The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Hour 3 – Hollywood Freefall

Date: April 2, 2026

Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Overview:

In this episode titled “Hollywood Freefall,” Clay Travis and Buck Sexton cover a mix of breaking political headlines and major cultural issues, focusing especially on California’s political turmoil, the decline of Hollywood, and national legal debates. Special guests include California lawyer and commentator Katie Zachariah and author and pundit Ann Coulter, who offer sharp insights into attorney general appointments, California's gubernatorial landscape, and the Supreme Court’s recent immigration cases. The hosts also field passionate listener feedback, discuss the decline of the entertainment industry, and debate the impact of current policies on both local life and national law.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Breaking News & California's Attorney General Shakeup

[01:34 - 02:51]

• Buck announces Pam Bondi’s firing as Attorney General, with rumors swirling about her next steps and the impact on Trump’s administration.
• Guest Katie Zachariah (lawyer): Praises alternative choices for AG, notably Todd Blanche, describing him as “savage” and “cutthroat” for his strong legal defense of Trump.
  • Quote (02:51, Katie Zachariah):
    “Todd Blanche... stood behind President Trump during the off years. He risked his career to defend him in court. He is savage and he is cutthroat and I absolutely like him.”

The Eric Swalwell Factor & California's Political Crisis

[03:28 - 07:01]

• Discussion centers on rumors about Eric Swalwell’s gubernatorial ambitions despite scandals involving alleged Chinese espionage connections. Zachariah suggests Democrats stick with Swalwell due to a lack of viable alternatives.
  • Quote (04:24, Katie Zachariah):
    “They’re banking on Swalwell because they don’t have anyone else... What he doesn’t have against him is he has good hair.”
• Buck expresses disbelief that Swalwell remains electable after such national security concerns.
  • Quote (05:22, Buck Sexton):
    “Isn’t it crazy, Katie, that he could be having allegedly a sexual relationship with a Chinese spy...? I just can't believe that he's electable anywhere.”
• Zachariah highlights Democrats’ lack of strong candidates and forecasts that current mismanagement (economic, tax, energy, and industry collapse) could turn even California red.

Hollywood’s Decline: Causes and Implications

[07:01 - 11:06]

• Clay notes the historic downturn in Hollywood employment—up to 60–70% job loss, with productions moving to cheaper locations like Georgia, Ireland, Budapest, and Vancouver.
• Zachariah links the decline to bad governance, punitive taxes, cost of living, and “woke” content distancing Hollywood from American audiences.
  • Quote (08:05, Clay Travis):
    “The jobs are down, what, like 60, 70%? I mean it’s in free fall. Do people realize... this is because of policy?”
  • Quote (08:25, Katie Zachariah):
    “They’re selling woke. Woke. And people are now finding alternative forms of entertainment... looking towards alternative studios like Angel Studios...”
• Buck reminds listeners the decline impacts not just Hollywood elites but working-class Republicans in supporting roles—set builders, camera operators, etc.

Underrepresentation of Conservatives in California

[11:06 - 12:10]

• Zachariah contends that many Californians secretly align with conservative values, supporting Trump and opposing the current progressive status quo.
  • Quote (11:06, Katie Zachariah):
    “We feel like the unrepresented, underrepresented majority here... this state would not be blue and it would not even be deep blue. I think we would be purple to red.”

Listener Feedback & Podcast Expansion

[15:23 - 21:13]

• The hosts highlight the show’s evolution into a national media force, integrating listener feedback and upholding open debate, even with Democratic guests.
• Both host and callers express skepticism about Democrat candidates taking Republican positions and critique politicians' evasive answers regarding party loyalty.
  • Quote (16:45, Buck Sexton):
    “If someone voted for Kamala Harris over Donald Trump, I would be hard pressed to vote for them for any office in the country.”
• The hosts reinforce their commitment to fair questioning and respectful discourse, with equal time for major candidates.

Ann Coulter on the Supreme Court and Birthright Citizenship

[22:05 - 37:45]

The Supreme Court’s Immigration Debate

• Ann Coulter joins to discuss the Supreme Court’s debate on the Constitutional meaning of birthright citizenship, historically rooted in the 14th Amendment.
  • Quote (22:51, Ann Coulter):
    “The 14th Amendment... applied only to freed slaves... It was all about black Americans. That’s all it was about.”
• Coulter details historic cases, spotlighting how recent interpretations have lost touch with original intent and criticizing the confusion between legal and illegal immigrants.
  • Quote (24:47, Ann Coulter):
    “For the first 400 years... we weren’t a welfare state... Now we have a big illegal immigration problem.”
  • Ann critiques the “anchor baby” phenomenon as judicial and legislative overreach.
    • Quote (27:55, Ann Coulter):
      “Citizenship shouldn’t be a game of, you know, Red Rover. I beat you, I hid from border patrol, and dropped a baby.”

Media Narratives and Judicial Interpretations

• Coulter warns that mainstream media presumes outcomes before Supreme Court decisions are made and distorts the legal arguments for public consumption.
  • Quote (30:28, Ann Coulter):
    “The media—they’ve already decided how the case is coming out... But as Clay knows, you can never tell from oral argument.”

SCOTUS Personalities & AG Picks

• Buck presses Coulter to evaluate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s performance; Coulter contrasts her with prior liberal justices and credits her for certain nuanced positions.
• Ann’s fantasy picks for Attorney General: jokes about Dan Bongino, then earnestly suggests legal scholar Paul Cassell, lauding his integrity and work for crime victims’ rights.
  • Quote (36:33, Ann Coulter):
    “Paul Cassell. He’s brilliant. He wrote the Victims Civil Rights act... He was put on the 10th Circuit by Bush. He didn’t like being a judge. He’s absolutely brilliant.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Katie Zachariah, on Hollywood’s decline:
  “They’re selling woke. Woke. And people are now finding alternative forms of entertainment... looking towards alternative studios like Angel Studios.” (08:25)
• Buck Sexton, regarding Swalwell:
  “The idea that Eric Swalwell could be in charge of California, as bad as Gavin Newsom has been, I think Swalwell would be orders of magnitude worse.” (05:22)
• Ann Coulter on anchor babies:
  “This isn’t about birthright citizenship... a completely different category from... an eight month pregnant Mexican who runs across the border.” (27:55)
• Clay Travis on Democratic guests:
  “If AOC would come on this show, we would have her on... Respect will always be met with respect here.” (17:36)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:34 — Pam Bondi’s firing, speculation about new AG
• 02:51 — Katie Zachariah endorses Todd Blanche for AG
• 04:24 — Eric Swalwell’s political prospects in scandal-ridden California
• 07:01 — Hollywood job loss, policy-driven decline discussion
• 08:25 — Woke content and rise of alternative studios
• 11:06 — Underrepresentation of conservatives in California
• 15:23 — Listener reactions and show expansion
• 22:05 — Ann Coulter joins: SCOTUS and birthright citizenship
• 30:28 — Mainstream media misrepresentations on SCOTUS debate
• 36:33 — Coulter endorses Paul Cassell for AG

Closing Listener Callbacks & Lighthearted Moments

• Listeners thank the hosts for gifts and share humorous reactions to show pranks (40:34–41:33).
• Hosts reiterate the importance of community, support, and lively engagement.

Summary Tone & Language

The discussion is pointed, often humorous, and unabashedly conservative, blending legal analysis with cultural commentary and political strategy. The guests and hosts are candid, sometimes caustic, but maintain a conversational and accessible style.

For Further Engagement

• Ann Coulter’s Substack: In-depth legal writing on current SCOTUS cases
• Angel Studios: Example of alternative, non-woke entertainment platforms
• Legacy Box, Sabre Radio: Mentioned as personal endorsements (product segments skipped per instructions)