Tony Bruno Returns

Tony Bruno returns near the end of the hour, immediately joins the New Jersey voter discussion and opens the Cut Sheet with Andy Kim and a CNN panel debating whether the admitted error counts as widespread fraud. We stay with the Cut Sheet as Tony Bruno joins the crew for a long discussion of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. We debate the cast, the absence of Greek performers in the major roles, Matt Damon dropping to 167 pounds, the physical strain of the production, and Nolan’s use of real boats, caves and far-flung locations. The conversation also turns into a spirited Damon-versus-Ben Affleck debate and a look at Nolan’s draw at the box office. A viral video of young people fighting on a SEPTA Broad Street Line train sends us into a discussion of bullying, parenting, school transportation and why city students often rely on public transit. After the break, Tony returns to ESPN’s staff cuts, including Karl Ravech, and the crew talks about consolidation after the network’s NFL Media deal, the value of familiar broadcasters and the huge salaries kept for a small group of stars. We then play Rep. Brandon Gill’s questioning of National Museum of American History director Anthea Hartig. The exchange centers on a museum-workforce toolkit that describes objectivity, politeness, planning and hard work as features of white supremacy, plus a museum reference linking Mickey Mouse to blackface minstrelsy. We challenge the use of taxpayer money for ideological messaging, then move into the nine o’clock setup with the Ben to the Shore total passing $34,000, the Miami Heat’s accidental LeBron James press-conference stream, and renewed discussion of the burglary at Saquon Barkley’s home.