I “grew up” with Anthony Cumia of the Opie and Anthony radio show. His program had a tremendous impact on young people in the northeast, and I was a New Jersey teenager. Every skit, every joke, and every prank would circulate through high school the next day, and be recycled at sports practice.

People often talk about “everyman” appeal without defining it. It’s a quality a Hollywood legend can have, but it can’t be put into words. The closest I can get is someone everyone wishes he had in his circle of friends. Everyman appeal can’t be faked, and Anthony Cumia has it.

Gen X and Millennials grew up accustomed to vulgarity, and it’s important to remember why. For us young listeners, political correctness was the enemy. Free speech was sacred. But to call us “conservatives” misses the point. We hated crime and urban chaos, and had an inherent patriotism the whole world saw in the northeast’s reaction to September 11. This wasn’t “political.” There was nothing “political” about supporting the police, making fun of stupid people, cracking a politically incorrect joke, or liking pretty women. It was just common sense at the End of History during a time of unquestioned American dominance.

But for much of non-white America, free speech, the USA, and free-wheeling humor are no longer common sense. And for a lot of whites, “trans kids,” drag shows, and letting illegals vote come first. When ideas we take for granted come under attack, most people have no ready-made arguments to defend them because the ideas were always unquestioned. And those who do attempt to explain get the ax.

Anthony Cumia was one of the first victims of what we call “cancellation.” Ten years ago, he lost his wildly popular show for committing America’s equivalent of blasphemy: He talked about black-on-white violence. Since then, he has done what few others have: He began a second act in life with the Anthony Cumia Show on Compound Media and an X account with almost 300,000 followers. Every day, he tells the truth as he sees it. He isn’t just an entertainer anymore – though he’s still one of the best. He is a champion for our people.

He paid the price. Only a few dare speak the truth, because lies pay. You get ahead in media by recycling the same bromides. In this era, to be creative is to be courageous, and Anthony Cumia is courageous.

Jared Taylor and Anthony Cumia

I’m incredibly excited that Mr. Cumia will be speaking at this year’s American Renaissance conference. It will be an honor to share the podium with one of my childhood heroes. If you’ve heard me speak, you know I have no stage fright, but I admit it: This time, I’m a bit intimidated. I’ll be in the shadow of one of the all-time greats.

“I’m so happy to be speaking at AmRen this year,” says Mr. Cumia. “I’ve been following Mr. Taylor’s writings and videos for quite some time and I’m honored to have been asked to speak at this event.”

Mr. Cumia calls the conference “a forum to speak out and to be heard concerning the most important challenges America faces today.” Thank you, Anthony Cumia, for joining us.

We expect to pack the house this year, so please register now for the American Renaissance conference for November 15–17. It will be right after the election, so whichever way it goes, we’ll have a lot to talk about. I can’t wait to hear what Mr. Cumia will have to say.