Ever wondered how a successful women's magazine writer and humor columnist became one of Substack's most incisive media critics? Jenna McCarthy never planned to write about "government corruption, health policy, and politics" - she was perfectly content crafting witty pieces about relationships and lifestyle topics for major publications. Then COVID happened, and suddenly McCarthy found herself questioning policies that "weren't making sense" and facing social media suspensions for her skepticism.
McCarthy's journey from mainstream publishing to independent journalism mirrors the broader transformation happening across the media landscape. With refreshing candor and razor-sharp humor, she dissects how traditional news outlets have abandoned objective reporting in favor of narrative advancement. "When I was growing up," McCarthy reflects, "never once did it occur to me that the news was anything other than fact." That assumption has been thoroughly shattered.
Through specific examples - from selective coverage of political scandals to disturbing revelations about organ harvesting practices - McCarthy and host Rich Helppie explore the systematic ways that important information is kept from public view. Their conversation reveals how humor can function as a powerful antidote to gaslighting, allowing audiences to process difficult truths while maintaining their sanity. As McCarthy explains, her readers tell her: "I stopped reading the news because I can't handle all that negativity. But now I don't have to watch it - Jenna will watch it and summarize it in a way that I can laugh but also know what's going on."
Whether discussing the college debt crisis, media bias in political coverage, or her upcoming books on overlooked medical treatments, McCarthy demonstrates how independent voices are filling crucial information gaps left by mainstream outlets. For anyone concerned about finding truth in a post-facts world, this conversation offers both insights and hope.
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