Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – "Not Mad, Just Disappointed"

Release Date: July 18, 2025

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
• Description: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics, and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

1. Introduction and Roadmap

[00:00] Clay Travis opens the show by welcoming listeners and outlining the day’s topics. He highlights an upcoming discussion with Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania about the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the economy and daily life, likening its potential to the advent of the Internet in the mid-1990s.

2. Autonomous Vehicles and Waymo

The hosts delve into the rise of autonomous vehicles, specifically mentioning Waymo's presence in Miami.

• Clay Travis shares his hesitation to use driverless cars due to discomfort with noisy environments, humorously noting, “I don’t love listening to loud music, especially not the music that I generally don’t like” [01:26].
• Buck Sexton remarks on the isolating experience of being alone in a Waymo vehicle, adding a lighthearted perspective on future transportation.

3. CNBC’s Tennessee Ranking

A significant portion of the discussion centers around CNBC's controversial ranking of Tennessee as the "worst state in America to live in."

• Clay Travis expresses disbelief and disappointment: “I don’t know how this could happen” [04:51].
• Buck Sexton emphasizes the improbability of such a ranking, stating, “It’s one thing to say, hey, it’s not the best to call Tennessee the worst place to live in America” [04:59].
• The hosts discuss their personal connections to Tennessee and plan to defend the state's reputation in upcoming segments.

4. Epstein Case and Trump’s Alleged Involvement

A critical segment of the episode examines Attorney General Pam Bondi’s decision to unseal grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein, following directives from President Trump.

• Buck Sexton summarizes the Wall Street Journal’s report alleging that Trump contributed a note to Epstein’s 50th birthday book, a claim both hosts dispute: “It doesn’t sound like something Trump would do” [06:00].
• Clay Travis questions the relevance and credibility of the report, asserting, “I don’t see any news value in this story whatsoever” [12:25].
• The hosts express skepticism about the authenticity of the alleged Trump message, citing inconsistencies in Trump’s known communication style.
• Buck Sexton critically analyzes the Wall Street Journal's motives, suggesting an attempt to associate Trump with Epstein without substantial evidence: “Why did they do this?” [07:54].

5. Media Criticism: Wall Street Journal and Chris Cuomo

The hosts critique major media outlets for their handling of the Epstein-Trump story.

• Buck Sexton praises Chris Cuomo’s rebuttal of the Wall Street Journal piece, calling it a “hack job” [22:57].
• Clay Travis draws parallels to past media missteps, such as the Kavanaugh hearings, highlighting the absurdity of using unrelated personal anecdotes to malign individuals: “It's like the four criminal cases … You don’t have to bring four criminal cases against somebody at once” [09:34].
• Both hosts express disappointment in the Wall Street Journal, stating, “We are disappointed in you” [26:54], emphasizing the publication's deviation from their usual standards.

6. Cancellation of Stephen Colbert Show and Funding Cuts

The podcast shifts focus to recent developments in media funding and programming.

• Buck Sexton announces the cancellation of the “Stephen Colbert Show” on CBS News, labeling it as “crazy left-wing comedy” that contributed to the downfall of late-night television [17:52].
• Simultaneously, he highlights the withdrawal of taxpayer funding from NPR and PBS, framing it as a strategic move aligned with Republican efforts to curb liberal media influence.
• Clay Travis underscores the importance of this shift, arguing that public perception of NPR and PBS as neutral news sources is flawed and needs reevaluation [19:27].

7. Listener Reactions and Calls

Engaging with audience feedback, the hosts incorporate listener calls supporting their stance on the Epstein-Trump narrative.

• Kyle from South Carolina suggests that the Wall Street Journal piece is a part of a larger conspiracy to undermine the Department of Justice and discredit the Trump administration [36:39].
• Joe from La Crosse, Wisconsin concurs, asserting that the story shifts focus away from Epstein’s crimes and unfairly targets Trump’s character [40:02].

8. Analogies and Cultural References

To illustrate their points, the hosts use various analogies and cultural references.

• Clay Travis compares the handling of the Epstein story to the Kavanaugh hearings, emphasizing the irrelevance of personal anecdotes to professional actions [30:32].
• Buck Sexton employs a high school yearbook analogy to critique the trivialization of serious accusations, stating, “Like the New York Post … they were right on all the Biden laptop story” [32:23].

9. Concluding Thoughts

Wrapping up the discussion, the hosts reinforce their skepticism about the Wall Street Journal’s motives and the overall media landscape.

• Clay Travis reiterates the lack of newsworthiness in the Epstein-Trump association, inviting listeners to consider the broader implications of unfounded media narratives [22:25].
• Buck Sexton finalizes with a call to action, encouraging listeners to critically assess media reports and support transparent journalism [35:43].

Notable Quotes:

• Clay Travis [04:51]: “If you want to tell me it’s not top three or top five, I’ll listen to you. But having spent a good amount of time in Tennessee… that is just, I mean, I could name a whole bunch of states that I’d be like.”

• Buck Sexton [07:54]: “I think this is a big swing and a mission. I actually think it’s somewhat beneficial to Trump because it makes him look like the victim here.”

• Clay Travis [12:25]: “I don’t see any news value in this story whatsoever.”

• Buck Sexton [22:57]: “This Wall Street Journal piece is a hack job, okay?”

• Clay Travis [30:32]: “It reminds me of Kavanaugh… they made him explain that bloofing meant farting because it was written in his high school yearbook… what does that have to do with anything?”

Conclusion: In this episode titled "Not Mad, Just Disappointed," Clay Travis and Buck Sexton provide a critical analysis of recent media narratives, particularly focusing on the Wall Street Journal’s allegations linking Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein. They express strong skepticism about the credibility and relevance of these claims, highlighting perceived biases in major media outlets. Additionally, the hosts address broader media trends, including the cancellation of the Stephen Colbert Show on CBS News and the withdrawal of taxpayer funding from NPR and PBS, framing these as indicative of a larger effort to reshape the media landscape. Engaging with listener feedback, Travis and Sexton reinforce their calls for media accountability and transparency, urging their audience to critically assess the news they consume.