Kennedy Center Whistleblower Reveals What He Saw Inside Trump’s Takeover

What really happened inside the Kennedy Center after President Trump and his allies took control? Former Kennedy Center visual arts staffer Josef Palermo joins Meghan McCain and Miranda Wilkins for an exclusive, in-depth conversation about what he says he witnessed from inside one of America's most iconic cultural institutions. Palermo says he went into the job knowing he wasn't a Trump supporter but believing the Kennedy Center should belong to all Americans, regardless of politics. Instead, he describes a workplace where morale collapsed, longtime employees disappeared, political influence grew and leadership made decisions that left him increasingly alarmed. He takes us inside the controversy over high-dollar tickets offering proximity to President Trump, plans to remove and replace artwork throughout the Kennedy Center, the disappearance of historic artifacts from the African Room, questions surrounding hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars allocated for renovations, and why he believes the institution never needed to completely shut down. Palermo also recounts the day he was laid off, the severance agreement that came with an NDA, why he refused to sign it and how he ended up in Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's office just five days later sharing what he knew with investigators. Meghan and Miranda press him on what he personally witnessed, what he believes went wrong, who he holds responsible and whether the Kennedy Center can still be saved. This is Josef Palermo's firsthand account of what happened behind the scenes and why he decided to speak out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Knowles joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation that goes exactly where you'd expect it to go... and then several places you absolutely wouldn't. First, we're obsessed with the surprise Nathan Fielder documentary about Elizabeth Holmes, which leads to a never-before-fully-told story about meeting the Theranos founder at the height of her girlboss fame. The security detail. The turtleneck. The room full of powerful men hanging on her every word. And the Birkin bag that immediately raised one very important question: if you supposedly don't care about fashion, why are you carrying one of the most coveted handbags on earth? Then Michael joins us to talk about why the Holmes story still fascinates people, his new Daily Wire movie 'Run Hide Fight: Infidels,' and his viral interview with Clavicular, the looksmaxxing influencer who is now facing serious criminal allegations. We get into the darker corners of internet culture, what teenage boys are absorbing online, and why consequences and accountability suddenly seem to be up for debate. Plus, we talk midterms, AOC, the future of the Democratic Party, and somehow still find time for an emergency Housewives intervention before signing off. And yes, Miranda is back. Allegedly with scurvy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The band is finally back together! After an extremely unwelcome battle with shingles, Miranda Wilkins is back in studio with Meghan McCain, and apparently decided easing herself back in was not an option. Meghan and Miranda start with Patrick Clancy’s emotional ‘60 Minutes’ interview about the murders of his three children, his decision to forgive Lindsay Clancy and the internet conspiracy theories that have followed him. Miranda watched the entire interview and has THOUGHTS, while Meghan has some serious questions about why ‘60 Minutes’ chose two men to lead a conversation so deeply rooted in motherhood and postpartum mental health. Then former Obama campaign and White House aide Ravi Gupta joins for a surprisingly candid conversation about what Democrats are getting wrong. They tackle the party’s identity crisis, its struggle with male voters, the staggering money gap heading into the midterms, whether America’s political class is simply too old, and why Mitch McConnell’s return to the Senate is bringing back some uncomfortable memories of Dianne Feinstein. But the conversation goes well beyond politics. Ravi talks about his new book ‘The Invisible List,’ the careers most likely to survive the AI revolution, why he took up powerlifting in his 40s and the reminder that sometimes the thing you keep telling yourself you’ll do “someday” needs to happen now. Plus, Texas and Kansas become races to watch, Miranda immediately resumes her duties wrangling the 2WAY audience, and Meghan reminds everyone that spooky season is officially here. Miranda is back. Nature is healing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meghan McCain is holding down the fort while Miranda Wilkins continues recovering from shingles, and there is A LOT to get into. Ryan Girdusky joins Meghan to break down Republicans’ increasingly ugly midterm picture, rising gas and grocery prices, what’s going wrong in Texas, Mitch McConnell’s return to Washington after 93 days out of public view, and the bizarre sight of Gavin Newsom and Jake Tapper attempting to convince America they know how to fly fish. Then Sarah Fraser joins for a very different kind of chaos. Meghan and Sarah get candid about motherhood, miscarriages, fertility, egg donation and why neither of them has any interest in becoming a sourdough-making trad wife. Then they dive into the disturbing scandal surrounding Kim Zolciak’s family and the questions it raises for Bravo, the latest on Perez Hilton’s recovery, and, because we apparently can’t quit them, Harry and Meghan’s messy new life back in the UK. Plus, why the “girlboss” era may have sold women a lie, what really matters when the career highs stop feeling so high, and Sarah commits the ultimate Citizen McCain sin: defending Meghan Markle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miranda Wilkins makes a shingles “proof of life” appearance before Meghan McCain dives into a packed show with Anang Mittal and Elisha Krauss. First, Meghan and Anang react to the racist backlash over Indian-American students celebrating a University of Texas football win and ask what the growing rhetoric on the right could mean for Republicans, JD Vance and Usha Vance. Then they tackle the AI panic: are the robots actually coming for us, or do Silicon Valley companies have their own reasons for warning that their technology is becoming dangerously powerful? Elisha Krauss joins to break down the Republican midterm convention, which Meghan compares to a “fake Gucci bag,” the “48” chants for JD Vance, Trump’s $5,000 check proposal and whether Republicans are trying to crown their 2028 nominee years before voters have their say. Plus, the vandalized Charlie Kirk statue, Republicans’ problems in Arizona, Harry and Meghan’s new life back in the UK, and the one thing everyone can agree on: ‘Widow’s Bay’ deserves some Emmy love. Editor’s Note: This episode was recorded Monday, September 14 at approximately noon ET, before the Emmy Awards and before Sen. Mitch McConnell returned to public view and the U.S. Senate later that day after a three-month absence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miranda Wilkins is out with shingles, Producer Ashley has the flu and COVID, and somehow Citizen McCain is still standing. With Miranda under strict orders to rest, Meghan McCain is joined by guest co-host Kristen "Colonel Kurtz" Lacefield, who's back after a six-month hiatus from YouTube and ready to sound off. Meghan and Kristen take on "Trump-a-palooza," MAGA's midterm strategy and a growing problem for Republicans: are they driving women away? From trad-wife culture and homeschooling to slut-shaming, "childless cat ladies" and the online right's increasingly hostile rhetoric toward women, they ask whether conservatives are making the same mistake with young women that Democrats made with young men. Then, Meghan and Kristen go head-to-head over the Lindsay Clancy case, the insanity defense, the divided jury and why the case has become such a cultural flashpoint. Plus, why Kristen disappeared from YouTube, why she's coming back, and why disagreeing with your friends shouldn't mean destroying the friendship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meghan McCain and Miranda Wilkins are joined by longtime friend, conservative radio host and Verdict with Ted Cruz co-host Ben Ferguson for an episode that goes from true crime to Texas politics to midlife crisis cars faster than you can say "halfway to 90." First, the Lindsay Clancy case is back in the headlines, and the conversation gets heated. Meghan and Ben fiercely push back on the online movement defending Clancy and question whether the insanity defense has become a way to excuse the most horrific crimes. Miranda, who experienced medicated postpartum depression after the birth of her second daughter, offers a different perspective on mental illness, psychosis and why the three children at the center of the case cannot get lost in the debate. That leads to a larger conversation about crime, mental illness and public safety following the shocking random stabbing of a young mother in New York City. Plus, Meghan admits she's changed her mind about marijuana legalization after watching weed become virtually inescapable in cities like New York. Then it's off to Texas. Ben breaks down why Democrats continue pouring money into the state, whether James Talarico could actually pose a threat, why Meghan is nervous about Ken Paxton, and what turning Texas blue would mean for Republicans nationally. A Citizen McCain viewer even jumps in to challenge Ben's prediction and make the case that Republicans should be much more worried. And because this is Citizen McCain, there's also Ben's new midlife crisis dream car, Meghan's desperate desire for an Evel Knievel-inspired Bronco, Miranda's declaration that she's officially done with pants, spooky season excitement and a preview of some new Citizen McCain YouTube exclusives. Politics, crime, culture and chaos. Just another Wednesday at Citizen McCain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Citizen McCain is going full pop culture. Meghan McCain and Miranda Wilkins are joined by No Filter host Zack Peter for a wild ride through the stories taking over the internet, from Britney Spears and the Lindsay Clancy trial to Bravo politics, Jax Taylor, the Kardashians, and the increasingly strange state of reality TV. First, Meghan and Miranda react to the ultimate immigration plot twist: Milo Yiannopoulos, after years of demanding aggressive immigration enforcement, was arrested by ICE and deported to the United Kingdom. Then Zack joins the show to weigh in on John Galliano's canceled Met Gala tribute and the latest deeply troubling developments surrounding Britney Spears. The conversation gets more serious as Zack breaks down the Lindsay Clancy trial, what the jury is actually being asked to decide, and why true crime culture has turned a horrific case into an online conspiracy factory. Can you acknowledge a mental health crisis while still holding someone responsible for an unthinkable crime? Then it's time for Bravo. Zack and Meghan take on Andy Cohen's response to fans complaining about "too many MAGA women" on The Real Housewives, debate whether conservative Housewives are held to a different standard, and ask a very important question: why isn't reality TV fun anymore? Plus, the disturbing allegations in Brittany Cartwright's restraining order against Jax Taylor, why the Kardashians may finally have run out of story, and much more. It's politics, pop culture, true crime, reality TV, and absolutely no filter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Citizen McCain is BACK, and there is a lot to catch up on. Meghan McCain and Miranda Wilkins return from summer break with an emotional tribute to the legendary Dolly Parton, reflecting on her extraordinary life, generosity, music, and rare ability to bring people from every corner of American culture together. Then, Meghan responds to the backlash over her comments about 13-year-old North West and asks a bigger parenting question: when does self-expression cross the line into adults failing to protect a child's childhood? Senator Ted Cruz joins Meghan and Miranda for a wide-ranging conversation about his new book, Going Further: The Incomparable Clarence Thomas. Cruz shares stories from his decades-long friendship with Justice Thomas, his remarkable political evolution, and the experiences that shaped one of the most influential conservative figures in America. Cruz also gets personal about sending his daughter off to college and becoming an almost empty nester. Then, Citizen McCain's resident royal expert Lady Sarah Elliott breaks down why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may suddenly be looking back toward Britain. Have the Sussexes run out of cultural capital in America? Do their titles simply mean more in the UK? Could money, status, and their children's royal connections be pulling them back into the fold? And what happens to Harry and Meghan when Prince William eventually becomes king? Plus, Meghan and Miranda react to South Carolina's wild Senate race, Darline Graham's viral national security stumble, and plenty more after nearly three weeks away. Politics, pop culture, parenting, royals, and a little vacation oversharing. Citizen McCain is officially back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before taking a short summer break, Meghan McCain and Miranda Wilkins open the show with a heartfelt conversation about a longtime friend, reflecting on the pressures of public life, the importance of compassion, and the responsibility social media platforms have when deeply personal moments unfold online. Then Spectrum News host Mo Kelly and political commentator Lenny McAllister join the show to break down Michigan's closely watched Democratic Senate primary, the growing divide between establishment Democrats and democratic socialists, what Abdul El-Sayed's victory means for 2028, and whether either party is still speaking to the exhausted political middle. Plus: - Abdul El-Sayed's narrow victory over Haley Stevens - Are democratic socialists reshaping the Democratic Party? - Trump's falling approval ratings and what they mean for Republicans - Can Texas finally become competitive? - J.D. Vance and the future of the GOP - Zendaya unexpectedly settles Meghan's (ugly) shoe debate - Why Meghan and Miranda are taking a short summer break before the midterms heat up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices