The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Hour 3 – Ben Shapiro is a Lion
Date: September 3, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts
Guests: Ben Shapiro (The Daily Wire founder, author of "Lions and Scavengers: The True Story of America and Her Critics")
Overview
In this lively and wide-ranging third hour, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton welcome Ben Shapiro to discuss current cultural flashpoints, the challenge of free speech in Western democracies, the release of his new book "Lions and Scavengers," the masculinity crisis in Democratic politics, news from New York City’s mayoral race, and a dose of light-hearted banter, all in the show’s trademark fast-paced, irreverent tone. Shapiro offers sharp takes on everything from Chris Martin's onstage comments to serious concerns about the state of Western civilization.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Coldplay, Chris Martin, and Shallow Virtue-Signaling [02:22–05:49]
- Buck Sexton introduces Ben Shapiro and immediately pivots to a viral clip: Coldplay's Chris Martin awkwardly welcoming Israeli and Palestinian fans on stage, emphasizing everyone’s humanity in the middle of global tension.
- Shapiro’s Reaction:
- Criticizes Chris Martin’s attempt:
“The Yiddish word for him is schmuck. He's terrible... Chris Martin is not the person who gets to bestow humanity upon you.” [04:12]
- Mocks the left’s “default” anti-Israel stance:
“Default leftism at this point has just turned to a sort of anti-Israel, pro-Hamas, Gaza sympathetic stance. And that's why he feels uncomfortable.” [04:47]
- Suggests that such moralizing is bizarre and wouldn’t occur with other groups.
- Criticizes Chris Martin’s attempt:
2. Free Speech Crisis in the UK: Graham Linehan’s Ordeal [05:49–08:05]
- Context: British comedian Graham Linehan faced police investigation over “offensive” tweets.
- Shapiro’s Analysis:
- Urges the US to leverage its economic and legal weight against allies like the UK for free speech abuses.
- Warns about the impact on American tech/social media companies, highlighting the global implications:
“How do you even operate in countries in Europe that have different speech standards? If it is now going to be a prosecutable offense. If you tweet something, then how exactly is Twitter supposed to set its policies for the United States?” [07:24]
- Connects this issue to “cultural rot” and “suicidal” policies in Western nations, referencing the UK’s stance on immigration and law enforcement double standards.
3. Shapiro’s New Book: "Lions and Scavengers" [08:05–09:28]
- Premise: Humanity is split between the “lions” (builders, innovators, defenders of civilization) and the “scavengers” (envious wreckers, tearing down institutions).
“Every morning we all have to get up and decide whether to be a lion or a scavenger.” [08:19]
- Shapiro asserts that attacking the successful “lions” spells doom for a society’s future.
4. The Cultural Reckoning on Transgender Issues & Public Apologies [09:28–11:07]
- Discussion: Malcolm Gladwell reverses his position on trans women in sports, after earlier supporting men in women’s athletics.
- Shapiro’s View:
"Forgiveness is usually the better alternative...We actually want to incentivize people to do this right...if we just kind of take their apology and then bootstomp them, then what we are actually doing is encouraging people not to reverse themselves, not to correct the mistakes of the past." [10:24]
5. Comedy Segment: Kamala Harris Book Tour Stunt [11:07–12:33]
- Running gag: Should Clay attend Kamala’s tour in a “Future Is Female” shirt with a Matt Walsh–style man bun?
- Shapiro’s tongue-in-cheek take:
“Of course, he has a moral—perhaps a biblical—obligation to that...he may be consigned to the everlasting flames of hell if he doesn't.” [11:55]
6. Will Kamala Run Again in 2028? [12:44–13:07]
- Shapiro’s prediction:
“Not in 2028. I mean, there are so many wineries in California. She has to get through first.” [13:02]
7. Masculinity, Democrats, and Losing "Normal Guys" [13:07–14:43]
- Clay Travis: Asks how Democrats can win back “normal dudes” who see the party as out of step with masculinity.
- Shapiro’s solution:
"How do you cosplay masculinity? ... Just go act in the world as a man and get caught on camera acting in the world as a man unapologetically... Democrats seem to have a very tough time with that and they keep apologizing for it." [13:54]
8. Literary Lightning Round – Narnia vs. Harry Potter [15:16–16:19]
- Buck: Challenges Shapiro to name the greatest kids’ series.
- Shapiro:
“You got to go. Chronicles of Narnia...doesn’t Christianity while you’re reading about lions—it’s cool.” [15:43]
- All three debate; Clay singles out J.K. Rowling as an “unexpected” hero for her gender critical stance. Shapiro strongly agrees:
“She really did not have to put herself out there. And the fact that she did...she’s awesome.” [16:19]
Notable Quotes
-
Ben Shapiro on performative virtue:
"Chris Martin is not the person who gets to bestow humanity upon you." [04:12]
-
Ben Shapiro on societal threats:
"Any civilization that takes the lions, the innovators...and then basically attacks them...is a civilization doomed to failure." [09:06]
-
On public apologies:
"We want to incentivize people to come forward and say, I got it wrong...If we just kind of take their apology and then bootstomp them, then...we are encouraging people not to reverse themselves." [10:24]
-
On Kamala Harris:
"Not in 2028. I mean, there are so many wineries in California. She has to get through first." [13:02]
-
On masculinity in politics:
"Just like being a normal dude actually isn’t that difficult for those of us who are dudes. But Democrats seem to have a very tough time with that..." [13:54]
-
On J.K. Rowling:
"She really did not have to put herself out there. And the fact that she did...she's awesome. Like, really, kudos to her." [16:19]
Additional News & Analysis
New York City Mayoral Rumors & Party Dysfunction [19:17–32:19]
- Clay and Buck discuss the potential of Trump offering Eric Adams a federal job to clear the mayoral field for Andrew Cuomo, reflecting on how poor Democratic leadership opens the door to radical challengers like Zohran Mamdani.
- Buck warns against letting ideological “commies” like Mamdani take power, while Clay argues for letting Democrats face the consequences of their own failed governance:
“Sometimes Democrats need to experience the consequences of their own choices in order to recognize that it's a poor decision.” [32:19]
- The two riff on the sorry state of politics in NYC and Chicago, with mentions of property tax crises and rent control issues affecting local economies.
Memorable Moments
- Ben Shapiro calls Chris Martin a “schmuck” and delivers a blistering, comedic criticism of celebrity activism, setting the segment’s irreverent tone.
- The Kamala Harris “man bun and Future is Female shirt” dare evolves into a running joke, with Shapiro invoking “biblical obligation” [11:55], drawing raucous laughter.
- Lightning round on children’s lit: Narnia wins with a theological nod, while all hosts give props to J.K. Rowling for courage.
- Fast food debate closes the hour, with Clay’s “Chick-fil-A is flawless all day long,” and Buck as an unrepentant Shake Shack fan for its gluten-free options, despite its politics [41:13–41:33].
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [02:22] – Coldplay’s Chris Martin virtue signaling and Shapiro’s reaction
- [05:49] – Graham Linehan, free speech and Western decline
- [08:05] – “Lions and Scavengers” book premise
- [09:28] – Handling reversals on transgender sports and public apologies
- [11:55] – Kamala Harris tour, the “man bun” dare
- [13:54] – How Democrats lost masculine voters and the authenticity problem
- [15:43] – Narnia vs. Harry Potter, Rowling’s defense of gender reality
- [19:17] – NYC mayoral drama: Adams, Cuomo, and the left’s civil war
- [32:19] – Clay and Buck’s debate on letting Democrats “feel the pain” of their own policies
- [41:13] – Favorite fast food confessionals
Tone & Style
The discussion is brisk, irreverent, and direct, with the hosts and Shapiro not shying away from barbs, satire, or sharp critiques. Despite weighty content (media bias, cultural decline, threats to free speech) the hour avoids becoming dour, maintaining a sense of conversational play—with intentional jabs, self-deprecating humor, and pop culture asides.
Conclusion
This hour serves as an exemplar of right-of-center cultural analysis—combining thought-provoking commentary, best-selling author Ben Shapiro’s provocative views, and plenty of comedic ballast. Whether wielding Yiddish insults, dissecting the gender wars, or simply defending Chick-fil-A, the segment offers listeners pointed takes on modern controversies, while always keeping the banter lively and self-aware.