Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Gutfeld

Sat Sep 20 2025

Pretty nice First Amendment you've got there. Would be a shame if something were to happen to it. Trump’s FCC comes for Jimmy Kimmel, and Disney rolls out the red carpet. Michaela Watkins and Colton Dunn set their brains to “rot” to talk Hunting Wives, James Gandolfini, political acceptance speeches, and how drunk our Drunk Histories really got. Colton loses his shoes, but we all win, with a rousing game of Was I In This?, and we give our aging faves their flowers now, before they're pushing up daisies. Get tickets to LOLI NYC & more upcoming shows at Crooked.com/events. Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at crookedcon.com. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Transcript

John Lovett (0:00)

Love or leave it is brought to you by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The First Amendment protects all of our rights to practice whatever faith we have or the right to not have any faith at all. And yet what we see is a lot of politicians trying to impose their worldview and their religion on everybody. That includes in the public schools. We've seen that in Louisiana with a law around school chaplains and putting 10 commandments in the classroom. That's currently held up in court, though we have no idea what the Supreme Court will do. And so if you believe that people should be free to practice whatever religion they want without the government impinging on it or free to not practice any religion at all, that's where the Freedom from Religion foundation comes in. To help do what? A lot of lawmakers aren't defending the First Amendment. They sue, they win. And they're making sure kids can focus on science class and that public schools aren't turned into religious Sunday Schools. Go to FFRF US School or text Love It. That's L O V E T T to 511511. Visit FFRF at FFRF US School or text L O V E t t to 511511. Because if I'm going to live by the Ten Commandments, I'm going to do it on private property, not government property. That's where I do all my coveting, John. That's where I do all my.

Colton Dunn (1:18)

That's where you break all your other commandments.

John Lovett (1:19)

Yeah. That's where I take the Lord's name in vain the most. Remember, text love it to 511-511- or go to FFRF US School or text L O V e T T to 511-511-today. What's up, Los Angeles? Welcome to Love it or leave it live from Dynasty Typewriter. We have got a great show for you tonight. Michaela Watkins is here. Colton Dunn is here. And they'll both ask two important questions. Was I in this? And was it worth it? Then we'll all head to the wheel to pay tribute to some of our favorite stars of yore. But first, let's get into it. What a week. On Tuesday, Donald Trump and his legal wife, Melania Trump went across the pond to the world's second most famous island of pedophiles, Great Britain. The first lady and worst man met with King Charles and Queen Camilla Windsor, where Melania debuted a brand new look for those at home. She's wearing a big purple hat that often obscured her face completely. On loan from the queen's private Spirit Halloween collection. It's obviously a joke. It's from Eileen Fisher's new collab with David Cronenberg. While at Windsor, Trump shared some poignant remarks at a state dinner. I believe we're the hottest country anywhere in the world. In fact, nobody's even questioning it. But we owe so much of that to you and the footing that you gave us when we started. King Charles spit out soup when he heard that, and he wasn't even having soup. That's just what's in British people's mouths. Trump also took the opportunity to celebrate some of the UK's best. Shakespeare and Dickens and Tolkien. Lewis, Orwell and Kipling. Incredible people. Unbelievable. People like we have rarely seen before. Probably won't see again. I'll defend him when he's right, but would he do the same for me? And I know I'll get shit for this, but I'll say it. Tolkien in the same league as Shakespeare and Orwell? Oh, sure, you fucking dweebs. Oh, really? Oh, really? You think that's right? You think that's right? Shakespeare painted with the English language in ways previously unimaginable. Orwell with rigor and clarity, helping us to understand the tools by which we obliterate our own humanity. And then you have Tolkien, who taught us that the little ones have hair on their feet and eat a lot of sandwiches, but in a language he made up. Deal with it. Cancel me, Brendan Carr. I hate the Lord of the Rings. Fucking dog shit. Ooh, ooh, ooh. The ring makes you invisible, but it also does other stuff. The little ones are sweet. The tall ones are kinda mean. Which are the Jews in Lord of the Rings. Rudyard Kipling was perfect, though. No notes. He was racist. He was. Wrote some really racist stuff, you know, and the original text of the Jungle Book is not so sweet. It wasn't just. It wasn't just the pomp and circumstance Trump enjoyed about monarchy. For back at home, his administration began to lay out how, in the wake of Charlie Kirk's gruesome murder, the government would begin a wider crackdown on dissent. Here was Stephen Miller earlier this week. With God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have at the Department of Justice, Homeland Security and throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy these networks and make America safe again for the American people. It will happen, and we will do it in Charlie's name. As of this recording, we have seen no evidence to suggest that Kirk's murderer wasn't acting alone. According to the transcript released as part of the investigation. He may have been motivated by his love for a trans person, which fills me with an incredible amount of rage. Because whatever we learn in the coming days, this guy was too demented or stupid to appreciate the consequences of his actions, which orphaned two children and fueled a crackdown while making life worse for every trans person in America, not least of whom is the person he was texting and claiming to love, who, according to Utah's Republican governor, had no idea what Robinson was planning and has been cooperating fully. And I'll say here, as we learn more, we should not be the least bit reluctant to confront the truth of this killer's motivations. If the shooter wanted to kill Charlie Kirk for being right wing or holding anti Trump trans views, then we should be as appalled and unabashed in acknowledging that as when political violence targets the left. We've seen voice, yes, because we've seen voices on the right smear half the country for this killing, claiming this was a war of the left. But that is false. And to do anything other than scream from the rooftops that this person does not speak for us is to act just a little bit like you've internalized the right's logic. JD Vance went further in that conversation with Stephen Miller. So when you see someone celebrating Charlie's murder, call them out in hell. Call their employer. But JD There are thousands of people making gross jokes on the Internet all the time. There are too many. How can we make a difference? Ah, said Vance, picking up a starfish and getting it fired from its job as a community college administrator. It made a difference to this one. The number of people who understood that analogy. And that story was not as many in the meeting as I wanted it to be. How many people know the starfish thing that's so interesting? How many people know it like it's the back of your hand? Feel like you've heard it a million times, and how many you've never heard that before in your life? Wow. So there's a mother and daughter walking down the shore and the mother and the daughter starts looking around like all these starfish are going to die. What are we gonna do? We can't help them all. And the mother picks one up and throws it in the ocean and says it made a difference to that one. Huh? Right. Anyway, Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to do more than just get you fired for offensive comments on Katie Miller's podcast earlier this week.

Summary

Lovett or Leave It – "Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Gutfeld"

Date: September 20, 2025
Host: Jon Lovett (Crooked Media)
Guests: Michaela Watkins, Colton Dunn
Location: Dynasty Typewriter, Los Angeles

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off the new season of Lovett or Leave It with Jon Lovett breaking down the week's absurd and troubling news, particularly the fallout from conservative influencer Charlie Kirk's assassination, the subsequent political and media reactions, and attacks on free speech. Lovett is joined by actor-comedian Michaela Watkins and actor-writer Colton Dunn for candid and comedic conversation on everything from trash TV to Hollywood labor and the challenges of activism in the streaming age. The episode closes with a round of affectionate tributes to living legends, emphasizing the need to celebrate icons while they're still with us.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Week’s News: Political Violence, Free Speech, and Media Crackdowns

(00:00–16:35)

Charlie Kirk's Murder and Political Fallout:
- Lovett opens with biting satire on Trump and Melania’s UK trip, Trump’s literary name-drops, and the distinctions (or lack thereof) he draws between thinkers like Tolkien, Shakespeare, and Orwell.
- Shifts to the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s death, dissecting how it has spurred renewed calls for a crackdown on dissent and vigilantism against “hate speech.” Notable conservatives like Stephen Miller and JD Vance are lampooned for advocating aggressive government action.
  - "With God as my witness, we are going to use every resource… to identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy these networks and make America safe again for the American people. It will happen, and we will do it in Charlie's name." — Stephen Miller via Lovett (06:32)
- Lovett urges the left to acknowledge the reality if political violence emerges from either side, but rejects collective blame tactics from the right.
  - "To do anything other than scream from the rooftops that this person does not speak for us is to act just a little bit like you've internalized the right's logic.” — Jon Lovett (06:20)
- Critiques Attorney General Pam Bondi for over-broad “hate speech” crusades, later narrowed after criticism. Political absurdities are highlighted: hypotheticals about forced cake baking with Kirk’s image, radical bakers, etc.
The Kimmel Precedent and FCC Threats:
- Recaps how Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was taken off the air after FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened action over on-air comments regarding Kirk’s death. Corporate cowardice leads affiliates to pre-empt Kimmel and even demand public penance.
  - "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." — Brendan Carr (12:31)
- Lovett skewers both right-wing overreach and media conglomerates for spinelessness—"corporate cowardice on an absolutely mind-boggling scale” (42:16).
- Satirical previews are offered of imaginary reactionary ABC programming, lampooning the dumbing down and politicization of network television.

2. Trash TV, Pop Culture, and the Hollywood Hustle

(19:09–35:19)

Defending 'Hunting Wives':
- Michaela Watkins admits to a complicated relationship with the Netflix hit “Hunting Wives”—a trashy, MAGA-laden, sex-filled drama about Texas wives—which she ultimately defends for its acting and guilty-pleasure appeal:
  - “Maybe you come for the hype about it and the tatas, but you stay for the really quality acting with really questionable material.” — Michaela Watkins (25:18)
Brain Candy Shows:
- Colton Dunn reveals his go-to escapist fare is “Emma Cruises” on YouTube, a British woman’s cruise review channel with a special focus on Diet Coke availability.
  - “Her big thing is whether or not they have Diet Coke on the cruise. She’s a big Diet Coke fan…She does not like fountain Diet Coke. She only wants Diet Coke from the bottle." — Colton Dunn (25:34)
Wigs and Production Gripes:
- An extended, tongue-in-cheek discussion of the bad wigs on “Hunting Wives” becomes a larger reflection on TV budgets, the shifting entertainment landscape, morale-killing labor climates, and the experience of actors in streaming-era productions.
Coping with Political Despair:
- Lovett channels the anxiety many listeners feel about U.S. politics and culture, expressing his own through recurring “spiky dreams” and comic descriptions of nighttime panic.

3. Culture Wars, Protest, and the Limits of Boycotts

(41:08–45:37)

Should We Boycott Hulu/Disney?
- As streaming services bend to political pressure, Lovett ponders: should liberals mount a serious, coordinated boycott? Guests debate the efficacy.
  - "If we're going to say, all right, this is the place. We're drawing the line. We're all going to cancel Disney. We're all going to cancel Hulu. It has to be both clear, serious. It has to actually have a goal.” — Jon Lovett (43:34)
- Colton argues that cancellations directly hit streamers where it hurts, while Lovett cautions that success depends on focus and achievable demands.

4. Comedy Game: "Was I In This?"

(36:52–54:26)

A recurring segment where Lovett quizzes guests on whether they were in various shows/movies—exposing obscure IMDb credits, cracking jokes about careers, and swapping behind-the-scenes stories (e.g., James Gandolfini anecdotes, hormone patches, and TV hair transplants).

5. Giving Living Legends Their Flowers

(56:37–66:52)

Tributes to Hollywood Icons:
- Inspired by the death of Robert Redford, the panel spins a “wheel” to celebrate still-living nonagenarians:
- Shirley MacLaine:
  - Watkins shares near-miss stories of working with her and celebrates her enduring iconoclasm.
    - “She was never just… What's his face's brother Warren’s. She was her own whole damn thing.” — Michaela Watkins (60:17)
- Dick Van Dyke:
  - Colton and Lovett salute his comedy legacy, lack of scandal, and universal appeal.
    - “Guy made tripping over an ottoman an icon.” — John Lovett (62:30)
    - “To rock the name Dick and like have it work. Never even connects with… And Dyke. He’s got it all in there.” — Colton Dunn (62:52)
- Mel Brooks:
  - Lovett celebrates his unique combination of funny, positive, and Jewish sensibilities, recalling old Hollywood stories and the anticipation for “Spaceballs 2.”
    - “It’s a really funny, positive Jewish comedian. Wow, that’s a triple threat… Joyous, joyous.” — Jon Lovett (64:22)
  - Watkins shares having done a game show with Brooks and Cloris Leachman’s notorious on-set hijinks.
- Panel reflects on Redford’s legacy—his roles, influence, and enduring “smoke show” status.
  - “He’s so hot it’s disturbing. Nobody should be.” — Michaela Watkins (65:49)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Political Violence:
- “To do anything other than scream from the rooftops that this person does not speak for us is to act just a little bit like you've internalized the right's logic.” — Jon Lovett (06:20)
On Corporate Cowardice/Free Speech:
- "Corporate cowardice on an absolutely mind-boggling scale. Just people giving the administration rights it actually couldn't take, giving it power it couldn't seize and would never be able to win in court." — Jon Lovett (42:16)
On Boycotts:
- “Once you take yourself out of there, their whole business model is to figure out how to get you back.” — Colton Dunn (43:04)
On ‘Trash’ TV:
- “Maybe you come for the hype about it and the tatas, but you stay for the really quality acting with really questionable material.” — Michaela Watkins (25:18)
On Anxiety and Politics:
- “The eyes go down, and I'll try to take this thing down with a big old Xanax. Just a good old chemical… But the dreams, the spiky dreams, the anxiety, the points push through the cotton of the Xanax, poke through into the open air.” — Jon Lovett (45:11)
Celebrating the Living:
- “Why wait to have the feelings when they're gone?” — Jon Lovett (58:50)
- “It’s a really funny, positive Jewish comedian. Wow, that’s a triple threat… Joyous, joyous.” — Jon Lovett (64:22)

Important Timestamps

00:00–01:19: Opening sponsor/FFRF plug and Lovett’s intro
01:20–16:35: Weekly news — Trump, Kirk’s murder, right-wing reactions, FCC-Kimmel saga
19:09–30:00: Comedy roundtable with guests, defending “Hunting Wives,” trash TV, bad wigs
30:01–35:19: Cultural snacking, hair transplants, Emmy speeches, political free speech debate
36:52–54:26: Game segment – “Was I In This?” (TV/film trivia and behind-the-scenes)
56:37–66:52: Celebratory “Giving Living Legends Their Flowers” and Robert Redford tribute

Tone and Language

The episode blends sharp satire, comic exasperation, cultural critique, and personal candor. Lovett maintains his trademark blend of earnest liberal anxiety and punchy, sometimes profane one-liners, with guests leaning warmly into self-deprecation and observational comedy. Jokes are often meta, with extended set-ups and audience/guest interplay reminiscent of live variety theater.

Summary for the Uninitiated

This episode is a must-listen for those seeking insight into the current state of U.S. media, free speech, and the escalated culture wars, all filtered through sharp comedic lens. It’s also an affectionate showcase of the messiness, humor, and solidarity found in both pop culture and political resistance—a place where trashy TV, personal anxieties, and robust debate all have a seat in the conversation.