Your weekly rhetorical assault on the on the news cycle, the people who make it, and occasionally ourselves. Kmele Foster (Freethink), Michael Moynihan (Vice), and Matt Welch (Reason) talk and laugh and drink their way to at least quasi-sanity in a world gone mad, often with the aid of clean and articulate guests. Weekly Members Only subscription edition often comes with listener mail and professional-quality (if inappropriate) singing. Analysis. Commentary. Sedition.
www.wethefifth.com
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Socialists Go to Washington, Trump Goes to Hell (w/ Michael Powell) #583
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe
You have one last chan
Nov 11 1 h 47 min
Jared of Arabia (w/ Matthew Cole) - Members Only #353
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
The guys are joined by investigative journalist Matthew Cole, author of Princes and Thie
Nov 6 32 min
The Morning After Midterm Madness (Ep. #582)
Where were you when AMERICA DECIDED? Were you watching our livestream? Were you at the super-exclusive party that, as of this writing, is still raging on? Were you inject
Nov 4 2 h 18 min
One Hitter: Midterm Madness Pregame
-COME SEE US IN CONNECTICUT. We may never release this special episode, because the things we will talk about will be horrifically controversial.
-Which party will win
Oct 31 45 min
A Socialist Walks Into The Fifth Column (w/ Bhaskar Sunkara) #581
-we found someone from the DSA brave enough to come on this show
-The Cajun French of Indians
-If you’re pro-abundance, why are you a socialist?
-DSA and the midterms
Oct 30 1 h 38 min
The President Is No Longer Taking Calls (w/ Edward Luce) MO #352
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
Ed Luce joins the guys to discuss Trump’s corruption, the persistence of populism, and t
Oct 28 12 min
Donald Trump is Gay (Episode #580)
-Fairfield, CT. Nov 12th. Get tickets while you can
-We will have an Election Night livestream. Booze, guests, and probable disaster
-Our mystery guest didn’t couldn’t
Oct 22 1 h 34 min
The End of the Special Relationship? (w/ Jacob Siegel) Members Only #351
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
We are doing a live show in Fairfield, CT on November 12th. You should come. Details bel
Oct 21 15 min
Why the Midterms Are Turning Against Trump (w/ Nate Silver) Members Only #350
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
The guys put America’s most famous political forecaster, Nate Silver, to work… separatin
Oct 16 16 min
Can the Democratic Center Hold? (#579)
Yes, we want accolades. Yes, we’re shamelessly asking for your vote:
VOTE for The Fifth Column as the Best News & Politics Show
Yemisi Egbewole is here and we will fig
Oct 14 1 h 30 min
People Who Lie and People Who Die (w/ Sam Roberts) Members Only #349
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
“There are no ordinary lives and everyone has a story”
-Sam Roberts’ father takes him
Oct 9 14 min
Europe Is Melting, Meritocracy Is Racist, and Everyone Gets Dignity (Episode #578)
Did we mention we’re nominated…did you vote yet? If not, what in the actual fuck is your problem?
-all the bad words are here
-come to Fairfield on November 12th! (htt
Oct 7 1 h 35 min
One Hitter: Why Oil Prices Could Get Much Worse (w/ Marshall Adkins) Members Only #348
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
Marshall spent 25 years covering oil and gas at Raymond James before retiring this week.
Oct 3 8 min
The Weave Within the Weave (#577)
…and Moynihan discusses Harvard’s artist in residence. Also, we’ve been nominated for something! vote for us in for the Signal Awards!
-Kmele’s Cross-Country Trail of Te
Oct 2 1 h 30 min
Sarah Hepola and the Life You Didn’t Choose (Members Only #347)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
Finally, a break from politics and a discussion about…love. If you like Sarah, check out
Sep 29 14 min
The UN, Wokeness, and Other Failed Institutions (Members Only #346)
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
-being gay, doing drugs, that’s the Szeps life
-Moynihan’s anti-Australian bigotry
-th
Sep 25 13 min
The Algorithm Is the Editor-in-Chief (w/ David Pakman) Members Only #345
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
-Pakman is a fan of this show. Will he regret saying this?
-Kmele’s cult-adjacent upbri
Sep 23 15 min
The Loyal Republican w/ Scott Jennings (#576)
And is he gonna get that press secretary job or not?
-Jennings the teetotaler
-wtf happened to Moynihan’s hair?
-Jennings’ working-class Kentucky origin story
-back w
Sep 22 1 h 40 min
Academically Unserious With Authoritarian Bureaucratic Aspirations (w/ Tyler Austin Harper) Members Only #344
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.wethefifth.com
Tyler Austin Harper, staff writer for The Atlantic and co-host of the Time To Say Goodby
Sep 18 17 min
AI Might Kill Us. Here’s Why It Matters: w/ Jim VandeHei (#575)
-Simplify, simplify, simplify…
-Do people like Jim as a boss?
-The two things to screen for in prospective employees
-The humility of Mike Allen
-AI and the newsroom
Sep 16 1 h 48 min
Chart trend
Position in the News chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#100#199AugSepOctNov
#75
all-time peak
12
days in the top 100 since Nov 2024
Chart positions
Where The Fifth Column ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Nov 13, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
Intelligent, irreverent and independent thinkers. Love the format and topics. And all this with a strong moral core. Really refreshing.
designgirl555 · Aug 2026
Found these guys a few years ago and have followed even through cycles of dumping all the other podcasts. Fresh thoughtful and balanced take on issues in today’s news. These guys call out BS wherever it arises (and it seems to arise everywhere).
Ultrarunningprof · Dec 2025
Funny, irreverent, with loads of guts, courage and insight. No MSNBC leftist drivel, and no FOX theatrics. They analyze and mock BOTH sides, as they should. A solitary voice of reason in bizarre culture war times. Totally worth listening and paying. Intelligent, provocative and highly entertaining,
Looshy82 · Jun 2024
Love the show, guests and banter. Moynihan clearly loves the sound of his voice and dominates the conversation. He also talks over Kmele too much. Want more Kmele.
Notthefinalrose · Jun 2024
I was a paying subscriber for years. It’s the first of two podcasts I’ve given money to and I genuinely enjoyed and looked forward to the weekly content. However, the show is not what it used to be. It has turned into a nutpicking show that focuses on whatever ridiculous thing that comes out of whatever ridiculous person’s (usually left wing) mouth. If you’re interested in that then this is your show. If not, I highly recommend the group of podcasts from The Dispatch.
P.S.
Thanks for the good times gents, and good luck.
Kdbooth123 · Jun 2024
I've been a Never Fly Coach subscriber since they started their Substack (and for a bit before that on Patreon), but I won't be renewing my subscription this May unless they drastically improve. I don't necessarily need them to change their positions, I just want them to stop mischaracterizing the positions of those they disagree with and actually engage with them instead.
It started with the Russia/Ukraine war, where they mischaracterized anti-war people as being pro-Russian. Then with the Israel/Palestine conflict, where they mischaracterized people being critical of the actions of Israel's government as being antisemitic and/or pro-Hamas (yes, there are idiots on the left who are pro-Hamas, but there are also plenty of people who condemn Hamas while also being critical of Israel).
Despite being a mostly libertarian podcast, they seem more willing to speak with liberals and conservatives than with libertarians who are more radical than them. The fact that they're more interested in talking with Ben Shapiro (who they've said they'd like to have on the podcast) than with someone like Scott Horton says a lot.
On cultural issues and criticizing the media, they're great. On foreign policy, they've become awful, and foreign policy is too important for me to overlook what they've been saying on the topic. Again, I don't need them to change their positions, I just want them to actually engage with people they disagree with. They do that on other topics, so they should do it for foreign policy as well.
FireShield95 · Apr 2024
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Fifth Column, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
