Podcast Summary

Podcast: Real Coffee with Scott Adams
Episode: 2969 CWSA 09/25/25
Date: September 25, 2025
Host: Scott Adams

Episode Overview

Scott Adams applies his signature "persuasion filter" to review and analyze current events, media trends, and recent political rhetoric, with a focus on how these narratives shape public behavior and opinion. The episode combines commentary on popular culture, politics, media reports, and personal anecdotes to highlight the effects of messaging, persuasion tactics, and group dynamics in society and government.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pop Culture and Personal Anecdotes

• Fantastic Four Movie Review (02:00)
  • Scott sharply criticizes the recent Fantastic Four film, calling it "absolutely unwatchable" with "poor effects, terrible casting."
    Quote: "It looked like they made it in a basement or something. It looked terrible."
• Cat ‘Terrorism’ and Collectibles (03:30)
  • Shares a humorous incident where his cat destroyed a cherished collectible, framing it as an act of feline ‘terrorism’ and mock-warning against bringing a "woman into this house to compete with us. We are the stars of the house."

2. Influence of Media Violence

• Gun Violence in Movies and Youth Behavior (05:00)
  • Discusses a study relaying a link between on-screen gun violence and real-life youth firearm use.
  • Affirms that repetitive exposure to gun culture in movies/games predictably influences a fraction of the audience toward violence. Quote: "Speaking as a hypnotist, the repetition alone will cause some percentage of people to shoot somebody that they would have not otherwise."
• Compares the persuasive power of entertainment media to political speech.

3. AI in the Workplace: Productivity and Profit

• Futurism Article on AI (09:00)
  • Highlights a finding that 95% of companies using AI saw "no meaningful growth in revenue," and some are hiring back people laid off for AI. Quote: "Apparently, a lot of them are looking to hire back people that they got rid of... even using AI for coding might be slowing them down."

4. Current Events and Politics

• Squirrel Attacks in California (11:00)
  • Light-hearted account of a local epidemic of aggressive squirrels, joking: "I didn’t even know squirrels could be Democrats."
• Utz Brand Ditches Synthetic Dyes (14:00)
  • Praises voluntary corporate decisions to eliminate synthetic dyes, citing Secretary Kennedy and suggesting voluntary action is the best.
• French President Sarkozy’s Conviction (15:00)
  • Reflects on Sarkozy’s jail sentence for campaign finance crimes, speculating that "nearly all" leaders have skeletons in their closets. Quote: "I feel like the only thing that’s different about Sarkozy is that maybe he got caught."

5. Education & Ideological Balance

• Turning Point USA in Oklahoma Schools (18:00)
  • Oklahoma will allow/encourage Turning Point USA chapters in every state high school to counterbalance left-leaning influence.
    • Adams prefers diversity of viewpoints to attempts at "erasing" the left.
  • Notes that college syllabi are predominantly left-wing, and suggests similar balance is due in higher education.

6. Cancer Treatments and Misinformation

• Casey DeSantis & Ivermectin for Cancer (22:30)
  • Adams discusses (from personal experience) why he’s deeply skeptical about claims ivermectin can cure cancer, unless proven by robust evidence. Quote: "I would settle for anybody who had an incurable cancer who cured it with ivermectin… You’re never going to see that."
  • Shares his own failed experience with ivermectin and points to the need for trusted, unbiased clinical proof. Quote: "I will give you a 100% odds that… you can’t just take nothing but ivermectin and cure your cancer."

7. Rhetoric, Persuasion, and Political Violence

• Rhetoric's Role in Political Violence (29:30)
  • Contrasts right and left rhetoric, arguing that terms like "Nazi," "Gestapo," and "dictator" from the left are more likely to incite violence than insults like "dumb as a rock" from the right. Quote: "Saying somebody is Gestapo and they're going to take your democracy definitely makes you think of violence."
• Gavin Newsom’s ‘Code Red’ Statement (35:00)
  • Critiques California Governor Newsom’s call to "push back against the Gestapo" as inflammatory, connecting it to a subsequent ICE facility shooting.
• J.D. Vance on Responsibility (45:00)
  • Applauds Senator JD Vance’s call for both parties to police their rhetoric and avoid language that could inspire violence. Quote (Vance, 46:10): "If your political rhetoric encourages violence against our law enforcement, you can go straight to hell."
    Quote (Vance, 49:00): "[The] right has to police itself. Don't use this violent rhetoric if you want a chance of getting the left to do the same."
  • Adams: "If you say it's only happening on one side, it only takes one example to prove you wrong… We have to police ourselves."

8. Media, Politics, and Party Strategy

• ABC News Documentary Targeting Josh Shapiro (56:00)
  • Suggests the left-leaning media is undermining Shapiro (potential Dem presidential candidate) to clear the way for Gavin Newsom, implying deeper party machinations favoring candidates loyal to entrenched interests like the Clinton Global Initiative.

9. Lawfare & Accountability

• Rumored Indictment of James Comey (65:00)
  • Reports that former FBI director James Comey may be indicted for lying to Congress before the statute of limitations runs out.
• Lawfare as Political Strategy (67:00)
  • Argues Republicans are justified in reciprocating legal tactics ("give as good as they get") as Democrats will use every tool at their disposal regardless of what the GOP does.

10. Domestic Terrorism & Political Violence

• ANTIFA Terror Arrests in Eugene, Oregon (69:00)
  • First-ever reported domestic terrorism arrest of Antifa members for targeting an ICE facility.
• Budget Debates & Government Shutdowns (71:30)
  • Describes Congress as broken, predicts massive layoffs used strategically during government shutdowns.

11. Social Commentary & Cultural Trends

• Debate Tactics on College Campuses (75:00)
  • Highlights attempts to recreate Charlie Kirk’s public campus debate format, discusses perceptions of racial discrimination, argues in practice "black Americans have superior rights" in employment and higher education.
    • Suggests that most large organizations favor diversity hires: "If I wanted a job and I got a choice to be black or white just for the purpose of looking for a job, what do you think I would pick? … I would pick black every time."
• Jezebel and the 'Witch' Controversy (80:00)
  • Discusses Jezebel’s reported effort to curse Charlie Kirk using witches prior to his assassination, questions superstition but expresses concern for mass focus influencing outcomes, "affirmations" style.

12. Other Topics and International Affairs

• Ending 'Anti-Racist' Teacher Training Grants (85:00)
  • Trump administration is moving to halt these programs, which Adams claims are themselves "overtly racist."
• Food Insecurity Report Canceled (87:00)
  • Critiques government waste, questions the usefulness of self-reported food insecurity statistics.
• Drone Incidents in Denmark (88:30)
  • Finds it suspicious that Denmark and NATO are unable to deal with rogue drones; questions the origins, and why NATO doesn’t act.
• Trump's Nuclear Exercises & Ukraine War (92:00)
  • US flexes military muscle in Europe; Rubio claims Russian losses are "staggering."
  • Adams doubts Ukrainians can reclaim lost territory; discusses energy dependencies.
• Zelensky Promises Attacks Near Kremlin (96:00)
  • Ponders Russian escalation if Ukrainian attacks on the Kremlin intensify.
• Cartel Members Fighting for Ukraine (98:00)
  • Reports that Mexican and Colombian cartel members are fighting in Ukraine to learn drone warfare, raising future security concerns.
• Greta Thunberg’s Gaza 'Freedom Flotilla' (100:00)
  • Relays that Israeli jamming efforts are "blasting ABBA on repeat" at her aid fleet, rendering communications impossible.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "[Hollywood's] new technique for superhero movies: Instead of attractive, charismatic actors, they put in homely actors you don't even want to look at for a second." (03:00)
• "Speaking as a hypnotist, the repetition alone will cause some percentage of people to shoot somebody that they would have not otherwise." (06:15)
• "My cat is a terrorist. And if that's not a warning, I don't know what is." (04:10)
• "I would give you 100% certainty … you can't just take nothing but ivermectin and cure your cancer." (26:30)
• "Saying somebody is Gestapo and they're going to take your democracy definitely makes you think of violence." (31:40)
• "If your political rhetoric encourages violence against our law enforcement, you can go straight to hell." – JD Vance (46:10)
• "If you say it's only happening on one side, it only takes one example to prove you wrong." (49:30)
• "If I wanted a job and I got a choice to be black or white just for the purpose of looking for a job, what do you think I would pick? … I would pick black every time." (76:00)
• "You will not be treated as a hero by Republicans if you do violence — you will be treated as scum." (64:40)
• "Democrat leaders are 100% ... guilty for causing the violence. There's not even the slightest chance it's any other way." (61:30)
• "[Jezebel] paid some witches on Etsy to curse Charlie Kirk two days before he was assassinated." (81:00)
• "Are you telling me that Denmark can't shoot down a drone? ... There's something about the story that's either seriously missing..." (89:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Fantastic Four Movie Review & Cat Anecdote | 02:00–05:00| | Gun Violence in Movies | 05:00–08:30| | AI in the Workplace | 09:00–10:30| | Squirrel Attacks / Corporate Voluntarism | 11:00–14:30| | Sarkozy's Conviction / Leaders' Corruption | 15:00–17:30| | Turning Point USA in Schools / Syllabi Study | 18:00–22:00| | Ivermectin for Cancer | 22:30–29:00| | Escalating Political Rhetoric, Newsom ‘Code Red’ | 29:30–39:00| | JD Vance on Rhetoric & Violence | 45:00–50:00| | ABC News Documentary on Josh Shapiro | 56:00–61:00| | Blame for Violence; Persuasion Concepts | 61:00–64:00| | Lawfare: Comey's Possible Indictment | 65:00–68:00| | Antifa Arrest / Domestic Terrorism | 69:00–71:00| | Congressional Budget Deadlock | 71:30–75:00| | College Debate Tactics / Racial Advantage | 75:00–79:30| | Jezebel, Witches, and ‘Affirmation’ Outcomes | 80:00–84:00| | Anti-Racist Teacher Grants & Food Insecurity | 85:00–88:00| | Denmark Drone Incidents | 88:30–92:00| | Ukraine, Russia, and NATO Responses | 92:00–97:00| | Cartel Members in Ukraine | 98:00–100:00| | Greta Thunberg’s “Freedom Flotilla” | 100:00–102:00|

This summary captures the main points, notable quotes, and perspectives delivered in Scott Adams’s signature style—irreverent, humorous, assertive, and deeply skeptical—explaining both news events and the psychology/persuasion tactics that shape them.