No Agenda Show 1795: "Dead Feathered"

Date: August 31, 2025
Hosts: Adam Curry & John C. Dvorak

Overview

In this playful and deeply analytical episode, Adam and John deconstruct recent media narratives, governmental health policies, pharmaceutical industry influence, and societal shifts in the post-pandemic world. With their signature humor and skepticism, the hosts discuss the continued fallout over vaccine mandates, the ideological wars inside public health administration, social dynamics around AI, international unrest, “deep state” intrigues, and the culture-driving, sometimes ridiculous, shape of modern advertising and online discourse.

Main Themes & Discussion Points

1. The Pharmaceutical-Political Complex and Vaccine Narratives

Highlights:

• The hosts critique the flood of anti-Kennedy, anti-“anti-vaxxer” messaging across mainstream and social media, elaborating how pharmaceutical interests now rely heavily on influencers as TV advertising may face increased restrictions.
• Bernie Sanders exemplified as a paid influencer, robotically repeating the “safe and effective” COVID vaccine mantra ([13:04]–[14:12]).
• Continued confusion in public messaging: Dr. Peter Hotez now pivots, attacking older vaccine technologies while continuing to champion mRNA—a rhetorical move John calls “spectacular” hypocrisy ([16:46]–[19:51]).

Notable Quotes:

• Adam: "Vaccines are safe and effective. Hit it again. Hit it again, Bernie. Vaccines are safe and effective. Oh, third time. Come on, Bernie." ([13:47])
• John: "This is a meme now. Repeating ‘safe and effective’ is the big lie." ([15:02])
• Adam: “He’s slammed the entire vaccine industry since the late 1700s! Yes, they’re all no good—except mRNA, which we know for a fact is no damn good.” ([21:06])

Timestamps:

• 07:47: Pharmaceutical lobbying focus, Kennedy as CDC critic.
• 13:04–14:12: Bernie Sanders’ vaccine script.
• 16:46–19:51: Dr. Hotez pivots, slams traditional vaccines.

2. Shifting CDC/Health Agency Politics

Highlights:

• The ongoing narrative war over public health (mandates, children’s vaccine schedules, resignation of vocal pro-vaccine bureaucrats).
• Dr. Demetri Daskalakis steps down, alleging science is “being replaced by ideology” and “harm” is coming ([31:38]–[38:59]).
• CDC accused of promoting policies "designed to hurt"—an assertion Adam and John mock as over-the-top and potentially defamatory ([32:10]–[33:23]).

Notable Quotes:

• John: "[Saying the administration is] designing to hurt people... That’s an actionable statement." ([32:10])
• Adam: “I only see harm coming… based on what I’m seeing, with the new Advisory Committee.” ([34:32])

Timestamps:

• 31:38–38:59: Debate around resignations and CDC direction.

3. Media Messaging, Memes, and “Safe & Effective” Dogma

Highlights:

• The hosts ridicule persistent post-pandemic memes, focusing on residual public belief that “the unvaccinated endanger the vaccinated.”
• The ever-expanding high-risk groups qualifying for boosters now include “physical inactivity,” to John’s dismay ([28:26]–[29:17]).
• Critique of news framing: ‘restrictions’ that are really just updated recommendations.

Notable Quotes:

• Adam: “Physical activity is now a medical condition.” ([28:41])
• John: “I’m very concerned now because as a podcaster, I’m on my ass seven hours a week...” ([30:13])

Timestamps:

• 28:18–29:17: Booster eligibility ridiculed.
• 30:13–30:25: Sedentary podcasting as risk factor.

4. Advertising, AI, and Influencer Culture

Highlights:

• Deep dive into how advertising adapts (pharma, food dyes, new mandates for influencer disclosure).
• AI as the new frontier for both industry and government, with skepticism regarding “AI winter,” cost, and inflated profit projections ([95:56]–[101:34]).
• Adam and John lampoon the J.Crew “AI model” kerfuffle and the looming legal/ethical risks of AI for children.

Notable Quotes:

• John: “What will the beautiful people do? They’re cutting out the workers... the workers, the models, the beautiful men at J.Crew!” ([94:21])
• Adam: “This thing is a scam. I mean, it’s great for pattern recognition... but it’s not thinking.” ([99:29])

Timestamps:

• 94:02–94:50: J.Crew AI ad panic.
• 95:56–101:34: AI investment skepticism.

5. International and Cultural Roundup

Highlights:

• Snapshots of unrest and scandal: Indonesian politicians’ homes raided over cost-of-living protests ([102:09]–[103:29]); Mexican protests over disappearances ([103:32]–[105:01]); famine and war in Sudan passed over by major Western media ([110:24]–[111:20]).
• Generational trauma narratives: Millennials’ “pity party” and perspective on historic hardships ([105:53]–[107:27]).
• Flawed education: UK students struggle with months of the year and basic math ([108:16]–[109:55]).

Quotes:

• Adam: "Everyone goes through incredible trauma. You also saw the rise of the Internet, online porn—come on! A lot of good things happened in your time." ([106:07])

Timestamps:

• 102:09–103:29: Indonesia protests.
• 110:24–111:20: Sudan conflict coverage.

6. Listener & Community Interactions

Highlights:

• Value for Value model: donations, shout-outs, and the new trend of “prompt jockeys” overtaking real cover art.
• Friendship advice: NPR’s “pathetically” gendered and ritualized suggestions for friendships receive a roasting ([152:54]–[161:37]).
• Adam admits to tracking friends (and pooping) on apps—it’s a modern friendship, “the modern league” ([158:53]–[160:29]).

Quotes:

• John: "[NPR’s advice]... is wishful thinking. These people are pathetic." ([161:37])
• Adam: "At least I know my kid is alive—it’s good." ([160:19])

Timestamps:

• 152:54–161:29: Friendship advice mockery.
• 158:53–160:19: Poop app revelations.

7. TikTok, Social Media Grievance Machine & Satire

Highlights:

• John and Adam analyze the “self-pity promotion machine” that is social media—negative, self-sad posts drive engagement ([166:40]–[167:46]).
• TikTok satire: “Trans-indigenous” actor bit ridicules performative identity politics ([163:55]–[165:35]).
• Adam warns: watch for advertising campaigns seeded via supposed ‘outraged reactions’ on TikTok ([169:05]–[170:44]).

Notable Quotes:

• John: “The success of social media is to view it as a self-pity promotion machine. This is what gets you likes.” ([166:40])

Timestamps:

• 163:55–165:35: Trans-indigenous satire.
• 166:40–167:11: Self-pity as social media gold.

Noteworthy and Memorable Moments

• Adam’s “Physical activity is now a medical condition” recurring joke, illustrating the absurdity of broadening booster shot eligibility ([00:00], [28:41]).
• Clip of Bernie Sanders sticking to pharma script; John brays: “Vaccines are safe and effective. So first of all, if she loves saving children so much, abortion shouldn’t be the top medical innovation” ([13:04]–[14:25]).
• Poop map app confessions—Adam reveals he and his daughter keep tabs on each other’s daily business through an app ([158:53], [160:29]).
• TikTok “Trans Indigenous” roleplay lampooning the extremity of identity claims ([163:55]–[165:35]).
• Animated Art Grievances: Ongoing inside joke about “too much orange” in show artwork, and how AI art is taking over real art ([120:00]–[123:09]).

Select Timestamps & Segments

• 00:00–05:27: Banter on odd Twitter (X) ads, party stories, aging, peptides/low T.
• 07:47–14:25: The anti-Kennedy media campaign, CDC narrative, “safe and effective” soundbites.
• 16:46–19:51: Shifting vaccine justification rhetoric, Dr. Hotez’s statements.
• 28:18–29:17: “Physical inactivity” as high-risk, mocking broadened booster eligibility.
• 31:38–38:59: CDC resignations, “ideology vs. science” debate.
• 94:02–94:50: AI-generated faces panic for models and creatives.
• 102:09–103:29: Indonesia protests, global roundup.
• 152:54–161:29: Mocking NPR’s friendship tips, new app-based social rituals.
• 163:55–165:35: TikTok “Trans Indigenous” satirical performance.
• 166:40–167:46: Social platforms as self-pity engines.
• 170:44–170:48: Satirical take on outrage-marketing via TikTok (Chili's ad).

Episode Tone & Style

The hosts’ tone remains irreverent, skeptical, and fast-paced, blending insightful deconstruction with running jokes and asides. They relentlessly target sanctimony, groupthink, and media filter bubbles, sparing neither ideological “side.”

Adam’s contrarian, occasionally mischievous warmth complements John’s drier, professorial skepticism. Listener feedback is woven in organically—both as a source for laughs and a pulse on “the value for value” community’s true concerns.

Conclusion

Episode 1795 is a dense, joke-laden, yet razor-sharp snapshot of U.S. and global culture, political manipulation, and the struggle for narrative supremacy in health and media. From “physical inactivity as a medical condition” to the AI arms race, Adam and John show why they remain the "best podcast in the universe"—not merely for those seeking the news behind the news, but also for their skill in mining humor and clarity from the chaos.

For more from the No Agenda show, support them at noagendadonations.com, join a meetup at noagendameetups.com, or listen in live at noagendastream.com.

“Physical inactivity is now a medical condition… and so is listening to this show!”
—Adam Curry ([28:41])