In a deeply personal episode of the No Agenda Show, Adam Curry paid tribute to his late co-host John C. Dvorak, whose influence on technology journalism was celebrated at a private memorial in Oakland. Curry, phoning in from a San Francisco hotel room, described the service attended by about 70 people, including Sir Mark and Dame Astrid from Tokyo, Void Zero from the Netherlands, Eric the Shill from South Dakota, and eulogist Marty Higgins. Reflecting on Dvorak's career, Curry noted, "He wrote about how these products sucked because he felt they could be better. That really was a big part of his role in the world. And I really came to appreciate that hearing that yesterday." This sentiment underscores Dvorak's legacy as a critic who pushed for excellence in tech, a role that resonated with many in the industry.
The episode, titled "En Banc," also delivered the show's signature media deconstruction, starting with a D.C. Circuit Appeals Court 2-1 ruling that blocked further construction on President Trump's $400 million White House ballroom. The hosts compared how Fox, ABC, and CBS covered the ruling, which stated that "whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide." This segment highlighted the media's varying framings of judicial decisions and their political implications.
Another major story was the $567 million judgment against Meta over child safety on Facebook and Instagram, a landmark ruling that could set a precedent for social media accountability. The hosts also delved into the escalating WNBA controversy after Clay Travis offered $10 million for a game pitting the Las Vegas Aces against a high school boys' team, sparking debates about gender and athleticism.
In political news, the show discussed Michigan candidate Abdul El-Sayed's Medicaid comments alongside reporting on his wife's Ann Arbor practice, MindWorks Psychiatry, raising questions about conflicts of interest and healthcare policy.
The episode also featured the strange saga of British academic Jason Arday, whose book "Great and Unfortunate Things" is set for release amid allegations of fabricated credentials, and highlighted Staten Island activist Scott LoBaido, who chartered a banner plane over New York City targeting Zohran Mamdani from his hospital bed days after open-heart surgery.
Closing with ten meetup reports from Albany, Austin, Perth, Hamilton, Wilmington, Sonoma, Denver, Snohomish, Memphis, and Central New Jersey, the episode underscored the show's community-driven approach. No Agenda, a listener-supported podcast, continues to offer a skeptical, independent look at media and politics, and Episode 1893 is available now wherever podcasts are heard.
