Brendan Carr is a dummy | The Vergecast

Quick Overview

The hosts of The Vergecast dedicate a segment, "Brendan Carr is a dummy," to criticizing FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr's recent testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee, arguing he is weaponizing outdated broadcast regulations to exert control over speech and is acting as a political stooge for Donald Trump, particularly in relation to threats against Jimmy Kimmel.

Key Points: The primary focus of the criticism against Brendan Carr stems from his assertion that he has authority to regulate broadcast content based on the public interest standard and news distortion rules, which he contrasts with his lack of jurisdiction over internet content like that streamed via IP. Carr's stance on broadcast regulation is directly contrasted with a 2012 interview with former Republican FCC Chairman Michael Powell, who argued that treating broadcast differently from cable/internet was "stupid" and that deregulation would benefit consumers. A major catalyst for the segment was Carr's reaction to Jimmy Kimmel's comments about the Charlie Kirk shooting aftermath, where Carr suggested Disney should "stop airing his show" via "the easy way or the hard way." Carr defended his actions during questioning by claiming he is enforcing existing rules, but the hosts argue he is selectively applying these rules against critics (regulation by enforcement), citing his statement that broadcasters "will be held accountable to the public interest" for issues like news distortion. When questioned about President Trump's heinous comments following Rob Reiner's death, Carr dodged by stating, "I'm simply not going to do that" regarding policing speech on the internet, which the hosts point out avoids answering whether the same speech on broadcast television would trigger his regulatory action. The hosts detail Carr's alignment with the unitary executive theory, noting his argument that the FCC is not independent because Trump can fire him without cause, leading to the immediate removal of the word 'independent' from the FCC website during questioning. Carr suggested putting broadcast TV licenses up for auction without public interest obligations if Congress wanted a change, which the hosts interpret as a dare stemming from his desire to consolidate power, potentially paving the way for future attempts to regulate Section 230, as outlined in a Project 2025 chapter he authored.