Actionable media intel: The Brand Brief delivers a daily snapshot of the conservative media ecosystem - FOX News, podcasts, and more. | Brought to you by On Brand Strategies | Written by Carly Moran and Nathan Brand
đŁ Driving the ConversationâŚ
1,480 words | 6 minute read | Written to be skimmable (10+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: The comedy wars
New Media Voices: Soldiers and saints
Leading FOX: Texas primaries and Bernie Sanders
Trending: Graham Platner and Tim Walz
What the Right is Writing: Iran and Karen Bass
âď¸ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WEâRE GOINGâŚ
Nathanâs quick take on where weâre headedâŚ
The fallout from Netflixâs The Roast of Kevin Hart was too hot for cable news, but it has been a favorite of conservative media hosts.
The biggest target: Chelsea Handler. She was particularly angered by the performances of comedians Tony Hinchcliffe and Shane Gillis, calling their jokes offensive. This is a family-friendly newsletter, so Iâm not gonna repeat the jokes here.
Right-leaning culture shows like Adam Carolla, Brett Cooper, Officer Tatum, and Emily Jashinsky all criticized Handlerâs double standards about what is appropriate comedy and not. They outlined a similar message to what Kevin Hart shared today on The Breakfast Club.
Bottom line: Conservative media continues to lean heavily into cultural fights over political ones. - NRB
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đď¸ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 5/25
Kelly introduces Alan C. Mack, an Army Master Aviator and Nightstalker, whose career spanned critical operations from Desert Storm to Afghanistan
Mack details Chinook missions, including the post-9/11 âHorse Soldiersâ mission and the constant dangers of special operations aviation
He describes the rescue of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, surviving a helicopter crash, and his personal struggles as a combat veteran
Kelly criticizes the Biden adminâs âhumiliating departureâ from Afghanistan, a sentiment Mack echoes
The Ben Shapiro Show - 5/25
Guest Nick Freitas, a fellow podcaster and Army veteran, recommends remembering fallen service members by name and sharing their stories
Freitas argues society should respect the voluntary, honorable nature of military service instead of portraying service members as victims
They criticize media narratives that hold U.S. forces to impossible standards while excusing enemy tactics, and condemn veterans who use their service to broadly denigrate America
The Michael Knowles Show - 5/26
Knowles strongly approves of the federal subpoena against leftist streamer Hasan Piker for violating the Cuba embargo
He praises Pope Leo XIVâs Magnifica Humanitas encyclical, critically examining AI and transhumanism from a Christian perspective
Knowles warns against AIâs inability to form genuine relationships and the dangers of âmoralizing machinesâ
He contrasts Christian views on work, community, and alcohol to modern âself-optimizationâ that prioritizes efficiency over connection
He highlights new Revolutionary War statues, including one for his ancestor Simon Knowles
Making the Argument with Nick Freitas - 5/25
Freitas clarifies Memorial Dayâs true meaning as a solemn day to honor those who died in combat, versus Veterans Day for all who served
He dedicates the episode to his friend, Army Sgt. 1st Class Dae Han Park, a Special Forces communications sergeant who died in Afghanistan
Park was intensely dedicated to his role, yet also a loving âgirl dadâ and husband, sharing old school parenting philosophies with Freitas
Freitas urges viewers to honor Memorial Day by remembering fallen service members by name, praying for their families, and striving daily to live worthy of their sacrifice
đş LEADING FOX NEWS
The Five
Kamala Harris threatens to run for president again, while CA Gov. Gavin Newsom tries to relate to voters by playing the dumb card and IL Gov. JB Pritzker says Trump has dementia
The Love Story producer struggled to cast JFK, Jr., suggests masculinity crisis
Keeping tally of your spouseâs chores can build resentment, a study shows liberal men are more likely to be gold diggers
FOX & Friends
U.S. launches defensive strikes in the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump says Iran gets no concessions if they donât give up uranium and asks countries to join Abraham Accords
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Maine candidate Graham Platner team up to call for âpolitical revolution,â promote socialism
An 18-year-old has been charged with ramming five Chicago cops with a car
Sen. John Cornyn and Kevin Paxton battle it out today in Texasâ Republican Senate primary runoff, Cornyn interviewed
The NASCAR community mourns the loss of Kyle Busch
Trumpâs former COVID advisor says the U.S. is equipped to fight off the Ebola virus emerging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democrats spend Memorial Day attacking ICE in Newark, NJ
MT AG Austin Knudsen discusses VP JD Vanceâs fraud roundtable today
Kroger plans to slash prices on thousands of grocery items
Parents are holding their kids back so they can be stronger student athletes than their younger peers
Pope Leo XIV provides AI ethics guidelines in new Magnifica Humanitas
The high-stakes Los Angeles mayoral election is one week away
The UFC octagon begins to take shape on the White House south lawn
Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist is interviewed on his victory just weeks after welcoming his baby into the world
FOX Newsroom
Sec. of State Marco Rubio says there is âstrong alignmentâ on a preliminary Iran deal, U.S. launches defensive strikes, President Trump encourages more countries to join Abraham Accords, Sen. Dave McCormick reacts
President Trump delivered a speech, participated in a wreath laying at the Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Day ceremony
Texas voters head to the polls for the Republican Senate runoff between Ken Paxton and John Cornyn
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner refuses to apologize for an old post saying a veteran deserved to die, gets Sen. Bernie Sandersâ support
JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon encourages NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani to âgrow and buildâ or lose jobs
Oil is more than a dollar per gallon more expensive than a year ago
The U.S. expands travel restrictions as Ebola outbreak grows
Protesters confront an ICE facility in Newark, NJ
Democrat Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson places blame on parents for âteen takeovers,â more than 20 shot this weekend
AOC appears to hint at a 2028 bid for president
Spencer Pratt surges in polling, fundraising one week before the Los Angeles mayoral election
Socialist streamer Hasan Piker says tech tycoon Singham funds far-left political groups
đż TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrowâs news todayâŚ
Tampon Tim attended a George Floyd celebration while ditching an event for Memorial Day [X, Libs of TikTok]
We have the moneyâŚitâs just being stolen! You wanna fix the budget? End the fraud. [X, Pratt]
Theyâre making AOC SEC edits on TikTok [X, Longhorn]
Dem Rep. Jake Auchincloss says Graham Platnerâs Nazi tattoo should be âdisqualifyingâ [X, Cohen]
đď¸ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
FOX News Digital
US military carries out âself-defense strikesâ in Iran [FOX News]
Graham Platner embraces democratic socialism at Bernie Sanders rally [FOX News]
Breitbart
Fresh Strikes on Iran: U.S. Hits Missile Sites, Minelayers [Breitbart]
Dr. Gorka: USA Killed 177 Jihadis in One Weekend [Breitbart]
Trump: Iranâs Enriched Uranium to Be âImmediately Turned Overâ to U.S. [Breitbart]
Far-Left AOC May Be Moving Toward 2028 Run for President [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
Will Trump Bail Out Iranâs Regime? [WSJ Ed]
The New Big Labor GOP [WSJ Ed]
Kevin Warshâs Internal Opponents Fire Away [WSJ Ed]
Trump Has Lost the Governing Plot [WSJ Ed]
New York Post
NY Dems running for House want fed funding for âDrag Story Hourâ as city, state spends $700K [NYP]
Furious LA firefighters take rarely seen step in fight against Karen Bass [NYP]
Gavin Newsomâs outrageous $20M plan to honor Californiaâs governors just months before he leaves office [NYP]
Washington Free Beacon
âTrackAIPACâ Attack Account Used To Be Elizabeth Warren-Boosting âCalifornia for Warren,â Raising Money for Her Presidential Bid [WFB]
Washington Reporter
Nonprofit led by Kamala Harris ally is weighing in on U.S.-Lebanon policy, and Republicans are concerned [Reporter]
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