This has been a week of high-stakes political moves, viral chaos, and moments of raw emotion. From a tragic shooting in Minneapolis to a horse taking a lap through Target, we’re breaking down the stories that actually matter.

Here is your guide to this week’s episode:

The Lead: Tragedy and Policy
• ICE in Minneapolis: We dive into the heartbreaking and controversial shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. With local officials and the Trump administration at odds over whether it was self-defense or an overreach of power, we look at the footage and the fallout in the Twin Cities.

• The "Under" Secretary? Why the White House Press Briefing came to a screeching halt. Did Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt leave to hit the under?

• "People Live in Homes, Not Corporations": Trump’s latest populist play is a ban on institutional investors buying single-family homes. Is this a win for the American Dream or a drop in the bucket for the housing crisis?

Pop Culture & Viral Madness
• Tony Dokoupil’s Breaking Point: The CBS Evening News anchor had a rocky debut week.

• Cher vs. Dax Shepard: Cher didn't hold back on the Armchair Expert podcast, telling Dax Shepard to his face that she still doesn’t see what Kristen Bell sees in him. We dissect the most awkward (and hilarious) celebrity interview of the year.

• Clean Up in Aisle 4: A TikToker rode a horse through Target, and—to no one's surprise—the horse left more than just hoofprints. We talk about the viral stunt that has retail workers everywhere reconsidering their career choices.

The Deep Dive & Final Word
• The Hilarious Dating Exchange: Hilarious Screenshot of the planning of a date gone wrong

• QOD (Question of the Day): We answer your most pressing question about the week's news cycle.

• Nuclear Opinion of the Day: Our hosts wrap up with a take so hot it might be radioactive—this week, we're looking at the future of the housing market.

Tap into Episode 674 of the Productive Conversations Podcast—available now on all podcast platforms and YouTube.

ICE gets tragic in Minneapolis (3:45)
White House Press Brief Ends Because of the Under? (22:50)
Trump stopping corporations from buying homes (35:43)
Getting lit at the club (41:12)
CBS Anchor Goes Through It (48:23)
Horse in Target (54:20)
Cher to Dak Sheppard (56:13)
Hilarious Dating Exchange (1:06:50)
QOD: (1:19:23)
Nuclear Opinion (1:28:35)
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#trending #sports #news #entertainment #culture #popculture #podcast

Best way to contact our host is by emailing him at productiveconversationspodcast@gmail.com or mbrown3212@gmail.com

This show has been brought to you by Magic Mind!

Right now you can get your Magic Mind at WWW.MAGICMIND.COM/ PCLT20 to get 20% off a one-time purchase or up to 48% off a subscription using that code PCJUNE.

Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/productive-conversations-with-matt-brown/id1535871441

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/7qCsxuzYYoeqALrWu4x4Kb

YouTube:
@Productive_Conversations

Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/productiveconversations

On this episode of Productive Conversations, Matt breaks down every single Wild Card matchup heading into the weekend — storylines, matchups, X-factors, and what to watch for when the lights are brightest. From classic rivalries to heavyweight showdowns, we preview:

• Rams vs Panthers
• Packers vs Bears
• Bills vs Jaguars
• 49ers vs Eagles
• Chargers vs Patriots
• Texans vs Steelers

Who has the edge? Which teams are built for January? And which playoff favorite should be on upset alert?

Then, we flip the script and react to Black Monday and the NFL coaching carousel, as teams hit the reset button across the league. We dive into the most notable coaching firings, what went wrong, which moves make sense, and which ones feel reactionary — plus what these changes mean for the future of each franchise.

Playoff football. Franchise-changing decisions. Pressure at its peak.

Tap in for a full Wildcard Weekend preview and coaching chaos reaction, right here on Productive Conversations.

Tap into Episode 673 of the Productive Conversations Podcast—available now on all podcast platforms and YouTube.

Rams & Panthers (4:34)
Packers & Bears (6:27)
Bills & Jaguars (8:55)
49ers & Eagles (11:12)
Chargers & Patriots (14:23)
Texans & Steelers (16:45)
Coaches Firings (19:45)
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#nfl #football #nflfootball #nflnews #trending #sports #culture
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Best way to contact our host is by emailing him at productiveconversationspodcast@gmail.com or mbrown3212@gmail.com

This show has been brought to you by Magic Mind!

Right now you can get your Magic Mind at WWW.MAGICMIND.COM/ PCLT20 to get 20% off a one-time purchase or up to 48% off a subscription using that code PCJUNE.

Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/productive-conversations-with-matt-brown/id1535871441

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/7qCsxuzYYoeqALrWu4x4Kb

YouTube:
@Productive_Conversations

Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/productiveconversations

Buckle up for a wild ride through the first week of 2026. We’re kicking things off with the global shockwave: Operation Absolute Resolve. We break down the midnight raid that saw the US capture the Venezuelan dictator and what this means for the geopolitical landscape—and your gas prices.

From the front lines to the sidelines, we’re mourning with Baltimore. Tyler Loop had the city on his back, but a missed field goal at the buzzer has the Ravens heading home early. Was it a "chank" or just bad luck? Plus, we analyze the Scott Van Pelt "Oh!" moment that’s going viral. Did the ESPN legend handle the New Year’s Eve chaos with grace, or was it the most awkward 10 seconds of live TV this year?

In This Episode:

• The Big Capture: The logistics and fallout of the US move on Venezuela.

• "Hey Grok, Put Them in a Bikini": We dive into the controversial AI trend taking over X and why the "bikini-fication" of photos is the new digital battleground.

• NFL Heartbreak: Tyler Loop’s nightmare in Baltimore and why the kicker's locker room is the loneliest place on Earth right now.

• The Yacht Party Heard 'Round the World: Are Tom Brady and Alix Earle actually the 2026 "It Couple," or was that just some cozy New Year’s Eve conversation in St. Barths?

• NYC Jewelers Crashing Out: Inside the chaotic Diamond District brawl between TraxNYC and Akay Diamonds. When "branding" leads to a 47th Street showdown.

• The State of the Union (Dating Edition): We look at the dating pool in 2026 for men and women. Between AI "practice dates" and "digital detoxing," is anyone actually meeting at a bar anymore?

Question of the Day:

Has "Dating Options" Ruined Dating? We explore the paradox of choice. When you have 10,000 people in your pocket, do you lose the ability to value the one sitting across from you? We wrap up with a Nuclear Opinion

Tap into Episode 672 of the Productive Conversations Podcast—available now on all podcast platforms and YouTube.

US captures Venezuelan dictator (3:15)
"Hey grok, put them in a bikini" (22:50)
Tyler Loop Misses Field Goal (26:50)
Tom Brady and Alix Earle? (38:35)
Oh Scott Van Pelt (42:23)
NYC jeweler crashes out (45:45)
Chevy Chase (49:50)
Indigenous People (59:45)
The dating pool in 2026 for men and women (1:07:12)
Question of the Day: Has Dating "Options" Ruined Dating? (1:12:56)
Nuclear Opinion (1:25:15)
------
#trending #sports #news #entertainment #culture #popculture #podcast

Best way to contact our host is by emailing him at productiveconversationspodcast@gmail.com or mbrown3212@gmail.com

This show has been brought to you by Magic Mind!

Right now you can get your Magic Mind at WWW.MAGICMIND.COM/ PCLT20 to get 20% off a one-time purchase or up to 48% off a subscription using that code PCJUNE.

Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/productive-conversations-with-matt-brown/id1535871441

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/7qCsxuzYYoeqALrWu4x4Kb

YouTube:
@Productive_Conversations

Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/productiveconversations