Posting Through It 087: The Dark, Horny World of The Daily Wire’s 'Lady Ballers' [Preview]
Mar 12, 2026
They revisit a 2023 conservative feature film as a cultural artifact. They unpack why conservative outlets invest in entertainment to counter liberal influence. They note the film’s contrived premise, production problems, budget and ad spend. They trace one executive’s celebrity ambitions and the outlet’s larger struggles and waning influence.
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Movie Built As Conservative Counter-Programming
- Lady Ballers was produced as conservative counter-programming to capitalize on anti-woke cultural moments.
- Jared Holt and Michael Edison Hayden tie it to Matt Walsh's What Is A Woman and the Daily Wire's attempt to manufacture a grievance-driven narrative about trans athletes.
Big Spend With Questionable Returns
- The Daily Wire invested heavily despite low commercial payoff: roughly $7 million to produce and $1.6 million on targeted Meta ads.
- Michael Edison Hayden and Jared use these figures to show the project was donor- and ideology-driven rather than profit-first.
Donor Funding Drives Ideological Content
- Right-wing donors bankroll culture production because they view politics as downstream from culture, driving projects that prioritize messaging over market success.
- Jared links this to Andrew Breitbart's influence and wealthy ideological donors funding PragerU-style efforts.