There’s no rabbit hole deeper or wider than YouTube. We got lost in there some time in 2004 and still haven’t found our way out. This is what we’re watching at the moment, often at 2am.
All Gas No Brakes/ Channel 5 News
They tour the US in a motorhome and dive into the most bizarre, disturbing, and fascinating sub-cultures they can find. Straight faced, in the cheapest brown suit available, they interview real people to often hilarious results. From Trump world, to Q conferences, to the Burning Man Festival, they put Louis Theroux to shame, digging out some of America’s most genius level nutters. Their best work during the BLM protests of 2020 showed it’s not all for laughs, creating some genuinely insightful journalism. Some sort of brand ownership dispute resulted in them changing their name to Channel 5 News, but the guys are still in the RV, combing the US for the ticks in its fur. Watch a Vice profile of the surprisingly intelligent and insightful Andrew Callaghan here.
Frontline, PBS
Fact based current affairs documentaries, with old-school journalistic integrity, are now a rarity in the splintered American media. Described by The Atlantic as “the best news program on television,” the series has built a reputation for powerful investigative storytelling that tackles the tough, controversial and complex stories that shape our times.”
Vice
In their own words “VICE’s website, TV channel, social channels and podcasts enlighten, entertain, and empower young people across the globe.” Smart, entertaining and informative. Vice is now huge and officially its own sub-rabbit hole in YouTube.
Vox
As they say, “Vox helps you cut through the noise and understand what’s driving events in the headlines and in our lives”. If you’ve seen Vox’s Explainer series on Netflix, you get the deal.
Answers with Joe
