Podcast
The Skepticrat
Hosted by Puzzle in a Thunderstorm, LLC · EN
Covering politics from the far center
27episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
271: Skepticrat271 - Rats on a Lip Syncing Ship Edition
3d ago00:56:41Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: Florida declares infinity plus ONE congressmen ... Bret Michaels had better things to do ... And we learn how a weighted penis bag might affect your weekend.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:quince.com/skepticratmintmobile.com/skepticratauraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT)groundnews.com/skepticratHeadline Sources: Trump’s attempt at slush fund for Jan 6 rioters goes poorly: https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/29/politics/federal-judge-halts-work-on-trumps-anti-weaponization-fundJudge Allows Florida House Map That Could Add 4 Republican Seats: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/us/florida-congress-map-redistricting.htmlWere the Enhanced Games a Bust? - Organizers Are Upping the Ante to $10 Million: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/story/enhanced-games-ten-million-rewardKash Patel's apparel site is trying to trick visitors into installing malware: https://www.pcmag.com/news/kash-patels-apparel-site-is-trying-to-trick-visitors-into-installing-malwareKa$h Patel actually does my joke 2 days later with custom engraved bourbon: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/05/kash-patel-fbi-bourbon/687066/Kash goes snorkeling at Pearl Harbor:https://newrepublic.com/post/210478/report-kash-patel-desperate-snorkel-graveyard-pearl-harborAlmost everybody pulls out of Trump’s stupid America rally and then he cancels it:: https://pagesix.com/entertainment/freedom-250-concert-festival-artists-backing-out-lineup/ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy02j1n87wloThe Knicks are in the finals and Donald Trump might ruin it: https://thespun.com/nba/knicks-fans-urged-to-ignore-president-trump-at-nba-finalsClavicular gives penismaxxing advice and gets mogged by a judge: https://www.wonkette.com/p/dont-go-taking-any-penis-advice-from
Transcribe →270: Skepticrat270 - Taipei Personality Edition
2w ago00:49:11Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: Marsh will explain British elections just in time for the empire to fall ... Donald Trump gets through his China visit without jumping out of the car at a red light and running around it ... and Trump supporters still won't have their gold phones.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:mintmobile.com/skepticratquince.com/skepticratHeadlines sources:Trump’s China summit: https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/15/key-takeaways-from-trumps-china-trip/England Local election results 2026:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2026/england/results#council-scoreboard The More Than 30 Scandal-Hit Reform Candidates Elected Last Week:https://bylinetimes.com/2026/05/12/the-more-than-30-scandal-hit-reform-candidates-elected-last-week/How Mamdani and Hochul Are Solving New York City’s Budget Crisishttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/nyregion/mamdani-budget-nyc.htmlTrump phone shenanigans: https://www.pcmag.com/news/after-delays-scam-accusations-trump-mobile-says-t1-phone-ships-this-week https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-mobile-shipping-gold-t1-phones-after-nearly-a-year-of-delays/507-28f15b24-fc2a-45b0-bea1-23effcad36b5Favorites to Win Eurovision:https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/arts/music/eurovision-song-contest-favorites.html
Transcribe →269: Skepticrat269 - Kash Heap of History Edition
May 400:53:04Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: Claude takes a proactive approach to the tech sector ... Another would-be Trump assassin turns out to be as inept as his intended victim ... And Trump realizes that if you fire all of science, the lying thing works itself out in payroll.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:mintmobile.com/skepticratauraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT)quince.com/skepticratgroundnews.com/skepticratbetterhelp.com/skepticratHeadline Sources:White House Correspondents' Dinner attack: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/27/politics/conspiracy-theories-whcd-attackClaude-powered AI agent’s confession after deleting a firm’s entire database: ‘I violated every principle I was given’:https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/29/claude-ai-deletes-firm-databaseKing Prince Charles lectures America on the dangers of monarchy: https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-us-state-visit-trump-congress-4cd294e6333b4a9ba7ada2af4dd71aa9Kash Patel sues The Atlantic for pointing out he's drunk all the time: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2026/04/kash-patel-fbi-director-drinking-absences/686839/https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/kash-patels-implausible-lawsuit-against-the-atlanticTrump fires entire advisory board of National Science Foundation: https://apnews.com/article/national-science-board-nsf-trump-6a23f3ab1b4c6eb131b4e79d95b3536fEverest guides accused of poisoning foreign climbers to force fake rescues in $20m scam: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/mount-everest-climb-nepal-insurance-scam-sherpa-poisoning-b2952027.html#
Transcribe →268: Skepticrat268 - First Lady Doth Protest Too Much Edition
Apr 2000:55:44Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: It's been 12 years worth of weeks this month ... We all continue to be more qualified to run the FBI than Kash Patel ... And thanks to Donald Trump, the Strait of Hormuz exists in a quantum state of close-open.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:auraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT)quince.com/skepticratmintmobile.com/skepticratgroundnews.com/skepticratbetterhelp.com/skepticratHeadline Sources:Pete Hegseth does war crimes, calls media "pharisees", and quotes Pulp Fiction Ezekiel: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5834822-hegseth-pulp-fiction-bible-reference/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/16/us/politics/hegseth-military-iran-blockade.htmlMelania’s insane speech that nobody asked for: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/us/politics/melania-trump-jeffrey-epstein.html https://epsteinexposed.com/reports/melania-epstein-april-2026LIV golf is collapsing, which is awesome: https://www.news.com.au/sport/golf/liv-golf-on-brink-of-collapse-as-saudi-backers-consider-pulling-funding/news-story/00e48c301b5d90d0249035c959958ea4While Iran gets paid for oil in crypto, let's not forget all the giant crypto scamming: https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/markets/actor-ben-mckenzie-slams-bitcoin-on-jon-stewart-showMayor Mamdani is doing a great job: https://www.nyc.gov/content/100days/pages/mapKid Rock’s music tour is a sad, pathetic mess: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/rock-the-country-tour-prices-drop-jelly-roll-drops-out-1235548014/
Transcribe →267: Skepticrat267 - Quantum Foreign Entanglement Edition
Mar 2300:57:26Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: "Iran So Far Away" becomes more than a Flock of Seagulls song ... Virtual reality will get all the more virtual by existing less ... And the Trump cabinet gets some sweet new kicks for their Foot Klan.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:quince.com/skepticratmintmobile.com/skepticratgroundnews.com/skepticratauraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT)betterhelp.com/skepticratHeadline Sources:Trump starts looking for an off ramp in Iran: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/21/us/politics/trump-iran-offramp.html98th annual Academy Awards: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/movies/oscars-winners-list.htmlFormer DOGE guy can't define DEI in deposition video - judge orders video taken down: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/13/nyregion/doge-depositions-musk-lawsuit.htmlhttps://abcnews.com/Politics/groups-fight-release-doge-deposition-videos-after-judge/story?id=131150741DOGE was even dumber than we thought: https://fortune.com/2026/03/19/doge-cancelled-350000-hvac-grant-dei-lawsuit-elon-musk/https://mashable.com/article/former-doge-employees-deposition-inside-look-elon-musk-agencyZuckerberg reminds everyone that he’s not a business genius, he was just lucky: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/technology/mark-zuckerbergs-metaverse-vr-horizon-worlds.htmlTrump makes a Pearl Harbor joke to the Prime Minister of Japan: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/us/politics/trump-japan-pearl-harbor-oval-office-takaichi.htmlRubio, Vance wearing clown shoes because Trump is obsessed with Florsheim: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/13/style/rubio-vance-big-shoes-florsheim-cechttps://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/trump-florsheim-shoes-tucker-carlson-jd-vance-bessent-448567abMegyn Kelly feuding with Mark Levin about micropenis:https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/03/mtg-megan-kelly-have-bizarre-feud-over-fox-news-hosts-genitals/
Transcribe →266: Skepticrat266 - Poly Noemial Edition
Mar 900:47:44Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: The news plays our least favorite repeats of the 90s ... Reform UK will tell us that voting for any party other than them is cheating ... And Kristi Noem gets old yellered but she might need to get shot by a puppy if she wanders back.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:groundnews.com/skepticratmintmobile.com/skepticratquince.com/skepticratauraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT)betterhelp.com/skepticratHeadline Sources:War with Iran:https://www.theinternet.boingsploosh.netPolymarket bans "nuclear detonation" bets:https://ground.news/article/2a768216-a0a1-44c0-8b14-e57702bfe1fbLord Mandelson arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office - BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cew8jde9pxqtAndrew released under investigation after arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office - BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx28yel4811oCallers to Washington State hotline press 2 for Spanish and get accented AI English instead:https://apnews.com/article/washington-dol-spanish-accent-ai-3a1b8438a5674c07242a8d48c057d5a3Kristi Noem fired and replaced with a guy named Markwayne:https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/06/politics/kristi-noem-lost-trump-markwayne-mullinGreen party wins Gorton and Denton byelection, pushing Labour to third place: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/27/green-party-wins-gorton-and-denton-byelection-in-blow-to-keir-starmerReform and Tories report ‘family voting’ allegations to watchdog | Byelections | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/27/family-voting-allegations-gorton-and-denton-byelection-tories-reform-watchdogOsaka stunned by anonymous gold bar gift worth $3.6M to fix aging water pipes:https://apnews.com/article/japan-osaka-gold-donation-water-pipes-2f2e68017b7b041858c2de46a67be7ab
Transcribe →265: Skepticrat265 - Hellebuyck Stops Here Edition
Feb 2300:49:45Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: The Supreme Court does a good thing to keep us on our toes ... Obama outs the aliens in hopes they’ll beam him up before it’s too late ... And RFK Jr. is the relatable kind of guy you wanna sit down and have a milk with.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:mintmobile.com/skepticratgroundnews.com/skepticratquince.com/skepticratauraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT)betterhelp.com/skepticratHeadline Sources:Trump’s tariffs ruled invalid: https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tariffs-trump-0485fcda30a7310501123e4931dba3f9How Mamdani’s Income and Property Tax Proposals Could Affect New Yorkers: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/nyregion/mamdani-millionaire-tax-property.htmlObama says we definitely don't have aliens at Area 51 wink:https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/16/politics/obama-clarifies-alien-comments-scli-intlCortina condom shortage: https://www.thestar.com/sports/olympics-and-paralympics/cortina-condom-shortage-athletes-were-given-10-000-free-condoms-at-the-olympics-they-disappeared/article_6136a95e-d991-4e4d-95c1-332585a3ed00.htmlhttps://youtube.com/shorts/3GF43uY2LkU?si=QOu31kbrpOkUo9W1SHENANIGANS at the Olympics: https://www.startribune.com/feuding-curlers-slushy-ice-and-other-shocking-olympics-scandals/601583262Trump hosts first “board of peace” meeting: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/19/trump-gets-his-board-of-peace-even-as-bigger-countries-steer-clear-00789617https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/azerbaijan-trump-board-peace-protestorsRFK Jr. and Kid Rock collaborate on MAHA video with hot tub and milk: https://www.thedailybeast.com/rfk-jr-and-kid-rock-bizarrely-strip-off-to-push-maha-agenda/
Transcribe →264: Skepticrat264 - Files To Go Before I Sleep Edition
Feb 900:55:20Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: Olympians will get private about their jump technique, two thirds of us will not appear in the Epstein files, and we're gonna make you wait way too long to learn which of us is the third.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:mintmobile.com/skepticratgroundnews.com/skepticratquince.com/skepticratauraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT)betterhelp.com/skepticratHeadline Sources:Epstein document release: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/epstein-files-key-takeaways-trump-musk-rcna256713What do emails between Mandelson and Epstein say?https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz9vz8d0n85o 'I never left your side': Emails reveal more about Mandelson's Epstein friendshiphttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cevn33kgxgmoMandelson offered to help Epstein get Russian visa, documents suggesthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0r4knee4gno ‘Penis injection’ claims in Winter Olympics ski jumping investigated by Wadahttps://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/05/penis-injection-doping-claims-in-winter-olympics-ski-jumping-investigated-by-wadaDid Trump shit himself on live television? https://uk.news.yahoo.com/no-credible-evidence-trump-pooped-002800721.htmlFarage unveils plan to cut price of pint by reinstating two-child benefit caphttps://metro.co.uk/2026/02/03/farage-unveils-plan-cut-price-pint-reinstating-two-child-benefit-cap-26689701/ Braverman and Jenrick 'accidentally' vote for two child cap to be removed in blunderhttps://www.lbc.co.uk/article/braverman-jenrick-accidentally-vote-two-child-cap-5HjdRpJ_2/ Rupert Lowe’s sim-plistic approach to counting migrantshttps://x.com/RupertLowe10/status/2014083705493483760 / https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/rats-in-a-sack-rupert-lowes-sim-plistic-approach-to-counting-migrants/ (https://archive.is/Ch84S)Ukip logo 'linked to Nazi symbol' thrown out by Electoral Commissionhttps://www.thenational.scot/news/25799148.ukip-logo-linked-nazi-symbol-thrown-electoral-commission/Rep. Nancy Mace made aides upvote her in Reddit “who’s hotter” posts, former staff allegehttps://dailydot.com/nancy-mace-reddit-pollsPolice chief retires over Israeli fans ban rowhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c77k670ez6yo
Transcribe →263: Skepticrat263 - Moral Kombat Edition
Jan 2601:02:10Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: After crossing a red line, Trump goes yellow on Greenland ... A Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner bribes a demon kid so she won’t get wished into the cornfield ... And Republicans invite the world's leading expert on Donald Trump's crime to headline a big public hearing on Donald Trump's crime.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:mintmobile.com/skepticratgroundnews.com/skepticratquince.com/skepticratauraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT)betterhelp.com/skepticratHeadline Sources:Trump at Davos: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/21/us/politics/trump-davos-speech-takeaways.htmlhttps://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/trump-davos-speech-greenland-stupid-moments.htmlProtest at Minnesota Church Service Adds to Tensions Over ICE Tactics: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/us/politics/minnesota-church-protest-ice.htmlWhite House Uses AI to Alter Protester’s Face So That She’s Sobbing: https://nz.news.yahoo.com/white-house-uses-ai-alter-211105749.htmlGuinea-Bissau halts RFK Jr. inspired Hep B vaccine trial: https://apnews.com/article/guinea-bissau-suspends-us-hepatitis-b-study-9d172d68afb36c62a85d1236f639ddcfJournalist Laura Jedeed applied for a job at ICE as a joke and got the job way too easily:https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/01/ice-recruitment-minneapolis-shooting.htmlICE agents slipping on ice in Minnesota and falling so hard:https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/us/minneapolis-ice-protest-winter-weather.htmlICE slipping on ice montage: https://www.reddit.com/r/Minneapolis/comments/1qaljce/ice_agents_slipping_on_ice_a_montage/Machado Presents Trump With Her Nobel Peace Prize Medal: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/world/americas/machado-trump-meeting-nobel-peace-prize.htmlJack Smith testifies before congress: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/us/politics/takeaways-jack-smith-congress-testimony.html
Transcribe →262: Skepticrat262 - Klanifest Destiny Edition
Jan 1200:56:27Tap to summarizeOn this week's episode: We’ll talk about the most dangerous ICE on the roads ... Elon Musk will show us what he really meant about making Twitter the everything app ... And the original 6-7 is a sex thing that came from Monica Geller on Friends.To support our show on Patreon, go here:patreon.com/skepticratTo hear more from Evil Giraffes on Mars, go here:facebook.com/EvilGiraffesOnMarsGet great deals while supporting the show by checking out our sponsors:quince.com/skepticratauraframes.com (code: SKEPTICRAT)groundnews.com/skepticratbetterhelp.com/skepticratHeadline Sources:ICE agent Jonathan Ross executes Renee Good: https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000010631041/minneapolis-ice-shooting-video.htmlhttps://www.cnn.com/2026/01/09/us/ice-shooting-minneapolis-renee-good-cell-phone-invshttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/us/politics/trump-minnesota-ice-shooting-video.htmlWe took Venezuela:https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/us/politics/trump-capture-maduro-venezuela.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/09/trump-machado-meet-peace-prize/Elon Musk’s Grok Apologizes After Generating Sexual Image of Young Girls: https://www.newsweek.com/grok-apology-deepfake-images-sexualized-young-women-pornography-11297025 Elon Musk's Grok AI image editing limited to paid X users after deepfakes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99kn52nx9do Betty Boop and Blondie enter the public domain: https://apnews.com/article/public-domain-2026-betty-boop-40cb2f7a30ba9d7aec0bfc9191ab02c1Trump says he's taking Greenland too: https://ground.news/article/us-weighs-paying-greenlanders-up-to-100-000-to-leave-denmark-reuters_076ad6https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/world/americas/trump-greenland-annex.htmlTen found guilty of cyber-bullying Brigitte Macron: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c78v6z7597yo Viral ‘6-7' tops 2025 list of overused words and phrases: https://apnews.com/article/2025-words-slang-phrases-list-university-67-59f896e28b7b16edfdfcc453a8af388a
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