What happens when a guy screams “Allahu Akbar,” throws an explosive at a crowd in New York, and the media still twists itself into knots trying to protect the narrative? Who’s the real target here, and why does the press seem more offended by the protest than the violence? The fellas — Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook — jump straight into the insanity, breaking down the NYC attempted terror attack, the liberal media spin machine, and the misplaced empathy that kee...
Mar 10, 2026•1 hr 33 min
What happens when a sitting U.S. Senator, who’s also a former Navy SEAL, walks in and breaks down the Iran conflict with the kind of clarity you only get from someone who’s lived the GWOT? Everybody’s got a take on Iran. Almost nobody can explain it like this. The fellas — Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook — listen to Senator Tim Sheehy to lay it out: why this moment feels like the culmination of a fight that’s been running for decades, why the “we’re starting a war” framing do...
Mar 06, 2026•1 hr 22 min
War in Iran continues — and the fellas are not holding back. Does Iran have a Navy or just expensive toys? And why do Democrats suddenly sound like they don’t know what they believe? Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook jump straight into the politics of war. The fellas break down what the Iran operation signals about American power, why the isolationist panic might be missing the point, and how the left keeps getting the messaging wrong. From Chuck Schumer confusion ...
Mar 05, 2026•1 hr 33 min
Trump green-lights the strike on Iran—and Washington instantly splits into two camps: strength vs. “what did you just start?” So what’s the real play here… and do you trust Trump’s plan, or are we walking into the world’s messiest endgame? The fellas—Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook—jump in fast, cutting through the spin and asking the questions everyone’s thinking but nobody on cable will touch. In this episode… Trump’s Iran strike and the nuclear clock Why China...
Mar 03, 2026•1 hr 27 min
When Michael Knowles joins the fellas, the gloves come off. The culture war isn’t slowing down — it’s exposing who’s ready for the moment and who isn’t. Why do Democrats keep misreading the country? Why do they double down on the exact messaging that turns voters away? And is the cultural fight now more decisive than any policy debate? Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook kick off with Michael Knowles and dig into what’s really driving the political realignment. In th...
Feb 27, 2026•1 hr 41 min
🎤 Trump turns the State of the Union into a midterm war map — and Democrats can’t decide whether to sit, shout, or show up in frog costumes. Is this the moment that resets 2026? Or just another viral night in the circus? Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook break down the speech the way the MSM won’t. The optics. The traps. The binary choice moments. And why some Democrats might wish they had just stayed home. In this episode… • The “stand up if you agree” moment tha...
Feb 26, 2026•1 hr 57 min
Team USA delivers gold — and the Democrats deliver… whatever this is. The fellas break down Gavin Newsom’s bizarre “I’m just like you” pitch, Gretchen Whitmer freezing on Ukraine, and Andy Beshear wrapping progressive policy in Sunday-morning language. Then it gets worse: Democrats quietly admit their 2024 problem in a locked-up autopsy they don’t want you reading. Also in this episode: • The Texas Democrat primary FCC “equal time” twist no one in media wants to talk about • Trump’s greatest sta...
Feb 24, 2026•1 hr 26 min
New York just dropped a $127 BILLION budget — and somehow you’re still not getting what you paid for. Where’s the money going? And how long before this model spreads to every blue state in America? The fellas — Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook — dive headfirst into the insanity. New York’s Mamdani budget math doesn’t add up. $50 billion for schools. Massive spending hikes. “Tax the rich” — except it never stops there. Is this the future Democrats want nationwide? ...
Feb 20, 2026•1 hr 39 min
Colbert says he was “silenced.” Reality: CBS lawyers reminded him the FCC equal-time rule exists — and he didn’t want to give the other Democrat equal airtime. So instead of booking other candidates, he kicked the interview online and cried censorship. This wasn’t Trump. It wasn’t the FCC storming the studio. It was a late-night host trying to tilt a primary on broadcast TV — and getting boxed in by the rulebook. Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook break down the spi...
Feb 19, 2026•1 hr 38 min
AOC hits the Munich Security Conference and faceplants on foreign policy—so why is the media acting like it was a breakout moment? Is this the Democrats’ next presidential contender… or a kingmaker they’re trying to polish in real time? The fellas break down the Taiwan dodge, the Venezuela spin, the “global south” rhetoric, and the press running cover like it’s their full-time job. Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook connect the dots—and then pivot to the chaos back ...
Feb 17, 2026•1 hr 29 min
Minnesota Mayhem, Irish Heat, and Kentucky Senate Showdown | Ruthless Podcast Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook kick off another Fun Time Friday with the Ruthless Podcast crew tackling the week's most unbelievable stories. This episode features incredible congressional testimony that has to be heard to be believed, some well-deserved heat thrown at Minnesota's left-wing imports, and the Irish finally getting their turn in the hot seat. 🎙️ What's in This Episode: U...
Feb 13, 2026•1 hr 32 min
The fellas discuss one of the biggest political stories flying under the radar: a State Department report identifying far-left activist groups as potential vectors of Chinese influence operation. That’s not just politics — that’s national security. Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook break down: • The State Department naming Code Pink and The People’s Forum in a report to Congress • How foreign influence exploits U.S. nonprofit networks • Why Minnesota protests and I...
Feb 12, 2026•1 hr 30 min
The fellas tackle the Olympics controversy head-on as US athletes seem more interested in trashing America than representing it. What happened to patriotism in elite sports and why is anti-American sentiment getting rewarded instead of condemned. Plus, Congressman Pete Stauber joins to share his unique perspective on the US Olympic hockey team, Minnesota's political transformation, and his family's Olympic legacy. The fells also discuss the train wreck Super Bowl halftime show, was it the worst ...
Feb 10, 2026•1 hr 12 min
In this episode of the Ruthless Variety Program, hosts Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, and John Ashbrook dissect Kamala Harris's awkward campaign relaunch and what it means for a bankrupt Democratic Party. From her Gen Alpha "skibidi" vibes to failed youth appeals, we break it all down with zero holds barred. Then, tune in for an exclusive interview with RNC Chairman Joe Gruters on crushing fundraising records, election integrity lawsuits, midterm battle plans, and a potential gam...
Feb 06, 2026•1 hr 32 min
We open by laying out what actually just happened with the SAVE Act and why it matters right now. The bill clears the House, heads toward the Senate, then gets stripped out during a government funding move. We walk through the numbers, the polling, and the quiet shift from open opposition to procedural delay. We also get into why voter ID keeps pulling strong public support while Democratic leadership keeps finding reasons to slow-walk it. From there, we get into the arguments we keep hearing an...
Feb 05, 2026•1 hr 34 min
The left has become insufferable theater kids 🎭 — staging Iwo Jima reenactments with the wrong flag 🇸🇴, blocking Minneapolis streets with shipping crates 🛑, and screaming “no one is illegal on stolen land” while living securely mansions 🏰. Josh, Smug, and Duncan and Ashbrook break down the performative outrage 😤, the foreign money behind it 💰, the recycled San Francisco protests 🔄, and why social media + cash incentives have turned activism into cringe cosplay 📱🤡 Plus: NRCC Chairman Ri...
Feb 03, 2026•1 hr 16 min
🎙️ We’re live in Philadelphia to kick off America 250, and we’re coming in hot: big crowd, big venue, and a full night built around pride in the country and what it still makes possible. We talk about why celebrating the 250th isn’t just a party—it’s a push to re-learn what holds this place together. Then we bring out the NFL’s own Jaws, Ron Jaworski, and the conversation lands on values, work ethic, leadership, and what it takes to win when the stakes are real—on the field, at work, and at hom...
Jan 30, 2026•1 hr 40 min
🎙️ The fellas sit down with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for a wide-ranging conversation that hits policy, politics, and the pure theater of the moment. We talk through what Trump Accounts are built to do—seed money, compounding, and a real push toward financial literacy—plus how the private sector and states may stack on top of it. We also get into the broader economic pitch: growth, inflation, deficits, and why Bessent thinks the private sector is about to do the heavy lifting. 💰 Then we...
Jan 29, 2026•1 hr 13 min
The fellas are laying the whole Senate map on the table and getting real about what’s actually at stake for the next two years. We get into why holding the Senate matters so much for a Trump administration, from confirmations to the very real threat of impeachment politics coming roaring back if Democrats get the chance. Then we start walking state by state through the early battlefield, where the money is going to flood in, where the margins are going to be brutal, and where Republicans can rea...
Jan 27, 2026•1 hr 33 min
🎙️ No better start to a Friday than the fallout from the church disruption in Minnesota, and for once, we actually get the kind of consequences we hoped for. We talk through the arrests, the perp walks, and the sheer audacity of watching people try to rewrite what happened in Minneapolis. However, there is a continued refusal to bring charges against Don Lemon. We go through what it says about Minnesota’s political rot, what it says about activist media, and why this whole “I’m just reporting” ...
Jan 23, 2026•1 hr 19 min
🎙️ Once again the left has given the American people a bait-and-switch with the promise of “moderate Democrats” in VA and NJ. We walk through how that brand gets sold, why it keeps working in purple places, and what happens the minute governing power shows up. Virginia Governor Spanberberger shows how a “most bipartisan” claim turns into a very different set of priorities once the ink is dry. 🐘 Border Czar Tom Homan explains how the same enforcement tools that were treated as normal for decade...
Jan 22, 2026•1 hr 32 min
🎙️ We break down the left’s overt hatred of religion in America - on display Sunday in Minneapolis. More than unhinged, it’s dangerous. Then we get into Don Lemon showing up on the scene and trying to dress the whole thing up as “First Amendment” theater, while the fellas call out what’s really happening: organized chaos with a media camera crew conveniently on-site. We dig into the growing sense that the activist left is operating with zero fear of consequences, and why the DOJ is actually ste...
Jan 20, 2026•1 hr 20 min
🎙️ Watching SCOTUS this week, it’s obvious that the left’s entire legal theory collapses once someone asks simple questions. We talk about why this case isn’t just about sports, and why the arguments we’re hearing put far more than one issue at risk. Serious question, though, is Ketanji Brown Jackson the dumbest current justice, or the dumbest justice ever? I bet she doesn’t understand. 👩🏻⚖️ Then, we break down why this thinking from left-wing justices collapses under even mild pressure. It ...
Jan 16, 2026•1 hr 23 min
🎙️ Why does it feel like we’re bouncing from one high-stakes fight to the next without ever forcing the real public debate? Because liberals and the media use this as a tactic. The fellas explain how narratives and process drama help the bigger questions get ignored: like why federal law enforcement is in Minneapolis in the first place, and what elected leaders did to set the whole mess in motion. ⚡️ Then, we get into the sanctuary city pressure campaign and the Feb 1 payment cutoff that Trump ...
Jan 15, 2026•1 hr 10 min
🎙️ There is a new internet sickness: AI-generated rage bait dressed up as “real life.” We walk through the fake priest clips, the Italian deli “Basta” performance art, and the comment sections that somehow make the videos look subtle. We explain why this stuff works, who it’s really built for, and how the left treats the internet like an indoctrination machine—because if they can’t find enough real people to sell the outrage, they’ll just manufacture them. 🫏 After that, we shift to the sudden ...
Jan 13, 2026•1 hr 19 min
🎙️ We break down how Democrats, activist groups, and legacy media work together to turn massive government fraud into street unrest and false narratives. We walk through the ICE enforcement at the center of the controversy, the viral clips being deliberately misrepresented online, and the way language like “legal observer” is used to confuse the public and protect bad actors. ⚡ From there, we examine how the media and Democratic politicians rushed to create a parallel narrative. Instead of disc...
Jan 09, 2026•1 hr 30 min
🎙️ We dig into the Minneapolis ICE shooting video that’s lighting up social media, focusing on what the footage shows: officers identify themselves, a “get out of the car” command, the vehicle surging forward, and shots fired as an officer is put in immediate danger. We talk about how the clips are getting spun into a partisan Rorschach test—and why Minnesota’s leadership jumps straight to blaming the feds instead of dealing with the events that brought federal agents into the state in the firs...
Jan 08, 2026•1 hr 19 min
🎙️ We walk through the Maduro capture and why it matters that the U.S. can go in, grab the guy, and get out—clean. We talk through the stakes in the region, the role of adversaries in propping up a failed-state mess, and why the oil angle is less about “needing it” and more about who gets to control it in our own hemisphere. 🫏 Then, the democrats trip over themselves to pretend they never spent years saying Maduro had to go, only to suddenly act shocked that anyone actually did something. We r...
Jan 06, 2026•1 hr 19 min
🎙️ We review the year that was 2025, counting down the greatest media failures of last year. To top the list, Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad. A basic pun about “genes” turns into a prime-time lecture about eugenics and white supremacy, and watching a major network try to make that argument out loud is the kind of thing you still can’t believe is real. Then over to CBS, where John Dickerson tries to compare modern immigration enforcement to Irish discrimination and deportation crackdowns in the 1800s...
Jan 02, 2026•1 hr 12 min
🎙️ We start by trading stories about the funniest reactions our wives have had to the Progrum, including the moment it dawned on them that this thing might actually be real. From late-night editing side-eyes to the infamous “so you have groupies now?” Uber ride, the fellas compare notes on how humility is enforced at home, no matter how big the show gets. ⚡ We continue to rip through your questions, like what it actually takes to jump into a House or Senate race, why federal campaigns have zero...
Jan 01, 2026•1 hr 21 min
