Podcast Summary: Steve Deace Show

Episode: Is This the DUMBEST Thing in 2026?! | 3/31/26
Date: March 31, 2026
Host: Steve Deace (Blaze Podcast Network)
Co-hosts: Todd Erzin, Aaron McIntyre
Special Guest: Matthew Farace (live from Israel), David Cunningham (director, “David: King of Israel”)

Episode Overview

This episode blends principled conservatism and irreverent humor, tackling current events, religious and cultural discourse, foreign affairs—especially in the Middle East—and shifts in American society. Steve and the team process recent news with their trademark snark, followed by a deep-dive field report from Israel, commentary on the state of the culture war, and an interview on the new Fox Nation docudrama "David: King of Israel."

The episode’s underlying theme is bewilderment and frustration at the perceived self-inflicted decline of American culture and institutions, contrasting this with the resolve of others (notably Israelis). Through headline rundown, “vibe checks,” and guest interviews, the show explores the intersection of politics, faith, entertainment, and the search for truth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Happened While We Were Away [04:40–10:21]

• Headlines & Snark:
  • Trump’s Truth Social comments: U.S. oil leverage, disdain for uncooperative NATO allies.
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s warning to NATO—NATO must be a two-way street (“All of it will have to be re-examined” [05:38]).
  • Hezbollah’s connection to a recent attempted terror attack in Michigan, per FBI reports.
  • Media spectacle: Lindsey Graham at Disney World, mocked as “on brand.”
  • Chicago Bulls release guard Jaden Ivey—hosts argue it’s tied to criticisms of the NBA’s Pride celebrations.
  • Kristi Noem’s husband rumored to be a cross-dresser (report via Daily Mail).
  • Supreme Court overturns Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy (8-1 decision, only Jackson dissenting)—hosts note even the Court’s lesbian justice sided with free speech.
  • Sarcastic riff: “Straits of Hormuz vs. Gays of Hormuz”—mocking identity-politics coverage.

Memorable Quote:
“Isn’t it a little bit homophobic that we’re so focused on the Straits of Hormuz and not the Gays of Hormuz?”
– Steve Dace [09:27]

2. Frustration with the State of American Culture [10:21–13:39]

• Growing incredulity at the absurdity of U.S. politics/media, from Disney World spectacles to political silence on key terror issues.
• Satirical observations about the state of masculinity and the “idols” that have supplanted traditional values.
• Hosts express exasperation: the collapse isn’t imposed—it’s self-inflicted.

Quote:
“I just started sucking my thumb. I don’t have anything. ... We’ve created a world where our idols allow for that to beat us.”
—Steve Dace [13:13–13:47, summary]

3. Juxtaposition: American Cultural Self-Destruction vs. Supreme Court Decisions [15:19–24:56]

• Jaden Ivey’s NBA ouster: Explained as part of the NBA’s decline (low ratings, ideological capture).
• Contrast: NBA punishes dissent over Pride Month as the Supreme Court overwhelmingly defends religious free speech, including a lesbian justice siding with the majority.
• Hosts lament lack of courage and unwillingness to “take sides” in culture wars.
• Reference to events in Pella, Iowa (‘Drag Queen Story Hour’) as symptom of conservative abdication.

Quote:
“The NBA is willing to self-immolate from a PR standpoint on an issue the Supreme Court with a lesbian on the court ruled 8-1 in our favor on.”
—Steve Dace [21:33]

• Ominous conclusion: The U.S. decline is “the most self-inflicted in all of human history.”

4. Interview—Matthew Farace Live from Israel [32:54–47:07]

• Farace describes daily life under missile threat: Israelis adapting, life continues with disruptions (kids home, gatherings canceled, bat mitzvah postponed), likened to “COVID times.”
• Media misinformation: U.S. social media filled with false reports about Tel Aviv being razed, Netanyahu dead.
• Israeli resolve: “Imagine if 40,000 Americans were killed on 9/11—the outrage you’d see.”
• Unity across Israeli society, understanding existential crisis—not reflected in fractious, partisan U.S. environment.
• War goals ambiguous by design—Israel’s leadership tight-lipped about ultimate objectives in Iran, possibly to avoid telegraphing to the enemy.
• Discussion of U.S.–Israeli partnership, regional alliances, underlying complexity and uncertainty.

Quote:
“You get used to missiles ... going to the grocery store, you expect you’re going to have to stop and go to the bomb shelter. It starts to become the rhythm of life.”
—Matthew Farace [33:10]

Quote:
“People here look at America and scratch their heads and say: don’t they understand … Don’t they know what’s coming? And I tell them, unfortunately, no, they don’t.”
—Matthew Farace [39:33]

5. “Vibe Check”—Fake News or Not (Rapid-fire Segment) [54:28–78:02]

Steve presents “10 vibe checks”—provocative statements to test the panel's gut reaction about news and trends. Topics include:

• Whether U.S. troops will end up in Iran (divided views; both hope and dread at lack of clarity) [55:53ff].
• Can the Iranian regime be toppled without U.S. boots? Mixed answers.
• Will U.S. military engagement erode American public support for Israel? (Consensus: Yes, among post-boomers.)
• Will Tucker Carlson lead the “Ron Paul” foreign policy wing, sans monetary focus? (Skepticism and discussion about shifting political alignments.)
• Is “tabloid right” (Tucker, Candace Owens, Nick Fuentes, etc.) now a permanent, profitable subculture? (Agreement; likened to National Enquirer era.)
• Is the market for reality-based, faith-driven content shrinking? (Agreement it’s suffering; lament over lucrative “culture war” clickbait.)
• 2028 GOP—does JD Vance have a clear path if Rubio doesn’t run? (Reservations; unpredictable political terrain.)
• Will DeSantis run in 2028? (Hosts doubt it, see him biding time for a potential reset in 2032.)
• Will “Maha” (RFK Jr.-associated) voters stick with the GOP? (No; fundamental incompatibility.)
• Will any openly Christian NBA player defend Jaden Ivey? (Big divide—possible, but high risk and lack of backbone predicted.)

“There’s just too many broken people now on all sides ... the Tucker Carlson–Candace Owens–Nick Fuentes faction can always find enough audience to sustain lucrative livings ... We’re just going to have to learn to live with this to some extent moving forward.”
—Steve Dace [66:17]

Pop Culture & Faith Segment—Interview with Director David Cunningham [81:32–96:39]

David: King of Israel (Fox Nation Series)

• Cunningham discusses the growing market and craft behind faith-driven media.
• Points out a “new moment”—faith content is now in-demand, supported by both audience and industry.
• Key to progress: faith communities reclaiming storytelling and the arts, gaining both skill and respect within Hollywood after a period of retreat and censure.
• Steve and David note the importance of honest, full-blooded Biblical storytelling that doesn’t shy away from darkness, making it more relatable to modern audiences.
• Cultural insight: the modern era is more moved by “broken heroes” (King David as imperfect, passionate, forgiven figure) than by pure, martyr-like figures.

Quote:
“A passion for the Lord—unabashed passion ... and then when he does screw up, he throws himself back on the altar ... and is willing to admit his mistakes ... and then the Lord rises him back up.”
—David Cunningham [85:14]

Quote:
“We totally gave [entertainment] over to them. ... We also stayed addicted to it.”
—Aaron McIntyre [96:48]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Sarcastic, Dark Humor & “Vibe” [09:27, 13:13, interspersed]

• “Why do you think they’re willing to leave the gays of Hormuz behind?”
• “We’ve created a world where our idols allow for that to beat us.”
• “This is going to be the most self-inflicted [collapse] in all of human history ... I gave up ... I couldn’t possibly risk offending some 105-pound chick on the street.”

Field Report from Israel [33:10, 39:33]

• “Missiles coming starts to become the rhythm of life.”
• “Don’t they know what’s coming? ... Unfortunately, no, they don't.”

NBA & Culture [15:19, 21:33]

• “The NBA is willing to self-immolate ... on an issue the Supreme Court with a lesbian on the court ruled 8-1 in our favor on.”

Timestamps to Important Segments

• [04:40] What Happened While We Were Away (Headlines & Satire)
• [09:27] “Gays of Hormuz” Sarcastic Segment
• [15:19] NBA, Supreme Court, & Cultural Decline Juxtaposition
• [32:54] Interview: Matthew Farace from Israel
• [54:28] Fake News or Not: Vibe Check Segment Begins
• [81:32] Pop Culture Tuesday: Interview with David Cunningham (“David: King of Israel”)
• [96:39] Wrap-up & Reflections

Tone & Style

The show maintains a caustic, irreverent, combative, and occasionally darkly humorous tone. Steve and team routinely blend sarcasm (“Gays of Hormuz,” “bubble wand at Disney World”), theological seriousness, and news mockery, punctuating serious analysis with gallows humor. There’s a persistent thread of “we’re going mad and asking why no one objects,” with both affection and exasperation for conservative audiences.

For the Listener

This episode is a dense, sometimes bleak, but always provocative blend of headline news, cultural criticism, in-the-field foreign reporting, and faith-based media analysis. It offers sharp—if exasperated—insight into the anxieties and frustrations of principled conservatives in 2026, highlighting the contrast between foreign resolve and perceived domestic cultural apathy. The interviews give concrete context to crisis zones and reveal a hopeful side for those invested in faith-driven media.

For anyone keen to understand the intersection of culture war, politics, religion, and contemporary media, this episode is an unvarnished, brutally honest dispatch from the front.

For further information about the “David: King of Israel” series, check Fox Nation.