“What has shocked you most about the Epstein saga?” Mehdi asks.

“It’s the blatant gaslighting. You have a guy who is pro-Israel, and yet they tell you, ‘Oh, he might be a Russian spy,’” Bassem says.

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They dig into Epstein and Mehdi’s viral interview with the so-called “Professor Jiang,” the two get into a friendly argument over which terms and ideas qualify as religious tropes and how the weaponization of antisemitism by Zionists has diluted the meaning of the word. “Bassem, why can’t you be careful in your language? Are you doing it for clicks?” Mehdi asks. “I’m not saying my reaction is right, but I’m saying my reaction is natural,” Bassem says.

The two also debate whether right-wingers like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson can be trusted allies for calling out Israel’s genocide in Gaza and Donald Trump’s war with Iran, or if they’re just opportunists who see the writing on the wall for the MAGA movement. “Why don’t you like Candace Owens or Tucker Carlson?” Bassem asks Mehdi, who explains his position on the two.

They also discuss:

• Zionists cracking down on free speech and civil liberties.

• Whether “Pax Judaica” is an antisemitic trope or not.

• The ‘radicalization’ of US citizen Moshe Katz who recently died in Lebanon fighting for the Israeli military.

• Why Bill Maher is… just the worst.

You really don’t want to miss this episode!

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“What are the right-wing MAGA podcast wars? What is going on right now?” Mehdi asks.

“It would take a long time for me to give you all of the subplots. But the major fissure is around Israel,” Krystal says.

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The two also get into how Donald Trump’s disastrous war with Iran is creating even MORE rifts within the Republican party, Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu’s role in instigating the war, and why we shouldn’t totally trust defectors like Trump’s now former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent. “They are very comfortable saying, ‘Israel, Israel, Israel. It’s all Israel’s fault,’” Krystal says. “But at the end of the day, this is Donald Trump’s war. He’s not a baby. He’s the most powerful man on the planet.”

The two also discuss:

• Krystal’s famous hardball interview with Sen. Elissa Slotkin.

• How AIPAC’s brand has become “completely toxic” with Democratic voters.

• Why podcasts will be important for 2028 presidential candidates.

• And whether Gavin Newsom will be brave enough to appear on ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ or ‘Breaking Points’...

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Ayman joins Mehdi in Washington DC for the latest episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ to discuss their careers in TV journalism, the failures of Western media on Gaza, and the new US war with Iran.

“What do you make of the Iran coverage so far?” Mehdi asks.

“The imbalance of representation of viewpoints is always one of the things that immediately jumps out. You see this in multiple conflicts in the Middle East,” Ayman says.

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Mehdi and Ayman also discuss Israel’s role in instigating the war, Benjamin Netanyahu’s decades-long obsession with toppling the Iranian regime, as well as the media’s unwillingness to name Israel as an influence on US foreign policy. “Israel has said it wants regime change in Iran for 40 years, but you couldn’t say that until Marco Rubio came out and said that,” Ayman says.

As one of the only American journalists who lived in Gaza during the 2008-09 war, Ayman brings a perspective on the region that few other mainstream journalists are able to. The two talk about Ayman’s history of reporting on the conflict, what has changed (and sadly not changed), as well as the shortcomings of most Western media outlets in offering balanced coverage. “There was no willingness to challenge on a systematic basis the Israeli narrative about what it was doing in Gaza,” Ayman says. “Everything that was coming out of Gaza was always shrouded in doubt, as if Palestinians couldn’t document what was actually happening to them.”

The two also discuss:

• Beginning their journalism careers in the post 9/11 era.

• Double standard attacks levied against Muslim journalists.

• Bari Weiss and her “Iran expert” Douglas Murray.

• Which Republican lawmakers are “dumb as shit.”

• And Mehdi quizzes Ayman on the French national soccer (sorry, football) team…

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If you know the work of Hamzah Saadah, you already know what he’s talking about. Since Oct. 7, the 22 year-old Palestinian-American influencer has gained international notoriety for doing something that no mainstream news outlet would dare to do: asking regular Israelis what they think about Palestine. The results have been shocking, as Hamzah’s interviews with civilians and soldiers alike demonstrate a comfort and willingness to use “genocidal rhetoric” across Israeli society. Hamzah now joins Mehdi for a live taping of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah to discuss his work on social media and take some questions from the audience.

“Our work is similar where we speak to Israeli soldiers and the Israeli military,” Hamzah says to Mehdi. “But the people you speak to are media trained. They’re PR trained.”

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Before Oct. 7, Hamzah was a gaming influencer, musician, and magician (yes, you read that right) with nearly 8 million followers across social media. But once Israel’s genocide began in Gaza, Hamzah made the decision to use his massive following to expose the anti-Palestinian rhetoric of some Israeli soldiers. “I decided to use that platform for good because staying quiet on something as disgusting as a genocide is, I think, inappropriate,” Hamzah says.

The two also discuss:

• Receiving threats for their political work.

• Larry Ellison and censorship on TikTok.

• The time the police showed up at Hamzah’s house at 3:00am.

• How to change the minds of audiences.

• How old Mehdi is, again, and again, and again.

The two also take questions from the audience about Palestinian liberation, effective allyship, and the positive impact of their work. Make sure to watch the whole episode so you don’t miss them!

2026 Sundance Film Festival. Recorded at The Muslim House® Produced by the MPAC® Hollywood Bureau with the support of the Doris Duke Foundation.

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“I have definitely moved further to the left,” Jennifer says. “Some people like to say ‘radicalized.’ I would say I’ve been ‘deprogrammed’ from corporate news propaganda and corporate Democrats.”

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Once an “MSNBC liberal” from the Bible Belt, Mehdi and Jennifer discuss her evolution on issues like corporate influence on the Democratic party and Israel-Palestine. “When you live in Oklahoma, you don’t really know what’s going on in the Middle East,” Jennifer says. “So I really started researching about it. How did Israel become a country? I didn’t fucking know.”

They get into the recent dump of Epstein files, including Elon Musk’s “pathetic” attempt to get an invite to Epstein’s island on Christmas, and how Joe Biden and the Democrats once again fumbled the ball. “Merrick Garland had these files for four fucking years and didn’t do anything with it!” Jennifer says.

The two also discuss:

• How atheism influences Jennifer’s politics (and religion influences Mehdi’s!).

• Why Trump appeals to evangelical Christians.

• Scott Jennings, Jesse Watters, and why Republican men are “submissive.”

• Whether Epstein was a Mossad spy.

• Which national Democrats should be “remodeled” and which should “retire.”

Buckle in for this one, folks. And please make sure your kids have their earmuffs on.

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If you watched ‘The Daily Show’ during the post-9/11 era, you likely already know the comedian and actor for his biting commentary on Islamophobia, George W. Bush, and the ‘War on Terror’.

But did you know he was the political comedy show’s first non-white cast member? Or that he served as the “Senior Middle East Correspondent” and “Senior Muslim Correspondent” even though he’s not from the Middle East or a practicing Muslim? At the time, Aasif’s satirical role allowed him to explore politics, society, and Muslim-ness in America like few others had. Now, he joins Mehdi on the new episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ in front of a live audience at the Sundance Film Festival for a wide-ranging conversation about being fellow immigrants, Muslim representation, Donald Trump, Zohran Mamdani, as well as take some questions from the audience.

“Are you worried about being denaturalized?” Mehdi asks. “Every time I say anything someone doesn’t like, I have members of Congress saying, ‘Deport and denaturalize Mehdi Hasan.’”

“Yeah, of course. It is always a threat that they hold over our heads,” Aasif says.

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Aasif and Mehdi talk about being the children of Indian immigrants who first landed in the UK then ultimately in the US. “My father was fascinated with the American concept of brunch,” Aasif says. They also discuss Aasif’s groundbreaking work on ‘The Daily Show’ as one of the few Muslims with a platform on national television during the mid-2000s. “My Muslim-ness was not something I walked around being like, ‘I am an American Muslim,’” Aasif says. “Suddenly after 9/11, that became very front and center. And I realized, ‘Oh, there’s an opportunity here for me to actually say something.’”

The two also discuss:

• The massive protests in Minneapolis against ICE and the killing of Alex Pretti.

• The Trump admin’s plans to “denaturalize” foreign-born citizens.

• Hollywood’s silence on the genocide in Gaza.

• Donald Trump’s meeting with Zohran Mamdani and “bidet-gate.”

They also took some thoughtful questions from the audience, including, “What would Mehdi say to Donald Trump, if he had the chance?” Watch the full episode to hear Mehdi’s response!

2026 Sundance Film Festival. Recorded at The Muslim House® Produced by the MPAC® Hollywood Bureau with the support of the Doris Duke Foundation.

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She’s an anti-Zionist, Jewish-Iranian Israeli who speaks fluent Arabic and grew up in a tiny village in Israel called the ‘Oasis of Peace’, where Jews and Palestinians choose to live together. And while she started a career in diplomacy with a stint at the United Nations trying to bring pea…

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“[Mamdani] is on stage with his Syrian wife, and his Indian-Hindu mom, and his Ugandan-Muslim dad. What do you feel about that?” Mehdi asks.

“I feel that is truly American. As a millennial I feel like this is the United States of America that millennials will build for ourselves to grow old into,” Ilana says.

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The two also discuss the recent failures of the Democratic party and whether Mamdani’s win has the power to finally push party leadership to embrace its populist flank. “Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries were not there celebrating last night,” Ilana says. “A Democratic mayor won. They should be there celebrating.” They also talk about someone else who was definitely not celebrating on election night — Debra Messing and her very public Instagram crash out.

Ilana opens up to Mehdi about her feelings around the modern Jewish identity, particularly since Oct. 7. The two also discuss the weaponization of antisemitism by figures like Jonathan Greenblatt (who has already announced the Anti-Defamation League’s ‘Mamdani Monitor’ to purportedly “keep Jewish New Yorkers safe”), while simultaneously ignoring the dangers of right-wing antisemitism espoused by people like Nick Fuentes and Tucker Carlson.

Finally, Mehdi asks Ilana about speaking out against Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the risks of receiving backlash or being censored. “Speaking up increases safety for everybody,” Ilana says. “I really believe that Jewish and Muslim safety are intertwined.”

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Mehdi and Arian unpack the ways our reality mirrors the fictional world of ‘Succession’, like how pro-Israel billionaire Larry Ellison, the world’s second richest man, is buying up media companies Paramount, CBS News, and TikTok. Mehdi also challenges Arian to a new rapid-fire question game called, “Real Billionaire or ‘Succession’ Character?” The results were hilarious yet… somewhat terrifying.

As two naturalized US citizens, Mehdi and Arian discuss the recent military-style ICE raids in Arian’s hometown of Chicago and the fears that many immigrant communities are feeling in the Trump era. They also get into the recent political history of Iran, and Arian explains the importance of Iranian representation and self-determination, and offers his own analogy for why Western governments should stay out of Iran’s affairs. “For anyone to say, ‘This is how Iranians should be and do — that’s insanity,” Arian says. “I don’t want to tell you how to live in Kansas City. Like, I’m not going to tell Kansas City what barbecue is about.”

Finally, the two discuss the two-year anniversary of Oct. 7 and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. As Arian was one of the earliest signatories on the Artists 4 Ceasefire letter in October of 2023, Mehdi asks if he feared retribution from Hollywood and the entertainment industry for being pro-Palestine. “I have those thoughts. I have those fears,” Arian says. “I will also say during that time I’d be on set and people would whisper to me, ‘I’m on your side.’”

It’s a fascinating, funny, heartfelt conversation. And like many of Stewy’s appearances on ‘Succession’ — filled with a healthy amount of F-bombs.

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The two start off talking about Jimmy Kimmel, who was recently suspended by Disney/ABC for his comments about Charlie Kirk’s killing and subsequent pressure from Trump’s FCC chair. “Jimmy Kimmel is a millionaire — he’s going to survive,” Bassem says. “But nobody has been talking about the people who lost their livelihoods, their careers, their green cards for being pro-Palestinian. This is the hypocrisy.”

Next week marks the two-year anniversary of Oct. 7 and the beginning of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Bassem, ever the pessimist of the two, voices his lack of hope that an end to the conflict is coming any time soon. Mehdi, on the other hand, points out the massive change in public opinion on the conflict, and Israel in general. “I’ve been following this issue of Palestine my entire adult life,” Mehdi says. “Never in my life did I think I would see 53% of the American public have an unfavorable view of Israel.”

The two wrap up their conversation with a bit of hope — Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign in New York City. “If Mamdani wins in November, that will be earth shattering in many ways,” Mehdi says. “It will destroy every argument that you cannot run on a progressive populist platform, that you cannot run against capitalism, and you cannot run against Israel.” As always, Bassem brings the conversation back down to reality, as he declares, “I refuse to be hopeful!”

Finally, the Bassem and Mehdi take questions from the audience, including a couple of pointed questions for Mehdi about condemning Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7 and the killing of Israeli civilians — you don’t want to miss his response.

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On this week’s ‘We’re Not Kidding’, Mehdi once again gets to do his two favorite things: have a substantive conversation about politics and fanboy on nerd culture. That’s because this week’s guest is award-winning Irish actor Denise Gough, who came to prominence on the ‘Star Wars’ TV series ‘Andor’ playing an intelligence officer in service of the fascistic Empire. But in real life Denise’s politics are deeply anti-imperial as an outspoken advocate for Palestine and the people of Gaza.

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Mehdi speaks with Denise about her breakout role on ‘Andor’ playing “one of the most compelling fascists [he’s] ever seen on screen,” and unpack the parallels between ‘Andor’ and the rise of fascism across the West right now. “It's the banality of evil,” Denise says. “It happens around essentially a water cooler. Like all these kinds of boring office politics.” But unlike ‘Star Wars’, the “good guys” in many historical conflicts are often vilified by those in power. “It's very impressive when the good guys are doing it,” Mehdi says. “ But who defines who the good guys and the bad guys are?”

The two then discuss Denise’s advocacy work and the historical connection between Ireland and Palestine. “[Ireland] lived under occupation for hundreds of years,” Denise says. She goes on to recount her recent trip to the occupied West Bank and witnessing Israel’s apartheid firsthand. “I've seen things that are undeniable,” a visibly emotional Denise says. From the military checkpoints and fences in Hebron, to Palestinian homes barred in steel to protect against settler attacks, to handmade jewelry carved from Israeli military tear gas canisters. “There isn't a person in the world that would be able to convince me what is happening there is a democracy.”

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On this week’s ‘We’re Not Kidding’ Mehdi sits down with an actual superhero. No, not the Incredible Hulk from Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’ — he’s a pretend super hero. The real-life superhero we’re referring to this week is the award-winning Hollywood actor and activist Mark Ruffalo. For over two decades, Mark has been one of the most politically courageous actors in Hollywood, having spoken out against the fracking industry, US imperialism, Donald Trump, and the genocide in Gaza. Mark and Mehdi get into all of that, but first… Mehdi nerds out.

“I am restraining every fanboy impulse because you are a lefty, you are progressive, you are pro-Palestine, and you're an Avenger,” Mehdi says. (There’s even an MCU rapid-fire quiz thrown in to this conversation!)

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The two talk about Mark’s political evolution, from being raised in a household with three different religions to getting involved in the anti-war movement during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. When discussing Trump’s second term and rising fascism here in the US, Mark doesn’t mince words when it comes to the tepid opposition from Democratic party leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. “They are the absolute antithesis of what the Democratic Party needs right now,” Mark says, before also launching into a scathing critique of the notoriously pro-Israel House Democrat Ritchie Torres.

Finally, Mehdi asks Mark about his years-long advocacy for Palestine and the elaborate “propaganda machine” deployed by Israel and its allies, as Mark is no stranger to being attacked for his pro-Palestine views. Now almost two years into Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Mark gets deeply emotional when discussing the human cost of the conflict. “I'm a humanist, okay? What's happening there is inhumane,” Mark says. “It's f*cking heartbreaking, man.”

It’s without doubt one of our best episodes of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ yet — funny, thoughtful, and emotional. Make sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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Anees tells Mehdi about his winding career path of going to law school, passing the bar exam, and delivering pizzas for 10 years. Though you may be surprised to find out which of those had the most lasting impact. “All the things I know today about being an artist were learned in the art of delivering pizzas,” Anees says. After getting his big break during an Instagram livestream with superstar Justin Bieber, Anees made the leap from up-and-comer to professional musician.

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Growing up in a half-Palestinian, half-Lebanese household with a father who worked in civil rights, Anees explains to Mehdi how making political music isn’t even a conscious choice for him. Though when it comes to other famous musical artists, including a well-known Palestinian (cough cough, DJ Khaled), Anees has his own thoughts as to why some celebrities choose to stay out of the political fray. “Sometimes these celebrities that seem like they're these big people are very small.” When discussing US lawmakers and Israel, the duo unpack the mixed signals coming from progressives like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and whether purity tests on the left are helpful or harmful.

Finally, Mehdi and Anees discuss the possibility of Zohran Mamdani winning the New York City mayor’s race and the shockwaves it would send to the political establishment. “Zohran is about the interests of people over the interests of elites. Zohran is about the interests of the people over the interests of lobbies and foreign powers,” Anees says. “He’s a crack in the matrix.”

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“I've been doing stand-up for 27 years. For 27 years I've been talking about how hard it is to be Iranian in America,” Maz says. “Because Iran is always involved in something.”

In this heartfelt conversation, Maz tells Mehdi about his lifelong struggle of representing his home country while trying to assimilate to American culture. “I'm a 6 year-old or 7 year-old at the time, going to school during the [Iran] hostage crisis, and they would call you f*cking Iranian,” he says. When discussing the recent conflict between Iran and the US, Maz has his own diplomatic pitch: “Like if the mullahs said, ‘We'll figure out the same deal that we had with Obama, and you get to put a Trump tower in Tehran’.” Maz also discusses the challenges of beginning his comedy career during the post-9/11 era, and being a part of the groundbreaking ‘Axis of Evil’ comedy tour during a time of rampant Islamophobia in the US.

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Maz and Mehdi also unpack Donald Trump’s “inhumane” immigration policy of mass detentions and deportations. As an outspoken advocate for immigrant rights, Maz slams the Trump admin for its abject cruelty and stupidity. “Americans are so lazy, and we're arresting the only people that are working!” The duo also talk about the contradiction of immigrants who support Trump, and the stop-and-start progress of Muslim representation in American popular culture.

It’s a funny, thoughtful, and wide-ranging conversation you definitely won’t want to miss. Have a listen, and let us know what you think in the comments!

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“What was your reaction last week when you heard Israel is now dropping bombs on — I think it's the sixth place in the Middle East in the last year — Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, the West Bank, and now Iran?” Mehdi asks.

“I think my reaction was, ‘Not again,’ and also I thought about what this means for attention on Palestine because Netanyahu has a modus operandi and it tends to be, ‘Don't look over here — look over here,’ and he's willing to kill people to do it,” Alana says.

Mehdi and Alana also discuss Israel’s now 20 month-long genocide in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian conditions there, including the Israeli military’s regular killings of Palestinians seeking food at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid sites. “[GHF] is not humanitarian or a foundation — it's a militarized aid site — and it's there to line people up who are starving and shoot them,” Alana says.

The two also speak about the recent ICE raids in Los Angeles and the massive protests that erupted in response, Ted Cruz making the US-Israel relationship “Instagram official” during his Tucker Carlson interview, and the success of the documentary film ‘The Encampments’ produced by Watermelon Pictures and Macklemore, featuring now freed political prisoner Mahmoud Khalil. “For every Mahmoud they take away, a thousand of us will come to take his place,” Alana says.

Also be sure to check out the Q&A that begins 32 minutes into the episode. Zeteo subscribers asked Mehdi and Alana important questions about the weaponization of religion, Israel’s pinkwashing, and Benjamin Netanyahu’s endgame — one questioner even challenged Mehdi’s own political views!

EDITOR’S NOTE: This conversation was recorded just before Mahmoud Khalil was released from ICE detention and before the US joined Israel in its bombing campaign of Iran.

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“I'm playing tag and Lauren goes, ‘Tag, you're it,’ and she pulls my hijab off,” Yasmin says.

“No! A hate crime in eighth grade,” Mehdi says.

“So I swing at her and I hit her in the left eye,” Yasmin says.

Mehdi and Yasmin also discuss the ways in which Muslim representation in American culture has gotten better over the last several decades, but how there’s still room for improvement. “We want to control our narrative dynamic. We want to be able to tell our own stories, and we want to do so with dignity and integrity and authenticity,” Yasmin says. As the co-host of the TV series ‘Muslim Matchmaker’, Yasmin tells Mehdi how important getting the opportunity to show a different side of Muslim life meant to her. “It's revolutionary in how it allows us to really be ourselves and to deal with the real issues in our community, but in a way that is accessible, joyful, playful even.”

Yasmin also explains to Mehdi why she chose the dual path of lawyer and comedian — “immigrants have to buy their passions” — how her matchmaking career began with finding a wife for her brother, why she thinks Colonel Gaddafi was the “gayest dictator who’s not gay” and whether Mehdi bears a resemblance to the 1980s-era McDonald’s mascot, The Hamburglar.

“I’m not a Hamburglar,” Mehdi says.

Watch yourself and be the judge!

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“[Trump] is someone who if he got on a metro station or a subway train with you and ranted and raved, you would get up and move your seat,” Mehdi says. “In this country, we’ve given him the nuclear codes.”

“I feel like the problem with you is that you did not grow up in this country,” Molly counters. “So, you are just surprised that we're stupid.”

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Mehdi and Molly also talk about the Trump administration’s repression of free speech on college campuses, and also take some much-needed shots at the Republican-led Congress. “They are run by complete incompetence,” Molly says.

In addition, ‘We’re Not Kidding’ recently celebrated its one-year anniversary! Check out some of our favorite moments in the video below:

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“I’m looking at this and thinking, ‘This is really bad.’ Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel are actually screwing over American Jews in many ways.” Mehdi says.

“[Israel defenders] are cozying up with people who are antisemites, who do not like the Jews, who will turn on the Jews. All in the name of a country they're not even citizens of,” Gianmarco says.

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The two also discuss the hypocrisy of Donald Trump and the Republican party, who claim to be defenders of free speech while simultaneously detaining student activists for their political activity or opinions. “I think there's just not enough people who are taught what bullshit is and how to see through it,” Gianmarco says.

Finally, Mehdi and Gianmarco go on an extended rant about the “anti-woke” comedy movement and how its ringleaders like Joe Rogan and Bill Maher have completely sold out to powerful political figures like Donald Trump. “We're watching huge comedians toe the line for the President,” Gianmarco says. “Well, then you're not a fucking comedian anymore — You’re a propagandist.”

Also, some very exciting news: 'We're Not Kidding' is officially a Webby award winner! Thank you again to everyone who voted and our amazing 'WNK' audience — we couldn't do any of this without you!

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We’ve got some very exciting news to share: Zeteo is officially a Webby Award winner! Today it was announced that our flagship podcast, ‘We’re Not Kidding’, took home the Webby’s People’s Voice Award (see the official listing here) for our powerful episode with comedian Rob Delaney (watch by clicking the link above).

Thank you to everyone who voted for ‘WNK’ in this year’s competition — we quite literally could not have done this without you. Not only did you help us win, you helped us DEFEAT *the* Jon Stewart! That says a lot about the amazing audience we’ve built over the past year.

If you haven’t already, now is a great time to become a paid subscriber to Zeteo so you don’t miss new episodes of ‘WNK’ as soon as they drop. Every new subscriber helps make the work we do possible — are you ready to join us?

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If you are already a paid subscriber to Zeteo but would like to increase your support for our accountability journalism, please consider a donation, too.

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‘We’re Not Kidding’ has been nominated for a Webby Award!
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On this week’s ‘We’re Not Kidding’, Mehdi is joined by award-winning actor, activist, and Zeteo contributor Cynthia Nixon for an impassioned conversation about rising fascism under Donald Trump and the lawlessness of ICE, which Cynthia calls a “terrorist agency.”

Mehdi and Cynthia unpack Trump’s assault on US higher education, the ‘disappearings’ of international student activists, and the lack of opposition from the Democratic Party. As a lifelong New Yorker and graduate of Barnard College, Cynthia strongly criticizes Columbia University’s choice to roll over in response to Trump’s slew of authoritarian demands.

“It’s foolish. It’s a terrible mistake. The most disheartening thing — never mind standing up for what's right — but it's not gonna get [Columbia] anywhere,” Cynthia says.

“Did none of these college presidents go to elementary school? Did they never have to deal with a bully at lunchtime? You don't pay off the bully,” Mehdi says.

“He just comes back for more. He's like, ‘Oh, these are the people I can roll over right away,’” Cynthia says.

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Mehdi and Cynthia also discuss Israel’s renewed assault on Gaza and the lack of public outrage, particularly from liberals in the entertainment industry, as well as the whole Rachel Zegler/‘Snow White’ controversy in which Zegler was lambasted by Hollywood elites for voicing her solidarity with Palestine. “If you think about ‘McCarthyism’ — that was Hollywood,” Cynthia says.

Finally, the Democratic primary for New York City Mayor is underway and Cynthia has some strong opinions about two of the candidates. First, there’s former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (Cynthia’s former opponent from the 2018 gubernatorial race) who’s currently polling first even though he resigned from office in disgrace amidst multiple scandals. Then, there’s New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani who’s running a progressive and grassroots campaign and has not had to resign from office in disgrace due to multiple scandals. Listen now to find out which candidate Cynthia prefers!

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