Rebel News Podcast – SHEILA GUNN REID | New Year's Eve '12 Days of Cringemas' Special

Host: Sheila Gunn Reid
Guest: Lise Merle
Date: January 1, 2026

Overview of the Episode

This festive special of The Gunn Show delivers a whirlwind recap of the most "cringe-worthy" political and cultural moments of 2025, with a heavy dose of irreverence and satire. Sheila Gunn Reid, joined by her friend and fellow Rebel News personality Lise Merle, revisits notorious highlights from the past year in Canadian news and politics, dubbing it the "12 Days of Cringemas." With scathing humor, the two dissect everything from awkward political gaffes to what they see as the excessive "virtue signaling" of public figures, rewarding bad behavior in institutions, and the transformation of public life into performance art. If you appreciate sharp conservative commentary, pointed critiques of Canadian progressive and institutional elites, and a dose of holiday camaraderie, this wrap-up episode encapsulates it all.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing the 'Cringemas' Format

• [00:14-02:00] Sheila sets the irreverent tone, explaining this episode’s premise—to laugh at "the moral and intellectual superiors" who, as Lise puts it, run the asylum.
  • "So important to poke fun at the people who appoint themselves...our moral and intellectual superiors...if you really watch them, they're amoral idiots, by and large." — Sheila [02:06]
• The 'Daily Cringe' segment they co-created becomes the episode's backbone, collecting the year’s most notable public blunders or "cringes."

2. The Canadian Military’s Apology on Racism

• [03:22-06:03] The pair mock the public apology from Canada’s Chief of Defense Staff for systemic racism.
  • "It's just so touching that our military is concentrating on hurt feelings instead of fighting bad guys." — Lise [04:46]
  • Critique: The focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is contrasted with logistical and morale issues (e.g., "deploying without appropriate gear") in the armed forces.
  • "On the first day of cringe-mas, my bestie gave to me, the military crying like sissies." — Lise [05:21]

3. Drag Queen Pastor in Church

• [06:15-12:44] A video of a drag queen addressing children in a Canadian church prompts a lengthy discussion about secularization and progressive Christian trends.
  • Concerns are raised about the absence of Christian symbols, with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ representation.
  • "Literally encouraging parishioners and young children to dip their toe into drag, to maybe just try it out, see if they like it." — Lise [08:39]
  • Sheila connects the event to broader cultural trends, lamenting what she calls the "fruits of the Reformation" and discussing "chasing happiness instead of goodness" as societal decay.
  • "That is a violation of the first commandment that you will have no other gods but the God, because that is a person...remaking himself..." — Sheila [10:38]

4. Alberta MLA Janis Irwin's 'Street Dance'

• [12:44-17:03] Sheila and Lise target an NDP legislator’s public dance video, mocking the "lineup of cameras" and the use of taxpayer funds.
  • "Barefoot Gary Busey dancing in an outdoor urinal." — Lise [14:02]
  • They connect the performance to what they see as political unseriousness and out-of-touch leadership, referencing COVID-era "hospital TikTok dances."
  • "I'm not taking advice about communicable diseases from that person ever. Never." — Sheila [16:54]

5. Mark Carney and Diana Fox Carney’s Awkward Dance

• [17:31-19:16] The duo share a viral dance video by Mark Carney and his wife, ridiculing both performance and political implications.
  • "Full body dry heave, set to music." — Sheila [19:00]
  • "If you saw somebody doing that...in the olden days, they would be like, 'stick a spoon in his mouth, he's having a seizure.'" — Sheila [19:16]
  • This is used as a stand-in for broader dissatisfaction among Canadian conservatives with the Toronto "elite."

6. Doug Ford, Danielle Smith, and the Trade War with the US

• [19:55-26:08] Multiple Ford soundbites are examined as Sheila and Lise critique Ontario’s handling of cross-border trade, tariffs, and U.S. relations.
  • Satirical commentary on political strategizing and leadership choices: "Was it a good idea to send Doug Ford...your point person, foreign affairs minister on this?" — Sheila [21:10]
  • "Keep calling the president names, Doug. Let's keep watching you keep losing." — Lise [24:10]
  • The economic fallout (job losses, manufacturing industry woes) is mocked as result of juvenile rhetoric.

7. Doug Ford’s Crown Royal Stunt

• [26:08-28:31] Ford’s symbolic dumping of Crown Royal whiskey and his "dumb as a bag of hammers" comment get special derision.
  • Lise lampoons the spectacle: "...dribbles out of the bottle like a middle aged man with prostate issues...just, just, just hardly dribbles."
  • “No, Doug, you are. That's bottled in Gimli, Manitoba. Who's the hammer now?” — Sheila [27:48]

8. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow’s Festival Dancing

• [28:31-32:49] Multiple clips of the new Toronto mayor’s dance routines at public events become a motif for politicians prioritizing optics over substance.
  • "I try to keep my genitals under wraps when I do [dance]." — Sheila [28:31]
  • "This really illustrates the selfie culture that...is hijacking politics." — Lise [31:18]
  • Reference to St. Vitus's Dance as an allegory for politicians’ performative mania amidst real crises: “I think we’re in the middle part of St. Vitus’s Dance.”

9. Elizabeth May’s Singing and Ostrich Commentary

• [33:08-37:54] Green leader Elizabeth May is gently mocked for an impromptu Joni Mitchell rendition and detailed commentary on ostrich (avian flu) policy.
  • "You know when you spend like way too much time at a wine bar...that is what just happened to Elizabeth May there." — Lise [33:25]
  • The ostrich segment is used as an example of political tribalism trumping fair policy: “She says it makes her sympathize with the ostriches less...so the ostriches have less right to live, less right to fair treatment...because you don't like the people who like the birds.” — Sheila [37:54]

10. Elizabeth May, Trade Wars & Accusations of White Supremacy

• [39:11-41:24] A final Elizabeth May soundbite includes her listing of white supremacy and misogyny as problems in foreign policy.
  • “There’s something pathological about Elizabeth May’s need to get in front of a camera and act a fool.” — Sheila [39:48]
  • The hosts lament the ongoing re-election of May and what they see as media complicity in not holding her accountable.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It's just so touching that our military is concentrating on hurt feelings instead of fighting bad guys." — Lise Merle [04:46]
• "On the first day of cringe-mas, my bestie gave to me, the military crying like sissies." — Lise Merle [05:21]
• "Literally encouraging parishioners and young children to dip their toe into drag, to maybe just try it out..." — Lise Merle [08:39]
• "[Janis Irwin is a] barefoot Gary Busey dancing in an outdoor urinal." — Lise Merle [14:02]
• "Full body dry heave, set to music." — Sheila Gunn Reid [19:00]
• "Keep calling the president names, Doug. Let's keep watching you keep losing." — Lise Merle [24:10]
• "No, Doug, you are [the hammer]. That's bottled in Gimli, Manitoba. Who's the hammer now?" — Sheila Gunn Reid [27:48]
• "I try to keep my genitals under wraps when I do [dance]." — Sheila Gunn Reid [28:31]
• "This really illustrates the selfie culture that...is hijacking politics." — Lise Merle [31:18]
• "There’s something pathological about Elizabeth May’s need to get in front of a camera and act a fool." — Sheila Gunn Reid [39:48]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening banter & show setup – [00:14-02:00]
• Canadian military apology – [03:22-06:03]
• Drag queen in church discussion – [06:15-12:44]
• Janis Irwin TikTok/dancing – [12:44-17:03]
• Carney dance segment – [17:31-19:16]
• Doug Ford, trade war critique – [19:55-28:03]
• Doug Ford’s whiskey stunt – [26:08-28:31]
• Olivia Chow’s dancing – [28:31-32:49]
• Elizabeth May sings & ostrich debate – [33:08-37:54]
• Elizabeth May’s policy speech – [39:11-41:24]

Conclusion & Final Thoughts

Sheila wraps up solo, expressing gratitude for the audience and briefly reflecting on the year’s madness—affirming the importance of maintaining humor amid national challenges and wishing listeners a Happy New Year.

"Sometimes it's like we said off the top of the show, you can either laugh or cry. And I would much rather, most days, laugh." — Sheila [41:24]

Final words:
"Don't let the government tell you that you've had too much to think." — Sheila Gunn Reid

Summary at a Glance

• Theme: Year-end satirical rundown of Canadian political/cultural "cringe-mas" moments.
• Style: Rapid-fire, irreverent, heavy on conservative culture-war criticism.
• Most memorable targets: Canadian military, progressive churches, NDP and Green politicians, Doug Ford, Olivia Chow, Mark Carney, Elizabeth May.
• Tone: Sarcastic, mocking, but with undercurrents of traditionalist concern and camaraderie.

For those who haven't listened:
This episode delivers the year’s top "cringe" moments as seen by Sheila and Lise, skewering the Canadian progressive establishment with humor, skepticism, and a hefty dose of sarcasm.