George
Appearances
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Armchair Anonymous: Sports Event
My fake name is George. Yes. Okay.
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Armchair Anonymous: Sports Event
I'm in LA. I'm in Calabasas, Woodland Hills area. Okay, and you have avoided?
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Armchair Anonymous: Sports Event
Yeah, we're okay. We were surrounded by the evacuation zones. I've got 10-month-old twins, so we evacuated for their air quality. That was our first time leaving with the baby, so it was intense. But other than that, we're safe. We're back home. Everyone's happy, so it's good.
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Armchair Anonymous: Sports Event
I went to UCLA. This is at a UCLA football game. UCLA versus USC.
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Armchair Anonymous: Sports Event
It was at the Rose Bowl. Okay, so the year before, UCLA lost to USC 50-0. Oh, my. We usually always lose. But so this year, this was our chance. It was at the Rose Bowl, so it's packed. So we're at the student section. Incredible game. It kind of goes down to the wire. Three minutes left. It's getting clear we're going to win. At the UCLA student section, there's no assigned seating.
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Armchair Anonymous: Sports Event
You can make your way to the front if you're there early. So I was front row with my three friends, and then everyone just starts chanting, of course. Thank you.
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Armchair Anonymous: Sports Event
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
The school | Lucky Boy Ep3
Möchtest du ein grafisches Beispiel von etwas, das sie mir einmal gesagt hat?
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
The school | Lucky Boy Ep3
Okay, eines Tages war ich in der Staffel und sie war am anderen Ende. Und sie rief plötzlich über das Zimmer und ich erkannte, dass sie versucht hat, meine Aufmerksamkeit zu bekommen. Sie schrie. Hey, was machst du mit deinen Händen unter dem Tisch? Was war sie insinuierend? Nun, sehr offensichtlich war es, dass du masturbierst.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
The school | Lucky Boy Ep3
I've heard similar stories about Miss Bowen from some of the former pupils I've spoken to.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
The school | Lucky Boy Ep3
Yeah, I'd probably agree with you on that.
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
The school | Lucky Boy Ep3
There were members of staff who were concerned. And I know there were some women in the English department who would have been unhappy with what Miss Bowen was doing. They were trying to help her. I know that's very...
Lucky Boy | Tortoise Investigates
The school | Lucky Boy Ep3
I guess you could call me a coward, but... I don't want my former colleagues to think badly of me. There's a closing of ranks, then and now. I mean, I think the school was terrible if they allowed Miss Bowen to go on and teach for 35 years.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And I think people kind of see the writing on the wall. I'm not in the MLM scoop community. Sure. Someone can prove me wrong that it's coming back with a vengeance. But I think overall MLMs have sort of... It was almost like a trend and it's hopefully dying out. Some will stick around. Sure. The ones with better products and services will stick around. But overall... So interesting.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
But that to me says this was not a true friendship. Any true friendship that ends because you didn't buy a thing is not a friendship. It was transactional. That is crazy. And they faked it really well up until then.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
This one goes back to my thing of like everyone gets the apps and the drinks and I got one thing and a water. I feel like it's not fair to then charge me the same.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Don't put that socialism on me. So no, I think not a faux pas here.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Wow, look at you defending Bucca di Beppo. Well, in their defense, it's a family style, authentic Italian experience.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Agreed. But also, I get that it's a lot of work to get the waiter to split it, but it's also, they're used to it. So I don't buy when someone's like, well, it's just easier to just do it all together so the waiter doesn't have to. And if the waiter comes over with one big bill, I go, hey, I know it's a pain. Would you mind splitting it up? And they go, okay. And they go split it up.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Okay, here's what happened. And this is not a joke.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
But I think calling it out, like, hey, if you guys are going to get alcoholic, would you mind if I'm just on a separate tab? Just calling it out early on.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Especially in Tennessee because there's a liquor tax. Did you know this? Yes, I did. 15% on top of everything else. On top of your normal tax, on top of tip. Because we don't have income tax. That's how they get us.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I mean, you're going to get a bite. Yeah, I don't know.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
That's a good one. What do you think about people who, this happens to me often, someone who sneaks up and gets the weight of their card and sneakily pays for the table?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
No faux pas there. Is there a good way to do it? Is there a bad way to do it?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
What you guys need to know is that I'm tired of crap. And babies just get a lot of stuff. And people just think, I bet they want more stuff. And so we keep getting stuff. And so I thought for the party, which, by the way, was just family and close friends. I decided... Close friends.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
No, split it.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Yeah. That's a very also coming from Middle Eastern culture that every single time. Like the dads at the table are fighting.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And I'm like, okay, can we just be done with this charade?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Yep. But my brother is the, he is the king of, he's going to sneakily get it. He did it yesterday. That's so nice. He was in town and we're with a big group and he's, I'm like, how did you even get your card to the waiter? Like, I didn't even see you get up. It's like a magic trick. He's like David Blaine of generosity. See, that's so nice.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
But he is very generous.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
But it's hard. I'm not a good gift giver. We've talked about this. Neither of us are like the mega thoughtful, like, oh, I'm going to get them the perfect gift. So if you are looking for a good gift this holiday season, you got to check out Cozy Earth, one of the sponsors of today's episode.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Absolutely. Whitney was just telling me she has the Cozy Earth PJs in navy. Now she's like, I really want the ones that come in brown. I was like, is this a hint? Because I love the shopping list you're giving me. It makes it so much easier.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I love a code. Honestly, I feel like if I'm not getting a code, I'm getting ripped off. And Cozy Earth has been very generous with our listeners. If you go to this website, cozyearth.com slash smartmoney, you'll get 40% off. That's incredible. Do not miss this. And that's code smartmoney. If you're just on the website, you can use code smartmoney at checkout.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And if you get a post-purchase survey, be sure to let them know that you heard about Cozy Earth on this show.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Wrap yourself up in luxury this holiday season.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Game changer.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Nicolette.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Aw.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
No faux pas here, but I do think some communication might be helpful in this relationship. I don't think, here's the thing, when people give extravagant gifts, I don't think they expect the same level of extravagance in return. I think they're just naturally gift givers.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
But in our minds, we go, I need to return the favor. Now I got to get them a really nice gift. And the truth is, if you get them whatever you want to get them, it's going to be great.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I got some orders to cancel.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Nevermind.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
That's true. I have maybe one or two friends that still want to do like a birthday gift. It's really nice. Exactly. I accept it with so much grace.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
But I think I'd rather do like, hey, we're going out to this Mexican restaurant. Come join us for my birthday.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
That kind of thing.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
To be honest, I wanted nothing to do with the invite list. And it was just like, Winnie, invite your best girlfriends. I don't have friends. Guys don't want to go to first birthday parties. Can we just say that? That's fair. That's fair. So anyways, I decided, you know what? Instead of making everyone like, hey, bring a gift, bring more stuff. What if I did a little QR code?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Oh, I will say group gifts are the bane of my existence. And we've done them here, so it's not like... I know, it happens a lot. So traditional etiquette says that you never gift up at work. It's like giving your boss a gift. Oh. That's just traditional etiquette.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Not saying it doesn't happen, not saying it's not okay, but just the proper way to do it is peers or people that are like kind of down, maybe your team members.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
You know, if a leader gets a gift for their team versus a team member getting a gift for their leader.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
But I'm not a fan of group gifts where it's like, hey, we're all going in, here's what you owe. I don't like that. You don't? Not a fan. I do it because I'm just like, whatever, I will assimilate and not be the squeaky wheel who's like, I'm not doing it, I'm principal. Just, it's fine.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
To just be like, someone else is dealing with it. They've thought of it. They're purchasing it. I can just send a Venmo and be done.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
That's fair. So you think that you're happy to pay because of the convenience.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I want to make it clear. No one has ever gotten me a group gift.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
This is a good one. Barbara B. got invited to a holiday party and was asked to Venmo my portion.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Barbara Bush? We don't know. It could be. This sounds like something she would get herself into. Unless it's a casual potluck style, this is the question. Should the host cover everything if they're hosting a dinner party? Or is it okay to say, hey, are you guys cool chipping in...
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Okay, here's an example. If someone's cooking steak and you're like... Yeah, it depends on the experience.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Because our friend, mixologist Michael Reddish, he throws these very elaborate Halloween parties. We're talking swag and catering. And so there is a ticket fee. Like I go on, he makes it like a full event registration and you pay a fee because it covers, it helps cover the cost of the event. It's not a money-making scheme. They're not making money at all. But it's a very expensive thing to put on.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
You're talking thousands of dollars. Yeah. So that's the only time I think it makes sense to pay a fee to attend a party. But if it's just like a friend's hosting at their house.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I do always try to bring a gift, like maybe a bottle of something or, you know.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Or I usually say, hey, is there anything I can bring? I think it's a nice thing to ask.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I'm with you. Hey, we finally agreed on something.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I cannot wait for you to read this next one.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And if you so chose, you could give to her future college fund. So I made it cute. It was really cute. It said like... Cowgirls, blah, blah, blah, support Cowgirls College Fund with a QR code to go scan and donate directly to the fund. This was not like my then, though.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
This is real.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
The apologetic nature... Happens all the time. ...of a non-ra... Oh, they always point it out. Do you deal with that with your friends? Yes!
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Like, we're putting it on the Capital One. I'm not judging.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Oh, wonderful. That'll cure almost anything.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
That's happened at dinner before. People really, like, cornered me. Friends were like, no, but really, like, you have a credit card, right? I was like... This is my entire wallet. It's just a license and a debit card. Oh, yeah. And they're shocked. It's like a magic trick.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
They know you. They know you don't secretly got nothing.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Very funny.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Oh, because they see Dave. That happened to me at Costco once. The lady didn't even stop. She just walked right past me and said, hope you're paying cash for that. And I was like, yeah, yep. Kept walking our separate ways. Just kept on going. Just a quick little aside.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Appreciate that. Thank you, thank you. All right, this one comes from It's Zach Ford. I believe that's a friend of ours.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
One of my high school buddies sends his child support via Venmo every month for the world to see. Sometimes it's labeled passive-aggressively like, didn't have to be this way. Wow. Is it a faux pas?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I see more humor in it than I see faux pas-ness.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Didn't have to be this way.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
It's such a dark joke, but I'm here for it.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I think people putting anything publicly on Venmo, like my Venmo is set to private for everything.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
There's not a single payment that I'm like, I think people should know about this one.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Oh, I need to check Rachel's Venmo.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
She been public all this time.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
There'll be a little lock next to the transaction.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
It's an easy setting. Got it. I do, like, my only social media that I really enjoy is the Venmo transaction feed. It's amazing. Do a lot of people keep it public? Yeah, and they're like, you're deciphering what happened.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Like, I tell myself the story of what I think is being paid for.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Or it's just like weird emojis or like cryptic words. I'm like, what happened here? What does this really mean? That is good entertainment. That's a good one. Okay.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Out of all the submissions, which one really stuck with you?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
That one stuck out for sure.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
So I then posted on social media, like I'm posting the picture as a joke, like when you give people financial advice and you're the girl that, whatever, as a funny joke. Then people thought, wow, he's soliciting donations from social media now. So they thought it was tacky that I was on social trying to get money for my daughter's college fund. Which was not your intent of that.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
That's a really good one. I'm going to go with the air fryer delivery fee. That one I think is actually creative and petty, which I appreciate the creativity. If you're going to charge someone a fee just to bring it to work where they already go every day, that's sad. And just for fun, because it's been a while since we have role-played, And people loved Rick and the boat situation.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
We have one last listener submission that we're going to act out. So here's what Jennifer sent in. I do freelance photography on the side and people always ask if I can, quote, take a few pics free of charge. This conversation never gets easier. How do I tell them this is my work and I deserve to be paid for it?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
So you're going to be the frugal freelancer. I'm going to be the socially unaware friend slash customer. Okay. Jen, girl, oh my gosh. I saw that y'all are going to Destin and we're going to be there at the same time.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Yeah, we'll be on 30A right there.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I know y'all stay there with your family. Is there any way like we should like meet up maybe for drinks and maybe we can just grab a few like family pics if you don't mind. Just like, just kind of a quick, like real quick, free, like not a big shoot. Oh, Patrice.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
It wouldn't be like work. Like obviously you're going to have your camera taking pics of your own family. Like we'll just like jump in for a quick pic. Like quick pic, all white, against the dune, like just really classic. It'll be so fun. We can hang. I'll bring some drinks. It'll be a good time. Sound good?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Awesome. You're the best. Your photos are, like, so good. Like, I don't know what filter you're using or if it's your camera, but it's clearly not you. It's you, the filter, or the camera. My favorite diss to a photographer. What camera do you use? Because your photos are so good. They're so good. That's a tough one. Because I made it so like, it's like not even worth.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I'm basically giving you something.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Can I say, we did this yesterday with our friend Cody. He took family pics and we pay him. We don't expect anything for free. I'm like, hey man, how much do I need to Venmo you? And it was great. So great. Because I want to make sure that he knows I respect his talent, his time, and the fact that he would do this for us. And what they do. Pay your friends. I get like if you want to.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Don't beat Patrice. If you want to be like, hey, like I've done like, hey, you got like a friend discount, you know.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And usually like, yeah, we'll take, you know, 50 bucks off or whatever. I'm not trying to.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Really like take him to the cleaners on this. Yes. But it's always a kind gesture to do for a friend. For sure. For sure. So that's a good one.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I mean, that was like— I would be like, oh, my gosh, girl. Like, I would, but, you know, with the in-laws, like, I don't even know where we're going to be.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Which was not the intent. It was supposed to be a funny joke. Like, this is classic George behavior that amidst all the gifts, George is like, hey, you could donate to the college fund because it will, at a 12% rate of return, it'll turn it, you know, nerding out.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I think a good friend wouldn't put you in that position if we're going to be really honest. Yeah, let's hope not. Let's hope not. Okay, so what's the takeaways here?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And it gives you the margin to be generous. If you just want to spontaneously cover it and go, listen, it's not worth the relational transaction, awkward tension. Let's just cover it and be done. You can do that when you budget for it.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And maybe don't plan to get filet mignon for everyone at your party.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Make good decisions. And again, communicating and setting the boundaries ahead of time is important. Don't do it on the back end and blindside people because that's not fair to them. That's actually on you. That's right. That's right. So good. I learned a lot. Thank you for all your submissions. That was a lot of fun. I know.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Oh, that got dark real quick.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Define stalking. Like if I just go to the profile casually once in a while, is that considered a stalk?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
The location. You can go to the resort page and see all the posts.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And to be fair, not a single person donated to the college fund. So... But I did get really good at Canva. I became an expert in Canva just making this.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Instagram versus reality. Except it's Instagram.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Yeah, no, that's sociopath level of manipulation, Rachel. I'm proud of you.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
What are you capable of? What kind of Breaking Bad situation could you find yourself in?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
That's a good point. I'll have to stalk tonight and see what I can find out. I'll report back.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Okay, I just realized as you were saying that, I'm very guilty of this. It was someone in our neighborhood and we're always like, what do they do? Like, how are people always over their house? Like 9 a.m., 10 p.m., people over. And I was like, is she deep in an MLM? And so I did some Googling.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Way too deep. I had people in, I had a team.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And it was the most boring. I was like, I'm no further to the truth.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
But I know way too much about them. I'm like, I know maiden names. I know kids' names. I know the dog names. I'm like, this is, I need to go to bed. This is too much. I know. And if you're wondering, no, I don't have hobbies. Thanks for asking.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Investigator. Not a helpful skill, but a good one.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Is she a celebrity or no? Can you say? No, no, no, no, no.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Just wanted to have a great wedding. Cool. Wow. Okay. Oh, man. Let's talk about this drink. It was the Division Bell. Delicious. Who finished first? You were closer. Rating? I'm going 10 out of 10. 10 out of 10. You cannot improve on this drink.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I was very proud of my work.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
It's only $2.83. Really? Which is on the low side for these cocktails. It's got mezcal, maraschino liqueur, lime, and Aperol.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Yeah, yeah. Very balanced while remaining complex, which is what I look for in a cocktail. So good. You can find the recipe in the show notes. I highly suggest you give it a try this weekend if that's what you're into.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I didn't, but if it was me, I would personally rather give to my friend's kid's college fund than to like buy them another thing that will likely be thrown away or returned.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
One of the best episodes.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
No, it was a last minute thing. So it was like an add-on. It wasn't like on the invite.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Pretty much. Again, Hail Mary. George. But Rachel thought, I cannot believe you did that. And so we decided to do a whole episode on other financial faux pas. That's how we got here. So I want to know in the comments, am I in the wrong? Am I a terrible dad? Actually, I would love to know. Here's the deal. Anyways.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
We polled you guys on social media to share more real life financial dilemmas and faux pas with friends and finances. And so today we're going to hear your case. As the judge and jury, we're going to share our thoughts. And if QR code gate is any indication, there might be some friendly debate among Rachel and I.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And we're kicking off today's episode with a public debate.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Ooh, like financial faux pas. I think that, like, you've said this, but the nitpicking of, like, a Venmo, like, well, it was $4.28, so we're gonna... Yes. Like, amongst friends... Right. You know I don't like the let's just split it evenly.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
You're like, don't worry about it.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
There was one that really grinded my gears, and it's not from a person. It's from a place. Ooh. But I got a to-go order from one of my favorite burger places.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And they started a mandatory tip on to-go orders, which I was like, okay. Fine, I get it. They're putting a lot of work into this. They want to chart. Now it went from a 10% mandatory tip to a 15% automatic gratuity on a takeout order. I grabbed the bag and I leave.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And I thought, this is a little bit over the top to force my hand into a 15% tip for showing up to your restaurant and grabbing an order. And grabbing an order. No one waited on me.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I might as well have just enjoyed the meal.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
So that one was a real gear grinder for me. A financial faux pas for small business owners.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Like a shorter drive.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Oh.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Wow.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Who was making the money, the hotel, or is it like a... No, it was like a company. Like ChargePoint runs it.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Don't pin it on me. Okay. Well, before we get to that, what are we sipping on, Rachel? We've got a Division Bell. You can taste the divisiveness.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Here are the listener submissions. Marie Mathie said, drove to Florida with a friend, 600 miles round trip, but they never offered to pay for gas. Ooh, tacky. Now, I want to know the context. Like, they drove in apparently her car. She was driving, I assume, in her car.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Was the trip for her? Were they helping her move?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
You know what I mean? Like, I need to know the context in which they decided to go on this road trip.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Yeah, I'm getting to that. I prefer Wishbone to get into the bottom of this case. Or Mary-Kate and Ashley solving any crime by dinnertime.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
So yeah, overall faux pas without knowing any more context.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Like a delivery fee?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
My guess is the next thing was like turn around the phone like, hey, just going to ask you a few questions. Asking for the tip on this air fryer. Oh my gosh. I don't understand. Did he explain it? He must have said, hey, it'll be an extra five bucks since I brought it. Versus you driving to me and picking it up. You're going to work anyways.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Don't love that one. Here's one from Kyla Penner. Forgot to bring a bridal shower gift. Two days later, she called me asking where I dropped off my card.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
This is giving some Bridezilla McKinsley energy with a G-H.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
You know. You know the type.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
There's a lot going on here. So you forget to bring the gift.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Did you actually get a gift?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I actually think out of all the things in this episode, we'll agree that this is a good drink. So good. So stick around until the end. We'll give you the cost per glass. We'll give you our rating. And the recipe is in the show notes.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And like makes up an excuse. Oh, and she says, hey, where'd you drop off the card?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I didn't lose it or something.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
You were the Matlock of kindness and benefit of the doubt.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I'm not looking for a thank you, but it's just a- What is your, this is another built-in financial faux pas. Do you feel like it's a faux pas to not send a thank you after getting a gift for a, you know, baby shower, bridal, birthday?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I'm George.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Not that I was invited.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Carson, not Carson.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
How could you choose duck hunting over writing thank you cards?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Wow. Glad that's over.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Soul crushing.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Second guess everything. I'm glad you guys have made it 15 years now. Congrats.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Thank you. Despite the incident.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I just think a text is enough. Like, hey, thanks so much for the gift. Love seeing you.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Maybe say what the gift is if you want to go extra. But like writing a letter and mailing it, it feels like that's a lot.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
All right, here's one from DeleteMeRocks2024. This company only charges me $9 a month to save me hours of time and potentially thousands protecting me from internet scammers.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And this was clearly a plant DM.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
There's more scams than ever. More scams than ever. So protect yourself from the risks of all of that with our friends at Delete Me. And they're giving our listeners a great discount, 20% off any of their plans when you go to joindeleteme.com slash smartmoney. You'll get 20% off. And the plans are super affordable. I weirdly was in my report the other day just for fun. I was like, where am I at?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Yeah, you were. Because sometimes, if you Google your information, people, you will find out you are on way more of the internet than you thought. It's scary. Your address, your phone number, it's out there. Don't like it. And it's reduced spam for me. I don't get, like, I used to get all these spam calls and texts.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
You act like this is public indecency. What a tease.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
It's not happening anymore. So good. I love it. So check it out.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Okay. Anywho. All right. Here's another submission from Nao Teruya. My friend offered her guest room to me while I was in town. Charged me $15 per night plus an energy bill fee on Venmo. Y'all, who are these people? Are these people real? People. Like, $15 per night is almost, like, don't even, why even do it? Why?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
How many nights were you there? Were you there for a month? It said while you were in town. We don't know how long. Oh.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I cannot imagine charging friends when they stay. Like, if you're going to invite someone over, like, hey, just stay at our place. Do not charge them money.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Because I saw it first on TikTok. You saw it a month later on Instagram. And think you're better than us TikTokers.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I feel like I would just send my daughter with all the supplies she needed and say, don't take anything from these people.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
We're not going to get bed mode after this.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Don't flush the toilet.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
They're going to charge us for that, too. Man. That's overkill. Why don't the moms... Are moms that... I feel like they're reeling moms that are that petty out there. Like, I understand if they're going to go do an adventure. Hey, we're going to take them to Chuck E. Cheese. Great. I'm going to give her money. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
What if your kids are going over to a friend's house and it's like, hey, we're getting a bunch of pizzas. And you're like, hey, look, I'd love to like chip in to... You know what?
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
If you have friends, when they're over, we'll cover it when...
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
But people don't do pizza, so that's an interesting— I'm thinking about my own childhood now, because I was always over at friends' houses, and we'd just, like, eat whatever they were having for dinner. Yeah. And I don't think there was any money exchanged for any of this.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Sweet Denise.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
Tacky. This is an episode about financial faux pas, and apparently I committed one. Big one. While just trying to prepare for my daughter's future. Like, what a noble way to be tacky.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
And it's more for them. If it's like, if that's what they want to do. Sure. Then fine. It's not going to hurt you. Like it's not what you, you didn't ask for it. It was almost like a generosity thing.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
It's so funny. Way to go, Denise. All right. This next one, George. S Chodas said, our church friends stopped talking to us when we wouldn't buy an MLM product from them. Good. No oils here. You think they were friends. This was all a lead up to get you to buy the product. They don't actually like you, probably.
Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Settling the Debate on Your Financial Faux Pas (We’re Divided)
I think people caught on to it and some of them have gone under. I mean, Beauty Counter had a pretty famous blow up. And so all the people in the down line lost their income. And Tupperware just filed bankruptcy. Wait, Beauty Counter's done? Yeah. I don't think they're coming back. I think they're like, hey, we're going to just disappear for a little while.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
Coming to ABC and Hulu. Amanda Riley was a mother, wife, speaker at her church. And then she got diagnosed with cancer. A beloved young Christian woman fighting a battle undeserved. We thought she was God's gift, but she was a liar.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
Oh. Mimi. It's Mimi's shirt. It's Mimi. It's Mimi and it says bad bitch at the bottom.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
Yeah. And you've been lying to me.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
Okay, here's my last one.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
Oh, my God. Immediate divorce.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
She's just like, okay, yes, that happened. But this one I promise is real.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
Remember that? I was like, this is the best story I've ever heard in my life.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
From the number one smash hit podcast. It was only a matter of time until Amanda's whole world came tumbling down. You're not going to believe this. Scamanda.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
Thankfully. God. I know.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
I've got some fucking moves. There we go.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
Hello and welcome to My Favorite Murder. That's George, the mini-sode. Yeah.
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Day 33: Locusts, Darkness, and Death of the Firstborn (2025)
What? Nuns playing Ultimate Frisbee. They're like, you absolutely have to. You have to pray. Jesus loves Ultimate Frisbee.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
58: Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and more
And that was the first place outdoor scenes and activities photography category. Thank you very much indeed for talking to us, Rajesh.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
58: Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and more
the chair of the Hawley in Bloom competition. It's councillor Mike George.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
58: Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and more
How long have you been involved with Hawley in Bloom now?
The Planet Reigate Podcast
58: Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and more
It's really good to see the little ones getting involved now, the primary school kids.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
58: Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and more
When you walk or drive around the town, it is a very colourful place, isn't it? The holly and blue. Really, people seem to enter into the spirit of it all.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
58: Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and more
The Mayor of Reigate and Banstead, Councillor Eddie Humphries. This is quite an amazing event, isn't it?
The Planet Reigate Podcast
58: Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and more
Fiona Stimson. She's the Hawley in Bloom administrator. And it's down to her, all this hard work, much of it anyway, is down to Fiona.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
58: Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and more
It must keep you very busy, all of you.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
I'm George W. Gray and it's the British Art Foundation.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
Oh, serving customers. We'll start my 25th year next week. It is a charity shop, yes. We've got a place in Rygate, we've got a place in Hawley.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
Same house, 89 years.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
It'll be a big, big book like that.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
I used to work for the Performing Arts Society in London and then I come back to Red Hill and Reigate and I went freelancing. Then I finished up by working for Holidays for the Disabled, which the office was in Hawley. And I used to do printing for them and sending a lot of information out. They were a charity and British Art was a foundation.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
And they wanted people in the old building in High Street. That's where I started with them. And that's how it all started up. Then they moved to the present place near Sainsbury's, which is a much larger shop.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
I don't know if it does. You keep your eyes open.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
All kinds of things. Ladies' dresses, men's trousers and suits and things like that. A lot of bric-a-bac, of course. But we do sell new things as well, like men's underpants and things like that.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
No, no, I don't. Well, you can. It's up to them.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
Each to their own, yeah.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
satisfaction. You're doing something for the community. It's like playing the organ. You're doing something for the community.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
There are six. I was director of music at St Matthew's. Oh, I do play at St Matthew's some time. I'm available. and Sir Luke's Reigate, but they don't have much of an organ now. But I play at Merstham, St Catherine's, Sidlow Church and Blindle Heath. They're the three I do regularly every each month.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
And I'm standby, that's right, for, like, Charwood, Hawley and something like that, you see. Parachuted. LAUGHTER Oh, no.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
Oh, it's very good. I like the food.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
Oh, yes. Well, young people don't want to do it now. Churchgoing isn't what it used to be. When I first went to St Matthew's in 1973, a much larger congregation, although they do quite well now, but they don't get 100 people, 150.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
Best thing, I think, is the Harlequin Theatre, one of the things useful, and the redevelopment of some of it, making the town more pedestrianised, you know. Worst thing is, I think, some of the old shops, sad to see them go. And even the old market hall, because we used to have the music festival there, you see.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
Yes, yes. And it held more than the Harlequin. You know that, don't you? I think it was about over 500, because it had a nice balcony there. But I know it was Victorian. The late Joyce Hooper used to put all her grand operas on there, you know? Oh, she was the founder of the Radio Madrigal Singers. And she also conducted the Bach Choir. She founded that.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
She's put some of her concerts on in St Matthew's and in St Mark's Ryger with professional singers. They used to come for half free. Oh, joy. Yes, they won the BBC Rose Bowl with the best singer in the South East England. With ill medical singers, they were well known.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
52: The LoveWorks food charity, the world-famous local artist who etched a view that you know so well… and more
today we're packing parcels so we have a sheet for each beneficiary of the various food items they want to be provided anything they can't have we're aware of and we gather those items from around the warehouse put together parcels that are then taken out to the food banks today these ones we're doing on friday these are done into bags that are home delivered to people who aren't able to get to food banks themselves
The Planet Reigate Podcast
52: The LoveWorks food charity, the world-famous local artist who etched a view that you know so well… and more
So these people could be elderly, could be disabled, something like that?
The Planet Reigate Podcast
52: The LoveWorks food charity, the world-famous local artist who etched a view that you know so well… and more
Two local bakeries, Gales and Chalk Hill, donate a lot of bread to us. They're excess that we can give out. A big thing we do here is, you know, it's dignity. It's not just having something to eat, but actually being able to provide something where people can feel good about themselves.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
52: The LoveWorks food charity, the world-famous local artist who etched a view that you know so well… and more
And, you know, certainly having nice bread from a local bakery rather than just the cheapest one off the shelves, I think, goes a long way towards that.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
52: The LoveWorks food charity, the world-famous local artist who etched a view that you know so well… and more
When we have a beneficiary sign on, they will have a long phone conversation. We'll take details on things they specifically don't want, things they specifically do want. Certainly we've packed parcels that are halal. We do vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free. When we're packing, even if there's no preference given, we do try to give a balance.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
52: The LoveWorks food charity, the world-famous local artist who etched a view that you know so well… and more
in terms of both what sort of foods they're getting, but also brands.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
So the idea that it could have been a war game, could it have been something, you know, some of these UFOs that have been seen over nuclear missile bases, silos and things of that sort, the implication has been, as with drones, that it's a readiness test of some sort.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Good response. Yeah. And you now know this is real. This is a cover up. They are lying about this stuff.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Give us a sense of it. You read one document that said Immaculate Constellation and it had some images with it. What additional information did you come across that reinforced your belief that there is a big surveillance program collecting this stuff?
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Now we have tools to do that for us. Could you describe then for us how you think this works, whatever the name for it is now, how it works? Did we have an AI system in 2018 that could do what we're describing now? Well, we know we did. Those documents have since become public.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
You know, we've had our conversations, private and otherwise, about this kind of an operation. And it just seems like, gosh, there should be somebody who's collecting all this information and studying it and trying to figure it out. And the fact that it goes into the executive branch somewhere, if that's what happens to it. Good. I'm glad somebody is doing it.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Why is that, as you've learned about it, why is that not necessarily a good idea? Is it because it's not maybe really within the executive branch that it's? It's an entity unto itself.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
these images that would pop up here and there on some system, on some platform, this AI program that was once called Immaculate Constellation, it would grab them, take them away, and then they're gone from those platforms, those places. So like CIA or something.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Wouldn't somebody say, hey, where's my image that I recorded? And then where'd it go? There's a lot of people who have had incidents like that.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
And I'm literally in the belly of the beast. Back to a constellation, you begin to get the sense that it is, in fact, a constellation with a lot of individual stars or or stovepipes underneath it. Could you describe that structure, what you learned and how you learned it?
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Describe those. For example, you're telling us that you realize the guys you're working for are lying. Do you start to feel marked because of your interest in this or do you make mistakes that put you in somebody's crosshairs?
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
It's disillusioning, isn't it? That the Congress has made a show of this. Hey, we want the information. We're going to pass this legislation, protect whistleblowers. Come on in, tell us this stuff. And then the channels really don't work.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Right. Did there come a time then when you start meeting, physically meeting with other people who are sort of like whistleblowers or at least making sounds like whistleblowers?
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Yeah, you've got to be thinking, well, look, I'm going to go hear from some other people, see what their experience has been like. Maybe I'm not doing this right, and there's another way to do it.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
You got a new job at the State Department. You have in the back of your mind, look, if I decide to take it a step further, this is a good place to do that. Right. What's your job at State Department and did you like it?
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
in the real world, as it were. Was there ever a period where you were thinking, maybe I'm just leaving this UAP stuff behind me? Oh, no. You were hooked. You were done.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
At what point did you read the transcripts of Sean Kirkpatrick speaking to the senators? Was that at the State Department? No, that was at USDI. I'm just trying to figure out at what point you decided, all right, you know, I tried to go to Congress. Obviously, you knew that Arrow wasn't the way to go. So you had to make a decision at some point. I'm going to take some action some way.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
You see people like Dave Grush come forward and get slimed. You know that there are other whistleblowers who have come forward bits and pieces. You have to realize at some point there's a lot of risk in taking action.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
There was momentum.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Is there a point at which you see, let's call it the whistleblower community, a small group of, fairly small group of people who have different stories, that you become disillusioned with them and with their media contacts who are being fed bits and pieces of information?
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Those acronyms meaning for the Senate committees and the House committees that would deal with these classified sensitive stuff.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
And that's where we start a process, but- Right. So you make the submission, you get an answer back. Yep. What's it say?
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Not exactly something that gives you a lot of confidence at all as well. But I mean, it sounds like they're saying, go ahead. We have no problem with it. Yeah.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Who are they? Why are they here? Why don't they show us what's going on?
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Wow. So your suspicions after seeing this 12-page report is that these are freeze frames of what are videos. Yeah. Videos. So somewhere there's a bigger collection of this stuff that's also very interesting. Absolutely. Yeah.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
He's cutting you some slack there, in essence. Without me knowing, yes. Yeah, you didn't read it, so you're not in any trouble. And delete it.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
So the idea that it could have been a war game, could it have been something, you know, some of these UFOs that have been seen over nuclear missile bases, silos and things of that sort, the implication has been, as with drones, that it's a readiness test of some sort. We're going to put some secret operation, unexpected, and see how people and systems react to it.
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
Could that have been what was going on here?
WEAPONIZED with Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
PART 2 : Immaculate Constellation : A UFO Whistleblower's Journey - Matthew Brown
You, you wrote, um, in a paper that was submitted to Congress and we'll go to a lot of, uh, details in that, but that this was deeply disturbing overall. Why was it disturbing to you?