It's News to Us

It's News to Us

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It's News to Us episodes

  • Midterminal Velocity

    MIDTERMS UPDATE

    • New NYT/Siena polling shows Democrats surprisingly competitive in several traditionally Republican states.
    • Democrats lead gubernatorial polling in Iowa, Ohio, Texas and Alaska, while Republicans hold the advantage in Kansas.
    • Iowa Democrat Rob Sand posts the biggest lead at +11.
    • Amy Acton narrowly leads Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio.
    • Gina Hinojosa and Greg Abbott are locked in a close Texas race.
    • Alaska’s ranked-choice system makes its numbers especially complicated.
    • We break down what the polling means — and why nobody should confuse polls with Election Day results.

    JACK SMITH: “BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT”

    • Former special counsel Jack Smith tells Congress his team believed it had enough evidence to convict Donald Trump.
    • We revisit the federal 2020 election-interference case and classified-documents investigation.
    • Why neither case ever reached a jury.
    • Smith says he stands by bringing the charges and would make the same decision again.

    JACK SMITH’S POST-DOJ CONCERT ERA

    • Days after his Senate hearing, Smith turns up at the politically charged Power to the People Festival wearing a “No Kings” Springsteen shirt.
    • Dave Grohl reportedly dedicates “My Hero” to “my new friend Jack.”
    • Republicans seize on the optics.
    • Plus: the bizarre Senate mix-up involving the Iowa Hawkeyes and Atlanta Hawks.

    CORNELL SEXUAL-ASSAULT INVESTIGATION REOPENED

    • A civil lawsuit brings renewed scrutiny to allegations surrounding a 2024 incident at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity.
    • New York officials reopen the criminal investigation.
    • Gov. Kathy Hochul appoints Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor.
    • Cornell agrees to an independent review of its response.
    • Students demand greater transparency and changes to university sexual-assault procedures.
    • We also examine the larger debate surrounding intoxication and consent under New York law.

    ELON MUSK, NEWT GINGRICH & THE FUTURE OF WAR

    • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth launches Project Meridian.
    • Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich will help study the technologies shaping future warfare.
    • Topics include AI, autonomous weapons, robotics, directed-energy weapons, biotechnology and even warfare around the moon.
    • We look at the potential conflicts of interest when defense contractors help advise the Pentagon on future technology spending.

    TRUMP VS. TIME MAGAZINE

    • Donald Trump becomes frustrated during a wide-ranging TIME interview and complains that he hasn’t received “one positive question.”
    • The interview covers Iran, press freedom, the Supreme Court, pardons, the midterms and White House renovations.
    • Trump criticizes several Supreme Court justices he appointed and takes another shot at CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
    • Somehow, presidential policy questions eventually turn into a discussion about crown molding.

    NYC EXPANDS FREE CHILD CARE

    • Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces that more than 10,000 children will be moved off New York City’s child-care voucher waitlist.
    • The expansion is backed by major state funding from Gov. Kathy Hochul.
    • We break down eligibility, remaining waitlists and Mamdani’s larger push toward universal child care and free 2-K.

    WINTER HEATING BILLS ARE ABOUT TO HURT

    • Heating-oil households could spend nearly $900 more on average this winter.
    • Maine and Vermont could see increases exceeding $1,000.
    • Global oil disruptions, diesel shortages, shipping costs and the conflict around the Strait of Hormuz are pushing prices higher.
    • Lawmakers are already discussing releases from emergency heating-oil reserves.
    • And higher fuel costs could eventually ripple into groceries, trucking and other everyday expenses.

    411 ON THE 405

    The Batman Part II

    • Production pauses while director Matt Reeves steps away for a family matter.
    • The film has already been delayed multiple times, with its current release scheduled for 2028.

    Avengers: Endgame

    • A theatrical rerelease pushes Endgame past Avatar again for the worldwide box-office crown.

    Digger

    • Tom Cruise’s expensive original film opens to just $8 million domestically.
    • Its massive budget makes the weak debut particularly painful.

    Tulsa King

    • Paramount+ renews the show for Season 5 before Season 4 premieres.
    • Production moves to New York.
    • Scarlet Rose Stallone becomes a series regular.
    • The franchise is also expanding with Frisco King starring Samuel L. Jackson.

    Hollywood Production Crisis

    • Entertainment unions warn that U.S. film and television production is being hollowed out.
    • Foreign tax incentives, lower costs, the end of Peak TV and years of industry disruption are squeezing American production workers.
    • Industry groups are now pushing for federal incentives to keep more filmmaking in the United States.

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    55 min
  • REDGHOST

    This week on It’s News To Us:

    Lauren Boebert pushes back against a House Ethics complaint alleging inappropriate relationships with staffers and a reported $200,000 payment to a former aide. We break down what’s actually alleged, what Boebert and the people named in the complaint are denying, and why the ethics questions go beyond the more sensational headlines.

    CNN, MS NOW, and Politico sue the Trump administration after being barred from the White House, while major television networks refuse to fill CNN’s spot in the presidential press pool. We look at the First Amendment fight, the 1977 Sherrill v. Knight precedent, and the surprising return of the same judge involved in CNN’s 2018 Jim Acosta case.

    Joe Rogan criticizes some of Donald Trump’s most devoted supporters as “rabid” and “f***ing nuts,” despite endorsing Trump in 2024. We dig into Rogan’s increasingly complicated political identity and his recent criticism of both Trump and Bernie Sanders.

    Trump’s approval rating falls to 32% in new Reuters/Ipsos polling, with some of the steepest declines coming from Republicans dissatisfied with the economy and cost of living.

    The FBI warned immigration agents about an alleged scheme involving fake “tradwife” dating profiles designed to lure and potentially dox law-enforcement officers. The catch: the FBI itself described the intelligence as not fully evaluated, and the memo did not identify any confirmed victims.

    Poland warns that Russia could deliberately launch ambiguous drone or missile attacks against NATO countries and then claim they were accidental, potentially forcing NATO to decide how to respond to increasingly dangerous “gray-zone” incidents.

    More than 70 people are involved in a proposed lawsuit against Meta over claims that its smart glasses captured highly private footage and that some AI-related imagery may have been reviewed by human workers. We get into the much larger consent problem created by wearable cameras and AI.

    On The Horse’s Mouth, Red Leather and WesGhost join the show to talk about their new collaborative project REDGHOST, their debut EP WASTEDYOUTH, the strange reality of becoming famous while remaining anonymous, building music for outsiders, balancing accessibility with mystery, and taking the project

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    58 min
  • Artificial Unintelligence
    • Newly released 9/11 records suggest officials had serious concerns about toxic contamination around Ground Zero while New Yorkers and first responders were being reassured that the air was safe.
    • Internal documents also show officials discussing potential legal liability connected to toxic exposure.
    • Trump sparked controversy after appearing to fall asleep during the Pentagon’s 25th anniversary 9/11 ceremony; the White House says he was “solemnly reflecting.”
    • Trump proposed a $5,000 payment for American adults if Republicans retain control of Congress, despite major unanswered questions about funding and congressional approval.
    • AI safety becomes one of the episode’s biggest stories as Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, Sam Altman, Demis Hassabis and others warn that increasingly autonomous systems may require serious safeguards.
    • Anthropic researchers have gone even further, publicly discussing non-trivial risks of catastrophic AI outcomes.
    • Trump dismisses many of those concerns and argues that winning the global AI race should take priority.
    • Mitch McConnell returns to the Senate after roughly three months away following a serious fall, hospitalization and rehabilitation.
    • Elon Musk threatens legal action over Alex Gibney’s new documentary Musk, particularly over suggestions involving Starlink and the 2024 election.
    • Mariska Hargitay hosts the Emmys.
    • Stephen Colbert returns to late night as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
    • Netflix, Amazon and YouTube form a new lobbying alliance as Washington increases scrutiny of streaming costs and sports fragmentation.
    • Prime Video adds short-form news clips as streaming services increasingly chase TikTok-style viewing habits.
    • Apple releases iOS 27 with the long-awaited Siri AI overhaul.
    • Waymo launches driverless rides in Las Vegas as the robotaxi race continues expanding nationwide.

    LINKS

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    49 min
  • Postpartum, Premeditation & Reasonable Doubt

    Catie’s Case: The Lindsay Clancy Trial

    Catie takes a deep dive into one of the most complicated and emotionally charged criminal trials in the country.

    Lindsay Clancy is charged in the January 2023 deaths of her three children—Cora, Dawson and Callan—at the family’s home in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Clancy has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

    The facts of what happened are largely undisputed. The trial instead centers on Clancy’s mental state and whether she was legally responsible for her actions.

    Her defense argues that Clancy was experiencing severe postpartum psychosis, had undergone extensive psychiatric treatment and medication changes, and had lost touch with reality when she killed the children. Defense expert Dr. Phillip Resnick testified that she was psychotic at the time.

    Prosecutors argue that although Clancy suffered from significant mental-health problems, she still understood right from wrong. They point to evidence they say demonstrates organization and planning, including sending her husband Patrick out of the house on errands before the killings.

    Patrick Clancy’s testimony became one of the trial’s most emotional moments. He described Lindsay as a loving mother before her mental-health decline and said she had never previously expressed a desire to harm the children.

    The trial ultimately became a battle between competing psychiatric interpretations: was this a deliberate murder committed by someone suffering from depression and other mental-health problems, or the catastrophic result of postpartum psychosis severe enough to eliminate criminal responsibility?

    After testimony from more than 80 witnesses over roughly five weeks, jurors began deliberating on August 27.

    And they still haven’t reached a verdict.

    As of August 31, the jury has deliberated for approximately 17 hours across three days. Jurors have requested to review physical evidence including prescription bottles and the knife Clancy used during her suicide attempt.

    The available verdicts are not simply “guilty” or “not guilty.” Depending on how jurors interpret Clancy’s intent and mental state, they may consider first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter or a finding that she was not criminally responsible because of mental illness.

    If the jury ultimately finds her not guilty by reason of insanity, that would not necessarily mean Clancy simply goes free. She could instead be committed to a psychiatric hospital, potentially for an extended period.

    The case has also forced a much broader conversation about postpartum psychosis, how seriously severe postpartum psychiatric symptoms are treated, and whether the medical system failed to recognize just how sick Clancy had become.

    Also in this episode:

    The U.S.–Iran war heats up again as Trump declares Iran “dead,” threatens additional strikes and shares AI-generated footage depicting an attack that apparently never occurred.

    The Supreme Court, USPS and the Trump administration collide over mail voting while election officials warn that thousands of otherwise valid ballots are arriving too late to be counted.

    Texas Republicans begin asking uncomfortable questions about changes to the state’s $3 billion-plus broadband program that benefited Elon Musk’s Starlink.

    Meta reportedly discovers a flaw in its plan to replace huge portions of its workforce with artificial intelligence: humans still have to fix everything the AI screws up.

    Plus another food-recall roundup, the Pentagon gets government versions of ChatGPT and Grok, Howard Stern heads to HBO Max, AMC becomes a movie distributor, and plenty more from another completely normal week in America.

    LINKS

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    1 hr 1 min
  • Recall Me Maybe
    • FDA recall roundup: glass, metal, Salmonella, E. coli, allergens—and dog food.
    • Trump says a Democratic midterm victory could lead to his third impeachment.
    • Questions grow over damage to the Navy’s Bahrain logistics hub and conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.
    • Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear calls for Mitch McConnell to make a public appearance.
    • JD Vance blames the Biden administration as U.S. debt passes $40 trillion.
    • The Natalie Harp saga escalates with newly surfaced January 6 posts and more reporting about her unusually close access to Trump.
    • The Supreme Court gives Trump a major procedural victory in his effort to restrict mail-in voting.
    • A California poll finds “democratic socialist” is now a more attractive political label than “mainstream Democrat” for many voters.
    • Former Abercrombie CEO Michael Jeffries is ruled competent to stand trial.
    • The Lindsay Clancy trial approaches its final stage as jurors prepare to weigh the insanity defense.

      • 411 on the 405

      • Taylor Sheridan faces accusations that he stole the concept for Yellowstone.
      • Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues its monster box-office run.
      • Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey sails past $1.4 billion.
      • Barbie 2 may be falling apart over money.
      • House of the Dragon closes Season 3 with 21 million viewers.

        • What the Tech

        • Spotify begins labeling AI-created artist personas.
        • Major AI companies receive mediocre grades for publicly disclosed rogue-model containment plans.
        • Instinct wants to become an AI assistant with access to nearly every part of your digital life.
        • Take-Two uses subpoenas to hunt down the GTA VI leaker.
        • Sony reminds PlayStation users that digital games are licenses, not true ownership.
        • Walmart finally begins rolling out Apple Pay and Google Pay.

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          57 min
        • Capture This
          Episode Notes
          • Mitch McConnell hasn’t appeared publicly for more than two months, prompting Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to publicly push for an on-camera update.
          • McConnell’s extended absence also sparks a larger conversation about paid medical and family leave — particularly given his historical opposition to the FMLA and other paid-leave proposals.
          • Multiple Cyclospora outbreaks are spreading across the U.S., including clusters where investigators still haven’t identified the contaminated food.
          • New polling shows a majority of voters saying they’re financially worse off under Trump, with economic dissatisfaction reaching into the Republican base.
          • A CBS News/YouGov poll finds Democratic voters now view socialism significantly more favorably than capitalism.
          • A new Yale analysis estimates Medicare for All could save more than $1 trillion annually and prevent roughly 114,000 deaths per year, though those figures depend on modeling assumptions.
          • Capture This talks Craigslist origins, musical influences, treating the band like a business, overcoming imposter syndrome, Tangled, “Headspin,” and working with Dan Swank.
          • 411 on the 405: Spider-Man: Brand New Day crosses $2 billion, Marvel unveils its new X-Men cast, and network late night enters an unusually empty summer.

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            57 min
          • Where's Mitch?
            Where's Mitch McConnell? We try to find him and then talk about some other news of the week. LINKS
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            37 min
          • Silverdeer & More

            Episode Notes

            The big theme tonight: America is throwing itself a 250th birthday party, but the guest list is divided, the decorations are partisan, and democracy may have left early.

            Segments include:

            America Turns 250, But Half the Country Already Left the Group Chat

            A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows a grim national mood heading into July 4, with many Americans skipping Independence Day celebrations and questioning whether the country will survive another 250 years as one nation.

            America’s 250th Birthday Party Got Taken Over By the Weird Uncle With a Fog Machine

            The Guardian’s look at Trump’s America 250 rollout frames the anniversary as a tacky, Trump-centered spectacle involving Freedom 250, the Great American State Fair, military flyovers, UFC branding, and a reflecting pool disaster that is almost too symbolic.

            Uncle Sam Wants You… To Please Stop Doing That In Public

            A MAGA livestreamer dressed as Uncle Sam was arrested at the Great American State Fair after witnesses reported lewd behavior during an acrobat performance, adding another surreal layer to the already chaotic America 250 rollout.

            Mamdani Builds the Socialist Avengers, Democratic Establishment Starts Googling “Panic Room Near Me”

            Zohran Mamdani’s endorsements helped progressive and DSA-aligned candidates win key New York primaries, signaling a growing left-wing challenge to the Democratic establishment.

            Supreme Court Gives Trump the “You’re Fired” Button for Independent Agencies

            The Court’s Trump v. Slaughter decision expands presidential power over independent agencies, weakening long-standing protections that were meant to keep certain regulators insulated from political pressure.

            Supreme Court Says Your Vote Can Survive the Mail, Somehow Republicans Are Furious

            In a rare voting rights win, the Court upheld states’ ability to count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day, as long as voters cast or postmarked them on time.

            The Case That Won’t Go Away

            The Supreme Court may consider whether to hear Trump’s appeal in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case, keeping one of his most high-profile legal battles alive in the national spotlight.

            Europe Is Boiling Over

            A deadly heatwave across Europe is being linked to more than 1,300 excess deaths, highlighting how extreme heat is becoming a public health crisis and not just a seasonal inconvenience.

            Silverdeer Interview

            Los Angeles duo Silverdeer joins the show to talk about their shift from saturn 17 into a heavier, more atmospheric sound, the friendship behind the project, House of Devotion, and their upcoming single “Anywhere,” out July 24.

            411 on the 405: Kevin Spacey Says Hollywood Jail Is Over, Everyone Else Checks the Locks

            Kevin Spacey says he feels more welcomed in Hollywood again after years of allegations, legal battles, and industry exile, raising the uncomfortable question of when legal outcomes become cultural permission.

            Box Office: Toy Story 5 Beats Supergirl, Proving America Still Trusts a Cowboy Doll More Than DC

            Toy Story 5 stayed at No. 1 while Supergirl opened in second, showing that audiences will still show up for familiar franchises — but only when the emotional contract still works.

            Twista Gets Twisted Up With the IRS

            Twista pleaded guilty to willfully failing to pay federal income taxes, proving once again that even celebrities cannot outrun the IRS.

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            1 hr 4 min
          • Erik Underwood for Governor

            Trump’s Reflecting Pool renovation turning green almost immediately after a $14 million makeover, followed by the administration blaming Obama-era repairs.

            Trump calling Obama a “son of a bitch” while defending his own Iran deal, which remains unclear and politically messy.

            A new poll showing most Americans support replacing the Electoral College with a national popular vote.

            Ohio lawmakers failing to pass a bipartisan child marriage ban before summer recess.

            Elon Musk threatening legal action against Rep. Ro Khanna after Khanna connected DOGE’s USAID cuts to possible mass child deaths abroad.

            An interview with Colorado gubernatorial candidate Erik Underwood about his political identity, Approval Voting Party run, tech background, Bank of America fight, and ambitious policy agenda.

            A DEA fentanyl seizure mistake in New Mexico that left dangerous drugs unaccounted for.

            A look at the San Andreas Fault and new concerns about stress buildup in Southern California.

            House of the Dragon returning with Season 3 and the Battle of the Gullet.

            Xbox turning 25 and pushing deeper into movies and TV with projects tied to Gears of War, Sea of Thieves, Minecraft, Fallout, and more.

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            1 hr 3 min
          • NOFX
            Eddie and Jason welcome El Hefe of NOFX and chat the latest current events. LINKS
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            1 hr 3 min

          About It's News to Us

          From the publisher's feed

          It’s News to Us shreds the week’s headlines with satire, comedy, and fearless analysis. Hosts Eddie and Jason broadcast from idobi Radio, roasting U.S. politics, world affairs, tech, culture, and…