Income tax history, Yellowstone volcano risk, and fire ants all collide in this Friday Happy Hour solo episode with Keith Malinak.

With no guest to guide the conversation, Keith lets it drift from the origins of income tax into unexpected territory, exploring how systems expand, how nature operates without regard for us, and how quickly a simple conversation can turn personal.

What starts as a loose, late-night discussion becomes something more reflective as the night unfolds. This is an unfiltered, off-the-cuff episode that blends curiosity, unpredictability, and real-time thought.

The history of the income tax and the 16th Amendment isn’t what most people think. It started small, limited, and temporary… so how did it grow into something that touches nearly every paycheck in America?

In this episode of At The Mic: Thursday Deep Dive, Keith Malinak is joined by Phil Magness to break down how the federal income tax began, why it was originally aimed at high earners, and how it expanded over time.

From its origins in 1913 to major turning points like World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II, this episode traces how a targeted system became a permanent part of American life.

What began as a solution for a specific moment evolved into a system that now affects nearly everyone. This is a closer look at how that shift happened, and what it means today.

If the income tax began as a limited, temporary solution, what does it say about modern systems that continue to expand long after their original purpose is gone?

Prediction markets are changing how people understand elections, media trust, and political outcomes. As confidence in the media and polling declines, more people are turning to prediction markets to follow where the money is going and what it reveals.

The system feels broken, so people started looking somewhere else for answers. Not the media. Not the polls. What the money is saying is catching a lot of people off guard…

In this At The Mic Wild Card Wednesday, Keith Malinak is joined by Stu Burguiere for a conversation that starts with a simple question and quickly turns into something much bigger, as they explore what happens when the system people rely on begins to crack, and a different signal starts to emerge, one that doesn’t come from headlines, talking points, or spin, but from where people are putting their money, revealing a growing shift in how outcomes in politics, media, and culture are being understood, and forcing a deeper question, when trust disappears, where do people actually turn for the truth.

The episode also touches on the history of income tax, the NFL Rooney Rule, and broader questions about institutional trust, media credibility, and how narratives are formed versus what outcomes actually reveal.

Chapters:

• 00:00 The System Feels Broken… Here’s Why
• 02:10 From Glenn Beck to Now, What Changed?
• 10:05 Life After The Machine
• 19:30 The Tax System Nobody Questions
• 24:00 Why This System Still Exists
• 29:40 The Rooney Rule Problem Nobody Fixes
• 33:00 What They’re Not Telling You
• 37:40 Prediction Markets Explained Simply
• 41:50 Why People Are Betting On Politics
• 45:30 The Money vs The Narrative
• 47:10 The Future of Predictable

If the system feels broken, the real question isn’t just why, it’s what you trust instead. Are you following narratives, or are you paying attention to what people actually believe when something is on the line?

If you’re tired of guessing and ready to follow the money, hit like and subscribe, no hedging required.

Chad Prather interview on social media growth, viral videos, faith, and storytelling. How Chad Prather built a massive audience by turning authentic conversations into a powerful online platform.

In this episode of At The Mic with Keith Malinak, Chad Prather shares the real story behind his rise from pastor and missionary work in third world countries to becoming a viral social media voice and entertainer.

Chad breaks down the moment he walked away from a stable career to “be himself,” how simple phone videos turned into millions of views, and why authenticity—not strategy—was the key to building a loyal audience.

The conversation also explores deeper themes around identity, purpose, and leadership, including Chad’s framework of identity, destiny, and legacy, and how those principles shape both personal growth and parenting. From global humanitarian experiences to navigating modern media, this episode offers a grounded look at what it actually takes to build influence in today’s world.

If you're interested in social media growth, storytelling, leadership, or the mindset behind building a platform that lasts, this is a conversation worth hearing.

Chapters:

• 00:00 The Moment Everything Changed for Chad Prather
• 02:03 Growing Up in the South (And What Shaped Him)
• 04:56 Why He Walked Away From Pastoring
• 10:47 Burnout, Divorce, and Starting Over in Texas
• 16:13 The Decision to Quit His Job and Bet on Himself
• 20:00 Talking to His Phone… The First Viral Video
• 22:30 From Viral Clips to Sold-Out Shows
• 25:01 Building a Career Without a “Big Break”
• 28:33 Identity, Destiny, and Legacy (His Core Framework)
• 30:23 Why Most People Never Find Their Purpose
• 35:15 What Third World Countries Taught Him About Life
• 39:53 Can Hollywood Be Changed From the Inside?

Connect with Chad Prather: https://watchchad.com

Follow At The Mic with Keith Malinak for more long-form conversations exploring culture, media, and the people shaping it.

What counts as a sport, and how do we define a sport in today’s culture?

In this episode of At The Mic with Keith Malinak, Keith is joined by Zeynep Yenisey to explore the debate around what qualifies as a sport. From tennis health benefits, including research suggesting it can add years to your life, to the ongoing cornhole debate, the conversation examines where the line between real sports and recreational games actually exists.

As the discussion unfolds, the idea of defining a sport becomes more complicated. Some activities require endurance, discipline, and measurable skill, while others blur the line between competition and casual entertainment.

Beyond sports, the episode also explores viral stories, cultural commentary, ticketing controversies, and the growing influence of AI-generated music and technology on everyday life.

If you’ve ever wondered what counts as a sport, how to define a sport, or where modern sports culture is heading, this episode offers a thoughtful and engaging breakdown of the debate.

If anything good came out of COVID Era madness and the destruction its 'vaccines' brought us is that many began to ask questions about the vaccine industry, the medical/pharmaceutical company connections, and ultimately what was best for their children.

Time for a deep dive with Dr. Jennifer Margulis.

In this episode of At The Mic: The conversation explores vaccine schedules, parental decision-making, informed consent, and how adverse event data is collected and understood. Dr. Margulis breaks down how VAERS works, what it captures, and where confusion or disagreement can arise when interpreting the data.

This episode focuses on understanding the systems, ingredients, and data behind vaccine safety discussions without oversimplifying the complexity.

🔗 Guest:

Dr. Jennifer Margulis – https://www.jennifermargulis.net

FISA surveillance isn’t what most people think it is. FBI whistleblower Steve Friend joins Keith Malinak to explain how FISA surveillance, counterintelligence operations, and internal FBI pressure actually shape decisions behind the scenes.

From FBI misconduct and government overreach to national security threats involving China, bio labs, and Operation Box Cutter, this episode breaks down how surveillance tools are used, how they’re justified, and where the system begins to protect itself. What starts as an inside look at FBI operations quickly expands into a deeper examination of intelligence power, political influence, and real-world investigations that don’t always match the public narrative.

This deep dive explores FISA authority, FBI surveillance methods, data collection, counterintelligence strategy, and the broader implications for privacy, accountability, and national security in the United States.

CHAPTERS:

• 00:00 FBI Whistleblower Reveals the Truth
• 03:15 How the FBI Actually Operates
• 07:30 When Investigations Become “Find a Crime”
• 12:45 Promotions, Power, and Internal Pressure
• 20:00 Bio Labs Inside the United States
• 28:30 China and National Security Risks
• 36:00 Operation Box Cutter and Fentanyl Pipeline
• 45:30 The Epstein Case Questions
• 55:00 Government Overreach and Self-Protection
• 1:00:00 FISA Surveillance Explained
• 1:07:30 How Data Collection Really Works
• 1:15:00 Counterintelligence and Political Influence
• 1:30:00 The January 6 Pipe Bomber Mystery
• 1:45:00 AI, Surveillance, and What Comes Next

Jeff Fisher, better known as Jeffy from Blaze Media, built his radio career through chaos, arrests, odd jobs, and on-air mistakes that somehow didn’t take him out.

On this Throwback Tuesday edition of At The Mic with Keith Malinak, Keith sits down with Jeffy for a conversation that lives in the tension between things going wrong and somehow working anyway. From strange jobs to on-air mistakes, the path to radio isn’t polished, but it is real, and that’s exactly what makes it stick.

Chapters:

• 00:00 The Guest Who “Shouldn’t Work”… But Does
• 02:30 Born Into Farm Life… and Something Already Feels Off
• 06:15 The Escape Plan That Wasn’t Supposed to Happen
• 10:45 The Job That Ended Because of One Open Mic
• 15:30 Horse Stalls, Head Shops, and Strange Side Hustles
• 21:00 Demolition Work, Jackhammers, and Starting From Nothing
• 27:45 The Moment Radio Became the Only Option
• 33:30 When It Almost Fell Apart (and Somehow Didn’t)
• 41:15 Family, Football, and the Side of Life You Don’t See On-Air
• 49:30 The Real Secret… It Was Never a Plan

How many bad decisions away are you from accidentally finding your career?

Modern dating expectations are changing, especially for introverts navigating confidence, personality, and effort in relationships. Why does showing effort sometimes feel like a mistake in today’s dating culture?

On At The Mic: Friday Happy Hour, Keith Malinak is joined by Rebecca Mistereggen and Brad Staggs to break down the contradictions in modern dating. What starts as a conversation about introverts and dating quickly expands into cultural differences, social expectations, and the unspoken rules that shape relationships today.

From Norwegian humor to everyday relationship dynamics, the discussion highlights how dating advice often conflicts with real-world behavior. The result is a conversation that feels familiar, unpredictable, and revealing about how people actually connect.

Are you being yourself, or adapting to expectations you never agreed to?

The archaeological evidence of Jesus is stronger and more detailed than most people realize. In this Thursday Deep Dive, Keith Malinak is joined by Dr. Jeremiah Johnston to examine the historical Jesus through archaeology, science, and documented evidence.

From the Shroud of Turin to the Sudarium of Oviedo, this episode explores the physical artifacts connected to the crucifixion and resurrection. Through forensic blood analysis, burial traditions, and ancient historical records, the conversation reveals how modern science continues to engage with one of history’s most debated events.

Dr. Jeremiah Johnston brings decades of research as a historical Jesus scholar, offering insight into how archaeology, science, and recorded history intersect in ways often overlooked.

This is Part 1 of an ongoing deep dive into the historical and archaeological case for Jesus Christ.