Crashing Out with Philip DeFranco and Alex Pearlman Crashing Out with Philip DeFranco and Alex Pearlman

Mark Ruffalo Destroys Paramount

Aug 26, 2026 · 1h 32m

Summary

DeFranco and Pearlman discuss the backlash against Mark Ruffalo for criticizing the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, arguing that his concerns regarding the Ellison family’s ties to Israel are being unfairly labeled as anti-Semitism. They analyze how media consolidation and AI-generated corporate statements are weaponizing these accusations to silence criticism of Israeli government actions and tech contracts. The hosts also cover a viral incident in Minneapolis where a man dressed as Spider-Man punched pardoned January 6th rioter Jake Lang, framing Lang as a provocateur seeking to incite rio…

Topics discussed

Intro, tour recap, and Crashing Out Tour promo Mark Ruffalo, Paramount, and the anti-Semitism accusation Larry Ellison, Oracle, and the definition of anti-Semitism Ben Gvir, Israeli politics, and public opinion The Paramount-Time Warner merger and Ruffalo's response AI-generated statements and corporate PR tactics Stop Antisemitism, Fishback, and political opportunism DC Comics, the Hulk, and cultural narratives Sponsor segment: ZocDoc Jake Lang: provocateur, stunts, and the Spider-Man incident The Spider-Man punch, charges, and Westboro comparisons Militia movements, QAnon, and political convergence Dark money, Russian influence, and creator politics Charlie Kirk's assassination and legacy Current events: trade wars, Iran, and education Sponsor segment: Strawberry.me Wendy's CEO admission and fast food quality decline Measles deaths, vaccine skepticism, and food trust Horse meat rumors, FDA, and loss of public trust FDA leadership, recalls, and the Melania coin incident Sponsor segment: NordVPN Parenting advice: co-parenting disagreements and boundaries Parenting advice: humor, sleep, and toddler development Closing remarks and show outro
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