MICHAEL KNOWLES Talks Theater, Daily Wire, Conservative Media

Summary

The Adam Friedland Show Podcast

Episode: MICHAEL KNOWLES Talks Theater, Daily Wire, Conservative Media
Date: October 8, 2025
Host: Adam Friedland
Guest: Michael Knowles

---

Overview

This episode features Adam Friedland in conversation with conservative commentator Michael Knowles of the Daily Wire. The discussion ranges from Knowles’ background in theater and politics to his controversial stances on LGBTQ+ issues, the inner workings of the Daily Wire, and the culture wars in contemporary American media. With Adam's irreverent style and Knowles’ combative charm, the episode oscillates between heated debate, playful banter, and incisive introspection into the motivations behind current conservative media strategies.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Michael Knowles’ Background: Theater Kid to Media Pundit

• Early Life and Acting Aspirations

  • Knowles grew up in Westchester, NY, acted as a child, and later attended Yale.
  • His mother discouraged acting due to the dangers faced by child actors ([07:47]).
  • After moving through acting conservatories and low-budget films, Knowles’ political leanings became visible to colleagues during the 2016 election, leading to social tension ([07:45]–[08:27]).
  • “I really wanted to be an actor as a kid ... but she [my mom] really put the kibosh on it.” – Michael Knowles [07:50]

• Political Campaign Work

  • Knowles worked on various political campaigns from a young age ([28:39]–[30:03]).
  • He combined creativity (campaign parody songs) with political strategy, eventually shifting toward media after initially being drawn to the theatrical arts.

2. Inside the Daily Wire and Conservative Media

• Joining Daily Wire & Meeting Ben Shapiro

  • Knowles’ connection to Drew Clavin led to meeting Ben Shapiro ([18:50]–[19:30]).
  • He describes Daily Wire’s cast as diverse for conservatives, likening it to a “barstool sports roster” ([15:27]), and plays up his Italian heritage as their “diversity hire.”
  • “We do all disagree on a lot of things. ... Ben is a little more libertarian generally. I'm a little more traditionalist, for Catholic.” – Michael Knowles [25:00]

• Internal Hierarchy

  • Adam repeatedly asks if Knowles is “Conan to [Shapiro’s] Leno”—if he’s second banana at the network ([24:36]–[25:00]).
  • Knowles pushes back, insisting each host has their own style and area of focus.

• Daily Wire Culture

  • Discussion about relocating from LA to Nashville and how various personalities function together ([22:14]–[22:19]).

3. The Trump Era: Authenticity and New York Attitude

• Both discuss Trump’s unique authenticity and humor, linking it to New York Jewish grandmother archetypes ([09:01]–[10:44]).
• "He was an insult comic for the entire ‘16." – Michael Knowles [09:38]
• Adam draws parallels between Trump and Jewish matriarchal stereotypes for comedic effect.

4. Media Persona and Provocation

• Debating LGBTQ+ People: Intent and Impact

  • Adam humorously but pointedly notes many of Knowles’ videos center on “debating gay people” ([01:18], [39:30]–[41:08]).
  • Knowles insists, “They argue with me ... They usually come to me” [40:13, 42:14], yet Adam presses: “The objective is what? You want to convince them not to?” [42:08]
  • Knowles clarifies: “Because I gave ... [a speech] that we should eradicate transgenderism. ... I didn't say they should be eradicated, I said the idea.” [40:25–40:27]

• Showbiz or Belief?

  • Adam accuses Knowles of “doing numbers” with provocative topics: “Just admit it does numbers” [45:40, 58:58]
  • Knowles insists: “It's important to tell people the truth.” [59:00]
  • Both acknowledge that outrage and culture war topics such as “kids’ penises” get more audience engagement than traditional policy discussions ([44:07], [45:54], [46:04]).
  • “Pointing out visceral injustices ... arouses more passion than like budgetary measures.” – Michael Knowles [45:54]

5. Culture Wars and the Role of Debate

• Transgender Youth and Legislation

  • Knowles frames opposition to trans rights for children as protecting “the most vulnerable and innocent people” ([45:54]).
  • Adam presses for data: “How many kids are getting their penises chopped?” [45:04], challenging the scale and sincerity of conservative panic.

• “Being Nice” vs. “Being Good”

  • Knowles prioritizes being “a good guy” over being “a nice guy” ([42:58]).
  • Adam: “It's a little nosy.” Knowles: “It's not nosy when they demand that I lie, and I'm not gonna lie, you know?” [43:05]

• Libs on Defense

  • Adam notes the left continually loses the culture war narrative online, especially on trans issues: “The libs walk in on that every single time.” [43:25]
  • Knowles agrees the “trend is changing” as the left loses mainstream support on the transgender issue ([43:34]).

6. Theater, Masculinity, and Method Acting

• Discussion about studying acting at Stella Adler, the Stanislavsky system, and the tradition of men playing women onstage ([48:07]–[48:10]).
• Adam teases Knowles for playing gay roles in college, suggesting his activism is “embarrassed about the gay movies” ([47:12]–[47:40]).
• Knowles: “In acting … you pretend to be someone you’re not.” [47:41]

7. Notable Comic Digressions & Absurdities

• Top 10 Gay Guys from History ([03:03])

  • Adam lists Caravaggio, Elton John, Plato, Tim Cook, Alan Turing, Oscar Wilde, George Michael, Tim Dillon, Wentworth Miller, and Nathan Lane, using humor to contrast his views with Knowles' conservativism.

• Jokes & Running Gags

  • Adam and Knowles riff on Jews, Italians, and the inner workings of conservative media (sometimes bordering on dark and offensive, consistent with the show’s edgy tone).
  • Extended bit where Adam attempts to get Knowles to call Ben Shapiro on air; Knowles demurs ([59:00]–[60:15]).

• The Ugandan Pastor Clip ([48:49]–[52:11])

  • Adam plays a notorious clip of Pastor Martin Sempa ranting about gay sex. Both hosts react with a mix of disbelief and gallows humor.

• Thought Experiment: The Two Gay Guys in Jordans ([60:19]–[64:16])

  • Adam puts Knowles through a farcical scenario: what would he do if caught between stopping a child from witnessing two gay men having sex in public? The exchange is comedically absurd and intentionally discomforting, exposing the limits of “culture war” hypotheticals.

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Show starts / Gay debate videos: [01:18]
• Adam’s Top 10 gay guys from history: [03:03–05:05]
• Michael Knowles background & acting: [07:32–09:01]
• Trump & NY authenticity: [09:01–10:44]
• Yale, politics, and Daily Wire hiring: [18:50–21:30]
• Barstool sports analogy for Daily Wire: [15:20–15:39]
• Hierarchy at Daily Wire / Ben Shapiro: [24:36–25:20], [22:14–22:17]
• Campaign work & parody songs: [28:39–30:00]
• Debating LGBTQ+ and culture war strategy: [39:30–46:06]
• Is it showbiz? Numbers vs. truth: [45:54–46:11], [58:58]
• Theater theory & masculinity: [48:07–48:22]
• Pastor Sempa “eat the poo poo” clip: [48:49–52:30]
• “Call Ben Shapiro” running gag: [59:00–60:13]
• Absurd street corner gay sex thought experiment: [60:19–64:16]

---

Memorable Quotes

• Adam Friedland:

  • “A lot of your thing is you just debate gay people.” [01:18 | also 39:30]
  • “Just admit baby penis does more numbers than Social Security.” [45:46]
  • “You could have gone to finance. Why do you like…you went to Yale?” [07:41]

• Michael Knowles:

  • “They argue with me.” [01:41 | also 40:13, 42:14]
  • “Pointing out visceral injustices against the most vulnerable and innocent people … arouses more passion than like budgetary measures.” [45:54]
  • “It's important to tell people the truth.” [59:00]
  • “No, I don't care about being nice. I want to be a good guy.” [42:58]
  • “We do all disagree on a lot of things.” [25:00]

• On Trump:

  • “He was an insult comic for the entire ‘16.” – Knowles [09:38]
  • “He’s the first Jewish woman president.” – Friedland [10:13]

---

Tone and Language

• The tone is irreverent, sarcastic, and combative with a strong current of dark humor and meta-awareness.
• Adam often pushes Knowles into uncomfortable territory, exposing (and mocking) culture war talking points.
• Knowles maintains classical conservative composure, doubling down on his beliefs while showing stage performer playfulness.

---

Conclusion

This episode captures a lively clash between a left-leaning satirist and a right-wing culture warrior, peeling back the layers of conservative media—its motivations, tactics, and contradictions. For listeners, it’s both an expose of the mechanics of “debate” as entertainment and a window into the values war dominating today’s digital discourse.

---

Note: Ads, sponsor messages, and intros/outros have been omitted from this summary.

Transcript

[Adam Friedland]

Hey, guys. Cooler temperatures are rolling in and as always, Quince is where I'm turning for fall staples that actually last. From cashmere to denim to boots. The quality holds up and the price still blows me away. Quince has the kind of fall staples you'll be wearing non stop. Like super soft 100 Mongolian cashmere sweaters. Sorry. At just 60 bucks. Their real denim is durable and it fits right. And the real leather jackets bring that clean, classic edge without the elevated price tag. What makes Quince different? They partner directly with ethical factories and they skip the middleman. So you'll be getting top tier fabrics and craftsmanship at half the price of similar brands. Guys, a lot of people have been asking me what's different about me. Recently I've, I've lied to some of you. You know, I said I'm going back to the gym. That's not happening. I said that, you know, I got a fucking bangs. That didn't happen either. What happened is I've been wearing quints and more specifically, I've been wearing their 100 Mongolian cashmere sweaters. Keep it classic and cool this fall with long lasting staples from quince. Go to quince.comtafs for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q U-I N C E.comt-S free shipping. 365 day returns. Quince.comtafs a lot of your thing is you just debate gay people.

[Michael Knowles]

I, I mean I did one recently.

[Adam Friedland]

Knowles versus transgenderism. Knowles versus protesters. That's got 2.4 million O people will come story of D transitioning 1.4 milli I was gay. She was trans. 1.1 milli no longer gay.

[Michael Knowles]

No longer gay.

[Adam Friedland]

Not dating. Trans. Bigoted. So you argue with gay people?

[Michael Knowles]

No, I.

[Adam Friedland]

All the time. I don't.

[Michael Knowles]

I job. They argue with me.

[Adam Friedland]

You could have gone to finance. Why do you like you went to Yale. Why do you. Good evening and welcome to the Adam Friedland Show. I'm Adam Friedland. First off, as always, I want to thank our members for supporting the show here on YouTube.com you guys are the ones that make it happen. So if you'd like to join the Friedland Family foundation, you get bonus content. You get your name in the credits, you get discounts on merch. You get the show early before the rest of the pigs. You'll be at the water cooler knowing what's going to be in the show. So guys, go to the top of the screen and click join or click the link in the description of this video. You could also Support [e-mail] TheAdamFridland Show. And if you prefer to support the show through Patreon. And speaking of merch, the store is restocked. You can check out theadamfriedland Show. We got everything you need. Shirts, hats. Check it out. They look good. My guest this week is conservative political commentator from the Daily Wire, Michael Knowles. His podcast, the Michael Knowles show, has amassed millions of followers and over 1 1/2 billion views, making him one of the most prominent conservative pundits in in media today. A former actor known for his traditionalist Christian perspective on American politics, Knowles has openly expressed his opposition to LGBTQ rights, specifically amongst children. Now, those of you who know what's in my heart on this issue know that Michael Knowles and I couldn't disagree more. I am a proud supporter of gays, and I don't want anyone to confuse me having someone like Michael Knowles on the show for supporting his point of view in any way. So that's why, in true talk show style, I think it's a good idea to lead us into this interview. I made a list. This is my top 10 gay guys from history. All right. 10. Caravaggio. My goat painter, obviously. 9. Elton John. He raised a ton of money for AIDS in Africa and he wrote some of the most legendary songs with Bernie Taupin, his songwriting partner. 8. Play Doh. Nuff said. Everyone knows. 7. Tim Cook. I mean, I don't know if I'm alone in this, but when Steve Jobs died, I really thought apple was cooked. But then they had someone. They had cook come. They come chef it. Yeah. 6. Alan Turing. One of the smartest gay guys of all time. His math was. Won the war for, I think. What did he do? Benedict Cumberbatch. I didn't see that movie. Did you see it? Okay. 5. Oscar Wilde. I love his sayings. He's brilliant. His wit is brilliant and his style, flamboyant style was awesome. 4, George Michael. He was Greek and gay. Double trouble.

[Michael Knowles]

3.

[Adam Friedland]

Tim Dillon. He's actually gay. I don't know if you guys knew that. Wait, he's gay. Two, Wentworth Miller. From the show Prison Break. Apparently he's gay and I love that show. One, this is my God, Nathan Lane. Personal favorite of mine. His performance. Have you seen the Birdcage out? His performance as Albert in the Birdcage is perhaps the funniest movie character I've ever seen. His range is really what impresses me. The thing is, like, he could play some of the most iconic straight characters, too. He was. A lot of you might not know. He played Timon the Lion King. These are some of our most talented artists, performers, thinkers. These people are unparalleled in their fields. But to people like Michael Knowles, these are people that have problems and they suffer from some sort of spiritual affliction. So how can you have an honest and meaningful dialogue with someone like that? Well, you'll just have to see. So please enjoy my conversation with Michael Knowles. All right, we ready, Michael?

[Michael Knowles]

I'm ready.

[Adam Friedland]

Is it Michael or Mike or Mikey?

[Michael Knowles]

I defer to you. I generally go for Michael. But I defer to you.

[Adam Friedland]

Well, I generally go for Michael. Okay, Ladies and gentlemen, prominent conservative pundit from the Daily Wire, Michael Knowles, everybody. Wow. Thank you.

[Michael Knowles]

It's a full house. Thank you.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Full house. Yeah. We collected these guys from Times Square. A bunch of fat tourists. We're pressed for time. You have to go to where?

[Michael Knowles]

LaGuardia.

[Adam Friedland]

LaGuardia.

[Michael Knowles]

I do. I have to.

[Adam Friedland]

That's the destination.

[Michael Knowles]

It is that Delta Lounge. I could stay there all day, actually.

[Adam Friedland]

The TWA hotel is quite nice.

[Michael Knowles]

That's right.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, that's right.

[Adam Friedland]

That's where you can. You can take a nap there, Actually, I've taken a nap there before. Okay.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Let's go to you. Our audience is like, they barely can read, so we're going to have to introduce you a little bit. And then I want to get into kind of like. I've been watching a bunch of stuff you've done, and I think it's pretty interesting. And I kind of want to discuss a couple things about yourself, about where things are at currently, and then, I don't know, we can. I don't know, I'll show you some tiktoks or something.

[Michael Knowles]

Great.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay. Okay. So you're from Westchester?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes.

[Adam Friedland]

Correct. And then you went to Yale?

[Michael Knowles]

I did.

[Adam Friedland]

But you're a child actor.

[Michael Knowles]

I was, yeah. I did a little acting as a child and a little bit in my early 20s.

[Adam Friedland]

Was your mom taking you to the city for auditions?

[Michael Knowles]

No, she really discouraged it, actually.

[Adam Friedland]

Your mom didn't want it?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, she. Because child actors go crazy and they're exploited a lot.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

So I really wanted to be an actor as a kid, and I would do little things, commercials or whatever, but she really put the kibosh on it. But finally I convinced her to let me do an acting conservatory type thing right around here, actually. And so I did that a little bit. Little bit in college, a little bit in New York afterward. And then My final gig, I got some low budget movie in LA and it wrapped photography on the day of the 2016 election. And the election results were coming in and everyone really liked me on the set. I was very popular. But then they were all getting really sad and I was not getting sad. And then they realized my political views and they liked me less. I concluded, oh, man, you should have.

[Adam Friedland]

Seen Brooklyn on that night.

[Michael Knowles]

Were you at the center of the judge?

[Adam Friedland]

I'd say this probably wasn't the show. I said it the other. No, I wasn't at the Javits. I wasn't getting things thrown at me by Hillary. No, I mean, it is kind of such a comedy of errors, that whole thing.

[Michael Knowles]

It was amazing. And frankly, there were a lot of conservatives, a lot of the real establishment types were devastated. They thought it could not happen.

[Adam Friedland]

Well, Reince was like trying to throw another body at Trump every week during that primary. He was like, ted, just try this week.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, Markov.

[Adam Friedland]

And he was like, you're gay.

[Michael Knowles]

Your wife.

[Adam Friedland]

I have dirt on your wife.

[Michael Knowles]

Reinstein ended up becoming chief of staff. It's amazing how that didn't work out very well.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, Little Marco's now the Secretary of State.

[Michael Knowles]

Oh, yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

It's funny when they were all humiliated publicly by this guy and then they were like phone banking, depressed, like. Yeah, there's a picture of Ted, like, phone banking, like during the general.

[Michael Knowles]

Like this. Well, you know, this is the thing I really like about Trump and all those guys, they, they were always accused of taking everything personally. They took nothing personally, including Trump.

[Adam Friedland]

I think he hurt their feelings. It deeply hurt their feelings.

[Michael Knowles]

He was a brutal. He was an insult comic for the entire 16th.

[Adam Friedland]

He was Lisa Lampanilla. He was like, honestly, Joan Rivers became the president. It was the fashion police became the president. This is like Ke$, I love your outfit. It would look better on a woman. Yeah, like, that's basically. Yeah. I do say often, like, he does, like, he does act a lot like the women in my family. A lot like, no one respects me. You wish I was dead. You'll be happy when I'm dead. You're very unfair. Yes.

[Michael Knowles]

Oh, yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

He's the first Jewish woman president.

[Michael Knowles]

And you know why, too? It's because he's from Queensland. And so like when Outer borough, New York. Yes. When he would do. He would do this thing and no one understood it, he'd put things in quotes like, I'm really good or whatever. You know, I'm the best president. And he writes like my grandmother used to write in New York. He used the quotes to be like boldface or something and random capitalizations and all. But that is New Yorkers of a certain era rather would. That's how they would write, you know. And so I don't know. I felt very familiar with it.

[Adam Friedland]

There was a moment I kind of felt like he was for real. When he was like. They were like, how can we. It was like, Ted. Or Ted. I think it was like, how can we vote for Donald when he gave money to Hillary Clinton and he's like, I'm rich. I give money.

[Michael Knowles]

I bribe everybody. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

And it's just like. But for the public. The public knew that that was true, but no one had admitted it. It was kind of like a mask off moment where it's like, this is a thing that we all know is true. And I'm like, oh, damn. I think he's actually for real.

[Michael Knowles]

Well, he would.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

That.

[Michael Knowles]

That was the. The read of authenticity is. He would do a bit about running for president. Like, he would even joke. He'd say, all right, I'm gonna be really presidential today. Today's my day to be presidential. And it read as quite sincere.

[Adam Friedland]

I mean, he was renegotiating his contract with Jeff Zucker for Apprentice. He didn't want to be the president. He just realized that the rest of these people are such losers that he could actually win. It's kind of like me becoming the most famous late night talk show.

[Michael Knowles]

You're the Joe Rogan of the left.

[Adam Friedland]

I heard. I'm Joe Rogan.

[Michael Knowles]

I read that. I read that somewhere.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm the fucking Mahatma Gandhi of Generation Al. I just don't. The newspaper wrote three articles that I don't even know how to read, my brother.

[Michael Knowles]

I know, but you're very famous now. This is.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm not very famous. I'm not like Brad Pitt.

[Michael Knowles]

You're not Brad. You're quite famous.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm incredibly famous.

[Michael Knowles]

Extremely, extremely so.

[Adam Friedland]

Wait, so you went to Yale?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes.

[Adam Friedland]

From your childhood in Westchester?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

You're a Yanks fan?

[Michael Knowles]

Yankees fan? Yep. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. How's it feel right now?

[Michael Knowles]

I kind of.

[Adam Friedland]

It's kind of different now.

[Michael Knowles]

I stopped the religious viewing of the games halfway through the summer. I took my kid, though, to his first ever Yankee Red Sox game over the summer. And that we lost again.

[Adam Friedland]

But I think it was the new stadium.

[Michael Knowles]

It was, yeah. Listen, I love the old stadium.

[Adam Friedland]

The new stadium, it was like. It's a corporate headquarters.

[Michael Knowles]

It's soulless. It's sort of like the Colosseum. Like, I'M not totally opposed to it. It's this symbol of imperial power. It's like. But I agree, it doesn't have that. That same. That same soul.

[Adam Friedland]

The fans aren't dickheads anymore. You guys used to be fucking dickheads.

[Michael Knowles]

I was walking, it was out of the old stadium, I think it was. And it was a Yankees Red Sox game 20 years ago. And there was. I don't know what happened, but some Red Sox fan was being, like, beaten. Beaten to a pulp on the street. I thought, ah, yes, baseball. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

It used to mean something.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

We used to throw. Pedro used to assault Zimmer. Mm.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, that's right.

[Adam Friedland]

Do you remember when his fat ass got thrown to the ground by Pedro?

[Michael Knowles]

In fairness, just waddling up. Tim kind of started it. I mean, he charged him, you know, he was the one who charged him. And then one time, Big Papi spit his gum at me at the state. I was heckling him. He did walk into the dugout. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

What'd you say?

[Michael Knowles]

I was a kid or what?

[Adam Friedland]

You said deported.

[Michael Knowles]

Tom Homan's gonna get you. No, I didn't.

[Adam Friedland]

It was so badass after the Boston bombing when he was like, these are folk. Yee seed. Do you remember that?

[Michael Knowles]

I don't remember that.

[Adam Friedland]

He was addressing the stadium. He goes, d. Sar. Folky. I gotta go curse. Please don't curse, dude. Yeah. I mean, they were kind of like the Washington Heights team, though. They had Manny, they had Poppy. They're a very Dominican team.

[Michael Knowles]

They're very Dominican.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

And he. Big Papi, is my fellow cigar man. He's a cigar manufacturer.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, really?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. That's the only thing he and I have in common.

[Adam Friedland]

Why is it good in Communist Cuba? Why are those considered the best?

[Michael Knowles]

Well, they were considered the best. I think the quality has gone down a lot, mostly because the Chinese bought them, and it's been declining since communism. But, you know, it's like, why is Bordeaux wine so good? It's just the dirt in the sun, basically.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay. And they have good dirt.

[Michael Knowles]

And they have good dirt in Cuba. The problem is the quality has declined. So you buy a box of Cuban cigars, you might have to throw out half the box. They don't even smoke. You can barely light them. And so if you want really good cigars, you got to get Mayflower cigars, in my experience.

[Adam Friedland]

Is that yours?

[Michael Knowles]

Coincidentally, is mine.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. You named it after the Puritans.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

The boat.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, my God. You guys are obsessed with the dumbest shit.

[Michael Knowles]

The founding of America.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay. The buckles, guys they weren't the founders of America. They were guys that didn't want to have sex, and they just came.

[Michael Knowles]

They had a lot of sex. You know, I descend from some of them. They had enough sex to produce me.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Like, three times. Dude. They were the guy. They were the prudes, weren't they?

[Michael Knowles]

They were, you know, look, I'm not a Puritan because I'm a Catholic.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

So they're probably rolling in their graves. But they were fecund. They were a fecund a lot.

[Adam Friedland]

They were fecund.

[Michael Knowles]

They were fecund.

[Adam Friedland]

You have Mayflower blood, though.

[Michael Knowles]

I do, yeah. Even though I'm kind of swarthy. Yeah. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

You're not swarthy. You like to, like. You play up. You play up Italian.

[Michael Knowles]

I'm exotic.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. So is that your, like. That's your wheelhouse at the Daily Wire?

[Michael Knowles]

You're the Itralian, I'm the diversity hire. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

It is kind of like. It's kind of like barstool sports. Right? Like, you guys, like, what?

[Michael Knowles]

I've never heard that comparison.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, well, it's just like. It's like you guys have all the talent. I was looking at the roster. You have everyone except for Candace.

[Michael Knowles]

We had Candace.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, you had Candace. And then you don't have, like, forgetting Sarah Marshall. You don't have that guy. We don't get him to the Greek.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't. His name escapes.

[Adam Friedland]

He does not wearing, like, shoes. He's, like, doing yoga and he's like. Wokeness is a disguise.

[Michael Knowles]

Oh, Russell Brand.

[Adam Friedland]

Russell Brand.

[Michael Knowles]

Russell Brand. That's true.

[Adam Friedland]

What happened to that guy? He.

[Michael Knowles]

I thought he was gonna convert. I heard he was considering, or maybe he might have been baptized. He was baptized and he was praying the rosary, but I don't know that he became Catholic.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay, so wait, let's back up a bit. Right? So you went to Yale, you went to LA to become an actor?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. Well, New York a little bit, and then I went to la. Yeah.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

I saw a reel of some of your work.

[Michael Knowles]

Did you.

[Adam Friedland]

Did it suck? Did you. Were you repped in la?

[Michael Knowles]

I was repped, yeah. And in New York, where were you with. I was with DDO Artists, which is a smaller.

[Adam Friedland]

That sounds pedophilic. What is DDO Artist?

[Michael Knowles]

What did it stand for? Dorothy Dayotis, I think.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, he was getting turned out left and right. No one can hear you scream from the Hollywood Hills.

[Michael Knowles]

No, no, that was. Those were my reps in New York, but then I came out guys.

[Adam Friedland]

Him.

[Michael Knowles]

No, not. No, not those Guys, you're in talent. Yeah, yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

They who you. Who you got on your ass day. Did you ever get invited to a freak off when you were a young actor?

[Michael Knowles]

Not once, though.

[Adam Friedland]

I, David Geffen, never invited you.

[Michael Knowles]

I never made it that far. I don't know. I only did the low budget movies and the off off Broadway plays. You know, I never got far enough to go to a freak off.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, man, it would be an honor. I would.

[Michael Knowles]

Hi. Hello, sir. Nice to meet you.

[Adam Friedland]

I was invited to a freak off.

[Michael Knowles]

Were you?

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. And it turned out that it was only just the Monopoly Man, Rich Uncle Pennybags. It was just one guy. That's his name. You know the name Monopoly Man.

[Michael Knowles]

That's his Christian name.

[Adam Friedland]

Rich Uncle Pennybags.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I'm descended from him. Tomorrow.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, my God. Okay, wait, so if you're sitting next to someone on a plane, right, and they're like, what do you do?

[Michael Knowles]

Right?

[Adam Friedland]

It's like dicey because people like, are like, want to scrap these days.

[Michael Knowles]

They do.

[Adam Friedland]

What do you say to like, some like, let's imagine I'm like the, like a Jew. The most Jewish. Like you're Ben Sugar, a 65 year old woman. No. So I could go any direction on you?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes.

[Adam Friedland]

What would you say? So what do you do for a living, ma'? Am?

[Michael Knowles]

Can I offer you a handkerchief?

[Adam Friedland]

What do you do for a living?

[Michael Knowles]

I work in media. I work in media.

[Adam Friedland]

What? Oh, so you're Jewish. What do you do? Like, what do you do in media?

[Michael Knowles]

It's online media. It's kind of new media. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

What does that mean?

[Michael Knowles]

Oh, I'm old.

[Adam Friedland]

You're on Facebook.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I do. I am. I'm on Facebook in MySpace and Zanga and I, you know, a little bit with the news, a little culture. It's a little theology and philosophy. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Theology and philosophy.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, a little touch of that.

[Adam Friedland]

You do podcasting?

[Michael Knowles]

I do a podcast, but everyone does. Every white man under 70 has a podcast.

[Adam Friedland]

Is that right?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes, that's a. By federal law, I think. Yeah. Every one of them.

[Adam Friedland]

Zach doesn't have a podcast.

[Michael Knowles]

You don't have a podcast.

[Adam Friedland]

He has a band. Dude, are you.

[Michael Knowles]

Are you a white millennial man?

[Adam Friedland]

You are. Okay, He's Jewish.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

I mean, it kind of cuts both ways in America.

[Adam Friedland]

It's white.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. Wow. We have to rectify that.

[Adam Friedland]

Wrong.

[Michael Knowles]

We gotta get him a podcast.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, I thought you meant take white away.

[Michael Knowles]

Take his whiteness away. Your card's revoked.

[Adam Friedland]

So how'd you link up with the goat?

[Michael Knowles]

How'd you meet the goat with Mr. Shapiro.

[Adam Friedland]

You're right. Yeah. Mr. Shapiro.

[Michael Knowles]

It's just so odd. Well, it was this lovely elderly Jewish woman on the airplane.

[Adam Friedland]

She's like, I have a son.

[Michael Knowles]

Are you in podcast? You have to meet me.

[Adam Friedland]

Let me show you some pictures of Benjamin. Ma', am, why are you screaming? The air marshal's coming.

[Michael Knowles]

So I met them because I knew Drew Clavin. I worked with Drew Clavin a little bit, whose son I went to school with, and I directed him in opera and stuff, and I worked in politics and a little bit in show business, and so I connected with them and. And there was this group in Hollywood of conservatives who worked in all sorts of different parts of entertainment.

[Adam Friedland]

Hollywood conservative James Woods.

[Michael Knowles]

James woods, yeah, he was one of them. He was in there. Jon Voight, of course, is very famous. Many secretive people who don't want their names revealed.

[Adam Friedland]

Is it like. Is it like homosexuals in the 50s?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes, it was.

[Adam Friedland]

I feel like you're also a confirmed bachelor. Being a Hollywood conservative is.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, it was literally. It was called Friends of Abe. Like, Friends of Dorothy. Like, you were a gay guy in the 50s. It's actually where we got Abe Lincoln.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, I thought you meant, like, friends. It's like. It sounds like Abraham, right?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, well, they were all Jews, obviously. Also.

[Adam Friedland]

That's disgusting.

[Michael Knowles]

That kind of vile anti. Semitism will not be dumb.

[Adam Friedland]

It seems like also like. Like conserving. Like American culture is like. It kind of is. You know, the wops, the US and then. And cool black people that gave them the.

[Michael Knowles]

The culture. Yeah, we brought the Mafia.

[Adam Friedland]

No, no, I mean the Metagon.

[Michael Knowles]

Like, what movies have they made on. Yeah, they. I mean, look, they Inspired the real WASPs. Inspired a great cigar company. That's nothing.

[Adam Friedland]

Is that Goodfellas? Is that Casino?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

No, listen, is that freaking. Is that freaking Tootie Fruity? I'm just saying, like, what's one song that Metagon have made? We made the Christmas songs. We made the Christmas songs. We wrote. Jewish.

[Michael Knowles]

Irving Berlin wrote like, yes, all the Christmas songs.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas.

[Michael Knowles]

I love it. Like, hey, name me a black hip hop artist. Little Richard. Judy Frutti. That's the one. That's the one.

[Adam Friedland]

He's not a hip hop artist.

[Michael Knowles]

No, no, he's not.

[Adam Friedland]

He was a homosexual piano player that inspired everyone. Yeah, he was incredible. You know Tutti Frutti's original lyric was Big Booty.

[Michael Knowles]

No, it wasn't.

[Adam Friedland]

It's a song about anal sex. I swear to God. No, no, that's the True thing.

[Michael Knowles]

Like Tutti Frutti. Big booty? Yeah, yeah, no, big booty.

[Adam Friedland]

Wow. I'm not even making.

[Michael Knowles]

I want to fact check on that.

[Adam Friedland]

Is there a grog? Yeah. Well, you do a daily Wire fact check. We'll see if it's really a song about a gay sex.

[Michael Knowles]

Actually, the idea.

[Adam Friedland]

Wait, so. So you. So through Clavin, you met Ben?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I met Ben, had dinner early on when I moved to LA with Ben, and Ben was kind of known at the time, like, he'd been on.

[Adam Friedland]

Where do you have dinner? Kosher restaurant or.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, it was a Clavin's house.

[Adam Friedland]

At Clavin's house?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, we had nice bacon wrapped scallops.

[Adam Friedland]

Is Clavin kosher? No, no, Ben's kosher, though.

[Michael Knowles]

Ben's kosher? Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

So how do you eat? We didn't let him eat. No, it's just water.

[Adam Friedland]

He said that he had water.

[Michael Knowles]

No. I don't know. He ate some. Maybe we might have ordered in kosher or something for it.

[Adam Friedland]

Kosher Chinese Shalom.

[Michael Knowles]

I think all Chinese is kosher, isn't it?

[Adam Friedland]

No, no, no, no.

[Michael Knowles]

Mushu pork is.

[Adam Friedland]

But does Ben used to live in La Pico Robertson?

[Michael Knowles]

He grew up in La Pico Robertson? Yeah, I think so. That or the Valley. He might have. He was living in the Valley by the end of it, but he might have grown up in Pico Robertson.

[Adam Friedland]

What's it. So is the. Where are you based? You're based in.

[Michael Knowles]

In Nashville.

[Adam Friedland]

In Nashville?

[Michael Knowles]

In.

[Adam Friedland]

Ben's in Miami.

[Michael Knowles]

Ben is. Yeah. Promised land of Boca Raton.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, my God.

[Michael Knowles]

He said there were only about seven Jews in the state of Tennessee, which is an overestimate. And so he hightailed it. He went to Florida.

[Adam Friedland]

Tell me about Ben. Like, tell me about his intelligence and, like, what, as a leader.

[Michael Knowles]

That guy's never read a book. He doesn't. What does he know?

[Adam Friedland]

Would he like me?

[Michael Knowles]

He.

[Adam Friedland]

He.

[Michael Knowles]

We've only spent about 10 minutes together. I can't. I can't come to a conclusion.

[Adam Friedland]

So the answer is no.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't know. I just don't know. Can you say you don't like bb? I mean, that. That might be a knock against you.

[Adam Friedland]

But I don't know. That doesn't mean I'm a bad guy.

[Michael Knowles]

You might be a good guy. I just don't know.

[Adam Friedland]

I don't know. He could like me as a guy.

[Michael Knowles]

He could. I don't know if it's more important.

[Adam Friedland]

Than just a new a guy that you're talking, you know?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, but, I mean, well, what if you came out.

[Adam Friedland]

What if I said that Ben is. I like Ben. I like.

[Michael Knowles]

Do you like Ben?

[Adam Friedland]

I like watching Ben.

[Michael Knowles]

Do you?

[Adam Friedland]

Do you.

[Michael Knowles]

Are you a Shapiro head?

[Adam Friedland]

I find it entertaining. Not in like an LOL way. I just like the way he works.

[Michael Knowles]

Yes.

[Adam Friedland]

And he also works. The fact that I like to see the boy do work.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. You like. You say cook. Let Ben cook Ben. Because Ben doesn't care about making friends ever. He.

[Adam Friedland]

He has no friends.

[Michael Knowles]

He. He actually has friends, as I've tried to. He once said to me. He goes, I don't have any friends. I was like, what. What am I.

[Adam Friedland]

He said that you're not his friend.

[Michael Knowles]

He said. He implied it. He heavily implied it.

[Adam Friedland]

Did you tell him that I'm actually your friend. I'm friends with you, my friend.

[Michael Knowles]

We're friends.

[Adam Friedland]

What was his response?

[Michael Knowles]

He said, I don't know. Some people are family people, some people are friends people. I'm a family guy.

[Adam Friedland]

Could you send Ben, like, a. Just send Ben a picture of me right now?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I'll send a picture right now if you want. Let's see.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah. Say. Just tell him I say, what? Shanatova, you're gonna send Ben that picture?

[Michael Knowles]

I'm sending it right now. I'm gonna text it to him right now.

[Adam Friedland]

Wait, can I see the pig?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Do I look cool?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, it looks good. It's kind of foggy. I don't know, but I've got.

[Adam Friedland]

You have, like. You have, like, skin, like, oil on your camera. I do. Oh, you are a proper Italian producer. Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

You get Adam Friedland.

[Adam Friedland]

Adam Friedland. He says. He says, shanah Tovah. You.

[Michael Knowles]

A picture from the show. He says, shanah Tovah. Tovah.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

Gezunhei.

[Adam Friedland]

And I say, next year in Jerusalem.

[Michael Knowles]

Next year in Jerusalem.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Okay. All right, wait, so let's. So are you, like. Are you the Seth Meyers?

[Michael Knowles]

The Seth.

[Adam Friedland]

My.

[Michael Knowles]

That's very offensive. Thank you very much.

[Adam Friedland]

No, no, no.

[Michael Knowles]

I'm the Marlon Brando. I say.

[Adam Friedland]

No, I'm saying, are you, like, the Conan to his Leno?

[Michael Knowles]

I.

[Adam Friedland]

Are you the number two bull in the stable?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I. Man, could I be the what? Could I be the. I don't know. I'm just saying Dick Cavett to his.

[Adam Friedland]

Ben's. That Ben's. Ben's the top dog.

[Michael Knowles]

Ben's the guy. He's the top dog.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay, so then.

[Michael Knowles]

But I don't know, are you.

[Adam Friedland]

You conceive?

[Michael Knowles]

No, in a way, because we do different things and the thing about the Daily Wire, also with Matt and other people we've had, we do all disagree on a lot of things. I mean, you know, about what.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, who's the worst minority?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, yeah. All of them. We actually agree on that.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

No, we disagree on. You know, there are a lot of different ways to come at the conservative view. And Ben is a little more libertarian generally. I'm a little more traditionalist for Catholic.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you started as atheist.

[Michael Knowles]

Yes, well, I was a cradle Catholic. Fell away at my confirmation. I was an atheist.

[Adam Friedland]

Cradle catholic.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know, we baptize infants, which I think is a good thing.

[Adam Friedland]

You try to baptize Ben?

[Michael Knowles]

I've never tried. I've threatened it.

[Adam Friedland]

I thought you said you tried to do a prank where you have a Dixie cup of water.

[Michael Knowles]

No. One time I was boring Ben by talking about religion and, like, sacramental incarnational theology, and I could tell I was boring him a lot. And so I was like, fine, fine, fine. All right, I'll knock it off. I was like, but. And we were on an airplane. I said, if the plane gets shaky.

[Adam Friedland]

Just to be safe, so he goes to heaven.

[Michael Knowles]

That would be an act of charity. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think he took it that way, honestly.

[Adam Friedland]

Can I get Ben's number? Because I have a good counter prank. Imagine you show up for a meeting, right? You guys, you have, like, you know, fricking. You know, you have Emperor Palpatine, Miriam Adelson. You got the whole squad.

[Michael Knowles]

That's our board of directors.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah, you got the whole squad. And then he's got a moil there, and he's like, it's your turn. It's your turn. He's got, like, a lot. With a long beard. He's like, it's time for your bris.

[Michael Knowles]

That's to bet. Presumably it.

[Adam Friedland]

That's how you join the club, dog.

[Michael Knowles]

I heard a foreskin joke yesterday.

[Adam Friedland]

Let's hear it.

[Michael Knowles]

Better be good. It's kind of bawdy. I don't do bawdy jokes. I'm a very wholesome. Whatever.

[Adam Friedland]

You're on a gross show.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay, all right. So I heard this just yesterday, actually. I'm serious.

[Adam Friedland]

Who did you hear it from?

[Michael Knowles]

I heard it. I heard it from a man in this room. I heard it from one of my colleagues. I'm not gonna say which.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm not gonna say Lauren Boebert.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, it was him. So a man.

[Adam Friedland]

I don't know why I did that. I meant this. He gave me a Zinn before this.

[Michael Knowles]

You didn't give me a Zen. I kind of want. I like that ashtray. I kind of want to smoke on the set. But we don't have any cigars. Could I.

[Adam Friedland]

Not a cigar, dude.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, that's all I like to smoke.

[Adam Friedland]

What are you, freaking Charlie Chaplin?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I'm Groucho Marx.

[Adam Friedland]

Shut up. Okay, well, let's hear your fucking dick joke.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay, so I just. I can't take credit for this.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay.

[Michael Knowles]

A career Moyle, he retires, and, you know, as part of his career, he's collected all of them over the years.

[Adam Friedland]

Really?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes. And so he. As a retirement gesture, he goes to a leather worker and he says, this is. I've collected these for my whole career, and I would like you to turn it into something for me to remember my career. And so the guy, he says, okay, all right. Come back in a week. Comes back and he says, okay, I've made you this dildo. Beautiful wallet. No, no, it was a wallet. He says, hold on. I've been in this line of work for 30 years. All you could make is a wallet? And the leather worker says, yes, but if you rub it, it turns into a suitcase.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, okay. Incredibly offensive, actually. Actually, I'm gonna tell Ben you said.

[Michael Knowles]

That I might be anti Semitic. I don't.

[Adam Friedland]

It really hurts my feelings. Yeah, yeah. Cause babies can get boners. Great joke, dude. Makes total sense.

[Michael Knowles]

You're reading, too.

[Adam Friedland]

You're reading too much into freaking nasty, gross creep. Why don't you debate 20 Jews surround it? All right, how has, like, so you. You kind of got into the conservative media ecosystem, like, 2018.

[Michael Knowles]

No, I worked in politics from when I was, like, 19 years old. Okay. I worked my first campaign, which was successful. I was kind of involved in it at a higher level. And we were running against this congressman who was a. He was a rock star in the 80s. He was in the band Orleans. You know, like, still the one that makes me. It's like that.

[Adam Friedland]

Great song.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, great song. And so, anyway, I did. I did this bit called the Young Voters for an Orleans Reunion Tour, and I ripped off all his songs. And it was about, you know, making parodies. They were parodies that. He threatened to sue me.

[Adam Friedland]

So what was the name of your song? I'm gonna listen to one.

[Michael Knowles]

It was Vote With Me. Vote With Me. Let's make John Wallace.

[Adam Friedland]

Vote With Me is the. Is the parody of still the one?

[Michael Knowles]

No, I've. Dance with me, Dance with me. I want to be your partner. That's a good song.

[Adam Friedland]

That's A disgusting song.

[Michael Knowles]

What do you mean, that's a disgusting song?

[Adam Friedland]

I say, girlfriend, actually. Okay, we're not in a real estate practice together. Vote with me By. Okay. By Orleans. By.

[Michael Knowles]

No, the song is by the young voters for an Orleans reunion.

[Adam Friedland]

So you're claiming that your lame ass songs beat this congressman?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

You're out of your.

[Michael Knowles]

No, I mean, look, we had a great candidate.

[Adam Friedland]

What a waste of a Yale education.

[Michael Knowles]

This is what I was. I was feeling as a sophomore or something. Anyway, then I got recruited to other campaigns. I was working in campaigns to make songs. To make songs. Yeah. That was my artistic career. And so anyway, I was working in them and. And I really liked it. I mean, I was a political junkie from a kid.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay.

[Michael Knowles]

And so I was doing that. Yeah. I mean, I had a political consensus.

[Adam Friedland]

How old are you?

[Michael Knowles]

How old am I now? Yeah. 35.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm 30. 38.

[Michael Knowles]

38.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

I feel 35. Made me feel older.

[Adam Friedland]

You missed the Gipper, dude.

[Michael Knowles]

I did. I just.

[Adam Friedland]

You just became the president eligible for president. Don't worry, dude.

[Michael Knowles]

I. Thank you.

[Adam Friedland]

That's the one thing I told myself. I was like, only three years I've been able to be president. I'm not that old.

[Michael Knowles]

It could happen any day now.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, I don't want to, but I'm gonna have to because they don't have anyone else.

[Michael Knowles]

It's you or Gavin.

[Adam Friedland]

I guess it's me, Gavin Newsom. Or the lady from the Bud Light can.

[Michael Knowles]

Oh, she's beautiful.

[Adam Friedland]

Who is she?

[Michael Knowles]

Helen of Troy, I think.

[Adam Friedland]

Helen of Troy.

[Michael Knowles]

I think. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

You said that joke before we started and it didn't get a pop online.

[Michael Knowles]

It's gonna get a pop online.

[Adam Friedland]

Guys, I want to talk to you about Lucy. 100% pure nicotine. Always tobacco free. Lucy break nicotine pouches with a little extra surprise. Each pouch holds a capsule that can be broken open. You release extra flavor and hydration. You set yourself up with a subscription and you have Lucy delivered straight to your door. What's my favorite flavor? The minty one. What's the strength that I use? The strongest one and when do I throw it in? All motherfucking day long. I don't know what that accent was. Guys, let's level up your nicotine routine with Lucy. Go to Lucy Co TAFS and use promo code TAFS to get 20% off your first order. Lucy has a 30 day refund policy. If you change your mind again, that is. L, u c y c o. TAFS to get 20% OFF your first order. And Here comes the fine print. Lucy. Products are only for adults of legal age, and every order is is age verified. Warning. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. And now back to the show. Guys, it's time for guy talk. Some locker room. Okay, we're all wearing towels. We're in the nude. We just showered together. So let's talk man to man. Sometimes a lot of fellows I know are tired of trying to figure out what actually works for hair loss. Through hims, you can get access to clear solutions, expert guidance, and an online process that takes the confusion out of care. HIMS offers convenient access to a range of prescription hair loss treatments with ingredients that work, including chews, oral medications, serums and sprays. I mean, I think that covers it all. Doctor. Trusted clinically proven ingredients like finasteride and minoxidil can stop further hair loss and regrow in as little as three to six months. You shouldn't have to go out of your way to feel like yourself. Hims brings expert care straight to you with 100% online access to personalized treatment plans that put your goals first. No hidden fees, no surprise cost, just real personalized care on your schedule. Think of HIMS as your digital front door that gets you back to your old self with simple 100% online access to trusted treatments for real health concerns all in one place. For simple online access and personalized and affordable care for hair loss, ED, weight loss and more, you go to hims.com tafs that's hims.com tafs for your free online visit hims.com tafs Individual results may vary based on studies of topical and oral minoxidil and finasteride. Featured products include compound drug products which the FDA does not approve or verify for safety, effectiveness or quality. Prescription required. See website for full details, restrictions and important safety information. As the weather cools, I'm swapping in pieces that actually get the job done. Warm, durable, built to last. And Quince delivers every time with wardrobe staples that carry you through the season. Quinn's has the kind of fall staples that you'll actually want to wear on repeat, like 100% Mongolian cashmere from just $60. Classic fit denim and real leather and wool outerwear that looks sharp and holds up. I've got my eye on their suede trucker jacket. It's perfect for layering and it looks really casual but put together. But partnering directly with ethical factories and top artisans, Quince cuts out the middleman to deliver premium quality at half the cost of similar brands. Quinn's items have become part of my go to wardrobe lately. In fact, a lot of people who recently cut me out of their lives have tried to weasel their way back in. And I think it has something to do with the quality of Quinn's products that I have draped around my gorgeous body. But guess what? You should never judge a book by its cover. But sometimes a book's cover can look fucking good. Especially when it's wearing Mongolian cashmere from just $60 paired with classic fit denim and real leather and wool outerwear. I would read that. So layer up this fall with pieces that feel as good as they Look. Go to Quince.com Tafs for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N C E.com Tafs free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com Tafs okay, so wait, so then you worked on another campaign? So you were in like, campaigns and elections?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

You know, it's the scummiest part of politics.

[Michael Knowles]

It teaches you a lot, though, about politics when you especially it's so nothing. So at the congressional level, you've got national issues, but you've got all the, like, spaghetti dinners and all the, you know, corrupt county clerk of whatever, you know. And I found it was an amazing political education. I think it's much better than studying it.

[Adam Friedland]

I lived in DC and those were the biggest dildos in dc, the campaigns and elections people. Well, also, I had more respect for lobbyists. Yeah, those people, you know, they can lose every time and then they get a promotion each time.

[Michael Knowles]

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I found in the political consulting world, in my, no offense to my DC Beltway consultant friends, it's the local ones who are much better for those kind of races. The minute they bring in the D.C. team for a congressional race, things start to get squirrely, I found.

[Adam Friedland]

And you played dirty. What was your dirtiest trick when you were doing campaigns?

[Michael Knowles]

No, I didn't really. I mean, look, I just told you I confessed to ripping off this opponent's song, but I didn't do really nasty. It was awful. I know.

[Adam Friedland]

You did a parody song.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. Without license.

[Adam Friedland]

That's not dirty.

[Michael Knowles]

That's without license. No, I didn't pull dirty tricks. Really. People did them. People would rig elections.

[Adam Friedland]

That's fun.

[Michael Knowles]

People would, you know, the other side. They would bus in union workers from out of district to, like, brazenly the buses, you know, with SEIU or whatever. They'd come In. So you'd have election watchers.

[Adam Friedland]

Sick.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. I would have been more successful if I pulled more dirty tricks.

[Adam Friedland]

Can you imagine how fun Illinois during the 1960 election would have been?

[Michael Knowles]

Killing people.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. No, just dead people. Yeah, dead people.

[Michael Knowles]

You know, Lyndon Johnson stole his race in 48 in Texas.

[Adam Friedland]

He's the best guy ever.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Who's your favorite president?

[Michael Knowles]

My favorite president ever. Chester Allen Arthur is a favorite. I'm not really facetious. He really didn't want to be president. He sobbed when he had to become president.

[Adam Friedland]

So he's like Trump.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, he's kind of like Trump. He just. He wanted to be vice president because he could be a corrupt machine politician from that office. And then he actually improved. He exchanged letters with this lady in New York and she convinced him to be moral. And he actually was like a virtuous man and reformed the civil service, which ended up being a random.

[Adam Friedland]

Who's the lady?

[Michael Knowles]

She was like some shut in. In New York. She was like a random lady who just wrote to him and he read her letters.

[Adam Friedland]

Some like mentally ill woman was writing him letters.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't know if she was meant. She was definitely a bit off. She was.

[Adam Friedland]

Eccentric woman.

[Michael Knowles]

Yes. Yeah, basically.

[Adam Friedland]

That's such a hipster answer. Yeah. Chester A. Arthur.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, man. Look, you probably never heard of him.

[Adam Friedland]

Lincoln, dude. You idiot.

[Michael Knowles]

Lincoln.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. The best president.

[Michael Knowles]

He's the best one. Better than Washington.

[Adam Friedland]

He saved the Union.

[Michael Knowles]

Sure. I mean, Washington founded the country.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. But the Union fell apart. Like Lincoln. Lincoln had to do the impossible.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. I mean, I don't know. Like. Yeah, it's impressive. I'm not knocking Lincoln.

[Adam Friedland]

And then also just like, yeah, he like, he just. He kind of like, I don't know. He decided to end slavery like, midway through because he's like, it's the right thing to do. Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

It wasn't like, a lot of people think that the war was over slavery, but that didn't happen until, like, you know, midway through.

[Michael Knowles]

It was. It was about slavery in the. I know.

[Adam Friedland]

I mean, I get.

[Michael Knowles]

It was about. That was the issue that was like, leading to the national crisis.

[Adam Friedland]

But, yeah, they haven't emancipated them yet.

[Michael Knowles]

And I'll be pilloried by my Southern friends for saying it was a war about slavery.

[Adam Friedland]

You don't have Southern friends.

[Michael Knowles]

I do. Believe it or not.

[Adam Friedland]

You just live there in Nashville and people are like, what the fuck is this guy's problem? And you're like, I used to direct operas at Yale. They were like, nancy, they're probably like fucking Pelosi over here. Pelosi.

[Michael Knowles]

No, they're very cultured in the South. The south is the.

[Adam Friedland]

I love the south, dude.

[Michael Knowles]

I love it. It's really the only instantiation of the old world in America. It's like, you know, genteel kind of.

[Adam Friedland]

Also, they're just honest about being racist.

[Michael Knowles]

They.

[Adam Friedland]

I don't.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't find them racist in the North.

[Adam Friedland]

They're just like, go to your neighborhood. Just be quiet and go to your neighborhood. Okay. All right. So I watched. I watched some of your bangers.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay.

[Adam Friedland]

I watched your favorite one. A lot of. A lot of your thing is you just debate gay people.

[Michael Knowles]

I. I mean, I did one reason.

[Adam Friedland]

I did one recently where I did Knowles versus transgenderism. Knowles versus protesters. That's got 2.4 million.

[Michael Knowles]

Oh, well, people will come up at.

[Adam Friedland]

My events story transitioning. 1.4 million. I was gay, she was trans. 1.1 million. Conservative versus trans.

[Michael Knowles]

But you know why they started coming after me?

[Adam Friedland]

No longer gay.

[Michael Knowles]

No longer gay.

[Adam Friedland]

Not dating trans. Bigoted man is confused by why people think he's a man. Heated debate. Lgb. So you just yell. So you argue with gay people?

[Michael Knowles]

No, I.

[Adam Friedland]

All the time. I don't.

[Michael Knowles]

I. They argue with me.

[Adam Friedland]

You could have gone to finance. Why do you, like. You went to Yale. Why did you.

[Michael Knowles]

I could have gone to McKinsey or something.

[Adam Friedland]

Doesn't this feel like a little bit like.

[Michael Knowles]

No. You know why they came up and argued with me?

[Adam Friedland]

Why?

[Michael Knowles]

Because I gave.

[Adam Friedland]

Because you said that they should be eradicated.

[Michael Knowles]

That is why. I didn't say they should be eradicated. I said the idea.

[Adam Friedland]

You know what you're doing?

[Michael Knowles]

I am being clear with my language.

[Adam Friedland]

You're not being clear with your language.

[Michael Knowles]

I was being clear.

[Adam Friedland]

You know what you're doing?

[Michael Knowles]

You just said your audience is illiterate. I'm explaining to you the precision of my language.

[Adam Friedland]

These people have mostly PhDs in gender studies.

[Michael Knowles]

You just said. Fair enough. All right.

[Adam Friedland]

That's a great silent listen. We're just. We're both straight guys, right?

[Michael Knowles]

Yes.

[Adam Friedland]

We're both men's men's men.

[Michael Knowles]

Alpha men. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

I don't know how it. What it's like to be a gay guy.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

What am I going to tell them what it's like to be a gay guy?

[Michael Knowles]

It's probably tough. Yeah, well, you would tell at least. Look again.

[Adam Friedland]

What is the objective? Right? So, like, I watched the 20 gay guys versus you.

[Michael Knowles]

That sounds worse the way you do. Hold on.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay. It sounds worse. It's a ridiculous concept. Right. By the way, we pitched one, and they were. They said yes, and then they said no.

[Michael Knowles]

Right. Caleb, what was the topic?

[Adam Friedland]

The pitch was that bodybuilding is destructive to American culture. So I wanted it to be 20 bodybuilders. 20 bodybuilders against one wimp. And I was gonna be like, this leads to toxic masculinity. It leads to Andrew Tate, it's gay to have fashion muscles.

[Michael Knowles]

Why would they reject that?

[Adam Friedland]

That's a great episode, because I think they realized I was taking the piss. Bizarre video shows male cheerleader for Minnesota Vikings.

[Michael Knowles]

Huh?

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

What?

[Michael Knowles]

Wait, what was that one?

[Adam Friedland]

That was one of mine. Yeah. You got 82K. You know, that's not a big video. That's a minor.

[Michael Knowles]

That's a very minor video.

[Adam Friedland]

But did you have a big old thing. Here's the thing, right? I know why you're doing it, right?

[Michael Knowles]

Doing what?

[Adam Friedland]

What's the objective? If you're debating LGBT person, what's the objective for that debate? Do you want to convince them not to?

[Michael Knowles]

They. When. They usually come to me with these things and. But. So I guess they're upset that I think we should get rid of transgenderism. So I guess the objective is.

[Adam Friedland]

What is transgenderism? Is it that transgender people. Or is it.

[Michael Knowles]

No, it's the belief that a man can be a woman. That's the.

[Adam Friedland]

And who came up with that? Who's the author of that?

[Michael Knowles]

A bunch of deviants and ideologues.

[Adam Friedland]

Where did it come from?

[Michael Knowles]

Well, it often is traced back to Magnus Hirschfeld in the 20th century, but it's an ideology that has cropped up at various times throughout history. It's kind of gnostic. It would go back to some of the ancient gnostics to suggest that your true identity.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, those people didn't have toilet paper. Who cares?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I guess that's true. They had good aqueducts, though.

[Adam Friedland]

I don't know. But don't you want to be a nice guy? Don't you want to be nice?

[Michael Knowles]

No, I don't care about being nice.

[Adam Friedland]

Why?

[Michael Knowles]

I want to be a good guy. I want to be, you know, courteous.

[Adam Friedland]

It's a little nosy. It's a little bit. It's a little bit nosy.

[Michael Knowles]

It's not nosy when they demand that I lie, and I'm not gonna lie, you know?

[Adam Friedland]

Do you post in the vid, bro?

[Michael Knowles]

They're. But they're the ones who want the debate, and they're the ones who made it a political issue.

[Adam Friedland]

It's your vid. Though.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I'm reacting to it.

[Adam Friedland]

You're doing numbers with it, right?

[Michael Knowles]

I am doing numbers with it.

[Adam Friedland]

And the other thing is this, like.

[Michael Knowles]

Be honest because people agree.

[Adam Friedland]

Be honest. Like in terms of the culture war aspect of it.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

The libs walk in on that every single time.

[Michael Knowles]

Every time, right? Yeah. Well, now I think it's changing. I think they lost. I think they got destroyed on that issue and they're starting to give it up. Because it's.

[Adam Friedland]

They're starting to give it up. Yeah. Yeah. What I'm seeing from your side is this all day long.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. Okay, well, but we didn't start it. It was the left that pushed us in the elementary schools and in the sports league.

[Adam Friedland]

That's what I'm saying. Seeing you guys highlighting.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, because they forced it on us and we reacted.

[Adam Friedland]

It doesn't seem to me like a big deal. Right.

[Michael Knowles]

If it's not a big deal, then why doesn't the left just give it up? It's not a big deal. Let them give it up.

[Adam Friedland]

Let them give up.

[Michael Knowles]

Like, give up transgenderism. Stop putting boys in the girls bathroom. Stop taking over the sports league. Stop castrating the little kids. Give it up. It's not a big deal. Good. I agree. Then give it up.

[Adam Friedland]

No, I'm just saying it's not a big deal. Like for your guys. Agenda. Right. I'm not hearing anything about. Okay. Conservative politics. Right.

[Michael Knowles]

My agenda is true.

[Adam Friedland]

Anything about barely hearing anything about the budget deficit. I'm barely hearing anything about insolvency.

[Michael Knowles]

Castrating little kids is. I'm not hearing anything than like, you know, the budget deficit.

[Adam Friedland]

You think that if Social Security is insolvent, that's less of an important issue.

[Michael Knowles]

I. I think.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm saying. And that's your guy's issue, I think committing.

[Michael Knowles]

Well, yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

I mean, but I'm not hearing shit from that about that.

[Michael Knowles]

No, you.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm hearing about babies. Penises.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I. Babies. Well, we're not castrating babies yet.

[Adam Friedland]

You guys talk about kids penises all day long. I think if it's a little bit perverse to me.

[Michael Knowles]

Well, we're not the ones who started it, okay? And this is what the libs do. They say, hey, we're gonna chop up little kids. We're gonna teach them a bunch of weird sex stuff in kindergarten. And if you object, you're the weird one. Why are you talking about this? Because you're doing it. It's weird, man.

[Adam Friedland]

Is it happening?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Is it happening all the time?

[Michael Knowles]

All over the country? Well, now it's since there have been.

[Adam Friedland]

Laws in the country. How many kids are getting their penises chopped?

[Michael Knowles]

Not all the kids.

[Adam Friedland]

How many kids are getting their penises chopped? How many guys?

[Michael Knowles]

Any number larger than zero.

[Adam Friedland]

It's like five people.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. No, it's more. There was a study. The study just came out of the UN. Something like 700 awards and medals were taken away from women because of the trans guys in the 700 medals.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. You don't think that your guys think is Social Security becoming insolvent?

[Michael Knowles]

That's not my politician. I don't think that's my thing.

[Adam Friedland]

Conservative politics.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't talk about Social Security all the time.

[Adam Friedland]

Right. But I'm saying that entitlement, like reform is your.

[Michael Knowles]

Guys, are you like a boomercon? This is. Is this 2008 now we're talking about?

[Adam Friedland]

I'm just saying Social Security. This is like baby penis gets Click. That baby penis does numbers. Just admit that's why you're debating.

[Michael Knowles]

I am not admitting that.

[Adam Friedland]

No baby penis does more numbers than like, Social Security will go bankrupt. Which used to be your thing.

[Michael Knowles]

Pointing out visceral injustices against the most vulnerable and innocent people. Yes. It arouses more passion than like budgetary measures. That's true. Yeah, but it should. That's just human nature.

[Adam Friedland]

But like, why do you want to be the boss of that?

[Michael Knowles]

Well, because it's an injustice that we need to correct in a self government. That's what politics is.

[Adam Friedland]

I've met trans people, right. And they've expressed to me that it's like, it must suck if you think that you're not in the right body. Right.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. We should help.

[Adam Friedland]

I don't fucking understand. Right. So how do you. Don't you understand what it's like to feel that way?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I'm sure. So are you gonna affirm them in that painful delusion that makes them more miserable, or are you gonna try to help them by telling them the truth?

[Adam Friedland]

I don't want to make the rules for someone that I live in a.

[Michael Knowles]

Self government in America. And so you're supposed to weigh in on it. That's what Bo.

[Adam Friedland]

You're saying the rule should be what?

[Michael Knowles]

The rule should be that we acknowledge reality. So, like, men and women are different if you're.

[Adam Friedland]

If you're. You have kids, right? Yeah. If your kid was like, I'm gay, what would you tell him?

[Michael Knowles]

I would say, well, you know, I'm pretty and witty and gay too. You know, I'm very happy.

[Adam Friedland]

But no, no, you're doing the Thing. I've heard you just say that in other things because you did theater. You also were in gay movies. You played gay guys, and now you're gay.

[Michael Knowles]

Well, bisexual characters.

[Adam Friedland]

What does that mean? Bisexual? Is bisexual gayer than gay? What the fuck is bisexual?

[Michael Knowles]

I want you to know that gay character I played in the Yale movie, that is.

[Adam Friedland]

You played gay characters and now you say that It's a social contagion, bro.

[Michael Knowles]

I played Satan in a play once. I'm not like, you know, I go to church and.

[Adam Friedland]

So the story was that you being gay with another guy was a social contagion. No, your character was gay.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, but again, is that why you're doing this?

[Adam Friedland]

Because you're embarrassed about the gay movies?

[Michael Knowles]

No, in acting. And listen, I'm a very old school thespian.

[Adam Friedland]

Same. Same.

[Michael Knowles]

And so in the old days, it used to be when you men were playing women. They were.

[Adam Friedland]

That's true. Boys were.

[Michael Knowles]

And in the old days, you would. When you played a role, you would pretend to be someone that you were not. Like, for instance, I'm not the prince of Denmark, but if I were to be in a Shakespeare play, I would.

[Adam Friedland]

Pretend you went to some sort of freaking. I had to access some sort of molla station. That never happened in order to access the.

[Michael Knowles]

No, no, no, not that stuff. I don't like. I don't. I never got into.

[Adam Friedland]

Where did you study theater?

[Michael Knowles]

I studied at the Stella Adler School right around the corner.

[Adam Friedland]

And what is. What's the theory? What's her theory?

[Michael Knowles]

Well, it comes from the Stanislavsky system at the Moscow Theater. And it's.

[Adam Friedland]

Which is you neg the target?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, no, it's that you use your imagination.

[Adam Friedland]

I saw something actually pretty interesting, kind of related to the gay debate that you were in. And I wanted to know. To gate. Yeah, I wanted to know if you'd seen this. No, because this is like an interesting take that I saw on. On homosexuality.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

And I. I know you do a lot of reactions, like videos and the.

[Michael Knowles]

Lot now we can react to.

[Adam Friedland]

So I'd like you to. I'd like you to tell me what you think about this.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay. Let's see.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

They do is called enolicking.

[Adam Friedland]

No, no, no, no. This is a remix. There's a remix. Wait, wait, wait. You have to see this. No, this is interesting. This is a pastor from Uganda.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

Okay.

[Adam Friedland]

And he took.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I think so.

[Adam Friedland]

This is.

[Michael Knowles]

And Muslim.

[Adam Friedland]

But this is actually like. I hadn't heard this before.

[Michael Knowles]

Ugandan capital of Kampala, Pastor Martin Sempa.

[Adam Friedland]

Is Rallying Barack Obama back office homosexuality.

[Michael Knowles]

Bill that has drawn the ire of the international community including the very American evangelicals some believe inspired the legislation.

[Adam Friedland]

Good morning everyone.

[Michael Knowles]

Hello everyone.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

My name is Pastor Dr. Martin Semper. I'm here in the capacity as the chairman of the national task force against homosexuality in Uganda.

[Michael Knowles]

At the press conference, Pastor Sempa was flanked by religious leaders both Christian and it's interesting unity seldom seen in Uganda. Barack Obama.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

Because legislation to make sure that so never sees the light of of legality in this land of the p of Africa.

[Michael Knowles]

In a room packed with local and international.

[Adam Friedland]

I'll just show you the good part.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, hold on. That's less saucy than and graphic.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

I've taken time to do a little research to know what homosexual.

[Adam Friedland]

So he watch gay porn.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

One of the thing they do is called an leaking where they. A man's anas is elicked like this by the other person like ice cream. And then what happens? Even poo poo comes out. The other poo poo is out and then they eat the poo poo. The other one they do is they have a sex practice called feasting where they insert their hand into the other man's hand and it goes into the anus all the way. And it is so painful they have to take drugs, but they enjoy it. Now if we have any children, please step out. This is a parental guidance moment. Hey, that child can be moved out.

[Michael Knowles]

It was a little late.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

This is what they do.

[Michael Knowles]

Hold on. Is it going to show us it?

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

You can see it here having sucked the other person's rectum and the other person is poo pooing and this one is eating the poop all over the place. Tell me, when you have a law against homosexuality, do you say except eating?

[Michael Knowles]

Okay. Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

He makes so. So apparently, yeah, they lick the other man's rectum like ice cream and they poo poo come out.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

You could have mentioned that during your debate against 20 gay guys. I thought, I don't think that that ever came.

[Michael Knowles]

I didn't prepare enough.

[Adam Friedland]

And sometimes they do anal fisting where he put the arm.

[Michael Knowles]

It's very painful.

[Adam Friedland]

And they must take drugs.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

So do you feel as if Pastor Sisempa is a comrade or kind of.

[Michael Knowles]

Like a him especially Actually I would have to say.

[Adam Friedland]

I mean he's really done the work on this.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, no, for me I was just looking up like you know, philosophy and.

[Adam Friedland]

Anthropology, but he the philosophy of gay sex. Yeah, Well, I think this guy did the work. And he saw the poo poo coming out, and I think he actually has a more firsthand kind.

[Michael Knowles]

We might need more immigration from that area because that is a job that the Americans don't want to do.

[Adam Friedland]

So when you're debating a gay or a trans person, how does it feel? Like, is it fun?

[Michael Knowles]

It's painful, but it gives me pleasure anyway.

[Adam Friedland]

What gives you pleasure about it?

[Michael Knowles]

I don't know. Why debate someone? You.

[Adam Friedland]

How do you qualify winning in your mind? What is winning?

[Michael Knowles]

Well, it depends on the kind of debate. For some kind of debates, you know, you're just. You're fighting someone for the audience and you. One of you wins, you're catering to your crowd. Yeah, that's in one kind of debate.

[Adam Friedland]

No one's watching that. And they're like, I was on the fence about eata poopoo, and then. And then you convinced me not to eat a poopoo.

[Michael Knowles]

I mean, look, that's not my opinion.

[Adam Friedland]

You haven't convinced one guy not to eat the poo poo. He might die.

[Michael Knowles]

He might have. He might have if he didn't. If he.

[Adam Friedland]

If he only said, you against 20 gay guys.

[Michael Knowles]

No, I. Yeah, I have a different approach, but for some of the. Some of the debates, you know, you actually do want to convince the other guy and that, you know, it doesn't play anymore.

[Adam Friedland]

How do you convince one gay guy not to be gay?

[Michael Knowles]

Well, on the trans issue, I think I've probably convinced people. In fact, I had a girl come up to me, she said, hey, Michael, I thought I was trans, but I was listening to you and other people. And luckily my parents didn't like trans me. And then my doctor and I had a good priest and my doctors actually ended up diagnosing me with autism and treated me for the autism. And then my gender dysphoria was so.

[Adam Friedland]

That sounds like that person's had a difficult life. Right?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. And now it's getting better because she's accepting the truth and not being.

[Adam Friedland]

Probably just also, like, had a. They've had a tough time figuring out that. Who they are.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, right. But she figured out the truth of it, not the lie.

[Adam Friedland]

Don't you think to some extent, like, the way we talk about children is a little bit cruel?

[Michael Knowles]

How do you mean?

[Adam Friedland]

I do agree. Listen, I'm the. I'm the, you know, I'm the freaking Voltaire of the left. Right?

[Michael Knowles]

Okay, but like, don't degrade yourself by comparing yourself to Voltaire.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm the freaking Spinoza of the left.

[Michael Knowles]

You're the Marquis de Sade of the left.

[Adam Friedland]

I am, I am.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, exactly. I'm the Sun Tzu of the left. But like, I do think that there isn't on both sides of political discourse. And first of all, sides, it's just you guys really, who art. And we can get into that. It's like, why. Why has there been an advantage in like online discourse on one side, really? But.

[Michael Knowles]

Oh, you're saying on the right.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, it is. I don't want to go there yet, but. I don't want to go there yet. But, like, I do think there hasn't been a discussion enough about. When we talk about kids, we just talk about their penises and vaginas.

[Michael Knowles]

And I think it's a little perverse premise here.

[Adam Friedland]

I think it's a little bit perverse and I don't think it's Christian. I don't think that's a Christian approach to like talking about how.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, but I don't think we do that. I think that's premise.

[Adam Friedland]

I think that if I'm reading. If I'm reading your.

[Michael Knowles]

You're right. That the liberal politicians came out and said we need to castrate kids and then conservatives.

[Adam Friedland]

I think it's true.

[Michael Knowles]

You don't think that we castrate kids?

[Adam Friedland]

I think that's.

[Michael Knowles]

You don't think.

[Adam Friedland]

I don't think Pelosi said we need to cut their dicks off, Said we.

[Michael Knowles]

Need to support trans children. That is a euphemism to mean we need to put them on cross sex hormones and in some cases mutilated across the board.

[Adam Friedland]

Whether they're trans or not. They weren't able coast to coast national.

[Michael Knowles]

Politicians like Nancy Bolton.

[Adam Friedland]

You're talking about something that is probably just a statistical insignificance. And you're.

[Michael Knowles]

The 2024 election.

[Adam Friedland]

You're highlighting it. You're highlighting it. You're highlighting it to vilify an entire group.

[Michael Knowles]

I'm not vilifying anyone. Again, I really don't agree with the premise. I mean, there are a lot of things, you know that. I won that one.

[Adam Friedland]

You know, I just won that one.

[Michael Knowles]

I. I don't.

[Adam Friedland]

You went to Yale too, bro.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't. No, I don't.

[Adam Friedland]

You went to Yale and I won that one.

[Pastor Martin Sempa]

Did you?

[Adam Friedland]

Damn, I should have taught at you. Okay. I just. So, okay. You also go on those shows where it's like, like only fans, the whatever podcast I've gone on, and you like, yell at. You yell at girls that show their.

[Michael Knowles]

Titties and vagina I definitely don't yell at them.

[Adam Friedland]

But you tell them that they're like. That you're high value cigar men and that they're low value.

[Michael Knowles]

I'm not sure I've ever said that. That.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. What does your wife say to you before you go to one of them shows?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, have a good work trip, honey. I don't.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, your wife. Come on, bro, think about that. She said, I support you in yelling.

[Michael Knowles]

A work trip.

[Adam Friedland]

You go on a plane to the yelling at. At Onlyfans show.

[Michael Knowles]

Don't I?

[Adam Friedland]

Don't you travel on a plane to that?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I travel on a lot.

[Adam Friedland]

And what does your wife say? She.

[Michael Knowles]

Well, she's my girl would kill me.

[Adam Friedland]

If My girl would kill me if.

[Michael Knowles]

You went on a dating podcast.

[Adam Friedland]

A dating podcast? Yeah. No, it's a podcast where, like, girls like that take their clothes off for money, get told by men. And there's a black.

[Michael Knowles]

Well, I guess the difference.

[Adam Friedland]

There's a white guy one and a black guy one. Right. And the black guy one. They are all Holocaust deniers.

[Michael Knowles]

I've never been. I've never been on the black guy one. Actually.

[Adam Friedland]

You should go on the black guy one.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't think they've invited me on.

[Adam Friedland]

So you go on a show where you tell girls not to do OnlyFans.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Don't.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, don't sell your bodies for sex.

[Adam Friedland]

You should have gone goldman Sachs, dude, what the hell are you doing?

[Michael Knowles]

That sounds way more boring.

[Adam Friedland]

It's so clownish.

[Michael Knowles]

Because if I were at Goldman Sachs, they'd be like, what do you do? I say I invest money and whatever you ask me, what do I do now?

[Adam Friedland]

I don't know.

[Michael Knowles]

I just kind of talk.

[Adam Friedland]

You seem like a nice guy. Right? But like, what's the motivation behind telling a stranger they're a bad person?

[Michael Knowles]

I don't tell them they're a bad person. I still.

[Adam Friedland]

But you are effectively telling them that their entire life is bad and that.

[Michael Knowles]

They should improve it, that they would be happier.

[Adam Friedland]

But it's a stranger. It's a stranger, right?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. I don't know these girls.

[Adam Friedland]

And it's also someone that doesn't. You have some modicum of power. It's someone that has. It's some nobody. You're telling a nobody that they're stupid.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't do that.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, you do.

[Michael Knowles]

I think all of your premises are a little bit mistaken.

[Adam Friedland]

Why are you smiling then, bro? Why are you smiling? Because you know, you're going on the prostitute show to tell them that they're like, that they're. That they're. That they're. That they're loose women and they shouldn't be loose women.

[Michael Knowles]

I do tell them they shouldn't be loose women. That's true.

[Adam Friedland]

Like, why is it. It's not. I don't want to get involved with that.

[Michael Knowles]

I know. Your premise, I guess, is you don't want to be involved with other people. I think I'm a human being who lives in a society, and I think we should conduce to the common good and we should help our fellow man and have charity for them. So that would be a.

[Adam Friedland]

It's not charitable, though.

[Michael Knowles]

It is charitable.

[Adam Friedland]

It's not charitable to tell someone that.

[Michael Knowles]

Charity is to know the good of the other.

[Adam Friedland]

That they're being a bad person.

[Michael Knowles]

No, no. To say, hey, you should not do things that are bad for you and you should do things that are good for you.

[Adam Friedland]

So has already had all the trans surgeries and they're like, I'm happy now. And you're saying that you tell them that they're actually a man and stuff, you know, that you're not being nice to them.

[Michael Knowles]

I am, certainly. I think the truth is nice.

[Adam Friedland]

It's a strange thing.

[Michael Knowles]

I think lies are very mean and disrespectful.

[Adam Friedland]

You know, it's not nice to them.

[Michael Knowles]

I think it's nice to tell people the truth. You have to tell people the truth. Like, in love, you can't say, like.

[Adam Friedland]

No, it's a know it all. But can't you just admit it's just showbiz and it does numbers.

[Michael Knowles]

It's not just show. It does show.

[Adam Friedland]

It is just showbiz.

[Michael Knowles]

No, it's not. It's not. It's important to tell people the truth.

[Adam Friedland]

It's not.

[Michael Knowles]

And it's good for them.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay, can we call Ben? I just want to say. What up?

[Michael Knowles]

Did he text me back? Let me see.

[Adam Friedland]

He definitely did.

[Michael Knowles]

He totally did. What did he say? Hold on, let me. I gotta. I'm. Read it first before I.

[Adam Friedland]

What did he say?

[Michael Knowles]

Hold on.

[Adam Friedland]

Just hit him up, dude.

[Michael Knowles]

Please hold on.

[Adam Friedland]

This will be the amazing finale for the episode.

[Michael Knowles]

This is great.

[Adam Friedland]

What did he say?

[Michael Knowles]

He said lmao. Tell him same.

[Adam Friedland]

Wait, just call him.

[Michael Knowles]

He said that?

[Adam Friedland]

Call him real quick. Please call Ben.

[Michael Knowles]

This is my show.

[Adam Friedland]

It's El Capitan.

[Michael Knowles]

No, I'm not putting.

[Adam Friedland]

Why are you being afraid of the boss? Be a little bit bold.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I'm not. I don't want to. Hey, what do I care? Hey, what do I care? You know, what do I care what Ben's doing? It's not up to me. It's not my. Why do I care?

[Adam Friedland]

What do you mean? He's being gay right now?

[Michael Knowles]

I did not. I did not call him gay.

[Adam Friedland]

I didn't call Baby. My sister is like, my sister's.

[Michael Knowles]

Is she a Ben fan?

[Adam Friedland]

Rather woke and she said his wicked review was incredible. He said, Ben hit the nail on the head.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

He's like, this is not as good as the original cast recording. Kristin Chenoweth saying, idina Manzel. Idina Manzel saying, let it go. Much better. Can you please.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, no, no.

[Adam Friedland]

You can't go to LaGuardia until you call Ben.

[Michael Knowles]

Not calling.

[Adam Friedland]

All right. Thought experiment.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Either you do my thought experiment. Yeah.

[Michael Knowles]

I'm in. I'm in. Okay.

[Adam Friedland]

You're walking down the street, you see two guys having sex with each other. Michael, answer my question. You walking down the street, you see two fellas fully in the nude. Actually, they're both wearing Jordans. Since in Uganda they're both wearing Jordan ones. They're having sex with each other, right?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Do you intervene and say it like, tell them to stop having sex?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah. Actually not in the street. If it were in.

[Adam Friedland]

What do you say? What do you say to them?

[Michael Knowles]

Hey, fellas, please stop it.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay. They keep having sex.

[Michael Knowles]

After you say that, then I call first I call Ben Shapiro, obviously, because you asked me to. Then I call the police and I say, get those guys.

[Adam Friedland]

The police are too far. Okay.

[Michael Knowles]

They're too far.

[Adam Friedland]

You see a six year old walking down the other side of the street?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

You're next to the, around the corner. You're at a corner, right? You see these two fellas fully in the buff having sex. 6 year old coming towards you, right?

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay. You got about like. What are you saying, Caleb? How long is that 6 year old go down a full city block?

[Michael Knowles]

10 seconds.

[Adam Friedland]

10 seconds. You got 10 seconds. What are you gonna do, physical intervention?

[Michael Knowles]

I guess I'd.

[Adam Friedland]

Are you gonna.

[Michael Knowles]

No, I would. I would probably divert the six year old. Say, hey, hey, don't, don't go. Because I don't want to really get that involved with the guys. I don't know if they. This might be like Scott Wiener in.

[Adam Friedland]

They are pretty these days. The gay guys are like, they look like they're Bobs. They look like John Cena these days.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah, I'm not trying to, I'm not trying to. To catch that, you know.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay. But the monkey box has an appointment and the six year old is like I have an appointment. I cannot, I cannot miss it.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

And the six year old's like, stranger, stranger, stranger. So the six year old, like the six year old jukes you Barry Sanders style. Okay, six year old's continuing. You have about five seconds now. You have to dive on the men having sex.

[Michael Knowles]

You know what? I would probably take my jacket off and throw it on the men in the bath so that the 6 year old wouldn't see them.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay.

[Michael Knowles]

And then I would have to get a new jacket.

[Adam Friedland]

Jacket.

[Michael Knowles]

Blocked jacket on the floor by the homosexuals.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah. So you have three seconds now.

[Michael Knowles]

Okay. Yeah, three seconds.

[Adam Friedland]

The kid has a very important appointment.

[Michael Knowles]

And can I, can I sort of walk alongside the kid to kind of block so he's still walking, but I'm kind of blocking his view.

[Adam Friedland]

You're too skinny. You're not gay actually.

[Michael Knowles]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

You're not buff like gay guys. Yeah, yeah. The kid is also like. The kid is fast and wily. Yeah. Okay. And the kid has to turn the corner too.

[Michael Knowles]

Yes. So at that point.

[Adam Friedland]

And plus your body's not gonna block two incredibly jacked gay guys. Only wearing Jordan ones. Chicago's.

[Michael Knowles]

You want me to tackle the homosexuals, don't you?

[Adam Friedland]

I don't want you. I'm just saying what do you do?

[Michael Knowles]

What do you want me to do? You want me to jump on the gay guys? Okay, that's what you're clearly saying.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm saying what do you do?

[Michael Knowles]

What do I. I don't know what to do at that point. I can either tackle. I'm a liberal.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm telling the 6 year old that this is the sexual education. So tell me what you do if you see these two hunks, you see these two. You see, there's these two guys, they look like Tom of Finland illustrations. They've got huge ones too. You've never even seen that big. Okay. You're seeing that they're going at it. I mean, it's kind of like the most athleticism and tenacity on display you've ever seen.

[Michael Knowles]

If not for the child there, I might.

[Adam Friedland]

In fact, you're like watching them having sex. You're like, in fact, like, they have to be gay. Right? Like they, it's their weight class. They can't have sex with a woman because they'd kill them.

[Michael Knowles]

Right.

[Adam Friedland]

These, these two Adonises. Yes, they literally, they're Greek. The tenacity and athleticism on display is.

[Michael Knowles]

Just, that's, that's phenomenal. And so the kids.

[Adam Friedland]

Listen, it's not my thing. But I, you know, and you know.

[Michael Knowles]

On that point, then the kid would say what? He finally, he sees it. It's three seconds, he says, ah, what's that?

[Adam Friedland]

So you let the kids see it.

[Michael Knowles]

I don't. Well, I apparently can't stop it. Him and he sees it. And so what do I say? I say that is Achilles and patroclus. And this is a lesson in ancient Greece.

[Adam Friedland]

So you do sexual education? 7 year olds historical. You do 7, 7 year old sexual. Yes. You do drag queen story hour at the library?

[Michael Knowles]

I would not lie to him. I would just take a partial truth.

[Adam Friedland]

This is how. The blue pill. He took the blue pill. Everyone give it up for Michael Knowles. Everyone, Michael Knowles.

[Michael Knowles]

Thank you.

[Adam Friedland]

Wow. Sam.