The Antihero Podcast: Squadcast (Live) 08/28/2025

Date: August 29, 2025
Episode Overview:
This Thursday Night Live episode of The Antihero Podcast unites a "packed house" of hosts and guests for a raucous, often unfiltered deep dive into recent controversies, veteran culture scandals, mental health, school violence, and law enforcement debates—with a hefty helping of inside jokes, audience super chats, and locker-room humor.

Main Theme & Purpose

The episode centers on grappling with recent high-profile incidents in the US veteran and law enforcement communities—particularly abuse of legacy and scandals around public figures like John McPhee, the fallout from the Minnesota school shooting, and wider questions around mental health, accountability, and public safety. The hosts also unpack the polarization of American society, government policies on property tax and gun rights, and the functional realities of supporting the veteran and first responder communities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. John McPhee ("Sheriff of Baghdad") Scandal

[03:33, 08:52, 133:18]:

• The hosts deliberate the growing online controversy concerning John McPhee, including revelations about his military record being misrepresented, his removal from elite roles, and the impact on the community.
  • Brent: He ain’t the sheriff of Baghdad, he’s the Barney Fife of Baghdad. (03:43)
  • Discussion includes the Mulligan Bros podcast putting up a disclaimer after interviewing McPhee, with their huge following now examining his credibility.
  • Foreshadowing an upcoming, in-depth episode on the scandal:
    “Monday, we'll tell you all about it.” (135:11)

2. The Minnesota School Shooting & Societal Impact

[11:24, 12:14, 13:03, 13:55]:

• The hosts take a hardline approach on the trans identity of the school shooter and its relation to broader societal trends, blaming contemporary culture and family structure for enabling destructive behaviors.
  • Brent: "It is not natural for a kid to want to be another gender. You've been groomed." (13:56)
  • They frame aggressive gender affirmation policies as “child abuse,” linking liberal cultural dynamics to growing social unrest.
  • Magnet argues: “Allowing that to even be a thought...empowers them...to think they can carry out some act like this because nothing is real.” (13:43)

3. Mental Illness, Gun Control, and the Limits of Policy

[16:25, 18:00, 19:22, 20:04–21:59]:

• The distinction between gun crime and mental health is highlighted throughout the discussion, with opinions strongly against gun control measures.
  • Brent (sarcastically): "I'm very pro gun control because it makes sense. I'm also against murder. So what if we outlawed murders?" (17:09)
  • The group debates whether society is ethical leaving severely mentally ill people institutionalized—with some hosts flirting with controversial jokes about eugenics (19:33), only to acknowledge the complexity and harshness of the topic.
  • “You're not going to stop crazy people from doing crazy things.” (16:58)

4. Arming School Staff & Hardening Targets

[23:37, 24:58, 25:15–27:11]:

• Near-consensus among hosts in favor of arming teachers and school employees as a deterrent and direct response method to active shooters.
  • Brent: “If you're a school shooter and you know there's 27—make it higher, 42—armed teachers in there. You going after that one? No.” (25:29)
  • Magnet stresses that a well-trained, motivated volunteer teacher might be more effective in a crisis than the typical SRO (school resource officer):
    "A well trained teacher probably gonna shoot better than 90% of cops walking around because they really don’t take firearms serious on that level." (26:36)

5. Community and Family as Solutions, Critique of Government

[29:30, 30:13–31:04]:

• Property taxes, school funding, and local government are discussed—framing rising taxes as another mechanism that burdens the citizen while failing to produce results.
  • Brent: "You never really own your house, because in that county, you're gonna have to still pay the government $15,000 a year or they’ll come take your house." (30:13)
• The hosts decry ineffective or “idiot” officials and exhort listeners to vote smarter and band together to force community-level change.

6. Veteran Community, Policing Its Own

[59:08–60:45]:

• In the wake of the McPhee scandal and other exposes, the hosts challenge the “thin green/blue line” mentality of covering up for bad actors within the veteran and law enforcement spaces.
  • Magnet: “We have to get involved and speak up… letting bad cops walk around… that’s what I try to do with my platform.” (60:09)
  • The audience is credited for empowering this type of truth-telling.

7. Tribute to Sacrifice and a Moment of Prayer

[61:55–65:34]:

• A rare, solemn interlude features an extended mention of Michael Verardo, a wounded veteran, and his wife Sarah’s ongoing nonprofit work. The podcast prays for Sarah and her children.
  • Magnet: “…Put it all on the line. That family suffered more than most families did in 20 years.” (64:15)
  • Drew leads prayer: "Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for who you are..." (64:22–65:34)

8. Super Chats, Audience-Driven Laughs & Running Jokes

Throughout, the hosts engage live chat “super chats” (audience paid questions/comments)—covering everything from proper shoe/sock etiquette (38:18), the difference between shade-grown and sun-grown cigars (160:41), physical fitness tracking, support for law enforcement, session-outro song debates, and a plethora of jibes, high school humor, and in-group memes.

• “These are true stories. These are true stories. I believe that. True stories of the boys.” (06:59)
• A recurring bit on teacher janitors being armed, “just shank the dude” (70:59), hits both law enforcement and blue-collar jokes.

9. American Flags, Free Speech, and Burning Controversies

[91:04–92:09, 136:00–138:05]:

• The debate ignites over whether burning the American flag is protected free speech or should be criminalized as “arson.”
  • Brent: "You can't just go burning things." (136:09)
  • Magnet: "Do I think it’s right? No. Do I think you’re a piece of shit? Should you be hit in the head with a bat? There’s a bunch of things that should happen to you. But when you start to go illegal, it’s just a tough road to go down." (136:13)
  • Drew: "If you treat the First Amendment like the Second, we’d come to the same conclusion—it’s about speech, not about actions." (137:18)

10. Controversial Social Media/Police Tech & Law Enforcement Accountability

[108:41–113:06]:

• Axon, the police tech company, comes under fire as the group worries about law enforcement’s increasing reliance on AI body cams and automated report writing.
  • "They literally want to take all lethal weapons away from law enforcement. I got a problem with that." (111:03)
• The hosts see these trends as both a transparency tool and a slippery slope undermining the human side of policing and opening officers to liability.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It is not natural for a kid to want to be another gender. You've been groomed by your parents." —Brent [13:56]
• "If you’re a school shooter and you know there’s 27... 42 armed teachers in there. You going after that one? No." —Brent [25:29]
• "You never really own your house...the government owns your house." —Brent [30:13]
• “I genuinely believe the pendulum is swinging back.” —Brent [68:22]
• "If you let people create a new level of mental illness, eventually they're gonna get their hands on a gun." —Magnet [21:41]
• “If you trust our politicians to judge what's more morally right or wrong, you're a fool. Burning the flag is provoking but ain't illegal.” —Papa Penguin (super chat) [135:39]
• "When you have the veteran community finally policing the veteran community, then they go, ‘nah, don't do that.’” —Brent [59:33]
• “We have to get involved and speak up...that’s what I try to do with my platform.” —Magnet [60:09]
• “Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for who you are...” —Drew (prayer for Michael Verardo’s family) [64:22]
• “Every echelon you go, there are turds, just less turds. The filter gets better.” —Brent [158:04]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 03:33 – Nicknaming / Mocking John McPhee, the "Barney Fife" controversy.
• 08:52 – Mulligan Bros disclaimer; questioning the podcast guest vetting process.
• 11:24–14:41 – Deep-dive into the recent school shooting, gender-transition politics, and family influence.
• 16:41–21:59 – Gun control, mental health, institutionalization, and the societal fallout.
• 23:37–27:11 – Should teachers be armed? School safety debate.
• 29:30–31:04 – Property tax and government accountability.
• 59:08–60:09 – “Policing your own” in vets/law enforcement culture.
• 61:55–65:34 – Tribute and prayer for Michael Verardo, wounded warrior.
• 91:04–92:09, 136:00–138:05 – American flag burning & free speech.
• 108:41–113:06 – Axon/AI tech in law enforcement, transparency vs. automation.
• 133:18–135:38 – Recap: John McPhee’s military record, upcoming episode tease.
• 165:05 – Audience Q: Is 25 too late for Ranger/unit? Answer: No, it's your prime. (Brent)
• 174:29–182:32 – Audience picks outro songs, wind-down, more super chats and thank yous.

Tone & Style

The podcast is unapologetically irreverent, blending military/veteran camaraderie, cop shop banter, and hard-edged political commentary. The crew is unfiltered—sometimes bordering on controversial—with a “for the boys” sensibility and a focus on truth-telling and accountability, both inside and outside their own community. The hosts create an inclusive, call-in feel for listeners, playing heavily off the “super chat” audience.

Summary in a Nutshell

• The squad tackles controversial topics head-on: veteran frauds, fallout from school shootings, the intersection of mental health and violence, gun control, and policing software.
• The community is urged to “police its own” and not let thin blue/green lines shield bad actors.
• There’s strong advocacy for arming trusted citizens in schools and robust criticism of government inefficiency.
• Amid the controversy and crude jokes, the hosts display moments of genuine respect for true service and sacrifice—demonstrated in their prayer for a fallen hero’s family.
• A lively comment section keeps the entire show unpredictable and interactive.

For listeners or new fans: this episode is a snapshot of a raw, unfiltered community working through the fractures of modern America, where dark humor, hard truths, and deep loyalty collide—sometimes productively, sometimes explosively, always honestly.