
Blocked and Reported
Journalists Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal scour the internet for its craziest, silliest, most sociopathic content, part of an obsessive and ill-conceived attempt to extract kernels of meaning and humanity from a landscape of endless raging dumpster fires. www.blockedandreported.org
Latest episodes

May 16, 2023 • 46min
Episode 165: A Can't-Look-Away Nightmare Involving A Sci-Fi Writer, A Maybe-Formerly-Racist Cybersecurity Expert, And, Somehow, A Cabal Of Online "Opie And Anthony" Fundamentalists (Part 2)
In Part 2 of our series on the unhinged five-year harassment campaign against Patrick Tomlison, Katie and Jesse discuss the suspects. (Listen to Part 1 first.)Jackie Singh: “The Swedish Connection: Unraveling America’s Swatting Terror” 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

May 15, 2023 • 1h 1min
Episode 164: A Can't-Look-Away Nightmare Involving A Sci-Fi Writer, A Maybe-Formerly-Racist Cybersecurity Expert, And, Somehow, A Cabal Of Online "Opie And Anthony" Fundamentalists (Part 1)
This week on the show, Katie Herzog tells Jesse Singal how a tweet about Norm MacDonald led to an unhinged five-year harassment campaign, and the woman trying to solve the mystery of who is behind it.Jackie Singh’s HackingButLegal.comWashington Examiner: “Senior Biden campaign cybersecurity expert participated in racist internet troll group”Weev on Singh aka JaxJackie Singh: The Swedish Connection: Unraveling America’s Swatting TerrorVice News: “A Computer Generated Swatting Service Is Causing Havoc Across America”Encyclopedia Dramatica on Patrick TomlinsonDaily Beast: “Internet Trolls Have Tormented This Sci-Fi Writer for Years—and He Can’t Stop Them”Patrick Tomlinson: “How Trolls Hack Twitter to Silence the Rest of Us” 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

May 10, 2023 • 12min
Premium: Laundering Liz's Laundry
This week on the Primo, Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal discuss a new profile of Liz (née Elizabeth) Holmes and decide once and for all if the paper of record is laundering Liz’s laundry. NYT: “Liz Holmes Wants You to Forget About Elizabeth”Jezebel: “Cute! New York Times Helps Elizabeth Holmes Launder Her Reputation Before Prison”Jesse… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

May 8, 2023 • 1h 10min
Episode 163: The Fox and the Clown
This week on the show, Jesse Singal and Katie Herzog discuss the recent killing of a homeless man on the New York City subway and the less recent killing of a fox in the UK. Featuring: A Michael Jackson impersonator, a marine, the American media, Jo Maugham and Jo Rowling (no relation). Also, please come to this FIRE event with Katie at the University of Washington on May 12th. It’s about free speech and it’s, appropriately, free. Part 1:The subway video New York Magazine: “Daniel Penny Identified As the Man Who Choked Jordan Neely to Death”CNN: "Man dies after being put in a chokehold by another rider on New York City subway, officials say. The DA is investigating”NBC News: "Video shows NYC subway confrontation end with fatal chokehold"NYT: "No Arrest in New York Subway Chokehold Death, and Many Want to Know Why"Roxanne Gay: “Making People Uncomfortable Can Now Get You Killed”Jonathan Rosen: “American Madness”Part 2: Jolyon’s windmillJolyon's recordJolyon’s partyJolyon’s ProjectThe LGB AllianceThe Critic Magazine: Taking the clown seriouslyThe Daily Mail: Is Jolyon the fox-killing Brexit-loathing barrister with a penchant for silk kimonos the most ludicrous man in Britain?The Spectator: Jolyon Maugham’s opening sentence might be the worst of all time 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

May 1, 2023 • 1h
Episode 162: We Challengeth The Honor Of Ed Yong And The Transgender Center
Halt, vagrant! Hailest thou from the tribe of the latinx? Or ypipo? LGBTQIA2+ or cishet? Art thou based, or cringe? Don thine helmet and draw thy sword, for this week on Blocked And Reported, we defend our honor! First, Katie Herzog duketh it out with Jesse Singal to determine who shall inherit the kingdom of Blocked And Reported in the event one of them should die. Then, Jesse attacketh the honor of Ed Yong, highly decorated knight of journalism and recipient of a Pulitzer medal. Alas, Jesse striketh at his most subpar front-page article for The Atlantic, laying bare its inaccuracy for all to see. Then, the denizens of Twitter come after Jesse Singal for his coverage of the St. Louis Transgender Center. After Jamie Reed laid bare its most dishonorable treatment of trans children, it attempteth to repair its honor by investigating itself and finding itself innocent! But by doing so, our intrepid duo expose even more of its dishonest acts…And finally, TikToker @jackielabonita is mocked at a baseball game, leading the dezinens of the ‘net to come to the defense of the poor maiden’s honor — including none other than legendary bard Cardius of B. But why hath honor culture suddenly returned to America of all places? What if it were white women who hath mocked a black woman? Do Jewish gamers have honor culture? Listen in as our brave knights don their philologist hats and investigate!Also there are bears f*****g for some reason???The links Katie clickedhttps://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1651039681407078400https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1651279526310166549New York Post: “Conor Skelding loses battle with cancer”https://nypost.com/2023/04/23/new-york-post-reporter-conor-skelding-loses-battle-with-cancer/The episode of ours that led to the viewer responsesThe Ed Yong DebunkingThe Atlantic’s story on 1/5 healthcare workers quitting due to COVIDhttp://web.archive.org/web/20211117011521/https://www.theatlantic.com/The survey citedhttps://morningconsult.com/2021/10/04/health-care-workers-series-part-2-workforce/A debunking of this claimhttps://www.beckershospitalreview.com/workforce/if-1-in-5-healthcare-workers-have-quit-where-have-they-gone.htmlJesse Singal & Bari Weiss EXPOSEDThe callouthttps://twitter.com/ryanlcooper/status/1649784774603468800The article they’re citing, accidentally proving Jesse righthttps://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article274573836.htmlNBC News article on the casehttps://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/st-louis-gender-clinic-accusations-unsubstantiated-internal-investigat-rcna81233Jesse’s articles on the Transgender CenterDefining “reasonable care”https://www.lauensteinlaw.com/news/2017/06/19/defining-reasonable-care-and-negligence/Why you shouldn’t trust the right-wingers’ investigations, eitherhttps://ballotpedia.org/Andrew_Bailey_(Missouri)Missouri restricting transition care for adultshttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/14/us/missouri-transgender-health-care.htmlThe new emergency regulationshttps://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/2023-04-13---emergency-reg.pdfKatie’s leaked yearbook photohttps://www.reddit.com/r/BlockedAndReported/comments/12woca6/guess_who_in_high_school/TikTokThe “girl-on-girl action” at a baseball game that started it allhttps://www.tiktok.com/@jackielabonita/video/7224738861270715690Twitter’s massive reactionhttps://twitter.com/cupid4joon/status/1649920143290519552Even Cardi B gets involvedhttps://twitter.com/iamcardib/status/1649972293093715969Cultures of honorhttps://social.psych.iastate.edu/about-my-research/research-on-culture-of-honor/The Insider article on the blowuphttps://www.insider.com/jackie-labonita-mocked-women-doxxing-backlash-tiktok-2023-4Other commentators weigh inhttps://www.tiktok.com/@t514grl/video/7224989934271122731?q=stitch%20%40jackielabonita&t=1682340093109Freddie DeBoer on online shaminghttps://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/perhaps-a-wave-has-crested 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

Apr 24, 2023 • 1h 29min
Episode 161: Detective Herzog And The Millionaire Kitty Cartel
It was barely half past two when Trace stepped into my office, casefiles in hand. The first one gave me a good chuckle. Apparently Elon had removed “legacy verification” from Twitter — meaning the only way to get a blue check now was to give him eight smackeroos a month. Everyone from Jason Alexander to SCOTUS Blog was threatening to bounce, someone had impersonated the Big Apple itself, and Elon had footed the bill for LeBron James, Stephen King, and — her?! No way.I gazed at the smoke detector above me, two rectangular holes where its batteries should be, and flipped to File #2. A writer for The Atlantic named Ed Yong had crossed the line from “journalist” to “activist”, going after everyone questioning the narrative on “long COVID”. Something about the evidence he used smelled fishy as hell. I put it to the side — this was one for Jesse to handle.The last file was something else entirely. I took a drag of my cigarette, watching the smoke curl lazily towards the ceiling as I kept reading. An old grandma gets raided by the DEA for traffickin’ human growth hormone. No charges. Turns out what she was pushin’…wasn’t exactly intended for human consumption. Then the FDA busts a lady importing “beauty products” from Hong Kong. Confiscate her cars, her mansions. A spreadsheet she kept shows she moved a whopping $10 million worth of product.“You think they’re connected?”“A listener tipped us off. Said her cat needed meds, but they’re illegal. The dame says her vet pointed her towards a Facebook group that could hook her up under the table. I think they’re the missing link. Real secretive, though. Won’t talk to anyone who’s not a buyer, so I sent them an invite, pretending to be —"Suddenly, the phone rang. A booming voice on the other end spoke. “Your invitation to join FIP Warriors® 5.0 has been accepted.”I stood up and brushed the flakes of weed off my trenchcoat as Trace unholstered his trusty snubnose revolver and adjusted his fedora.“Start the car, Trace. Looks like we’re going undercover.”Blue ChecksThe results of the legacy checkmark removalhttps://twitter.com/goldengateblond/status/1649162600826167296https://twitter.com/thatfrood/status/1649179696226000897?s=20https://twitter.com/realrickpaulas/status/1649136628915380226?s=20Musk buys Twitter Blue for Stephen Kinghttps://twitter.com/StephenKing/status/1649147510525423626Long COVIDEd Yong’s article on Long COVIDhttps://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2023/04/long-covid-symptoms-invisible-disability-chronic-illness/673773/The CDC on Long COVIDhttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.htmlEvidence is mixed as to whether vaccines reduce the chances or severity of long COVIDhttps://www.kff.org/policy-watch/long-covid-what-do-latest-data-show/Household Pulse survey on Long COVIDhttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/long-covid.htmFederal Reserve report on Long COVIDhttps://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/notes/feds-notes/long-covid-cognitive-impairment-and-the-stalled-decline-in-disability-rates-20220805.htmlSurvey about discrimination against those with long COVIDhttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0277317Jesse’s response to the articleThe New Republic: We Might Have Long Covid All Wronghttps://newrepublic.com/article/168965/might-long-covid-wrongStuart Ritchie: Does Long Covid really exist?https://unherd.com/2021/06/does-long-covid-really-exist/Ed Yong’s first article on Long COVIDhttps://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/06/covid-19-coronavirus-longterm-symptoms-months/612679/The Kitty CartelThe Atlantic’s 2020 piece on black-market cat remdesivirhttps://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/05/remdesivir-cats/611341/Business Insider’s articlehttps://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-treatment-cats-fip-sold-10k-black-market-2020-6?r=US&IR=TRobin says she doesn’t get kickbackshttps://www.reddit.com/r/cureFIP/comments/11qv50c/proof_that_robin_has_previously_claimed_they_dont/OneZero: Inside a Facebook ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ for Cat Drugshttps://onezero.medium.com/desperate-cat-owners-are-buying-illegal-cat-drugs-on-facebooks-black-market-cd40bfe90997Cure FIP exposes FIP Warriorshttps://www.curefip.com/post/drama-fip-telenovelasFIP Warriorshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/804374446995270FIP Global Catshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/595916822107282Zen By Cathttps://www.zenbycat.org/ 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

Apr 17, 2023 • 1h 9min
Episode 160: Katie Comes Out Of The Closet (As A Dylan Mulvaney Fan)
After some NPR/Elon Talk, Diaper Talk, and Unitarian Talk, the hosts turn their attention to the most important news story in American history: Dylan Mulvaney. Who is Dylan Mulvaney? What is a Barbie pouch? Why is Kid Rock so mad? Who drinks Bud Light, anyway?Show notes/LinksMommy and Daddy are fightinghttps://www.npr.org/2023/04/12/1169269161/npr-leaves-twitter-government-funded-media-labelPesca on the 1% memehttps://twitter.com/pescami/status/1646542019479629829What Jesse was forced to see so now you have to as wellhttps://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-el0gde4gbz/images/stencil/2560w/products/5896/10122/Alpaca-PUL-Pants-5687-Amazon__76119.1680190884.jpg?c=2Mulvaney TikToksDrew Barrymore momentMatt Walsh sure is madhttps://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1625617441219813409But like what literally even ARE sporps??Kid Rock most affectedhttps://twitter.com/KidRock/status/1643090302410936323Bud Light VPLeft and right both fall for, spread confusionhttps://www.thepinknews.com/2023/04/11/bud-light-dylan-mulvaney-alissa-heinerscheid/https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2023/04/10/bud_light_vp_defends_dylan_mulvaney_can_my_job_was_to_take_a_brand_in_decline_and_attract_young_drinkers.htmlEveryone is keeping it classyhttps://dailycaller.com/2023/04/11/alissa-gordon-heinerscheid-leaked-social-media-pictures-bud-light-ad-executive-slammed-fratty-culture-seen-partying-drinking-isis-club/Image: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 13: Dylan Mulvaney attends her Day 365 Live! at The Rainbow Room on March 13, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images) 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

Apr 12, 2023 • 16min
Premium: Catching Up On The Rebekah Jones And Jamie Reed Controversies
After some initial ant talk and discussion of AntCon2023, Jesse and Katie catch up on the latest controversies surrounding two frequent BARPod subjects: “whistleblower” Rebekah Jones and whistleblower Jamie Reed.Show notes/LinksRebekah JonesPrior Rebekah Jones coverageGuess who’s back?Back againBecky’s backTell a friendhttps://twitter.com/GeoRebekah/sta… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org

Apr 10, 2023 • 1h 10min
Episode 159: How The Unitarian Universalist Church Melted Down
After Jesse introduces an exciting new feature representing cutting-edge podcasting technology, and then engages in some Diaper Talk with Katie, Katie tells Jesse the story of the mind-blowing moral panic that has caused a large swath of the Unitarian Universalist Association to melt down. You want recriminations? Oh, we got ‘em!Show notes/Links:Diapers: :(https://www.thestranger.com/sex/2023/03/31/78928220/young-at-hearthttps://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/hamilton-county/noblesville/2022/07/29/noblesville-killed-5-5m-development-deal-because-of-adult-baby-shop/65385426007/UUA:SkochkoRogues’ Galleryhttps://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/mfc/clergy-misconduct-investigationsRohde’s GoFundMehttps://www.gofundme.com/f/Make-the-UUA-accountableIs Your Child Practicing Gadflyism?Book formhttps://www.amazon.com/Gadfly-Papers-Inconvenient-Essays-Minister/dp/1070524484https://www.amazon.com/Gadfly-Affair-Heretics-Excommunication-Americas/dp/B091WJ6Q5CCORRECTION: In an earlier verision of this podcast I said Kate Rohde lost her ”pension.” This was incorrect. She lost access to various funds but not her pension. It has been updated. Apologies for the error. —KHImage: BARRE, VERMONT, USA - FEBRUARY, 21, 2020: Winter time city view. Universalist Church via Getty 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

Apr 6, 2023 • 9min
Let's Talk About Aja Romano, Chris Avellone's Accusers, And Other Dishonest Actors
Today’s episode is about people who say things that aren’t true. There should be a word for such people! First up: Aja Romano, who has a long history of both tee-shirt vandalism and ~~online deception~~. Then, the sad and tangled story of Chris Avellon, the cancelled games writer… or perhaps UNcancelled???Show notes/LinksA Brief History Of Ajahttps://fa… To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.org