Freed Up

This week on Freed Up, Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi kick things off with the latest in the Lindsay Clancy trial and where the jury stands. Then we dig into a Virginia case involving a mom who received a six-month suspended jail sentence after letting her 5-year-old walk to a nearby pond.

We also say goodbye to Heehaw the donkey, talk about President Donald Trump's rallying cry to "let data reign," and come up with some better origin stories for Magneto. Later, we talk about Milo Yiannopoulos getting deported and wrap up with a bigger question facing schools and families: Should students be allowed to use AI?

0:00—Lindsay Clancy jury can't decide.

11:01—Virginia mom's suspended jail sentence

19:38—RIP Heehaw the donkey.

27:10—"Let data reign."

34:42—Better origin stories for Magneto

43:12—Milo got deported.

52:06—Tom Hardy rap album

1:01:41—Should students be able to use AI?

The post Lindsay Clancy, Heehaw the Donkey, and New Magneto Origins appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week on Freed Up, Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi regrettably cover California Gov. Gavin Newsom's surprising economic instincts and the latest moral panics over data centers, kids on social media, video games, and online harm. Then Robby talks about his scooter accident.

Later, they remember Dolly Parton as one of the rare American heroes almost everyone liked, and they celebrate the great Tim Curry by talking about his unforgettable movies.

Plus: AI-generated articles in The Wall Street Journal, the end of summer, and the national debt hitting $40 trillion.

0:00—Newsom apparently likes tariffs?

4:20—Which moral panic is worse: data centers or children on social media?

17:57—Robby got in a scooter accident.

24:03—How do social media companies measure harm?

31:33—Are young men playing too many video games?

43:12—Parton was one of the few American heroes whom everyone liked.

45:44—So much love for Curry and all of his movies.

51:01—Karen Attiah got re-hired by The Washington Post.

55:05— AI is writing articles in The Wall Street Journal.

1:07:28—Robby is going to miss summer, and the national debt hit $40 trillion!

The post Gavin Newsom Admits He Might Keep Tariffs? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi kick off the episode by arguing against new proposed restrictions on the press in the wake of Jason Arday's death before turning to the Lindsay Clancy trial, the war on drugs, and the strange saga of "Pablo Pledgescobar." They also discuss the glory of My Chemical Romance and punk rock, why war is bad, and their concerns about Flock cameras. The episode closes with detours into 28 Days Later, the collapse of dating, and the shocking fact that some listeners may actually make it all the way to the end of the episode.

0:00—We do not need more restrictions on the press.

16:30—Lindsay Clancy trial

24:56—"Pablo Pledgescobar" and the war on drugs

34:35—My Chemical Romance concert was epic, and we miss punk rock.

45:00—"Freedom ain't free," and war is bad.

52:11—Christian defends data centers again.

59:12—We have some problems with Flock.

1:07:34—28 Days Later

1:13:12—Nobody is dating anymore.

1:22:02—If you made it this far, we are actually surprised.

The post Jason Arday's Downfall, Lindsay Clancy Case, and the Surveillance State appeared first on Reason Magazine.

Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi start off by talking about the craziness of Woke 1.0, which they may never get over. Then they remind all of their viewers that the Fourth Amendment exists in America for a reason, even though Flock cameras like to skirt around those rules. Finally, they end the show by discussing the third season finale of House of the Dragon, with a fun sidebar about magic.

0:00—Are New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's chickens coming home to roost?

10:23—Flock cameras are doing warrantless mass surveillance.

29:11—Karoline Leavitt leaves her post as press secretary.

40:23—House of the Dragon Season 3 finale

49:51—Avatar the Last Airbender sequel

54:52—Our favorite (and most ridiculous) times from Woke 1.0

1:07:54—Who would be a better dictator?

The post Woke 1.0, House of the Dragon, and the Absurd Politics of Surveillance appeared first on Reason Magazine.

Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi survey the latest fights inside American politics and culture, from Francesca Hong's war on holidays to the Midwest's emergence as a hub for democratic socialism. They argue that the war on "woke" has largely been won, while figures like Hasan Piker and Tucker Carlson continue attempting to scramble the political landscape. The episode also detours into burrito discourse, young men's grievances, race relations in Western civilization, and the ethics of euthanasia. Finally, Christian offers his thoughts on The Staircase.

0:00—Hong's war on holidays

1:37—Robby's first Bane impression in weeks

6:00—The Midwest is becoming the breeding ground for democratic socialists.

11:03—We won the war on "woke."

16:34—Piker is a liability, even for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan

25:02—Tucker Carlson wants to create another third political party

30:34—The burrito discourse is crazy

44:06—Young men are systemically oppressed?

50:10—Race relations in Western civilization

1:03:40—Debate over euthanasia

1:14:15—Christian watched The Staircase 

The post Francesca Hong's Hateful Holidays, Burrito Prices, and Woke 1.0 appeared first on Reason Magazine.

Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi revisit the COVID-19 era through the lens of then-White House coronavirus adviser Anthony Fauci's newly released diary and testimony before Congress. They debate what the diary reveals about gain-of-function research, lockdowns, and the origins of the virus. They argue that Fauci's private perspective makes the pandemic response look even more disturbing in hindsight. Then the episode turns to lighter—but still heated—culture war territory, including Ayn Rand's treatment in J.D. Vance's new book and Ross Douthat's move from The New York Times to 60 Minutes.

0:00—We will never forgive Fauci.

8:17—Did Fauci lie to Congress about gain-of-function research?

19:08—Fauci's diary reveals how he controlled lockdowns.

29:47—Reliving COVID-19 through Fauci's perspective feels like a horror novel.

35:13—Pluribus was a lab leak!

52:33—Rand, our hero, is misrepresented in Vance's new book.

1:12:04—Douthat leaves The New York Times for 60 Minutes.

1:15:56—Robby's data center debate

The post Fauci Pleads the Fifth, Pluribus, Ross Douthat's New CBS Gig appeared first on Reason Magazine.

This week on Freed Up, the conversation starts with Robby and Christian's reviews of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, including why Agamemnon stands out and whether Robby may finally be wrong about a movie. The hosts also dig into the parts of The Odyssey that felt perhaps too modern. Then they pivot to Nolan's action scenes and why they sometimes fall short.

Later, they discuss Citizen Vigilante, the New York City mayor's comments about arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Democratic Socialists of America's increasing embrace of communist ideas. The episode closes with a broader debate over why socialism has failed historically and what Michigan Democrats seem to be getting wrong.

0:00—The Odyssey reviews are in!

4:40—Agamemnon is so cool.

10:35—Is Robby wrong for the first time?

19:03—The modern parts of The Odyssey

27:01—Nolan's action scenes leave something to be desired.

35:10—Citizen Vigilante

42:00—The mayor of NYC is not going to arrest a leader of an allied nation.

48:57—DSA becoming more and more communist by the day

54:10—Socialism has never worked.

1:03:50—The Democrats in Michigan are confused.

The post Debate: Did Wokeness Actually Ruin The Odyssey? appeared first on Reason Magazine.

In this episode, Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi discuss Donald Trump's pointless primetime speech, then turn to J.D. Vance and Joe Rogan's continued fixation on Jeffrey Epstein. The hosts also talk about wildfire smoke from Canada reaching Washington, D.C., before they debate the worst person to ever get canceled.

Later, they examine Lindsey Graham's foreign policy legacy, interest-group opposition to data centers, and why no one walks in Las Vegas.

0:00—Donald Trump's pointless primetime speech

8:12—J.D. Vance and Joe Rogan keep talking about Jeffrey Epstein.

12:43—The Canada wildfire smoke reaches D.C.

15:30—It's a crime to be a heterosexual man now.

20:37—Zohran Mamdani explaining the expanded definition of rape

26:38—Who was the worst person to get canceled?

30:15—Lindsey Graham did not have a positive influence on American foreign policy.

46:15—Interest groups are trying to kill data centers.

52:40—No one walks around Las Vegas.

55:12—Airport luggage nightmares

1:00:24—Robby loves Mega Man X games.

1:10:22—Medical advances have dramatically improved quality of life over time.

The post Vance Exposing Epstein's Intelligence Links on Rogan? Not Quite. appeared first on Reason Magazine.

Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi discuss why Maine Democratic candidate for Senate Graham Platner is refusing to drop out despite attacks from fellow Democrats, then Robby shares a conspiracy theory he actually believes. They look back at how America elected presidents and vice presidents 250 years ago before turning to the renewed war with Iran. Later, they argue that boomers should pay property taxes like everyone else, examine Netflix's struggle to get audiences to return for second seasons, and close with a discussion of '90s fashion.

0:00—Platner will just not drop out

The post Democratic Establishment Rages at Graham Platner appeared first on Reason Magazine.

Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi discuss New York Gov. Zohran Mamdani's proposal to ease pressure on the power grid by having New Yorkers sweat it out at home, then dive into the latest debate over the Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship.

They also cover War and Peace meeting 30 Rock, revisit the best TV comedies of the 2010s, and react to Matthew Yglesias' concerns about the national debt. Later, they unpack Vice President J.D. Vance's attack on Milton Friedman–style economics and debate why House of the Dragon keeps drifting from its source material.

0:00—Mamdani wants you to sweat at home because of the power grid.

7:53—Robby and Christian have many thoughts about birthright citizenship.

32:53—War and Peace meets 30 Rock.

40:30—The TV comedies of the 2010s

57:59—Matthew Yglesias complains about the debt.

1:12:23—Vance wants to "overthrow" Friedman philosophy.

1:19:56—House of the Dragon doesn't follow the source material.

The post Zohran Mamdani Goes Full Commie on Air Conditioning appeared first on Reason Magazine.