In this episode of Firing Lane, Croaky Caiman steps into the world of Shakespeare’s Richard II to explore what happens when power becomes performance and leadership dissolves into self-admiration. The Bard’s most poetic king becomes a mirror for every modern ruler who mistakes applause for legitimacy and rhetoric for governance. From divine right to divine ratings, Croaky dissects the psychology of authority — why even kings fall when they forget that crowns are meant to weigh, not float. With humor, historical insight, and a few pointed contemporary parallels, this episode connects Shakespeare’s tragedy to our own age of theatrical politics, where every mirror still waits for its Richard. 💬 “Every age has its Richard. The names change, the hairlines recede, but the soliloquy of self-adoration remains the same.”