Full Breakdown
Fox News Launches “The Girls” Podcast, Tackling Crime, Politics and Parenting
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Debut of “The Girls” Weekly Podcast
Fox News Podcasts introduced “The Girls,” an unscripted, women-centered conversation series that premiered on a Thursday and will release new episodes every Thursday. The hour-long show streams on Fox News Digital, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Each episode features a rotating panel of female hosts and guests who discuss pop culture, parenting, politics, sports and current events. The first episode covered the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, the political activism of children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel, and personal reflections on grief.
Background & Context
“The Girls” adds to Fox News’ podcast slate, which already includes “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” “Ruthless,” “Will Cain Country,” “Planet Tyrus” and “The Riley Gaines Show.” The network has used panel formats successfully in television programs such as *The Five* and *Outnumbered*.
Key Figures & Groups
- Harris Faulkner — anchor of *The Faulkner Focus* and co-host of *Outnumbered*.
- Rachel Campos-Duffy — co-host of *Fox & Friends Weekend*.
- Kat Timpf — panelist on *Gutfeld!*.
- Melissa DeRosa — former secretary to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Fox News contributor.
- Samantha Ponder — former ESPN host, guest on the premiere.
- Bethany Mandel — Washington Examiner contributor and homeschooling mother of six, who has criticized Ms. Rachel’s commentary.
Data & Statistics
- Release cadence: new episode every Thursday.
- Rotating lineup: each week features a different combination of core hosts plus outside guests.
- Topic scope: pop culture, parenting, relationships, careers, money and politics are regularly covered.
Criticism & Opposition
Bethany Mandel warned that Ms. Rachel’s approach to gender representation—featuring non-binary performers and “taking away gender”—could have “detrimental consequences” for early childhood development. She urged parents to screen entertainers carefully, noting she removed Ms. Rachel’s channel from her family’s YouTube playlist years ago.
Podcast Discussion Highlights
The debut episode devoted significant time to the Lindsay Clancy case. Samantha Ponder said she wants the accused “put away forever.” The hosts also debated whether Ms. Rachel’s political activism makes her unsuitable for young audiences, with Kat Timpf questioning where the line should be drawn for parents.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The podcast referenced the recent mistrial in the Clancy case, noting the jury deadlocked with eleven jurors favoring a not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity verdict. An ABC report, however, states that Clancy’s lawyers have asked the judge to dismiss the murder charges on double-jeopardy grounds and that a new trial is not expected before November, with a possible June hearing if a retrial proceeds. The podcast did not address these pending legal motions.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If I’m a mom and this has been done to my kids, I want this woman put away forever,” — Samantha Ponder
- “Is Ms. Rachel bad for kids? I don't think it's that deep,” — Kat Timpf
- “And this is something that's really very damaging to children who are in the early stages of development, because one of the first ways that children learn to organize the world around them is by categorization, and the easiest way for a toddler to categorize the world around them is by female and male.” — Bethany Mandel
What’s Next
New episodes of “The Girls” will continue to drop every Thursday, rotating the host lineup and bringing in additional guests to discuss emerging news topics. The Lindsay Clancy case is slated to return to court in November, with a possible further hearing in June, which may become a future discussion point on the podcast.