No Agenda Show Episode 1826 - "Sauerkraut Kid"

Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: Adam Curry & John C. Dvorak

Overview

In this wide-ranging episode, Adam and John deconstruct the week's top media narratives, highlight the latest political scandals and media manipulations, and discuss everything from government psy-ops and international intrigue to the state of podcasting and society's shifting relationship with technology. Packed with sharp banter, media analysis, conspiracy deconstruction, and plenty of laughs, this nearly three-hour episode zeroes in on topics like Trump’s latest executive orders, the Suzy Wiles / Vanity Fair hit piece, breaking Ukraine-Russia news, fentanyl policy, the evolution of the Oscars, culture-war podcasting, AI, and more.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

California's Decline & Oil Exodus

• John jokes about being the only one left who likes California, as the hosts lament the continued exodus of refineries and companies due to unfavorable policies.
  • “California sucks!” – Adam (00:30)

Trump Reclassifies Marijuana

• Trump executes an order reclassifying marijuana for medicinal use, prompting jokes about political pandering and personal anecdotes about the productivity change after quitting cannabis.
  • “President Trump has reclassified marijuana as what? As good for your breakfast.” – Adam (00:43)
  • Adam has been productive since quitting weed: "It's pretty amazing how that works, huh?" (01:34)

Sophisticated Google Scam Call

• Adam describes receiving a sophisticated scam call allegedly from Google. The scammer uses industry jargon and even tries to spoof Google Workspace MX records, demonstrating the increasing sophistication of phishing attempts.
  • “It was not like some Indian chappie, you know, it was a, sounded like a white woman.” – Adam (04:18)
  • The duo dissects how the fraud worked, noting how the "sites.google.com" domain gave false confidence to the intended victim.
  • “If you’re naive about it, it gives you confidence because it’s got google.com in there…” – John (05:53)
  • Takeaway: The internet is rife with sophisticated scams, and neither hosts trust—or like—Google or modern platforms.

The Susie Wiles / Vanity Fair “Hit Piece”

• In-depth analysis of a Vanity Fair article about Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff. The piece is dissected as a possible “psy-op” rather than just a simple hit job, with the hosts playing and critiquing coverage from ABC, CBS, NBC, cable news, and the networks’ selective quoting.
  • Susie gave 11 interviews over a year, leading to speculation about intent.
  • Trump and J.D. Vance’s reactions are framed as clever media jiu-jitsu, possibly deliberate.
  • "If you’re going for a hit job, you don’t have a subject, you have a target." – Adam (33:29)
  • "I think the whole thing was a scam. I think she was part of it. She’s smart.” – John (41:01)
  • The hosts highlight how selective editing and out-of-context quotations are standard hit-piece tactics.

Fentanyl: Declared a Weapon of Mass Destruction

• Trump’s executive order reclassifying fentanyl as a WMD sparks analysis about its legal and rhetorical impact. Fox and CNN's coverage compared, with historical reference to Russia’s use of fentanyl analog in the 2002 Moscow theater hostage crisis.
  • “I think you can make an argument... seeing as 80,000 people a year die from it, that it is a weapon of mass destruction.” – Adam (55:28)
  • CNN argues the move is “symbolic” and legally shaky.

Venezuela: Blockades, War Rumors, and the “Bait and Switch”

• Reports swirl that Trump intends to wage war in Venezuela, causing pre-speech speculation. The actual announcement: a blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers.
  • “Was this one of those, ‘let’s tell a few selective people this and see where it leaks out’?” – Adam (43:30)
  • Blockade ties to longstanding U.S. oil asset disputes with Venezuela and Chevron, with the UN issuing a standard de-escalation call.

“Turtle Island Liberation Front” Bomb Plot

• Authorities foil a supposed bombing plot in California, but the hosts express deep cynicism about the reality of the threat, examining the affidavit and suggesting the bust is mostly performative security theater.
  • “This is horse manure. … Fear mongering from the FBI.” – Adam (59:08)
  • “The FBI’s got… their marching orders. … It’s good for business, and it keeps newbies in.” – John (62:08)

Candace Owens, Media Ops & Right-Wing Podcast Wars

• AI and real sound-alike clips parodying Candace Owens are highlighted, along with her claims of being targeted in military-grade psy-ops.
  • “There’s an op to discredit and get rid of Candace Owens…” – John (66:52)
• Broader look at “audience capture” among culture-war podcasters like Tucker, Dave Smith, and Nick Fuentes. The hosts argue the new right-wing influencer class is driven more by audience demands than core principles.
  • “It’s audience capture, and we don’t do that.” – Adam (73:21)

Ukraine-Russia Escalation, Stolen Oligarch Assets, and MI6 Recruiting

• Explores EU/UK efforts to seize frozen Russian assets — focusing on Chelsea FC sale proceeds — and distribute them to Ukraine, with skepticism about the legal and moral precedent.
  • BBC clips and EU minister quotes analyzed; excitement about “stealing money” exposed.
• New MI6 chief’s speech is critiqued, including a bizarre call for Python coders.
  • “We will become as comfortable with lines of code as we are with human sources. As fluent in Python as we are in multiple other languages.” – MI6 chief quoted by Adam (93:27)
• Widespread apathy among European youth regarding military conscription is compared to American warmongering attitudes.
  • “That’s the German noodle, sauerkraut kid.” – Adam (100:14)

The Oscars Defect to YouTube

• Announced move of the Oscars to YouTube in 2029 is discussed both pragmatically (no more linear broadcast constraints) and as emblematic of the decline of TV and legacy institutions.
  • “The Oscars have aired on ABC for half a century…” – CBS quoted (110:28)

Culture, Dating, and the Male Rebellion

• Listeners respond to Adam and John’s confusion about “dudes not wanting chicks,” citing unrealistic expectations and systemic shifts in dating, as well as a new covert “white male victimhood” op in media.
  • “Rules of six are a thing…” – Listener (121:57)
  • John suggests there’s a coordinated push to get white men to vocalize their grievances, while Adam argues women have been “opt” — made lonely and entitled through media manipulation.

Tech Slop: AI, App Fatigue, Scam Calls

• General disgust with modern internet culture: subscription fatigue, algorithmic manipulation, content bans, security breaches, and “spam calls.”
  • “YouTube is full of ads… Everything uses AI. … This content was removed. This website was removed. This feature only exists for Apple… Spam call, spam call…” (201:04 - post-show mix)

Podcasting, Value for Value, and No Agenda Culture

• The hosts passionately defend their value-for-value model, contrasting it with “audience capture” or dependency on platforms like YouTube.
  • “We don’t do it for the YouTube money. … We want to actually give you our opinions, which are often counter to the popular narrative.” – Adam (74:09)
• Extensive appreciation for the No Agenda production community (artists, meetups, donations) and derisive but loving banter with their art contributors.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you’re going for a hit job, you don’t have a subject, you have a target.” – Adam, dissecting journalism language (33:29)
• “From a confidence… [pause] and I like the sites that Google. Excellent, excellent work.” – John, regarding scam call effectiveness (07:58)
• “Sometimes I am a conspiracy theorist, but I only believe in the conspiracy theories that are true.” – J.D. Vance, full response played (25:26)
• “You can’t automate the magic, Nick / You can’t compute the joy / An AI doesn’t know the love inside a wooden toy…” – End-of-show parody song (198:48)
• “Python. Hey, Ma’am, Rust is the new language. What are you talking Python for?” – Adam mocks MI6 chief’s recruitment call (93:27)
• “That’s the German noodle, sauerkraut kid.” – Adam, on youth opposition to conscription (100:14)
• “Wow. Give these two guys a bonus.” – End-of-show AI-generated ISO (191:33)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Scam call from “Google” dissected: 03:00 – 08:12
• Vanity Fair / Susie Wiles hit piece & 3x3 news comparison: 08:40 – 41:27
• Venezuela war rumors, Trump speech, & blockade: 43:28 – 48:14
• Fentanyl reclassified as WMD: 50:36 – 55:29
• Turtle Island Liberation Front “bomb plot”: 55:43 – 62:59
• MI6 chief’s recruitment & Ukraine/Russia updates: 90:02 – 96:39, 85:20 – 88:34
• Dating, male rebellion, and cultural “ops”: 121:45 – 127:39
• Oscars move to YouTube & media deconstruction: 110:48 – 114:15
• Donation/producer segment (skip for content): 138:02 – 160:22
• End-of-show AI/ISO showdown: 190:01 – 191:55
• Original song and tech slop parody: 197:28 – 202:38

Tone and Language

The show maintains its signature irreverent, skeptical, and conspiratorial tone throughout, marked by sharp wit, sarcastic jabs at politicians/press, and meta-commentary on the media industry. The hosts mix humor with precise media analysis and occasionally vulnerable personal anecdotes, alternating rants with self-deprecation and comic relief.

For First-Time Listeners

This episode provides an excellent cross-section of No Agenda’s core theme — media deconstruction with a jaundiced, comedic, and politically agnostic eye. From subtle cues in news language to the big picture of global power games, Curry and Dvorak’s banter will leave new listeners entertained, informed, and questioning everything they thought they knew about the week’s news.