The long-running media deconstruction podcast No Agenda returned on July 30, 2026, with guest hosts Darren O'Neill and Larry Blythner filling in for regular hosts Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak. Curry took bereavement time following the passing of Dvorak, and the guests stepped in to keep the show running. Episode 1890, titled "Flock Off!" delved into several major stories, including Anthony Fauci's Senate appearance, Elon Musk's AI predictions, and a bipartisan pushback against Flock Safety's license plate cameras.
The episode opened with the hosts explaining how they were tapped to fill in, then moved into a detailed analysis of Fauci's testimony before a Senate committee. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times, a move that Blythner called "the biggest comedic event in the history of United States government." The hosts read from Fauci's diary, which included mentions of Julia Roberts and Barbra Streisand, and criticized his decision to plead the Fifth rather than answer questions directly.
Next, the hosts discussed Elon Musk's comments to The Economist, where he predicted that AI would surpass human intelligence within five years, with a 10 to 20 percent chance of "killer robots." The conversation highlighted the potential risks and the need for careful oversight.
The main segment focused on Flock Safety, a company that operates 120,000 license plate cameras across 49 states. The ACLU has joined municipalities like Sedona, Arizona, in canceling contracts with the company. The hosts referenced a TED Talk by CEO Garrett Langley, the tracking site dflock.org, and reporting by Sir Ryan Bemrose about antenna sensors that can harvest MAC addresses from phones. They contrasted Langley's claim that "safety should just be a right" with concerns about surveillance overreach, citing Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's stance on incarceration and Radley Balko's book "Rise of the Warrior Cop."
The episode also covered a McLaughlin poll on the Iran conflict and a WNBA controversy involving the Seattle Storm owner confronting teenage fans. A lengthy donation segment honored Dvorak with tributes from producers worldwide.
This episode underscores the importance of questioning government actions and the expansion of surveillance technologies. Fauci's refusal to testify and the rise of Flock Safety raise critical questions about accountability and privacy. The hosts' analysis, though comedic, highlights serious concerns about the erosion of civil liberties and the need for public vigilance.
