Standing Your Ground: A Story of Perseverance with Sage Steele

13:11Ed Mylett:I was pulled off the air. I was made to publicly apologize. And of course, they distributed it to the LA Times and the Chicago Tribune and the Washington Post and New York Times and, you know, here, let's make her apologize. And we're going to crush her. And then we'll let her back someday. And it was about two weeks later when they let me back. Then we're going to take assignments from her. And that was the key. I'm like, wait, I apologize. We moved on, but you're still going to take hard-earned assignments from me. Which one is it? Are we allowed to talk about our personal beliefs or not? And oh, by the way, that was happening on ESPN airwaves.

13:43Ed Mylett:What I said about my opinion on being forced to take a COVID shot was on an off day on a side podcast. So all I ever asked for was consistency. And when they continued to allow that to happen on bigger and bigger levels and more consistently, I talked to an attorney and he said, you know what, if you just apologize to her for the double standard, she's good. and they left and laughed again. So that's when I had decisions to make about, um, do I stand up here because of the hypocrisy? And I also, and I knew like, I was just, I was one of a handful of conservatives there who had been so fearful of speaking up and were silenced.

14:27Ed Mylett:So I thought, this isn't actually just about me. I had probably the highest position or the biggest role, I guess, the biggest platform at that time. And it hit me like, I am here for a reason for these other people who are whispering to me, thank you. And young women in the bathroom who would whisper and make sure all of our mics are off. Like, thank you for what you're doing. You're helping me. And that like, that hit me hard where I felt I would be a failure to them if I didn't speak up. So that's why I sued the Walt Disney Company, not for making me take the shot. It was the hypocrisy of what came after.

15:06Sage Steele:I think that's fair. You know, I'm wondering, that's just stressful. So I want to kind of bring it to where someone listening is, how does this apply to me? Right? One, evaluating, speaking up, speaking your mind. And by the way, supporting people who do, even that you disagree with. It's fascinating to me that I actually love hearing people's ideas. I don't try not to watch too much political TV anymore because it just stresses me out. But when I do, when a story comes out, I love to watch like Fox News and hear what they say. And then I go, I'm going to flip it to MSNBC. And I want to just hear how they both, you know, frame something.

15:42Sage Steele:Isn't that hysterical? It's hysterical. It's fascinating. And so I'm actually, I like free speech. I want to hear people's ideas. So I would support it whether I agreed with it or I disagreed with it. And that's the point of what I wanted to ask you about. But the other point of it is, I know what it's like to be in the public eye. And I know what it's like to get a lot of hate and disagreement and pushback. I don't know what it's like to be the breadwinner in my family and lose my career, though, and then lose my marriage around the same time. And so your world's crashing in. There are people listening to this right now that their version of what you went through is happening.

16:18Sage Steele:Something in their life just fell apart. Someone died that they love. There's a relationship that ended, a career that didn't, a business that failed. How did you get through this? And what advice would you give to somebody? They came out to you at a Starbucks. They said, Sage, your story inspires me, and I'm going through my blow up of my life, my life Armageddon. What would you say to them?

16:40Ed Mylett:Well, there isn't just one way. That's for sure. It might be different for each person, but prayer that I was doing but not enough of and to really mean it. And to really give up control and ask for help and guidance and clarity. And it came awfully fast when I did that. Really? Yeah. But it started at the darkest, darkest moment. So when I was suspended, you know, and at the time, Twitter, it was still Twitter, not Elon's ex, and just a different world. And my, I mean, I had colleagues I was working with who went on Twitter and said all the things about me. And it was allowed once again, like all the, and threats.

17:24Ed Mylett:I mean, threats to me, serious threats, threats to my children. And I remember just curling up in a ball, put the blackout shades down and curled up in a ball in my bed and was sobbing like, what have I done? I'm so stupid. Like, this is my fault. And I was as sick as I've ever been in my life from COVID. From COVID. After I got the shot that was supposed to prevent all this. So all of this at once. It was the darkest moment. And I just was like, I'm sorry, God, I'm sorry. I'll do whatever it takes. Like, just do you want me to keep apologizing? Do you want me to like, just fix it? So scared.

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20:06Ed Mylett:And my mom and dad are my life. Besides my kids and my husband, obviously. But my mom and dad have picked me up at times when I didn't think I deserved it. And they, my dad still is, but at the time was undergoing chemotherapy. Oh my gosh. And he and my mom got in a car and drove up and picked my butt up off the ground because I was broken and I was done. And I wasn't allowed to see other people because I was contagious. And so my kids were with their dad and I was alone for eight days. My mom and dad said no and came and picked me up. Um, and you know, my dad, who's a army, a retired army officer, a West Point grad, tough guy, tough as nails.

20:48Ed Mylett:He has empathy. I'm his little girl still. Um, but he's like, okay, you have a choice to make here. Like, are they going to win this? Are you going to let them do this to you? Are you going to stand up? Like, get back to work, put your head, you know, keep your head up high. And I was like, I mean, I walked in there, lost 10 pounds during that time. I was scared to death. And then what happens? You have to, when that light goes on, ready or not. And so, yeah, everybody has issues in their lives and problems and relationship issues and kid issues and whatever it is. But with our job, when that light goes on, like if you aren't ready and don't perform two hours of live national TV every single day, you're out.

21:32Ed Mylett:So I had to compartmentalize. I became a much better actress than I thought. So I would pass that along too. Like you're going to go through it, but you still have to function. So figure out ways to put it in the back, like kick it to the back of your mind for whatever that time period is. And go back and deal with it. It's not going to go away, unfortunately, as much as we might wish it away. Right. But I learned a lot about myself during that time.

21:58Sage Steele:What you learned?

21:59Ed Mylett:That I'm a lot tougher than I ever dreamt. and to walk in there every day knowing that half my coworkers, if not more, hated me just for my opinions and still having to go on and, you know, and sit next to them and make, but it was, once I got in there, I would feel this like calm, peace, power come over me because I loved my job so much. It still gets me to the, to, uh, to the very last day. Like I loved it. So how could I let them take that joy from me too. When I knew I was good at that, I was good at telling stories and good at doing highlights and good at interviewing people, even if I only had four and a half minutes before break to make them feel comfortable enough to give me something different that they hadn't given to another anchor.

22:46Ed Mylett:So I kept feeling this strength that I would gain every day that I would walk in there. And the last thing that I would share is this story with my, my son, fast forward a couple of months. And when I decided to file the lawsuit, and the night before I filed it, I spoke to each of my kids separately. My oldest was a freshman in college. My son was a senior in high school. My youngest was a daughter was a sophomore in high school. And the girls were pretty emotional about it. Because what happened is every time I had spoken up about something, or gotten in trouble, in this case, people come after them.

23:23Ed Mylett:And mama bear comes out and I want to hurt everybody that, you know, teachers, coaches, friends, parents would say things to my kids about me. Like, really? Shut up. Come talk to me if you have a problem. But in particular, I went to my son, who I always say is, you know, in the middle of these two psycho girls, psycho sisters of his. And I said, listen, this is what's happening tomorrow. There's going to be some headlines. And I want to apologize now for what is going to come our way. And you don't ever have to defend me. Just tell people who give you crap. My mom has a right to her opinion. I don't always agree with my mom, but she has a right and so do you.

24:03Ed Mylett:First Amendment, freedom of speech. And I said, but I'm sorry, buddy, for what's going to happen. I just have to stand up for this. This is wrong. And my son put down what he was doing. He looked at me and he said, mom, it's about time you stood up for yourself. Wow. Wow. One of the greatest moments of my life as a mother, for sure. I'm so proud. And it also taught me that I had been living the wrong way.

24:30Sage Steele:Meaning?

24:30Ed Mylett:I'd been quiet. I'd bitten my tongue for so long, doing what I thought was the right thing to protect my kids, protect my livelihood and my job, but protect my kids, protect people who love me from getting the shrapnel, right? Yeah. And what was I teaching them? I'm preaching them to stand up and be tall and be strong and stand up for yourself. But then I'm practicing the opposite and I'm silent. What a cop out. What a sell out. So at that moment, I knew. I'm sorry. Like I knew at that moment that no matter what happened with this insane lawsuit of little old me, David versus Goliath against the Walt Disney Company, that even if they crushed me, which they did a good job of financially.

25:13Ed Mylett:within 0.5 seconds, right? It's Disney. How am I going to, but even if I lost, um, I would, would have won because my kids saw that their mom was like enough, no more. And then I, I know now that they're not going to wait till they're 50 to take a stand. And then I didn't lose. I settled out of court. Like it was a win, but in, and for the sake of principle, not money or anything else, It's like, don't you dare. So that's why your original question about I wouldn't change a thing. Because most importantly, my kids, they're going to live differently because of what they saw me.

25:55Sage Steele:That's so beautiful. By the way, what the heck happened to us as a culture? I know. What the heck happened? Like, I probably only cried five or six times on the show. You just got me. I'm sorry. I'm just picturing you at that time, Sage. It's just the, I, it's different just when you hear a story, but I can picture it like the world's crumbling and this woman's going to stand up. And what happened to us? We're like, you know, I think one thing about taxes or whatever, and you think another, and now we hate each other. What the heck happened? It feels like it's the last 10 years or so this has happened.

26:32This wasn't, when I was a little boy, that was, was not how we treated one another.

26:37Sage Steele:It was.

26:38Ed Mylett:You're right.

26:39Sage Steele:It's just crazy. I mean, honestly, it is. It makes me so emotional. Humans treat one another now.

26:43Ed Mylett:It breaks my heart, too. And it started, I think, people didn't feel it, but probably 2008, 2009, 10. That's when I felt it. And I guess we need to, at some point, as a society, dig into the why. But the key is, where are we today and what do we do with it? I will say, like, I'm mad at myself for taking so long to figure it out. but it takes what it takes. And the journey is the journey. But during that time, when I lived in fear, long before that official cancellation, there were a couple along the way, but that was the big one. But when I started to speak up on other things, I remember walking in airports.

27:26Ed Mylett:I lived in Phoenix at the time. I was hosting all of our NBA coverage in Los Angeles, but lived in the Scottsdale area. I didn't want to live in LA, so I just did. And I was always at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, you know, twice a week. And I remembered after I said something that I thought was pretty innocuous that got me in trouble, walking through the airport, eyes down, eyes at the ground. So afraid of making eye contact because what I saw on social media and what my bosses and friends told me was that I was a pariah and I was hated and I believed it. So that's another moment where I get choked up if I think back to trying to do the right thing and be true to myself.

28:09Ed Mylett:Everybody else is allowed to be true to themselves, right, if you think a certain way. And going to do the job that I love, but walking in fear everywhere. And I don't want anyone else to ever feel that way. It can take over. And I feel so blessed and fortunate that I got out of it, you know, again, by the grace of God.

28:32Sage Steele:Yeah. I think everyone, your advice is incredible, by the way. And I think just the other thing, the lessons for those of you that are going through it, just listen to what she said, because I'm around her now. I see her now. This will pass. This too will pass. And if you're faithful and you surrender the things of God that are out of your control and you take control of the things that you can. And my dad was an AA. He was sober for 35 years and always mess up the saying. But essentially, it's discern between the difference of the things you can control and you can't and give up the things you can't control to God.

29:00Sage Steele:It sounds like you really did that.

29:02Ed Mylett:Can I ask you a question? Yeah. Because one of the most beautiful things to come from the chaos and the fear and all that is I've finally gotten over that fear of being disliked. That's what people also have to think about, too. It is scary for those of us pleasers in the room, you know, but in general, it's a whole new world. It doesn't mean that I don't care and have empathy. And I really do. But I cannot control what you think of me. Even if I treat you like the President of the United States, whatever, the king, I still can't change it. So if you don't like me, I got to let go of that. I assume you let go of that.

29:44Sage Steele:I had to do, you know, what I learned to do is in speaking. Like if you're walking out in front of 20 ,000 people, if you're worried about what every single person in there thinks, right? Like, yeah, I think I don't, well, let me be honest. Let me be honest. I think I've gotten better at that. Yeah. I think there are still occasions where I'm too concerned with what people think, even in my mid-50s, but far less than before, just because I know that I can't control it. I actually don't think it's really any of my business. But I also listened to it a little bit because, at least in my youth, there were probably reasons some people held opinions about me.

30:19Sage Steele:So I like to look at it and go, is there any validity to what they're saying? And if there isn't, then I'll let go of it. But I make enough mistakes from time to time that even yesterday, one of the speeches I gave here, I made an error on stage. There was a guy with a phone in the front row on his phone. And as a pro with thousands of people in there, you just keep talking. And I just couldn't take my eyes off this guy. So finally I called him out in front of the entire, and I told him I loved him, et cetera, et cetera. But it was really my ego and my temper just for that flash second, getting a little bit better of me.

30:53Sage Steele:So if that guy didn't like me, he's probably justified not to. So I'll listen to it a little bit. But for the most part, I've let go of that. I really care what God thinks of me and some close people that I know that'll tell me the truth, right? Like, hey, you overstepped here or you've made a mistake. But for the most part, I think I've let go of that. My word for the year last year was surrender, meaning just because I'm a control freak. And I think successful people love to be in control. But you can take that to a point where it's so painful and excruciating, like what you were going through.

31:29Sage Steele:I also think I heard this story I wanted to ask you about. And I want to hear you tell because I haven't heard you tell it. I heard it through third party. But you might have been a little bit built for this, a little bit, in the sense that your parents are biracial, if I'm right. Your father's black, your mother's white, correct? And they chose to do that at a time where it's not quite as acceptable as it is today. And even today, for some people, for some fringe crazies, it's still not acceptable. But there's this story about, tell the story, if you would, about your dad writing a letter to your mom's dad.

32:02Sage Steele:And this is built in the sense that this is somebody giving grace to somebody who doesn't like them also, right? I think for the wrong reason. So it's not just not caring what people think, but actually maybe the elevated level where your dad was or where I'd like to get is where I can even give grace to people that do ill towards me.

32:22Ed Mylett:Yeah. I have some work to do in that category. So do I. I need to ask my dad.

32:28Sage Steele:Sounds like your father did a lot of work on that, though. This is an incredible story if I heard it right.

32:32Ed Mylett:Yeah, thank you. It's something that I didn't know about with my parents until they were interviewed by NFL Films. My brother, one of my two brothers, is the senior vice president of public relations and communications for the Baltimore Ravens. Okay. And he's been in the NFL for 25 years in PR. And so the NFL Films was doing a story on him. And in doing so, I wanted to talk to my parents and then discovered this story. Okay. I didn't know it until they told it on camera. Wow. And basically 1971, October of 71, my parents got married and my mom's parents were not there. They chose to not be there.

33:10Ed Mylett:They were against her marrying a black man. And again, a very different time. I believe we do need to give some grace, especially when people change and evolve. And we're all capable of that. And my family is proof of that. But my dad, of course, was upset. But this is his wife, and he wants to protect her. And of all people, to not support her, it's her mom and dad. So they got married. Anyway, they did not show up. My mom's brother came and walked her down the aisle. And by the way, I think about strength and my mom being 22 years old and having to make that decision. Are you kidding me? So there's so much.

33:51Ed Mylett:There's a lot there. I'm so humbled with my little spat with Disney. Like, look at that. That's it. I mean, you're 22. too. And so then, you know, my dad's in the military, a young officer, and they moved to Panama, where I was born. And my mom called her parents to say, I'm pregnant, and she's the oldest of four, and I'm going to have your first grandchild. And her mom hung up the phone. Oh, my gosh. And again, I think about myself in that situation. And I just, I've sobbed thinking about that, Because my mom was there the moment I gave birth all three times, you know? And so that upset my father, as you might imagine, as it should for any man.

34:33Sage Steele:Simply because of the color of his skin. Yeah. Wow.

34:35Ed Mylett:But he wasn't as concerned about their why. He was concerned about their decision to do that to their daughter. And so what he began doing is writing letters, penning letters, pen and paper. We weren't on computers then, right? once a month to my mom's parents and sent them from Panama, Canal Zone, Panama, to West Springfield, Massachusetts, where they lived in their small town. And my mom, as she says on this NFL Films piece, which is still out, I'd love it if people took a look at Gary Steele as my dad's name. And it's the most beautiful piece that I cry every time I watch it. And I've watched it 10 ,000 times.

35:13Ed Mylett:And my mom says on the piece, like, I don't know why he did it. I kept telling him, they're not going to read it. They're not going to answer. And you're wasting your time. And my dad looked in the camera and said, they needed to know that I was taking care of their daughter. This black man was taking care of their daughter. And then he said it was the harder right because he's ticked off. The harder right comes from West Point where he graduated. And that's part of the cadet prayer that I try to share whenever I'm given any platform, um, help me to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong and never to be content with a half truth when the whole truth can be one.

35:55Ed Mylett:So in that moment, my dad chose the harder right once a month to write that letter. Almost seven years later, um, there was a meeting. My mom's youngest sister, um, hosted Thanksgiving. Didn't tell my mom and dad that the parents were going to be there. Didn't tell the parents that my mom and dad were going to be there. They walk in, assigned seats. My aunt sat, my dad, and my grandmother next to each other. And in this family, we hold hands when we say grace, a blessing over our meal. And her mother wouldn't do it. And she said, the younger daughter said, Mom, in our home, this is what we do.

36:36Ed Mylett:She did that to my dad, and he held her hand tightly. Oh, my gosh. And later that day, on Thanksgiving Day, my grandfather, my mom's dad, kind of apologized. We found out later it really wasn't his idea. This was more my grandmother who struggled so much. My grandfather went along with it. And he said, listen, Gary, I'd like to put all this behind us and, you know, start over. And my dad said, okay.

37:07Sage Steele:Wow, he did. But we will move forward.

37:11Ed Mylett:I will never forget what you did and didn't do for your daughter, my wife. But I will forgive. And today is day one. And we go forward from here. Oh, my gosh.

37:23Sage Steele:So you know what, everybody? I really appreciate the comments about, you know, I've gotten a lot leaner and built more muscle this year. And it was really intentional. And I was thinking, how can I get ahead, you know, on my fitness? Because I'm already pretty fit and worked out. And it was how I'm eating. And that's where Factor came in. Factor doesn't ask you to meal prep or follow recipes. It just removes the entire problem. Two minutes, real food, bam, done. And so once I started eating healthier and using Factor, not only did I get a lot leaner, but I built more muscle. And the truth is, guys, I had more energy.

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38:30Sage Steele:So here's what happened to me. I've been feeling great for like a year and a half. It's because I've been on IM8. Then we moved to our place in Maine, and I didn't bring my supplement with me. So if you've been looking for something easy to stick with that actually makes you feel better, this might be it. For me, it absolutely is something I rely on, and I noticed when I missed a few days. So give your body what it deserves with IM8. Go to im8health.com slash ed and use code ed for a free welcome kit. Five free travel sachets plus 10 % off your order. So seriously, this is one of those offers you're going to wish you jumped on sooner.

39:03Sage Steele:That's im8.com slash ed and use code ed for a free welcome kit, five free travel sachets, plus 10 % off your order at im8health.com slash ed, code ed. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

39:24Ed Mylett:So my parents, and that's when it came full circle, right? Again, something that I believe what I went through is much less important than what my parents went through. But if they could do that alone, early 20s, they were babies, not a penny in their bank account. By the way, if you're trying to get rich, you're not joining the military, okay? Like, who am I to live in fear? Who am I to choose the easy or wrong? So the harder right was to say, wait a minute, Disney, this is what you're preaching.

39:58Sage Steele:Yes. Yeah.

39:59Ed Mylett:So, so I don't know. Was I made for it?

40:01Sage Steele:Yeah. Well, that adage that God doesn't give you anything you're not capable of handling clearly is because of the way that you were raised though. I mean, that is one of the easily greatest stories I've ever heard in my life. And the way you tell it, by the way, I can, I guess, you don't know what you're doing to me today. Sorry. I can picture your mom and your dad at that age and that time, and then calling to be excited that you're going to have your first baby and have your mom hang up.

40:25Ed Mylett:Breaks my heart.

40:26Sage Steele:And then be your dad to give him that grace, though. But to say it like a man, too, though. You know, hey, don't forget.

40:31Ed Mylett:And my dad, if you ever meet him, and hopefully he'll come to one of these. I'd love to meet your father. Oh, my gosh. He would love to meet you. And I want him to see what all of this is about. He has since shrunk. He's 79. But at his peak, when he played college football at Army, broke the color barrier. First black man to play varsity football ever at Army. Oh, my gosh. I know. He's amazing. But he was 6 '6 1⁄2", 220 pounds. And you think about that in the mid-60s.

40:57Sage Steele:Oh, he's a giant.

40:58Ed Mylett:A giant, absolute giant. Oh, my gosh. Now he's about 6 '3", maybe 6 '4".

41:03Sage Steele:Yeah, a big man.

41:05Ed Mylett:Still 240 now, and he looks great, even with all of his health issues. So I picture my dad with that calm but firm voice looking down at my little 6 '3"-inch Irish grandfather saying what he needed to say. By the way, I have actually never told the story because it's always on the video clip that I play. Got it. I'm so glad you did. I thank you for asking me to. It brought me back to it, to hearing. Like, that was my dad's voice that you just heard. Yeah. Because.

41:43Sage Steele:But your face changed, too, by the way. Did I get tossed and strong and mean? You did.

41:48Ed Mylett:But he's not mean. He's the biggest teddy bear. Well, it's because I'm his favorite child, obviously. So he's nice to me.

41:53Sage Steele:We should send this clip to your brother then for sure. Two brothers, yes. Two brothers. I'm going to ask you, by the way, I'm just taken aback by that story. And it is, you know, that adage that success leaves clues, strength leaves clues. There's footprints in your life that prepared you for this time. That's like -

42:09Ed Mylett:I just didn't know.

42:09Sage Steele:Isn't it kind of obvious to you though? Like as you tell that story yourself, like that's, come on. I mean, what you went through is unfair and wrong, regardless of the political part of it. Who cares about that part of it, right? Like the point is, should somebody be able to speak up or stand for what they believe in or not? Should it cost them their career? And why is it OK, no matter what side you're on, that one side can speak their mind the entire time and the other side can't even give a peep, not even on the platform? Correct. That's just wrong.

42:38Ed Mylett:And that's what I do need to clarify one thing. And that is what the lawsuit isn't about. You know, oh, you suspended me in unfairness. It was about that hypocrisy, but more so the suspension of me.

42:49Sage Steele:You weren't on air.

42:50Ed Mylett:I wasn't on air. And there is a fascinating, it's First Amendment, but not in the constitutional government way, obviously. There's a statute in the state of Connecticut, and it's employment related, that I didn't know when I was saying any of this. I didn't care. I was just being me, but being respectful, saying, hey, this is my opinion, not my company's, and I'm complying. But you are allowed to be critical of your employer if you are complying with their rules. In Connecticut. In the state of Connecticut. Check your state. Of all states. Right, I know. Right? Of all states. Connecticut. Are you kidding me?

43:26Ed Mylett:Surprising. And so I had no idea. But that's what the lawsuit was based on. Because everyone says, you're an idiot. First Amendment doesn't apply and it's a private employer. Yeah, absolutely. Where you live and where you are employed matters. And that's how we did it. And it wasn't, again, I don't care about the legalese. The principle of this, and my hope was, my goal was at that time to file it, was to just make employers think a little bit. And remember, you have human beings here. Yes, we all have numbers and goals to reach, et cetera. But at the end of the day, every employer, you get more out of your employees when you treat them like actual human beings.

44:05Ed Mylett:I always say, just pretend like you care, even if you don't, right? That's so true.

44:08Sage Steele:By the way, I just keep going back listening to you. And by the way, we all live through this, so we know it. But like, what in the heck happened to us? Like in your case, it's like a medical decision I mean, it's not even that controversial, really It's like, we hate each other over politics now Like, what are we, crazy? I remember a long time ago, Clinton said, Bill Clinton said And I'll mess up the quote, but it's there He's like, and I'm not even saying he was actually virtuous in doing this But I remember him saying, I'm like, I agree with that I don't even know if he meant it But along the lines of, this shouldn't be about right Like who's good or bad But like who's right and wrong about something And even if you think someone's wrong, it doesn't make them bad or evil or sinister or your enemy.

44:50Sage Steele:It's just, especially people of faith. What's wrong with us? Like, this is your brother or sister in the body of Christ, and you're going to hate them? Because they got a different opinion about a gun or a different opinion about taxes? What is wrong with you?

45:03Ed Mylett:Well, but the problem is, is sometimes when the truth does come out, and in this case with COVID, there's no accountability. Like, I was actually right. You're right. And I wasn't rocket science, by the way, doesn't take much. But like sometimes if people come back with contrition and are accountable, then that helps. I mean, that's the human element of it. But it's much bigger than that. To me, in my humble opinion, this is an intentional, evil, deliberate attempt to take God out of things. That's what's missing.

45:38Sage Steele:Let me have some fun with you about something. I want to ask you about something funny since we've been so serious today. So when you're on camera enough, you're going to make a screw up.

45:45Ed Mylett:Oh, so many.

45:46Sage Steele:No, watch this. I'm going to give you mine. So I've had a couple, but like zillions of hours on camera, right? So I'll start with mine, and then I want to ask you about yours. And the reason I'm going to ask you about this is I want people to know you're okay to make mistakes and just own it, but make mistakes and move on, and you can survive through the things you're even the most afraid of. So here's mine. I had a book out. It's called The Power of One More. It did great. and uh but i'm doing a million hits for the book podcast tv shows you know and i told some stories about the book anyway i'm on one of the shows it's my eighth show that day i'm tired i don't remember which story i've told on which show and a good friend of mine it's tom bilyeu is a show called impact theory he sets this question up he says hey people are probably going to think you're crazy but you have this way that you manage time you almost manipulate time in your mind the way that you do it.

46:36Sage Steele:I'd like you to explain how you do it. And so there's this clip of me that went like hundreds of millions of years. I just look like a complete moron. And I say, yeah, I manipulate time. And I go to tell this story and I misspeak. I say, and so you're like some guy living in a cave 300 years ago. I meant to say 3 million years ago, which I'd said on 150 other podcasts, but I misspeak. So this viral clip goes out of me sounding like a complete idiot, valid. I was an idiot and it was pretty embarrassing. And so I had to get over the embarrassment of making this mistake. I'm watching a clip of you with my dude, Dana White.

47:16Sage Steele:I knew it. Okay. I just got to ask you, I want to know your opinion about it. This is real. And so you're about to interview Dana White and you call him Joe Rogan. You had to be embarrassed when you did this. What's the story behind that? And then the reason I ask you, I'm getting here. I love it. You didn't know I was going to ask you. So mine's worse than yours. Okay. And by the way, my clip was more viral, but we both sit here as two people who looked pretty damn funny on the internet. And so a lot of whatever each of you fear in your life right now, you'll be okay. Cause we've both made this mistake.

47:45Sage Steele:What happened? I'm like, what advice would you give to somebody seriously? Who's right? Cause you and I, I said, people live in caves 300 years ago and I can manipulate time and I'm, I'm not crazy. You're like, I just look like a complete wing nut in this clip. You don't look very favorable in that clip. So what would you say about that?

48:02Ed Mylett:Well, yeah, 10 years ago. Great question.

48:03Sage Steele:You didn't know that was coming.

48:04Ed Mylett:I didn't. But as soon as you said the embarrassing moments, I'm like, okay, here we go. Cause that was, that's probably number one.

48:12Sage Steele:Yeah. That was my number one.

48:13Ed Mylett:For, yeah. I mean, and that's okay. There might be more to come. Who knows? Oh, maybe this is live. Hold on. Maybe our interviews, maybe it's this time. Okay, first of all, yeah, I've gotten crushed for she didn't even know who she was interviewing with, an idiot, typical broad sports. I booked Dana. I've been friends with Dana for years. As Dana sat down, we were chit-chatting and chit-chatting, and it's like finally like, okay, let's start the interview because we could talk all day. And he had a protein, can of protein, whatever that drink was. And so I asked him, I was like, what is it? He's like, yeah, Joe Rogan made it.

48:47Ed Mylett:And I was like, oh, and I took a sip and it was good. And we kept going. And then the viral moment was 90 minutes in. So when people say she didn't know who she was interviewing, I'm like, guys, this happened at the end of the interview. However, apparently I had said it earlier after he did the drink thing because he said Joe Rogan. And so Joe Rogan's in my mind. They work together. Dana hired Joe. Like they look somewhat similar, like stocky, muscular, bald white guys, right?

49:23Ed Mylett:Dana said it. We all look alike.

49:25Sage Steele:Yeah. Hey, trust me. I hear that all the time, you know.

49:28Ed Mylett:And so I didn't know, and Dana didn't know that I said it earlier in the podcast after he had said, yeah, this is Joe Rogan's drink. Got it. Fast forward 90 minutes later. And it was just a total brain fart from the beginning of the episode when he, I'm like, Dana, And this is your fault. You put that name in my head. But when I noticed, I didn't even notice it until he reacted. And it was just the most classic reaction. And I won't quote him for obvious reasons, those of you who have seen it. But he's like, she just called me Joe Rogan. And it hit me at the feeling in my chest, in my soul. I started sweating everywhere.

50:06Ed Mylett:And he's a friend of mine. But I knew, like, you can't get out of this one.

50:11Sage Steele:But that's great context. It's 90 minutes in.

50:13Ed Mylett:It was at the end of the interview. Didn't know that until right now. You said at the beginning of the interview, like, no, hold on, let me clarify. There we go. Because the clips, there's never any context, right? And that's how it is. Same with yours. And so at that moment, he goes, did you just call me? Did you just call me? And I go, I did. Because what are you going to do? Like say, no, I didn't? Yeah, right. You know, get your hearing checked? No. And then it went on and on and on. And then I but I tried to change it. Like, what is Dana White? Yeah. Thinking, OK, I can edit that out. No one will know he wasn't having it.

50:48Ed Mylett:And so we were I mean, it was hysterical. We're cracking up. We get done with the interview and we were high fiving and he's hugging me. And like, we've known each other. So it was literally fine. Got it. That was the first episode of the Sage Deal show. No way. I had taped a couple other ones, but I wanted to do Dana first. It was the biggest name I'd gotten up to that point. And it still kept my foot in the door with some sports stuff, but he's an entrepreneur and all those things. And it's the Sage Deal Show. It was my first episode. I have full editorial control.

51:23Sage Steele:You could have taken it out.

51:24Ed Mylett:I could have taken that out. Ah. If you can't laugh at yourself. I totally agree. For public consumption, you're in the wrong business.

51:33Sage Steele:I totally agree with you. Yeah. I totally agree.

51:35Ed Mylett:So when Dana, he told me later, he called me later right before, and he's like, you're airing this first, right? I was like, yeah, yeah. He goes, you're leaving that in. You're effing leaving that in. And I was like, of course. Like, I'm not going to, if I'm not going to let someone else come on my show and edit stuff out, which unless it was something personal, no, we're all, come on. Then why would I do that for myself? That's not fair.

51:58Sage Steele:I feel better because I did the same thing when we were doing it. He's like, we can cut that. I go, no, man, leave it. It's funny. Leave it. I don't want to make it that funny. No. But it was funny.

52:06Ed Mylett:Yes, that's the way to do things. Okay, good. Don't you think?

52:09Sage Steele:I do, by the way.

52:10Ed Mylett:You're more of a pro at this than me. You've done a million more shows than I have. I'm just saying, leave it in. And when you show people that you're human, I feel like people appreciate you more because they sometimes view us as these robots and we never make mistakes and everything's perfect.

52:26Sage Steele:It's like, I'm the opposite of perfect.

52:28Ed Mylett:And that's proof.

52:29Sage Steele:Likewise. That's why I asked it. I'm so glad.

52:31Ed Mylett:See, I get to clarify again that it was the end of the interview.

52:33Sage Steele:You're such a good sport because the fact of the matter is mine was editing too. All right, last thing. By the way, this has been so good.

52:39Ed Mylett:I've had so much. I could talk to you all day. I don't cry all that often.

52:43Sage Steele:You got me. I cry cried right there. That was cry cry. It's good now for you. So let's look at the other side for a second. You're now remarried, happy. Your career seems to be flourishing. I assume everything in your family is great. I know your dad's health you said wasn't great. But take us to the other side. Like, is it somewhat sweeter from the standpoint that, you know, your whole life, marriage, finances, career all goes away and now you've got it back. God's been so good to you and you've worked your you know what off as well. What's it feel like? Because the same people watch this. I want to get to the other side.

53:21Sage Steele:What's that like?

53:22Ed Mylett:My lawsuit settled. I was in a mediation in a court in Los Angeles, California on August 14th, 2023. 23. And when it settled, I put my head on the table and I just sobbed, I sobbed. One, and I was so heartbroken that it took that. And I haven't thought about that moment often because it's hard to, even though it was like a good moment. But it was like, gosh, did it have to come to this? And now what the hell am I gonna do with my life? I worked up to the very end with the pending lawsuit for 16 months every day. I was still on TV. So I couldn't afford mentally. I didn't have the energy or the ability mentally to focus on what's next because I was still on live TV every day until that day.

54:16Ed Mylett:And I didn't know where to go. I didn't know what to do. I thought about another show at some point to try it on my own, but never to do it on my own. Like I thought I'd work for someone and they'd help me with the show. And I just remember getting back on that plane and just to go back to the East Coast. I lived in Connecticut where ESPN was and like, what's next? So, you know, it's amazing how God works. Two days later, I went on Megyn Kelly's show. We had the same attorney. If you ever get canceled, I have an attorney for you guys. He's Megyn Kelly, me, he's Tucker Carlson's, Chris Harrison, my dear friend who married us four months ago, who was canceled from The Bachelor, the host of The Bachelor and what he went through.

55:04Ed Mylett:Brian Friedman is your attorney, trust me. Good to know. And he had had conversations. I went on Bill Maher's show about a month after I settled. And when I was on his show, again, diversity of thought, right, he brought me on. And during the podcast, he's like, you know, you need to do a podcast under my network. I think you're great. And I was like, whatever. He sits there, drinks and gets high his entire podcast. He's not going to remember that he's saying this. And we get off the air and he says it again and he meant it. So somehow I go from fear that day, sobbing on the table after I settled with Disney, to an offer from Bill Maher to be the first podcast of his new startup network, Club Random.

55:48Ed Mylett:And he brought me on and here we go. We have a man who thinks completely differently than me. that's giving me a platform to do the Sage Deal show, and he's going to run it for me and everything else. Ended up leaving. A lot of changes with him. We're still friends. It's great. I really respect him. Left and went, okay, now what am I going to do? I'll just wait for the right person to come. And I had some potentials out there for some networks who were going to bring on my show and do all the advertising and all the stuff that overwhelms me with this space. And it took longer than I wanted. And then they came, and I realized, wait a minute.

56:20Ed Mylett:I've had to keep myself alive financially to do these shoots, to travel, to find a crew and lighting and editing on my own. Wow. Why am I now going to give it away to somebody? Let me just try to build. Because if nothing else, I know that it's not going to kill me. I'm going to fall on my face again probably, you know, a thousand more times. But what I learned through this process, even when the world says you're done, you still get back up. So I kept it going. And now, yeah, I'm on my own. And I just, I honestly, like, I could never, I never wanted this. I never wanted to do it on my own because I was afraid, afraid of taking on this challenge of running your own business.

57:04Ed Mylett:And I, I suck at it. Like, I'm really bad. I'm like, I'm definitely the creative. And I was a producer before I was ever on air. Like, let me do that. And now I have, you know, a nice small team of people who are helping me. And when I say small, I mean my husband, who is a former CEO in corporate America. He knows what he knows how to run a business. Thank goodness. And then two other people who are like my my family, my teammates. So I'm learning and letting go with that. Still so much fear every single day. And on January 1st, 2024, exactly two years ago, you know, I I got all three of my kids off to college.

57:43I never thought I'd be 51, 52 years old alone. And I had met my first husband

57:53Ed Mylett:when I was 20 in college. So from 20, first boyfriend, 20 to 47. It's all I ever knew. Clueless, clueless in that whole world. So went on a couple of dates, awful. I'm like, I'm an idiot. This is terrible. And on January 1st, 2024, I lived down in Fort Lauderdale and I got in the water, in the ocean. And I said, Lord, please take control. And I said, from a personal perspective, I hope I'm not alone, but it's up to you. And I said, please don't bring me anybody until you bring me somebody and just make it really clear because I'm an idiot. And that was January 1st, 2024. When I say it was like the Sahara Desert from January 1st to November 12th, 2024.

58:41Ed Mylett:Not a phone call, not a text, not anybody sliding into my DMs, not a nothing, not a date, not a nothing. Bad grammar. Until that night at a charity event for veterans in Nashville, Tennessee, where I wasn't supposed to be. I'd just come off the campaign trail with Trump and I was tired and I canceled the speech. First time I've ever canceled anything was at my kid's college. I knew I could reschedule it. And I went with my girlfriend to this charity event for veterans. And this man walks up to me and says, hi, my name is Dave. You don't know me, but we have a lot in common. And I'm thinking, what line is he going to throw at me?

59:21Ed Mylett:I've heard them all. His mother and my mother, 32 years ago in Leavenworth, Kansas, where our fathers were stationed in the military, volunteered at a convent for retired nuns and stayed friends for 32 years and we had never met. What? And when he walks up to me at this charity event on November 12th, 2024, saying that not only did our mothers do something that involved God, nuns, nuns who were part of our families, like came to holiday dinners, watched my brothers play basketball. Dave and my brother, Chad, played basketball against each other in high school. I was in college. I'm three years older.

1:00:00Ed Mylett:He was in high school. We had never met. And 32 years later at a charity event. He walks up to me. He'd been married for 17 years, two kids. I'd been married for 20 years, three kids. That night, I knew.

1:00:11Sage Steele:You knew?

1:00:12Ed Mylett:Yeah.

1:00:12Sage Steele:God, it's so good.

1:00:13Ed Mylett:We were engaged five months later to the day and married less than 10 months total. So September 5th, 2025, after meeting November of 24. So I'm sorry, that's a long story. I needed you to know that because I knew you'd appreciate it. It's a great story.

1:00:30Sage Steele:It's not too long.

1:00:31Ed Mylett:I gave up control of that aspect of my life too. And didn't know what I was doing anyway. I was so clueless. Like my 21-year-old daughter, the one guy I dated between divorce and meeting Dave, we had just started dating and I was returning a text and my daughter, who was 21 at the time, she looked at me and she's like, let me see that. She's like, are you going to send that? She's like, you don't know how to do, you don't know what you're doing. I've dated more people than you. Delete, delete. I'm going to rewrite this and now wait two hours. And I'm like, is that what this world is? I'm so clueless.

1:01:09Sage Steele:And so like, I literally had no idea.

1:01:12Ed Mylett:That's why I was like, Lord, Jesus, take the wheel, you know? And so I look at that, Ed, and you know what? What if? What if I hadn't canceled that speech and rescheduled it that night? My kids understood. What if I had never stood up to Disney? What if I had kept my mouth shut about that shot they made me take? I wouldn't be here talking to you because I'd still be sitting like this robotic in a chair and making a lot of money and doing great, right? And being happy because I got to tell sports stories. I would never have met Dave. And my kids right now, what they're gaining from having me around more, to be there to help them move into their dormant college because I would have had to ask for vacation time before.

1:01:55Ed Mylett:to be there for my parents dealing with their health journeys right now, to have met him. Like, I have no words. And I hope and pray people, like, listen to your gut, because we usually know what the right thing is. And beautiful things come from the ashes. I'll never forget the head on the table crying after I settled with Disney. I'll never forget being in that bed with a terrible case of COVID after taking the shot that was going to prevent it and people sending death threats. And like all those things brought me to this beautiful new life. So take a chance on yourself. Believe you're going to get back up and don't take so long to talk to God about it.

1:02:38Ed Mylett:Like he's just waiting for us. I hate that it took me so long. But the good thing is, is that my kids saw and now it's not taken them as long. It won't take them half a century. They're there. And I'm like, thank God for all the crap.

1:02:53Sage Steele:Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for doing this. You just reminded me why I do the show.

1:02:59Ed Mylett:Thanks for making me cry.

1:03:01Sage Steele:Yeah, you made me cry. You know what? Today reminded me why I do the show. Sometimes you just, you know what I mean? You're doing, this was extraordinary. You're amazing.

1:03:11Ed Mylett:Thank you for having me on and allowing me to share and to clarify Dana White Joe Rogan.

1:03:20Sage Steele:I mean it.

1:03:21Ed Mylett:And he calls me, he literally sends me a clip once a month. And he's like, look, this one has 20 million views. And he always says to me, he's like, I'm so proud of you. Because most people would have cut that out. It's the best business decision you could have made. You never know.

1:03:34Sage Steele:Maybe Joe Rogan and Dana White lived in a cave together 300 years ago. 300 years ago. It's possible. It is possible. If you manipulate time enough, they could live in that cave. He's good.

1:03:42Ed Mylett:You talk about full circle there.

1:03:43Sage Steele:Yeah, that was pretty good. You're awesome. This was so good today. I just pray everybody stayed to the end and heard the entire bow put around the story. Where do you want them to go see you? Sage Steele's show? Is that where they should go?

1:03:55Ed Mylett:Yes, the Sage Steele's show on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

1:03:58Sage Steele:Okay.

1:03:59Ed Mylett:Do you do Patreon?

1:04:00Sage Steele:No. Do you?

1:04:02Ed Mylett:Well, I'm trying.

1:04:03Sage Steele:It's where you generate the big bucks, wouldn't they tell me?

1:04:05Ed Mylett:That's what I... You already have the big bucks, Mr. Myland. I don't know about that.

1:04:09Sage Steele:I don't know about that.

1:04:09Ed Mylett:No, Patreon. I have a young, very young Patreon channel. Okay. But Instagram, like I am super myself on Instagram too, which can be, I'm very much an idiot a lot too. And Facebook, yeah, I'm learning all of these different platforms still. I think I'm such a rookie in this. So I'll take all the advice I can get from you.

1:04:25Sage Steele:I'm here to help you. Thank you. You're awesome. This was an unbelievable conversation. You're welcome for this one, everybody. This was darn good. Make sure you follow her. Make sure you share the episode. And I want to tell you, God bless you. Max out your life.

1:04:41Sage Steele:This is the Ed Myland Show.