Blocked and Reported

Thanks to everyone who joined Brad Polumbo and me on Substack Live, where we discussed right-wing infighting, the Turning Point USA reality TV conference, drama at CBS News, and more. (Just for the record, that thumbnail is not AI. We really look like that.) To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week, Saint Helen Lewis joins us to discuss Jesse’s shortcomings, the state of publishing, the state of social media, the Riyadh Comedy Festival, the Olivia Nuzzi scandal, and more. Plus, our annual end-of-year extremely online pub quiz. Note: This is our last free episode of the year. Primos have more coming, but for everyone else, see you next year.Helen’s book Katie’s bookJesse’s Austin eventKatie’s Duke eventOpinion | The Shifting Politics of Transgender Rights - The New York TimesI Watched Stand-Up in Saudi Arabia - The AtlanticOlivia Nuzzi’s Tell-Nothing Memoir - The Atlantic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss the fallout from chess world champ Vladimir Kramnik’s obsessive campaign against alleged cheaters, including grandmaster Danya Naroditsky. Plus, AI comes for podcasters.Washington Post’s AI-generated podcasts rife with errors, fictional quotes | SemaforHikaru hits out at grandmaster Kramnik over cheating accusations | indy100Chess GM Vladimir Kramnik suspended for impersonating another player - DexertoKramnik’s Controversial Cheating Allegations in Titled Tuesdays: | NSS.czFair Play Report Estimates Low Cheating Rate In Titled Tuesday, New Public Closure Policy - Chess.comVladimir Kramnik’s YouTube channelMartínez beats Kramnik in controversial match | ChessBaseDanya’s YouTube channelChess: Fide to ‘discipline’ Kramnik over Naroditsky cheating allegations | Chess | The Guardian This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss Turning Point USA’s attempts to get a University of Oklahoma instructor canceled over claims of anti-Christian discrimination. Plus, Candace Owens’s ongoing investigation into who really killed Charlie Kirk (bees). Candace Owens on beesInside Candace Owens’ media empire and the Macron lawsuit threaten… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss the politics of poetry and a controversy surrounding an indie lit magazine. Plus, a Chuck Johnson update. Katie’s Duke eventJesse’s Austin eventInvestor sues Chuck Johnson for “falsely presenting ... as intelligence agent” | SemaforWhere Wokeness Went Wrong | Susan Neiman | The New York Review of BooksA MeToo Mob Tried to Destroy My Life as a Poet. This Is How I SurvivedOpen Letter to Open-Minded ProgressivesInside the New Right, Where Peter Thiel Is Placing His Biggest BetsCurtis Yarvin’s Plot Against America‘The Interview’: Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy is Done - The New York TimesSpectra PoetsGroup ThinkFor William and KristineA Close Reading of Curtis Yarvin This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss the latest revelations from Ryan Lizza about Vanity Fair’s new West Coast editor and his personal ex-girlfriend, Olivia Nuzzi. Plus, a rigorous debate on the definition of “felching.” (We forgot to do a content w… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie break down a DoorDasher’s viral sexual assault that turned out to be a little more complicated. Meanwhile, a MAGA aide survives a brutal attack. Austin event: https://forms.gle/Dq5RPDR6yz5XpwVJ8HENDERSON PRESS RELEASE | DocumentCloudUnited States of America V. NATALIE GREENE Lawmaker’s former staffer staged violent political attack, police sa This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss AI friends and lovers. Plus, Jesse reads some sexts.Friend.com To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Katie is joined by our fantastic researcher Jessica the ‘80s Baby to discuss the rise and fall of one of the UK’s most notorious forums.MumsnetTattle LifeBBC Audio | File on 4 | Me and my TrollsCaroline Flack: ‘Be kind,’ social-media users urgeThe full story of how the operator of gossip site Tattle Life was unmasked in an Irish courtThe internet’s nastiest gossipmonger has been exposed and guess what – he wants his privacy | Marina Hyde | The Guardian This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

Thanks to everyone who joined our live chat today. Discussed: Olivia Nuzzi, Ryan Lizza, and Jesse and Katie play a round of Cancel Culture vs Consequence Culture: Dasha Nekrasova Edition. Olivia Nuzzi on the Scandal With RFK Jr. that Upended Her Career - The New York TimesThe Long, Thorny Path to Dasha Nekrasova’s Hollywood Shunning To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss a new report on intellectual capture at the BBC. Plus, antisemitism in NYC. The Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes 2024 Annual ReportIn NYC, Jews targeted in hate crimes more than all other groups combined in 2024Vandals Splash Graffiti on Home of Jewish Director of Brooklyn MuseumApparent Gaza activists hurl paint at homes of Brooklyn Museum leaders, including Jewish director | AP NewsThree Charged with Hate Crimes Related to Defacing and Vandalizing Homes of the Brooklyn Museum’s Director and Board Members – The Brooklyn District Attorney’s OfficeStatement on the “Hate Crime” Charges Against NYC Journalist Samuel Seligson — WRITERS AGAINST THE WAR ON GAZAJournalist Charged With Hate Crime for Covering Gaza ProtestDoes Trump have a defamation case against the BBC? | ReutersBBC director general Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness resign over Trump documentary editWhen the BBC’s disinformation correspondent lied on her CV - The New WorldCar insurance quotes higher in ethnically diverse areasResearch into trans medicine has been manipulatedInternet replaces TV as UK’s most popular news source for first time | Media | The GuardianBBC apologises to Trump over Panorama edit but refuses to pay compensation This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss #stickergate, LGB vs T, and Brianna Wu’s latest arc. Rachel Doodles and More Grumpy Greetings Co“The Growing Divide in the Rainbow Coalition” (WSJ)“What Is a Woman?” (New Yorker)“Feminism’s Toxic Twitter Wars” (The Nation) To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie revisit the case of Kate Clanchy, a British author who was canceled over accusations of -isms in 2022. Plus, Teen Vogue, Lauren Duca, firings at Condé Nast, the New York mayoral race, and announcing the BARPod Book Club.Buy Katie’s bookUnshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance (Indie Books)Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance (Amazon)Condé Nast abruptly fires 4 staffers after HR confrontation | SemaforWatch the Video of Condé Nast Employees Confronting HR Over Teen Vogue Layoffs | ExclusiveAnal Sex: Safety, How tos, Tips, and More | Teen VogueWe Should Probably Talk About Lauren DucaPlease Accept My Apology - The StrangerThe girl who killed ‘Teen Vogue’ - UnHerdKate Clanchy to rewrite memoir amid criticism of ‘racist and ableist tropes’ | Kate Clanchy | The GuardianCall for Picador to reach out ‘beyond publishing’ for Clanchy rewriteOstracised, disinvited, rescinded: what it’s like to get cancelledHow sensitivity readers corrupt literature - UnHerdKate Clanchy: I was cancelled. It made me contemplate suicidePublisher apologises for ‘the hurt’ it caused Kate Clanchy over controversy This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

We’re still on hiatus from the free show (back next week) but this week on the Primo episode, Jesse and Katie discuss The Will Stancil Show and what the hell brought us to this point. Plus, a Graham Platner update. Graham Platner’s claims that he didn’t know tattoo was Nazi-linked undercut by new evidence | CNN PoliticsHow CNN found the Reddit user behi… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

Thanks to Brad Polumbo and everyone who joined our live chat this afternoon. Discussed: Nick Fuentes, Tucker Carlson, and the war for the soul of the American right. Brad vs EveryoneNORMAL GAYS with Brad Polumbo & Clarkson LawsonBuy Katie’s book To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

Thank you to everyone who joined me and Dr. Joe Volipelli recently to discuss addiction medicine and why we treat alcoholism the way we do. Here’s a recording of that conversation. (Before you ask, these Lives are not a replacement for normal free or Primo episodes. Don’t worry.)https://www.drinkyourwaysober.com/ To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss Waffles-gate, a very stupid controversy over Bluesky CEO Jay Graber’s refusal to ban Jesse. Plus… surprise! Turns out trans identification is down afterall. : https://bsky.jazco.dev/stats To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss the long life and quick death of Manhattan’s storied feminist bookstore, Bluestockings. Plus, a new report claims trans identities are on the wane… but is it true? Buy Katie’s book (please)Why are fewer young people identifying as trans? - UnHerdJacob Eliason - Methodological issues in Kaufmann’s analysis of FIRE gender identity dataNEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: URBAN STUDIES/REGROUPING; Radical Not-Too-Chic - The New York TimesThe Creator of the Shitty Media Men List Isn’t DoneExclusive | Woke NYC bookstore lures hordes of strung-out junkiesBluestockings Is Facing Eviction for Handing Out NarcanWoke NYC bookstore that lured strung-out junkies with freebies faces possible evictionLower East Side bookstore is raising money to buy books - GothamistEV Grieve: Worker-stewards push back after Bluestockings’ abrupt closure This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on Blocked and Reported, Katie is joined by Frannie Block to discuss the movement to claim the 2024 election for Kamala Harris. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show: Bari Weiss, the Free Press, CBS, and a very questionable dog collar (unrelated). https://x.com/KiwiFarmsDotNet/status/1975694694370975903https://x.com/Tectone/status/1975770333413318938https://x.com/Tectone/status/1975724182995448054https://x.com/Grummz/status/197572397407… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported: Katie’s new book. Plus, a conversation with Sarah Hepola and Nancy Rommelmann, Slam Frank, and Jesse gets canceled in Portland.Get the bookSlam Frank: A New Musical - Asylum NYC This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

Today, a special bonus episode from our friends Andy Mills and Matt Boll, who just released the first two episodes of their new podcast series about AI, The Last Invention. Enjoy. Longview Investigations This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss AI psychosis. Is it real, and how worried should we be?Order Katie’s bookThe Earthquake That Will Devastate the Pacific Northwest | The New YorkerChatbots Can Go Into a Delusional Spiral. Here’s How It Happens. - The New York TimesA Troubled Man, His Chatbot and a Murder-Suicide in Old Greenwich - WSJ… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Katie and Jesse discuss the viral TikTok saga about a woman who claims her psychiatrist manipulated her into falling in love with him. Plus, more free speech fallout and the week’s dumbest news.Buy Katie’s book This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This afternoon, I joined Mike Pesca to discuss my forthcoming book as well as podcasting and journalism. Plus, cameos by both Moose and Mochi. You can watch our discussion here.Pre-order my bookSubscribe to The Gist This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on Blocked and Reported, Katie is joined by internet ethnographer Katherine Dee to discuss the evolution of online communities, from furries and sissy hypno to nihilistic extremists. Plus: the online life of Tyler Robinson, Charlie Kirk’s killer, and raising kids offline. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss the firings of former Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah and other Charlie Kirk critics. Fired By The PostTexas teachers' union criticizes TEA investigating teachers over Charlie Kirk social media posts | FOX 4 Dallas-Fort WorthCharlie Kirk once said prominent Black women didn't have 'brain proces… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported: Charlie Kirk. Opinion | Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way - The New York TimesCharlie Kirk’s alleged killer scratched bullets with a Helldivers combo and a furry sex meme | The VergeNotices Bulge / OwO What's This? | Know Your Meme This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo episode, Jesse and Katie return to the subject of Taylor Lorenz and the ethics of journafluencing. The theme: Taylor vs. Chorus.Banning smartphones in classrooms helps studentsA Dark Money Group Is Secretly Funding High-Profile Democratic Influencers | WIREDWired and Business Insider remove 'AI-written' freelance articles - Press … To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss the story of author John Boyne and the Polari Prize. Plus…[big sigh] Graham Linehan. Katie’s book'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' Set Holocaust Education Back by Decades. Now It's Getting a Sequel. – Kveller'I was the devil incarnate': An interview with John Boyne | The SpectatorJohn Boyne hits back at critics of transgender novel | John Boyne | The GuardianJohn Boyne: Why I support trans rights but reject the word ‘cis’ – The Irish TimesJohn Boyne: ‘Only a fool or an incurable optimist would think you can solve the world’s problems in 280 characters’ | Irish IndependentSinger Róisín Murphy Faces Backlash—And Praise From Anti-Trans Activists—For Criticizing Puberty BlockersFighting on Twitter? In the UK, You Could Be Arrested for That. - The StrangerTrans woman feared vigilante violence after Graham Linehan’s social media posts, court told | The IndependentWould Graham Linehan's "If All Else Fails, Punch Him in the Balls" Be Protected Under U.S. Law? - Reason.comPolari: The code language gay men used to survivePolari Prize organisers cancel book prize over trans controversy This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss Taylor Lorenz, ethics in journalism, the ad that wasn’t an ad, and the ongoing debate about kids and cell phones. To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss the attempted cancellation of Cracker Barrel and the company’s long history as a target of activist campaigns. Plus: Taylor Swift’s engagement, the latest Gaylor conspiracies, and her deafening silence on Gaza.Jesse's movie debutCracker Barrel’s New Modern Logo and Aesthetic Become a Political Rorschach Test - The New York TimesRobby Starbuck videoOld Cracker Barrel websiteOpinion | Look What We Made Taylor Swift Do - The New York Times This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

Thanks to everyone who tuned in, asked questions, and stepped in when Jesse needed a drink. To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss an update from the trans-rationalist cult, a firing at the National Park Service, a new liberal publication, and Laverne Cox’s atonement for dating a conservative white cop.Federal Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty in Fatal Shooting of Border Patrol Agent - The New York TimesPark ranger fired after helpi… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Katie is joined by Brad Polumbo to discuss Chris Rufo’s campaign against New Yorker critic Doreen St. Felix over offensive tweets. Plus, conservative snowflakes and the Venn diagram of maskers and queers. Brad vs EveryoneWhy are so many of the young people I still see wearing masks queer? : r/NoStupidQuestionshttps://x.com/Acyn/status/1956137743727387112https://x.com/KaivanShroff/status/1953586970598240441The Banal Provocation of Sydney Sweeney’s Jeans | The New Yorker To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss two cases of alleged cyberbullying-related suicides: comics artist Ed Piskor and fox rescuer Mikayla Raines.Ed Piskor exhibition postponed over sexual misconduct allegations | Visual Art | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City PaperEd Piskor's show postponed over sexual misconduct accusations'Lesbian goth foxes,' the story of Esmae and Mala | MPR NewsEd Piskor, ‘Hip Hop Family Tree’ Comic Book Artist, Dies at 41 - TheWrap'Lesbian goth foxes,' the story of Esmae and Mala | MPR NewsThey Bullied Her to Death--And Reddit Let it Happen | POPTOPIC This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie discuss Joseph Awuah-Darko, a Ghanaian artist and influencer who announced his intention to seek assisted suicide, and invited people to dine with him in his last months.Joseph on InstagramJoseph Awuah-Darko's spreadsheet of emotion: 'Bipolar, colour and me’Can Artist Kehinde Wiley Survive Sexual Assault Accu… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss a schism in the anti-feminist right, featuring influencers Sarah Stock, Pearl Davis, Emily Wilson, Morgen Ariel, and one little engagement ring. Pre-order Katie’s book: https://www.drinkyourwaysober.com/The engagment photoDeranged MAGA Civil War Erupts Over Engagement Ring Size This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo show, Jesse and Katie wade into the melodramatic world of Harry Potter fan fiction, the early-2000s cancellation of fan fic star Cassandra Claire/Clare, and a more recent controversy in the booming subgenre of Potter–inspired romance known as “Dramione.”Meet The College Junior Behind The Longest Fan Fiction EverBBC NEWS | Rowling … To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss the case of Terry Williams, a black dogwalker in San Francisco who was the victim of a bizarre hate crime. Plus, Sydney Sweeney’s good genesjeans.Buy Katie’s book (please and thank you)Meghan Daum + Lionel Shriver in NYC (use code BARPOD18)Woman stands firm on Blue Angels cat death lawsuitSydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Jeans Ad Is Just Her Latest Controversial Project - The New York TimesThe Discourse Is Broken - The AtlanticNYT Journalist Cried Because 'None of His Friends Wanted To Talk to Him' After Tom Cotton Op-Ed ScandalThe Macaca Heard Round the WorldRacist doll and noose left on doorstep investigated as hate crimeKKK flag, racist printout left at Black man's door near Alamo SquareAfter weeks of racist threats, a Black dog walker's home was set on fire in San FranciscoAfter racist attacks, peace rally brings Fillmore togetherCops hunt woman suspected of leaving threats at Alamo Square dog walker’s homeSuspect in anti-Black threats against Alamo Square dog walker is a Black woman, SFPD saysDog walker says family stole $230K from house fire fundraiserSeveral nooses found on trees at Lake Merritt prompt hate crime investigation, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf says - ABC7 Los Angeles This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo episode, Jesse and Katie are once again joined by Richard Hanania to discuss his racist past and anti-racist present, his experience in a Mexican boot camp, Trump’s Epstein problem, how Democrats can win over young white men, posting while parenting, and more.Right-Wing Writer Richard Hanania's Racist Past Expos… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie are joined by Richard Hanania to discuss the case of Charles C. “Chuck” Johnson: entrepreneur, internet activist, Turkish restaurant technologist, possible government asset, and his own very bad legal counsel.About (Charles C. Johnson’s personal site, via Wayback Machine)What Is Chuck Johnson, and Why the Web’s Worst Journalist Matters (Gawker)Wait, Did Clowntroll Blogger Chuck Johnson S**t on the Floor? (Deadspin/The Concourse)Media conservatives won't claim derisive blogger Charles Johnson (Washington Examiner)The Constructs: Is Sheryl Sandberg an Israeli Agent of Influence?The Joe Lonsdale Hustle Needs To Be Shut Down By The FedsYes, He's a Traitor: Elon Musk, The Mormons, Bibi & MeNo, You're Just A Criminal: Marc Andreessen's Foreign-Backed Techno-Mormon Grift Is DangerousIs Open AI a Netanyahu-Backed Cult?State of the Union guest list includes controversial figure Charles Johnson (The Guardian)Alt-Right in the White House (Politico)Meet The Troll Who Claims He’s Helping Trump’s Transition Team (Forbes)Facial Recognition Technology in Clearview AI Raises Privacy Concerns (New York Times)The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It (New York Times Magazine)PDF court document in Johnson v. Clearview AI (Sanity.io)An Open Invitation to Our National Conversation (Charles Johnson's Substack)Johnson v. Clearview AI Inc. – Docket (CourtListener)Victory in Fort Worth Amid a $71 Million Conspiracy This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

Thanks to Amanda Knox for joining me to discuss her imprisonment and exoneration, making peace with trauma, how to be a responsible journalist, getting things wrong, and more. Check out Amanda’s newsletter and podcast, her new book, and her Atlantic article on Jens Söring. To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss the ongoing civil war in MAGA-land over the Epstein Files — or lack thereof.What is a Creemee: Vermont's Unique Twist on Soft-Serve Ice CreamThe Shocking Rise of One of the Tech Right’s Favorite Posters – Mother JonesJeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich | Netflix Official SitePerversion of Justice: Jeffrey Epstein | Miami HeraldJeffrey Epstein plea deal: Justice Dept. faults Alex Acosta for 'poor judgment' but finds no misconduct - The Washington PostAcosta to Resign as Labor Secretary Over Jeffrey Epstein Plea Deal - The New York TimesVirginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent abuse survivors, dies by suicideOpinion | The Epstein Story Is Both Conspiracy Theory and Genuine Scandal - The New York TimesIncoherent Conspiracy Suggests Ghislaine Maxwell Is a Powerful RedditorExclusive | Jeffrey Epstein’s Friends Sent Him Bawdy Letters for a 50th Birthday Album. One Was From Donald Trump. - WSJTrump sues Murdoch over Epstein birthday letter article by WSJDemocrat demands House vote on ‘FULL Epstein files’ release This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss the death of Aubreigh Wyatt, a 13-year-old girl from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and her mother Heather’s quest for vengeance. Plus, more Nickelback. To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, conspiracy theories and rumor-mongering in the aftermath of a disaster in Texas; Grok goes mask-off; and Zohran Mamdani’s college application gets hacked.The Un "Fudge" America Tour Gets "Fudged" From Within (The Gist)Mamdani Identified as Asian and African American on College Application - The New York TimesMamdani Once Claimed to Be Asian and African American. Should It Matter? - The New York TimesMahmood Mamdani | Department of AnthropologyTimes pushed ahead to avoid being scooped on Mamdani Columbia story | SemaforThread by @patrickhealynyt on Thread Reader App – Thread Reader AppOpinion | It’s Time to Let Go of ‘African American’ - The New York TimesThe sad, sad state of the New York Times | Press WatchFormer Houston mayoral appointee rages at flooded Texas girls camp for being 'white-only'Houston pediatrician speaks out after her flood victims post sparked outrageTrump’s NOAA pick stands by budget cuts, calls staffing ‘a top priority’ - The Washington PostWhite House pushes back on criticism of weather service around Texas flooding - ABC NewsDeadly floods could be new normal as Trump guts federal agencies, experts warn | Texas floods 2025 | The GuardianNOAA scrambles to fill forecasting jobs as hurricane season looms - The Washington PostCodeREDSome Texas flood alerts were delayed as officials waited for authorization, former Kerr County official says - CBS NewsFormer Kerr County leader: siren system would have saved lives : NPRNew data reveals the inadequacy of FEMA flood maps : NPRxAI updated Grok to be more ‘politically incorrect’ | The Verge This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on the Primo episode: Part 2 of our series on VR wunderkind Palmer Luckey—his fall from grace, his rebirth as a defense contractor, and his years-long feud with angel investor and podcast bro Jason Calacanis.The History of the Future - Blake J. HarrisWhy Did Facebook Fire a Top Executive? Hint: It Ha… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

On a special bonus episode of Blocked and Reported, Jesse debates his work and the research on youth gender dysphoria with YouTuber Lance from The Serfs. (For Primos, Post-mortem begins around 1:44.)Lance tweetsZoom recording (NOTE: The thing Jesse says at the end about the two of them having both agreed to donate to charity was a misunderstanding on Je… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss the rise and fall of Palmer Luckey, the VR wunderkind who was ousted from Facebook under murky circumstances. (This is the first episode in a two-part series. Up next: Palmer Luckey vs. Jason Calacanis.)How many migrants has Trump sent to Guantánamo so far? | NPRTIME Magazine The Surprising Joy of Virtual Reality | TIMEPalmer Luckey cosplays as Metal Gear’s Quiet in Japan | PolygonPalmer Luckey: The Facebook billionaire secretly funding Trump’s meme machine | The Daily BeastThe billboardWho Is Palmer Luckey and What Is Nimble America? | NY MagWho is Palmer Luckey, and why is he funding pro-Trump trolls? | The GuardianThis is How Fake News Happens: The Reporting of Palmer Luckey and Nimble AmericaThe History of the Future - Blake J. Harris This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

This week on Blocked and Reported, a deeper dive into the recent Supreme Court decision on youth gender medicine and its aftermath. Plus, the Washington Post’s unconventional plan to make a few bucks. Note: After we recorded this episode, Mark Joseph Stern sent Jesse an email laying out his views and responding to Jesse’s b******g on Twitter. That email is below and we’ll discuss it, plus any further correspondence those two have, at the top of the next free episode.Hi Jesse,Although I'm not on Twitter anymore, a friend flagged your tweet about my coverage of Skrmetti and your question about sex discrimination. I would like to help explain why SB1 does, indeed, discriminate on the basis of sex in a way that triggers heightened scrutiny under the equal protection clause.First, I'll note that while the term "sex discrimination" is more common in media coverage, the more accurate legal standard is "sex classification." (The court's canonical cases, like Reed v. Reed and U.S. v. Virginia, favor this term.) The two can be used interchangeably, but I think "classification" is a little clearer for the purposes of addressing your arguments.You, and the Skrmetti majority, are undoubtedly correct that SB1 classifies on the basis of medical condition. But to do so, at least under many circumstances, it must also classify on the basis of sex. I see that you're suspicious of one way I've been explaining this: a cis boy can receive testosterone to develop more male features, while a trans boy cannot. I still think that example works as a legal matter, even if such treatment for a cis boy is uncommon in real life. (Although—is it? Don’t doctors prescribe testosterone to cis boys with delayed puberty to jump-start secondary sex characteristics that are fundamentally cosmetic, like facial hair?) So set it aside.Consider instead an adolescent cis boy who experiences gynecomastia, unwanted but harmless growth of breast tissue. Under SB1, he may still receive testosterone therapy to reduce his breasts. Not because the excessive growth of tissue is medically harmful, but because he does not wish to appear to have breasts, as they are incongruent with his gender identity. But an adolescent trans boy may not, under SB1, receive the same treatment to achieve the same effect—reduction of breasts that are incongruent with his gender identity. Why?I take it you would say: Because the trans boy seeks the treatment for gender dysphoria, whereas the cis boy seeks it for gynecomastia. True enough, but irrelevant for the purpose of deciding whether the law classifies on the basis of sex. That's because, in addition to classifying on the basis of medical condition, the law classifies on the basis of sex to determine who may receive the same treatment to achieve the same outcome. An adolescent's access to testosterone to reduce breast growth turns on the sex they were assigned at birth. Those assigned male can get testosterone; those assigned female cannot. Thus, the law classifies patients on the basis of sex, and triggers heightened scrutiny under the equal protection clause. Put differently, to determine the medical condition—gender dysphoria or gynecomastia—a doctor must consider the patient's sex assigned at birth. That consideration, under longstanding precedent, compels heightened scrutiny.It is not uncommon for laws that classify on the basis of sex to classify on other bases as well. For instance, in Morales-Santana, the law at issue classified on the basis of a parent's physical presence in the United States. That, all agree, was permissible. But the law also classified on the basis of the parent's sex. And that, the court held, created a "gender line" that triggered heightened scrutiny. There is a similar dynamic at play in Skrmetti. Yes, the law dictates what treatments a minor may receive based on their medical condition. But to do so, it must classify minors on the basis of sex. And that, under the court's precedents, should be enough to trigger heightened scrutiny.I will note that, as you know, the question of whether a law classifies on the basis of sex is only the first step of the analysis. If the answer is yes, the next step is to apply heightened scrutiny by asking whether the law serves important governmental interests and is substantially related to the achievement of those interests. I think your objections probably lie in this second step; to return to my example, you may think the government has a strong interest in preventing minors with gender dysphoria from altering their bodies, and you believe SB1's restrictions are sensibly drawn to encompass those cases while allowing cis minors to receive the same treatments. But even if that is correct (and I won't opine on it here), SB1 still classifies on the basis of sex, requiring the application of heightened scrutiny to survive constitutional muster. And in my view, the Skrmetti majority erred in denying that reality.Best,MarkThe Washington Post Will Ask Some Sources