The Antihero Broadcast - Episode Summary

Podcast: The Antihero Broadcast
Host: The Antihero Podcast
Episode: 11/03/2025: COP KEEPS JOB AFTER SMOKING METH ON DUTY!!
Date: November 3, 2025

Overview

This episode of The Antihero Broadcast, a podcast tailored for veterans and first responders, delves into a series of raw, unfiltered conversations surrounding trending law enforcement stories, behind-the-scenes realities of policing, government conspiracies, SNAP benefit shutdown impacts, and ongoing community support efforts. The headline topic is the recent scandal where a New Orleans police officer was caught on bodycam smoking meth while on duty—and kept his job. The episode also features guest and former officer Jack Gerstmeier sharing his battle with cancer and his experience of limited departmental support.

Tone throughout is candid, irreverent, and community-focused, with hosts and guests contributing a blend of serious analysis, gallows humor, and direct storytelling.

Main Topics & Key Moments

1. [03:54] Meet Special Guest Jack Gerstmeier: A Young Cop’s Battle with Leukemia

• Jack (D), Age 23: Ex-Wisconsin cop, recently diagnosed with leukemia, discusses how he discovered his illness during a SWAT team tryout gone awry due to sudden health collapse.
• Diagnosis Story: Jack relates being told by his doctor that he “would be dead in a month” if he hadn’t come in when he did. Spent a month in a transplant unit under lockdown.
• Departmental Support: Reveals that while fire department colleagues raised funds for his medical bills, his police department was notably absent in support. Reads excerpt from his resignation letter when told he’d be medically separated for cancer:

  "What job in the world would terminate an employee for having cancer... The police." [13:13]

• Impact of Podcast Community: Jack found hope and camaraderie from connecting with the podcast and its hosts during treatment, highlighting the importance of genuine support networks.
  • Memorable Quote:

    "This podcast and this counterculture movement... brought this young man to this man who he looks up to. He's battling cancer... To make this happen, for me, is worth it." (Mike, [09:18])

[Timestamps]

• 05:03 — Jack’s background and SWAT tryout incident
• 06:33 — Cancer diagnosis and hospitalization
• 09:24 — How the podcast inspired Jack
• 12:57 — Department’s response and resignation letter

2. [19:10] Charity Spotlight: Supporting Maddie, a SWAT Medic’s Daughter with Leukemia

• Charity Feature: Each episode highlights a new cause. This week, it’s Maddie, daughter of a SWAT team medic facing a second leukemia battle.
• Donation Encouragement:

  “Probably the one thing I would think is worse than having leukemia is your kid having leukemia.” (Tyler, [16:43])

• GoFundMe link displayed and commitment to donating every episode.

[Timestamps]

• 15:29 — Charity appeal and background
• 18:24 — Producer gets GoFundMe displayed; hosts urge support

3. [19:10–38:44] Handling Online Backlash & Disinformation

• Instagram Drama: Hosts discuss the viral backlash from a reel about US aircraft allegedly brought down by China. They address accusations of clickbait and conspiracy.
  • Transparency: Commitment to fact-checking and researching before airing stories, eschewing legacy media in favor of subject matter expert sources (Forward Observer, S2 Underground, Ward Carroll).

    "If you watch the show and trust the government, you're watching the wrong show." (Host, [27:15])

• Meta-Discussion:

  “My job is to take three or four hours of research, condense it into 15 minutes, and make something snappy for you guys.” (Jimmy, [33:15])

4. [45:02] Government Shutdown & ‘Snappening’: Looming Social Unrest

• Lengthy Shutdown: Day 34 of a US government shutdown; SNAP (food stamp) benefits are running out. Predictions of social instability and possible surge in minor crime as benefits dry up.
• Open Carry Policy: Publix grocery stores recently okayed open carry, raising questions about property crime and defensive gun use.
  • Legal Limits: Discussion on justified use of force:

    “You cannot pull your gun out until you’re in fear for your life. You can’t pull it out for property.” (Mike, [112:28])

• Conspiracy Angle: Theorizes that stopping SNAP benefits could drive “self-deportation” by illegal immigrants.

[Timestamps]

• 45:02 — Government shutdown updates
• 106:05 — Open carry and theft discussions
• 108:52 — The “nuclear option” for reopening government explained

5. [53:01] SOUTHCOM Sinking Drug Boats: Escalating Drug-Interdiction

• US Military Action: Latest stats: 8 Venezuelan drug cartel boats sunk in a week, 18 KIA, 1 enemy prisoner.
• Ethical Concerns: Are warnings given before strikes? Visuals suggest sometimes boats are abandoned before destruction.
• Sources: Information attributed to Forward Observer, S2 Underground, EN/Navy subject matter experts.

6. [56:04] ICE Bounty Hunters: Outsourcing Immigration Enforcement

• New Policy: ICE seeking private contractors (bounty hunters) for immigration enforcement; hosts question legality, effectiveness, and local law enforcement overlap.
• Ethical/legal debates: Comparisons to bondsmen/bounty hunters, concerns about violence and accountability.

7. [93:38] Main Story: New Orleans Cop Caught Using Meth — Keeps Job

[Key Segment: 93:38–105:21]

• Incident Recap: New Orleans Officer Maurice Bailey caught on his own bodycam (Dec 5, 2023) buying a torch, then driving his unit while smoking a glass pipe (meth) before ignoring a burglary call.
• Bodycam Evidence Aired:

  “That brand new lighter, torching a white substance into a milky cloud inside a clear glass pipe…captured on officer Bailey’s active bodyworm camera while driving his NOPD unit.” (Fox8 narration, [97:19])

• Administrative Outcome:
  • Not Fired: Placed on leave without pay, but retained benefits including $13,000+ in sick pay and a $5,000 city retention bonus.
  • Police Accountability Reaction:

    “That video alone, I think, justifies termination.” (Mike, [99:57]) “[For admin purposes] he’s cooked himself.” (Mike, [104:11])

• Legal Analysis: Video is insufficient for criminal prosecution (requires possession/tested evidence), but administratively damning.
  • Quote: “What he did was along…He probably got ahead of it, said, ‘I have a drug problem,’ — now it’s a liability thing.” (Tyler, [100:48])

8. [77:51] Regular Feature — Clint’s Storytime Call-in

• Clint’s Army Story: Vivid recollection of a live-fire incident during a PT formation at Fort Bragg in 1995, panic and confusion, and subsequent bureaucratic silence.
  • Quote “He got a plaque that said, ‘Hey guys, check this out.’”
• Audience Participation: Viewers guess how long Clint’s phone call will last; winner gets merchandise.

9. [61:32] The Realities of Police/Military Pensions & Life After Service

• Candid Take: Retirement “illusion,” most retirees need a second job. Breaks down Florida pension/retirement math; cautions younger cops to evaluate their options and savings.
  • Quote:

    “If you’re barely making it on 100% salary, when you retire at 75%, where does the money come from?” (Mike, [63:26])

Notable Quotes & Reactions

• “What job in the world would terminate an employee for having cancer... The police.” (Host, [13:13])
• “This podcast... brought this young man to this man who he looks up to. He's battling cancer... For me, is worth it.” (Mike, [09:18])
• “If you watch the show and trust the government, you're watching the wrong show.” (Host, [27:15])
• “You cannot pull your gun out until you’re in fear for your life. You can’t pull it out for property.” (Mike, [112:28])
• “That video alone, I think, justifies termination.” (Mike, [99:57])
• “For administrative purposes, he’s cooked himself.” (Mike, [104:11])
• “If you’re barely making it on 100% salary, when you retire at 75%, where does the money come from?” (Mike, [63:26])

Engagement, Inside Jokes, Community

• Ongoing banter about show reels, memes, and generational humor (DX/WWF references, [42:15])
• Plans for limited merch drops of “inside joke” shirts and Patreon-exclusive content ([73:26])
• Running jokes about technical difficulties, comments from chat, and “inside” nicknames.
• A lively, supportive chat community is referenced throughout.

Conclusion

The episode embodies the Antihero Broadcast’s mission: real talk for those who serve, with no sugarcoating. It exposes the bureaucratic indifference faced by first responders, examines systemic failures in police leadership and policy, and maintains a sharp, skeptical lens on government and media narratives.

The hosts balance gallows humor and personal storytelling with deep analysis on both law enforcement and broader societal issues, all while keeping their finger on the pulse of veteran and first responder community concerns.

Key Segment Timestamps

• 05:03 — Jack’s cancer/department ordeal
• 12:57 — Letter of resignation and police department’s response
• 15:29 — Maddie’s GoFundMe and charity mention
• 19:10 — Social media/China conspiracy backlash
• 45:02 — Government shutdown, SNAP “Snappening,” open carry
• 53:01 — Drug boat interdiction/SOUTHCOM
• 56:04 — ICE and the rise of bounty hunters
• 93:38 — New Orleans meth cop controversy
• 77:51 — Clint’s call-in story (“I got one for you…”)
• 61:32 — Police pensions/retirement reality check

For more, tune in to Mondays and Thursdays live, join Patreon for raw unfiltered content, or check out their YouTube for member-locked classic episodes.