The long-running media deconstruction podcast No Agenda returned for its July 30, 2026 broadcast with guest hosts Darren O'Neill and Larry Blythner filling in for Adam Curry, who is taking bereavement time following the passing of co-host John C. Dvorak. The episode, titled "Flock Off!," kept the show's twice-weekly schedule intact while addressing several major stories dominating the news cycle, offering a mix of sharp commentary and clip-driven analysis.
One of the most striking segments focused on Dr. Anthony Fauci's appearance before a Senate committee, where he invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times. The hosts read verbatim passages from Fauci's roughly 1,100-page diary, which included entries about Julia Roberts, Barbra Streisand, and a Kennedy Center evening with Joan Baez. Blythner did not hold back in his assessment, calling it "the biggest comedic event in the history of United States government, no question about it." He argued that Fauci squandered an opportunity for a Caesar's Palace residency by listening to his six attorneys instead of answering Senator Josh Hawley's questions about the color of his tie and the carpet in front of him. The segment highlighted the tension between legal strategy and public accountability, a theme that resonates with audiences concerned about government transparency.
The episode also delved into Elon Musk's latest predictions on artificial intelligence, as reported by The Economist. Musk stated that AI will exceed human intelligence within five years, with a 10 to 20 percent chance of "killer robots." The hosts used this to explore the implications of rapid AI development, from ethical concerns to the potential for existential risk, a topic that has become increasingly relevant in both tech and policy circles.
Another major topic was the growing bipartisan revolt against Flock Safety, a company that operates license plate cameras across 49 states with a network of 120,000 cameras. The ACLU has joined right-leaning municipalities in Sedona, Arizona, and elsewhere to cancel contracts with the company. The hosts referenced CEO Garrett Langley's TED Talk, the dflock.org tracking site, and reporting from Sir Ryan Bemrose about antenna sensors capable of harvesting MAC addresses from passing phones. They contrasted Langley's pitch that "safety should just be a right" with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's stance on incarceration, El Salvador's Bukele prison model, and Radley Balko's book "Rise of the Warrior Cop." This segment underscored the delicate balance between public safety and privacy, a debate that affects communities nationwide.
Additionally, the hosts touched on a McLaughlin poll regarding the Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz strikes, as well as a WNBA controversy involving the Seattle Storm owner confronting two teenage Sophie Cunningham fans. These stories added layers of political and cultural analysis to the episode.
A lengthy donation segment honored Dvorak with tributes from producers around the world, plus knightings and meetup announcements from Coeur d'Alene to Calgary, reflecting the show's global listener-supported community. The episode is available now wherever podcasts are heard, continuing the show's tradition of questioning how stories are framed, amplified, or ignored across news outlets and government messaging.
