Filtered with TJ Walker

CNN and CNBC are integrating prediction-market odds into news coverage through Kalshi — what does that do to journalism and audience behavior? Then: a DoorDash delivery alleged tampering case caught on a doorbell camera and a larger discussion of surveillance as deterrence. Next: the latest tanning bed research showing a much higher melanoma risk and why the DNA evidence matters. After that: a sur...

Three Americans are killed in an ISIS-linked attack in Syria, prompting renewed scrutiny of U.S. presence and retaliation talk. A shooting at Brown University leaves two dead and eight critically injured, fueling a wider debate about guns in America. We also look at the NRA’s shrinking finances and insider culture, and Doug Jones’ bid for Alabama governor amid reminders of the Roy Moore scandal. P...

A fast-moving briefing on the global ripple effects of ship seizures, the latest federal-versus-state clash over artificial intelligence regulation, Vietnam’s record trade surplus with the United States despite tariffs, Elon Musk’s assessment of the “Department of Government Efficiency,” and the Senate’s deadlock on Affordable Care Act subsidies, putting premium increases on track. Chapters 00:00...

Disney is making a watershed A.I. move: a $1B investment in OpenAI and a deal to bring 200+ Disney/Pixar/Marvel/Star Wars characters into Sora-generated short videos, raising big questions about creator compensation, brand control, and whether legacy IP can crowd out new storytelling. Then: Canada launches a major talent push, fast-tracking pathways for U.S. H-1B holders, while the U.S. rolls out...

On this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we start with Anderson Cooper’s quiet power play at CNN, a new deal that cements him as the network’s most versatile and durable storytelling force, spanning nightly news, New Year’s Eve, long-form reporting, podcasts, and books. What can the rest of us learn from a legacy anchor who didn’t get left behind in the streaming and AI era? We then unpack new...

In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we examine four big fault lines where media, technology, and power are colliding: The Battle for Warner Bros. Discovery Paramount Skydance launches a hostile, Saudi- and Kushner-backed bid for WBD while Netflix pursues its own acquisition of the studio and HBO streaming assets. We explore why both deals worry Hollywood, one for corruption risk, the other...

The most-watched regular-season NFL game in history, a trillion-dollar tech giant quietly backing away from the metaverse, a job market that looks strong and shaky at the same time, college football coaches getting paid tens of millions to do nothing, and podcasts that may be crowding out your own thoughts. In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we cover: Meta’s Metaverse Retreat – After burn...

In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we look at how affordability, power, and presidential behavior collide, from Costco’s lawsuit over Trump tariffs to a late-night Truth Social meltdown and the surprising idea that progressives should learn from Trump’s brutal efficiency in using government power. What we cover: Costco vs. Trump’s Tariffs Why Costco is suing over reciprocal and fentanyl t...

Self-driving cars are now logging millions of fully driverless miles, and the data say they are dramatically safer than human drivers. So why are we still accepting more than 1.3 million road deaths a year worldwide? In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we unpack the numbers, the psychology, and the politics behind autonomous vehicles. Then we turn to the new map of American life online: Pe...

LeBron James finally scored fewer than 10 points in an NBA game for the first time since 2007, and still proves why his habits, sleep, and discipline may be even more impressive than his 1,297-game streak. We unpack what that kind of consistency really looks like, and contrast it with the short, volatile peak of former NBA star David Thompson. We then turn to the late Frank Gehry, who died at 96....

Netflix wants to swallow Hollywood’s crown jewels. In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker: We break down Netflix’s $72 billion plan to acquire Warner Bros and HBO and what it means for competition, movie theaters, and the future of streaming. We examine how a frustrated homeowner and his RATGDO device became the symbol of a larger fight over who really owns your “smart” devices, you or the com...

Botox and Ozempic on Zoom calls. Pentagon gag orders on the press. Kim Kardashian versus the California bar exam. Trump’s Ukraine “deal” with Putin. And a Supreme Court case that could give billionaires even more leverage over U.S. elections. In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, TJ walks through five major stories and filters them through communication, media, and personal development: How...

A deep-red House district in Tennessee that Donald Trump won by more than twenty points just fell to a single-digit margin in a special election. Is this a red-alert for Republicans, a blue wave for Democrats—or just normal midterm gravity doing its work? Next, we go to America’s campuses, where artificial intelligence has become the hot new major. From MIT’s “AI and Decision-Making” to UC San Die...

Starbucks is forced to pay nearly $39 million in New York City’s largest-ever worker protection settlement after officials say the company shredded baristas’ rights to stable schedules. In Switzerland, voters crush a proposed 50% inheritance tax on fortunes above 50 million francs, sending a loud message about how tightly democracy still hugs billionaires. In New Jersey, former Governor Jim McGree...

A deep dive into five major stories shaping politics, technology, and society: Why “rage bait” is the Word of the Year, and what it says about online manipulation The science behind why early smartphones harm kids Why young workers are heading back to the office Bipartisan warnings that Pete Hegseth’s Caribbean strikes may be war crimes Oregon’s governor threatens to prosecute federal agents enfor...

In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we connect five big stories under one theme: how powerful people and institutions dodge blame while everyone else absorbs the cost. NYC’s progressive surveillance state – Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani inherits and embraces one of the most expansive camera networks on earth, built in partnership with tech billionaires and defense contractors. Crime is down;...

In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we analyze a week of extraordinary political turbulence and public money waste. From LSU paying Brian Kelly $54 million not to coach, to Speaker Mike Johnson admitting he’s overwhelmed and not really in control, to Scott Bessent’s inflation denial, JD Vance’s fading 2028 prospects, Trump’s Russia-friendly Ukraine proposal, and a presidential Thanksgiving...

This Thanksgiving, Filtered with TJ Walker steps back from the daily news cycle for a data-driven reality check on the state of the world. TJ tackles the negativity bias, our tendency to focus on dramatic, recent bad news, and contrasts it with long-term global trends that rarely make headlines. Using data from major international sources, he walks through four massive improvements since 1962: The...

This special Thanksgiving-week episode of Filtered with TJ Walker covers five big stories through the lens of data, incentives, and communication, rather than partisan spin. Topics covered: Thanksgiving Sticker Shock & Inflation Reality Check Why this year’s Thanksgiving grocery bill is the most expensive ever, what’s really driving the spike in turkey and food prices, and how the Trump admini...

This episode of Filtered with TJ Walker takes you through four sharp stories about law, branding, and political theater. A federal judge tosses the Trump administration’s case against James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James after ruling the supposed prosecutor was never properly appointed. TJ explains how this became a “comedy of errors” and a serious abuse of power. Campbell’s Sou...

Americans say they need more money to feel secure, but fresh polling shows the real frustration is about how we save and spend, not just how much we make. In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we unpack the gap between income and happiness, from everyday coffee victories to long-term financial freedom. Then we widen the lens: Kids & social media bans, Malaysia, Australia, Denmark, and No...

New York’s elites were supposed to be running for the exits under democratic socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani. Instead, luxury rents are soaring, and the billionaires are staying put. At the same time, Mexico has quietly become the top buyer of U.S. goods, reshaping “America First” economics while China slips back. In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we look at the day’s top business, tech,...

Today on Filtered with TJ Walker, we follow the money and the power: Warner Bros Discovery in play – Paramount, Comcast and Netflix line up with bids that could reshape Hollywood, streaming, and cable all at once. The right-wing YouTube economy – Conservative podcasters and influencers turn “vote with your wallet” into a powerful ad machine, building a parallel media-commerce ecosystem. AI in the...

Americans keep being told we’re hopelessly divided. The data says otherwise. In this episode of Filtered with TJ Walker, we begin with a massive Gallup democracy survey, which shows that Americans are surprisingly united on several key issues: rejecting political violence, supporting leaders' willingness to compromise, embracing free speech, and even embracing multiculturalism. The “civil war” may...

Nvidia just posted a $31.9 billion profit and a colossal revenue surge on the back of the A.I. boom. Is this sustainable transformation, or the center of an A.I. bubble ready to pop? TJ Walker unpacks Nvidia’s dominance, “circular” AI investment deals, and why some economists think we’re in a “rational bubble” that could still move the economy to a higher long-term growth path. In this episode, we...