Speaker 1: Calarougus Shark Media Welcome to Acting President, Episode three momentum.
Speaker 2: Bennett stared at the secret service agent, the mysterious text
message burning in his pocket. Agent Mills watched him with
professional patience, waiting for an answer to her question. Mister Bennett,
is there something you'd like to tell me? He made
a split second decision. No, he said, slipping his phone
back into his pocket. No one has approached me with
anything unusual, though I've received some passionate messages from fans
of the show. Agent Mills studied him, her expression revealing
nothing I see. Well, we believe these individuals may attempt
to contact you in the near future. If they do,
I strongly encourage you to inform us immediately. She handed
him a business card, my direct line any time, day
or night. After she left, Bennett paced his living room,
the weight of what was happening pressing down on him.
He checked his phone again, no follow up to the
mysterious text. He poured himself a drink and turned on
the news. Cable networks were running wall to wall coverage
of the Pope's sudden death. President Stillman would be traveling
to Rome for the funeral, leaving the vice president in
charge domestically, the markets had tumbled another one two hundred points,
but that story was buried beneath the Vatican coverage in
speculation about who would succeed the pontiff. Bennett's phone buzzed
another unknown number. New location, Malibu Shores in room two
one two, nine pm. Come alone, use service entrance? Should
he go? Should he call agent Mills? Bennett felt like
he was living in an episode of his own show,
the lines between performer and character dissolving. His curiosity went
out at eight forty five pm. He drove himself to
the hotel, using a baseball cap in sunglasses as a
flimsy disguise. The service entrance was unguarded, and he made
his way to the second floor without being recognized. He
knocked on Room two one two. Victor Harding opened the door,
but he wasn't alone. Inside the suite were three people
Bennett didn't recognize. A man in his sixties with military posture,
a younger woman with the clipped speech patterns of intelligence
community veterans, and a tech industry type complete with expensive
casual wear and a smart watch that probably cost more
than most cars. Jimmy come in Harding said, we were
just discussing your show. We're big fans, the military man said,
with a thin smile, particularly the premise. Over the next hour,
Bennett listened as the group laid out their concerns about
President Stillman's administration, foreign policy blunders, economic mismanagement, judicial overreach,
constitutional violations. They spoke in measured, reasonable tones, positioning themselves
not as radicals but as concerned patriots. We're not talking
about violence, the woman emphasized. We're talking about leveraging institutions,
legal frameworks, and public opinion to affect a transition, a
course correction. The tech executive added, using the phrase from
Bennett's show. Bennett felt a chill. This sounds like treason
dressed up in patriotic language. It's only treason if you lose,
the military man replied, matter of factly, if you succeed,
it's called saving the republic. Why me, Bennett asked, I'm
an actor, a former governor, yes, but I'm out of
politics because the public trusts you. Harding said, your approval
ratings as governor were historic. Even people who disagreed with
your policies respected your integrity, and now with this show,
you've planted the idea in the public's mind. Already, they're
primed for it. Bennett stood up, I think I've heard enough.
We're not asking for a decision tonight. Harding said, quickly,
just think about it. Watch what's happening around you. The
coincidence is remarkable, the tech executive added, your show airing
at this particular moment, almost like fate. Bennett left feelings shaken.
He hadn't agreed to anything, but he hadn't immediately reported
them either. Was that complicity or just curiosity. The next
morning brought news that Pantheon Plus was organizing a special
screening event for episode three of The Insurgent in Times Square.
The network was going all in on the viral momentum,
turning a television show into a cultural phenomenon. Emma called excited.
They want you there. This is unprecedented, a streaming show
getting this kind of public event. It's going to be massive.
Bennett hesitated, but agreed. What choice did he have. His
contract obligated him to promotional appearances, and besides, it was
just a TV show, wasn't it. The day of the screening,
Bennett arrived in a black SUV to find Times Square transformed.
Massive screens displayed his face, the show's logo, and the
now ubiquitous slogan America needs a course correction. What surprised
him wasn't the Pantheon Plus marketing. It was the crowd.
Thousands had gathered, many wearing T shirts with a slogan
that Pantheon Plus staff were distributing, but mixed among them
were people with homemade signs Bennett twenty twenty eight course correction.
Now stillman must go. Some look like fans excited about
a TV show, but others had the intensity of political
true believers. This is unexpected, Bennett murmured to Emma as
they navigated through the security cordin it's going viral in
a way no one predicted, she replied. The network is thrilled.
Political engagement drives viewership. Bennett took the stage to thunderous applause.
He'd prepared some light remarks about the show, but looking
out at the crowd, seeing the fervor in their eyes,
he felt uncomfortable. This didn't feel like entertainment anymore. It
felt like a movement. He kept his comments brief, thanking
fans for watching and praising the writers and crew as
he spoke, he noticed signs in the crowd addressing real
political issues tariffs, inflation, foreign policy failures. One large banner
read fiction Today, Reality Tomorrow. After the screening, as Bennett
was being escorted back to his vehicle, a young man
broke through security and thrust a folded paper into his
hand before being tackled by guards. It's happening, Governor, the
young man shouted as he was dragged away. We're ready
when you are in the car. Bennett unfolded the paper.
It contained a crude map of Washington, d C with
several locations marked and a date three weeks away, the
day Episode six of The Insurgent was scheduled to air.
He should turn this over to Agent Mills immediately. Instead,
he folded it and put it in his pocket. Back
at his hotel, Bennett watched news coverage of the Times
Square event. Cable networks were treating it as entertainment news,
but with political undertones. Is Bennett testing the waters for
a political comeback? One kiren? Another course correction, TV slogan
or political movement? His phone rang an unknown number. You
saw the crowd today, said Victor Harding, without preamble. That's
just the beginning. People are looking for leadership, Jimmy, They're
looking for you. It's a TV show, Victor, you're reading
too much into this, am I check social media. People
are organizing course correction rallies in thirty cities already no
prompting from Pantheon. Plus this is organic. People are using
your show as a vehicle for their frustration. Bennett ended
the call and checked x Harding was right. The hashtag
was trending with thousands of posts. Some were clearly about
the show, but many were using it to express political discontent.
Videos showed groups gathering in public spaces wearing the slogan,
discussing both the show and real world politics in the
same breath. What had he started?
Speaker 3: Welcome to Insurgent Theory. I'm Garrett Fisher, and if you
thought things were getting intense before, Episode three of The
Insurgent just poured gasoline on the fire. Let me catch
everyone up. In this episode, Bennett's character finalizes his inner
circle the retired general, the tech billionaire, and the intelligence
officer we met last week, but he also adds a
crucial fourth member, a media strategist who proposes using entertainment
as cover for their activities. People will see what they
expect to see, she tells Bennett. If they expect a
promotion for a TV show, that's what they'll see. That
line sent chills down my spine. The episode centers around
Bennett's character making his first public statement that could be
interpreted as political position. He appears on a talk show
to promote a fictional charity but works in criticisms of
the administration that sound exactly like the real Bennett's comments
when he was governor. The in show audience eats it up,
and social media goes wild, interpreting whether it's just good
acting or a real political statement. Sound familiar because that's
exactly what's happening in real life right now. Yesterday's Times
Square event was supposed to be a simple screening, but
it turned into something between a fan convention and a
political rally. People showed up with political signs, They chanted
slogans from the show. When Bennett took the stage, they
went absolutely wild. Pantheon Plus claims they're just promoting a
television show, but they're clearly leaning into the political angle.
Those Coarse Correction T shirts they were handing out, they
have Bennett's face on the back and nothing identifying them
as show merchandise. They could easily be campaign shirts. The
question everyone's asking is this brilliant marketing or the start
of a political movement? And is Bennett in on it?
He seemed uncomfortable at the Time Square event. His remarks
were brief and strictly about the show. But the crowd
wasn't there just for entertainment. They were there for him,
for what he represents. And here's where the coincidences I've
been harping on get even stranger. In the show, Episode
three features a public gathering that starts as entertainment but
morphs into something political, exactly like what happened yesterday in
Times Square. The show was filmed months ago. How could
they have predicted this? Here's my theory. Bennett's using the
show to test public appetite for his political ideas without
the risk of declaring candidacy. It's a trial balloon. If
people reject it, he can say it was just acting.
If they embrace it, as they seem to be doing,
he has a ready made platform and supporter base. Social
media is all already organizing course correction rallies in cities
across the country. No official connection to Pantheon Plus, no
connection to Bennett, just citizens gathering to express their frustration
with the current administration, using the show's language as their framework.
Episode four drops next Sunday, and previews suggests we'll see
Bennett's character making his move more explicitly. I'm willing to
bet real world events will continue to mirror the show
in uncanny ways. If you're loving these theories, follow insurgent
theory from Calaroga Shark Media wherever you get your podcasts
Until next week, I'm Garrett Fischer reminding you that sometimes
the most powerful movements don't look like movements at all,
until suddenly they do.
Speaker 2: The day after the Times Square event, Bennett met with
Pantheon Plus executives at their New York offices. The network
was ecstatic about the publicity and the surge and streaming numbers.
Thinking Bigger, said Melissa, head of Marketing. These public viewings
are gold. We want to do them for each remaining
episode in different cities Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Phoenix, Detroit, Vegas.
I see Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Swing States. How am
I supposed to duct the political angle? Bennett asked cautiously.
The executives exchange glances. We're not encouraging it, Chen said,
but we're not discouraging it either. The ambiguity is driving engagement.
People are organizing their own events, another executive added, using
the course correction slogan for actual political rallies. It's beyond
anything we could have orchestrated. Bennett felt uneasy. Don't you
think there's a responsibility here. People are blurring fiction and reality.
That's the beauty of it, Melissa said, with undisguised enthusiasm.
Conversation around the show has become bigger than the show itself.
We're thinking about merchandise, expanded universe content, possibly even a
documentary about the phenomenon. Bennett left the meeting disturbed the
network saw dollar signs where he saw danger. They were
fueling something they didn't understand and couldn't control. Back in
his hotel room, he turned on the news. A segment
showed Coarse Correction gatherings in several cities, people wearing the
shirts carrying signs, discussing both the show and their political grievances.
In the same conversations. His phone rang agent Mills. Mister Bennett,
we need to talk, she said, without preamble. These gatherings,
they're attracting extremist elements, people who've been on watch lists,
people with violent histories. It's just a TV show, Bennett said,
weekly the excuse sounding hollow even to himself. Is it
because it's starting to look like something else? Her voice hardened.
Did anyone approach you after we spoke? Anyone at all?
Bennett hesitated? Should he tell her about the hotel meeting,
about the paper thrust into his hand at Times Square.
Before he could decide, a breaking news alert flashed across
his television. A military convoy had been spotted outside Washington,
d C. Conducting what the Pentagon called routine exercises. The
talking head soon went back to speculating about the next pope,
but social media was buzzing with conspiracy theories, some connecting
it to the insurgent mister Bennett. Agent Mills prompted, I
have to go, Bennett said, ending the call abruptly. His
phone immediately buzzed with a text from Harding. Turn on
the news. It's starting.
Speaker 1: Acting President has been a production of Caloroga Shark Media
executive producers John MacDermott and Mark Francis. Elements of a
I have been used in the production of this episode.