Unfiltered Live (April Edition) | Nerd Prom, Skin Suits, and Sharon's Deleted Post

R&R Ep 227 | SCOTUS Just Blew Up the Gerrymander Game — And Tucker Can't Answer the Question

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit riveraandreeves.substack.com [https://riveraandreeves.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] This is our last episode until September, and we packed it. The Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais ruling just rewrote how every congressional map in the country gets drawn, the 2026 Senate races are shaping up to be a Democrat strategy disaster, and Tucker Carlson sat down with the New York Times and got caught making things up in real time. Plus — Spencer Pratt is running for mayor of Los Angeles, and we are not joking. Hit play, then hit subscribe so you're locked in for the September comeback. 🚨Heads up — this is our last episode until September. We're taking a summer hiatus and we'll be back the first Monday of September. We sent an email to all subscribers yesterday with the full details — check your inbox. Episode Highlights * Why Rivera & Reeves is taking a summer hiatus and what’s coming back in September * Louisiana v. Callais: the 6-3 SCOTUS ruling on racial gerrymandering and Justice Jackson’s dissent * The redistricting battle map — Texas, California, Virginia, Florida, and what each move actually nets * Senate races to watch: Susan Collins vs. Graham Platner in Maine, the Democrat primary chaos in Michigan * Tucker Carlson’s New York Times interview and the “it’s well known” school of argumentation * The grift cycle: how Tucker, Megyn Kelly, Sean Ryan, and the Young Turks are all running the same script * Spencer Pratt’s mayoral run in LA and why secret Democrat voters might actually flip the city Follow Us On Youtube! Hit play, grab your coffee, and catch up on what’s actually happening. If this episode earns a share, send it to someone who’s been repeating the same three talking points since Saturday. They need this more than they know. Not a paid subscriber yet? Join us LIVE Tuesday & Thursday at 12:30 pm, get ad-free access the moment we publish, plus our monthly live unfiltered stream every last Saturday at 11:30 AM EST. Listen For Free at 6pm Chapters 00:00 Cold Open & Summer Hiatus Announcement 07:14 Louisiana v. Callais & the SCOTUS Ruling 22:08 The Redistricting Battle Map 33:04 Senate Races to Watch in 2026 41:00 Tucker Carlson’s New York Times Interview 53:11 The Podcast Grift & the “Unite With the Left” Pivot 1:11:20 Spencer Pratt for LA Mayor 1:19:40 Outro & September Plans

Unfiltered Live (April Edition) | Nerd Prom, Skin Suits, and Sharon's Deleted Post

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit riveraandreeves.substack.com [https://riveraandreeves.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] Jim Acosta, Joy Reid, Mehdi Hassan, and Wajahat Ali walked into a group chat — and Meseidy listened so you don't have to. This month's Unfiltered Live unpacks the White House Correspondents' Dinner spectacle, the legacy media class that got fired and rebranded as Substack "independents," and the tidy little skin-suit trick where progressive ex-anchors gut a platform and then demand respect for it. Meseidy and Rachel also dig into Sharon McMahon's post-Charlie Kirk meltdown, the New York Times article rehabilitating her cowardice, and why deleting a post and then explaining it on someone else's terms isn't principle — it's marketing. Plus: book recs, prepper sewing classes, a bird that builds its own house, and the great Joanne's Fabrics tragedy of 2025. Subscriber-only. Unedited. Unrehearsed. Exactly the way you wanted it. 🎧 Hit play above. This one's just for paying subscribers — no clips, no cross-posts, no YouTube version coming later. If a friend forwarded you this and you want in on the next one (last Saturday of May, 11:30 AM ET), upgrade below. Tell them we sent you. 🚨One quick note before you hit play: we're off next Tuesday and Thursday. Rachel's at an event in DC, and frankly we both needed a beat to breathe before the next news cycle eats us alive. We'll be back the week after. Thank you Becky Dultmeier [https://substack.com/profile/35795342-becky-dultmeier], Sarah Twilley [https://substack.com/profile/21387472-sarah-twilley], and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Episode Highlights * Why the White House Correspondents’ Dinner stopped being journalism and became “nerd prom” — and why a roomful of Chrissy Teigens tells you everything * The 250-signature open letter from “defunct journalists” begging attendees to protest Trump, and why nobody who actually fears a gulag tweets jokes about gulags * The Substack skin-suit problem: identify the institution, kill it, gut it, wear the carcass — Meseidy walks through the Stephen Miller piece on how legacy media is colonizing independent publishing * The double standard nobody on the left will name: independent right-leaning media built from zero while ex-MSNBC hosts get welcome workshops and promotional emails * Sharon McMahon’s deleted-post damage control and why The New York Times trying to launder it as a principle didn’t land * A complete tonal pivot into books, dystopian novels, the tailor bird, and why the right is learning to sew while the left wonders why Joanne Fabrics closed.

R&R Ep. 226 | SPLC Indicted for Paying Nazis — And That's Just the First 20 Minutes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit riveraandreeves.substack.com [https://riveraandreeves.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] The Southern Poverty Law Center just got indicted by a federal grand jury — and the details are wild. Meseidy and Rachel break down the charges, the shell companies, the payments that allegedly went straight to a Klan leader and the guy who helped organize Charlottesville. If you’ve been wondering why the “Nazi” narrative against half the country never seemed to die, this episode connects some uncomfortable dots. Also on the table: Virginia’s mid-decade redistricting power grab, the judge who threw it out hours later, and what it means heading into the midterms. Plus, Hassan Piker and the New York Times are now openly pitching “micro looting” as political protest, and a sitting congressman went on the House floor to argue Jesus was gender-fluid. You can’t make this stuff up. But they’re trying. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Thank you Lindsey K [https://substack.com/profile/214306212-lindsey-k], Elisa Planty [https://substack.com/profile/72865996-elisa-planty], Sara [https://substack.com/profile/3150467-sara], Elizabeth [https://substack.com/profile/56427819-elizabeth], Trudi Laurence [https://substack.com/profile/103620904-trudi-laurence], and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Episode Highlights * Federal grand jury indicts the SPLC — between 2014 and 2023, they allegedly paid over $3 million to Klan leaders, Nazi groups, and the organizer of the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally * Shell companies with names like “Center Investigative Agency” (CIA) and “Fox Photography” used to funnel payments — none ever incorporated, none ever had employees * Turning Point USA, PragerU, Alliance Defending Freedom, Moms for Liberty, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali all still sit on the SPLC’s “hate group” list * Virginia’s redistricting referendum passes by a hair, gets invalidated by a circuit court judge the next day — the new map hands Democrats 10 of 11 seats in a state Harris won by 5 points * Hassan Piker, The New York Times, and a New Yorker staff writer sit down to openly advocate “micro looting” as legitimate political protest * Congressman Justin Jones tells the House floor that God is gender-fluid and Paul agrees — and David French apparently thinks he’s more Christian than most Republicans Follow Us On Youtube! Hit play, grab your coffee, and catch up on what’s actually happening. If this episode earns a share, send it to someone who’s been repeating the same three talking points since Saturday. They need this more than they know. Not a paid subscriber yet? Join us LIVE Tuesday & Thursday at 12:30 pm, get ad-free access the moment we publish, plus our monthly live unfiltered stream every last Saturday at 11:30 AM EST. Listen For Free at 6pm Chapters 00:00 — Intro & Subscriber Reminders 03:40 — The SPLC Federal Indictment 20:40 — Shell Companies & the Paper Trail 32:45 — Virginia’s Redistricting Power Grab 47:50 — Hassan Piker & “Micro Looting” 1:00:00 — Defending Brian Thompson’s Murder 1:11:50 — Congressman Says God Is Gender-Fluid 1:20:10 — Wrap Up & Subscriber Info

Ep. 223 | Swalwell Scandal: The Media Knew for Years | Iran Blockade & Trump's AI Jesus Post

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit riveraandreeves.substack.com [https://riveraandreeves.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] Iran negotiations stalled, a partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and oil prices climbing past $100 a barrel — Meseidy and Rachel break it all down without the spin. They also dig into the Eric Swalwell scandal: the allegations, the media's suspiciously convenient timing, the California governor's race implications, and what it tells us about Washington's open secrets and the total absence of accountability on the Hill. Plus — Trump's AI Jesus post, a DoorDash delivery to the Oval Office, and a passionate defense of McDonald's Diet Coke. Tucker Carlson's anti-American rhetoric gets called out, Ruben Gallego gets put on notice, and the hosts wrap with a reminder that the media is, in fact, still trash. A full episode with zero filler. Thank you Lindsey K [https://substack.com/profile/214306212-lindsey-k], Elizabeth [https://substack.com/profile/56427819-elizabeth], Becky Dultmeier [https://substack.com/profile/35795342-becky-dultmeier], and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Episode Highlights * Iran Negotiations & the Strait of Hormuz: JD Vance’s 21-hour talks in Islamabad produced no deal — but the U.S. counter-blockade strategy and mine-sweeping operations signal a more complex play than the media is letting on * Eric Swalwell Scandal: Four women, serious allegations including rape, a Manhattan DA investigation, and an entire media apparatus that knew for years and said nothing — the hosts trace the story from a TikTok creator to the San Francisco Chronicle * The California Governor’s Race Connection: Why the timing of this story isn’t a coincidence — Democrats may have weaponized the Swalwell scandal to clear the field before Republicans take both top primary spots * Trump’s AI Jesus Post: Both hosts push back hard — theologically and politically — on the viral image and the sycophantic defenses that followed * Tucker Carlson’s Anti-American Rhetoric: Why his “both ways” commentary on the Iran standoff reads as actively rooting against the United States — and what motivates it Follow Us On Youtube! Hit play, grab your coffee, and catch up on what’s actually happening. If this episode earns a share, send it to someone who’s been repeating the same three talking points since Saturday. They need this more than they know. Not a paid subscriber yet? Join us LIVE Tuesday & Thursday at 12:30 pm, get ad-free access the moment we publish, plus our monthly live unfiltered stream every last Saturday at 11:30 AM EST. Subscribed Listen For Free at 6pm Chapters 0:00 Cold Open & Technical Difficulties 2:00 Iran Recap: Islamabad Talks & The Partial Blockade 8:30 Tucker Carlson’s Iran Commentary — Anti-American or Just Disingenuous? 19:30 Eric Swalwell: The Allegations & The Timeline 28:00 The TikTok Creator Who Broke It First 36:00 The Media Knew — And Said Nothing 44:30 California Governor’s Race & The Takedown Theory 53:00 Swalwell Resigns, Tony Gonzalez, & The Hill’s Accountability Problem 1:02:45 Trump’s AI Jesus Post — A Theological Objection 1:13:00 DoorDash to the Oval Office & No Tax on Tips 1:17:00 McDonald’s Deep Cuts & Wrap-Up

Ep. 222 | Iran Ceasefire Chaos: Conflicting Plans, Missing Info & What's Really Happening

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit riveraandreeves.substack.com [https://riveraandreeves.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] The ceasefire with Iran has a very big asterisk on it—and the media isn't helping anyone figure out what's actually in it. This week, Meseidy and Rachel break down the chaotic reporting surrounding the Iran negotiations: conflicting 10-point plans, a White House pushing back on its own president's statements, a mysteriously revived Ayatollah, and China quietly pulling strings behind the curtain. They also get into NATO's stunning refusal to open airspace during the conflict, why European allies are playing a dangerous game of ingratitude, and what the political consequences could look like heading into the midterms. Plus: the podcast class revolt, Lawrence O'Donnell's latest brain melt, summer grilling recommendations, and a cat who brought home a snake. It's the episode that covers everything—because everything is happening at once. Thank you Lindsey K [https://substack.com/profile/214306212-lindsey-k], Rachael McBee [https://substack.com/profile/86718228-rachael-mcbee], Elisa Planty [https://substack.com/profile/72865996-elisa-planty], Kate [https://substack.com/profile/116937975-kate], Elizabeth [https://substack.com/profile/56427819-elizabeth], and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * The Ceasefire Asterisk — Why this pause isn’t a deal, what’s actually being negotiated, and why Iran’s track record gives zero reason for optimism * Media Malpractice on the 10-Point Plan — How legacy outlets (and even Fox) ran with Iranian state media talking points as fact—and the administration’s pushback * China’s Hidden Hand — Evidence suggests it was Beijing, not the Ayatollah, driving the ceasefire—and what that means for the deal’s durability * NATO on the Naughty List — European allies refused airspace access despite decades of US investment; Trump’s now moving troops and setting deadlines * The Podcast Class Revolt — Tucker, MTG, Rogan, and others publicly breaking with Trump, and why the independent media ecosystem is fracturing under pressure * The Lawrence O’Donnell Moment — A full monologue about the word “man.” We are not joking. Follow Us On Youtube! Hit play, grab your coffee, and catch up on what’s actually happening. If this episode earns a share, send it to someone who’s been repeating the same three talking points since Saturday. They need this more than they know. Not a paid subscriber yet? Join us LIVE Tuesday & Thursday at 12:30 pm, get ad-free access the moment we publish, plus our monthly live unfiltered stream every last Saturday at 11:30 AM EST. Subscribed Listen For Free at 6pm Chapters 0:00 Cold Open & Show Intro 3:15 What Actually Happened: The Iran Ceasefire Timeline 7:00 The 10-Point Plan, Iranian State Media & Media Malpractice 13:00 Should You Share Iranian Propaganda? The Information Vacuum Problem 20:00 China's Hidden Role & the Ayatollah's Convenient Revival 28:00 Trump's Truth Social Post: What It Actually Means 33:00 Iran's Wins, Losses & the Uranium Question 37:00 The Podcast Class Revolt & Political Consequences 46:00 NATO Fallout: Airspace Denied, Troops May Move 54:00 Bloomberg Report: Trump Sets European Deadline 1:00:00 Lawrence O'Donnell's Monologue (You Have to See It) 1:04:00 Listener Q&A: Summer Grilling + Crock Pot Tips 1:10:00 Cats, Snakes, Mice & Bats: The Full Ecosystem Report