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
4.7.2026 - Artemis Awe, Iran Warnings, Boise Pride Pushback
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Today was a real whiplash kind of show—in the best and worst ways. We spent a lot of time sitting in the wonder of NASA’s Artemis II mission: four astronauts (three Americans and a Canadian) pushing farther past the moon than humans have ever gone, including that surreal stretch of radio silence on the far side. For a lot of us, it hit the same emotional nerve as the old shuttle days—one of those rare moments where you can just feel proud of what America can do when we aim high. We also tackled the “why spend the money?” crowd head-on, not to shame anybody, but to make the case that big, difficult achievements change what’s possible—technologically, culturally, and even spiritually. The flash poll turned into a landslide: overwhelming support for Artemis, with lots of listeners saying it’s exactly the kind of forward-looking win we need right now.
At the same time, the rest of the world isn’t pausing for inspiration. We dug into President Trump’s escalated rhetoric toward Iran (including nuclear red lines and talk of ending the regime), plus the story of a harrowing rescue operation for a downed pilot—and the furious fallout over someone leaking details to the press. From there we pivoted into politics (Democrats’ weak favorability numbers and their bench problems), the ongoing culture-war demand for total compliance (including Olympic gender rules and Megan Rapinoe’s reaction), and then Boise Mayor Lauren McLean’s rainbow “art additions” around City Hall as an end-run around Idaho’s flag restrictions. We wrapped with a couple “why is nobody talking about this?” moments—like the unusual silence around key details in the Pocatello tank farm shooting—and finished where we started: with the reminder that it’s possible to celebrate real wins without pretending the hard stuff isn’t happening.
### Highlights
- Artemis II inspired a huge listener response—flash poll was overwhelmingly **pro-moon mission**
- The crew’s message “we love you from the moon” sparked discussion about faith, awe, and national pride
- Trump’s Iran warnings, plus the leaked rescue operation details and calls for accountability
- Democrats’ favorability vs. Republicans and the party’s “bench” problem heading toward future elections
- Boise City Hall’s rainbow displays framed as “art,” and why that may fuel division—and lawsuits
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