The Q Now

Mark kicks things off with a trip down memory lane, reflecting on the show's evolution across multiple studios and co-hosts over the years. His big takeaway? The best episodes always came from spontaneity and free-flowing conversation — something he and Jason bring in spades. From there, the guys dive headfirst into the news cycle, and nothing is off limits. The recent passing of outlaw country le...

In the latest episode of The Left Hook , host Mark Bland and regular guest Jason Kull take a sharp look at the ongoing chaos inside the second Trump administration, focusing heavily on FBI Director Kash Patel. While President Trump publicly praises Patel as doing a "fantastic job," he is reportedly privately fuming over a string of embarrassing headlines. The latest incident involves Patel skippin...

On this episode of The Left Hook , host Mark Bland and co-host Jason Kull open with some light banter before unloading on the week's biggest political stories. They zero in on the Trump administration's midterm message: Americans should brace for economic pain—higher gas and grocery prices—in support of the escalating conflict with Iran. Mark and Jason Kull challenge the shifting rationale behind...

In this episode of The Left Hook , hosts Mark Bland and Jason Kull offer a sharp, independent critique of President Donald Trump's early second term in 2026. The conversation opens with economic concerns, particularly rising gas prices. The hosts note the national average has climbed to about $4.16 per gallon, significantly higher than the roughly $2.75 seen during the final stages of the Biden ad...

On this special birthday edition of The Left Hook , host Mark Bland celebrates turning 50 alongside co-host Jason Kull . The duo reflects on reaching the "back nine" of life, the grind of Midwest broadcasting, and their journey from casual political chats to a respected independent voice—while lamenting St. Louis's fickle support for local talent. The conversation quickly turns sharp on current ev...

On this episode of The Left Hook , host Mark Bland unleashes a passionate critique of President Donald Trump's leadership amid the ongoing war with Iran. Bland argues that Trump, influenced by Benjamin Netanyahu, launched an ill-conceived conflict that has left the United States diplomatically isolated with no international allies willing to join the fight. Despite aggressive U.S. bombing campaign...

On this episode of The Left Hook, host Mark Bland and co-host Jason Kull open by discussing March Madness in St. Louis. Bland picks Michigan to win it all in his primary bracket and Florida in his upset bracket, while Kull selects Arizona as champion. The pair observe the unusual parity in college basketball this season and note how dangerous mid-major teams become when they emphasize three-point...

This week's episode of The Left Hook with host Mark Bland and guest  Drew Pinson  kicks off with playful banter about Drew's recent 5-day Dallas trip that caused a scheduling mix-up—complete with storm delays, tarmac woes, and Mark's mock "fatherly" scolding about better planning. The main focus shifts to sharp criticism of the ongoing **U.S.-Israel war against Iran** (dubbed "Operation Epic Fury"...

In this episode of The Left Hook , host Mark Bland delivers a scathing critique of the ongoing U.S.-Iran war under President Trump, dubbed Operation Epic Fury. Launched in late February 2026 amid claims of imminent threats to U.S. interests and Israel's security, the conflict stems from Trump's "gut feeling" rather than concrete evidence, Bland argues. Despite initial U.S. bunker-buster strikes on...

On this episode of The Left Hook , Mark Bland and Jason Kull ripped into recent headlines with their signature independent edge. Hillary Clinton denied any Epstein ties in a GOP-led deposition, calling it partisan distraction aimed at shielding Trump, and urged subpoenaing him instead. The hearing imploded when Rep. Lauren Boebert snapped banned photos and shared them with right-wing influencers....

In this episode of The Left Hook , host Mark Bland delivers a fiery critique of President Donald Trump's second term, now over a year in. He highlights recent headlines, including the arrest of former Prince Andrew in the UK over Jeffrey Epstein-related misconduct following new file revelations, contrasting it with perceived inaction in the U.S. under Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Ka...

In this episode of The Left Hook , host Mark Bland and guest Jason Kull deliver a fiery takedown of Attorney General Pam Bondi's explosive House Judiciary Committee appearance on February 11th. What should have been serious oversight into the Justice Department's mishandling of Jeffrey Epstein files—delayed releases, accidental exposure of survivor names, suspicious redactions—devolved into Bondi...

Welcome to the Left Hook for this week! It was all a dream...but now it's becoming anightmare quickly. Mark Bland is here to discuss the latest release of epstein files!  Donald Trump's crumbling under the Epstein files avalanche – his name's plastered across horrific child exploitation allegations. He refuses to sue accusers because the truth would bury him! Epstein was arrested and died in 2019...

In this explosive episode of The Left Hook, hosts Mark Bland and guest Drew Pinson deliver a fiery takedown of the Trump administration's deadly immigration crackdown, spotlighting the shocking killings of innocent Americans by undertrained, overarmed federal agents during Operation Metro Surge—a massive ICE and Border Patrol invasion targeting blue cities like Minneapolis. They break down the Jan...

On The Left Hook , host Mark Bland opened the show by tapping into a feeling many Americans already have: when Donald Trump talks about being a "dictator," it no longer sounds like a joke. Bland argued that the comments feel revealing, not playful, and stressed that dictatorship has never been part of the American tradition or something the public has ever wanted. Bland connected that rhetoric to...

Today's show takes a fun, non-political detour with special guest Clay Cornett, better known online as  That STL Guy — a passionate St. Louis content creator famous for his neighborhood bike tours, history deep-dives, food spots, and events on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Clay shares how his project started as a creative outlet while living in Baltimore during his wife's med school years. Tired...

The latest episode of The Left Hook , hosted by Mark Bland with guest Jason Kull, delivers a fiery critique of President Trump's early 2026 actions, framing them as evidence of a rogue presidency detached from law, protocol, and basic decency. Hosts highlight Trump's unilateral military raid on Venezuela, where U.S. forces abducted President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in early January, whisking t...

Welcome back to another explosive episode of The Left Hook , where we deliver the unfiltered truth about the MAGA nightmare gripping America. Folks, 2026 is here, and Donald Trump is spiraling faster than ever. Just before New Year's, the DOJ dropped a bombshell batch of Epstein files—thousands of pages exposing Trump's desperate attempts to bury his ties to the convicted pedophile. Among the horr...

Holiday Nostalgia & The Political Landscape of 2026. Hosts Mark Bland and Jason Kull kick off the final show of the year with a warm dive into holiday traditions: strict rules about when Christmas movies are allowed, mandatory Christmas Eve breakfasts, and a shared disdain for warm December weather. They reminisce about the golden age of toys, calculating that the iconic $129 G.I. Joe USS Flagg ca...

In this engaging episode of The Left Hook, host Mark Bland welcomes Fred Wellman, a retired Army veteran, host of the On Democracy podcast, and Democratic candidate challenging longtime Republican Rep. Ann Wagner for Missouri's 2nd Congressional District seat. Wellman, a West Point graduate, Ranger, and helicopter pilot with four combat tours—including Desert Storm and Iraq—shares what drove him t...

 Mark Bland and perennial co-host Jason Kull dive into Missouri's new porn-site age-verification law that forced Pornhub and others to block the state entirely. The duo erupts in disbelief: Republican lawmakers who scream "small government" just made it harder for adults (including themselves) to access legal porn, all while ignoring that the same voters overwhelmingly passed a pro-choice amendmen...

Mark Bland unleashes a no-holds-barred takedown of Donald Trump's chaotic second term. Coming off a personally tough holiday, Bland argues the real "black" in Black Friday 2025 isn't the shopping deals; it's the darkening economic picture the administration is desperately trying to hide. He spotlights the unprecedented cancellation of the third-quarter GDP report (the third major economic indicato...

In the latest firestorm episode of The Left Hook, Mark Bland and Jason Kull tore into Trump's second-term meltdown with zero apologies. Top of the list: the long-promised Epstein files. After months of stalling and letting Kash Patel twist in the wind, Trump finally signed a 30-day release order—everyone expects a comically redacted black-bar disaster because his name is all over the existing docs...

Centrist host Mark Bland is done with the modern Democratic Party. In a fiery 40+ minute solo rant, he declares the 2024 loss wasn't just Trump's win; it was self-inflicted by spineless liberal leadership. The trigger? Eight Democratic senators (Fetterman, Kaine, Durbin, Shaheen, Hassan, Rosen, Cortez Masto, Angus King) broke ranks and voted with Republicans to reopen the government, restoring SNA...

On *The Left Hook* podcast, host Mark Bland dissected a seismic political earthquake shaking Donald Trump's second term. In New York City, 34-year-old Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani demolished former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa with a commanding victory—the highest turnout in 50 years, exceeding 2 million ballots—becoming the city's first Muslim, first South Asian, and first...