Where There's Woke
Every single time the right, or even center-left, goes ballistic over a "woke" controversy, the slightest bit of investigation shows the scandal is almost entirely bogus. This is not a new phenomenon; it dates back decades. It's an intentional tool used to protect the powerful and preserve the status quo, while further scapegoating and otherizing those who push for political progress. This podcast digs into not just today's fake scandals, but those of yesterday and yesteryear. The terminology has changed some, but the pattern has not. Listen in as hosts Thomas and Lydia Smith shine a light on the panic, the fragility, the overreaction, and the lying that ignites 'Where There's Woke.'
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WTW121: Trafficking in Fear
We finish off the discussion on bogus child trafficking/missing children statistics. Also, what should we ACTUALLY be worried about when it comes to our children?
WTW120: People Simply Cannot Stop Believing Bogus Child Trafficking Stats
It's 2026, do you know where your Ashton Kutcher's 2011 anti human trafficking campaign is?
WTW119: USA Hockey Shows That the Bar for Men Continues to Reside in Hell
We've got so much to say on this one that it's a WT-DOUBLE episode! (tm). After the USA men's hockey team won the gold, not only was Kash Patel in the locker room celebrating with them, but he also got Trump on the phone. Trump made an incredibly sexist joke and the men laughed. After they received some backlash, we wanted to take a look at how they responded and see if ANY of them could muster the SLIGHTEST bit of introspection and, dare we say it, maybe even contrition?
WTW118: The Trump Administration Is Being Really Weird About Milk...
The New York Post went off on a bioethicist after he published his concerns surrounding the marketing after Trump signed legislation bringing whole milk back into federally subsidized school lunch programs. Lydia breaks it all down: the NYP's attacks, the actual article from the "woke professor," some history of dietary racism, and a smattering of the propaganda that's been coming out of the Administration ever since. Is the Recent Effort to Glorify Whole Milk Tainted by Racism?, (Arthur Caplan, Bioethics Today, 2/4/2026) How Milk Became a Battleground in Trump's War on "Woke", (Paige Oamek, The Nation, 1/30/2026) Milk, a symbol of neo‑Nazi hate, (Andrea Freeman, The Conversation, 8/30/2017) Why the Trump Administration Is Obsessed With Whole Milk, (Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 1/18/2026) **If you enjoy our work, please consider leaving a 5-star review! You can always email questions, comments, and leads to lydia@seriouspod.com.**
WTW117: Deeper Into Matt Murphy's Child Trafficking Cinematic Universe
Hoooooo boy. You thought we were having fun before? Just wait until you hear some of the claims in this one.
WTW116: Did You Know That 7 out of 4 Kids Will Be Trafficked Right Now Yesterday?
We get to delve deeper into the right wing fear porn, moral panic that is human trafficking and child trafficking. If you're worried about this being too heavy, don't be, because Matt Murphy's claims are so absurd it becomes funny.
WTW115: The SitRep on Sentinel Foundation
We go deeper into the bizarre (possible) grift that is rightwing anti-trafficking organizations. This episode delves into Matt Murphy's past. Sentinel is weirdly not even the first anti-trafficking org that he has been the president of....
WTW114: Back to AmericaFest, Where the Grift Oerfloweth
AmeriKKKaFest is the gift that keeps giving. We venture into day 2, which turns into a QVC channel of right wing crap. Jason Aldean introduces us to the crazy world of rightwing non-profits grifting on a sex trafficking panic.
WTW113: Harvard Professor Announces His Exit Because History Dept. Needs More White Classes
Professor James Hankins wrote a literal essay, published in Compact Magazine, about his decision to leave Harvard's History Department for greener pastures in...Florida. He wants more western civilization focus in history, and Thomas and Lydia break down why this is problematic. "Western Values" Explained, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DUT4aCkeRA **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!
WTW112: How the Right Convinced Everyone There Was a Free Speech Crisis: A Case Study
We watched No Safe Spaces with our friends over at God Awful Movies this month and there was SO MUCH from the anti-woke archive featured in that "documentary" that we couldn't possibly take over GAM to debunk it all. For this episode, we're focusing on one particular story that we hadn't covered yet involving Dennis Prager being allegedly SILENCED at the University of Wyoming. **If you enjoy our work, please consider leaving a 5-star review! You can always email questions, comments, and leads to lydia@seriouspod.com.**
WTW111: Antifa Is Good and Effective, Actually
After nearly 10 years of covering the far right after Charlottesville, Chris Mathias has written an important book called "To Catch a Fascist, The Fight to Expose the Radical Right." In addition to modern efforts to out the fascists and racists, Chris takes us through some fascinating history of that as well. It is inspiring work at a time when we all could use some inspiration and uplift! Also check out his article in the Nation, Liberals Think Antifa Isn't Real. But It Is—and It Knows How to Win.
WTW110: America Fest 3 - Tucker Carlson Hits Back at Ben Shapiro
Time to dig into the keynote speaker from Day 1 of AmFest 2025. That's right, folks! We FINALLY get to (have to) listen to Tucker Carlson! Tune in to hear how he handles the call out from Ben Shapiro earlier in the day, and stick around for some crazy Q&A - what seems to be a hallmark of TPUSA. Be sure to listen through to the end to hear the craziest attempt at an intro for a podcast that we've probably ever done. 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!
WTW109: Russell Brand Is Reallllllly Into Jesus. Oh and Michael Knowles Is Realllly Into White Nationalism.
Part 2. We continue working through the lineup of AmericaFest 2025, and this one's jam-packed! Kicking it off with Ben Shapiro and the SHADE he lays down against other folks on the Right, we then hear what upcoming criminal defendant Russell Brand has to say, and close out with quite a fashy character from The Daily Wire we've yet to cover in detail on WTW: Michael Knowles. 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!
WTW108: AmericaFest Showed Turning Point's Massive Influence (and Bottomless Budget)
Part 1. Thomas watched the entirety of Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025 so the rest of us didn't have to! In this episode, in addition to talking about what was going on at this entire event, we listen to the most ridiculous National Anthem presentation and hear words from America's Widow, Erika Kirk. In this day and age, we deserve to laugh. 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!
WTW107: Hello Mr. President I Got a Bad Grade Can You Fix It Pwease
It's part 2 of this idiot Christian didn't do her homework and started a culture war over it. She and her terrible mom are bigots and since we live in the worst times, they get to win. But at least we have Eli Bosnick!