Critical Wade Theory

So, let's look at just how much Trump's Department of Justice has been distorting facts and statistics.

NOTE: I had to repair this video, splicing two separate recordings together (one from "the cloud"). Make of that what you will.Anyway, this is a fitting intro: Best known as the performer behind the helmet of Din Djarin in The Mandalorian, Branden Wayne has spent more than 25 years working across film and television, with credits ranging from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Angel to the Star Wars universe. Now, he's embarking on a new creative venture with his podcast, Hats and Helmets, a series centered on the stories that shape people's lives. During our conversation, Branden Wayne discussed the inspiration behind the podcast, his family's storytelling legacy, what it's like acting behind the Mandalorian helmet, and why mythology remains at the heart of every great story.

On February 4, 1997, in Rowlett, Texas, Darlie Routier was sentenced to death by lethal injection for the murder of her five-year-old son, Damon. While her other son, Devon, was also killed during the same attack, his death never reached a separate trial. Darlie has always maintained that an unidentified intruder broke into their home, assaulted her, and killed her children. Despite her hospital stay and serious injuries, testimony from forensic experts ultimately secured her conviction.Here are the most recent developments on the case.

The pilot introduced us to the emergency room and its major characters. "Day One" is where the series begins to reveal what it will really become. This isn't simply a show about doctors treating patients. It's about controlled chaos, impossible decisions, and ordinary people forced to perform under extraordinary pressure.

One of de Beauvoir's most famous observations is deceptively simple:*"One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman."*

My podcast can be about anything! Here I review a local restaurant.

Every year, many movies are released. Some dominate the box office for a few weeks before fading from memory. Others become cultural landmarks that people continue watching, quoting, and recommending decades later.That raises an interesting question: What are the key features that make a film enduringly popular?

Alex Jones influencer Gary Allen was a prominent member of Robert W. Welch Jr.'s John Birch Society, which is why I am looking at Welch as the 3rd part of this examination of Alex Jones's paranoid ideology (if it could even be called an ideology).The biggest, most defining scandal of Robert W. Welch Jr.’s life centered on his conspiratorial book, *The Politician*. Written in 1956 and later leaked to the public, the text made the sensational claim that sitting President Dwight D. Eisenhower was a "dedicated, conscious agent of the Communist conspiracy." Here I look at this paranoid claim from a critical, radical left-wing perspective and explain how, in a very basic way, it misses the mark.

Who is Gary Allen? Good question. I never heard of him, either...until I looked into who influenced Alex Jones. Gary Allen was one such infuence, at least to an extent. Let's look at some of the basic ideas Allen espoused and apply an anarchic deconstruction of right-wing populism. That photo is of Alex Jones, of course...because, again, most people won't even know who the hell Gary Allen is., so why would I use a photo of him?

For years, Alex Orbison has been recognized as the son of the legendary Roy Orbison and as the drummer for the Allman Betts Band. Now, he's embarking on a new chapter as a solo artist with his debut album Love and Loss. In this conversation (for VENTS Magazine online) Orbison discusses the long road that led him to writing his own songs, overcoming self-doubt, honoring authenticity over perfection, and embracing life at center stage.

Is it true that each generation is condemned to making the mistakes of the past?

In this episode I'm looking at one of the largest and most ambitious war films ever made: "A Bridge Too Far," released in 1977.

Husband-and-wife filmmakers Britt Bankhead and Grace Patterson discuss their film "The Town That Takes."

What would happen if traditional cultures around the world disappeared?Though technically not entirely possible, it is an interesting question...and I try to answer it here.

This episode moves through two very different topics: electricity and pop law. We’re starting with a question about stun guns and whether you can accidentally shock yourself while using one, then we’ll zoom out into the changing legal landscape around cannabis in 2026.

I have mixed feelings about The Onion's satirical takeover of Alex Jones's Infowars. Here's why...

Today, we’re taking a journey through cinema, looking at five massive films between 1968 and 1979 that completely redefined sci-fi and horror, with memorable aliens involved. We’re cutting right to the core of what made them work, with a closer look at the incredible casts who brought these worlds to life.

I am doing an open mic standup thing tomorrow night, and here are some of the ideas I will likely incorporate into my act.

Generally speaking, most people would consider me to be on the left. In fact, to hopefully make my podcast more interesting (and because I find it practical), I often try to view topics through sort of an anarchic lens, critical of power, critical of authority, the state, etc.So you might be surprised that, in some key ways, I can respect tradition. And, actually, sometimes I think we'd be far too lost without it.

Today we’re talking about Zero Population Growth: Bliss Out Volume 15 by Lilys. Yep, that’s a mouthful—but trust me, there’s something interesting going on here.

Today we're exploring something that sits at the heart of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and magical realism — the idea that imagination isn't an escape from reality. Instead, it's one of the deepest ways we can understand it.

How accurately does science fiction portray aliens? Are there any examples where the depiction of aliens is scientifically plausible in terms of their biology?

In this episode, I'm taking a look at Facelift, the groundbreaking debut album from Alice in Chains, a record that arrived before grunge became a cultural phenomenon and helped set the stage for the explosion of Seattle rock that would soon change popular music.

The acclaimed documentary podcast Suspicious Minds returns for a second season, expanding far beyond the personal stories explored in its debut. While Season One examined how artificial intelligence can fracture individual minds, the new season looks at the broader societal implications of AI, from military applications and collective psychology to belief systems, antinatalism, and even the possibility of humanity's future.

Out of Order is a fast-paced comedy that follows John Slater, a struggling young lawyer who tries to win back his glamorous ex by landing a job at a prestigious law firm. Things quickly spiral out of control when he ends up representing both sides of the same lawsuit while disguised under a second identity. Starring Brandon Routh, Sam Huntington, Brooke Shields, Tao Okamoto, and Cristal Rodriguez, the film blends courtroom comedy, romance, and escalating farce.The interview as published online: https://ventsmagazine.com/2026/06/21/interview-guy-jacobson-on-out-of-order-comedy-casting-brandon-routh-and-crafting-the-perfect-twist/TRAILER LINK:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vR9z8Y40As

A MAGA YouTube comment went after me for...criticizing a Nazi-linked bank...while arguing that ANTIFA is actually the real thing to criticize (though they did not get into specifics about ANTIAFA, of course).Anyway, this episode is my response to all that nonsense. And yes, Deutsche Bank is rotten, which already explains why they are so closely aligned with Trump.

Today I'm talking about one of the most exciting revival bands in rock history — a group that proved 1950s-like music could still sound fresh and kinda cool in the MTV era. Now, look, I would be lying my head off if I said the Stray Cats "made rock sound dangerous", or something like that. I doubt many people were afraid of them, aside from the Satanic panic religious types. But they were a likable band with songs that captured a fun and dynamic retro sound. This is the story of **The Stray Cats**.

Today I'm talking about a band that never really fit the box they were put in… and probably never wanted to.Deftones formed in 1988 in Sacramento, California. On paper, they came up in the same wave as late-90s nu-metal. But if you’ve listened to them for more than five minutes, you know that label never quite sticks.

If the upcoming midterms swing toward a major victory for the Democrats (especially more progressive ones), the post-election conversation shouldn't just be a victory lap. It could be a moment for big demands. Today, I'm presenting a theoretical framework for reform — a blueprint of what we could put on the table.

Here I am tackling a tired, cynical talking point that routinely circulates in right-wing media: the claim that the Southern Poverty Law Center is "manufacturing racism" or "ginning up hate" just to stay relevant.It is a sick joke.

*How have comic books influenced our everyday lives?

The *Peripheral Poophead of the Week* is: Roseanne Barr.

"Comedy" and the erasure of Palestine

Today I'm looking at one of the most unusual Sherlock Holmes adaptations ever made: the 1987 CBS television movie The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

Today I'm exploring a collection of famous quotations from scientists, philosophers, writers, and political thinkers and leaders.

Today, I'm looking at Ignition, the second studio album by The Offspring, originally released on October 16, 1992, through Epitaph Records. It's an album that shaped my youth.

Another experimental episode where I do a trial run of my standup routine for next week. It's definitely awkward, including because it's not before a live audience, so my timing isn't as good here. There are also many different variables in life performances, too. It's all strange. Obviously, I hope to improve what I have hear by next week, when the actual show takes place. Sorry for using AI for the main image, but I probably wouldn't easily find some image of Abraham Lincoln with snot emanating from his nose.And yes, I say "you know" way too often, too. I guess that might be better than "Umm," but still probably isn't that good. And yes, I know I am probably not the funniest person of all time and all of that, so I don't need those stupid "keep your day-job" type of comments (it also doesn't help that some people viciously criticize some all-time greats, because everybody has critics regardless of how well they do).

This is a bit of an experimental episode, and I hope I make sense. But today I'm exploring a fascinating idea about art, theatre, and what it means to be human. I will be mostly looking at two different types of performance, with one getting a little bit more focus than the other.

Throughout history, people have often been told that hierarchy is inevitable. We are told that society requires bosses, rulers, governments, and economic elites to function. We are told that competition, inequality, and domination are simply part of human nature...

Today I am recommending you check out "The Power to Believe," King Crimson's thirteenth studio album, released in 2003. More than two decades later, it remains the band's most recent full-length studio album, giving it a special place in their remarkable history.

Today, we're exploring one of the oldest and most powerful storytelling patterns ever created: the death-rebirth motif.I also get into how we imitate the idea when it comes to personal crisis and national tragedy. (IMAGE: Ultimate source unknown, but is meant to represent the legendary phoenix. If you own this image, please do not sue my ass. Just ask nicely and I can replace it with something else. Ya prick. Just kidding, you are probably not a prick...unless you threaten to sue me. Then again, maybe you'd only sue me because I wrote "you prick" here, in which case maybe I'm the prick. Oh well. Aren't we all just pricks in the end?)

Review of the video for Ry Cooder's version of “Get Rhythm,” from his 1987 album of the same name. Originally recorded by Johnny Cash in 1956, the song was transformed into something cinematic and atmospheric through a striking black-and-white visual treatment directed by David Fincher.

When people think about their favorite movies, they usually remember the characters, stories, and unforgettable scenes. But another element often shapes those memories just as powerfully: the music.John Williams did more than most to shape the sound of cinema.

The bank itself acknowledges its historical links to Nazi atrocities, as you can see in this example:https://www.db.com/who-we-are/history/historical-institute?language_id=1So, why is Trump so closely aligned with Deutsche Bank anyway? IMAGE: The Nazi Dictatorship and the Deutsche Bank by Harold James

When people think about Disney, they often picture beloved animated films, fairy tales, and the magic of imagination. They think of characters who inspired generations and a studio that revolutionized animation. But behind the success of those classic films lies a chapter of Disney history that is far less frequently discussed: the 1941 strike at the Walt Disney Studios.

Today we're exploring *V for Vendetta*, the 2005 dystopian political thriller directed by James McTeigue and written by Lana and Lilly Wachowski. Based on the influential graphic novel created by Alan Moore and artist David Lloyd, the film has evolved from a successful graphic novel adaptation into one of the most politically significant movies of the 21st century.

Fetid Fever Dream Flashbacks of the Week: Trump's kids had to take classes on how not to rip off charities.

Today we’re exploring one of the most misunderstood political and philosophical traditions in modern history: anarchism.

Let's look at why Don Jr. stinks so bad. Think it's just me? His father didn't even care to attend his wedding!

Trump is f*cking up Iran, and everyone knows it.