Acclaimed documentarian Louis Theroux joins the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on extremism, the evolution of the Manosphere and the blurred line between journalism & platforming. From Andrew Tate to the fringe becoming mainstream, Theroux reflects on the toxic Manosphere culture and why it’s not just an ideology, but a grift. 

00:00 Intro

1:02 -The Weirdest Things Theroux Has Ever Seen

9:39 The Most Surprising Thing About Extremism

15:20 The Fringe Is No Longer Fringe

20:45 The Manosphere: Is Theroux Platforming Toxic Characters?

26:12 The Manosphere As Grift: Andrew Tate & Sneako

38:24  Myron Gaines & The Female Experience In The Manosphere

43:39 The Future Of The Manosphere 

49:40 The Manosphere’s Embrace of Antisemitism

55:15 Tech & AI’s Merging With The Manosphere

1:00:06 Theroux’s Next Project

Check out Theroux’s documentary Louis Theroux: Inside The Manosphere - streaming on Netflix.

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Ryan Holiday of The Daily Stoic joins the show to explore his unconventional path from college dropout to bestselling author, including lessons from American Apparel, media manipulation, and the search for meaning through Stoicism.

They dive into the philosophy as a practical tool, its limits, and whether introspection still has a place in modern politics in 2026. 

00:00 Ryan Knows Sacramento

7:35 College Dropout Turns Writer

15:45 American Apparel, Ego & Implosions

24:18 How to Manipulate The Media

32:04 Finding Stoicism From An Unlikely Source

49:45 Stoicism Is A Practical Tool

54:11 Is There Room For Introspection In Politics?

1:04:06 The Erosion of American Institutions & Civilian Action

1:13:01 What's So Scary About Banned Books

1:22:28 What Stoicism Gets Wrong 

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We'll be back next week with a brand new episode, but with recent events in The Middle East we're revisiting our conversation we had with Richard Haass last June, after Trump's initial bombing of Iran.

In it Haass shares what he thinks about Trump's fighting with NATO, the future of the Middle East, and his prediction about Trump's "strategy" for regime change in Iran.

00:00 Trump vs. NATO

5:43 Trump's Bombing of Iran

7:56 The Non-Proliferation Treaty

10:20 Trump's Wish For Regime Change

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Filmmaker Ken Burns joins the show to talk George Washington's leadership, erasing American history and how his work threatens autocrats.  Plus, the benefits of working with PBS and whether MAGA loves his work.

00:00 Intro
0:17  Flawed Heroes Founded This Country 
9:27 - Disinformation & Censorship Is Nothing New
12:47 Who Made The Revolution Possible?
18:00 Faith & Religion in Our Democracy
24:54 The Birthright Citizenship Fight  & American Nativism
28:25 American Patriotism & The Disappointing Legislative Branch
35:39 "I Just Want To Know Who Is Being Protected"
42:03 The One Thing That Surprised Burns About The Revolution 
50:15 Ranking Today Amongst Historical American Crises  
58:00 Make America Great Again Going Forward 
1:02:10 Ken Burns Relationship With Steve Jobs & Apple

Email: [email protected]
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Don Lemon joins the show for a raw conversation on journalism, Trump, and what it means to speak truth to power in today's  media landscape. From his early days chasing stories to his exit from CNN, Lemon opens up about his struggles and finding an even bigger audience online. Plus, will media consolidation kill the free press?

00:00 – “We’re Going to Lose the First Amendment”

00:25 – Don Lemon’s Republican Past

03:30 Lemon’s Earliest Journalist Influences

06:50 From $5/Hour to the Newsroom Grind

13:50 CNN Years: Highs, Lows & Breaking Through

21:00 Jeff Zucker, Loyalty & the Turning Point

27:30  Exit from CNN & Personal Fallout

37:45 Therapy, Mental Health & Rebuilding Life

40:00 Elon Musk Interview & The X Fallout

50:45 Building The Don Lemon Show & “Lemon Nation”

56:30 The Future of CNN & Media Consolidation

59:30 Arrest, Press Freedom & Targeting Journalists

01:06:30 Trump, Power & Why Lemon Was Targeted

01:12:00 Are Free & Fair Elections at Risk?

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Fact checking, family drama and a pet otter. In this tell-all episode, Gavin is joined by his sister Hilary for a breakdown of his book Young Man in A Hurry and what it was like growing up as a Newsom.

00:00 Intro 
0:24 No One's Asked Me About The Otter
6:20 You're Going To Have To Pay For My Therapy Bills
17:01 Newsom Called Out By Sister! 
26:16 High School Bullies & Pierce Brosnan 
32:03 We Just Had To Pay The Rent
43:52 We Didn't Speak For Several Months 
52:46  I Hope You Enjoyed The Trip, Goodnight 
1:01:43 People Deserve The Real Story

Email: [email protected]

Young Man in a Hurry by Gavin Newsom, out now. Get your copy: https://youngmaninahurrybook.com

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Congressman Jim Clyburn joins the podcast to reflect on the legacy of Jesse Jackson, his deep friendship with John Lewis, and how Democrats can speak to Black voters. Plus, he describes how today’s battles over voter ID laws and DEI are shaped by the battles fought during Reconstruction and the Jim Crow Era.

00:00: Intro

3:08 The Legacy of Jesse Jackson

4:55 Civil Disobedience, Faith and How Clyburn Met His Wife

12:48 The Phone Call That Changed The 1960 Election

16:21 Jim Clyburn And John Lewis’s Special Relationship

 23:29 I Didn’t Get Enough Votes

 29:08 “You Only Focus On Black People”

 35:38 The Reconstruction To Jim Crow Pipeline

41:44 Voter ID & Where MAGA Got Their Playbook

 47:52 The First Amendment, Democracy & The Attack on DEI

 54:15 - How The Democrats Regain Black Voters

Email: [email protected] Young Man in a Hurry by Gavin Newsom, out February 2026. Get your copy: https://youngmaninahurrybook.com

The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation by Jim Clyburn available here:https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jim-clyburn/the-first-eight/9780316572743/

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Presidential historian and author Jon Meacham shares how the Founding Fathers knew that a President like Trump was always a possibility and the best ways to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Plus they discuss the Super Bowl, Biden's legacy and whether the midterms might be our last election.

00:00 Intro
0:30 The Super Bowl IS Political
5:51 Democracy Has Always Been Messy
8:22  What Meacham Got Wrong About Trump's Rise To Power
12:26 Headlines vs. Historical Fact
15:26 Republicans Wouldn't Elect Their Own Party
19:43 Is Today's Political Climate Unprecedented
26:27 Could Trump Be Right About Our Failing Institutions?
34:00 Looking Back On 250 Years of American Struggle
39:40 This Administration Is Rewriting American History In Real Time
45:40 Are We The People Doing Enough To Resist?
53:10 Biden's Legacy
57:07 Will Democracy Survive The Midterms?

Email: [email protected]

Young Man in a Hurry by Gavin Newsom, out February 2026. 
Pre-order your copy: https://linktr.ee/govgavinnewsom

American Struggle By Jon Meacham
Available February 17th 2026: https://rb.gy/m9nkkv

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Follow Governor Gavin Newsom!

X: https://x.com/GavinNewsom
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gavinnewsom?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gavinnewsom/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GavinNewsom
Substack: https://substack.com/@gavinnewsom

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Keith Edwards joins the show to reflect on the events in Minnesota and how to find hope amidst the tragedy. Then they jump into Keith's personal journey from reality TV to shaping political discourse, the choice to have Ben Shapiro on the show, and whether Democrats should shut down the government over DHS funding.

00:00 New York Culture vs. D.C. Culture 
1:52 What We're Seeing in Minneapolis 
7:30 Running in 2028 On Accountability
10:10 Keith's Upbringing Makes This Surreal 
13:20 Processing Grief & Learning To Trust Ourselves
17:30 How Reality TV Helps Keith Cover Politics
24:10 Trump's Election & Prayer Changed Keith's Career
29:45 "We Actually Need Someone Who Knows What They're Doing"
33:00The Lincoln Project Or The Inspiration Was I Need Money 
38:20 Becoming An Intentional Content Creator 
49:18 What Breaks Through In A 2026 Political Environment? 
54:18 What's Wrong With The Liberal Side of YouTube?
59:10 Why We Had Ben Shapiro On The Show 
1:02:55 Does The Left Hurt Itself By Being Too Judgmental? 
1:08:10 Fixing The DNC's Social Media 
1:13:26 How Do Democrats Persuade People?

Email: [email protected]

Young Man in a Hurry by Gavin Newsom, out February 2026. Pre-order your copy: https://linktr.ee/govgavinnewsom

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In this special conversation, Gavin is joined by Ben Smith of Semafor to discuss how much damage Trump is doing to the American brand on the world stage. 

Live from the World Economic Forum in Davos, they analyze how Newsom is fighting fire with fire when it comes to Trump's online rhetoric, Canadian PM Mark Carney's remarks on America's international standing, and California's economic record.

00:00 What Trump Tried To Cancel

2:54 CEOs Under Trump

6:49 The Trump Administration's Insults & Fighting Fire With Fire

8:58 America's Role On The World Stage 

17:31 California's Record & The Democratic Party At Large

20:35 Immigration & The Border 

25:25 California's Progressive Tax Structure

Email: [email protected]

Young Man in a Hurry by Gavin Newsom, out February 2026.

Pre-order your copy: https://linktr.ee/govgavinnewsom

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when the conservative movement turns on one of its own? Governor Newsom is joined by Ben Shapiro to dissect a wide range of topics including Trump's economic failures, the importance of immigration, and how free elections are in fact in danger. Plus they debate Middle East politics, how to solve the housing crisis and whether it's possible to find common ground with those you disagree with. 

00:00 Intro

00:36 Ben Shapiro Is California Raised

5:25 Law vs. Politics

7:00 How Bullying Shaped Ben

11:26 Breitbart, Bannon & The Birth of A Right Wing Media Empire

19:02 Are Podcasts' Influence Overrated?

22:06 ICE in California, The Importance of Immigrants & The Benefits of Sanctuary Policies

30:01 Solving The Housing Crisis & Fighting Crony Capitalism

38:47 California vs. Red States

42:51 Did Ben Actually Support Prop 50

47:33 Is Donald Trump Trying To Kill Free Elections?

54:32 TPUSA's America Fest Speech, Candace Owens & The Right Wing Influencer Scene

1:00:50 Shapiro's Relationships With Charlie Kirk & Tucker Carlson

1:03:04 Grievance Based Politics & False Nostalgia

1:08:50 Trump's Economic Troubles, The Affordability Crisis and The Tariff Failure

1:17:06 Shapiro's Justification of Trump's Foreign Policy & The Greenland Question

1:19:49 Trump's Interference With The Fed

1:21:05 Israel, Hamas, The Devastation In Gaza, & Criticisms of Bibi Netanyahu

1:30:30 Gender Affirming Care Under Trump & The Right's Weaponization of LGBTQIA Rights

1:41:08 Is Trump The Scavenger in Ben's Book?

1:45:28 Rapid Fire: Midterm Predictions, Healthcare Subsidies, Vance vs, Rubio, Bondi's Exit 

Email: [email protected] 

Young Man in a Hurry by Gavin Newsom, out February 2026. Pre-order your copy: https://linktr.ee/govgavinnewsom 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.