82 Comments

What an episode. I would LOVE more content like this, with you guys sharinf crazy stories from the trenches.

Inside baseball stuff like this is fantastic, and I’ll bet I’m not the only one of your paying listeners who would enjoy more like this. (Who cares about the nonpaying subs, amiright?)

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I know this is recent, but just in case anyone missed it: Matt Welch on Ethan Strauss was fantastic. I hadn't heard Matt speak about his early career in quite so much depth before, nor in a cohesive narrative. This episode has lots of baseball, both inside AND out!

https://www.houseofstrauss.com/p/hos-matt-welch#details

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Another one. If anyone heard the bit in the beginning about Hunter S. Thompson in 18 year old Matt's apartment and was like "what the fuck is the story behind *that?!?!*", well, here's that story. Skip to around 1:40.

https://wethefifth.substack.com/p/135-privileged-college-parents-platform-0b7#details

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I nearly accepted Matt's invitation to dip out--glad I didn't. This was fascinating and a rollicking good time. Well done Welch.

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I think this is hands down my favourite Fifth Column episode. Riordan sounds like a real character. Now, who else wants to see a follow-up where Welch talks about Prague and Prognosis for two hours?

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author

Let's not get too crazy....

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I'll settle for a 30 minute "birth, life and death of FoxNews's RedEye"

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founding

A Welch cassingle, hell yeah.

Thank you for this! As a longtime LA resident, I find the political culture here fascinating. It's both strident and apathetic. I would love more one-off episodes that get into LA/SoCal politics past and present, especially with guests like Gustavo Arellano or bring Moynihan on to hit on Madeline Brand.

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Sep 6, 2023Liked by Matt Welch

A good tale well told!

I’ve missed the readings of your Reason articles (especially when they included an occasional off-the-cuff verbal parenthetical) on the Paloma Media channel. Your writing style translates to spoken word so well! I enjoyed that about this episode too. I concur with many of the commenters below: I’d definitely welcome more of these.

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author

Will likely get back into the article-reading racket, thanks!

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Sep 5, 2023Liked by Matt Welch

"Politics is the realm of the dumb: If you're not blatantly political in your approach to life, politically obsessed people will read exactly what they want into your writing."

Such an amazing quote from Ken Layne

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founding

I put this on right as I left my office parking garage and entered gridlock. Ten seconds later I had a big grin on my face. What a romp.

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Sep 6, 2023Liked by Matt Welch

Loved this episode. Don't usually come round here to comment, but I thought this needed to be encouraged.

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founding
Sep 5, 2023Liked by Matt Welch

This was awesome. I love hearing career trajectories - they are never what anyone thinks. At least not the good ones.

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author

Tim DeRoche has written up a nice little Twitter thread with his (very different!) memories: https://twitter.com/timderoche/status/1699502718543602145

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founding

So when will the first in a series of memoirs be published? It's gonna take a solid six if I'm guessing, and maybe afterward Universal Studios will pick it up, make some films, and then we can all visit "Welchland".

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Matt Welch is an interesting dude. Next in the series I would like to hear the extended version of how Kmele met Welch and Moynihan and the origins of the Fox Business show.

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I think the word is "simoleons", whereas "schlomoleons" may be an anti-Semitic slur 😂

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Love this novella-like dispatch! Can’t believe your Los Feliz apartment was only $700 🙈

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Yeah I was wondering if he meant more the area where you turn on Western which gets into a rather spotty neighborhood, because the Los Feliz Blvd. area is pretty toney.

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Nope! East side of Vermont looking up at the hill, big faded yellow/tan Art Deco apartment complex, next to the Chevron. Great place to live, zero air condition, apartment facing the sun, would get 100 degrees in there sometimes.

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I am going to a show at the Greek in a few weeks. I'll definitely look out for it.

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Sep 6, 2023Liked by Matt Welch

I liked this, Matt. More is welcome.

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Sep 5, 2023Liked by Matt Welch

That was legitimately great. I would like for some more Tale from the Welch-style content in the future.

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