The Skewer Podcast

An exceptional Skewer, folks, as hero Devon Price guest hosts a lineup of true stars to put the dumb news of March 2019 to rest. Jax Barker kicks us off with a story of grappling with Irish pride and identity even as the community rallies around extremely wrong and racist tropes. Calle Hack breaks down Elizabeth Holmes's mega-confident scammery into a blueprint we can all follow. Bill Bullock pitched a Jussie Smollet redemption vehicle Hollywood would be foolish to turn down. And Arish Singh gives us some context about incoming Chicago alderman Andre Vasquez's past as a batle rapper by revealing some of his opponent's most damning bars. Topping it all off is a blazing hot Skewer debate with Kelsey Buckley vs. Tom Harrison to determine which dead person Trump should feud with next--the australopithecus skeleton Lucy or Walt Disney's (allegedly) frozen head? Look, friends, this is one you will not want to miss. Check it!

The Skewer features our first ever guest host, Skewer veteran Roxane West, hosting a delightful evening full of extremely dope writers! Ken Mejia-Beal schooled us on the truth about treason. Allison Shackelford showed us how to cut through the noise around the Jussie Smollett story. Maria Konopken explained how personally gratifying it can be to see true representation in the seats of power. And Tom Harrison yammered about how sumo wrestling is cool. Topped off with a debate between Ale Domeier and Anna Gilchrist, this is a Skewer that is not to be missed. Check it!

The Skewer returns to howl and wail in 2019! Tom, like a true dungus, forgot to turn the mic on for his opener, which is now lost to time, but the rest of the show is intact and pristine. Em Haverty takes on Woke Brands for failing to responsibly engage in the issues they're trying to make money on. Elaine Orion gives an incredibly thoroughly-researched rundown of the Covington Catholic racist teens. Josh Watkins, election reporter, takes us on a tour of the burbling ghouls grasping at the mayor's office. And Stephanie Weber takes notable Italian Ariana Grande to task for her serial cultural appropriations. Finally, Oz Elgun and Noa Heinrich engage in a thrilling debate to decide how the United States should up its coup game after resting on its laurels with Venezuela. Folks....it owns. Check it!

We close out 2018 with a Skewer for the ages. Host and co-producer erica dreisbach takes the stage for the last time as a non-baby-haver, and she makes it a barn-burner worthy of the occasion. Allie Reid kicks off the show with a proposal to use cults to solve our political woes. Maggie Tomasek gets personal in her takedown of the American medical system and the loathsome DeVos family. Kyna Lenhof refuses to let misogynist coverage of women in politics go unskewered. And Tom Harrison shares the mystical key to all wise genius political insight: Posting. Finally, an unusually well-tempered debate between Dan Lastres and Alex Morales decides once and for all how to defuse Europe's burgeoning fascist movement. ALSO: the first-ever controversy-free TOTAL VICTORY in Kevin Johnson's fake news quiz! Folks, it's good! The Skewer whips ass!

erica dreisbach: 0:36

Fake News Quiz Round 1: 6:00

Allie Reid: 13:08

Maggie Tomasek: 22:00

Kyna Lenhof: 31:33

Tom Harrison: 43:17

Fake News Quiz Round 2: 1:13:01

THE SKEWER DEBATE - Dan Lastres vs. Alex Morales: 1:19:40

It's the Skewer's third birthday and we're back to deliver a dose of much-needed post-election aftercare. Tom Harrison hosts as Jillian Ebanks, Sadie Lancrete, Will Sonheim, and Ada Cheng each deliver extremely good op-eds and Matthew Marquez debates Lindsay Eanet to decide the next step to fix our ailing country. It's the kind of truly dope-as-hell experience you have come to expect from three years of Skewering, and we're proud to keep it coming. Thanks for all your support from 2015 to now!

This October, Tom was stricken by the goddamn flu and could not host the show, nor could he bring the mic with which the show is usually recorded--but that will not stop THE SKEWER! Intrepid co-producer erica dreisbach took over hosting duties and recorded the show with her phone. The quality isn't great, we admit, but if you are willing to slog through, there are numerous goodies waiting for you within, with op-eds from Sonal Aggarwal, Nora Regis, Adam Lawson, and Jasmine Davila, and a spinge-tingling debate between erica driesbach and Eric Ruelle (ably moderated by news quiz czar Kevin Johnson). Thanks for listening!

Reporting from a packed room at the Hopleaf at Lit Crawl 2018, it's THE SKEWER bringing you that hot hot news satire now in mini-show form! Join us as we represent the best of Chicago's live lit scene with Erika Price's meme anthropology, Archy Arch J explains the fucked-up state of the Thai royal family, and Ian Rigg and Alisa Rosenthal engage in a truly astounding debate to decide who should play Superman in the next big screen adaptation. This was one for the books. Many thanks to Gwynn Fulcher, Jessica Anne, and Lindsay Muscato for having us at Lit Crawl!

Erika Price- 2:10

Archy Arch J- 14:15

DEBATE: Ian Rigg vs. Alisa Rosenthal- 26:03

It's another great great edition of THE SKEWER! Behold the first month in which Tom had no hand in the production or performance of the show, and what a great one it was! erica driesbach continues to be a peerless and incandescent host, as Jeff Phillips shares his plans as the new official Federal Wildfire Czar, Malic White takes the loathsome Louis C.K. to task as Pumpkin the Dog, Josh Watkins exposes the hopeless nightmare charade that are Illinois elections, and Megan Henricks faces down against Carly Oishi to determine the best way to deal with the rapidly worsening air conditions in our hell country! It's fun, it's good, it's the Skewer! ENJOY!

erica dreisbach - 0:32

Kevin Johnson's News Quiz Round 1 - 8:43

Jeff Phillips - 17:20

Malic White - 31:47

Josh Watkins - 41:22

Kevin Johnson's News Quiz Round 2 - 56:40

The Skewer Debate: Megan Henricks vs. Carly Oishi - 1:04:03

Another amazing edition of the Skewer is in the books! Tom Harrison hosted a truly incredible lineup of writers as they delivered incredible pieces on the news of July 2018. Calle Hack brought a middle child's perspective on the death of the Middle Child. Devin Whitlock looked back at the comically corrupt reign of Scott Pruitt. Rosamund Lannin shared a story of how not even the world of the sciences is free from the stranglehold of misogyny. And Joe Anderson talked about how Elon Musk can't log off. Topping it off, Noah Heinrich and erica dreisbach faced off in an all-timer debate to decide the fate of Horny in America forever. ALSO featuring the first-ever TOTAL VICTORY in the Skewer News Quiz (though I will put a big asterisk on it, mostly out of spite but still)!

It's good! It's grand! Enjoy!

Tom Harrison - 1:34

Kevin Johnson's News Quiz: Round One - 13:17

Calle Hack - 19:22

Devin Whitlock - 27:19

erica dreisbach's Voicemail Op-Ed - 36:10

Rosamund Lannin - 39:16

Joe Anderson - 49:24

News Quiz Round Two - 1:02:17

THE SKEWER DEBATE: erica vs. Noah - 1:10:42

Another unmitigated triumph from the hallowed halls of the Skewer. Truly, the Skewer is the Good Time that will never fail and this statement is 100% not hubris AT ALL! The show shuddered with intense goodness! Tom Harrison started the show with a condemnation of weak-ass libs! Cameron Davis pulled out an intensely well-timed sketch as the concierge who brings peace and sensuality to the Korean peninsula. Carrie Cook took a look at Roseanne and the nature of problematic art. Mike Haverty cast a vicious eye to that hell cult, masculinity. And Julia Weiss yelled at cruel, hard-hearted Christians--as they deserve! We cap the show off with a truly uproarious debate to decide the best way to get rich by ignoring our conscience & going full stupid evil. It's a good one!! Enjoy!

Tom Harrison - 2:02

News Quiz Round One - 15:30

Cameron Davis - 21:34

Carrie Cook - 29:13

Mike Haverty - 40:16

Julia Weiss - 52:05

News Quiz Round Two - 1:01:13

THE SKEWER DEBATE: erica dreisbach vs. Kevin Johnson - 1:07:12