How Wrestling Ruined Politics Forever (BONUS)

How Wrestling Ruined Politics Forever (BONUS)

Long before Donald Trump entered politics, he understood professional wrestling. In this bonus conversation from How Is This Better?, Akilah Hughes sits down with writer and former WWE writer Dave Schilling to unpack how wrestling became a blueprint for modern political culture. From Trump’s relationship with Vince McMahon to the rise of political "heels," they explore why voters connect more with characters than policies, why Democrats struggle to create compelling narratives, and what professional wrestling can teach us about charisma, authenticity, and power. Drawing on his experience inside WWE's writers room, Dave explains how stars are built, how audiences become emotionally invested in underdogs, and why today's politicians often resemble wrestlers more than public servants. If politics feels more like entertainment than ever before, this conversation might explain why. Moments from this conversation, and others, appeared in our episode Politics is Wrestling [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-is-this-better/id1815792142?i=1000714812085]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Voting Rights Were Gutted. I Went to Alabama to See What We Can Do About It.

Akilah Hughes travels to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama for “All Roads Lead to the South,” a national day of action responding to the Supreme Court’s latest attack on the Voting Rights Act. Along the way, she speaks with Bernice King, Justin Pearson, and Janai Nelson about the fight over racial gerrymandering, the future of democracy in the South, and why organizers say this moment demands action from the entire country. 61 years after Bloody Sunday, the battle over voting rights is far from over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

School’s Out. Campus Political Wars Are Just Beginning

Young voters — especially young men — are drifting to the right. At least, that’s the narrative dominating politics right now. But according to Elise Joshi, the head of More Perfect University, the bigger story might actually be something deeper: a generation that feels increasingly disillusioned with the economy, institutions, and the promise that hard work still leads to stability. This week on How Is This Better? –  Akilah Hughes talks with Elise about why organizations like Turning Point USA have been so successful on college campuses, why AI has become such a political flashpoint for Gen Z, and how the left is trying to build a competing media and organizing ecosystem through More Perfect Union and More Perfect University. Follow More Perfect University @moreperfectuniversity [https://www.instagram.com/moreperfectuniversity] Mint Mobile: Shop plans at https://mintmobile.com/courier [https://mintmobile.com/courier] for three months of coverage at $45. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Erika Kirk's Rise to Power

After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Erika Kirk tried to turn grief into political momentum. Instead, the internet turned the entire thing into a meme. Akilah Hughes talks with journalist Kat Tenbarge about Erika Kirk’s chaotic rise inside Turning Point USA, the backlash to her grief tour, and her feud with Candace Owens. This episode explores internet culture, conservative media, gender politics, and the efforts to capture the post-Trump MAGA universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

How the Met Gala Lost the Plot

What happens when fashion’s biggest night starts to look like a billionaire branding exercise? This week, we examine the growing influence of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos on the Met Gala—and what it says about power, philanthropy, and who gets to shape culture in America. With Rebecca Sananes and Meredith Lynch, Akilah unpacks the contradictions at the center of the event: a fundraiser dependent on extreme wealth, a cultural institution tied to political influence, and a public that’s increasingly skeptical of both. Then designer Jonathan Hayden breaks down what’s happening behind the scenes—from labor realities to the economic pressures reshaping fashion from the ground up. Mint Mobile: Shop plans at https://mintmobile.com/courier [https://mintmobile.com/courier] for three months of coverage at $45. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]