In this Smart Bestie episode, it's just me and my smart best friend Ashna Rodjan. Seriously, what a week—there was an attempted assassination on Donald Trump and we lost the comedy legend, Bob Newhart. I grew up listening to Bob Newhart's records. His long-form storytelling was pure genius. I still laugh thinking about his bit as the night watchman at the Empire State Building during King Kong's climb.

We dive into the Trump situation too. It's wild to think about how this might shake up American politics and the upcoming election. Ashna, with her background in cognitive psychology, brings up some fascinating points about how appearance plays such a big role in politics. It's funny how Americans and Europeans have such different approaches when it comes to picking leaders.

I share a pretty intense story from my recent road trip where I picked up a homeless woman off the side of the road. Not something I'd normally do, but she looked like she needed help. Ashna talks about her own adventure, or misadventure, as a new driver navigating the streets of LA.

We wrap things up by reflecting on how important it is to be kind and understanding, especially in these divided times. We talk about how even small acts of democracy in our daily lives can make a big difference.

Hooray for humanity!

We're dropping new episodes every Thursday-ish.

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About Smart Camp podcast

Tom Rhodes Smart Camp is a festival of ideas, knowledge, stories, books & adventures.

Join us for

• Smart Ramble (Tom talks)
• Smart Talk (Tom has a guest)
• Smart Bestie (Tom and Ashna Rodjan)
• Smart Books and Movies (Review on Books and Movies)