Morning Run with Amy and TJ and iHeartRadio Podcast. Good morning everyone, this is your Morning Run for May fifteenth. I'm Amy Robot and.
I'm TJ Holmes. Everybody check out Amy Robot now because she might be a mess later or in party mode. Congratulations is graduation day. You're going to your oldest is going to be graduating today from NYU, and you're either going to be crying like a baby later or party in heart that you got one over with and out of the way.
Yes, my bank account is going to be very joyful today. The last tuition payment was made a few months ago. But yes, we're celebrating ava and getting to go to Yankee Stadium. That's a pretty cool venue for a college graduation. So I'm very proud of her and all she's accomplished. She is a bright, beautiful human who has an amazing future and I'm excited for her and a.
Lot of your parents are going through. That is that season where it's high school, whether it's college, congratulation. Enjoy the season. But we do want to get going on our run this morning, on this Thursday morning, and coming up today, President Trump on the final leg of his four day trip across the Middle East, closing in on his trillion dollar mission. Meanwhile, President Zalinski showed up this morning for peace talks with nobody to talk to, stood up by Trump and Pudin.
Plus, the Supreme Court is taking a birthright citizenship and owe so much more. Bottom line, can district judges impose a nationwide block on Trump's executive orders? Also, it is day four of the Sean Diddy Combs trial and star witness Cassie Ventura is back on the stand after a second day of graphic and heartbreaking testimony.
Also on the run this morning, some Starbucks baristas on strike this week because they don't like being told what to where to work. Guess not everybody looks good in black. Also, same app, newish name. A surprise announcement, the streaming app Max is changing its name two HBO Max might sound familiar because that was its previous name. No doubt, you know, I went back and I'm not sure which one of those stories is my favorite today, Starbucks or HBO Max, For those two are doozies.
It is because you know, I don't know about anyone else, but I still have old apps on my phone and on and I always get confused which one is the right one because they've changed their name so many times.
Well, this story is not going to help you. It is certain Max is going back to its old name. We'll explain why and it actually makes sense.
Okay, all right, we begin our run though overseas where President Trump is on the final leg of his Middle East tour. Trump is headed to the United Arab Emirates after a headline making trip across Katar and Saudi Arabia this week, and he seems.
To be getting closer to that trillion dollar goal in the region, securing several lucrative business deals for the US yesterday and cutter totally more than two hundred and forty three billion dollars. That, of course, now in addition to the six hundred billion dollars in commitments he got from Saudi Arabia.
One of the biggest deals happened yesterday with Qatar Airwaves, who announced on an historic who announced an historic purchase of one hundred and sixty Boeing jetliners with the option of purchasing fifty more so, it is Boeing's largest sale ever of its wide body airplanes. The White House released a statement about the sale, calling President Trump the deal maker in chief.
He's making deals, but he's also being a diplomat on this trip, not all business. A major breakthrough with Syria, Trump met with series new president yesterday urged him to normalize relations with that country's longtime rival Israel. The request came after Trump announced he would lift all economic sanctions against the country.
And when Trump flies to Abu Dhabi later today, he will meet with the UAE's leader and discuss another business deal related to artificial intelligence. So he has been wheeling and dealing across the Middle East. It was noted though, that when the discussions were made about the Boeing jetliners and the lucrative deals made with Cutter, no one including the president thus that luxury Boeing jetliner that will be
donated as the new Air Force one. Still a lot of controversy over that here in the States, But as far as we can tell, President Trump is going forward with that plan for a new Air Force one.
What is there to talk about. They're giving me a four hundred million on a plane. I'm accepting it. Everybody shut up.
Yeah, he said it would be stupid to reject the offer.
He we'll continue on this Thursday morning. Run now, and somebody should probably tell Ukrainian President Zelenski that his date is not coming. He arrived in Turkey this morning for peace talks, but at this point he doesn't have anybody to talk to. Puutin ain't coming, Trump ain't coming.
You Actually, we were just watching the arrival of Zelenski and you said, there he is all alone on the tarmac. Ukraine and Russia had signaled that the two countries would have direct talks today on ending their three year wars. Zelenski then proposed those direct talks between him and President Putin.
Putin even signaled in recent days he was open to the idea, and President Trump, who yes, is on that Middle East trip not too far for him to go over to Turkey, suggested he might change his schedule and head to Istanbul for the meeting.
But now it appears nobody told Zelensky he is actually now being stood up. It appears by Putin and Trump. It's unclear if the two sides Russian Ukraine will even have their delegations meet. This has been very confusing, very uncertain, but Moscow has confirmed Putin will not be there. However, the Russians do have a delegation there. Now, of course you do have a US delegation that's going to be going. Secretary of State Rubio is going to be there, and
Zelensky is there along with a Ukrainian delegation. But they actually have not confirmed whether anybody is going to meet, even though they're all in the same city right now. If they do meet, the Ukraine officials and the Russians, this would be the first face to face meeting in three years. That is no small thing.
Yeah, and so let's hope it goes forward. And I mean, maybe Zelensky can just sit it out and let the delegates do their thing.
But we shall see.
Next up on the run, we head to d C, where today the Supreme Court is taking up birthright citizenship. Justices will hear arguments over President Trump's emergency request to lift the nationwide ban that is blocking his executive order to end birthright citizenship.
Okay, yes, he wants to end birthright citizenship. He wants to limit that to only children born to lawful permanent residents in the US. This has been the case in this country, and a lot of people say this is the beauty of this country. In a lot of ways that the fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution gives citizenship to any child born in the US, regardless of your legal status of your parents. So it's that simple. We've all grown up knowing this. If you are born in
this country, on this soil, you're a US citizen. Nothing else talk about.
Yeah, you say, it's that simple, And that's what legal scholars say. Trump's planned and birthright citizenship they believe will be struck down. But the court today, this is what's interesting, is focusing on whether local district judges have the authority to block Trump policies nationwide. So the Trump administration is asking the justices to limit that block to only the individual people or organizations who are suing against his executive order. Does that make sense?
I hope you all catch that, because this is a really, really, really big deal. Because the individual courts a smaller court and a smaller jurisdiction, Why should they have the right to tell the president what he can do across the nation.
That's the argument that's now being made. And if he is allowed that right, then will so many these He's been sued for everything, it feels like, so he would have then the power to still keep policies in place in the nation, even if those policies don't apply to certain people who are suing him. Right, that is a big deal. It is so, yes, he could implement this birthright citizenship nation why his executive order as some of the legal cases are making their way through the legal system.
The ruling could also determine whether lower courts can block yes, federal layoffs, funding freezes, deportation protocols, all those other things we've been hearing about. And this is rare ropes. I didn't realize it was Supreme Court this time of year to convene a case is not really something they do.
Yeah, they say, this is a May surprise that you do not see the Supreme Court convening in the month of May. It's just incredibly rare. So it speaks to the level of importance, at least that the justices felt this rose to that level. There are so many legality or legal issues going on right now. It's incredibly confusing. So, yeah, we need the nation's highest court to clear it up. What can happen, what can proceed while there are lawsuits ongoing?
Whoo, all right, hope y'all got that.
It is confusing, but we will see what the Supreme Court decides to do. Hopefully they say by early summer. Next up on the run more explosive testimony yesterday from the prosecution star witness at the Diddy trial. We're talking, of course, about Cassie Ventura. She was on the stand all day Wednesday and draw bombshell after bombshell describing several instances of Shawn Combe's allegedly beating her and on one occasion, she says raping her a.
Ventura, who dated Combs for ten years, testified that she has been to rehab on several occasions, gone through trauma therapy, and was suicidal for a time. This is what she said on the stand yesterday quote, I didn't want to be alive anymore. At that point, I couldn't take the pain that I was in anymore, and so I just tried to walk out the front door into traffic. Now, she said it was ultimately her now husband who stopped her from hurting herself.
Yes. Dressed in a great turtleneck dress and a blackjacket, Ventur also walked the jury through several images they were shown of the so called freakofs. They showed some still pictures, and she was pointing out the people who were in the images and at one point telling them that's me. Venor also for the first time publicly acknowledged this settlement agreement she reached with Combs after she filed that lawsuit against him in twenty twenty three.
May you remember you filed the She filed the lawsuit less than twenty four hours later, he settled, and it was widely reported at the time that the amount was thirty million dollars dollars. She conferred yesterday it was actually twenty million dollars that they settled for. She is expected to be able to stand for the rest of the week.
Cross examination the rope starts this morning, and that is going to be some powerful stuff because the defense, as we know, they're supposed to do their job, and she is, by any account a victim. We've seen her be a victim on video, and they're going to have to go after her and attack a lot of what she's saying. This is always uncomfortable at trials.
Yeah, it's going to be the defense basically trying to go after her credibility in the fact that she was a willing participant who was a consenting adult, and so it's most likely going to be getting very uncomfortable in that Manhattan courtroom.
All right, folks, stay with us here not Thursday Morning Ron. When we continue, Starbucks has a problem. Some of their baristas don't like the new dress code. Black ain't for everybody, apparently, Also coming up one of your favorite apps, favorite streaming as it's changing its name back to its old name, we'll explain.
Welcome back to this Thursday edition of our Morning Run, and next up on the run, some Starbucks baristas are on strike this week. They have staged walkouts and protests its stores across the country, demanding that the company come to the negotiating table.
Yeah, what has the baristas so worked up? You ask, black Shirts? They are protesting a new Starbucks dress code that was implemented this week. And the new dress code requires them to wear solid black shirts with khaki, black or blue denim bottoms, and of course they have to wear that iconic now green Starbucks apron. What's the problem, ropes? That's no good?
They say. They liked the previous dress code, which gave them more options for colors and allowed for patterned shirts. Everyone loves a good pattern, don't they. Starbucks claims the change was made in order to keep a more uniform look at their stores, which contributes to a more inviting experience for customers. They say, and you know what I get this. The company also said having them wear the black T shirts will also allow the green aprons to pop a little more.
Starbucks would even further, They say, Hey, we will actually give you two free black shirts, so you don't have to use your own if you don't want to. So what's the big deal?
Now?
You might be hearing this story right now and rolling your eyes a little bit, but I kind of did too. But then it seemed pretty serious because the union representing the barista says the company shouldn't have made a change without collective bargaining. They say they should have been able to come negotiate any type of change in the uniform, and the union put out a statement, this is pretty strong over some black T shirts robes, They say, quote Starbucks has lost its way.
Wow.
Instead of listening to riestas who make the Starbucks experience what it is, they are focused on all the wrong things, like implementing a restrictive new dress code. Customers don't care what color our clothes are when they're waiting thirty minutes for a latte. End quote. I got all kinds of.
Things thirty minutes for a latte. I've never waited thirty minutes for a latte. Don't A lot of places don't, most places especially, I mean, they have dress codes. This is just a part of working at an organization. If you choose to work there, you got to follow the rules.
Well, the argument is those rules we are under a contract with you all. If you make any changes, we should have been at the negotiating table to be a part of the change. That kind of makes sense.
Okay, all right, Well Starbucks fired back to the union statement, saying this, it would be more productive if the union would put the same effort into coming back to the table that they're putting into protesting wearing black shirts to work. And so the tid for tat continues. And by the way, we're talking about a thousand baristas over I guess seventy five stores, So it does represent less than one percent of Starbucks workers who have now either protested or done
a walkout. So the impact probably is fairly minimal to the customers and to the experience. So not sure how much of a power grab this will be.
You want to be sympathetic to the baristas. Obviously you do, because they do. We've seen plenty they They're busting their butts back there. People are yelling at them, streaming at them to trying to get your name right on the cup. So you do want to be sympathetic. But I've read some of the statements. I'm like, wow, this is Is it that deep? It's a black T shirt.
It's a classic staple. That's what I would say. They want to have an issue pairs well with everything.
Take an issue with the ugly green apron if you had an how about forcing me to wear patterned shirts?
When I would have an issue?
And the Starbucks are just kidding. We love those green aprons. Okay, we love them all right. Final leg of our run, no doubt. Favorite story of the day. A streaming app that is clearly having an identity crisis. Max, formerly known as HBO Max, It is changing its name two HBO Max, get It, got It. We're gonna say this for you one more time for the people in the back roads in case they didn't understand it.
Yes, the app currently known as Max, where you watch shows like White Lotus will now be renamed to HBO Max, which was its previous name. Does that make sense now? Yeah. The parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery made the announcement yesterday and it was a surprise announcement that it was bringing its old name back, just two years after changing the name to Max.
Okay, so you hear the reasons for it, and it does kind of make sense. I mean, a little egg on your face. You just changed your name two years ago and now you just changed it back. So they did have a little fun with this, so they're embracing how ridiculous it is, but it makes sense. They made a determination that the HBO brand was being diluted because two years ago they changed the name from HBO Max
to just Max. Why would they do that. They intentionally dropped the HBO because they thought they could appeal to a broader audience. The suggestion that people hear HBO and they associate just certain things. So they thought HBO Max is only that limited stuff we used to get from HBO, So they dropped it and thought this was going to appeal to a broader audiit.
Yeah, Well, unfortunately that strategy did not work because though it sounded good to include all of the Discovery Channel shows give that wider range of content to customers, it turns out the customers didn't want that. They just want quality shows that HBO has come to be known for. So in other words, Old Seasons of thousand Pounds Sisters doesn't exactly belong in the same breath as White Lotus or The Last of Us.
That makes sense though, right, it does?
Okay.
Execs also demerate they're a boy changing the name to just Max. A lot of people were confused and they wondered if HBO had gone away altogether. So what's happening now is that they're conceding that they can't compete with the variety and the everything for everyone model of a behemoth like Netflix. So they're now accepting it, waving the white flag, and we're going to stay in our lane.
That sometimes works best, doesn't if you just stay in your lane? So bottom line quality over quantity. By the way, if you're thinking, wait, is that the only name? This is the fourth time they have changed the name of the app. And this is speaking to what I was talking about earlier, because I had HBO go and then my passwords changed for them because I had to change the app. I think I might even still have that app.
I need to get rid of it. And then HBO now which I had that as well, forgot I remember, and then HBO Max and then Max. I'm telling you it has been super confusing. So hopefully they stick with this. As you mentioned, they stay in their lane and we can just delete all the other apps and confusion and passwords and user names. It's it's all too much, so please, please please, that's hopefully this one sticks.
Glad they had. It's cool at least when they acknowledge, we know this is silly and we feel stupid, but this is why we're doing it. And they embraced it.
And yeah, they had some fun with it on social media, making fun of themselves because they knew that people were going to give them some yeah.
Some craps. But now as we leave you on this Thursday morning run, we'd like for you to consider it is our quote of the.
Day from the files of TJ.
Holmes.
Classy is when you have a lot to say, but you choose to stay silent in front of fools. I can hear that coming out of your mouth.
How hard is that to do for everybody. It's hard to stay silent in front of fools.
I believe you even said to me yesterday, why are you arguing with with someone who's being so foolish?
It was somebody we shouldn't call out for being I won't.
Call them out, but you were hearing the conversation as I was having a You know, it was a it was a calm argument, but a disagreement.
And it was ridiculous. Clearly you were one hundred percent right. Yeah, I say, why are you arguing? You know some mom always said, don't argue with the fool because from a distance, nobody can tell who was who.
Yeah. So honestly, when I saw this quote, it reminded me of yesterday, and I just thought, you know what, this is perfectly in theme, and I get it.
For some reason, I think I got this from George Clooney. I don't that might not. Don't hold me to it, folks, but for some reason, I feel like this came from Coloney for some reason, I can't remember, but take that with you today, folks. Classy is when you have a lot to say, but you choose to stay silent in front of fools. So practice some silence today, folks, but hopefully you're not around too many fools.
But for now I'm teaching, and I maybe Robock have a great Friday Eve. Everybody will see you on the run tomorrow