For years, Matt’s been unpacking the events, people, and culture wars shaping the world around us. On A Bit Fruity, we take deeper dives into those issues — joined by celebrities, experts, and journalists who help us laugh and learn along the way.
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Matt Bernstein and guests Emma Vigeland and Moira Donegan unravel the alarming rise of pronatalism, a far-right movement pushing for increased birth rates, particularly among white women. They examine its links to the Trump administration, the Collins couple's selective IVF practices, and the influential role of figures like Elon Musk, exposing the movement's eugenicist, misogynistic, and white supremacist underpinnings. The discussion also connects pronatalism to tradwife influencers and explores how economic precarity fuels anti-feminist sentiments, revealing a dystopian vision of societal control.
When fitness influencer Ashton Hall’s absurd morning routine went viral a few weeks ago, I was… moved. The hours-long skincare, gym, and journaling ritual felt like an American Psycho-inspired metrosexual fever dream — one peppered with shocking misogyny and profound loneliness. Hall’s viral moment felt like a tipping in point in “alpha male” influencer culture, or the content ecosystem of men teaching boys what it means to be men. The further down the rabbit hole I went, the weirder it got — an...
What does “gender ideology” have in common with ISIS? Well, they are both… things, arguably. As more people become aware of opportunities to commodify their trauma into anti-trans right-wing media bait, the race for those opportunities is getting more competitive, and the results are… fascinating. Today, veteran trans YouTuber Kat Blaque and I interrogate the right’s shiniest new detransitioner, Maia Poet — an ex-trans October 7th survivor, kind of. In doing so, we take a closer look at what det...
When Gwen Stefani made a tacit endorsement of Tucker Carlson earlier this month, I felt like somebody had knocked the wind out of me. Had the iconic 90’s ain’t-no-hollaback girl made a not-so-sweet escape to the dark side? Dizzy and disturbed, I set out to journey Gwen’s path from early aughts punk rock princess to… spokeswoman for a conservative billionaire’s anti-abortion prayer app. I learned a lot about how she’s changed — and perhaps more importantly, how she hasn’t. COME SEE A BIT FRUITY L...
To the mainstream news, she’s the mother of three of Elon Musk’s children. To a certain type of extremely online Tumblr user in the year 2012, she once approximated God. Today, we take a challenging look at the strange tapestry of Grimes’s life and unearth stories about the Internet era that shaped millennials, pipelines to right-wing radicalization, and domestic abuse as a public spectacle. COME SEE A BIT FRUITY LIVE! Tickets are on sale here . :-) Listen to bonus episodes on Patreon ! Thanks t...
Elon Musk just (allegedly) had his thirteenth child with a fourth woman — a 26-year-old “conservative” influencer named Ashley St. Clair. In a past version of the “traditional family values” party, this might’ve been a career-ending event. Today, it hardly generates coverage. In this episode, Moira Donegan and Adrian Daub (of In Bed With The Right ) help me make sense of the right’s impossibly contradictory code of sexuality: is MAGA the movement of the hot, virile new youth, or is it the moveme...
Quiet luxury. Clean girl. Old money. Trad living. Kylie Jenner’s pivot from Black culture vulture to glass skin pilates princess. College youth dressed like polyester Shein replicas of Reagan-era prepsters. Something’s happened, and I’m uncomfortable. Listen to bonus episodes on Patreon ! Work smarter, not harder, with Factor meals ready in two minutes at https://www.factormeals.com/fruity50off . Start managing your money better and cancel unwanted expenses at https://www.rocketmoney.com/fruity ...
Matt Bernstein and Edward Ongweso Jr. expose the "tech bro-ligarchy," dissecting how powerful figures like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Shao Chu navigate politics to consolidate wealth and influence. They reveal these leaders' philosophical underpinnings, their role in amplifying right-wing narratives, and their apocalyptic escape plans, warning of a future where tech giants increasingly dominate government and public discourse.
The first episode of this podcast ever recorded was about Amber Heard and the online public’s inability — or unwillingness — to distinguish between their organic feelings about celebrity abuse allegations and their participation in a strategic, well-funded smear campaign against a woman coming forward. Since that episode, journalist Kat Tenbarge and I have become best friends. She’s also reported on this exact news cycle over and over again with different women. Today, we break down the new yet ...
The remarkable dissonance between the public’s embrace of UnitedHealthcare CEO assassin Luigi Mangione and the mainstream media’s outward disdain for both Luigi and the public’s martyrization of him has been… bizarre. In a rare moment where the culture war has been traded in for the class war, billionaire-owned media corporations and politicians alike seem to be panicking. That panic should be a moment of clarity for everyday Americans. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon ! Listen t...
There was a time before Elon Musk was tweeting 60 times a day about trans people and the woke mind virus — and it wasn’t that long ago. As recently as 2018, Elon was boasting about Tesla scoring a 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s corporate equality index and telling anyone who was bothered by that to “not buy our car.” So what happened? Today, Ryan Mac and Kate Conger , authors of Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter , unpack Elon’s personal and political midlife crisis — and the p...
A Bit Fruity was due for a good old-fashioned film analysis. Wicked is a kids movie that is actually for adults, holding up a mirror to our increasingly fascistic reality and asking us to question our struggle against it — or place within it. Glinda the Good Witch, thoughtfully delivered by Ariana Grande, is both easy to love and easy to hate. But while some characters’ politics are obvious (a fascist Wizard, a radical Elphaba), Glinda’s are harder to pinpoint. Today, we attempt just that. Suppo...
This was the first election where the online far-right radicalization of young boys and men revealed itself in exit polls. After years of being fed diet-incel podcasts, one thing is clear: Gen Z will not, by some inherent virtue of youth, save us. Today, Taylor Lorenz and I break down the “epidemic of male loneliness”, the influencers exploiting it, the conservative media machine that funds them, and why we can’t just make a “leftist Joe Rogan.” Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon !...
In America, the only thing standing between you and wealth beyond your wildest dreams is tying for fifth with a trans person. Today, media critic Ari Drennen takes us into the bizarre world of the 24-year-old whispering policy into Donald Trump’s ear. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon ! Start managing your money better and cancel unwanted expenses at www.rocketmoney.com/fruity . Follow Ari's Substack . Me on Instagram . A Bit Fruity on Instagram . Learn more about your ad choices....
The slogan of YouTube’s most popular debate channel, Jubilee, is “provoke understanding & create human connection.” So why is all of its content a cesspool of bigotry, rage-bait, and pseudoscientific slop? Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon ! Huge thanks to the show's sponsors: Get 15% off a cuter, more sustainable way to clean at www.blueland.com/fruity. Get an exclusive 60% on Incogni! https://incogni.com/fruity Subscribe to Big Joel’s YouTube channel ! Me on Instagram . A Bi...
Matt Bernstein shares his experience receiving death threats from Swifties, prompting a deep dive with Amanda Montell into the origins and evolution of stan culture. They discuss how social justice tactics were co-opted by fan communities, examine the psychology of celebrity worship, and explore how online groups fill voids of loneliness and mistrust in traditional institutions. The episode highlights the dark side of extreme fandom while seeking empathy and understanding.
H-O-T-T-O-G-O, Chappell Roan is someone we do not actually know. But what do we do with the (very real) feelings and relationships we form with the people on our screens? Today, Eliza of Binchtopia and I discuss fame — global fame and niche micro “fame” — to understand where we parasocially flew off the rails, and what the future of celebrity might look like with boundaries in place. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon ! Listen to Eliza's music . Huge thanks to the show's sponsors: ...
How does a harmless interest in yoga turn into a crusade against homosexuals in public schools? Specific though it seems, we’ve all seen it happen: a friend with a seemingly innocuous interest in wellness starts “doing their research”, and one year later, bam: QAnon. Sparked by some recent beauty influencer drama, Derek Beres of Conspirituality helps us identify the far right’s Goop-iest seduction tactic. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon ! Get an exclusive 60% on Incogni! https:/...
Matt and Natalie Wynn (Contrapoints) delve into the controversy surrounding Olympic boxer Iman Khalif, who was falsely accused of being a man. They dissect how J.K. Rowling and other influencers fueled a digital bullying campaign, leveraging weaponized gender-critical rhetoric that rapidly escalates to dehumanization and racism, ultimately revealing the absurdity and dangers of "transvestigation" and the political motives behind "fairness in sports" debates. The episode highlights the lack of accountability for misinformation spread by powerful figures and the broader implications for gender policing.
Is Kamala bumpin’ that? Is BRAT summer over? Who killed it? Today, Maia of Rehash and I attempt a cynical but fair analysis of meme culture, Gen Z nihilism, and political standom. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon ! Rocket Money is a real one for sponsoring the show. Start managing your money better and cancel unwanted expenses at www.rocketmoney.com/fruity. Register to vote here . Me on Instagram . A Bit Fruity on Instagram . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
I stay away from heterosexual mess, but this time it came to me. Today, Taylor Lorenz and I work backwards to understand how a 21-year-old bed spring factory worker from Tennessee became a culture war symbol because of a drunken joke about fellatio. None of these words are in the bible. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon ! Listen to Taylor’s podcast, Power User . Rocket Money is a real one for sponsoring the show. Start managing your money better and cancel unwanted expenses at www...
This special episode features heartfelt narratives from listeners who experienced the AIDS crisis firsthand, as lovers, nurses, family, and friends. These vignettes illuminate the profound societal prejudice, government inaction, and personal devastation of the era, alongside stories of unwavering love, community support, and the quiet heroism of those who fought stigma and cared for the dying. The episode serves as a powerful memorial to a lost generation and a reminder of the crisis's lasting impact on the queer community.
A drug that needs no introduction and a culture of fatphobia that lives on. Today, we are ALL beating the Ozempic allegations. Use code "fruity" at https://incogni.com/fruity to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan! Support me on Patreon ! To uncover and cancel the unwanted expenses you’ve forgotten about, try Rocket Money . Listen to Aubrey’s incredible show, Maintenance Phase . Me on Instagram . A Bit Fruity on Instagram . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...
How does a white gay guy from England go from “trans-Korean” troll to a member of the conservative media establishment? It’s easier than you think! Today, Taylor Lorenz helps us unpack the anatomy of the right wing grift — because if all else fails, just become a Fox News star. Support me on Patreon ! Huge thanks to the sponsors of today’s show! For a more sustainable, chicer clean, try Blueland . To uncover and cancel the unwanted expenses you’ve forgotten about, try Rocket Money . Find more of...
Girlbossing too close to the sun can cause a real trainwreck. Today, we examine the unstable foundation of Amy Schumer's feminist brand of comedy and how it all fell apart. Support me on Patreon ! Thanks to Rocket Money for sponsoring the show. Uncover and cancel your unwanted expenses at www.rocketmoney.com/fruity . Here’s Maia’s YouTube channel , and here’s her fantastic podcast Rehash . Find more of A Bit Fruity . Find more of Matt . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...
Until a month ago, college students in America were dweeby snowflake liberals, too socially anxious to notify the waiter of an incorrect order. Now, they’re (allegedly) well-connected, well-funded terrorists. Who are the students protesting for Palestine, what do they want, and why is the media obsessed with misrepresenting them? Support me on Patreon ! Thanks to Blueland for sponsoring the show. For 15% off a better way to clean, head to www.blueland.com/fruity . Find more of A Bit Fruity . Fin...
Autistic nonbinary TikTokers. Loud, flamboyant gay men. The twink who filmed himself having sex in the Senate hearing room. Are gay rights being eroded across the country because some of us are… annoying? It’s tempting to think so, but it isn’t true. Sadly, we can never Blaire White-ify or Pete Buttigieg-ify ourselves to freedom. Support me on Patreon ! Find more of Devon’s work . Find more of A Bit Fruity . Find more of Matt . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
The new docu-series “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” is shedding light on the abuse that early-2000s child stars faced behind the scenes of our favorite Nickelodeon shows. The doc focuses especially on Drake Bell (of “Drake & Josh” fame), but leaves out half the story. Is a program that claims to be raising awareness about abuse ultimately just perpetuating it? Support me on Patreon ! Huge thanks to Blueland for sponsoring today’s show. Get 15% off a cuter, more sustainable way to cl...
From “sex is real” to Holocaust denial — if it happened to the wizard lady, it can happen to you. Support me on Patreon ! Watch more from the brilliant Natalie Wynn a.k.a. ContraPoints . Find more of A Bit Fruity . Find more of Matt . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
In 2018, I called “Love, Simon” a “gay movie made by a straight woman for straight people.” Today, I tell you why I was wrong. Support me on Patreon ! Huge thanks to Blueland for sponsoring today’s show. Get 15% off a cuter, more sustainable way to clean at www.blueland.com/fruity Find more of Becky . Find more of A Bit Fruity . Find more of Matt . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
