CLUB RECAP: How Right-Wing Creators Harness the Unknown to Shape a More Individualistic Worldview

UNASBers share their takes on podcasts from Theo Von + Candace Owens, Charlie Kirk + Megyn Kelly, and more.

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Aug 08, 2025

Welcome back to Unfortunately Not A Sound Bath! Here at UNSAB, we listen to conservative-leaning podcasts, analyze their messaging and themes, and brainstorm actionable ideas for how the Democratic coalition can strengthen its own approach.

We also have two “tracks” here: the newbies (who are just getting started in the club) and the OGs (who have been here a minute). In order to make sure everyone gets a comprehensive base of knowledge, these two groups listen to different podcasts. This newsletter serves as a recap of what we discussed in our last meeting.

THE NEWBIES RECAP: THEO VON AND CANDACE OWENS

The newer members of the club (“newbies”) traveled back in time during this week’s UNASB meeting to a March episode of “This Past Weekend with Theo Von”. They say to understand the current moment, you have to look at history, and, boy did we learn some “history” during 2.5 hours of unscripted chit chat with Theo’s guest speaker, the one & only Candace Owens.

INSIDE THE EPISODE

Vibing & Laughing. Together, they poked fun at others and themselves, allowing the listener to feel like they’re vibin’ amongst friends. You’re taking it all in, nodding along, ultimately losing yourself in the conversation – a powerful (and scary) tool when that conversation is telling you America is failing because of multiculturalism.

Being Relatable. Theo Von – just a good ol’ boy sporting a mullet, who self-deprecates about his humble beginnings, and is always armed with a well-timed joke about putting his “dick in hospice during Me Too”. Did I chuckle? Yes. Did I hate myself for that chuckle? Also, yes, but admittedly less than I thought I would. Along with his more theatrical aspects, Theo is also passionate about affordable, transparent healthcare. It’s a fascinating juxtaposition, and one many liberal listeners are unfamiliar with.

They didn’t tell you how to feel, just how they feel. Unsurprisingly, they weren’t concerned with being offensive or saying the “ right” thing. At times, they actively defied stereotypes of what conservatives traditionally believe and even criticized the GOP. The result was relatable, refreshing, and engaging.

Knowing the Audience. Perhaps most importantly, Candance & Theo understand their audience and they act accordingly. A great example: Candace routinely asked to be fact checked, prompting Theo & the interns to go to the monitors and Google whatever she was talking about, ultimately reading some Wiki page about Project Mockingjay. Guess what? When I want to look something up, I do the same damn thing. This approach connects with listeners -- and doesn't feel like a barrier to entry.

We on the left need to untether ourselves from outdated standards and operating procedures. Old school rules are over, they’re done & dusted. We’re on the 2025 playground doing things like finger hearts and trading Labubus (maybe). Either way, let’s *actually* talk about the things people care about and in a way that makes sense to them.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

People love yapping, laughing, and having fun! Having a format that mirrors real-life convos makes a lot of sense. When you sit down at dinner with friends, do you have a scripted agenda where you clearly define each topic and hard pivot when you’re finished? There’s an immediate authenticity and credibility that emerges when news, jokes, personal anecdotes, and pop culture all blend together.
Multiple things can be true at once. Candace Owens spreads horrible, hateful views that go against everything I believe in and we are both staunchly against the genocide in Gaza. Theo Von can be a dodo bird, but I deeply empathize with his frustration at the two-party system and how he doesn’t feel reflected in either.
The left needs to stop with the absolutes. “We are good, they are evil.” “Everyone who voted for Trump is shit & deserves this hellscape we are experiencing and the rest of us are victims.” During our principled fight against the "bad guys", we’ve become the bullies we lamented and have seemingly lost sight of what we were fighting for.
Shared humanity is really important. We have to go back to the fundamentals of what we believe in - human rights, the ability to access healthcare and education, protecting our planet, a country where everyone is actually free to live whatever life they want - and start to connect on that basis. The only path forward is to help the Theo Vons of the world imagine a better future where he, and everyone who feels left behind by the Democratic party, can thrive. Everyone except the super mega rich.

Overall, an extremely effective weapon the right-wing content machine has harnessed and deployed is content, specifically podcasts, that are not overtly political. Instead, they give you a big scoop of culture and current events with a smattering of politics, with a dash of conservative ideology on top. Over time, the result is a level of numbing and normalization that ends up feeling like maybe there is a “silent majority” and it’s where I belong. They pull you in through normal conversation, they flow from just chatting about their lives, things like Candace’s pregnancy and travel plans, before diving into a whirlwind of Trump policies, conspiracy theories, and a cornucopia of other far-right talking points.

THE OGS RECAP: CHARLIE KIRK, MEGYN KELLY, AND MORE

Our more tenured club members zeroed in on clips from three podcast episodes and a live event appearance to distill the Epstein-focused cracks in the MAGAsphere: Charlie Kirk & Megyn Kelly at Turning Point USA SAS 2025, Flagrant – “Why Trump is Covering for Epstein & How Diddy Got Off”, The Tim Dillon Show - “Wet Hot American Epstein”, Candace Owens - "Trump Gone Wild! Is Jeffrey Epstein Even Dead?". The throughline across all the content was conspiracy – sowing distrust in institutions has been the right’s name of the game.

INSIDE THE EPISODES

Charlie Kirk & Megyn Kelly at Turning Point USA SAS 2025

At Turning Point USA’s 2025 Student Action Summit, Kelly opened by differentiating the Epstein scandal from the “fake media scandals the left tries to create for Trump every other day,” as she explained that this one was of the right’s own making, and that it “wasn’t going well.” Kelly rails that Bondi should get out there and do a press conference long enough to bore people, because “that’s how you put a scandal to rest.” Kelly’s insistence on a press conference in which every last question, even by their harshest critics, is answered got us thinking. She should stick to that—and we should ensure that she does. Beyond Epstein, this methodology should be applied across the board. All elected officials should be forced to explain to their constituents the WHY behind decisions that affect everyday people, and they should be doing so in public-facing, easily digestible formats.

Flagrant – “Why Trump is Covering for Epstein & How Diddy Got Off”

On Flagrant, the hosts mulled over what they perceived to be the most benign and worst-case scenarios when it comes to Epstein. These ranged from Epstein having connections to intelligence communities in the U.S. and even Israel, to a “massive blackmail ring,” in which “they” have embedded themselves into all aspects of American culture, from universities to “intelligentsia.” They assessed that there is undeniably a cover-up, and the CIA is most likely involved, which means our tax dollars are as well.

The general theme here was largely oversimplification – just more extreme, red-meat MAGA arguments of mass government conspiracy. Throughout our UNASB journey, we've found that many of the most influential podcasts thrive on an aspirational connection between hosts and listeners. Everyone wants to feel like they're in with the cool kids — especially when those kids are a group of funny, charismatic guys casually hanging out and serving up juicy theories. It's an enticing, low-effort entry point into a world that feels both exclusive and accessible.

The Tim Dillon Show – “Wet Hot American Epstein”

When it came to Tim Dillon, we got a lot of assertive (and loud) commentary delivered in a laid-back, old-school setting with a talk radio vibe. Akin to many other right-leaning commentators, we got nuggets of facts and truth sprinkled amongst a lot of bluster, leaving you wondering what he actually said. Crystal clear, though, was the notion that we all know who’s on the list – the most powerful people, and you can’t trust anyone. One more interesting tidbit: per Dillon, “Trump actually isn’t the most powerful person in the world, and “young chicks aren’t his thing.”

Time and time again, UNASB members have seen the biggest transformations and impact in the nexus of politics and culture. Comedy is a force multiplier, and this is the world Dillon operates within, belting out random asides (calling Cuomo a “retard lasagna brain”). It seems that if you’re funny, you can say whatever you want, and this sense of humor translates to authenticity, which translates to trust. Plus, the right seems to take less issue with comedy or language that crosses a 'boundary. When comedians talk about politics, they float just above reality. There’s a connection to politics, but also a detachment.

Candace Owens – "Trump Gone Wild! Is Jeffrey Epstein Even Dead?"

As she told her husband, “the Epstein scandal is definitely terminal cancer to Trump’s MAGA movement.” “We don’t need to be conspiracy theorists,” she adds right after questioning the presence of a medic disappearing in what she claims is an eight-second lapse in the last photos of Epstein. Throw in a mysterious 4chan post announcing Epstein’s death, and we’re off to the races. Oh, and did you know that “Israel controls a lot of the posts that are on 4chan?” But, Owens ironically repeats, “we don’t need to be conspiracy theorists.”

High-level strategic framing is popular with the right wing. Speak authoritatively and conversationally, take that kernel of truth or common sense, twist it until it’s entirely warped, and blast off. Hit as many conspiracy theories as possible and do it in rapid fire. Performative rage bait gets clicks and views. Owens does this expertly and with a tone that would make cynicism blush.

She raises some valid questions. But just when she starts to sound reasonable, she veers off course—wondering aloud whether Epstein might still be alive. Candace ultimately concludes that Trump—or at the very least, the Trump-hating operatives who infiltrated his inner circle—believes his base is stupid. Maybe it’s her own sense of betrayal that’s pushing her to expose fissures in her support for the administration. After all, she’s not just a member of the base; she’s a leading voice within a conspiracy-fueled faction of it. As she walks us through a minute-by-minute account of Epstein’s death, she comes off as incredulous—maybe even flailing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Messaging Strategy & Narrative:

Simple, gripping storylines resonate – “Rich people doing crazy things on an island” is easy to grasp and has universal appeal.
Scandal-driven content catches attention but often ignores victims — we should center them while holding the powerful accountable.
Rally people behind shared enemies – A single shared enemy can galvanize folks more than a whole system. Use individual stories to better tell the story of a broken system that can be fixed.
Dems need to stay on the Epstein story – both the left and right care, it's a cultural touchstone that many people are aware of (in a fractured media environment filled with misinformation, a shared sense of culture and reality is rare).

Tone & Tactics:

Use comedy + fast facts – they’re universal tools to reach broad audiences and disarm extremism.
Hyperbole makes content feel absurd – lets people detach from politics and engage through humor.
Cynical tone – leans into “can’t trust anyone” sentiment, which is widely relatable now. If Dems employ this tone, they should be more careful than the right has been.
Scapegoating and deflection – highlight how MAGA turns on its own (e.g., Pam Bondi).
Simplicity and repetition – use MAGA’s own words to provoke thoughts and discussion
Play their game (within reason) – we need messengers who are unapologetically blunt and don’t get frazzled

Audience Psychology & Behavior:

Rage bait works – anger and salaciousness drive clicks and engagement; use it strategically to draw people in, then redirect to substance.
People want to form their own opinions – so give them multiple plausible frames (“illusion of choice”).

Influencer & Ecosystem Strategy:

Creators have different incentives than Dems – less cautious, more compelling. Dems try to respect victims, but get left behind.
Multiple voices = strength – don’t wait for one perfect message or messenger, rather encourage MANY tactics, messages, and messengers.
Crowdsourcing narratives builds community and engagement — lean into groupthink/empowerment dynamics.
Use their own words – weaponize right-wing figures’ statements through reframing or irony