No Agenda Show: Episode 1819 "FLOP30"
Hosts: Adam Curry & John C. Dvorak
Date: November 23, 2025
Overview
In Episode 1819, titled "FLOP30", Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak, the “Crackpot and the Buzzkill,” continue their signature format of deconstructing the media and providing unfiltered commentary on current events. Key themes include political media theater, the manufactured drama around populist figures, the ritual dysfunction of international climate summits, ongoing deceptions in geopolitics, and meta-commentary on the state of podcasting and digital culture. True to No Agenda tradition, the episode is rich with analysis, skepticism, and trademark irreverence.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Sumo Wrestling & Political Narratives
- Breaking News: The episode opens with banter about a Ukrainian winning the sumo championship, sparking a discussion on the unexpected presence of Ukrainians in the sport and the suspicious political undertones possibly affecting the outcomes, including gambling and “rigged” matches.
[00:40]"I'm not gonna say it's that, but there's a lot of gambling that the Japanese love." — John
Japan, China, and the Disputed Seafood Crisis
- Seafood Industry Manipulation: An email from “Dame Astrid” explains that China is refusing to buy Japanese seafood, officially citing radiation but possibly leveraging the issue amid diplomatic tensions. The hosts dissect how media narratives are shaped (or invented) for local consumption.
[03:11]"Rather than selling them cheap to the Japanese, it was better to pretend a bad harvest." — Adam
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Resignation Analysis
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Political Intrigue & Fallout:
The “anonymous Austin lobbyist” delivers an inside scoop on MTG’s abrupt resignation from Congress, highlighting power struggles, the role of Trump, donor pressure, and the emergence of a military-industrial complex-aligned opponent. They analyze possible reasons, implications for GOP unity, and the personal toll on MTG amid media demonization.
[06:44]"If you're not voting with the party, then maybe you shouldn't be a member..." — Adam
- Notable audio clips of Trump dismissing Massie ("Rand Paul Jr.") and responding dismissively about Tucker Carlson’s interview with controversial figure Nick Fuentes. [10:34, 17:30]
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Speculation: Is MTG angling for TV punditry or gubernatorial ambitions? The hosts question whether the public drama is staged or genuine, and note the media's relentless fixation on fueling division (“America First” vs “MAGA”).
[12:55]"She quits out of the blue... She doesn't seem like a quitter." — John
Epstein Files, JMail, and Agency Jokes
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The Epstein Email Trove: The hosts introduce “JMail,” a parody web interface that lets users browse the 20,000+ Epstein estate emails, questioning whether the prank is a CIA or agency psyop to shape public focus or trivialize the revelations.
[20:08]"It's got agency bricks written all over it, doesn't it?" — Adam
-
Deconstruction of Matt Taibbi & Walter Kirn’s Podcast: Dissecting Taibbi and Kirn's recent takes on the actual scale of Epstein’s influence, especially connections to British elites, US power, and systemic corruption.
[24:24]“What these documents will expose is systemic corruption on a scale previously not imaginable.” — Taibbi
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Press Corps Satire: Discussion on the dereliction of mainstream media, especially in ignoring major elements of the Epstein saga and international political operations (e.g., Russiagate’s likely Anglo-American orchestration).
[27:18]"If we had a real press corps, there would have been God knows how many reporters assigned to that by now." — Kirn
Muslim Hysteria Ops & Domestic Politics
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Texas Mosque Panic: Analysis of the media fueled hysteria over mosque proliferation and “Islamization.” Emails from Muslim and local producers set the record straight, highlighting misinformation, the reality of religious demographics, and political opportunism by Texas politicians such as Governor Greg Abbott.
[33:02]"This is clearly an op...so that he could be Mr. Savior, come in and say there's never going to be an epicenter or Meadow, whatever you want to call it." — Adam
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Dearborn, Michigan Discussion: Multiple boots-on-ground reports debunk the portrayal of Dearborn as a radical Islamist hot spot, discussing the actual ethnic and religious makeup of the community and benign everyday realities.
[40:10 – 42:43]"They're terrific neighbors. They are very close to Christian values." — Dearborn Zoomer, via email
Trump & NYC Mayor-Elect Zoran Mamdani: The “Love Fest”
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Bipartisan Showmanship: Trump's Oval Office meeting with mayor-elect and self-described Democratic Socialist Zoran Mamdani is deconstructed as spectacular political theater; the two trade past inflammatory labels but opt for a public “bromance” focused on affordability and public order—a masterclass in bipartisan image-crafting for mutual benefit.
[52:02]"But this was a win for the President. I mean, if New York does well, Trump says, well, it's cuz I helped, Mom, Donnie. And if New York doesn't do well, Trump says, well, I helped. You know, he screwed it up." — Adam
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Interpretations: The hosts explore whether this is a setup by the DSA to pull Democrats leftward (to their future detriment), or if Mamdani is just an ambitious, “glad-handing” operator in the mold of AOC or Newsom.
[58:34]"I don't think Mondani is run by anybody. I think…he's full of himself." — John
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Meta-analysis: Comparisons to NYC’s Fiorello La Guardia and FDR highlight the tradition of performative populism.
[61:31 – 62:09]
Congressional “Denounce Socialism” Resolution
- Skepticism & Satire: The House passes a performative resolution to denounce socialism—discussed as pure political theater, untethered from actual definitions, serving only as pre-election posturing.
[69:19]"What they did is they just did a resolution. We think Democrats suck." — Adam
International Affairs: COP30 “Flop”, G20 Summit, and Peace Plans
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COP30 Analysis: A critical look at the ritualized failure of climate summits—more participatory theater than substantive policy-making, with the usual disconnected statements, empty commitments, and burned lithium batteries.
[149:44, 151:15]“Nobody's happy. Nobody got anything that they wanted.” — Adam
“There were more oil and gas lobbyists than ever before at any COP30. But of course they were.” — Adam -
G20 Farce: The summit’s credibility is mocked, with Adam and John tallying participant nations against global GDP rankings and noting the overrepresentation of non-member blocs (EU, AU).
[84:44]“This G20 is a scam.” — John
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Middle East & Ukraine Geopolitics:
A rundown of superficial peace overtures, UN resolutions, and ongoing information ops in Europe (e.g., mysterious drone sightings, “spy ship” scares), interpreted as manipulative distractions and “psyops” designed to prime Western audiences.
[87:47 – 94:39]
Domestic Corruption: Fraud Schemes & Surveillance
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Minnesota Scandal: A deep dive into the massive COVID-era fraud perpetrated in Minnesota, the links to Somali American networks, and how aid money ended up funding Al Shabaab.
[107:07]“Investigators say once that cash arrived in Somalia, Al Shabaab took a cut. Whether the sender intended that or not.” — John
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Congressional Surveillance: Chairman Jim Jordan’s grievances regarding banks and phone companies handing over personal data for “Arctic frost” investigation—evidence of the Biden Justice Department’s sweeping surveillance of political opponents.
[155:35]“For two and a half years. Every call you make, who you call…for two and a half years.” — Jim Jordan (audio)
Podcasting, AI, & Cultural Satire
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AI Slop & Podcast Culture:
Ongoing discussion about the flood of AI-generated podcast show art and music (“AI slop”), its effect on creativity, and the impossibility of “hand-drawn” work winning for its own sake. Paul McCartney’s silent protest album against AI is lampooned.
[137:02]"If AI companies exploit musicians' intellectual property... the creative ecosystem will collapse and original music will be silenced." — AI parody of McCartney’s campaign
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TikTok & Social Decay: Satirical clips from TikTok are played to illustrate Gen Z’s anxieties, generational divides at Thanksgiving, pronoun struggles, and performative anguish.
[109:06 onward]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Media Hysteria:
[33:02]
“This is clearly an op...so that he could be Mr. Savior, come in and say there's never going to be an epicenter or Meadow, whatever you want to call it.” — Adam -
On Congressional Resignations:
[13:03]
“We're going to miss her very much.” — Adam on Marjorie Taylor Greene -
On Epstein Files:
[24:24]
“What these documents will expose is systemic corruption on a scale previously not imaginable.” — Taibbi -
On Trump–Mamdani Bromance:
[49:04]
“I expect to be helping him, not hurting him... I want New York City to be great.” — Trump (audio) -
On House Socialism Resolution:
[71:28]
“Socialism is. That's bullcrap. That's the point.” — John
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:40 – Sumo wrestling, Ukrainian winners, and “rigged” sports
- 03:11 – Japan-China seafood dispute and media framing
- 05:31 – MTG resignation news & insider lobbyist revelations
- 10:34 – Trump dismissing Massie and Tucker/Nick Fuentes controversy
- 20:08 – Epstein “JMail” AI site and agency involvement suspicions
- 24:24 – Matt Taibbi and Walter Kirn on the scale of Epstein’s corruption
- 33:02 – Muslim panic in Texas, mosque hysteria
- 40:10 – 42:43 – On-the-ground listener reports from Dearborn, MI
- 52:02 – 52:22 – Trump and Mamdani “love fest,” mutual opportunism
- 69:19 – House resolution denouncing socialism dissected
- 149:44 & 151:15 – COP30 climate talks “flop” reviewed
- 155:35 – Jim Jordan’s campaign against DOJ surveillance and financial subpoenas
- 107:07 – Minnesota fraud scandal and Al Shabaab funding
Additional Features
Tip of the Day
John recommends Steve Gibson’s InControl and Never10 utilities for Windows users wanting to control OS updates and resist forced upgrades. [178:29 – 181:35]
End-of-Show
- The hosts review and pick end-of-show ISOs, debate the humorous potential of AI voices, and remind listeners of the "value-for-value" donation model.
- Extended grumbling about AI-generated show art and the state of podcasting
- Shoutouts to listeners and meetup reports
Tone & Language
Curry and Dvorak maintain their iconic blend of sardonic humor, weary pragmatism, and occasional righteous indignation. Their analysis is laced with skepticism for official narratives and a steadfast refusal to take either political “side” at face value. Banter is frequent, with running in-jokes (about “AI slop,” “douchebags,” "TikTok dipshits"), and deep engagement with their active producer/listener base—never hesitating to read, riff on, or correct their emails live.
Conclusion
Episode 1819 “FLOP30” is a granular, irreverent chronicle of media malfunction and political theater, delivered with sharp wit and richly informed skepticism. From sumo conspiracies and seafood psyops to congressional resignations, the farce of international summits, and the ongoing flood of AI-generated culture, No Agenda offers a uniquely broad, engaging, and deconstructed view of the week’s events for those eager to resist the mainstream “spin rate.”