesn't matter if you walk the red carpet or simply walk down the street. hair loss can impact anyone. all it took was one visit for hairclub to transform me from this to this. hairclub changed my life. - i liked the before, but i love the after. just seeing how much more confidence frankie has now, and how much his overall mood has improved. it's really been amazing. - if you're struggling with hair loss, believe me, i get it. that's why there's no better time than right now to call or go online to set up your complimentary hair loss consultation with hairclub. it's a life-changer.

- [narrator] don't waste another minute with your thinning, receding, retreating, or unfulfilling hair. call and schedule a complimentary hair loss consultation today. you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. during your consultation, our hair loss specialists will customize the perfect plan just for you. it's time to look and feel like yourself again with hairclub. don't let hair loss hold you back any longer. call hairclub now and get a $250 virtual prepaid mastercard with the purchase of a qualifying hair loss solution. hairclub, changing lives, call now. - okay everyone, it's time for a little quiz. - we're not gonna give the folks at home homework, are we? - no, it's a simple quiz everyone watching can answer to see if they should be calling hairclub like we did. - i like the sound of that. - question number one, when did you first notice your hair loss? a, over a year ago. b, within the last year. or c, you're in prevention mode. - question number two, how much hair have you lost? a, only a little.

b, some, or c, a lot. - here's question number three. where are you noticing hair loss? there are lots of possible answers here and not a single one is something hairclub hasn't seen. if any one of these sound familiar, then you should be calling hairclub right now. - i am a stylist at hairclub, and what i do is i help people get their lives back. i've been with hairclub for 28 years. and the reason why i'm there is because of what we do for people. on the day that someone gets their hair back, there's an immediate transformation, not just in their appearance but the way that they feel. it's just absolutely amazing. it really hits to your heart, because as a stylist you go into cosmetology school thinking you're gonna work with hair and you're gonna make everybody look beautiful, and that's truly special. but when you come to hairclub, you're not just making them look beautiful, you're really touching them on the inside. and that's what is so special about being a stylist at hairclub. we change lives, we change lives every day.

and it's truly rewarding. hairclub has a solution for everyone. whether you're in the early stages of hair loss or you already have extreme hair loss, it doesn't matter where you're at at that level, we're here to help you, we've got a solution for any stage. with over a hundred locations, you're gonna be able to go into a location and meet with one of our highly-trained specialists to answer your questions and find out what is the solution that's best for you. if you're sitting at home thinking about what does hairclub have to offer, why would i wanna go in? you're not gonna find out by sitting there. give it a shot. what do you have to lose? come on in, see us. - [narrator] getting hair loss treatment is easier than ever. in as little as one visit, your entire life could be changed. starting with your complimentary hair loss consultation, a hair loss specialist will give you a comprehensive hair health analysis. hairclub uses our state-of-the-art imaging tool, trico view, for an in-depth visual examination

of your scalp and hair. once we identify the issue, we provide you with customized solutions for your unique needs to start you on the path to amazing hair. and we're with you every step of the way along this life-changing journey, making adjustments to your hair treatment if needed. with hairclub, your hair will always look and feel just the way you like. so get back to looking and feeling like your best self with thick, great-looking healthy hair. don't waste another minute. life-changing transformation begins with a simple conversation with hairclub. call now to book your complimentary hair loss consultation. call hairclub now and get a $250 virtual prepaid mastercard with the purchase of a qualifying hair loss solution. make theall, get the hair you've wanted back. - i've spent a lot of time in front of the camera in tv and movies, plus my time on the racetrack. but nothing can prepare you for being a parent. - [paige] our son is very important to us and he really keeps us on our toes. - and with my new hair from hairclub, i don't worry about a thing. - we do everything any parent would do with kids,

like going swimming. - there's literally nothing we can't do. - and frankie's hair looks great the whole time. - look, i love my wife and i owe this head of hair and this smile on my face to her. my biggest and only regret is that i didn't call hairclub sooner. i started losing hair at a very, very young age. and let me tell you, being the balding kid on the red carpet is not a good look. yikes, i can't believe you went on a date with that guy. - i love you however you look, but what i hated was seeing how hair loss made you feel. nobody should have to live with the stress and anxiety and total confidence-killer that i saw you dealing with on a daily basis. - yeah, well that's why i tell everyone to call hairclub as soon as possible, because it can truly change your life. and i'm not the only one who feels that way. - i first started losing my hair after i had several surgeries, the anesthesia. i started like just not inching back like you see a lot of people have. and all of my family members had their hair and all of a sudden here i was with like patches of hair falling out.

i was still coaching and doing choreography, and that was like my main source of income. in that industry, you wanna look as young and innovative as you can. and so with me looking older, i was very concerned about my livelihood, and being able to continue working, and being able to support myself. the moment i realized i needed to do something, my company that i worked for, we were having staff pictures for summer, had to go on the website, and stuff like that. and i could not get my hair to do anything. we were outside at a beach and i, in tears the morning of the photo shoot, grabbed the clippers and buzzed my head. i was mortified, but it was the only thing that i could think of that i could do to make myself look okay. i remember the first time that i sat in this chair and jen turned me around and i saw myself, and i looked in the mirror, and saw somebody that i saw 10 years ago. the first thing i did was call my mom. she was like, is this a filter on snapchat? like, what are you doing? like this can't be real, like it looks too great. and with that, all of that confidence came back. and you don't wanna give that up. it completely changes the way that you look at yourself in the mirror when you wake up every day. i love hairclub so much, i end up working for hairclub.

i love being able to help people the way that i was helped and give them back their confidence. we change people's lives every day, and it's one of my favorite parts of what i do. i would recommend hairclub to anybody who has any kind of hair issues. if it's preventative, if it's gone, and you think there's no getting it back, you can restore that in yourself. and hairclub did that for me. people don't wanna put themselves out there because they're nervous of what people are gonna say and do. it totally changes people's attitude, and you're so much more confident in yourself. if there's anything that i could say to somebody that is thinking about this, come to hairclub. sit down and have that consultation. don't wait, go ahead and pick up the phone, or go online and schedule a consultation. just to have that conversation and see what options are out there. i think a lot of people just don't know how hairclub can help them. they will change your life. - hey, frankie. - yeah, paige? - what else can we do to show the folks watching that it's time to call hairclub? - i feel like it's time for another quiz.

- number four, do you feel that you know the cause of your hair loss? is it a, age? b, hereditary? c, stress, d, something else? or perhaps you don't know. - okay, here's a good one that i can relate to. question five, what treatments have you tried that didn't work? a, topical, b, oral supplements or medications. c, laser therapy, d, something else. or e, none at all. - last question. how has hair loss affected you when it comes to activities like, a, meeting new people? b, dating, c work? d, special events, or e, going to the gym? - would you say it's a little, some, or a lot? now with all those answers in mind, if they sounded familiar, you're in the right place at the right time. a hairclub hair loss specialist can help you get the hair you deserve. all you need to do is call or go online now to schedule your complimentary hair loss consultation. - [narrator] hairclub has been helping people

for over 45 years with virtually every hair loss solution available in the marketplace today. many of which can be done in just one day. plus, with over 100 hairclub locations across north america, getting in-person treatment is easier than ever. whether you're thinning, balding, or somewhere in between, it's never too late to get a customized treatment from hairclub's hair loss specialists. call and schedule a complimentary hair loss consultation today, and get a $250 virtual prepaid mastercard with the purchase of a qualifying hair loss solution. - let's all face it. you have a lot of options when it comes to hair loss. and if you're on social media, you've probably been bombarded with them every day. and you know what? you're not alone. even i fell for one of those over-hyped internet hair loss solutions, and got a treatment that was a disaster, it was just awful. - that was really upsetting because at that point, you practically gave up and buzzed everything off. - that wasn't a great look. what i learned was that you can't replace

experience with internet hype. thankfully hairclub determined my problem and recommended x strands plus. and to put it mildly, it changed my life. now my hair not only looks the same, it feels the same too. - which is great because we're a pretty active family. so that hair has to withstand a lot. like our son who loves to wrestle around with dad and grab his hair. - he can yank all he wants, but thanks to hairclub, my head of hair is staying right where it belongs. there truly has never been a more satisfied client than me. - look at that smile. - and i owe it all to hairclub's x strands plus. - [narrator] for the latest technology in hair replacement, hairclub clients seeking superior results, choose x strands plus. this unique cutting-edge solution blends and styles your new hair with your existing hair in a way that yields fantastic results. thanks to hairclub's exclusive strand by strand process, you get natural-looking hair that matches your color and texture in just one styling session. this non-surgical option creates a nearly invisible layer that not only looks but feels natural. imagine showering, styling,

or even swimming with your new hair. you can because it's part of you. (bright music) - at hairclub, it's really important that we make that emotional connection with our clients as quickly as possible. we understand that this is an emotional journey for them to enter into the door. my job is to help advocate and educate them and help them take control back of their lives. during the consultation, we do a hair and scalp analysis along with what is called a trico view, which is almost like an in-depth microscope, of the actual hair follicle itself. by doing that, we can show the clients the actual progression of their hair loss, where the actual hair loss is on their scalp, and come up with the best solution. and have that discussion with them so that they can make the proper decision. being a consultant at hairclub is such a beautiful thing 'cause it's so emotional. it's not just about their hair, it's about their confidence, and them taking charge back of their lives. when you see someone go through this process for the first time, it's just such a beautiful thing to see their eyes light up again

and get to take those next steps and being who they truly want to be. having the hair that you want really can change your life because it's gonna give you that confidence that you deserve. the biggest regret that i hear from my clients is that they didn't call sooner. so my suggestion is pick up the phone and call now so we can start advocating and helping address your needs. - [narrator] call now to book your complimentary hair loss consultation. call hairclub now and get a $250 virtual prepaid mastercard with the purchase of a qualifying hair loss solution. make the call, get the hair you've wanted back. (lively music) - i promise, hairclub has a solution for you and you will not regret it. - if you have even a pinch of curiosity about what hairclub can do for you, you need to call. i don't even wanna imagine where we'd be without it. it was one of the best decisions we've ever made. - i promise hairclub has a solution

for you and you will not regret it. if there's even a little curiosity about what hairclub can do for you, you need to call. it was one of the best decisions that i ever made. don't sit around waiting any longer. call hairclub now. - hairclub changing lives. - hairclub changing lives. - hairclub changing lives. - hairclub changing lives. - if you're struggling with thinning hair, a receding hairline, baldness, or you're just not happy with your appearance because of your hair, hairclub has the answer. hairclub is dedicated to solving all types of hair problems. with over 45 years of experience and over 100 locations across north america, hairclub has changed the lives of thousands of people and has given them the confidence and self-esteem that comes from knowing you look your best, by embracing and loving your hair. - getting treatment is easier than ever. - take it from us, in as little as one visit, your entire life can be changed. starting with your complimentary hair loss consultation. - just stop being frustrated. - stop letting your confidence suffer. - and most importantly, put a stop to your hair problems.

and let a hair loss specialist at hairclub give you a complimentary hair loss consultation. - we really appreciated how they answered all of the questions we had every step of the way. - if i had a problem, they fixed it. if i needed something, they handled it. and if i had any doubts, they made me a believer. and if you're like us, always on the go, their convenient locations will make keeping your hair in tip-top shape so easy. - we learned very quickly that hairclub treats you like family. so go visit your new family now. - hairclub. changing lives. - [narrator] so get back to looking and feeling like your best self with thick, great-looking, healthy hair. don't waste another minute. with hairclub's complimentary hair loss consultation, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. it's time to look and feel like yourself again. with hairclub, call now. - it doesn't matter if you're headed to the red carpet or the racetrack. - home, the office, married or single. - get the head of hair you deserve and put the swagger back in your step with hairclub. - you've heard our life-changing story.

and you've heard it firsthand from plenty of others. now the rest is up to you. - look, i'll make it very simple. i wouldn't be standing here if i didn't believe that hairclub could help you too. a very famous puppet once said, do or do not, there is no tribe. so with those words of wisdom, i have to say, make this moment the moment you put an end to your hair loss for good. let hairclub's over 45 years of experience show you why they are the leader in hair loss solutions. there's no better time to change your life than a call to hairclub right now. - hairclub, changing lives. - call now. - no matter if you want regrowth, restoration, or replacement, hairclub has the solutions for you. make the call, change your life. and if you call now, you'll receive our limited-time offer of a $250 virtual prepaid mastercard with the purchase of a qualifying hair loss solution. visit hairclub.com.

the preceding program was sponsored by hairclub.

politics doesn't have to be a scary and confusing as it may seem. this week, jon favreau's pitch to last-minute undecided voters to persuade and to move people, you have to meet them where they are. the fabric served as president obama's chief speechwriter. what do you think is the most important lesson you learned from barack obama? he discusses some of the most tense moments with obama and some of the funniest. obama just is like an inch from my face. and he goes, are you trying to tell me i have to take out my favorite line in the speech? favreau now hosting the top progressive podcast.

who is your favorite pod save america co-host? yeah, right. broadcasting across california. you're watching. the issue is welcome to the issue as i'm alex michaelson this week. the issue is voting and activism. we're revisiting one of our favorite interviews, which is especially relevant right now. we sat down with jon favreau inside his studios in june. jon was the chief speechwriter for then-president barack obama. he'd go on to found crooked media with his pals tommy vitter and john love it. they co-host pod save america, one of the most popular podcasts in the country. and this year they wrote a book called democracy or else how to save america in ten easy steps. jon favreau, welcome to the issue is, and thank you for having us here at crooked. thanks for thanks for coming in. thanks for having me on the show. yeah, we love that. crooked is here in california, and it often gives us an opportunity to mooch off your guests, so i appreciate that as well. when people come in to do your show. you know, the book is great democracy or else,

and how to save america in ten steps. i read the whole thing. it's fun. it's fast. it's funny. yeah. it's like every other sentence seems to be a joke. try to keep it like it's the textbook i wish i had when i was taking finally psych class. and i think it's really inviting for a whole lot of people, even if you're not a liberal. i think it's really written as a way to get you more involved in politics. why do you think that a book like this is necessary? i mean, we started pod save america back in 2017 because after donald trump won, a lot of people who hadn't been involved in politics hadn't really even paid attention to politics. and some democrats, some republicans, some people who just weren't either said, you know, we're scared about what's happening with the country. we want to get involved. but we're just we're not sure how how we'd be most useful, where to start. and, you know, the pod for the last several years has been trying to help people understand that politics doesn't

have to be as scary and confusing as it may seem, and that getting involved is easier and more useful than you might think. and, we also had the opportunity to talk to so many people who are smarter than us and more experienced than us. and, whether it's strategists, politicians, organizers, activists. and so we wanted to include their lessons in the book, our lessons in the book, and just sort of put it all on paper because we've been talking into microphones for all these years. but we figured maybe it'd be good to get it into a book. yeah, and that is the best part about hosting a show, is that you do get to talk to people smarter than you, and i'm so grateful for the opportunity to talk to you, to learn from you. and the book starts with this idea of being prepared and getting informed and goes into the very challenging dynamic that we're in right now in terms of our media landscape, which has changed so much even in the last few years. yes, for people that are confused on what do i believe, what do i not believe?

where should i go? what do you say? i mean, i still think mainstream news sources, your new york times, wall street journal, washington post, the issue is the issue, of course. yes. like, those are going to be the sources that you can still count on, even though they don't have the reach they used to have. that's, of course, part of the issue. but that's where you can and i also would advise people to, you know, go seek out news sources that don't necessarily confirm your own beliefs. and also, if you see something and it strikes you as surprising, but go find a couple other sources that are saying it as well, you know, don't just take don't just take one tweet and think that that's the news and start sharing it. so you're the messaging guy. obviously you were the speechwriter for obama. and one of the things you talk about in terms of messaging here is the challenge of talking to people that really aren't that into politics, which, by the way,

is most people most people aren't like us. we're weird in that space. and there's a lot of people, especially with this election, that don't like the two presidential candidates and are thinking about sitting this one out and you talk about the way to talk to them. what's your best advice for people to try to bring them into the fold a little bit? it's a great question. i think oftentimes when we think about how to communicate with people, we think about it in terms of what do i need to say to them? what do i need to tell them? and i think a lot of the most impactful and persuasive conversations start with listening and asking someone, what do you care about? what issues are on your mind? what concerns do you have about, political issues that may affect you, that may affect your family? it may affect your community or the country and and then go in from that, from that way, and do it from there. and i, you know, we tell a story in the book,

about, this woman who we had interviewed for another podcast i do called the wilderness, and she was in, western pennsylvania in a pretty conservative red area of pennsylvania. she's liberal. and after the 2016 elections in advance of the midterms, she was doorknocking. and she encountered this, you know, house trump flag. talk to this woman, definitely a trump supporter. and instead of saying, like, you know, i'm from the resistance and we're we're we're trying to elect democrats, you know, she said, what do you care about? and i care about the high cost of prescription drugs. and i think and she goes, yeah, me too. she goes, i have ms.. and and i'm worried about health guarantees. again, i think that the pharmaceutical companies are like charging too much. me too. and they had this nice conversation about health care where they realized that they agreed on a lot more than they thought. and in addition to perhaps convincing that woman to see things from another political point of view, it also just built trust between the two of them. and i think that right now, when most of the people

who might not participate in this election have such little trust and faith in institutions, making sure they hear from trusted messengers and making sure that you can be a trusted messenger is probably going to be the most important thing, in terms of trying to persuade them to see things differently. and you make the argument that talking to a neighbor or somebody in your community is far more influential and persuadable than some random schmuck. yeah, that's even maybe even calling you on the phone or something like that. although that that story reminded me of an experience that i had when i was in college and i was doing door knocking, and i remember asking, are you voting for john kerry? and the guy said, i'm voting to shoot john kerry. and i said, undecided. i think we got the data wrong on this one. i've gotten plenty of that. yeah, i was i was, i did telemarketing for a newspaper in high school. so you can imagine how many, how many hang ups and expletives. yeah. dealt with from a different media environment. one of the other things you talk about in the book, democracy

or else, is your own journey into politics. starting, as a kid, working on the kerry campaign and wanting to be a speechwriter and thinking i can be a speechwriter and sort of, kind of looking forcing your way into that a little bit. i did, i was, i was on the kerry campaign two weeks out of college. i was, press assistant on the kerry campaign. i moved down to d.c., i had an internship in his senate office when i was in college, and i was the press assistant. so i got everyone lunches and coffees, and i did all the grunt work. fast forward a couple months later. john kerry is losing to howard dean in the primary. had to mortgage his house, to keep the campaign going and so they couldn't afford to hire a real speechwriter. and not a lot of people wanted to join that primary campaign because they thought it was a sinking ship. so they looked around and they're like, all right, i guess we can make favreau the the junior speechwriter, because we not gonna have to pay him more than the $24,000 a year that i was making at the time.

so that's how i got the job. and then kerry wins the primary. and, you know, i stayed on through the general and and then a few years later, there's this young upstart senator and your old boss in the in the campaign. right, robert gibbs. yes. come work for us for this guy named barack obama. yes he did. and in my first meeting with obama did not go as well because i was at the 2004 convention in boston, where he gave the keynote address, and i was working for the kerry campaign. and, the chief speechwriter called me from the road and said, you know, there's a there's a line in the speech, the keynote address being delivered by state senator barack obama, barack obama, that, john kerry wants to use in his speech. and i was like, so he's like, well, we're going to need you to go take that line out of the speech entirely. needs to change the line. and i'm like, what? so i'm 21 walk down the hall. barack obama's practicing the 2004 convention speech on teleprompter. for the first time. i walk up to gibbs, i was like, he needs to change the line. i tell melvin gibbs, like, i'm not telling them. you go tell them.

so i introduce myself. i tell them, you know this line well, and obama just is like an inch from my face. and he goes, are you trying to tell me i have to take out my favorite line in this speech? and i think i lost consciousness for a few seconds. and when i, when i came to, i met david axelrod and he said, son, let's walk outside and we'll, we'll rewrite the line together. what was the line? the line was at the end of the. there are no red states, blue states, only the united states. and originally it was red, white and blue. and john kerry wanted to use red, white and blue. and so we had to give it to we gave it to chose it better the way that you did it, it turned out to be it turned out better. and then the best part was months later, when i sat down for the job interview with obama in the senate office. he didn't remember that i was the the kid that i know. so he hired me. and then, of course, you become the speechwriter, one of the most famous speechwriters in american history for one of the more popular presidents, and what do you think is the most important lesson

you learned from barack obama? yeah, it's a great question. i had to relearn lessons that i had learned on the kerry campaign, and not just because of john kerry, because most politicians, democratic politicians, republican politicians, i think, look at speeches and still look to some extent at speeches as a collection of soundbites and applause lines. and obama, in that 2004 convention speech that he wrote himself because he didn't have a speechwriter before me. he told a story. and, you know, the first couple minutes of that speech, there are no applause lines because he's talking about his story, how it fits in with the larger american story. and he wasn't thinking about i got to get them to clap here. and i got to get the press to write this. somebody was just like, the story is more important than the words. and he taught me that, and i learned that from him. and over the next eight years, you know, sometimes it frustrated our, our comms people that we didn't have, like a quotable line in the speech. right. but that's i think it, you know, we we are moved and persuaded

by stories, by emotion, more so than just facts and figures. and that is how he, you know, communicated with people. and i do think that more politicians would be better off if, if that's how they communicate. let's goes back to, like, caveman drawing stories. absolutely. but do you think that would work now with our attention span, which is even shorter than it was in 2008? it is. i've thought about that many times. in the last couple of years is what will become of speechwriting. i think that i still think you see this on youtube all the time. people like, tuned in for hours. right? or they'll listen to your shows, right? save america podcast if they don't stay with you, i don't know. and we try to keep it like, you know, 40. i think joe rogan's going like three hours, you know, and so if if the content feels authentic and it is authentic and it is it just sounds conversational and it's like striking a chord with someone, people will they will spend the time with it. and look, that still means that i'm aware

that, people are still consuming a lot of news and political information in very short clips. so you have to do all of that. but i think that you shouldn't try to communicate or write necessarily just for the medium. you've got to start with, what's the story i want to tell? and then you can figure out how to shape that so that it fits within maybe a shorter clip or whatever else. it seems like we're in this weird moment where people's attention span is either 3 seconds or 3 hours, i know. right? and the in-between, they're like, they aren't there. they're like scrolling or let's just stay with this forever because it's so hard to just capture people's attention. and once you have their attention, you can do it. but it takes a while to get that. there's one story that i thought was really great in the book, which you tell about the white house course and dinner, that you were writing with your pal and co-host now, john. love it. yeah. and this is the famous speech where he both goes after donald trump and was busy doing something else on the side, but couldn't tell you what he was doing. yeah, that

the day of the correspondents speech, we were very excited about the speech and all these donald trump jokes. obama had just finally flew out his birth certificate, gave a press conference crazy, gave a press conference to talk about the birth certificate. and so we had all these jokes about trump and and love it. and, and and, and me where in the outside the oval office. we're waiting for our meeting with obama to go over the jokes one more time. and, obama's personal secretary, our friend katie, it's like he's in there with, you know, he's got a national security call. he's talking to a general, and we're like, the speech is in a couple hours. we got to get in there, you know, and we're like all annoyed. and finally he opens, you know, opens the door, and he's in a great mood. he's very relaxed. and we're sitting there and he's like, i love all the jokes. i'm really excited for this because there's just there's one punchline where, the punchline is, is bin laden. he goes, and i think we need like, another sort of global bad guy autocrat.

whatever. or and he's like, how about hosni mubarak? you know, and i'm like, that's not that. that's not as funny. doesn't work out, you know? and he's like, trust me, trust me. and then, right before the speech, he called me and he was like, can you add? and he's like, i'll probably remember this on my own, but just add at the end a line that says, you know, god, may god bless america and may god keep our troops safe. and i was like, that's odd. he's never he never told me to do that before. and sure enough, we learned the next day that the call he was on before us was with general mcraven. to give the final go ahead for the mission to, to get bin laden. so he had to deal with he was he was dealing with us jokers. yeah, well, he was well, he was, you know, probably giving the giving the green light for one of the most important missions, our military has done in some time on a weekend where he, both killed bin laden and gave birth to donald trump. yeah, we went one for two on. it was a very big weekend. when we come back, how fatherhood changed jon favreau.

yeah.

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so we're talking to jon favreau, the author coauthor of democracy or else. and one of the things you talk about in this book, is the importance of taking a break from all the politics, because it gets to be way too much. and you are married and you've got two young kids. yeah. how has your wife emily, and your kids changed? you? it's a great question. i mean, having kids is certainly the the biggest life change there has ever been, like, you know, people say, oh, there's you go through transitions high school to college and marriage. nothing compared to having having kids. and now, you know, my eldest son, charlie, is, almost four. and i find as much as, parenting is challenging and exhausting when i am just hanging out with him and i can put the phone down and not think about politics, like that is a break

and is a real break. i'm still very tired, but for like mentally it is. it's a break and it's also like, you know, i get to there's a different skill required, right? i'm teaching him, about the world and now he talks me these great conversations and it's just, it's it's wonderful. and, it's funny because i didn't think when when emily first said she was pregnant, i was like, oh, god, i don't i this could be a huge mistake. i don't know if i'm to be parent. i got politics to deal with out of time for this kid thing. and now i'm like, obsessed with them. so that's that's your whole that's your world. yeah. for sure. next. jon favreau plays personal issues. but

as we wrap things up with jon favreau, the coauthor of democracy or else on the issue is we have a little bit of fun. we play this game called personal issues, where we do your rapid fire, your personal favorites, cultural favorites to get to know you a little bit. so first thing that comes to mind, what is your favorite tv show? oh, favorite tv show?

succession. what is your favorite kid's movie? go inside out and just watch inside. we got we got charlie through almost all of it. the new one or the the first one first. yeah. okay. we watched it just before the new one came out. very nice. what's your favorite book other than, of course, democracy or house? my favorite book. that's a great question. you know, the i'll give you my favorite book that got me into politics as a kid, which was, also human, george stephanopoulos but it's a great, great book. yeah. and so honest. and then you end up kind of becoming that guy with it, and it inspired me to get into politics. are you a big west wing fan? i am, yeah. favorite sports team? i think i know the answer. red sox. there you go. who is your favorite pod save america co-host? yeah, right. it's drive. yeah, yeah. what is the best thing about being a californian? honestly, everything i'm just going to say, like, i thought i. i thought i would be east coast for life from boston. lived in dc for ten years. i was like, what?

and it's cheesy to say the weather, but, like, i, i think it is it's so wonderful to wake up every day and walk around in this city like i really do. i'm here for life. my family's here. my parents moved from boston. they're in thousand oaks. my brother is here. he lives in the valley and, emily's sister lives down in orange county. so, like, we now have roots out here, and, and we'll be here for. we'll be here for a long time. it's not as bad as some cable primetime host saying it is. not at all. yeah. up next, some of favreau's key lessons learned from barack obama. your business needs a network it can count on...

up next, some of favreau's key lessons learned from even during the unexpected. power's out! -power's out! comcast business has you covered, with wifi backup to help keep you up and running. wifi's up. let's power on! let's power on! -let's power on! it's from the company with 99.9% network reliability. let's power on! power on with the leader in connectivity. stay connected with comcast business internet and wifi back-up or get started for $49.99 a month. plus ask how to get up to a $500 prepaid card. call today!

and finally, jon favreau, who is your role model? my role model, honestly. like, it's it's going to sound cheesy, but like, i still like, look up to barack obama in a, in a big way, and i always have. and it's just because i, i had the he wasn't just my boss. he was like a mentor to me. and everyone's always like, how did you write for a guy who writes that?

well, i mean, it was a gift that i got to learn about writing from one of the best, and he was always so patient with me. and in all these, like, very high stress, high pressure situations, he never lost patience. he never yelled at me. and, and he just cares a lot. and he sort of taught me the way i see the world and the way i see politics is really based on what i learned from him. i mean, when we talked about what he taught you. but but what do you think made him so exceptional as a politician? yeah. to be able to beat the bush family, the clinton family, these massive dynasties, to go toe to toe with all these different people, to be the first black president. what was it about him? i've come to think that he has a very finely honed sense of empathy. and i think the reason he has that is he's biracial. so he's had a he's had a foot in so many different worlds. right? so black, white, kansas,

hawaii, he indonesia, indonesia. he's been to some of the poorest neighborhoods, you know, organizing in chicago, wealthy school, like a home in hawaii. right. like he's he's he's got family from canada and chinese canadians, like, all over the world. so i think because he is of so many different worlds, he understands that to persuade and to move people, you have to meet them where they are. you have to try to put yourself in their shoes and then bring them along. and i think that's the most important skill in politics. and and that's his whole life tells that story, which is why i think he was able to succeed. well, john, congrats on all your success. it's really incredible what you've built with crooked. thank you. and i think the most important work you've done, though, is with vote save america. and this ability of bringing people into politics from all different walks of life around the country and getting them involved in the system is, i think, the most important thing. and i and i hope that's a huge part of your legacy because it's really important work. well, thank you. and, and i'm just really grateful for our team here who puts together and runs it,

and also just all the people who have signed up and given their time and energy to this, because that's so what we need right now. and all the proceeds from this book, democracy or else goes to vote save america to help get people more involved in politics. that's right. jon favreau, so great to talk to you on the same day. thanks so much for having us. thank you. in one bay area community, and now there's word of an agreement. what that means for school tomorrow. and nearly a week left until election day. democratic presidential nominee kamala harris gets a boost from former first lady michelle obama and former president trump prepares for what he says will be one of his biggest events of his campaign. plus, the niners are set to face the dallas cowboys tonight at levi's stadium in a must g