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
8.26.2026 - INT: Barb Ehardt | Remembering Dolly | Viability Redefinition
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Neal and Julie kicked off the morning in classic fashion—riffing on “rogue thoughts,” laughing at themselves, and then diving into a serious local flashpoint: flock cameras. They walked listeners through why law enforcement wants them (catching people with warrants, solving crimes faster) while still acknowledging legitimate worries about surveillance creep, community trust, and the way TikTok-fueled outrage can short-circuit basic due diligence. The throughline was restraint and tradeoffs: you can oppose cameras, but you can’t pretend there’s no cost in police time, budgets, or crime-solving capability—and you should demand clear answers about what replaces them if they’re removed.
From there, the show shifted to culture and politics: a warm, surprisingly detailed Dolly Parton remembrance (including her humor, generosity, and the story behind “I Will Always Love You”), Neal’s anticipation for an Angel Studios film on Reagan and Reykjavik, and then a heavy focus on Idaho’s abortion ballot initiative (“Prop 1” as referenced on-air). Representative Barb Ehardt joined in-studio to argue the initiative is being sold as “privacy” while, in her view, redefining viability in a way that could push abortion far later than most voters realize and undercut parental involvement. Ehardt also announced the launch of her Faith and Family PAC, emphasized Southeast Idaho as a potential battleground region, and later jumped into a fiery side discussion on the WNBA’s refusal to define “woman,” praising Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White for forcing the issue into the spotlight.
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## 2. Highlights
- Neal and Julie try to “end the flock camera discussion” with a gavel—after admitting it’s one of those topics that instantly turns into herding cats.
- A pointed warning about internet-driven activism: don’t let TikTok “trend mechanics” replace asking basic follow-up questions about costs, contracts, and what comes next.
- A lively Dolly Parton tribute—her generosity, authenticity, “I Will Always Love You” history, and her famously funny line about gay marriage: “They deserve to be miserable like the rest of us.”
- Rep. Barb Ehardt breaks down her concerns with the abortion initiative’s language—especially the definition of “viability,” parental rights implications, and the strategy to defeat it by reaching moderates who think it goes too far.
- Ehardt announces her new Faith and Family PAC and calls for volunteers, donations, signs, and outreach—warning the initiative may be “won or lost” in Southeast Idaho.
- Unexpected sports/culture crossover: Hart unloads on the WNBA controversy, praising Enes Kanter Freedom and calling the league’s inability to define “woman” an embarrassment.
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