The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 1 - Vanity Unfair
Date: December 17, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

In this hour, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton dig into headline political and cultural controversies with their signature blend of humor and analysis. The lead focus is the controversy surrounding White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ ill-advised profile in Vanity Fair—dubbed a “colossal miscalculation”—and the broader lessons for conservatives dealing with legacy media. The hosts also discuss the ongoing investigation into the Brown University shooting, raising sharp questions about the state of campus safety and transparency. Interwoven are banter, some witty linguistic quarrels, and sharp commentary on the state of conservative representation in culture and media, as well as a discussion about generational grievances regarding DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) policies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Susie Wiles Vanity Fair Profile: A Conservative Media Misstep

• Clay opens the show criticizing Susie Wiles’ decision to participate in a Vanity Fair interview, branding it her “biggest misstep since she became chief of staff” (03:05).
• Point of Critique: Clay argues legacy media—especially elite outlets like Vanity Fair—are structurally opposed to conservatives, warning Republican staffers against giving them interviews that allow selective editing (05:20).
  • Quote: “If you are giving your time and effort and quotes to legacy media institutions, the absolute least that they could do is share every single thing that you said on the record and let people go watch or listen to that.” — Clay Travis ([05:23])
• Buck agrees but downplays the impact, calling it a “blunder” but ultimately “a tempest in a teapot”—suggesting the administration’s unity and political momentum won't be derailed (06:14).
  • Quote: “There’s nothing that–no one’s going to get fired over this. It’s not going to change...” — Buck Sexton ([06:14])
• Theme of Vanity and Hubris: Buck invokes Game of Thrones to argue that “hubris is the ultimate sin,” suggesting conservatives sometimes seek “a pat on the head” from prestigious left-leaning institutions (06:30).
  • Quote: “It’s like we want a pat on the head so badly from somebody who’s cool and famous that we’ll just do anything for it.” — Buck Sexton ([07:37])
• Clay’s Take on Conservative Overconfidence: He notes the Trump administration has demoralized the opposition, but warns the razor-thin margins of past elections mean conservatives can’t be complacent (09:18).
  • Quote: “They’re about to get back in the ring. So I think this is a little bit of a media haymaker that the Trump administration caught on the jaw.” — Buck Sexton ([09:18])
• News Nuggets from the Profile:
  • Marco Rubio will not run against J.D. Vance in 2027, making Vance the GOP favorite ([10:29]).
  • Susie Wiles’ critique of Pam Bondi’s handling of the Epstein case:
    • “She completely whiffed... There is no client list and it sure as hell wasn’t on her desk.” — (quoting Wiles via Clay Travis, [11:44])

2. Linguistic Banter: “Patina” vs “Patna”

• A lighter moment breaks out as Clay and Buck debate the pronunciation of “patina.”
  • Clay: “I thought it was pronounced ‘patna’.”
  • Buck: “I think it’s patina. Am I wrong?” ([11:41]-[11:47])
  • Producer Greg’s “elite research” (and a British connection) reveals both pronunciations are accepted ([14:36]-[15:18]).
  • Memorable Quote: “I’m sorry for just having a little class and a little je ne sais quoi.” — Clay Travis ([20:12])

3. Would Clay and Buck Ever Sit for Vanity Fair?

• Hypothetical Media Strategy:
  • Buck asks if they would agree to a Vanity Fair profile; Clay says only if the full interview was recorded and publishable for context ([21:00]).
    • “I would insist that every interview be completely recorded and that I have the ability to post a transcript…” — Clay Travis ([21:00])
• Strategic Take: Clay notes that being attacked by leftist legacy media can build credibility with their base ([21:00]-[22:22]).

4. Brown University Shooter: Campus Safety & Transparency Crisis

• Story Recap: The ongoing manhunt after a fatal campus shooting at Brown University leaves Clay and Buck baffled by university and police actions ([25:02]-[26:22]).
• Authorities’ Statements: Rhode Island Attorney General emphasizes there’s “zero information” on motive, tells press not to assume political or ethnic motives ([26:22]).
  • Clay and Buck express skepticism about transparency and the adequacy of the information released ([27:03]-[27:29]).
  • Quote: “I don’t believe him. I’m just gonna say this right now. ...It doesn’t pass the smell test for me.” — Buck Sexton ([27:06])
• Campus Infrastructure Critique:
  • University’s lack of modern security footage in older buildings is called “a colossal failure.”
    • “A multi-billion dollar university could find a way to put cameras in an old building…” — Reporter (paraphrased by Clay, [29:40])
• Political Motive Suspicion:
  • Clay highlights that one victim was the vice president of College Republicans, and group’s president suggests the shooting was political ([32:17]-[32:40]).
  • Buck notes that Brown may be less than fully cooperative due to concern over PR/image if political motive were revealed ([30:48], [33:25]).
  • Buck draws a contrast with treatment of conservative students versus protected groups on campus ([34:20]).

5. Commentary on DEI Policies: The “Lost Generation”

• Buck introduces a recent Compact Magazine article about the adverse effect of DEI policies on Gen X/Millennial white men ([39:15]-[41:10]).
  • “What they did to a whole generation of white Americans who are men is wrong. It was unconstitutional... It was racist and it was immoral.” — Buck Sexton ([40:12])
• Clay describes generational unfairness in professional and academic environments, noting generational resentment at being blamed for past discrimination ([41:10]-[41:46]).
  • “You’re yelling at us in this generation who have had none of the benefits... and then you’re hectoring us as if we have this incredible white privilege.” — Clay Travis ([41:41])
• Both reflect on how public and private sector employment, as well as Hollywood and academia, systematically limited white male opportunities ([42:19]-[43:35]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On conservative vanity and legacy media:
  • “It’s like we want a pat on the head so badly from somebody who’s cool and famous that we’ll just do anything for it.”
    — Buck Sexton ([07:37])
• On Susie Wiles’ media blunder:
  • “You can’t talk all day and allow them to cherry pick quotes. So I can’t believe that she would fall for this.”
    — Clay Travis ([05:23])
• Linguistic rivalry:
  • “I thought it was pronounced ‘patna’.” — Clay; “I think it’s ‘patina’. Am I wrong?” — Buck. ([11:41]-[11:47])
• On DEI and generational impact:
  • “What they did to a whole generation of white Americans who are men is wrong… It was racist and it was immoral.”
    — Buck Sexton ([40:12])
• On campus violence and transparency:
  • “What are we doing that there could not be ample evidence of all of this that would lead to an immediate arrest?”
    — Clay Travis ([34:20])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:22] — Clay opens, teases the Susie Wiles/Vanity Fair topic
• [05:20] — Clay’s warning about conservatives engaging with legacy media
• [06:14] — Buck’s “tempest in a teapot” take
• [07:37] — Hubris, conservative craving for “cool” validation
• [09:18] — Electoral reality check, media haymaker analogy
• [10:29] — Rubio/J.D. Vance 2027 prediction, Bondi criticism
• [11:41] — “Patina” pronunciation debate and producer research
• [14:36] — Merriam-Webster confirms both pronunciations
• [21:00] — Media interview strategy: recording requirements
• [25:02-29:40] — Brown University shooter investigation: frustration and university criticism
• [32:17] — College Republican leadership claims political motive in shooting
• [39:15] — DEI policies and the “lost generation” argument

Tone and Style

• Warm, irreverent, and combative—especially toward legacy/“regime” media
• Frequent asides, banter, in-jokes (especially about pronunciation and producer skills)
• Tangible sense of grievance and crusading humor around conservative marginalization in media
• Underlying thread of warning: don’t get complacent and always control the narrative when engaging with adversarial press

For Listeners

If you missed the episode, you'll come away understanding the show’s skepticism of legacy media, the ongoing struggles conservatives face in elite circles, concerns about campus safety and political bias, and the hosts’ view of generational DEI unfairness. Plus, you'll get a dose of Clay and Buck’s humor—whether about pronunciation quirks or the travails of being “unfashionable” in the eyes of the media elite.