Hysteria

The House passed a GOP budget framework, Elon Musk attended the first White House Cabinet meeting, and Alyssa Mastromonaco and guest host Akilah Hughes have a LOT of opinions. They also discuss the trickle-down effect of Trump’s executive orders on a state level, the Republican obsession with transgender athletes in the NCAA, and the modern resistance at town halls across the country. Luckily, Jane Fonda’s SAG Awards speech and a heartwarming story about The Metropolitan Museum of Art are keeping them sane. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. The Singular Charm of Parker Posey (NYT 2/24)Musk to join Trump’s first White House Cabinet meeting (The Hill 2/25)Texas wants the NCAA to start ‘sex-screening’ its student athletes (The 19th 2/21)Missouri Bill Would Create Registry of Pregnant Women "At Risk" of Having An Abortion (Abortion, Everyday 2/18)GOP lawmakers seek to remove rape, incest exemption from West Virginia’s near total abortion ban (West Virginia Watch 2/21)At Testy Town Halls, Republicans Take Heat for Trump’s Bold Moves (WSJ 2/21)What to Know About Janet Mills, the Maine Governor Who Told Trump, ‘See You in Court’ (NYT 2/22)He’s a Security Guard at the Met. Now His Work Is Showing There. (NYT 1/8)

Betches co-founder Sami Sage joins Alyssa Mastromonaco to discuss the MAGA madness from RFK Jr.’s anti-SSRI crusade to the DOGE-fueled staffing purges. Then they have a sani-petty extravaganza with Suzanne Lambert, aka liberal Regina George, and senior producer Caroline Reston. They feel petty about the Elon Musk Ashley St. Clair baby drama and White Lotus theme music, but Jack Shlossberg’s social media return is keeping them sane!For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.RFK Jr. Goes After Widely Used Antidepressants, Claiming They Could Be A Threat To Americans (Vanity Fair 2/15)Social Security head resigns over DOGE data push (AXIOS 2/18)Food Head at FDA Resigns, Citing Numerous Job Cuts (Bloomberg 2/18)Howard University Makes History as First HBCU to Achieve Top Research Status (Diverse Education 2/13)‘We’ll never run out of avocado toast’: Danes launch petition to buy California (SF Chronicle 2/11)"It Sounds Like It Could Be A Bit": Rob Lowe Shares New Update On St. Elmo's Fire 2 (Screen Rant 2/8)‘Goonies 2 is officially in the Works With Steven Spielberg Producing (Variety 2/14)

Alyssa Mastromonaco is joined by Errin Haines from The 19th to discuss Trump’s (obvious) failed promise to protect women, Nancy Mace’s insanity on the house floor, DOGE’s attacks on the Department of Education, and the gutting of The Kennedy Center’s board. They also are feeling petty af about Bridget Jones's Diary, but at least Martha Stewart’s revival is keeping them sane.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Military freezes sexual assault prevention training after Trump executive order on DEI (LA Times 2/7) Federal Office on Violence Against Women removes funding opportunities from website (The 19th 2/7)Laverne Cox Gives Powerful Speech Against Trump Agenda at SCAD TVfest: ‘They Are Committed to Eradicating Trans People from Public Life’ (Variety 2/7)Nancy Mace makes House speech accusing ex-fiancé, others of raping women (WaPo 2/11)Musk Team Announces Millions in Cuts to Education Dept. Amid Legal Pushback (NYT 2/11)The 19th Explains: Can Trump eliminate the Department of Education? (The 19th* 2/6)Trump Names Loyalist Interim Leader of Kennedy Center as He Strengthens His Grip (NYT 2/10)Martha Stewart’s First Book Finds New Fans (NYT 2/4)

Errin Haines, Editor-at-large of The 19th News, dives deep into the chaotic political landscape, analyzing Trump's DEI panic and the latest on Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr. They highlight disturbing trends in reproductive healthcare, especially the intersection of anti-abortion tactics and environmental policy. Haines also critiques Elon Musk's influence on privacy rights, alongside discussions on accountability in government. To balance the heavy topics, they celebrate icons like Beyoncé and Jalen Hurts, highlighting the importance of representation and cultural impact.

Julissa Arce, an influential author and immigration activist, joins the conversation to delve into the emotional toll of Trump's immigration policies. She shares heart-wrenching stories of undocumented individuals navigating fears of deportation and the complex impact on families. The discussion also covers critical deportation statistics and the rights of individuals when facing ICE. Arce emphasizes the necessity of community support, accurate information, and advocacy for asylum seekers and undocumented individuals, urging listeners to stand in solidarity.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joins Hysteria to talk about the future of the Equal Rights Amendment under Trump, her goals for her role as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and honor the memory of Cecile Richards. Erin and Alyssa also review Trump’s executive orders from his first days in office and question if any of them will actually improve the economy (spoiler alert: they won’t).Tracking Trump's executive orders: What he's signed so far (Axios 1/21)What Trump supporters believe and expect (Pew 11/13)Biden Proclaims That The Equal Rights Amendment Is The Law Of The Land—But What Does That Mean? (Vanity Fair 1/18) For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Michaela Watkins, a talented actress and comedian, shares her insights on the recent Los Angeles fires and the inspiring community relief efforts that have emerged. She highlights the resilience of locals coming together to support those affected, including a teenager who started a recovery fund. The conversation dives into societal perceptions, coping mechanisms, and the power of kindness in tough times, all laced with Michaela's signature humor. Together, they emphasize the importance of empathy and the enduring spirit of community amidst adversity.

Erin and Alyssa break down the legal saga unfolding between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over the misconduct that happened on the set of It Ends With Us and the smear campaign that followed. They also discuss a historic breakthrough in the fight against medical debt, Meta’s twisted new hate speech policies, and how Democrats should deal with conservative BS in 2025. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.‘We Can Bury Anyone’: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine (NY Times 12/21)A Timeline of Blake Lively’s Legal Dispute With Justin Baldoni (Vogue 1/2)Gillibrand to head Senate Democrats’ campaign arm (The Hill 1/6)Medical debt will be erased from credit reports for all Americans under new federal rule (The 19th 12/7)For Harris, an Awkward Election Task: Certifying the Vote She Lost (NYT 1/6)Facebook lifts restrictions on calling women ‘property’ and transgender people ‘freaks’ (The Independent 1/7)

The Hysteria team is off this week, but we're excited to bring you an episode of Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams. In this episode, Stacey talks to Kate Nazemi, a local education activist and parent, and Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, about the future of public education during a second Trump Administration. They break down Project 2025’s education policy prescriptions, the threats to the Department of Education, and what changes a President can and cannot make. Then, they discuss how to best get involved at the local level to make change in your community – from attending local school board meetings, to writing to your local representatives.If you liked this episode, subscribe to Assembly Required wherever you get your podcasts: crooked.com/assemblyrequired

Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco say goodbye and good riddance to 2024 with help from guest panelists Akilah Hughes and Kara Klenk. They reflect on the parts of the year that kept them sane, from the Paris Olympics to the Kendrick-Drake beef. Then, they talk about holiday traditions and read out listener submissions about odd and wholesome ways to celebrate. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.