Ep 96 | 'The Circus' Creator: 'I Got to Pull Back the Curtain' on Charlie Kirk | Mark McKinnon
Mark McKinnon, political strategist to George W. Bush and John McCain, joins James Poulos to discuss how he went from politics to creating Showtime’s "The Circus." They break down the new era of politics, media, and digital manipulation being seen in AI-driven campaigns. Gen Z’s main form of activism is via TikTok, leading to increased disinformation, personalization, and storytelling that have been reshaping American democracy and leading to a rise of conservative Gen Z support. After a new wave of Trump populism, Hollywood has steadily been collapsing, while the mainstream media continues to lose touch with reality, leaving a vacuum in how Americans consume information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
52:01
Ep 95 | Texas vs. the Cartel: The DEADLY Border Showdown | Greg Sindelar
Greg Sindelar, CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, joins James Poulos to discuss the future of conservatism in Trump’s America. They discuss how the new administration will work with states like Texas to tackle issues like border security, immigration reform, and cartel violence. Will Trump dismantle the administrative state? How will this and the rise of AI change public education? This new era of American politics is confronting the rise of tech-authoritarianism as the American spirit makes a comeback in a post-woke America.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
1:01:10
Ep 94 | 'The Young Turks' Founder Admits Conservatives Were Right About the Deep State All Along | Cenk Uygur
Cenk Uygur, founder of "The Young Turks," joins James Poulos to discuss populism, media bias, the deep state, and the future of American politics. As someone who was critical of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, Cenk argues the real war is against the establishment leading to a collapse of credibility from both the Republican and Democrat Parties. Corporate money, political corruption, and foreign lobbying are threatening free speech, and Americans are finally pushing back against the establishment. They discuss the current populist movement and the illusion that mainstream media is trying to push. The 2024 election proved that the political bubble is bursting and common sense is returning — something Trump has shown by appointing people like RFK Jr. and Elon Musk. Whether on the Right or Left, most Americans can agree on moderate issues like paid family leave, anti-war foreign policy, drug price reform, and breaking up corporate influence.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
1:07:40
Ep 93 | Did Stallone Just Give Hollywood a KNOCKOUT Punch in New Film? | Dick Boyce
Dick Boyce, investor and entrepreneur, joins James Poulos to discuss his latest film, “Lost on a Mountain in Maine.” Co-produced with Sylvester Stallone, the story spans multiple generations and returns cinema to a time before smartphones, helicopter parenting, and digital overload. As Hollywood continues to decline, faith-based indie films like those produced by Angel Studios indicate a cultural shift toward meritocracy, resilience, and family values. Boyce also mentions the union overreach in industries like Hollywood, which has limited creativity and the ability to produce movies the audience wants to see. They also discuss the importance of private equity and the impact of AI on jobs. Companies lost productivity and value by pushing DEI and ESG, which were worsened by COVID-19.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
--------
57:51
Ep 92 | The REAL Reason Trump Won Pennsylvania | Cliff Maloney
Cliff Maloney, founder of PA Chase, joins James Poulos to discuss how Pennsylvania became the decisive state in Donald Trump’s 2024 victory. He reveals the behind-the-scenes of how PA Chase set records knocking on over 500,000 doors and building a massive grassroots campaign. The group found that JD Vance surprisingly resonated with working-class voters, being from a blue-collar background. They also saw an unexpected surge of support from black male voters in Philadelphia who disliked Kamala Harris for being unrelatable and inauthentic. With the help of other grassroots organizations like Turning Point USA and Scott Presler, Pennsylvania made history this election cycle.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to Zero Hour, where it’s always later than you think. America was convinced tech would complete our mastery of the world. Instead we got catastrophe—constant crisis from politics and the economy down to the spiritual fiber of our being. Time’s up for the era we grew up in. How do we pick ourselves up and begin again? To find out, visionary author and media theorist James Poulos cracks open the minds—and hearts—of today’s top figures in politics, tech, ideas, and culture.
USA