Ruthless Podcast

🎙️ We start by trading stories about the funniest reactions our wives have had to the Progrum, including the moment it dawned on them that this thing might actually be real. From late-night editing side-eyes to the infamous “so you have groupies now?” Uber ride, the fellas compare notes on how humility is enforced at home, no matter how big the show gets. ⚡ We continue to rip through your questions, like what it actually takes to jump into a House or Senate race, why federal campaigns have zero margin for error, and why real groundwork matters more than ambition. The fellas get blunt about grassroots work, campaign mechanics, consultant traps, and why door knocking teaches you more than any consultant memo ever will. We also tackle questions about journalistic giants, what’s actually changed since the Fox deal, and whether Democrats would ever come on the Progrum to face tough questions. ️ 💥 Then, Andrew Bremberg on health care costs, price transparency, and why throwing more taxpayer money at a broken system keeps failing. Plus, a recap of some of the best moments from our favorite variety segments from 2025. We still love the New Yorker shoot of famous democrats and a drunk SC democrat - enjoy! 00:00 — Funniest reactions to the Progrum from our wives 07:29 — When the in-laws realize it’s a real show 08:20 — Getting involved in politics after Trump 15:05 — Why voters humble everyone 16:27 — GOP realignment and progressive policies on the chopping block 23:21 — Skyline Chili: how to try it 27:34 — Journalistic giants and what real reporting looks like 35:04 — What actually changed after the Fox deal 36:42 — Why Democrats won’t come on the Progrum 39:35 — Andrew Bremberg discusses controlling health care costs 44:18 — Price transparency and why it matters in health care 53:55 — Best of variety: notable New Yorkers exposed 01:12:00 — Best of variety: South Carolina Democrat cop car meltdown Our Sponsors: ➢Beverage America believes in the promise that makes this nation great. Learn more at http://wedeliverforamerica.org/ ➢Want to make a difference in your community? https://takeonesmallstep.org/ Join AFP's grass-roots efforts at https://afpvolunteer.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🎙️ The fellas should open a daycare—because apparently the easiest money in America is getting paid for childcare that doesn’t exist. Nick Shirley’s goes door-to-door in Minnesota: finding blacked-out windows, locked doors, no kids in sight, and big checks flowing anyway. We talk about how this kind of scheme doesn’t just rip off taxpayers—it also squeezes the real families. It’s embarrassing how local and national press frames this story, why “it’s just a few bad actors” doesn’t cut it, and why the incentives behind keeping this kind of grift alive. 🫏 Then, we recap the best 2025 Democratic faceplants and clips. From Kamala to Warren, Crockett to an unfortunate No Kings congresswoman - we show how messaging gets used as a shield by democrats. 🐘Then, Jayme Franklin joins the Progrum. We talk about her work in building The Conservateur and Sincerely American, what it’s like creating a space for conservative women in media. We also address how friendships—and real-life priorities like marriage, kids, and work—are a bigger part of the story than the usual press narrative. 00:00 — The Fellas Need to Get in on the Grift 02:03 — Nick Shirley’s Doing The Work Media Won’t 07:35 — Who Gets Hurt When Money Disappears 13:57 — Finding “Quality Learing” in MN 18:10 — Investigative Compilation from MN 20:04 — This System is Functioning as It Was Intended 22:07 — The New Tammany Hall 26:45 — Why “a few arrests” won’t fix this 34:11 — The DHS Shrug-fest 35:53 — Wisconsin Governor On Immigrants 37:15 — What Elizabeth Warren‘s Stumble S’ays about the Moment 38:08 — Jasmine Crockett’s Messaging Machine 41:46 — Kamala Doesn’t Pick Pete 46:51 — Jayme Franklin On building The Conservateur 53:05 — Why women’s media is so one-sided Our Sponsors: ➢Beverage America believes in the promise that makes this nation great. Learn more at http://wedeliverforamerica.org/ ➢Tell your lawmaker to put parents first. NetChoice is dedicated to making the Internet safe for free expression and free enterprise: http://netchoice.org/keepappstoressafe ➢We can create a space where girls can connect and thrive. Get involved today at https://empowerourfuturecoalition.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🎙️ Get ready for a whole stack of holiday-flavored chaos. We start with the most deranged “ideology in baking” moment imaginable: a decolonized Christmas cookie pitch that tries to rewrite history through masa, honey, and pure self-seriousness. From there, we’re right into the spirit of the season: the stuff that’s supposed to be wholesome, until it isn’t. 🐫 ️Next up, we hit peak pageantry with a live-nativity-adjacent church scene that includes camels walking the aisle—right up until one of them detonates a kick into an unsuspecting face. Then we keep the decorations theme rolling: a car fully wrapped in Christmas lights attempts a heroic pass… and immediately turns into a cautionary tale. 🎄 And because the holidays are nothing without juvenile sabotage, we get the garage-door letter swap that takes “Merry Christmas” somewhere deeply unfit for polite company—followed by our own story time about a neighborhood snow sculpture that gets an anatomical “upgrade.” ⚡Then we flash back to our favorite variety segments from 2025. From men fighting gorillas to umpire nut-shots. Relive the best of 2025 with the fellas. ️ 00:00 - Holiday laughs with the fellas and a fresh stack of variety 03:23 - “Decolonized Christmas” cookies 07:03 - Live nativity chaos: camel strolls into church, then the kick lands 10:08 - Christmas car eats it 11:18 - Classic Christmas Variety 18:12 - Vintage Variety: 100 men vs 1 gorilla simulations 22:39 - 10,000 gorillas vs 1,000,000 men and the morale problem 24:39 - Airborne elbow-drop strategy talk for gorilla combat 29:18 - Vintage Variety: Rhode Island prosecutor arrest bodycam 37:40 - The Washington Post tries “Gen Z” sketch comedy 42:49 - New angle on the F-15 backseat ejection footage 44:24 - Padres field-runner kid gets tackled 45:21 - ESPN tries to fix itself 50:33 - Best umpire nut hit in history 54:12 - Wild pigs turn bright blue in California 57:35 - Drunk man drives airport cart through walkway 51:28 - Adults using pacifiers to cope 51:55 - Year-end reflections and variety chaos Our Sponsors: ➢Tell your lawmaker to put parents first. NetChoice is dedicated to making the Internet safe for free expression and free enterprise: http://netchoice.org/keepappstoressafe ➢We can create a space where girls can connect and thrive. Get involved today at https://empowerourfuturecoalition.com/ ➢Go to https://zbiotics.com/RUTHLESS and use RUTHLESS at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🎙️ We kick off our Christmas Day Q&A by answering the burning questions from the audience. We talk through how our careers actually started, how campaign instincts and comms muscle turn into real-world wins, and why the Progrum isn’t just “four guys with microphones,” but four guys who’ve lived the jobs we talk about. ⚡ Then, how the sausage gets made: how messages spread, why creativity beats policy-speak, and how the right phrase at the right moment can take over the conversation. We also talk about the early internet era in politics—how it worked, why it mattered, and what separated the serious operators from the scammy money-grab crowd.️ 🥸 More of your questions in this proper holiday hang: Holmes’ on-again/off-again mustache situation, where ‘Progrum’ actually comes from, and whether we still have day jobs (we do). More Q&A in Part II - coming next week. 00:00 - Christmas Day Q&A - Our gift to you 04:16 - The backstory on the fellas 05:14 - How comms work actually gets learned in the Senate 11:12 - Selling stories to reporters and shaping the narrative 12:50 - Branding moments that stick in politics 17:30 - The road back to winning in 2014 24:58 - Building a real professional partnership 28:37 - Smug’s bio: finance to politics to operating in NYC 30:00 - Inside the financial crisis panic 35:52 - Where “Comfortably Smug” comes from and why it takes off 40:16 - Covid-era Zoom happy hours give birth to an idea 49:52 - Why does Holmes mustache come and go? 53:19 - Where “Grum/Progrum” comes from—dialects, sports, and Senate impressions 59:17 - Do we still have day jobs? What we actually do now Our Sponsors: ➢Beverage America believes in the promise that makes this nation great. Learn more at http://wedeliverforamerica.org/ ➢Unleash American energy to be bigger and better than ever before, because when America builds, America wins. https://permittingreformnow.org/ ➢Want to make a difference in your community? https://takeonesmallstep.org/ Join AFP's grass-roots efforts at https://afpvolunteer.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🎁 A happy Festivus to all those who celebrate. Today, the fellas have their a festivus celebration for the ages. Everyone shares their personal and political grievances, plus we review the best feats of strength from the year. ️ 💥 Whether it’s a debate about nachos being a total scam or Donald Trump’s decisive bombing of Iran, you won’t want to miss a bit of our Festivus Celebration. Grab your aluminium pole and prepare for your own Festivus miracles! 00:00 - A Festivus for the rest of us 04:18 - Moving the chains on the NFL 08:06 - Immigration enforcement and prioritization 13:41 - Burgers that are too tall to eat 18:21 - Nachos and restaurant food scams 20:00 - Political ads and candidate disclaimers 24:49 - Speakerphone use in public spaces 28:44 - Democrats pretending to be TikTok Zoomers 33:25 - Walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk 36:03 - Conservatives complaining about Congress out of session 42:42 - The 2025 Feats of Strength 45:04 - American military action abroad 50:35 - Minnesota cheerleaders and cultural madness 53:18 - Border numbers and enforcement strength 56:14 - Fighting bears and unhinged bravery Our Sponsors: ➢Beverage America believes in the promise that makes this nation great. Learn more at http://wedeliverforamerica.org/ ➢Unleash American energy to be bigger and better than ever before, because when America builds, America wins. https://permittingreformnow.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices