Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang Criticize Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s Senate Bid on Podcast, Sparking Heated Debate And Calls For Cancellation

On a new episode of their culture and comedy podcast “Las Culturistas, ” co-hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang urged listeners not to financially support Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s bid for the U. S. Senate in Texas, saying donations to her campaign would be a “waste” of money because they believe she cannot win statewide. The remarks, which circulated widely after being highlighted by conservative media, come as Crockett’s candidacy draws intensified scrutiny from within the Democratic Party over her chances in a Republican-leaning state.

Rogers’ critique of Crockett came during a recurring “Las Culturistas” segment in which he takes one minute to “rant, rail, rave” and “hopefully change hearts and minds” about cultural and political topics. In this installment, he focused on what he described as self-centered political behavior, grouping Rep. Jasmine Crockett with other high-profile Democratic figures he views as overly focused on their personal brands.

“Anytime a politician is making it too obviously about themselves, I’m already done, ” Rogers said on the podcast. He then directly addressed Crockett’s race: “And don’t waste your money sending to Jasmine Crockett. Do not do it. ”

Yang, a former “Saturday Night Live” cast member and Rogers’ co-host, voiced agreement with the warning. After Rogers repeated that people should not spend their “hard enough to come by” money on Crockett’s Senate run, Yang responded, “I must agree, ” reinforcing the message to the show’s audience.

Rogers went on to clarify that his criticism was not personal toward Crockett as an individual but based on his assessment of electoral dynamics in Texas. “She’s not going to win a Senate seat in Texas, you guys, ” he said, arguing the state’s recent history indicates significant structural challenges for Democrats in statewide races. To illustrate this point, he compared Crockett’s prospects to those of former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who lost a closely watched Senate contest against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018 despite national fundraising and attention.

“If Beto O’Rourke couldn’t do it, Jasmine Crockett is not going to do it, ” Rogers stated, presenting the O’Rourke campaign as a benchmark for statewide Democratic performance in Texas.

The episode also included broader political commentary, with Rogers and Yang criticizing California Gov. Gavin Newsom and reflecting on their vocal support for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Yang said he now regrets his earlier, emphatic “Hillary stan” posture from the early days of “Las Culturistas, ” while Rogers defended their past stance as an attempt to help Democrats win. These reflections were part of a wider conversation about how public figures, including entertainers, engage with electoral politics.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, an outspoken Texas Democrat first elected to the U. S. House in 2022, is now running for the U. S. Senate seat in a state that has not elected a Democrat statewide in decades. Crockett has gained national attention for her sharp questioning in congressional hearings and for frequent viral moments on social media platforms such as X and Instagram, where she often addresses voting rights, racial justice, and attacks on LGBTQ+ communities.

According to reporting cited by Fox Digital, some House Democrats have raised concerns about Crockett’s viability in a statewide race, questioning whether her highly defined public profile—marked by a confrontational style and strong progressive branding—can translate into winning over moderate or conservative voters required for a Texas Senate victory. An AOL recap of the controversy similarly characterized Yang and Rogers as “left-wing comedians” whose comments align with worries from some within the party about Crockett’s perceived self-focus and electability.

Fox News Digital reported that Crockett’s office was contacted for comment on the podcast segment, but no response was included in the outlet’s coverage at the time of publication. As of the reporting by Fox News and AOL, there was no widely cited direct response from Crockett addressing Rogers’ and Yang’s remarks.

Crockett has previously used forceful language in public comments about structural barriers in Texas, including an expletive-laced criticism of a Supreme Court decision related to Texas redistricting, which has been cited by conservative media outlets as evidence of her combative political style. Those earlier statements contribute to the narrative, emphasized by critics, that she is a highly polarizing figure.

Rogers and Yang are widely recognized in entertainment and LGBTQ+ cultural spaces: Yang as a “Saturday Night Live” alum and Rogers as a comedian and actor, with both co-hosting “Las Culturistas, ” a podcast produced by iHeartRadio that blends pop culture analysis with political commentary. Their conversation about Crockett illustrates how entertainment figures with large audiences can influence small-donor political giving, especially among younger, politically engaged listeners, including many LGBTQ+ people who follow their work.

In the episode, Rogers explicitly referenced his own past experience donating to Democratic candidates as a cautionary tale. He cited his financial support for Sara Gideon’s unsuccessful 2020 Senate campaign in Maine against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, describing it as an example of money spent on a race that did not achieve the intended outcome. “Take it from someone who sent Sara Gideon a ton of money in Maine, ” Rogers said, linking his advice about Crockett’s race to his personal history as a donor.

He also stressed the economic pressures that many potential donors face, noting that money is “hard enough to come by, ” and arguing that people should focus their resources on races he believes are more winnable. Yang endorsed this broader concern, agreeing that supporters should be strategic with their contributions.

While the immediate controversy centers on electoral strategy, Crockett’s campaign has broader implications for representation, particularly for Black women and LGBTQ+ communities that have supported candidates who emphasize civil rights, democracy protections, and protections for marginalized people. As a Democratic lawmaker from a diverse Texas district, Crockett has been an outspoken defender of voting rights and has opposed state-level attacks on transgender people and broader LGBTQ+ rights, positions that are closely watched by LGBTQ+ advocates and allies in Texas and nationally.

Rogers’ and Yang’s comments did not specifically address Crockett’s record on LGBTQ+ issues, focusing instead on her perceived electability and public persona. However, debates over whether to concentrate resources on candidates considered “safe” or “viable” can affect campaigns led by people from communities that have historically faced barriers to political power, including Black women, queer people, and transgender people. In Texas, where Republican state leaders have advanced legislative and policy measures that directly impact LGBTQ+ people’s access to health care, education, and public accommodations, the outcome of statewide races is closely tied to policy environments affecting LGBTQ+ communities.

The coverage of the podcast exchange highlights how scrutiny of style and tone—such as describing a candidate as “too well-defined”—can intersect with broader questions about how candidates who speak forcefully about racism, sexism, and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people are perceived by party strategists and media commentators. For supporters who prioritize representation and bold advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people, such critiques can raise concerns about whether expectations of “electability” disproportionately disadvantage candidates who challenge entrenched power structures or speak from lived experience.

At the same time, strategists and commentators focused on regaining or defending Senate control emphasize the structural realities of states like Texas, where partisan voting patterns have remained favorable to Republicans in most statewide races, despite demographic changes and repeated efforts by Democrats to expand the map. Within this context, conversations like the one on “Las Culturistas” reflect ongoing tensions within Democratic-aligned spaces—both inside and outside formal party structures—over how to reconcile values-based support for candidates with hard-nosed electoral calculus.

As of this writing Rogers and Yang have not issued additional public clarifications beyond the remarks aired in the podcast episode, and Crockett’s Senate campaign continues amid both enthusiasm from supporters and skepticism from some Democratic voices. The discussion their comments sparked underscores how entertainment platforms, political media, and party debates intersect in shaping narratives around high-profile races with significant implications for national policy and for communities, including LGBTQ+ people, who are directly affected by the outcomes.