South Park, The Smithsonian, and Trump's Culture War | Pivot
- Aug 22, 2025
- 1:10:39
- Full Episode
Scott-Free August continues as Kara is joined by host of The New York Times' @CannonballPodcast, Wesley Morris. Kara and Wesley discuss President Trump’s beef with the “woke” Smithsonian, The White House’s new TikTok account, and South Park’s latest Trump Administration burn. Then, Taylor Swift hits the podcast world.
Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 21:04 Trump’s Attack on the Smithsonian 30:23 Trump’s Kennedy Center Honorees 38:21 White House Joins TikTok 43:54 South Park Does It Again 53:22 Taylor Swift: Podcaster 1:04:29 Predictions
You can watch more from Wesley Morris on his YouTube show: @CannonballPodcast
Producers: Lara Naaman Zoë Marcus Taylor Griffin Kevin Oliver
Audio Engineer: Ernie Indradat
Video Editor: Jim Mackil
Vox Media's Executive Producer of Podcasts: Nishat Kurwa
Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/pivot
Brief Summary
Wesley Morris joins to discuss Trump, Taylor Swift's podcast, and South Park's satire on current events.
Key points
- Cannonball Podcast Launch. Wesley Morris discusses his new podcast, Cannonball, and its cultural connections.
- Trump's Smithsonian Review. Trump directs a review of Smithsonian content, claiming it focuses too much on slavery.
- Trump's Museum Speech. President Trump praises the new museum honoring African-American history, highlighting its significance.
- Cultural Propaganda Discussion. A critical conversation about the Trump administration's narrative on American history and race.
- TikTok and National Security. The White House launches a TikTok account amidst ongoing debates about its security risks.
- South Park's Brutal Comedy. The latest episode of South Park continues to mock the Trump administration, showcasing its unfiltered humor.
Episode highlights
- Cannonball Podcast LaunchWesley Morris discusses his new podcast, Cannonball, and its cultural connections.“I wanted to call it Parlando.”2:25Aug 22, 2025
- Trump's Smithsonian ReviewTrump directs a review of Smithsonian content, claiming it focuses too much on slavery.“The country cannot be woke because woke is broke.”21:12Aug 22, 2025
- Trump's Museum SpeechPresident Trump praises the new museum honoring African-American history, highlighting its significance.“I am deeply proud that we now have a museum that honors the millions of African-American men and women.”24:04Aug 22, 2025
- Cultural Propaganda DiscussionA critical conversation about the Trump administration's narrative on American history and race.“This is propaganda at its most blatant.”26:34Aug 22, 2025
- TikTok and National SecurityThe White House launches a TikTok account amidst ongoing debates about its security risks.“Trump called TikTok a national security threat in 2020.”38:59Aug 22, 2025
- South Park's Brutal ComedyThe latest episode of South Park continues to mock the Trump administration, showcasing its unfiltered humor.“They are brutal. They don't even have to make satire here.”48:45Aug 22, 2025
- Taylor Swift Breaks the InternetTaylor Swift's podcast appearance to announce her new album garnered 1.3 million live viewers, nearly double Trump's on Rogan.“This felt a lot like that, sweet, pure, and innocent.”55:23Aug 22, 2025
- Adam Sandler's Unique AppealThe discussion delves into Adam Sandler's career and his unique charm, comparing him to Jerry Lewis.“He's like Jerry Lewis to me.”1:06:43Aug 22, 2025
