
Bold Politics with Zack Polanski Why we stopped trusting politicians | Cody Dahler
Apr 2, 2026
Cody Dahler, author, satirist and online creator, sketches politics with sharp humour and bite. He talks about turning awful news into comedy. He explains making short social videos and editing remote collaborations. He argues comedians fill storytelling gaps as trust in politicians and media falls, and highlights billionaires and fossil fuels as the real foes.
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Growing Awareness Of Structural Causes
- People are becoming more aware of the systemic causes of crises rather than blaming individuals.
- Cody points to the oil crisis and Donald Trump as catalysts that exposed overreliance on fossil fuels and rotten systems.
Iterate Quickly To Find Social Hooks
- Learn hooks by doing consistent short-form content and iterating from what works.
- Cody says early videos were bad but posting, learning hooks and adding flashy starts improved reach.
Comedians Fill The Trust Gap
- Comedians are increasingly filling the trust gap left by politicians and media.
- Cody notes audiences sometimes say “you’re my news,” reflecting distrust in mainstream sources and politicians.

