Episode 52: Healthcare: An American Horror Story

Doomscrolling the Future

It’s the last show of the year! This week, the gang gives their predictions for 2026. Will the economy collapse? Will there be another blue wave in November? Will the world end? Tune in to find out.   (0:02:35) Revisiting last year’s goals for 2025 (0:08:02) Ty’s pay “increase” (0:12:57) Meredith vs. cats (0:17:25) News update (0:23:28) Sounds of the Week: Democrats’ message to military and intelligence community [https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948] (0:32:52) Sounds of the Week: JD Vance on how to reunify the MAGA movement [https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2678393782498923] (0:46:00) 2026 predictions    SONGS: “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice “I’m on a Boat” by The Lonely Island featuring T-Pain “Machines (Or ‘Back to Humans’)” by Queen    NOTES: * Democrats flip Miami mayor’s office [https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5640305-higgins-gonzalez-miami-mayoral/] (0:17:25) * Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike [https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/28/hegseth-kill-them-all-survivors-boat-strike/] (0:25:40) * Gal Gadot “Imagine” video [https://www.instagram.com/reel/B95M4kNhbzz/] (0:30:29) * Senate rejects both bills on ACA subsidies [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-senate-expected-to-vote-on-aca-subsidies-with-premiums-set-to-rise-in-2026] (0:31:30) * The Republicans Breaking Ranks [https://time.com/7340516/obamacare-aca-subsidies-health-care-costs-congress/] (0:38:15) * Indiana Republicans defy Trump [https://apnews.com/article/indiana-lawmakers-redistricting-final-vote-80e3e546fc7acec4a7bd7cd110787375] (0:39:40) * Josh Hawley: Don’t Cut Medicaid [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/opinion/josh-hawley-dont-cut-medicaid.html] (0:40:56) * Now You See Josh Hawley, Now You Don’t [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/opinion/josh-hawley-trump-bill.html] (0:40:56) * DOJ fails — again — to re-indict Letitia James [https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/11/letitia-james-indictment-fails-00687508] (0:42:22) * President Donald Trump’s public schedule [https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/topic/calendar/] (0:51:40) * Trump Faces Realities of Aging in Office [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/us/politics/trump-age-health.html] (0:51:40) * Trump Says Americans Are Doing Great [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/us/politics/trump-affordability-economy-pennsylvania.html] (0:55:35) * Is there an AI bubble and will it pop next year? [https://archive.ph/fvBPO] (1:03:06) * AI’s grip on the S&P [https://fortune.com/2025/10/07/ai-bubble-cisco-moment-dotcom-crash-nvidia-jensen-huang-top-analyst/] (1:03:59)

Episode 55: Ghosts of Thanksgiving Past

After months of swearing they'd do a palate-cleanser, the gang finally coughs one up. In this Thanksgiving special, Ty, Jay and Meredith dig into holiday memories, dredging up all the triumphs, disasters and psychic scars that happen when you trap an entire family in one house and call it gratitude. It's festive. It's nostalgic. It's a slow-motion car wreck with pie. (00:04:05) Meredith's corn casserole experiment (00:05:40) Jay's working for the Mormons (00:09:37) Soaking parties (00:12:30) Ty's company is "restructuring" (00:14:40) News update: Epstein files (00:16:40) News update: Immigration crackdown (00:24:25) Sounds of the Week: Gracie Hunt talks Jesus and Bad Bunny [https://www.foxnews.com/sports/chiefs-owners-daughter-applauds-idea-alternate-super-bowl-halftime-show-talks-religious-revival-us] (00:35:08) Sounds of the Week: Trump Derangement Syndrome [https://www.foxnews.com/media/psychotherapist-says-trump-derangement-syndrome-real-pathology-plaguing-75-percent-his-patients] (0:49:14) Thanksgiving stories Songs: "Father of Mine" by Everclear "Mother Mother" by Tracy Bonham "We're a Happy Family" by Ramones Notes: * What Is Soaking? The Mormon Sex Technique, Explained [https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a63601803/what-is-soaking/] (0:09:37) * Mormon Soaking: Fact or Fiction? [https://medium.com/@bwcutler1000/mormon-soaking-fact-or-fiction-a5b8a48f84ea] (0:09:37) * Trump signs bill to release Jeffrey Epstein case files after fighting it for months [https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-4872c23a3ed03bf3d4c526581d3aed59] (0:14:40) * At Trump's urging, Bondi says US will investigate Epstein's ties to Clinton and other political foes [https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-clinton-investigation-justice-department-d0ce8385cb7f42705ac068310e3231be] * Federal prosecutors move to dismiss charges against woman shot by Border Patrol agent in Chicago [https://apnews.com/article/chicago-immigration-crackdown-woman-shot-border-e58ca635feeb2ef8ddb0b4dea22e9726] (0:16:50) * Sales Soar on Bibles and Beyond [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/96894-sales-soar-on-bibles-and-beyond.html] (0:29:05) * Bible sales keep growing, even as many Americans lose their religion [https://religionnews.com/2025/11/17/bible-sales-keep-soaring-even-as-americans-lose-their-religion] (0:29:05) * Bible Sales Surged Following Killing of Charlie Kirk [https://www.wsj.com/business/media/bible-sales-surged-following-killing-of-charlie-kirk-7da17aec] (0:29:05) * National Day Calendar [https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/] (0:29:27) * Trump's social media posts suggesting death penalty for certain Democrat Congress members: here [https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115582451169685243], here [https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115582703277798715] and he reposted this ( [https://truthsocial.com/@P78/posts/115580255469225519]0:41:00) * About Jonathan Alpert [https://www.jonathanalpert.com/about] (0:43:17) * Jonathan Alpert's Mis-Statements, And Possible Misconduct [https://www.forbes.com/sites/toddessig/2012/04/23/jonathan-alperts-mis-statements-and-possible-misconduct/] (0:44:41) ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 54: Blue Wave Goodbye

The Democrats finally caught a big wave, rode it for five glorious minutes, and then face-planted into dry sand. On this episode, the gang digs into the 2025 "blue wave" that briefly washed over the country before evaporating in record time. Eight Democratic senators broke ranks to end the longest shutdown in U.S. history, with voters left blinking like "wait, what?" Intro: * Northern Lights in the U.S. * Everything is AI * Meredith believes in werewolf moons Sounds of the Week: * Elon Musk's chatbot wants your child's nudes [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/alm867swag0] * Megyn Kelly's mental gymnastics to downplay new Epstein Files [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T5Hp2WldFk] 2025 blue "wave" Songs*: "Blue Monday" by Orgy "Blueprint" by Fugazi "Tangled Up In Blue" by Bob Dylan *Jay based this theme on the song "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" by Eiffel 65, but the app he uses for music only had weird remix versions that sucked. Rest assured, that song was top of the list. Notes: * Does the full moon affect human behavior? Kind [https://health.clevelandclinic.org/moon-effects-on-humans] of [https://www.healthline.com/health/full-moon-effects#full-moon-and-mental-health], but not [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16407788/] really [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31012946/]. (00:08:00) * Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, started calling itself 'MechaHitler' [https://www.npr.org/2025/07/09/nx-s1-5462609/grok-elon-musk-antisemitic-racist-content] (00:20:35) * Here's why some people think Tesla automobiles can 'see ghosts' [https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/02/25/why-some-people-think-tesla-automobiles-can-see-ghosts/] (00:21:20) * Grok's chatbot market share in the U.S. is actually 0.6% [https://firstpagesage.com/reports/top-generative-ai-chatbots/], not 3% (00:26:15) * Millions are turning to AI for therapy [https://archive.ph/C11dw] (00:28:05) * South Park Calls Out ChatGPT and Useless Tech-Bro Sycophants [https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a65861699/south-park-season-27-episode-3-recap/] (00:28:33) * House Oversight Committee Releases Jeffrey Epstein Email Correspondence, Raising Questions About White House Coverup of Epstein Files [https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-oversight-committee-releases-jeffrey-epstein-email-correspondence-raising] (00:30:50) * The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart - 11/13/2025 [https://youtu.be/vRJWM_3OW2Y?si=z3eGPD2FqqDDg1Fo&t=4535] (00:36:36) * R. Kelly is not a p*dophile (technically speaking) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu6C2KL_S9o] (00:38:30) * New York City Mayor Results 2025 [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2025-elections/new-york-city-mayor-results#exit-polls] (00:44:45) * Andrew Cuomo lost with 41.6% [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_New_York_City_mayoral_election] of the vote, where his father lost by 41.0% [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_New_York_City_mayoral_election] in 1977 (00:45:30) * How key demographic groups voted in 2025, according to the AP Voter Poll [https://apnews.com/article/poll-election-2025-demographics-voters-latino-black-b59518a2c8d2f37f857fe1ac32995b9a] (00:45:47) * "The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements" by Eric Hoffer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_True_Believer] (00:58:05) * Trump issues four-word response after NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani declares 'mandate for change' [https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-response-zohran-mamdani-election-b2858862.html] (00:59:45) * The 8 Senate Democratic Caucus members who voted to end the shutdown [https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/09/senate-democrats-shutdown-vote-00644146] (01:01:33) * Trump administration asks Supreme Court for OK to hold back full SNAP benefits [https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/07/appeals-allows-november-snap-payments-to-continue-for-now-00643495] (01:12:35) * Justice Jackson goes 'her own way' in Supreme Court's SNAP fight [https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/15/politics/justice-jackson-snap-fight] (01:13:05) ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 53: Extreme Makeover: White House Edition

Trump's latest real estate investment? Flatten the East Wing and drop $300 million on a ballroom big enough for his ego. This week, the gang breaks down the funding fiasco, the motives behind the demolition, and why the new dance floor might be the most expensive metaphor for American politics yet. Intro: Labubus, Meredith's spooky 911 experience, Jay's Halloween vacation, Ty's health scare Sounds of the Week: * The Ontario anti-tariff ad which led Trump to end trade talks with Canada [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWQRuRIxMBI] * Wild video shows dad getting on school bus to order his daughter, 6, to punch another girl: 'Again. I want her crying' [https://nypost.com/2025/10/16/us-news/video-shows-dad-ordering-daughter-6-to-attack-another-girl-on-school-bus/] President Donald Trump's ballroom Songs: "Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads "Ballroom Blitz" by Sweet "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus Notes: * How will Andrew's titles be removed and what happens next? [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ylk9r336zo] (0:10:36) * Millions face 'huge sticker shock' when ACA open enrollment starts Nov. 1 [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/31/aca-open-enrollment-starts-enhanced-subsidies.html] (0:18:40) * Trump social media post reacting to Canada tariff ad [https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115428874684902595] (0:29:40) * Trump announces additional 10% tariff on Canada [https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115436697060819133] (0:29:57) * Trump says a Canadian ad misstated Ronald Reagan's views on tariffs. Here are the facts and context [https://apnews.com/article/trump-canada-ad-tariff-reagan-trade-talks-f711559b0084b377d82d964893c67c78] (0:30:15) * The White House Announces White House Ballroom Construction to Begin [https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/07/the-white-house-announces-white-house-ballroom-construction-to-begin/] (0:45:00) * Who's paying for Trump's $300 million ballroom? [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whos-paying-for-trumps-300-million-ballroom] (0:45:05) * From crypto billionaires to cabinet members: What to know about the donors paying for Trump's ballroom [https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/23/us/trump-white-house-ballroom-donors-invs] (0:46:05) * Meet all 37 White House ballroom donors funding the $300 million build, including Silicon Valley tech giants, crypto bros and the Lutnicks [https://fortune.com/2025/10/26/37-white-house-ballroom-donors-funding-300-million-build-tech-ceos-trump/] (0:46:05) * Billionaires Spend Big to Tank Mamdani, Who Vows to 'Tax the Rich' in NYC [https://www.commondreams.org/news/mamdani-billionaires] (0:48:26) * Billionaires are spending big to stop Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral bid [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/30/mamdani-cuomo-nyc-mayor-bid-billionaire-spending.html] (0:48:26) * Meet The Florida Sugar Barons Worth $4 Billion And Getting Sweet Deals From Donald Trump [https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2025/10/16/fanjul-family-sugar-barons-worth-4-billion-donald-trump-coca-cola/] (0:53:35) * Amazon cutting 14,000 jobs as the retailing giant embraces AI [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-layoffs-14000-job-cuts-ai/] (0:55:05) * Treasury clamps down on sharing of White House demolition [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5565121-treasury-warns-white-house-photos/] (0:58:15) * How Trump just subtly claimed a Nobel Prize in physics [https://www.nj.com/politics/2025/10/how-trump-just-subtly-claimed-a-nobel-prize-in-physics.html] (0:59:45) * What we know about White House plans for an 'Arc de Trump' [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7e8lv176go] (1:01:35) * Trump reveals first photos after Lincoln Bedroom's renovation in the White House [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-reveals-first-photos-lincoln-bedrooms-renovation-white-house] (1:01:58) ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 52: Healthcare: An American Horror Story

In SOTW 1.0, the gang was young, dumb, and invincible ... or so they thought. Fast-forward to their 40s, and their bodies are staging a full-scale rebellion. Jay has a Frankenstein knee, Meredith's running shoes are mostly decorative, and Ty faints at the sight of his own hemoglobin. This week, they talk about what "self-care" looks like when your warranty's expired—and the fine art of selective neglect. Their health plan may be questionable, but it's still better than whatever Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is selling. 0:00:00 - Intro (SOTW doesn't suck, Meredith's conservatorship hell, Jay got a boo-boo on his knee) 0:23:15 - Sounds of the Week: * Trump explicitly attacking free speech [https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3m2pfkrmyxg2k] * Brewers Karen [https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/1o7xw4n/karen_at_dodgers_vs_brewers_nlcs_threatens_to/] 0:46:37 - Aging bodies and healthcare Songs: "Broken, Beat & Scarred" by Metallica "My Shit's Fucked Up" by Warren Zevon "Life is Killing Me" by Type O Negative Notes: * Secretary of State Approves Redistricting Referendum for Circulation [https://www.sos.mo.gov/default.aspx?PageId=10573] (0:10:57) * Missouri says 100K signatures to repeal voting map aren't valid. That's not all [https://archive.ph/TQ4lL] (0:11:04) * Missouri's lawsuit challenging redistricting referendum petition [https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/Von-Glahn-Complaint-Final.pdf] (0:11:21) * Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act: Vote dilution and vote deprivation [https://www.scotusblog.com/election-law-explainers/section-2-of-the-voting-rights-act-vote-dilution-and-vote-deprivation/] (0:12:55) * Supreme Court redistricting ruling could upend decades of voting rights law – and tilt the balance of power in Washington [https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-redistricting-ruling-could-upend-decades-of-voting-rights-law-and-tilt-the-balance-of-power-in-washington-267269] (0:13:30) * Supreme Court seems inclined to limit race in redistricting [https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5555761-supreme-court-louisiana-redistricting-voting-rights-act/] (0:13:30) * 'Whites-only' group draws bipartisan rebuke over potential move to Missouri [https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/31/whites-only-missouri-lawmakers/] (0:15:22) * Kansas City Karen [https://www.tiktok.com/@cbsnews/video/7555962489997937975] (0:30:50) * Johnson County KS Mugshots [https://www.facebook.com/johnsoncountyksmugshots/] (0:33:27) * House Speaker Mike Johnson's hot take on Bad Bunny and the Super Bowl [https://x.com/PabloReports/status/1975665219159687622] (0:35:06) * 'I love Hitler': Leaked messages expose Young Republicans' racist chat [https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/14/private-chat-among-young-gop-club-members-00592146] (0:36:19) * Vance's Telling Defense of a Racist Group Chat [https://archive.ph/W5djM] (0:36:50) * Brewers fan loses job and is banned from stadium for life after being named by internet as spectator saying 'Call ICE' on Dodgers fan [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/brewers-fan-loses-job-ice-dodgers-game-b2846682.html] (0:37:54) * "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" by Jon Ronson [https://www.jonronson.com/shame.html] (0:41:26) ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.