

Blocked and Reported
Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal
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
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 2, 2021 • 1h 1min
Jesse Interviews Ben Burgis About "Canceling Comedians While the World Burns: A Critique Of The Contemporary Left" (extended cut)
Self-explanatory! Enjoy. Lotsa links below about Ben's work and the stuff discussed in this interview. We'll be back with a new K+J episode soon.-latest book, Canceling Comedians While the World Burns: A Critique Of The Contemporary Left: https://www.amazon.com/Canceling-Comedians-While-World-Burns/dp/1789045479-Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenBurgis-YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCByZMNYpHFEetI0s3deYH2g-Bernie Sanders’ unreasonably Vermontian demands: https://nypost.com/2021/05/27/book-reveals-bernies-hotel-demands-king-size-beds-and-60-degree-rooms/-Bernie Sanders criticized for ‘touting’ Rogan clip: https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/24/politics/bernie-sanders-joe-rogan-endorsement/index.html-Ben Burgis and Michael Brooks on why Rogan’s endorsement was good: https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/01/its-good-that-joe-rogan-endorsed-bernie-now-we-have-to-organize-Tom Cotton column: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/03/opinion/tom-cotton-protests-military.html-National Guard deployment to Kenosha:https://www.kenoshanews.com/news/local/national-guard-ends-deployment-to-kenosha/article_61a44f06-43cd-5db8-992f-23f1bcbb5188.html-$1-2b in damage from the George Floyd riots:https://www.axios.com/riots-cost-property-damage-276c9bcc-a455-4067-b06a-66f9db4cea9c.html-attacks on federal courthouse in Portland:https://ktvz.com/news/crime-courts/2020/07/24/fires-set-inside-portland-federal-courthouse-fence-18-arrested-on-federal-charges/-Matt Taibbi’s book Hate Inc.: Why Today’s Media Makes Us Despise One Another:https://www.amazon.com/Hate-Inc-Todays-Despise-Another/dp/1949017257-Ben Burgis/Jacobin Bestner article on ‘insurrection’:https://jacobinmag.com/2021/01/trump-capitol-riot-fascist-coup-attempt?fbclid=IwAR1CVU3AKhMhXufL6OfwDiu_UEIFcghIZ0osMlS-uFST8rmdT7dQ9w69vVU-2019 DSA convention ‘highlights’:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHRxu3XrsHg&ab_channel=Mitchollow-JFC, tankies: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tankie 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 29, 2021 • 54min
Episode 66: It Is A Bad Idea To Try To Shout Down Detransitioners
After Jesse discusses his imminent Upstate death, the hosts turn toward a 60 Minutes segment on detransitioners and the rather unhinged response to it. Then they talk about the lab-leak hypothesis of the coronavirus’s origins, which may have been preemptively debunked by overeager journalists seeking to protect us all from racism and Trumpism.60 Minutes segment: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/transgender-health-care-60-minutes-video-2021-05-23/#xMore background on it:https://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-transgender-health-care-issues-2021-05-23/GLAAD freaks out: https://twitter.com/glaad/status/1396665047645138945Chase Strangio also unhappy: https://twitter.com/chasestrangio/status/1396828255639019524Jack Turban stuff:-he wanted to know where 60 Minutes found its sources: https://twitter.com/jack_turban/status/1396992770733056001-Turban’s Pediatrics study correlating desire/receipt of puberty blockers with suicidality:https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/145/2/e20191725“After adjustment for demographic variables and level of family support for gender identity, those who received treatment with pubertal suppression, when compared with those who wanted pubertal suppression but did not receive it, had lower odds of lifetime suicidal ideation,” but when it came to all the other variables examined in this model — “past-year suicidality, ... past-month severe psychological distress, past-month binge drinking, and lifetime illicit drug use” — the link was statistically insignificant.In the episode Jesse slightly misdescribes this finding, making it sound like the researchers found a link between puberty-blocker access in this group and their general mental health. That link was non-significant, though. The significant link was between puberty-blocker access and lifetime (but not past-year) suicidality. This doesn’t affect Jesse’s argument that one could just as easily look at this data and conclude that some of these cases are explained by clinicians being unwilling to put actively suicidal kids on puberty blockers. There are plenty of other potential explanations, too — zeroing in on one particular causal story (in this case, the kids became suicidal because they couldn’t access hormones) is a common and well-known error when interpreting this sort of correlational finding.From On The Media:Transcript: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/episodes/trans-formations-on-the-media“There are a set of criteria that an adolescent needs to meet and they need to have this diagnosis of gender dysphoria. And that diagnosis requires identifying as a gender different than your sex assigned at birth for at least six months. Many clinics will, on top of that diagnosis, require much more assessment and evaluation before they'll offer any kind of medical interventions. Once kids reach, usually age 16, but in certain clear cases age 14, they might start estrogen or testosterone. General surgery is not offered until adulthood. Often these things are all conflated. You'll hear things like seven year olds having genital surgery or little little kids being given estrogen, but that's not how it works.”One example of many of the surgery claim being false: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29507933/And we have numerous examples of kids being given blockers and hormones on a far hastier timeline than what Turban lays out here. There is no mention of providers who don’t follow the proper guidelines. That said, Turban is correct that some clinics go too far in the other direction.“There are a very small number of people who do regret the interventions, but from all the research we have so far, this seems to be on the order of like less than 1 percent.”There does not appear to be a single study published by an American affirming clinic on regret rates. This isn’t nitpicking, because there has been a genuine revolution in youth transgender care in recent years that is a major shift away from ‘gatekeeping.’ So past studies on regret rates, whether youth or adult contexts, simply can’t tell us much about how to gauge the performance of contemporary American gender-affirming providers.There’s at least some evidence, from one very-well-known affirming clinic, of a high lost-to-followup rate — above 40% — which offers circumstantial evidence of kids discontinuing their hormonal treatment: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29056436/That said, it’s also possible they continued treatment elsewhere, or that some other explanation can account for this. Either way, a lost-to-followup rate of 40% is quite high and might be a warning sign.-Turban has exhibited basic unfamiliarity with the DSM-IV versus -5 criteria for gender dysphoria, as he subsequently seemed to acknowledge by correcting one of his articles: https://twitter.com/jessesingal/status/1341502177920073731Lab leak hypothesis:Long NY Mag piece: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/coronavirus-lab-escape-theory.htmlChait: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/05/lab-leak-liberal-media-theory-china-wuhan-lab-cotton-trump.htmlVery in-depth forensic account from Yglesias of who said what when:https://www.slowboring.com/p/the-medias-lab-leak-fiascoNPR declares the theory ‘debunked’ more than a year ago: https://www.npr.org/2020/04/22/841925672/scientists-debunk-lab-accident-theory-of-pandemic-emergenceSlate: https://slate.com/technology/2020/02/coronavirus-bioweapon-conspiracy-theories.html 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 22, 2021 • 53min
Episode 65: Katie Converts To Islam And Nikole Hannah-Jones Gets Kinda-Cancelled And Also Is Kamala Harris Actually Asian?
Katie has big news about her faith. After she delivers it, the hosts discuss a pair of media controversies involving Nikole Hannah-Jones and Emily Wilder. Also: Is Kamala Harris Asian? An investigation.Show notes/Links:NC Policy Watch on NHJ: http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2021/05/19/pw-special-report-after-conservative-criticism-unc-backs-down-from-offering-acclaimed-journalist-a-tenured-position/ Washington Post on Emily Wilder: https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2021/05/20/emily-wilder-associated-press-palestine/https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2021/05/20/emily-wilder-associated-press-palestine/ SFGate interview with her: https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Emily-Wilder-Associated-Press-Israel-Palestine-AP-16192391.php Politico on Kamala Harris's Asianinity: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/18/kamala-harris-asian-americans-489213 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, 2021 • 0sec
Episode 64: Calling Female Journalists Dumb Knocked-Up B*****s With Ugly Husbands, For Feminism
After a heated debate over Slack and hummus/Hamas, Jesse and Katie announce a repivoting of the podcast. Then they discuss a gas shortage that almost stranded Katie in an unmentionable hellhole and the careful, measured, polite reaction to a column by the incorrigible Liz Bruenig, who had the temerity to argue, grossly, that she loves her kids and is glad to be a mom.Show notes/Links:International Hamas day: https://twitter.com/SlackHQ/status/1392901563207897101?s=20On the pipeline hack: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2021/05/a-closer-look-at-the-darkside-ransomware-gang/Subpar reporting on it: https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1392108492773810176Fact-checking the bag thing: https://nbc-2.com/news/2021/05/12/fact-check-viral-twitter-photo-of-plastic-bags-full-of-gas-was-taken-in-2019/Bruenig's hate-crime of a column: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/opinion/motherhood-baby-bust-early-parenthood.htmlEveryone is completely out of their goddamn minds:https://twitter.com/aurabogado/status/1391816713008607235 https://twitter.com/amandamarcotte/status/1391353803174199299https://twitter.com/amandamarcotte/status/1391354461566685186 https://mobile.twitter.com/sadydoyle/status/1391382397585928192 https://mobile.twitter.com/sadydoyle/status/1391457783506259969https://mobile.twitter.com/sadydoyle/status/1391459272261779458https://mobile.twitter.com/sadydoyle/status/1391540579197235201FdB is correct: https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/all-this-s**t-is-high-school 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 6, 2021 • 50min
Episode 63: Jesse Makes A Friend, A Racist-Albeit-Dead Dog, A Basecamp Meltdown, And An Invitation For Chase Strangio
Jesse has a new best friend and wants to shout his name to the rooftops. Also, Jesse is not-mad-per-se-but-rather-disappointed at Chase Strangio and would like to talk to him on the pod. Then, the thick-cut tender medium-rare meat of the show: At the University of Washington, a controversy over racism. And at Basecamp, a… controversy over racism. Never let it be said that this show does not range widely.Chase Strangi-No!: https://www.gq.com/story/chase-strangio-on-anti-trans-lawsJesse Mad Online once again: https://twitter.com/jessesingal/status/1390019758595117061This cartoon is like something out of Der Stürmer: https://www.dailyuw.com/cartoons/article_dba3d6da-a640-11eb-a8bc-fb9f1a0fa058.htmlAs is this one: https://preview.redd.it/yvd4q5t2ozv61.png?width=630&format=png&auto=webp&s=a90dfd1f3c40f2ead992a6a457b65913ace3b830The newspaper apologizes: https://www.dailyuw.com/opinion/article_fbe3722a-a901-11eb-9b60-bfd0ee0e37e4.html(If you want to send the artist behind both cartoons a supportive note — and of course we will not be including this in the public version of the show notes — he is at elijahpasco@gmail.com, which we got via his website: https://elijahnpasco.com/contact-1)The legend of Eggman7698: https://www.reddit.com/r/udub/comments/n5zavx/me_when_we_go_back_to_campus_next_fall_quarter/ Literary Editor Resigns After Bathing on Zoom in a Mesh Shirt: https://www.vulture.com/2021/04/joshua-wolf-shenk-resigns-after-bath-on-zoom-in-mesh-shirt.htmlBasecamp: https://www.platformer.news/p/-how-basecamp-blew-up 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, 2021 • 56min
Episode 62: A Sad One
No show notes this week.https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?n=sydney-altman&pid=198401366&fhid=5816 https://donate.adaa.org/give/322300/#!/donation/checkout https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?n=edith-singal-katz&pid=198433772 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 25, 2021 • 45min
Episode 61: The Literally Violent Inquisition Against Richard Dawkins And The Case Against Making Everything About Race All The Time
Richard Dawkins did an oppression with his tweets -- what should be done??? Also, new research suggests, shockingly, that making each and every issue about race 100% of the time might have some drawbacks. These issues and more, discussed thoroughly and vigorously.Jesse's Book "The Quick Fix: Why Fad Psychology Can't Cure Our Social Ills": https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Fix-Psychology-Cant-Social/dp/0374239800/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Show notes/links:Richard Dawkins is no longer 1996 Humanist of the Year: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/apr/20/richard-dawkins-loses-humanist-of-the-year-trans-comments If you talk about transracialism, you're gonna have a bad time: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/05/transracialism-article-controversy.html The Yalies' paper on racial messaging and progressive policies: https://osf.io/tdkf3/ Jesse's paid post on The Daily Beast's ridiculous coverage of the killing of Ma’khia Bryant: https://jessesingal.substack.com/p/the-daily-beasts-coverage-of-the Jesse's mad about this stuff on Twitter too: https://twitter.com/jessesingal/status/1386347467491454985 Washington Post police shootings database: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/investigations/police-shootings-database/ 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, 2021 • 54min
Episode 60: Andrew Yang Hates Dogs Almost As Much As Lindsay Ellis Hates Asian Culture
After Katie provides an update about her elderly Trump-and-guns-loving neighbor, the hosts discuss a canine controversy Andrew Yang got himself into that features some of the very most annoying people on Twitter. Then they talk about Facebook's efforts to censor a news article about a Black Lives Matter cofounder's real estate holdings. The back half of the episode is dedicated to Lindsay Ellis's recent social-justice troubles, which, if you squint, are really stupid.Show notes/Links:The controversy that will forever haunt Yang: https://people.com/pets/andrew-yang-defends-giving-up-dog-after-backlash-national-pet-day-post/ NY Post article on Patrisse Khan-Cullors’ real estate purchases: https://nypost.com/2021/04/10/inside-blm-co-founder-patrisse-khan-cullors-real-estate-buying-binge/ Fox News on the censorship: https://www.foxnews.com/media/facebook-bans-sharing-new-york-post-report-blm-co-founder-home-purchases Lindsay Ellis's cancel culture video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7aWz8q_IM4 Ellis v. MovieBob -- lotsa gaslighting and such: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/lindsay-ellis-moviebob-snub 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 8, 2021 • 42min
Episode 60: Jesse's Leaving The Podcast Right This Instant, Puberty Blockers, And A Very Crazy, Very Expensive Campus Controversy
After Jesse makes a shocking announcement (he's leaving the podcast in pursuit of greater glory), the hosts talk about a spate of bad GOP bills seeking to ban puberty blockers and hormones for minors and how difficult it is to communicate accurate, honest information to the public about this subject. Then they discuss a story Jesse wrote for Reason about a particularly crazy campus blowup in which a bunch of innocent white people were traumatized (physically) by disagreement.Jesse explaining why he is against these bills: https://jessesingal.substack.com/p/why-the-hard-age-caps-on-youth-gender Jesse annoyed at conservatives 180ing his work: https://jessesingal.substack.com/p/conservatives-are-lying-about-what Lupron: https://www.ktnv.com/news/investigations/more-women-come-forward-with-complaints-about-lupron-side-effectsReason story: https://reason.com/2021/04/05/a-professor-pushed-back-against-white-fragility-training-the-college-investigated-her-for-9-months/ FIRE: http://thefire.org/Jeffrey Sachs is good on campus free speech... https://twitter.com/JeffreyASachs...and was recently on The Fifth Column: https://shows.acast.com/wethefifth/episodes/229-w-jeffrey-sachs-how-to-be-a-dictator-anti-woke-hypocrisy 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 8, 2021 • 23min
BONUS: JFC I Guess We Are Talking More About Graham Linehan Innit
Soul too dead to provide any notes for this one tbh (plus we have notes for the episode we're discussing here). 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


