Daily Wire granted Matt Fradd unprecedented editorial freedom despite conservative audience
"Daily Wire hires a Catholic apologist. That's weird. I kind of feel like they still I still feel like they made a mistake. They don't realize it, but I'm like, you're going to realize it soon. My second episode was telling the Jews that the Catholic Church is the new Israel and they need to convert. I had an episode on Islam that was pretty blistering. I even published an article called Why Ted Cruz is wrong about Christian Zionism."
About this episode
Catholic apologist and podcaster Matt Fradd sits down with his wife Cameron for a wide-ranging conversation covering controversies, career decisions, and life updates on his show Last Call. The episode, recorded for Daily Wire where Fradd now works, addresses multiple flashpoints from recent months including his interview with Russell Brand, backlash from the Mormon community, and revelations about editorial processes at his new employer. Fradd offers a passionate defense of Brand's Christian conversion, citing evidence including Brand's two-year private relationship with Catholic Bible teacher Jeff Cavins, over a decade of sobriety, and a well-worn Bible that suggests genuine faith rather than performance. He pushes back against internet cynicism, arguing that people should extend charity unless they have concrete reasons for skepticism. The conversation also reveals internal confusion at Daily Wire, where Fradd's written attack on Joseph Smith was published as a company article rather than video content, giving an appearance of institutional endorsement that both Fradd and Daily Wire now acknowledge was a mistake. Fradd discloses the remarkable editorial freedom he has been granted, including publishing content telling Jews to convert to Catholicism and criticizing prominent conservative figures like Ted Cruz on Christian Zionism. Cameron Fradd observes that her husband has regained enthusiasm for his work after joining Daily Wire, noting that administrative burdens had been draining him at his previous independent operation. The couple also discusses their decision to remain in Florida rather than relocate to Nashville for Daily Wire, their upcoming 20th anniversary trip, Matt's plan to disconnect from technology during August, and his recent meeting with the Patriarch of Constantinople in Lithuania. Throughout the episode, Fradd demonstrates his commitment to unapologetically Catholic content even within a broader conservative media ecosystem.
Key takeaways
- Matt Fradd reveals Daily Wire published his anti-Mormon article without proper oversight, an error both he and the company now acknowledge gave inappropriate institutional endorsement to his personal religious views.
- Fradd defends Russell Brand's Christian conversion as genuine, citing Brand's two-year private study with Catholic teacher Jeff Cavins, decade of sobriety, well-worn Bible, and traditional Catholic wife as evidence against widespread skepticism.
- Catholic podcaster discloses Daily Wire has granted him unprecedented editorial freedom to publish content telling Jews to convert, criticizing Islam, attacking Mormonism, and contradicting conservative figures like Ted Cruz on Christian Zionism.
- Cameron Fradd observes her husband has regained professional enthusiasm after joining Daily Wire, which relieved him of administrative burdens that had been diminishing his creative energy at his independent operation.
- The Fradd family has decided to remain in Florida rather than relocate to Nashville for Daily Wire work, prioritizing stability especially given Cameron's ongoing health considerations and their children's homeschool situation.
- Fradd discusses his viral interview with Malcolm Muggeridge which surpassed one million views and crashed the guest's website from book sales, praising the conversational quality and pipe-smoking atmosphere.
- Matt Fradd met the Patriarch of Constantinople in Lithuania and was introduced simply as a podcaster, also narrowly missing an opportunity to meet Pope Benedict XVI's former private secretary at the same event.