The Spectacle Podcast: The Official Podcast of The American Spectator

The “peaceful student protests” taking place in France have resulted in ruined businesses, burned historic buildings, and desecrated statues. These rioters are making a point to further push Islam onto Western Civilization.

Elaine Ellinger, author of The Deen Fallacy: How the West Came to Misclassify Islam, joins The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay to discuss the riots in France and the underlying influence of Islamic ideology around the world. Elaine shares how the West’s false conception of Islam as a “religion” has allowed the ideology to pervade our institutions, and encourages sharing the truth about what Islam actually is. Tune in to hear their discussion!

Ilhan Omar’s Washington D.C. home was raided by Homeland Security and the Department of Justice as part of an immigration fraud investigation.

The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay celebrate the probe into Omar’s home, noting her fraudulent marriages and sister’s connection to the Feeding Our Future scandal. They predict her potential indictment before the midterms and discuss how the raid on Omar is a springboard to more investigations into welfare and immigration fraud by the Democratic Party. Tune in to hear their discussion!

Shane Gillis’s viral monologue on Saturday Night Live sparked outrage among people who were upset about his remarks about women dressing “like whores” at the gym.

The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay discuss Gillis’ monologue and react to the controversy over his comments. They discuss the lost appreciation for self-deprecating humor and what true gym culture actually is. They also discuss how the backlash to his monologue increased publicity and the power of online hate to make someone, in turn, successful. Tune in to hear their discussion!

The people in power are not just your elected officials; it’s also an ecosystem of NGOs, policy networks, contractors, and more. How can Americans follow the money and hold these people accountable for how they impact our everyday lives?

Jennica Pounds, better known as ‘DataRepublican’ and co-author of Unelected: How the NGO-Administrative Complex Seized Power — And How to Get It Back, joins The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay. Jennica shares insight into her book as well as her thoughts on the effectiveness of DOGE and the consequences of USAID. They also discuss artificial intelligence and the influence of companies like Anthropic — with Jennica’s concern with effective altruism.

Tune in to hear their discussion!

The Buckley Institute at Yale University found that 42 percent of college students favored socialism over capitalism. The study surveyed over 800 students across the country over topics regarding free speech, economic systems, and artificial intelligence.

The Spectator P.M. Podcast hosts Madelynn Gondy, Ellie Gardey Holmes, and Lyrah Margo expand on these findings and more, noting the gap in education and overall cultural decline. They discuss the skewed perspectives on socialism and encourage parents to give their children a solid education and moral foundation. Tune in to hear their discussion!

A recent report from the Wall Street Journal revealed that Kamala Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, privately prefers Harris to stay out of the 2028 presidential run.

The Spectator P.M. Podcast hosts Madelynn Gondy, Ellie Gardey Holmes, and Lyrah Margo discuss the potential of Kamala Harris running, Gavin Newsom’s presidential ambitions, and the disarrayed Democratic Party. Ellie, Madelynn, and Lyrah also discuss the mysterious disappearance of James Talarico, and how the radical like Talarico have ransacked the Democratic Party. Tune in to hear their discussion!

A high-profile lawsuit involving a female student at Cornell University (under the pseudonym of ‘Jane Doe’) and seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity is receiving national attention. The reopened case reexamines Doe’s allegations against the men involved and Cornell’s handling of the investigation.

The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay weigh in with their thoughts about the case and examine the evidence. Melissa and Scott elaborate on the blurry lines between consent and intoxication, and criticize the Left’s politicization of the case to mobilize women voters. They also point to factors like normalizing casual sex and call for accountability for both men and women. Tune in to hear their discussion!

Eight elections in Latin America are indicating a new shift towards the Right: Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, and  Brazil. What changed in these countries that usually favored the Left?

On this episode of The Spectacle Podcast, hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay discuss the global shift toward right-leaning candidates and policies, and the uncertainty with the midterm elections here in the United States. Scott points to cutting USAID funds to left-wing NGOs as the reason why foreign countries are seeing the Left’s strongholds diminish. Melissa discusses her observation of once-populated cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles looking eerily deserted, questioning the US population figures. Tune in to hear their discussion!

A 2024 study from the Cultural Research Center found that over 30 million Christians were likely to stay home instead of voting in the election. As one of America’s largest demographics, why aren’t more Christians voting?

Gary Meredith, author of Bible and Ballots: Ten Biblical Reasons Christians Must Engage in Politics, joins The Spectator P.M. Podcast hosts Madelynn Gondy and Lyrah Margo to examine this question and why Christians need to be active participants in government. Gary shares how the Bible is clear about the need for Christians to be involved in politics. He also debunks the myths that are holding Christians back from going to the polls. Tune in to hear their discussion!

A newborn baby born via surrogate went viral on social media for being frustrated trying to root and latch. Unfortunately, the baby was given to a gay couple and therefore was deprived of his mother.

The Spectator P.M Podcast hosts Ellie Gardey Holmes, Madelynn Gondy, and Lyrah Margo discuss why surrogacy is an evil practice. They talk about how surrogacy is a commercial market where babies and surrogates are treated harshly, and how other countries are taking steps to outlaw the industry. Tune in to hear their discussion!