1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to thrilling Threads. We're jumping straight into a story 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,879 today that has just completely shaken Hollywood and really political 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:08,480 circles too. 4 00:00:08,599 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 2: It's more than shaken, it shattered them. We're talking about 5 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,679 a sudden and frankly profound loss. 6 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:16,679 Speaker 1: A profound loss, is right, and our goal here is 7 00:00:16,719 --> 00:00:19,640 to really distill the initial facts to try and understand 8 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:24,199 the enormous cultural footprint left by two incredible individuals exactly. 9 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: So, our focus today is on the breaking coverage of 10 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,800 the deaths of legendary director Rob Reiner and his wife, 11 00:00:29,839 --> 00:00:33,600 Michelle Singer Reiner. We're drawing from the CNN report, specifically 12 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,479 the video titled Rob Reiner and his wife found dead 13 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:38,759 as police investigate a parent homicide. 14 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: And it's not just a breaking story, is it. It 15 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,679 feels like a seismic event. The reaction has been so immediate, 16 00:00:45,799 --> 00:00:46,399 so visceral. 17 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 2: That word shocking gets thrown around a lot, but here 18 00:00:49,799 --> 00:00:52,960 it absolutely applies. It is a seismic loss, not just 19 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,000 for Hollywood, but for the entire country. 20 00:00:55,039 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: And what makes it so compelling in a tragic way, 21 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:59,600 is this immediate attention in the story. Yeah, you have 22 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,600 his high profile apparent homicide, but then you have these 23 00:01:03,039 --> 00:01:08,519 highly unusual, almost confusing initial statements from law enforcement. 24 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,079 Speaker 2: That's the central puzzle, isn't it. That's what defines this 25 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,719 entire initial report. How can you have what they're calling 26 00:01:13,799 --> 00:01:19,719 apparent homicides paired with this deliberate legal ambiguity from the police. 27 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,879 Speaker 1: Okay, let's unpack this. Let's start with what we actually 28 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,439 know from the first few hours, the timeline. 29 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 2: Okay, so the call first came in yesterday afternoon local 30 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,120 time in Los Angeles, right, Rob and Michelle Reiner were 31 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,920 found dead inside their home in Brentwood, and authorities very 32 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,519 quickly started calling it apparent homicides. 33 00:01:38,799 --> 00:01:41,599 Speaker 1: And the scene itself, the CNN correspondent was there right 34 00:01:41,799 --> 00:01:43,239 in the early morning hours. 35 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,719 Speaker 2: Yes, describing the scene, you know, police lights flashing, confirming 36 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:50,560 that this was a very active, very serious investigation still underway. 37 00:01:50,879 --> 00:01:54,239 Speaker 1: And the location itself is so important here Brentwood. It's 38 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,519 not just some random neighborhood. Ye, it's described as a 39 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:57,799 tight knit community. 40 00:01:57,959 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 2: That detail adds so much weight because when something this 41 00:02:01,079 --> 00:02:04,400 violent happens in a place that feels safe, that feels interconnected, 42 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:06,280 the fear just multiplies. 43 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: It's not abstract anymore. It's not just news you read about. 44 00:02:10,159 --> 00:02:13,080 The neighbors are literally seeing the flashing lights from their 45 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:14,039 own homes. 46 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,159 Speaker 2: And that's exactly what the reporters at the press conference 47 00:02:16,199 --> 00:02:18,639 were focused on. They were trying to answer that one 48 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,039 burning question. 49 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: For the public, is there a killer on the loose? 50 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 2: Precisely is the community safe? And that led to this 51 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:31,759 really pivotal late night press conference with LAPD Deputy Chief 52 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:32,840 Alan Hamilton. 53 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: This is where it gets really interesting because the normal playbook, 54 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,520 you know, homicide is confirmed, the police say they're searching 55 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:42,520 for a suspect, they warn the public. 56 00:02:42,599 --> 00:02:44,199 Speaker 2: But that is not what happened here. 57 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,319 Speaker 1: Not at all. The reporters kept pushing right asking things 58 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,520 like Chief, why are you not exactly looking for a suspect? 59 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,319 Are you confident you know who did this? 60 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 2: And his response was so so carefully worded. He just said, 61 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:58,680 we have not identified a suspect at this. 62 00:02:58,759 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: Time, which of course leads to the next logical question 63 00:03:01,319 --> 00:03:01,639 from the. 64 00:03:01,599 --> 00:03:04,439 Speaker 2: Press immediate follow up, well, then shouldn't you be looking 65 00:03:04,479 --> 00:03:06,360 for one? So these neighbors aren't worried. 66 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,719 Speaker 1: About their own lives, And right there the conversation shifts completely. 67 00:03:11,599 --> 00:03:14,560 It stops being about the crime itself, and starts being 68 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:15,800 about legal procedure. 69 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: It's a fascinating and frankly terrifying look behind the curtain 70 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:24,039 of a major investigation. The chief Hamilton. He made it 71 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:25,680 clear that the LAPDE was. 72 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 1: Constrained, constrained by the legal process. He said they needed 73 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:31,960 to comply with it, specifically mentioning the need for a 74 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:32,639 search warrant. 75 00:03:32,719 --> 00:03:35,159 Speaker 2: But it was the phrase he used that really stood out. 76 00:03:35,199 --> 00:03:37,159 He didn't just say they needed a warrant. He used 77 00:03:37,199 --> 00:03:38,400 a very technical term. 78 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: Right, What was it? 79 00:03:39,319 --> 00:03:43,159 Speaker 2: He said? Because there are issues regarding standing at this residence. 80 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: Standing? Okay, that is not a word you hear every day, 81 00:03:46,439 --> 00:03:49,080 especially not in a breaking news story about a double homicide. 82 00:03:49,159 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 2: No, and for a deputy chief to use that specific 83 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:56,080 legal term, you know, it's a serious procedural hurdle they're facing. 84 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,319 Speaker 1: So for our listeners, let's break that down. What does 85 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,400 standing actually mean in this content text. 86 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,919 Speaker 2: In the simplest terms, standing is about who has the 87 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,879 legal right to challenge a police search. It's tied to 88 00:04:06,919 --> 00:04:10,800 the Fourth Amendment. Do you have a reasonable expectation of 89 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,439 privacy in that space? Do you own it? Do you 90 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,639 live there? Okay, So when the police say there are 91 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,720 issues regarding standing. They're signaling that something about the ownership 92 00:04:20,759 --> 00:04:22,959 of the house or who has a legal claim to 93 00:04:22,959 --> 00:04:26,600 be there, is complicating their ability to just go in 94 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,160 and treat it as an open and shut crime scene. 95 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: So they can't just barge in and collect evidence. 96 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 2: Exactly because if they do, if they conduct a search 97 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,480 without the proper legal authority, a good lawyer could later 98 00:04:38,639 --> 00:04:40,720 argue that the search was illegal. 99 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:41,959 Speaker 1: And then all the evidence they found. 100 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 2: Could get thrown out of court. It's called the exclusionary rule, 101 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,720 and in a case this high profile, that's their absolute 102 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:48,519 worst nightmare. 103 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:50,759 Speaker 1: Wow. So they're making a calculated trade off. 104 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,199 Speaker 2: It's a chilling calculation, but it's legally rational. They're trading 105 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,199 that immediate public reassurance saying we're on the hunt for 106 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:58,839 the long term integrity of the case. 107 00:04:59,199 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: They're protecting the evidence, making sure that whatever they find 108 00:05:02,879 --> 00:05:05,360 will actually stick in court and lead to a conviction. 109 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 2: The deputy chief is basically saying, we have to follow 110 00:05:08,519 --> 00:05:11,240 the rules meticulously, even if it means we can't tell 111 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,279 you what's going on or start a visible manhunt right 112 00:05:14,399 --> 00:05:15,360 this second. 113 00:05:15,439 --> 00:05:18,079 Speaker 1: So that's the crucial takeaway from the first few hours. 114 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,360 We have an apparent double homicide in a tight knit community. 115 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 2: But the police are explicitly telling us they are not 116 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:26,360 currently searching for anyone. 117 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: And it's not because they have a suspect in custody. 118 00:05:29,399 --> 00:05:33,279 It's because they're navigating this complex legal maze with search 119 00:05:33,319 --> 00:05:34,319 warrants and standing. 120 00:05:34,639 --> 00:05:39,079 Speaker 2: It creates this immediate, powerful mystery. The investigation didn't start 121 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,600 with a manhunt. It started with a legal procedural challenge. 122 00:05:42,639 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: And you can feel that tension, the urgent emotional need 123 00:05:45,959 --> 00:05:51,680 for answers clashing with this slow, cold, methodical rule of law. 124 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,199 Speaker 2: It's striking then how quickly the media and all of 125 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,079 us really pivot from the horror of that to the 126 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,360 sheer scale of the lives that were lost. Almost a 127 00:06:00,439 --> 00:06:01,319 coping mechanism. 128 00:06:01,639 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: It has to be, and let's do that now, because 129 00:06:04,639 --> 00:06:07,560 we are talking about Rob Reiner, a man who truly 130 00:06:07,639 --> 00:06:10,160 embodies the phrase titan of industry. 131 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 2: Oh absolutely, that's not hyperbole. When you say titan, you 132 00:06:13,399 --> 00:06:16,120 mean someone who didn't just succeed, but stayed relevant, who 133 00:06:16,519 --> 00:06:18,120 defined multiple eras, and. 134 00:06:18,079 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: He did it across different disciplines. We have to start 135 00:06:21,199 --> 00:06:24,680 where millions of people first met him as an actor, 136 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,160 and meat has his meat head on all of the 137 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,360 family and that role. It wasn't just a famous TV character, 138 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,519 It was culturally significant. He was the voice of a 139 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,839 generation pushing back against Archie Bunker, for sure. 140 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:38,399 Speaker 2: And that alone, a nine year run on one of 141 00:06:38,439 --> 00:06:43,040 the most important, acclaimed and popular TV shows ever, that's a. 142 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,639 Speaker 1: Career for most people, For anyone else, that's the legacy. 143 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 2: But for Rob Reiner, it was just the first chapter. 144 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:49,839 It was the launching pad that allowed him to pivot 145 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,360 to directing, which is, you know, where his genius really exploded, 146 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:54,279 and what a pivot. 147 00:06:54,399 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 1: The filmography that comes next is just it's honestly one 148 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,839 of the greatest runs in modern Hollywood history. Material lists 149 00:07:00,879 --> 00:07:02,560 them out. We have to go through them. 150 00:07:02,759 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 2: You have to. You start with this is Spinal Tap 151 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,199 nineteen eighty four. It's not just a funny movie. It 152 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:11,759 literally birthed the modern mockumentary. 153 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: It created a whole new language for comedy. The report 154 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,720 mentioned Christopher Guest and Jammi Lee Curtis sending condolences, and 155 00:07:18,759 --> 00:07:21,920 you can see why. It was this deeply collaborative, groundbreaking 156 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:22,920 piece of work. 157 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 2: And it felt so real. People genuinely thought Spinal Tap 158 00:07:25,959 --> 00:07:29,000 was a real band. Reiner as the filmmaker Marty de 159 00:07:29,079 --> 00:07:33,279 Bergy grounded it in this perfect loving parody of rock culture. 160 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 1: He turned it up to eleven, he literally did. 161 00:07:35,439 --> 00:07:38,639 Speaker 2: The jokes are so specific, so timeless. It's a cult 162 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:42,160 classic that just gets more revered over time. It immediately 163 00:07:42,199 --> 00:07:44,879 show he had this incredible eye for detail and time. 164 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,199 Speaker 1: And he could have just stayed there making comedies. But 165 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,600 then just two years later he completely changes direction stand 166 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,079 by Me, Stand by Me nineteen eighty six. I mean, 167 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,720 talk about a one hundred and eighty degree turn from 168 00:07:55,839 --> 00:07:59,920 rock mockumentary to this deeply emotional, nostalgic coming of age strong. 169 00:08:00,319 --> 00:08:03,079 Speaker 2: It's based on a Stephen King's story and it's just raw. 170 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,000 It's about friendship and loss and memory. And to get 171 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:10,079 those performances from those young actors that takes a completely 172 00:08:10,079 --> 00:08:11,079 different kind of skill. 173 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: It showed he could do profound emotional depth, he wasn't 174 00:08:15,079 --> 00:08:15,920 just a comedy guy. 175 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 2: And then, as if to prove he could do absolutely anything, 176 00:08:18,839 --> 00:08:21,879 the very next year, The Princess Bride, The Princess Bride 177 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,680 nineteen eighty seven. If you need one film to show 178 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,040 his range, this is it. It's fantasy, it's comedy, it's romance. 179 00:08:29,079 --> 00:08:32,919 Speaker 1: It's a swashbuckler, all in one perfect package. The source 180 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,919 mentioned how quotable it is, and that's an understatement. 181 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,519 Speaker 2: It really is as you wish inconceivable. Hello, my name 182 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,159 is Inigo Montoya. These aren't just movie lines. They're part 183 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:43,440 of our cultural language. Now. 184 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: He took something that could have been so cheesy and 185 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,440 handled it with such sincerity and wit. It's timeless. 186 00:08:50,519 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 2: It's incredible. And then he follows that up by defining 187 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:55,840 the entire modern romantic comedy genre. 188 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: When Harry met Sally nineteen eighty nine. 189 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,759 Speaker 2: After a fairy tale, he gets completely grounded in the 190 00:09:00,799 --> 00:09:03,799 real world, in messy modern relationships in New York. 191 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 1: City, and it just set the template for everything that 192 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,720 came after the sharp dialogue from Nora Efron, of course, 193 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,679 but his direction is what makes it a classic. 194 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:17,879 Speaker 2: Those little interview segments, the pacing, that diner scene, those 195 00:09:17,879 --> 00:09:21,480 are directorial choices that elevate a great script into a 196 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:24,799 landmark film. He could capture fantasy, and he could capture 197 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:26,879 the uncomfortable truth of human connection. 198 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: Okay, so that run is already legendary, But then he 199 00:09:30,039 --> 00:09:32,759 switches gears again dramatically. 200 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,039 Speaker 2: In nineteen ninety two, he directs A Few Good Men. 201 00:09:35,399 --> 00:09:40,639 Speaker 1: A high stakes military courtroom thriller. The tonal whiplash from 202 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:44,480 when Harry met Sally to this is just it's astonishing. 203 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,679 Speaker 2: It proved he could handle big movie stars, big drama, 204 00:09:48,039 --> 00:09:50,679 and that kind of intense dialogue driven tension. It was 205 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:53,600 a massive box office hit. It showed he could do 206 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:56,200 it all. He was a commercial and critical powerhouse. 207 00:09:56,279 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: And it's so yeah, it's a tragic irony, isn't it 208 00:09:58,879 --> 00:10:01,440 When you think about the themes that film? How so well? 209 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,120 The whole movie is about this tension, the tension between 210 00:10:04,399 --> 00:10:07,000 following the chain of command, you know, Colonel Jessop's worldview, 211 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,519 versus following the rule of law, which is what Cafe's 212 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:10,960 fighting for due process. 213 00:10:11,039 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 2: Wow, that's a brilliant connection. 214 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:17,399 Speaker 1: Reiner directed this masterpiece about the conflict between procedure and truth. 215 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 2: And now, in the investigation into his own death, the 216 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:25,519 LAPD is having to publicly defend prioritizing procedure standing search 217 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:28,440 warrants over the immediate public demand for action. 218 00:10:28,799 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: The very ethical lines he explored in his art are 219 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:35,320 now befining the first steps of this real life tragedy. 220 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:37,840 It's just no It's profound. 221 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,039 Speaker 2: It truly is. And what's so important to stress and 222 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:43,039 the report makes us clear, is that this incredible career 223 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,279 wasn't over. This list of films isn't just history. 224 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:49,519 Speaker 1: No, this wasn't a retired figurehead we lost. This was 225 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:51,480 an active, working artist. 226 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:53,679 Speaker 2: That's what makes the shock so much deeper. He was 227 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:55,720 still in the game. He was in season four of 228 00:10:55,759 --> 00:11:00,320 The Bear, recently engaging with this really sharp contemporary TV had. 229 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,519 Speaker 1: The sequel, Spinal Tap two, which had just come out. 230 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,759 He was returning to his roots but still creating new things. 231 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 2: I love that quote from the reporter and the source. 232 00:11:07,879 --> 00:11:09,679 He's got to be the most popular baby ever. 233 00:11:09,799 --> 00:11:13,639 Speaker 1: It's perfect. It captures how he just kept exceeding expectations, 234 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:17,240 moving so far beyond being meetad to become this absolutely 235 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,039 essential voice in American film. 236 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:22,519 Speaker 2: His death isn't just an ending. It's an interruption of 237 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:26,120 a creative process that was still very much alive and evolving. 238 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: And that creative process was so intertwined with his personal life. 239 00:11:30,279 --> 00:11:32,559 If the first half of this is about the cinematic titan, 240 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:34,799 the second has to be about the partnership. 241 00:11:34,919 --> 00:11:37,879 Speaker 2: Yes, the life and legacy of Michelle Singher Reiner and 242 00:11:37,919 --> 00:11:40,519 their partnership in life, art and activism. 243 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: They were married for over thirty years, and it wasn't 244 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,720 just a marriage. It was a true collaboration, a symbiosis. 245 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,159 Speaker 2: And the source gives us this just beautiful, perfect anecdote 246 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:53,799 about how their lives and his art intersected from the 247 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:55,080 very beginning. 248 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: Right on the set of when Harry met Sally. 249 00:11:57,440 --> 00:11:59,799 Speaker 2: They met on that movie. She was a photographer, and 250 00:12:00,039 --> 00:12:02,159 the report says it was basically love at first sight for. 251 00:12:02,159 --> 00:12:05,879 Speaker 1: Him, and because he met her, because he felt that profound, 252 00:12:06,039 --> 00:12:09,559 real life connection, he actually changed the ending of the movie. 253 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 2: Yes, he made it more hopeful and romantic. The original 254 00:12:13,039 --> 00:12:15,399 ending was apparently more ambiguous, more cynical. 255 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,279 Speaker 1: So his own experience of finding this defining love with 256 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:22,759 Michelle literally rewrote one of the most iconic romantic comedies 257 00:12:22,759 --> 00:12:23,320 of all time. 258 00:12:23,639 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 2: It makes that ending not just a piece of cinema history, 259 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,519 but a testament to the start of their life together. 260 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 1: It's incredible, and their collaboration just grew from there. She 261 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,320 became his partner in business, working closely on his projects. 262 00:12:36,799 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 2: They were a team, and nowhere was that team more powerful, 263 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,000 more visible than in the political arena. 264 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: They were a force, extremely well known in democratic circles, 265 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,639 using their fame, their platform, their money to push for 266 00:12:50,799 --> 00:12:51,559 real change. 267 00:12:51,639 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 2: The source quotes Governor Gavin Newsom who called Rayner a 268 00:12:54,639 --> 00:12:58,480 passionate advocate for children and for civil rights. And this 269 00:12:58,639 --> 00:13:02,000 wasn't just writing checks. This was active on the ground 270 00:13:02,159 --> 00:13:03,080 political fighting. 271 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,399 Speaker 1: Let's talk about those specific fights because it shows their commitment. 272 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,240 The report mentions them taking on big tobacco. 273 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,399 Speaker 2: Which was a huge, long and often nasty battle, especially 274 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,360 in California. They were central to Proposition ten, which funded 275 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:17,799 early childhood development through cigarette taxes. 276 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:20,159 Speaker 1: So they weren't just supporters, they were the faces of 277 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,320 these campaigns. They used their celebrity to give a voice 278 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,559 to these issues, to challenge these massive corporate interests. 279 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 2: And they were deeply involved in the fight for marriage 280 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:33,159 equality long before it was a settled issue. 281 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 1: And early childhood education was a core passion for them. 282 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,919 They put themselves right in the middle of these policy debates, 283 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:39,399 and the. 284 00:13:39,399 --> 00:13:42,159 Speaker 2: Source is very clear that this was a shared passion. 285 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,759 Michelle was just as involved, just as committed. They were 286 00:13:45,759 --> 00:13:49,200 described as leading their lives with compassion, and they. 287 00:13:49,039 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: Were not quiet about it. The report said, neither one 288 00:13:52,519 --> 00:13:54,360 of them were shrinking violets. 289 00:13:54,159 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 2: That's for sure. They were outspoken. They used their platform 290 00:13:57,759 --> 00:14:01,559 to engage in difficult, controversial to bates at a time 291 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,039 when a lot of public figures are told to stay silent. 292 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,600 That made them incredibly powerful allies. 293 00:14:06,799 --> 00:14:09,519 Speaker 1: And it explains the depth of the political grief we're seeing. 294 00:14:09,639 --> 00:14:11,000 It's not just Hollywood Morning. 295 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 2: No. When you have Governor Newsom saying he's heartbroken and 296 00:14:15,279 --> 00:14:18,519 former President Barack Obama using the exact same word. 297 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: And statements from Vice President Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelusi 298 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:23,600 calling them dear friends. 299 00:14:24,039 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 2: These aren't just polite, pro forma statements. This shows you 300 00:14:27,799 --> 00:14:30,480 how deeply embedded they were, how trusted they were in 301 00:14:30,519 --> 00:14:35,399 those circles, because they were consistent, passionate advocates for decades. 302 00:14:35,639 --> 00:14:39,279 Speaker 1: So you have this incredible dual legacy, a creative legacy 303 00:14:39,279 --> 00:14:42,519 that shaped our culture and a political legacy that shaped 304 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:43,320 actual laws. 305 00:14:43,519 --> 00:14:47,039 Speaker 2: They're completely intertwined. And when you see that, the tragedy 306 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,919 just feels even sharper. It makes you think about all 307 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:51,000 the work, all the. 308 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: Art, all the projects we will never get from them. 309 00:14:53,279 --> 00:14:55,639 Speaker 2: That's the void, isn't it? The sense that even after 310 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,879 decades of incredible work. They still had so much gas 311 00:14:58,960 --> 00:14:59,639 left in the tank. 312 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: The source mentioned a Spaceball sequels being discussed, and with 313 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,279 spinal Cap two just out, it felt like he was 314 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,440 in this new, exciting phase. 315 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,399 Speaker 2: It wasn't a career that was winding down. It felt 316 00:15:11,399 --> 00:15:14,519 like a renaissance. And it's not just the specific projects 317 00:15:14,559 --> 00:15:15,679 we know about that are loss. 318 00:15:15,759 --> 00:15:19,399 Speaker 1: It's the ideas, the films that hadn't even been pitched yet, 319 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:21,440 the causes they hadn't yet championed. 320 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 2: The world lost this engine of cultural and political innovation 321 00:15:24,919 --> 00:15:26,600 that was still running at full speed. 322 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: So even with this incredible, iconic body of work behind them, 323 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:34,240 the feeling is still that their legacy was cut short. 324 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 2: And that's because it was an active, thriving, creative and 325 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:41,879 political partnership was ended abruptly and violently. 326 00:15:41,519 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: Which brings us right back to where we started. The 327 00:15:43,879 --> 00:15:47,159 source anticipates more outpouring of grief in the coming days 328 00:15:47,399 --> 00:15:48,480 as everyone tries to. 329 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:51,879 Speaker 2: Process this, and that public mourning, that celebration of these 330 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:56,000 incredible lives is happening at the exact same time as 331 00:15:56,039 --> 00:16:00,120 this unsettling, ambiguous police investigation unfolds. 332 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: Two things happening at once. The clarity of their impact 333 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:05,120 and the murkiness of their end. 334 00:16:05,559 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 2: That's the dual tragedy we have to synthesize. The loss 335 00:16:08,519 --> 00:16:11,159 of this partnership is felt across the country, but it's 336 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:15,080 compounded by the immediate, unsolved, and legally complicated nature of 337 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:15,639 their deaths. 338 00:16:15,879 --> 00:16:17,799 Speaker 1: So what does it all mean for us, for the 339 00:16:17,799 --> 00:16:19,240 public in these first few days. 340 00:16:19,399 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 2: It means we're watching a story where the private tragedy, 341 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,559 the how and why, is being obscured by legal procedure, 342 00:16:25,879 --> 00:16:27,279 by necessity. 343 00:16:26,799 --> 00:16:30,279 Speaker 1: While their public lives, their impact has never been clearer exactly. 344 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 2: The strength of their legacy is so powerful it can 345 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,639 almost distract us from the horror, but that ambiguity in 346 00:16:35,639 --> 00:16:38,399 the investigation keeps pulling us back to the reality of 347 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:39,519 what happened in that house. 348 00:16:39,759 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: It's that jarring contrast. We're rewatching the princess bride to 349 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,120 celebrate his life, and at the same time we're hearing 350 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,799 the deputy chief talk about search warrants and standing. 351 00:16:49,519 --> 00:16:52,679 Speaker 2: It's a brutal collision of Hollywood legacy and the cold 352 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:57,039 hard reality of the legal system. The very due process 353 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:00,200 they championed in films like a Few Good Men is 354 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,759 now the barrier to immediate answers about their own deaths. 355 00:17:04,319 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 1: So this has been our thrilling threads deep dive into 356 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:11,640 the initial reporting on this tragedy. We've unpacked the really 357 00:17:11,759 --> 00:17:15,319 unsettling nature of that initial police investigation. 358 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 2: Highlighting that critical legal ambiguity, the police choosing long term 359 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:20,920 procedure over short term public reassurance. 360 00:17:21,039 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: And we've also tried to honor the unparalleled depth of 361 00:17:23,759 --> 00:17:26,400 Rob Reiner's creative work and the absolute strength of their 362 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:27,480 political partnership. 363 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:29,599 Speaker 2: And I think the key insight is just seeing how 364 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,440 a massive public impact and a private violent tragedy can 365 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,319 become so tragically intertwined. Their legacy is so huge, and 366 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:42,240 it's being emphasized by the awful private circumstances of their passing, Which. 367 00:17:42,079 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: Leads us to our final thought for you. Given that initial, 368 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,319 very unusual statement from the LAPD that they weren't seeking 369 00:17:49,319 --> 00:17:52,000 a suspect in an apparent homicide because of legal issues 370 00:17:52,039 --> 00:17:55,519 like standing, we want to ask you this what you 371 00:17:55,559 --> 00:17:58,079 think is the most crucial piece of information the public 372 00:17:58,079 --> 00:18:02,200 needs to understand first with a story this shocking breaks 373 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:02,960 into community. 374 00:18:03,319 --> 00:18:06,599 Speaker 2: Is it that immediate need for security, for visible action, 375 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:09,839 or is it understanding the strict adherence to due process 376 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,160 that protects the integrity of the case down the line. 377 00:18:12,519 --> 00:18:16,559 Speaker 1: It's that fundamental tension between reassurance and procedure. We'd love 378 00:18:16,599 --> 00:18:18,319 for you to think about that and share your thoughts. 379 00:18:18,839 --> 00:18:20,559 Thank you for joining us on Thrilling Threads.