Topic: Taco Bell

The discussion on ultra-processed foods shifted to the economics of healthy eating, with the hosts arguing that home-cooked meals are often cheaper than fast food. They cited the example of a Taco Bell tostada, which can be replicated at home for a fraction of the price using higher-quality ingredients. Listeners were encouraged to buy beef directly from ranchers to save money and improve their metabolic health, particularly in low-income settings.

A rapid-fire news segment covers Dollar Tree closing 1,000 stores, the European Union's approval of the Artificial Intelligence Act, and Taco Bell closing dining rooms in Oakland due to crime. The segment also touches on the failed partnership between Elon Musk and Don Lemon on the X platform.

The hosts contrast "native advertising"—ads that look like news stories—with their own "value-for-value" model. They mock the "seamless" integration of brands into podcasting, using Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza and Oreo research as examples of corporate manipulation. The segment emphasizes that No Agenda was built on listener support rather than the "midroll ads" that have become standard in the industry.

The episode wraps up with a humorous anecdote about an ant invasion and a musical montage featuring themes of "Value for Value." The mix includes news clips about the popularity of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza and a study comparing the addictive qualities of Oreos to drugs. The hosts sign off with their traditional "Adios Mofos" and a reminder to support the show at dvorak.org/na.

George Monbiot proposed replacing traditional meat with "microbial protein" produced through precision fermentation in factories. Simultaneously, Taco Bell is testing a new soy and pea protein meat alternative in Alabama, a move the hosts compare to the futuristic "Demolition Man" scenario where all restaurants are Taco Bells.

Taco Bell is launching "Mexican Pizza: The Musical" on TikTok featuring Dolly Parton and Doja Cat to celebrate the return of the menu item. This follows a suspicious two-minute segment on NPR that appeared to be an undisclosed native advertisement. The discussion also critiques Taco Bell's experimental menu items, such as their "mealy" seasoned french fries.

The hosts identify a two-minute segment on NPR about the return of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza as a "native ad." The piece features comedian Rima Parikh discussing the item's popularity among South Asian Americans. The hosts argue the segment's precise timing and promotional content violate NPR's traditional journalistic standards.

National delivery delays are causing "outages" of food and beverage items at Taco Bell and Starbucks, including a shortage of hot sauce. The used car market is also seeing extreme inflation, with dealers offering thousands of dollars over lease payoffs for three-year-old vehicles. These disruptions are attributed to a combination of labor shortages and quasi-universal basic income policies.

A Taco Bell employee's video went viral after he was fired for refusing to remove a Black Lives Matter face mask. The manager in the video claimed the mask violated company policy against bringing politics into the workplace, while the employee argued he was standing up for his community. The incident sparked the trending hashtag RIP Taco Bell and calls for the manager's termination.

A satirical interview segment features "Bill" from a taco shell manufacturing facility. The discussion touches on the absurdity of corporate "native ad" podcasts and the engineering of "stand-up" taco shells with flat bottoms.

A host provided a scathing review of the new Burger King hard-shell taco, describing it as a "soggy piece of shit" that fails to live up to its commercial imagery. The discussion compared the product to the Jack in the Box taco and criticized Taco Bell's recent attempt to enter the french fry market. The hosts joked about starting a "Shellcast" podcast dedicated to taco reviews.

Israeli firm Aleph Farms is developing cultured meat grown from cells in a lab, aiming to provide a slaughter-free alternative to traditional beef. Proponents argue this technology is necessary to meet global demand and combat climate change. Skeptics question the "mouthfeel" and texture of lab-grown steaks compared to natural cuts of meat.

Adam Curry revisits a 2013 clip from ABC News that he now identifies as an early example of "native advertising." The segment featured a human-interest story about customers "screaming" for a new Taco Bell product. Curry argues that major news networks frequently integrate paid corporate promotions into their standard news broadcasts under the guise of reporting.

Taco Bell has begun printing various slogans on its hot sauce packets, including "Will you marry me?" and "Why say no when you can say yes?" These messages are analyzed as a calculated PR move designed to generate free media coverage when a customer eventually uses a packet for a marriage proposal.

NBC's *Rock Center with Brian Williams* is criticized for a segment featuring Chelsea Clinton interviewing the Geico Gecko. The hosts argue that this "shameless plug" for the insurance mascot's new book represents the total corruption of news media, where advertisements are presented as editorial content. This is compared to recent long-form promotional segments for Taco Bell on other networks.

The hosts analyze a lengthy segment on ABC's Nightline that praised Taco Bell's marketing and corporate culture. They suggest the piece was a "make-good" for advertisers following a report by Diane Sawyer on a salmonella outbreak linked to the restaurant chain.

CNN's "Starting Point" with Soledad O'Brien featured a segment promoting Taco Bell's new "Cantina Bell" gourmet menu created by Chef Lorena Garcia. The hosts criticize the segment as blatant product placement disguised as news, noting that the entire panel was shown eating and endorsing the food. They argue this represents a decline in journalistic integrity and a blurring of the lines between news and advertising.

The hosts revisit the Taco Bell promotion on CNN, highlighting the repetitive nature of the "gourmet" narrative across different news segments. They note the inclusion of a money-back guarantee in the reporting, which further aligns the news content with a commercial sales pitch. The segment is described as a "disgusting episode in the history of broadcasting."

Sean Palladino, a Taco Bell employee from New Jersey, contributed to the show despite previous banter regarding his employment. He suggested the purchase of the "noagenda.bs" domain name, though the hosts preferred he keep his funds for personal expenses given his "value for value" support.

Adam Curry describes a "Doritos Pouch" meal served at a charity event in Austin for musicians. The dish consists of chili, sour cream, and cheese served directly inside a small bag of Doritos, a snack also known as "goulash" in some prison systems.