Hold the Mic is hosted by longtime friends Ryan Shead and Ian Sherman, tackling today’s most pressing political and social issues with passion, integrity, and authenticity.

With roots in Detroit and lives spanning from New York City to Arizona, Ryan and Ian use their experiences and diverse perspectives to every discussion. Whether it’s breaking down current events or shining a light on overlooked stories, Ryan and Ian deliver fiery commentary, real-life experiences, and plenty of humor to keep you laughing through some of the pain.

This week, the boys speak with paid protesting CEO Adam Swart.

Adam Swart is the founder of Crowds on Demand. Crowds on Demand is an American publicity firm that provides clients with hired actors to pose as fans, paparazzi, security guards, unpaid protesters and professional paid protesters. The company operates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York City, Washington, D.C., Iowa, and New Hampshire and was founded in 2012

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CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro

01:53 - Adam Swart Crowds on Demand

05:28 - Trump's Greenland Stunt

08:31 - Bannon's Floodgates Strategy

12:47 - Trump's Branding Business Failures

14:57 - Spotting Paid Protesters

20:53 - Protests with Paid Activists

22:44 - Casting Calls for Protests

24:21 - Strategic Reasons for Protests

26:34 - Compensation for Protesting

27:50 - PR Side of Paid Protesting

31:20 - Protests for Raising Awareness

39:00 - US Image and [redacted]

44:41 - Anti-Semitism Discussion

49:25 - Dems vs GOP Marketing Culture

50:11 - Transgender Athletes Debate

01:01:50 - Post Mortem Analysis

01:03:00 - Adam's Final Thoughts

01:08:10 - Operation Midnight Hammer Overview

01:17:39 - Anti-Abortion Lawmaker's Claims

01:22:54 - End of Show

01:23:31 - 128 Dems Vote Against Impeachment

01:27:38 - Impact of AI on Lives

01:33:39 - NYC Mayoral Primary Results

01:39:25 - Post-Show Discussion

01:48:39 - Ryan's 2028 Platform Insights

01:50:10 - Weekly Positives

01:52:52 - Outro

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