Where There's Woke

Jimmy Kimmel caused significant outrage a couple of weeks ago that you likely heard about. The "outrage" on the Right was that he dared to say Charlie Kirk's name and imply that the alleged killer was MAGA. The outrage on the Left was that after Kimmel said that single sentence, the government mafia-bossed the broadcasters to pre-empt his show, ultimately leading to Jimmy Kimmel's suspension from the air by ABC and his silence. The Right will have you believe that the Left is blowing this completely out of proportion, and since when did the Left even care about Free Speech anyway?! Lydia takes us through a piece in The Federalist: 6 Times Leftists Melting Down Over Jimmy Kimmel Were Happy To Deny Conservatives 'Free Speech', and we discuss how comparable the examples were that they came up with. If you enjoy our work, please consider leaving a 5-star review! You can always email questions, comments, and leads to lydia@seriouspod.com. Please pretty please consider becoming a patron at patreon.com/wherethereswoke!

It's part 2 of our little foray into the disturbing transphobia-addled mind of Bill Maher. This one features a hilarious clip where Bill yells at Neil DeGrasse Tyson while not understanding a word Neil has said.

Bill Maher decided to bless us all with his sage advice on our country's fascism problem - why don't we all just stop doing the things that the fascists use as their excuse to do the fascism they already were going to do anyway? How did we not think of that??? Are we all the dumbest bunch of idiots?

After the release of our PragerU videos (WTW88 & WTW89), we received a comment in the Facebook group from a listener pushing back on the characterization we made regarding a one sentence bit from Ben Shapiro's commencement speech video. This feedback emboldened Thomas to dig into the story further to see if we owed an apology to Ben. Was this a unique instance in which the anti-woke were right and there truly was a miscarriage of justice? **If you enjoy our work, please consider leaving a 5-star review! You can always email questions, comments, and leads to lydia@seriouspod.com.**

Kaiser issued the most infuriating statement last month announcing that they were "pausing" their gender-affirming surgeries for patients 19 and under. Why in the world did they do this when the majority of Kaiser members are in California - a protective state for the transgender community and one of the most likely states to stand up to the Trump administration? Lydia breaks down what happened, who has been speaking out, and a particular theory about why Kaiser Permanente might have made this decision. Massachusetts et al v. Trump et al (8/1/2025) If you enjoy our work, please consider leaving a 5-star review! You can always email questions, comments, and leads to lydia@seriouspod.com. Please pretty please consider becoming a patron at patreon.com/wherethereswoke!

Part 2 of 2. Now that we're Oklahoma-certified teachers, it's time to learn more about PragerU. Who are they, where does their money come from, and are they really going to be the new PBS? We break down one of their PragerU Kids videos, and end with a pretty unhinged video presented by a WTW frenemy. If you enjoy our work, please consider leaving a 5-star review! You can always email questions, comments, and leads to lydia@seriouspod.com. Please pretty please consider becoming a patron at patreon.com/wherethereswoke!

Oklahoma is partnering with PragerU to create a controversial test for incoming teachers, focusing on ideological alignment. The hosts take the test and uncover its simplistic, biased questions about civics and social issues. They critique the rhetoric used against critics, labeling them as 'enemies of America's children.' Discussion extends to PragerU's wider influence and questionable content. The episode highlights concerns over privacy and legal implications while also mocking the test's basic civics knowledge requirements.

Andrew Sullivan's controversial views on queer issues are put to the test, sparking a spirited debate over generational differences and the term 'queer'. The hosts discuss the critical importance of acceptance for trans rights while unpacking media narratives around gender-affirming care. Lydia shares her exhilarating first experience at San Francisco Pride, emphasizing the joy and community it fosters. They reflect on the significance of public celebrations in enriching LGBTQ life and push back against harmful portrayals of dissent and misinformation.

In a heated critique, the hosts take on a controversial New York Times op-ed by Andrew Sullivan, arguing that it undermines LGBTQ+ rights during Pride Month. They highlight the selective use of legal victories and the ongoing threats to marriage equality. The discussion delves into Project 2025's conservative agenda and its implications for the community. They challenge misconceptions about funding in LGBTQ+ organizations and mock Sullivan's grievances about identity labels. The hosts celebrate the beauty of Pride and preview more personal reflections.

An unsurprising figure is involved in the current battle between Harvard University and the federal government, and he has come out to EXPOSE Harvard's racist and discriminatory practices by sharing a "trove" of internal documents they don't want you to see. Lydia walks us through what these documents are, how things escalated to this point, and what Christopher Rufo wants us to think it all means - which The New York Times helped platform on an episode of The Daily. Cool. Best Practices for Conducting Faculty Searches Rufo's smoking gun that makes no sense: Harvard's "Placement Goals" - HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS IS! **If you enjoy our work, please consider leaving a 5-star review! You can always email questions, comments, and leads to lydia@seriouspod.com.** Please pretty please consider becoming a patron at patreon.com/wherethereswoke! This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.