America is in retrograde, and Errin Haines of The 19th* News and Alyssa Mastromonaco are here to talk about it. They discuss the latest on the dismantling of the Department of Education, Kamala Harris’s next political move, and the consequences of resistance under Trump. Then, internationally recognized leader in reproductive health and board-certified gynecologist Dr. Karen Tang joins to talk about perimenopause and hormone replacement therapy and answer listener questions. They wrap up with their honest review of Meghan Markle’s new Netflix show and their other current TV favorites.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Menopause practitioner database 

Breonna Taylor’s mother remembers (The 19th 3/12)

Democrats unveil bill to reinstate veterans fired in Trump workforce cuts (The Hill 3/10)

USDA pauses funding to University of Maine after Trump clash with governor (The Hill 3/11)

D.C.'s Black Lives Matter mural will be erased. Look back at the iconic street painting (NPR 3/8)

‘She is evil’: Amy Coney Barrett under attack by right wing after USAid ruling (The Guardian 3/8)

Tony Hinchcliffe, comedian who sparked controversy at Trump rally, lands Netflix deal (CNN 3/10)

Kamala Harris sets a deadline for her next move (Politico 3/7)

Education Department prepares to lay off roughly half its staff (NBC 3/11)

Betches co-founder Sami Sage joins Alyssa Mastromonaco to dig into Trump’s Joint Address to Congress. They discuss his speech’s glaring hypocrisy, the exploitation of his guests’ trauma, and the democratic response. They also chat about the Resistance Rangers standing up for national parks, the wrath J.D. Vance faced on his ski trip to Vermont, and their love for Kate Hudson in her new show Running Point. Then, Alyssa interviews Elisa Lane, a farmer from Maryland impacted by Trump’s erratic funding freezes. 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Support Elisa: https://www.twobootsfarm.com/

Trump's 'State of the Union' address: Where lawmakers, guests and everyone else will sit (USA Today 3/3)

Warning That Trump Will ‘Make You Pay,’ Slotkin Gives Democratic Response (NYT 3/5)

Thousands Gather at National Parks Across U.S. to Protest Job Cuts (NYT 3/1)

Sugarbush's 'Snow Reporter' Critiqued Vance as He Visited (Seven Day 3/3)

USDA releases $20 million in frozen funds to honor farmer contracts (Farm Futures 2/21)

The House passed a GOP budget framework, Elon Musk attended the first White House Cabinet meeting, and Alyssa Mastromonaco and guest host Akilah Hughes have a LOT of opinions. They also discuss the trickle-down effect of Trump’s executive orders on a state level, the Republican obsession with transgender athletes in the NCAA, and the modern resistance at town halls across the country. Luckily, Jane Fonda’s SAG Awards speech and a heartwarming story about The Metropolitan Museum of Art are keeping them sane.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

The Singular Charm of Parker Posey (NYT 2/24)

Musk to join Trump’s first White House Cabinet meeting (The Hill 2/25)

Texas wants the NCAA to start ‘sex-screening’ its student athletes (The 19th 2/21)

Missouri Bill Would Create Registry of Pregnant Women "At Risk" of Having An Abortion (Abortion, Everyday 2/18)

GOP lawmakers seek to remove rape, incest exemption from West Virginia’s near total abortion ban (West Virginia Watch 2/21)

At Testy Town Halls, Republicans Take Heat for Trump’s Bold Moves (WSJ 2/21)

What to Know About Janet Mills, the Maine Governor Who Told Trump, ‘See You in Court’ (NYT 2/22)

He’s a Security Guard at the Met. Now His Work Is Showing There. (NYT 1/8)

Betches co-founder Sami Sage joins Alyssa Mastromonaco to discuss the MAGA madness from RFK Jr.’s anti-SSRI crusade to the DOGE-fueled staffing purges. Then they have a sani-petty extravaganza with Suzanne Lambert, aka liberal Regina George, and senior producer Caroline Reston. They feel petty about the Elon Musk Ashley St. Clair baby drama and White Lotus theme music, but Jack Shlossberg’s social media return is keeping them sane!

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

RFK Jr. Goes After Widely Used Antidepressants, Claiming They Could Be A Threat To Americans (Vanity Fair 2/15)

Social Security head resigns over DOGE data push (AXIOS 2/18)

Food Head at FDA Resigns, Citing Numerous Job Cuts (Bloomberg 2/18)

Howard University Makes History as First HBCU to Achieve Top Research Status (Diverse Education 2/13)

‘We’ll never run out of avocado toast’: Danes launch petition to buy California (SF Chronicle 2/11)

"It Sounds Like It Could Be A Bit": Rob Lowe Shares New Update On St. Elmo's Fire 2 (Screen Rant 2/8)

‘Goonies 2 is officially in the Works With Steven Spielberg Producing (Variety 2/14)

Alyssa Mastromonaco is joined by Errin Haines from The 19th to discuss Trump’s (obvious) failed promise to protect women, Nancy Mace’s insanity on the house floor, DOGE’s attacks on the Department of Education, and the gutting of The Kennedy Center’s board. They also are feeling petty af about Bridget Jones's Diary, but at least Martha Stewart’s revival is keeping them sane.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Military freezes sexual assault prevention training after Trump executive order on DEI (LA Times 2/7) 

Federal Office on Violence Against Women removes funding opportunities from website (The 19th 2/7)

Laverne Cox Gives Powerful Speech Against Trump Agenda at SCAD TVfest: ‘They Are Committed to Eradicating Trans People from Public Life’ (Variety 2/7)

Nancy Mace makes House speech accusing ex-fiancé, others of raping women (WaPo 2/11)

Musk Team Announces Millions in Cuts to Education Dept. Amid Legal Pushback (NYT 2/11)

The 19th Explains: Can Trump eliminate the Department of Education? (The 19th* 2/6)

Trump Names Loyalist Interim Leader of Kennedy Center as He Strengthens His Grip (NYT 2/10)

Martha Stewart’s First Book Finds New Fans (NYT 2/4)

Errin Haines from the 19th News joins Hysteria to analyze the latest news from Washington, including Trump’s DEI panic, the status of Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr.’s senate confirmations, and Elon Musk’s sticky fingerprints. They also give a reproductive healthcare update discussing anti-abortion advocates' attempt to use environmental policy to their advantage, New York’s shield laws being put to the test, and the eerie foreshadowing for the future of HIPAA laws. They also balance out the horrors by sharing their love for Jalen Hurts, Beyonce, Bob Weir, and Debbie Allen.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts Says Women ‘Lack the Respect They Deserve’ (People 3/21)

Exclusive: Musk aides lock workers out of OPM computer systems (Reuters 2/2)

Breaking: Trump is Scrubbing HIPAA Info off HHS Website (Abortion Everyday 1/3)

‘Using the devil’s own tools against them': Abortion opponents turn to environmental laws (Politico 1/30)

New York Doctor Indicted in Louisiana for Sending Abortion Pills There (NYT 1/31)

Third Black Hawk crew member involved in deadly crash near DC airport identified (NPR 2/1)

Trump has been in office for less than two weeks, and he has already frozen (and unfrozen) essential federal funds, packed his executive orders with anti-abortion B.S., tried to push government employees out of their jobs with “buyouts,” and Erin and Alyssa are here to talk about it. They also talk about RFK Jr.’s hot mess Senate confirmation hearings, the future of NIH gender-related research, and a potential alternative to mifepristone. Then author and activist Julissa Arce joins to discuss Trump’s immigration policy, ICE raids, and the nuances of the undocumented experience. 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Resources discussed in the episode:

The Border Chronicle

Fair Immigration Reform Movement

JD Supra

Trump Reinstates Longstanding Republican Anti-Abortion Policy (NYT 1/24)

Trump reaffirms support for anti-abortion movement at the March for Life (The 19th 1/24)

New Research Finds Potential Alternative to Abortion Pill Mifepristone (NYT 1/23)

Trump’s ban on funds to ‘promote gender ideology’ could threaten hundreds of NIH research projects (Science 1/24)

Mass arrests in nationwide US immigration crackdown (BBC 1/27)

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joins Hysteria to talk about the future of the Equal Rights Amendment under Trump, her goals for her role as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and honor the memory of Cecile Richards. Erin and Alyssa also review Trump’s executive orders from his first days in office and question if any of them will actually improve the economy (spoiler alert: they won’t).

Tracking Trump's executive orders: What he's signed so far (Axios 1/21)

What Trump supporters believe and expect (Pew 11/13)

Biden Proclaims That The Equal Rights Amendment Is The Law Of The Land—But What Does That Mean? (Vanity Fair 1/18)

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Comedian Michaela Watkins joins Hysteria to discuss the impacts of the LA fires one week after they began and how the community has shown up to provide relief. Erin and Alyssa also recap the insanity of the Pete Hegseth confirmation hearings and Zuckerberg sucking up to Joe Rogan.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Support California wildfire relief efforts with a donation to Vote Save America & Crooked Ideas Action Fund: votesaveamerica.com/relief

Hegseth’s views on women in combat, infidelity and more — in his own words (AP News 1/14)

Trump Supporters Go All In for Pete Hegseth With Money and Coordination (NYT 1/13)

Zuckerberg Says Most Companies Need More ‘Masculine Energy’ (Bloomberg 1/10)

A Los Angeles Teen Started a Recovery Fund for Wildfire Victims. Now It’s a Movement (Time 1/12)

Erin and Alyssa break down the legal saga unfolding between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over the misconduct that happened on the set of It Ends With Us and the smear campaign that followed. They also discuss a historic breakthrough in the fight against medical debt, Meta’s twisted new hate speech policies, and how Democrats should deal with conservative BS in 2025. 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine (NY Times 12/21)

A Timeline of Blake Lively’s Legal Dispute With Justin Baldoni (Vogue 1/2)

Gillibrand to head Senate Democrats’ campaign arm (The Hill 1/6)

Medical debt will be erased from credit reports for all Americans under new federal rule (The 19th 12/7)

For Harris, an Awkward Election Task: Certifying the Vote She Lost (NYT 1/6)

Facebook lifts restrictions on calling women ‘property’ and transgender people ‘freaks’ (The Independent 1/7)

The Hysteria team is off this week, but we're excited to bring you an episode of Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams. In this episode, Stacey talks to Kate Nazemi, a local education activist and parent, and Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, about the future of public education during a second Trump Administration. They break down Project 2025’s education policy prescriptions, the threats to the Department of Education, and what changes a President can and cannot make. Then, they discuss how to best get involved at the local level to make change in your community – from attending local school board meetings, to writing to your local representatives.

If you liked this episode, subscribe to Assembly Required wherever you get your podcasts: 

crooked.com/assemblyrequired