An Army of Normal Folks - Hakki Akdeniz: The Once Homeless Immigrant Who's Donated 200k Slices of Pizza (Pt 2)

Episode Date: May 14, 2024

Turkish immigrant Hakki Akdeniz ended up homeless in New York City after a friend didn't keep his promise to help him settle there. Through hard work and a ton of normal folks supporting his greatness, Hakki has built a food empire with 20 restaurants that includes Champion's Pizza and frozen pizza that's in 1,600 stores! This walking billboard of the American Dream has 35 million followers on Instagram and it’s largely because of his incredible generosity. We celebrate all of this as part of our Supporting Greatness series.Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premiumSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks and we continue now with part two of our conversation with Haki Akdenes right after these brief messages from our generous sponsors. The big take from Bloomberg News brings you what's shaping the world's economies with the smartest and best informed business reporters around the world. Western nations like the US and Europe. Mexico will likely have its first female president. And then you have China. And help you understand what's happening, what it means, and why it matters. He'll get his yo-yos to Europe in time, but the

longer this drags on, the more worried he's getting. They knew that they needed to do this as fast as they possibly could to get a drug on the market as fast as they could. I'm David Duret. I'm Sarah Holder. I'm Saleh Amosin. We cover the stories behind what's moving money in markets. Basically everyone was expecting, if not a calamity, certainly a recession. But the problem is that that paperwork, as our reporting showed, is fake. Someone who's covering the market, I'm often very worried about an imminent collapse. I'm thinking about it quite often.

Listen to the big take on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Solea Mosin, and I've covered economic policy for years and reported on how it impacts people across the United States. In 2016, I saw how voters were leaning towards Trump and how so many Americans felt misunderstood by Washington. So I started The Big Take DC. We dig into how money, politics and power shape government and the consequences for

voters. It's an election year, so there's a lot of focus on the voters that TikTok is reaching. The initial reaction is like, oh, things are looking so resilient. I don't want to be too pessimistic, but I just don't see the political will down in Washington right now to change their tune. I think the American electorate has been signaling that it expects a rematch of the 2020 election. These are unprecedented times. With new episodes every Thursday, you can listen to The Big Take DC on the iHeart Radio

app, Apple podcasts, or whatever you get your podcasts. Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, host of Womanica, a daily podcast that introduces you to the fascinating lives of women history has forgotten. This month, we're bringing you the stories of disappearing acts. There's the 17th century fraudster who convinced men she was a German princess. The 1950s folk singer who literally drove off into the sunset and was never heard from again. The First Nations activist whose kidnapping and murder ignited decades of discourse about

indigenous women's disappearances. And the young daughter of a Russian Tsar whose legendary escape led to even more intrigue and speculation. These stories make us consider what it means to disappear and why a woman might even want to make herself scarce. Listen to Omanika on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So the TMK magazine, it was 2005, I won a pizza competition. There were like 93 people and I got 87 place I was so bad. But in 2010, 2010, so you know, like if I won this

championship, I will be able to get like my green card or one visa like talent visa to be get my green card. And I was gonna get like, you know, like money. So I won like, you know, like when I won the pizza championship, I have to do like so crazy different tricks. Like I do like, you know, like with a handcuff, I do like a blindfold, I did with the flaming dough. Hold it. This means you're tossing the dough and making the pizzas.

You're doing it handcuffed, blindfolded. And the picture I saw, you actually like the thing on fire and you're throwing it around in the air. And so you won the New York Top Pizza Guy competition. No, not New York, International World Championship. World Champion Pizza Guy competition. And then all of a sudden everybody's like, we gotta go check this pizza out.

And so business gets better. And that's what exactly happened everybody's like, we got to go check this pizza out. And so business gets better. That's what exactly happens. So yes, yes. And they sent me my mic. Yes, go ahead. But didn't Johnny the Albanian, wouldn't he basically telling you, look, Haki, I like you, but I'm old school. You're going to pay me or I'm going to kill you.

No, I'm going to come over there right now. I'm not dead yet. Okay. Yes, yes. So, you know, like they put me like a PMK magazine and the magazine they send me like one case of magazine. And the magazine, you know, like I send, you know, I give the, I put it on top of, on top of the tables

and the kids, they loved it. The kids, they love it. I mean, they stole the magazine obviously because they love it. And in like one, two, three time, and one day, like two days later the kids came to me little girl and they said could you give me autograph i said autograph i cannot pay my rent this johnny he literally he really want to put me on no seriously he wanted

he said hey haki listen this is the last time i'm telling you if you don't pay the money that you owe me four months Which is $20,000 if you don't pay me. I'm not gonna just let you go. I will put you at the oven I will cook you as a pepperoni. Yes Johnny the Albanian wasn't playing I know I know. He's my best friend right now, but he was like so like... I will make you a turkey pepperoni pizza if you don't give me my money. I swear to you, sir. He was like that, yeah. His face, he looked like godfather. His face, oh, like cut, cut, cut, cut. He looked like really godfather. He looks like scarface. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. He looks so scary. Yeah. I'm going to send this picture to you so you will believe like

he literally looked like godfather. Yeah, I want to see. But you got you started making money after the competition. So how I make money in the competition actually because of magazine and the people they see like, you know, like, they were like first TV show, it was like, it was like Fox News. So I believe it was like ABC, David, they did like interview with us, you know, like they talk about us, New York Pizzamaster won like international championship Turkish guy. People say what Turkish guy won championship. So they know like the kids, they talk about it. I give the magazine, the kids, and I call the Steve Green.

He is the founder of the PMQ magazine. US Pizza Team is the founder of the US Pizza Team. So I tell him, hey, mister, you know, like, you send me magazine and I tell my story, I'm not busy. But the kids, they love the magazine and they bring their parents I'm not busy but the kids they love the magazine and they bring their parents they take a selfie with me and they ask an autograph you know like I think there's a word would you please send me more magazine he said he said wait a minute what what I don't get it what he

say I said okay so I have a store and I'm not making money I'm about to close my business the magazine that you guys send me, case, one case, and the kids they love it. Would you guys please send me like more magazine? Like no, like maybe like five more cases. Right now I don't have money. When I make money, I promise whatever the magazine costs, I will pay you guys. Okay? And he, he, he, he understand like the story.

He sent me the five case of magazine. And those magazine, like, no, it was like, I think it was each one, like 100. So like 500 magazine, I literally go from the school and I just give the magazine, like, no, like the kids. And the kids, they love it. They bring their parents, they ask autograph, they take a picture with me.

And just like literally like that, the neighbor, they're just like everybody love me. Oh, this guy's a famous, he's a pizza, he's like pizza master, he's a famous pizza guy. So, and you know, just God bless me and those kids, you know, like they're blessed and they come to me every day and from there on, I become busy. So John, he came to me maybe like two, three weeks later. So he came over there and I have a big line. A lot of people over there, okay?

So the kids, when they came from school, there was a line. And I make a special, like if you buy like two slices, you get free can of soda. And John, he came to me, he said, what happened? You give free pizza? What are you doing? I said, no. And he said, what happened? Why so many people stay in line?

I said, because you know, like I'm getting busy now. Please don't get angry. I promise I'm going to give you money. I'm right now. I'm so busy. I know what John, he saw like what I go through and I pay him little by little, little by little. So the last two payment, which is $10,000 that I have to pay him. He came to me and I have another five.'m gonna give five thousand he gave me honk he said no keep ten thousand just give me like no two thousand I need two thousand today keep eight thousand one thing I need from you what do you need to say I'm gonna bring my son and two daughters just told them how you made it what What was your story? You sleep in this store and you didn't give up. You did everything even though I was you know like angry

with you and you know like you know like I thought you were scared you're gonna walk away but so you know you didn't give up so you know what you are amazing person. All I need is one thing from you just Just tell you story to my kids. One thing, keep 8,000. You know what? Exactly he did. He bring his son JJ, he bring two daughters and I talked to them. I said, your father was like so mean to me, but you know what? I guess he loved me and now he's so nice to me. He gave away like 8,000 back to me. And you know, like, so right now I'm success. Look at my store, so busy, I'm making money. I know I think like very soon

I'm gonna open my second store, it's my dream. You know what, sir? We blessed right now, the neighbor, the neighbor that didn't welcome me, the neighbor that boycott me, the neighbor they don't wanna me, like, you know, they don't wanna buy pizza for me. This neighbor is called Lower East Side, right now I'm calling you Lower East Side okay what is Bowery

Mission so this neighborhood I have like you know like seven restaurants and I am the leader of the neighborhood I get award the leader award like the city council of the Lower East Side, assembly of Lower East Side of the district leader Lower East Side everybody the district leader Lower East Side Everybody award me, nominate me. They love me. They love me so much. You know why? Because I give so much to my neighbor. I become like a neighbor hero. Lovely. Like you know sometimes like you know like I'm gonna get... Some like you know like you know like old, they come to me or like guys,

or people, they come to me, they give me a hug and you know, they pray for me and they get emotional. They say God bless you, Jesus bless you, you are amazing, you know, like what you do, you know, like because, you know, like every time when they're like baseball game, I send a pizza. They have like, you know, like, you know, like after school program, I send a pizza. They have like dance you know, like, you know, like, after school program, I send a pizza. They have like Don St. John's school, like, you know, like kids, like, you know, like with Don St. John's. Every month, whoever birthday, I send a pizza.

They have autistic school. So, you know, like whoever like autistic, they have like birthday, I send them like pies, no, 10 pies, 20 pies. Bowery mission is like, I told you, is like, I have a store, just like, you know, like three block, hey brother, how are you? Good to see you. I had just like three block away, uh, my pizza shop next to Bowery Mission. Every day I pass by Bowery Mission. Like, you know, like God is just like, it's amazing, man. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. I'm Solea Mosin, and I've covered economic policy for years and reported on how it impacts

people across the United States. In 2016, I saw how voters were leaning towards Trump and how so many Americans felt misunderstood by Washington. So I started The Big Take DC. We dig into how money, politics, and power shape government and the consequences for voters. It's an election year, so there's a lot of focus on the voters that TikTok is reaching. The initial reaction is like, oh, things are looking so resilient.

I don't want to be too pessimistic, but I just don't see the political will down in Washington right now to change their tune. I think the American electorate has been signaling that it expects a rematch of the 2020 election. These are unprecedented times. With new episodes every Thursday, you can listen to The Big Take DC on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or whatever you get your podcasts. The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you what's shaping the world's economies with the smartest and best informed business reporters around the world.

Western nations like the US and Europe. Mexico will likely have its first female president. And then you have China. And help you understand what's happening, what it means, and why it matters. He'll get his yo-yos to Europe in time. But the longer this drags on, the more worried he's getting. They knew that they needed to do this as fast as they possibly could to get a drug on the market as fast as they could. I'm David Dura.

I'm Sarah Holder. I'm Saleh Amosin. We cover the stories behind what's moving money in markets. Basically everyone was expecting, if not a calamity, certainly a recession. But the problem is that that paperwork, as our reporting showed, is fake. Someone who's covering the market, I'm often very worried about an imminent collapse. I'm thinking about it quite often. Listen to the big take on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. I never thought I'd take my three young kids to Sicily to solve a century-old mystery, but that's what I'm doing in my new podcast, The Sicilian Inheritance. Join us as we travel thousands of miles on the beautiful and crazy island of Sicily as I trace my roots back through a mystery for the ages and untangle clues within my family's origin story, which is morphed like a game of telephone through the generations. Was our family matriarch killed in a land deal gone wrong? Or was it by the Sicilian mafia? A lover's quarrel? Or was she, as my father believed, a witch? Listen to The Sicilian Inheritance on the iHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Over the years, you've received over 100,000 requests for free pizza. And every time there's been a problem, you give away free pizza to the homeless. Tell us about what you do for the homeless with your pizza going back to your time in Brawui Mission. You know, so like, so how I started, you know, like I promised myself if one day, you know, I become success and if I could make it happen, you know, like if I have money and you know, like people who haven't helped me, I'm going to go back and help those people because of gratefulness. Like I say, I'm not gonna say I'm a superhero, like I'm a nice guy, like homeless people they comment about me, you are a superhero, like homeless superhero.

I'm not a superhero, like I say like I feel their pain, sir. When you see like, you know, like one homeless guy or when you see like a thousand homeless person on the street, everyone have one story. Just like my story or maybe like your story. Like, you know, like I didn't finish like elementary school. I'm like just third, I've told my life. I went just three years in school. Those people like they went to college.

They were teacher. I have like homeless guy, he was doctor. I have like homeless lady. She was like, she owned like hedge fund. She'd owned like a billion dollars, you know, like money. Now she's a homeless. She passed away by the way, Ashley. So like, it's just like so many people, like they don't want to be homeless.

And right now those people, they really need our help. So, you know, like when I tell them I got motion. Take your time. Take your time. So like, you know, like why I got motion is like, we all can do, you know, I'm just hugging, you know, like, Mr. Billy, like we all to unite together, we could have happened. It's so easy to finish homelessness. You know, like would you ever wish become homeless? No way.

Or your kids, or your parents, no one wish their family become homeless. Like I have two kids, I have a two son. I don't want my kids ever become homeless. Because you know what, I know how painful. Once they're freezing, you have to stay in the street and not be able to take a shower and eat. And so since you've started owning restaurants, you've given away over 100,000 pizzas and

the homeless folks, when things go bad, you set up and literally give out slices of pizza to every single homeless person that will come up until they quit coming. Well, actually, you know, like my story, you know, like, people, they work for me, I always saw them, you know, like, when people come come to our store and you know, they say they're homeless, do not ever give them a hard time. Please, if you guys give them a hard time, you give me hard time. You know, I would never hire you, like I mean fire you. But if you don't, when homeless people come to you and they ask you food, they're hungry, you don't feed them, you don't give them food and a can of drinks like sodas or whatever,

like whatever they wanted. If you don't, if you, you know, like kick them out and you don't respect them, that's only one way I can fire you. I don't care. You're going to sue me. Cause this is like, I have like handbook, you know, like they put a lot of rules and this is one of my rules. I made it. I put in my handbook, you know, like they put a lot of roots and this is one of my roots I made it I put on my handbook because like when homeless people they come to you

They ask you just like they're hungry two slides of can of soda. So it doesn't cost me nothing You know that it's like it doesn't cost you nothing You know, we have like 15 stores like champion how many people they can come my store like 100 Big deal, you know, like I always like you give a one store like 100 big deal, you know Like I always like you give a one don't give you a triple, you know, you cannot compete with him You you give you you give one and God gives me triple That's your way of saying that's your way of saying you get far more out of it than you put into it No for research. I told you earlier,

I'm not very educated person, I don't go to high school or college. I'm not good looking guy, I'm not so smart guy, I don't go to business school. But look how successful I am. I do like tech talk, I go to tech talk and I do speech for like college students I don't go to college

You know like you understand I go like you know, like I go like the us chamber of commerce They're big like, you know, like 50 top ceo or ceo and the nation wide and I did speech for them I go to colleges. I do speech you understand I like i'm not too like I say no like I didn't. Yonsen, I like, I'm not too, like I say, no, like I didn't go like, you know, like I didn't finish my elementary school. Like, like people that say, like you are so famous,

you have like over 35 million followers on Instagram. It mean nothing, so, you know, it's all about here. If you don't have a go hard, it doesn't mean no, like 30 million or 40 million, it means nothing for me, you know what I mean? All I care for me, even I have like, you know, like one follower and that follower is a homeless person and he love me, respect me. And I know that I really care for him. And I know that he's a blessing, like I make him happy, I make him smile. This works like, you know, like for me versus like 35 million followers

versus like one person make him smile. This is like the same thing for me. So, and by the way, I respect and I love all my followers. I don't say like, don't follow me. It's just like, probably like to make one person happy is, I think it's more than a lot of things, you know? And, you know, that's it. Like we call it kindness.

Just be kind to everyone. For all of our listeners, if you wonder what you can do, if the American dream is still alive, if the ability to help somebody when you see an area in need and you don't fill it because you just don't know how to do it, all you gotta do is listen to Haki Akdeniz. Haki Akdeniz was homeless, came here as a Turkish Kurd from a small village and literally lived on a bench while he had a job to save money, got his first nest egg stolen, worked another five years, risked his life with Johnny the Albanian,

and now has a massive business in New York and serves the very people that were once like him. If that is not greatness, I do not know what is. We'll be right back. The big take from Bloomberg News brings you what's shaping the world's economies with the smartest and best informed business reporters around the world. Western nations like the US and Europe. Mexico will likely have its first female president. And then you have China.

And help you understand what's happening, what it means, and why it matters. He'll get his yo-yos to Europe in time. But the longer this drags on, the more worried he's getting. They knew that they needed to do this as fast as they possibly could to get a drug on the market as fast as they could. I'm David Dura. I'm Sarah Holder. I'm Saleh Amosin. We cover the stories behind what's moving money in markets. Basically everyone was expecting, if not a coamity, certainly a recession. But the problem is that that paperwork, as our reporting showed, is fake. As someone who's covering the market, I'm often very worried about an imminent collapse.

I'm thinking about it quite often. Listen to The Big Take on the iHeart Radio app app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Solea Mosin, and I've covered economic policy for years and reported on how it impacts people across the United States. In 2016, I saw how voters were leaning towards Trump and how so many Americans felt misunderstood by Washington. So I started The Big Take DC. We dig into how money, politics, and power shaped government and the consequences for voters. It's an election year, so there's a lot of focus on the voters that TikTok is reaching. The initial reaction is like, oh, things are looking so resilient. I don't want

to be too pessimistic, but I just don't see the political will down in Washington right now to change their tune. I think the American electorate has been signaling that it expects a rematch of the 2020 election. These are unprecedented times. With new episodes every Thursday, you can listen to The Big Take DC on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. MTV's official Challenge podcast is back for another season. And guess what?

So are we. Just in case you forgot, I'm Tori Deal. I'm a six-time finalist and a Challenge champion. And I'm Anissa Ferrer and I've been gracing your screens for the last two decades. I am a veteran challenger and challenge all-star. And speaking of all-stars, All Stars 4 is finally here. I'm gonna be honest, I literally thought

this day was never going to come. Well, the Challenge Gods have answered our prayers and we're going to be right here along with you fans covering every episode on the podcast. And this season takes it to a whole new level. Old school legends, modern power players, redemption seekers, and ex-lovers are all competing in Cape Town, South Africa for the prize of $300,000. Anyone can win, relationships matter, and only one All-Star will claim the title of Challenge Champion.

Listen to MTV's official Challenge podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hockey, from your brother to your friend who didn't pick you up when he said he would, but eventually ended up working for you through Briar Emission, to Jamali at Hoboken Pizza, to Johnny the Albanian and to Steve Green who gave you the magazines. What do you say to those people who supported your greatness? I mean, you know, like, it's not such a word that I can, you know, like, make it happen for those guys, you know, like, they've been there for me, like, I didn't let them down. You know, like, I always say, like, I'm so thankful, and I know what it means to be grateful for those people, what they did for me.

And right now, I do, like, same thing for other people. And, you know, I call it as a karma. You know, like, when, you know, like, when, you know, like, when you saw just, you know, just make one person happy, smile, you didn't know your day becomes so nice. You didn't know because that you make that person smile. And that's me, I wanna just make people happy

and smile and rest of my life. It's not about money. It's not about, I wanna be rich. It's not about wanna have like, leaving like the best houses or what like crazy, like, you know, like, uh, you know, like, uh, brand or living in a life. Lamborghini. No, sir.

No, that's me. Like, you know, like, uh, you know, like, it's so funny, you know, like people like, you know, I have like something that I have a sponsor, they sponsor me. So I shared their brand and my Instagram. Okay. And I'm not going to mention the name, the big brand. I have sponsors, they sponsor me, so I share their brand and my Instagram. And I'm not going to mention the name, the big brand. So they give me watch, that watch, it worth like $40,000. And I have that watch in my home, I don't wear it.

I wear my first watch that I bought, $80. Paycheck, first paycheck. Like first one I have a money, 23 years ago, and I have same watch. It's broke, it ripped, I fixed it, and I put it back again. And you know, like, I have like, not really, I have like a big clothing brand, they sponsor me, they give me big clothes,

like, I'm not gonna say the name, like, bling, the name, but it's not about that, so it's just about like to have be a, you know, like good human, good person, you you know to inspire like young generation because you know like today and so said that we live We need to be good people to good human to inspire those young generation. I have a two son I want to you know, like be good, you know inspire them I know like my friends like you everybody we need to inspire those guys, you know, because They grow up and then we want to tell them. Hey, you know, inspire them. You know, like my friends, like you, everybody, we need to inspire those guys, you know, because they grow up and then we want to tell them,

hey, you know what, there is kindness, there is humanity. You know, like you have to be kind to everybody. And that's life, how could be beautiful for everywhere, internationally, not only just U.S., everywhere. Everywhere I go, like, you know, like I told you early, sponsors, they give me the business ticket to fly. Say no, like from here to go California, the TV show.

And they buy me like a business class. You know what I do? So I get my ticket and I go sit. Before I sit, I go to bed, I go to economy and I see like one old lady special. Like when I see old ladies, I love you so much. My mom is my hero. I don't have a dad. I say, Hey, man, you know what?

I have my ticket to business class. You want to go see the front and I see your place, you know, like some of them they said no, but some of us until I find some person and they go see the business class and I see like economy and this is a hockey, I will never change. It. Like I say, I don't, I don't, I don't don't open business because I want to just make a mission I want to be success and I want to inspire artists that's like you know that's my motto just so you know be kind for no reason life is so beautiful and so short believe me

we don't know we can make it until tomorrow you know it's everything is in now there's not such a guarantee for tomorrow everybody that is hakiak denis and remember you're listening to a guy who grew up a turkish kurd went to canada got sent back to turkey came to the united states with 240 dollars in his pocket, became homeless. And because of the army of normal folks that surrounded him, his brother, his friend, the mission, Jamali Hoboken Pisa, Johnny the Albanian, and Steve Green, he was able to reach heights. He was able to reach his dreams. But then when he got his dreams, instead of making it all about him, he set out to

serve the very people who were like him, the homeless, the disenfranchised, the needy. And he has served them for 23 years and he continues to serve them today, all because he believes in kindness and God. Haki, you are phenomenal. And it has been just an honor to visit with you. I do have a question if somebody wants to follow you if somebody wants to reach out to you if somebody wants to learn more about Hockey Act dentists and the work that you do in New York for the homeless how can they find you? Well thank you so much by the way thank you it was very kind of you. Those beautiful kindness work. So only only only because they're true hockey. They're just

true, my friend. It's been a lot, sir. It's been a lot. I heard this every day, but it's been a lot. That's amazing for me. No, I mean, it's so blessed, you know, so blessed. The place is like every Wednesday between 8 p.m. until as we do like three hours because we have so many people like three, clothing, like, you know, like stuff. We have medicine. Uh, we are like, you know, medicine, which is like, you know, like night cool, like day cool, like, you know, like, like, um, cream, like itchy cream, because a lot of homeless people, they're like, they have a big issue like itching cause they don't take shower. And so that's the, the most that we use a lot, you know, like socks, you know, like a bunny, like gloves, stuff like that. And we have like hot foods.

Uh, and we have like, we asked them if they need job, you know, like we have them, like we send other people, like, not my friend, they own supermarket. My friend, they own construction company. So those people, we asked them if they need job, what they do, you know, like we can, we have them with a job as well. So they can find us on the Bowery Street and East Houston Bowery and East Houston 8 p.m. Until 11 p.m. This is every Wednesday night It's been almost like 11 years more than 10 years we've been do this and

Sunday we do in the front the Lancy Street and Christie in the front, Delancy and Christy. Delancy and Christy from 11 a.m. to like 1 p.m. This is every Sunday. That is phenomenal, Hathi. Whoever wanna come help out, like I say, don't bring like a tray of food or don't bring like 10 pair of shoes, just one pair of shoes, one socks,

just like one sandwich, one burger. Like I say, it one pair of shoes, one socks, just like, you know, like one sandwich, one burger. Like I say, it's not about how much we have, it's about how much can we give. Anything you have, just a little bit, it's a lot, believe me. For us, a little bit, but for them, it's so much, so it's so much. How anybody in New York could ever buy a slice from anybody other than Champion knowing what you do I'll never know and next time Lisa next time Lisa and I are in New York we're coming to get some champion pizza I promise. It will be my pleasure sir it will be my pleasure sir anytime please I will be so happy to see you guys And thank you for joining us this week if hockey or another guest has inspired you in general, or better yet, to take action

by helping the homeless or something else entirely, please let me know. I'd love to hear about it. You can write me anytime at bill at normalfolks.us and I will respond, even if it's at two or three in the morning when I'm doing catch-up work, but I will respond to you. And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with friends and on social, subscribe to the podcast, rate and review it, become a premium member at normalfolks.us,

all of these things that will help us grow an army of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney, I'll see you next week. The big take from Bloomberg News brings you what's shaping the world's economies with the smartest and best informed business reporters around the world. We cover the stories behind what's moving money in markets and help you understand what's happening, what it means, and why it matters every afternoon. I'm Sarah Holder. I'm Saleh Emosen.

And I'm David Gura. Listen to the big take on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to season nine of Next Question with me, Katie Couric. I've got some big news to share with you in our season premiere featuring the one and only Kris Jenner. Oh my gosh, congratulations. That is very, very exciting. And that's just the beginning. We'll also be joined by podcast host Jay Shetty, Hillary Clinton, Renee Flemming, Liz Cheney, and many more. So come on in, take a break from the incessant negativity

for a weekly dose of fascinating conversations. Some of them, I promise, will actually put you in a good mood. Listen to Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And TV's official challenge podcast is back for another season and so are we I'm Tori deal and I'm an easy for era

the way is over guys all stars for is finally here and this season takes it to a whole new level old-school legends modern power players ex lovers are all competing in Cape Town, South Africa for the prize of $300,000. And we're going to be right here along with you fans covering every episode on the podcast. Listen to MTV's official challenge podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts.