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Endless Thread

Ben Palmer's Brain

Endless Thread

WBUR

Reddit, Technology

4.12.7K Ratings

🗓️ 8 May 2026

⏱️ 27 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Comedian Ben Palmer set up a fake tip line for reporting immigrants in the United States suspected of not having legal status. He recorded the conversations, and things... got uncomfortable and, in some cases, disturbing. But for a lot of viewers, these calls were surprisingly funny. How does Ben Palmer withstand the awkwardness and maintain his deadpan delivery as he trolls unsuspecting Americans trying to get their neighbors deported? And how did he go from being your average stand-up comic, doing sets after his day job, to creating viral social commentary full-time?

Show notes:

  • He made a fake ICE deportation tip line. Then a kindergarten teacher called. (Washington Post)
  • God, Country, Family (YouTube)
  • Ben Palmer's YouTube Channel (YouTube)
This episode was written and produced by Grace Tatter. It was co-hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson, and edited by Meg Cramer. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Support for Endless Thread comes from MathWorks, creator of MATLAB and Simulink Software, to design and develop engineered systems, accelerating the pace of discovery in engineering and science.

0:13.0

Learn more at Mathworks.com.

0:15.8

Support for WBUR comes from Is Business Broken, a podcast from the Marotra Institute at Boston University

0:23.0

that explores questions like, why is innovation in healthcare so hard? Is ESG just greenwashing? And, of course, is business broken?

0:32.7

Listen, wherever you get your podcasts.

0:36.6

WBUR Podcasts, Boston.

0:45.2

Recently, we had the luck of talking to another Ben, Ben Palmer.

0:50.7

Ben Palmer has a tip line for reporting people in the United States without legal status.

0:57.5

It was a young Spanish woman who couldn't speak English.

1:00.8

It's just sad for them to even be here.

1:02.4

Three customers in front of us also did not speak English.

1:05.4

All I was trying to do was find out how to deal with these people.

1:08.9

The Trump administration has made immigration enforcement a priority.

1:13.5

And at first blush, Ben Palmer, is just doing his part to help other people do their part.

1:20.2

He got this tip from a woman who was suspicious of her neighbors.

1:25.4

It's gotten out of control.

1:26.7

I mean, it's like they side eye you. Every time you walk outside to take your trash out, they're... You said they're side-eyeing you? Yeah. Like, you know, giving you dirty looks whenever you walk by with your garbage or whatever. Like, just trying to make you feel uncomfortable. I don't know how many of them are actually illegal, but I would say probably about half of them because they never leave home.

1:47.1

They're always, always here.

1:50.2

They're home bodies.

1:51.6

Yeah.

1:54.6

Ben took the neighbor's report, said he'd look into it, and then he called her back.

2:00.1

Okay, yeah, so we were able to look into those individuals that you had reported.

...

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