The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Will the Rotting Timbers of Academia Finally Fall?

The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Will the Rotting Timbers of Academia Finally Fall?

Author: Ricochet August 16, 2026 Duration: 1:18:43
The shocking suicide of the fraudulent Jason Arday alongside the Atlantic cover story about how a mostly leftist scholar "of color" (Tyler Austin Harper) quit his tenure track job at Bates College because he couldn't stand "the insufferable hypocrisy of elite academia," ought to be the last straw for our nation's tolerance for a completely rotten education system, from K-12 through the colleges and universities. But it probably won't be, because the left is not going to give up these premier bastions of political power unless they are crushed. And that can't be done quickly or easily.

Joining us this week to take the place of the truant John Yoo is Bates College alum Richard Samuelson, nowadays a professor of history at Hillsdale College, who adds some detail from his own experience as an undergraduate at Bates College, and you will wonder how he survived the place.

We also have a brief cameo appearance from John, who notes the peculiar legal strategy being pursued by Liuigi Mangione, the killer of United HealthCar CEO Brian Thompson last year. Keep your eye on this one, as we have a possible conspiracy theory to roll out about it. And finally, we take up a reader comment about something we said last week about the meaning of the phrase, "nature bats last."

This is a long episode, but it's ad-free this week, so it zips long even zippier than usual. I want to introduce again the new voice for the show opener, Colin McLean. Colin is a noted voice-actor in Britain, and semi-retired from a distinguished business career in The City. You can read about his voice work at his website Vocal Flair, and I also recommend his YouTube channel, The Healing Voice, where he ranges widely from poetry, music, story-telling, and some sensible psychology.

Grab a glass and settle in for 3 Whisky Happy Hour, where the week's news and cultural shifts get a thorough-and spirited-examination. Hosts Steven Hayward, John Yoo, and the enigmatic "Lucretia" blend their expertise in law, philosophy, and political commentary, offering a perspective that’s as substantive as it is refreshingly unscripted. The conversation flows like a good pour, moving from the immediate headlines to deeper, often overlooked principles that shape current events. This isn't a dry recap; it's a lively, meandering discussion where complex ideas become accessible, and analysis is always accompanied by a sense of camaraderie. You'll find the tone is that of a sharp, informal debate among friends who aren't afraid to challenge conventional wisdom. Produced by Ricochet, this podcast stands out in the crowded fields of news and politics by prioritizing genuine dialogue over partisan soundbites. Each episode feels like you’ve pulled up a chair at a table where wit and insight are always on the menu. Whether they're unpacking a Supreme Court decision or tracing a philosophical concept through modern politics, the hosts ensure the discourse is both enlightening and thoroughly engaging. For anyone looking to understand the 'why' behind the news with a dose of character, this is your regular invitation to a different kind of happy hour.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

3 Whisky Happy Hour
Podcast Episodes
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Heart of Texas Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:46
This week all three of your whisky-swilling disputationists found themselves together in Austin, Texas, for a Civitas Institute conference, and we managed to sneak away to record this week's episode in -person. Though yo…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Zoned Out on Protests? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:52
This may sound like a very esoteric subject for our weekly podcast, but did you know this year is the 100th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case of Euclid v. Ambler Realty? No, really—it is! We're not making th…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Forget Greenland—Invade Virginia! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:48
A lot of interesting legal questions this week for rotating host John Yoo, and we don't even get through all of them (can you believe Lucretia actually passed up the chance to dunk on her "favorite" Justice KBJ for this…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: The Best (Podcast) Regime? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:58
Is it just us, or did this week seem even crazier than usual? We didn't have time to cover all the crazy in the news, and had to settle for trying to select the most stupid crazy thing said this week, though even that wa…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Happy New Year on Substack Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:06
We tried an experiment this week—livestreaming the taping of this week's episode on Steve's 'Political Questions" Substack. We think is was a success even though Steve's camera froze up several times along the way. John…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Year in Review and the Year Ahead [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:23
To close out the year the 3WHH barflies recorded a special Boxing Day edition, in which, following the obligatory McDonald's news for John and a breaking story that indicates President Trump really does mean it about def…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Special Christmas Day Edition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:33
Just how are you going to pass the time on Christmas Day after you've got the roast in the oven (at low temp, of course) and you've finished your obligatory annual screening of Die Hard? How about a special Christmas Day…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Santa's Tin Foil Hat Week [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:14
It's conspiracy theory week at the 3WHH, as host John Yoo guides us through the mysteries of the shootings at Brown University and MIT, the mystery of why an article about the corruption of the DEI world should suddenly…