Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 3 - The Original Viral Content
Date: January 9, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts
Notable Guest: Brianna Lyman (The Federalist)
Main Theme: The intersection of history, media virality, and current events—including the 250th anniversary of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, lessons from the American Revolution, and an in-depth discussion of controversial law enforcement incidents in today’s America.

Brief Overview

Hour 3 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show dives into the enduring impact of historical ideas on American identity, using the 250th anniversary of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense as a jumping-off point. Clay, Buck, and guest Brianna Lyman reflect on the power of clear communication in motivating collective action, then pivot to contemporary debates about media coverage, law enforcement, and accountability in the age of viral content. The episode also features lighter moments around Chicago culinary oddities and listener calls.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Common Sense: The Original Viral Content

[02:12 - 08:50]

• Historical Context:
  Brianna Lyman highlights the release of Common Sense as a transformative, accessible communication event—comparing its role to modern "viral" phenomena.

  • "Thomas Paine has a very good prose where he is able to deliver the ideas of the revolution...in a way that the average farmer or shopkeeper can understand."
    — Brianna Lyman [04:24]
  • Clay and Buck discuss how, even without social media, Common Sense became a best-seller, powerfully shifting opinion in the colonies.

• Impact on Revolutionary Sentiment:
  The pamphlet urged colonists to trust their feelings of injustice and consider rebellion—crucially moving public opinion toward independence.

  • "This pamphlet helps push so many people over the edge, and it basically becomes the biggest bestseller aside from the Bible in 1776."
    — Brianna Lyman [05:05]

• The Downfall and Redemption of Paine’s Reputation:
  Despite his impact, Paine later became alienated due to radicalism and quarrels with other founders, notably falling out with George Washington.

  • "When Paine died a few years later, only six people attended his funeral...now, of course, we look back and say this pamphlet changed the course of the revolution."
    — Brianna Lyman [06:07]

2. How to Connect with History Today

[06:56 - 12:57]

• Recommended Reading:
  Lyman suggests reading Common Sense, John Dickinson’s Letters from a Farmer, and the founders’ primary correspondence—while cautioning against overly politicized retellings of history.

  • "Primary documents are extremely important. Reading letters...from John Adams, Hamilton, Hancock, that's going to be where you're going to feel the spirit of the revolution."
    — Brianna Lyman [07:33]

• History for the Digital Age:
  She promotes her "Countdown to Freedom"—a daily two-minute history digest on Twitter, inspired by her own family ties to the Revolution.

  • "Every day in two minutes or less, I want to walk viewers through what was happening on this day in 1776...the revolution was not easy...it was not given to us. It was won by blood and sacrifice and a lot of turmoil."
    — Brianna Lyman [08:50]

• Institutional Resources & Pop Culture:
  Lyman recommends the Claremont Institute, Charles Kessler, Glenn Elmer, Joseph Ellis’s The Cause, and films like The Patriot and Gettysburg to immerse oneself in the spirit and complexities of American history.

3. Modern Political Leaders vs. Founding Fathers

[09:51 - 11:51]

• Decline in Historical Knowledge:
  The hosts lament the lack of deep historical and religious grounding among today's politicians.
  • "The other thing that they had that we just do not have is they had a robust religious atmosphere...Christianity was the impetus for the entire revolution."
    — Brianna Lyman [10:50]
  • "They don't really have a compass to guide them except for whatever is, you know, the flavor of the month. And that's the problem."
    — Brianna Lyman [11:35]

4. Media, Viral Video, and Law Enforcement Controversies

[12:57 - 35:33]

• Body Cam Footage & The Minneapolis Shooting:
  Buck and Clay react to the release of law enforcement body cam footage involving ICE/CBP officers, contrasting Fox News’s coverage with CNN and MSNBC, and criticizing the selective framing by "legacy media."

  • "That becomes still has not played at MSNBC or cnn but again Fox News now playing the video that we have been talking about for the last hour or so that has gone viral..." — Buck Sexton [02:12]

• Political Reaction and Narrative Control:
  They highlight responses from politicians like Tim Walz and Tina Kotek—arguing that comparing current events to Gettysburg or blaming the Trump administration for law enforcement actions is misleading and inflammatory.

  • "He doubles down on that and publicly basically says we're in like a little quasi civil war at the federal government..." — Brianna Lyman [13:54]

• Media Incentives and Activism:
  Clay contends that some activists are deliberately seeking confrontations to create viral, politicizable incidents, while the left hopes for law enforcement overreach to gain political leverage.

  • "They're hoping that there is some sort of violent confrontation. That's the goal. This woman's wife, 'Drive, baby, drive.' She wanted there to be a confrontation. Her spouse got killed because they created this accelerant situation..." — Clay Travis [26:47]

• Legal Double Standards:
  The hosts note the disparity between how the left treats the obstruction of ICE operations vs. protests at abortion clinics.

  • "When civilians...block...an abortion clinic. Democrats will lock you up for years. But ICE operations, you can stand in the middle and try to...obstruct law enforcement..." — Buck Sexton [33:16]

• Call for Political Solidarity:
  Clay suggests Trump invite the ICE officer involved in the Minneapolis incident to the State of the Union, to show support for law enforcement and underscore the importance of upholding the law.

5. Listener Calls & Lighthearted Moments

[17:15 - 23:51, 37:57 - End]

• Liquor & Local Culture:
  Producer Michael from Chicago describes Malort as “like licking a tire after chewing aspirin” [17:41], spawning jokes about regional food and drinks.

• Food Debates & Philly Cheesesteaks:
  Listeners call in to defend Philadelphia’s cheesesteaks after Buck’s disparaging comments.

• Historical Police Shootings:
  Sue from Houston recalls the 2017 shooting of an unarmed woman in Minnesota by a Somali officer, contrasting the media and public reactions based on racial dynamics [38:56].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[Common Sense] basically becomes the biggest bestseller aside from the Bible in 1776.”
  — Brianna Lyman [05:05]

• “[Pamphleteers were] kind of the original viral content, right?”
  — Clay Travis [05:36]

• “If all men are created in God's image, all men must be equal. They applied that fundamental Christian teaching to every single thing they did. That was the basis for the entire revolution.”
  — Brianna Lyman [10:50]

• “Left wingers would gladly have ICE agents kill innocent people... because politically it would advantage them.”
  — Clay Travis [26:47]

• “They want accelerants to occur. They want these situations to be created so that they can gain political advantage from them.”
  — Buck Sexton [28:36]

• “They don't really have a compass to guide them except for whatever is, you know, the flavor of the month. And that's the problem.”
  — Brianna Lyman [11:35]

• “[Producer Mike:] Malort... it’s like licking a tire after chewing aspirin. It’s like cough syrup and betrayal had a baby. It is awful.”
  — Producer Michael from Chicago [17:41]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:12] — Discussion opens on the ICE/CBP shooting and viral body cam footage.
• [04:24] — Brianna Lyman contextualizes Common Sense as the original viral content.
• [05:36] — The importance of Paine’s pamphlet and its mass impact.
• [06:56] — Book and resource recommendations for American history.
• [08:50] — “Countdown to Freedom” mini-history videos and motivations.
• [09:51] — Differences between Founders’ education/historical grounding and today’s politicians.
• [12:57] — Media bias and law enforcement incidents.
• [17:41] — Lighthearted segment on Malort, Chicago’s “worst liquor.”
• [26:47] — Minimization of video evidence by media and political reactions.
• [33:16] — Legal double standards in protest laws.
• [38:56] — Caller references contrasting media narratives in police shootings.

Tone & Language

The episode mixes earnest, impassioned discussions about American history, legal double standards, and media framing, with the hosts’ characteristic humor and banter (especially regarding food and drinks). Brianna Lyman brings academic insight and personal passion for connecting listeners to primary sources and the real complexity of the revolution.

Takeaways for Listeners

• The power of communication—then and now—in shaping collective action and national direction.
• The importance of historical context, both in understanding the American founding and today’s culture wars.
• A critical eye toward how viral media, activism, and partisan narratives shape public perceptions of law enforcement and justice.
• The value of reading primary documents and seeking out robust, intellectually rigorous institutions and resources for meaningful historical understanding.
• Appreciation for the show’s blend of serious debate, humor, and audience participation.