Michael REACTS To "Teen Takeovers"

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Michael Knowles Show

Episode: Michael REACTS To "Teen Takeovers"
Host: Michael Knowles (The Daily Wire)
Date: August 8, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Michael Knowles reacts to viral social media videos and media coverage of "Teen Takeovers" in cities across the United States. He critically examines the evolution and use of the term "teen takeover," discusses the racial and cultural dynamics surrounding the phenomenon, and offers commentary (often tongue-in-cheek) on the nature and consequences of these events. The episode features commentary from both Knowles and a producer/guest ("Prof Jacob"), who shares a surprising personal connection to the topic.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origin and Language of "Teen Takeovers"

• Knowles critiques "teen takeover" as a euphemism:
  • The mainstream media is now using this sanitized term to describe what he claims are frequently violent and destructive flash mobs, particularly involving "specifically black youth" ([00:30]).
  • He contrasts the innocent-sounding phrase with the serious actions it often describes: “It sounds kind of like, you know, when the pizza restaurant would do, like a special evening and all the teens would come by, you know, ‘teen takeover’ at the roller skating rink. But now a teen takeover is when young people, specifically black young people, commit assault, sometimes murder and arson and looting and vandalism.” ([00:41])
  • He notes that the term covers a wide range: from “girls kind of twerking on the street” to “masked militants fire explosives at a helicopter” ([06:39]).
  • Quote: "I think we need different terms for these things." – Michael Knowles ([06:39])

2. Reacting to Footage from Various Cities

• Long Beach “teen takeover” – described as relatively tame, mostly dancing: “If the worst you get is twerking...I can tolerate that level of teen takeover.” ([01:22])
• Chicago – described as much more serious: “Now that’s a little more…that’s kind of more what I was expecting. Kindling the fire of the car. Yeah. Okay. Oh, all right.” ([01:47])
  • Nostalgic comparison: “When I was a boy, we did like a boxcar derby…And times change. And now if you’re a teen takeover artist in Chicago, you just blow up cars in the middle of the street.” ([02:06])
• Orlando – teenagers fighting police and “surrounding the cops.”
  • Knowles reacts approvingly to police force: “Watching cops beat up young criminals, I’m all about. I would pay for that. I don’t even really like UFC…But watching cops just beat criminals in the street, I would get season tickets.” ([02:42])
• Clearwater, FL – running through the street and blocking traffic. “Don’t love blocking up traffic. But no, cars are on fire…Could be worse.” ([03:14])
• Escalating to fireworks and explosives: Knowles points out the shifting scale of these events, “Firing explosives in the middle of the street and a helicopter is…An amazing range of activities are implied by Teen Takeover.” ([06:39])

3. Producer/Guest “Prof Jacob” Personal Confession

• Producer Jacob (“Prof Jacob”) admits to participating in past ‘takeovers’:
  • “That last clip that you just watched...that’s an older clip. And I was there back in 2016ish. Before I found God, before I became conservative. I grew up in not the best part of LA and takeovers were like a weekend activity…” ([06:41])
  • Knowles, surprised: “I can’t tell is this a bit or…It’s not a bit. You actually did that.” ([07:04])
  • Jacob explains he went for the cars: “There were always cars at them and I liked cars.”
  • Humorous exchange on race and belonging:
    • Jacob: “It’s a lot of Hispanics do it too, but there’s also a lot of black people there. And then there was one Jew just standing in the corner.” ([07:31])
    • Knowles, jokingly: “Are you aware that you are neither black nor Hispanic?” ([07:36])
    • Jacob: “Culturally, I can be whatever.”
    • Knowles: “You could pass almost for either.”
  • Knowles summarizes: “I’d say the weapons and the violence is bad, but the cars are cool….Seems like a lot of doctors and engineers, future doctors and engineers, at these things. And one future live streamer, Professor Jacob.” ([07:47])

4. Racial Dynamics, History, and Social Commentary

• Audience member’s question (played via clip):

  • "At what point in history did white people peacefully protest ever?" ([08:38])
  • Asserts that black people were never allowed to protest peacefully and cites violence during the civil rights movement.

• Knowles’ response:

  • Rejects the premise: “There have been a zillion peaceful protests by white people throughout history. Most of the protests in the American Revolution, for instance. But really for just any social issue…White people are super peace.” ([08:57])
  • Suggests the real question is when whites tolerated black peaceful protest: “When have white people tolerated black people’s peaceful protest? You killed Martin Luther King, which is a totally different point.”
  • Argues that both white and black people have engaged in and tolerated protests, referencing BLM riots and acceptance by the mainstream, including white politicians: “Not only did white people tolerate that, white people participated in that. You had Mitt Romney…marching. I'm with BLM."
  • Quote: “If the upshot of all of it is we shouldn’t have teen takeovers, and if you’re going to have a teen takeover, it should be the kind of generally innocuous ones with just a little jiggling on the beach and not the Professor Jacob shooting AK47s at helicopters and running people over in cars, then okay, that’s fine.” ([09:38])

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Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• Michael Knowles on “Teen Takeover” euphemism:
  • “Now, in the old days, we called teen takeovers mobs of specifically black youth wreaking havoc...But the one that now specifically applies to young black people wreaking havoc, it’s called a teen takeover.” ([00:33])
• On escalation of violence:
  • “Notice what an amazing range of activities are implied by Teen Takeover. You get some, like, girls kind of twerking on the street...Down to masked militants fire explosives at a helicopter.” ([06:39])
  • “When I was a boy, we did like a boxcar derby…And now if you’re a teen takeover artist in Chicago, you just blow up cars in the middle of the street.” ([02:06])
• Responding to the guest’s (Jacob’s) past:
  • “You could pass almost for either [black or Hispanic].” ([07:43])
  • “I’d say the weapons and the violence is bad, but the cars are cool.” ([07:53])
• On peaceful protest and racial dynamics:
  • “There have been a zillion peaceful protests by white people throughout history. Most of the protests in the American Revolution...White people are super peace.” ([08:57])
• Summary close:
  • “If the upshot of all of it is we shouldn’t have teen takeovers, and if you’re going to have a teen takeover, it should be the kind of generally innocuous ones with just a little jiggling on the beach and not the Professor Jacob shooting AK47s at helicopters and running people over in cars, then okay, that’s fine. Those videos de radicalized me.” ([09:38])

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Major Timestamps

• [00:30] – Introduction to “teen takeover” term and euphemism
• [01:00–03:30] – Reactions to teen takeover videos from Long Beach, Chicago, Orlando, Clearwater
• [06:39] – Scale and range of “teen takeover” activities; critique of term
• [06:41–07:53] – Producer/guest Jacob shares personal past experience with takeovers
• [08:38] – Racial protest history and Knowles’ response

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Tone & Delivery

• Provocative and sarcastic: Knowles uses dry humor and hyperbole to make his points, often blending satire with cultural critique.
• Conversational: The interaction with the producer/guest adds informality and comic relief, particularly around their past experiences.
• Culturally conservative: The show frames events through a skeptical lens about progressive/“woke” media framing, focusing on perceived double standards.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

A new leftist euphemism has dropped. Have you heard of it? Do you know this new one? There's all sorts of woke jargon and politically correct terms, but the new one, this is my favorite one, is teen takeovers. Now, in the old days, we called teen takeovers mobs of specifically black youth wreaking havoc. And there were all sorts of terms for that, I guess. You know, there are mobs for when other races and other groups wreak havoc. But the one that now specifically applies to young black people wreaking havoc, it's called a teen takeover. It sounds kind of like, you know, when the pizza restaurant would do, like a special evening and all the teens would come by, you know, teen takeover at the roller skating rink. But now a teen takeover is when young people, specifically black young people, commit assault, sometimes murder and arson and looting and vandalism. Okay, let's see. Lets see the charming, delightful teen takeovers. That one actually does look kind of fun. Well, that's not much. But the ones who are just kind of dancing nicely, who aren't like burning things, I guess that's relatively fine. All right. Well, it actually seems relatively safe. Okay. The teen takeover videos I've seen are when they're like, lighting stuff on fire and beating each other up and like, vandalizing stuff. So I don't know if it's just. If the worst you get is twerking. I mean, not ideal, but. Okay, that's not. I'll. I can tolerate that level of teen takeover. Okay, so that was the Long beach teen takeover. If I ever find myself in Southern California and a teen takeover happens, I'm not going to worry too much. Let's go to Chicago. Okay. Okay. Yeah. All right. Now that's a little more. That's kind of more what I was expecting. Kindling the fire of the car. Yeah. Okay. Oh, all right. When I was a boy, we did like a boxcar derby, you know, those like. And times change. And now if you're a teen takeover artist in Chicago, you just blow up cars in the middle of the street. Okay. Not great. Next one, Orlando. Okay. Don't love that. Don't love the teens fighting with the police and surrounding the cops. I do like that the cop is just absolutely wrong. Wrecking this guy. I like that. I would watch that. Watching cops beat up young criminals, I'm all about. I would pay for that. I don't even really like ufc. I've gone to a couple, you know, no knock on it. But to me, it can get a little violent, a little gratuitous. But watching cops just beat criminals in the street, I would get season tickets again. My opinion on teen takeovers is improving almost by the minute. Next one is Clearwater, Florida. Yeah. Don't love. Don't love the running through the street. Don't love blocking traffic. Where does the note go out that they should all do this? Where's the note? Like, tonight is the teen takeover bulletin board. Clearly the cops heard about it, too. Relatively orderly again. You don't want to run anybody over. You don't want them blocking up traffic. But no. Cars are on fire. There's not even very much talking. Okay. That's okay. I'll deal with. Could be worse right now. Go to preborn.com knowles folks, we are living in a defining moment today. A woman facing an unexpected pregnancy can order the abortion pill online, often before anyone has the chance to tell her she is loved, that she's not alone, that there is hope. That is why you are needed right now. You were made for this moment. At Preborn Network clinics, mothers are welcomed with compassion, practical support, and a free ultrasound. When she sees her baby and hears that tiny heartbeat for the first time, fear gives way to hope. In fact, more than 80% of abortion vulnerable women choose life after seeing their baby on an ultrasound at a Preborn Network clinic. That is one moment that can save a baby's life and open a mother's heart to the hope of Jesus Christ. This is our moment to stand. For those who cannot speak for themselves. Just $28 provides one life saving ultrasound. 140 bucks helps rescue five babies. Please do not wait. Dial pound 250. Say keyword baby that is pound 250 keyword baby or give [e-mail] knowles preborn.com knowles Together we can save lives one heartbeat at a time. This is an organization that I personally support. I strongly encourage you to give what you can. It's the best ROI you're going to get on your money. Go to preborn.comknowles next one. The masks are never a good sign. Yeah, okay. Firing explosives in the middle of the street and a helicopter is. Yeah. Notice what an amazing range of activities are implied by Teen Takeover. You get some, like, girls kind of twerking on the street. Not great, but okay, whatever. Down to masked militants fire explosives at a helicopter. I think we need different terms for these things. Next one.

[C]

So, Michael, I have something to admit to.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So that last clip that you just watched of the firing the firework at the helicopter. Yeah, that's an older clip. And I was there back in 2016ish. Before I found God, before I came became conservative. I grew up in not the best part of la and takeovers were like a week, a weekend activity that a bunch of my friends would go to.

[B]

I can't tell is this a bit or. It's not a bit. You actually did that.

[C]

This is 100% in. The next clip you're about to watch is a minute long compilation of videos I filmed myself. The reason I went to them was because there were always cars at them and I liked cars. So.

[B]

Yeah, you read Playboy for the articles. But hold on, I thought that the Teen Takeovers were specifically just black people in la.

[C]

It's a lot of Hispanics do it too, but there's also a lot of black people there. And then there was one Jew just standing in the corner.

[B]

I was gonna say, are you aware that you are neither black nor Hispanic?

[C]

I don't know. Culturally, I can be whatever.

[B]

You could pass. You could pass almost for either.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. All right. So these are your firsthand accounts of Teen Takeovers? No, I just did it for the Camaros. Yeah, you can hear him. You can hear that, Prof. There. Yeah. I'd say the weapons and the violence is bad, but the cars are cool. I feel like the. The cars and the drag race and all that could hurt. A lot of. Seems like a lot of doctors and engineers, future doctors and engineers at these things. And one future live streamer, Professor Jacob. Okay, next, one quick question.

[A]

At what point in history did white people peacefully protest ever? Even when black people protested peacefully during the civil rights movement, we were still beaten. Dogs were sicked on us, explosions happened. Martin Luther King was murdered. So again, when have y' all ever been peaceful?

[B]

Peaceful protests from white people? I think she's confusing a few things because there have been a zillion peaceful protests by white people throughout history. Most of the protests in the American Revolution, for instance. But really for just any social issue, I mean, protesting attacks or protesting some new policy. White people are super peace. All those like ridiculous resistance. Like the Boomer Library anti ICE protests that have got the no Kings protest. Those are all super peaceful. They're ridiculous, but they're very peaceful. So I don't think she means to make that point. I think the point that she's trying to make is, when have you tolerated black people having a peaceful protest? You killed Martin Luther King, which is a totally different point. But let's take that point on its face. When have white people tolerated black people's peaceful protest? I don't know. A lot. Most of the time, I guess. And most of the violent protests, too, like the BLM riots that killed dozens of people and ended up with almost $2 billion in property damage and all that. Not only did white people tolerate that, white people participated in that. You had Mitt Romney, you know, marching. I'm with blm. White Republicans tolerated that and participated in it. So, yeah, I don't know. She's a little confused on the point. But if the upshot of all of it is we shouldn't have teen takeovers, and if you're gonna have a teen takeover, it should be the kind of generally innocuous ones with just a little jiggling on the beach and not the Professor Jacob shooting AK47s at helicopters and running people over in cars, then okay, that's fine. Those videos de radicalized me. I'm Michael Noll. See you next time. Yeah, I'm de radicalized. Wow. But I'm radicalized on Jacob.