Podcast Summary: Part Of The Problem

Episode: Kimmel, Free Speech, and the State
Host: Dave Smith (GaS Digital Network)
Date: September 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this solo episode, Dave Smith explores the recent media controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel's firing, the nature and limits of free speech, and the broader dynamics of cancel culture in America. He offers a nuanced libertarian take on the event, encouraging listeners to think deeply about the mechanisms of state power, societal responses, and the pitfalls of abandoning principle for strategic victories.

Dave's central aim is not to persuade, but to prompt critical reflection—especially for those grappling with the intersection of government intervention, media, and personal liberties.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Kimmel Firing & Free Speech Debate

• Context:

  • Jimmy Kimmel was recently fired, with controversy stoked by prior threats from the FCC toward ABC.
  • Broader debate has exploded about free speech, cancel culture, and “right-wing hypocrisy.”
  • Simultaneously, the assassination of Charlie Kirk (a conservative activist) prompted reflection on societal reactions and restraint.

• Dave’s Initial Framing (05:00–08:30):

  • Dave acknowledges he has a “different take” on the subject:
    • “This rant is guaranteed to satisfy no one, but I still think it's important.” (04:40)
    • He isn’t trying to sell one point of view, just to “give you something to play with and grapple with.”
  • Observes that often, mainstream figures appeal to libertarian values like “free speech” or “my body, my choice” only when it suits them, displaying hypocrisy as soon as their interests shift.
  • On restraint after Kirk’s assassination:
    • “The most remarkable part ... is that there’s been no violent retaliation. And that’s really great... Right wing America, broadly speaking, deserves a lot of credit for that.” (09:10)
  • Contrasts with the reaction to George Floyd’s death, noting the lack of violence after Kirk’s killing.

Critique of the Current “Victim” Narrative

• Left-wing media is treating Jimmy Kimmel as a free speech martyr, neglecting Charlie Kirk’s execution.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “Stephen Colbert...said the other day, ‘We are all Jimmy Kimmel now’. That’s your comment? Not, ‘we’re all Charlie Kirk’?” (15:35)

Rethinking Free Speech & the ‘Regime’

• Libertarian Street Cred & Principled Arguments:

  • Dave reiterates his opposition to the FCC’s existence and government threats to media. (21:00–22:00)
  • Yet, he challenges the premise that Jimmy Kimmel’s firing constitutes a straightforward violation of free speech.

• Distinction Between Citizens and the Regime:

  • Draws analogy: If a criminal kidnapper’s “property” is stolen, they are not a victim; similarly, a regime actor losing their platform is not a violation in the same personal sense.
  • “In effect, in function, [Kimmel] is a part of the regime and has been for a long time...I don’t view the regime as having rights the way all the rest of us do.” (24:10)

• The School Indoctrination Analogy:

  • Dave recounts his “red pill” moment learning the Prussian history of public schooling as a brainwashing system.
  • “It blew my mind...that this whole thing is a brainwashing mechanism.” (29:45)
  • Quotes Tom Woods’ analogy:
    • Imagine children pledge allegiance to “Walmart” instead of the flag and see photos of the Walmart CEO in every classroom; this would be immediately recognized as cult behavior—yet, when done by the state, it’s normalized.

Understanding the State and Its Apparatus

• Rothbard’s ‘Anatomy of the State’:
  • The state is a “gang that took over and gained legitimacy,” reinforced by an intellectual class that depends on the government.
• Curtis Yarvin’s ‘Cathedral’:
  • The apparatus includes government, media, academia, Hollywood—functioning together as regime entities.
• Private-sector proxies (e.g., weapons manufacturers funding think tanks) functionally serve the regime—so lines between private and state actors blur.

Where to Draw the Line: The Kimmel Case

• Dave agrees there are “arbitrary” distinctions in society, but insists figures like Kimmel—by acting as regime mouthpieces—are on the other side.
• Quote:
  • “At Jimmy Kimmel’s level, especially through Covid...when he’s at that position where he just decides, I’m gonna stop being a comedian and I'm gonna start being a mouthpiece for the regime...you do put yourself in a different category, in my opinion.” (53:25)
• So it’s not simply a “free speech” case as if “just a comedian got fired for a joke”; it’s a regime combatant losing regime privilege.

Strategic, Not Just Moral, Considerations

• Despite moral reservations, Dave calls government intervention (threats by the FCC) “stupid,” “gangster,” and strategically disastrous. (01:01:00)

• Quote:

  • “Jimmy Kimmel was getting destroyed... you just take that victory away from yourself because now...they can make it out to be a free speech issue...purely on strategy, this was a bad move.” (01:05:30)

• Warns against embracing government power as a right-wing solution, noting that every tool created will eventually be weaponized against them.

• Memorable Observation:

  • “This is no longer, to me, a moral liberty issue...To me, these are different wings of the government fighting.” (01:10:15)

Pressure to Abandon Principle—And Why to Resist It

• Dave cautions against right-wing embrace of cancel culture or retributive hypocrisy.

• Reminds listeners: right-wingers were “finally winning,” with culture shifting in their favor via the marketplace (e.g., Bud Light, Target, Elon buying Twitter).

• The principled approach has been effective—abandoning it for short-term satisfaction is self-defeating.

• Quote:

  • “You are better off having a track record of being consistent and principled...that’s what I’m all about.” (01:15:50)

Final Thoughts

• Encourages the right (and especially libertarians) to stay principled and strategic, even after grievous events.
• Reiterates: Kimmel’s fall was mostly the market at work—weak ratings, corporate calculation—not purely government censorship.
• Closing Quote:
  • “He was already losing...This podcast is doing better than Jimmy Kimmel’s show...you guys already have turned him off.” (01:23:20)

Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:40 | Dave Smith | “This rant is guaranteed to satisfy no one, but I still think it's important.” | | 09:10 | Dave Smith | “Right wing America, broadly speaking, deserves a lot of credit... there’s been no violent retaliation.” | | 15:35 | Dave Smith | “That’s your comment? We are all Jimmy Kimmel now? Not, ‘we’re all Charlie Kirk?’” | | 24:10 | Dave Smith | “In effect, in function, [Kimmel] is a part of the regime... I don’t view the regime as having rights the way all the rest of us do.” | | 29:45 | Dave Smith | “This whole thing is like a brainwashing mechanism.” | | 53:25 | Dave Smith | “When he’s at that position...I’m gonna stop being a comedian and I'm gonna start being a mouthpiece for the regime...you do put yourself in a different category.” | | 01:05:30 | Dave Smith | “You just take that victory away from yourself because now...they can make it out to be a free speech issue...purely on strategy, this was a bad move.” | | 01:10:15 | Dave Smith | “This is no longer, to me, a moral liberty issue...To me, these are different wings of the government fighting.” | | 01:15:50 | Dave Smith | “You are better off having a track record of being consistent and principled...that’s what I’m all about.” | | 01:23:20 | Dave Smith | “He was already losing...This podcast is doing better than Jimmy Kimmel’s show...you guys already have turned him off.” |

Suggested Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–04:30: Introduction and framing the day’s topics
• 08:00–16:00: Reaction to Kimmel firing and the value of non-violence post-Kirk’s assassination
• 21:00–32:00: Why Kimmel is not a “free speech victim”—understanding regime actors
• 29:30–38:00: Schools as indoctrination: analogy and Prussian history
• 45:00–54:00: Drawing lines: What counts as the regime?
• 60:00–68:00: Strategic reflections, FCC intervention & why it backfired
• 75:00–83:00: The case for remaining principled—and warning against cyclical misuses of power
• 85:00–End: Final reflections and why right-wingers already “won” by the market

Summary: Takeaways for Listeners

• Resist the urge to abandon principle for the satisfaction of victory.
• Understand the deeper structures of power (“the regime/cathedral”) and recognize that not all “victims” are the same.
• Beware government interventions—tools given to the state will always be used against you eventually.
• Celebrate moral victories—like restraint in the face of outrage—because they matter long-term, even if the other side won’t acknowledge them.
• Jimmy Kimmel’s fall was less a matter of censorship, more a matter of market forces and irrelevance.

For anyone who missed the episode, Dave Smith delivers a thought-provoking, principle-driven analysis that directly challenges conventional narratives from both the left and the right, calling for reflection, strategic thinking, and steadfastness in the pursuit of a freer society.