Podcast Summary

It Could Happen Here — CZM Rewind: My RNC Grindr Adventure

Host: Garrison Davis (Cool Zone Media)
Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Garrison Davis takes listeners inside his unique investigative assignment during the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee: using Grindr, the popular gay dating/hookup app, to explore the cultural myth of closeted Republican delegates seeking furtive encounters during the RNC. Against the backdrop of increased anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric among conservatives, Garrison sets out to discover whether there's any truth to the urban legends about a secret influx of Republicans on Grindr—ultimately offering an on-the-ground, humorous, and revealing chronicle of Grindr activity at a major right-wing political event.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Mission, Preparation & Undercover Persona

• Purpose: Investigate rumors of a Republican “Grindr invasion” during the RNC in Milwaukee.
  • “For years I've heard rumors and urban legends about a massive influx of Republicans flocking to the gay hookup app Grindr to get laid during the RNC... I needed to know how many homosexual Republicans were actually logging onto Grindr.” (03:13)
• Personal Security & Image Management:
  • Garrison describes carefully crafting a less conspicuous persona, presenting as a “Young Republican” type to blend in and stay safe in a potentially hostile environment.
  • “I packed up basically all my button up collared shirts, three ties, two black suits and a beige London Fog trench coat... half Young Republican, half Roman towel boy dressed as a 1950s FBI agent. I refer to this as Dale Cooper Moting.” (05:36)
• Disguised Grindr Profile:
  • Removed trans identifiers, went for a “twinkish” photo and the username: “Twink.”
  • Bio read: "Gen Z in town for convention." (07:30)

2. Arrival & Atmosphere at the RNC

• Observations at the Airport and Convention:
  • Garrison humorously remarks on stereotypical appearances and behaviors of attendees, comparing women’s style to “cosplaying their favorite female Fox News anchor.”
  • The pervasive language: everyone referring to the event only as “the convention.”
  • “As I was boarding the plane, an older woman with straw like blonde hair sitting a few rows in front of me waved to me and asked, young man, are you going to the convention?...She would be quite disappointed to learn why I was attending.” (08:24)

3. The Grindr Experiment at the RNC

• Technical Process & Method:
  • Regularly used Grindr at key RNC locations (esp. Fiserv Forum) and his hotel (shared with Idaho and N. Dakota delegates).
  • Used Grindr’s proximity features to deduce which users might be RNC attendees.
• Categories of Users Encountered:
  • Republican delegates: Few profiles seemed affiliated, most were locals or anonymous.
  • Chasers: Several were able to “see through [my] cisgender disguise.”
  • Locals curious about RNC: Many messaged Garrison hoping he could report on goings-on or inquiring about the convention buzz.
  • Other journalists and convention staffers: Some accidental connections due to proximity.
• Notable, Often Ironic, Interactions:
  • 21-year-old GOP suit asked if Garrison was “with the GOP.” No further response after a vague answer.
  • “Older for Young” messaged with, “boomer, who will talk politics with you or we can just…” and admitted, pick-up lines rarely work: “Less often than I would hope for on here.” (17:50)
  • A user from Shreveport listed his username as “Suckmeoff,” was proud to support Trump, but didn’t know who Cory (the person killed at the Trump rally) was. (20:25)
• Hazards of the Operation:
  • Grindr’s notorious unsolicited nude photo issue created awkward moments:
    • “There is a non zero chance that some passerby or person... might catch a glimpse of an unsolicited dick pic that fills my phone screen as I try to check my messages. This is simply a non negotiable part of the Grindr experience.” (21:17)

4. Technical Glitches & Grindr Outage

• Outages:
  • Real Grindr technical issues affected the experience, with Milwaukee seeing a surge in app outages.
  • “Around midday on Tuesday, the second day of the convention, over a thousand users reported a grinder outage in the Milwaukee area on the website downdetector.” (22:20)
• Speculation:
  • Some connected it to increased RNC activity; others, including Garrison, saw it more as mild evidence of above-average use but not an extraordinary influx.

5. Evaluating the Myth: RNC as ‘Grindr’s Super Bowl’

• Viral Satire, Not Reality:
  • A tweet from a satire account claiming a Grindr exec called the RNC “Grindr’s Super Bowl” went viral, echoed by former Congressman George Santos, but was fabricated.
    • Quote: “Is totally made up. Pure fiction. It's fiction. It's fiction. We made it up. We made this one up.” (30:14)
• Actual Data:
  • Reference to 2016 convention: 66% increase in Grindr usage at the RNC, much less than the 148% jump seen at the DNC. Most activity at both conventions from locals not visitors.
• Local Sentiment:
  • Local users used Grindr not just for hookups but to “see what the Republicans are up to” out of curiosity and concern.

6. What Actually Drives RNC Grindr Activity

• Breakdown:
  • Most activity: locals, some chasers, curious users, journalists, cops and security staff—not closeted GOP delegates.
  • “No, Grindr wasn't flooded with closeted Republicans, because there simply isn't that many closeted Republicans that are going to be attending the RNC.” (31:36)
• Police Presence:
  • Significant chunk of active Grindr accounts were from visiting law enforcement officials.
    • “So many cops. There was so many cops online at the rnc...from Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, California, Indiana… as well as US Capitol Police, Secret Service, TSA, DHS and FBI.” (34:32)
  • Cop-coded users often had generic messages or used “DL” (down low) codewords indicating closeted status.

7. Advice and Reflections

• Online Safety:
  • Warns against sharing protest plans or personal political activities on dating apps, especially Grindr.
    • “That's a horrible idea for multiple reasons. You got to stop talking about your political activities on dating apps, especially Grindr. Especially at the rnc.” (36:00)
• Community Recognition:
  • Some listeners/message-senders recognized Garrison from the podcast or Twitter, offering bar recommendations and political insights.

8. Conclusions

• The RNC Grindr myth is mostly that—a myth. A slight bump in activity during the convention is driven primarily by locals, journalists, and police/security staff, not closet-case Republican delegates.
• Mentions curiosity about how the DNC will compare, referencing higher activity from past DNCs.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the RNC Grindr Myth:
  • “It's an urban legend that never happened. So no, the RNC is not Grindr's Super Bowl.” (30:25 – Garrison)
• On the actual increase in activity:
  • “I got messages from over 150 different people. Over 90% of the messages I received and profiles visible online even while inside the Pfizer forum, were from locals completely unaffiliated with the rnc.” (31:00 – Garrison)
• On closeted Republicans as the engine of homophobic policy:
  • “This is not the norm. And all Republicans, being secretly gay is not the driving force of legislative homophobia. It is an ideological drive largely in furtherance of hegemonic Christian nationalism.” (32:00 – Garrison)
• On sharing sensitive information via Grindr:
  • “Please do not do this. That's a horrible idea for multiple reasons. You got to stop talking about your political activities on dating apps, especially Grindr. Especially at the rnc. Horrible idea. Do. Do not do this.” (36:00 – Garrison)
• Sample Grindr Messages from the Convention:
  • “Aren't all the delegates propositioning you? You're cute.”
  • “Why establish a totalitarian state if I can’t breed its dictator?”
  • “Are you supporting Trump? Haha.”
    (38:10–38:50)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Mission and Preparation: 03:13 – 08:24
• First Impressions, Setting: 08:24 – 10:16
• RNC Grindr Fieldwork & Inbox Highlights: 12:52 – 21:17
• App Glitches and Media Myths: 22:20 – 30:25
• Debunking the ‘Closeted RNC Republican’ Myth: 30:25 – 33:15
• Police Presence & Cop Profiles: 34:32 – 35:55
• Final Reflections & Lessons: 36:00 – 39:00

Takeaway

Garrison Davis’s RNC Grindr adventure unravels the myth of hordes of closeted Republican delegates swarming Grindr. Instead, the reality is far less scandalous: a collection of curious locals, journalists, and traveling law enforcement using the app amid the Republican Convention. The “super bowl” narrative is internet satire run wild, while the actual activity reflects both present-day realities of political conventions, security operations, and regional gay community curiosity. Garrison’s blend of humor, caution, and keen anthropological eye results in a revealing (and very entertaining) look at what really happens when queer tech and right-wing politics briefly share a physical space.