Surviving Fame, Threats, and Fear with Faith & Joy | Willie & Korie Robertson

0:00This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart choice. Progressive loves to help people make smart choices. That's why they offer a tool called Auto Quote Explorer that allows you to compare your Progressive car insurance quote with rates from other companies. So you save time on the research and can enjoy savings when you choose the best rate for you. Give it a try after this episode at Progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates Not available in all states or situations Prices vary based on how you buy

0:45When did making plans get this complicated? It's time to streamline with WhatsApp The secure messaging app that brings the whole group together Use polls to settle dinner plans Send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets Mom's 60th And never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end-to-end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp. Message privately with everyone. Learn more at whatsapp.com. Hey guys, it's Ed. I rarely do this. As you know, 99.9 % of my content is free. But once a year, I do something where I gather a very small group of people in my house. I've done it for two years in a row now.

1:23And I'm going to do it again this year. If you go to maxout2026.com, I'm going to do an experience in my home where I'm going to take you through how to make 2026 the best year of your life, all of the tactics and strategies that I use to plan and organize my own life in detail. Same time, all of the mental rehearsal and visualization techniques that people pay me hundreds of millions of dollars a year to teach them. I will be teaching that day as well. And the other years I've done it, I've had groups of about 25 or 30. I've decided this year, I want to shrink the size of the group so that I can get more one-on-one time with each of you.

1:54I'm going to keep the groups to 12 or 15. It's a chance to spend a day with me in my home, lunch, one-on-one time, and group time. And it's not cheap, so if it's something you can't afford, please don't get yourself in any financial trouble or debt doing so. But if it's something you can afford to do, go to maxout2026.com, and I'm looking forward to having you in my home with me very soon for an amazing day, a life-changing day. God bless you.

2:19This is The Ed Myron Show. Hey guys, it's Ed. I rarely do this. As you know, 99.9 % of my content is free, but once a year I do something where I gather a very small group of people in my house. I've done it for two years in a row now, and I'm going to do it again this year. If you go to maxout2026.com, I'm going to do an experience in my home where I'm going to take you through how to make 2026 the best year of your life, all of the tactics and strategies that I use to plan and organize my own life in detail. Same time, all of the mental rehearsal and visualization techniques that people pay me hundreds of millions of dollars a year to teach them, I will be teaching that day as well.

2:58And the other years I've done it, I've had groups of about 25 or 30. I've decided this year I want to shrink the size of the group so that I can get more one-on-one time with each of you. So I want to keep the groups to 12 or 15. It's a chance to spend a day with me in my home, lunch, one-on-one time and group time. And it's not cheap. So if it's something you can't afford, please don't get yourself in any financial trouble or debt doing so. But if it's something you can afford to do, go to maxout2026.com. And I'm looking forward to having you in my home with me very soon for an amazing day, a life-changing day.

3:25God bless you. Welcome back to the show, everybody. So this week's kind of an interesting thing because I'm interviewing these two very famous people, but I never watched his show. I never watched your TV show. So this is going to be, I say this to Oak because I want transparency with you. I've got to know Willie and I'll properly introduce both in a minute. I've got to know Willie like as a human being because we tour around and speak at some of the same events together. And I just, he's such a good man. He treats everybody so kindly. He's a good man of faith. He's hilarious. I really enjoy his company knowing about the show, but having never watched it.

3:58So I get to learn a lot about the two of you guys today. Most of you are like, how do you, how do you not watch that show? So you know them both from Duck Dynasty. Also, she's a bestselling author. He's a best-selling author. They've got a new show out called The Revival on Hulu that's out now. We're going to talk a little bit about that, but I want to kind of get into your family and your faith and your business life and all that stuff together with Willie and Corey Robertson. Welcome to the show. Thank you. Thanks for having me here. Yeah. Our show, it's Duck Dynasty, The Revival. It's actually on A &E, but it does come out on Hulu as well.

4:33And so that's been a lot of fun getting back into the sausage making business of television we're back yeah took some time off and first time around we did 11 seasons we did 130 episodes in five years with the family and it was we were getting it we were kind of like ready for a little break yeah we took a few years off and then we came back to our kids and we're like you think you want to do this again and they all said yes and we're like well i guess we did something right we didn't like ruin them by putting them on like a reality show in 18 years because literally our kids grew up on television in a lot of ways people saw them get their driver's license go on their first dates all these things which are things that are kind of like scary for a family when you know the history of reality tv yes but the fact that they all were like yep we're in let's do it again um we felt like was a good sign so we're back that's good you know by the way and i watch how people react to you obviously knew who you both were but i just did not watch the tv show i've never really said that in an interview out of 800 interviews sort of been that honest and i like it because what you all fell in love with off camera he's even better behind the scenes truly he's just like the drivers we're talking about our flights before we came on like all the guys that drive you and i did this rave about how you treat them how kind you are so you live your faith and that's one of the things that i really admire the most well i tell every driver i'm with no matter what and i give them cash money I said tell everyone else that's here tell them how good I am and how bad I am I've been working that I've been working that for several years I want to ask you something serious I read this I'm a prep freak when I do interviews so I know you from us traveling a little bit but then like I really dig in so if I'm wrong about the story just correct me in the very beginning but part of coming back in the public eye more even though you've been in it other stuff does come with this You know, when you put yourself in the public, and I know this as well, there's things that are unbelievable blessings that come with it.

6:27And then there's stuff that isn't. I don't know if most people know this or if I'm wrong about it, but did you not have like one time someone kind of come after you a little bit and shoot in your home and you weren't there? And there was an attack on your family at one point. I know that's a serious way to start, but I'm curious how that affected the both of you. Uh, yeah, well, we've had a lot, um, you know, a lot of weird things that have happened. Weird people and weird, you know, stuff that's some even scarier than that. Really? Oh, yeah. Scarier than someone shooting in your home. I would say that was the scariest.

7:01I mean, we have, I don't know. There's a lot of threats. Of course, you know, when you're in the public eye, there's a, I guess, statistically, like there's that many people are kind of following you and interested in your family. There are going to be the crazies out there. So we have had a lot of threats, but that was certainly the scariest. Well, now, okay, so you're in the public as well. Are you more, would you be more worried about being injured in a drive-by shooting? Or someone who literally had your name, your address, somebody that focused in on you? The latter. To me, those are the ones that are like when somebody gets really locked in and fixated.

7:37So we've had that. I mean, obviously being this long in the public eye, you've had that as well. But it's all part of the, you know, if you enjoy the good side of it, there's also, I mean, there's a certain amount of people. I think a law enforcement guy told me this one time. He said, there's a certain amount of people, percentage-wise, of the American public that are psychotic. And, you know, and so when you put that number on that percentage, and then if you look at how many people, let's say, watched our show, like there was like a hundred and something million people in 2013. So do the percentages of a hundred million people.

8:11Get the number of how many people, and there you go. And so that's what you're going to have to, you know, it's all part of the package. When you do put yourself out there, you are noticeable. You do stand out. Because a lot of times you like, when you stand out, it's kind of fun, certainly in some situations, if you're trying to get a table at a restaurant. You like standing out. But also when you stand out, you know, you kind of look back to, you know, I just want to blend back in. By the way, I want to make sure because I butchered this in the beginning. The show is on A &E when they look at it, too, but it's also on Hulu.

8:43You were going to say something when he was commenting on that. I would just say that I think for us, it's about not living in fear. Because I remember even the first time around when we decided to do that dynasty, we had so many people. And we all mean people that are in the faith that would be like, why aren't you scared that you're going to get divorced, your kids are going to go on drugs, all that. And it just felt like a really moment for us to say, we're not going to live in fear. Like we're not as Christians, as believers, we have the spirit of God in us. We're called to walk in faith and not live in fear.

9:14And so that was a moment that we chose it right off the bat. And then, you know, there's a continual kind of choosing of that to like say like, nope, scripture tells us do not fear. God is with us and he's in control. And, you know, we look at that moment where we did have a shooter. He shot like nine shots into our property and hit our son's house. And, um, and, but, you know, we're like, Hey, we're alive. We're good. we actually had ordered lobster that day we were just talking about Maine are you serious that's crazy that is bananas we were just talking about this right off camera that's crazy this was like an April day it was sunny it was COVID so everyone was outside and we had tons of people we have a bigger piece of property so everybody our friends were coming to our property because it was like you could walk around you go fishing you know it was during that crazy time in 2020 And then anyway, we all were inside at the moment.

10:10You know, we were protected. We had ordered lobster that day that Willie was going to cook that night. So we still had everybody over. We had lobster that night. You did? Yes. And we were just like, you know, look, we're all alive. We're fine. We're having lobster. Like, this is a good life and we're okay. Well, I told the police, I was like, yeah, and I'm out there, but I'm thinking I've got to like, lobsters have a certain window. I know. I got to get going. So my mother called. You're thinking about the lobsters. And so my mom calls and she's like, I said, oh, did you hear about, yeah, someone shot your ass?

10:40That's crazy. And my mom goes, are you still doing the last thing? And I said, yeah, I'm trying to work the last thing. I still got it. It's like I had the pot on, the water was blowing, and then the shots ring out. Yeah. Are you serious? And it's not meant to be made light up because obviously bad things happen as well. But for us, that's the way we live our life. He's good at that. The reason I always, there's a reason I ask everything when I do this. And the reason is this show, people that watch this show are by and large trying to get to the next stage of their life. Meaning they want to improve themselves.

11:14They want to grow. They want to succeed. And one of the elements that comes with doing that, in my opinion, is you have to be willing to stand for something. Yeah. And be bold about it. Whatever that is. It could be your business stands to help homeless people or you believe in a certain dietary program and that shit. Whatever it is. But successful people are bold enough to stand for what they believe in, whatever that belief is. And the two of you are bold about your faith. And that's why. You weren't just targets because you were on TV. I believe you're probably target because you're bold about that part of your life.

11:45Do you agree with my premise that to do something significant in your life, you've got to figure out what you stand for, what you believe in, and be bold about it? Yeah. Yes. I think it's a process. I think it would be to, I mean, it's easy to say yes, to know exactly. And probably the people listening to this, they don't know everything that they stand for. I think that's what's scary is going, give me the whole list of everything that you stand for. And some things you're like, well, I know this, but then in what way are you going to stand for that? What are you going to say? What are you going to say publicly?

12:23What are you working through? I think the Bible's like that. It'd be like, tell me everything you think about the Bible and every issue. Some of those things in the Bible, I don't know. I'm still learning and I'm still talking to other people. I'm going, I think this is the way it is. And so, and I'm not saying that to give, to say you can be wishy-washy. I think there's things you stand on, but how you do that, how you implement that without being so arrogant to where you've got everything figured out. That's where I don't want to be like, I've got it all figured out. I know what I stand on. I know what I believe.

12:53I know everything because then I would feel like, well, now I'm not open to learning something new. I'm like, wow, I used to think that, and I don't think that's right. I think now I've changed my mind. And I think in this country, people would be willing to change their mind and say, you know what? We've always said this is the way it is, but let's listen. Wouldn't that be great to have a politician go, hey, I got that one wrong. Exactly. I got it wrong. I'm sorry. My intentions were right. Yeah, my bad. That was just, I was influenced by other things. I really didn't think that through. Yeah, I agree with you.

13:21That would be. You do do that. You keep things like one of the things I admire about you in the last year or two is I've been around you and we're not around each other every day. But it's like kind of clear what you believe in, what you stand for. But you do it in such a kind way. Like it's not there's no offense when I'm around you. Do you know what I mean by that? You keep it light. Are you conscious of and you tell me if I'm right about him on this? Because I also think what leaders do and people that change things is they can change energy in people. change a room, change energy, meaning when they walk in, some people kind of walk in and they bring an energy down.

13:58Other people come in and they kind of just blend in to the vibe. When I've been in a room with you, when you walk in, like the energy shifts. Does it go up? You know it does. Don't be fault, but you know that it does. Like, do you agree that he does that? Do you do that? And do you think that's part of being, you know, somebody that creates changes? You're actually conscious of change in energy. Maybe he just does it with his giftedness. No, he does. He does. He does do that. And I think even we were married at 18 and 19. So we were very young. We got married. But I saw that in him then. Like there was that charisma that drew people to him.

14:33And so he still does that. And I think we both are very aware of energy in a room. I think that is a thing. And like maybe there's a discernment about people or whatever. But negative energy is like it can draw you down. So we are like within our family, within our business. It's that intentionality about like bringing that positive energy and like lifting people up and encouraging rather than like bringing the room down. You do. You have a loving energy. Like right even when I walk in, you have a loving energy. His is like light and approachable and accepting. And I mean, I'm not being overly serious because he is funny.

15:08But like I always want to pick apart like what? It's not a fluke. I don't believe in flukes. There's blessings, right? Like there's, we've all, three of us are clearly very blessed people, but there's also success leaves some clues too. And I think there's something about Willie. My wife asked me about you once. She's like, you've talked about this dude two or three times. What is I go? I haven't even been around on that much. I just like this guy. And I said, I'll give you a compliment. I'll tell you what I said. I said, uh, he's hilarious and he keeps things really light, but there's a real depth to him as a man and he, and he's very bright, but he doesn't have the need to make you think he's the smartest guy in the room he wants there's two types of people you're both this way to me there's some type of people walking and go here i am and with your big personality that'd be easy to do and then there's people when they walk in room and they go there you are yeah and the two of you are there you are people oh that's great that's great that's great and uh i was actually corinne i were talking this morning about doing this with you and i and i was telling it because this you did something that uh it was so interesting but not many people do so we speak together a lot And so we're on the, but we're not at the same time.

16:15And so, and you know, this is a long journey we're on. And so usually I'm coming in empty or coming in from something else or whatever we've got. And so, but you, and I always joke. So my joke is up there, like every time I see Tebow, I go, Tim, you crushed it. And he goes, I know you didn't listen. But I always say, oh man, you killed it. It was so good, you know, all those points you made. And he goes, I know you didn't listen. And so you told me, you said, you should come hear me. You should come hear my talk. I did. Not because I don't think you wanted me to say, oh, you need to hear what I have to say.

16:53No. But I learned so much about you from your talk. And I wouldn't have done that had you not specifically directed you to do it. Like you were inviting me. It was just a simple invitation. It was just a simple invitation. Everyone wants to be invited. And the fact that you invited him made him feel like, oh. I've almost never done that in my life. and it's because I had this affection. And then as I sat there and I was like blown away by your story and how you communicate. And then obviously we're in the same business. So it's like, I was like, oh, wow, how he told this or how you, you know, segue to this and how you bring it down.

17:24And so you watch all that and I was like, oh, but I really got to know you. And so I'm so glad you did that. And I think in life we don't just simply invite, you know. And I think with it back to the energy. So I think what I'll do, and this is why I love the humorous side and the comedy side, because you can diffuse so many things and you can say different things. So the negative energy, the older I get, I almost just want to be like, I can't be around it. I don't even want to be in the space. But now I'll call it out. Do you? Oh, yeah. You can call it out, but then when you can wrap it in humor, you're actually calling it out.

18:03But then everybody's laughing. He has a way of saying things that other people cannot say. He has a way about just using humor to be able to say something that's truthful because a lot of humor, most humor has that element of truth in there. But you're good at that. Sometimes you cross the line, but sometimes I'm like, whoa, that might have been too far. Some of the funniest things, some of the most humorous thing, you're near that line. That's what makes it funny. But I think everyone knows it's because you love them. And that's what I tell people. It's like, it's truly, he truly cares enough to try to like pull the better out of you rather than just let you live in your negativity or whatever.

18:38So for, so for instance, and Nick Vujicic, uh, it speaks with us as well. And so, and I love Nick and oh man, and I roast him too. And some of the, I'm definitely, and we laugh so hard because, because again, I'll just, well, bring up stuff that probably not everybody's, you know, you can tell people are uncomfortable with this story. And if you don't know Nick, he doesn't have arms or legs. And so recently, just a few weeks ago, I'm fixing to do a talk somewhere. And my guy who's with me was losing his mind because the audio was not right. It was actually a little church kind of thing we do at home.

19:12So it was something local. And he's like, we don't have this. And then so he's pouring negativity into me. I'm fixing to be up there talking and being positive. And my guy, who I'm paying to be the guy, and he's not realized he's doing this. And I looked at him and I said, I wonder what Nick Vujicic is doing right now. And he looked and he knew right there. He knew right there. Think about life. Think about everything. Think about this situation. This is not a big, you know. And we don't need to be, you know. We're looking at the few problems we have. Energy is such a big deal. I'll be honest with you.

19:48The audience doesn't know this. But when we're recording this, after this, I'm immediately on stage in front of several thousand people. And you're following me a few hours later. I would not have done the interview today before. I would only do it after, except that I know I'm getting energy from you. I'm around you. I'll do better today because I'm around the two of you. That's how much energy matters in life, you guys. It's a big deal to sense it. And I'm with you also. The older I've gotten, if you don't bring it the right way around me and it's negative, I just find myself separating myself from you.

20:18I don't want it around me. I only have so many days left on earth. I don't want to spend it in your frequency. Especially if that's how they feel in their life. Like there's people who wake up and they just start feeding the negativity. Like, oh, can you believe that? Did you see the news? And there's so many people on the right that I'm like, how do you live? How do you do it? Every day you're just. And then therefore you realize why people are in traffic. I'm blowing the horn. I'm mad. And the coffee didn't. It's everything is the wrong one. I'm like, man, if you just think about other situations.

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22:05This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart choice. Progressive loves to help people make smart choices. That's why they offer a tool called Auto Quote Explorer that allows you to compare your Progressive car insurance quote with rates from other companies. So you save time on the research and can enjoy savings when you choose the best rate for you. Give it a try after this episode at Progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy.

22:47Even when we travel, I think of Nick. Honestly, we're talking about our bad travel days. And I actually said this to my guy a few weeks ago. I said, we were delayed like eight or nine hours somewhere. But like perspective is life. Like when you can find the right perspective, you're totally, you don't get the life you're living. You get the life you're focusing on. And I remember saying, cause Nick, you all know Nick, but if you didn't, Nick doesn't have arms or legs. And so it's difficult traveling. And I remember thinking, I'm upset about this. I can literally get up right now walk over and get a drink and something either imagine if nick has to go through this like the difference in in my perspective like shifted immediately here's what i want to know about the two of you because there's all these things about you're very successful financially you've been successful you know leading people and to your faith obviously tv entertainment books your business has blown up for the last 20 some odd years right what about your marriage like it's obviously one that i admire and then i look up to like have there been hard times like if you could be candid with us like if there been times you're like we're on the ropes here a little bit and if you have been what did you do to get through it and what's made it work like like the two of you even lean in like there's little body language things like it's clear the two of you are still in love with one another but i'm just curious about your what you would tell us about that like lessons from your marriage never had hard times it's been really they should do a study on it um 33 years i've never we've never had a cross word um no i'm gonna let her speak no we definitely have had hard times and um i think 33 years of marriage there's there's no doubt you're going to go through those things but i do think it's that you mentioned that leaning in towards one another um that just remembering like okay we're on the same team we have the same goal you know we want to be great grandparents together seeing our kids and just thinking about legacy and generations and then also looking to the legacy that we're passed down and seeing phil and k and their story and how their story impacted my life yeah willie's parents so willie's parents story was they they had 10 terrible years and phil was an alcoholic adulterer all the all the bad things you can imagine and um their their marriage was totally over and till he came to Christ and he repented and Miss Kay forgave him and they stayed together.

25:07And all of this that happened to us through Duke Commander, Duke Dynasty, us meeting at a summer camp in fourth grade because they became Christians and Kay wanted her, they wanted their kids to go to a Christian camp. I wouldn't have been at a Christian camp all of that came from them putting in the work to stay together so whenever the tough times came for us and you know it was that reminder of like okay we can just we can come back together put in the hard work forgive repent say you're sorry all those things and stick together and give that gift to our children and the next generation the next generation that they gave to us.

25:49And so I think that was a big part of it. And then, you know, when there's times when you just, you need to go to counseling, you need to go get help. You need somebody else to sit and listen to you and you'd be able to like, say it, you need to go individually. You need to work on things for yourself or you need to work. So we did those things, different types of the, within our marriage. And then sometimes said, okay, we got to take stock. Like, what do we need to quit because we need to focus on this or what do we need to do differently? and um so i think it's just a constant it's a constantly evolving thing of like saying like okay we're going to turn back together um we're not going to see each other as like the enemy but as the teammate and know what our goals are yeah i think it is hard it's you know to to stay together that long is obviously it's hard because half the people don't you know right it's you know they just say we can't and so um so it's really hard to do that especially the more you go especially in our situation where life changed a lot like when we were in our 20s and then 30s just business people and around the it's still hard there but then when you're thrown to the spotlight it's a whole new thing and then everyone feels like they know you and you feel like you have to say and that's I think that's part of it too is like even in our marriage was like what is open to say what is not what is like hey i don't have to yeah we don't have to do this you know i have to have an interview every time because everybody's wanting to know you know because you read the the hello i think there's something in this like people are demanding like because of what's our tv show we want to know exactly we deserve to know all this stuff and some of that stuff you're like you don't you don't have to you don't even know some things are private yeah and so you work through those things and i think we i mean even this morning this morning we were in our hotel room and we're working through things that, like at work, and I think for us, work is, it gets a little, it gets a little sticky, because we're both like, we have similar personality traits from like an Enneagram perspective, so we counter the same, and when we get at work, and then, of course, one way, and I'm one way, we're doing things, but there's two different directives, and so, as, just, I enjoyed, we haven't even talked about this, but I enjoyed how we work through it now, as opposed to what it may have been, 10 or 12 years ago, which was like, I'm fixing to lay out my case.

28:13And I mean, I will rip through this room and you will understand how when I get through here, you're going to say like, okay, you know, he threw the thing and said, I will not, you know, and I think we do that, especially with our spouses. Speaking of negative energy, sometimes we'll focus so much negative energy towards the one that we're with the most, you know? And so that's the person we're just going to rail on and be like, oh, because, and cause you probably are justified in saying, well, if I don't, if I don't let her know what, you know, how mad this makes me, you know? And so therefore I'm just going to keep ramping it up.