Shows / Dad Saves America
Dad Saves America
Proud papa, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and arm-chair philosopher John Papola explores the biggest issues facing our country through the lens of fatherhood, releasing exclusive interviews and deep dives every week. We need to make sure the next generation of Americans is raised to thrive in a free society and be champions of civilization. Dad Saves America has hosted all sorts of experts in the studio, including Jonathan Haidt, Dr. Drew, Michael Shellenberger, Bret Weinstein, Vivek Ramaswamy, and…
Episodes
Dad Saves AmericaWall Street Executive Reveals How a Market Crashes
I sat down with investor and economist David Bahnsen to unpack what really happened in the 2008 financial crisis. Socialists blame capitalism and Wall Street…
Dad Saves AmericaThe TSA Wastes $12 Billion and Still Fails 90% of the Time
The TSA is running out of staff, airport security lines are spiraling out of control, and Congress still can’t resolve its fight over DHS funding. This isn’t…
Dad Saves AmericaYou Can’t Simulate the Meaning of Your Life - Arthur Brooks
I sat down with Harvard professor and bestselling author Arthur Brooks to unpack why so many people, especially young men, feel lost in modern life. Drawing on…
Dad Saves America$8 Gas. Oil Cut Off. Has Trump’s Iran Gamble Backfired?
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, and gas prices are on the rise. Fossil fuels power every aspect of modern life, from transportation to manufacturing to…
Dad Saves AmericaThe 97% Success Formula They Won't Teach in Schools - Ian Rowe
I sat down with Ian Rowe, an education entrepreneur and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, to unpack why raising kids with a sense of agency…
Dad Saves AmericaIslamic Terror Rising: Does America Need a New Crusade?
A series of terrorist attacks in Virginia, Michigan, NYC, and even my own city of Austin has brought the radical Islamic threat back to American soil. Rather…
Dad Saves AmericaFormer Woke Mom Exposed "Gender-Affirming Care" Fraud
I sat down with Mia Hughes, author of “The WPATH Files,” to discuss her work exposing the junk science and corruption behind “gender-affirming care,” youth…
Dad Saves AmericaTrump’s Iran Strike, Israeli Influence, and the Iraq War Hangover
President Trump’s strikes on Iran have reignited the American foreign policy debate. For decades, libertarians like myself have hammered the mistakes of the…
Dad Saves AmericaPastor Doug Wilson: America Was Built on Christian Nationalism
I sat down with Pastor Doug Wilson to unpack his views on “Christian nationalism” and American identity. Every legal system rests on moral assumptions—Doug…
Dad Saves AmericaLionel Shriver: The “Nation of Immigrants” Myth Makes America Weak
I sat down with Lionel Shriver, author of “A Better Life,” to unpack why the American immigration debate has become so unreasonable. She argues that the…
Dad Saves AmericaThe Old Left Understood Status. The Mamdani Left Weaponizes It. - Rob Henderson
I sat down with Rob Henderson, author of “Troubled” and known for coining the term “luxury beliefs,” to explore how status, envy, and social mobility shape…
Dad Saves AmericaThe Socialist Resurgence in Our Era of Broken Minds - Dr. Stephen Hicks
I sat down with philosopher and author Dr. Stephen Hicks to unpack the West’s trajectory from medieval Christianity to modern progressivism. We explore the…
Dad Saves America“I Was Wrong”: Why the Civil War Is Running Late - Rudyard Lynch (WhatIfAltHist) 2026 Update
I sat down with Rudyard Lynch, creator of WhatIfAltHist and History102, to revisit his civil war prediction. He argues that the current psychological crisis is…
Dad Saves AmericaMao Conquered China—Now He’s Taking America - Xi Van Fleet
I sat down with anti-communist author Xi Van Fleet to learn about her upbringing under Mao’s Cultural Revolution and her concerns for the trajectory of…
Dad Saves AmericaWhy We Hate the Healthcare System: Obamacare, Lobbyists, and Fraud - Michael Cannon
I sat down with healthcare policy expert Michael Cannon to unpack why the U.S. healthcare system drives everyone crazy. From exploding costs and rampant fraud…
Dad Saves AmericaMichael Shellenberger on ICE Protests, Censorship Threats, and His Radical Past in Venezuela
I sat down with journalist and author Michael Shellenberger to unpack the psychology of modern radicalism and why anti-ICE activists seem more interested in…
Dad Saves AmericaAI Data Centers, Nuclear Power, and the Limits of Capitalism - Robert Bryce
I sat down with author and energy journalist Robert Bryce to unpack our society’s dependence on the electric grid and what that means for American security and…
Dad Saves AmericaWe Broke Childhood. Here’s How to Fix It - Peter Gray
I sat down with psychologist and author Peter Gray to unpack why anxiety, depression, and immaturity are rising at the exact moment kids have more “support”…
Dad Saves AmericaWe Feminized Psychology, Parenting, and Society - Dr. Camilo Ortiz
I sat down with clinical psychologist Dr. Camilo Ortiz to unpack why modern parenting has become so exhausting—and why it’s also making kids more anxious, not…
Dad Saves AmericaBuild America Up—Don’t Burn It To the Ground - Doug DeVos
I sat down with former Amway CEO Doug DeVos to talk about what it means to believe in the American way in an era defined by cynicism. Prosperity doesn’t come…
Dad Saves AmericaBridget Phetasy on Hookup Culture, Divorce, and Healing Our Culture
I sat down with comedian, writer, and host of “Walk-Ins Welcome,” Bridget Phetasy to talk about how she recovered from divorce, hookup culture, and…
Dad Saves AmericaDr. Drew on Narcissism, Childhood Trauma, and the Sexual Revolution
I sat down with Dr. Drew Pinsky to unpack how a culture of narcissism is warping our relationships, our politics, and the way we raise our kids. Drawing on…
Dad Saves AmericaThe Neuroscience Behind the Culture War – Delia McCabe
I sat down with neuroscience PhD Delia McCabe to explore why our brains are struggling in the modern world and what that means for our kids, our politics, and…
Dad Saves AmericaPersuasion VS Manipulation: Why We Don’t Trust Slick-Talkers - Jay Heinrichs
I sat down with Jay Heinrichs, best-selling author of Thank You for Arguing, to explore the lost art of rhetoric and why Americans should relearn these skills…
Dad Saves AmericaMy Soviet Parents Saw Cancel Culture Coming Before Anyone Else - Katherine Brodsky
I sat down with writer and free speech advocate Katherine Brodsky to explore how fear and conformity have paralyzed honest dialogue in the West. Drawing on her…
Dad Saves AmericaJonathan Haidt: Why Did Our Kids Starts To Go Crazy in 2012?
I sat down with social psychologist and bestselling author Jonathan Haidt to examine how overprotective parenting and unfettered access to social media have…
Dad Saves AmericaHow the Government Hijacked the Internet - Mike Benz
I sat down with Mike Benz, former State Department official and founder of the Foundation for Freedom Online, to uncover how government agencies, intelligence…
Dad Saves AmericaThe Middle Class Built Our Greatest Cities. Now They’re All Gone. - Joel Kotkin
I sat down with Joel Kotkin, author of The Coming of Neo-Feudalism, to examine how America’s middle class is being erased and what that means for the future of…
Dad Saves AmericaHow To Be a Great Parent and a Great Boss - Robert Glazer
I sat down with author, entrepreneur, and leadership expert Robert Glazer to talk about how defining your values creates effective individuals, families, and…
Dad Saves AmericaMatt Kibbe on the Deep State, Fauci, and the COVID Coverup
I sat down with Matt Kibbe, libertarian activist and founder of Free the People, to talk about his documentary series “The Coverup,” which exposes COVID-era…
Dad Saves AmericaThe Sexual Revolution Ruined Millennials. Will Gen Z Get It Right? - Aleks Svetski
I sat down with Aleks Svetski, author of “The UnCommunist Manifesto” and “The Bushido of Bitcoin,” to discuss why socialism fails, the fallout of the sexual…
Dad Saves AmericaPeter Boghossian: Can We Still Find Common Ground in the Wake of Charlie Kirk?
I sat down with philosopher and author Peter Boghossian to wrestle with America’s deepening fracture. Why are so many people cheering political violence, and…
Dad Saves AmericaBret Weinstein on Genetic Tribalism and the Global Backlash Against Jews - Part 2
I sat down with evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein to explore how evolution can help make sense of tribalism, religion, and the ongoing war in Gaza. He…
Dad Saves AmericaBret Weinstein on Epstein, Globalization, and How Our Institutions Went Insane - Part 1
I sat down with evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein to unpack how behind-the-scenes power and perverse incentives have hollowed out America’s institutions…
Dad Saves AmericaPaul Zak on Neuroscience, Trust, and Why Communism Sucks
I sat down with neuroeconomist, author, and entrepreneur Paul Zak to discuss the neuroscience of human behavior and society. Paul explains his work on…
Dad Saves AmericaEducation Is About Forming Souls, Not Filling Brains – Fr. Daniel O'Mullane
I sat down with Father Daniel O’Mullane, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, to discuss how and why he’s built a Catholic school based on the classical…
Dad Saves AmericaWhy We Should Cut Legal Immigration In Half - Mark Krikorian
I sat down with Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, to discuss why he believes we should significantly reduce immigration…
Dad Saves AmericaJames Lindsay on Marx, Education, and the History of “Woke”
I sat down with James Lindsay to unpack how woke Marxist ideology infiltrated Western society, starting from Marx himself up through the political turmoil of…
Dad Saves AmericaOnly Elites Can Afford Luxury Beliefs. The Rest of Us Get Left Behind. - Rob Henderson
I sat down with Rob Henderson, author of "Troubled: A Memoir of Family, Foster Care, and Social Class,” to discuss why elite progressives promote radical ideas…
Dad Saves AmericaGlobalists Say Educated Women Don’t Want Kids. Are They Wrong? - Catherine Pakaluk
I sat down with Catholic social scientist and author Catherine Pakaluk to explore why some highly educated women are still choosing to have large families. A…
Dad Saves AmericaTrans Libertarian Sara Higdon: "I Have a Mental Illness.”
I sat down with Sara Higdon, a transwoman and libertarian content creator, to unpack the uncomfortable truths about modern gender ideology. Sara shares her…
Dad Saves AmericaAntony Davies on Cost of Living, University Corruption, and the AI Future
I sat down with economist Antony Davies to discuss what’s right and wrong about our economy. Most Americans live materially wealthier lives than most other…
Dad Saves AmericaWhy AI Should Challenge Us, Not Just Serve Us - Jeanne Lim
I sat down with Jeanne Lim, co-founder and CEO of beingAI, to explore the future of human-AI relationships. Jeanne traces her journey from launching Sophia the…
Dad Saves AmericaAdam Coleman on Growing Up Fatherless and Rejecting Toxic Racial Politics
I sat down with author and journalist Adam Coleman to discuss his experience with America’s fatherlessness crisis, his recent return to Christianity, and how…
Dad Saves AmericaEmily Austin on Israel, Gender Ideology and The New Right
I sat down with sports journalist, author and influencer Emily Austin to talk about what’s really going on in Gen Z culture, from failing relationships and…
Dad Saves AmericaMarcel Van Hattem Exposes Brazil's Corrupt Deep State and Censorship Agenda
I sat down with Brazilian congressman Marcel Van Hattem to talk about the growing censorship crisis in Brazil, political persecution under the Lula regime, and…
Dad Saves AmericaDaniel Di Martino on Socialism, Immigration, and How Hugo Chávez Destroyed Venezuela
I sat down with Daniel Di Martino, economist and founder of the Dissident Project, to talk about how socialism destroyed Venezuela—his home country—and what…
Dad Saves AmericaWWE’s Kane on Liberty, Wrestling, and Life as a Mayor
I sat down with Glenn Jacobs—better known to millions as former pro wrestler Kane—to explore his transformation from WWE superstar to liberty-minded mayor of…
Dad Saves AmericaMike Rowe Reveals the Truth About Reality TV, Masculinity, and Gratitude
I sat down with “Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe to explore his philosophy of honest storytelling and hard work. In today’s social media-driven culture, reality TV…
Dad Saves AmericaWhy You Should Let Your Kids Take Risks - Lenore Skenazy
I sat down with Lenore Skenazy, founder of the ‘free-range kids’ movement, to explore how fear-based parenting is holding our children back. Once dubbed “The…
Dad Saves AmericaMeritocracy Isn’t Racist. Lowering Standards Is. - Heather Mac Donald
I sat down with Heather Mac Donald, Manhattan Institute fellow and author of “The Diversity Delusion,” to discuss how the ideology of racial victimhood is…
Dad Saves AmericaThe Next Pope, the Big Bang, and the Shroud of Turin - Fr. Robert Spitzer
I sat down with Father Robert Spitzer, a Jesuit priest and author known for his work on the intersection of faith and science, to explore how cutting-edge…
Dad Saves AmericaPeter Boghossian on Trump's First 100 Days, Morality, and God
I sat down with philosopher and author Peter Boghossian to wrestle with one of the defining questions of modern American life: Can human rights, equality, and…
Dad Saves AmericaHow Reason & Logic Lead to Christianity - Matt Fradd (Pints With Aquinas)
I sat down with Matt Fradd, host of “Pints With Aquinas,” to explore the enduring power of Christian faith, the cultural crisis facing the West, and the vital…
Dad Saves America“Cabrini” Producer on Filmmaking, Catholicism, and Immigration - Eustace Wolfington
I sat down with Eustace Wolfington, executive producer of “Cabrini,” to explore his journey from car leasing innovator to filmmaker behind a movie that…
Dad Saves AmericaScott Lincicome: Trump's Tariffs Are a Tax on American Families
I sat down with Scott Lincicome, trade expert and Vice President of General Economics at the Cato Institute, to discuss why tariffs and protectionism are bad…
Dad Saves AmericaOren Cass: Free Trade Can’t Rebuild America. Tariffs Can.
I sat down with Oren Cass, founder of American Compass and former domestic policy advisor to Mitt Romney, to unpack why he believes America’s decades-long…
Dad Saves AmericaThe Truth About Money, Inflation, and Bitcoin - Robert Breedlove
I sat down with Robert Breedlove, host of the “What Is Money?” podcast, to unpack the fundamental truths about money, inflation, and Bitcoin. Robert explains…
Dad Saves AmericaTrump’s FDA Chief Dr. Marty Makary Slams Medical Dogma in Healthcare
I sat down with Dr. Marty Makary, Johns Hopkins surgeon and President Trump’s new FDA Commissioner, to discuss the urgent need for reform in American…
Dad Saves AmericaHow Broken Schools and #MeToo Dating Broke Our Sons - Erica Komisar
I sat down with psychoanalyst and author Erica Komisar to discuss how modern American culture has left teens and young adults struggling with identity…