Powered by:
Hey Dippers,
Here’s what you need to know for Thursday: a CBS journalist alleges he was fired for rejecting editorial pressure, a JAMA study connects Joe Rogan’s vitamin A advice to a surge in poisoning reports, and more.
Today’s estimated reading time is 3 minutes and 55 seconds.
- The Daily Dip Editor
CHECK OUT YESTERDAY’S SHOW AD-FREE BELOW
Nostalgia Nerd
On this day in 1896, what invention forced its creator to grab an axe and knock through his shed wall because the door was too small for its first trip onto the street? (answer revealed below!)
(hint: Detroit inventor)
Before We Dip In (TL;DR)
In today’s issue:
Rogan vitamin A advice linked to poisoning reports 💊
Scott Pelley fired amid CBS bias allegations 📺
George Santos investigated over betting allegations ⚖️
Plus, take today’s poll and check out the Nostalgia Nerd quiz answer down below!
HEALTH
💊 JAMA Study Links Rogan's Vitamin A Advice to Surge in Poisoning Reports
A study published in JAMA Network found that Joe Rogan promoted unproven vitamin A supplements as a measles treatment during the height of the 2025 outbreak, despite the measles vaccine carrying a 93-97% efficacy rate.
The episode drew 2.7 million YouTube views. RFK Jr. amplified similar claims, despite vitamin A supplementation having no demonstrated benefit for people in developed countries with adequate nutrition.
The risk: Searches pairing vitamin A with measles surged 100% in March 2025, while poison center reports of vitamin A overexposure climbed nearly 39% in the first quarter of the year. Excess vitamin A causes liver damage, bone loss, and raised pressure inside the skull.
SPONSOR
Win $500 in SeatGeek Credit – Every Week!
We teamed up with SeatGeek to keep the $500 weekly giveaway going strong, and next week’s winner could be you!
From concerts and Broadway shows to sports and comedy, SeatGeek is the #1 rated live event ticketing app, with 28 million+ downloads and access to over 70,000 events.
Head to SeatGeek and use code PHIL10 to get 10% off your purchase, whether you’re a new customer or not. Then, add code DEFRANCO to your account for $10 off and automatic entry into the $500 giveaway—no purchase necessary!
Enter now and make your next event unforgettable!
ENTERTAINMENT
📺 Scott Pelley Claims CBS Leadership Ordered Biased Coverage, Then Fired Him
Scott Pelley, a CBS News correspondent since 1989 and anchor of 60 Minutes since 2011, was fired after confronting new executive producer Nick Bilton over alleged directives to slant coverage and allow politicians to select their own interview topics.
Pelley told Bilton that senior leadership had instructed him to distort stories and cede editorial control to political figures, a claim the network disputed. CBS had recently placed executives with limited journalism experience into top news roles, generating friction among longtime staff well before the confrontation.
The defense: New CBS Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, who rose to prominence as a media critic and journalist, backed Bilton’s decision as a matter of professional trust.
Dipper Poll
:📈 Today’s Poll: Press Pressure
CBS veteran Scott Pelley alleges new management directed him to introduce political bias into reporting and allow political influence over story selection, and that he was fired after confronting executives. Supporters say a 35-year network journalist was right to defend editorial independence. Critics say organizations require unified leadership and that internal public disputes can cause significant harm.
Who presents the stronger case in the CBS dispute?
LAW & POLICY
⚖️ George Santos Faces Federal Investigation for Alleged Prediction Market Bet Against His Own No-Show
Former congressman George Santos faces a joint DOJ and CFTC investigation for allegedly placing bets on prediction market platform Kalshi that he would not attend the State of the Union address, then deliberately skipping it to collect his winnings.
Investigators say Santos’s social media posts predicting his absence ahead of the event drove up the odds against his appearance before he skipped, a pattern they believe constitutes market manipulation. Santos rejected the reporting, saying he does not engage with tabloid journalism.
The exposure: Manipulating a regulated prediction market can carry federal fraud and commodities law charges.
Fun Facts
🦋 Animals: Butterflies taste with their feet. They basically land on dinner and decide if it’s edible with their shoes on.
🦷 World Records: A 9,700-year-old piece of birch bark tar found in Sweden still shows human tooth marks and is one of the oldest known chewing gums. Scientists even extracted DNA from it. Flavor: long extinct.
👁️ Science: The human eye can detect a single photon of light in total darkness. Experiments first suggested this in the 1940s and were later confirmed by modern quantum research. Evolution didn’t miss a single detail.
🤯 WTF: The Vatican Bank’s ATM is the only one in the world with a Latin-language option. Even your balance gets translated into a language nobody has argued in for centuries.
TODAY’S QUIZ ANSWER:
Henry Ford’s first car
On June 4, 1896, Henry Ford finished the Quadricycle, a two-speed gasoline vehicle he built from scrap parts in a shed behind his Detroit home while working nights at the Edison Illuminating Company. When he tried to take it out for its first drive, he discovered the doorway was too narrow and hacked away part of the door frame with an axe. Seven years later, he founded Ford Motor Company, and the Model T would help make car ownership a reality for millions of Americans.
Poll Results From June 3, 2026
Did you take today’s poll?
Show Notes
Looking for more specific details on each story? Click here for the full show notes for yesterday’s PDS episode.
Over and Out...
Thanks for checking us out Daily Dippers!
If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, be sure to share with a friend or two and tune in next time for more news, entertainment, and good vibes 😎