In episode 1872 of the No Agenda Show, hosts Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak cast a skeptical eye on NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's vision of a $20 billion lunar economy. Broadcasting from the Texas Hill Country and Refinery Row on May 28, 2026, the duo deconstructs a week of high-volume media noise, questioning why the term 'lunar economy' became an unintentional punchline. The episode, titled 'Lunar Economy,' unpacks Isaacman's pitch for a permanent moon base, helium-3 extraction, and an orbital economy as part of NASA's Artemis timeline.
Curry and Dvorak's skepticism is palpable. Curry reacts to Isaacman's vision of helium-3 mining and quantum computing fuel sourced from the moon with a blunt assessment: 'Open the Straits, give me $3 gas, then we can talk about moon stuff. It's gonna be all the lunar economy.' Dvorak offers a meta-prediction that contradicts expectations of a spectacular Artemis failure: 'Nothing blows up, nothing happens. Yak yak yak. They're gonna talk talk talk. Send a couple of robots up there, and one of them will stop working.' This skepticism reflects a broader public doubt about the feasibility and priority of space ventures amid pressing earthly concerns.
The episode also covers Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's awkward turn at the White House podium and the new Trump Account savings app, as well as the third Ebola media cycle in two years. CDC acting director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya requests airport screening volunteers ahead of the FIFA World Cup, drawing scrutiny from the hosts. Additionally, teen takeover crackdowns in Polk County, Florida and Chicago include proposals to charge parents, and Ferrari's all-electric Luce, co-designed with Jony Ive, along with Mayor Mamdani's meetings with Jamie Dimon and David Solomon, round out the discussion.
Beyond space policy, the episode examines Marco Rubio's report on 20 third-country deportation agreements, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin's clawback of $29 billion in late-Biden disbursements, including a contested $2 billion grant tied to Stacey Abrams, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's claim of $4 billion in new lease sale revenue from the Permian, Bakken, and Alaska's North Slope. Curry reviews 'Young Washington' by Wonder Network, analyzes the Texas Senate runoff, and notes a Sydney drone-show glitch as a potential attack vector.
The No Agenda Show, a long-running, listener-supported podcast hosted by Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak, is known for its sharp commentary and media deconstruction. Episode 1872 is available now wherever podcasts are heard.
