We’ve done it, folks.
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!)
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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