The Ben Shapiro Show - July 21, 2026


Taco Bell Gave America a Parasite. Our Correspondent Says It's Still Worth It.


Episode Stats


Length

8 minutes

Words per minute

223.18

Word count

1,871

Sentence count

165

Harmful content

Toxicity

5

sentences flagged

Hate speech

5

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Tacosporiasis is a new poop parasite that has now become an epidemic plaguing Taco Bell eaters across the country. Plus, we are joined by the Daily Wire s very own Taco Bell correspondent, Brad Bishop, to explain why people should continue to eat at Taco Bell.

Transcript

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Toxicity classifications generated with s-nlp/roberta_toxicity_classifier .
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
00:00:00.000 Well, folks, there's a new gross poop parasite that has now become an epidemic plaguing Taco Bell eaters across the country. 0.72
00:00:06.000 At first, I thought I'll admit, what is the difference between getting diarrhea from Taco Bell normally and also a parasite?
00:00:12.000 But I'll also admit that I don't eat a Taco Bell because I keep kosher.
00:00:15.000 Then we did a deep dive into the bowels of the story.
00:00:17.000 No pun intended, I learned I was wrong.
00:00:19.000 Plus, we are joined by the Daily Wire's very own Taco Bell correspondent.
00:00:23.000 It's a thing.
00:00:24.000 This, by the way, is a health segment sponsored by Balance of Nature.
00:00:28.000 It's a really big story, actually.
00:00:29.000 There's been a huge nationwide rise in cases of cyclosporiasis, like 7,000.
00:00:34.000 Such cases.
00:00:35.000 The FDA and the Center for Disease Control have zeroed in on shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from a single supplier in Mexico.
00:00:41.000 It was sold at Taco Bell locations in five states Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
00:00:47.000 But the FDA says that there may be additional states that are added to the advisory.
00:00:51.000 Again, I have problems with veggies.
00:00:54.000 They're my enemy, which is why, again, I use Balance of Nature.
00:00:57.000 See these veggies?
00:00:58.000 I know these are fine because they've been powderized and they have the same nutrients.
00:01:01.000 Balance of Nature doing the heavy work for me and the fiber and spice and the fruits, like all of it.
00:01:06.000 You can just do that.
00:01:07.000 So, in any case, The FDA is saying that while the FDA traceback is indicating a specific independent farm, which represents less than 1% of the U.S. iceberg lettuce supply, we have removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely, according to the supplier Taylor Fresh Foods.
00:01:24.000 The items were being sold at Walmart, right?
00:01:27.000 So, I mean, a lot of people buying this stuff.
00:01:29.000 And it turns out that the iceberg lettuce was used in heavy measure at Taco Bell.
00:01:35.000 According to the Washington Post, it may be a while before you can eat.
00:01:39.000 Lettuce safely.
00:01:40.000 A director from GW's Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition says, quote, next week, it could be something else.
00:01:45.000 It could be blueberries or raspberries or basil or a food vehicle that we haven't identified as a way of transmitting this pathogen.
00:01:50.000 By the way, the pathogen is transmitted by usually plants that have taken up water that is human feces in it or human feces directly on the lettuce, which is not pleasant.
00:02:01.000 Not pleasant.
00:02:03.000 What if you want to really eat Taco Bell?
00:02:05.000 According to the Washington Post, Taco Bell has said it has voluntarily removed all affected Taylor Farms lettuce from every one of its restaurants in the country.
00:02:12.000 But if you're really worried, then you can reheat your takeout.
00:02:14.000 Apparently, if you heat these things enough, then you kill them.
00:02:18.000 Or if you freeze them, then that also tends to help.
00:02:20.000 You can go to balanceofnature.com today and just avoid the whole problem and subscribe to that whole health system or any of their subscriptions.
00:02:25.000 Get an additional 10% off with promo code Shapiro.
00:02:27.000 Now, Taco Bell has been getting a lot of rough press over the cyclosporiasis outbreak.
00:02:33.000 And we searched through the bowels, no pun intended, of the Daily Wire staff to try to find a reporter who could amply cover this pressing issue for Americans.
00:02:45.000 And lo and behold, We found, I kid you not, that we have a Taco Bell correspondent here at Daily Wire.
00:02:52.000 His name is Brad Bishop.
00:02:53.000 Brad joins us on the line right now.
00:02:54.000 Brad, thanks so much.
00:02:55.000 I see that you're outside America's best restaurant.
00:02:58.000 It's right there, Ben.
00:02:59.000 It's right there.
00:03:00.000 Proudly supporting my taco shirt as well.
00:03:04.000 Okay.
00:03:04.000 So I need you to explain because we were talking about this a little earlier this morning and you mentioned that Taco Bell is indeed America's gourmet restaurant.
00:03:12.000 And so I want you to provide an explanation of why people should continue to eat at Taco Bell and the magic of Taco Bell.
00:03:18.000 And by the way, Taco Bell, if you're listening, I mean, this would be like a great time to sponsor.
00:03:21.000 In any case, go ahead, Brad.
00:03:23.000 First, we're going to break down the ingredients.
00:03:23.000 All right.
00:03:24.000 But second of all, I'm going to explain why Taco Bell is the most innovative company probably in the world.
00:03:29.000 But let's start with the ingredients.
00:03:30.000 All right.
00:03:31.000 So for the audience, let's break this down and let's say an NBA team.
00:03:35.000 And let's go back to the 2012, 2013 Miami Heat.
00:03:39.000 The ground beef is LeBron James.
00:03:41.000 Like that ground beef cannot be touched.
00:03:42.000 It's untouchable.
00:03:43.000 You can't guard it.
00:03:44.000 You can't guard the ground beef.
00:03:45.000 When it comes to the Chipotle Mayo, that's Dwayne Wade.
00:03:48.000 Dwayne Wade's a closer.
00:03:49.000 If you're looking at the menu right now and you can't figure out what to get, You're like, what am I going to get from the menu?
00:03:53.000 You're anything with the Chipotle mayo in it.
00:03:56.000 It's going to win the game for you.
00:03:57.000 It's absolutely perfect.
00:03:58.000 The lettuce is Chris Bosch.
00:04:00.000 It is the most interchangeable thing on the menu.
00:04:02.000 No one cares about the lettuce.
00:04:04.000 The lettuce can be taken out and Taco Bell is going to succeed.
00:04:07.000 Chris Bosch can be taken out.
00:04:08.000 The Heat are going to succeed.
00:04:10.000 And then the real kicker is going to be Ray Allen.
00:04:12.000 Ray Allen's coming in as the hot sauce.
00:04:14.000 There's a full team there without the lettuce that can go win a championship.
00:04:17.000 Taco Bell can succeed without the lettuce.
00:04:20.000 It's not even close.
00:04:22.000 Moving on to the point I think that's most important is that Taco Bell is the most innovative company in America, bar none.
00:04:28.000 It's not even close.
00:04:29.000 You thought landing rockets were cool.
00:04:31.000 Like self-landing rockets.
00:04:32.000 Try a Dorito taco.
00:04:34.000 They took a Dorito and turned it into a taco shell, Ben.
00:04:37.000 That's like the coolest thing I've ever heard.
00:04:39.000 Oh, tacos are too messy to eat in the car.
00:04:41.000 Well, we got a crunch wrap supreme.
00:04:42.000 We don't really care.
00:04:43.000 That's awesome.
00:04:44.000 We go eat it in the car.
00:04:45.000 Your kids like grilled cheese, but you want to sneak in a little bit of protein.
00:04:48.000 We got ground beef grilled cheese burritos.
00:04:51.000 It's, there's something for everyone.
00:04:53.000 And if you even want the more traditional Mexican style, they now have the Cantina menu.
00:04:57.000 Like, I don't even think this is an argument.
00:05:00.000 Taco Bell's taking unnecessary heat right now. 0.97
00:05:02.000 It's ridiculous.
00:05:03.000 And we're not going to let it stand here at the Daily Wire. 0.99
00:05:05.000 It's ridiculous. 0.79
00:05:07.000 Now, to be fair to Taco Bell, it's not Taco Bell's fault that one of their providers had apparently poop ridden lettuce. 0.94
00:05:13.000 I mean, Taco Bell didn't grow the lettuce in their backyard.
00:05:16.000 That is just a provider that also provides to Walmart.
00:05:19.000 But isn't this just another example, Brad?
00:05:21.000 And to push back on Taco Bell, isn't this another example of why we need to reshore our manufacture of lettuce? 0.85
00:05:27.000 Because this lettuce came from Mexico. 0.98
00:05:29.000 We did not build the wall high enough, I guess, the case that I'm making with regard to our lettuce importation.
00:05:33.000 We need to tariff the Mexican lettuce the same way that we are tariffing Canadian lumber.
00:05:37.000 100%, Ben.
00:05:38.000 Let's get homegrown American lettuce going again.
00:05:41.000 I think the state of Tennessee, there are plenty of warm states in the United States that would gladly welcome some new lettuce farms.
00:05:47.000 Let's get it going.
00:05:49.000 However, we can save Taco Bell across this country, we need to make it happen.
00:05:52.000 And if that's through, I think, a protectionist trade policy, I'm here.
00:05:55.000 I'm going to embrace it.
00:05:56.000 We're going to do it.
00:05:58.000 So, Brad, I just have to make sure for full disclosure, you are not, in fact, a board member or employee of Taco Bell, correct?
00:06:04.000 I am not.
00:06:05.000 However, if they don't sponsor this show after this, Ben, I'd be quite surprised.
00:06:10.000 So that is Brad Bishop, our actual Taco Bell correspondent, live from Taco Bell.
00:06:15.000 I don't even think it's open yet.
00:06:16.000 Is it open now?
00:06:17.000 Are you joking?
00:06:18.000 I'm not sure.
00:06:18.000 We talked innovation.
00:06:18.000 Maybe.
00:06:19.000 They have breakfast, Ben.
00:06:20.000 They have a breakfast menu.
00:06:21.000 They have a breakfast crunch wrap.
00:06:23.000 This place, please go.
00:06:25.000 Please go, Ben.
00:06:26.000 Stop by.
00:06:27.000 There's so many things I'm excited to see.
00:06:28.000 There's so many things I'm excited to see.
00:06:30.000 See, there's not kosher, unfortunately.
00:06:32.000 The only thing that I can have at Taco Bell is their soda.
00:06:35.000 So that is an unfortunate thing.
00:06:37.000 I call my Taco Bell peeps.
00:06:39.000 Oh man, if you, okay, by the way, I'm just gonna say two Taco Bell. 0.96
00:06:42.000 If you open a kosher Taco Bell, the meat and cheese thing would be a bit of a problem. 0.85
00:06:45.000 But if you can use some, I know the blasphemy, vegan cheese or something or fake meat, like this is what we would need in the coat. 0.84
00:06:52.000 See, here's the thing about keeping kosher.
00:06:54.000 As I've said many times, I've watched many a great meal, watched, I've smelled many a great meal that I've never eaten.
00:06:59.000 And so if it turns out that I'm wrong about anything, then I'm gonna lose twice.
00:07:03.000 Not only will I end up in the wrong place, I will also have missed out on the glorious meals that would have been available to me.
00:07:10.000 At places like Taco Bell, Brad.
00:07:11.000 So, I get that you're making a strong pitch.
00:07:13.000 I said, you know, people have asked, what would it take to get you to convert?
00:07:15.000 I've always said the best argument is food, but you know, there you are.
00:07:18.000 Maybe just a late night trip to Taco Bell with me, Ben, and maybe we get it converted.
00:07:25.000 Brad Bishop, our Daily Wire Taco Bell correspondent, doing the hard work that millions of other people are doing every day.
00:07:31.000 And he's not even getting, well, we're not even paying for his lunch.
00:07:34.000 So, I mean, he does that on his own time.
00:07:35.000 That's how much he is committed to the cause of reporting on Taco Bell.
00:07:38.000 Brad, thanks so much for the time.
00:07:40.000 And now get back to your regular job, please, because there is no way.
00:07:43.000 That this company can possibly afford a full time Taco Bell correspondent.
00:07:46.000 Will do.
00:07:47.000 Thanks for having me on, Ben.
00:07:50.000 I can't believe that's a thing that just happened here on the Ben Shapiro show.
00:07:53.000 But you know, our coverage, our coverage is for everyone.
00:07:56.000 We want to make sure that everyone is covered.
00:07:57.000 And we also want to make sure, once again, that you are covered when it comes to what you need from nature.
00:08:02.000 Balance of nature.
00:08:03.000 You're not going to have cyclosporiasis if you're using your balance of nature.
00:08:06.000 Heading over to balanceofnature.com today, subscribe to the whole health system or any of their subscriptions.
00:08:10.000 Get an additional 10% off with promo code Shapiro.
00:08:14.000 What an amazing video you just watched.
00:08:16.000 Wasn't that amazing?
00:08:17.000 Well, you know, if you think so, head on over to dailywire.com slash subscribe to watch the full show ad free or check out this crazy story here.