This week on The A Collective, LV, Shannon, and Stacey are back navigating the absolute chaos that is… everything.

From a literal meteor hitting Ohio to escalating tensions with Iran, the hosts unpack the growing concerns around war, media suppression, and what feels like a full-blown global identity crisis. Add in airline meltdowns, TSA chaos, economic anxiety, and whatever is happening in the Oval Office… and yeah, it’s a lot.

They also dive into:

The fear of “Vietnam 2.0” comparisons

Media consolidation and what it means for truth

The economic ripple effects of oil, travel, and global instability

Trump’s latest unfiltered moments (including… Trumpstrodamus??)

Why the rest of the world is looking at the U.S. like 👀

And the real question: are we watching an empire fall in real time?

Plus: clown shoes, Target betrayal, and why the phrase “non-practicing white woman” might stick forever.

Buckle up. This one spirals—in the best way.

Another week, another political mess.

In this episode of The A Collective, Shannon, Stacey, and LV break down the latest chaos unfolding in American politics and global affairs.

This week’s conversation covers:

• Rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran

• Americans stranded abroad after escalating conflict

• Gas prices surging after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz

• The fallout from Kristi Noem’s controversial hearings

• Allegations of questionable government spending

• Texas political primaries shaking up the House

• The debate over Jasmine Crockett, Talarico, and the future of Democratic leadership

• Why Black women leaders still face resistance in American politics

• What the upcoming midterms could mean for Congress

As always, the hosts bring sharp commentary, humor, and a little sanity while trying to make sense of the week’s political chaos.

Because somehow… every week the mess gets bigger.

This week on The A Collective, Shannon, Stacey, and LV break down the absolute chaos surrounding the latest State of the Union and the political theater that came with it.

From rapid-fire fact checks and viral moments to the surreal guest lineup and internet reactions, the episode dives into how political messaging, media spectacle, and billionaire influence continue shaping the American narrative.

Also… somehow tonsil stones became part of the conversation.

Because apparently that’s the timeline we’re living in.

In this episode we discuss:

• Reactions to the latest State of the Union

• Viral moments and political theater in Washington

• Fact-checking the speech and misinformation cycles

• Billionaire influence in American politics

• How social media shapes political perception

• The internet’s weirdest moment of the week

It’s equal parts political commentary, cultural analysis, and three friends trying to process the absurdity of modern news.

Welcome to The A Collective.

Menopause gets reduced to hot flashes and night sweats — but the reality is far more complex.

In this episode of The A Collective, Shannon, Stacey, and LV sit down with Dr. Catherine Toomer, founder of the Total Weight Care Institute, to talk about what’s actually happening in women’s bodies during perimenopause and menopause.

From hormone loss and cortisol spikes to metabolism, GLP-1 medications, and painful symptoms women are often too embarrassed to talk about, this conversation breaks down the science and the cultural silence surrounding women’s health.

Dr. Toomer explains:

• Why menopause affects metabolism and weight

• How cortisol drives belly fat and insulin resistance

• The real role of GLP-1 medications

• Why hormone replacement therapy gets a bad reputation

• The connection between menopause and mental health

• Why painful sex and vaginal health deserve more discussion

• How medical misogyny shapes women’s healthcare

The hosts also reflect on how little many women were taught about menopause and why it’s time to start having honest conversations about it.

This episode is part science, part reality check, and part permission slip for women to advocate for their health.

Listen to the Full Episode

🎧 In this episode we discuss:

• menopause and cortisol

• hormone replacement therapy

• GLP-1 medications

• metabolic health

• sleep and stress

• painful sex and vaginal health

• the cultural silence around women’s bodies

It’s one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on the show.

And if you’re anywhere near your 30s, 40s, or 50s…

You’re going to want to hear it.

Hey baddies —

If it feels like everything is happening at once, it’s because it is.

This week’s episode of The A Collective covers what happens when accountability never shows up, information drops with zero guardrails, and the people telling the truth are the ones who get punished.

We’re talking about:

* The release of the Epstein files and why no one seems shocked anymore

* The arrest of four Black journalists while reporting at a Minneapolis church — and what that signals about press freedom

* Why intimidation of independent media should concern everyone

* And how cultural chaos (looking at you, Grammys) becomes a distraction instead of a reckoning

Along the way, we also get into protest culture, political exhaustion, parenting in the middle of all of this, and the strange normalization of behavior that should still horrify us.

And yes — Nicki Minaj makes an appearance. Unfortunately.

This conversation is sharp, uncomfortable at times, and honest — because pretending things are fine isn’t helping anyone.

👇

Watch / listen to the full episode below

Why we called this episode “85 Seconds to Midnight”

The Doomsday Clock doesn’t move for drama — it moves because experts believe we’re closer to global catastrophe than we’ve ever been.

That tension is the backdrop of this entire episode:

political recklessness, media suppression, disinformation, and a collective numbness that allows it all to keep happening.

If it feels heavy, that’s because it is.

BONUS SUBSCRIBER ONLY CONTENT

Gregstradamus, the doomsday clock, and a truly unfortunate Catherine O’Hara mix-up.

This bonus clip is what happens before we officially start recording, when the mics are hot, the brains are half-on, and nobody has decided to be serious yet.

What starts as a conversation about ominous predictions and global anxiety quickly turns into:

* Gregstradamus making the timeline worse

* A doomsday clock spiral

* Trump wanting to “own the sun”

* An accidental declaration that Catherine O’Hara had passed away

* And Stacey asking the only important question: where is Kristi Noem’s husband?

None of this made the main episode.

All of it felt very you had to be there.

So… we made it bonus content……… 💛

Welcome to Riverside Crimes Against Humanity — our weekly collection of unapproved, aggressively timed screenshots captured by Riverside mid-blink, mid-sentence, and mid-existential crisis.

This week’s Riverside highlights include:

multiple mid-blinks, at least one accidental duck face, several hostage-style camera angles, and one screenshot that looks like it was taken during a sneeze. Special shoutout to the frames where we appear both over-lit and under-rested — a true technical achievement. Riverside remains undefeated in the art of bad timing.

A quick thank you

Before you go — thank you for being here.

Whether you’re reading, listening, watching, or sharing, you’re part of a community that values truth, context, and calling things what they are — even when it’s uncomfortable.

That matters more than ever.

We want to hear from you:

👉 What part of this episode made you pause — or made something finally click?

Drop your thoughts in the comments. We read them. We mean that.

We’ll see you soon — with bonus content and whatever fresh chaos the next week brings.

In this episode of The A Collective, Shannon, Stacey, and LV unpack what happens when politics stops being “just politics” and starts impacting real lives.

From navigating friendships with MAGA supporters, to raising kids in a polarized world, to the role of church culture, prosperity gospel, and performative faith — this conversation gets honest, uncomfortable, and deeply personal.

The hosts explore:

Why human rights aren’t a difference of opinion

How parenting changes political boundaries

Why some friendships quietly fade — and others end abruptly

The tension between faith, power, and accountability

Why neutrality is no longer an option

This episode isn’t about party lines. It’s about values, safety, and what it means to stand ten toes down in a moment that demands clarity.

Welcome to 2026 — and no, we are not easing into it gently.

In this episode of The A Collective, we unpack the immediate fallout of ACA subsidy cuts, skyrocketing healthcare costs, and what it means when insurance decisions start overriding medical reality. From cancer treatment denials and Medicare absurdities to daycare funding cuts and the economic fantasy of “just stay home and have kids,” this conversation exposes how policy cruelty shows up in real life.

We also break down:

The weaponization of religion and propaganda

Why independent media (hello, Substack) is becoming essential

How misinformation spreads through influencers, podcasters, and paid narratives

What happens when leadership health becomes a national security concern

And why America feels less like a global leader and more like a cautionary tale

It’s funny, furious, deeply human — and exactly the energy this year deserves.

Buckle up. Buttercups.

It’s a chaos-filled holiday edition of The A Collective and honestly? We cannot get right.

From single-mom guilt and Pinterest-induced cookie overproduction, to the Epstein files debacle, political dysfunction, and Nicki Minaj’s very public villain era, this episode is unhinged in the most necessary way.

We break down:

Why the Epstein files are a mess and nobody is buying the rollout

Trump’s increasingly alarming behavior and why people are pretending it’s normal

How Republicans seized influencer culture — and why Democrats are behind

Healthcare subsidies, midterm strategy, and why messaging actually matters

Nicki Minaj’s Turning Point appearance and why tokens always get spent

It’s funny, furious, chaotic, and somehow still festive.

Merry Christmas. Give us the real Epstein files.