The Best Is Yet To Come

Your dog and a stranger are drowning. You can only save one. Who do you choose? Dennis Prager says your answer reveals everything about how you define right and wrong. In his new book, If There Is No God, Prager exposes the danger of emotion-based morality and why without objective truth, society descends into chaos. This isn't a religious book. It's a rational case for moral clarity in a confused age. If There Is No God from Dennis Prager. Order now at PragerStore.com.

Hello everybody, Dennis and Julie, or now I guess as it's temporarily called, Sean and Julie. I'm Julie Hartman, this is Sean McConnell. It's great to be with you, Sean Z. You're looking a little sad.

I am, I'm a little sad for many reasons.

Well, I know one of the reasons, and I don't mean to flatter myself by saying that I am one of the reasons, but I do have an announcement today at the beginning of Dennis and Julie that this will— I'm saying temporarily because I want Dennis and Julie to come back, and I want it to come back with Dennis. Not that we haven't loved, or I haven't loved co-hosting with you. I truly have, but We all hope and pray that Dennis is able to come back in his full capacities everywhere. But what I'll say right now is that temporarily, this is the last Dennis and Julie episode because yours truly is actually moving out of Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. I'm going to be working for the Trump administration. I'm going to be a senior or the senior advisor for the Office of Communications for the Department of Education. Oh, wow. I wasn't expecting that. Usually Sean's the one who's doing that. The fake applause from AI-generated people.

It's well-deserved fake applause.

Oh, well, thank you. Well, it's really just kind of an amazing new chapter and end to this chapter. Feel all sorts of emotions. And I know that, that you do too. I'm very excited for this next path. And I'm certainly very excited to work for Trump. I think that this is really the dawn of a golden age in America. And I really want to do anything that I can to contribute to it.

But did you say dawn of a golden age?

It is the dawn of a golden age. You know what that reminds me of? I remember the liberal lawn signs in 2020 that said, uh, "Buy Don." They were endorsing Biden, but they said, "Buy Don." Yeah, sometimes the libs can be clever. Keyword, sometimes.

Oh, they're always clever. They're just rarely right.

Yeah, fair enough. But this is temporarily the last D&J. I really hope that we'll be able to come back. And, you know, whatever job I'm in in the future, the second we can have Dennis back, I will jump right back into this show, if that is permitted under my new job. And, you know, if Salem decides to want to continue it, I think they will. But it's the end of an era.

I remember when we first started the show, when we— it was a discussion about what we would call it, how we would do it. You were in your dorm room in Harvard, and we've come quite a ways. This would be episode 150. And so, yeah, that's one of the reasons I'm sad, right? I'm sad that there won't be a Dennis and Julie for the foreseeable future. I'm sad that Dennis is still in a hospital bed trying to recover from his trauma. I'm very happy for you that you're going to work for the Trump administration. You know, I think the world of you. But as a friend, as a colleague, I'm sad.

I'm sad too. I'll miss you.

I look forward to seeing you every day in our chats. And so that'll, on top of everything else I'm dealing with, that's going to be quite the loss. But the country needs you and I'm proud of you. And I'm so happy that you go get to work for the Trump administration and turn your fabulous mind towards fixing the nation. Which I've told you from the get-go you are destined to do. So this is just the beginning of that. And if I may, I just want to quickly thank everybody who has reached out to me from this audience, from my life, from Timeless about the wildfires and the impact it's had on us. There are too many people to thank and the blessings have been overwhelming, but I did want to stop and say thank you from the bottom of my heart. It's— I said I was going to get through an episode without crying. What are we, 5 minutes in?

My mom says never apologize for tears.

For the most part, true. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, it's your body indicating to you what really matters to you.

Yeah, it's just been a very emotional, um, couple weeks and months. You joked about if someone had told us this is how it would be 2 months ago, we wouldn't believe it, right?

It's crazy what we've all been through.

But, uh, there's really great people behind the scenes. The, the Dennis and Julie audience has been very loyal and special.

So loyal.

And you should be thanked. And Dennis always appreciated you and, and still does, I'm sure. And, uh, would do the same if he were sitting here. He would thank you for your loyalty and your patronage, and, um, it's a special audience. Um, and then so that leaves the question: no more Dennis and Julie, what about Timeless?

No more Timeless.

No more Timeless.

No more Timeless. Hey, if I could, I would continue these things, but it's not humanly possible to do that in my new job, which is so hard and so bittersweet because the past 2 and a half years, these two shows have been my entire life, almost to a fault. They've been my entire life. But I want to echo what Sean said and thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for all of you listeners who have been with me from day one. And especially because, you know, we're on Dennis and Julie right now. You Dennis and Julie listeners, what Sean just said is so true. You are so special. Dennis and I would often sit here and after the show I would go through my email, which is julie@julie-hartman.com, which will still be active and running should you ever want to email me. I truly love hearing from you. Dennis could never get the email right, but that's okay.

God bless him.

God bless him. His mind was filled with far more important things. But I would sit here with Dennis and I would read to him the emails that we would get. And boy, were they so diverse. I would often say to him, people would be shocked as to how diverse of an audience we have. I got an email from a 12-year-old girl in Boston, Massachusetts who listens to us. I've gotten emails from people who have said that they listen while they undergo chemotherapy treatments. I had someone, actually several people, but one I remember in particular reach out to me that Dennis and Julie has helped him cope with drug addiction, that he has tried so desperately to focus his mind elsewhere and on intellectual enrichment instead of succumbing to his temptations. I got an email from a trans listener who— that email to this day, I think about it actually maybe a few times a week. It blows me away. She said that she's learned so much from our show. She finds real companionship in us and that she says that she feels like a pariah in the LGBTQIA+ community because although she is trans, she recognizes that she has a mental illness. And just, I mean, I could go on with the amount of emails. I mean, people from Moldova, from Venezuela, from literally everywhere. I got an email from someone, I'm forgetting where in the continent of Africa, one of the countries in the continent of Africa. I'm so sorry, I'm forgetting. Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, I mean, Singapore. Brazil, so many places. And I would sit here and talk about how diverse of an audience we have. And I would read aloud the emails and Dennis and I were always so blown away by your eloquence, by your thoughtfulness, your depth, which is one of Dennis's favorite words. And one of the things he said to me, and I internalized this so much, is that this is an indication that we are doing something right. If we are attracting such a high caliber of listeners, then it reflects really well on us. So thank you. Thank you for all that you've taught us. I mean, I have learned so much from your challenges, from your compliments, from your challenges to our compliments. And I so hope that, that we stay in touch. I, I really don't just want this to be the end. I mean, I, I view this as a family, and I want you to know that you can always reach out to me with anything, and I'm always here for you.

As trite as it sounds, in addition to the diversity, the thoughtfulness, the intelligence, there is a through line in the audience that was fostered by Dennis on his radio show through PragerU that has spun off into Dennis and Julie and Timeless. And that through line is morality.

Mm. Yeah.

That's what they all have in common.

Yep.

And I've been with Dennis for quite some time and I've been behind the scenes and I know that to be true of this audience. It's one of the most thoughtful and moral audiences in the country.

I mean, look at, look at what just happened the other day. I got a package from a listener of these books. About religion and morality. I mean, people are so magnanimous. They've reached out to me with all of these resources. I would say something on Dennis and Julie or express confusion about a concept, and the amount of people who would reach out and try to clarify it for me or stretch the boundaries of my thought— I, I can't tell you how lucky I feel. I feel like between being able to work with Dennis and come here every single week and just have it be a forum of exploration, be being able to reach so many people who I never otherwise would have met. I mean, a 12-year-old girl in, in Boston, or a, you know, somebody in Brazil. How else would I have access to these people? I— it is not lost on me what an incredibly privileged position I've been in, in the past few years. And I— it's so weird because I think I'll process it later, but I can't even process that this is the last show, right?

Hopefully not the last show.

Hopefully not, but I can't— I can't— it's difficult for me to process that this is the end of an era. What a lucky, lucky person I've been.

Yep, you're lucky.

And think about also all that we've covered here.

I was— that's what I was thinking about, all the— all the topics. That's what people are gonna miss. That's what I will miss.

Me too.

The depth and breadth of the philosophical topics you guys have discussed. Um, Dennis said to me there's a real place for that in this country, and it's not often celebrated.

And we had something— Dennis and I had something so unique with the older and younger, male and female, Jew and Gentile. I mean, Dennis said to me the other day in the hospital, he said, I miss Dennis and Julie.

Well, I know that to be true.

And I said, I miss it too. It was the highlight of our week. As we often, maybe too frequently, said at the beginning of the episodes. You know, Sean, I'm sorry. I actually, I feel like you were going to say something.

Nope.

I don't mean to cut you off.

You're good.

Nope. You said it a few minutes ago, but I want to go back to it because although there's no resolution, there's no way to tie it in a bow. It's just something that I have to acknowledge and it's the 1,000-pound elephant in the room. God, this is such a weird ending. I mean, it's the end of January. In the middle of November, Dennis took his fall, and then it just kind of seems like all hell broke loose from there.

It's not a storybook ending. If this were a movie, but it kind of is a story, it'd be one of those that leaves you thinking and sitting in your chair for a second as the credit rolls.

You know, and this is, this is something that I know I said in one of the previous episodes, but it really deserves to be said again. As bizarre as this is, having Dennis be incapacitated, having him gone for over 2 months, having your home be destroyed in these crazy wildfires, having my whole community be destroyed. Thankfully, my home was spared. But, you know, all of this, getting, getting this job in the Trump administration, I mean, it calls to mind for me the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. And we— and, and although it's crazy, I mean, I never could have predicted that this is how it would shake out. In a way, if someone had told us 2 or 3 months ago that this is how it would shake out, I think that Dennis and I and you would not be so surprised because the thing that we talked about time and time again on Dennis and Julie is that no one is immune from the curveballs of life. And as I said during the last episode, this is the time when we really get to show, do we actually believe what we've been saying? We— I believe that right now we are being tested. It's like, okay, you were talking about those things in the comfort of your studio. Now it's really hitting you. Are you measuring up?

Yeah.

And certainly you and Dennis have been through far more than I have, but you two are measuring up.

Well, you've been through a lot in the past 2 years, um, and I'm not countering your point. There's definitely a finality and ending to this moment, but I'm not so sure it's the ending.

Yeah, me too.

And that's what another part that makes it strange. I don't think it's the ending.

Me too.

Certainly, I hope and pray and believe in Dennis's recovery. I certainly have the feeling that you and I will work together in the future when you're done with Trump.

When I'm done with Trump? What does that mean?

I just mean I don't feel that this is an ending ending, which is a stupid way to say that. But you know what I mean.

I agree. You and I are such a— we're such close friends and we have such a fantastic work relationship. And maybe I'm in denial, but I don't want to think it's the end.

No, maybe that's true too. Maybe I don't want to think it's the end, but it actually is and I'm in denial. I don't know. Everything's so in flux in my life that—

I know. How are you feeling?

I just feel like I couldn't possibly take any more. Um, I've been feeling like I needed to come back to work and, and regain some normalcy. And what I've learned in doing that is that I'm not 100%. I'm not ready to do things the way I used to do them. I don't know if I'm forever changed or I'm temporarily unable And I hate that feeling. I hate not being able to carry the load that I carried for so long without issue. And I want to get back to that, you know.

So your beloved dog and a stranger are both drowning. You can only save one. Who do you save? Every time Dennis Prager asks that question, his audience splits 3 ways. 1/3 chooses the dog, 1/3 chooses the stranger, and 1/3 aren't sure. Why? Because we live in an age where increasingly feelings define right and wrong. But if morality is based on emotion, then murder, rape, and theft are just opinions. And if people feel justified, why is rioting or destruction wrong at all? In his new book, If There Is No God, Dennis Prager explains why why civilizations cannot survive without objective morality, and why Judeo-Christian values shape the moral foundations of the free world.

If you claim that certain things are good, certain things are evil, independent of how you feel about it, you are in effect affirming God.

If There Is No God by Dennis Prager, available now at PragerStore.com. That's PragerStore.com.

It's been a lot of change for you, Sean. Yeah, yeah, it's been a lot.

Um, but like I said, I'm, I'm not done. Uh, I'm gonna be here. You're on to a new adventure, and Dennis is still fighting the fight every way he can.

He really is.

And many people in this area and across the country are fighting their own battles, of course, and they do so in quiet desperation. And, uh, I think that's what's hit me the most, is I, I don't think I took my life for granted. I always appreciated the blessings in my life, much like Dennis did, much like I know you do. Um, but I feel myself more in tune with the suffering of people. Um, I don't know. I know we talked in the last episode about how it's important to have compassion and love in times that aren't tragedies. And even I, in saying that and believing that and wanting to carry that on, I get— I still get frustrated in traffic. Well, I get upset, I scream, and then I go, oh, perfectly human. Wait, they're going through something too. So it's very hard, and it's going to take me time to fully get into the mode of being as compassionate as I think I should be.

Um, may I follow up on something? Yeah, you just said that you're very attuned to the suffering of others right now. You know, there was a period recently— not, not too recently, but recently, as you know, where I was really depressed. Like, I really went through something hard a few months ago, and I was really low. And during that time, I was so attuned to the suffering of others in the way— in a way I just hadn't been before. And you and I are very compassionate people, and we, I think, always were sensitive to, to others. But sometimes when you are so low, that's when you are really able to see what you just said, the quiet desperation of other people. And at times it was so overwhelming because I knew how low I was. I would drive by and see a homeless person, or I would, you know, watch a TV show and there would be some storyline of someone who was getting a divorce or something, and it just killed me. Because you realize that so much of the world has unbearable daily pain.

Right.

And you know what? I think there's an urge sometimes. I notice this 'cause I listen to other people. I think there's an urge sometimes when you say something like that to wrap it in a bow and go, but at least we're all breathing right now. You know? That's a very hard thing to just say and leave.

I'm on this side of the dirt. People say that kind of stuff. Yeah. People have been asking me how you are, and my answer lately is medium well, like my favorite steak.

But this show, what I appreciate about this show is that it's real and we're not going to tie anything in a bow that can't be tied into a bow. And so I know that you're going through that.

Yes, but I am reminded of one of the favorite things of mine about Dennis, and that's the importance of happiness. That happiness is a choice, happiness is hard work, and happiness is a serious problem. Um, I, I think I've told you this before. I knew Happiness was important going through my own depression in life and coming out the other side before I knew of Dennis Prager. But when I saw him devoting an hour every week to the topic of happiness and all the various aspects of it, that really drew me in. And I knew we were kindred spirits because it is important. To strive for happiness even in the, the darkest of times.

And let me tell you, he is modeling that right now in a saintly way. Yeah, I cannot believe how stoic and at times happy he is. I mean, he is in a really, really difficult situation. He is trapped in his own body.

The most difficult situation.

Truly, I believe that there is— there are few other worse fates that a person could have than what Dennis Prager is experiencing right now.

I can't think of many.

It is excruciating to see someone who you love so much and someone who you know is so decent be trapped. And boy, I look at him and I go, Julie, if you ever feel down, if you ever feel like a victim, if you ever feel any kind of way, my God, don't you dare. Don't you dare.

Right.

Because he, he is in there and he is still able to maintain his, his Dennis-like self. I mean, he jokes around with the nurses. He smiles at the nurses. He's talking with everyone. You know, it's, it's hard because I anticipated this episode in a lot of ways would be somber. And we have to acknowledge that, you know, because this is, this is not just, oh, I got this great opportunity. And, you know, this is, there's a lot that's in here, you know, where the other host is incapacitated, where you have been through such destruction. You know, I knew that, I knew that it would be really somber. But one thing Dennis always said to me, and I really, I have to be honest, I'm really kind of shocked that this is ended so soon. Again, I hope it's not an ending. I think part of me thinks that it's not. But Dennis and I, I mean, I really thought this show would go on for a decade. And I really did. Or a decade and a half. I thought that this was just the beginning of it.

Right.

And one thing Dennis always said to me, and this brings me such joy and comfort, is that we have this for posterity. And these episodes of Dennis and Julie are truly timeless. You can go back to 55, and I don't even know what— despite my memory, as Dennis would always say, I have no idea what we talked about in episode 55. But you can go back to one of them, and it really is timeless wisdom. And I know Dennis and I, every single time we did an episode, we tried so desperately to elevate people's lives. We tried to bare all. We tried to get to the heart of the issue and really tried to make people's understanding of the world and events and of themselves better. So I hope that's a consolation. And in my new capacity, I may be able to go to the White House for some events. And if I ever get a plus one or plus five, you know that you'll Be one of them.

Are you— are you saying I'm a plus 5?

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Uh, that's very kind of you. That would be really cool.

This is assuming. I have no idea if I'll get any questions.

Yeah, rather than be somber, we can talk about the excitement.

Sure.

Are you working for Trump?

Well, we can oscillate.

Well, I did want— I had one final thought.

Of course.

About Dennis and Julie and how it was slightly different than Dennis's radio show or his speeches and lectures and PragerU. There was something between the two of you that brought a different angle of Dennis out. Dennis is always open and who he was, but in the conversations you guys would get to, you saw a, a different form of Dennis, um, more true to the Dennis I saw every day. It was more shared with the audience. It was less Dennis monologuing or talking to listeners that you guys had such a fast and furious and beautiful relationship that built so quickly. And your inquisitive nature and Dennis's thoughtful disposition was such a nice mix. I feel like the podcast is like one of those TV shows that was really, really good for 3 years and then just stops. It leaves you wanting more episodes. Um, so we, we, only time will tell. We shall see if there ever will be another Dennis and Julie, but I'm glad we reached 150 episodes.

Oh my gosh.

I, like you, thought it would go on forever.

I did. I really did.

Yeah.

Um, but it's also a good life lesson that we shouldn't take anything for granted. Yeah.

No, I don't think I took it for granted.

No, I, I don't think you did. But it's— I think— but you know what's also, what's also hard, and Dennis would always say this, is it's a blessing that we don't have complete empathy. Because if we had complete empathy, or if we had a complete understanding of just how finite things are, we wouldn't be able to function. So in a way, when you think back to the happy times, you go, oh gosh, I wish I had known, or I wish I had taken it, you know, I'd appreciated more it more. But part of being in the happy times is luxuriating in the happy times and not fixating on the fact that the happy times are going to end. You know, when I grew up, when I was growing up, I had this fear that my parents would die. And literally every single night I would go into their room and kiss them both goodnight, and I would go, love you, Mom, love you, Dad, don't die, don't die. Every time they'd leave the house, don't die. I would text them, don't die. And finally someone said to me You know, Julie, there is going to be a day when they die and you're going to wish that all of those times that you had fixated on them dying when they were alive, that you had just appreciated that they were alive. And I thought, you know what, that's a good point. And I stopped doing that.

You still do that.

I kind of, I, hey, I do that like 1/100th of the amount that I used to do that. I do. It's, it's sort of a Pavlovian response. But I want to tell you a few of the things I've learned through this whole extravaganza I've been on. But I do first want to talk to you about my new job.

Okay.

Because you said we can talk about that.

Yeah, I just had one thought about—

Oh, of course, go ahead.

Dennis did a happiness hour.

Oh God, did I interrupt you?

Within the last 6 months? No, you didn't. Okay.

He's being kind.

And it was the subject of the happiness hour was appreciating your blessings while they are happening. It's very hard for people to do that, obviously, um, but that is an important lesson. And I think the two of you did appreciate what you had while you had it, and it's an important lesson for everyone, uh, because the good times don't last forever, uh, and it is important to appreciate them while they are happening. All right, please.

No, it's true. Very true.

On to your new endeavor.

Well, you said a few minutes ago we can talk about the, the new job. As I said, I'm going to be the senior advisor for communications in the Department of Education. So it's going to be my job to communicate with the media about the objectives of the DOE. And I look at this job and I just look at the trajectory of my life and it really all goes back to Dennis. Because if you had told me in 2016 that I would be working for Donald Trump one day, I would have probably started crying. I was— I remember I went to school the next day. I was in 10th grade and I went to school after Donald Trump was elected. And I had, you know, everybody was so somber and they canceled my test or my quiz for AP World History. And I remember one of my teachers walked out of the faculty meeting. It was a Wednesday. And she came up to me and she was crying and she was like, you were the person I wanted to see today, the day democracy has ended. I was, I was on that train. And it's just amazing how much Dennis has transformed my thought, my being, like everything, religiously, intellectually, he has transformed it. And so the whole reason that I'm even in this position where I would want to have this job is because of him. But, you know, we— the objectives of the DOE is what Trump has said, promises made, promises kept. We want DEI to DIE, get the transgenders out of the locker rooms and sports, protect the First Amendment, restore American values to education. You know, so many kids are taught to hate America, to be ashamed of their heritage. All of the things that Trump has said, those are the goals of the Department of Education. And it's going to be my responsibility to communicate those in a compelling way. But, you know, Dennis was so gracious when I was talking to him about this is when I got the job. And I actually, I actually got the job the day of the fires. I got the, the news that, that they offered me the job. And then within like 15 minutes, my mom was calling me saying there's this horrible fire coming down the hill and we're gonna have to evacuate. So I'm like, What is going on? But Dennis said to me, I'm sad, but I'm happy.

Well, I can relate to that perfectly, but I can do that perfectly. And I told you that too.

I'm sad, but I'm happy. Yeah. And Sue, his wife, was thrilled. She's like, you have to take it, you know, because she's, she's so such a supporter of Trump as, as is Dennis. But she was, she's really very gung-ho. But again, it's just I really want to contribute. I want to do anything I can to help. I think we have an incredible opportunity. Trump said that in his inaugural address, that we have to kick down the doors. He didn't say that. That's a Sean McConnell line. You have to kick down the door of this opportunity and really reverse the door.

Cracks open, you kick it down. Yeah.

And I just think this is going to be a really— this is a really great moment. And I want to go in there and do everything I can to make this country what it was.

That's a—

that's two things. Remind me about the doors. Did you see the video of J.D. Vance walking into the Oval Office for the first time?

Yes. Yes.

That's how I feel like you're going to be going to Washington and seeing all these things, just bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, kicking down doors. I've often believed that doors don't necessarily open in your life when you want them to. God helps you when it's the right time to help you. And, and you— your job is to be ready when that door opens to kick it down. Your job is to be faithful and to make yourself the best person you can be so that when God opens that door, when it creaks open, you can kick it open and stand there and be ready. And you've done that. You've done that.

Well, thank you.

Yeah.

I mean, that was advice that you always gave me.

Yes. Because I knew it was coming.

Well, I didn't know it was coming in this form. I mean, this is what's also crazy. Like, you know, we, we hoped that Trump would be elected, but, you know, we didn't know until November. And then this whole thing came about literally weeks ago. I mean, this opportunity was very— was kind of a surprise. It was not something that I had anticipated.

Yeah.

But, you know, as far as some things that I've learned that I really hope to share with you, and these are universal truths that are very Dennis and Julie-esque. You know, if I look back at all of this, this whole journey of mine started from an email, right? Literally an email, right? I mean, it started in a different way. I was a seeker, you know, and I looked around and I saw BLM and the COVID lockdowns and I said something isn't right. And I went online, I found PragerU, I read Dennis's Torah commentary, I read his American Value System book, Still the Best Hope. You know, it's the journey started earlier than that. But I guess if I may, not that anybody asked, but I hope this is helpful. If I may offer a piece of advice, go for it. Whatever, whatever that is to you, go for it. When I emailed Dennis, I couldn't have imagined that we would have a talk show together. I couldn't have imagined that I would have my own show. I mean, I had no idea the way that this would all pan out. But I think sometimes we live in an overly procedural society or a very linear society where A is to lead to B, which has to lead to C. I mean, when I reached out to Dennis, I was expressing gratitude. I was saying, hey, you transformed my life intellectually, politically, religiously. I want to thank you. And then he invited me in, and then one thing led to another. And so just email people, go up to someone, and this doesn't have to be professional, you know. If you, if you see a cute girl or a cute guy, go up to them. I just think sometimes in life all of us live too much on the sidelines, and I sit here and I look back at all the things that happened that led me to this position I didn't submit a job application to the Salem Media Group. You know, like, it didn't happen in a linear way. It happened in this very kind of haphazard, I think, providential way. But you have to, as you said, kick down the door.

Right.

Just go for it.

Yeah.

That's one of the biggest things I've learned. Another big thing is, you know, Trump said in his inaugural address, which, by the way, I thought was amazing. We should talk about the inauguration.

Sure.

But I want to— I want your thoughts on Melania's hat. That's the thing that I'm—

I don't think you You want those thoughts?

Come on. Well, what? What? I don't know.

You're— you're— well, we're going to miss your—

okay, well, we'll go back to it after. But Trump said in his inaugural address that he is proof that nothing is impossible because he said, I had so many things thrown at me. A lot of people didn't think that I'd be able to have this comeback, but I am proof that nothing is impossible. I think if I may say that I'm proof of something, It's that when you are yourself, you look— the universe, not to sound new agey, but the universe will reward you. You have to be yourself. I remember when I started this whole extravaganza, I was scared when I first went on Dennis Prager's show and talked about my conservatism, just that one-off appearance. And again, I had no idea that it would lead to any of this. It went on YouTube, it circulated around. I had friends cancel me. I had people from My past classmates reach out and say, you're not the person I thought I knew. You're a bigot, you're a homophobe, you're this, you're that. And I remember thinking, oh my God, this is the worst thing I've ever done. No one's ever going to hire me. No one's ever going to marry me. They're going to go online. They're going to find this video. And thank God I stuck with it. And thank God I put myself out there and I just was unapologetically conservative, you know? And because what it does is it's a filter. It's difficult, but it leads you to the right profession. It leads leads you to the right people. And I'm not saying my life is all figured out, far from it. But I look back and I realize that the people in my life and the opportunities in my life are there because I was myself. And as hard as it is, go be yourself. Don't hide that you're conservative or that you're religious or whatever it is that you are, because it will attract the right kind of people for you. That's my sermon.

No, no, you phrased it. Those are the two things I agree with everything you said, but I would, I would put this twist on it. Rather than saying that the universe is open to you, I, I know it to be true that when you are who you are supposed to be and you're living right and doing the things that you are supposed to be doing, God opens the world for you. Um, not that the universe is open to you. I, I, you know, and we could— I, I don't want to get into a whole whether God exists debate.

Well, you know where I stand.

I know God to believe. It's just when you said universe, I, I thought in my life, my example of that, whether it's—

you're right, it's, it's got a new agey to say universe.

Yeah, a grandiose, extraordinary example like yourself, or just an ordinary person who is living the way God wants them to be, uh, that's when God opens the world to you and puts things in your path, and you attract the right people. And, and yes, and you feel, you feel that the universe is open to you rather than being closed off, um, when you have no reason to hide from God.

Yep.

That's when the world is open to you.

And another thing too, this was one of the most popular Dennis and Julie segments that I want to repeat. Dennis and I talked about the freedom to be wrong.

Yeah, it's an important one. What was, uh, Talmud? Torah? No, those who are easily embarrassed.

The aphorisms from Genesis. Yeah.

Shiva.

Yes.

Yeah.

We, you know, I remember when I, when I started this, started full-time hosting at the age of 21, I had people say to me constantly, and it was not an irrational statement, why are you doing this? What if you change your mind? What if you're wrong? What if you, what if you get a detail wrong? Or you, you know, and I've done that. I mean, there have been times when I'll do a news story and I got something wrong.

Yeah.

Or I maybe didn't say it in the right way, or my beliefs have evolved. There was a Dennis and Julie listener who wrote to me and she referenced something that we, Dennis and I, talked about in the first few episodes. And I thought, wow, I don't— that's not my opinion today. And there's this— there's because of cancel culture, there is this fear that people have that if you say something that you no longer believe, you're doomed and that's on your record forever. And you know what? It is on your record forever. I have to stand by every single thing I've said. I have to own that I said those things. But, and this is something I so hope that we've provided an example of, you have the freedom to be wrong. You have the freedom to change your mind. And so what I said to those people is, okay, let's say I go on an episode and I say something that I no longer believe. You know what I'll do? I'll stand or I'll sit here and I'll say, hey, when I said that, I no longer believe it. Here's why. Big deal. You are allowed to change your mind.

Yeah.

And so as I progress in my life, I'm very aware that a lot of my opinions, even my burgeoning ones that weren't fully formed, were explored in a permanent setting. They are permanently on the internet, permanently in the public record. And you know what? Good.

I agree. In concert with that, the other side of that is you have to allow for people to be wrong. You have to have, of course, room for that grace in society for people to make mistakes and apologize or correct course. This whole cancel culture that we have found ourselves in that may be getting better, I don't know.

I think it is.

It's just not, it wasn't a good trend, a good look that we have brought politics into everything. And that, uh, something you tweeted out 10 years ago was gonna affect your, your job now. And, and certainly there are egregious things, but society's better off not being a cancel culture with, with the room for people to adjust and grow. And evolve.

Yep.

Yeah.

Here's something most people don't know. When Warren Buffett was just 13 years old, he didn't put his money into a savings account. While other kids were earning next to nothing at local banks, Buffett put $114 into a little-known investment. Today, that $114 would be worth over $15 million. And it wasn't a risky trade. It wasn't even insider knowledge. It was an account that's been around since 1888, and over the last 25 years, it's averaged 29% a year. That's what happens when your money is allowed to compound. Compare that to today's savings accounts paying less than half a percent while inflation quietly eats away at your buying power. Buffett understood early: banks are great businesses, just not for savers. If you'd like to see what some investors call the 29% account, go now to secretaccount29.com. That's secretaccount, the numbers, 29.com. Secretaccount29.com.

So Sean, what about you? What have you learned from this?

Or I'd rather talk about Melania's hat.

Okay, let's do that then. Rick is smiling.

I've learned to know—

I bet you didn't even notice she had a hat on. That's very male.

Uh, I am not into fashion. I, I did look it up because I was very confused by the way she looked. You're, you're not old enough to remember Mad Magazine, are you? With Alfred E. Newman in the Mad Magazine.

I don't even know what you're talking about.

In every Mad Magazine there's a cartoon, Spy vs. Spy. The white spy versus the black spy. And they— when I saw Melania walk out, she looked like the spy from my Mad magazine. And maybe Brandon can do a side-by-side. And I mean no ill will to Melania, who is an eloquent and beautiful woman and clearly into fashion that I don't understand. But I did look it up because I thought it was such a curious choice. But I guess that hat was handmade by some designer in New York. She made a statement.

Funny.

She made a statement.

Is this—

did you look at the Spy vs. Spy? Yes, exactly. Oh my God, tell me that's not exactly what Melania looked like when she walked out.

So funny.

And we are zooming, and we are zooming, and we are zooming. We are hopefully zooming. We are not zooming.

Well, they'll put up a thingy. They'll edit it. They'll post-production it.

That was my instant thought the second I saw it.

Funny. I've never seen that, but It's true.

Yeah. So anyways, that was my thought about that.

In some ways I thought it was too severe. That's a word my mom used, and I thought it was really apt. It was a severe look, but it was also very chic.

I'm not into fashion.

So what about Ivanka's outfit?

It was bold and it made a statement. And no one will soon forget that look. Ivanka, to me, looks different than she did 4 years ago.

Really?

Like, I don't know that— I don't want to speculate that she's had some work done, but she just looks—

I don't want to speculate, but I don't know.

She doesn't look the same to me as she did 4 years ago. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you asked my opinion, so here we are. And that brings me to what I have learned about Dennis and Julie, because I didn't want to be sitting here. I, I decidedly have made my career on the other side of the glass, helping people be on this side of the glass. And when duty called, I found myself here, um, with my, my insecurities and, and, um, really not wanting to do it. Uh, so I learned that I can come over here and survive, and people have been so gracious. And, um, I don't know, I've always tended to believe that there are too many people in the world with opinions, and we would all be better off if everyone wasn't espousing their opinions at all times. And so that's kind of why I'm behind the scenes, to be out here sharing my opinions. And I have some thoughtful ones and some funny ones. And, and, and, and so that's been the lesson for me, is learning that I can't come out from behind the glass, and the whole world is not going to laugh at me unless I want them to.

Well, you know, Sean, even if they do—

if even if they do—

that's a valuable lesson. Yeah, that's a really valuable lesson, right?

So that was the lesson for me.

It was, you know, I remember a few years ago there were these girls who I went to school with that came out of the woodwork, and they were so mean about the work that I was doing, and I I knew that most people from my life would not approve of me. I was very well aware of that. But I always thought that even if people didn't agree, they would still have respect for me, knowing me and what a good person I am and have always been. And to see these people who I thought I was friends with really come out and be so— I mean, calling me evil, calling me mentally ill, just so vicious. It really hurt me, but it also was incredible. I'm so glad that it happened because it made me stronger and it made me realize, you know what, Julie, this is going to happen to you in life. If you are, if you are trying to do something noble, it is a guarantee that people are going to come out of the woodwork. And in a way, having your worst nightmare come true, showing up on the air with a terrible off-the-shoulder blue dress, which will go down in history as the worst outfit ever worn. Having your makeup askew, having people call you ugly, having people call you fascist, having people call you evil and mentally ill. In a way, that's such a— it's so strange to say it, but I sort of wish for people to have that because it just, it really, it's like the sucker punch that you need and then you're over it and then it doesn't mean anything to you. Have you found that with any of the haters? Because I know that you've been worried about that. And as I was, I was worried about it at the beginning.

Yeah. No, I'm not worried about it. I realized that, first of all, I'm not a hater, so I can't identify. But I also know, and you will find out, I'm sure, as you start working for Trump, that the more on target you are, the more The devil is gonna come for you.

So here's something most people don't know. When Warren Buffett was just 13 years old, he didn't put his money into a savings account. While other kids were earning next to nothing at local banks, Buffett put $114 into a little-known investment. Today, that $114 would be worth over $15 million. And it wasn't a risky trade. It wasn't even in insider knowledge. It was an account that's been around since 1888, and over the last 25 years, it's averaged 29% a year. That's what happens when your money is allowed to compound. Compare that to today's savings accounts paying less than half a percent while inflation quietly eats away at your buying power. Buffett understood early: banks are great businesses, just not for savers. If you'd like to see what some what investors call the 29% account, go now to secretaccount29.com. That's secretaccount, the numbers, 29.com. secretaccount29.com.

As icing on the cake, everyone, with all that was going on, I recently had the norovirus, which— don't get it. Try your hardest to not get it. And I was down and out for for a minute there. And I called Sean and I was lying in bed and I was like, why is this happening? Everything hurts. I can't keep anything down. This is horrible. And he said, the closer you get to Donald, the more the devil's going to try to find you.

Right.

And I thought, you know what? He's kind of like saying it tongue in cheek, but he's not. Yeah.

No, I believe that. I believe the more, the more you shine, the more the demons want to break you down. And the other part of that is something Dennis would preach and was almost the central core of his being. And that is everyone has dignity and that dignity should be protected. I don't know if that's the case for the haters, but even in the haters, there is something hurt and wounded and lashing out.

Yeah.

So it is important to respond with grace. And Dennis would always do that. He would never personally attack somebody, even when it came to Monica Lewinsky. I knew he would be— he wouldn't be offended. He would be bothered by a Monica Lewinsky joke, even in all of that whole situation. And it was because he believed in the dignity of every human being and that that dignity should be protected at all costs, that everyone deserves that.

It's true. Yeah, that, that is, that's a great example. Yeah, that is exactly who Dennis is.

Yep.

God, it's, it's weird to wrap it up. It's really weird. It's like I want to, I just want to keep going. So as not to wrap it up, but as I said, I, I think and hope that we'll have more in the future. And again, at the risk of my repeating myself, I can't tell you what a joy it's been to get to know you and to have you come into my life, even if only through a screen or through an email inbox. It's truly been an honor of a lifetime to do this show and to have such fantastic listeners who I've learned so much from and who have been such a great source of companionship and wisdom, and I really, really sincerely want to stay in touch. I love hearing from you. I mean, seriously, going on my email every morning at julie@julie-ardman.com, to plug it a second time, it's my favorite part of the day because it's so unexpected. I never know what I'm going to get. And as I said earlier, I'm always here for you. And I'm always here for you, Sean. Yeah, what's the yeah yeah yeah? Well, I'll end with this. So Sean, when I first did Dennis and Julie— or no, not Dennis and Julie, what was it? When I first went on Dennis's show down the hallway in the old studio, and that was the day when he invited me to watch. It was my first day meeting Dennis, and then during the commercial break he said, hey, do you want to be on the show? And I just took a chance and did it, and my whole life was changed. When that show, when that segment ended and we went to commercial, I see this guy, this ginger, come in. He opens the door and he looks at me, and you know the first words he said to me?

I do, but only because you've reminded me.

When's the podcast? Yeah. And now we have an answer to that question.

Yep.

Well, you can reach me at julie@julie-hartman.com. You can follow me on Instagram and Twitter @julieRhartman. Still follow Dennis. My gosh, he, he never knows his Instagram handle, but there are some good updates there @TheDennisPrager and Twitter @DennisPrager. Sean, you have any emails or social media you want to publicize?

No, I don't. I love you and I don't want to hear from you.

I just had Mark, who's a colleague here who is so funny, and Mark and I have a very funny relationship where we were all— we will always kid each other. And we were saying goodbye and he looks at me and he's leaving and he goes, Julie, seriously, if you ever need anything, hesitate to reach out.

I say it tongue in cheek, uh, your messages and, and, and your donations have really touched me. I am forever changed from what has gone on the past 2 months here. And I'm not going to cry. But isn't that life? The highs and the lows and all at once more than you think you can handle, but somehow you get through. And the only way you get through is with the help of other people. And I see Zach in the screen, and I know everybody on the other side of the glass had to cover for me, and I couldn't have made it through that time without their help, without the help of everyone out there and their well wishes. I know it's the same for Dennis as he lies in his hospital bed in the fight of his life with, with everything we have endured, um, I think nothing matters more than the prayers that mean so much continue for Dennis.

Yes, please. And Dennis loves you all so much. He really does. He would often say that Dennis and Julie was, uh, one of the things in his career that he was the most proud of. And I know that it was because of our listeners.

And we obviously—

thank you.

Yeah, again, that's really the only thing that matters is, is the recovery of Dennis Prager.

That's right.

Um, and you will go on and do your things, and I will go on and do my things.

And let's have a reunion, maybe.

And let's, uh, Let's try to, at the very least, embody what Dennis did for his whole career and will continue to do, God willing. And let's protect the dignity of others.

That's right. Thank you all a million times over. Thank you.

Thank you.

Mwah! Shalom!

Here's something most people don't know. When Warren Buffett was just 13 years old, he didn't put his money into a savings account. While other kids were earning next to nothing at local banks, Buffett put $114 into a little-known investment. Today, that $114 would be worth over $15 million. And it wasn't a risky trade. It wasn't even insider knowledge. It was an account that's been around since 1888, and over the last 25 years, it's averaged 29% a year. That's what happens when your money is allowed to compound. Compare that to today's savings accounts, paying less than half a percent while inflation quietly eats takes away at your buying power. Buffett understood early, banks are great businesses, just not for savers. If you'd like to see what some investors call the 29% account, go now to secretaccount29.com. That's secret account, the numbers, 29, dot com. secretaccount29.com.