Hysteria

Erin and Alyssa dish on the Vanity Fair profile on Trump’s inner circle, America’s embarrassing response to yet another wave of gun violence, and Erika Kirk’s media blitz. Then they break down all the ways Project 2025 has rolled back the rights of women and lgbtq people this year. They wrap up Solicited Advice, I Feel Petty, and a live reaction to the new Melania Trump documentary trailer.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Project 2025 Tracker: www.project2025.observer

Susie Wiles Talks Epstein Files, Pete Hegseth’s War Tactics, Retribution, and More (Vanity Fair 12/16)

What we know so far about the Brown University shooting (BBC 12/15)

What we know about the Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting (BBC 12/15)

CBS News faces questions after faith-forward town hall with Erika Kirk (Salon 12/14)

Project 2026 Declares Open War on Women’s Rights (Ms. 12/13)

Erin and Alyssa break down Marjorie Taylor Greene’s bullsh*t on 60 Minutes, Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center Honors, and Melania’s embarrassing attempt at a children’s storytime. Then comedian Kara Klenk joins for a petty discussion about Angel Trees and performative charity. They also dish some Solicited Advice on celebrating the holidays on a budget, dating in your 20s, and the very best vacuum.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Katie Miller’s Excuse for Free Military House Falls Apart in Damning Police Report (The Daily Beast 12/9)

Takeaways from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ’60 Minutes’ interview Greene says Republicans in Congress make fun of Trump behind his back (The Hill 12/7)

At the Kennedy Center Honors, Little Glitz and One Striking Accessory (NYT 12/8)

TikTok made Angel Trees a trend. Now it’s making them a scapegoat (Salon 12/1)

In our 30th episode of This F*cking Guy, Erin and Alyssa dive deep into the past of the unqualified a** kisser, Kash Patel. From lying about being the lead prosecutor on the Benghazi case, to being a top contender for biggest Trump simp, to his totally normal, not suspicious, relationship with his twenty-something girlfriend, to his unbearable performative masculinity as FBI Director, this may be one of our corniest try-hard guys yet!

View a complete list of sources here

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

The Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten, joins Hysteria to give some holiday and hosting advice, including potluck wisdom, host gift etiquette, and the best topics for dinner party discussion. Erin and Alyssa also get into some petty news stories, including Trump’s mystery MRI, Karoline Leavitt’s nasty Thanksgiving feast, and the University of Oklahoma student who flunked a paper after including questionable bible citations. They finished up with a discussion of Wicked: For Good, blind items, and Mormon Wife Whitney Leavitt’s upcoming Broadway debut. 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Trump says he’ll release MRI results but doesn’t know what part of his body was scanned (AP News 12/1)

OU student claims bad grade is an attack on her faith (Salon 11/30)

Melania Trump Announces Muse Films Production Company (The Hollywood Reporter 11/28)

Erin and Alyssa are joined by their producer, Caroline Reston, for a Hysteria Thanksgiving special. They answer juicy questions from the conversation tin, dish out solicited advice on holiday woes, and do an extra petty edition of Sanity Corner. 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Erin and Alyssa dive into the past of moronic conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones. From the conspiracy theory bible that inspired Infowars, to spreading 9/11 false flag propaganda that grew his following, to having vein-popping tantrums that would terrify most cardiologists, to owing the Sandy Hook families 1.4 billion dollars, this may be our most hysterical man-baby-guy yet!

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Sources:

https://www.splcenter.org/resources/extremist-files/alex-jones/

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/meet-alex-jones-175845/

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2022/06/politics/alex-jones-infowars-fringe-to-frontline/chapter-01.html

http://nbcnews.com/news/us-news/not-fake-news-infowars-alex-jones-performance-artist-n747491

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/04/28/alex-jones-infowars-loses-primary-custody-his-kids/101017394/

https://pagesix.com/2025/03/27/celebrity-news/infowars-conspiracist-alex-jones-and-wife-erika-wulff-divorcing/

https://www.splcenter.org/resources/extremist-files/alex-jones/

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/07/us/politics/alex-jones-jan-6-trump.html

https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/25/politics/alex-jones-january-6-plead-fifth

https://www.splcenter.org/resources/hatewatch/alex-jones-texts-highlight-infowars-overlap-proud-boys/

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2013/11/alex-jones-americas-top-conspiracy-theorist.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/dec/07/alex-jones-infowars-bankruptcy

https://www.npr.org/2024/09/24/g-s1-24410/alex-jones-infowars-bankruptcy-sandy-hook-judge

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/05/g-s1-46738/infowars-alex-jones-onion-bankruptcy-judge-sandy-hook

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/17/alex-jones-bankruptcy-case

https://www.npr.org/2025/08/13/nx-s1-5501648/alex-jones-infowars-receiver

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bankruptcy-law/alex-jones-bankruptcy-doesnt-shield-infowars-assets-judge-says

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RYT6N4TVrs

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/alex-jones-infowars-store-165-million-1281059/

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/charliewarzel/we-sent-alex-jones-infowars-supplements-to-a-lab-heres

https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2020/attorney-general-james-orders-alex-jones-stop-selling-fake-coronavirus-treatments

https://www.splcenter.org/resources/hatewatch/alex-jones-urged-rogan-host-pro-rape-extremist/

Erin and Alyssa give a big update on Epstein news, from Congress’s measure to compel the DOJ to release the files, Megyn Kelly’s disgusting (and confusing) pedophilia apologia, and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Makeover-Apology Tour. Then CNN’s Abby Phillip joins to discuss her new book A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power, and the state of the media landscape one year post-election. They wrap up with some Solicited Advice on dealing with conspiracy theorist boyfriends and the perfect nail color for an important job interview.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Epstein survivors make last-minute push to convince House Republicans to release files (CNN 11/16)

Trump Lawyer, 87, Offers Creepy ‘Not a Pedophile’ Defense of Epstein (The Daily Beast 11/15)

Marjorie Taylor Greene takes sharp jab at Trump after public fallout (The Hill 11/18)

Met Museum unveils 2026 Met Gala theme: ‘Costume Art’ (CNN 11/17)

'Teen Vogue' is moving under Vogue.com — and staffers are being laid off (NPR 11/4)

Progressives are way behind in building a media architecture that supports our movement. The good news is that we have an opportunity to experiment, innovate, and deliver products that cut through the noise and actually make a difference. Erin Ryan hosts Meredith Lynch, creator of The Moment, Tara McGowan, founder and publisher of COURIER Newsroom, Stephanie Valencia, co-founder of Equis and Latino Media Network, and Jessica Valenti, author of the hugely popular Abortion, Every Day newsletter.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Live from Crooked Con, WA Rep. Pramila Jayapal joins Hysteria to share her wisdom on resistance and offer insight into how Democrats can become a “proposition party,” not just the opposition party. Then comedian Suzanne Lambert takes the stage to share some solicited advice on dating in D.C., dealing with conservative men, and workplace fashion. They wrap up with a petty discussion about Republican wigs and Nancy Mace’s latest meltdown.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

The 2024 election closed the book on the old way of thinking about political geography. Famously blue areas moved right. So did famously red ones. We need a new strategy that works as well in supposedly safe states like New Jersey as it does in tossups like North Carolina and Wisconsin. Alyssa Mastromonaco hosts Rep. Sarah McBride (D–DE), Rep. Janelle Bynum (D–OR), Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and Ben Wikler, former chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party to talk about how we can fight our way back to power everywhere on the map.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.