The Nato Sessions

Today's guest is comedian and writer J Elvis Weinstein. He's known for his work on Mystery Science Theater 3000, Cinematic Titanic, Freaks and Geeks, and America's Funniest Home Videos. We talk about all that plus Bill Hicks, the early alt comedy scene in LA, and the Jews of Minnesota.

Today's guest is writer/poet/activist Chinaka Hodge. We talk about Oakland, Mesherle, gentrification, poetry, adolescence, zombies, and the rap video we were in together.

In this episode, Nato talks to University of San Francisco Geography professor Rachel Brahinsky. They discuss the complicated history of Hunter’s Point and San Francisco gentrification as a tale of resistance as much as of displacement.

On The Nato Sessions, I talk to politician and comedian Tom Ammiano and comedian and writer Guy Branum about the history of camp as an indigenous gay style of humor, drag, HBO’s Looking, and homophobia.

Today’s guest on The Nato Sessions is humorist, storyteller, writer, comedian Dylan Brody. We talk about the depths of depression, the power of humor in darkness, and writing Ross Perot jokes for Jay Leno when that was a thing.

Today’s guest on The Nato Sessions is comedian Andy Kindler (Bob’s Burgers, Maron). Andy strongly identifies with 1960s counterculture, so Nato takes Andy on a pilgrimage to the Haight-Ashbury. We discuss counterculture, nostalgia, the birth of alternative comedy, and why atheists are so obnoxious.

Today’s guest on The Nato Sessions is Jeff Chang, author of the recently “Who We Be: the Colorization of America.” We talk about the difference between race conversation and race spectacle, whether capitalism can end racism, and who is more cynical.

Today’s guest is comedian Louis Katz (Comedy Central Presents, Totally Biased). We talk about his class of SF comics, about being a nerdy Jew in an Asian-American sketch group at UC Berkeley, and growing up in a political house in Los Angeles.

Today on The Nato Sessions, my guest is author and activist Rebecca Solnit, whose new book is “Men Explain Things to Me.” She brings hope to two of the most depressing topics of all time: rape and climate change.

Today's guest on the Nato Sessions is Vernon Reid, multi-Grammy-winning guitarist with Living Colour. Vernon and I talk about his roots in avant garde jazz with drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson, his ties to both fabled New York healthcare union SEIU 1199 and Reagan’s attack on PATCO, and the price comedians and musicians have to pay to be free. And of course, Captain America.