The Smithsonian is “too woke” — apparently teaching actual history is now a partisan act. Plus, the FCC Chair is threatening ABC because Jimmy Kimmel said something mean about the president. On a comedy show. Chris is joined by Susan Bird (@onlysusanbird) and KiDané Kelati (@kidanekelati) to process the headlines from six months ago that somehow got worse with age.

This week on Let's Process This!, we welcome Drew Droege and Natalia Soto and we're getting into two stories about who controls information, and what happens when that control slips.

First up: Thomas Massie files a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein documents. Is this a real transparency move, a political play, or honestly kind of both?

Then New York (and other large cities) are losing art critics. Legacy outlets are gutting cultural coverage and laying off the people paid to actually think about art for a living. What do we lose when the critics are gone?

Join us this week on Let's Process This!

Follow our guests:

Natalia Soto: @Nnataliasotoo

Drew Droege: @Drew_droege

Support "Let’s Process This!"
Love the laughs and the headlines? Help keep the pod weird, independent, and slightly over-caffeinated by joining our Patreon: Club Process 💌

We’ve even got a free tier — so if you just want to follow along (and maybe get your own Tournament of Headlines bracket), you’re more than welcome.

👉 Join Club Process on Patreon

Let’s Connect!
Got hot takes? Guest ideas? Want to yell about a headline? Email us: LetsProcessThisPod@gmail.com

Follow Us on Social Media
🎙 Instagram

• The Podcast → @letsprocessthispod
• Chris → @XopherPappas
• Lex → @YetCharming

🎬 TikTok

• Chris → @LetProcessChris

📺 YouTube

• @LetsProcessThisPod

This week on Let’s Process This!, we’re joined by Dian Cathal and Neeloy Banerjee for a look back at two very different culture-war flashpoints from six months ago.

First, we unpack the internal Democratic debate over language and messaging after a Third Way memo circulated a so-called “blacklist” of 45 phrases deemed alienating to voters. Is this smart political strategy—or a sign of deeper anxiety about how to talk to the electorate?

Then, we revisit August 20th: the day Cracker Barrel announced a brand refresh and accidentally ignited a full-blown backlash. What was it about _this_ logo update that struck such a nerve, and why do corporate branding decisions so often become proxies for cultural identity fights?

Politics, pop culture, messaging panic, and nostalgia as ideology—six months later, does any of this still matter?

---

Find Our Guests Online

Dian Cathal

Website & tour info: diancathal.com

Instagram: @DianCathal

TikTok: @DianCathalComedy

(Trans*Atlantic tour now on sale — email to request a stop in your city!)

Neeloy Banerjee

Instagram: @neeloytellsjokes

Support "Let’s Process This!"

Love the laughs and the headlines? Help keep the pod weird, independent, and slightly over-caffeinated by joining our Patreon: Club Process 💌

We’ve even got a **free tier** — so if you just want to follow along (and maybe get your own Tournament of Headlines bracket), you’re more than welcome.

👉 [Join Club Process on Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/LetsProcessChris)

**Let’s Connect!**

Got hot takes? Guest ideas? Want to yell about a headline? Email us: [LetsProcessThisPod@gmail.com](mailto:LetsProcessThisPod@gmail.com)

**Follow Us on Social Media**

🎙 **Instagram**

- The Podcast → [@letsprocessthispod](https://www.instagram.com/letsprocessthispod/)

- Chris → [@XopherPappas](https://www.instagram.com/xopherpappas/?hl=en)

- Lex → [@YetCharming](https://www.instagram.com/yetcharming/)

🎬 **TikTok**

- Chris → @LetProcessChris

📺 **YouTube**

- @LetsProcessThisPod