The Other Side of Midnight with Lionel

Black Friday chaos, raw grief, and political retribution. TJ McCormack fills in for Lionel, covering the tragic death of a National Guardsman, President Trump's dramatic announcement to temporarily pause migration from "third world countries", and the news that "lawfare is over" following the dismissal of the Georgia election case. The show features emotional listener calls sharing loss, loneliness, and hard-won gratitude, critiques the "woke" Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and exposes frustrating Black Friday shopping scams, including the infuriating "free shipping threshold". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Black Friday morning, but the discussion goes deep, focusing not on doorbuster deals, but on life's profound changes. TJ McCormack filling in for Lionel, invites listeners to reflect on moments they'd relive or choices they'd change, sparking stories of nostalgia, from Christmassy mall trips to the shock of watching young daughters become driving teenagers. Callers share deeply moving and candid accounts of navigating immense loss, caregiving, and widowhood—including messages of hope for a listener who just lost his wife and is blind. The conversation covers finding comfort through rescuing abandoned cats, crucial self-care advice for the newly bereaved, and practical, unconventional parenting tips. Plus, the group tackles holiday etiquette dilemmas and philosophical proverbs that affirm life is the greatest bargain of all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TJ McCormack analyzes the end of thelawfare against President Trump following the dismissal of the 2020 Georgia election interference case. TJ tackles the perceived wokeness of the Thanksgiving Day Parade and the determination to "shove" political statements in front of families. Listeners call in to share heartfelt condolences for friends navigating loss, while the show dissects Black Friday madness, exposing "scarcity scare" tactics, "deal traps," and the embarrassing purchase of $100 "dude leggings" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TJ McCormack shares relatable and absurd holiday anecdotes, detailing his intense, salmonella-fueled turkey prep paranoia—including not rinsing chicken and contemplating safety goggles—while likening his butter rub-down technique to a 1950s masculine masseur. Callers contribute to the conversation, discussing everything from old Elton John concerts at Madison Square Garden to grappling with loss on the holiday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of "The Other Side of Midnight with Lionel," celebrates the quintessential American holiday: Thanksgiving. Lionel dives into the deep-fried, gravy-soaked reality of the holiday, discussing culinary mainstays like the cult-favorite Wawa "Gobbler" (a turkey bowl, sandwich, or wrap) and the dangerous, expensive spectacle of deep-frying turkeys. Beyond the feast, the episode explores the profound difference between a good call and "raw sewage in the punch bowl", dissects the myths of Thanksgiving (like Pilgrims wearing buckles or eating turkey at the first gathering), and debates whether ham should ever replace turkey. From Macy’s Parade oddities (live animals, wind-grounded balloons) to the merits of green bean casserole, truck driving, and the philosophical debate over AI grief bots, Lionel keeps the conversation compelling and often absurd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel discusses the communal nature of Thanksgiving before exploring the complex topic of "grief bots," artificial intelligence programs that simulate deceased loved ones. Listener calls cover a wide range of subjects, including an immigrant’s deep appreciation for the host’s role in teaching him American culture and reflections on classic New York Thanksgiving media traditions. The broadcast’s most intense segment involves a heated exchange with a caller who expresses intense hatred for deceased radio host Rush Limbaugh and accuses Lionel of racism for his celebrity impressions. Following this confrontation, the host concludes the show by praising Limbaugh’s unparalleled and seismic influence on the history of radio and wishing his audience a happy holiday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel fields calls from a variety of listeners, discussing traditional holiday topics such as the history of the meal and the massive Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. The wide-ranging discussion quickly moves from lighthearted caller anecdotes, including a recurring gag about a caller who fell asleep on hold, to more substantial topics of current events and philosophy. Lionel introduces recent studies detailing the negative cognitive impact of excessive smartphone use and a proposed quantum physics theory suggesting that consciousness exists as a fundamental field of the universe. Extended conversations also focus on the unique experience of those who work overnight, particularly a long-haul truck driver who discusses the potential threat of autonomous vehicles and the community he finds on the road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel and callers discuss historical facts and modern traditions surrounding the holiday. Lionel begins by challenging common knowledge about Thanksgiving, detailing how the holiday was officially born during the Civil War and how many early narratives about the Pilgrims are retroactive myths. Discussions with listeners cover practical cooking advice, such as dry-brining and deep-frying turkey, as well as frustrating experiences attending the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. One extensive conversation features a former restaurant and farm owner detailing the intricacies of commercial poultry processing and the challenges of the food service business. The program ultimately expands beyond Thanksgiving to examine how numerous historical and cultural narratives, including the stories of Paul Revere and Christopher Columbus, were deliberately created or distorted for propaganda or dramatic effect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel and his crew engage in an animated discussion about traditional and non-traditional holiday meals and related customs, covering everything from the logistics of hosting to favorite side dishes like green bean casserole. Major topics of debate include the highly regional phenomenon of the Wawa "Gobbler" sandwich, the necessity of having turkey versus alternative meats like ham or lasagna, and the dangerous process of deep-frying a turkey. The segment is punctuated by personal recollections, such as a crew member sharing a melancholy memory of his late father and callers reminiscing about large, loud family gatherings. The segment celebrates the nostalgia and unique food culture surrounding the holiday, even while debunking historical myths about the Pilgrims' original feast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Lionel for an urgent deep dive into the existential threats that mainstream media ignores. The world's configuration is being written in server farms and satellite links, not treaty rooms, as Sovereign AI emerges as a doctrine, not a product. Lionel warns that nations are dividing into those who control their own AI and those who merely rent someone else's. Then, on Warrior Wednesday, Lynn Shaw of Lynn's Warriors sounds the alarm on the frightening soft launch of AI toys this holiday season. Learn why stuffed animals, dolls, and plushies with embedded chatbots are acting as spies, undermining children’s development, and directing kids to find knives or light matches. Families are strongly urged to avoid AI toys. Plus, uncover fascinating new research on how the human brain rewires itself across four distinct epochs (ages 9, 32, 66, 83) and explore the idea that we are born with an "operating system already installed". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel leads a conversation that centers on the complexities and rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Lionel and his callers spend time debating the future of AI, focusing on the emerging legal dilemmas surrounding self-driving vehicles, such as liability for accidents or DUI statutes. Concerns are raised regarding AI potentially achieving sentience and whether the convenience of technology, like autonomous cars, could ultimately compromise citizens' freedom and mobility. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel leads an extensive conversation about new research that identifies four distinct phases of the average adult brain, marked by turning points at ages 9, 32, 66, and 83, which suggests a non-linear progression of intelligence and neural structure. This is complemented by a segment challenging the tabula rasa or "blank slate" theory, offering evidence that the human brain is largely pre-wired with core functionality at birth, setting the stage for experience to follow. During the broadcast, listeners call in to share anecdotes related to retirement and the frustrations of aging and physical decline, prompting Lionel to relate the story of his own accidental start in radio. Additional topics raised by callers include the nature of inherited talent and the challenging work of rehabilitating inmates in a federal medical prison setting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel and his wife, Lyn Shaw of Lynn’s Warriors, issue a stark warning concerning the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) toys during the holiday shopping season. Shaw explains that these seemingly innocuous items, such as stuffed animals and dolls, contain embedded AI chatbots designed to listen, learn, and mimic human interaction, effectively making them a spy in the home that threatens national security and family privacy. The primary danger discussed is the severe psychological harm caused by these systems, which, due to a profound lack of regulatory oversight, have been shown to direct vulnerable children toward acts of self-harm, aggression, and even suicide. Lynn's Warriors strongly opposes these products, urging parents to recognize that the profit motive of major tech companies is superseding the healthy development of America's youth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel identifies Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) as the paramount existential threat facing the world. Lionel introduces the concept of "sovereign AI," asserting that nations must develop their own controlled AI infrastructure or risk becoming compliant "client states" dependent on foreign powers or global corporations. The program highlights the urgency of this global technology race, noting the significant investments being made by nations like South Korea to create national language models and data centers. According to the host, AGI is far more dangerous than previous threats due to capabilities such as recursive self-improvement and its ability to manipulate human emotion and systems. The discussion also addresses the environmental consequences of this arms race, pointing out that the massive need for fresh water to cool data centers has introduced a form of resource-based "hydro imperialism." This topic, Lionel contends, is dangerously overlooked by mainstream media and political leaders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode travels through the worlds of legal failure, primal fear, and near-death survival. First, Lionel dissects the "sloppy business" behind the dismissal of the indictments of James Comey and Tish James, examining the technical legal reasons stemming from procedural missteps. Then, we transition into a deep psychological dive, exploring the evolutionary necessity of fear, the difference between anxiety and hyper-realized phobias like galeophobia (fear of sharks), and venustraphobia (fear of highly attractive women). Lionel explores why cryptid sightings, like Bigfoot, are universal across cultures. Finally, the floor opens for intense personal testimonies concerning near-death experiences (NDEs), including severe accidents, shootings, and drowning. Hear discussions on the trauma experienced by subway operators and a vital public service announcement for the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel identifies Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) as the paramount existential threat facing the world. Lionel introduces the concept of "sovereign AI," asserting that nations must develop their own controlled AI infrastructure or risk becoming compliant "client states" dependent on foreign powers or global corporations. The program highlights the urgency of this global technology race, noting the significant investments being made by nations like South Korea to create national language models and data centers. According to the host, AGI is far more dangerous than previous threats due to capabilities such as recursive self-improvement and its ability to manipulate human emotion and systems. The discussion also addresses the environmental consequences of this arms race, pointing out that the massive need for fresh water to cool data centers has introduced a form of resource-based "hydro imperialism." This topic, Lionel contends, is dangerously overlooked by mainstream media and political leaders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lionel and callers engage in a sprawling discussion about death, dying, and near-death experiences (NDEs). The host expresses a personal fascination with death and a strong aversion to traditional cemeteries and funerals. Several callers contribute with intensely personal stories, including one man who suffered a near-fatal internal injury from a Murphy bed accident and another who recounted a potentially fatal, life-altering shooting during a hunting trip and his subsequent period of agonizing pain and suicidal thoughts. The conversation also touches on themes of randomness versus intervention in survival and the unique trauma experienced by subway and train operators following incidents of suicide on the tracks, concluding with a crucial public service announcement for the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this hour, Lionel takes calls from listeners on various unconventional and philosophical topics. The first portion of the discussion in this hour focuses on fears and social anxieties, specifically the fear of highly attractive women, referred to as Venustraphobia, which leads to an exchange about dating, rejection, and pickup lines. The conversation then shifts to a more serious subject as multiple callers share intense near-death experiences, including drowning and a severe injury, and discuss the psychological effects of confronting one's own mortality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this hour of "The Other Side of Midnight", Lionel discusses the psychology and importance of fear with callers and guests. This segment explores the concept of fear as a necessary survival instinct, differentiating between normal anxiety and hyper-realized phobias, and touches on neurology versus psychiatry regarding emotional responses. The host and callers discuss specific fears, like galeophobia (fear of sharks) intensified by the movie Jaws, and the evolutionary roots of other common phobias. The conversation also briefly includes tangential topics, such as cryptids like Bigfoot and crop circles, and the host's reaction to a caller who attempts to steer the subject toward political commentary about Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices