The Megyn Kelly Show – Episode 1230 Title: Iran Tensions Rise, CBS News Flop, and "Landman" Slams Pronouns, with Emily Jashinsky, Isabel Brown, and Hayley Caronia
Date: January 14, 2026
Host: Megyn Kelly
Guests: Emily Jashinsky, Isabel Brown, Hayley Caronia

Overview

This episode tackled pressing global and domestic issues, including escalating tensions between the US and Iran, media failures at CBS Evening News, rising extreme activism in the US, generational dating culture shifts, and new developments in Hollywood’s child abuse scandal. Megyn Kelly and her guests offered sharp, provocative, and sometimes humorous takes on the shortcomings of political leadership, media authenticity, and modern social movements.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalation with Iran and Foreign Policy Uncertainty

[07:00 – 36:00]

• Troop Movements and Risks:

  • US evacuation of troops from Al Udeid base in Qatar amid fears of Iranian retaliation.
  • Iran warns Gulf nations and the US of reprisals if military action is launched.
  • Speculation about the extent and purpose of US troop withdrawals—preparation for action or just heightened caution.

• Nature of Iranian Protests:

  • Iranians are driving the uprising, seeking regime change and distancing from American/Israeli influence.
  • Megyn: “Actual Iranians...they want to get rid of the Ayatollah, and they don't want it suggested that this is an Israeli directed thing or a US directed thing.” [05:55]

• Uncertainty about Succession and Regime Change:

  • No clear plan for post-Ayatollah leadership. CNN has platformed Reza Pahlavi, but he lacks a domestic constituency.
  • Quote: “Who?...It's not him...the Iranians haven’t been clamoring for Reza Pahlavi.” [07:00]
  • Dangers of US or Israeli fingerprints on any regime change, referencing the CIA/Mossad’s historical involvement.

• Lessons from Military History:

  • Emily Jashinsky warns against overconfidence derived from prior successful operations (Venezuela, nuclear strikes in Iran).
  • “What worries me is that confidence can get dangerous because you don't want to be in a position where...you're going to continue beating the odds around the world. And Iran is a very, very, very complicated country.” [15:32]

• Comparisons to Past Interventions:

  • Iraq and Afghanistan serve as grim reminders of unintended consequences.
  • On the institutional resilience of Iran’s regime, quoting Yashar Ali: “The Islamic Republic...is a vast enterprise...while the supreme leader enjoys absolute power, authority is exercised through an entrenched system that was deliberately designed...to survive leadership changes and internal crises.” [25:44]

• Cynicism and Caution around “Empathy-Driven” Foreign Policy:

  • Glenn Greenwald’s skepticism highlighted: “If you believe...our government is just pro democracy...he's got a bridge to sell you. You know, it’s about the oil...or about backing a strong ally, Israel…” [30:23]

• Trump’s Approach:

  • Both Megyn and Emily suggest Trump is cautious, listening to all sides, and does not want a ‘forever war’.
  • “I genuinely believe that. But I would love an explanation...I hope it's better and more fulsome than we got after Venezuela...” [33:48]

• Iran’s Threats and Dangerous Escalation:

  • Direct threats aired against Trump, reminding listeners that “Trump does not like looking weak” and could be pushed into action by perceived taunts. [36:39]
  • “Trump can be taunted into doing something he otherwise kind of wants to do anyway...” – Megyn [38:09]

2. Minneapolis Aftermath and Extremist Activism

[42:00 – 52:00]

• Civil Rights Lawsuit Looms:

  • Family of Renee Good (shot by ICE) hires same legal team that represented George Floyd’s family.
  • Megyn: “You hire them to sue and get what the family of George Floyd got, which was a $27 million settlement.” [41:31]

• Federal Prosecutors Resign in Protest:

  • Outrage over the government’s perceived lack of aggression in prosecuting law enforcement.
  • Emily: “Are the remaining career bureaucrats across the administrative state just waiting for moments like this where they can dramatically quit and leak it to the media?” [42:01]

• Escalating Leftist Rhetoric and Violence:

  • Audio montages of activists openly advocating for violence against ICE and police, escalating rhetoric from “protest” to “combat”.
    • “We’re at war. The protests are over. This is combat now...you’re about to find out, like your military father said, freedom isn’t free.” [44:50–46:01, C]

• Hypocrisy and Performance of Activism:

  • Megyn mocks activists’ rapid switch from bravado to pleas: “I’m just a mom. Please!” [49:50]
  • Emily’s sardonic take: “People are just being hyped up into this position...they totally fold.” [50:08]

3. Media Critique: CBS News’ “Topra” Dokopoul Debut

[53:20 – 62:20]

• New Anchor, Disastrous Ratings:

  • Tony Dokoupil (nicknamed “Topra” for his emotional style) presiding over a 23% ratings drop.
    • “Since he took over year over year, they are down 23%...They have lost one quarter of their audience.” [57:19]
  • Megyn skewers his “patronizing,” self-important delivery: “Just fucking deliver the news...stop trying to handhold your audience like they’re a bunch of babies.” [55:41]

• Audience Wants Authenticity and Hard News:

  • Emily: “Everyone wants their news delivered with authenticity...just treat them like adults and say, you're smart enough to figure this out on your own.” [57:19]
  • New York Times reports CBS leadership wants “something with viral potential every night.” Megyn’s response: “You want to go just do the news. The news is the star.” [62:06]

4. Hollywood Abuse Allegations: The Timothy Busfield Case

[63:00 – 104:05]

• Breaking News:

  • Tim Busfield (actor/director) arrested for alleged molestation of two 7-year-old boys. Additional accuser (16-year-old girl) appears.
    • “Wow, that's...I mean, this is just growing, Isabelle. And it's not going in the right direction for him.” – Megyn [101:18]
    • Police affidavit alleges pattern of abuse, discusses studio (Warner Bros) as uncooperative.

• Deception Detection Analysis:

  • Megyn presents an AI lie detector’s conclusion: “deceptive behavior indicated” in Busfield’s denial video. [69:58]
  • “He was bringing in all of this different stuff...logically, that sets your lie radar off.” – Emily [69:58]
  • Megyn’s reference: “A truth teller runs toward the truth. If the truth is your ally, you run toward it.” [76:37]

• Hollywood and Child Abuse Culture:

  • Discussion of systemic issues: “We’ve heard from Corey Feldman, we Heard what happened at Nickelodeon. This is not the first and only story we’ve heard along these lines.” [71:16]

5. Gen Z Dating, Masculinity, and the "Landman" Pronoun Debate

[84:37 – 104:05] (with Isabel Brown & Hayley Caronia)

• Activism Meets Dating (“Dating While Protesting”):

  • Viral video: woman seeking a partner willing to “go fuck shit up” with her at protests, later found weeping and isolated.
    • “You tell me...whether she is crying over what’s happening on the streets of Minneapolis or the fact that girl can’t get a date.” – Megyn [86:13]
  • Isabel: “This concept of millennial women embracing toxic empathy is so, so important...They are really good people if they go out and they hit police officers, with their car or they're protesting...and they're a really bad person if they believe in objective reality.” [87:01]

• Gen Z Men Not Dating Due to “Approach Anxiety”:

  • Single men, especially on the left, are afraid to approach women for fear of being labeled toxic or creepy.
    • “You're not going to swoon anyone if you don't have the balls to go up and ask them out to begin with.” – Hayley [88:45]
    • “We've created an entire culture for young men to just choose to self-censor upfront…” – Isabel [90:38]
    • Stat: 72% of women 18–30 want to be approached more. [91:45]

• Critique of Feminism’s Side-Effects:

  • Megyn: “Men are programmed genetically to be the pursuers, to come after the prey, to be the lion. And women enjoy that. Most normal women love to be pursued.” [91:45]

• “Landman” Clip and Pronoun Pushback:

  • Viral scene from Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman” mocked they/them pronouns in college roommate assignments.
    • “I don't have time for all that hoopla. I think what you're watching now...is Gen Z moving on and saying, it's enough. We're not doing this anymore.” – Isabel [96:54]
  • Hayley: “I would take the imaginary friend roommate over the they them roommate from Minneapolis any day.” [97:40]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Megyn (on US foreign policy hubris):
  “We have no idea what's behind door number one, two, or three. But so far, like, what I'm seeing, neither option seems like the Lamborghini. Right?” [27:45]

• Emily (on media evolution):
  “The good news about new independent media is that there is this kind of cacophony of different opinions...you present all of the different viewpoints fairly.” [32:13]

• On Tony Dokoupil “Topra” and CBS:

  • “He’s giving Stuart Smalley vibes. We're good enough, we're smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like us.” – Megyn [55:41]

• On dating culture:

  • “You're not going to swoon anyone if you don't have the balls to go up and ask them out to begin with.” – Hayley [88:45]

• On the “Landman” pronoun debate:

  • “You could identify as a sunflower. You know, I've been told I look like one.” [95:08]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Iran Tensions and Foreign Policy: [07:00 – 36:00]
• Minneapolis/ICE/Far-Left Activism: [42:00 – 52:00]
• CBS & Tony Dokoupil Critique: [53:20 – 62:20]
• Timothy Busfield Abuse Allegations: [63:00 – 104:05]
• Gen Z Culture Panel (Dating, Pronouns, “Landman”): [84:37 – 104:05]

Tone and Style

• Unfiltered, skeptical, often humorous, and brutally direct.
• Willingness to include explicit and emotional reactions: “fuck, yeah, let's do it. They want. They want to be free, and we want to help them. We're the United States of America. Fucking A. Sorry.” [30:23]
• Empathy for both the challenges of foreign citizens and American youth, while also expressing deep cynicism about institutions and propaganda.

For More:

• Find Emily Jashinsky’s podcast “After Party” on all platforms.
• Isabel Brown (The Isabel Brown Show, Daily Wire) & Hayley Caronia (Nightly Scroll, Silverlock).

End of episode.