As the host of the massively popular and long-running YouTube series ‘The Majority Report’, Sam paved the way for progressive pundits with his sharp and funny analysis of U.S. politics. That’s why Sam was the perfect guest for this week’s ‘We’re Not Kidding’ for Mehdi to discuss the wave of progressive and socialist wins across the country.

“What do you say to this common line now — that this is the Democrats’ ‘Tea Party’?” Mehdi asks.

“It’s only analogous in the sense that there is an insurgency,” Sam says. “The establishment of the Democratic Party is completely out of touch with the voters.”

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Oh and don’t think Mehdi forgot that Sam was the person who told Mehdi to participate in that insanely racist ‘Jubilee’ debate. Sam himself did a ‘Jubilee’ debate earlier in 2025, which also went viral. Togthether, for the first time, they unpack their insane experiences (though Mehdi’s was objectively more insane) and what it revealed about young MAGA conservatives. “What’s animating their movement is what you exposed on that Jubilee,” Sam says. “I think it’s really important for people to understand the stakes and really how we got here.”

The two also weigh in on what we’re now calling ‘The Great Tucker Carlson Debate.’ Will the right-wing podcaster run for president? Can he be trusted on issues like Israel and foreign wars? Is there utility to going on his platform, or vice versa? And which part of the debate does Sam think is “bullshit?”

You’re gonna have to watch to find out - and to discover which right-wing cable host’s “Jewish beard” did Sam describe himself as!

Just a heads up — ‘We’re Not Kidding’ will be taking a break for the rest of August and will return in early September.

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Mary Beth Barone is a New York City comedian, actor, socialist, and early supporter of Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. But before that, she was raised in a Republican household and thought George W. Bush was cool when she was in fifth grade. Mary Beth joined Mehdi in NYC to talk about her political character arc, her new Netflix standup special ‘Galaxy Brain’, and how the Democratic party can do better.

“What do you think of the Democratic Party establishment?” Mehdi asks.

“I think they should retire so they can trade stocks to reckless abandon,” Mary Beth says. “Go out on your boats and live your lives in your mansions. Just get out of politics because it’s pissing me off.”

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Mary Beth is someone who isn’t afraid to call people out. Like certain male comedians (“some of the worst people we have”), former NYC mayor Eric Adams (“clownish”), all billionaires (“what are you doing with all that?”), and even Gwyneth Paltrow for appearing in a commercial for luxury apartments in Israel (“wild behavior”). On the flip side, Mary Beth uses her platform to advocate for progressive policies and candidates, which you can find in her popular online series ‘Politics for Hot People’.

“You’re riding for AOC in 2028?” Mehdi asks.

“Could we have a president in a red lip? I hope so,” Mary Beth says. “A matte red lip at the White House.”

The two also discuss:

• The rise of socialism in NYC.

• Whether Taylor Swift is a good billionaire.

• Why Kamala Harris lost to Donald Trump.

• The contradictions of Republican ideology.

• What Mehdi’s fan club (!) should be nicknamed.
  

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Hasan Piker says he can take the heat. The famous political commentator has spent the past several months as the primary target of the Democratic party establishment for what they claim are his repugnant views. According to Hasan, the real reason is the success of the broader left movement that he has been a vocal advocate for.

Now, he sits down with Mehdi in Washington, D.C. to talk about becoming a “lightning rod” and the recent Democratic primaries shaking up the political landscape.

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The two Hasans (Hasan-squared? Hasandwich?) discuss the upcoming Michigan Senate primary between the AIPAC-backed Haley Stevens and the progressive Abdul El-Sayed. The polls are close, the money is overwhelming (Stevens has a 12-1 spending advantage over El-Sayed), yet Hasan explains why he thinks “this race will shock the world.”

They also get into the whole Tucker Carlson debate. Is Tucker setting up JD Vance for 2028, or is he planning his own presidential run? Hasan and Mehdi unpack whether the right-wing Christian nationalist can be a trusted ally on Gaza and Israel. “He’s been great on [Gaza]. I have no problems openly admitting that,” Hasan says. “He’s a phenomenal communicator and that’s what makes him so dangerous from my perspective.”

The Hasans also discuss:

• Socialism’s rising popularity in the U.S.

• Hasan being targeted by both Democrats and Republicans.

• Accusations of antisemitism.

• Mehdi’s appearance on the PBD podcast.

• Marco Rubio vs. JD Vance.

• The hypocrisy of Joe Rogan and Bill Maher.

• And which Democrat Hasan wants to run in 2028…

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These are just a few of the many topics that Mehdi and Adam Friedland talked about on the new episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’. The comedian and host of the wildly popular YouTube talk show, ‘The Adam Friedland Show’, sat down with Mehdi in New York City for a chaotic yet vulnerable conversation about his time living in Israel, becoming the go-to talk show for U.S. politicians, and some of Adam’s most viral interviews. But first, Mehdi needed to argue about the World Cup.

“I think [Messi] should have retired in 2022 when he won the World Cup,” Mehdi says. “I don’t know why politicians and sports stars cannot quit at the top.”

“What are you complaining about? It has been twenty-two years of the greatest art we’ve ever seen,” Adam says. “What are you the old men on the f*cking balcony in the Muppets?”

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Even though they come from different backgrounds, Mehdi and Adam bond over their shared profession of interviewing defensive politicians. One of Adam’s most viral interviews, with Bronx Congressman Ritchie “AIPAC Guy” Torres, was of particular interest to Mehdi. “You got very emotional there. Did he make you like that? Did the situation in Gaza make you like that?” Mehdi asks.

“I’m effectively just saying like, ‘The baby shouldn’t get blown up,’” Adam says.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The two also discuss:

• Adam’s family history in South Africa.

• How Stephen Miller might have turned into a fascist (he and Adam went to school together).

• Trump’s influence on the World Cup.

• Adam’s experience working in an Israeli ambulance service.

• Getting Scott Jennings to admit he’s a “performer.”

• Whether Adam should run for president.

• And many, many, many, other things…

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But one thing they do stand together on is just how vital immigrants are to America.

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In fact, it’s the premise of Waj’s memoir, Go Back to Where You Came From, which he calls both a “love letter to a country that doesn’t love us back” and a “warning to a country about what happens when you go against the immigrants.” Waj discusses his experience growing up as the child of Pakistani immigrants and Mehdi chimes in with his experience being an immigrant to the U.S. “People tell me to go back to the UK, because they think the UK is some Muslim hellhole dystopia.”

They also talk about America at 250 and the dueling 4th of July speeches between Zohran Mamdani (very good!) and Donald Trump (very bad!). “There were MAGA people on the mall who told journalists that it was ‘liberals in the weather service’ trying to ruin the Trump speech on Saturday night,” Mehdi says. “They literally see the storm destroying the sets and they’re like, ‘We don’t believe the liberals in the weather service.’” Waj says. “It’s a cult, man.”

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In this intimate and hilarious conversation, the two also discuss:

• Waj’s parents being sent to prison.

• Donald Trump intervening in the World Cup.

• Extremism in the U.S. versus the UK.

• The rise of Islamophobia.

• And… the Epstein Files.

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“You are a Muslim woman, you’re wearing a hijab, and you’re identifying as Palestinian. Is that right now opening doors or closing doors?” Mehdi asks.

“I had a TV opportunity, a major TV opportunity, and they kind of picked a different host because they said that I was too political for them,” Nina says.

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Nina explains how as a former TV and radio producer she initially got into performing standup comedy at the suggestion of her boss. Now that she’s several years into her comedy career, she uses her platform to challenge the perception of being an Arab Muslim woman. “I’m trying to reshape narratives while also trying to be funny,” Nina says.

Nina is also the author of the children’s book ‘I’m a Princess Too’ about a young Muslim girl who gets cast as a princess in the school play but then is bullied by her peers for wearing a hijab. On top of all of that, Nina is also an amateur boxer who has competed in fights at Madison Square Garden. “If you could challenge anyone in the world to a fight, who would it be?” Mehdi asks. “Amy Schumer,” Nina says.

The two also discuss:

• Nina’s time working at SiriusXM and (gulp!) FOX News.

• Why it’s always OK to “play the Muslim card.”

• DJ Khaled’s silence on Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

• Getting caught going to a pro-Palestine rally by her mom when she was 12.

• Whether George W. Bush was better than Donald Trump.

• How Mehdi turned up in the Epstein files (it’s not bad, we promise!)…

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In a special LIVE taping of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ in New York City, Mehdi was joined by author, political commentator, and host of the ‘Fast Politics’ podcast Molly Jong-Fast, where they sought to answer the one burning question of every politics (and comic book) nerd: Which of the Democratic presidential hopefuls has the greatest superpower – and what is their ‘Kryptonite’ that could tank their candidacy?

“What is [Gavin Newsom’s] superpower, apart from his hair?” Mehdi asks.

“He’s tall...” Molly says.

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Together, they break down Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s celebrity status, who the sleeper hit of the Democratic primary could be, and discuss why, if she runs, Kamala Harris will probably lose…again. “When you lose, shouldn’t you just go away?” Mehdi asks. “That’s why I think [Kamala Harris] is not going to run again,” Molly says.

The pair also take a moment to catch up on our current commander-in-chief’s disastrous war with Iran and how little Donald Trump seems to care about its impact on Americans’ financial well-being – let alone the rest of the world. “If we had a Diet Coke button on our desk, we probably wouldn’t think about the American people either,” Molly says.

They also take questions from the live audience in New York on whether social media is to blame for young people being drawn in by right-wing pundits like Tucker Carlson, why the media rarely covers labor issues, and whether Trump has an exit strategy in Iran (spoiler: he doesn’t).

The two also discuss:

• The Jan. 6 rioters’ billion-dollar payout from the Trump administration.

• Marco Rubio and JD Vance’s ‘Apprentice’-style tryout for Trump’s backing in 2028.

• How much right-wing political content is actually astroturfed.

This episode was co-produced by On Air Fest and On Air Presents as part of their yearlong programming.

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Ben McKenzie became famous for playing bad boy Ryan Atwood in the hit 2003 drama, but he may end up being remembered for his work investigating and speaking out against the opaque crypto industry.

Ben is the writer, director, and star of the new documentary, ‘Everyone Is Lying To You For Money’, which documents his years-long look into the scammy, fraudulent, and oftentimes criminal world of cryptocurrency. He met up with Mehdi in Washington D.C. to talk about his new film:

“What drove you to have so much interest in this one particular issue?” Mehdi asks.

“I think I was raised with a sense of social justice. I was raised with an ethos of what you do for your community and for the rest of society is as important, if not more important, than what you do for yourself,” Ben says.

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Mehdi and Ben unpack the film’s globetrotting story — from Miami, to El Salvador, to London — as Ben follows the (figurative) money. Ben explains what exactly cryptocurrency is and uncovers why its evangelists want you to buy it so badly.

They also dig into the crypto industry’s influence on both the Republican and Democratic parties, why the Trump family is the perfect avatar for crypto fraudsters, and Ben’s now famous interview with former FTX crypto exchange founder — and current federal prisoner — Sam Bankman-Fried.

“I’m watching this and I’m like, ‘Why the fuck is the guy from ‘The O.C.’ doing a tougher interview on Sam Bankman-Fried than the people at CNBC, FOX Business, Bloomberg?” Mehdi says.

“Yes! What is going on?! Me? You need me to do it?” an incredulous and impassioned Ben responds.

In a must-watch, wide-ranging conversation, the two also discuss:

• How ‘The O.C.’ introduced an entire generation to class politics.

• Why Ben is supporting Brad Lander for Congress over Dan Goldman.

• If taking corporate PAC money should be a litmus test for Democrats.

• The similarities between AIPAC and crypto ads.

• And which Democrats have an actual shot at the presidency in 2028…

If you enjoy 2000s pop culture, gumshoe investigations, and calling out corporate Democrats — this is the podcast for you.

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The Oscar and Emmy award-winning actor is currently on the press tour for not one but two new projects: his TV series ‘Bait’, and a film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’. But the tour wouldn’t be complete without joining his former school mate and fellow school play actor Mehdi for a special LIVE taping of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ in New York City. The two dig into Riz’s new roles, the state of Muslim representation in popular culture, and making political art. They also take questions from the audience, but first they share a few choice anecdotes from their teenage years.

“So I called you up and I remember that conversation super vividly. I remember —” Riz says.

“You actually called me?” Mehdi asks.

“Yes, we spoke on the phone. Do you not remember this?” Riz says. “I applied to go to the same [Oxford] college as you basically because you went there.”

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With ‘Bait’, Riz imagines an alternate version of himself — a UK actor whose life is upended when it’s rumored he may be cast as the first Brown James Bond. Riz talks about using the series to explore representation, shame, and the gap between a person’s public and private life. On the flip side is ‘Hamlet’, a modern retelling of the great tragedy set within London’s elite South Asian community, and one that taps back into Shakespeare’s radical intentions. “‘To be or not to be’ is probably the most famous line of dialogue ever written,” Riz says. “[Hamlet] is literally asking, ‘Should we resist? Should we fight back against oppression even if we risk losing it all?’ And somewhere along the line, this thing becomes popular enough, it gets co-opted into the establishment and it’s de-radicalized.”

The two also discuss:

• Neil Patrick Harris’ recent ridiculous comments about making “apolitical” art.

• Why “getting in the room” doesn’t matter if you let the room change you.

• The lasting significance of his films ‘Four Lions’ and ‘The Long Goodbye’ given the UK far-right political scene.

• And how Riz got banned… from UK grocery store Tesco!

They also take questions from the audience about why some Muslim entertainers have stayed silent on Gaza, the best ways to resist fascism, the power of political storytelling, and whether Riz’s aunties call him up to chastise him about some of his.. erm… spicier on-camera scenes.

It’s a funny, illuminating, inspiring, hope-filled conversation that you won’t want to miss!

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“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.”

Free subscribers get a 10-minute preview of the video above while Zeteo’s paid subscribers can watch it in full. As always, you can also listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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