Late Empire Vibes: Greenland Stunts, ICE Resistance & Oscar Noms

ICE, Elections, and the Culture War: Building a Firewall in the Trump Era

In this episode of Twigg & Jenkins, Carri and Brad break down the ICE killing in Minneapolis and what it reveals about Trump’s second-term playbook: secret police tactics, blue-city chaos, and a push toward a MAGA ethnostate. They explore how everyday people—soccer moms, local organizers, doctors, and other law enforcement—used viral visuals and protest to flip ICE’s “law and order” narrative and build a cultural firewall against state violence. They then zoom out to the 2026 midterms, unpacking efforts to undermine elections from Fulton County to voter-roll power grabs, and argue for a new wave of cultural projects that make voting feel urgent, legitimate, and deeply American. Come for their questioning whether the Democratic Party can meet the moment and spotlight the unexpected power of non-political influencers, and leave with their hilarious back‑and‑forth over the Melania documentary. Be sure to click that FOLLOW button on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/04YsxlqD7hEEWFjCjKPuyy?si=2513cf6cbd6f4871],  Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/twigg-and-jenkins/id1808192071], or SUBSCRIBE [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]button on YouTube, so that you don’t miss out on our coverage of the most pressing and interesting news stories.  Have thoughts about this episode? Have ideas on topics we should discuss? Let us know! Email us at twiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com [attwiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com], DM [https://www.instagram.com/twiggjenkins/] us, or leave a comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]. Also, share this episode with a friend, a bestie, or humans you want to foster political discourse with.  Twigg & Jenkins is produced by Culture House and Enfranchisement Productions. The photograph featured in this episode’s artwork was taken by Eze Amos. Follow him on Instagram @ezeamosphotography.

Late Empire Vibes: Greenland Stunts, ICE Resistance & Oscar Noms

In this episode of Twigg & Jenkins, Carri and Brad zoom in on a chaotic week that says everything about late empire America, from Trump’s surreal Greenland stunt at Davos to Gavin Newsom hosting Ben Shapiro and saying what’s happening in Gaza is “not a genocide.” They debate whether Gavin’s right‑wing podcast tour is a savvy bet against disqualification politics or the beginning of the end for a 2028 hopeful who’s badly misreading a generation for whom Gaza is a moral and political sorting mechanism. They also widen the lens to where politics and culture collide: citizen‑led resistance to ICE raids, local influencers already preparing to tell a different story before federal power shows up, and what it means when everyday people with phones are doing the narrative work national Democrats keep ducking. To come up for air, they close on Oscar obsession—from Sinners breaking records and Ryan Coogler’s place in the canon, to Hamnet and Marty Supreme, to why the Academy’s move to stream the ceremony on YouTube signals a new era in which “prestige” has to meet audiences where they actually are, not the other way around. Be sure to click that FOLLOW button on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/04YsxlqD7hEEWFjCjKPuyy?si=2513cf6cbd6f4871],  Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/twigg-and-jenkins/id1808192071], or SUBSCRIBE [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]button on YouTube, so that you don’t miss out on our coverage of the most pressing and interesting news stories.  Have thoughts about this episode? Have ideas on topics we should discuss? Let us know! Email us at twiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com [attwiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com], DM [https://www.instagram.com/twiggjenkins/] us, or leave a comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]. Also, share this episode with a friend, a bestie, or humans you want to foster political discourse with.  Twigg & Jenkins is produced by Culture House and Enfranchisement Productions.

Welcome to 2026: Time to build a cultural firewall

This episode of Twigg & Jenkins takes on the state of American democracy in 2026 (and it’s only been a week and a half), zooming out from any one scandal to the broader ecosystem that keeps Trumpism alive. Carri and Brad talk about a political class that feels both exhausted and reckless at the same time—Democrats who won’t fully use their power, and MAGA Republicans who are already laying the groundwork to call the next elections illegitimate. They explore how narrative, culture, and time are being weaponized: from Trump floating canceling elections to his allies seeding doubt about voting machines and mail‑in ballots long before anyone casts a vote. Instead of just recapping outrages, they ask what it would mean to actually match that level of planning and urgency—calling out not only Trump but the entire circle of enablers around him, while also building a “cultural firewall” strong enough to withstand a year of disinformation and bad‑faith myth‑making. From Minneapolis to Elizabeth Warren to the Golden Globes and the Las Culturistas drama, the time is now to use culture to show and tell a narrative of life beyond Trumpism. It’s a conversation about courage, consequences, and whether our institutions and storytellers can catch up to the moment before it’s too late. Be sure to click that FOLLOW button on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/04YsxlqD7hEEWFjCjKPuyy?si=2513cf6cbd6f4871],  Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/twigg-and-jenkins/id1808192071], or SUBSCRIBE [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]button on YouTube, so that you don’t miss out on our coverage of the most pressing and interesting news stories.  Have thoughts about this episode? Have ideas on topics we should discuss? Let us know! Email us at twiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com [attwiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com], DM [https://www.instagram.com/twiggjenkins/] us, or leave a comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]. Also, share this episode with a friend, a bestie, or humans you want to foster political discourse with.  Twigg & Jenkins is produced by Culture House and Enfranchisement Productions.

Twigg & Jenkins Best of 2025: Brad’s Edition Pt. 2

Happy New Year! It’s our final installment of the Twigg & Jenkins “Best of 2025” miniseries. Brad shares his top 5. From the fate of late-night TV to right-wing influencers' infighting to the best hip hop album, Brad details how culture and politics have kept us on our toes.  Be sure to click that FOLLOW button on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/04YsxlqD7hEEWFjCjKPuyy?si=2513cf6cbd6f4871],  Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/twigg-and-jenkins/id1808192071], or SUBSCRIBE [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]button on YouTube, so that you don’t miss out on our coverage of the most pressing and interesting news stories.  Have thoughts about this episode? Have ideas on topics we should discuss? Let us know! Email us at twiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com [attwiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com], DM [https://www.instagram.com/twiggjenkins/] us, or leave a comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]. Also, share this episode with a friend, a bestie, or humans you want to foster political discourse with.  Twigg & Jenkins is produced by Culture House and Enfranchisement Productions.

Twigg & Jenkins Best of 2025: Carri’s Edition Pt. 2

We’re back for part 2 in Carri’s  “Best of 2025” list. As a reminder,  she has labeled the list  2025 - The Year of the American Story Crisis: We are not arguing over policy — we are arguing over who we are.  From her thoughts around mythmaking to platform power to politics following culture, Carri AND Brad has lots to say on poignant moments or themes that kept them thinking all year. Be sure to click that FOLLOW button on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/04YsxlqD7hEEWFjCjKPuyy?si=2513cf6cbd6f4871],  Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/twigg-and-jenkins/id1808192071], or SUBSCRIBE [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]button on YouTube, so that you don’t miss out on our coverage of the most pressing and interesting news stories.  Have thoughts about this episode? Have ideas on topics we should discuss? Let us know! Email us at twiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com [attwiggandjenkinspodcast@gmail.com], DM [https://www.instagram.com/twiggjenkins/] us, or leave a comment on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TwiggandJenkins]. Also, share this episode with a friend, a bestie, or humans you want to foster political discourse with.  Twigg & Jenkins is produced by Culture House and Enfranchisement Productions.