Today our guest is Matthew Adams, who is a progressive Democratic candidate for California General Assembly (their state House) District 9, which covers a big part of California's Central Valley south of Sacramento. We talk about our experiences with running for office as progressive Democrats, and the issues we have in common. Matthew's website: https://sites.google.com/view/adams4assembly/home

Matthew is a candidate for the 2026 election cycle.

When your guest talks about the perception of the Kansas City independent film scene and the need to step up.

From our Virtual Fringe episode with Jason Turner and Andrea Dover

Our guest today is Deepti M. Kannapan, who is a public transit advocate from Los Angeles. We talk about how to improve transit in communities that currently don't have good transit.

When your guest talks about doing a commercial shoot and not being able to check out a dinner show - with horses.

From our episode with Jamie Morrow

As the uncle of school children in the State of Oklahoma, Mike is quite offended by what the powers-that-be in that state are forcing on the kids in their public schools - that the Bible be taught in public school; that the lies of J6 be taught as fact; and that teachers coming to the Sooner State from elsewhere (specifically New York or California) take a test from an unaccredited right-wing YouTube channel posing as a "university." As a public service, and in the interest of torturing himself, Mike takes the test - and you get to hear his reaction in real time.

When your guest talks about being from St. Louis and encountering difficulties with Kansas City people because of his dialect.

From our Virtual Fringe episode with Omega Edwards

It's one of Mike's favorite all-time political media stories - Bill O'Reilly sexually harassing one of his producers and confusing loofahs with falafels. Well, it resurfaced in recent years, and you better believe "We'll do it LIVE!"

When your guest explains the difference between a do (way) martial art and a jutsu (art).

From our Virtual Fringe episode with Dan Handley

Mike attended the annual Ethnic Enrichment Festival in Kansas City - on a day that proves Ichiro Suzuki's favorite English expression is indeed true. He describes his experience there, including a run-in with a Friend of the Podcast.

When you talk about learning the classic D&D story of the Dread Gazebo.

From our episode with Ty Gephardt