It Could Happen Here - The Art of Petty with Prop & Amanda Nelson

Episode Date: February 12, 2026

In the raging pile of slop that is social media, every once in a while you stumble across someone doing something genuinely amazing. That’s how Prop found Amanda Nelson, the creator behind Amanda’s Mild Takes, where she delivers comprehensive breakdowns of politics and history and artfully drags the trolls in her comment section while she’s at it. We had to get to know her. In this episode, Amanda shares why she started making videos in the first place, what motivates her to clap back at haters, and what parallels she sees between the past and the current events happening in the US. She also offers her predictions for the upcoming midterm elections, and weighs in on who might throw their hat in the ring for president in 2028.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 1969, Malcolm and Martin are gone. America is in crisis. At a Morehouse college, the students make their move. These students, including a young Samuel L. Jackson, locked up the members of the Board of Trustees, including Martin Luther King's Senior.

It's the true story of protests and rebellion in black American history that you'll never forget. I'm Hans Charles. I'm Manilic Lamouba. Listen to the A building on the I-Hearton. Cart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Over the last couple years, didn't we learn that the folding chair was invented by black people because of what happened in Alabama?

This Black History Month, the podcast, Selective Ignorance with Mandy B, unpacked black history and culture with comedy, clarity, and conversations that shake the status quo. The Crown Act in New York was signed in July of 2019, and that is a bill that was passed to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles associated with race. To hear this and more, listen to Selective Ignorance with Mandy B from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Bowen-Yang.

And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, and the lead-up to the Milan Cortina-26 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Bob, how now. Hey, Elmo. Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen. Hi, Kirkie.

Hi. Now, the Winter Olympic Games are underway, and we are in. in Italy to give you experiences from our hearts to your ears. Listen to Two Guys Five Rings on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What is something you've had to unlearn about love? That it's earned. That I was unworthy of love. That it needs to be forever for it to count.

February is the month of love. Whether you're in a relationship, casually dating, or proudly single, it's a great time to reflect on yourself. and what you want. I'm Hope Woodard, host of the Boyceover podcast, and each week we're looking at love from every angle. Listen to Boy Sober. That's B-O-Y-S-O-B-E-R. On the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Media. All right, so, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to dive in, hood politics, and prop. This is special for me. We're calling this the Art of Petty. and the play on words you may or may not know is that Petty's actually my last name.

And like literally government, it's my last name. And as a child, it used to bother me. As a grown-up, I'm like, nah, that sounds about right. So what made us start, first of all, was the bio says the writer of the Petty'sburg address. Yeah. That's one of the funniest things. It makes me mad because it's my last. name. And I'm like, why did I not think of that? Like, so brilliant. Amanda Nelson,

welcome to the show. Thank you. Thank you so much. And thank you for appreciating my ridiculous Abraham Lincoln joke. It's brilliant. I and super producer Ian separately came across your content like at the same time. I know when I first hit the follow within a day or two, and was like, have you heard of this person? And then he just sent me the link. I was like, dude, I just started off. And it's, and I think there's a, there's a kindred spirit in the sense of like, in history being actually not that difficult to grasp if you just speak like a regular

ass human. You know what I'm saying? Yes. And politics the same. Like, you know, the premise of the whole show is that like, if you understand inner city living, you understand politics. Like, if you grew up in, in. around our streets, it's really not that different.

You know, even whether you was like a nerd, you know, running as fast as you can to the library, you still knew I better not go down 7th Street because, like, you still know how this works. You know what I'm saying? Or whether you were completely outside, like, you know, stealing people's bikes. Like, you get it, you know. So what we appreciated about what you do is the accessibility of it. So thank you. Thank you. Well, thank you. That's, that was the goal from the beginning, especially the, you know, on Mondays I do a series called the whiteboard, which is literally just a whiteboard with a bunch of sticky notes on it. Yeah.

Where I track congressional legislation as it moves its way through Congress or doesn't, as is more often the case. Yeah. And that was one of the first things I started doing when I started making content and people were so appreciative of it. In a way I found surprising, I thought people would find it nerdy and boring and silly. Yeah. But it's such a unnecessarily complicated process and explaining it in ways that people. people can grasp. There's been a lot of appreciation for it, which I love. Yeah. Which leads me to the next question, which would be like, okay, so your formal training, you're upbringing, like, I need to know the origin story of the nerdery. But before that, this is the week of the Super Bowl. So I'm just wondering, as a Latina, who's not a Latina,

who I just found out an hour ago is not a Latino, have you recovered from Benito's performance? I am not a Latina, that is true. And I just, when I was talking about it, when I was talking about it online about bad bunnies half-time show, I got so many people asking me, wait, you're not Latina. So apparently I am presenting, which is nice. Yes. I have recovered because after the halftime show, I went to bed. So I was in bed, but I'm like 9.30. It was such a boring game.

Like, I'm not going to say to her. The game was trash. Four hours of frigging field goals. But then, of course, I went to bed and it got spiced up a little. And then it became a game. Right. But it didn't matter. Yeah.

So you're on the East Coast then. I am. I'm in Virginia. Yep. Yeah. No, that's absolutely hilarious. We are on the West Coast to which the game starts at 3 p.m. But definitely my wife was like ready to go after that.

My wife is a first-gen Latina. And she was just like, wait, there's more game? She's being silly. But yeah, do we have to stay? We're at my sister-in-law's house. And she was just like, we're good unless you want to stay, you know. Since I'm a Cali native, I'm like, I really don't care about either of these teams. Same.

Yeah. And my, I mean, down to my mitochondria, like, I cannot ever cheer for a New England team. Yeah. I can't. Just the Celtics, the Boston thing as an L.A. boy, I can't anybody remotely close to that. I just can't cheer for. I think I have, like, 2010's PTSD for having to constantly listen to the Patriots be in everything. And so I have an ingrained bias.

Also, their owners, like a weird maga dude. And whatever. He's weird. So, and Tom Brady is also weird. Like, he's a weird guy. He weird, man. Did you see his roast? Yes.

Yes. I would like, yeah, you weird, bro. Like, you know. He is. And I can't decide if, like, Giselle leaving made him weirder or if he was weird and she left because of that. I can't figure it out. I don't care that much.

I honestly, that's a good thought, man. And like, because I've considered that a few times because I'm like, the level of competitive you have to be to be someone like a Tom Brady, like a Michael Jordan, like Tony Hawk. Like you have to be insufferable with your will and drive to be as good as you are. And now my wife has a Ph.D. and Ed Policy. She's one of the most self-driven people I know. Even with her just doctoral nerdiness, there's a level of like, will you chill? like about, you know, certain stuff. But we're both like, we're both nerds. You know what I'm saying?

So we're both nerds in a lot of ways. But like, I can imagine, I can imagine being married to someone where you're just like, can we talk about anything but this? Yes. Anything else. Yes. The answer is no. No.

Yeah. So, okay, so tell me about, okay, formal training and upbringing. Like, why are you like this? Why am I like this? Yes. Well, I have a history degree, an undergraduate history degree, that I got. How do I explain why I'm like this? That's such an interesting question.

So I was raised in South by very conservative white people. Okay. And I did not understand why I was kind of singled out a lot growing up. Like, as we said at the beginning, I am not Latina. My grandmother's from the Philippines. And so that was like enough, like enough one-dropness to make all the white people around me. Yeah, one drop, do you? Yeah, like very weird.

And I didn't get it. And as I grew up and I realized more about, I understood more about the South and about Virginia specifically, which is the capital of the Confederacy and all that. Yeah. I got kind of obsessed with history. Like, why are these people like this? Yeah. So I've always been into history.

I got a history degree, and then I became, you know, I kind of actively. Once I got out of my parents' house, to be honest. For sure. And they're not conservative anymore. But once I got out of my parents' house and discovered, like, a world of active. I went to college, which is the case with so many kids who grew up in, you know, the rural South. I went to college, discovered activism and organizing and people with different opinions.

Yeah. And I don't know, a whole world opened up for me and I got involved. I've been politically involved ever since. I've done all kinds of things. I've volunteered for campaigns. I've been a clinic escort. Yeah. An abortion clinic here in town. All kinds of different. I've worked with the ACLU. So I am like this, I suppose, because my family is strange. I respect it. Or maybe not strange. Maybe just normal for where they're from. normal for where they are from. No, I respect that. In your defense, the Philippines, y'all are the black and Latinos of Asia. Of the Asia. Yes, yes, the Mexicans of the Pacific.

Yeah, you're the Mexicans and the black people. That's what sucks about being, or what's great about being Filipino. Y'all get to be black and Latino and Asian. It's not fair. My step-monster is from the Philippines, so, like, I have this affinity because I'm raised by a Filipino woman. Well, I was raised by a black woman and a Filipino woman. Long story. The point is, that, that makes a lot of.

makes a lot of sense, dude, like that thing that radicalized you was, I'm using radicalized as a stand in word, but just exposure, right? Like, that's super interesting to know that, like, not even the awareness of, because like you said, like, you existed in this white space and you, like, I don't understand why y'all. Exactly. Yeah. What's the problem? What did I do? It's like, it's because you're kind of not. You're like, well, but yeah, I am, right? Like, it was kind of, kind of one of those scenarios or like, or did you kind of like, I'm maybe putting a little more on, like you said, you weren't aware of your, you're presenting, but did you, did you feel sort of culturally that like I, I feel like I belong here? Is that was, is that true? Yeah, I mean,

I didn't understand. I understood that I looked a little bit different than everybody around me, fine. Yeah. A little bit. Not a time. Like, I'm not, you know, I'm a quarter of a Filipino, like it's not. I understood that I looked a little bit different. I did not understand. why that mattered for a really long time. And then like the older I got, the more it would be like I go out into school and the sort of racism that I would get would be when people mistook me for being Latina or when people mistook me for being black. That's when I would get like act like really bad. Because where I'm from in Virginia Beach is the largest Filipino population on the East Coast. So if Filipinos being around, people were kind of used to, but it was when people thought that I was not just other, but a whole other other, you know, of what they were used to. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I didn't, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't. understand. Like, I was born into this household. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah. We've all watched the same fucking NASCAR races. We eat the same food. We listen to the, I have to listen to your stupid ass Rush Limbaugh. So like, why am I different? It doesn't make sense to me. That's so interesting. I love that. My undergrad was going to be history,

but it kind of switched to like intercultural studies. I was just more interested, a little more in sociology. I majored in illustration because I wanted to do art and the cultural studies and then did social science for like grad school. Mine was a little different in the sense that listeners know, but like my father was a, my father was a Black Panther, you know what I'm saying? And you know,

we grew up in the space. And it wasn't sort of like, like you said, like this like light bulb was not my experience. My experience was like, this is necessary for our survival. Yeah. And I think I was more thrown back because,

which is again, what I want to get to about like, kind of the way that you present this stuff is like, I feel like this information. is available for all of us. Like, it didn't take a lot of digging for you to, like, I feel like it was not really, I love to even, even you talking about your experience in, like,

working in politics and organizing and volunteering, where it's like a lot of times we feel like the access to entry is much harder than it actually is. You could just go there. Just go over there and just be like, yo, can I help? And it's really, like, it really be that easy, you know? And people will be so happy to have you.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, I just feel like, especially your, you're, I'm jumping around, but like, your Trump's L's for the week are like, I mean, it's right there. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, he'd just be saying them. I don't take a lot of work, you know what I'm saying? Like, but obviously us has like, you know, having formal training and research and backchecking

and double checks. Like, you know, like having the formal training, that definitely helps me, you know what I'm saying? But besides that, sometimes I'd be like, well, this is just, I mean, this is what he said, he was going to do, and then it didn't happen. So I'm like, that's an L, ain't it? Like, I just don't, it don't be that hard. Okay. Now, the next question is about your sense of humor.

So, like, why are you so funny? Like, what? Why are you like that? Because I mean. I love it. I'm mean to people you're not supposed to be mean to. Like, you know, there's such a, Americans, let me rephrase this.

White Americans have such an ingrained, like, inherent respect for positions of authority like the president. Like, how can you talk shit about the president? You know, I don't care. Because he trash. Because he's garbage. I don't give a shit. I don't care. Like, he looks, he's the color of a rusted out horse drop. The fuck do I care. Yeah. So I have no problems being being mean. And I mean in ways that give people, like, permission to be a little, like, thrilled by it or a little delighted by it. And that provides, I think, an entryway for people to learn a little bit of defiance. I love it. I don't know. America, we're not great. Again, I should clarify white America specifically,

especially my people. I was like, oh, no, man, whatever really. Yeah, but anyway, you're right. Yeah, like, the people that I speak to are a lot of, like, suburban moms, right? I'm a 41-year-old mom. And they are not used to middle fingers up at all, especially, yeah, recently. You know, like Biden got in office and everybody kind of fell asleep. Yeah. Back to brunch. Yeah. In the Democratic Party, white people fell asleep. So being mean and just pulling out some clause. It's both like funny and fun for me, but it's also strategic because I do want there to be, I want to present a permission structure for people to start learning to have a bit more backbone. I love that. I love that. I love that. Like you said, the term you use is

permission. And that's what I enjoyed. I think that, yeah, like knowing that like you're from the South and that like adds even more of a color to what's happening here. It makes me like it even more. Canadian women are looking for more. More to themselves, their businesses, their elected leaders, and the world around them. And that's why we're thrilled to introduce the Honest Talk podcast. I'm Jennifer Stewart. And I'm Catherine Clark. And in this podcast, we interview Canada's most inspiring women.

Entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, politicians, and newsmakers, all at different stages of their journey. So if you're looking to connect, then we hope you'll join us. Listen to the Honest Talk podcast on IHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcast. Welcome to the A building. I'm Hans Charles. I'm Inalick Lamouba. It's 1969. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

had both been assassinated. And Black America was out of breaking point. Writing and protests broke out on an unprecedented scale. In Atlanta, Georgia, at Martin's Al-Mermata, Morehouse College, the students had their own protest. It featured two prominent figures in black history, Martin Luther King's senior and a young student, Samuel L. Jackson. To be in what we really thought was a revolution. I mean, people would die.

1968, the murder of Dr. King, which traumatized everyone. The FBI had a role in the murder of a Black Panther leader in Chicago. This story is about protest. It echoes in today's world far more than it should, and it will blow your mind. Listen to the A-building on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Bowen-Yin. And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan Quartina-26 Winter Olympic Games,

we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Bowen, hi, Matt. Hey, Elmo. Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen. Hi, Cookie. Hi. Now, the Winter Olympic Games are underway, and we are in Italy to give you experiences

from our hearts to your ears. Listen to Two Guys Five Rings on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What is one thing about love you've had to unlearn that it's earned? That it needs to be forever for it to count. February is the month of love. Whether you're in a relationship, casually dating, or proudly single, it's a great time to reflect on yourself and what you want. I'm Hope Woodard, host of the voiceover podcast, and each one, week this month, we're looking at love from every angle. I don't know how to tell my partner,

like, what I want in bed. The thing about romantic fiction, I would say more than any other genre of culture is that it's always put women first. My marriage stopped making sense. The connection started to feel off. The behavior started to feel different. This February, get in touch with yourself by listening to Boy Sober. That's B-O-Y-S-O-B-E-R. I'm like, I would love to not hate the man. I'm sleeping with you. I don't know what that's about. Listen to Boy Sober on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah, I don't have no second thoughts about dragging a public figure, a politician.

Like, I don't have no second thoughts about it because, again, like, you asked for this. You know what I'm saying? Like, you signed up for this. You said you was going to be this. Like, all right, I'm about to get real black. But, like, there's parts of me that's just like, okay, are you a bitch-ass niggins? You know what I'm saying? Like, and I'm like, there are ways for me to be able to know if you are.

You presented yourself like you're a real one. And I'm like, okay, well, there's qualifying entry points for me to do that. You know what I'm saying? Like, we learn I'll respect in our culture, you respect your elders for their position as elders. But do I respect that person as a person? No, you got to earn that. but authority figures are different. You're in a corrupt system.

Like, this system already don't like me. And you're applying for a job. And the job you applying for is governance. So I'm like, I don't give, like about you? Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, no. But there is something unique, I think, about your particular intersections as technically ambiguous from the South.

highly educated, you know, and unfortunately in a patriarchal, misogynistic world of female, right? Which I already know greats at so much, which I think I appreciate probably the most when you have time to like drag a commenter. Like obviously men are not okay. Like we know that ship is sailed. We're not okay. You know what I'm saying? part of me feels like, now this is like, as much as I've evolved

in my feminism, and, you know, I'm the father of two daughters. And, you know, I've learned to, like, really not understand how I was the problem to become to understand that I'm the problem, you know, even in just my ways of communicating, my advocacy, stuff like that, my blind spots and all that.

And I'm with, you know what I'm saying? I have nephews. I don't have, like I said, I don't have sons, but I have, I have nephews who I've, like, realized that I carried a lot of ways for which I thought I was supposed to talk to my daughter versus talking to a son, you know what I'm saying? And I'm like, and I used to say, well, I'm going to talk to my daughter the way I would talk to my son, you know, and just stupid, you know what I'm saying? And then, but even just being like, man, like sometimes my nephew could use like a gentle voice.

Like, you know, a man just like him that could just be real gentle, you know what I'm saying? Like, bro, like, man, I'm sorry, you're sick, man. It sucks when you get your feelings hurt. Like, I get it. You know what I'm saying? being able to be gentle with him too. That said, I feel like I come from an era where words have consequences. You know, you say something to somebody

it might slap the shit out of you. Yes. You know what I'm saying? So like, you watch your mouth. You know what I'm saying? Because like, now granted, like I said, I've grown to wear that like, I don't know who fuck you think you're talking to. Like, I don't say that no more. You know what I'm saying? Where it's just like, okay, I have learned

that that's not the person I need to be. However, I feel like a lot of these young men, especially in your comment sections, like they didn't have no big homies like I did that would be like, boy, if you don't shut, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know, and just being like son, like, yes. So you can't just be talking. And I come from a city where she might slap the shit out of you. She will.

You know what I'm saying? She will indeed. It's not just like, you know what I'm saying? So I'm like, bro, you can't just be talking. So anyway, that's a long preamble to say, I appreciate when you take. take the time to drag a comment. Thank you. I did.

So please tell me, please tell me the origins of that. Yeah. So I have two sons. Okay. They are twins. They'll be 15 in a few weeks. And I care a lot.

Actually, I get a lot of shit for this from people on the left, from liberals as well, especially from women. But I care a lot about men and them not being okay. You know, I care. Yeah, they're not okay. Yeah.

Because I have two boys. And I don't want that to be them. I see the traps. Yeah. that are waiting for them out there, that are being placed on purpose. For sure. By bad actors.

Yeah. So I want policy and conversations and acceptance and help for the men and the boys. Yeah. And also, when it's almost always, you know, like some Republican mouth breather who follows a bunch of AI porn bots, gets into my comments to talk to me some kind of way, I decided that I was going to make an example of them because these are people who have never experienced a consequence. Yes. Ever.

That's what I'm saying. Like, if you're a 50-year-old white man, you have never experienced a consequence for running your mouth. That's what I'm saying. And I'm going to be that consequence for you. You're welcome. Yes. Thank you. And it just disgusts me because, again, they're almost always following, like, a bunch of teenagers, AI bots, you know, all of these just, it's completely inappropriate behavior.

They do not understand the concept of matching energy. They're completely shocked when they come into my comments and give me shit and then I match their energy. They're always just a gas. that like, how dare I? Well, you dared first. What? I'm just like, yeah, like for somebody who swear they so, like, you're so tough and hard, I'm like, man, you little cupcake ass.

Yes. Like, one of the earliest, I mean, I'm telling you the earliest lesson I got as a child. And I still say it to my kids, you don't dish out what you can't take. Like, you don't put it out there if you can't handle it, you know. So if you're going to get jokes and that person roast you back, I come from, that's our culture. It's like even even around family. It's just like, bro, I was having a conversation with one of the parents, like, because I have the type of job I have, I do a lot of the pickups, the after school pickups.

Yeah. You know, so I was talking to one of the moms. That shift as a chauffeur. Yes, yes. So I was talking to one of the moms just about like nicknames growing up, whatever, right? And my mother, biting sarcasm, super funny, brilliant. But like, fire baptized, speaking in tongues, praying the house down. she's just a biting sarcasm

and I was like she used to call me the before pitcher she just cold as ice and I was just like day but again it's like she could always give it back you know what I'm saying

so like we you just knew like if you was gonna get your feelings hurt I don't know if you can handle that you know and even like specifically with the young ladies it's just like bro like I'd like you following with porn bots like part of me like again

and the most misogynistic possible is like, because, Nicky, you ain't got no flavor, because, like, you're weirdo. Like, that's why are you doing this, yeah. And they claim, like, this is a group of people,

you know, whatever, conservative gen X men. Yeah. Who claim a level of cultural dominance that that's what they're expressing when they come into my comment section to yell at me. This, like, cultural dominance

they think they have. And it's completely manufactured. Yeah. You dominate. No one. No one. Look at you. Like, and that's kind of the point

that I, and I, part of me is like, well, maybe I'm being too mean, but also I feel like I'm doing them a favor. You really are. You have no actual self-esteem. Self-esteem is built by doing esteemable things. And when you spend all of your time online just yelling at women, there's nothing esteemable there.

It's so silly, man. Like, I mean, we're totally off the rails here, but I love this because it's very important to me. Because I'm just like, when my oldest was in like junior high, like I was trying to tell my wife, like, I was like, the thing is we have been experiencing rejection since. it's fifth grade. And it's because we're planning this all week to go actually approach Natasha. Like, you were thinking about it all week. I'm going to wear the right outfit.

I'm going to do this. You go over there, you say something to her. She giggles to all her friends and runs away and says, ew. It's just like, okay, that's the first time you got your little heartbroken as a little boy, right? So, fast forward to middle school. Oh, my God, will you dance with me? Ew, no. Okay. You did it again. By the time these dudes are in the club and it's like, hey,

hey, red jeans. Red jeans. Red jeans. Red jeans. You want to dance? No? Whatever. Fuck you. You know what I'm saying? It's just like, you know, you go through this.

But all that to say, hopefully if you have a healthy sense, you start learning like, hey, man, you catch more bees with honey, bro. Or, you know what I'm saying? Like, maybe there's a better way to communicate with people and you just got to understand that like, I just think you don't know how to talk to people. Like, you don't know, like, she got the right to be like, no, thank you. And you got to be like, okay, word. You know what I'm saying?

You shot your shot. like I'm trying to be like as bland as possible. Look, you shoot a shot, you don't make every shot. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like you don't make every shot. You're going to hit one of them. You know what I'm saying?

Somebody going to want to dance with you and you're just like, okay, great. You know, it was a good time. You know, hey, can we? No, okay, cool. You know what I'm saying? It's just, it is what it is. To your point, I think either,

I don't, I, it's so weird to me explain because I just, I don't relate to it. I don't relate to somebody who doesn't understand that like, bro, you're a total stranger. I don't care about your opinion, number one. And why do you feel like you have the right to like, what is you doing? Like, it's just, it's embarrassing, bro. Like, so anyway, I enjoy it.

But I think you brought up something that I would love to hear you talk more about. Like, all this is to say, like, this is the note I wrote. It's like, I feel like this type of dragging is not only needed, but I think it's holy. Right. And I think it's a divine, sacred work. to like truly roast a person. And I think when it comes to you in politics, it's because you know what you're talking about.

It makes it even more important. But I guess my question is like, do you think that there is something greater than just this is funny going on there? Oh, yeah, for sure. I know it seems like it's for the lulls or whatever or the views with the click or your engagement or whatever, but there's very little that I do in my content

that's not strategic. Yeah. And again, it goes back to permission. Like you said, these men don't know me. Yeah. I don't care what they think about me. I'm doing great, you know. You're free to hate me.

I don't care. But I want to, again, provide a permission structure, especially for other women who exist online and who in this moment especially want to start raising their voices to learn how to clap back. Like, you have got to learn. If you're going to be out there, especially right now in the world, as a woman, you have got to learn how to tell somebody to fuck off. For sure. In a way that matter, that they will hear, you know, because a lot of times men won't hear,

no, we know that. The president doesn't know what the word not means. But if you can say it artfully and mean it with your whole chest, oftentimes it will work. So it's almost like providing an example, especially for women who are a little younger than me, because I'm in my 40s now, how to detach themselves from the value assigned to them by random men. Who gives a fuck?

For sure. And like the seasoning on top of that is just corny ass, man. Like just, you are a cornball. Like that's where it's like it's not the problem, but it's the part that just like gets under my fingernails is like, you're so fucking corny. Like, you know what I'm saying? We're holding a fish. Yeah. So I'm like, why are you doing this?

Like you're the same guy, bro. It's the same guy every time. Why are y'all? Where is this aesthetic? And then I'm just like speaking your language. Like, I don't know a single female that likes this. Nope. Like, who, anyway, let's go back to the, to the professional.

Even though I do love that that's a part of the thing. Like you mentioned before, formerly trained in history, you know, your whiteboard stuff. Like, you're obviously very well researched. And I have my cynical answer to this. But, like, it's just so bizarre to me how specifically if we're going to use these binaries of, like, right, wing and left wing, like, especially like content creation to where I'm just like, okay, we know that that's a grift. We know that's a hustle.

We know you doing that. But like, but even with that, I'm just like, they just be factually wrong. Yeah. To where I'm just like, I'm not even like, I'm not even worried about your position. I can't even get to your positions yet. I'm just saying, like, you ain't do no homework. I can't square that circle to me. But like what you do and I know what I do too is because I guess, because I guess we care about

reality is like, I mean, do a lot of homework. You know what I'm saying? So, like, I would love to know a little bit about your process as far as, like, your homework, your research, maybe what's some tools you use before you even put it on. Like, I mean, there's been times I've had to be like, hey, guys, hey, I fucked up. I thought it was, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'll come back and fact check myself, but I'll just be like, I don't understand. Fact check at all. Like, I feel like I don't even, that's why I won't do like Jubilee or anything to be.

I'll be like, man. Oh, I refuse. No, absolutely not. I'm never doing it. I don't do that homework. Like, yeah. I'm not doing that. Yeah.

No. That's all my actual nightmare. Yes, exactly. I have the stress stream of being in a Jubilee. Yeah. Yeah, I think that the way that, like you were saying, the way that it's approached makes a difference. So, like, I'm not here for a media career. I'm not here to make a billion dollars and become an influencer and go work on Chuck Schumer's re-election campaign.

I don't give a shit about any of that. No, thank you. I am here. I don't fuck with Chuck Schumer. Yeah. Yeah. No, thank you. I am here with a mission.

And my mission is to help people who are probably, probably, just getting plugged in, or even people have been plugged in for a while and are getting tired, understand how power operates in America politically, historically and now. And that takes a lot of digging and a lot of research and a lot of fact-checking, as you were saying. So I need people to trust me, because if they don't trust me, they're not going to take my advice. They're not going to get involved in the places I tell them to get involved. There's not going to be any strategy to the ways that people are formulating their resistance or their opposition to rising authoritarianism. So it matters a great deal that I am right in the things that I'm saying and that it's accurate at least.

I mean, I'm not saying my takes are always right. And of course, like you said, I make mistakes sometimes. And I will go back and correct myself. But I mean, you know, I've been an American history person for 20 years now. So I do have a pretty big base of knowledge. Decent, yeah. But I am going to go back before I say a word and like double check my dates. Double check like, was this person in the House or the Senate? you know, what was the bill number? Like, I am going to do all of that. And that takes a lot of digging. Like, I don't think it's on purpose necessarily, but going through congressional records is

everything is very scattered. Nothing is in one place. You're checking 14 different, you know, resources, Congress.gov and all these other things. And I have to collulate all of that and put it together. And it takes hours, you know, hours. But it's my full-time job now. So, yeah, that's fine. But when I was working full-time, when I had like a corporate job, I was in big tech up until June of last year. Wow. So it was, it was just a lot of hours.

It was 18, 19 hour days. I slept almost zero. I mean, it's better now. But, yeah, I mean, I am very dedicated to making sure that the thing that I'm putting out there is trustworthy, is not emotionally reactive. Like, I'm, I think that is something that separates me from other creators, especially on the left,

is I'm not trying to get a rise out of you. I'm not trying to make you panic. I'm not doing that like, that should terrify every American. I'm not doing that shit. You're an adult. if you want to be terrified, be terrified, I don't care. Like, your feelings are your own problem. I'm telling you what's happening,

how it's rooted in American history, and what you can do about it. And like what people have done about it in the past when similar things have happened. Because something similar has probably happened. And so, like, yeah, that's my strategy. Yeah, again, very much so, like a kinsman, like, spirit in that, yeah, like, I'm not,

I'm ultimately an educator, you know what I'm saying? And I'm like, I'm really just trying to onboard you to be like, hey, bro, like, these people aren't smarter than you, you know? Yes. Canadian women are looking for more. More out of themselves, their businesses, their elected leaders, and the world are out of them. And that's why we're thrilled to introduce the Honest Talk podcast.

I'm Jennifer Stewart. And I'm Catherine Clark. And in this podcast, we interview Canada's most inspiring women. Entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, politicians, and newsmakers, all at different stages of their journey. So if you're looking to connect, then we hope you'll join us. Listen to the Honest Talk podcast and IHeart Radio or wherever you listen. your podcasts. Welcome to the A building.

I'm Hans Charles. I'm Inalick Lamouba. It's 1969. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. had both been assassinated. And Black America was out of breaking point. Writing and protests broke out on an unprecedented scale. In Atlanta, Georgia,

at Martin's Almermata, Morehouse College, the students had their own protest. It featured two prominent figures in black history, Martin Luther King, Sr., and a young student, Samuel L. Jackson. To be in what we really thought was a revolution.

I mean, people would die. In 1968, the murder of Dr. King, which traumatized everyone. The FBI had a role in the murder of a Black Panther leader in Chicago. This story is about protest. It echoes in today's world far more than it should, and it will blow your mind. Listen to the A-building on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Bowen-Yin.

And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Boen, hi, Matt, hi, Hey, Elmo. Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen.

Hi, Cookie. Hi. Now, the Winter Olympic Games are underway, and we are in Italy to give you experiences from our hearts to your ears. Listen to Two Guys Five Rings on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What is one thing about love you've had to unlearn?

That it's earned. That it needs to be forever for it to count. February is the month of love. Whether you're in a relationship, casually dating, or proudly single, it's a great time to reflect on yourself and what you want. I'm Hope Woodard, host of the voiceover podcast, and each week this month we're looking at love from every angle. I don't know how to tell my partner, like, what I want in bed.

The thing about romantic fiction, I would say more than any other genre of culture is that it's always put women first. My marriage stopped making sense. The connection started to feel off. The behavior started to feel different. This February, get in touch with yourself by listening to Boy Sober. That's B-O-Y-S-O-B-E-R. I'm like, I would love to not hate the man.

I'm sleeping with. I don't know what that's about. Listen to Boy Sober on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Lastly, like, I would ask, because you kind of just brought it up, like, some sort of, like, historical parallels as far as, like, lessons from the past, like, do you have any of that, like, come to mind, like, off the head? Oh, yes. How much time do you have? No, I know people always, always, always want to talk about Nazi Germany right now. And, like, I get it. Okay. I'm not saying that there are no commonality. of course there are. It's so important to me that we focus on the commonalities that we have in American history because we are so different from Germany. Germany was like very ethnically homogenous. It's a small country compared to ours. They don't have the same issues that we had.

They had, you know, Nazi Germany came out of a very particular time, place and people. We are a different time place in people. So there's that. Like study Nazi German if you want. I'm not saying don't. But if you're going to study Nazi Germany, but you're not going to look at the Black Panthers and you're not going to look at the civil rights movement. and you're not going to look at Reconstruction, and you're not going to look at Jim Crow. Reconstruction. Yes. Yes.

You're not going to come up with any viable solutions. Yes. Because resistance in Germany came from the Soviet Union coming in with us. Right. And, you know, but resistance in America comes from black and indigenous and Latino people. Yes. Yes. And we did it. Yeah. Yes. And labor movements. And all it. So you have got to become more familiar with your own people, with your own people. And that's a little difficult in America, right?

Because we're like, you know, we're not really a melting pot. We're more of like a weird mixed chopped salad. Yes. But we tend to be in our little, on purpose, our separated, segregated neighborhoods and our segregated schools and we don't associate with. And we do like Black History Month and then we forget to read about any other point of black history outside of that. Yeah. And we'll do like Indigenous People's Day on Columbus Day and never read another piece of history. And all that is a disservice because those are the effective resistance.

methods that we can take and carry forward as we move through this administration. And we will. We will come out on the other side. But like... I love it. Even something like the Gilded Age, right? Like that, I think, is one of the most important historical analogs, the late 19th century, because in the Gilded Age, we had an oligarchy. There was no income tax. Like, the Rockefellers, there was so much corruption at every level of government. Jim Crow was on the rise, was being born out of that era. Yeah. Labor unions were coming online. And all of that, like, if there are so many parallels, but we made so many mistakes then. We made so many, we let the

Klan come back. Our labor unions were segregated. Yes. Purposefully segregated. We got lots of things like the FDA and government regulations and things like that that were born out of all this corruption, but then we went way too far into scoldy moralizing and got prohibition,

which was a terrible idea. So we need to avoid that. We need to avoid leaving behind people like we did during the Gilded Age because that's what Americans tend to do. We like momentum. We like forward. We progress. And we leave behind all these people who've been oppressed and marginalized, and we just ignore them. So we need to, we need to look at our own history and learn not just from the effective resistance of the past, but the mistakes we made in the past. And we can't

really do that looking at Nazi Germany because that ended with a bumper. Those weren't our mistakes. Yeah, exactly. He killed himself and then we, you know, set up NATO and left. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's not what we need to do here. My biggest gripe was like, yeah, like, especially with like the leftover Nazis was like, we didn't go hard enough on that. You know what I'm saying? Like, we should have like really stamped that out. But you really cook it, man. Like, I mean, you already nailed it.

I see, yeah, Gilded Age slave catchers. Like to me, this is like, this is some Dred Scott shit to me. Yes. You know what I'm saying? And yeah, all that. Like, because that was like we're saying, okay, who's a citizen? Yeah. You know what I'm saying?

That was the Dred Scott question, right? Or just like, you know, states rights versus federal rights. Marlboro versus Madison, like all this stuff. Like you said, like we've already fleshed out that in my mind is playing. But I, but the Gilded Age thing is like, nah, dude, like you cooking because, man, you got me all excited in my history, man, I'm excited now. I wish you could see my toes tapping. But like, yeah, because I'm like, okay, you think I like the Pinkertons.

You think about like the ways for which a collective movement being broke in the sense that like you had these, you know, steel workers in Pittsburgh that would strike and then they would just go get freed slay. to be like, well, y'all could go do this. And it's like, man, what the hell you want me to do, dog? You know what I'm saying? Like, like... Exactly, yes.

I mean... Like, you had any choice. I don't have no choice. You know what I'm saying? It's like, to the regime, like, touchy. It was a really good move. You know what I'm saying? As somebody's trying to hold on to a regime.

But like, to your point, like, it's always like, and this is the hard part for me, even talking about black history, which is something I want to come back to with, like, the cost of this is different for, like, African American communities. this costs us more. You know what I'm saying? It's going to, in the long run, cost us all. Don't get me wrong. But what you're asking,

especially at that moment, going back to the Gilded Days, what you're asking me to step into, we're not ponying up the same amount of money here. You know what I'm saying? So I just wonder, like you said, like what are those lessons me living in Los Angeles, like, you know, with ice rage,

being a part of like deeply student in the Latino community? Like, what's the strategic, Because, you know, black people get out there, police open fire. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, they're going to kill us. You know what I mean?

So like, is this strategic by us, like, kind of like, well, we'll be in the back row. Like, what's happening here? You know what I'm saying? Like, so what are those lessons? What are ways for which we can like, like you said, like, look at how America has responded to its, you know, hydra that's that's rearing itself again. is an interesting thing. But I think the last thing before I'm going to ask you about predictions is this thing about Black History, this being Black History Month.

So the hard part for me is like, especially with like children, like I taught high school for six years, you know, when when discussing blackness or like you said, Indigenous Day or whatever, like it's this carve out right that is, you know, a corrective force, right? but the carve out a lot of times tends to just be like trivia. Like vocabulary like, like, oh, did you know that this person? Did you do it? You know what I'm saying? And it's like, of course, because you're trying to like, I get it.

You're trying to wet the appetite. You know what I'm saying? But it's a carve out to me that's not in the context. It's not context embedded. It's not a part of history. It's this carve out that's taught as trivia. You know what I'm saying? Like an afterthought.

Yeah, or an add on. It's like you said, but then like you said, but then never talked about again as if Like, well, it's like, well, we were there the whole time. We're in every chapter. We're in all the semesters you're about to talk through. Like, we was at all of them. You know what I'm saying? And it's just like, so we're just going to not point at the black people for the rest of the year when you talk about this.

While there needs to be, and of course I'm a product of it, like the specificity of a moment to say, I just want to stop right here and say that this person was this. You know what I'm saying? But, like, what are ways for which we can re-imble? the female voices, the indigenous voices, the black voices back into just the curriculum, period, which is bastardized by what Maga's trying to say. You know what I'm saying? Like the bastardized version of that that is clearly obviously racist. You know what I'm saying?

So like a lot of times we start talking about this, they'd be like, you know what? That's our point. And I'm like, hold up because that's not your point. You know what I'm saying? That's not the point you make it. Right? The point I'm making is saying we were there the whole time. Yeah. And I would love to have the dignity of being there the whole time. You know what I'm saying? So I say that to echo your point about like, we're just going to stop talking about natives after indigenous. Like they was there. You know what I'm saying? Like. Yeah. And it matters today. Like I just got into it on threads or Instagram or whatever. Some platform with some leftist, which is I'm not, it's not a criticism of leftism. Yeah. But he was.

saying, like, he was criticizing Kamala Harris' campaign. Fine. I don't care how you told him. Kamala Harris. But he was a white guy, and he was saying she kept making pitches about what she could do for the black community, but she never said what she could do for white people. And I was like, my good bitch. First of all, you made that up. Like, she went on all black podcast once, and you took that to me that she didn't care about white people. Yeah. And, like, Second of all, what part of like first-time home buyer tax credit signals to you, I only care about black people? Yeah. Like the idea that policies or history books or whatever that have black people in them or that would benefit black people only benefit black people is one of the reasons why we're in this stupid situation that we're in now.

Because yeah, it's bizarre. The recognition of how black and indigenous and Latino people have been in this country since the beginning of the Spanish. Spanish had been here longer than the English for what it's worth. Spanish has been spoken in this country longer than English. Yeah. To put a pin in that. That raises everyone's boats. Like, policies that benefit our marginalized communities.

Yeah. Benefit everyone else. Yeah. Like, the rising tide truly does raise all of the ships. Yeah, totally. And we can't get to an understanding of that without understanding the history. Because, like, take, for example, what we're dealing with right now, mostly direct attacks on the 14th Amendment, which is a reconstruction-era amendment.

That was because us, guys. Yes. And attacks on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was passed to ensure that all black citizens could vote. So the things that are fucking up white people right now are because you don't understand why we got them in the first place. Yes. That's my rant. You cook it. No, you nailed it.

That was my exact point. You're making my exact point. I'm just like, no, this is like we were here. We're part of the country. So last thing is like besides the prediction of not counting Trump going to try to cancel the midterms, which is like, I was like, I don't know why we're talking about midterms. He's going to try to cancel. But besides that, like, who should we have our eye on? What do you think? Oh, for the midterms over 28. Midterms. Okay. I think we're going to win the midterms. Okay.

I think that the decentralization, the federalization of elections the way that every state runs their own elections, I don't see a logistical way for him to prevent that from happening. Period. He could tell states not to have elections, I suppose. The only ones that would obey him would be red states, in which case we would have a congressional election of only Democrats that go to the hill. Yeah. Fine.

Sounds good to me. That's how we got the Reconstruction era amendment. It was the conservatives in the South stayed home. Yeah. And didn't go to Congress. So, fine. But I don't think that's going to happen. Because there are too many Republicans in red states who want to run for governor and

you want to be senators. And they're already having fundraisers. So I do think we're going to have the midterms. And I think we're going to win. And I'm basing that on the special elections that we've been having. For sure. Yeah. Since January of last year.

And it's not just, you know, I mean, special elections are different. We're like plus 13 on average overperformance in special elections. That's not going to replicate itself in the midterms. because special elections tend to be, like, very partisan. People are very dedicated to coming out. But in the last couple of special elections that we've had in Texas, New Jersey, Louisiana, Republicans have flipped. Yeah. And that is where I'm like, oh, it's in the back.

Like, maybe the majority won't be huge. I don't know that it's going to be a landslide because they're going to fuck with it, whatever. Voter's oppression is real. But I do think that at least the House we're going to win. And the Senate, I'm looking at, I think Alaska is super interesting. Ohio, North Carolina for sure. Everybody loves Roar Cooper in North Carolina. Texas. Whether you like

Jasmine Crocko or Tala Rico, either one of them are interesting. You know, Texas could be interesting. So, yeah, I think it's... Love it. If I were a Republican, I would be very nervous. You better be because, like, you can't pretzel yourself any worse. Like, I think people forget that, like, ambition didn't die when Trump became president. People still are ambitious. And at some point,

you're going to realize, like, shit ain't working, homie. Which brings us the last one. If we got time, yeah, let me ask you about 2028. What do you think? It's too... Third term? It's too... No, God. No, he's not going to make it that long.

I was like, he's going to... I keep telling all my friends. I was like, I think you have to accept that he's going to die in office. Anyway. But yeah. Yeah. He's not going to make...

It's going to be... It's going to be Vance. Although I think he'll have some competition maybe for Marjorie Taylor Green. I think she's going to try to run. I think Marjorie's running. What about tuck? I don't...

I think he might go for like a cabinet position. You think so? He's just like this stupid little bowtack. I don't think anybody would go for him. I don't know. I can't stand at me. I really don't like him. I can't.

But yeah. He's so unlikable. But so is J.D. Vance, to be honest. Anyway, on our side, you know, it's so early. Yeah. And I think that there are people who are starting to poke their heads up now. Like, I think Osaf in Georgia is starting to be a little.

And he's the best fundraiser in the Senate. So the two best fundraisers are actually a ticket I would really be interested in, which is Osaf and AOC. They're the two best fundraisers. fun readers within the party. And that's a ticket I would not be upset about, you know? Damn. AOC ticket would be crazy.

I'm not necessarily on the Newsom train. I'm not going to lie. I'm not really on the Newsom train. Sister, tell you a little secret about how California feels about Newsom. I know, I know. Which is not so much of a secret. Yeah, not so hot.

We'd definitely be looking at our like, our, like, red, our Orange Counties are our Red states. And they'd be like, Gavin Newsome. We're like, yeah, no, yeah. Yeah. Sure. hard agree. Yeah, no, for real. Same. Hard agree. Yeah. Anyway. I appreciate that he was one of the first high-profile Democrats to stand up to Trump in this administration. I appreciate that. That's not good enough

reason for me to make a president. Not the president. Yeah, I'm like, you're not, yeah, you're not a flaming bag of shit. I got it. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, you're a decent hill. You're not a fascist. Like, okay, but you're willing to get on a podcast because for some reason you want like, I don't understand where your, where's your code, you know. And also I'm like, I don't know, man, you know, a grown man like that still slicking his hair back is, it's just odd to me. That's going to do it for some like 60-year-old ladies in the suburbs, though. He's going to have like a Kennedy thing, you know, like, oh, he's so handsome. But that's but so is also.

Osaf is handsome? Osoff's handsome. Yeah, maybe. Go with that guy. I don't know, bro. Yeah, no, you just, I feel like he, like, here's the thing about, about we need to end. this. But the thing about Gavin and me is I'm like, there's this just like sheen to where it's just like, oh, you need to be liked. And like, you know, it's this whole like L.A. transplant thing, like,

you know, where everybody's like, oh, it's so Hollywood. And we're like, natives are like, those are all transplants. We're not like that. You know what I'm saying? So, but to me, he just has that to where I'm just like, oh, you need to be the prom king. You need to like, oh, you need this too much. You feel me like? And to me, I'm like, ooh. I don't. I don't. I can't ride like this is you need to you need you need you need to be popular too much and I don't yeah I prefer a precedent I can't trust you yeah they need to resent being there a little bit I feel like it needs to feel like you gotta like you gotta kind of be like I'll be all right if it don't work out yeah you know there needs to be a sense of service yeah yeah yeah yeah man my camera turns off every half hour

I don't know why stuff to figure that out anyway but that's a good sign for us to wrap this up Please, can you drop all the ad mentions for your stuff so that these people can enjoy what I enjoy? It's Amanda's mild takes everywhere, except not blue sky. I can't deal with that, but everywhere else. Yeah, Amanda's mild takes with the Petty'sburg Address. It's brilliant. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you.

We appreciate it. Y'all, go please, you know, she'll be over there dropping jams. It's just a good time. It Could Happen Here is a production of Cool Zone Media. from Cool Zone Media, visit our website, Coolzonemedia.com, or check us out on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can now find sources for it could happen here listed directly in episode descriptions. Thanks for listening.

1969, Malcolm and Martin are gone. America is in crisis. And at Morehouse College, the students make their move. These students, including a young Samuel L. Jackson, locked up the members of the Board of Trustees, including Martin Luther King's. senior. It's the true story of protests and rebellion in black American history that you'll never forget. I'm Hans Charles. I'm in a little like Lamumba. Listen to the A building on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Over the last couple years, didn't we learn that the folding chair was invented by black people because of what happened in Alabama?

This Black History Month, the podcast, Selective Ignorance with Mandy B, unpacks black history and culture with comedy, clarity, and conversations that shows. shake the status quo. The Crown Act in New York was signed in July of 2019 and that is a bill that was passed to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles associated with race. To hear this and more, listen to Selective Ignorance

with Mandy B from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Bowen-Yin. And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys' Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan Cortina-2026 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends.

Hey Elmo. Hey Matt, hey Bowen. Hi, Cookie. Hi. Now the Winter Olympic Games are underway, and we are in Italy to give you experiences from our hearts to your ears. Listen to two guys, five rings on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What is something you've had to unlearn about love? That it's earned. That I was unworthy of love.

That it needs to be forever for it to count. February is the month of love. Whether you're in a relationship, casually dating, or proudly single, it's a great time to reflect on yourself and what you want. I'm Hope Woodard, host of the Boy Sober podcast, and each week we're looking at love from every angle. Listen to Boy Sober. That's B-O-Y-S-O-B-E-R. On the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an I-Heart podcast, guaranteed human.