The Spectacle Podcast: The Official Podcast of The American Spectator

President Trump placed a 90-day tariff relief on ground beef, allowing up to 300,000 metric tons of beef from importers. Trump has also indicated that the imported beef will be sold at 25 percent below market prices, noting that the price of ground beef reached a record average $6.89 per pound this year.

The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay discuss Trump’s beef policy and the broader issue of America’s struggling economy. They cover how the rising costs of gas, cars, housing and maintenance point back to terrible policies enacted by Democrats. Tune in to hear their discussion!

University Greek life is in full swing as colleges start the new school year, and social media continues to blow up with “RushTok” — girls dancing to popular songs and attempting to convince prospective sorority sisters to join.

The Spectator P.M. Podcast hosts Lyrah Margo and Madelynn McLaughlin discuss the trends behind RushTok and how it is impacting young women’s college experiences. They debate whether these Rush experiences are worth it and whether it portrays toxic beauty standards. Tune in to hear their discussion!

As closing arguments in Lindsay Clancy’s case are being made this week, a bizarre number of moms — in person and on social media — are showing their support for Clancy and defending her actions of murdering her three children.

The Spectator P.M. Podcast hosts Lyrah Margo and Madelynn McLaughlin revisit the Clancy case and respond to the growing movement of women who are speaking out “in solidarity” with Clancy. Lyrah and Madelynn reject normalizing these behaviors and violent actions toward children, emphasizing that murder is murder and sympathy does not mean endorsement. Tune in to hear their discussion!

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who formerly played for Louisiana State University and won the Heisman trophy in 2023, became the target of a joke amongst sports leagues due to a dispute over not retiring his LSU number five. Regina Jackson (Daniels’ mom and manager) sent the university a cease-and-desist letter that they wipe all references and stop selling items related to Daniels and his likeness.

The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay explain the damage that Jackson has done to her son’s professional football career, and the lessons that can be learned about keeping your brand reputation intact. They react to the memes of Daniels’ number, where even the MLB, NFL teams, and other corporations chimed in with hysterics. Tune in to hear their discussion!

Declassified documents from the FBI from an operation codenamed “Freshman 15” identified Christine Fang, or “Fang Fang,” as a Chinese intelligence spy connected with disgraced Sen. Eric Swalwell. Fang raised money illegally for Swalwell, had a sexual relationship with him, and placed Chinese-linked interns in Congress.

In a separate case, court documents released this month also revealed that former Playmate Audra Christiansen’s story of being sexually assaulted and trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein was reported to the FBI by Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in 2005, but Christiansen’s case was neglected till after Epstein’s death in 2019.

The Spectacle Podcast hosts Melissa Mackenzie and Scott McKay parse through the details of each case and how the FBI is complicit in letting evil people do evil things. Melissa and Scott debate whether the institution is worth saving, noting how FBI corruption traces back to its beginning and how The American Spectator has reported it. Tune in to hear their discussion!

Jason Arday, who was a former professor at the University of Cambridge, was found dead last week. In the weeks before his death, Arday had been the subject of controversy over alleged plagiarism in his academic papers and questionable achievements listed on his CV.

The Spectacle Podcast host Scott McKay and Townhall senior columnist Kurt Schlichter go through the circumstances surrounding Arday’s death and why the Left is hailing him as a martyr ‘driven to death by racists.’ They discuss Arday’s tenure as a professor and how students have described him as the most abusive professor that they’ve had. Scott and Kurt also explain the decline in higher education and the decay of Ivy League institutions. Tune in to hear their discussion!

Parents part of the Community Members for Religious Neutrality in Public Schools sued the Palo Alto Unified School District for a field trip to a local mosque where students were pushed to participate in the religious practices of Islam as part of a “social justice pathway program.” During the trip, Qurans were handed out to students, female students were wearing hijabs, and photos of these students were posted on social media without consent.

The Spectator P.M. Podcast hosts Lyrah Margo and Madelynn McLaughlin discuss the details of the case, criticizing the trip’s one-sidedness to the religion of Islam and the school’s claim that Islam “uniquely promotes social justice.” Lyrah and Madelynn point out the double standards of how Christianity and Islam are treated in public settings. They also discuss the issue of public schools ignoring America’s roots in Christianity, and whether or not this district crossed the line of teaching religion or promoting it. Tune in to hear their discussion!

“People who are stealing things like toothpaste … like soap … if you’re stealing those things you need them,” Democratic socialist Emily Gallagher stated. Gallagher is an assemblywoman and represents New York City’s District 50, and her comments about “crimes of poverty” were widely criticized online.

The Spectator P.M. Podcast hosts Lyrah Margo and Madelynn McLaughlin react to her statement and give context to how shoplifters are prosecuted in New York, and the ample resources given to New Yorkers who are struggling and in need of everyday essentials. Lyrah and Madelynn criticize Democratic socialists for blurring clear moral truths, and debunk the lies that these Democratic socialists attempt to sell. Tune in to hear their discussion!

As the Democratic Socialists of America continue to take over the Democratic Party, DSA leaders like Zohran Mamdani, Francesca Hong, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (and much more) have graced the American public with a barrage of terrible ideas and dumb moments that are laughable.

The Spectacle Podcast host Scott McKay and producers Grace Keller and Madelynn McLaughlin list off their favorite ‘DSA Morons’ and highlight key moments that make these communists extra special. Grace crowns Zohran Mamdani as the most consequential DSA member, Scott frames Francesca Hong as the archetype of the DSA, and Madelynn deems Megan Romero as the comic proof that many DSA candidates are underqualified for political office.

Tune in to hear their discussion, and comment who your favorite DSA moron is!

“A burrito should not cost $20.” This statement is at the crux of a heated debate amongst conservatives regarding the affordability crisis and Gen Z’s financial situation.

The Spectacle Podcast host Scott McKay and producers Grace Keller and Madelynn McLaughlin discuss ‘Burritogate’ and the underlying issues that keep Gen Z in financial straits — namely, student debt, useless college degrees, and DEI hiring practices. Grace, Madelynn, and Scott elaborate on urban housing and how Gen Z can’t afford to live in safe areas, sharing personal dangerous encounters with violence within cities that have ‘third-world’-like zones. Tune in to hear their discussion!