The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Hour 3: Not a Both Sides Thing
Date: September 19, 2025
Host: Buck Sexton (Clay Travis out)
Guest: Carol Markowitz
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This hour of “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show” features Buck Sexton solo in the host chair, joined by guest Carol Markowitz. The discussion navigates current hot-button issues in news, politics, and culture with a specific focus on the fallout surrounding Jimmy Kimmel’s public controversy and firing, the cultural and political aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, online influences on children and parenting in the digital era, and the polarization of political discourse in America. The episode is marked by sharp, often humorous commentary, with candid insights on cancel culture, media hypocrisy, parenting values, and generational culture clashes.

Main Discussion Points & Key Segments

1. Cancel Culture, Jimmy Kimmel, and the Media Double Standard

[03:38-10:05]

Why Was Jimmy Kimmel Fired?

• Buck and Carol dissect the recent firing of TV host Jimmy Kimmel after he allegedly lied on air regarding the shooter in the Charlie Kirk assassination case and then refused to apologize to his network.
• Carol notes that left-wing voices are rallying around Kimmel, making a false First Amendment argument, while ignoring the reality that Kimmel was terminated over insubordination and dishonesty—not free speech restrictions.

“If we lied on our show and our bosses told us to apologize and we didn’t, we’d be out of a show, too.”
—Carol Markowitz [05:05]

The Left’s Response, Media Hypocrisy, and “Owning the Narrative”

• The broader context is the left’s “quiet” reaction to Charlie Kirk’s death due to political embarrassment and the desperate shifting of focus onto Kimmel’s firing.
• Brian Stelter is referenced both for his past comments about “reducing a liar’s reach” (not censorship) and for his current agitation over Kimmel.

“In 2021, Brian Stelter … said, ‘Reducing a liar’s reach is not the same as censoring freedom of speech.’”
—Carol Markowitz [06:43]

Partisan Comedy and Audience Alienation

• The hosts agree Kimmel and Colbert’s comedy is highly partisan, alienating half the country and leading to ratings decline.
• Carol asserts, “He’s so deeply unfunny that I think his ratings continue to decrease. I think they just decided now is a good time to get rid of him.” [06:58]

2. Free Speech, Corporate Power, and the Supreme Court

[08:51-10:05]

• Buck reviews Supreme Court precedent: unless government coercion can be directly proven, corporate decisions (like firing Kimmel) aren’t legally censorship.
• The evolving media landscape is discussed, along with the positive “vibe shift” since Trump’s reelection for right-leaning voices.

3. Parenting in a Hyper-connected World: Digital Dangers and Values

[11:12-16:05]

Carol’s Parenting “Guru” Role

• Buck asks Carol, as a mother of three, on practical and philosophical ways to keep kids safe from harmful online influences.

Safety and Setting Boundaries

• No TikTok allowed; Carol openly communicates rules and values to her children, explaining dangers without room for negotiation.
• Strict enforcement: any rule-breaking leads to immediate device/Internet suspension.
• Children are not allowed to chat with strangers in games; parents must “be the parent.”

“Your kids, your rules, and keep those rules tight.”
—Carol Markowitz [13:57]

Social Platforms, Twitch, and Parental Vigilance

• The explosion of platforms like Twitch is acknowledged as a new front parents need to monitor.
• Device access is tailored to individual maturity (“do it from whatever age feels right to you with your individual kid”).
• Conservative parents are urged not to be passive: “Tell your kids your values. Say the words; tell them what you want them to think... My opinions are the right one. That's what I want my kids to understand.”

—Carol Markowitz [14:48]

4. Mailbag, Listeners, and Generational Fight over Gender and Ideology

[21:03-25:30]

• Buck reads a striking email from a retired psychiatrist who contrasts the rigorous requirements for gender transition in the 1970s with the vastly looser current environment, attributing changes to emotional and political momentum rather than science.
• The hosts lament the erasure of safety checks and stress being open about family beliefs to buffer against ideological capture.

5. AOC, Charlie Kirk Legacy, and the Myth of “Both Sides”

[25:30-38:00]

AOC’s Opposition to Charlie Kirk Resolution

• Buck plays and critiques a soundbite in which Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) attacks the late Charlie Kirk as “ignorant, uneducated, and someone who sought to disenfranchise millions.”
• He blasts the “disenfranchise” charge as hollow, highlighting how Kirk was open to direct discussion and debate at campus events.

“Charlie was offering to enfranchise anybody willing to come up to a microphone, and the left killed him for it ... He didn't call people names, he didn't curse at them—none of that. Let's just talk about this.”
—Buck Sexton [27:19]

“Not a Both Sides Thing”

• Buck argues political violence and censorship culture are overwhelmingly on the left, giving examples from his own college experience and contrasting left and right speakers’ campus receptions.

“This is not a both sides thing. We are the ones who do things with some respect and civility, and they simply do not.”
—Buck Sexton [38:00]

• He foreshadows AOC’s possible rising influence and the challenges of her “airhead” style, but concedes her political savvy.

Notable Quotes

• “The idea that half the country is being alienated by what your host is saying, that’s a real problem for these networks… Eventually the bottom line starts to matter.”
  —Carol Markowitz [10:05]

• “If there would be such a thing as a mercy rule in a debate, if we could have had Charlie and AOC on a stage together… it would have been an absolute butt kicking. We all know that. And I think AOC even knows that.”
  —Buck Sexton [37:50]

Listener Segment & Twitch Explainer

[45:16-46:41]

• “Geralyn,” a real Twitch streamer, calls in to explain how Twitch works: it’s essentially a live version of YouTube, where viewers watch content creators (mainly video gamers but also knitters, D&D players, etc.) and interact via chat.
  • “As a viewer, you can communicate with other viewers in the chat … It’s more of a presentation where I am presenting my content and then everyone can watch and interact.”
    —Geralyn [45:16]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:38] – Carol Markowitz joins to discuss Jimmy Kimmel fallout
• [05:05] – Kimmel’s firing: cancel culture or accountability?
• [06:43] – Brian Stelter’s media hypocrisy
• [10:05] – TV polarization, bottom line vs. mission
• [12:07] – Parenting and Internet risks, setting boundaries
• [13:57] – The rise of Twitch and new online ecosystems
• [21:03] – Mailbag: generational shifts in gender ideology & medical standards
• [25:30] – AOC’s condemnation of Charlie Kirk’s legacy
• [38:00] – The campus “not a both sides thing” argument
• [45:16] – Twitch explained by a real-life streamer

Memorable Moments

• Buck pokes fun at AOC’s debate skills: “If there would be such a thing as a mercy rule in a debate… it would have been an absolute butt kicking.”
• Cultural shift post-Trump: Carol declares a “major vibe shift” in mainstream and corporate media response to political content.
• Parenting confessional: Buck jokes about his own “baby dad skills” and Carol’s sage advice on letting trusted babysitters into his circle (“You can leave the baby for a couple of hours”).

Closing Notes

The episode balances sharp political critique with conversations about cultural trends and family life, offering listeners not just the latest take on headline news but also actionable advice and relatable moments. The central throughline: don’t accept the “both sides” narrative when it comes to cancel culture, ideological hate, or violence—there is a real and widening divide in how each political camp treats discourse, respect, and dissent.