Morning Run with Amy and TJ and iHeartRadio Podcast. Good morning everyone, Thanks for joining us on today's Morning Run. It is Wednesday, April second. I'm Amy Robots and.
I'm TJ Holmes. And what is your favorite Val Kilmer movie? Yes, folks all go up to the news. Val Kilmer has passed away and it has us all thinking about his career and seeing him in what are now iconic roles. What's your favorite?
So I have a very strange one, but Willow hands down my favorite movie from nineteen eighty eight. It's the movie He met his wife. Theyson's divorced, but he got his children from that movie.
Anyway.
I was fifteen when it came out and I fell in love with him.
I fell in love with the movie.
So yes, that's my favorite.
How about you?
It's tough. A lot of people are reminiscent, and I guess I have an odd one too. The Ghost and the Darkness. It's a film in which he plays a builder who goes to Africa and his project is upended because of two lions that are killing. He's with Michael Douglass in the movie. It's a wonderful film. It's called
The Ghost and the darkness. But anyway, we're going to talk some more about Val Kilmer this morning and some of those iconic roles of course, iceman and whatnot, but said to wake up to the news that he has passed away at the age of sixty five. More on him in just a moment, but also on this morning's run. Today's the day the markets and the world have been bracing for. It's Liberation Day, the day President Trump announces major new tariffs.
And employees of the Department of Health and Human Services are bracing themselves for the layoff emails that are now being sent to thousands of employees. This week, plus, New Jersey Senator Corey Booker has made history and his point protesting against the Trump administration and its policies.
Also this morning, twenty three states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration, demanding billions of dollars they say they're owed. Also, the tens of millions of dollars Elon Musk poured into the Wisconsin State Supreme Court did not buy him the election results he was hoping.
For, and Attorney General Pampondi is going for the death penalty against alleged CEO healthcare killer Luigi Mangione after Trump reinstated federal executions on day one of his presidency, and.
Also this morning, Tiger Woods, for the Wind, the world renowned golfer, took a shot at becoming an international prankster a lot of pranks yesterday on April Fool's Day, Tiger Woods got in on the action. We never got word on the sour Patch kids. Did they ever officially say we were just joking?
All I know is at late yesterday we had Sabine come in saying that it was still up and that it still looked like it was just patch kids. Okay, well, we'll have to look for an update on that, all right, But.
We're going to start first leg of our run this morning with the news of the passing of really a Hollywood legend who had some iconic roles. We're talking Val Kilmer. He has passed away, as family says, he died last night at home in La surrounded by family and friends.
Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer back in two twenty fourteen, and dealt with complications from it over the years. He had undergone a tracheotomy twice. He used a voice box, but Ultimately he lost his ability to speak.
His family said he died of pneumonia.
So you where where do you even want to start with his career And most people will start with Iceman, Batman or Jim Morrison. Those three rolls were standouts in his career that really spanned really the late eighties thoroughly into the nineties. He had a superstar turn. Different reasons
for those three roles being standouts in his career. He was giving critical praise for his portrayal Jim Morrison in The Doors that was nineteen ninety one, and then he took over as the Caped Crusader in nineteen ninety five's Batman Forever. Now a lot of Batman movies in that this was the one that had Nicole Kidman. Jim Carrey was the rittler, Tom Tommy Lee Jones was two faced, crist O'Donnell was Robin. But yes, he that's a big deal, and that was a big deal. It's almost like James Bond.
You wait to see who's going to be the next Bond. Yeah, that was at a time you're waiting he was going to be the next Batman and he got.
The role, and what a cast that was. That movie was a commercial success, but it wasn't a critical one, and Kilmer never returned as Batman, so he was one and done. George Cooney, if you may remember, took over after him. But before all of that Batman stuff, there was yes, Top Gun. He played opposite Tom Cruise as the talented, arrogant fighter pilot Iceman.
Yeah, he said, actually that was a role he didn't want initially, simply he had no interest in the movie in the character. He only agreed to become Iceman after they agreed to beef up the character, which of course they did. He was able to reprise that role as Iceman in Top Gun Maverick, I guess in twenty twenty two. But that was a you know, you were happy to see him bag. We knew all the health issues he had had, and I'm so glad that Tom Cruise gave
him a role in that movie. But he communicated in that movie. His character communicated via text message for the most part, and you weren't able to hear his voice.
We saw that together, and that was one of the big controversies. People either loved it or they hated it. I personally, it was a little weird, but I liked it. I liked the nod to him, and I liked that they were able to bring back his character with him present in the movie.
He needed to be in that movie. I agree, really really happy they were able to do that. But you go back a little further, and I think he was obviously a harp throw up, a very good looking guy for some of these roles. But this was a guy who was dedicated to his craft. He was at the time he was accepted, he was the youngest person to ever be admitted to the prestigious Juilliard School. He was known for his commitment to roles in method acting, in particular.
Now we talked about him playing Jim Morrison in The Doors. They said he actually constantly just wore leather pants and blasted the Doors music for a full year wow in getting ready for that role. And then the scene in Tombstone he had a death scene at the end on a deathbed. They actually say he requested a real bed of real ice for him to lay in so he could portray that feeling of dying of tuberculosis. Like he was that kind of committed.
To It's interesting you mentioned he was the heartthrowe. I think that is part of one of the reasons why I fell in love with him in Willow. And yes, he was certainly a good looking dude, but yes, his acting chops were legit. I mean, he really really took his craft seriously. And you think about all of those movies and all of the range of characters he played, he was excellent.
I didn't realize you go back. He was into his first two movies with kind of comedy Spouce, Top Secret and Real Genius. Those were in eighty four and eighty five. Have you seen those? Those?
I have not.
But of course he was Doc Holliday and Tombstone we just mentioned if you're not familiar with that, that was a really interesting and fun role that he played. He was very very good in that one. He was in heat as a bank robber. What was that? De Niro and al Pacino were both in that movie as well. Ghost in the Darkness. I encourage you to all go check that one out. That was in ninety six. But he survived by his kids, Mercedes and Jack. I five
years ago he did a movie called pay Dirt. I think it was his last film on which he starred in but he got to be in that movie with his daughter Mercedes, and I had a full interview, was supposed to be just with him. She needed to be there because she needed to help me understand what he was saying.
He was just so difficult with his voice spot.
To understand, but to hear him. I think one of the first things he said, he said, I feel better than I sound, and he was so upbeat. Listening to him, you're devastated. But then when you see his energy, like, wow, he's in a better move than I am.
I was going to point that out. We have over the years a Good Morning America. He's been interviewed, and we have watched him and heard him, and I was always struck by his joy.
He had like a lightness about.
Him and a gratefulness about him despite his physical ailments. I mean, imagine, your craft is acting. Your voice is part of your instrument in doing what you love. And he lost that, and yet he never lost his that sparkle in his eye, that wit and charm and laughter that you saw it was still there despite all of his physical inabilities. That was so inspiring to me, and it still is to this day. He brought that joy every day.
You know what I never got to tell him, and this is sometimes you never know the impact you're going to have on people. But there's a scene in Top Gun in which he's sitting in the class with all the other fighter pilots. Tom Cruise looks back at him and he's twirling a pen through his fingers. He's just twirling it. To this day, I know how to do that because of Val Kilmer, because I went to school, elementary school, and every day I practiced that is that weird?
Just that's why I know.
I hadn't thought about that, but Val Kilmer. I can do something today because if I saw Val Kilmer doing in a movie when I was in elementary school. Just it's amazing how people and just art and movies and music whatever it is, can have an impact on people in ways you never ever know. And who knows how many people have vow Kilmer stories out there.
Yeah, that's pretty cool. Well, I would love to watch The Ghost in the Darkness today. I have not seen it, and I would encourage you. We could watch Willow together too, because that is one of my favorites.
It's all about vow Kilmer today. But yeah, sorry to hear about his passing at the age of sixty five.
We certainly are. We're going to move on on the Run next up on Wednesday's Morning Run. We have mentioned before on this podcast that the stock market doesn't really like uncertainty, so it should come as no surprise that the markets have been volatile and shaky all in anticipation of today.
What is today, you asked, It's Literation Day.
No, it's not a federal holiday, but that is what President Trump is calling today, the much anticipated day where he is going to announce his new tariffs that earlier this week he referred to as the Big One. The announcement is expected at a ceremony at four o'clock Eastern today.
The details of the tariffs are still unknown, which is one of the major reasons the market have been so unstable. The idea of a Liberation Day, experts say, suggests that these tariffs we're going to hear about are not temporary, but rather they're going to be put in place to provide a permanent source of revenue for the United States.
Lan Trump administration officials say these tariffs could reduce our deficit and balance our budget. Critics say these tariffs will dismantle our relationship with allies, and not just our trade relationships with them, but our defense ones as well.
The markets dropped early in the day, but by closed they made up some ground. The S and P went from a six month low to eventually closing slightly up. Futures are showing the markets slightly down by half a percentage point. The bottom line, it's anyone's guess how the markets are going to react to what Trump will announce today, which is also anyone's guests.
Let's continue on the run here now. With thousands of layoffs, we knew they were coming, but they are now officially underway at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Pink slips via email started going out yesterday.
The department is ultimately expected to lay off up to ten thousand people. Critics say these huts will mean that we're going to lose key experts like researchers, scientists, doctors who have all played major roles within the department when it comes to approving drugs and other big decisions.
And they say timing is everything and may have just been bad timing, But Health UH Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior, just so happened to post a celebratory message to his new hires to lead the NIH and the FDA, just hours after employees started receiving the you're fired emails. Kennedy wrote, the revolution begins today. Bad timing, bad taste. You got to be aware of that. That doesn't look.
Yeah it does, a lot of folks said, hey, really, we don't need to see the celebration of, you know, paving the new way forward while all of us are now getting pink slips.
It was, yeah, definitely bad timing.
All right, we'll stay with us here on this Wednesday Morning run. When we come back. Senator Corey Booker hopefully is napping right now, and it is much deserved federal government bringing back the death penalty and Tiger Woods the greatest golfer. Ever, some would argue he might be one of the greatest pranksters as well. Stavid Us.
Welcome back everyone to Wednesday's morning run. Next up on the run, Senator Corey Booker has talked himself right into the history books. The New Jersey Democrat finally wrapped up his marathon Senate speech last night.
That's Tuesday night.
Yeah, he started the speech on Monday night, saying he would speak as long as he was physically able as a protest against President Trump, Elon Musk, and the policies and priorities of this administration. He wrapped up around eight oh five last night, his official time twenty five hours and six minutes. He had officially taken the floor at six fifty nine pm on Monday night. So this now sets a new record for the longest speech ever given in the US set it's.
Forty five minutes longer than the previous longest Senate speech ever from segregationist Strong Thurman, who spoke more than twenty four hours in nineteen fifty seven in opposition of this Civil Rights Act. Booker, who never said his goal was to break Thurman's record, did at one point acknowledge the symbolism I love what he said. He said, I'm not here because of his speech. I'm here despite it.
Then it's twenty five plus hours of speaking. Cory Booker did not get breaks necessarily to leave the chamber, but he did get breaks in talking from a number of his Democratic colleagues who are allowed to ask him questions. And trust me, these were not short questions. They were long, drawn out, little speeches. That gave him a chance at least rest his voice, but other than that, he never necessarily got a break. He hass some water up there,
but he didn't leave the chamber. He did not go to the bathroom h twenty five plus hours.
My jaw dropped when I saw this. So this is how he did it, because I just didn't think that was possible. He said he prepared by not eating anything anything in the days leading up to the speech.
He didn't drink anything.
After Sunday, he said he actually tried to de high a bit so he wouldn't have to use the bathroom, and at the end he said he wanted to stop talking in order to go deal with some biological urgencies. I'm feeling, really that's remarkable to not use the restroom and probably not advisable.
You know, That's the new thing I'm going to use in mixed company. I'm not going to say I'm going to the restroom. I need to go deal with some biological urgencies. I like that. That should be the new way. We also announced we're going to the bathroom.
I don't know.
That could mean a lot of things, though.
That's the thing. It leaves to the imagination.
But I don't want to think of it. All the things they could mean.
Oh my god.
All right, moving on next up on the Run, The Feds have announced they are seeking the death penalty against Luigi Mangio and the man accused of murdering United Healthcare.
CEO Brian Thompson.
Attorney General Pambondi made the announcement, saying the murder of quote, an innocent man and father of two young children, was a premeditated, cold blooded assassination that shocked America.
Hey Bondi said her decision was part of President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime make America safe again. Mangioni's attorney reacted by saying the decision to execute her client goes against the recommendation of local and federal prosecutors, and added by doing this, they are defending the broken, immoral, and murderous health care industry that continues to terrorize the American people.
Yeah out.
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order restoring the use of the federal death penalty. Former President Biden had stopped federal executions back in twenty twenty one. Mangioni is accused of brazenly killing Thompson outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown, Manhattan on December fourth of last year. He is pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges here in New York State, but has not yet entered a plea in the federal cases against him.
Want we continue on our run here now and stop us? If you've heard this one before. The Trump administration is being sued, and most of you are saying, Okay, TJ stop because we have heard that before. So yes, being sued. But what for this time? This time it's twenty three states in the District of Columbia, specifically taking aim at the Department of Health and Human Services and Secretary RFK Junior.
The states want their money, at least what they believe is money. There due eleven billion dollars in grants from the federal government. The Trump administration announced last month it would be ending that funding as part of its review of federal spending, saying that eleven billion dollars was allocated to the states during the COVID nineteen pandemic.
Yeah, isn't that interesting? In their estimation at least the Trump administration, why are we continuing to spend billions of dollars on a pandemic that no longer exists. The states are arguing that AHHS has no legal right to hold that funding. Their argument here is, yes, we took that money and we built and we created certain programs in our states, and we need those programs to keep going. However, the money was only supposed to be for COVID nineteen
and for the pandemic. So we said, twenty three states have brought suits. Guess how many states have Democratic governor's roopes.
I'm going to go with twenty three. Wow, I'm smart, all right. Next up on our own elon Musk's twenty million dollar investment it did not pay off. That is how much he poured into the Wisconsin Supreme Court race to back the conservative candidate, Republican Brad Shimmel.
Yeah, Shimmel lost last night to the Democratic supported candidate Susan Crawford in a race that got national attention. He got big names and big money. In fact, it is the most expensive judicial race in US history and estimated one hundred million dollars was poured into this campaign.
Former President Obama chimed in with support for Crawford. President Trump backed Shimmel Elon Musk personally campaigned in Wisconsin for Shimmel. Why was this such a critical race?
Yeah, her win now keeps the state's Supreme Court with a four to three liberal lean the court and this all important swing state is expected to make big decisions on voting rights, redistricting, abortion rights that could have an impact on national politics. This is not supposed to be a partisan seat, even though yes it was a versus Republican. But this is a ten year term. This is a big deal. So politics, we're gonna in a few years
gonna be saying this in Wisconsin. Man. You know, elections have consequences because they're gonna point to this and they're gonna be decisions made. And this is the night they're gonna point to. Is this is why this is happening?
All right? Very interesting?
All right, Final leg. We're here on this Wednesday morning, Final leg. Perhaps the most talked about April Fool's Day joke came to us courtesy of world renowned jokester Tiger Woods. We know a lot about this dude. Knowing him as a jokester or prankster is not necessarily the thing, So this was cool to see him do He's a fifteen time Major winner, widely regarded possibly as the greatest golfer ever. He announced just last month, though, that he had suffered a torn achilles.
Yeah, so that type of injury typically has a six to nine month recovery time. But Tiger went to X yesterday and wrote this, I'm gonna quote him here. I can't believe I am saying this, But a few weeks after rupturing my left achilles, sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber, plus the expensive lifts, my doctors and trainers have me ready to play them Masters next week.
Can't wait. See y'all on the course.
Okay, and eyebrow went up for a second, for just a second, and I needed to remember because I read his statement there several times, and then I had to remember it was April Fool's Day. And that's why I said, wait a minute, this is absolutely impossible, because every NFL player, every athlete on the planet would be doing this. If you could recover from an acl just like that.
And see me, I'm like, I absolutely impossible.
Fell for it.
I would not have known any of the above, Like, wow, see what money can do, and the best doctors in the world can do.
Whoever comes up with a way to fix an ACL in a month is going to be the richest person in the world, period. But this has been cool. He announced that he he's dating Vanessa Trump. That announcement what two weeks ago on social media. He just looks lighter, doesn't he. This guy is known for his intensity and not necessarily for being warm and fuzzy, even though he has a big, million dollar smile.
But this has been nice to see well, and to be.
Able to joke about a fairly catastrophic injury also shows you where he is in his headspace. He's not even taking that too seriously, which is pretty remarkable given where his focus has been for most of his life.
Isn't that crazy time experience? It just you can tell you can feel a lighter Tiger Woods. I loved that he did this, and I love where he is right now, even if he never swings another golf club the rest of his life.
You know what, I didn't even intend this, but this actually transitions perfectly to our quote of the day.
There It is, yes, folks, as we always do something we'd like for you to consider as you go about your day. It is now a much anticipated quote of the day, Do tell ro.
Yes here it is never take life life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway, anonymous. But I just needed to read that. You know, I think we all get way down, bogged down with like just life.
But if we can just remember that quote, it's.
An instant boost, an instant lift. It's just a reminder.
You ever have those moments where things are going so like, everything goes bad and you just start laughing hysterically. Yes, that's what it feels like, is life. It happens sometimes, So that's a really really good one. Give it to him one more time.
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway. That is full perspective. Everyone on this Wednesday, thank you so much for running with us. I made me robots then.
I'm TJ. Holmes. Folks, we always appreciate having you. Will see you back here on Thursday's run tomorrow