I Don't Speak German 136: The Final Cantwell, with Molly Conger
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Sep 29, 2025 Molly Conger, an investigative podcaster and researcher behind Weird Little Guys, joins to discuss the tumultuous journey of Christopher Cantwell. They delve into Cantwell's evolution from a libertarian activist to a key figure in extremist movements. Key topics include his legal troubles since the Unite the Right rally, bizarre post-prison antics, and a recent arrest linked to strangulation. They also scrutinize his disturbing erotic content and the implications of his erratic behavior on public safety, raising ethical questions about reporting on such figures.
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Weird Little Guys Research Method
- Molly Conger described her podcast Weird Little Guys as biographical vignettes about minor extremist figures.
- She researches deeply using timelines, court records, genealogies, and primary sources to reconstruct lives.
Timelines Reveal Overlooked Links
- Molly emphasizes building a day-by-day timeline from newspapers, court records, social media and genealogies to anchor narratives.
- This method reveals small, overlooked links between figures and events that other reporting misses.
Cantwell's Public Descent
- The hosts summarize Chris Cantwell's arc from libertarian Free Keene activist to Charlottesville speaker and later to convicted felon.
- Cantwell's public descent included losing broadcast jobs, embracing Nazism, and assault convictions tied to Unite the Right.