The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 3 – Radio Reveals You
Date: September 12, 2025
Podcast: by iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

The third hour of this episode is a somber, impassioned reflection on the aftermath of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton grapple with the tragedy, its implications for political discourse, and the media’s response. They analyze public statements, listener reactions, and the way violence and polarization are shaping the current American moment. The show features open lines for audience engagement and closes with a heartfelt call for togetherness, empathy, and personal connection.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Capture of Charlie Kirk's Alleged Assassin

[02:48]

• Buck Sexton breaks the news that the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk has turned himself in, reportedly encouraged by his father.
• The hosts discuss the dual track of public grieving and the need to pursue justice.
• Buck emphasizes the gravity of the tragedy:
  “For those of us who are just deeply affected by this, it’s one thing to understand what happened here and to process what happened here—for Charlie’s family, I can only just pray for them and our hearts just go out to them. The whole thing has been so unbelievably painful and obviously such an egregious evil.”
  — Buck Sexton [03:43]

2. Reaction from Donald Trump

[04:47]

• Trump’s reaction is played and dissected, focusing on his hope for a guilty verdict and death penalty, and commentary on the media’s response: “Charlie Kirk was the finest person… Even the Left is having a hard time…”
  — Donald Trump [04:47]

3. Media and Corporate Response

MSNBC & Comcast Statement
[06:11] – [10:26]

• Clay shares a statement issued by Comcast executives—rare in its public apology and call for unity following the event.
• The letter denounces violence, advocates civil discourse, and acknowledges MSNBC parting ways with a contributor over an insensitive comment.
• Clay reflects on the unusually public and remorseful tone: “I think these three guys that wrote this letter, I think this is them basically saying we are ashamed of the product that we are putting out.”
  — Clay Travis [09:23]
• Buck is skeptical:
  “A lot of these companies will put out a statement to give themselves some cover for the continuation of what they’ve been doing all along.”
  — Buck Sexton [10:31]

4. The Role of Shame and the Business Side of Media

[12:39] – [15:25]

• Clay argues that “shame is important” and that corporate leaders may be feeling genuine embarrassment about the state of political discourse and their own networks—even if MSNBC is primarily a prestige play rather than a profit engine.
• Both hosts debate whether the behavior of media elites is driven by shame or strategic self-preservation.

5. Genuine Outrage vs. Media Cynicism

[15:25] – [17:48]

• Buck stresses the moral clarity of the situation:
  “Anyone who reacted to what happened to our friend Charlie with anything other than the most gut level and soul crushing revulsion is not someone that any person of decency, kindness, courage, intellectual honesty should listen to, spend any time watching, or have anything to do with as a consumer of their content.”
  — Buck Sexton [15:45]
• The conversation touches on how quickly some on the left and within certain media ecosystems seem unable or unwilling to express basic human empathy.

6. Listener Reactions and Call-Ins

[22:42] – [24:19]; [26:32] – [28:24]; [33:04] – [34:03]

• Kelly in Raleigh, NC, relates the personal pain of losing family to violence and expresses distress at academic environments that teach children to distrust their parents.
• Joe, a truck driver from Mississippi, offers a strong opinion on punishment for the assassin, asserting, “Death is too good for this young man. I think he needs to go to Gitmo…” [26:32]
• JJ, a conservative Black listener, shares his anger at seeing people celebrating Kirk’s death:
  “I’m a black man, and all I see is blacks going all over the place praising… putting down this man for being assassinated when they don’t even have a clue what he said. As a black man, what am I supposed to do? As a conservative black man, how am I supposed to do it? I wash my hands of them.”
  — JJ [27:56]
• Clay suggests pushing back by calmly engaging with critics and asking for specifics.

7. The Nature of Radio and Public Perception

[29:45] – [33:04]

• There’s a lighthearted detour about radio authenticity and the impossibility of “acting” for three hours daily.
• Clay and Buck describe their prep process—minimal and organic—to stress their honesty and transparency with listeners.

8. Social Media, Grief, and Personal Advice

[37:05] – [38:48]

• Clay advises listeners (and his own family) to avoid social media noise after tragedies, emphasizing the value of personal, face-to-face connections:
  “Judge people by what you see them do and how you know them. Don’t judge people by what other people who don’t know them at all say.”
  — Clay Travis [37:46]
• Buck reflects:
  “The Satanic would dance on their graves is actually one of the clearest symbols, indicators of the good that they stood for, the righteousness that they were fighting for, the impact that they had…”
  — Buck Sexton [38:02]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Corporate Responsibility and Apology:
  “This is a first, I will say.”
  — Buck Sexton on Comcast’s statement [09:16]

• On Radio vs. Social Media Judgement:
  “It’s impossible to be an actor and do radio. You reveal your inner soul and your essence, for good or ill.”
  — Clay Travis [29:50]

• On Finding Meaning in Tragedy:
  “The worst among us would celebrate them being gone is proof of how important they were in the fight, how much they stood on the front lines, how much they changed lives…”
  — Buck Sexton [38:02]

• On Support and Community:
  “I hope that we have helped you just a little bit… Hug your kids. Call mom and dad… Don’t take that for granted.”
  — Clay Travis (closing segment) [44:07]

• On Cherishing Life:
  “Every day is a gift. Every day you have, you don’t know how many are left. So… Make sure you say the things that you know you should say and you want to say and don’t leave anything unsaid.”
  — Buck Sexton [46:26]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment Description | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Breaking news: Charlie Kirk assassin captured | [02:48] | | Donald Trump’s reaction and call for justice | [04:47] | | Comcast/MSNBC public statement shared and analyzed | [06:11–10:26] | | Buck: “First” time seeing such a corporate apology | [09:16] | | Debate: shame, media motives, and the role of business in politics | [12:39–15:25] | | Buck’s impassioned monologue about moral clarity and the media | [15:25–17:48] | | Listener calls and personal stories (Kelly, Joe, JJ, Greg) | [22:42+; 26:32+; 33:04+] | | Radio authenticity and preparation talk | [29:45–33:04] | | Social media advice during grief | [37:05] | | On the meaning behind “haters” dancing on graves | [38:02] | | Closing reflections: cherishing loved ones and gratitude | [44:07–46:46] |

Tone and Language

The episode mixes emotional gravity with conversational warmth. Buck and Clay speak candidly, often addressing listeners directly—sometimes with heartbreak, sometimes with humor, always with urgency and authenticity. Listener calls deepen the emotional resonance, reinforcing the hosts’ insistence on empathy, honesty, and staying grounded in real, personal relationships rather than politics-driven outrage.

Conclusion

Hour 3 of this episode is a powerful exploration of the human and societal consequences of political violence. Travis and Sexton advocate for healing, civil discourse, and personal resilience in the face of tragedy and polarization. With listener participation and raw candor, the hour stands as both a eulogy and a rallying cry for decency and unity in troubled times.