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Andrew Klavan: "They Stopped Hiring White Writers" | Planet Tyrus - Planet Tyrus | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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Andrew Klavan: "They Stopped Hiring White Writers" | Planet Tyrus

Planet Tyrus

Thu Mar 05 2026

Summary

Planet Tyrus Podcast Episode Summary Episode Title: Andrew Klavan: "They Stopped Hiring White Writers" | Planet Tyrus
Host: Tyrus (Outkick)
Guest: Andrew Klavan
Release Date: March 5, 2026

Episode Overview

This energetic episode of Planet Tyrus explores the world of mystery fiction, the nature of heroism, and the shifting landscape of Hollywood, through an unfiltered conversation between host Tyrus and acclaimed novelist, screenwriter, and cultural commentator Andrew Klavan. With humor and candor, the two discuss how formative literature shapes character, the state of modern storytelling, the influence of "wokeness" in entertainment, and the challenges of being an outspoken conservative in left-leaning industries. The episode balances literary deep-dives, cultural critique, and personal anecdotes, making it a must-listen for mystery fans, aspiring writers, and observers of American culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Andrew Klavan's Literary Roots & Process

Origins as a Writer
- Klavan reveals an early love for "tough guy" literature, especially Chandler and Hemingway ([02:12]).
  - "I wanted to be a writer. That was basically it from really the age of 10 or 11 on." – Andrew Klavan [02:12]
- He was heavily influenced by Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep and the idea of the incorruptible hero.
Creative Process
- Klavan's stories begin with a "what if" question and crystallize only when paired with the right protagonist ([03:46]).
  - “It’s the minute the story meets the guy who’s supposed to be in it.” – Andrew Klavan [04:33]
Most Impactful Book
- Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky changed his moral framework as a young man, countering the relativism he encountered at Berkeley ([05:33–07:17]).
  - “The minute I read it, I thought, no, some things are just wrong.” – Andrew Klavan [06:16]

2. Education, Authority, and the Challenges for Boys

Both Tyrus and Klavan disliked the rigidity of the school system and discuss how current educational structures suppress natural boyhood energy through medication rather than adaptation ([09:12–10:19]).
- “The people who don’t like sitting in chairs are called boys.” – Andrew Klavan [09:38]
They highlight the difference in learning styles and the unintended consequences, including gender disparities in education.

3. Writer’s Block, Throwing Out Work, and Creative Regret

Klavan candidly admits to having discarded entire novels when they weren’t working, despite the emotional and creative toll ([11:37–13:06]).
- “I have thrown away entire novels... it’s bad.” – Andrew Klavan [11:37]
He reflects on the nagging sense of never being satisfied with his past writing and the constant pursuit of improvement.

4. Hollywood: Adaptation, Decline, and Wokeness

Adapting Books to Film

Klavan recounts both pride and frustrations with Hollywood adaptations of his works, invoking James M. Cain’s advice: the book remains unchanged even if the movie is altered ([13:49–15:51]).
- “Hollywood has done nothing to my books. They're right over there on the shelf.” – James M. Cain, paraphrased by Andrew Klavan [14:19]
He gives an example of a pivotal scene in True Crime whose core message was lost in adaptation:
- “I don’t care about right and wrong... All I want to know is what happened.” ([14:19–15:21])
Klavan tends to see film adaptations as beneficial for exposure, even when imperfect.

The Shift in Hollywood’s Culture

Hollywood was always left-leaning, but the post-9/11 era saw unprecedented political filtering.
- “My phone went dead, like that... It was like I thought somebody had unplugged it.” – Andrew Klavan ([16:05–17:17])
There evolved a tacit “blacklist” against conservatives, with white writers increasingly shut out due to diversity mandates ([18:44–19:39]).
- “I know for a fact that they stopped hiring white writers, which is just crazy because it’s obscenely racist.” – Andrew Klavan ([19:30–19:33])
The creative stagnation is visible in the lack of compelling new stories in today's cinema and TV ([17:17–18:44]).

Personal Experiences with Blacklisting

Both Tyrus and Klavan describe direct professional setbacks after publicly aligning with Fox News or conservative viewpoints.
- “Literally overnight... I just remember being heated.” – Tyrus ([42:15–43:53])
Klavan notes many in Hollywood “sell their souls” to stay employed, leading to profound personal regrets ([22:07–23:55]).

5. The DEI/Wokeness Era and Pushback

Discussion centers on the increasing backlash against "woke" corporate and artistic decisions, especially as financial realities undercut ideological movements ([23:55–24:19]).
- "We're starting to get a little push back now. People are starting to kind of... starting to say, okay, enough." – Tyrus [23:55]
The emergence of alternative media and independent conservative studios is covered, noting challenges to flying “beneath the radar” ([39:55–40:31]).

6. Satirizing Modern Politics & Culture

The pair riff on the idea of writing mystery or thriller plots based on modern American politics, with AOC, Sydney Sweeney, and other public figures as characters ([27:17–34:08]).
They joke about perpetual identity politics and how controversies (e.g., Kevin Hart, Sydney Sweeney) are engineered for compliance and conformity ([40:08–41:04]).

7. Race, Identity, and Double Standards in Hollywood

Both speak candidly about the unique scrutiny and "de-Blackening" faced by Black conservatives in Hollywood, referencing Tyrus’s personal struggle and the testimony of others in the (formerly) secret Friends of Abe group ([46:55–48:55]).
- “Especially if you’re black and you stand up... they not only take away your right to work, they also take away your ethnicity.” – Tyrus [46:55–48:55]
They discuss the projection and hypocrisy of far-left gatekeepers ([49:08–50:13]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Artistic Integrity:
- "Most of the people who are out there would back a dump truck over their mothers to get a job." – Andrew Klavan [22:07]
On Hollywood Blacklists:
- "There is a moment in True Crime... I didn’t write the screenplay... and for some reason, when the screenwriter got to that scene, he changed it..." – Andrew Klavan [14:19]
On Former Hollywood Ambitions:
- "I turned out to be kind of good at it [screenwriting]... and then I started to talk politics... and my phone went dead like that." – Andrew Klavan [16:05–17:17]
On Wokeness Killing Storytelling:
- "When that kind of hysterical... 'we have discovered morality and no one ever knew what morality was before' washed over Hollywood, the stories went dead." – Andrew Klavan [18:12]
On Facing Social Ostracism:
- "You have to have courage... all good things take courage." – Andrew Klavan [55:39]
On Integrity for Young Conservatives:
- "To let people teach you to have no integrity is a sin... Integrity is the core of manhood." – Andrew Klavan [54:30–55:36]

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Tyrus introduces Andrew Klavan and his literary background | | 02:12 | Klavan describes his early inspiration by Chandler and Hemingway | | 05:33 | Crime and Punishment’s impact on Klavan’s moral development | | 09:12 | Discussion on boys, education, and medicating natural energy | | 11:37 | Klavan on writer’s block and discarding entire novels | | 13:49 | Adapting books to film; Cain’s quote about Hollywood adaptations | | 16:05 | Hollywood’s left turn during the War on Terror; blacklisting | | 18:44 | The wokeness era and exclusion of specific writers | | 22:07 | Why people "roll over" for Hollywood jobs and sell out | | 24:19 | Early signs of backlash against wokeness | | 27:17 | Imagining a mystery novel set during the Biden presidency | | 34:08 | AOC's foreign policy gaffes and the left’s disconnect on policy | | 39:55 | On secret conservative societies and Sydney Sweeney controversy | | 42:15 | Tyrus's personal account of blacklisting in TV and movies | | 46:55 | On being a Black conservative in entertainment | | 52:04 | B Team Q&A: Advice for young conservatives |

Q&A – Advice for Young Conservatives (52:04–64:04)

Ryan (B Team):
Asks for guidance on being a young conservative in media and fighting the fear of cancellation.

Klavan’s Advice:

Know what you’re for, not just what you’re against ([52:55])
Read deeply to understand and defend your values ([52:55])
"Integrity is the core of manhood. It really is... you got to be who you say you are and do what you say you're going to do." – Andrew Klavan [54:30]
Be joyful and courageous; positivity is contagious ([56:41])
Speak the truth politely and bravely ([59:19])
Observe and learn from political storytelling – authenticity wins over fear.

Episode Tone & Style

The conversation is frank, frequently humorous, and unfiltered, with both Tyrus and Klavan willing to turn a critical eye on their own industries, reminisce with self-deprecation, and take light-hearted jabs at contemporary popular figures. The tone shifts smoothly from insightful to satirical, but always returns to a core theme: the necessity of courage, integrity, and independent thought in both art and life.

Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode is a wide-ranging look at what it means to write—and to live—with conviction in an era of rapid cultural change. Klavan and Tyrus examine their career highs and lows, illuminate the decline of storytelling in an increasingly polarized Hollywood, and call for artistic and personal bravery. The advice for young conservatives—and for anyone navigating cancel culture—centers on joy, integrity, and courage in the face of social and institutional pressure. Punctuated with sharp wit and personal stories, the episode is a lively, hard-hitting blend of cultural commentary and personal reminiscence.

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Transcript

Tyrus (0:00)

What it is. Welcome to another exciting adventure of Planet Tyrus and today is going to be a mysterious episode because we're talking about mystery novels and one of the best to do it of all time. And I'm very excited to have Andrew Clavin on. He's a New York Times bestselling author, screenwriter and cultural commentator. Best known for award winning crime and suspense novels and his long running podcast and video commentary. He's a two time Edgar award winner and has been nominated multiple times by the Mystery Writers of America. Andrew currently hosts the Andrew Clavin show with the Daily Wire where he mixes political satire, cultural commentary and interviews. He's also active on YouTube and social platforms under ndrewclavin. Clavin's fictions include internationally best selling thrillers such as True Crime, one of my favorite movies adapted for film and directed by the legendary Clint Eastwood and and don't say a Word, adapted for film starring Michael Douglas. In addition to his novels, he's written screenplays including A Shock to the System which was starring the great Michael Caine and One Missed Call. So this is a really, really deep, fun guy to talk to and I'm really looking forward to him. So buckle up kids, because here we go. Hey, what's up boss? Tyrus. Here I am.

Andrew Klavan (1:25)

Hey Tyrus, nice to meet you.

Tyrus (1:26)

I am very excited to talk about. Now I am a huge fan of mystery novels, movies, even tv. Like I'm, I'm internationally known for predicting the killers on Murder She Wrote. I'm pretty good at that. So although not even going to uh, even go that route with you, you have an amazing resume. True, True Crimes is, is a classic. Just, just a great film. How your origin story, what made you it? Was it something as a kid that you always were into writing or is it something that just kind of happened in life or was just a. You were going in one direction and a different door opened up?

Andrew Klavan (2:12)

No, it was right after, you know, the period where I wanted to be like a cowboy and circus clown. I wanted to be a writer. That was basically it from really the age of 10 or 11 on. And I think, you know, talking about mysteries, when I was a kid, I was always looking at. I loved tough guy writing, I loved Hemingway, I loved Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammond. And in Raymond Chandler, in the opening of the Big Sleep, which is his first Philip Marlowe novel, is the greatest, the greatest stylist of American mystery writers. You know, he has the scene in which his detective is entering a house and he sees a stained glass Window with a woman tied. A picture of a woman tied up in a night, rescuing her from a dragon. And he says, the guy is taking so long to get her untied that if I lived here, I would have to climb up there and do it myself.

Andrew Klavan (16:05)

Yeah, good question. Excellent question. Well, first of all, you know, I never wanted to work in Hollywood. They dragged me into working in Hollywood. Somebody literally said to me, Is there anything you would write? And there was this one book by the British mystery writer Simon Brett called A Shock to the System. And I said, yeah, I'd write that book if you got that, because it's such a cool book. And they went out and optioned it and called me and I thought, okay, now I have to write it. And they made it into, I think it's a really good Michael Caine movie. Yeah, so that was, that's how I got into it. Eventually, you know, I got to a certain point where I thought, I want to go out to Hollywood because I was working in different places, but I thought I could just go out there and see what it's like. And for a couple of years, I did really well selling scripts, though not none of them well, one of them got made, but it wasn't very good. But mostly I was just selling them, which is a good living. You know, a lot of people never have a thing made. And then I, I started to talk politics. And it was the, the wars on terror, as they were called, where Hollywood started making these films in which we were the bad guys. A film after film after film in which, you know, we, the Republicans were evil, the soldiers were stupid, the, you know, the soldiers were rapists and killers, and the Muslims were just being picked on by. And I just started to say, you know, this is wrong. Our guys are actually in the field being shot at. You can't do this. I would write articles about it and my phone went dead like that. I mean, it was like I thought somebody had unplugged it. You know, it's like how fast my Hollywood career ended. It was almost instantaneous. And so there was already a blacklist, a tacit blacklist in place. It's not like there's a list that they pass around. It's just that they find out who you are. They stopped calling. And, and that, that was bad already because it meant only one side could ever be told. Like, I mean, you know, the, the late night comedy shows are all on one side. Everybody has the exact same opinion, except one. Except for Greg Gutfeld. Exactly. And, you know, he's. He's a big success. Look, we know it's not because of Greg's talent.

Tyrus (19:39)

With no merit. And then you wonder. And here's the perfect. Here's a perfect example. I'm on tour. I was on tour this weekend, and I had about six hours to kill. Now, when I was in the wwe, God, always seems like every year gets. Well, I guess every year gets further and further away. But I just remember one of the things we used to always do and also in college and football and stuff, bodyguarding, when we had downtime, we would hit the movies up. You just walk in and pick a movie. So I. I had about six hours to kill in. I think it was in. I was in Cadillac, Michigan, and it was a movie theater right next to the hotel. I was saying. So I just walked over and like, hey, let's see. I. I was like, nope, nope. What the hell? Like, I'm good. And I just. I was like, no, I'm good. And I was like. And this is a guy who, like, I enjoyed. I, like, I'm one of the few people that enjoys going to the movie by himself. Like, I absolutely enjoy it. Like, I will find a little. Sit in my corner and just watch the thing. And, and, and if I really like something, I'll watch it probably two or three times. Like, I'm just. I've always kind of been like that. But I, I just. And as a Guy who was, you know, I've done some movies and some. And I, I felt the pinch of the, of the. Oh, you work at Fox Shit. So, you know, you, you're apparently, you're hilarious on there, but we can't take the chance of you, you know, So I went through that and it was frustrating. But then I think the worst thing was for those who played along, who. Then they got cannibalized. A lot of the, like the writers and the, especially the white ones that were, that were in there, they placated to all these things instead of saying, hey, this isn't right, using their positions to say, hey, no, no, no, you're not going to exclude somebody because they, they're a breeder and they happen to have pale skin. You know, I mean, like, that is ridiculous. But they're writing these amazing things that helps everybody. So when, when those things were. Were happening, it was just shocking the. Where how many people just laid down. There was no resistance. And I, and I, I've always tried to get. I originally thought, well, because everyone had skeletons in their closet. So they figured if the flashlights are on everybody else and not me, then so be it. I was thinking things like that. But when a lot of the, like the Weinstein stuff and a lot of other things started coming out there, just. It didn't seem to really make a change.

Andrew Klavan (22:07)

See, here's, here's the thing people don't know. One of the big advantages I had in Hollywood, and it really was an advantage was I love writing books and I love reading books and I love the movies too. But my, the thing that I love are books. I never wanted to work in Hollywood. And I did it, you know, because the opportunity came up. I turned out to be kind of good at it. And I was. Good money, you know, much better money. Instantaneous. You make money instantaneously. They pay you as you write the script. And. And so I was willing to quit jobs if things went bad. I was willing to say, no, I'm not going to write it because that's worse than what I wrote. I'm not going to do that. And I quit a bunch of jobs, you know, just saying, like, you know, go. Go with God. But I don't want to do that. Most of the people who are out there would back a dump truck over their mothers to get a job. That's what they live for. It's what they dreamed of when they were kids. It's all they want to do. And so. And it's hard. It's hard to get in. It's hard to stay in. You know, most people write a movie and it's a hit, and then that's it for them and they're gone. It is really, really tough to do. And so people sell their souls, and there's no other way to put it. You know, they're told to do things they know are wrong. They're told to write stuff they know is crap. They're told to do all kinds of things, and they do it. And the look in their eye, after they've done it for a couple of years, you look at it and thought, I don't care what happens. I never want to have that look in my eye. I want to look like a dead guy inside, you know? But that's the thing. It's the desire. I mean, look what screws up people's lives. Desire. The things you desire. You know, you have to have control over your desires and use them in the right way. It's true of every aspect of life. But in Hollywood, all bets are off. And people want it so badly, they'll do anything. And, yeah, when the DEI came in and the. And the. All the craziness that came in with wokeness, people just. You're right, they just rolled over.