An Excerpt from Are You Now or Have You Ever on Townhall.com

There’s a revival play running off Broadway right now, revisiting one of the more combustible chapters in American political history: the anti-communist hearings of the McCarthy era.

You know the phrase. “Are you now or have you ever been…”

For younger Americans, the entire period feels almost mythical. Grainy black-and-white footage. Angry senators. Witness tables. Careers destroyed. Whispered accusations of communist sympathies and Soviet infiltration.

My friend Michael Riedel—the longtime Broadway columnist for the New York Post—is hosting audience talkbacks after performances of the show. He joined me on the air Friday to discuss it, and what struck me all over again is how fundamentally different America was then from what it is now.

Back then, Marxism, communism, socialism, and totalitarianism were not fashionable campus accessories or podcast aesthetics.

They were despised.

The American public had watched tens of millions die under Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and fascist regimes spreading across Europe and Asia. They had fought a world war. They had buried sons. They had watched free nations nearly disappear under authoritarian boots.

So, when allegations surfaced about communist influence inside institutions, Americans took it seriously.

Now, let’s be fair about history.

Joseph McCarthy and some of the investigators absolutely went too far in certain cases. Innocent people were smeared. Careers were ruined based on flimsy associations or hysteria. Fear can metastasize quickly in any society.

But here’s the part modern revisionists often ignore: The broader American rejection of communism itself was morally correct.

Communism was evil. Marxism was destructive. Totalitarianism murdered human beings by the millions. And Americans—Democrats included—understood that instinctively.

See the FULL STORY on Townhall.com

An Excerpt from <a href="https://townhall.com/columnists/kevinmccullough/2026/06/07/are-you-now-or-have-you-ever-n2677368">Are You Now or Have You Ever</a>&nbsp;on Townhall.com
There&rsquo;s a revival play running off Broadway right now, revisiting one of the more combustible chapters in American political history: the anti-communist hearings of the McCarthy era.
You know the phrase.&nbsp;&ldquo;Are you now or have you ever been&hellip;&rdquo;
For younger Americans, the entire period feels almost mythical. Grainy black-and-white footage. Angry senators. Witness tables. Careers destroyed. Whispered accusations of communist sympathies and Soviet infiltration.
My friend <a href="https://www.nycitycenter.org">Michael Riedel</a>&mdash;the longtime Broadway columnist for the New York Post&mdash;is hosting audience talkbacks after performances of <a href="https://www.nycitycenter.org">the show</a>. He joined me on the air Friday to discuss it, and what struck me all over again is how fundamentally different America was then from what it is now.
Back then, Marxism, communism, socialism, and totalitarianism were not fashionable campus accessories or podcast aesthetics.
They were despised.
The American public had watched tens of millions die under Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and fascist regimes spreading across Europe and Asia. They had fought a world war. They had buried sons. They had watched free nations nearly disappear under authoritarian boots.
So, when allegations surfaced about communist influence inside institutions, Americans took it seriously.
Now, let&rsquo;s be fair about history.
Joseph McCarthy and some of the investigators absolutely went too far in certain cases. Innocent people were smeared. Careers were ruined based on flimsy associations or hysteria. Fear can metastasize quickly in any society.
But here&rsquo;s the part modern revisionists often ignore: The broader American rejection of communism itself was morally correct.
Communism was evil.&nbsp;Marxism was destructive.&nbsp;Totalitarianism murdered human beings by the millions.&nbsp;And Americans&mdash;Democrats included&mdash;understood that instinctively.
<a href="https://townhall.com/columnists/kevinmccullough/2026/06/07/are-you-now-or-have-you-ever-n2677368">See the FULL STORY on Townhall.com</a>

From the heart of Times Square in New York City, Kevin McCullough takes America’s pulse — and delivers the shock it needs. THAT KEVIN SHOW doesn’t whisper opinions. It detonates them. With moral clarity, sharp wit, and genuine humor, McCullough has built one of the most loyal audiences in talk media.

Fearless. Fast. Funny. Rooted in that rarest virtue — common sense. In a media world allergic to truth and laughter, THAT KEVIN SHOW stands apart — delivering unapologetic clarity across faith, politics, culture, and comedy. It’s talk radio that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening.

From the heart of Times Square in New York City, Kevin McCullough takes America&rsquo;s pulse &mdash; and delivers the shock it needs. THAT KEVIN SHOW doesn&rsquo;t whisper opinions. It detonates them. With moral clarity, sharp wit, and genuine humor, McCullough has built one of the most loyal audiences in talk media.
Fearless. Fast. Funny. Rooted in that rarest virtue &mdash; common sense. In a media world allergic to truth and laughter, THAT KEVIN SHOW stands apart &mdash; delivering unapologetic clarity across faith, politics, culture, and comedy. It&rsquo;s talk radio that&rsquo;s as entertaining as it is enlightening.

Obliterating confusion, amplifying truth, and pur…

That KEVIN Show

That KEVIN Show stands apart - delivering unapologetic clarity across faith, politics, culture and comedy. It's talk radio that's as entertaining as it is enlightening!

That KEVIN Show stands apart - delivering unapologetic clarity across faith, politics, culture and comedy.&nbsp;It's talk radio that's as entertaining as it is enlightening!

Are You Now or Have You Ever

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/f8a61591-24a0-49e3-9742-b46400327803/transcript