Ruthless Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: The Truth About The Colbert Hoax + Coach Derek Dooley Joins The Progrum
Date: February 19, 2026
Hosts: Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook
Special Guest: Coach Derek Dooley (GA Senate candidate)

Episode Overview

This episode provides a sharp, energetic breakdown of the so-called "Colbert Hoax," dissecting the controversy around Stephen Colbert's late-night show, claims of censorship, and the real motivations within Democratic primary politics. The guys pull the curtain back on how media and party elites coordinate for their favored candidates, specifically in the Texas Democratic Senate primary. The episode also features an extended, candid interview with Coach Derek Dooley, a former football coach running for U.S. Senate in Georgia, digging into leadership, political outsider perspectives, and some fun war stories from his football days.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Opening Salvos & Setting the Table

[00:00 – 03:31]

• The guys immediately launch into commentary on Stephen Colbert’s recent "censorship" claims, lampooning the media’s narrative that the Trump administration or the FCC was shutting down Democrats from appearing on broadcast TV.
• The hosts explain that what’s actually happening is savvy Democratic primary maneuvering and inside-baseball procedural gaming, not nefarious Republican censorship.
• Tone is irreverent, fast-paced, and sarcastic right from the start (“Most of this was set up by establishment Democrats attempting to get a little bit of exposure for a candidate that's otherwise as boring as Wonder Bread.”—Josh Holmes, 00:14).

2. Inside the Democratic Primary Drama

[03:31 – 13:22]

• The team dives into the differences between Republican and Democratic primary mechanics, the role of the media, and infighting on the left.
• They lampoon the Democratic establishment's maneuvering: “Democrats have knives too. They hate each other too.” – Smug [04:57]
• Ashbrook and Holmes frame the Colbert incident as a media and DNC operation to boost their preferred candidate, James Talarico, in the Texas Senate primary by denying Jasmine Crockett equal time—a reflection of broader Democratic establishment tendencies.

3. The ‘Colbert Hoax’ Deep Dive

[13:22 – 27:04]

• The hosts play and annotate Colbert's on-air explanation ("You know who is not one of my guests tonight?...we were told by our network's lawyers...we could not have him on the broadcast." – Stephen Colbert clip, 14:11).
  • They deride Colbert's jokes and posture: "That’s like David Letterman, Jay Leno, and that's like FCCU is like...I think one of Duncan's kids could come up with a better joke." – Ashbrook [15:33]
  • The hosts argue Colbert straight-up lied to his audience for political expediency.
• They break down how the equal time rule (a longstanding FCC regulation) was incorrectly turned into a pseudo-censorship narrative, when in fact, CBS/Colbert didn’t want to offer exposure to Jasmine Crockett, the non-favored Democrat.
• Smug offers historical patterning: the Democratic establishment sideline Black candidates in favor of more establishment-friendly, usually white, candidates (Erica Smith/Cal Cunningham; Charles Booker/Steve Bullock, among others)—“the black guy is usually the person who takes the heat from the Democratic Party.” – Josh Holmes [17:54]

4. The Mechanics and Motive: Fundraising & Narrative Control

[27:04 – 34:56]

• The hosts reveal how this "censorship" narrative is weaponized for fundraising. Talarico's campaign reportedly raised $2.5 million after claiming that Trump/the FCC banned his appearance.
• They cite an official CBS statement contradicting Colbert's version: the choice to not provide equal time was CBS's and the show’s alone.
• Jasmine Crockett’s own statements prove she was never contacted for equal time. “I did not get a request from the Colbert show to go on… I don’t know what to believe, that's for sure.” – Jasmine Crockett [32:42]
• The fellas hammer home that this is not an ideological battle, but rather party elites and media operatives coordinating as super PAC extensions.

5. King of the Hill: Never Trump Twitter Derangement Special

[39:08 – 51:48]

• The recurring segment "King of the Hill" pits the most unhinged tweets from anti-Trump "never Trumpers" Bill Kristol and Steve Schmidt against each other in a mock courtroom, complete with in-show debate antics.
• Hilarious and biting commentary as they dissect particularly absurd social media moments:
  • “[Schmidt] Canada is under threat from a vicious cancer, MAGA…” [41:05]
  • “[Kristol] Actually, the first step to fix is to abolish ICE as it currently exists.” [41:05]
  • “Obvious point, perhaps worth saying straightforwardly. Come on. In maga world, culture equals S race.” (Kristol, and the hosts lampoon his inability to write “equals race” as a grammatically correct phrase) [48:07]

6. Variety Segment: Giant Dogs at the Airport & Crimefighting Llamas

[53:23 – 60:56]

• Classic Ruthless hijinks: the guys riff on people taking giant Great Danes as “service animals” through airports, critique modern airport fashion (“Why are women wearing yoga pants in public?” – John Ashbrook [54:16]), and debate whether bringing a herd of llamas for property protection is “peak British countryside.”
• “…this is the Most brazen. Look at the size of that bull mastiff next to that woman.” – Josh Holmes [53:46]

7. Main Interview: Coach Derek Dooley

[61:03 – 91:59]

Background and Entry into Politics

• Dooley, former college and NFL football coach, discusses his senate run:
  • “I'm certainly not your typical political candidate...But we need new leadership in the Senate that reflects the values of the Georgia people." [62:22]
  • Explains his motivation post-COVID, frustration with career politicians, and the perceived disconnect between Congress and people.

Leadership, Teamwork, and Changing Congress

• Explores how coaching taught him about team-building, consensus, and leadership across differences.
  • “Our country can learn a lot from the locker room. There’s no race, religion, politics in there, just people with big dreams.” [62:39]
• Calls for Congressional reforms: term limits, banning stock trading for members, closing the “incentive” gap that privileges careerism over serving the public interest.
  • “You got interns at banks who have greater restrictions on trading than congressmen who sit on these committees…” [67:57]

Georgia Voters’ Priorities

• Affordability and cost of living are universal concerns among Georgia voters, as expressed to Dooley during his extensive travels across the state.
  • “Most people want the same stuff… Want to have a safe community… and afford a family. That’s always the focus.” [67:57]

Football Stories & Personal Philosophy

• Dooley shares a Jerry Jones Dallas Cowboys story about leadership and prioritizing family, earning hearty laughs and appreciation from the hosts.[76:18–80:04]
  • “You don't ever miss opportunities like this.” (Jerry Jones to Dooley, [79:11])
• Discusses his unorthodox career path, love for America (“I was 12 years old when Ronald Reagan got elected, and I'm telling you, he inspired something in me…” [74:45]), and what motivates him.
• Coaches-tier wisdom on fulfillment: “If you can find that perfect intersection—what you like, what you’re good at, and how does it serve our country—you hit it.” [83:46]

Thrill of Victory vs. Agony of Defeat

• Smug’s classic closing question for all guests: Are you driven by "the thrill of victory" or "the agony of defeat"?
  • Dooley provides a self-aware, nuanced answer: Early in his career, the thrill of victory drove him, but over time, fear of losing became distracting. He now focuses on the process, blocking out worry about results.
  • “When I think of losing, it distracts me, so it doesn’t work for me.” [86:02]

Election Strategy & John Ossoff Critique

• Dooley promises a campaign that appeals both to the base and to swing voters, crediting Brian Kemp’s approach.
  • “To win statewide, you have a very diverse state...you got to have somebody that can have some level of appeal, connection, leadership style that connects with voters who don't always vote Republican...” [89:57]
• Critiques incumbent Ossoff as a stealth radical leftist— “He lays low...But he has the same voting record as Bernie Sanders.” [89:42]
• Dooley’s campaign site: dooleyforgeorgia.com [88:49]

8. Closing Banter

[92:32 – 93:16]

• The hosts pledge to invite all Georgia Senate candidates, upholding equal-time in contrast to CBS/Late Show.
  • “Unlike CBS, we believe in equal time. We do here on the Ruthless.” – Michael Duncan [92:50]
• Final plug for video and YouTube engagement, on-brand with Ruthless’s irreverent, energetic sign-off:
  • “Keep the faith, hold the line and own the libs. We’ll see you on Friday. Stay ruthless.” – John Ashbrook [93:16]

Notable Quotes

• Josh Holmes: “Most of this was set up by the establishment Democrats attempting to get a little bit of exposure for a candidate that's otherwise as boring as Wonder Bread.” [00:14]
• Smug: “The beauty of this is that the Democrats primary process is now out in the open… Democrats have done this time and time again, every single cycle.” [16:42]
• Jasmine Crockett: “I did not get a request from the Colbert show to go on. As you know, I've been on Colbert multiple times...if we would have gotten an offer, that would have been great.” [32:42]
• Coach Dooley: “You got interns at banks who have greater restrictions on trading than congressmen...The American people are fed up with this stuff.” [67:57]
• Coach Dooley (on leadership): “I was with Nick [Saban] for nine years. All right. Which some people would say is my greatest coaching accomplishment.” [74:00]
• Coach Dooley (on motivation): “When I think of losing, it distracts me, so it doesn’t work for me.” [86:02]

Highlight Timestamps

• Colbert clip analysis & context: [14:11 – 15:33]
• Pattern of Democratic establishment favoritism: [16:42 – 18:02]
• CBS statement undermines Colbert’s story: [21:24 – 22:41]
• Jasmine Crockett refutes the "banned" narrative: [32:42 – 33:25]
• Coach Dooley on entering the race & leadership: [62:22 – 67:36]
• Dooley recounts Jerry Jones and family values: [76:18 – 80:04]
• Coach Dooley’s philosophy on fulfillment: [83:46]
• Strategy on winning Georgia: [89:42]
• Hosts’ closing – “We do believe in equal time”: [92:50]

Takeaway & Episode Tone

This is classic Ruthless: biting, relentless, and humorous, with zero patience for “kayfabe” political and media narratives. The hosts expertly mix cultural ribbing, sharp political analysis, and long-form guest conversation. If you want to understand the intersection of media manipulation, party machinery, and how it plays out on the ground—especially in a critical election season—this episode is essential, all while managing to have fun with llamas, airport fashion, and a healthy dose of SEC football wisdom.