Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the founder of Pajamas Media Roger Simon to the studio to weigh on the recent release of 1,000 documents by John Ratcliffe.
Leahy: State senate majority leader has been with us in the studio since 6:30 a.m. joining us. At 7:30 a.m., good friend and former boss at PJTV Roger Simon has been in the studio with us. This is the second time you’ve been in the studio.
Simon: Yes, but I don’t get to boss you around here. (Leahy laughs)
Leahy: So you are always my bosses. Once my boss, always my boss. Now Roger you have been just tearing it up with excellent political analysis at The Epoch Times. And they’re lucky to get you by the way. And you had a great piece on the release of documents related to the Russia investigation by the FBI Director of National Intelligence John Radcliffe. He ordered the release of those. What do we make of those?
Simon: We don’t know too much about what we make them because he just released a thousand documents yesterday. Now think about this. How long have the listeners to this show been hearing about the Russia probe and the Russia scandal probably since they’ve been born? Yet here we are. What is it now? 26 days out from the election and finally, a thousand documents are being released to John Durham who’s has supposed to be for the last I don’t know over a year a half or so investigating this thing.
And it’s only 27 days before the election. When I read about this that I’m now, I’m glad that the new DNI Ratcliffe is releasing these things that we’ve been held up forever. But the irony of it’s being released irony’s not even a good word. The astonishing reality of its being released only 26 or 27 days out from an election, that has a tremendous effect on it is amazing. First of all, how can anyone react to a thousand documents in 26 days? You’d have to be the speed reader of all time.
We don’t know. Plus half of them are probably got well, that’s the interesting thing in that Trump ordered no more redactions, which is an extraordinary thing. And there’s a war going on now in D.C. obviously between the intelligence agencies, the FBI, and the White House. and the DNI is now on the side of the White House. The acting DNI Rick Grennell an old friend of mine from LA and a fantastic, fantastic human who initiated this and got it rolling.
Leahy: So I want to talk about Rick Grennell. This guy is he’s fantastic. He’s a very smart guy. He’s a courageous guy. What I found interesting is Rick Grennell served as the head of communications for John Bolton when John Bolton was a UN Ambassador. Subsequently worked on the Romney campaign and then was relieved of his duties because he’s gay, right? That was the reason Romney relieved him. Was crazy. And then Trump had brought him in as the ambassador to Germany. Done a great job. Was he acting Director of National Intelligence? Look, I think if you’re looking at a foreign policy conservative superstar. I think it’s Rick Grennell.
Simon: Oh no question. I mean one of the greats of our time. I mean I’d vote for him for president. He’s incredible.
Leahy: How did you get to know Rick Grennell?
Simon: Well, you know as you know, I have a show business past which I don’t like to admit but I do. (Leahy laughs) Actually, Rick is a show business guy too. He lived partly in LA and partly out in Palm Springs. And so I would have lunch with him from time in Beverly Hills where this show business office was that I was working at while writing a screenplay.
And so I got to know Rick on a social level also. We almost got into some business relationships in show business, not in politics. Although it was all tilted that way because for years everybody has been asking, well can there be film companies on the right? And of course, everybody who is creative in that direction says yeah, yeah, where’s the money? And the money never shows up.
Leahy: I want to Bring Jack Johnson for just a minute here. We’re talking Roger about the people from LA as you did you moved here two years ago. And Nashville is a creative center you’d mentioned that last time Roger. It has an attractive element to it. You’re in Williamson County Jack. Are you seeing this influx of kind of creative entertainment money and talent from LA into Nashville?
Johnson: Yeah, absolutely. And in fact, it was really taking place up until the pandemic hit and you really just saw a lot of things flourishing. Sadly, you know, the entertainment world has been hit fairly significantly by the shutdown.
Leahy: They can’t have live concerts. They make a lot of money with that.
Johnson: That’s absolutely right. So artists can’t tour. They’re not out doing the big shows or the fairs or festivals. All of these things. And it’s not just the artists. It’s the crew and the people who do sound and lights and all that stuff. So it’s been devastating to that part of our economy. Now my hope is that we get this behind us and ’21 we start to come back out and that will begin to take off again. But it’s suffered greatly here.
Simon: The audience is really hungry. I think it’s going to take off very fast because of that. Everybody comes to this town to here to have a good show and they want to hear the stars and the coming stars. And I do. I love it. I mean that one of the reasons we moved here was because I like to go to the clubs. (Chuckles)
Leahy: You are a wild guy Roger.
Simon: Just give me a bourbon and a night Tootsie’s and I’m a happy guy.
Leahy: Well a that is a what a great conversation.
Listen to the full third hour here:
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Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “Roger Simon” by Roger Simon.
