Fox News is once again trying to make its annual war on Christmas happen. Surprising? Of course not. Hilarious? Always. In this episode, Amanda and Melanie McFarland, award-winning senior culture critic at Salon, break down some of their most painfully corny holiday segments—packed with forced cheer, smarmy Christian proselytizing and a sudden pivot into full-blown rage bait.

Follow Melanie on Bluesky: @McTelevision

Learn more about Scott Shoemaker's War on Christmas: https://theatreoffjackson.org

JD and Usha Vance can't escape the divorce rumors and JD certainly isn't helping. Amanda unpacks the couple's catastrophic public relations strategy, JD's latest "jokes" that land as demeaning moments for his wife, and what all of it reveals about gender dynamics in conservative movements, MAGA gender politics and the role political spouses are expected to play within Christian, right-wing family values narratives. Moira Donegan, Guardian US columnist and co-host of the podcast In Bed with the Right, is the guest.

Allie Beth Stuckey, the far-right commentator and host of Relatable, is weaponizing her gender to sell the twisted idea that we need less empathy in the world—not more. In this video, Amanda explains why her philosophy is actually about power and control. The guest this episode is Tim Whitaker, founder of The New Evangelicals media, who recently debated Allie Beth on Jubilee about the Bible.

The Whatever Podcast—also known as "Dating Talk"—isn't just edgy entertainment for young men. It's a pipeline into misogyny. In this episode, we examine how host Brian Atlas stages confrontational "debates" with women to push anti-feminist narratives disguised as discussion.

Progressive streamer Erin (Straighterade) joins to share what really happens on set, how conflict gets manufactured and what went down when she debated Charlie Kirk on the show. Together, we break down how red-pill media turns gender resentment into profit and why young men and parents should pay attention.

Full story at Salon.com.

An on-stage hug between the vice president and Charlie Kirk's widow sparked wild rumors about their relationship. But the real story isn't an affair, instead it's an image problem for the GOP. JD Vance's marriage to Usha Vance increasingly clashes with the ideals he's selling, built on white supremacy and rigid gender roles. In this episode, Amanda explains why that's becoming a serious liability for the Republican Party and what it reveals about the hypocrisy of MAGA politics and toxic masculinity. The guest this episode is Soraya Chemaly, author of "All We Want Is Everything: How We Dismantle Male Supremacy Hardcover." She warns that Vance's embrace of male supremacy has reached a troubling level.

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani beat incredible odds to win in New York City. His campaign rejected old guard, establishment Democrats and leaned heavily into volunteers and a clear vision. In this episode, Amanda talks about why it worked and show how Mamdani is one of many young people helping usher in a new generation of courageous Democratic leadership. The guest is Amanda Litman, president and co-founder of Run for Something, an organization that recruits and supports young leaders to run for office around the United States.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is going to great lengths to exploit the government shutdown in order to hide the Jeffrey Epstein files. Amanda explains why this move is all about silencing victims, defending alleged abusers, and worse of all, protecting President Donald Trump. Trump was already found to have sexually abused journalist E. Jean Carroll in a department store dressing room by a civil jury in New York. Carroll joins the show to talk about the aftermath of beating Trump in court, Epstein's victims and her book "Not My Type." A documentary film about Carroll, "Ask E. Jean" is currently playing around the country at film festivals: https://askejeanfilm.com/all-events

Pam Bondi's Senate Judiciary Committee appearance revealed just how far the attorney general will go to protect Donald Trump. Channeling the manipulative energy of Mean Girls movie villain Regina George, Bondi has turned cruelty, nasty insults and tantrums into a political strategy. Amanda explains why Trump can't quit this sneering mean girl, no matter how much other Republicans want her gone. This week's guest is Angie "Pumps" Sullivan from the I've Had It podcast. She shares why Bondi's incompetent cover-ups for Trump can only last so long.