The Neal Larson Show
Neal Larson is an Associated Press Award-winning newspaper columnist and radio talk show host. He has a BA from Idaho State University in Media Studies and Political Science. Neal is happily married to his wife Esther with their five children in Idaho Falls.
Julie Mason is a long-time resident of east Idaho with a degree in journalism from Ricks College. Julie enjoys reading, baking, and is an avid dog lover. When not on the air she enjoys spending time with her three children and husband of 26 years.
Together these two are a powerhouse of knowledge with great banter that comes together in an entertaining and informative show.
The Neal Larson Show
4.6.2026 - Artemis II, Bracket Drama, Easter Debates
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Today felt like one of those “how is all of this happening at once?” mornings. We’re following Artemis II as it closes in on the moon—about 10 hours out from the big loop around the far side—with a real focus on scouting for water, because if we’re serious about a future lunar base, that’s the whole ballgame. Neal nerds out (in the best way) about how unreal it is that we can send humans a quarter-million miles away and talk to them the whole time, while also swatting away the usual distractions: hoax claims, AI-generated “structures on the moon” nonsense, and the general inability of some people to just enjoy something big and American for five minutes.
Meanwhile, the home front is peak real life: Easter weekend recap, General Conference, a first-ever Raising Cane’s run, cemetery visits with family meaning attached, and—because apparently we can’t help ourselves—NCAA bracket chaos. Neal and Julie’s brackets are (awkwardly) dominating their own office challenge, with the championship game deciding how it all shakes out. The show also detours into politics and culture: handling Trump’s Easter-weekend vulgarity without letting it hijack the day, celebrating a high-risk military rescue, fielding “Temple Square money” complaints, and reacting to Pope Leo’s Easter message with a blunt question—what’s the actual solution to decades-long real-world conflict? Through it all, the vibe is basically: we can acknowledge flaws, but we’re choosing to celebrate what’s working.
### Highlights
- Artemis II approaches the moon, with water scouting tied to long-term lunar base plans
- Pushback on moon-landing conspiracies and AI “moon” misinformation cluttering the moment
- Bracket challenge update: Neal and Julie unexpectedly sitting on top (optics… not great)
- Trump discourse: criticizing unnecessary vulgarity while refusing to let it run the whole day
- Quick-hit debate: Pope Leo’s comments, war/peace “dialogue” framing, and what solutions actually look like
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