The Daily Zeitgeist - The Dead-a-Verse, Afroman WINS! 03.20.26

Episode Date: March 20, 2026

In this episode, Jack and Miles are joined by award-winning queer cultural critic, educator, podcaster, and public speaker Ramzi Fawaz to discuss…The death of the Meta-Verse, another disappointing US robotics demo, Afroman beating his defamation case, A24's remake of 'Bloodsport' and much more! China's humanoid robots perform incredible martial arts stunts for Chinese New Year Robot Goes Berserk in California Restaurant, Dragged Away by Staff After Smashing Tableware Rapper Afroman wins defamation lawsuit against Ohio police over house raid | AP News Michaela Coel to Remake Jean-Claude Van Damme's 'Bloodsport' for A24 LISTEN: French Kiss - Judgement G & Shining BreezeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian is Miles' imaginary friend. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah. Listen, better than a chat bot. That's what I say. It's actually his imaginary chatbot. Oh, okay, sorry. It doesn't even have a chat bot.

Yeah, yeah. He doesn't even have a real chat bot. He's real spooked by technology. I know. If we can fit it in sometime today, I'll mention some as their Perel just did an episode with somebody and how he's in love with his chat bot. Oh, Esther.

It really stressed me out. It really stressed me out. I actually was like angry. Because when you hear her voice, when you hear the chat bot's voice about a third of the way through, you're just thinking like, it's a woman.

And then she starts talking, and it's basically a little girl. And I was like, this is fucked up. I'm like you, what you're obsessed with is not only like, of course,

people love this idea of like a robot that does everything that you wanted to do. Like, what a new is about. back. Yeah, like, of course you love it because it's like it tells, it makes you feel good about yourself. But the fact that it has to come in the form of of like a girl's voice.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm just like, that is so weird. What is going on there? So did Esther Perel know or like, she's like, oh, let's hear the voice and then it's like, like, some child voice? And then she was, she's so good. You know she's so generous and loving and she's not, she's so deeply

compassionate. It was the first time, I think in many, many episodes where I felt her reached like the limit of her ability to fully, like there was a moment later in the episode where she's like, I feel like maybe at some point I have to just say that like this is a delusion. Right. Like I don't want to tell you. She mentioned that it sounds like a little girl? She never talked about that, which I thought was odd.

That's not like her. She's usually very like, yeah. She's usually, I just found that so odd. I was just like, wow. It may have been just so disorienting. to meet someone who's sincerely having these interactions, and you're like, yeah. I mean, maybe the fucking layer of that it's a child voice is like tertiary,

a tertiary thing. What's happening to us that we're so petaphaelike as a culture, like is this about, like, part of what unfolds from that episode is like, we live in a culture where people feel so shitty about themselves, where people are made to feel so awful all the time. Capitalism tells you don't make enough money. Paterenormativity tells you you're never good enough or desire, enough, your body isn't right enough, like everybody feels awful.

So they sort of begin to eroticize youth and innocence because children are controllable in a way and tell you that you're awesome. Like there's a way in which we associate like innocence and youth with like being made to feel king like because you're bigger and you are more in control. And so like all of those things get like the big thing that comes out in the episode is that he just never felt good enough anywhere he's been, not where he works, not from his parents. And so she's just like, you're amazing. And you're just like...

Is that the strategy? Just be like, you're so good. Yeah. I mean, I don't know that it's fixable. It's a fucked up, yeah. It's like maybe we could just try to make people feel better about themselves without also like constantly ceding the void. Right.

But is it on us or is it on the massive wealth extraction machine that we all live inside? I feel like always the self-help industry makes it seem like it's like on us. It's like, well, we're not giving them the support. And it's like, I don't know, man. Get it together. Yeah. I'm Bailey Taylor and this is it girl. You may know me from my It Girl series I've done on the streets of New York over the years.

Well, I've got good news. I am bringing those interviews and many more to this podcast. Yes, we will talk about the style and the success, but we are also talking about the pressure, the expectations, and the real work with the women's shaping culture right now. As a woman in the industry, you're always underestimated. So you have to work extra hard, and you have to push the narrative in a way that doesn't compromise who you are in your integrity. You know, I like to say I was kind of like a silent ninja. Each week, I have unfiltered conversations with female founders, creatives, and leaders to talk

about ambition, visibility, and what it really takes to build something meaningful in the public eye. Because being a Nick Girl isn't about the spotlight. light, it's about owning it. I think the negatives need to be discussed and they need to be told to people who maybe don't do this every day just so they know what's really going on. I feel like pulling the curtain back is important. Listen to It Girl with Bailey Taylor on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why hasn't a woman formally participated in a Formula One race weekend in over a decade? Think about how many skills they have to develop at such a young age.

What can we learn from all of the new F1 romance novels suddenly popping up every year? He still smelled of podium champagne and expensive friction. And how did a 2023 event called Wagageddon change the paddock forever? That day is just seared into my memory. I'm culture writer and F1 expert Lily Herman, and these are just a few of the questions I'm tackling on no grip, a Formula One Culture podcast that dives into the under-explored pockets of the sport. In each episode, a different guests and I will go deeper into the wacky mishap, scandals and sagas, both on the track and far away from it, that have made F1 a delightful, decadent dumpster fire for more than 75 years.

Listen to No Grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Good people. What's up? What's up? It's Questlove. So recently, I had the incredible opportunity to have a real conversation with actors and producer, Jamie Lee Curtis, ahead of the release of her new thriller series. Scarpetta. I can honestly say I've never done an interview like that before. You know, at one point, I shut my laptop down. And we just started chatting as old friends, recent Oscar recipient. So we have some commonality there. I predicted that, by the way. And you said these words to me, dust off your mantle. Yes. And I looked at you and I said, what? And you said, dust off your mantle. And then I left and that was it. And then when all of that happened, I remember the next morning, I think I wanted to like write you and go, how did you know?

Listen to the Questlove show on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, this is Joe Winterstein, host of the Spirit Daughter podcast, where we talk about astrology, natal charts and how to step into your most vibrant life. And I just sat down with a mini driver. The Irish traveler said when I was 16, you're going to have a terrible time with men. Actor, storyteller, and unapologetic Aquarian visionary. Aquarius is all about freedom-loving and different perspectives. And I find a lot of people with strong placements in Aquarius are misunderstood.

A son and Venus and Aquarius in her seventh house spark her unconventional approach to partnership. He really has taught me to embrace people. sleeping in different rooms, on different houses and different places, but just an embracing of the isness of it all. If you're navigating your own transformation or just want to chart side view into how a leading artist integrates astrology, creativity, and real life, this episode is a must listen. Listen to the Spirit Daughter podcast starting on February 24th on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast.

I'm Clayton Eckerd, and in 2022, I was the lead of ABC. The Bachelor. Unfortunately, it didn't go according to plan. He became the first Bachelor to ever have his final rose rejected. The internet turned on him. If I could press a button and rewind it all I would. But what happened to Clayton after the show made even bigger headlines. It began as a one-night stand and ended in a courtroom, with Clayton at the center of a very

strange paternity scandal. The media is here. This case has gone viral. The dating contract. Agree to date me, but I'm also suing you. Please search more. This is unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm Stephanie Young.

This is Love Trapped. This season, an epic battle of He Said She Said, and the search for accountability in a sea of lies. Listen to Love Trapped on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, the internet, and welcome to season 430, episode 5 of Dirt Daily. Zykeyes, cheer! It's a production of iHeartRadio. It's a podcast where we take a deep dive into American Share Consciousness through the day's news.

We have a new non-news history version of the Daily Zykeyes dropping each Monday morning where we do a deep dive into the Zykeyes through the lens of a different icon, something that passes the test of, could you dress up like it for Halloween and people would know what it is? Last week we did Stephen King, or a couple weeks ago we did Stephen King. We did the grays, the alien grays, and the... And then this week we did leprechauns because they're for the holiday. Yeah.

To honor my, my, uh, I did, I did nothing. I traveled and tried to stay awake. I did not because it was at the end of a long trip where I was just, I had one piece of clean clothes left and I also didn't pack. I didn't plan ahead and pack green clothes. All right. It's all right. Anyway, so those are the episodes on Monday with icon and the title.

It's Friday. March 20th, 20th, 2026. Oh, thank God. It's Friday. Isn't that,

is that a saying still? I hope so. Yeah. Well, it is Friday. And today you can celebrate National Macaron Day.

If you like this French pastries, shout out of macaron. National Future Generations Day, I guess you go, Hey, sorry about that. It's super. Yeah.

It's already done. Yeah. National Arabad Day. Right. National Native HIV AIDS Aware Ernest Day, National Ravioli Day, and spring Beginneth. Today.

Is it the quinox of some sort? Hey, Vern. It's the Vernal equinox, Vern. Vern. Hey, burn. Remember Ernest? Does anybody remember that? Don't think we don't have an icon episode coming up about Ernest. Hell yeah. My name is Jack O'Brien, AK.

Our beers, they are gone. Our dogs all harassed. The little ones now they. run very fast our riches and gold were hoarded up last wife's eye bruises rapidly fading the milk's watered down the baby must fast lepracons i am a blaming that one courtesy of new chris and snarfula in reference to our theory that letprechauns might have been invented as a way for drunk people to blame their behavior on something magical and mystical in the pre-camera era, dude, you could have claimed anything.

A fucking leopard car. Came in here, spilled everything. Must have crawled under their warmth. I'm thrilled to be joined, as always, by my co-host, Mr. Miles Gray. Hey, an honor of Afro man who just got through his defamation trial. It's Miles Gray, aka, I just lost my job because of AI. Ooh, I got paid and escorted out because of AI. the planet's all fucked up and I know why

yeah because of AI because of AI because of AI shout out LA's very own Palmdale's very own Afro Man and Paul Garaventa for that AKA. I thought you're going to Docs one of our AKA writers. Miles, we're thrilled to be joined in our third seat by an English professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he teaches courses in queer and feminist theory, American cultural studies, and LGBTQ literature.

He's the author of The New Mutants, Superheroes, and the radical imagination of American comics, and queer forms, and the host of the podcast, Nerd from the Future. Welcome back to this show. Ramsey for what! Hashtag, blessed, hashtag gratitude, folks. Thank you for asking me. And you never get that wrong, Jack.

LGBTQ you the diction is perfection it's amazing do people not say that correctly the execution when someone's trying to explain that another human being is a clear studies professor there's always something that goes wrong

there's always like a what what like there's always like that's a thing I can say now the next time I say LGBTQ I'm going to fuck it up you've put the pressure on me Just chew it up.

You're like, it was a bit too close. There you go. LBG? LJ, yeah. RBGs? RBG.

Now that's what I'm talking about. Hell yeah. I am RBG plus. Okay. Big plus seven more years on the bench. That's right. That's a new gender. How are you doing?

You've been on once before an immediate fan favorite, immediate favorite of ours. So we're thrilled to have you back. Yeah. No, I loved being here. I'm delighted to be back. I'm in California, so I'm in the same time zone with you. I'm delighted.

Everybody's complaining about the heat wave. I just came from a blizzard. So this is perfect. I love a cool 92. Sounds great. You guys, I was on the plane and I heard it woman. God bless. This is so Midwestern.

Say to a man next to her. You know, I really prefer the cold because when you start really low, you can always go up. And I thought, what is this Midwestern Tom Foolishness? Tom Foolery. I almost turned to her and was like, you need to take that back right now. Take it back right now. This is unacceptable.

What do you say? I prefer it freezing. Get out of here. Grow up. Nah, nah. Can always go up. Okay. Well, it could always go up.

What would hope it will will. Could also go down. You could also have hypothermia while you're waiting for it to go up. Yeah, maybe. Maybe, maybe, but I like to look at it going up. She should have told that to Jack Dawson in Titanic when he was in the water. It can only go up from here.

It could go up, Jack. Don't worry. You don't need to get on the door. It could totally go up. Actually, as he sinks to the ice cold heart of the ocean you're going down. You're going to be cryo preserved. So don't worry about it. It's the next big craze. Has anybody thought about that for the sequel?

They go out there and they try to find his preserved body? He's just like an ice cube. He comes out when I'm frozen, K. Manloir. Those fish ate the fuck out of his face. You know that. That's true. That's true.

Crap. Let's hope they didn't because if he looked like Leonardo DiCaprio looked at the Oscars. Talk about eating. Eat that. Gorgeous. I was like, this man, we could use a sequel with a mustache. That's your producer, Victor, has informed me that, unironically, there are AI trailers of that concept. Of Jack Dawson, of Jack being frozen,

Unfrozen caveman Jack Dawson. Like Encino Man kind of shit? Yeah. They pull them out like Enceo Man. Oh, wow. Amazing. Wow. Thank God for AI.

It's the next IP. Ramsey, we're thrilled to have you here. Our time zones are synced and we're going to get to know you a little bit better in a moment. First, we're going to tell the listeners a couple of things we're talking about. We do just want to bid a fond adieu. to the Metaverse, which seems to be fully closing up shop. And there's a movie or there's a video announcing the Metaverse with like Mark Zuckerberg and another meta employee from the very early days that I just want to take a quick look at

because I've never seen two people who are like so over rehearsed on a thing that like they have stopped. Everything has stopped making sense about what they're saying and what they're doing. So we'll talk about that. We'll talk about we're going to do a little robot comparison, how robots are doing in the U.S. versus in China. And of course, we will talk about Afro-Man's big win in court, as well as a Bloodsport remake coming at us from.

It might sound like it is like, you know, something that was demanded by Donald Trump along with like Rush Hour 4. this reboot of Bloodsport is being written and directed by Michaela Cole of I May Destroy You, a true fucking genius. So I can't wait to see what this is. I just like I'm looking forward to even hearing what the concept is.

So we'll talk about all of that plenty more. But first, Ramsey, we do like to ask our guest, what is something from your search history that's revealing about who you are? I think I looked up every single person's outfit at the Oscars. Mm-hmm. And who is? I'm just obsessed with fashion.

Obviously, I looked up Pedro Pascal, you know, my fantasy husband, who now has a husband. That's deeply painful. Yeah, could have been you. I looked up Jesse Buckley's dress. I looked up, I was really intrigued by what looked like a very Japanese or like an Indian Nero jacket of Michael B. Jordan. My great joy of the night that he won. So I was just really interested, Tiana Taylor, like that whole outfit was like custom made for her. I mean, all of those outfits are custom-made.

So I'm a fashion. Anybody who knows me, I'm obsessed with this brand called Yisimaki, I'm wearing it right now. Okay. You're wearing a lovely shirt. I could tell. I could tell from the texture. I know that fabric.

I love it, right? You love a pleat. I love a sensible pleat. And EC is sort of like my uniform. And the other day, I saw somebody at the actor awards wearing a full Yisimaki suit that I was like on the verge of buying. And I thought, okay, I'm like, I'm trying to, you know, keeping my style in order.

There you go. There you go. And did you also buy like an outfit similar to what Kevin O'Leary was wearing at the arrival? Remind me what Kevin O'Leary was wearing? Oh, it's probably better. I just show you what Kevin O'Leary wore at the Oscars. Oh my God. Yes.

I didn't even put it two together. Scary. Scary. I didn't even know what was happening. I was like, what is going on? Don't you have a stylist? I mean, he probably does. And they're taking him for a ride where they're like, yeah, Kevin, you want the most audacious.

Yeah. you know, over the top. Can you explain what it was to people who weren't able to watch the Oscars? What was he wearing? It looked like a metallic, like, home sponge. Tuxedo that like maybe Maximus would have wore on an acid trip from Gladiator because it has like Roman sort of Greek inscriptions, like that kind of like classical antiquity sort of depictions on the, all over the jacket, along with a $12 million

dollar NBA card around his neck. You know, the pricing on it has shifted everywhere I've looked. Like one minute, it's, yeah, it's horrific. Yeah. Whatever this was. One minute is 12 million. One minute's nine. One minute's 30.

I have no idea. But also get it out of here. Yeah. His jacket looks like there's this one year where our school like got caught up in a, like my elementary school got caught up in like one of those scams where they're like, if you sell this many magazines to your neighbors, Oh, magazine drive. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You will, like, be able to buy an item from these preset things. And I got my mama jewelry box that looked exactly like, like, it had like this metal embroidery over it, but it like looked like total shit. Yeah, right. And I gave you lead poisoning. Yeah, exactly. Jack, by the way, that's pretty gay.

Mother. That's something that I would have done. Mother, I've gotten you. Mother. I have a jewel box for you. I've got you a jewel box. That's something I've got as a child.

I was so disappointed in the quality. And that is what that is what Mr. Wanderth is getting. I don't remember. I don't think I did that well. I remember at our school, I don't know if this is the same like the minimum.

Like you could get a prize if you sold one magazine subscription. Yeah. Oh, wow. That was the weeple. I don't know if you remember weepels. They were basically cotton balls with, eyes and then like adhesive feet.

So you could just put that shit on your desk, wherever. Oh, my God. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that was like the whole thing. You don't remember these weepels? I don't. Entry level. That's like entry level.

That's right. That was the first thing. And like I remember too in the 90s you get a see-through telephone. Oh, those were cool. Those were cool. Oh, yeah. I remember these little guys. That's actually really cool.

That's what you got for one magazine. And I remember that was like kind of the sucker prize and everybody's trying to get that pizza party. And it always went to this one kid whose mom worked at a bank and she worked the entire fucking bank building she worked in. And like, but with a bunch of childless coworkers. So all the money was like to David Hamanaka. I fucking remember you, David.

Fucking Hamanaka. That's cheating. That's cheating. Holy God. Ramsey, what is something you think is underrated? Real conflict. Real conflict. Real productive conflict.

Like actually arguing the people and figuring shit out. We were talking about this earlier. like the inability to actually have friction with anybody, the fact that people want to have girlfriends and boyfriends as chatbots who can't argue with you? What's your problem? Yeah. Can't you have a fight with someone?

Right. Don't you disagree? Are you okay? Yeah. What is going to happen to you? I know, I love conflict too. This is the same problem in my life. He's like, yes.

I'm not afraid of conflict. Hell yeah. I'm like, you want to go? We will fucking go and I will be like a laser beam in a conversation. Do you and your mom have a lot of like, Like, do you have a lot of debates with your mom? The best, most productive conflicts ever. My mom and I were unbelievably close.

Right. I am not conflict diverse because I have the most confrontational mother of all time. Same. So I always had to be able to stand on business, explain what the fuck I was doing, what I was thinking, because she would fucking rip my shit up in real time. I think that is such a gift that she gave you. Yeah. Such a gift.

I'm always like, at the time, I was like, hell yeah, bro. I'm way more on top of my shit because I always know, I'm like, I'm going to have to cross swords with an adult. Totally. Totally. Is this the right thing? Conflict avoidance, I think is like the root cause of like almost everything that is horrific in our society. Yeah.

Conflict avoidance, we talked about this last time I was on a show is like why people like Trump exist. People who just want to get by and get along and not argue, I see it all the time at my university. Like I work at a really incredible public university in the Midwest. Midwestern culture is all about like

be nice to people. Don't say anything. don't fight. And so what happens is people have seething resentments about everything. They're mad at everyone without explaining why and without talking to them. And it explodes in the most random places. And the handful of us that are willing to be like, well, this business is off or whatever. People know that that needs to be said and are also like, why are you making a problem? And it's just like, grow up. Talk to human beings.

Part of what sexy and fun and engaging about being with people is sometimes being like, wow, that's fucked up. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever you just said is like, not for me. Like, can we work it out? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Can we get through? The last thing I'll say is, like,

I didn't say one of the best moments in one of my greatest friendships ever, was one of my dearest friends. We had like this horrible fight at the end of graduate school because we hadn't really seen each other for a few months and we had been so close. And we were at a coffee shop, but we were like yelling at each other.

We were like, I'm so mad at you. I'm so upset, whatever. And there was a moment where I think I got really anxious if she reached her hand over and she put her hand on my hand and she's like, you know that this is forever, right? You know, like this thing that we have is forever. So whatever this is, we will get through it. Right?

But like, let's hash it out now. And it was such an amazing reminder that you can have conflict and not lose. Right? Like you can gain something as a result of that conflict. And I think the fact that we are all lonely, that there's a loneliness epidemic, has something to do with the inability to deal with the pain of sometimes being rejected,

of sometimes having people be mad at you or disagreeing and knowing that it can get sorted. This, like, reminds me exactly of that clip we were talking about, Jack, with Don Lemon breaking up that like Gen Z friend group by asking if Trump was doing the Iran war, right? The Iran war, right? What did you say? Are you serious right now? Was, wild. Like, that is truly like everything that we're talking about.

For people who don't remember, Don Lemon pulled up on a group of friends, like in their early 20s, and asked, hey, like, do you think Trump is handling the war in Iran properly? The war in Iran. I think Trump's doing the right thing, honestly. What so? I got no comment on that. You don't know why?

No, I'm just taking a guess. You're just guessing that he's doing it? So confident. And see, someone who does that, again, probably is not pressed on their beliefs ever if they're like, no, I'm just taking a guess. And you're stupid, actually. You look stupid for even. following up with that question actually.

You kind of look dumb dog. And his friend is even like, what's my take here? I don't know about that. Are you serious? Yeah. How do you, how do you feel?

I mean, I don't know. I don't think it's something right thing. Is this a joke? Is this a joke? Yeah. No, it's not. It's not.

All right, you can fucking drive home, bro. I don't walk home. You didn't even drive a car. Shut your face. I know. You're in like a city. He's going to be able to.

to get home. But also, I do like that he's like, I mean, walk home, sorry. He can't even be confrontational. This friend literally doesn't know what happened. I mean, that is the definition of toxic masculinity, right? Which is like, I don't want to have to explain myself. And I'm exasper. I've been noticing lately, like, one of the defining features of toxic masculinity when you see the Doge Bros being interviewed is a performative exasperation.

Yeah. Right. it's like I can't believe you're asking me to explain and it's like that's what it means to be a fucking member of this planet which is that no one can read your mind. Yes, there are consequences to your actions.

What's the wrong with you? Like, oh, it's so gross. It's so gross. Yeah. Are you fucking serious right now? I don't know, dude. I flagged it for DEI because it had like something about like a gay prisoner

or something, dude. So, oh my God. Will you leave me alone now? Frictionlessness is how everything is being designed. Every aspect of our day-to-day lives, the corporations are just trying to design the friction out of it so that there's just no bit of discomfort. I am naturally conflict-averse,

but me and my chat-bought girlfriend agree it's a problem, and we're working on it together. You're working through it. Yes, exactly. She's been listening to it as their girl. So she's telling you. mainline these last three episodes, please, and then just like come back,

come back to me with some notes. She's all right, right. I mean, as FYI, right. I don't know what's so wrong with the severance thing, by the way. I don't know. Why are they being so weird? That's actually a good way to do things. The Indies are like so, ugh.

You know, why do they have to keep making a problem? Yeah, just deal with the pain. Thank you. That is what that show is about. That's so genius. I remember watching the second season be like, oh, it hit me what this show is about. I was like, this is about the obsession we all have with avoiding pain.

And it's going to become a nightmare on planet Earth. Because that's part of what being, like, right? Like your body is built to feel pain for a reason. Yeah. Yeah. Like all that frictionlessness is basically putting us in a trash chute to hell. You know what I mean? Just frictionless trash shoot and it's going so fast.

So down. It's going so fast. Yeah. But we don't want to get out of the warm bathtub. Like, yeah. So we're just sitting there just waiting. Boiling to death. Yeah, yeah.

What is something you think is overrated? Fucking piling on saying the same stupid bullshit online when somebody gets mad about something. Timothy Chalame says this stupid thing about ballet and opera and 8 million people need to say the same fucking critique. Yes, he's annoying.

I said it on the last episode I visited. Does you know that already? Like, people didn't like Wuthering Heights? Who cares? So one person has a critique. of it now you have to say the same fucking critique 8,000 times you think that the movie is racist? Like, repeating

the same idea online over and over and over again is not a form of cultural criticism. It is completely like it's intellectually bankrupt, it's boring. It is virtue of signaling, even Doja Cat

who I adore, had to publicly go out and be like, I was sort of virtue signaling when I piled on about Timothy Chalame. It's like, enough already. When you hear enough of a something, you should have a wit in your head and come up with another idea

and then say that. You should say something original. I mean, this is, last time I was on your show, I said, I have an article being published about heated rivalry, and it's coming out in June, and it's basically because so many people needed to fillate that show

that I was like, okay, somebody needs to offer an aggressive counter reading, because you guys are unhinged and you need to fucking relax. Right, right, right, right. And I love what somebody said online in the meme. They said, oh, that show is exactly like a gay male relationship today because people are obsessed with it for six weeks and then they ghosted.

Which is exactly true. Exactly true. But I just think, like, this idea that people think it's interesting or compelling to keep repeating the same pablum online over and over and over again, intervening in debates where you have nothing original to say, like, is it completely a, go get busy. go read books, come up with an original idea, and then when you do, say something. Right.

I think there's so much of like, because like now social interactions are just like, well, what did you post on this website about the thing on any topic that the mere participation is seen as like, well, I participated in the thing because I fired that tweet off or I posted that story or whatever. That's such a good point. And it's like, that's not sure, but also like you don't need, that's also not where we're living. You could also just not do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.

Like, it's been said before. Like, okay, somebody said they feel that the casting of Weathering Heights is racist. Got it. Okay, that's a position one can argue with or against or whatever, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. To keep repeating it as though it is now an interesting point when, in fact, there's lots of counterarguments, including the fact, like, as one of my friends who studies the Bronte sisters, by brilliant friend Anthony Michael D'Agostino is actually writing about the response to Weathering Heights. He's like, did you guys all think that the Bronte sisters were,

like great anti-racist in the 19th century. They were part of the fucking landed gentry. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. There's nothing to... Kind of art did you think they were making. Yeah, like, by the way, there is an adaptation of

Weathering Heights in which the main character is black. Why aren't you guys talking about that? Why aren't you watching it? Why aren't you advertising it and circulating it? Needing to then pile on to a single reading? Like, I just thought the other day, the idea that there was

even such a thing as discourse about Tiana Taylor's reaction, positive reaction to Amy Madigan winning the Oscar, the fact that that became a thing that people had to talk about and then she had to publicly say it is good sportsmanship to celebrate.

People have lost the plot. You need to get a life. You need to go out and engage with people, have really production conflict, and leave your life. Yeah, yeah. Brian was saying not having an opinion is also sometimes

a good idea. Like sometimes taking the time to be like, you know what? Maybe I don't need to have anything to say about this. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Like maybe I'm good. Especially if it's not existential. You know what I mean? It's like how we get the illusion of community sometimes.

It's like the. Absolutely. The soilent green like of our, you know, like it's the false like leftover food paste, the bug mash from the snow piercer. You know, like it's what we have as suster. to replace what we used to have, which is like, you know, sloppy, messy, frictional contact with our fellow people. And just like the adventure of a day, like, where you're bouncing off of other people and interacting with them. And now because we don't have that opportunity or because it's being designed and, like, optimized in quotes out of our day to day lives, we have the ability to express opinions that, like, vote one.

way or another on some shit that has been like pre-packaged. One way or another. Like the idea that in a world as complex as this, when we have pop psychology and we talk about emotions and internal family systems and psychedelics and all these things that we literally think that we can just love or hate something is so boring. Like that's what people do. They're just like, I'm obsessed or I hate it. And I'm like, that is the least of what it means to be a human.

Like most things that I adore in the world, I feel deeply conflicted about. And deeply confused and mixed. And some parts of them, I'm really fascinated by something's confused me. And like, I just don't understand this need as though we're all so bored and we're so anemic. We're so starved for engagement with the world. That basically what happens is we're like, I need to feel pure love or pure hate in order to actually feel like I'm feeling something.

Yeah. Because otherwise I'm flatlined. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I am obsessed with that take. Truly goaded, Miles, you hate it, right? Pretty mid.

That was a pretty mid. Yeah, pretty mid. Yeah, she was mid. I'll work on it. She was Middle Earth, dog. Everything is ESPN now. For people of, like, non-sports fans, that's how ESPN's process of sports now is just, like, they get one person up who's like, uh, LeBron James is the best player of all time.

The other person's like, LeBron's a bomb. Like it's just pre-packaged. He's a literal goat. Yeah, yeah. Like he's like a barnyard animal that he's scratched. I actually have some testing that says he's a literal goat made of goat shit. What? Are you talking about it?

Sorry, he's getting engagement. Oh, thank you. Yeah. Let's take a quick break and we'll come back and talk about this weird hellscape. We'll be right back. I'm Bailey Taylor and this is it girl. You may know me from my It Girl series I've done on the streets of New York over the years. Well, I've got good news.

I am bringing those interviews and many more to this podcast. Yes, we will talk about the style and the success, but we are also talking about the pressure, the expectations, and the real work with the women's shaping culture right now. As a woman in the industry, you're always underestimated. So you have to work extra hard and you have to push the narrative in a way that doesn't compromise who you are in your integrity. You know, I like to say I was kind of like a silent ninja.

Each week I have unfiltered conversations with female founders, creatives, and leaders to talk about ambition, visibility, and what it really takes to build something meaningful in the public eye. Because being an it girl isn't about the spotlight, it's about owning it. I think the negatives need to be discussed and they need to be told to people who maybe don't do this every day just so they know what's really going on. I feel like pulling the curtain back is important. Listen to It Girl with Bailey Taylor on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why hasn't a woman formally participated in a Formula One race weekend in over a decade? Think about how many skills they have to develop at such a young age? What can we learn from all of the new F1 romance novels suddenly popping up every year?

He still smelled of podium champagne and expensive friction. And how did a 2023 event called Wag A Geddon change the paddock forever? That day is just seared into my memory. I'm culture writer and F1 expert Lily Herman, and these are just a few of the questions I'm tackling on No Grip, a Formula One culture podcast that dives into the under-explored pockets of the sport. In each episode, a different guest and I will go deeper into the wacky mishap, scandals and sagas, both on the track and far away from it,

that have made F1 a delightful, decadent dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to No Grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Good people, what's up, what's up? Westlove. So recently, I had the incredible opportunity to have a real conversation with actress and producer Jamie Lee Curtis ahead of the release of her new thriller series, Scarpetta. I can honestly say I've never done an interview like that before. You know, at one point I shut my laptop down. And we just started chatting as old friends, recent Oscar recipient. So we have some commonality there. I predicted that, by the way. And you said these

words to me, dust off your mantle. Yes. And I looked at you and I said, what? And you said, dust off your mantle. And then I left and that was it. And then when all of that happened, I remember the next morning, I think I wanted to like write you and go, how did you know? Listen to the Questlove show on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, this is Joe Winterstein, host of the Spirit Daughter podcast, where we talk about astrology, natal charts, and how to step into your most vibrant life. And I just sat down with a mini driver.

The Irish traveler said when I was 16, you're going to have a terrible time with men. Actor, storyteller, and unapologetic Aquarian visionary. Aquarius is all about freedom-loving and different perspectives. and I find a lot of people with strong placements in Aquarius are misunderstood. A son and Venus and Aquarius in her seventh house spark her unconventional approach to partnership. He really has taught me to embrace people sleeping in different rooms, on different houses and different places, but just an embracing of the isness of it all. If you're navigating your own transformation or just want a chartside view into how a leading artist integrates astrology, creativity, and real life,

This episode is a must listen. Listen to the Spirit Daughter podcast starting on February 24th on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. I'm Clayton Eckerd, and in 2022, I was the lead of ABC's The Bachelor. Unfortunately, it didn't go according to plan. He became the first Bachelor to ever have his final rose rejected. The internet turned on him. If I could press a button and rewind it all I would. But what happened to Clayton after the show?

made even bigger headlines. It began as a one-night stand and ended in a courtroom with Clayton at the center of a very strange paternity scandal. The media is here. This case has gone viral. The dating contract.

Agree to date me, but I'm also suing you. Please search warrant. This is unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm Stephanie Young. This is love trapped. This season,

an epic battle of He Said She Said. and the search for accountability in a sea of lies. Listen to Love Trapped on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we're back. And this is not breaking news. You know, the metaverse has been a failure for a long time. Anyone who is of the opinion, you know,

there is like an official stance from people that like the billionaires know best. And like this is, you know, just let the billionaires cook. Yeah. see the future. Let him cook our planet. Truly, let them cook all of us. All of us. And for anybody who has that idea, just metaverse is a great

counterpoint to that, and that he just dumped billions and billions, like tens of billions of dollars into this idea that everybody would want to go live in a virtual reality simulation where nobody had legs and you

couldn't really do anything interesting. They are unwinding their position from that. But I just want to take a look back because somebody named Barry Malone was like, oh, I just wanted to remind people of what the energy was when they launched this. Was it like five, ten years ago?

How long ago was this? Five maybe. I thought it was like five minutes ago. I know. It seems like it was recent. Because it was definitely right around the pandemic, the beginning of the pandemic, because there was suddenly like,

what if we didn't have to live in physical space anymore? That's right. Sure. was kind of like the, that was, the pandemic was like, pitch was made frictionless by our sort of, our lockdown era. No, I thought it was so weird,

but I mean, very on trend for all of these billionaires and these companies, that it was at the very moment that they were being brought into, uh, hearings with the, with Congress about how they were negatively affecting children,

about all of that stuff. They had like the, what is it, the whistleblower? That was the moment that they were like, actually we're going to say that we're God. Actually, we've decided that our response to this criticism is we're going to create an entire area meta, meta meaning like overarching that we are the God universe. And I was like, wow, that tells you everything.

You live in my mind. Right, right. Welcome to my world. But I just want to, I don't know if it's going to be too hard to come across, but I do just want to like watch a couple seconds of this with you guys and just get the the sense of like how this is Narcuckerberg right This is an arc sucker nerd

And one of his employees Just behaving As Barry Malone said in the in the tweet Just two humans having a perfectly natural conversation I can't wait October 2021 Probably sounds like this show Now Deb from our studios team is joining me

Deb, do you want to take us through some of the exciting games in the pipeline for Quest? Absolutely Wow He's doing like these weird hand gestures but again, she explodes already. She explodes. When she says, absolutely, it is with the subtlety of like a silent film actor.

You know, like the gestures are like, absolutely, Mark. It's like it's between a silent film actor and a cheerleader. Right. Yeah. Absolutely. Wow. Over the years, we've had the opportunity to work with incredible developers, like Vertigo games. the studio behind fan favorite

Arizona Sunshine. I love Arizona Sunshine. That game basically got me and my friends through the first few months of the pandemic. That's awesome. That's mainly what I wanted to get to. She reminds me of myself. I feel seen. It's just so bizarre. It's just this weird

hyper-reality where it's like how do we how do we avoid ever having to do this? Because we clearly don't know how to do this, which is have a face-to-face conversation and appear normal and human. I know everybody probably has that same feeling that they hate being around other people.

Let's create a world where they can just like look at other weird blobs of color instead of actually interact with human beings. I wonder if like in the beginning the director of it was like, fuck, this is, this looks like shit. And like, these people are so boring. He's like, all right, maybe, maybe we had some more gesticulation here. Yeah. And that'll, that'll go bigger, guys.

Yeah, yeah. They're so deep. It might be wacky, but just go harder, go harder on the gesticulation. And that's his going hard. That's like the hardest that Zuckerberg can go. It's like speaking louder with like just wider eyes. With like a chat. With like a chat.

Yes. Do you like my haircut? That got me through the first early days of the pandemic. with my friends who I just relocated to my island where we could create our own community that was shut off from the rest of the sick world. Oh, man. Well, RIP to the Metaverse. Yeah, I'm glad.

Great, great use of resources. Wow. I can't think it's going away. I remember it's going away. I remember the mind at all. Yeah. The pitches were crazy in the beginning.

They're like, we have a whole Meta Manhattan. You can buy real estate. Yeah. And right now, I've just bought the entirety of Dumbo for $800. Now, I own that.

So let's say maybe Jay-Z wants to have an album release party in the Metaverse. Well, what cooler area could you do that than in Dumbo? And now I own that. He's going to have to pay me to have his event there. And it's like, people were earnestly saying that about this shit. Like you were somehow, you're like a meta-landlord now. And people, like, no one's fucking doing it. Did you see me?

I just literally yawned. Yeah. I mean, that's like what happened. Yeah. That's what happened. Your body had the correct response. Yeah. Yeah.

My body just shut down. They are banking on the fact that if they make real life miserable enough for all of us, that we will want to escape into the fictional universes that they produce in order to avoid the world that they have wrecked. And at the end of the day, you can keep moving in that direction, and we can keep doing the slippery slope. But like, you are not going to, in a matter of a few decades, actually reverse millions of you.

years of human evolution towards being a social being. It may be that human beings become less social over time. It may be that we become more isolated. It may be that we evolve in a way to move away from each other. That's going to take millions more years. I love the level of hubris that they think that was some corporate bullshit and some infrastructure and that they're going to like remodel the entire basis of the human when like evolution is a process so beyond their ability to think about.

Yeah. It's just like, girl, it's like a last-ditch effort because their fear is that we force them to live in the world we're in. And we want them to live in. You know what I mean? That's exactly right. That we're like, actually no, guess what?

We're going to come join us. You're going to join us, motherfucker. And I think that's the sort of motivation is I think most people should look at. It's like, well, why they are trying to force their world on us, we can also force our world on them in terms of like, something a little more equitable, something that these motherfuckers don't exist in the way they do right now. They want us to go away. They don't want us out in the, like, this is a great example. They want us to go to like some virtual place and like so getting out in the streets and doing

something is their biggest fear. That's the one thing they can't deal with. So they're creating a virtual place for us to go. Literally that. No, Jack, what you were saying earlier about, you know, it's so easy for us to blame ourselves all the time for our actions to be like, I need to get off social media. I need to not buy into this. I need to whatever. But I love what my colleague Caroline Levine, a brilliant scholar at Cornell, she says, but the reality is, well, yes, technically we're all complicit, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. There are an identifiable group of a very small number of human beings who have made the most massively negative impact on the planet. You can identify

the people who are the presidents and CEOs of like Exxon and Enron and this. whatever. And those people have created this nightmare. And it is possible for us to hold them accountable if we wanted to. Yeah, yeah. Which we're really terrible at at this very, at this moment. I'm pitching we name hurricanes after them. Like we need to start shaming them. We need, yes, we need better ideas for shaming them.

You know, it's like, it needs to be vivid. The new Pokemon cards need to be like the oligarchs where you're like, they're like, yeah, bro, I know I know I'm all. I know them all. I know the shame still works. No, but I think it would be helpful. I think just as a communication method, because they certainly don't want to be named. You know, they've been spending a lot of money. They've got Donald Trump elected to like make sure that they don't get named in Epstein files and shit like that.

So like they're working on it. So I feel like they don't want it to happen. And therefore my enemy, like the, you know, in sports, the thing you want to be doing is the thing that your opponent in their gut does not want. want you to be doing, you know? And that's how you know you're making the right strategic decision. Like, I feel like that's, we know what they don't want us to do by how they spend their money. Right. And so that's what we need to be doing. We need to be naming. Yeah. We don't know, like, we don't know the names of like Lee Raymond or Darren Woods. You're right. We know Rex Tillerson because he ascended from Exxon Mobil and went there. But I just named three heads of Exxon

mobile. You know what I mean? And those are those names, you might as well be like, who the who? Yeah. But guess what? These people are sitting at the fucking levers. And I think that's what it is. It's like at the very least, their sense of anonymity needs to fucking go. Yeah, that's actually a really good point.

That's very well said. The very first people who knew about climate change were the ex-odmobile. And they were like, how do we solve this problem? What do you mean? Like stop climate change? No, no, no. How do we solve this problem of like people thinking, like, finding out about it and thinking we're bad guys? Absolutely.

I do just want to talk about these same motherfuckers because in the context of there's just another viral robot fuck up in the in the US at a San Jose restaurant there's like a robot in a Zootopia 2 bib just like doing a dance and just like starts hitting the dishes and they like can't get it to stop dancing

and like hitting dishes and stuff and it's just like it honestly feels like when you're holding somebody back in a fight like a drunk person in like a bar brawl or something like they just like won't it won't stop dancing I just want to I don't think

we talked about it at the time but China had a robot display yes was it for like the new year it was for the new year immaculate and it was incredible it was just everything

everything that our robots are like when you see Elon Musk be like and my robot just learned kung fu no big deal and then his robot gets out and you're like is your robot like a little drunk? Is it like a

73 year old drunk person? This is what they are intending to do like this shit is this shit is doing backflips like a showtime dancer on a New York subway. Yeah they're doing backflips they're like do it they're spinning park in the air

It's Chen Yun basically it's Chenyenne but robots Yeah and it's Yeah I just there's one part in the video from their celebrate like from what their robots are doing where a kid like accidentally lands a like because they're doing martial arts

next to like children who are really good at martial arts and a kid like one of the children like lands on a stick that the robot's holding and in our world like that is what like that robot starts wobbling around drunkenly so like 15 seconds and like has to be air lifted off the stage. I mean when I see these videos, is I can't even believe this is real.

I don't even know that technology could do this. I just know that. Yeah, I do just, well, I think this is like the sort of thing that is not being made clear to people that the current conspiracy by billionaires to like break our society. Like not, like that's not the end goal.

The end goal is just for them to continue to get richer and richer. But what they have effectively done is like broken any sort of like meritocracy or, you know, ability for our technology to progress in an efficient man. like those things have consequences. Like the U.S. is just like falling way the fuck behind. Oh yeah. You know, this is so powerful what you've just said.

Because I'm usually, right? Like I'm like a lowly popular culture study scholar. Oh, and I study the robot going crazy. This is the one from like a couple days ago in the U.S. America now. Yeah, America. And it just looks hammered. Starts like hitting, like knocking things in there.

It's like a toddler when it's like, I'm a man, my fucking plate. And then the woman who's like controlling it with her phone is up there and like trying to get it to stop, but they like can't get it to. Okay, that's horrific. It's like dabbing and shit, knocking over all the plates. Yeah.

Sorry, what were you saying Ramsey for that? No, I was just going to say like, you know, on the one hand, I live in this world where I study like the politics of popular culture and gender and sexuality or whatever. And yet I'm able to see at the larger level that like the incredible white supremacies, xenophobia, anti-immigrant sentiment, all of this stuff,

the America First logic that's sort of like, we only wanted to be people that we like, everybody needs to get out, we don't want to have to deal with the world, is literally undermining the very fabric of our ability to participate in global politics. It actually means that we might be more susceptible to invasion. Yeah.

My military invasion, like we may, actually be undercutting our basic military ability to protect our borders, not from immigrants, but from military incursions. Yeah, all the shit they're supposed to care about. I just don't understand how people can't see that we live in a global world order where you have to have allies globally who respect you and your way of life. And that like, it's just this in a bit, this myopia that sort of, I said it last time I visited you guys, it's a baby-like, like,

this kind of self-destructive, like, we just want our nice things, we want everybody to get the fuck out. It's like we don't understand that we need to be in a collective group mindset. Well, yeah. Of working together globally. We're all that mega dude on the corner being like, are you serious right now? Is serious I know? Have fun driving home.

But again, I'm sorry, walking home. It's literally that. Yeah. It's that lack of confrontation that's led us here because, we're being led by the very people who can't acknowledge their own shortcomings, their own vulnerabilities. And that's been intoxicating to people that also feel powerless and don't want to acknowledge their vulnerabilities. And it's like this self-feeding thing that now, to like to your point, it does explain why we are here now because all the people who are decision makers are like, wait, we could be doing better. No, fuck that, dude.

Just fucking cut, turn ourselves off to that, focus on our shit. Because I'm not going to live in a world where we've fallen way behind. But it's too late. I mean, it's happened. let's take a quick break. We'll come back and we'll talk about Afro-Man and Bloodsport. We'll be right back. I'm Bailey Taylor and this is It Girl. You may know me from my It Girl series I've done on the streets of New York over the years. Well, I've got good news. I am bringing those interviews and many more to this podcast. Yes, we will talk about the style and the success, but we are also talking about the pressure, the expectations, and the real work with the women's shaping culture right now.

As a woman in the industry, you're always underestimated. So you have to work extra hard and you have to push the narrative in a way that doesn't compromise who you are in your integrity. You know, I like to say I was kind of like a silent ninja. Each week, I have unfiltered conversations with female founders, creatives, and leaders to talk about ambition, visibility, and what it really takes to build something meaningful in the public eye. Because being a Nick Girl isn't about the spotlight, it's about owning it. I think the negatives need to be discussed and they need to be told to people who maybe, don't do this every day, just so they know what's really going on.

I feel like pulling the curtain back is important. Listen to It Girl with Bailey Taylor on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why hasn't a woman formerly participated in a Formula One race weekend in over a decade? Think about how many skills they have to develop at such a young age. What can we learn from all of the new F1 romance novels suddenly popping up every year? He still smelled of podium champagne. and expensive friction. And how did a

2023 event called Wagageddon change the paddock forever? That day is just seared into my memory. I'm culture writer and F1 expert Lily Herman, and these are just a few of the questions I'm tackling on no grip. A Formula One culture podcast

that dives into the under-explored pockets of the sport. In each episode, a different guests and I will go deeper into the wacky mishaps, scandals, and sagas, both on the track and far away from it, that have made F1 a delightful, decadent dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Good people. What's up? What's up? It's Questlove. So recently, I had the incredible opportunity to have a real conversation with actress and producer Jamie Lee Curtis ahead of the release of her new thriller series, Scarpeta.

I can honestly say I've never done an interview like that before. You know, at one point I shut my life. laptop down. And we just started chatting as old friends, recent Oscar recipient. So we have some commonality there. I predicted that, by the way. And you said these words to me, dust off your mantle. Yes. And I looked at you and I said, what? And you said, dust off your mantle. And then I left and that was it. And then when all of that happened, I remember the next morning, I think I was, wanted to like write you and go how did you know listen to the quest love show on the iheart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts hi this is joe wintersstein host of the spirit daughter podcast where we talk about astrology natal charts and how to step into your most vibrant life

and i just sat down with a mini driver the irish traveler said when i was 16 you're going to have a terrible time with men actor storytelling and unapologetic Aquarian visionary. Aquarius is all about freedom loving and different perspectives. And I find a lot of people with strong placements in Aquarius are misunderstood. A son and Venus and Aquarius in her seventh house spark her unconventional approach to partnership. He really has taught me to embrace people sleeping in different rooms on different houses and different places, but just an embracing of the isness of it all. If you're navigating your own transformation or just want to

chart-side view into how a leading artist integrates astrology, creativity, and real life. This episode is a must listen. Listen to the Spirit Daughter podcast starting on February 24th on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. I'm Clayton Eckerd, and in 2022, I was the lead of ABC's The Bachelor. Unfortunately, it didn't go according to plan. He became the first Bachelor to ever have his final rose rejected. The internet turned on him.

If I could press a button and rewind it all I would. But what happened to Clayton after the show made even bigger headlines. It began as a one-night stand and ended in a courtroom with Clayton at the center of a very strange paternity scandal. The media is here. This case has gone viral. The dating contract. Agree to date me, but I'm also suing you. Please search warrant.

This is unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped. This season, an epic battle of He Said She Said, and the search for accountability in a sea of lies. Listen to Love Trapped on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we're back. We're back. I have not thought about Afro-Man very often in the past.

When did because I got high come out? Like late 90s, early 2000s? That's like early 2000s, yeah. So probably over 20 years. I haven't thought a whole lot about Afro-Man. 2000 is when it came out. 2000. So 25, 26 years.

I have, that's not true because I've definitely heard from people being like, Afro-Man actually like make some interesting music like after the fact. Like, you should- It's always fun. Yeah, it's kind of cool. Tongue and cheek comedy thing going on. You know, there's one song, Palmdale, come back to me. Just talking about Palmdale is just like, great.

We love it. We love it. But yeah, in 2022, he was in the news. because the cops in Ohio raided his house on the suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping. And the officers broke down his door, snooped around during this raid. Afro-Man wasn't there, but his surveillance cameras in the house and around the house captured it all. And it turns out there was nothing at all in the house that indicated there was anything nefarious going on. And no charges were filed because it was all based off of some bullshit. So Afro-man,

That doesn't sound like the police, but I'll reserve judgment. It doesn't sound right, Miles. I feel like you're off here somehow. No, no, no. There's no way they just went in too aggressive without a shred of evidence. It can't be. But he wasn't, Afro-Man wasn't having it. So he decided to fuck with them by making some music videos out of the surveillance footage

where these people are in his house, raiding his home. Amazing. Where he makes fun of these cops. One track, Lemon Pound Cake went viral. And this was the beginning of like the cops. Wait, what the fuck is this guy doing? And he made it many out, many songs about some of these cops that raided his house. Like personally being like, there's one that's like, Randy Walters is a son of a bitch.

This is what the song is called. Like, this is what it sounds like. Randy Walters is the son of a bitch. So that's like one. There's another one called Lemon Pound Cake because he was talking about when the cops raided his house. There was this one officer who kept eyeing his like pound cake that was on the counter. So funny. Oh my God.

He was just like hungry. Yeah. Like he's just like, I'll play the clip because it's just so funny. He's talking about it. Because I have been there. Like I do feel seen by. He's in a raid, but he just does a double take at this lemon pound cake on the counter. Yeah.

Yeah. He's like, what's that? Oh my God. My mom's lemon pound cake. So he's got. That's unbelievable. So he's put out all these songs. And, you know, there was another one.

about it's like, hey, they kicked in my door. He's like, I want to try and pay for this shit. And he got sued because they're like, he's defaming us. He's lying about us. And it went to trial. And, you know, fortunately, his First Amendment rights were upheld. And they're like, sorry, cops, you got no fucking case. Wow. This is what the lawyer for the police was arguing. But first of all, the sheriff's deputies claim those videos, which have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, actually millions at this point, have caused, quote, humiliation, ridicule, mental distress, embarrassment, and loss of reputation. Sorry, being a cop, already

did that. Also, yeah, to your point, Miles, these videos are probably seen by like 100,000 people tops before they decided to bring this legal action. Yeah, a bit of a strisand effect, I think you call that. So this is what the lawyer said in the closing argument, quote, Mr. Foreman, who's, that's

Afro-man's legal name, perpetuated lies intentionally, repeatedly over three and a half years on the internet about these seven brave deputy sheriffs. Mr. Foreman did it intentionally. Mr. Foreman knew that what he posted on the internet were lies. So Mr. Foreman is legally wrong. So they're saying we need to be paid damages and stop using the video. Well, it ended. Afro-Man emerged victorious. Yeah. And it was hilarious too because Afro-man was wearing head-to-toe stars and stripes like suit every day. And His lawyer was like, they're like, look, what he's saying is a joke. Like, this is his social commentary and even said, quote, look at that suit.

Does this look like a man who thinks that everybody's going to assume that everything he's saying is a fact? That's genius. Yeah. And they're like legally genius. No, actually. Yeah. And there's this one, there's like clip of the trial because, you know, if they're showing evidence, like they're going to play the whole clip. You know what I mean?

So in this one instance, this one officer is like sobbing because they're like playing this music video that he made. about her. That was 13 minutes long. So this thing's just like rolling. That one's fucked up. And this cop is like on the stand sobbing to really make a, you know, make a meal out of the whole like, I've been humiliating. Yeah. Yeah.

I just understand. Wow. Hard to see. Hard to watch. Hard to watch. I get it. I get it. And unfortunately, they're like, like we see right through those tears. And it's like, sorry, this guy, you fucking raided the house. You're on his cameras and he has a First Amendment right.

He's not, you know, what do you want us to do here? You guys, on a basic logistical level of getting like real serious, this idea that the police generally do not view themselves as like employees of the people. Yeah. No. Yeah. So why does your feeling of embarrassment that this person made a video about you Trump, that person's rights.

Yeah. So like, why is it normalized that like the police are basically above the law or like your, the feelings of the police matter more. It's like at the end of the day, you're a public servant. You committed yourself. Yeah, to be a public servant. Yeah. Like you, it's going to suck. Like these jobs suck. It sucks to lead. It sucks to be representative of people. You have to do what they want. So this thing that is like, we don't care about the rights of the person who's house we into. We care about the fact that he made us look bad. And it's like, you could have avoided that entire. That's like what I was fascinated about is how much the police fuck with people. Right. Yeah. They view them as, they view them as enemy combatants. They're armed with the same

technology as U.S. soldiers who are over, you know, doing violent colonialism around the world. And they have that same mentality and have for decades and decades and decades. And they don't live in the communities that they police, you know, they're coming in from outside of those communities and just doing violence. And I'm sure one thing that really gets their goat is having a black man who has a lot of success. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And teasing them. And yeah, just being like, well, fuck you. But like, where, where did that first raid come from in the first place, you know? Like, yeah, I'd love to see someone needs a foia the fuck out of that. Because they said it was from, like, I think Afro Man said it was like a tip from just some person random.

person. And I think that was just enough to be like, oh, you're black and visible. Yeah. And this is what he said too afterwards. This is what Afro-Man said. He's like, again, like to everyone's point, he's like, this wouldn't have happened if the raid didn't happen. Exactly. This is what he said, quote, all of this is their fault. If they had it wrongly raided my house, there would be no lawsuit. There would be no songs. They're suing me for their mistake. The fundamental misunderstanding of that thing called the First Amendment. Right. A free speech, I mean, that we've really arrived at a place where basically people in power are like, no, but free speech except for everybody else.

Just for us. You don't get to say what you want, but except for us. You know, it's just like, he can do whatever he wants. He has it on videotape. It's defamation of it's a lie. Right. Like, it's literally there. It's just, I can't. It's so exhausting. What are in the supervillain arc? Who is the supervillain? Like, what haircut is the super villain to, go up against the, is it the comb over or something like that? Like, comb over versus Afro-Man, you know what I mean? Oh, like if we're doing villainous hair styles.

That's fair. That seems right. Who's the supervillain who brought down these charges on Afro-Man? Is it the comb over? Is it the horseshoe pattern, male pattern baldness? That's a good point. That it could be like a fast wave. It could even be like a fast wave, yeah. Fashwave, yeah. Fashwave, undercut hairstyle. Yeah.

Is that like shalact? Yeah. Yep, yep, yeah. I do love that. That's right. The Oberstambenfjur, you know? The Obishtiomfjur. Oh, my God.

Hey, what are we going to do today, Miles? What can we do? You want to point to one of the hairstyles? Uh, yeah, how about this? This is the Oberstor von Fuhr, please. Thank you. Miles, isn't it funny that we now? Yeah.

We like know those references now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, Nazism has made a full comeback. We know the visual iconography. We know it's like having a full moment. Yeah. No, yeah, yeah. It's crazy.

Yeah. It's, I just saw this thing today. that like the California Republican Party, they just have, they instituted new policy of no groipers. Because they're like, they're seeing like the soup. Because I mean,

I think most conservatives now realize it's like, there's a lot of Nazis actually. Oh, like for the people who were ignorant about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But now they have to have like stated like,

yeah, no Nazis. It's not really what we're talking about. Yeah. For us here. But yeah, it's coming back. And there's also a clip I saw like people on St.

Patrick's day, like a bus full of kids like New Orleans like, like throwing up the Roman salute. off the bus and being cheeky. But again, I'm sure this is also born out of, you know, relationships, home environments where confrontation is just like

not really a thing. Like, what the fuck are you thinking? It's like, hey, not don't, let's not do that, okay? Wow. I do just want to talk about one of the weirdest film news stories of 2026 so far. 824 is remaking blood sport. The studio that gave us moonlight and everything everywhere all at once is tackling the 80s action movie that made Jean-Claude Van Dam a star.

And, like, when it was first announced that this remake was happening, everyone's like, wait, that's Donald Trump's favorite movie. And it was right around the time when he was like, I want to see Rush Hour 4. That's why, like, I'm letting the WB, like, or fucking Paramount take over all of Hollywood. So, you know, it was when he was starting to put his thumb on the scale. that is ultimately all he cares about, right? Is like, you know, being in charge of the Kennedy Center. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So a lot of people are like, they're remaking his favorite movie. Like, this is sad. It's clearly an attempt to appease him. But A24's project is going to be written and directed by Michaela Cole of, I May Destroy You Fame. Yeah. Which, like, an amazing work of art. Yeah. And chewing gum.

Yeah. which suggests that the Bloodsport remake might actually be, first of all, good. And second of all, might be a bit like a palm full of salt in Donald Trump's eyes. Yeah, to quote a moment from the movie. That was that movie, right? Where they put salt. I wish I had rewatched it. I just, I, but that's amazing.

I mean, he's, he's one of the handful of figures that made me realize that I was a homosexual. Who, Jean-Claught? When I was a kid. Bloodsport was? One of a handful of people that I saw on TV and I was like, Oh, M.G. Yeah.

Very handsome, man. Very, like a great dancer, too. Like, that's what, that was his background

was as a dancer. And they were like, I bet we could make these dance moves look like martial arts and movies, essentially. Is he guile?

Wasn't he Guile in Street Fighter? Oh, yeah, yeah, unless I forget Camie, you know what I mean? Yeah.

Kylie Minard. Oh, that's wild. Yeah, yeah. Oh my God. I have to go back and watch the original. The original, by the way, is

inspired by the dubious real life experiences of a guy named Frank Duke's D-U-X, who is like basically just like Donald Trump, if Donald Trump wasn't born as a, you know, 100 millionaire. Right, right, right. He's, it's just like a scam artist who like sues everybody. We'll probably get sued for just saying this. But, yeah, he, uh, information. Yeah. Yeah. But anyways, I'm very, intrigued by what she's going to do with this. Yeah. Because he is, so Donald Trump is, I could see Donald Trump being a character

in this movie because he's doing MMA fighting at the White House. You know what I mean? Like, could this be a movie that takes place in our reality where Bloodsport already exists, you know? And he's the favorite movie of Donald Trump. And then it's the story of somebody who manages to infiltrate those UFC White House lawn fights. and like start a revolution or something. I'm just saying that's a free pitch, Michaela. I'm sure you've got something way, way, way, way, way better than that. But I don't know.

But we'll stay tuned. We don't know. Yeah, but it's going to be, I can't imagine it's going to be bad. So let us know. Give me some more details. Yes. Ramsey, such a pleasure having you. Yeah.

Oh, it's such a pleasure to be here. Thank you for having me. Where can people find you, follow you, read you, all that good. people can find me at Nerd From the Future on Instagram and my podcast is on anywhere you get your podcast, Spotify, Apple. I will have a new season of my podcast

coming out starting a Thursday, April 9th. And then people can visit my website, ramsiefulwas.com. All the information about my work. And the last thing I want to plug is I teach a little workshop at the Esselin Institute. Every summer I'll be doing it at the beginning of June. It's a beautiful, it's the picture,

the picture in my background is Esselin. And it's like a consciousness expansion retreat. Such an incredible place. Is that the Bohemian Grove thing? Or it's like related? It's like near there, right? But it's might be. It's like jutting off of the edge of Big Sur, California,

like right at the beginning of Big Sur. A little bit below Carmel. It's incredible. It's been around since 1968. You know, it was part of the human potential movement. It's a wellness retreat and tons of people from around the world go there. so many people to teach and to learn. And I'm teaching a little seminar called

The Thrill of Groundlessness Learning to Flow Through Life Without Absolutes. So if you want to let go of some things, hell yeah. We're going to do that over five days. It'll be really beautiful. You can find information about that on my website. Amazing.

Is there a work of media you've been enjoying? Yeah, I just watched the show Pony's on Peacock with Haley Lou Richardson and Amelia Clark. I have to say it's really genius. It's all about the Cold War, which is what I trained to be a Cold War cultural historian. It's all about gender,

and it starts just being this screwball comedy about these two women whose husbands are in the CIA. They both die while they're in Russia. And then they get recruited into the CIA, the two women, to sort of like find out what happened to their husbands. And by the time you get to episode four, there's like a moment where you're like, oh, this is actually genius.

This is actually a really smart show about women in the Cold War, about them. It's all about their friendship. It's all about what it meant to navigate this moment in American history as women. And they're just like, by the end, you're obsessed with them. And you're like, this is such a brilliantly crafted character study. So I love that show. It really came out of nowhere because I haven't been enjoying almost anything that I'm watching. And I just saw it and I was like, wow, this is like, I ate it up.

Did you watch Pluribus? By the way, that sounds awesome. I'm going to check that out. I know it's genius, and I have tried to watch it five times. Oh, really? You can't get through it? Five times.

I cannot get through it. Listen, she's a genius. The show's genius. I get it. I get the whole conceit. I get that it's about AI. I get that it's a critique of our society. He builds shows around intensely

unlikable characters. That's true. And I already don't like so many. people in this fucked up world. I don't need to watch shows about people like that. I don't need to watch Breaking Bad. I get that it's genius.

I don't need to watch, you know, Dexter. Like, there's already enough fucked up people. I don't need all the characters to be fun. I lovable, but I just, I don't, she's insufferable.

She's a lot. And, like, I know by the end, there's an arc and I'm sure maybe one day I'll get there, but I'm like, I just, at some point I just was like, I can't with this. It's, yeah, I hate to say, I feel so. that I feel like a bad media watcher, but

Severance to me is what Thoribus couldn't be for me. Right. To me, severance does the critique, but it does it in a way where I'm so invested in the characters and I love them so much. And I'm just totally fascinated. I can't stop watching it. So yeah. There you go. So forgive me.

I know blasphemy. No, no, no. I couldn't get past the second episode. Yeah. A lot of people, I thought somebody was like, it's very avant-garde and like black box theater, but like I find it kind of watchable, even though she is intentionally. I just didn't even like, yeah, I wasn't even like, it wasn't even rub me the wrong way.

It just didn't capture my attention. I think that's what, and I wasn't even like, I was like, well, all right. Miles, where can people find you? Is there where a comediania you've been enjoying? Find me everywhere at Miles of Gray. I'm talking about 90 day fiance over at 420 day fiance. Check that pot out. And also, if you want to hear me just scream about the English Premier League, I'm doing that on

Ain't It Footy with Jamel Johnson and Chris Martin. A piece of media I like is from Instagram. This video from Alex G. Murdoch. It says white women naming their cats. And just these names, they're spot on. Muchi, mochi, miso, sushi, soba, sake, tofu, katsu. So many Japanese words. So, spot on.

My kids did name our dog one of those things. It was their decision. And I did let them. It's so fucking, it's everywhere. I did raise them. It's just their favorite ice cream is mochi ice cream. So that's where it came from. But this I mean like, look, it's everywhere, real.

It's right. It's undeniable. It's undeniable. I'm waiting for someone. Do you like a really good name for an animal? My brother and I are obsessed with the fact that we met someone who named their dog party. Party? Party?

Party? I think that's a brilliant name. Very good. Yeah. My grandparents, their dog was called DOG. DoG? Yeah. I like that.

That's really fun. The Snoop DOG. Yeah. Snoop DOG is like DOG. Where's DOG at? DOG. That was, that's really cute.

That's my grandfather's stuff. God, I'm so mad at my kids. I know. You're going to fix that. Try harder. That's what I tell them every morning. You can find me on Twitter at Jack underscore O'Brien on Blue Sky, Jack. Obie one.

and on Instagram Jack underscore O underscore Brian I know I don't I don't even remember all my just search Jack O'Brien on there and you might be able to find me I like Connor O'Malley's Irish Zionism post another just crazy you know we've talked about

pipe rock theory we've talked about slugs everyone's everyone's a fucking idiot except me and now there's a new one called Irish Zionism that is really funny. All the Irish people got to go back to Ireland. All Irish people need to go back to Ireland is the premise. Is that how it starts?

And then it's about so much. And then another tweet I liked was from Rebecca Alter, who said, someone should give Connor O'Malley $20 million USD. And I agree. Just let him go off, King. Yeah. You can find us on Twitter and Blue Sky at Daily Zekeyes. We're at The Daily Zekeyesd on Instagram.

You can go to the description of this episode wherever you're listening to it, and there at the bottom you will find the footnotes, which is where we link off to the information that we talked about in today's episode. We also link off to a song that we think you might enjoy. Miles, is there a song that you think the people might enjoy? Yeah, this is a track called French Kiss. It's by the producer, Judgment G, who I think is like a Russian funk producer and the rapper Shining Breeze, who I believe is rapping in German.

The song is good. It's got the official, what's this? What's this? Because I think that's what's fun about Fonf, like this sort of like genre that's like, you know, a lot of people, it takes so much inspiration from Memphis rap, like 90s Memphis rap, like early 36 mafia kind of stuff. So everybody's flowing in this way, trying to recognize. Like, and but they do it in German or Russian or whatever. And it's so it's familiar. And like, I don't know what the fuck they're saying. So forgive me if they're saying so wildly offensive shit, but I don't speak German. But this is French Kiss by Judgment G and Shining Breeze. with two zee's. All right. We'll link off to that in the footnotes. The Daily Zikeyes is a production

of IHeart Radio for more podcasts from my heart radio visit the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, wherever you listen to your favorite shows. That's going to do it for us. This week, we've got a highlight reel of this week's episodes dropping tomorrow, the weekly zeitgeist,

and then Monday morning we will have the iconograph where we are going to take a deep dive into Bart Simpson, the history of Bart Simpson, very fun conversation. So we, We will talk to y'all. Then, have a great weekend, everybody.

Bye. Thank you so much, guys. So good to be with you. The Daily Zykeyes is executive produced by Catherine Law. Co-produced by Baye Wang. Co-produced by Victor Wright. Co-written by J.M. McNabb. And edited and engineered by Brian Jeffries.

I'm Bailey Taylor, and this is It Girl. This podcast is all about going deeper with the women-shaping culture right now. Yes, we will talk about the state. and the success, but we are also talking about the pressure, the expectations, and the real work behind it all. As a woman in the industry, you're always underestimated. So you have to work extra hard in a way that doesn't compromise who you are in your integrity. You know, I like to say I was kind of like a silent ninja.

Listen to It Girl with Bailey Taylor on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ready for a different take on Formula One? Look no further than No Grip. a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F-1, including the story of the woman who last participated in a Formula One race weekend, the recent uptick in F-1 romance novels, and plenty of mishap scandals and sagas that have made Formula One

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That's when his life took a disturbing turn. A one-night stand would end in a courtroom. The media is here. This case has gone viral. The dating contract. Agree to date me, but I'm also suing you. This is unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm Stephanie Young.

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The embodiment of Pisces intuition with Capricorn power moves. So I'm like delusionally proud of my chart. Listen to the same. Spirit Daughter podcast starting on February 24th on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. I'm Nancy Glass, host of the Burden of Guilt Season 2 podcast. This is a story about a horrendous lie that destroyed two families. Late one night, Bobby Gumpbright became the victim of a random crime. The perpetrator was sentenced to 99 years until a confession changed everything. I was a monster. Listen to Burden of Guilt Season 2 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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