The Insurgents (The Insurgents)

This week, Mr. Beast, the most-subscribed-to individual on YouTube, posted a video where he funded sight-restoration surgeries for 1,000 people. His fans showered him with praise for yet another act of public altruism while critics insisted it ultimately reflected deep cracks in our society. We discuss the role “kindness content” plays in online media, …

Emma Vigeland of The Majority Report and ESVN (the Emma Sports Vigeland Network) joins us to discuss Ilhan Omar’s removal from the House Foreign Affairs committee by House Republicans. Omar was one of the best voices, if not the best, on the committee and offered a strong anti-imperialist, anti-war perspective. We talk about her time on the committee and the impacts her removal will have.And since Emma is a New York sports die-hard, we get into how the Knicks and Rangers are looking, as well as some Super Bowl talk. We also try to convince Rob to watch more hockey, because it’s fun.You can follow Emma here: https://twitter.com/EmmaVigeland Next week, we’re trying something new for our beloved paid interns. We’re going to use the Substack Live Chat feature for upcoming events like the State of the Union, the Super Bowl, the Oscars and more. Come watch and react along with us. You’ll need the Substack app (I believe) to participate, then just check the chat tab at the bottom and you’ll see us in there. Will be a ton of fun. The State of the Union is on Tuesday, February 7 at 9 pm ET.To become a subscriber (paid intern!) and gain access to an additional episode every week as well as our paid intern-only chats, you can subscribe here:

You can find us on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspodPhoto courtesy of Gage Skidmore

NOTE: Tonight on the Substack app we’re hosting a live chat during the State Of The Union for our paid interns (subscribers). To join the chat, subscribers will just need to head to the chat section of the Substack app and join the conversation! The SOTU begins at 9 PM ET tonight.

Jules Suzdaltzev, creator of the wildly …

Brennan Murphy joins us on this episode to recap the State of the Union, the Republican antics during the speech and what to make of some of the policies Biden called for. We also discuss the NBA trades before the deadline and whether Australia and New Zealand are the same thing.You can follow Brennan here: https://twitter.com/brenonadeNote: On Sunday night, we’ll be hosting another live chat on the Substack app for our beloved Paid Interns (subscribers) during the Big Game. To join the chat, subscribers will just need to head to the chat section of the Substack app and join the conversation!

In addition to these live chats, subscribers also receive an additional episode every week. Our most recent premium episode with Jules Suzdaltsev on the push in Washington to ban TikTok and the anti-China sentiment within their arguments is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Matthew Cunningham-Cook joins us to discuss The Lever’s superb reporting on the Norfolk Southern train carrying vinyl chloride and other toxic chemicals derailing in East Palestine, Ohio. We get into Norfolk Southern and other rail companies’ efforts over the years to lobby against increased safety measures and upgraded braking systems. Those same compa…

We’re joined again by Dan Evans to discuss the wave of tech companies rushing to release AI chatbot tools and what that means for the future of work. We get into the ethical implications, the risks associated with the technology and how people are already using it in a professional capacity.Then we cover John Fetterman seeking mental health care and the conservative response to something that’s ultimately a good thing. We had a really great conversation about getting mental health care in our own lives and what we hope young people understand about the stigma associated with it.To close out we update you on the latest in the East Palestine train derailment story.You can follow Dan here: https://twitter.com/danfromthewebTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

Our most recent premium episode with Matthew Cunningham-Cook of The Lever where we discuss the East Palestine train derailment is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

John Russell, labor politics writer at The Holler and someone who has been on the ground in East Palestine, Ohio, joins us to discuss the latest developments in the Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster. We get into how liberals keep dismissing the tragedy because of the surrounding area’s voting patterns, we examine the class politics inherent in …

We’re now exactly one year into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, so Erik Sperling, Executive Director of Just Foreign Policy, joins us to help break down the current state of the conflict. We get into the hawkish rhetoric in Washington continuing to push for more war despite being safely removed from danger, Biden’s trip to Ukraine and how his public comments are at odds with some top Biden officials’ private remarks on the future of this war and we spend some time discussing why there should be a much more robust anti-war effort throughout the Democratic party to avoid continuing to cede ground to the right on the issue.You can follow Erik here: https://twitter.com/ErikSperlingYou can follow Just Foreign Policy here: https://twitter.com/JustFPTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

Our most recent premium episode with John Russell on the latest in East Palestine is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Nikki McCann Ramirez of Rolling Stone joins us to discuss Fox News hosts, network executives and even Rupert Murdoch himself all acknowledging in texts, emails and, in Murdoch’s case, a deposition, that the network aired, parroted and endorsed outright lies about the outcome of the 2020 election. We discuss how the network has shaped American politics, …

Bryan Metzger, political reporter for Insider, joins us to discuss what he saw at CPAC this week. The event is largely the Trump show this year, with Ron DeSantis notably absent. We get into the early 2024 jockeying among hopefuls, the election deniers parading around the convention, which vendors are setting up shop and just a general vibe check from the entire thing.You can follow Bryan here: https://twitter.com/metzgovTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

Our most recent premium episode with Nikki McCann Ramirez about Fox News execs and hosts admitting they lied about the 2020 election results to their audience is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Ryan Broderick, author of the fantastic Garbage Day substack, joins Jordan (Rob is out this week) for a discussion on the ethics of AI, the push for AI personhood, Mr. Beast’s chocolate bar line, fan-inclusion in online social movements, Twitter’s continued service outages and much more.You can follow Ryan here: https://twitter.com/broderickYou can subs…

Note: This Sunday night we’re having another subscriber-only live chat over on the Substack app — this time for an Oscars watch party. Become a Paid Intern and join us at 8 pm ET on Sunday night:

Frank Cappello, host of the new Lever podcast Movies vs. Capitalism, joins us to talk about the new podcast and how it’s ok to be critical of movies and also enjoy them. We make some Oscar predictions, discuss how Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked to make an address during the awards show (and was denied), war propaganda in films and we do a deep(ish) dive into one of the best picture nominees, “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”You can find Movies vs. Capitalism on all podcast providers here: http://mvcpod.com/Our most recent premium episode with Ryan Broderick about the ethics of AI, Mr. Beast and more—which billions of listeners have said is the greatest Insurgents episode of all time—is available here:

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Lucas Kunce, candidate for Senate in Missouri who is hoping to unseat Josh Hawley, joins us to talk about the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, the tech and financial elites who spent the weekend demanding a bailout, how the government response to cover all depositors is something working people never experience, and how Jos…

Ed Zitron returns to the show to discuss venture capitalists and tech elites congratulating themselves on the Treasury & Federal Reserve taking action to protect Silicon Valley Bank depositors. We get into the self-absorption of the tech and investing class, why they can’t shut up and how tech workers—who are exploited daily by these same people—are the ones who truly would have been hurt had depositors not been covered.You can follow Ed’s Substack here:

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

Our most recent premium episode with Senate candidate from Missouri Lucas Kunce is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Congressman Ro Khanna joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the government response to the East Palestine train derailment and his rail safety bill, how Democrats can win back more working class voters, Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse, his upcoming fundraiser with David Sacks and what progressives should call for in regards to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Spencer Ackerman, author of the fabulous book “Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump,” joins us to reflect on the US invasion of Iraq 20 years later. We discuss the way Americans behaved in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and in the run-up to the invasion, taking their anger and fear out on innocent strangers who, in many cases, were not from Afghanistan or Iraq and/or were not Muslim, the xenophobia and racism Americans engage in during times of conflict, the coercion and forced patriotism in the media and society at large and lessons we should take away from that period and apply to future international challenges.Spencer’s new comic from DC Comics, Waller vs. Wildstorm, which we discuss at the end of the episode, is out on March 28. Please pick up a copy at your local comic book store.You can follow Spencer here: https://twitter.com/attackermanTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

Our most recent episode with Rep. Ro Khanna is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Ari Drennen, LGBTQ Program Director at Media Matters for America, joins us to discuss the latest in the anti-trans panic. This time, right-wing talking heads using the Nashville shooting on Monday to further their crusade against trans people and, despite transparently hollow calls in the past to not “politicize” mass shootings, doing exactly that this …

Ken Klippenstein (still under a lifetime ban from the podcast) joins us today to react to Donald Trump’s felony indictment over his hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. We take a look at some of the funniest reactions from folks on both the left and right, discuss whether Trump will actually be convicted, what this means for Trump’s likely top opponent in the GOP primary Ron DeSantis, and much more.You can follow Ken here: https://twitter.com/kenklippensteinTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

Our most recent premium episode with Ari Drennen on how the right is using the Nashville shooting to further their anati-trans crusade is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Alex Pearlman, Pearlmania500 on TikTok, joins us to discuss the “RESTRICT Act,” the bipartisan piece of legislation that purportedly will ban TikTok but ultimately has much broader implications. We get into the threats it poses to individual privacy and free speech rights, how the rhetoric around TikTok is ultimately ju…

Abraham Josephine “Josie” Riesman, author of the New York Times bestseller “Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America” joins us today for a great discussion on how kayfabe, the art of presenting staged acts as authentic, has evolved and spread beyond the world of wrestling and into our politics. Josie explains the concept of neokayfabe and how the WWE has slyly blurred the lines between performance and reality in ways that have crept in broader society. We also learn about the long friendship between WWE chairman McMahon and Donald Trump, and the consequences that friendship has had for the country.You can follow Josie here: https://twitter.com/abrahamjosephYou can pick up a copy of the book here: https://www.ringmasterthebook.com/To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

Our most recent premium episode with Alex Pearlman on Congress trying to ban TikTok and the free speech, censorship and foreign policy implications the bill would have is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Chris Geidner, writer of LawDork, joins us to discuss ProPublica’s huge story revealing Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has secretly accepted luxury trips from a prominent conservative billionaire for nearly 20 years. We explore the ethical implications and potential avenues for accountability. Even more bizarre, the donor (Harlan Crow) is a colle…

LucidFoxx returns to the show this week to discuss Sen. Dianne Feinstein refusing to resign despite being absent for months, missing over 50 votes and holding up the judicial confirmation process. Her supporters and Dem loyalists insist she should be able to resign “on her time” but as this debate plays out, the right is, yet again, using the court system to further chip away at abortion rights.We also discuss the classified documents leak on Discord, “crime” in San Francisco, “anti-woke beer” and much more.Rob also becomes an honorary Ohioan and we discuss plans for the show in 2024.You can follow Lucid here: https://twitter.com/lucidfoxxTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

Our most recent premium episode with Chris Geidner on Clarence Thomas’ relationship with billionaire Harlan Crow and the right attacking abortion medication in court is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Sam Biddle, technology reporter at The Intercept, joins us to discuss his new story about the Georgia National Guard using location tracking to recruit high school children. We get into the pitfalls and dangers of using an inaccurate method to try to identify and follow young people for purposes of military recruiting, how its an extension of other pred…

Andrew Lawrence of Media Matters joins us to discuss Fox News settling with Dominion at the last minute in its defamation case over the network airing election lies and smearing the voting machine company in the process. The $787 million settlement is the largest defamation settlement in US history, and while the right-wing television network narrowly avoided its top talent taking the stand, we explore how Fox isn’t out of the woods just yet.We also open with some NHL playoffs talk, so if you’re not a hockey fan just skip that part I guess. (You should be though, hockey is great. Go Rangers.)You can follow Andrew here: https://twitter.com/ndrew_lawrenceTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here:

Our most recent premium episode with Sam Biddle about his story on how the Georgia National Guard using location tracking to recruit high school children is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Kat Abughazaleh of Media Matters joins us to discuss Tucker Carlson’s sudden firing. We discuss the impact he had on his viewers, the white nationalist acts of violence he inspired, including mass shootings by perpetrators who mirrored his rhetoric in their manifestos, and more. We speculate (responsibly) about what caused his ouster and who will replac…

Jessica Burbank, host of the new show Funny Money, joins us to break down the debt ceiling debate in Congress. The right is using this as an opportunity to, yet again, try to cut social safety net programs, but of course they have no issue raising the debt ceiling when a Republican is in the White House.We open the show with Rob’s realization that Canadians are not allowed to comment on US politics then follow it up with the news of Jordan’s engagement.To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at TheInsurgents.Substack.com/subscribe:

Our most recent premium episode with Kat Abughazaleh about Tucker Carlson’s firing is available here: https://theinsurgents.substack.com/p/ep-170-tucker-carlson-fired-ft-kat#details

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Molly Jong-Fast, host of Fast Politics, joins us to recount her trip to DC for White House Correspondents Dinner weekend. She shares some hot goss from the swamp and we get into the criticisms of the event itself and the risks that arise from close proximity between the media and political establishment. We also discuss how, despite self-congratulatory …

Olga Lexell joins us to talk about the WGA strike, what writers are calling for, how the shifting landscape toward streaming in the entertainment industry has allowed giant companies to further exploit writers for their work and more.At the top, we discuss the tragic death of Jordan Neely, who was killed on the New York subway by a bystander. After his death was caught on film, conservatives justified his death as part of their crusade against people experiencing homelessness. We discuss our brutal policies for people living in the margins of society and the open bloodlust people display in moments like this.Resources:Entertainment Community Fund: https://entertainmentcommunity.org/GoFundMe for Jordan Neely’s Family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/jordan-neely-we-love-you

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at TheInsurgents.Substack.com/subscribe:

Our latest premium episode with Molly Jong-Fast is available here: https://theinsurgents.substack.com/p/ep-172-a-trip-to-the-swamp-ft-molly#details

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

In this episode, recorded before Jordan’s extravagant and unsanctioned Japan vacation, he and our friend Jack Crosbie of Discourse Blog have a conversation about ChatGPT and the future of AI automation, Twitter’s Elon Musk era, the Barstool to Tucker Carlson pipeline and more. There’s also some unfortunate comments about Canadians and Australians that t…

After Rob takes our brand new AI co-host for a spin while Jordan is away in Japan, to mixed results, Alex Peter joins the show to talk about the Jordan Neely case, defunding the police, how his experiences as a public defender in NYC informed his views on criminal justice and prison abolition, and much more.

Follow Alex on twitter here and on Tik Tok here.

Check out Mutual Aid Hub here to get involved in your community.

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at TheInsurgents.Substack.com/subscribe or simply click this button.

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Senator Dianne Feinstein returned to the Senate this week and gave some incredible quotes to Slate about how she never actually was gone. Impressive! We discuss the ongoing push for her resignation, Rob’s new king, Elon Musk’s interview with CNBC in which he claimed there was no evidence a Nazi mass shooter with Nazi tattoos was actually an extremist, a…

Annie Wu Henry, digital strategist for progressive campaigns, joins us to break down the election results in Pennsylvania, highlighted by Sara Innamorato’s primary win for Alleghany County Executive. We also discuss Helen Gym’s great campaign for Philadelphia mayor and the challenges she faced from within the Democratic establishment and GOP megadonors working to stop her. Annie explains how progressive candidates in other purple states can learn from these races.We also discuss Wired magazine’s strange and fawning piece on Pete Buttigieg.You can follow Annie here: https://twitter.com/Annie_Wu_22

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at TheInsurgents.Substack.com/subscribe or simply click this button.

Our most recent premium episode for paid interns about Dianne Feinstein’s return to the Senate, Elon Musk’s weird CNBC interview, Rob’s new king and Jordan’s trip to Japan where he slept through an earthquake is available here: https://theinsurgents.substack.com/p/ep-176-weekend-at-difis#details

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Ben Smith, co-founder of Semafor and former editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News, joins Jordan to discuss his new book Traffic: Genius, Rivalry and Delusion In The Billion-Dollar Race To Go Viral. The two discuss how the rivalry between Jonah Peretti, BuzzFeed’s co-founder and CEO, and Nick Denton, founder of Gawker, shaped the digital news landscape, how p…

Gaby Del Valle and Felipe De La Hoz of Border/Lines join us to discuss the latest news on the immigration front. With the expiration of Title 42, many Conservatives are trying to now gin up fears over a “surge” of immigrants at the southern border. Felipe and Gaby explain what Title 42 is, why it’s not so much gone as it is replaced and the moves the Biden administration have made recently to respond to processing challenges for asylum seekers at the border.You can subscribe to Border/Lines here:

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at TheInsurgents.Substack.com/subscribe or simply click this button:

Our most recent premium episode featured Ben Smith (Semafor, former BuzzFeed News editor-in-chief) to discuss the state of digital news and his new book “Traffic”: https://theinsurgents.substack.com/p/ep-178-the-rise-and-fall-of-digital#details

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod

Brett Erlich of The Young Turks joins us to dissect the right-wing outrage campaign over very tepid acknowledgements that the LGBTQIA+ community exists. From the freak-out over Target offering Pride themed clothes, to Chick-fil-A hiring a diversity officer, to Milk-Bone slapping a pride flag on a tub of dog treats, new fronts in the culture war are bein…

Kylie Cheung, writer at Jezebel and NBA twitter extraordinaire, joins us for a fun conversation about Ron DeSantis’ first week running for president. The extremely unlikable Florida politician has already made waves with his cringey behavior but what’s worse is his attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community and abortion rights. We look at the right’s war on abortion rights and how its fared in other red states. We also make our picks for the NBA Finals, discuss “Heat Culture” and why we love a bunch of sickos in the NBA.You can follow Kylie here: https://twitter.com/kylietcheungTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at TheInsurgents.Substack.com/subscribe or simply click this button:

Our most recent premium episode for paid interns with Brett Erlich about the right-wing meltdown over Target, Bud Light, Chick-fil-A and more, is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@insurgentspod

Ken Klippenstein is back and joins us this time to break down the theatrics and spectacle of the debt ceiling negotiations. Despite politicians bemoaning the colossal amount of debt, the military budget remained unscathed and, in fact, even grew. Food stamps and other social safety net programs, however, took a cut. We also take a look at the presidenti…

Ben Terris, author of “The Big Break: The Gamblers, Party Animals, and True Believers Trying to Win in Washington While America Loses Its Mind,” joins Jordan for a fun chat about the characters, stories and insights in his new book. The conversation ranges from an oil tycoon’s granddaughter funding progressive politics to a right wing lobbyist faking it until he makes it. We also talk about disgraced face of CPAC Matt Schlapp’s role in DC and how Sean McElwee’s gambling habit, in part, got him pushed out of Data for Progress.Before Jordan’s conversation with Ben, Rob and Jordan discuss the wildfires in Canada and how Americans’ dismissive attitudes about it (that it’s either some grand conspiracy or “just arson” ultimately miss the point). And Donald Trump gets indicted again. Will anything happen this time?The Big Break is available here.

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at InsurgentsPod.com or, if you’re on Substack, simply click this button:

Our most recent premium episode with Ken Klippenstein on the RFK Jr. and Cornel West presidential campaigns, third parties, the DHS cribbing Andy Ngo’s reporting, the debt ceiling and more is available here:

You can find The Insurgents elsewhere on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsurgentspod/ | Twitter: https://twitter.com/insurgentspod | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@insurgentspod |

There are a couple dozen or so Supreme Court cases that will be announced in the next few weeks and Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer at Slate, joins us to go through some of the big ones. Cases include topics like affirmative action in college admissions, LGBTQIA+ discrimination, independent state legislatures and more. Mark also helps us better underst…

Dan Boguslaw of The Intercept joins us to recap Trump’s second indictment and whether its as big of a deal as some pundits are making it seem. We also discuss military contractors and weapons manufacturers rainbow-washing their corporate image this month through participation in Pride events. And we update you all on Cornel West’s switch to the Green Party, clearing up ballot access issues we discussed last week. You can follow Dan here: https://twitter.com/DRBoguslaw

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at InsurgentsPod.com or, if you’re on Substack, simply click this button:

Add the podcast to your preferred podcast player here: insurgentspod.info

Manny Fidel is back to discuss the PGA Tour’s merger with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf. The tour and golfers alike initially denounced LIV upon launch over the Saudi’s human rights violations but now, when there’s money on the table for the tour, those concerns are nowhere to be found. We discuss the Saudi’s investments in sports, including Ronaldo and Mes…

David Sirota of The Lever joins us for another fun conversation about a few stories that reflect deep cracks in our system. First we discuss The Lever’s story on how a municipality in Delaware could soon grant corporations the right to vote. We then get into how your bank is likely ripping you off through lower interest rates on your deposits relative to what they earn from the Fed on your deposit. Then we close with Obama’s recent comments on how wealth concentration lead to cynicism.Before David joins us, we spend some time on the lost Titanic submersible.A quick note, we’ll be posting full segment videos over on YouTube if you’d prefer to watch the show: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgentsTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at InsurgentsPod.com or, if you’re on Substack, simply click this button:

Add the podcast to your preferred podcast player here: insurgentspod.info

John Iadarola, host of The Damage Report on The Young Turks, joins us for a fun conversation about RFK Jr.’s strange workout videos. We explore the possibilities that he just happened to only post videos from the end of his workout, that they’re deep faked, or simply that his muscular look is in aesthetic only. From there, we weigh in on calls for the D…

Matt Binder returns after 3 years for a fun and wide-ranging conversation. We discuss the recording of Trump acknowledging he had classified documents before asking for Diet Cokes, the looming Airbnb collapse, and the looming Supreme Court decision on Biden’s student debt forgiveness case. Before Matt joins us we take our picks in the Zuckerberg/Musk “fight” that probably won’t ever happen, let’s be honest.You can follow Matt here: https://twitter.com/MattBinder | To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe |

Please be sure to check out our YouTube channel where we’re now posting episode videos and more clips from the show: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheInsurgents

Please be sure to check out our YouTube channel where we’re posting episode clips and shorts, all made possible through your subscriptions: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/We kick off this episode with a discussion on cocaine being found at the White House and from there get into how the US should overhaul its drug policy.In observance of the 4th…

PUP’s Steve Sladkowski returns to the show for a Canadian-heavy episode. We talk about Toronto’s mayor-elect Olivia Chow and what needs to be done to revamp the city. Steve helps us understand the parallels between the Canadian political world’s hostility to progressivism and the same animus toward progressives we see here in the states. | We also get into how Canadian media is wrestling with big tech’s control over their industry and how, because we’ve become reliant on social media platforms for news, they have a stranglehold on traffic. There’s also some sports talk peppered in. 😈 You can follow Steve here: https://twitter.com/sladkow | To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at InsurgentsPod.com or, if you’re on Substack, simply click this button:

Please be sure to check out our YouTube channel where we’re posting episode clips and shorts, all made possible through your subscriptions: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInsurgents/ | Find the show on your preferred podcast player and all social media networks here: insurgentspod.info

We kick off this episode by announcing a very exciting opportunity for our beloved paid interns. From there, we discuss Meta’s new Twitter rival “Threads,” why it’s a real stinker and the need for anti-trust. We also get into MSNBC’s recently reupped piece on how the far right is using fitness for recruitment and how the real problem is a societal one, …

Jordan is out of town for some minor “training” so it’s another Rob solo episode! And what a great opportunity to bring on one of Canada’s foremost journalists and controversial shit-talkers, Nora Loreto. We had a fantastic conversation about the far right movement in this country, what the incredibly dorky Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre is doing to try and harness this constituency, the media frenzy about Chinese interference in our democracy, Canada’s outsized role in the Russia/Ukraine conflict and much more.

Listen to Nora’s podcast here and find her on twitter here.

Please be sure to check out our YouTube channel where we’re posting episode clips and shorts, all made possible through your subscriptions.Find the show on your preferred podcast player and all social media networks here: insurgentspod.info

And if you can, please subscribe to support the show and get access to a bonus episode each week by clicking this button.

Craig Reynolds, host of The Downbeat podcast and drummer in Stray From The Path, joins Jordan to discuss the writers’ strike, actors’ strike and how Spotify rips off musicians. We examine the parallels all entertainers are facing in the streaming era and how increasingly difficult it is to make a living in the arts. We also talk about the death-by-1000-…

Alexander Edward of Minion Death Cult joins us to talk about the looming UPS strike, the right’s obsession with human trafficking and performing their values through going to see a movie, Hunter Biden’s nudes being displayed during a Congressional hearing and much more.You can follow Alex here: https://twitter.com/flieldyYou can check out Minion Death Cult here: https://miniondeathcult.com/

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

Technology reported Edward Ongweso Jr. joins Jordan for a great discussion on Ed’s new piece in The Nation about Silicon Valley’s quest to create an AI god and control humanity. We explore the key figures pushing this concept, their motives, whether it’s even possible and whether the singularity is near.Before that, we talk about Twitter’s rebrand to “X…

Friend of the show Dwight, formerly of Eat the Rich, joins Jordan to recap the Congressional hearings on UFOs and aliens. We talk about Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge’s contributions to the UFO and alien revelations and revisit the classic Art Bell “Area 51 call.”From there, we discuss both Dianne Feinstein’s and Mitch McConnell’s declining health, which were publicly on display this week.And it wouldn’t be a Dwight episode without climate catastrophe. Water temperatures off the coast of Florida are reaching “hot tub levels” and July is poised to be the hottest month on record. We share how we must fight through climate despair, even if its in vain.To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

Ron DeSantis claims to be rebooting his campaign after a series of fits and starts that have plagued his campaign. We get into whether or not his campaign is offering anything different and of course discuss the fancam video that featured the Nazi “Black Sun” symbol.We also take a look at RFK Jr.’s fanbase and how it, strangely!!!, is full of conservati…

Taylor Lorenz joins us again to talk about her upcoming book “Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet.” We explore how the creator economy has ballooned but still lacks basic worker protections afforded to some of their creative counterparts. We spend some time talking about the various worker strikes and the need for unions in other creative industries.We also, of course, discuss the cop slide video. You can preorder her book here:

https://bookshop.org/p/books/extremely-online-the-untold-story-of-fame-influence-and-power-on-the-internet-taylor-lorenz/19718842 —To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

Jordan is on the move with the rest of the paid interns, and since it didn’t feel right to have a 200th episode without him, here’s episode 199.5 with Sam Knight of the District Sentinel. Is the economy really thriving, and the rest of us are wrong for feeling like it isn’t? Is Trump going to run in 2024 from prison like a bloated orange reactionary ver…

Jordan’s still on the move — but took time to very generously agree to give up his podcast revenue share — so today Rob is speaking to Luke O’Neil, author of Welcome to Hell World and the new collection of short fiction A Creature Wanting Form (which you can purchase by clicking the link there.)

There’s some sports chat, we talk about the conflicting emotions involved in being Weezer Guys, but mainly we spent most of the time relitigating the 2015 Democratic Primary. Not enough people are doing that! In all seriousness Luke has really carved out a place for himself as a must-read documentarian of the grim reality of modern America so it was great to have him appear on this episode.

Follow Luke on twitter here and bluesky here.

And subscribe to the Insurgents podcast by clicking this button:

By now you’ve probably heard Oliver Anthony’s totally organic viral sensation song Rich Men North of Richmond. Maybe you’re even already sick of the discourse around it. Perhaps you might have even found yourself liking or enjoying it because of the way it ostensibly is about the rich exploiting the working class, or the feeling of hopelessness and alie…

Dharna Noor, climate reporter for The Guardian, joins us for our 200th episode. We discuss the wildfires in Maui, the ludicrous conspiracies about their origin, big oil rebutting attempts by local leaders over the past few years to reign in their emissions, and more.We also spend some time talking about Hurricane Hilary, which is expected to make landfall in Southern California this weekend. Calling it a rare occurrence is an understatement. It’s once-in-a-century, with the last one making landfall happening back in 1939. We examine the link between climate change and extreme weather like this storm which, as we’ve mentioned repeatedly on this show, is a direct cause of climate change worsening.In spite of this, we make sure to reflect on the importance of remaining committed to fight climate change and lift up the young climate activists in Montana who recently won a landmark climate case.You can follow Dharna here: https://twitter.com/dharnanoorTo become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

The right has conditioned its base to assume the absolute worse, most nefarious intent in response to even the most moderate societal improvements. We explore how that social conditioning has changed the way people see public transit and the “15 minute cities” conspiracy. We also revisit Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” in the wake of it hi…

Julian, Jake and Travis of QAnon Anonymous join us to recap the GOP debate, Trump’s interview with Tucker Carlson (and Trump’s thoughts on Jeffrey Epstein), the Alien and Avatar franchises and so much more. This was a fun one!Subscribe to the QAnon Anonymous podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/qanonanonymous

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

Dave Anthony, host of “The Dollop” and “The Audit” joins us to discuss the Democrats’ 2024 messaging that the economy is great and people who might disagree because of their own material conditions are just wrong. We touch on how student loan payments resuming next month will impact the economy and people’s quality of life, risking fueling cynicism and …

Braxton Brewington of The Debt Collective joins Jordan for a conversation about how the Biden administration has tried and is continuing to try to cancel some student loan debt. Braxton and The Debt Collective, along with other student borrower advocates, have shown there are other ways—completely within Biden’s authority—the administration can still cancel student loan debt. We explore some of those avenues and discuss a new tool The Debt Collective has created that might help some borrowers have their loans cancelled sooner.You can learn more about The Debt Collective at debtcollective.org and you can find the tool we discuss here: https://tools.debtcollective.org/run/student/#/1

Our premium episode from this week featured Dave Anthony, host of The Dollop. It was great getting him worked up over Bidenomics, the homelessness crisis, student loans, Exxon and more. You can subscribe to hear that episode here:

Jared Holt returns to the show to break down the cases and sentences for the leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers for their roles in orchestrating, planning and leading the events at the Capitol on January 6.We also get into Tucker Carlson’s “exclusive” interview with a guy who claims he smoked crack and had sex with Barack Obama. Shocking!

Isaiah Martin, the potential “next Gen Z member of Congress” launched his campaign this week to both fanfare and criticism. Adam Johnson, co-host of Citations Needed joined us to break down the launch, the hollowness in “generational politics” and more.We also get into the looming government shutdown and how, yet again, social safety net programs are on the chopping block. We also talk about Bill Maher calling for the writers strike to end and his comments that writers’ demands are “kooky.”You can follow Adam here: https://twitter.com/adamjohnsonCHI

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at InsurgentsPod.com/subscribe or by clicking the button below:

Parker Molloy, media critic and author of The Present Age, joins Jordan to discuss Aaron Rodgers’ injury, the most hairbrained “tributes” on 9/11, the Washington Post’s bizarre opposition research piece about a House candidate who streamed on Chaturbate, how the media can be more responsible in 2024 and much more. This was a fun one.You can subscribe to…

Juniper of Western Kabuki joins us to discuss Vivek Ramaswamy’s “change of heart” on TikTok after meeting with Jake Paul. We explore the broader GOP’s rhetoric on China and especially Mexico, with increasingly militaristic threats being waged by 2024 hopefuls. We also get into MSN’s grim AI-generated obituary for a former NBA player, Brandon Hunter, and what a future of “AI art” would actually look like. You can follow Juniper here: https://twitter.com/junlper/ | Our most recent premium episode for our beloved paid interns is with Parker Molloy. We discussed Aaron Rodgers’ injury, the most bizarre 9/11 tributes and much more. You can listen to that episode here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-207-a-911-youll-never-forget-ft#details

To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at InsurgentsPod.com/subscribe or by clicking the button below: https://www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

Liv Agar returns to the show to discuss Lauren Boebert’s steamy Beetlejuice the musical date, the conspiracies around John Fetterman, the Russell Brand allegations, the missing F-35, Netanyahu telling Elon Musk to curb anti-Semitism on Twitter, India potentially being behind a Sikh leader’s killing in Canada and much more.You can follow Liv here: https:…

Dan Boguslaw of The Intercept and author of the new piece breaking down how the UAW tricked the Big 3 with their strike preparations joins us today. We get into what the UAW demands are, how the Big 3 are responding, a new and stronger approach to negotiations by UAW President Shawn Fain and how the Biden administration’s lackluster response creates a vacuum for hollow populists on the right to exploit. To become a subscriber (paid intern!) to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at InsurgentsPod.com/subscribe or by clicking the button below:

Our most recent premium episode with Liv Agar on Lauren Boebert’s hot date at Beetlejuice the Musical, the missing F-35, John Fetterman conspiracies and more is available here:

Oops! The speaker of Canada’s House of Commons welcomed a 98-year-old SS unit veteran last week, and he received a bipartisan standing ovation. Derek Davison, author of Foreign Exchanges and host of American Prestige joins us to break down the alarming incident, which Canadian political leaders tried to later dismiss as an oversight. This special guest …

We have two interviews for you all in this episode!First, writer and producer Ben Mekler joins Jordan to recap the WGA’s wins after a successful strike. We explore how the writers banded together as the studios repeatedly insisted their demands were outlandish and would never happen. The wins they achieved together are a lesson in the importance of collective bargaining and Ben shares the sentiment in the room as the WGA learned about the deal they had won.Then we sat down with Dave Weigel of Semafor to recap the second GOP debate. We of course revisited Chris Christie’s “Donald Duck” slam on Donald Trump, how the field was ready to respond to Vivek Ramaswamy’s eagerness, and ultimately what they’re even doing since polling shows nobody running even comes close to competing with Trump. Our most recent premium episode for our beloved Paid Interns is available here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-211-canadian-oopsie-ft-derek-davison#details

To become a subscriber to the Insurgents and gain access to an additional episode every week, you can subscribe at InsurgentsPod.com/subscribe or by clicking the button below:

Jon Siebels of Eve 6 joins us to talk about Live Nation’s recent announcement that it will be ending merch cuts, offering artists travel stipends and a handful of other things to better “support artists.” The company, which has an effective monopoly over the music industry through its control over music venues, servi…

Nikhil Goyal, former Bernie Sanders advisor and author of “Live To See The Day: Coming of Age In American Poverty,” joins us to break down Kevin McCarthy’s removal as Speaker of the House. To us, it’s obviously very funny but to the right wing pundit class, it’s somehow shameful the Democrats didn’t vote to protect McCarthy. We get into how the GOP has let the genie out of the bottle with this move and how we’ll likely see similar occurrences later.From there, Nikhil tells us about his book which follows three kids in Philly living in poverty to illustrate how our system allows people, including many children, to fall through the cracks and what an appropriate policy response should be to poverty in America.

Our most recent premium episode for Paid Interns is with Jon Siebels of Eve 6. You can listen to that episode here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-213-live-nations-pr-stunt-ft-jon#details

Ryan Grim of The Intercept joins us to discuss Hamas’ attack on Israel, how the Israeli government has responded by bombing Gaza and the context that preceded this weekend’s heartbreaking events that was curiously absent in both the media’s coverage and the broader reaction from the West.

Omar Baddar, Palestinian-American political analyst, joins us for an update on Israel’s continued attacks on Gaza. The western media, as is the case whenever there are attacks on Gaza or Palestinians at large, has largely looked away as Israel continues to commit war crimes. While the UN and Amnesty sound the alarm, the US recommits its blanket support for Israel and war hawks salivate over the prospect of expanding the conflict to include Iran. | You can follow Omar here: https://twitter.com/OmarBaddar | Our most recent premium episode with Ryan Grim of The Intercept is available here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-215-a-cycle-of-violence-ft-ryan#details

Jeremy Appel, writer of The Orchard, joins us for an update on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The US declined to push for restraint or use its aid to Israel as leverage to mitigate the attacks on Gaza. Now, the Health Ministry reports that nearly 3,000 people in Gaza have died and over 12,000 have been wounded. As Israel prepares for a ground invasio…

We continue our coverage of the situation in Gaza and the calls for ceasefire. Biden, in a televised address, called for increased funding to Israel. We explore the impact and what any purportedly anti-war member of Congress should do now, beginning with calling for a ceasefire. You can take action to support the calls for a ceasefire here: CeasefireToday.com | Our most recent premium episode for our beloved Paid Interns is available here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-217-ceasefire-now#details

Sana Saeed, media critic with AJ Plus, joins us to breakdown how the western media has framed Israel’s attacks on Gaza, how broadcasters frame conversations with Palestinians, how it contrasts with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and more. You can follow Sana here: https://twitter.com/SanaSaeed | Take action to demand a ceasefire here: https://ceasefiretod…

Mindy Isser, an organizer and activist in Philly, joins us to discuss the actions in Pennsylvania calling for John Fetterman to support a ceasefire. From there we discuss how some members of the Jewish community have weaponized grief from the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks to justify Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, which as of now has claimed 7,000 lives including 3,000 children. You can follow Mindy here: https://twitter.com/mindyisser | You can learn more about Jewish Voice For Peace here: https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/

Our most recent premium episode with Sana Saeed on how the western media is spinning Israel’s attacks on Gaza is available here for subscribers: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-219-whose-story-gets-told-ft-sana#details

Eli Valley returns to the show to discuss how US politicians and interest groups have weaponized “anti-Zionism,” the Biden administrations comparison of pro-Palestinian protesters with Nazis in Charlottesville, Meghan McCain re-upping Eli’s comic about her, John Fetterman’s staff removing a voter from an event for asking about a ceasefire and more. You c…

Hassan El-Tayyab, with Friends Committee on National Legislation, joins Jordan to discuss Israel’s attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp and the increasing evidence of Israel committing war crimes. We also cover the movement for peace in Gaza and why it’s critical to keep the pressure up on Congress and the Biden administration to demand a ceasefire. We also explore the dehumanizing language we’re seeing from US and Israeli officials and the effect it has. Please take action at CeasefireToday.com | You can follow Hassan here: https://twitter.com/HassanElTayyab | Our most recent premium episode with Eli Valley is available here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-221-not-in-our-name-ft-eli-valley

Eva Borgwardt of If Not Now joins us to discuss the slogan policing of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who now faces censure in the House for using the phrase “From The River To The Sea” to champion Palestinian rights. We get into the reactions to that phrase, the misconceptions of it, how the Jewish community is conditioned to p…

Jodi Jacobson, executive director of Healthcare Across Borders, joins us to recap the win in Ohio for abortion rights. As an experienced abortion advocate and someone who worked in progressive politics for years, Jodi shines a light on why, despite Roe’s overturned, seemingly red states are voting to codify abortion rights. We get into what it means for Republicans going forward and how Democrats still aren’t out of the woods given Biden’s tanking popularity due to his handling of Israel’s attacks on Gaza. You can follow Jodi here: https://twitter.com/jljacobson | Our most recent premium episode for our Paid Interns is with Eva Borgwardt of If Not Now. You can access that episode by becoming a subscriber: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-223-the-slogan-police-ft-eva-borgwardt#details

Jack Crosbie returns to the show to discuss the ongoing war in Gaza, Israel’s misinformation campaign, and the importance of reporters on the ground in Gaza. You can follow Jack here: https://twitter.com/jscros | Demand a ceasefire here: CeasefireToday.com

Chuck Modi, a DC-based justice journalist, joins Jordan to recap what he saw on the ground at the If Not Now/Jewish Voice For Peace pro-ceasefire protest outside the DNC on Wednesday night. What began as a candlelight vigil and peaceful demonstration quickly turned ugly after police began roughing up protesters, throwing them to the ground and using pepper spray .Democratic and Republican politicians quickly ran to the media to demonize the protesters, despite videos captured by Chuck and others disproving their claims.

We discuss the state violence used to quash movements, the tricks used by police to escalate protests, and the role the media should play in moments like this. You can follow Chuck here: https://twitter.com/ChuckModi1/Our most recent premium episode with Jack Crosbie about the role reporters are playing in Gaza is available here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-225-witnesses-to-the-horror-ft#details

Today we’re joined by journalist Matthew Gault to talk about the AOC/Ilhan/Hasan “Among Us” stream on Twitch. We explore how Twitch will be used going forward in a political context, the politicization of video games, and what sets this stream apart from other government/politicized streams like, say, the military. Wonder where that conversation leads!You can follow Matthew HERE. His substack for Angry Planet is HERE.

Also in this episode, we receive a very special, perfect phone call from none other than the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.

You can follow comedian James Austin Johnson here, not that he’s featured in this episode or anything, it’s just generally a good idea.

You can leave us a voicemail at: 202-570-4639. Or drop us a line at theinsurgentspod@gmail.com.You can also listen to the Insurgents on iTunes HERE.On Spotify HERE.On Google Podcasts HERE.And all other links are HERE.If you’d like to become a premium subscriber and gain access to premium episodes as well as our private Discord server, you can do so here:

Mike Rothschild (no relation) joins us to discuss Elon Musk’s latest anti-Semitic controversy and advertiser exodus, which triggered a lawsuit targeting Media Matters. He also tells us about his new book, Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories, which is available here.

Returning guest Kylie Cheung joins the show for a conversation about the wave of Neo-McCarthyism affecting Hollywood actresses like Melissa Barrera and Susan Sarandon who speak out about Israel’s crimes in Gaza, the liberal mask slippage moment exemplified by creepy smirking racist Stuart Seldowitz, people trying to weaponize LGBTQIA+ or abortion rights to justify the mass murder of Palestinians and more. Oh, and whether Lightning McQueen can really be considered the GOAT with his impressive record of 7 Piston Cups.

Subscribe to The Insurgents to support the show by smashing the button below:

Ken Klippenstein is unfortunately back on the show. This time it’s to discuss two recent pieces in The Intercept about the IDF’s secret meetings on Capitol Hill which come just as Biden is moving to lift nearly all restrictions on the US weapons stockpiles for Israel. You can follow Ken here: https://twitter.com/kenklippenstein

Spencer Ackerman returns to the show to recap the life of Henry Kissinger. Spencer was commissioned last year to write the obituary for Kissinger for Rolling Stone, which published this week and you should read here. We go through the obituary, talk about what went into the process, what decisions he made when framing Kissinger’s legacy and we also get into how the media typically whitewashes the legacy of America’s worst figures after they die. Our latest premium episode with Ken Klippenstein is available here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-229-wheelin-and-arms-dealin-ft | To gain access to this episode, and all our bonus content which includes an additional episode every week, please consider becoming a subscriber here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

Jason Koebler, co-founder of 404 Media, joins us to explain what Google Researchers discovered when they asked ChatGPT to repeat the same word forever. What may seem like a simple request, revealed some alarming information about what ChatGPT is trained on, the risks with broad scraping practices and more. We explore th…

We talk about HBomberguy’s behemoth of a video on plagiarism, Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott using the 9/11 hijackers as an example of people working together during a motivational team speech, and an update on attacks resuming in Gaza. Our most recent premium episode with Jason Koebler about ChatGPT’s training model is available here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-231-violating-chatgpts-tos-ft

To receive an additional episode every week you can subscribe to the show at InsurgentsPod.com/subscribe

Steve Monacelli, an investigative reporter based in Dallas, joins us to discuss Tucker Carlson’s latest media plays, including his role in helping Alex Jones get back on Twitter. We talk about how easy it is to find funding for right-wing media enterprises and the lopsided media landscape that creates. You can follow Steve here: https://twitter.com/steva…

Congress passed the $886 billion NDAA this week, which will further enrich shareholders and executives of military contractors. Sean Morrow of More Perfect Union joins us to explain the deceptive messaging around military spending, with political leaders trying to frame it as “creating jobs.” We also take a victory lab for our new music video dropping. You can follow Sean here: https://twitter.com/snmrrwOur latest premium episode with Steve Monacelli about Tucker Carlson’s expanding media empire and his role in getting Alex Jones back on Twitter is available here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-233-tucker-carlsons-media-ecosystem

To gain access to the full episode, and to receive an additional episode every week, you can subscribe here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

Ed Zitron is back as we go through the hot new Netflix blockbuster “Leave The World Behind.” The Obama-produced feature is rife with plot holes, suspense that doesn’t pay off, an underwhelming finale and a script that leaves audiences confused and wondering what the hell they just watched. Also, Havana Syndrome. You can check out Ed’s newsletter here: ht…

Ryan Grim, author of the new book “The Squad,” joins us to talk about the book, some of the stories in it, Trump being removed from the ballot in Colorado, and a poetry reading that will give you chills. You can grab a copy of The Squad here:

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-squad-aoc-and-the-hope-of-a-political-revolution-ryan-grim/19995389?ean=9781250869074

Our most recent premium episode for our beloved paid interns is with Ed Zitron. It was a ton of fun. You can listen here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-235-havana-syndrome-the-movie

LucidFoxx returns to talk about the Israeli comedy sketch featuring Brett Gelman, an update on Israel’s attacks on Gaza, an 18-year-old Israeli Tal Mitnick who refused to join the IDF, the appropriate means of protest in the US and the Lincoln Project’s new ad that could upend the 2024 election!

Subscribe to the show and get an extra episode every week: insurgentspod.com We revisit some of the biggest stories in politics from 2023, share our top picks for films, albums and books, and make predictions (kinda?) for 2024.

Francesca Fiorentini, host of The Bitchuation Room, joins us to discuss Claudine Gay’s ouster from Harvard. The now former university president faced heat over her handling of a Congressional testimony about campus anti-Semitism and a plagiarism “scandal” that soon followed. We take a look at who the right-wing culture warriors behind it were, and also …

Manny Fidel joins us to talk about the Jeffrey Epstein documents that have been released so far, New York Jets benchwarmer Aaron Rodgers making baseless accusations about who might be mentioned in them because he’s down the rabbit hole, and how this story just breaks everyone’s brains. We also talk about the Intercept’s reporting on how CNN runs every story on Gaza through its Jerusalem bureau and how that impacts the network’s reporting on Israel.

Subscribe to the podcast at InsugentsPod.com/Subscribe to help support the show and receive an extra episode every week. Our most recent premium episode with Francesca Fiorentini is available here: https://www.insurgentspod.com/p/ep-239-the-academic-ethics-patrol

A statement: Rob Rousseau was suspended from Twitter. We do not know why. No reason was provided. The only explanation must be that he was suspended for his fervent conservative, anti-woke beliefs and exercising his free speech to further those ideas.—Nikki McCann Ramirez of Rolling Stone is back on the show to update us on Trump’s many legal proceeding…