The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Daily Review with Clay and Buck – Jan 23, 2026
Date: January 23, 2026
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Theme: A blend of news, politics, crime, culture, and media, with Clay and Buck’s trademark humor and pointed commentary. Featuring insights into record-low crime under Trump, reactions to Oscar nominations, the political climate around immigration enforcement, and media fairness with FCC leadership.

Episode Overview

Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle a packed news day, blending current events, crime statistics, cultural debates, and media policy discussions. The hosts break down the recent 125-year low in the U.S. murder rate, debate new movie releases and Hollywood’s approach to identity politics, analyze the controversies around ICE operations and immigration enforcement, and interview FCC Chairman Brendan Carr about the push for more political balance in broadcast media.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Weather and Setting the Scene (00:02–01:18)

• Clay and Buck open by lamenting the oncoming winter storm set to hit most of the U.S.—except warm, sunny Florida.
• Tone is playful, with banter about flip-flops, “solidarity” socks, and regional rivalry.

Notable Quote:

“We are going to put socks on our flip-flops...It might even get a little sweaty for us. But we’ll be thinking about you.”
— Clay Travis (00:54)

2. Crime Rates & The Trump Era Low (01:18–04:29)

• Record Setting Crime Decline:
  Clay reports a 125-year low in U.S. murder rates under Trump’s law-and-order administration, referencing even the New York Times front page.
  • Hosts criticize mainstream media for refusing to credit Trump, pinning past crime spikes on "Covid" instead of policies like BLM protests and "defund the police."

Notable Quotes:

“No one alive today has ever lived in a United States that is safer than it is right now.”
— Clay Travis (01:42)

“Of course, because God forbid that you give credit to the president who has spoken out in favor of driving down violent crime more than almost any president I can imagine.”
— Clay Travis (02:17)

Insight:
The hosts frame the sharp drop in violent crime as a direct result of robust policing and challenge “Covid disruption” explanations.

3. Culture Wars: Movies, Oscars, & Identity Politics (04:29–14:59)

• Oscars and the ‘Sinners’ Movie:
  The film “Sinners”—a vampire story critiquing systemic racism—receives the most Oscar nominations ever.
  • Clay and Buck deride Hollywood’s “wokeness,” complain about over-praise for identity-centric movies like "Black Panther," and reminisce about better genre films like "Blade."
  • Discussion about whether to review “Sinners” for the show, speculation on racial reversals in storytelling, and critique of Hamilton’s DEI-driven acclaim.

Notable Quotes:

“Hollywood is desperate to prove they aren’t racist. And they will wildly overrate anything that black filmmakers and black actors are in.”
— Clay Travis (08:41)

“If we just made this movie in reverse, it would be considered the most racist movie that has ever been made. It’d be considered a Klan birth of a nation straight up.”
— Buck Sexton (11:42)

4. Trans Issues & Age Gaps: Social Hypocrisy (13:26–14:59)

• Buck points out perceived inconsistencies among leftists who moralize adult age differences but accept children making permanent gender decisions.

Notable Quote:

“Isn’t it weird how...they want to create this new social stigma for people that have an age gap between adults and yet they’re always okay with the general mutilation of small children based upon trans ideology.”
— Clay Travis (13:55)

5. Vampire Movie Nostalgia & Listener Feedback (16:10–16:55)

• The “Lost Boys” (1987) and "Blade" celebrated as superior vampire films; audience emails are read on-air.

Notable Quote:

“Lost Boys is a great vampire movie... Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer—did they make that into a movie? I know it sounds cool.”
— Buck Sexton (16:10)

6. Immigration Enforcement: ICE, Minneapolis, and Political Backlash (27:28–37:25)

Interview: Trisha McLaughlin (DHS Assistant Secretary)

• Ongoing ICE Operations:
  Despite protests and political pushback in Minneapolis, ICE is arresting thousands of illegal aliens, including convicted murderers and other violent criminals.
• ICE’s Public Misrepresentation:
  McLaughlin clarifies a viral case: a five-year-old was not arrested, but taken into safe custody after the father abandoned him fleeing arrest.
• Resistance Variance:
  She contrasts violent protests and lack of local support in Minneapolis with smooth cooperation and higher arrest rates in states like Florida and Texas.

Notable Quotes:

“We’re about 3,000 illegal aliens who have been arrested...from Mexico convicted for criminal sexual assault...from Laos who was convicted of murder. These are the criminals we’re going after.”
— Trisha McLaughlin (28:02)

“Our officers...stood there with the child and made sure the child was okay, actually brought him McDonald’s and played him some of his favorite music.”
— Trisha McLaughlin (29:21)

“Thousands who have been convicted in the United States of America. But keep in mind how many of these people are wanted for crimes in their own country...”
— Trisha McLaughlin (34:03)

Insight:
ICE argues its efforts target serious criminals, and push back on narratives of mass "child arrests." The hosts hold up public protests as politically motivated and ineffectual.

7. Broadcast Media, Fairness Doctrine, & FCC Enforcement (40:32–55:01)

Interview: Brendan Carr (FCC Chairman)

• Equal Time Laws: Carr explains that broadcast TV and radio must provide “equal opportunity” for political candidates—not always adhered to with shows like The View or late-night comedy.
  • Carr’s letter clarifies that not all talk or comedy shows are “bona fide news” (which would exempt them), pushing for more balance, especially as hosts and guests are overwhelmingly left-wing.

Notable Quotes:

“It looks to me that people have misread that and they’ve just assumed that every single late night and daytime talk show is in fact a bonafide news program, even when in many cases it’s not.”
— Brendan Carr (41:49)

“If you’re fake news, you’re not going to get to be qualified as a bonafide news program at the FCC.”
— Brendan Carr (48:31)

“If you are putting 98 Democrat candidates on and one or no Republican candidates on, it’s going to be a pretty uphill fight to say we’re just out here bringing people on for newsworthy value as opposed to pushing one particular partisan ideology.”
— Brendan Carr (45:17)

• Host Commentary:
  Clay and Buck challenge The View’s claims that no conservatives will appear; both volunteered and were rejected.

  • Jimmy Kimmel calls Carr “Trump’s little ferret.” Carr responds with good humor about changing his Twitter photo to a ferret.

• Media Consolidation:
  Carr discusses ongoing streamer mergers (Netflix, Paramount), future NFL rights, and the weakening regulatory influence of the FCC as media shifts to streaming.

Notable Quotes:

“Let’s say a substantial portion of those NFL broadcast rights...go even further behind the paywall of the streamers...That’s interesting in terms of both the economics of broadcasting...but also what does it mean for the NFL...”
— Brendan Carr (53:41)

8. Listener Interaction & Pop Culture Sidebar (18:45–20:54)

Caller: Linda

• Florida listener Linda—a fan favorite for her tough stances—returns with opinions on Hollywood (“cut it off and let it float to Russia”) and the music industry.
• Shares dislike for Robert De Niro’s politics despite formerly loving his movies.

Notable Quote:

“I would cut [Hollywood] off and then let it float all the way to...Russia. Is that what’s across the street?"
— Linda (19:00)

• Linda also remains passionate about severe punishment for drug smugglers.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Crime:
  • "No one alive today has ever lived in a United States that is safer than it is right now.” (Clay Travis, 01:42)
• Oscars/Hollywood:
  • "Hollywood is desperate to prove they aren't racist. And they will wildly overrate anything that black filmmakers and black actors are in." (Clay Travis, 08:41)
• ICE Operations:
  • “Thousands who have been convicted in the United States of America.” (Trisha McLaughlin, 34:03)
• Media and FCC:
  • “If you’re fake news, you’re not going to get to be qualified as a, you know, a bonafide news program at the FCC.” (Brendan Carr, 48:31)
• Pop Culture Call-in:
  • “I would cut [Hollywood] off and then let it float all the way to...Russia.” (Linda, 19:00)

Key Timestamps

• Weather/Safety Banter: 00:02–01:18
• Crime Rate Discussion: 01:18–04:29
• Oscars & “Sinners” Culture War: 04:29–14:59
• Listener Feedback (Vampires): 16:10–16:55
• ICE Operations Interview: 27:28–37:25
• FCC, Media, & The View: 40:32–55:01
• Caller Linda: 18:45–20:54

Tone & Style

• Conversational, humorous, and irreverent—Clay and Buck combine hard news analysis with jokes and cultural asides, maintaining a pointedly anti-left, pro-law enforcement, and anti-woke tone throughout.
• Direct criticism of mainstream media, progressive Hollywood trends, and left-leaning politicians and activists.

For Listeners New and Old

This episode provides a snapshot of Clay and Buck’s multifaceted approach—balancing crime headlines and political debates with cultural critiques and listener engagement, all filtered through a consistently right-leaning, unapologetically candid perspective. Whether you’re following the saga of ICE, debating the merits of the latest Oscar bait, or laughing with “light ‘em up Linda,” you’re sure to get a blend of serious analysis and sharp, entertaining banter.