Dude Says He Was Fired From Chili’s For Deadnaming Co-Worker

**SPEAKER_2** (0:10)
Live from the Liberty University Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, it's America's favorite gun-toting, Bible-clinging, deplorable American. Todd Stars.

**Todd Starnes** (0:30)
Well, hello, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Todd Starnes radio program. Great to have you with us today. Wherever you might be listening to us or watching us across the fruited plane. And let me just say, there are some days, and I wish I was not a good and decent Southern Baptist because Dylan, I could have used a whole bottle of Tennessee sip and whiskey after hosting that debate last night.

**Dylan** (0:57)
Yeah, I can vouch for that.

**Todd Starnes** (0:59)
Jeez, Lou.
I got to tell you, this was, it was wild.
We hosted for a K-RAM, which is the radio station I own in Memphis, and we're a massive political news radio station. Everybody wants to come on the show. Everybody wants to talk politics. And so we thought, you know what? Let's hold a debate between the four Republican congressional candidates that are running in this big ninth congressional district race. And I don't know, Dylan, I thought, you know what? What a lovely night we were going to. We had snacks. You know, the lovely Miss Cheryl, our advertising goddess, she went out and she got the highfalutin. It was like fresh market. Those are highfalutin snacks.

**Dylan** (1:41)
It was very tasty, yes.

**Todd Starnes** (1:43)
And had like all sorts of delicious beverages.
We had the Coca-Cola, we had the Diet Coke, we even had Dr. Pepper and bottled water too. I mean, we went above and beyond last night. And I thought, who would have thought, just what a lovely evening with four Republicans, all like-minded, just, I don't know, sharing recipes or whatnot. That did not happen. All hell broke loose in this debate. It was the craziest thing. Dylan, you were across the glass. I was stuck here in the middle of all of it, and it was insane.

**Dylan** (2:23)
Yeah, that room was a little tight. You know, all the people in there.
Well, it gets heated.

**Todd Starnes** (2:30)
It does get heated in more ways than one. But there were all sorts of accusations flying last night. And what made it really interesting is that just like an hour before the debate, President Trump made the announcement that he was endorsing state senator Brent Taylor to be his pick for the ninth congressional race. This is the one that used to be occupied by Steve Cohen, the guy who ate the bucket of chicken up on Capitol Hill. So they've been redistricted, and this is going to be a pick up for the Republicans in Congress. So this is a very important seat for the Republicans in Tennessee.
And Senator Taylor is the odds on favorite to win in a head to head against Justin Pearson, who is this AOC wannabe. Here's how crazy it is in Memphis. The squad, AOC, Iona Presley and Summer Lee, are all coming to Memphis to campaign for the Democrat, who is a radical progressive. That's how crazy this is. So anyway, I'm curious, Dillon, what your take would be, because it was nasty.
I mean, some of the... there was one candidate who refused to shake hands.

**Dylan** (3:44)
Yeah.

**Todd Starnes** (3:46)
I'm just like, wait, what?

**Dylan** (3:48)
I did not think that that would happen.

**Todd Starnes** (3:50)
Not once, but you're right, but twice. And then I, yours truly, your lovable curmudgeon of a talk radio host, I was ambushed in my own building.

**Dylan** (4:01)
This is true. Yeah.
We all saw that and heard it.

**Todd Starnes** (4:05)
And apparently the guy put it all on video. I don't know if he did or not. But he was just like, they were demanding that they film everything. And I'm like, this is a private, this is private property, pal. You can't do that here. It was crazy. I'm a member of the media. Great. Let me see your credentials. I don't have them with me. They're in my car. Great. Go get them.

**Dylan** (4:27)
Yeah, you put it to him, Todd.

**Todd Starnes** (4:28)
I couldn't remember. Did I say anything inappropriate? I'll hear about it in church on Sunday.

**Dylan** (4:32)
This is true. Yeah. You'll hear all about it.

**Todd Starnes** (4:35)
I was in a very foul mood. All of this is happening in the lead up to the debate, by the way. And I'm like, oh my God, I felt like it was in a room. I mean, no offense here. I felt like I was in a room full of Democrats. I mean, what is going on here?
Oh my word, trying to be nice and friendly, do something for the community, and it comes back and not only bite you in the behind, but right up the freaking wazoo.