Radio is supposed to be dead. People have been saying it for a decade. But if you tune into WSB in Atlanta or pull up the Eric Von Haessler podcast on your phone, you’ll find a group of people who didn't get the memo.
Eric Von Haessler isn't your typical yelling-into-the-void pundit. He’s a guy who spent years as a "shock jock" sidekick on the legendary Regular Guys show and decided, eventually, that he wanted to do something that actually required a brain. He calls his crew the "Doctrine," and they operate less like a news desk and more like a think tank that occasionally gets distracted by 80s pop culture and the absurdity of local zoning laws.
💡 You might also like: Why the Guile Street Fighter Movie Still Fascinates Fans 30 Years Later
It’s weird. It’s dense. It’s arguably the best thing on terrestrial airwaves that actually translates to the digital world.
The Doctrine: More Than Just a Supporting Cast
Most radio shows have a "host" and then some "producers" who laugh in the background. The Eric Von Haessler podcast doesn't work that way. It’s an ensemble. You have Tim Andrews, a man whose voice can transform into literally any celebrity at a moment's notice, often providing a surrealist commentary on the news of the day. Then there’s Autumn Fischer, Jared Yamamoto, and the rest of the crew who each bring a specific, often conflicting, ideological lens to the table.
Von Haessler himself acts as the "Curator." He’s the guy trying to find the logic in a world that seems to have abandoned it. He’s obsessed with the "non-aggression principle" but also obsessed with why people are so obsessed with things that don't matter.
This isn't a show where everyone nods along. They argue. They get annoyed with each other. Honestly, that’s why it works. It feels like a real conversation you’d have with friends who are slightly smarter—and significantly more cynical—than you are.
Why "The Von Haessler Doctrine" Defies Traditional Political Radio
If you’re looking for someone to tell you that one political party is the savior of humanity and the other is the literal antichrist, you’re going to be disappointed. Eric hates that stuff. He calls it the "Red Team vs. Blue Team" mentality. It’s boring. It’s predictable.
What the Eric Von Haessler podcast does instead is look at the mechanics of power.
Breaking Down the Noise
Instead of reacting to the outrage of the hour, the show often spends thirty minutes talking about why the media wants you to be outraged. They pull back the curtain on the "News Cycle." It’s a bit meta. It’s definitely educational, even when they’re making jokes about Tim’s latest impression of a confused politician.
The show lives in the grey areas. They’ll defend a position that seems conservative one minute and then pivot to something deeply libertarian or even surprisingly progressive the next, all based on a core philosophy of: "Does this make sense, and is anyone being a jerk about it?"
The Transition from FM to On-Demand
One of the reasons the Eric Von Haessler podcast has such a loyal following is the way it bridged the gap between old-school radio and the new podcasting reality. When Eric was off the air for a while after the Regular Guys split, his fans didn't just disappear. They waited.
When he landed at WSB, he brought a "podcast-first" mentality to a legacy AM/FM station.
- No "Radio Voice": Nobody is putting on that fake, deep-timbered announcer persona.
- Long-form thoughts: They aren't afraid to let a segment go long if the conversation is actually going somewhere.
- The "Daily" grind: Unlike many podcasts that drop once a week, the Doctrine is a daily habit. That builds a different kind of relationship with the listener.
Navigating the Atlanta Market and Beyond
Even though the show is based in Atlanta, the Eric Von Haessler podcast has a reach that goes way beyond Georgia. Why? Because the problems they talk about—insane bureaucracy, the death of nuance, the weirdness of modern social interactions—are universal.
Sure, they talk about the Braves or what’s happening at the State Capitol, but the "Doctrine" is a mindset. It’s about being an independent thinker in an age where that’s increasingly discouraged.
The Tim Andrews Factor
We have to talk about Tim Andrews for a second. In the world of audio, he’s a unicorn. Most impressionists have five or six solid voices. Tim has hundreds. But it’s not just the voices; it’s the writing. When the show does a "remix" or a parody, it’s sharp. It’s not just "hey, I sound like Bill Clinton," it’s "what would a delusional version of this person say in this specific, ridiculous situation?" It adds a layer of satire that keeps the show from ever feeling too self-important.
How to Listen and What to Expect
If you’re new to the Eric Von Haessler podcast, don't expect to "get it" in the first five minutes. It’s a bit like jumping into a TV show in the middle of the third season. There are inside jokes. There are "Doctrine" terms you’ll need to learn.
- Start with the "full show" uploads: Don't just listen to the 5-minute clips. You need the context.
- Pay attention to the "Clock": They have a very specific way of moving through the show, but the best moments usually happen when they completely ignore the schedule and just riff.
- Check out the live streams: Seeing the interaction between the crew adds a whole other level to the experience.
It’s basically a daily masterclass in how to observe the world without losing your mind. Eric often says he’s just a "man of the people," but he’s really a guy who’s spent decades figuring out how to keep people engaged without resorting to the low-hanging fruit of cheap anger.
The Future of the Doctrine
As media continues to fracture, the Eric Von Haessler podcast is a blueprint for how personality-driven content survives. It’s not about the platform. It’s about the trust. People listen because they feel like they’re part of the room.
In a world of AI-generated scripts and corporate-approved talking points, a bunch of people sitting in a studio in Atlanta just "calling it like they see it" is actually pretty revolutionary.
To get the most out of your listening experience, stop treating it like a news source and start treating it like a daily debrief. Subscribe to the official feed via the WSB Radio app or your preferred podcast platform to ensure you're getting the full, unedited daily sessions. For the best entry point, look for episodes titled "The Von Haessler Doctrine" and listen to at least three consecutive days to catch the rhythm of the running gags and the evolving news stories. This isn't background noise; it's a deep dive into the absurdity of the modern world.