Pursuit of the Truth Episode 2 Recap: The Federal Reserve, gun rights, a transgendered rockstar, and more

Catch up on Episode 1 and Episode 2 of Pursuit of The Truth - Now ON DEMAND with TheBlaze TV!

The search for the next great documentary and documentary filmmaker continued this week on Pursuit of the Truth. This week, the judges headed to Dallas, TX and New York City to find out if any of the applicants had the concept and the skills to make their dream a reality.

Kelvin Owens kicked things off with his idea for An American Intervention, which takes aim at the untold causes of America’s economic turmoil and The Federal Reserve. Craig and Peter were impressed by his concept and character, but Daniel couldn’t disagree more. He felt that he was going in with a thesis and an agenda, but without any real story behind his documentary.

Up next was Drew McCullough, whose film A Life of Fulfillment would seek to use the culture of snowboarding to show the wonders of capitalism. He wants to bring a group of young, anti-establishment snowboarders to South America in order to celebrate the values of liberty and capitalism. Craig thought the pitch was genius, but again Daniel was a voice of dissent. He believed there were too many tangential storylines and didn’t know if a group of friends going to hang out in Argentina would cut it as the next great documentary.

Texas-native Hilary Kitzman pitched her idea for Fight Like a Girl, a documentary that would show one woman overcoming her fear of guns and how she came to see it as a tool to protect herself in a violent world. For the first time in the episode, Daniel was really supportive of the contestant’s pitch and saw it as an opportunity for a strong female voice to be a part of the gun debate. Hilary promised to interview other women who have used guns in self-defense, bringing an oft-ignored perspective to the forefront. While the concept got the judges talking, all three judges questioned her filmmaking skillset and ability to successfully create the documentary.

Check out Hilary’s pitch below:

The quirkiest idea of the night, A Beautiful Mine, came from Maggie Nelson, whose submission video was heavily influenced by indie hits like Juno and Moonrise Kingdom. She promised to deliver an adventure-quest that will follow a man named Myron back to his hometown in search of an ancient Native American mine that he first heard about as a young boy. This was another hit with the usually critical Daniel Chalfen who loved the storytelling and marketing potential, and Peter Billingsley loved the amount of structure already in place in her pitch. Craig Hatkoff, on the other hand, wasn’t impressed. He questioned Maggie’s ability to really deliver on any of the elements of the pitch.

David Rufful came to the table with a topic that will be sure to please TheBlaze audience members. In The Dartmouth Review Pleads Innocent, Rufful wants to tell a story that would be Animal House meets Newsroom, where a group of young conservatives used some pretty crazy antics (bringing live animals on campus to form the “Student Club for Bestiality” to challenge the college’s decision to fund groups based on sexuality) in order to express their political viewpoints. The judges all loved the concept, and thought it had the potential to be a fun and irreverent entry into the mix. But like most of the first time filmmakers, they questioned his ability to get the job done.

The entry that will likely raise the most eyebrows came from Dan Quigley and his idea for the film The Journey of Mina, starring a transgender rock star who for a long time was known as heavy metal rockstar Keith, but is now Mina. Despite encountering opposition from her fans, Mina is preparing to release a new album and Quigley wants to follow her journey. Will it be an agenda-driven film? Or will it be a solid story that could end up being a great film? The judges were torn, but clearly were impressed by his unique and compelling concept.

Watch Quigley’s pitch below:

Next week: Six contestants are picked to move on as semi-finalists, who then set out to produce a two-minute teaser for their documentary feature!

 

COVID is back! Or that is what we’re being told anyway...

A recent spike in COVID cases has triggered the left's alarm bells, and the following institutions have begun to reinstate COVID-era mandates. You might want to avoid them if you enjoy breathing freely...

Do YOU think institutions should bring back COVID-era mandates if cases increase? Let us know your thoughts HERE.

Morris Brown College

Both of Upstate Medical's hospitals in Syracuse, New York

Corey Henry / Senior Staff Photographer | The Daily Orange

Auburn Community Hospital, New York

Kevin Rivoli / The Citizen | Auburn Pub

Lionsgate Studio

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor | GETTY IMAGES

United Health Services in New York

Kaiser Permanente in California

Justin Sullivan / Staff | GETTY IMAGES

There was a time when both the Left and the Right agreed that parents have the final say in raising their children... Not anymore.

In the People's Republic of California, the STATE, not parents, will determine whether children should undergo transgender treatments. The California state legislature just passed a law that will require judges in child custody cases to consider whether parents support a child’s gender transition. According to the law, the state now thinks total affirmation is an integral part of a child’s “health, safety, and welfare.”

We are inching closer to a dystopia where the state, not the parents, have ultimate rights over their children, a history that people from former Soviet nations would feign repeating.

Glenn dove into the law AND MORE in this episode titled, "Parental Advisory: The EXPLICIT plot to control YOUR kids." To get all the research that went into this episode AND information on how YOU can fight back, enter your email address below:

If you didn't catch Wednesday night's Glenn TV special, be sure to check it out HERE!

The Biden admin has let in MORE illegal aliens than the populations of THESE 15 states

GUILLERMO ARIAS / Contributor | Getty Images

There are currently an estimated 16.8 MILLION illegal aliens residing in the United States as of June 2023, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). This number is already 1.3 million higher than FAIR's January 2022 estimate of 15.5 million and a 2.3 million increase from its end-of-2020 estimate. Even Democrats like New York City's Mayor Adams Mayor Adams are waking up to what Conservatives have been warning for years: we are in a border CRISIS.

However, this isn't the same border crisis that Republicans were warning about back in 2010. In the first two years of the Biden administration alone, the illegal alien population increased by 16 PERCENT nationwide, imposing a whopping net cost of $150.6 BILLION PER YEAR on American taxpayers. That is nearly DOUBLE the total amount that the Biden administration has sent to Ukraine.

This isn't the same border crisis that Republicans were warning about back in 2010.

These large numbers often make it difficult to conceptualize the sheer impact of illegal immigration on the United States. To put it in perspective, we have listed ALL 15 states and the District of Colombia that have smaller populations than the 2.3 MILLION illegal immigrants, who have entered the U.S. under the Biden administration. That is more than the entire populations of Wyoming, Vermont, and South Dakota COMBINED—and the American taxpayers have to pay the price.

Here are all 16 states/districts that have FEWER people than the illegal immigrants who have entered the U.S. under the Biden administration.

1. New Mexico

Population: 2,110,011

2. Idaho

Population: 1,973,752

3. Nebraska

Population: 1,972,292

4. West Virginia

Population: 1,764,786

5. Hawaii

Population: 1,433,238

6. New Hampshire

Population: 1,402,957

7. Maine

Population: 1,393,442

8. Montana

Population: 1,139,507

9. Rhode Island

Population: 1,090,483

10. Delaware

Population: 1,031,985

11. South Dakota

Population: 923,484

12. North Dakota

Population: 780,588

13. Alaska

Population: 732,984

14. Washington DC

Population: 674,815

15. Vermont

Population: 647,156

16. Wyoming

Population: 583,279

POLL: Should the Government control the future of AI?

The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

Earlier this week, tech titans, lawmakers, and union leaders met on Capitol Hill to discuss the future of AI regulation. The three-hour meeting boasted an impressive roster of tech leaders including, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and others, along with more than 60 US Senators.

Tech Titans and Senators gathered in the Kennedy Caucus Room.The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

The meeting was closed to the public, so what was exactly discussed is unknown. However, what we do know is that a majority of the CEOs support AI regulation, the most vocal of which is Elon Musk. During the meeting, Musk called AI "a double-edged sword" and strongly pushed for regulation in the interest of public safety.

A majority of the CEOs support AI regulation.

Many other related issues were discussed, including the disruption AI has caused to the job market. As Glenn has discussed on his program, the potential for AI to alter or destroy jobs is very real, and many have already felt the effects. From taxi drivers to Hollywood actors and writers, AI's presence can be felt everywhere and lawmakers are unsure how to respond.

The potential for AI to alter or destroy jobs is very real.

Ultimately, the meeting's conclusion was less than decisive, with several Senators making comments to the tune of "we need more time before we act." The White House is expected to release an executive order regarding AI regulation by the end of the year. But now it's YOUR turn to tell us what YOU think needs to be done!

Should A.I. be regulated?

Can the government be trusted with the power to regulate A.I.? 

Can Silicon Valley be trusted to regulate AI? 

Should AI development be slowed for safety, despite its potential advantages?

If a job can be done cheaper and better by AI, should it be taken away from a human?

Do you feel that your job is threatened by AI?