Standing Room Only

Standing Room Only

Salon.com's Amanda Marcotte brings her sharp perspective on politics and culture by calling out political BS and cultural hypocrisy. From the MAGA movement's latest power grabs to the online trends that shape our political reality, Amanda examines these moments with a critical eye and just enough dark humor to keep you from completely losing hope. Each episode includes Amanda's unique take, a guest segment in the corner booth with political experts and journalists, and an on-topic music recommendation from Amanda, whose weekend gig is DJing. If you've ever found yourself yelling at the TV during political analysis or rolling your eyes at "both sides" journalism, "Standing Room Only" is for you! New podcast episodes drop on Fridays. Join us on YouTube @SalonTV to get "Standing Room Only" live on Thursdays at 5 p.m. Eastern. http://www.youtube.com/SalonTV Subscribe for a dose of clear-eyed commentary that doesn't insult your intelligence.

Episodes

February 26, 2026 25 mins

Having a big family isn't the same thing as having a happy or healthy one, but don't tell that to the MAGA dads shaping policy in the White House. For guys like Pete Hegseth and JD Vance, fatherhood often seems less about being present, supportive or loving, and more about how many kids they can claim as proof of traditional values. At a time when most families can barely afford to raise even one child, this obsession with big fami...

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After rapper Nicki Minaj proclaimed she's Trump's "#1 fan" and Kid Rock headlined that sad TPUSA halftime show, it's worth asking: why do certain celebrities drift toward MAGA politics? Amanda breaks down the overlap between right-wing politics and celebrity culture, and why fading stars like Kid Rock and Nicki Minaj have become MAGA magnets. And the reputational fallout cannot be ignored. Artists are pulling out of Kid Rock's Rock...

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February 6, 2026 30 mins

For over 20 years, Tucker Carlson has persisted as one of the most influential conservative voices. He's a longtime culture-war provocateur, first on cable news and now on YouTube. But the real key to his success isn't longevity, it's his willingness to amplify the right's strangest and most extreme instincts. In this episode, Amanda breaks down why Tucker Carlson's conversations keep getting weirder and why liberals can't afford t...

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Three women close to Donald Trump have recently announced their pregnancies. Is it a coincidence? Maybe. But it reflects something much bigger: MAGA's obsession with boosting birth rates, while doing little to actually support families and make raising kids easier. These three mothers, Karoline Leavitt, Katie Miller and Second Lady Usha Vance, are all cushioned by wealth, power and nannies, while everyday mothers are told to just d...

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MAGA's infighting just got worse. We've got all the dirty details from the latest right-wing civil war at TPUSA's AmericaFest. And no, invading Venezuela is not going to mend fences inside the conservative movement. In this episode, Amanda breaks down why Erika Kirk, Candace Owens, Ben Shapiro, Megyn Kelly and other major MAGA figures are openly at war, and why fringe influencers like Milo Yiannopoulos and Nick Fuentes still wield ...

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December 19, 2025 24 mins

Fox News is once again trying to make its annual war on Christmas happen. Surprising? Of course not. Hilarious? Always. In this episode, Amanda and Melanie McFarland, award-winning senior culture critic at Salon, break down some of their most painfully corny holiday segments—packed with forced cheer, smarmy Christian proselytizing and a sudden pivot into full-blown rage bait.

Follow Melanie on Bluesky: @McTelevision

Learn more abou...

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JD and Usha Vance can't escape the divorce rumors and JD certainly isn't helping. Amanda unpacks the couple's catastrophic public relations strategy, JD's latest "jokes" that land as demeaning moments for his wife, and what all of it reveals about gender dynamics in conservative movements, MAGA gender politics and the role political spouses are expected to play within Christian, right-wing family values narratives. Moira Donegan, G...

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Allie Beth Stuckey, the far-right commentator and host of Relatable, is weaponizing her gender to sell the twisted idea that we need less empathy in the world—not more. In this video, Amanda explains why her philosophy is actually about power and control. The guest this episode is Tim Whitaker, founder of The New Evangelicals media, who recently debated Allie Beth on Jubilee about the Bible.

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The Whatever Podcast—also known as "Dating Talk"—isn't just edgy entertainment for young men. It's a pipeline into misogyny. In this episode, we examine how host Brian Atlas stages confrontational "debates" with women to push anti-feminist narratives disguised as discussion.

Progressive streamer

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An on-stage hug between the vice president and Charlie Kirk's widow sparked wild rumors about their relationship. But the real story isn't an affair, instead it's an image problem for the GOP. JD Vance's marriage to Usha Vance increasingly clashes with the ideals he's selling, built on white supremacy and rigid gender roles. In this episode, Amanda explains why that's becoming a serious liability for the Republican Party and what i...

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Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani beat incredible odds to win in New York City. His campaign rejected old guard, establishment Democrats and leaned heavily into volunteers and a clear vision. In this episode, Amanda talks about why it worked and show how Mamdani is one of many young people helping usher in a new generation of courageous Democratic leadership. The guest is Amanda Litman, president and co-founder of Run for Something, an or...

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House Speaker Mike Johnson is going to great lengths to exploit the government shutdown in order to hide the Jeffrey Epstein files. Amanda explains why this move is all about silencing victims, defending alleged abusers, and worse of all, protecting President Donald Trump. Trump was already found to have sexually abused journalist E. Jean Carroll in a department store dressing room by a civil jury in New York. Carroll joins the sho...

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October 17, 2025 27 mins

Pam Bondi's Senate Judiciary Committee appearance revealed just how far the attorney general will go to protect Donald Trump. Channeling the manipulative energy of Mean Girls movie villain Regina George, Bondi has turned cruelty, nasty insults and tantrums into a political strategy. Amanda explains why Trump can't quit this sneering mean girl, no matter how much other Republicans want her gone. This week's guest is Angie "Pumps" Su...

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has set herself apart from the GOP as an anti-Republican Republican, but her rebellion might finally be catching up to her. As she distances herself from Trump and GOP leadership, Amanda digs into the one big reason why her outsider strategy will actually get her nowhere in Washington. Laura Bassett, journalist and writer of Nightcap on Substack and former editor in chief of Jezebel, joins the show to ta...

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Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, is now the CEO of Turning Point USA (TPUSA). But can she ever replace the role Charlie played in his "debates" with college students? In this video, Amanda digs into the myth of those debates and why Erika's record exposes a deep hypocrisy. Drew McCoy of Genetically Modified Skeptic joins the conversation to explain why Charlie Kirk's debate performances were mere theater and why actual human-to-hu...

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Karoline Leavitt is known for wearing her bold, oversized cross necklaces to the White House press briefings, but what do they really say about faith in politics? Author and SiriusXM radio host John Fugelsang joins Amanda to talk about the hypocrisy behind Karoline Leavitt's statement jewelry. John's new book, "Separation of Church and Hate," is available now.

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September 19, 2025 29 mins

Some right-wing commentators are saying Taylor Swift's engagement to Travis Kelce means she's turning into a tradwife... wrong! Amanda breaks down why Taylor's love life isn't a conservative turn at all, why her relationship represents a fantasy for single women and how pundits are twisting this to support their anti-feminist talking points. Author Lyz Lenz als...

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September 15, 2025 28 mins

Katie Miller launched The Katie Miller Podcast to bring honest conversations to conservative moms. Turns out, it's all fluff talk with guests like Mike Tyson and JD Vance. Katie's husband Stephen Miller built his political career by throwing tantrums on cable news and her ex-bosses have included Elon Musk, Mike Pence and Donald Trump. This show may seem like a cute distraction, but the point of it is far deeper. Journalist Tess Owe...

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary, has twisted, harmful ideas about health. From restricting access to vaccines to restoring the often-humiliating presidential fitness test for kids, Amanda explains what's really driving RFK Jr. and the MAHA moms who support his every move. This week's guest is "How To Be Well" author and journalist Amy Larocca, who explains how the multibillion-dollar wellness industry...

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Donald Trump supporters won't stop calling the president "Daddy." In this episode, Amanda explains what's behind the obsession and where Melania comes in as "Mommy." Guest Lux Alptraum, author of "Faking It," helps unpack this strange fixation.

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