Independent media survives because people choose to fund truth over intimidation. Susan frames Lincoln Square’s mission simply: “We will never bend the knee to Trump.” That’s not branding, it’s survival — a platform built by thousands of subscribers instead of billionaires or censors. Our growth is more than a milestone; it’s insulation against pressure designed to silence.
Canceling Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert shows what happens when money and power rule. Sam points out that “it’s all money and power,” and the churn has left even successful TV producers waiting tables. Networks that claimed safety folded the moment politics dictated it. Betting on democracy instead of corporate comfort has proved the safer move.
The economy follows the same script. Trump’s vanished labor data is like a couch that, as Sam joked, “may not even exist.” America’s brand was credibility — even in recession, the numbers were trusted. Take that away, and you’re left with propaganda against receipts no one can ignore.
Celebration itself becomes resistance. Susan laughed that you should “be with us for the last potential day on Earth,” tying Lincoln Square’s milestone to the week’s rapture rumor. Humor, truth, and solidarity are exactly what authoritarianism can’t kill. Joining in means proving that community outlasts control.
Tune in for this week’s Week Ahead with Susan Demas and Sam Osterhout, and join tomorrow’s celebration of independent media that refuses to bow to Trump.
