Added: Oct 23, 2023
In this episode of Club Random with Bill Maher, the guest Candace Owens discusses various topics including her views on Trump, pregnancy, birth control, climate change, the moon landing, parenting, and the transgender movement.Owens starts by stating that she believes Trump being out of office was a good thing, as it allowed her to focus on her own show. However, Maher interrupts her and states that it's not about her show, which Owens finds insulting.
She clarifies that she doesn't believe in birth control and that she has been pregnant for three years, with her third child due in November. Owens explains that she wanted to have her children back-to-back to avoid the hassle of restarting and taking out all the baby items again.
The conversation then shifts to the topic of the moon landing, as Maher questions Owens about her belief in conspiracy theories. Owens clarifies that she made a lighthearted tweet about the moon landing being a conspiracy theory, but she doesn't actually believe it. Maher expresses his disbelief and emphasizes the importance of acknowledging that people did land on the moon. Owens states that she doesn't know much about the topic and doesn't care about it.
They then discuss Owens' move from California to Nashville and the differences in parenting styles between the two locations. Owens criticizes the liberal bubble in Los Angeles, where parents treat their children like adults and are afraid to say no to them. She mentions the absurdity of not being able to opt out of certain school policies, such as not being notified if a child changes their gender. Owens believes that parents should have the right to make decisions for their children and expresses concerns about the increasing number of vaccines given to children.
The conversation takes a turn towards the transgender movement, with Owens expressing her views on the topic. She distinguishes between old-school liberals who believe in respecting and protecting transgender individuals and woke liberals who push the idea of being transgender onto young children. Owens questions the statistical likelihood of multiple children in one family identifying as non-binary or transgender and suggests that lack of parenting may be a factor.
The podcast continues with a discussion about a segment involving Eminem and Vivek Ramaswamy. Owens expresses her opinion that the segment was harmless and criticizes Eminem for lawyering up against Ramaswamy. She also mentions advising Ramaswamy to stop rapping, as she believes it is not a good look.
The conversation then shifts to politics, with Owens expressing her fatigue with the current political climate. She mentions that Ramaswamy is more aligned with her views on issues like global warming, but she believes he has different motivations for running for office. Owens speculates that Ramaswamy may be running to raise his profile for future political endeavors rather than aiming for the vice presidency.
Maher disagrees and argues that politicians often choose their former rivals as running mates. Owens mentions Nikki Haley as a potential vice presidential candidate but believes she is motivated by financial gain rather than political aspirations. The conversation then veers into a discussion about past vice presidents and their relationships with the presidents they served under.
The topic of the 2020 election and Donald Trump's refusal to concede is brought up. Owens criticizes Trump for not accepting the election results and attempting to overturn them. Maher counters by mentioning the Black Lives Matter riots and questioning whether Owens considered them a threat to democracy. Owens argues that the events of January 6th, when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, were part of a larger scheme to prevent the certification of the election results.
The conversation then turns to media hoaxes, with Owens expressing her distrust of the media and their coverage of Trump. She mentions the allegations against Trump during the 2016 election and criticizes the media for misrepresenting his comments about grabbing women. Maher defends Trump's comments as locker room talk and suggests that both men and women engage in such conversations.
The discussion then delves into the impact of pornography on society, particularly on men. Owens argues that pornography is harmful to men and their relationships, citing the availability and accessibility of explicit content. She believes that pornography is negatively affecting men's self-control and impulse control.
Maher agrees with Owens and shares his observations about the evolution of pornography from magazines to online platforms. He mentions the normalization of pornography in schools and the potential negative effects on young people's understanding of healthy sexual relationships.
The conversation continues with a discussion about the lack of depth and character in people today. Owens expresses her desire to have meaningful conversations with interesting individuals, such as her late grandfather. Maher asks Owens what her grandfather would have thought about the current narrative of racism being worse than ever. Owens shares her grandfather's experiences with real racism and criticizes the tendency to exaggerate or exploit racial issues for personal gain.
Owens starts by discussing her background and how she grew up with a sense of pride in her grandfather and Black America. However, she expresses her disappointment with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, as she feels it has caused a dissipation of that pride. Owens believes that humor is a powerful tool and expresses her desire to be able to make fun of racial stereotypes without fear of backlash. She admires Bill Maher's ability to take people apart with his humor and wishes that people could engage in lighthearted banter without being overly sensitive.
Owens expresses her belief that real racists are so stupid that they shouldn't be taken seriously. She gives an example of a documentary series she is working on, where she listened to prison calls between a convicted murderer and his family. The use of racial slurs in these calls did not offend her because she believes that the individuals involved are too unintelligent to be taken seriously. Owens argues that giving too much power to racism and constantly talking about it prevents people from moving closer together.
Owens and Maher discuss the concept of self-hating white people, with Owens expressing her discomfort with the idea. She believes that black people would never engage in such behavior and finds it patronizing when white people apologize for their race. Owens emphasizes the importance of being able to make fun of each other in a lighthearted way and believes that constantly walking on eggshells and avoiding jokes only creates distance between people.
The conversation then turns to the topic of cultural differences and the media's portrayal of race relations. Owens shares her observations of people from different racial backgrounds getting along well in everyday situations, such as in a diner in Charlotte, North Carolina. She believes that the media often racializes situations unnecessarily and that people of different races can have falling outs without it being solely about race. Owens argues that the media narrative of constant racial tension does not reflect the reality she sees in her everyday life.
Owens and Maher discuss the changing political landscape and the tribalism that has emerged. Owens expresses her frustration with being pigeonholed as a Trump supporter and the assumptions people make about her based on her political beliefs. She believes that people should be able to listen to and engage with different perspectives without immediately dismissing them based on political affiliations. Owens shares her admiration for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a liberal environmental activist, and his work on raising awareness about the potential health risks associated with vaccines. She believes that people should be open to listening to individuals with different political beliefs if they have valuable insights to offer.
The conversation concludes with a discussion about the importance of laughter and humor. Owens and Maher both express their love for laughter and the therapeutic effect it has. They believe that humor brings people together and helps to bridge divides. Owens shares her experience of being called names and facing backlash for her political beliefs but remains committed to using humor and laughter as a way to connect with others.
