BFG Podcast #173: Post-Election Special - The rise of the Austin podcast bros and the fall of Hollywood

Today we bring you an audio podcast edition of the excellent cultural coverage we've been doing since the Second Coming of President Trump. Explaining political trends lies outside our core mission, but understanding cultural currents is why we exist.

Bobby Hilliard joins host Neal Pollack to discuss the outsized impact that the Austin comedy and podcasting scene had on this election. Bobby, a comedy-scene insider, explains to Neal that even though figures like Joe Rogan and Tony Hinchcliffe are millionaires many times over, they have an unfiltered, no-bullshit casual tone that appeals to the modern audience that is tired of the artifice of the news and entertainment industries. After the pandemic, hundreds if not thousands of comedians moved to Austin because it was less expensive, restrictive, and dangerous than other American metro areas. And the city, which was dealing with a downturn in the music industry caused by an upturn in the tech industry, had a ton of empty performance spaces to host them. Elon Musk appeared on Rogan, said, "this place is cool," and the modern Republican cultural ethos was born.

Neal ends the segment by telling Bobby that he, too, is going to start doing standup comedy. Bobby warns him that it's tough out there.

But not as tough as it is in Hollywood. Richard Rushfield, columnist and founding light of The Ankler, joins Neal to discuss Hollywood's disastrous participation in this election. From the condescending tone of the Julia Roberts ad telling liberal women to defy their MAGA husbands in the voting booth, to the weird twerking of Megan Thee Stallion at a Kamala Harris rally, to the endless, clueless online endorsements, the traditional entertainment industry revealed itself as completely out of touch with reality. Richard talks about how young people don't respond to movies and TV like they once did. They like their celebrities unscripted and unfiltered. Neal points out that may have something to do with the success of Donald Trump. He's a celebrity, but he's a different kind of celebrity, kind of a proto viral celebrity. Oprah Winfrey just can't compete.

You will understand everything after listening to this podcast. Thanks for joining us.