Podcast Summary: Lovett or Leave It – "CDC You Next Tuesday"

Date: August 30, 2025
Host: Jon Lovett
Guests: Martha Plimpton, Siri Dahl, Jamie Loftus
Location: Dynasty Typewriter, Los Angeles

Episode Overview

In this fiery and fast-paced season opener of Lovett or Leave It, Jon Lovett dissects the week’s wild political headlines, skewers the normalization of authoritarianism in American life, and welcomes special guests for conversations and games both serious and absurd. Topics range from the militarization of D.C. and the Trump administration’s purge of independent government officials, to pop culture, weddings, and the future of sexual expression online.

KEY SEGMENTS & INSIGHTS

1. "What a Week": Authoritarian Soft Launch, Rule of Law Erosion, and Political Theater

[01:35–18:10]

• Militarization of D.C.: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth now has National Guard troops armed and visible in central D.C., leading Lovett to compare public acceptance of this move to “putting a frog in a pot of cold water and then slowly surrounding it with armed soldiers.”
• Trump’s Authoritarian Maneuvers:
  • Trump’s rhetoric about people wanting a dictator and his direct intervention in DOJ actions (e.g., the raid on John Bolton, threats to withhold disaster aid in Maryland, etc.) highlight the collapse of legal and institutional norms.
  • Lovett notes, “There won’t be a single moment where we realize the transition is complete. Like when Anakin puts on the helmet—or Caitlyn Jenner showed up on the cover of Vanity Fair with those incredible yabs.” [15:21]
• Corporate Complicity: Elite institutions (law firms, media, major companies) have become actively supportive or wantonly passive, which Lovett skewers: “It’s like the Northrop Grumman float at the Pride Parade meant fucking nothing.” [15:33]
• Courage from the Margins: Focuses on the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an ICE target resisting a sham plea deal, who Lovett calls “more courageous and understanding of America than America’s elite.”
  • Quote (from Garcia): “Continue to fight, resist, and love—not just for me, but for everybody. Continue to demand freedom.” [16:50]
• Purge of Government Independence:
  • CDC Director Susan Monorez, resisting RFK Jr.’s anti-vax push, is ousted;
  • Four other top CDC officials resign after vaccine access is restricted.
  • Lovett: “Our health agencies are being purged of experts because they’ve dared to disagree with our dilettante wackadoo HHS secretary.” [10:40]
  • He lampoons RFK Jr.’s junk science: “Not all of us have a personal assistant to make sure our bear meat jerky is in our valise... That’s not a mitochondrial challenge. It’s called being tired.” [11:28]
• Cabinet Sycophancy: Lovett runs through a comically fawning cabinet meeting in honor of Trump, mocking the performative praise and likening the debasement to Tico Brahe sacrificing his bladder at the dinner table. [13:56–14:27]
• Final Thoughts: There will be no “line crossed” moment—the descent is gradual and requires constant resistance. Lovett: “If you’re not where I’m at, bad news for you... I’m not going to meet you. You’re going to be here... so you’ll be here in two weeks.” [18:08]

2. Interview & Game: Martha Plimpton

[21:32–36:38]

• Charming Banter & Ancestry:
  • Discussion about her famous relative, George Plimpton (“That’s just a person. That’s nothing.”—Lovett, [22:35]).
  • Plimpton’s DNA/Ancestry kit lost in the mail; both agree corporate DNA databases are a little fishy.
  • Blunt taco takes: Del Taco (“I don’t like them. Bad news.” – Lovett, [24:49] ; “Should go to Paquito Mas. They’re much better.” – Plimpton, [24:52])
• Plimpton’s Acting Career:
  • Discussion of her role in the new HBO series “Task”—no Delco accent required, much to her relief. [27:53]
  • Fond memories of “The Goonies,” John Waters’ “Pecker,” and “Raising Hope.”
• Game Segment: Was I In This?
  • Lovett and Plimpton quiz the audience on her roles; playful ribbing ensues.
  • On cult classics: “It’s very strange, but it has this crazy magic.” – Plimpton, on The Goonies’ lasting appeal [30:33]
  • Behind-the-scenes trivia, including Plimpton’s love for John Waters and confession that the Baltimore accent “is really tough.”
• Political Engagement:
  • Plimpton notes she doesn’t select roles for their politics, but appreciates stories like “Sovereign,” about a “sovereign citizen.”
  • “I’m not going out there looking for political content to act in... I just do what seems fun.” [36:38]

3. Panel Discussion: Censorship, Sex Work, and Project 2025 (with Siri Dahl & Jamie Loftus)

[38:45–65:06]

• Sex Work, Advocacy, and the Threat of Censorship:
  • Siri Dahl previews her upcoming 12-hour “corn telethon” (a porn telethon) to support SWOP and Suede. This year’s theme: defending free speech as censorship and criminalization ramp up under Trump and Project 2025.
  • Dahl: “The immediate threat... is censorship and deplatforming and the threat of losing our access to free speech... If we don’t defend it with everything we have, we will lose it.” [40:28]
• COSA (Kids Online Safety Act):
  • Both guests discuss bipartisan bills to regulate online content.
  • Dahl explains why state-level and proposed federal age verification laws don’t work: “Overwhelmingly they’re just not effective... Most people just go to sites based overseas... We’re driving traffic to far worse places.”
  • Data privacy risk: “Do we really want to give our biometric data and our government ID to an adult website... All that’s doing is creating the perfect storm of surveillance and data leak risk.” [46:04]
• Device-based Age Verification & Tech Company Responsibility:
  • The Free Speech Coalition’s proposal for device-level blocking/age-gating (rather than ID-checking every website) is discussed as a better solution.
• Podcast Spotlight: We The Unhoused (Loftus):
  • Jamie Loftus discusses the only podcast of its kind produced by a formerly unhoused person (Theo Henderson), spotlighting systemic abuses post-Grants Pass.
  • “Now there is this really escalated feeling of a fear to even receive aid.” – Loftus [50:17]
• Mutual Aid & Advocacy in the Climate of Fear:
  • Description of mutual aid work in Coachella Valley—the encroaching chilling effect on vulnerable populations.
  • “Theo’s show is very much about pushing back against that and seeing what are the circumstances that lead to one becoming unhoused and pushing back against all of the stereotypes.” – Loftus [50:46]

Notable Quote

• Lovett (on censorship): “Porn can often be the canary in the coal mine because it’s easier to target... and it quickly expands from there.” [40:34]

4. Porn Save America: Data, Games, and Puritan Pretenses

[53:34–65:06]

• Quiz Segment: Lovett quizzes Dahl and Loftus on porn search data and cultural preferences. Spirited, often hilarious, but used to underscore the disconnect between public prudishness and private desires.
  • “Covenant Eyes in the streets, it’s grandma dildo in the sheets.” – Lovett [61:57]
  • Refers to the Puritanical impulse behind legal censorship versus the private shame/curiosity revealed by search trends.
  • Highlights from Pornhub’s Year in Review: top searches in various states/countries; Baby Boomers’ top genre (strap-on); Gen Z’s taste for vertical video.
  • Serious point: “There is something revealing about the truth people tell when they’re searching...” – Lovett [61:28]
  • Dahl: “The puritanical approach is not doing anyone any favors... We don’t have any sex ed in this country, so if we’re wondering why young people are looking for porn—gee, maybe it’s because they’d like to know what’s happening.” [63:32]

5. Wedding Traditions: "Something Old, Something Ew"

[68:35–78:06]

• Spin-the-Wheel Game: Panelists and Lovett hilariously propose wedding traditions to abandon:
  • Jamie Loftus: Dispensing with the father-daughter dance (her dad is deceased), jokes about using bones, cardboard cutouts, or a hotter “dad actor” as substitutes. (“Weddings are ultimately a social experiment.” – Loftus [71:40])
  • Siri Dahl: Questions the custom of secret wedding dresses and heavily gendered preparations (“Where’s the combo area? I just want to get ready together.” – Dahl [73:45])
  • Lovett: Expresses anxiety about setting new queer marriage norms, floats an all-inclusive circle dance instead of gendered “parent dances,” and—importantly—confirms that yes, there will be mini hot dogs.
  • Playful but touching discussion on how new generations—especially in queer or non-traditional relationships—are building new traditions out of old scripts.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS & QUOTES

• “This was always about getting people comfortable with having armed soldiers on the streets of our cities...” – Lovett, [02:19]
• “There won’t be a single moment where we realize the transition is complete.” – Lovett, [15:15]
• “Our health agencies are being purged of experts...” – Lovett, [10:40]
• “Do we really want to have to give our biometric data and our government ID to an adult-oriented website just to prove that we’re of age to look at it?” – Siri Dahl, [46:04]
• “Covenant Eyes in the streets, it’s grandma dildo in the sheets.” – Lovett, [61:57]
• “The puritanical approach is not doing anyone any favors.” – Dahl, [64:30]
• “Weddings are ultimately a social experiment.” – Loftus, [71:40]

TIMESTAMPS OF IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• 01:35–18:10: Jon Lovett’s “What a Week” monologue: defense/militarization, Trump executive actions, CDC/agency purges, and institutional cowardice.
• 21:32–36:38: Interview & games with Martha Plimpton—family, TV/film, new series, and positive nostalgia.
• 38:45–65:06: Adult censorship, sex work, KOSA, advocacy for unhoused people, and Porn Save America data quiz.
• 68:35–78:06: Wedding tradition game – panelists suggest problematic or silly wedding rituals to retire.

CONCLUSION

This episode is a quintessential example of Lovett’s signature blend: searing, often absurdist political commentary; heartfelt spotlights on grassroots voices; and playful, raunchy cultural critique. Under the looming shadow of authoritarian “Project 2025,” the panel underscores the necessity of vigilance, resistance, and, crucially, laughter.

For listeners seeking:

• The sharpest, funniest political round-up around
• Insights on the intersection of censorship, activism, and sexuality
• Uplifting stories of individual resistance
• Irreverent but sincere discussions about community, pop culture, and self-invention

Lovett or Leave It continues to deliver.