A Song Called Life

In Episode #158, Dr. Benny Forer joins Osi to provide an in-depth analysis of criminal prosecution. They discuss the distinctions between white-collar crimes, organized crime, and street crime, while also exploring the unique challenges posed by cybercrime.

Benny Forer is a veteran criminal prosecutor specializing in complex cyber and sex crimes, including child pornography and solicitations of minors. He is a member of the prestigious Cyber Crime Unit. Professor Forer lectures at USC's Viterbi School of Engineering, teaching Cyber & Privacy Law. He is an internationally recognized lecturer on criminal justice, privacy concerns, and white-collar crime.

Mason LeCompte is a multi-talented stand-up comedian, actress, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California, originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is best known for her work in "Childrens Hospital" (2008), "Minotaur" (2013), and "Comedy Parlour Live: Quarantine Edition" (2020).

Catch her upcoming stand-up shows in Los Angeles: Kinks of Comedy at Legacy Studios on July 27th and at The Dime on July 31st. Follow her on Instagram: @masonlecompte, Facebook: Mason LeCompte, and YouTube: @masonlecompte.

In Episode #156, post-disaster expert and former lead Homeland Security advisor Dr. Stephen Flynn joins Osi to analyze the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. They break down the incident, examine the failures, explore the demanding nature of a Secret Service agent's role, and more.

Dr. Stephen Flynn is the Founding Director of the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern University and a Professor of Political Science. He has significant experience with the federal government, serving as an expert advisor to the U.S. Commission on National Security and as executive director of a homeland security task force post-9/11. He advised the Bush Administration on maritime and homeland security and was the lead policy advisor on homeland security for President Obama's transition team. A 1982 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Flynn served 20 years on active duty, including roles in the White House Military Office and the National Security Council. He holds advanced degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.

In Episode #155, Dr. Lynn Vavreck joins Osi to discuss the latest developments in the upcoming presidential election. They explore the likelihood of Joe Biden stepping aside and opting not to run in the 2024 election, potential candidates to replace Biden, and address circulating rumors about Biden's health, among other critical topics.

Lynn Vavreck is an American political scientist, a contributing columnist to The Upshot at The New York Times, and a recipient of the Andrew F. Carnegie Prize in the Humanities and Social Sciences.  She is the author of five books, including the “most ominous” book on the 2016 election: Identity Crisis: The 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America, and The Gamble: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential Election, described as the “definitive account” of the 2012 election. Political consultants on both sides of the aisle refer to her work on political messaging in The Message Matters as “required reading” for presidential candidates. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and she has served on the advisory boards of both the British and American National Election Studies. At UCLA she teaches courses on campaigns, elections, public opinion, and the 1960s. Professor Vavreck holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Rochester and held previous appointments at Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and The White House.  A native of Cleveland, Ohio, she remains a loyal Browns fan and is a “known equestrian” – to draw on a phrase from the 2012 presidential campaign.

In Episode #154, Dr. Melissa Durham joins Osi to discuss the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States. They explore the history of opioid use in the U.S., the role pharmaceutical companies have played in the crisis, the unique aspects of opioid addiction compared to other addictions, and much more.

Dr. Durham is a clinical pharmacist at the USC Pain Center, where she established and runs a pharmacist-led pain medication management service for patients with a variety of complicated chronic nononcologic pain conditions. She is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with chronic pain through patient-centered and compassionate care. The value of her unique practice model has been recognized and published both nationally and internationally. Dr. Durham is also a practicing community pharmacist and provides a valuable and unique perspective of a clinician who is both a prescriber and a dispenser.

In Episode #153, propaganda expert Dr. Nick Cull joins Osi to explore the history and current use of propaganda by various regimes to influence public opinion and behavior. They also delve into the impact of social media on propaganda and discuss methods to identify it.

Nicholas J. Cull (born 1964) is a historian and professor in the Master's in Public Diplomacy program at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. He was the founding director of this program and ran it from 2005 to 2019.

Cull's research and teaching interests are broad and inter-disciplinary, and focus on public diplomacy, the role of advocacy, culture, exchange, broadcasting, and public opinion research in foreign policy. Cull has also worked more broadly on the history of propaganda, film, television and radio history and the role of mass media as a source for historical study. He is best known for detailed historical studies of the institutions behind public diplomacy and for emphasizing the importance of "listening" as a pre-condition for successful public diplomacy. He coined the term "reputational security" for a category of enhanced security that comes to an international actor when they are well thought of by external audiences

In Episode #152, Egyptologist Kara Cooney provides insights into contemporary society through the lens of Egyptian history and culture. The discussion explores how history often repeats itself and highlights the few aspects of today's world that are genuinely unique.

Kathlyn M. (Kara) Cooney is an Egyptologist, archaeologist, professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture at UCLA and chair of the Department of Near Eastern Language and Cultures at UCLA. As well as for her scholarly work, she is known for hosting television shows on ancient Egypt on the Discovery Channel as well as for writing a popular-press book on the subject. She specialises in craft production, coffin studies, and economies in the ancient world.

Professor Richard L. Hasen is an internationally recognized expert in election law, writing as well in the areas of legislation and statutory interpretation, remedies, and torts. He is co-author of leading casebooks in election law and remedies. Hasen served in 2020 as a CNN Election Law Analyst and as an NBC News/MSNBC Election Law Analyst in 2022. He directs UCLA Law’s Safeguarding Democracy Project.

From 2001-2010, he served (with Dan Lowenstein) as founding co-editor of the quarterly peer-reviewed publication, Election Law Journal. He is the author of over 100 articles on election law issues, published in numerous journals including the Harvard Law Review, Stanford Law Review, and Supreme Court Review. He was elected to The American Law Institute in 2009 and serves as Reporter (with Professor Douglas Laycock) on the ALI’s law reform project: Restatement (Third) of Torts: Remedies. He also is an adviser on the Restatement (Third) of Torts: Concluding Provisions.

Professor Hasen was named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by The National Law Journal in 2013, and one of the Top 100 Lawyers in California in 2005 and 2016 by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal.

His op-eds and commentaries have appeared in many publications, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Politico, and Slate. Hasen also writes the often-quoted Election Law Blog, which the ABA Journal named to its “Blawg 100 Hall of Fame” in 2015. The Green Bag recognized his 2018 book, The Justice of Contradictions: Antonin Scalia and the Politics of Disruption, for exemplary legal writing, and his 2016 book, Plutocrats United, received a Scribes Book Award Honorable Mention. His 2022 book, Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics—and How to Cure It, was named one of the four best books on disinformation by the New York Times. His new book, A Real Right to Vote: How a Constitutional Amendment Can Safeguard American Democracy, was published by Princeton University Press in February 2024.

Wändi Bruine de Bruin is Provost Professor of Public Policy, Psychology, and Behavioral Science at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California (USC), and director of the USC Behavioral Science and Well-Being Policy initiative. Her research aims to understand and inform how people make decisions about their personal health, their carbon footprint, and their household finances. She has published more than 150 peer-reviewed publications on these topics. She is an editorial board member for the Journal of Experimental Psychology:Applied, Perspectives on Psychological Science, the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, Decision, Medical Decision Making, the Journal of Risk Research, and Psychology and Aging.

Davidson Boswell is a comedian, political commentator, and activist based in New York City. As the host of "The Davidson Boswell Show" on YouTube, Boswell combines humor with keen political insights, addressing current events and societal issues with a blend of satire and serious analysis.