Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For years, right-wing influencers and politicians have pushed the conservative movement to have more controversial, anti-establishment views. Why are some of those figures now upset about where the movement has ended up?
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In today’s episode, guest host Bryan Walsh speaks with Vox Senior Correspondent Zack Beauchamp about conservatives who decry the extremist direction that the right is moving but refuse to recognize the role they played in pushing the movement in that direction. The two discuss US Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), pundit Ben Shapiro, podcaster Candace Owens, the drivers of conservative extremism, and what the party might look like after Donald Trump.
Guest Host: Bryan Walsh, Vox Senior Editorial Director
Guest: Zack Beauchamp, Vox Senior Correspondent
Read Zack’s essay: The MAGA stars freaked out by their own movement
00:00 Intro
01:54 Who are the ‘hot dog men?’
03:41 US Rep. Thomas Massie and President Trump
07:26 Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens
16:23 Why scandal doesn’t stick to President Trump
23:04 Why the America Right keeps moving towards more controversial views
30:17 Anti-semitism and American politics
36:48 The future of the conservative movement
We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show.
And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube.
Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
Watch our full video catalog: goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on Facebook: goo.gl/U2g06o
Or Twitter: goo.gl/XFrZ5H
For years, right-wing influencers and politicians have pushed the conservative movement to have more controversial, anti-establishment views. Why are some of those figures now upset about where the movement has ended up?
Subscribe to our channel! goo.gl/0bsAjO
In today’s episode, guest host Bryan Walsh speaks with Vox Senior Correspondent Zack Beauchamp about conservatives who decry the extremist direction that the right is moving but refuse to recognize the role they played in pushing the movement in that direction. The two discuss US Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), pundit Ben Shapiro, podcaster Candace Owens, the drivers of conservative extremism, and what the party might look like after Donald Trump.
Guest Host: Bryan Walsh, Vox Senior Editorial Director
Guest: Zack Beauchamp, Vox Senior Correspondent
Read Zack’s essay: The MAGA stars freaked out by their own movement
00:00 Intro
01:54 Who are the ‘hot dog men?’
03:41 US Rep. Thomas Massie and President Trump
07:26 Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens
16:23 Why scandal doesn’t stick to President Trump
23:04 Why the America Right keeps moving towards more controversial views
30:17 Anti-semitism and American politics
36:48 The future of the conservative movement
We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show.
And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube.
Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
Watch our full video catalog: goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on Facebook: goo.gl/U2g06o
Or Twitter: goo.gl/XFrZ5H
