If you’ve been tuning into Zeteo’s flagship podcast, ‘We’re Not Kidding’ for the last six months, you’re going to find this one is a very special episode. 

Bassem Youssef returns to WNK for an intimate and heartfelt conversation – one unlike you’ve ever seen on this show. It’s also a version of Bassem none of us, including Mehdi, have ever seen before. “I’m from a very, very, very deep point of desperation,” he tells Mehdi backstage at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre in downtown Toronto. The two met up for this special recording right before Bassem went live onstage for one of the last shows of his sellout ‘Middle Beast Tour.’ 

It’s been a few months since Mehdi and Bassem last co-hosted WNK, and with so much that’s happened since then and the US elections just on the horizon, they had a lot to discuss: from trying to be hopeful versus feeling helplessness, to witnessing the impunity of Israel reach new heights, to whether the pro-Israel side can be defeated in the media or in Congress. 

If you’re looking for a listen that will resonate, that will make you feel seen, after a very long and hard-to-watch year, tune in now.

SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe

WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends

FIND ZETEO:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews

FIND MEHDI:

Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND BASSEM:

Twitter: https://x.com/Byoussef

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bassem/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bassem?lang=en

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: Bassem Youssef

Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi

Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera

Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zeteo.com/subscribe