Candace Owens and Nick Shirley are now in a public back-and-forth after Shirley responded to her criticism of his Brazil gang documentary during a recent podcast appearance. The debate started months ago when Owens questioned how the young content creator was able to enter dangerous Brazilian favelas and film alleged gang members so quickly. Now, Shirley has answered back, and Owens is doubling down on her claims that his story does not fully add up. The argument picked up again after Nick Shirley appeared on Patrick Bet-David’s podcast on May 7, 2026. During the interview, Shirley was asked about support and criticism he has received from conservative media personalities. He mentioned Candace Owens and said she previously doubted his reporting from Brazil. Shirley then took a shot at podcasters and suggested some people should “leave their podcast studios” and “do journalism” before criticizing his work.
That comment quickly caught Owens’ attention. Speaking on her Monday podcast, she said Shirley’s response made no sense to her and argued that real-life experience, not studio work, was the reason she questioned his claims in the first place. Owens said people who understand how dangerous those neighborhoods are would know the situation described in Shirley’s documentary sounded unrealistic without serious local help and connections.
Candace Owens says Nick Shirley’s Brazil gang documentary could not happen without local connections
Candace Owens explained that her issue was never about whether Nick Shirley creates videos or travels to difficult places. Instead, she said the timeline and access shown in the documentary did not feel believable. Owens referred to Shirley’s August 2025 video, where he claimed he infiltrated one of Brazil’s most dangerous gangs within 48 hours.
During her podcast, Owens said:
“It was that last part that really sent me cuz it’s just so lol… Hey, Nick. So, the reason why we know that that doesn’t make sense actually is because you have to be the most sheltered person in the world to even have to need it to be explained to you why that’s not plausible, okay? It’s not about a job, okay? People just live in these scenarios.”
Owens also pushed back against Shirley’s suggestion that critics simply do not understand journalism outside a studio setting. She said she has family ties to Brazil and understands how dangerous some areas can be. According to Owens, even locals avoid entering certain neighborhoods without trusted people guiding them.
She later added:
“You couldn’t do this in Chicago. You couldn’t do this in Detroit. Forget in a favela in Brazil, places like that… I have Brazilians in my family. You don’t even go to parts in Brazil without having someone who is from that place and from that neighborhood.”
Owens further explained that when she called Shirley a “white boy” in her earlier comments, she meant he visibly stood out and would naturally attract attention in those areas. She argued that somebody unfamiliar with those communities could not simply walk in with a camera and gain trust immediately.
At the same time, Owens made it clear she was not questioning Shirley’s Minnesota daycare fraud investigation, which helped bring him major attention online. Still, she repeated her belief that Shirley likely has powerful support behind the scenes and said she remains suspicious about parts of his Brazil coverage.
