What The Frock

What if your favorite biscuit joint wasn’t just serving grits and gravy—but also serving as ground zero in a corporate psy-op to hijack your outrage? That’s exactly the question Rabbi Dave and Friar Rod dig into in this no-holds-barred episode of What the Frock, as they unpack the bizarre saga of Cracker Barrel’s logo change, a viral fake quote, and the shadowy steak-slinging mogul lurking behind the curtain.

The episode kicks off innocently enough, with talk of Caribbean cricket and breakfast nostalgia. But things get spicy faster than a plate of chicken-fried steak when Rabbi Dave confronts a widely-shared (and utterly bogus) social media claim that Cracker Barrel’s CEO said, “MAGA doesn’t have to eat here.” She didn’t say it. Not even close. Yet the meme exploded, sparking a wave of conservative boycotts and backlash. The hosts call it what it is: manipulated, meme-fed outrage peddled for clicks and cash by opportunistic influencers like Buzz Patterson—who, as Rabbi Dave gleefully notes, admits halfway down the comment thread that he’s not even sure the quote is real.

But here’s where the episode earns its meat and two sides: they reveal that the real puppet master is Sardar Biglari, a hedge fund heavyweight with major stakes in both Cracker Barrel and its direct competitor. According to the hosts, every boycott, every viral meltdown, every lost plate of hashbrown casserole strengthens Biglari’s hand as he maneuvers for control of the company’s cash reserves. “You’re playing right into his hands,” says Rabbi Dave. And with that, the ribeye of the episode is served: people are being used. Again.

To drive the point home, the show dives back to 1678, comparing today’s outrage cycle to the infamous Popish Plot, a completely fabricated Catholic conspiracy invented by English grifter Titus Oates that led to riots and at least 22 executions. The lesson? Manufactured hysteria isn’t new—it just has better branding now.

By the time the episode closes, listeners are left with a challenge: Are you thinking critically? Or are you just clicking, reposting, and reacting like a 17th-century pamphleteer? Either way, better buckle up. Because if you’re not careful, that biscuit you’re boycotting might just be bait.