Turning Point Tonight with Jobob – September 16, 2025

Podcast: Real America’s Voice
Host: Rick (Jobob)
Date: September 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode addresses the fallout and cultural significance of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, exploring the boundaries between "cancel culture" and societal standards, reactions from various institutions, and the mainstream media’s handling of the tragedy. Host Rick (Jobob) dives into the firings and suspensions that followed public celebrations of Kirk's death, mainstream and social media responses, and the broader implications for American culture—including commentary on the Emmys and a segment with conservative influencer Anthony Raimondi (“Conservative Ant”). The episode’s core is an unapologetic defense of clear moral boundaries and a critique of what the host sees as distortions imposed by leftist narratives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Firing Employees for Celebrating Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

[01:12–13:00]

• Opening Argument: Rick outlines the recent spate of firings at companies (Microsoft, Perkins Coie, North Carolina Panthers, Office Depot, Nasdaq) in response to staff celebrating Kirk’s murder online.
• Truth vs. Cancel Culture: Rick delineates a crucial distinction—these firings are not “conservative cancel culture,” but rather consequences for violating bedrock societal truths (e.g., “murder is bad”). He argues that free expression has limits when it denies fundamental truths.
  • “If you have an opinion, that’s one thing. If you say something that goes completely against what the entirety of society believes, it’s not an opinion, and therefore you have to face the consequences…” (Rick, [04:04])
• Comparison to Past Cancel Culture: Conservatives previously objected to firings for stating "truths" like “a man is a man,” contrasting with celebrating violence, which Rick frames as an objective moral wrong.

2. Media Figures and Alleged Misrepresentation: The Karen Attia Example

[08:00–13:00]

• Rick spotlights the firing of journalist Karen Attia from The Washington Post, critiquing her statements about “being silenced” for doing her job.
• Rick asserts the context is misrepresented, playing a clip alleged to be misquoted by Attia.
  • “Maybe you got fired cause you’re a bad journalist. Maybe…everybody at the Washington Post was going, hey, she’s not very good at her job. She was hired only because she was a DEI hire…” (Rick, [11:03])
• The host stresses that selectively quoting Kirk’s past remarks about affirmative action misrepresents his intent, and that poor job performance or dishonesty are reasonable grounds for dismissal.

3. Satire vs. Reality: The Difficulty of Parody in Modern Discourse

[16:30–18:00]

• Rick discusses a viral video purporting to show a fired Microsoft DEI executive lamenting his own dismissal for posts about Kirk—ultimately revealed as parody.
  • “Parody is impossible in a world that is so absurd as it is now…” (Rick, [17:18])
• This segment underscores the challenge of distinguishing satire from reality in today’s polarized climate, especially on issues of diversity and speech.

4. Reactions and Firings in Academia

[18:20–21:44]

• Reading a fired University of Tennessee professor’s social media post:

  “The world is better off without him. Even those who are claiming it’s sad for his wife and kids, like his kids are better off living in a world without a disgusting psychopath like him…” (Anonymous professor, [18:59])

• Rick advocates not just job loss, but removal from public benefits for those celebrating political violence.
  • “If somebody loses their job because they are glorifying the assassination…they should not get government benefits either.” (Rick, [19:44])

5. Cases in Education and Accountability

[21:44–24:30]

• Plays a video from Benjamin Philo, a high school teacher suspended after celebrating Kirk’s murder online.
• Rick analyzes Philo’s criticisms of Kirk, especially regarding LGBTQ issues and “women’s health care,” countering that these are mischaracterizations.

6. Redemption and Boundaries

[24:30–27:45]

• Rick reflects on the capacity for those who cross these boundaries to seek forgiveness if they demonstrate real contrition.
  • “I do hope they change their mind. There is a place for redemption…But they do have to show that yes, we made a mistake…” (Rick, [26:33])

7. Mainstream Media’s Spin on the Political Response

[29:00–35:00]

• Rick dissects a New York Times article alleging a “broad crackdown on liberal groups,” contending that the administration and J.D. Vance's rhetoric is in fact targeting radicals who incite violence, not liberals broadly.
  • “Did anybody say, broadly speaking, we’re just going to start cracking down on liberals? …Or did J.D. Vance say the radicals?” (Rick, [29:34])
• Examines statements by Sen. Chris Murphy and Rep. Greg Casar, criticizing their framing of Trump’s and Vance’s actions as attacks on dissent, rather than on political violence.

8. Charlie Kirk’s Legacy and Influence: Conversation with Anthony Raimondi (“Conservative Ant”)

[37:39–45:18]

a. Personal Reflections

• Raimondi describes Kirk as an inspiration, “the most non-confrontational person in our entire movement” ([38:09]).
• “He would let anybody talk…if anyone, Charlie was the guy you wanted to end up running into because he would let you, anybody talk.” (Raimondi, [38:17])

b. Handling of LGBTQ Accusations

• Raimondi, an openly gay conservative, refutes labels of Kirk as homophobic by citing firsthand experience and a video of Kirk defending inclusivity at a public event ([39:40–41:24]).
  • “If you say there’s something inherently wrong with communicating or associating just because they make different personal decisions than you, then you, sir, are not a conservative…” (Charlie Kirk, [40:53])
• “For people that call him…homophobic and all that, then you hear that and you’re like, when did he say that?” (Raimondi, [42:22])

c. The Movement’s Future

• Raimondi expresses confidence that Kirk’s legacy is only growing, spearheaded by continued engagement and activism:
  • “This is bigger than ever. This isn’t going anywhere. We can’t stop now. That’s…not what Charlie would have wanted.” ([44:35])

9. The Emmys and the Cultural Moment

[46:00–52:00]

• The episode pivots to the recent Emmys, calling out the total lack of mention of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, contrasting this silence with overtly political statements (e.g., “Free Palestine”) made during the event.
  • “Not only did they not mention one of…I think the biggest cultural turning point in American society…the crowd erupted [for ‘Free Palestine’].” (Rick, [48:03])
• Rick juxtaposes Emmy viewership (7.4 million) with Erica Kirk’s Instagram speech views (63 million) to argue that cultural influence is shifting away from establishment media.
  • “Who actually has an impact, who actually has an influence? I would beg to differ that it’s not the people that are at the Emmys.” (Rick, [50:42])

10. Closing Moments & Levity

[52:00–End]

• Rick closes with a tongue-in-cheek analysis of a viral video showing a protester (with an anti-Charlie Kirk sign) falling into a pond—emphasizing he does not condone violence.
  • “Nobody here is advocating any sort of physical retaliation for people who display disgusting beliefs…but…the video cuts and there’s nothing we can do about that.” (Rick, [53:07])

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On “Cancel Culture” vs. Societal Standards:
  • “If you have an opinion, that's one thing. If you say something that goes completely against what the entirety of society believes, it's not an opinion, and therefore you have to face the consequences…” — Rick ([04:04])
• On Redemption:
  • “I do hope they change their mind. There is a place for redemption…But they do have to show that yes, we made a mistake and we genuinely recognize that mistake…” — Rick ([26:33])
• On the Power of Big Tent Conservatism:
  • “That proves it…he was a man that understood what you were saying, but then he would give you the facts…I've always been that way. Why do we have to lead with [being gay]?...He sat with everybody. That's Charlie.” — Anthony Raimondi ([41:24])
• On the Emmys, Influence, and Culture War:
  • “Who actually has an impact, who actually has an influence? I would beg to differ that it's not the people that are at the Emmys.” — Rick ([50:42])
• On Political Violence and Unity:
  • “There is unity between folks who think…the government should do this versus this, but also agree, yeah, you shouldn't be killing people…But there can't be unity with people who don't agree with that.” — Rick ([31:01])
• On MSM Reaction:
  • “Did anybody say, broadly speaking, we're just going to start cracking down on liberals?...Or did J.D. Vance say, no, no, the radicals?” — Rick ([29:34])

Segment Timestamps

• [01:12–13:00] — Conservative cancel culture vs. societal consequences
• [13:00–18:00] — Media firings and parody in politics
• [18:00–24:30] — Academia and educators' reactions
• [24:30–27:45] — Redemption, social consequences, and public benefits
• [29:00–35:00] — New York Times, Trump, Vance, and responses from political figures
• [37:39–45:18] — Conversation with Conservative Ant (Anthony Raimondi)
• [46:00–52:00] — The Emmys, mainstream media, and cultural influence
• [52:00–End] — Viral protester video and episode close

Summary

This episode of Turning Point Tonight offers a passionately argued, unapologetically conservative take on current events following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Rick (Jobob) frames the widespread firings of individuals publicly celebrating Kirk’s death not as “cancel culture,” but as necessary societal self-defense against those who transgress basic moral tenets. He rebuts media misrepresentation and challenges both left-wing activists and mainstream figures who, in his view, conflate radicalism and dissent. With the help of guests like Conservative Ant, he reaffirms the inclusivity of the conservative movement and underscores the continued impact Kirk has left behind. The Emmys’ silence about Kirk is interpreted both as cowardice and irrelevance in the face of explosive grassroots cultural engagement. The overall tone is by turns strident, righteously indignant, and, occasionally, darkly humorous, but always returns to the theme of asserting and reclaiming cultural ground for “truth.”