Social commentary has become a lost art in movies and television, but recently 3 works were very deliberate in exploring the unique features of modern life: HBO mini-series White Lotus, and the films Tar & Triangle of Sadness. 

My friend and comedian Leah Lamarr joins me to discuss these works and the social issues they comment on:

- Shifting gender roles in modern relationships - do women want to be "equal partners"?

- The unique dysfunctions of the rich & beautiful in the social media age

- Selling beauty & glamour for money and access

- How power dynamics are portrayed in the "Woke" era

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Despite being both anonymous and controversial, Niccolo Soldo (not his real name) has built up one of the most popular pages on Substack and interviewed some of the leaders of media and industry.

He joins me to discuss many of the wide ranging and fascinating topics he covers on his Substack:

- "Turbo America": His contrarian theory that America is now actually more powerful than ever.

- History of AIDS: Niccolo is one of the world's leading researchers on the history of AIDS, and recently penned a brilliaint 8-part retrospective.

- The Rise of Vladimir Putin & the Russia/Ukraine Conflict

- MAGA & BLM: The failed American populist movements of the late 2010's.

- California in the 60's & 70's: Why is the west coast both the engine of culture and social movements, and a hotbed of con men, grifters, and charlatans?

- The Sexual Revolution and its Fallout

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Roy Price has always been 2 steps ahead in the media world. He was the 1st employee of Amazon Video and the Head of Amazon Studios as TV and Film consumption shifted to streaming platforms. Roy built Amazon's streaming and production resources seemingly from nothing - presiding over 12 productions that won Best Series at the Emmy's and Golden Globes. 

Roy is sharing his insights and predictions for the media business on his Substack, Price Point, and joined me this week to discuss. 

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Joe Biden delivered his 1st post-mid terms State of the Union. Does he benefit from our low expectations? How real are his (claimed) accomplishments? Are the Republicans botching a response? (some are, some aren't)

Louis C.K., Dave Chappelle, Armie Hammer, & Salman Rushdie all back in the news this week. Has Cancel Culture faded? Was it real in the first place? Why or why not?

Exploration of 2 great pieces on identity politics - 1 by Thomas Chatterton Williams and 1 by Andrew Sullivan. Contrasting a focus on identity (Identarianism) vs. universal values (Universalism)

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By now we're all familiar with the Fyre Fest debacle and the man behind it all - Billy McFarland. Billy has paid his debt to society with 4 years in prison...but now has to pay his debt to Fyre Fest victims to the tune of $26 million (non-dischargeable!!!).

Billy appears to be taking responsibility for his mishaps, and is saying all the right things. But he's had a habit of saying the right things and doing the wrong ones. Will his actions match his words this time and lead him down the Road of Redemption? Only time will tell. 

He joins me for a raw, candid interview including:

- More inside scoop on Fyre Fest.

- The character failings he believes led to his downfall.

- The lessons learned in solitary confinement. 

- His early days as an entrepreneur pre-Fyre.

- Why he is SURE he can make your brand go viral. 

- Is Ja Rule ducking Billy for a fight?

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In 2017 explosive claims dropped about NXIVM and its leader Keith Raniere. Lurid tales of sexual abuse, blackmail, financial impropriety, and even physical "branding" with hot irons. 

The court system agreed and sentenced Raniere to 120 years in prison. 

NXIVM member Nicki Clyne was front and center for it all. She claims the accusations against Raniere and NXIVM are predominantly false and obscured by media hysteria. She joins me to present her case and an insider's account of what really transpired at NXIVM.  

Hear her out and come to your own conclusions.

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Marty Callner has directed the most iconic figures of the past 50 years - Madonna, the Rolling Stones, Cher, Brittney Spears, Aerosmith, Whitney Houston, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, George Carlin....the list goes on and on. 

The NY Times has called him "the most influential director you've never heard of" and that is quite the under-statement as Marty revolutionized THREE different entertainment mediums - music videos, comedy specials, and sports broadcasting. 

Marty directed award winning music videos, basically invented the filmed comedy special, and created HBO's groundbreaking football series "Hard Knocks". Truly a career without equal and he joins me to discuss it all. 

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4:00 - The ChatGPT app rocked the tech world just before the holidays, providing us a glimpse into the commercial capabilities of Artificial Intelligence. Former Twitter engineer and machine learning expert Nikolai Yakovenko joins us to break down this technology and its anticipated impact on our lives.

47:16 - Aaron Sibarium has been documenting the Woke takeover over critical institutions ranging from medicine and education to corporate American and finance...and even law. How the Culture Wars are impacting more than just "culture". 

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To start off 2023, all anyone can talk about are the revelations from Prince Harry & his wife Meghan Markle....or how they're tired of hearing about them. Kinsey Schofield has researched the claims made by H & M and we put them under a microscope, and discuss how this saga speaks to larger issues in current media and culture. 

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