3.17.25 The Joe Mangiacotti Show - Monday - St Patrick's Day

Opening Segment: The Joe Mangiacotti Show – March 17, 2025
Joe Mangiacotti:
Good morning, New England! And a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you out there. Whether you’re Irish by birth, Irish by marriage, or just Irish by association today, welcome to The Joe Mangiacotti Show—Common Sense Conversation for the Common Sense Citizen.
Now, before we get into the ridiculousness of today’s news cycle—and trust me, there’s plenty—I want to take a moment to talk about this day, March 17th, and why St. Patrick’s Day is such a big deal, especially here in the U.S.
So, a little history for you. St. Patrick's Day, as most of you know, is in honor of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. He was actually born in Britain—funny enough—but was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped, then came back as a missionary and is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. That’s the real story. The whole thing about him "driving out the snakes"—well, that’s more legend than fact. But hey, never let facts get in the way of a good story, right?
Now, how did this become such a big deal in America? Well, Irish immigrants brought the celebration over in the 1700s, and the first-ever St. Patrick’s Day parade wasn’t even in Ireland—it was right here in the American colonies! Boston had the first parade in 1737, and New York followed in 1762. Today, we celebrate it in true American style—with parades, parties, and let’s be honest—a lot of beer.
And of course, it wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without mentioning the political and cultural contributions of the Irish. They helped build this country—literally. They worked the railroads, the factories, they served in the military, they shaped our cities. And they understood the value of hard work, patriotism, and yes, a little bit of rebellious spirit. So, whether you’re Irish or not, you can at least raise a glass today in honor of that.
Alright, now let’s shift gears. Because speaking of being a little rebellious, have you heard what’s happening with Tesla? Oh boy, this one is good.
Senator Mark Kelly, Democrat from Arizona, has decided to dump his Tesla. Why? Because he doesn’t like Elon Musk’s politics. That’s right, folks—Kelly says he feels like driving a Tesla is like "rolling around in a billboard for a man dismantling our government and hurting people."
I mean, really? It’s a car! It’s not a political statement, it’s not a bumper sticker, it’s a machine that gets you from point A to point B. But no, because Elon Musk supports free speech and—gasp—President Donald Trump, Kelly and a bunch of other liberal celebrities have decided that Tesla is now evil.
And he’s not alone. Jason Bateman—yeah, the Hollywood guy—he got rid of his Tesla too because he said it felt like "driving around with a Trump sticker." Sheryl Crow—she made a whole production out of selling her Tesla and donated the money to NPR just to prove a point. And venture capitalist Joanne Wilson? She and her husband dumped theirs too because they’re mad about Musk’s influence.
This is peak ridiculousness, folks. These are the same people who championed Tesla just a few years ago because it was the electric car—the ultimate symbol of going green, saving the planet, cutting emissions. But now, because the guy who runs the company doesn’t fall in line with the liberal agenda, suddenly the car is the enemy.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump just went out and bought two Teslas. A Model S and a Cybertruck. You gotta love it. The man sees a mob trying to tear down a company over politics, and instead of joining the protest, he doubles down and puts his money where his mouth is. And guess what happened? Tesla’s stock—which had been dropping—shot back up after Trump announced his support. That, my friends, is real influence.
And this whole thing raises a bigger question. At what point did everything become political? When did we stop just buying products because they were good, because they worked, because they had value? Are we really at a point where we can’t drink certain coffee, wear certain shoes, drive certain cars, because we might offend someone? This is lunacy.
So, here’s my challenge to you, my fellow common-sense citizens—let’s stop playing this game. Let’s stop letting politicians and celebrities tell us what we should drive, what we should eat, what we should think. You want a Tesla? Buy one because it’s a damn good car. You don’t want one? Fine, but make that decision because of the car itself, not because some virtue-signaling senator told you to.
Alright, we’re just getting started here on The Joe Mangiacotti Show. We’ve got a packed show ahead, and I want to hear from you. Would you ever sell a car—or anything—just because the CEO has different political views than you? Call in, let me know.
And hey, don’t forget—grab yourself a Guinness today, wear some green, and appreciate this great country we live in. Even with all the nonsense, it’s still the best place on Earth.