Ruthless Podcast

Episode: The Death Rattle of Woke

Release Date: September 5, 2025
Hosts: Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook
Special Guest: Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau

Episode Overview

This episode of the Ruthless Podcast is a "Fun Time Friday" variety show that delivers the hosts’ trademark blend of irreverent conservative commentary, lighthearted banter, and sharp critiques aimed at progressive politics and media. The hosts dissect recent political absurdities, roast prominent Democrats, tackle news stories they find particularly ridiculous, and welcome Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau for a substantial interview on foreign policy, immigration, and the transformation of U.S. diplomatic priorities. Discussion topics include the effects of “woke” culture, faux accent “code switching” by Democrats, left-wing conspiracy theories, media bias, urban policy absurdities, and more.

Main Segments & Key Insights

1. Woke Politics and State-Level Lunacy

[00:10–08:59]

• The "Death Rattle of Woke": The hosts declare that "woke garbage" (John Ashbrook, 00:12) promotes stupidity and has led to dire consequences, particularly in Democratic-run states.
• Wisconsin's Immigration Debate: The panel mocks Governor Tony Evers for openly supporting high numbers of undocumented workers as an economic necessity, arguing he is effectively admitting his state’s economy relies on illegal labor—a point the hosts find both staggering and emblematic.
  • Quote: “He’s like, in my watch, a staggering number of illegals, way higher than you could imagine.” — John Ashbrook (04:15)
• Midwestern Political Contradictions: The hosts observe the swing between electing Republicans like Trump and then “left-wing lunatics” (Smug, 05:02), chalking it up to powerful Democratic political machines at the state level.
• Ground Game & Machines: They discuss the Democrats’ strong organizational infrastructure, especially in special elections, and recount past attempts (and failures) by the GOP to replicate this, particularly in Wisconsin Supreme Court races.

2. Code Switching and Authenticity in Democratic Politics

[09:00–14:22]

• Jasmine Crockett’s “Multiple Personalities”: Using a supercut of Congressman Jasmine Crockett, the hosts mock her shift in accent and style, suggesting she alters her persona to fit political audiences and likening her to Hillary Clinton’s infamous episodes of affected speech.
  • Quote: “This is someone who went to St. Louis Country Day School for high school… and now all of a sudden she’s pretending to be someone who didn’t go to that.” — Michael Duncan (10:07)
  • “I mean, that’s beyond patronizing. … it’s talking down to people.” — John Ashbrook (11:37)
• Broader Pattern: The hosts draw a parallel to Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton “code switching” and argue that Democrats lack authenticity, using the concept as a ploy rather than genuine adaptation.
• Rejection of Code Switching: Ashbrook flatly rejects academic justifications:
  • Quote: “All this woke garbage has allowed nothing but stupidity to flourish.” — John Ashbrook (13:12)
  • “You have to, like, not allow a single inch to any of this stupidity.” — John Ashbrook (13:13)

3. Where Rights Come From: US vs. Theocratic Regimes

[14:25–18:58]

• Sen. Tim Kaine’s Take on Natural Rights: The hosts are incredulous over Sen. Kaine likening the Declaration of Independence’s assertion that rights come from the Creator to Iranian theocracy.
  • Quote: “This is basic 101 stuff. Like elementary kids in this country understand that concept that a US Senator is struggling with. It’s pathetic.” — John Ashbrook (15:55)
• Throwback to JFK: As a counterpoint, they play John F. Kennedy’s iconic line: “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.” — JFK (17:00), noting how different the party used to be.

4. Liberal Media, Conspiracy Theories, and the “Cuck Todd” Roast

[18:59–25:53]

• Chuck Todd vs. Ruthless Minions: The panel recounts a recent Twitter exchange with Chuck Todd, emphasizing how Todd responded to their criticism of left-wing conspiracy-mongering by reflexively “whatabouting” Trump.
  • Quote: “He got 20 to 1 ratio... I called him out. … There’s a reason you don’t have a TV show anymore. … our audience right now, the minions are way bigger than any audience you’ve ever had before.” — John Ashbrook (20:00)
• Supercut of Chuck Todd's Bias: They play clips highlighting Todd’s alleged partisanship, mocking his assertions of “fact-based” neutrality and lamenting the decline of TV journalism from Tim Russert’s era.
  • Quote: “Our bias is facts.” — Chuck Todd (24:11, quoting)

5. Urban Policy Absurdities & Animal Kingdom Wars

[31:06–34:56]

• Curtis Sliwa's Rat Problem Solution: The panel debates Sliwa’s proposal to use feral cats to control NYC’s rat population; Ashbrook argues for a bounty system incentivizing the homeless to hunt rats instead.
  • Quote: “Put a bounty on—you use the real natural resource that there’s plenty of in New York City, the homeless.” — John Ashbrook (34:11)
• Animal Kingdom Socialism: Smug jokes that cats are the “ultimate socialists” for refusing to solve the rat problem.

6. Sports, Media, and Corporate Cluelessness

[34:56–39:36]

• ESPN’s Ruination of NFL RedZone: The hosts blast ESPN for introducing commercial breaks into the RedZone channel, which previously ran commercial-free and is revered by NFL fans.

  • Quote: “If you ruin RedZone, we riot. Like, we will make J6 look like a tea party.” — Josh Holmes (36:00)
  • “They disrespect their audience.” — Smug (37:29)

• Brotherhood Parlay: The group’s NFL season tradition of a multi-team betting parlay unites their sports fandom and tempers group chat toxicity.

7. In-Depth Interview: Deputy Secretary Chris Landau

[41:26–63:37]

• Macro Topics:

  • Border Security as Fundamental Sovereignty: Landau stresses the importance of controlling borders for national sovereignty, decries recent bipartisanship evaporations, and calls the open border stance “shocking.”
    • Quote: “A country is not a country unless it has a border and can control its border.” — Chris Landau (43:01)
  • Mexico & Global Migration: Migration through Mexico is international, not bilateral, and has become a 21st-century challenge. Europeans too are dealing with changes due to open borders, often without popular support.
  • Trump’s Foreign Policy Doctrine: Landau applauds Trump’s “business-like” pragmatism, focus on leverage, and prioritization of American interests over “playing Mother Teresa,” arguing establishment foreign policy had become disconnected from the national good.
    • Quote: “Trump is a business guy, right. So he understands the concept of leverage.” — Chris Landau (49:57)
    • “Power is economic. … You can’t have a sustained military power if you don’t have the economic base to support it.” — Chris Landau (50:09)
  • Global Reception to Trump: Non-Western capitals appreciate a transactional, direct approach. Landau argues Western Europe holds less global sway than U.S. elites admit.
    • Quote: “All of these people have dealt with the Biden administration … They’re accustomed to predictability. And all of a sudden, Trump administration shows up with leverage for the first time.” — Josh Holmes (52:52)
    • “He is the alpha male on the world stage.” — Chris Landau (57:19)
  • Russia and China: Landau is cautiously optimistic about U.S.–Russia relations, attributes the Ukraine war to Biden’s perceived weakness, and insists on seeking “mutually beneficial relationships” with rivals like China.

• Landau’s Relationship to the Ruthless Audience: Landau credits his own son Nat as a listener and cherishes reconnecting with the audience. He emphasizes the need for foreign policy officials to stay accountable and transparent with the American public.

8. Running Gags, Listener Engagement, and Closing

[26:06, 26:57, and ongoing]

• Discussion Questions: The hosts invite listeners to contribute their favorite examples of “code switching” and leftist conspiracy theories.
• Audience Shoutouts: They read several listener comments, keeping the tone fun and interactive.
• Sponsors: ZBiotics ad read, but with their own humor and personal anecdotes.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "All this woke garbage has allowed nothing but stupidity to flourish. And, like, we need to get rid of all of it. You have to, like, not allow a single inch to any of this stupidity. A nation isn’t just built, it’s powered."
  — John Ashbrook (00:12–00:29)
• “If you ruin RedZone, we riot. Like, we will make J6 look like a tea party.”
  — Josh Holmes (36:00)
• “He is the alpha male on the world stage.”
  — Chris Landau (57:19)
• “Put a bounty on—you use the real natural resource that there’s plenty of in New York City, the homeless.”
  — John Ashbrook (34:11)
• “Divide and conquer is how they’ve really, you know, built a coalition of how you can get queers for Palestine, because everyone with a brain knows it makes sense.”
  — John Ashbrook (13:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:10 — Woke stupidity & border talk
• 02:46 — Wisconsin, Tony Evers, and illegal immigrants
• 05:56 — Hypothesis: State-level machines determine Midwest outcomes
• 09:00 — Jasmine Crockett "code switching" segment
• 12:03 — Biden/Clinton code switching; academic justifications critiqued
• 14:25 — Sen. Tim Kaine & “rights from God” debate
• 18:59 — Chuck Todd online fight & media bias supercut
• 25:53 — Closing of Chuck Todd discussion
• 31:06 — NYC rats, feral cats, and bounties
• 34:56 — ESPN and NFL Redzone changes
• 39:36 — Brotherhood Parlay explained
• 41:26–63:37 — Chris Landau interview
• 64:30 — Reflections after the interview, closing remarks

Tone & Language

The episode retains a sarcastic, bantering, at times intentionally abrasive and irreverent tone, with in-group jokes (“minions”), running gags (Smug and Ashbrook feuding for comedic effect, “cuck Todd” nickname), and a mix of current events punditry with personal storytelling and sports metaphors. The language is colloquial and occasionally profane.

Summary for the Uninitiated

This “Fun Time Friday” is quintessential Ruthless: high-energy, no-holds-barred conservative punditry, mixing comedy, policy digs, and media takedowns. The episode’s highlight—the Landau interview—grounds the humor in serious foreign policy critique, contrasting the current administration’s approach with their caricatured view of liberal orthodoxy. Regular listeners and newcomers alike are invited to participate, poke fun at the absurdities of politics and media, and feel part of a raucous insider club (“the minions”). If you’re seeking unfiltered conservative banter mixed with a measure of policy substance, this is a representative entry.