Air date: 2/12/2026

About the Show

A Show With No Name with Marlon Weems and Arturo Dominguez digs into the week’s political chaos, media narratives, and the business incentives shaping power. This episode centered on DOJ politics, the Epstein files, immigration enforcement, market corruption, and the Democratic Party’s strategy crisis.

Key Themes

* Pam Bondi & DOJ credibility: The hosts react to Bondi’s combative congressional performance, especially her refusal to clearly condemn hiring a Jan. 6 participant and her posture toward oversight, arguing it reflects a deeper collapse of institutional norms.

* Epstein files & elite impunity: They argue the continued downplaying of the Epstein files is indefensible, noting that if full accountability would “collapse the system,” then the system deserves to collapse. They stress this should transcend party politics.

* Immigration & private detention profiteering: The conversation highlights how detention has become a business model—billions in public money flowing to private facilities—creating perverse incentives to hold people longer rather than process cases faster.

* Constitutional rights vs. enforcement theater: They criticize warrantless searches, masked raids, and militarized optics, arguing this is about power and profit more than public safety.

* Market manipulation & political corruption: Drawing on Marlon’s finance background, they discuss extreme market swings around tariff announcements and the appearance of insider trading by political figures, calling this era uniquely corrupt.

* Democrats: opposition or caretakers? Citing commentary about party leadership, they argue that too many Democrats are waiting their “turn at the wheel” instead of actively confronting authoritarian drift.

* 2028 and the bench: They’re skeptical of a Gavin Newsom–style “consultant-driven” politics and stress the need for candidates who can actually energize voters, not just manage optics.

* Texas politics check-in: The episode closes with a look at Texas races, turnout challenges, and the need for more firebrand energy rather than cautious centrism.

Why It Matters

The throughline is institutional decay plus profit motives: from DOJ credibility, to immigration detention, to crypto and market games, the hosts argue we’re watching a system that increasingly protects insiders, monetizes suffering, and shrugs at accountability—while politics debates vibes instead of consequences.

Notable Moments

* The blunt reaction to Bondi’s performance at her most recent congressional hearing and the hiring of a pardoned Jan. 6 participant.

* The “if it collapses the system, let it collapse” line on the Epstein files.

* The breakdown of how detention math turns human lives into a revenue stream.

* The warning that today’s market behavior and political crypto ventures would have been career-ending scandals in any prior era.

Air date 11/14/2025

Guest: Jacquie Verbal, founder of BlackstackHost: Marlon Weems, The Journeyman

Opening

In this episode, Marlon welcomes Jacquie Verbal and frames the conversation around independent journalism, Black creators, and building durable media outside legacy institutions.

The Journeyman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

What Is Blackstack?

* Blackstack began as a Substack publication and evolved into a print-first, creator-owned platform for Black writers.

* Jacquie curates and edits unpublished work by Black authors, helping them grow visibility and audience.

* The project now includes a print magazine, zines, and a growing subscriber base (~12,000).

Why Print Still Matters

* Jacquie argues that digital platforms are fragile—algorithms change, companies pivot, platforms disappear.

* Print creates permanence, ownership, and community connection.

* Zines are a bridge between digital writing and physical media, allowing writers to control their work and distribution.

Zines, Workshops, and Ownership

* Monthly zine workshops teach writers how to turn newsletters into physical artifacts.

* A new membership model allows creators to sell their zines, retaining ownership.

* Core philosophy: Black writers should not have to surrender control of their stories to publish.

Substack as a Growth Engine—and a Risk

* Both discuss how the Substack app dramatically expanded discoverability, especially for Black writers.

* Marlon breaks down Substack’s business model:

* Revenue tied to paid subscribers (10% platform cut).

* Rapid growth in paid subs → rising valuation.

* Recent funding rounds signal a likely future IPO.

* Upside: growth, tools, audience.

* Risk: dependency on a platform ultimately owned and controlled by powerful investors.

Valuation and Creator Power

* Marlon draws parallels between Blackstack and high-profile creator exits (podcasts, newsletters, media brands).

* Key point: Small, independent creator businesses have real enterprise value.

* The lesson isn’t envy—it’s strategy.

Media Gatekeeping & Double Standards

* Sharp critique of legacy media:

* Stories buried (Epstein/Trump).

* Ethical failures are excused when profitable.

* Questionable figures are elevated while serious Black work is ignored.

* Discussion of how Black journalists are held to higher standards while others are rehabilitated for clicks and book sales.

Memoir, Memory, and Why Documentation Matters

* Marlon reflects on his memoir and doubts about traditional publishing.

* Jacquie pushes back: documentation is resistance.

* Black history, Black institutions, and Black firsts must be recorded—especially when institutions won’t do it for us.

Closing Theme

The future isn’t asking for permission.It’s:

* Owning your work

* Building parallel institutions

* Creating value where none was “supposed” to exist

As Jacquie puts it, the goal is not just to be seen, but to leave receipts.