The Antihero Podcast – Squadcast (Live) 10/09/2025

Date: October 10, 2025
Hosts: Tyler, Mike, Jimmy
Main Theme: Frontline Police and Military Real Talk—Unpacking Hard Truths, Police Accountability, and Viral Law Enforcement Clips

Overview

This Squadcast episode delivers the “all truth” hallmark of The Antihero Podcast: candid, gritty, sometimes darkly humorous, and often unfiltered discussions among former cops, combat vets, and outspoken personalities. The squad takes on recent viral videos of police incidents, debates law enforcement use of force, criticizes both police administration and social media “cop culture,” and dives into contemporary military meme-drama. The episode’s backbone is clear-eyed, sometimes searing critique—nothing is off-limits, from “bad shoot” breakdowns to the military’s love-hate relationship with TikTok, fat National Guard memes, and conspiracy-tinged takes on government events. Expect lively arguments, strong opinions, tough love, and some practical advice for both cops and the public.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recent Police Shooting Breakdown

(First major segment: [03:20–22:00]; revisited at [37:32–46:42])

• Video Deconstruction: In-depth analysis of a recent, highly disturbing Charlotte County, FL police shooting. The squad watches the bodycam, highlighting the use of force escalation and deeply criticizing the cop’s actions.

  • "This entire video is what not to do. As a cop...the only thing saving this guy is that the victim is white because the country would be burning right now." – Mike [03:49]
  • "That is one of the worst police videos I've ever seen." – Mike [06:09]
  • “If that guy was black, this was—this—“ – Mike [06:59]
  • The hosts stress that color isn’t the issue: “It doesn’t matter. The skin color doesn’t matter. That is the worst shooting ever.” – Mike [07:51]

• Training, Accountability, and Police Culture:

  • Sympathetic reflexes, lack of proper escalation, and untrained officers are outlined as leading to such tragic outcomes.
  • Host backgrounds allow for honest appraisals—no bootlicking, and overt condemnation for officers who abuse authority.
  • “That dude belongs under the jail.” – Mike [15:05]
  • Mike shares on-the-job insights ("My last two years was spent in a crime center where I'd be watching [bodycams] live." [16:07])

• Systemic Barriers:

  • Discussion on how public perception, legal processes, and agency stonewalling affect the release and investigation of bodycam footage.

2. Cop Work and Public Misperceptions

[18:08, 21:26, 45:29]

• The squad responds to frequent accusations from online “cop attackers” and cop supporters alike, clarifying what real-life patrol is versus what makes headlines or social media.

• Dispels myths about bias in policing; advocates for treating every call as a fresh investigation, regardless of suspect history.

  • “Police respond to an incident, we shouldn’t take into account...I should treat you innocent until proven guilty every single time I make contact with you.” – Mike [41:31]
  • “The judicial system...should know the background and they have the time to study the background.” – Mike [41:31]
  • “...the more light we shed on this subject, the better we can understand the cops—and we can hold them accountable.” – Jimmy [45:39]

3. Viral Policing Videos – “Gas Pump Gun Call” & Others

[22:40–30:00, 87:44+]

• "Gas Pump Gun" Mix-up:

  • Clip recap: Cop draws on a man at the pump, thinking he’s waving a gun, not a nozzle.
  • Tyler and Mike explain how radio call-ins, self-initiated stops, and “Karen” reports often warp police approaches—revealing both empathy for responding officers and expectations for post-stop behavior.
  • “As soon as he realized...the cop, that that was the gas pump—there is no crime. There’s not even a probable cause to pat him down.” – Mike [27:07]

• Motorcycle Chase/Pit Maneuver:

  • Reaction to a TikTok influencer being run over while streaming a police chase:
    • “That guy, he got exactly what deserved. You’re streaming that you’re driving reckless...all cops should chase all motorcycles that run.” – Mike [89:08]
    • Discusses natural selection, recklessness, and line between justifiable and excessive use of force.

• Federal Use of Force in Urban Protests:

  • Look at a video of federal agents manhandling a protestor:
    • “If you think Feds do not absolutely...the Constitution doesn’t apply. They don’t play by your rules. They play by a use-of-force matrix that’s about this big.” – Tyler [117:56]
    • The group agrees: no tolerance for interference with federal agents acting under crisis deployment.

4. Police Reform, “Blue Flu,” and Speaking Out

[60:41–64:57]

• Grassroots vs. Organized Action:

  • The squad shoots down “blue flu” as mass walkout strategy—too dangerous to public safety. Instead, they call for vocal, factual whistleblowing and use of social media to call out corruption.
  • “I can speak up, but you have to speak up within the agency. If enough of you speak up...that’s how the change happens.” – Mike [62:08]

• Legal Protection:

  • Encourages officers to use whistleblower status if their criticisms are factual and for the public interest.

5. Military & Law Enforcement Meme Culture

[48:42, 77:24, 78:38, 81:02]

• Fat National Guard Meme:

  • The viral photo of overweight Texas National Guard “deployed” to Chicago is debated—satire vs. reality, and if such viral images are AI-generated.
  • Deep-dive on “artifacts” in AI images; the need for skepticism ("You cannot tell what you are looking at is real. From news to report, it’s going to be [impossible]." – Mike [83:06])
  • “With a combined weight of one ton, the military police section sergeants...” – Tyler [81:11]

• Operator Cosplay—Tampa PD SWAT Critique:

  • Jimmy and Mike break down “poser” operator police culture: fancy gear is no replacement for actual skill or military experience.
  • “You wear all of these accoutrements of a warrior...You’re not even close to what me and Tyler and Mike did. You are a poser.” – Jimmy [97:03]

6. Conspiratorial Takes—Assassinations and 9/11

[101:44–109:14]

• JFK Killing Theories:
  • The squad watches a narrated Zapruder film segment pushing a “driver did it” narrative—shellfish toxin pellet theory and all. They critique historical and practical plausibility.
  • “...Your brain will see anything like that you’re being narrated to see...” – Mike [104:12]
  • Honest agreement that natural suspicion of the government is healthy, but skepticism should rely on real evidence.

7. Community, Super Chats, and Engagement

[34:41, ongoing throughout; also Patreon/plugs at 76:02+]

• The podcast community is lively—hosts respond to super chats, Discord/YouTube comments, and promote cross-podcast collaborations (Counterculture Inc., Guys on Ground, and others).
• Shoutouts to fans for gifts, music requests, and stories submitted. Noteworthy banter about Texas National Guard, SWAT culture, and shoutouts for upcoming guests/events.

Notable Quotes & Moments

Breaking Down a “Bad Shoot”

• Mike ([03:49]):
  “This entire video is what not to do. As a cop...the only thing saving this guy is that the victim is white because the country would be burning right now. This is bad. This is a bad video.”

• Tyler ([07:03]):
  “That cop escalated that entire thing. The guy was on his phone at the end.”

• Jimmy ([41:31]):
  “I think there’s a lot of cops out there that abuse their power. They’re absolutely untrained, undisciplined, and they have all the power to take away my constitutional rights or kill me. That said, I like them more than the criminals that are out there.”

On the Stress of Policing/Body Cams

• Mike ([16:07]):
  “My last two years was spent in a crime center where I'd be watching [bodycams] live. I'd be sitting in a room with eight TVs that big watching it live.”

• Tyler ([46:32]):
  “If you don’t have a backstory to a video, the world’s gonna create their own.”

On Police Mechanisms for Reform

• Mike ([62:08]):
  “I can speak up, but you have to speak up within the agency. If enough of you speak up...that’s how the change happens.”

On AI and Meme Culture

• Tyler ([81:11]):
  “With a combined weight of one ton, the military police section sergeants...”

• Mike ([83:06]):
  “You cannot tell what you are looking at is real. From news to report, it’s going to be [impossible].”

On Viral Policing Videos

• Mike ([89:08]):
  “That guy, he got exactly what deserved. You’re streaming that you’re driving reckless...all cops should chase all motorcycles that run.”

On Earned Criticism Within the Ranks

• Mike ([15:05]):
  “That dude belongs under the jail...I can’t even spend that [to joke around].”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Show Start & Tech Issues: [00:00–02:36]
• Charlotte County Shooting Analysis: [03:20–22:00; revisited at 37:32–46:42]
• Viral ‘Gas Pump Gun’ Incident: [22:40–30:00]
• Community, Comments, and Super Chats: Throughout; focused [34:41+]
• “Blue Flu” & Police Whistleblowing: [60:41–64:57]
• Texas National Guard Meme / AI & News Skepticism: [77:24, 78:38, 81:02, 83:06]
• Motorcycle Pit Maneuver Video: [87:44–92:00]
• JFK Assassination Theories: [101:44–109:14]
• Upcoming Live Events / Charity: [113:38–122:16]
• Show Wrap & Community Q&A: [126:00–end]

Tone and Language

• Unapologetically blunt, blue-collar, and darkly comic—mixing gallows humor, veteran stories, and real-world tactics.
• The hosts occasionally joust and roast each other, keeping the tone lively even during heavy discussions.
• Listeners are made to feel part of the ongoing antihero “squad”—the door’s open for cops, veterans, and supporters (plus the occasional fireman!).

Conclusion

This episode is emblematic of The Antihero Podcast: tough scrutiny of law enforcement and military culture; honest talk on real scandals, “cop memes,” and reform; fast-moving banter; and audience interaction that highlights cops’, veterans’, and the public’s concerns about abuse, incompetence, and internet-fueled confusion. The hosts’ experience grounds their opinions; no one is above criticism—including themselves. Essential for anyone who wants to understand what the “real world” of policing, as well as its internet myths and meme wars, look (and feel) like from the inside.