Bulwark Takes – "Barstool’s Kirk Minihane: The MAGA Right Can’t Take a Joke"

Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Host: Tim Miller
Guest: Kirk Minihane (Barstool Sports, Kirk Minihane Show)
Date: September 23, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively, wide-ranging conversation, Tim Miller welcomes Barstool Sports personality Kirk Minihane to break down the fallout from Minihane’s viral rant calling the MAGA right “the biggest group of pussies that has ever existed in America.” The pair dissect the perpetually inflamed culture war from inside and outside the Barstool universe, delve into the right’s pivot to “cancel culture,” ponder why Democrats flail with the Barstool demographic, and debate the political vibes animating the post-2024 Trump era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Viral "Pussies" Rant and the Right’s Embrace of Cancel Culture

Timestamps: 01:54 – 07:28

• Kirk Minihane’s viral quote:

  “The extreme right are the biggest group of pussies that has ever existed in America. … People with green hair at Starbucks and because once in a while a fucking guy swam against girls, you fucking pussies have broken in half. Led by the duo of Donald Trump and Consequence Culture Portnoy...”
  — Kirk Minihane [01:54]

• Minihane’s background: Former Boston radio host, now at Barstool and a true crime podcaster; describes being "canceled" himself for what he calls “dumb transgender jokes”—emphasizes he’s “pro trans, thousand percent. Knock yourself out.” [03:17]

• Observation on right-wing cancel culture: The right, long decrying being canceled, now uses those tactics themselves:

  “So I have seen the right who for years were saying, we're being canceled for this... then it spins. … Now they can punch back… Let's find this person's address... their boss.”
  — Kirk Minihane [03:57]

• On Jimmy Kimmel drama: Minihane critiques the FCC and Trump for targeting Kimmel over a poorly-worded but ultimately minor joke:

  “I don't particularly care about Jimmy Kimmel's show. ...But the idea that… the FCC chairman is taking victory laps and Trump is tweeting about it is insanity to me.”
  — Kirk Minihane [05:00]

• Tim’s addition: “All of these [culture war] controversies have always been a sign of weak men from, from my perspective.” [05:41]

2. Culture War, Corporate Corruption, and the Endless Cycle

Timestamps: 07:28 – 10:50

• Modern right’s obsession with culture war issues:

  “I grew up with, my idea of a Republican growing up was small government... That's what I thought it was. ...It's not that anymore. ...It's become the party sort of dominated by religion... and this war, this culture war.”
  — Kirk Minihane [06:12]

• Hopelessness about politics: Tim: “We can only do our part to try to break the cycle.” [07:28]

• Escalating battle over Kimmel and media consolidation: Both see the ongoing FCC/Nexstar/Sinclair drama as more about corporate corruption than conservative principles.

  “This is just like straight, a straight corporate corruption. …Jimmy Kimmel's not going to be on …because they want Brendan Carr to be nice to them. And that's crazy.”
  — Tim Miller [08:53]

3. The Barstool/“Manosphere” Demographic & Democrats’ Struggles

Timestamps: 10:50 – 15:41

• Barstool world not monolithically MAGA: Includes many centrists, ex-Republicans, and even liberals, especially among younger employees [11:53, 19:21].

• What Democrats get wrong: Struggle to appeal to the middle and come off as “far left” and overly earnest.

  “The Democratic Party, their message is far left right now… You should find your way to the middle. A centrist can get elected president. I do believe that.”
  — Kirk Minihane [12:06]

• Advice for Democrats:

  • Find authentic centrists, not just panderers
  • Stop being afraid to mix with “podcast world” or go on platforms like Rogan or Barstool
  • Focus on relatable, “normal” candidates rather than those who try too hard to manufacture authenticity
  • “They have to start doing stuff like that and having conversations like this. …It doesn't have to be World War Three.” [15:02]

4. Is the Trump Show Wearing Thin?

Timestamps: 15:41 – 20:29

• No real improvement in people’s lives amid Trump 2.0:

  “Nobody's life is really getting better in the first nine months… the thing with the Tylenol, I'm like, this guy is the President of the United States of America… 70 million people voted for him.”
  — Kirk Minihane [16:15]

• Trump’s immunity to scandal: What would have sunk any other president leaves Trump unscathed [16:32]

• Who’s to blame for two Trump victories?: Kirk pins responsibility on Democrats for running flawed candidates and failing to connect with voters:

  “They've lost to Donald Trump twice. Twice they've lost Donald Trump. So at some point… we have to solve it.” [16:46]

5. Audience Reaction, Sensitivity, and the Trouble with Tough Love

Timestamps: 20:29 – 22:28

• MINIHANE:

  “A lot of them proved my point by being sensitive in response, got a ton of… death threats. Not real ones… but like, a ton of that stuff was sent to us.” [21:16]

• Barstool/TMZ right’s sensitivity when called out:

  “I think they were sensitive to it because… they've been doing this for years and now they have a little power and they want to do it to people… listing phone numbers for [doxxing victims]. …Like, what in the fuck is going on here?”
  — Kirk Minihane [21:34]

• Minihane’s takeaway: Prefers airing disagreements rather than silencing “enemies,” even if it costs him listeners.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |---------|----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:54 | Kirk Minihane | “The extreme right are the biggest group of pussies that has ever existed in America.” | | 03:17 | Kirk Minihane | “Trans. Some transgender stuff. Jokes. Transgender stuff. Stupid joke. Dump. Not worth the crime. I'm. I am pro trans. I am all for it. Thousand percent. Knock yourself out.” | | 05:41 | Tim Miller | “All of these controversies have always been a sign of weak men from, from my perspective.” | | 06:12 | Kirk Minihane | “I grew up… Republican… was small government… It's not that anymore. It's just not now. It's become the party sort of dominated by religion... and this war, this culture war.” | | 08:53 | Tim Miller | “This is just like straight, a straight corporate corruption. …Jimmy Kimmel's not going to be on …because they want Brendan Carr to be nice to them. And that's crazy.” | | 12:06 | Kirk Minihane | “The Democratic Party, their message is far left right now… You should find your way to the middle.” | | 15:02 | Kirk Minihane | “They have to start doing stuff like that and having conversations like this… It doesn't have to be World War Three.” | | 16:15 | Kirk Minihane | “Nobody's life is really getting better in the first nine months… the thing with the Tylenol, I'm like, this guy is the President of the United States of America.” | | 16:46 | Kirk Minihane | “They've lost to Donald Trump twice. Twice they've lost Donald Trump. So at some point… we have to solve it.” | | 21:16 | Kirk Minihane | “A lot of them proved my point by being sensitive in response, got a ton of… death threats. Not real ones.” | | 21:34 | Kirk Minihane | “I think they were sensitive to it because… they've been doing this for years and now they have a little power and they want to do it to people.” |

Structure & Flow

• Opens (00:57) with Tim hyping Kirk Minihane’s viral moment, quickly jumping into a replay and breakdown of the infamous “pussies” rant.
• Motivations & background (01:54–03:57): Kirk shares context behind his style, past cancellation, and what’s wrong with the right’s approach to “punching back.”
• Details the evolving “cancel culture” (03:57–05:41): Lays out how right-wing outrage has taken a hypocritical turn.
• Discusses the greater culture war and shifts in the GOP (06:12–07:28): Minihane provides a personal evolution from Republican to centrist and libertarian.
• Examines fallout for Kimmel; draws a direct line to corporate cynicism, not true cultural grievance (07:28–10:50).
• Shifts to the Barstool demographic and Democrats’ struggles to connect (10:50–15:41): A frank critique of where and why Dems lose “normal” guys.
• Interrogates the future of American politics, with a special focus on voter apathy and fatigue with the Trump circus (15:41–20:29).
• Wraps with feedback and intra-tribal reactions to Kirk's tough love (21:16–22:28): A mix of sensitivity, backlash, and affirmation.

Final Thoughts

Tim and Kirk’s discussion exposes the cracks and contradictions within the modern right’s “anti-cancel culture” bravado, the persistent shortcomings of Democratic outreach to everyday swing voters, and an abiding sense of exhaustion with the endless culture war loop. Beneath the rants and pointed barbs, both men seem to long for a quieter, more substantive politics—though neither thinks it’s coming anytime soon.

For listeners seeking a frank, unscripted, and sometimes profane lens on American cultural and political absurdities—from Barstool Sports to the FCC, from Trump’s antics to the Democratic Party’s lost middle—this episode delivers.