Blocked and Reported
Blocked and Reported

Blocked and Reported

Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal

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Episodes

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Journalists Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal scour the internet for its craziest, silliest, most sociopathic content, part of an obsessive and ill-conceived attempt to extract kernels of meaning and humanity from a landscape of endless raging dumpster fires. www.blockedandreported.org

Recent Episodes

Episode 302: It's Not Cheating. It's Leveraging Available Tools To Optimize Your Workflow.
APR 6, 2026
Episode 302: It's Not Cheating. It's Leveraging Available Tools To Optimize Your Workflow.
<p>This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss a string of recent AI scandals in publishing: the <em>Shy Girl</em> debacle, Matt Goodwin's hallucinated data, Alex Preston's plagiarized book review, and more. Plus, controversy ensues when <em>Washington Post</em> columnist Megan McArdle admits to (gasp) using AI in her process. </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://tubitv.com/movies/100009961/thin-skin">Watch Thin Skin (2023) - Free Movies | Tubi</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://bookstr.com/article/mia-ballard-on-her-horrific-feminine-rage-novel/">Mia Ballard on Her Horrific Feminine Rage Novel - Bookstr</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/books/ai-fiction-shy-girl.html">A.I. Is Writing Fiction. Publishers Are Unprepared. - The New York Times</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/style/modern-love-unfit-to-be-a-mother.html?unlocked_article_code=1.PlA.f0EI.9p0LpXmTkTIn&#38;smid=url-share">I Was Deemed Unfit to Be a Mother - The New York Times</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/new-york-times-cuts-ties-with-writer-ai/">New York Times Cuts Ties with Book Review Writer Over AI Use | Exclusive</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://spectator.com/article/the-illusion-and-delusion-of-matt-goodwin/">The illusion and delusion of Matt Goodwin | The Spectator</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://thecritic.co.uk/suicide-of-an-authors-credibility/">Suicide of an author’s credibility | Ben Sixsmith | The Critic Magazine</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.gbnews.com/news/matt-goodwin-andy-twelves-debate-suicide-of-a-nation-allegations-ai">Matt Goodwin and Andy Twelves caught in fiery clash over author’s new book Suicide of a Nation</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://spectator.com/article/ai-didnt-write-my-book/">AI didn’t write my book | The Spectator</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/04/ai-data-centers-energy-demands/686064/">Inside the Dirty, Dystopian World of AI Data Centers - The Atlantic</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/07/07/a-billionaire-an-ai-supercomputer-toxic-emissions-and-a-memphis-community-that-did-nothing-wrong/">A billionaire, an AI supercomputer, toxic emissions and a Memphis community that did nothing wrong • Tennessee Lookout</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.cleveland.com/news/2026/02/journalism-schools-are-teaching-fear-of-the-future-letter-from-the-editor.html">Journalism schools are teaching fear of the future: Letter from the Editor - cleveland.com</a></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe</a>
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65 MIN
Episode 301: Because He Got Raided
MAR 30, 2026
Episode 301: Because He Got Raided
<p>This week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss American icon Afroman and the defamation trial that briefly broke the Lindyverse. Plus, a California court puts internet addiction on trial. </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/25/nx-s1-5746125/meta-youtube-social-media-trial-verdict">Social media trial: Meta and Google found negligent : NPR</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.legalaffairsandtrials.com/p/jury-sides-with-afroman-in-police">Jury sides wtih Afroman in defamation trial w/ Ohio deputies</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/police-raided-afroman-searching-for-a-dungeon-his-record-label-says-he-doesnt-even-have-a-basement/">Police Raided Afroman Searching for a ‘Dungeon.’ His Record Label Says He Doesn’t Even Have a Basement</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2008/06/18/91638378/sheriff-under-scrutiny-over-drug-money-spending">Sheriff Under Scrutiny over Drug Money Spending : NPR</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/08/12/taken">The Rise of Civil Forfeiture | The New Yorker</a> </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2008/06/18/91638378/sheriff-under-scrutiny-over-drug-money-spending">Sheriff Under Scrutiny over Drug Money Spending : NPR</a></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/@ymeskhout">https://substack.com/@ymeskhout</a></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe</a>
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60 MIN
Strange Bedfellows + An Offer from Longview
MAR 26, 2026
Strange Bedfellows + An Offer from Longview
<p>The episode you’re about to hear is the first in a new series from our friends at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.longviewinvestigations.com/">Longview Investigations</a>, the podcast company run by Matt Boll and Andy Mills, both familiar voices if you’ve been listening to our show for a while.</p><p>The series is called <em>Strange Bedfellows</em>, and when Andy first asked if we’d be interested in sharing it with our listeners, I said absolutely not because I’m still bitter that the Moose likes Andy better than me and because every time we drop something new into the feed, at least a couple of you complain and then Jesse starts crying and sweating and it’s this whole thing. </p><p>But after hearing the first episode, I changed my mind.</p><p><em>Strange Bedfellows</em> is exactly the kind of thing Blocked and Reported listeners will be into. It’s about how LGB became LGBTQ, what brought that sometimes uneasy coalition together, and why it now seems to be coming apart.</p><p>The series is hosted by Ben Kawaller (also a BAR alum), and it’s smart, funny, and genuinely thought-provoking.</p><p>And here’s the bonus offer: Andy and Matt have generously offered <strong>three months free of Longview’s membership program for our Primo subscribers</strong>. If you take them up on that and subscribe now, you’ll get access to the full three-part series before it’s released publicly.</p><p>This offer is only available to Primos and the link to join is right…</p> <br/><br/>To hear more, visit <a href="https://www.blockedandreported.org?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=show-notes-no-free-preview-language">www.blockedandreported.org</a>
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42 MIN