Karaoke soft power + left media cowardice

Hello from the start of AANHPIXYZ Heritage Month!

It’s just Jay and Tammy this week, going long on two of our favorite topics: U.S.-Korea relations and progressive media. [3:15] First, we address the carefully crafted viral moment from Korean President Yoon’s debut at the White House, and the sanitizing of human rights realities in Asia. [17:30] Next, we discuss the controversy over an article about Tucker Carlson published by the American Prospect—and mea culpa’d by the top editor following online criticism. We touch on [28:10] virtue-signaling disclaimers and [38:55] the tiptoeing endemic to our fractured news industry.  

In this episode, we ask: 

Why did a misogynistic, anti-labor president get such a glowing White House welcome? 

Do we agree with the central argument of the Prospect article: that there is some value to Tucker Carlson types’ espousing of “populist” views on Fox News? 

Is Jay less cancellable because he’s not white? 

For more, read: 

• “South Korean president sings ‘American Pie’” 

• About Korea’s legislative and symbolic agenda on this U.S. trip

• Background on President Yoon when he first entered office, by Tammy

• The American Prospect article: “The Smuggest Man On Air”

• David Dayen’s editor’s note and the response by two other Prospect writers: “The Real Tucker Carlson”

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Join us at the premiere of Jay’s movie, “American Son,” at the Tribeca Film Festival, in NYC, in June! Purchase tix here!