1 00:00:17,879 --> 00:00:21,879 We're back with another edition of The Federalist Radio Hour. I'm Emily Jashnski, 2 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:24,640 culture editor here at the Federalist. As always, you can email the show 3 00:00:24,679 --> 00:00:28,640 at radio at the Federalist dot com, follow us on Twitter at fdr LST. 4 00:00:28,839 --> 00:00:32,240 Make sure to subscribe wherever you download your podcasts, and you can head 5 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,759 over and subscribe to the premium version of our website as well. I have 6 00:00:35,799 --> 00:00:39,079 the real privilege of talking today to somebody whose family has brought a lot of 7 00:00:39,119 --> 00:00:42,079 laughs to my family and families around the country. That would be the one 8 00:00:42,079 --> 00:00:46,640 and only Kay Robertson, whose family life is actually chronicled in a new movie. 9 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,960 It's called The Blind. It's streaming now. It's available on DBD on 10 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,799 Blu Ray now. Sokay, thank you so much for joining the show. 11 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,520 I'm glad I could be here. Tell us a little bit about the film. 12 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:02,759 Obviously folks should go out and see it. But what does it cover 13 00:01:03,359 --> 00:01:07,840 when it relates to your life and your marriage and even the recent years in 14 00:01:07,879 --> 00:01:11,840 the Robertson family story, Well, we really have. The most of this 15 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:19,200 is from our teenage years through our twenties actually till Phil became a Christian and 16 00:01:21,359 --> 00:01:27,200 It really is about his life without God and the struggles we had and the 17 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:33,760 way we though stayed together. And you know, we made it, and 18 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:38,239 most people wouldn't be able to do that. Because I've seen it over and 19 00:01:38,239 --> 00:01:41,959 over. I try to talk to people about it, and over and over 20 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,480 they keep saying, well, how did you do it? How did you 21 00:01:44,519 --> 00:01:48,599 do it? I said, well, I prayed a lot, and I 22 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:53,239 had the patience my grandmother told me to have. That's the only way I 23 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:57,599 can tell you. And you know, I was actually interested in this just 24 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,239 thinking about the movie. You've had to spend a lot of time in recent 25 00:02:01,319 --> 00:02:05,480 years and even talking about it here right now, looking back on a lot 26 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,159 of difficult moments in your marriage, a lot of difficult moments in your life 27 00:02:08,479 --> 00:02:15,120 with the sort of wisdom that comes with having decades in the rearview mirror to 28 00:02:15,199 --> 00:02:19,479 look back on that time, are there any things that stand out to you 29 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:24,479 as the biggest lessons or the things that maybe surprise you now when you look 30 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:29,840 back on some of those those difficult moments in your life. Well, I 31 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:35,439 see clear maybe why Phil and I were to get together so early, in 32 00:02:35,479 --> 00:02:42,199 the fact that my daddy, dad and my mother was dating and drinking and 33 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,360 some of the things that were hard for me that would make me want to 34 00:02:46,439 --> 00:02:52,080 go on to another life. And you know, and then I think looking 35 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,240 at my grandchildren now, I'm thinking how they couldn't have handled that at their 36 00:02:55,280 --> 00:03:00,719 age. I mean, it's like the older like me raised in that time 37 00:03:00,759 --> 00:03:06,879 that I was raised in a lot of people did marry young and they did 38 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,479 start all that, and so you had to be a little bit more mature. 39 00:03:12,199 --> 00:03:15,080 You had to know a little bit more about life, and it just 40 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:23,479 wasn't playtime all the time. Yeah, that feels accurate. One thing that 41 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,080 maybe would be helpful for people if they haven't seen the film yet, or 42 00:03:28,599 --> 00:03:31,039 maybe they didn't watch Dych Dynasty or at the other shows or all the many 43 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:36,840 podcasts and great work that your family continues to do. Miss Ka, could 44 00:03:36,879 --> 00:03:40,000 you tell just a little bit about what you guys went through as Phil was 45 00:03:40,039 --> 00:03:44,360 becoming a Christian, your husband, Phil was becoming a Christian, as you 46 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,919 were starting your family and struggling in some of those early days of your marriage. 47 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,960 Yeah, it was real hard because Phil had a ten year run of 48 00:03:53,759 --> 00:03:57,840 being like the devil. I always said he was the devil because he was 49 00:03:57,919 --> 00:04:01,199 living in him, and we were so glad he finally got him out of 50 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:06,199 him. So, yes, those years were pretty hard, they really were. 51 00:04:06,759 --> 00:04:12,479 But then the new field, we found out it was hard for him 52 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:17,240 to know how to be good and how to talk right and just a lot 53 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,480 of things that he did. He just needed to learn how to grow in 54 00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:27,079 that area. And at least, thank Dennis, we were in a church 55 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:31,000 where people were very forgiving because there were things he would say. I'd say, 56 00:04:31,079 --> 00:04:34,600 oh, no, he's going to hurt their feelings. Their feelings. 57 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:40,720 He's so blunt. And the first time the man come up and put his 58 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,560 arm around him, you know, trying to encourage him, Phil said, 59 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,160 what are you doing? See, he wasn't even used to having a man 60 00:04:46,439 --> 00:04:50,319 put his arm around him just to hug him and encourage him. And so 61 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:56,240 that was kind of like embarrassing to me the way he feel like. But 62 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:00,399 that was all a new life to him. He did not know how to 63 00:05:00,519 --> 00:05:09,240 be like that. He does now, but he didn't then. Well you 64 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:12,319 know, actually, I think though, that's something people really go through, 65 00:05:12,439 --> 00:05:15,680 especially when they're becoming Christians. What advice do you have to people who step 66 00:05:15,759 --> 00:05:19,839 into a Christian life? A Christian life style as well. You know, 67 00:05:21,759 --> 00:05:28,600 I think God really helps us with patience there, he really does. And 68 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:32,000 you know, in my case, I kind of prepared people for him with 69 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,639 his bluntness and all that, you know, and that he had been in 70 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:41,480 the world about ten years and he was lovely to say anything. So I 71 00:05:41,519 --> 00:05:45,240 said, it's going to embarrass me, but I want you to understand that 72 00:05:45,519 --> 00:05:48,399 this is his new life and he has to grow and we have to help 73 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:55,480 it. So number one is don't be so easily offended, and number two 74 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:59,879 is just help him, helping to know that's not the thing to say, 75 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,480 to not be that blot that ladies don't like to hear what you talk to 76 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:12,360 me in about. You know. It was a learning, a learning process. 77 00:06:13,639 --> 00:06:17,720 Yeah, And on that note, it sounds like having you actually already 78 00:06:17,759 --> 00:06:23,879 mentioned this a helpful church, a patient church, and that kind of community 79 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:30,480 where people could sort of get together and exercise, you know, be a 80 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:36,120 support system or a safety net for somebody who is really new in that world 81 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:43,399 and is trying to live a Christian lifestyle. How important was that for both 82 00:06:43,439 --> 00:06:46,240 of you and for your family as all of this was happening. So I 83 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:49,040 want you to know that I grew up in a little church that would never 84 00:06:49,079 --> 00:06:55,759 have done what this church did. And now, don't you know, throw 85 00:06:55,839 --> 00:07:00,360 something at I'm saying, it's just nobody knew how to do that. But 86 00:07:00,759 --> 00:07:05,279 you know, that's been inspiring to me to go back to help other people 87 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,759 say, well, you know, since we've been over here and grown so 88 00:07:09,879 --> 00:07:14,079 much, we've really learned some things that you might be interested in doing at 89 00:07:14,079 --> 00:07:16,879 this church. You know. So it's been really good that way. But 90 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:26,120 you know, the way that people responded to feel and then they you know, 91 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,959 would put their arms run and pray for him right then and there. 92 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:32,800 They would call him, they would just they didn't give up. They just 93 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:38,160 kept checking on him, kept checking on him. And you know, you'd 94 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,920 think, oh, no, they're gonna go away, but they didn't. 95 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:46,720 They didn't. And it really worked. And now he's checked on people or 96 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:51,920 gets me to help him check on people and things like that. But he's 97 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:58,839 he's a complete different man. And tell you that, well, that's amazing. 98 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:03,040 And when you look back now, I'm very curious about this on when 99 00:08:03,279 --> 00:08:07,319 the show Duck Dynasty originally started and now we're talking about this movie again, 100 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:13,160 it's called The Blind. Did you ever think, miss Kay, that your 101 00:08:13,279 --> 00:08:18,879 life would be so public that so many different people would know your story and 102 00:08:20,079 --> 00:08:24,319 your name and be so intimately familiar with your family and your family's story. 103 00:08:24,839 --> 00:08:28,920 I never believe that. But the funniest thing was during my life growing up 104 00:08:28,959 --> 00:08:33,480 with you boys, and we feel like that. I remember saying one time, 105 00:08:33,519 --> 00:08:37,639 I said, we're so funny, we should be on TV. And 106 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:43,039 everybody laughed and laughed and laughed about that. And then another time was like 107 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:48,639 somebody would say, I wish I could just be around y'all all the time, 108 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:52,480 and I said, well, that's too hard, and then they said, 109 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,200 well, I wish you could be on TV and then we could just 110 00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:01,120 hear you and know about you because your whole family is so funny and you 111 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:05,879 have so many stories and there's so many complete learning lessons with your family. 112 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,000 And I said, well, we get out there and try our best to 113 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:13,559 tell everybody everything we can. But that's why we did have the show, 114 00:09:15,039 --> 00:09:22,639 because people kept asking us that. It's not surprising to me at all that 115 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:24,960 people used to say that. It came through so clearly on the show. 116 00:09:26,639 --> 00:09:31,639 And that's another question actually about the show that I have when you and actually 117 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:35,159 the supplies to the movie. Do you feel as though there was a lot 118 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:41,799 of preparation, that you were being prepared for years for being able to tell 119 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,039 a story and show a happy family. So it's so different than a lot 120 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:46,440 of what's shown on TV. You know, not a perfect family, but 121 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:50,480 a happy family. And in the movies. Do you feel like God was 122 00:09:50,519 --> 00:09:56,600 preparing you? I know he was tell us about that. I tell and 123 00:09:56,639 --> 00:10:01,279 if you've ever heard me tell you, I've told you about sitting in the 124 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:07,200 swing with my grandmother and she told me all these lessons and she told me 125 00:10:07,279 --> 00:10:11,320 this. I mean, she practically raised me to be a teenager because my 126 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:16,840 parents worked in that store all the time. And so I learned so much 127 00:10:16,879 --> 00:10:22,399 from her, and you know, it didn't ever leave me. I mean, 128 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:26,639 I'm sure I didn't remember everything, but a lot of it I did. 129 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,000 And I remember she's the one that told me you had to fight for 130 00:10:31,039 --> 00:10:35,679 your marriage and all these things that weren't going to be perfect, that in 131 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:39,600 my mind, were going to be perfect. I wasn't gonna have to worry 132 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,240 about that. And she said, no, you always struggle. And she 133 00:10:43,279 --> 00:10:46,519 said, if people tell you they've never had one struggle in their marriage, 134 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:52,399 they're telling you a story I love. I was going to say, I 135 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:58,039 love the perspective on marriage that you offer. Definitely that this movie offers. 136 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:03,559 But I wanted to ask you about that because that's a that's a marriage. 137 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,960 That is a concept I think is you know, it's really really uh for 138 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:11,799 for sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer. And we take 139 00:11:11,879 --> 00:11:16,840 those words and everybody's familiar with them, but maybe it doesn't understand the gravity 140 00:11:16,879 --> 00:11:20,840 and the weight of what it means to take, you know, to to 141 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:24,480 be married, you know, with the authority of God, and to have 142 00:11:24,519 --> 00:11:28,440 that you know in your mind and in your heart. Can you tell us, 143 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,360 you know, do you worry that that perspective on marriage, the one 144 00:11:31,399 --> 00:11:35,440 that you pushed through and pushed for, is lost in our society today? 145 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:41,399 Worry about that And in any time I get to talk, I talk about 146 00:11:41,399 --> 00:11:43,200 it, and you know, just like I try to do, like my 147 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:50,919 grandmother did. She never it was from the time she started talking to me, 148 00:11:50,039 --> 00:11:54,039 it was always that this marriage will be for life, This marriage will 149 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,840 be for life, This marriage will be for life. And I mean that 150 00:11:58,039 --> 00:12:01,000 was just put in me. I put that in other people's head or try 151 00:12:01,039 --> 00:12:07,120 to constantly, and so does feel. And even our family I can say 152 00:12:07,159 --> 00:12:16,159 to this day, fifty members and there's no divorces, there's no separation altogether. 153 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:22,759 Are we perfect? No? Do we fuss? Yes? But guess 154 00:12:22,799 --> 00:12:31,200 what I think they my kids understand this is for life because they've had some 155 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:37,399 hard struggles too. Yeah. And you know that's another I wonder you mentioned 156 00:12:37,399 --> 00:12:43,000 your grandmother, and you mentioned your grandmother a lot in public, and that's 157 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:48,879 a strong female I'm saying character because we're talking about a movie here, but 158 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:52,480 it's a strong female role model in your life, and you've been a strong 159 00:12:52,519 --> 00:12:56,960 female role model for your own family. Can you also talk to us about 160 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,000 that what it means? And if again, this is something you worry abou 161 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:05,440 out that women in twenty twenty three, modern women maybe are missing something like 162 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:11,799 that in different families. Well, I do think they are. And the 163 00:13:11,879 --> 00:13:16,559 thing is that's why we so much talk about it and share it and everything. 164 00:13:16,759 --> 00:13:20,480 And look, they don't think that we're all like I say here and 165 00:13:20,519 --> 00:13:26,159 there, I mean, somebody gets mad. Why daughter and all could disagree 166 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,799 with me and we're you know, we're disagreeing with each other. That is 167 00:13:28,879 --> 00:13:33,919 a way we broke you know, a part or anything. But we do 168 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:37,679 disagree from paths the time. I'll disagree with my sons and they will with 169 00:13:37,759 --> 00:13:43,320 me. But that's just regular life and it's always going to be that. 170 00:13:43,399 --> 00:13:48,240 You've got your opinion. I've got my opinion. People are different. But 171 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:56,200 when the big picture comes out and the stay together is there and something happens, 172 00:13:56,360 --> 00:14:01,919 there's no doubt to me my family would be just together even though little 173 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,600 things. I didn't like what she did, she didn't like what I did, 174 00:14:07,039 --> 00:14:11,240 and all that happens, and it does, and it willed every family. 175 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:16,559 That's just life. But it is not determining that we will this family 176 00:14:16,639 --> 00:14:26,600 will break upon it. As a listener of Federalist Radio Hour, you've definitely 177 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,840 heard about this digital dollar idea that's being talked about. It's all the rage 178 00:14:31,879 --> 00:14:35,879 here in Washington, DC. It's the one where the government monitors and could 179 00:14:35,919 --> 00:14:41,399 control your purchasing and your financial activity. 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That's gold code dot com slash Federalist or 196 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:03,759 call eight five five six one eight ten thirty. And actually, on that 197 00:16:03,879 --> 00:16:07,919 note, your family has been through a lot as it is documented in this 198 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,159 movie, and just the richer or poorror is a huge part of your family's 199 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:17,080 story. Can you tell us what it was like as a Christian Christian mother, 200 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:22,240 a Christian grandmother, a Christian wife to experience the fame that came with 201 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:26,879 Duck dynasty and all of the sort of public reaction to it. How hard 202 00:16:26,879 --> 00:16:30,720 has that been? Oh, well, it's really funny. I just came 203 00:16:30,759 --> 00:16:33,159 back from a trip and people were teasing me. Did you get recognized? 204 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:38,320 Well, of course I got recognized. I always get recognized. It just 205 00:16:38,679 --> 00:16:42,919 bothered me day. It's like I meet new friends every day, every day 206 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:48,440 in my life, but I'm different from the others. The boys sometimes will 207 00:16:48,519 --> 00:16:51,679 say, well, Mom, I don't have time to sit there and sign 208 00:16:51,759 --> 00:16:55,399 things, and you know, you're just giving them your whole life. And 209 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:59,360 I said, well, if I have the time, I can sign something 210 00:16:59,399 --> 00:17:03,679 for them, or I can do something. I just love it that they 211 00:17:03,119 --> 00:17:10,000 appreciate what we do. They understand we're trying to help people. We're trying 212 00:17:10,039 --> 00:17:15,160 to save marriages, we're trying to bring people to Jesus, and we want 213 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:19,839 it to be a better and nicer world. And it's much better if we 214 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:26,200 love each other than if we don't, And that's what I want to teach. 215 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:32,559 Yeah, you know, why do you think it is that from the 216 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:37,640 show to the movie people? What is it about the Robertson family story that 217 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:42,720 people respond to and especially you know in this country Americans. It's a human 218 00:17:42,759 --> 00:17:45,319 story, but it's also a very American story. What do you think it 219 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:52,240 is that you mix people? I think it's because we are so was that 220 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,079 let yourself go. I mean, we're open and there's nothing we're hiding. 221 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:00,799 If you say, well, I know something about you that you never told, 222 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,920 well tell me and the next time I give a speech, I'll share 223 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:10,599 it, and I will because we pretty much opened up everything that we were 224 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:15,920 not hiding anything. And I think we're the first family that from Grandpa and 225 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:19,599 Grandma to mother to daddy to her kids, to own and on and onn 226 00:18:21,599 --> 00:18:26,319 just tell it all. And that say well you can't tell that, Yes, 227 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:30,839 actually you can. You really can. And you need to tell them 228 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,160 how you made it through it, how God helped you. I mean, 229 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:38,880 there's so many things that you learn and people need to share that to give 230 00:18:40,039 --> 00:18:45,519 other people hope. We should be the very people on this earth that gives 231 00:18:45,599 --> 00:18:49,200 other people hope. And I'm telling you I've been in some spots you're talking 232 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:56,000 about that bad times. I remember setting on the steps wind Phil was going 233 00:18:56,039 --> 00:19:00,519 out, you know, drinking and doing the other things, and I remember 234 00:19:00,599 --> 00:19:06,279 sitting there all night long on my front steps, and then it just became 235 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:11,319 daylight and I thought, oh no, and here comes the truck driving in. 236 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:15,400 Of course, I didn't say a word because I could tell he had 237 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:21,799 been drinking and it would just be for no good use because he wouldn't be 238 00:19:21,839 --> 00:19:25,440 in the right mind to talk. But he was like, what are you 239 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:30,440 doing out here? I'd say, waiting for you? In other words, 240 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:34,880 I know when you came in, you didn't hide ething. But yeah, 241 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:41,480 that was a rough ten years, you know. I imagine you've heard all 242 00:19:41,559 --> 00:19:47,920 kinds of criticisms of reality TV and all of that over the years. Why 243 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:52,519 do you think it was so important to actually have a show. And I'm 244 00:19:52,519 --> 00:19:55,359 answering the question a little here from the perspective of somebody who watched it. 245 00:19:55,440 --> 00:20:00,279 But that was positive, centered on family, centered family, centered on faith. 246 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:04,720 Why do you think the critics who who might you say, you know, 247 00:20:04,799 --> 00:20:07,640 Duck Dynasty people should have nothing to do with reality TV all that. 248 00:20:08,319 --> 00:20:12,920 Why do you think they're wrong? They're wrong because we want people to know 249 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,960 the truth. We want people to know the good, bad and ugly. 250 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:22,599 But you know a lot of people if they'll have a show and I know 251 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:26,920 this, I won't tell you I know it, and they're not who they 252 00:20:26,039 --> 00:20:32,440 act like they are, right, Okay, I don't look that that is. 253 00:20:33,039 --> 00:20:34,319 That's just not right to me. If you're going to have a show, 254 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,839 be honest, show it all, show everything. And that's what we 255 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:41,160 did. And somebody said, how can you be that honest? How can 256 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:45,680 you tell those things? Because it's the truth. And once we get it 257 00:20:45,799 --> 00:20:49,240 out, you think that I could never tell that. Well, once you 258 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:53,759 get out, you're glad you did it and you feel better. And somebody 259 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:56,880 said, I can't believe you did that. Well, we did it, 260 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:03,119 that's for sure, you know. And of the good. We've met so 261 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:11,200 many people, We've had so many opportunities. We've got a lot of money. 262 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:17,160 I don't look like I have any, but I do. And you 263 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:19,880 know, to help people to do all kinds of things. And you know, 264 00:21:21,039 --> 00:21:23,359 why wouldn't you want to say, God bless us. I want to 265 00:21:23,519 --> 00:21:29,720 tell you about it. I'm not bragging. I'm telling you that he can 266 00:21:29,799 --> 00:21:33,279 help you, and he was there with us in the poor years, he's 267 00:21:33,319 --> 00:21:40,720 been with us in the rich years. How do you or do you have 268 00:21:40,759 --> 00:21:45,160 any stories that stand out of conversations you've had with fans, with people who 269 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:49,640 have seen your testimony. You're in Phil's testimony as a married couple. Are 270 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:55,680 there any stories that stand out to you of people's responses, maybe people who 271 00:21:55,759 --> 00:22:00,000 have said this has changed their perspective on marriage, on family, just interactions 272 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,599 you've had with folks over the years that have had well, there has been 273 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:07,200 many that I believe it any many and then say, how could you tell 274 00:22:07,279 --> 00:22:11,759 that? And I told you just like I'm telling you, it's the truth. 275 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:18,680 If you're open, you're honest, and that's what's wrong in a lot 276 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:22,640 of marriage. They're not opening hones with each other much less your friends the 277 00:22:22,759 --> 00:22:26,720 church are people trying to help you. You want me that way, and 278 00:22:26,759 --> 00:22:30,359 you're not going to get helped. To go ahead and admit you have a 279 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:36,880 problem and say I need God to help me, I need y'all to pray 280 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:41,519 for me. I need this, you know, and then from there as 281 00:22:41,559 --> 00:22:45,920 that works for the good, even though you'll always have struggles. Then somedays 282 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:49,160 somebody will say, you know, you're the one that told me to stay 283 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:53,160 with him or whatever, and we did. And now we've been married, 284 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:57,559 you know, forty years, and that's the best thing in the world that 285 00:22:57,599 --> 00:23:03,799 we hear. That give me chills a little bit. That's incredible. It's 286 00:23:03,839 --> 00:23:08,839 true. It's true. It's so true. That's amazing. That really is. 287 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:14,480 That has to on just a personal level. That has to really be 288 00:23:14,519 --> 00:23:18,720 a very rewarding part of putting yourself out there and meeting people from all different 289 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:22,920 walks of life. It is, it is. And you know, like 290 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:26,039 I say, this doesn't mean we didn't have problems. I mean, my 291 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:32,839 oldest son was. They had some really really bad problems and nobody thought they'd 292 00:23:32,839 --> 00:23:37,480 make it. I told Phil, they're gonna make it. I don't care 293 00:23:37,559 --> 00:23:41,160 how ugly this is right now. I know they're gonna get through it. 294 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:48,759 And they did. And they're on the road all the time, they constantly. 295 00:23:48,839 --> 00:23:52,039 In fact, he came back today and told me about he wouldn't save 296 00:23:52,079 --> 00:23:56,000 me for two weeks. He's gone everywhere. And what he does is goes 297 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:00,640 in those churches and tells about our family and tell about his life and tells 298 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:07,279 his story and how they were separated, and it was terrible. I just 299 00:24:07,319 --> 00:24:11,119 don't have time to tell you how terrible it was. And we just even 300 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:15,200 feel as like, I don't know if they're gonna make it. I said, 301 00:24:15,279 --> 00:24:21,440 Yep, God's gonna get them through that hard to see, but I 302 00:24:21,519 --> 00:24:26,559 know he can get them through it. It's embarrassing for them, for us, 303 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:32,160 for the church. But I'm gonna tell you now, their story is 304 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:37,480 so wonderful because it went from the bad, just like the risk of out 305 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:41,480 like ours, from the bad to the semi good, to the real good, 306 00:24:41,519 --> 00:24:48,079 to the great to I'm almost in heaven. You know you mentioned this 307 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:53,839 earlier, but substance use and abuse obviously factors heavily into your story. And 308 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,359 sometimes when I think about how people struggle with that, I don't know how 309 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,920 they do it without faith. And I wanted to ask us about the role 310 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:07,640 of faith in you, your family, your marriage, battling the substance abuse 311 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:11,839 issue that played well in the first ten years. See, I wasn't where 312 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,759 I needed to be, even though I know this is going to sound not 313 00:25:15,519 --> 00:25:22,720 real good, but I was. I don't know how to say, Okay, 314 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:27,200 I was not a real bad person. I was lost once in in 315 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:33,039 your loss, but I wasn't didn't do the things a lot of people did. 316 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:36,839 In fact, I didn't do the things most people did that were in 317 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,039 the wild world, you know what I mean. I wasn't a wallperst. 318 00:25:40,799 --> 00:25:45,440 I was lost, but I wasn't what you'd call a wallpurst. And but 319 00:25:45,519 --> 00:25:52,359 you know, I kept thinking that my works because I was patient with him, 320 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:55,279 I was good. I stayed with him. I did all this and 321 00:25:55,319 --> 00:25:59,640 all that. But I thought, well that that would save me if nothing 322 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:03,319 else. But see, you're not saved on your works. You're not saved 323 00:26:03,319 --> 00:26:07,680 because you're doing good things. You're saved because Jesus wanted to save you. 324 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:14,440 We didn't do anything, but we can't help. But think if we do 325 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,759 this and do that, will be better and you will be a better person 326 00:26:17,839 --> 00:26:22,079 because I was. I wasn't in trouble. I didn't have the law after 327 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:32,240 me. But now I just didn't do that. But but it would did 328 00:26:32,319 --> 00:26:37,000 take so much to be able to stay for that long and through all the 329 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:40,319 things that I went through. And I remember, you know, as I 330 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:44,319 told in the movie, and the bathroom scene and all that, it was 331 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:48,079 a point where I thought I was just not going to make it. That's 332 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:55,839 where I lost. I felt like I was losing all my hope and that 333 00:26:56,000 --> 00:27:02,279 was hard. How hard is it to and hard and strange? How hard 334 00:27:02,319 --> 00:27:06,480 is it to watch yourself be played by someone else in a movie? Maybe 335 00:27:06,519 --> 00:27:08,640 it's not hard, maybe it's exciting, but it has to be at least 336 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:12,000 a lot. In my case, I'm real pleased. I love who played 337 00:27:12,039 --> 00:27:18,680 me in all roles, and and I actually thought the last girl looked like 338 00:27:18,799 --> 00:27:22,000 me. I really did, and it was like me watching me. It 339 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:27,519 was so strange, but I was happy with the job she did. I 340 00:27:27,559 --> 00:27:32,079 thought she did great. And is it hard to relive some of these moments 341 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:33,920 or are you, you know, so used to it that you're you're pretty 342 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:38,119 well, I'm pretty used to tell our story, just open and telling everything. 343 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:42,160 But yeah, it's hard to rethink about it. It really is. 344 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:48,200 I thought, you know, him going out and being with other women all 345 00:27:48,319 --> 00:27:52,359 that's always hard because you pictured, did I know them? Was that somebody 346 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:56,680 I knew? Or was that you know? Who was that? How did 347 00:27:56,759 --> 00:28:02,400 she look? You know that? Right? Yeah? Oh yeah, it 348 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:07,640 was hard. That must be one thing I was This is probably the top 349 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:11,559 question that I wanted to ask because I think it's so interesting how your family 350 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:17,880 came into sort of the spotlight at a time period when a lot of Americans, 351 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:21,920 especially people who live in rural areas, especially people of faith, especially 352 00:28:22,039 --> 00:28:27,039 Christians, were feeling kind of isolated and like outsiders and you know, looked 353 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:33,000 down upon by people, especially kinds of people that make movies and TV shows 354 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:36,599 and in Hollywood and here where I am in Washington, d C. But 355 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:40,240 I feel like your show connected with people not just in rural America, but 356 00:28:40,359 --> 00:28:45,680 all over the place in cities and suburbs in Yah can tell me about that, 357 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:51,279 and I would hear about and cities. You know, I would never 358 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:57,000 think somebody in a city would love Doug Dynassy and I would think they would 359 00:28:57,039 --> 00:29:00,960 more make fun of us or something, you know, but we were shocked. 360 00:29:02,519 --> 00:29:06,680 We were really shocked. But I think everything that I gathered from talking 361 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:15,200 to them, they loved our honest they loved our openness. And we will 362 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,960 say, and I would say to anybody, now you want to ask me 363 00:29:18,039 --> 00:29:22,640 something, master is anything, There's no questions you have to say. I 364 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:29,000 can ask that. And you know, for a lot of people, who 365 00:29:29,039 --> 00:29:33,039 did you have rural backgrounds, Christian backgrounds. You know, they hunted, 366 00:29:33,079 --> 00:29:37,359 they fished, and maybe they were feeling a little put down upon by popular 367 00:29:37,359 --> 00:29:41,599 culture and you know elites again places like Washington, d C. Where I'm 368 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,920 coming to you you all from right now. Why do you think the show 369 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,799 resonated with them, especially at the time that it did. Why Why do 370 00:29:48,799 --> 00:29:52,359 you think that struck a chord with so many people? I don't know. 371 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:56,680 I think I always will believe we were so honest. They never had heard 372 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:02,680 somebody, the whole family be that. I think that that was like what 373 00:30:03,759 --> 00:30:08,240 they're really that honest and we were, And somehow they just liked the fact 374 00:30:08,279 --> 00:30:14,440 that we were open enough to just build it all, just tell it all, 375 00:30:15,359 --> 00:30:18,599 and that we passed it down or tried with our children and to do 376 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:23,319 that. But I mean, we'll be the first ones to tell you it 377 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:29,920 wasn't easy, and there were a lot of mess ups too, but we 378 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:33,519 we just held on. It was kind of like you hold on. But 379 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,720 you know, one time one of my sons would be out where he wasn't 380 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:41,240 supposed to be. We would say he's out, he's out, you know, 381 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:48,279 like he's in the world. But then he would two years later he'd 382 00:30:48,359 --> 00:30:52,119 be back, we need to be And then I, like I told, 383 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:56,279 I said, going through the four sons for me. But the only one 384 00:30:56,319 --> 00:31:03,039 that never did that was Jason. Ever he was we called him the Little 385 00:31:03,119 --> 00:31:07,880 John the Baptist. We did. He had the hair, was born, 386 00:31:07,359 --> 00:31:11,519 and he would tell us and in fact, he'd say, if me and 387 00:31:11,559 --> 00:31:15,039 Phil were arguing, he'd say, Dad, you and Mom need to repent. 388 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:22,720 We're just disagreeing. Jason, Yeah, we all need to repent, 389 00:31:22,759 --> 00:31:26,759 and don't do that. So I had the Little John the Baptist with me 390 00:31:26,839 --> 00:31:30,359 all the time. That's kind of nice. Now he's grown one, but 391 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:34,119 he's really good but has a beautiful family and everything. And I would say 392 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:40,359 that him and Willie were probably the two that did not get off in the 393 00:31:40,359 --> 00:31:45,000 wild world very not at all. Now. They weren't perfect, don't get 394 00:31:45,039 --> 00:31:48,680 me wrong, but you know what I'm talking about over here? Will you 395 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:53,920 go out and drink and party and sleep around or whatever it might be. 396 00:31:55,279 --> 00:31:59,240 The other two, the oldest, the youngest, they had they struggle with 397 00:31:59,319 --> 00:32:02,240 that one time and couple of times in their life. I'd say over a 398 00:32:02,319 --> 00:32:08,440 two year period each one of them. It was really hard. Well, 399 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:12,759 it's just amazing how your family came out on the other side of it. 400 00:32:12,799 --> 00:32:16,160 But thanks be to God and the movie documents all of this. It's called 401 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:21,119 The Blind, Miss Kay Robertson, thank you so much. It's just been 402 00:32:21,279 --> 00:32:23,519 a pleasure to talk to you today. Well, it was easy to talk 403 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:28,240 to you. And I don't mind doing this. I really tell when people 404 00:32:28,319 --> 00:32:30,279 say, why would you go up there and tell everything, It's just what 405 00:32:30,359 --> 00:32:35,359 we do and I don't mind. I really don't. The more people that 406 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:38,079 want to know, the more I want to tell them. It's an amazing 407 00:32:38,079 --> 00:32:44,279 gift that your family is able to give, to testify to all of the 408 00:32:44,319 --> 00:32:46,319 struggles that you've had and how you've came out on the other side of it. 409 00:32:46,359 --> 00:32:50,240 Really amazing. Thank you so much, Kay, Well, I enjoyed 410 00:32:50,279 --> 00:32:52,640 it. Well, you've been listening to another edition of The Federalist Radio Hour. 411 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:55,480 I'm Emily Dashinsky, culture editor here at The Federalist. We'll be back 412 00:32:55,519 --> 00:32:59,880 as soon with more. Until then, be lovers of freedom and anxious for 413 00:33:00,119 --> 00:33:14,720 the Friend. I heard the fame voice the Reason, and then it faded away.