Episode 250: Born In A Hospital Bed. 2½ Years Later. Going Strong.

Some milestones deserve a celebration. Others deserve a story. Episode 250 is both.

What began during a hospital stay as nothing more than an idea has grown into a podcast heard in 108 countries and nearly 1,700 locations around the world. 

Armed with a microphone and a lifetime in broadcasting, I never imagined that journey would happen, and I certainly never imagined I’d still be here two and a half years later talking about a world that somehow keeps getting even stranger.

This isn’t just a look back. It’s a look at what 250 episodes have taught me about politics, cable news, social media, outrage, common sense, and the remarkable people who keep this country moving forward while the people in charge often seem determined to move it backward.

You’ll also hear my very first…

“STATE OF SANITY” Address, where I hand out grades to Congress, the media, social media, political consultants, pollsters, fact-checkers, conspiracy theorists, and a few others who have definitely earned my attention over the past two and a half years.

Most importantly, this episode is about gratitude. To everyone who has listened, agreed, disagreed, challenged me, corrected me, laughed with me, and kept this crazy experiment alive…thank you. You didn’t just help me reach Episode 250. You made it possible.

So whether you’ve been here since Episode 1 or you’re discovering A World Gone Mad for the very first time, welcome. The microphone is on, my opinions are uncensored, and the next chapter starts right now.

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast and found it informative, and maybe got a laugh or two, then please contribute to keeping this podcast around. 

I’m not backed by Corporate media. There is no outside money other than my own wallet so if you could please contribute to the GoFundMe below even a small donation makes a difference.

https://gofund.me/5d9a419ef

AWorldGoneMadPodcast@gmail.com

Transcript

Episode 250 And Why It Matters

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is a world gone mad. This is a world gone mad.

SPEAKER_01 0:09

From Studio 19, I'm Jeff Allen Wolf. Here we go. Welcome to episode 250 of A World Gone Mad. 250th anniversary of America. 250 episodes of my podcast. Here's something I didn't know when I started this podcast. There are more than 4 million podcasts out there. Most never get off the ground. Nearly half don't even make it to episode 20. And only a tiny percentage ever reach episode 250. In other words, this isn't just another episode. It's proof that while a lot of podcasts fade away, the wolf pack kept showing up. And because of that, a world gun mad is still here raising hell and asking questions. Honestly, when I started this podcast, I had absolutely no idea whether anybody would listen. I wasn't backed by a major network. I didn't have a corporate sponsor. There wasn't a marketing department spending millions convincing you I was the next big thing. It was just me, a microphone, a computer, a lifetime in broadcasting, and apparently an unhealthy fascination with politicians making the same mistakes over and over again.

A Podcast Born In A Hospital

SPEAKER_01 1:37

The funny part is I never sat down one day and said, I'm going to create a podcast called A World Gone Mad. The entire idea for this podcast actually came together while I was spending several weeks in the hospital recovering from surgery. That's where I designed the show and started thinking about what I wanted it to become. The doctors after my surgery wanted me up and walking the halls to get some exercise. So there I was, shuffling up and down the corridor, wearing my hospital gown, still attached to my catheter. Not exactly the picture of dignity. And as I passed one of the patient's room doors, I noticed a sign with the words, A World Gone Mad. I honestly don't remember exactly what the rest of the sign said or what that phrase was referring to, but those four words stopped me in my tracks. I remember thinking, that would make a hell of a title for a podcast. My surgery eventually became a memory. The catheter thankfully became a memory, but my podcast that was born in those hospital hallways is somehow celebrating episode 250 today. I thought about making this episode a huge celebration. Maybe I could have booked a celebrity. Then I remembered celebrities usually expect to be paid. I briefly considered fireworks, but given the state of our economy, I figured I'd settle for paying my internet bill instead. Even thought about hiring a marching man. But after covering Congress for 250 episodes, I've heard enough people marching in circles. Then it hit me. Why would I change what got us here? This show has never been about celebrity interviews or expensive production. It's never been about flashy graphics or breaking news music that sounds like an asteroid is about to hit Earth every six minutes. It's always been one guy trying to make sense of a world that often seems determined to make absolutely none. Let's be honest. The world has handed me enough podcast material to last three lifetimes. Politicians who promise transparency while holding closed door meetings. Cable news panels featuring six people yelling simultaneously until nobody remembers what the original question was. Social media somehow convincing millions of people that the loudest person with a blurry profile picture is now considered an expert in medicine, economics, foreign policy, constitutional law, and apparently aviation disasters. I've watched people argue over facts that aren't actually facts. I've watched conspiracy theories spread faster than actual information. I've watched elected officials spend more time creating viral clips than creating legislation. Somewhere along the way, politics stopped being public service and started looking like a reality show where everybody gets voted off the island, but somehow keeps coming back next season. And through all of it, almost every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you, the Wolfback, has shown up. You've laughed with me, disagreed with me, yelled at your speakers because you thought I missed something, and hopefully laughed again before the episode was over. That's a relationship I don't take lightly because time is the one thing none of us gets back. Every time you choose to spend a part of your day listening to the show instead of the thousands of other podcasts out there, I consider that a privilege.

Why No Big Anniversary Spectacle

SPEAKER_01 5:45

So I started thinking about what I wanted this episode, episode 250, to be. I could have replayed old clips. I could have counted down my favorite moments in the last two plus years. I could have spent the next 15 minutes patting myself on the back. But let's face it, if I tried that, half the Wolfpack would have probably sent me an email saying, Jeff, get over yourself, get to the commentary. They're right. So today isn't about looking backward. It's about what 250 episodes have taught me about politics, the media, social media, common sense, and maybe most importantly, the people who somehow manage to keep this country moving forward while the people in charge keep driving trying to drive it into a ditch.

Lessons From 250 Episodes

SPEAKER_01 6:38

So what has 250 episodes taught me? First, I've learned that America doesn't have an energy crisis. We don't have an attention crisis. We don't have a political crisis. We have an outrage addiction. Outrages become America's fastest growing renewable resource. We don't drill for oil anymore. We drill for things to be offended by. Every morning, millions of Americans wake up, grab a cup of coffee, pick up their phone, and think, let's see who's ruining civilization before breakfast. You know what's amazing? Fifty years ago, your blood pressure was raised by your spouse, your boss, your kids, or your neighbor who refused to mow his lawn. Today, your blood pressure is raised by somebody you've never met who lives 1,200 miles away and has a profile picture of an eagle wearing sunglasses. We become a country where complete strangers can ruin your day before you've even brushed your teeth. Which leads me directly into work ethic and professional courtesy. They have slipped badly over the past decade. Do you have an hour? I'm joking. Somewhere we replaced. How can I help you with that's really not my department? Nobody returns phone calls, emails disappear into the witness protection program. Companies promise they'll be with you shortly, which apparently is now measured in geological time. And customer service, if I hear while waiting on hold, your call is very important to us while I'm number 83 in line. One more time, I'm going to start believing the recording has a better sense of humor than the company that hired it. I've also learned that breaking news isn't breaking anymore. It's just news wearing a Halloween costume. Every network has a giant red banner screaming, breaking news! Seriously? The Senate scheduled a committee hearing. That's breaking news? Somebody tweeted something stupid. That's breaking news? A politician changes his position for the third time this week. Congratulations! That's called Tuesday. Cable News has figured out that if they play dramatic music behind literally anything, your brain assumes the Constitution is on fire. They could interrupt programming with breaking news, sources confirm the president has switched from Diet Coke to iced tea. Then they'd spend the next six hours interviewing 12 experts, three former aides, a body language analyst, and somebody's cousin who once served on a city council in Iowa. Then comes my favorite phrase in all of television. This could change everything. No, it almost never changes anything. Another thing I've learned is that every politician promises to save America. Every election is supposedly the most important election in the history of the universe. Apparently, George Washington crossed the Delaware so somebody could spend $400 million on campaign ads telling me my life will end if the other guy wins a Senate seat in Nebraska. Here's a crazy thought, Wolfpack. Before a politician tries to save America, could they try saving the self-checkout at the grocery store? Every machine you're at says, unexpected item in the bagging area. Yeah, it's the freaking groceries. That's literally why I'm here. If politicians can solve that, then maybe I'll trust them with the national debt. Social media has taught me something even stranger. We somehow decided expertise is overrated. Scientists spend 30 years studying infectious diseases. Economists dedicate their lives to understanding markets. Constitutional scholars spend decades interpreting the law. Then on the internet, along comes someone named Patriot Eagle 1776, whose qualifications appear to be owning a flag and typing in all capital letters. And suddenly millions of people are saying, now that's a guy who really gets it. Somewhere along the way, we confused having an opinion with having evidence. Those aren't the same thing. I can have an opinion that I'm six foot seven and could still play in the NBA. Reality has a slightly different scouting report. Confidence has become more valuable than competence. We reward certainty even when it's completely disconnected from facts. You ever notice the people who actually know what they're talking about usually begin with, well, it's complicated. The people who have absolutely no idea what they're talking about begin with, everybody knows. No, everybody doesn't know. That's why we're having the argument. After 250 episodes, I think that's the biggest lesson of all. We become so obsessed with winning arguments that we've forgotten how to have conversations. Somewhere between cable news, social media, and politicians who discovered outrage polls better than honesty, we stopped listening. Everybody's broadcasting. Nobody's receiving. Maybe that's why I keep doing this show. Because the people making the headlines aren't the whole country. Over half of the country is still trying to live a decent life. After 250 episodes, that's one thing I'm pretty hopeful about.

The First State Of Sanity Address

SPEAKER_01 13:40

Okay, Wolfpack. Now it's time for something I think should become an annual tradition from me. Every January, the president gives us the State of the Union, right? Today on episode 250 of A World Gone Mad, I'd like to present the first ever State of Sanity Address. First, a very important disclaimer from me. Unlike Washington, these grades aren't influenced by lobbyists, campaign donations, focus groups, or whether somebody invited me to a fundraiser with rubber chicken and bad coffee. These are simply the observations of one guy, me, who spent 250 episodes watching the greatest reality show ever created. American politics. Here we go with my State of Sanity address. Let's begin with Congress. Congress receives an F. Not because Democrats and Republicans disagree. They're supposed to disagree. That's literally in the job description. They get an F because somewhere along the way, they confuse governing with content creation. Half the time it feels like they're not writing legislation. They're auditioning for a cable news contract. Every hearing has become a movie thriller. Dramatic music should start playing every time somebody says, I reclaim my time. Congress doesn't need term limits. It needs a producer yelling, cut, great take, everybody. Now could somebody please pass a goddamn budget? Next, cable news and much of the mainstream media. They earn a D-I would have given them an F, but occasionally they accidentally commit journalism between pharmaceutical commercials. If somebody spills coffee in the White House press room, there are 17 analysts explaining what it means for the midterms. Calm down. Sometimes coffee is just coffee. Not every paper cut deserves its own documentary series. Then there are the commentary podcasts. I'm talking about the bad ones. You know the ones. Every episode is titled The Shocking Truth, they don't want you to know. I give them an F. Apparently, they are the busiest people in America. They don't want you to know anything. They don't want you to drink coffee. They don't want you to buy an electric car. They don't want you to eat bread. They don't want you to trust doctors. They don't want you to trust scientists. They don't want you to trust your toaster. Who exactly are they? At this point, they need a vacation because they're working around the clock, trying to keep secrets from people, recording in a spare bedroom with a ring light and a microphone named Destiny. And some more observations on social media. I give it an incomplete because I honestly can't decide whether it connected humanity or convinced humanity to lose its damn mind. X is where everybody goes to prove that having Wi-Fi and having wisdom are completely unrelated. TikTok can teach you how to make chicken parmesan, replace your kitchen faucet, dance like you're 22 again, and convince you that the earth is hollow all of this before lunch. Human civilization has never had more information available in the palm of its hand, and somehow we become experts and using it to watch somebody pressure wash a driveway for 45 minutes. And now to political consultants. They receive an A plus in one category only: spending other people's money. If consultants actually knew how voters think, every election prediction would be correct. Instead, every two years they tell candidates to connect with ordinary Americans. Then they produce a television commercial where the candidate awkwardly holds a shovel that's never touched dirt, stands in front of a pickup truck, they've clearly borrowed 10 minutes earlier, and tells us they understand everyday struggles. Seriously? You needed six consultants, a focus group, and three million dollars to discover that people like lower prices and less traffic? Polsters. Oh, let's talk about polsters. They get a C- Polling has become weather forecasting with neckties. One poll says Candidate A is a head by six. Another says candidate B is a head by four. A third says everybody has decided to move to Canada. Then election day arrives, and every expert says, well, this was within the margin of error. That margin of error has become the greatest witness protection program in American history. Imagine if your mechanic worked that way. Good news, Jeff. I was only wrong by the margin of engine. All right. Continuing on with my state of sanity address. Please stay with me, okay? I've yet begun to rant. Fact checkers, let's talk about fact checkers. They receive a B. Not because they're always right, because somebody has to clean up after the internet has another sugar high. They become the janitors of democracy. Unfortunately, we're living in a time where some people don't care whether something is true. They care about whether it confirms what they already believed before breakfast. That's not research. That's online shopping for opinions. And to wrap up my state of sanity address, conspiracy theorists, theorists, theorists, I can't even talk to them, right? Conspiracy theorists. They receive an A for imagination and an F for evidence. I almost admire the creativity. Somewhere someone connects crop circles, the Federal Reserve, Elvis, fluoride, penguins, medieval manuscripts, and a traffic jam outside Toledo into one magnificent 12-hour YouTube documentary. I can't even assemble an IKEA bookshelf without leftover screws. But somehow these people have solved every mystery in human history using a blurry photograph and a guy whispering into a webcam. So that's my first state of sanity address. If your favorite institution received a bad grade, don't worry, it's always next year.

Why I Keep Doing This

SPEAKER_01 20:58

To the Wolf Pack. After all the sarcasm, all the jokes, all the commentary, and everything I've talked about over the last 250 episodes, people occasionally ask me why I keep doing this. This is not a hobby for me, everyone. This is my living, my profession. It's a fair question why I keep doing this, because there are nights when I'm sitting here by myself with a microphone long after most people have gone to bed. During the first couple of years, I remember saying it over and over again. I'm sitting in a room talking to myself. That's exactly what it felt like. You hope somebody is listening, but you have no idea if anybody actually is. Then I started watching my download numbers for my podcast. At first it was simple curiosity, then it became something else. I checked them in the morning, I checked them again in the afternoon, I checked them before going to bed, I checked them when I woke up the next day. How many downloads? Who's listening? Hell, there were times I was checking them every 15 minutes. It became a ridiculous obsession. If somebody had walked into the room, they probably would have thought I was day trading podcast downloads. Every new download meant there was another person somewhere who had decided to spend part of their day listening to what I had to say. That has never stopped amazing me. Then something even stranger happened. I'd look at the analytics and see another city I'd never reached before. Then another state in America. Then another country. Every time a new location appeared, it put a smile on my face. I'd find myself thinking, wait a minute, somebody there actually found this show? Seeing this podcast reach places I've never been is something I will never take for granted. This podcast is now heard as of today in 108 countries and almost 1,700 locations across the world. The emails have probably meant even more than the numbers. Some of you write because you agree with me. Some of you write because you don't. Some of you, and I appreciate it, you tell me I made you laugh. Others tell me I made you think. The truth is, I don't expect everyone to agree with everything I say. That would be impossible. In fact, I'd be a little suspicious if they did. That's really why I keep doing this, Wolfpack. Reaching new locations, receiving new emails from new people. It's not because I think I'm going to change the world with one podcast. It's because I still believe conversations matter. I still believe facts matter. I still believe humor helps us deal with subjects that would otherwise leave us exhausted. And I still believe that if enough people are willing to stop shouting long enough to actually listen to each other, this country has a much better chance than the headlines would have us believe. So whether you've been with me since episode one, or whether you found a world gone mad last week, thank you. Thank you for spending your time with me. Thank you for challenging me, correcting me, encouraging me, and most of all, for making sure that what started as one guy sitting in a room talking to himself no longer feels that

Thanks To The People At Home

SPEAKER_01 24:49

way. There are also a couple of family members I need to thank because this podcast wouldn't have reached episode 250 without them. First, my girlfriend Natasha. Sweetheart, thank you. For going on three years you've watched me put this show together week after week. You've heard me yelling at my phone, yelling at my computer, and probably wondering if I was arguing with technology or Congress. You've put up with my mood swings when a story got under my skin. You've patiently waited while I disappeared after dinner because I still had an episode to finish and record before it got too late in the evening. Through all of it, you've never once asked me to stop chasing something I believe in. You've supported me every step of the way, one hundred and ten percent. I honestly couldn't have done this without you. And I want you to know how grateful I am for everything you've done and continue to do. You were there with me through the health issues, the hospital visits, the stress each week, with the show, and with personal family situations. I love you. And then there's Cooper and Phoenix. Cooper, my golden retriever, and Phoenix my main coon. They probably have no idea what a podcast is. They just know I locked myself in a room. And frankly, they are both better off because of it. But after spending hours researching stories that could make a saint lose his patience, after recording an episode that left me frustrated or angry at what was happening in the world, I'd walk out of the studio and there they would be, a wagging tail and a cat waiting for attention. Taking a few minutes for me to hug them, pet them, and just leave the madness behind helped me reset more times than they will ever understand. Cooper and Phoenix reminded me there was still something simple, peaceful, and good waiting just outside that studio door. And finally, I've spent 250 episodes talking about a world gone mad. Here's the funny part: the world isn't what kept me going. You have, the Wolfpack listener. Every time someone writes and says, Jeff, I don't agree with everything you said, but you made me think. I stop and smile, because that's all I've ever really wanted this podcast to do. If I can get you to think, question everything, like I say, look at an issue from a different perspective, then maybe this crazy experiment that started in a hospital hallway almost three years ago has been worth every minute.

Hope For Decency And Next Steps

SPEAKER_01 27:36

So tomorrow will become episode 251. And I have a feeling the world isn't suddenly going to regain the sanity overnight. We'll probably wake up to another political scandal. Somebody on cable television will overreact before they've had their first cup of coffee. Congress will discover another creative way to disappoint us. Social media will confidently declare civilization will collapse by Thursday, then quietly move the deadline to next Tuesday when it doesn't happen. And me? I'll still be, you know, right here asking questions, making observations, occasionally yelling into my microphone, trying to find a little common sense, hiding underneath all of the noise. Because after 250 episodes, I've learned something that no headline, politician, or algorithm has been able to convince me otherwise. I still believe most people are decent. I still believe humor beats hatred. I still believe curiosity beats certainty. I still believe facts matter. I still believe conversations matter. And I still believe this country is worth arguing about because it's worth fighting for. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping me reach episode 250. I couldn't have done it without the Wolfpack. Here's to episode 251, and whatever fresh madness tomorrow has planned.

Email The Wolfpack And Sign Off

SPEAKER_01 29:11

If you'd like to say hello, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me anytime at wolfpacktalks at gmail.com. I read every email, and I truly appreciate hearing your thoughts, your opinions, your disagreements, your encouragement, and your ideas. Until Wednesday, episode 251. Thank you for being part of the Wolfpack. I'm Jeff Allen Wolf, and this is A World Gone Man.

SPEAKER_00 29:37

There is Catching Officer.