Hysteria

We’re off this week, but we're bringing you an episode of Runway Country with Alex Wagner. Every Thursday, the veteran journalist sits down with everyday Americans and political experts to cut through the noise and zero in on the stories that matter. In this episode, Alex speaks to former trad wife and host of “The Wake Her Up Podcast”, Sharon Johnson, about her upbringing in the Mormon Church, what it was like to discover she could have agency and choice in her late thirties, and how she feels about trad wives trending. Then Alex is joined by host of Crooked’s “Hysteria” podcast, Erin Ryan, to talk about the broader political goals behind the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2026 plan, and how it attempts to punish women who don’t fit their ideals. Catch Runaway Country with Alex Wagner on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Franchesca Ramsey joins Erin and Alyssa to dig into Peter Thiel’s secret society leak, the 4-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision, and the TPUSA Women’s leadership summit. Alyssa shared her experience attending the star-studded opening of the Obama Center. Then they wrap with a petty conversation about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s health, and TV journalist drama.
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, episode title, and episode date.
Star-studded opening for Obama library in Chicago delivers implied rebuke to Trump (The Guardian 6/18)
Four years after the Dobbs decision, abortion access looks very different (NPR 6/6)
Costs and Consequences: Impacts of Abortion Restrictions Four Years Post Dobbs (Institute for Women's Policy Research 6/16)
Dobbs' Lasting Impact on Abortion (Gallup 6/17)
Leak Exposes Members of Peter Thiel’s Secretive ‘Dialog’ Society (Wired 6/16)
How the Peter Thiel-Linked Dialog Club Secretly Ranks Its Members (Wired 6/18)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sophia Bush Defend Ties to Peter Thiel’s Secretive Dialog Group (The Hollywood Reporter 6/19)

In our 42nd episode of This F*cking Guy, Erin and Alyssa dive deep into the past of the most uptight motherf*cker on the planet, Chief Justice John Roberts. From his early days as a “soberpuss” scholar, to playing the long game to gut the Voting Rights Act, to being the ringleader of malicious intent on the Citizens United ruling, to his obsession with being perceived as a Fancy Law Boy Institutionalist, this may be one of our most phony guys yet.
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, episode title, and episode date.
Sources:
Roberts started on path to success at young age (The Washington Times)
The Supreme Court’s Power Grab (The New York Review)
Entering a new Supreme Court term, John Roberts is as enigmatic as ever (The Christian Science Monitor)
Biographies of the Robes: John Glover Roberts (Thirteen PBS) 
No More Mr. Nice Guy (The New Yorker)
Court Nominee's Life Is Rooted in Faith and Respect for Law (New York Times)
In the Rough (Slate)
Portrait of the Chief Justice as a Family Man (The Washington Post)
Does John Roberts’ Whites-Only Childhood Home Explain the Supreme Court’s Callais Ruling? (Slate)
Roberts' Conflicts Of Interest (CBS News)
Roberts's Rules (The Atlantic)
Did Roberts Help Fuel AIDS Scare? (Science)
Chief justice tumbles after seizure (CNN)
The Pro-Money Court: How the Roberts Supreme Court Dismantled Campaign Finance Law (Brennan Center)
John Roberts: Supreme Court Nomination Hearings from PBS NewsHour and EMK Institute (YouTube)
Money Unlimited (The New Yorker)
‘They come to me’: Jane Roberts’ legal recruiting work involved officials whose agencies had cases before the Supreme Court (Politico)
Trump v. CASA Inc. (Oyez)
Citizens United, Explained (Brennan Center)

Erin and Alyssa round up the latest news from JD Vance’s embarrassing book tour, Bari Weiss’s next fail-upwards, and the future of the USPS’s independence. Then Megan Gailey (Sports Bitches) joins to talk sports news from the UFC to the Knicks and the rise of heteropessimism. They wrap up with a petty conversation about nun podcasts, takeout orders, and Disclosure Day.
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, episode title, and episode date.
Alyssa’s rec: Dominican Sisters Open Mic
JD Vance went on television to plug a faith memoir. ‘The View’ had other plans (AP News 7/16)
Vance’s new book puts his Catholic faith at the center of his story — and his political future (CNN 6/15)
Postal Service Seeks to Block Mail Ballots in States Resisting Trump Demands (NYT 6/11)
CBS News boss Bari Weiss poised to oversee CNN editorial operations: report (NY Post 6/9)
$60M and 7 federal agencies required to stage Trump’s UFC fight at White House (AP News 6/10)
Trump’s UFC Fight Ended With a Slur About Michelle Obama (The Cut 6/15)
The Shocking Secrets of Madison Square Garden’s Surveillance Machine (Wired 4/17)
How Algeria won over a Kansas town – and became the World Cup’s unlikeliest love affair (The Guardian 6/16)
Which World Cup teams, players and officials were denied US visas, entry? (Al Jazeera 6/11)

First Partner of California, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, joins Hysteria for a conversation about her status as a right-wing media target and her new film, Miss Representation: Rise Up. Erin and Alyssa also recap Graham Platner’s slew of scandals that led up to him winning the Democratic nomination for Maine’s Senate seat, discuss Bari Weiss’ next media move, and check in on the latest news from the Epstein files. Then they wrap up with a petty conversation about Gwyneth Paltrow’s politics.
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, episode title, and episode date.
Check out Alyssa’s local library cookbook sale: https://claveracklibrary.org/friends/cookbook-sale-festival/ 
To learn more about Miss Representation: Rise Up and how to get involved, visit missrepresentationriseup.org
Several Women Who Dated Graham Platner Recall ‘Unsettling’ Behavior (NYT 6/4)
Platner says he won’t be an ‘a–hole’ like Fetterman in Senate (The Hill 6/8)
I know firsthand why Graham Platner shouldn’t be a U.S. senator (WaPo 6/8)
Pam Bondi claims Todd Blanche was ‘in charge’ of ‘entire release’ of Epstein files (The  Guardian 6/4)
This agent sent models to meet Jeffrey Epstein. Now he’s trying to explain why. (WaPo 6/8)
Epstein abused them. The Justice Department exposed them. Now they’re under attack by haters (Reuters 6/8)
As 2028 looms, Jennifer Siebel Newsom faces increased conservative attacks (Politico 5/6)