Josh Hawley Hits the Gym, Then Netflix

Fresh from the squat rack and apparently still flexing, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley took a break from admiring his own biceps to grill Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos over the streamer’s LGBTQ-inclusive programming -- a topic Hawley treats with the same intensity some men reserve for leg day.

The Missouri senator, whose public persona increasingly suggests a man who counts macros more carefully than facts, zeroed in on Netflix content aimed at younger viewers, warning darkly that children’s programming is awash in material he deemed controversial, sexualized and -- one imagines -- far less wholesome than his own mirror selfies.

Sarandos politely noted that he wasn’t familiar with Hawley’s numbers and couldn’t confirm the senator’s characterization. Hawley, however, insisted his concerns were deeply personal: he said he personally previews what his children watch because he doesn’t trust Netflix’s standards -- a level of parental vigilance that somehow coexists with a grown man posting shirt-stretching gym videos for the public.

Hawley argued that Netflix is aggressively pushing messages about sexuality and gender identity on families, framing himself as a defender of parental authority. This from a senator who seems far more comfortable lecturing Americans about morals than explaining why he spends so much time cultivating a physique seemingly designed to stop traffic on Fire Island.

He added that Netflix’s values were out of step with those of “many parents across the country,” and suggested that the company’s proposed merger with Warner Bros. -- which would create one of the world’s largest streaming giants -- deserved extra scrutiny. Presumably, the thinking is that if Netflix wants Washington’s blessing, it should first submit to Hawley’s personal content moderation policy -- and maybe a dress code.

The interrogation then pivoted from Pride flags to production budgets. Hawley questioned whether the merger would threaten U.S.-based jobs, asking Sarandos to guarantee domestic output wouldn’t shrink within two years. Sarandos responded that most Netflix production already happens in the United States and said spending would continue to rise, with or without the deal, toward $20 billion.

Not satisfied, Hawley pressed for assurances that Netflix would expand domestic production and protect American jobs. Sarandos agreed, calling it central to the company’s long-term strategy. When Hawley asked whether Netflix would continue using union labor, Sarandos confirmed that the industry remains heavily unionized and pledged that practice would continue.

All of which is to say: Josh Hawley came in hot, left fully pumped, and once again proved that no one is more fascinated by bodies -- on screen or off -- than the senator who insists he’s deeply uncomfortable talking about them.