No Agenda Show – Episode 1830: "Bulb Heads"

Date: January 1, 2026
Hosts: Adam Curry & John C. Dvorak

Main Theme

The first episode of 2026 sees Adam and John deliver their acclaimed "media assassination," blending media deconstruction with commentary on current world events, media transparency, the impact of AI, geopolitical unrest, and domestic fraud scandals. The episode sets a reflective yet satirical tone for the year ahead, with sharp focus on media credibility, international narratives, and the rise of new media influencers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Muted New Year and Changing Traditions

• Both hosts remark on the quiet and unremarkable New Year's Eve.
• John: "It's one of the quietest transitions we've ever had" [00:38]
  • Fewer texts, less celebration, “muted” fireworks due to rain, especially in the Bay Area.
  • TV coverage is described as tired and repetitive.
• The Social Media Phenomenon:
  Adam and John discuss a new AI feature on X (formerly Twitter):
  John: "People saying, hey Grok, put a bikini on her" [01:24], even resulting in absurd images (bikinis on dogs, political figures).

2. Church Fire in Amsterdam – Declining Social Spirit [04:44–07:20]

• Adam and John reflect on the major fire in Vondelkirk, Amsterdam, during New Year's celebrations.
• Discussion on Dutch culture’s apparent apathy towards tragedy.
  • John: “Everyone’s just so… not depressed, but apathetic. They’re like, they don’t care. Like, life sucks. This is it. Russia’s gonna kill us. Whatever. We give up. And I think that's... that's all.” [06:27]
  • Linking generational malaise to Gen Z's similar attitudes.

3. Iran’s Protests – Economic Despair, Media Blackout, and PsyOps [07:20–18:23]

• Unrest in Iran:
  Both dissect the coverage (or lack thereof) of Iran’s growing anti-government protests, highlighting international media’s reliance on repetition and lack of on-the-ground reporting.
  • Adam: "Where's the boots on the ground from the news media? CNN has some guy giving us aphorisms from Africa..." [18:23]
  • Emphasis on economic hardship: “Food prices rise by 72%...people are truly exhausted...They no longer want this regime and are demanding change.” [09:50, BBC/Channel 4 clips]
• Gen Z’s Role:
  The Western narrative tries to frame Iranian Gen Z as the revolutionary vanguard, but hosts remain skeptical of the sources—often AI-generated and Farsi-language blogs with minimal verification.
• Media Spin & Sanctions:
  International outlets such as CNN frame the protests as the result of sanctions and nuclear ambitions, but the hosts argue that actual hardships (water shortages, inflation) are buried under political framing.
• Notable Quote:
  • Adam (quoting the Iranian President): "He is the government, isn’t he? No, I guess not." [14:20]
  • John: "When the elephants fight, the grass gets trampled... And Iran, the grass is being trampled." [16:08]

4. Media's Crisis of Credibility

CBS News "Mea Culpa" Analysis [18:47–25:55]

• A critical segment on Tony Dokoupil's CBS Evening News preamble, apologizing for legacy media’s failures on issues such as Iraq, Russiagate, and COVID.
• John (mocking): "I am you. CBS News. I am you." [22:52]
• Media’s stated promise to “hold everyone to the same standard” met with fierce No Agenda skepticism and sarcasm.
• Notable Quote:
  • Adam (on CBS's new slogan): "I wouldn’t be surprised to see that as a catchphrase… CBS News. I am you." [23:01]
• Satirical dissection of attempts at regaining viewer trust, and a call for real accountability (e.g., true deep dives into scandals like “Hillary Clinton’s emails, COVID lockdowns, Hunter Biden’s laptop”).

5. The Dangers and Reality of Deepfakes [26:00–32:32]

• The Yanis Varoufakis Incident:
  Discussion on an AI-generated deepfake video purporting to be Yanis Varoufakis, shared widely—even fooling Varoufakis himself for two minutes.
  • Yanis Varoufakis: “When you have somebody saying things you never said, but which you could have said…” [27:16].
• AI Weaponization:
  The futility of trying to take down these fakes—platforms nonresponsive, quick reposts elsewhere.
• Geopolitical Manipulation:
  Hosts suspect these deepfakes are being used as tools for statecraft and propaganda (e.g., Russia using AI videos to get their side of the story heard).

6. Russia, Ukraine, and the North Sea Nexus [32:32–55:10]

• Alleged Ukrainian Drone Attack on Putin:
  Critical examination of Russia’s unverified claims—skepticism shared by Western news and U.S. officials.
  • Adam: "It feels coordinated, but they don’t have a message yet or…maybe it’s actually real." [17:42]
• Who Benefits from Provocations?
  Adam and John—sometimes joined by “LaRouche Ladies” like Susan Kokinda—float the thesis that the so-called “North Sea Nexus” (the Anglo-American establishment, with heavy British monarchy overtones) seeks to disrupt peace processes for their own interests.
  • Key Kokinda quote: "Trump hasn’t surrendered. He signed the Do Not Resuscitate order for the British post war world…" [42:14]
• Parliamentary Fear:
  Clips from the British House of Lords reveal anxiety about Trump’s proposed U.S. National Security changes.

7. Generational Cycles and Podcaster Influence [59:59–66:35]

• Comparing Gen Z’s Malaise to Previous Generations:
  Adam outlines how every generation faces existential threats (“satanic panic,” yuppies, war, economic fears) and the pattern repeats.
  • Adam: "It’s always the same. It just has a different name. The only thing we didn’t have was parents who let us live rent-free at home until we were 30." [64:48]
• The Influence of Emerging Podcasters:
  Podcasters and social media figures like Nick Fuentes, Candace Owens, and others are dissected for their roles in the new, fragmented information ecosystem.
• Concerns raised about the accuracy of their historical content (e.g., Owens’ AIPAC/JFK claims fact-checked live).

8. U.S. Domestic Fraud, ‘Bulb Heads’, and the Somali Daycare Scandal [97:35–113:29]

• Decade-Long Welfare Fraud in Minnesota:
  Coverage recaps how large-scale daycare fraud (mainly Somali-run centers billing for nonexistent kids) exploded only after viral independent journalism and social media.
  • Adam: "People just hear what? Huh?…this is why it never got anywhere."
• Systemic Corruption:
  Fringe and mainstream media ("MAGA influencer Nick Shirley") contrasted—old local TV exposes ignored, new TikTok-driven viral investigations force government response.
  • John: "This is the Zoomer-Boomer combo, which is the perfect combo. Unstoppable." [103:48]
• Response by Local Communities:
  Local Somali and ‘bulb head’ community leaders presenting feeble—and sometimes accidentally incriminating—defenses at press conferences.
  • Somali daycare worker: "If child care is cut, I'm unable to work or go to school. I am understand fraud is bad." [108:56]

9. Immigration, Migrant Hotels, and Systemic Abuse [114:03–117:08]

• Haitian Migrants in Massachusetts:
  Migrant hotel operator exposes the scale of cash benefits, free Amazon deliveries, Uber/Lyft rides (over $100k/month), and laundry services.
  • Host: "It's free, or the taxpayers of Massachusetts pay for it." [115:03]
• Migration Pathways:
  Many are not coming directly from chaos, but traveled from other countries: "We were content in Brazil, but [came here because] Joe Biden told us everything was free." [116:50]

10. AI’s Societal Impact: Media, Mental Health, and the Web [119:04–141:57]

• Limits and Liability of AI:
  Use cases explored (from auto-generating bikini photos to failed audition partners).
  • Example: An actor tries ‘reading lines’ with an AI, met with the AI’s clunky, repetitive confirmations—“Don’t say, now it’s your turn!” [121:53]
• Youth Vulnerability and Mental Health:
  Parents worry about Bible chatbots advising children; AI bots shown to reinforce dangerous or delusional behaviors.
  • Over two-thirds of teens use chatbots; cases of AI-linked suicides emerging.
• Scraping, Tar Pits, and a Doomed Web Economy:
  AI’s voracious scraping is destroying the web’s ad/data-driven economy—SEO, ad sales, even Google’s business model stand to collapse.
  • John: “They're ruining everything…They’re ruining the whole business model of the Internet.” [133:41]
• Media Monetization Conundrum:
  Push for server-side ad streaming (HLS) so advertisers can see if people actually listen to podcast ads threatens to decimate the reported size of the industry.

11. No Agenda Community and Culture

• Donations, Knighthood, and Damehood:
  Discussion and thanks to supporters who keep the show running via the “value for value” model.
• Art, End-of-show Mixes, and AI:
  Disillusionment with the “soullessness” of AI-generated album art and outro songs, despite the increased volume and some standout entries:
  • “It’s joyless… it has no joy.” [141:57]
• Meetups as Social Cohesion:
  Regional meetups (e.g., Fort Wayne, Tri-State) are vital to community bonding and “first responder” social networks.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Iran protests and media opacity:
  • "Where's the boots on the ground from the news media? CNN has some guy giving us aphorisms from Africa..." – Adam Curry [18:23]
• On AI deepfakes:
  • "When you have somebody saying things you never said but which you could have said..." – Yanis Varoufakis [27:16]
• On CBS’s attempted “mea culpa”:
  • "I am you. CBS News. I am you." – John C. Dvorak [22:52]
• On tradition and generational cycles:
  • "It’s always the same. It just has a different name. The only thing we didn’t have was parents who let us live rent-free at home until we were 30." – Adam Curry [64:48]
• On AI’s impact on the internet:
  • "They're ruining everything…They’re ruining the whole business model of the Internet." – John C. Dvorak [133:41]
• On the collapse of podcast ad economics:
  • "Now they're in this conundrum…because then we'll find out that no one's actually listening to these podcasts. They're just being downloaded…And it's gonna be—'Oh, oh, I'm sorry. People don't actually hear the ads.' That's the problem." – Adam Curry [157:07]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:38 — New Year's and changing social rituals
• 02:24 — AI fun on X: "Put a bikini on her"
• 04:44 — Amsterdam church fire & social malaise
• 07:20–18:23 — Iran protests, AI/Gen Z blogging, media silence, sanctions
• 18:47–25:55 — CBS News apology, legacy media trust
• 26:00–32:32 — Deepfakes and "AI PsyOps"
• 32:32–55:10 — Ukraine, Putin, North Sea Nexus, British geopolitics
• 59:59–66:35 — Generational cycles, podcaster influence, fact-checking
• 97:35–113:29 — Somali daycare fraud, independent media virality
• 114:03–117:08 — Migrant hotels, government spending, migration patterns
• 119:04–141:57 — AI: societal impact, mental health, ad economy collapse
• 141:57 onward — Community, art, end-of-show mixes, meetups, show wrap-up

Tone & Style

• Characteristically irreverent, skeptical, and combative with mainstream narratives.
• In-depth but colloquial—hosts riff, fact-check, and trade friendly jabs.
• Frequently meta: dissecting and lampooning their own show’s rituals (art, donations, end-of-show music).
• Wry, world-weary, yet constructively anarchic: “media assassination” in action.

For New & Regular Listeners

This episode is a robust showcase of No Agenda’s approach: mixing granular media critique, fun cynicism about world events, scrutiny of narratives (mainstream and alternative), and a passionate embrace of listener-driven value. Whether it’s CBS “mea culpas,” the latest AI scandals, or fraud in Minnesota, Curry and Dvorak maintain a skeptical eye and a sharp tongue—2026 kicks off with more of the same, but bigger, broader, and, as always, ad-free.

For more, visit: noagendashow.net
Or join a No Agenda meetup: noagendameetups.com

End-of-show ISO:

“That show is better than sex.” [213:12]