EP 1335: Freeform Friday – Pentagon Pulp Fiction, Insider Trading, & Ticketmaster's Defeat

Welcome to Freeform Friday, April 17, 2026! We are broadcasting live from the Safety FM studios in Orlando, Florida, to wrap up the week and catch up on everything we missed across the multiverse.Here is what is making headlines today:Geopolitics & D.C. Drama: A 10-day ceasefire has officially started between Israel and Lebanon, and President Trump claims the leaders of both nations could visit the White House within the next couple of weeks to solidify an agreement. The President also made headlines overnight for bashing Pope Leo, calling him a "very liberal person" in response to a recent 60 Minutes report. In the courts, a federal judge has blocked the above-ground construction of the administration's planned $400 million White House ballroom.Corporate Monopolies & Federal Investigations: In a massive blow to the concert industry, a jury sided with over 30 states to declare Live Nation and Ticketmaster a "monopolistic bully" that actively overcharged fans. Meanwhile, the government is investigating possible insider trading after billions of dollars in oil and stock futures were suspiciously traded just minutes before the President's Iran ceasefire announcement. In domestic defense news, the Pentagon is in discussions with Ford and General Motors to utilize their factory capacity for producing weapons and military supplies.Space & The World of the Weird: The Artemis 2 astronauts are officially home, describing the "visceral" feeling of riding a fireball back through Earth's atmosphere while relying on a heat shield against 5,000-degree temperatures. In the weird files, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth raised eyebrows after delivering a prayer at the Pentagon that was actually just Samuel L. Jackson's fictionalized Pulp Fiction monologue. A San Diego ER doctor accused of being drunk and high on the job is somehow still allowed to practice medicine under supervision. Plus, a man in China finally had surgery to remove a 12-centimeter metal chopstick that he swallowed and lived with for eight years.Because it's Freeform Friday, we are skipping the main story to catch up on the chaos of the week! If you want to catch Hour 2 and Hour 3 of the show, head over to RadioBig.FM to hang out for the rest of the broadcast.Music Licensing Information:Artist Name: ClansSong Name: Mrs. FahrenheitLicense #: 9746852141