Shake It Off with Mert & Lucas

Hour 2 delivers a brisk year‑end review of 2025, guiding listeners through the year’s major headlines, cultural milestones, political developments, and unforgettable “did that really happen?” moments in a fast‑paced multiple‑choice format. It transforms the year’s defining events into an engaging, structured recap that invites listeners to test their memory and revisit the stories that shaped the past twelve months. The show wraps with an interview featuring Dr. Cristi Bundukamara, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and author of Pain & Purpose: My Journey to Mental Strength, who shares her deeply personal story of loss, perseverance, and the disciplined mindset required to rebuild a life from the inside out.

Episode 77 opens with an examination of the Feeding Our Future scandal, the largest pandemic‑relief fraud in U.S. history, in which a Minnesota nonprofit and its affiliates allegedly siphoned off nearly $1 billion in federal child‑nutrition funds by submitting claims for meals that were never served. Governor Tim Walz’s administration is facing sharp criticism for inadequate oversight, ignoring whistleblower warnings, and continuing payments despite multiple red flags. The hour concludes with an interview featuring Aymie Daniels — Managing Director of Prophet Source and the author of An American Awakening, a book that explores how personal disruption can spark clarity, resilience, and deeper alignment. Drawing on her background in holistic health, corporate finance, and her Mind Awareness & Development philosophy, Aymie helps people harness their inner power and rise to their highest potential.

This second hour unpacks the enigma of Santa Claus—how a beloved childhood figure evolved into a global symbol shaped by commerce, culture, and social conditioning, with belief patterns, global traditions, and psychological impacts woven throughout. The hour continues with an examination of Santa’s origins, commercialization, and cultural influence, capped by a lighthearted trivia quiz that highlights both the charm and complexity of the myth. The show wraps with an interview featuring Dr. Anthony Silard, a leadership scholar and professor of public policy, whose new book Love and Suffering (2025) examines the emotional barriers that hold us back from love, leadership, and meaning.

Episode 76 opens with a deep dive into the booming market for “green” products—and the rising consumer demand driving it, especially among Gen Z and Millennials. The hosts then expose how widespread greenwashing has become, breaking down the data, scandals, and regulatory crackdowns that show just how often companies mislead the public about their environmental impact. The hour closes with an interview featuring Dr. Stefanie Stolinsky, a forensic psychologist and trauma specialist who—writing as S.A. Stolin—introduces her new holiday novel The Doc’s Christmas Miracle (2025), a story of second chances, faith, and healing set in a snow‑covered mountain town.

The hosts explore the uproar over the video made by six Democratic lawmakers reminding U.S. service members of their duty to refuse unlawful orders—a message denounced by President Trump as “seditious.” They examine the clash between discipline and constitutional fidelity, the governing legal standards, and how public opinion reveals sharp partisan divides. The show concludes with an interview featuring Darin Kinder, retired U.S. Secret Service agent and author of Bury Me in a Dirty Suit (2025), his gripping account of surviving the South Tower collapse on 9/11 and reflections on courage, faith, and purpose.

Episode 75 examines how the Olympics and global federations have increasingly barred transgender women who experienced male puberty from competing in female categories, citing enduring biological advantages and safety concerns. It highlights the political and cultural divide, with most countries and U.S. states favoring restriction while California insists on inclusion, fueling a national clash over fairness versus civil rights. The hour concludes with an interview featuring Rachel Corbett, an American journalist and author whose latest book, The Monsters We Make: Murder, Obsession, and the Rise of Criminal Profiling (2025), traces the evolution of profiling from Victorian-era cases to modern predictive policing.

The hosts unpack the long‑running debate over reparations, tracing broken promises from “40 acres and a mule” to today’s wealth gaps affecting Black and Indigenous communities. It explores practical funding ideas — from government budgets and corporate accountability to philanthropy, universities, new industry taxes, and social bonds — while framing reparations as both moral repair and financial responsibility. The show wraps with an interview featuring Christopher J. Najera, a certified life coach, public speaker, and author of The Hard Truth! Stopping Alcohol, a candid guide to overcoming dependency.  Drawing on over 30 years of lived experience, he empowers others with raw honesty, practical tools, and a deep commitment to helping people reclaim their lives from alcohol.

Episode 74 begins with a look at the battle between free speech and platform moderation, where the First Amendment protects against government censorship, but private platforms set their own rules. From Musk’s “hands-off” Twitter/X experiment to Europe’s Digital Services Act, the debate shows how moderation—whether by humans, AI, or governments—inevitably reflects politics, values, and power struggles over the digital public square.  The hour concludes with an interview featuring Michael Bedenbaugh, a leading voice in historic preservation and civic engagement. He is the author of Reviving Our Republic and host of the podcast of the same name, where he examines the intersection of history, governance, and community development.

The hosts discuss a Washington, D.C. event where Wall Street’s elite bristled at Mayor‑elect Mamdani’s push for wealth taxes, rent freezes, and free transit—policies viewed as a direct threat to their power.  Into that tension stepped Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, whose gubernatorial campaign quickly became the business community’s rallying point against the city’s leftward turn and Governor Hochul’s embattled leadership.  The show concludes with Christopher Henze, a filmmaker and cultural disruptor whose documentaries and dramas probe the collision of truth, pain, and power. His latest project, Wise Women: Humanity’s Untold Origins, reframes menopause as an evolutionary advantage that shaped human survival.

Episode 73 examines how inflation and affordability have become critical political liabilities for President Trump and the Republican Party, particularly in the wake of recent electoral defeats in key states. Drawing on consumer sentiment data, economic trends, and voter polling, the show highlights the widening gap between official messaging and Americans’ lived financial realities. The hour concludes with an interview featuring Kurt Warner, a licensed clinical social worker, therapist, and author of False Idols: How Diversion is Destroying Democracy, which critiques how celebrity adoration and distraction erode civic engagement.

The hosts review how a tiny fraction of ultra-wealthy individuals—902 in the U.S. and just over 3,000 globally—wield outsized influence over public policy through campaign funding, media ownership, lobbying, and philanthropy. Drawing on polling and real-world examples, findings reveal growing concern over the democratic implications of billionaire power, even as many Americans still aspire to join their ranks. The show wraps with an interview featuring Robert Cook, a former Army Major and IPPY-winning author of The Mahdi, a geopolitical techno-thriller.

 Episode 72 explores the growing public scrutiny of nepotism across industries, not just in Hollywood but also in fields like law, politics, and medicine. It examines how family connections can shape careers, spark debates about fairness and merit, and influence public perception in an era of heightened transparency and accountability. The hour concludes with an interview featuring Dr. Peter Solomon, a physicist and author of 100 Years to Extinction, a novel exploring humanity’s survival amid accelerating global threats.

The hosts analyze President Trump’s unexpected directive to resume U.S. nuclear weapons testing—ending a 30-year moratorium and unsettling global arms control norms. They explore the geopolitical implications, logistical challenges, and the central question: is this a move toward strategic deterrence or the beginning of a new arms race?  The show wraps with an interview with Brandon Bronaugh, founder of LifeCycle Transitions and featured expert on A&E’s Hoarders, who helps individuals navigate extreme clutter, trauma recovery, and major life transitions with compassion and structure.

Despite a string of recent electoral wins, Episode 71 opens with Democrats still fractured and leaderless, as some candidates embrace extremist platforms that risk alienating mainstream voters. With economic anxiety fueling turnout, the party faces a pivotal choice: rein in its ideological drift or double down on radical promises widely viewed as unrealistic and divisive. The hour concludes with an interview featuring Dr. Shelley Ann Burke, Clinical Assistant Professor at UC Irvine and registered nurse, whose nonfiction book The Unsung Heroes: Nurses spotlights the overlooked contributions of diverse nurses throughout history and advocates for greater equity in healthcare.

This hour, the hosts unpack George Soros’s controversial reputation—from his provocative claim that the U.S. is the main obstacle to global justice, to the widespread but false rumors of international bans—tracing how his philanthropic empire has faced mounting legal and political pressure abroad and here at home.  The show wraps with an interview featuring journalist Jane Eisner, author of Carole King: She Made the Earth Move, a new interpretive biography that explores the singer-songwriter’s genius, resilience, and cultural legacy.

Episode 70 opens with a look at John Bolton’s decades-long career as a hawkish national security figure and the dramatic turn it has taken, as he now faces 18 federal charges for allegedly mishandling classified information. His indictment represents a stunning fall from grace and highlights the escalating cycle of political retaliation and personal vendettas that have come to characterize the post-Trump era. The hour ends with an interview featuring Chief Medaria “Rondo” Arradondo, whose new memoir Securing Justice for the Murder of George Floyd offers a gripping inside look at leadership, accountability, and reform in the wake of tragedy.

The hosts unpack the stunning presidential commutation of George Santos, whose brief congressional career collapsed under the weight of fraud, lies, and a federal conviction. Through biting satire and exhaustive detail, the show explores Santos’s tangled personal history, legal downfall, and the political firestorm ignited by his early release. The episode wraps with an interview featuring Tom Allon, veteran journalist and publisher of City & State, who offers sharp insights into New York’s media landscape and the deepening divisions fueling the city’s political transformation.

Episode 69 — the show’s “Election Eve Eve Special” — delivers a fiery, satirical deep dive into the political evolution of Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a democratic socialist mayoral nominee whose radical roots have given way to a more pragmatic, coalition-driven campaign. His shifting rhetoric, contentious endorsements, and identity-related controversies cast him as either a calculating strategist or a flip-flopper — one who could ultimately do more harm than good to the Big Apple.  The hour concludes with an interview featuring the Honorable Joseph Borelli, former New York City Councilmember and outspoken conservative, recognized for his pointed critiques of progressive politics and his tenure representing Staten Island’s South Shore. He now applies his political acumen in the private sector as Managing Director at Chartwell Strategy Group, where he helps clients navigate the complex intersections of policy and media.

The hosts explore the rapid rise of homeschooling in the U.S., highlighting academic outcomes and shifting demographics that challenge outdated assumptions. They also examine the controversy surrounding proposed regulations, fueling debate over parental rights, government oversight, and the inclusion of DEI and gender identity in curricula. The episode concludes with Dr. Monica Vermani, a clinical psychologist and author, whose book A Deeper Wellness offers a practical guide to building emotional resilience through mindfulness and evidence-based strategies.

In Episode 68, the hosts revisit Donald Trump’s campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office—a bold claim repeated throughout 2024 and framed as proof of his diplomatic prowess. Nine months into his second term, the war continues, prompting questions about whether Trump underestimated Vladimir Putin or was strategically outplayed. The hour concludes with Mitch Francis, a serial entrepreneur and inventor, whose book Bad-Ass Solutions for Today’s Big-Ass Problems presents bold, nonpartisan strategies for tackling major global challenges.