The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1847 — What No One Noticed About Sydney Sweeney's Dress
Date: October 31, 2025
Guests: Jack Posobiec

Episode Overview

In this episode, Michael Knowles dives into the intersection of pop culture and politics by dissecting the online controversy over Sydney Sweeney’s revealing dress at Variety magazine’s Power of Women gala. He’s joined by friend and commentator Jack Posobiec for a “Friend Friday” roundtable on whether Sweeney’s fashion choice is “subversive,” and what it says about femininity, conservatism, and feminism today. The duo then transitions to discuss recent polling showing declining support for same-sex marriage, the mechanics and political optics of the latest government shutdown, and the curious case of Bill Kristol’s ideological evolution. The episode closes with a spirited defense of the Christian roots of Halloween.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sydney Sweeney’s Dress: Is There a Conservative Subtext?

• [00:00–05:27]
  • Michael admits initial confusion about Sweeney’s trending status, before seeing the “see-through” dress that created an online uproar.
  • Two main reactions: conservatives disapproved of the immodesty, while others admired her confidence. Michael argues for a third, overlooked angle.
  • Straussian/Subversive Reading:
    • Sweeney wore the dress at Variety’s Power of Women gala:

      “Sydney Sweeney's dress said no. The power of women is in our femininity… Yes, the power of women is in no small part in women's physiques. I'm not saying the dress is conservative exactly, but it sure ain't feminist.”
      — Michael Knowles [03:46]

  • Sweeney, reported to be a Republican, may be rejecting the “boss lady” feminist archetype.

2. Right-wing “Coded” Femininity vs. Kardashian Culture

• [05:27–09:11]
  • Jack Posobiec joins; he didn’t see the trending story and jokes about having a “wholesome” Twitter feed.
  • Jack’s take: Sweeney’s look is “right-wing coded because it’s anti-Kardashian,” standing in contrast with the “twerking culture” and androgynous, hyper-sexualized beauty ideal.

    “Sydney Sweeney is the anti-Kardashian… She’s bringing back the true essence of femininity, which is, of course, motherhood.”
    — Jack Posobiec [07:20]

  • Nostalgia for a pre-2000s, more traditional American culture (“America circa 1992”).

3. Cratering Support for Same-Sex Marriage and the Future of Obergefell

• [09:11–18:14]
  • Michael references a new Economist/YouGov poll: support for same-sex marriage has dropped to 54%.

    “The gods of the copy book headings are gonna come back. Is this a sign that we will see the overturning of Obergefell…?”
    — Michael Knowles [11:28]

  • Jack reviews the history and political process of expanding marriage definition; he recounts lessons from working under Rick Santorum, whose warnings about redefining marriage “opening Pandora’s box” seem prescient now.

    “He [Santorum] said, if you say anything can be marriage… you will completely distort society… That’s what led to Drag Queen Story Hour and all the rest of it.”
    — Jack Posobiec [13:10]

  • Michael notes the etymology of "matrimony" (from "mater," mother) as reinforcing the basis of traditional marriage. Scalia’s old dilemma—state vs federal marriage law—comes up.

4. Will Gen Z Reverse Liberal Social Trends?

• [16:59–18:14]
  • Both hosts argue Gen Z may be shifting right on key social issues. The “nuclear family” is described as humanity’s most ancient social structure.

    “The nuclear family is the oldest institution on planet Earth. It predates literally everything.”
    — Jack Posobiec [17:45]

  • Michael concludes that attempts to overwrite human nature in the name of social progress are doomed.

5. Government Shutdown and Political Optics

• [18:14–22:47]
  • Michael reviews how Democrats, represented by Rep. Janelle Bynum’s appearance on C-SPAN, failed to answer basic questions about their opposition to a continuing resolution.

    “What were Democrats thinking getting into this shutdown fight?”
    — Michael Knowles [20:32]

  • Jack jokes that the average IQ rises passing from the House to the Senate. He characterizes Democrat strategy as reflexively opposed to Trump and notes journalists are finally asking tough follow-ups. This shutdown may be the first blamed on Democrats, with Trump gaining in the polls.

6. Bill Kristol’s Political Evolution

• [26:45–32:00]
  • Michael and Jack discuss Bill Kristol’s endorsement of Zoran Mamdani for NYC mayor and what it reveals about “Never Trump” conservatives.

    “Their North Star...was true conservatism. TM...always support the Muslim communists who have only been American for about five minutes.”
    — Jack Posobiec [29:22]

  • Michael points out that politics is fundamentally a “team sport.” Kristol simply switched sides a decade ago; now, his consistency is with his new team.

7. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16?

• [32:38–35:29]
  • Michael plays a Kamala Harris clip defending a lower voting age for Gen Z.
  • Both hosts are “reflexively opposed,” but note the political split in Gen Z is extreme with little center. Jack:

    “There’s no middle in Gen Z. It’s either you’re like all the way to the right… or you’re all the way on the left and just want to burn it all down.”
    — Jack Posobiec [34:28]

8. Defending the Christian Origins of Halloween

• [35:29–37:04]
  • Jack Posobiec strongly rebuts the notion that Halloween is a pagan holiday.

    “Halloween is Christian. Halloween has been Christian since 735 when Pope Gregory ordained All Saints Day as November 1st… It has no connection…to any Irish folk holidays.”
    — Jack Posobiec [35:33]

  • Both agree the holiday can and should be celebrated with a focus on mocking evil and remembering one's mortality.

Notable Quotes

• “Sydney Sweeney's dress said no. The power of women is in our femininity… I'm not saying the dress is conservative exactly, but it sure ain't feminist.”
  — Michael Knowles [03:46]

• “Sydney Sweeney is the anti-Kardashian… It's nurturing, it's life-giving, and it is the true essence of femininity, which is, of course, motherhood.”
  — Jack Posobiec [07:20]

• “He [Santorum] said, if you say anything can be marriage… you will completely distort society... That’s what led to Drag Queen Story Hour and all the rest of it.”
  — Jack Posobiec [13:10]

• “The nuclear family is the oldest institution on planet Earth. It predates literally everything.”
  — Jack Posobiec [17:45]

• “What were Democrats thinking getting into this shutdown fight?”
  — Michael Knowles [20:32]

• "Their North Star...was true conservatism. TM...always support the Muslim communists who have only been American for about five minutes."
  — Jack Posobiec [29:22]

• “There’s no middle in Gen Z. It’s either you’re like all the way to the right… or you’re all the way on the left and just want to burn it all down.”
  — Jack Posobiec [34:28]

• “Halloween is Christian… It has no connection…to any Irish folk holidays. This is totally made up.”
  — Jack Posobiec [35:33]

Segment Timestamps

• [00:00–05:27] — Sydney Sweeney’s dress and pop feminism
• [05:27–09:11] — Posobiec: the anti-Kardashian angle and cultural nostalgia
• [09:11–18:14] — Same-sex marriage support drops and Obergefell’s future
• [16:59–18:14] — Gen Z’s surprising traditionalism
• [18:14–22:47] — Government shutdown politics, media follow-ups
• [26:45–32:00] — Bill Kristol, Never Trumpers, and political “team sports”
• [32:38–35:29] — Voting age debate and the radicalization of Gen Z
• [35:29–37:04] — The Christian roots of Halloween, how to celebrate properly

Tone and Takeaways

• Tone: Irreverent, sardonic, self-congratulatory (“bask in the simple joys of being right”), with heavy doses of nostalgia and culture war banter.
• Style: Friendly, combative, rapid-fire exchange with a focus on “subversive” cultural readings and constitutional originalism.
• Takeaways:
  • The Right can claim elements of femininity and culture lost to progressivism and feminist archetypes.
  • The pendulum on sexual and marriage norms may be swinging back.
  • Pop culture flashpoints like Sweeney’s dress offer surprising insights into broader ideological debates.
  • Party loyalty and political “team sports” drive much of today’s alignment, even among formerly prominent thought leaders.
  • Halloween is defended as an authentically Christian tradition in the face of popular misconceptions.

For listeners who missed the episode:
This show captures the blend of pop culture analysis and hard-nosed political commentary that has come to define The Michael Knowles Show, pushing controversial debates about gender, marriage, and cultural shifts front and center—with plenty of jabs at both the left and the right. If you're interested in the way cultural flashpoints can reflect deeper ideological trends, the exchanges with Jack Posobiec are especially candid and thought-provoking, offering fresh takes on what conservatism and femininity mean today. The final defense of Halloween as a Christian festival is a quirky but clear assertion of the show’s conservative, tradition-minded worldview.