Friendly Fire: Sabrina Carpenter Uncanceled & Prosecuting The Left's Money Laundering Machine

April 22, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Friendly Fire: The SPLC Indictment, Sabrina Carpenter's Culture Clash, and the Future of American Institutions

The Southern Poverty Law Center—a left-wing nonprofit with nearly a billion dollars in assets—has been indicted for allegedly funding the very white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups it claims to fight. According to the hosts, the SPLC paid one organizer of the Unite the Right rally $270,000, listed funded individuals on its own hate site, and then had its data quoted by the New York Times covering that same rally. As Michael Knowles put it, "They have to generate the fentanyl in order to fund the methadone clinic."

The SPLC's Double Game

The indictment reveals a pattern the hosts describe as deeply corrupt but not surprising. The SPLC, which has long targeted conservatives like Matt Walsh as "hate groups," allegedly paid millions to individuals running neo-Nazi organizations. The hosts argue this was a cynical fundraising mechanism: manufacture the threat of white supremacy, then solicit donations to fight it. "If you solve the problem of racism, what do you do?" Knowles asked. "You can either go out of business or you can find the next thing to raise money off of."

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What you'll learn

1 (02:02) **SPLC Indictment & Left-Wing Funding of Neo-Nazism** - The hosts break down the bombshell indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center for secretly funding white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups.
2 (06:42) **The SPLC Informant Defense Falls Apart** - The hosts dismantle the SPLC's excuse that they were simply paying informants to investigate hate groups.
3 (08:56) **A Win for Justice: From DOJ Partner to Indictment** - Shapiro frames the SPLC's downfall as a massive victory that proves elections have consequences.
4 (11:55) **The Right's Self-Devouring Cycle** - The panel discusses the tendency of some on the right to constantly up the ante until they turn on their own allies.
5 (13:31) **Sabrina Carpenter, Madonna, and Coachella** - Guest Emily Austin joins to dissect the pop culture drama at Coachella involving Sabrina Carpenter and Madonna.
6 (17:46) **Sabrina Carpenter's "Deeply Based" Reflex** - The hosts debate whether Carpenter's reaction reveals a subconscious conservatism or just a desire to be an entertainer.
7 (23:22) **A Debate on Aesthetics: Sabrina vs. Sydney** - The group pivots to a shallow debate about the relative attractiveness of Sabrina Carpenter and Sydney Sweeney.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Michael Knowles Ben Shapiro Matt Walsh

Show Notes

The DOJ announces a blockbuster indictment of one of the country's top leftist activist groups, and reveals the left was actually behind the fatal 2017 Charlottesville rally. Ben Shapiro and Michael Knowles debate the merits and politics of Sabrina Carpenter after her Coachella cancellation, with expert testimony from special guest Emily Austin. Matt Walsh explains why the Senate filibuster must go, now. And Andrew Klavan makes the case why conservatives should still keep the faith, even after the Democrats' Virginia gerrymander and midterm rigging.

Friendly Fire Ep. 13

The Emily Austin Show is available on Spotify and Youtube:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1d1wawzpfSEVX18v6PqsU5?si=JZ-xwa7IThKl3jciuvkCZA

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@emilyaustinnetwork?si=lf4_v2dD8Bt9ebXs

Be A Man With Me is available on Youtube here: https://youtube.com/@beamanwithme?si=-pi7-W4gJUpP6hol

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