Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps

The doomsayers are out in force, with plenty of gloomy prognostications for 2024. In this solo episode (also available on YouTube if you want to behold Josh’s staggeringly beautiful hair), Josh explains why — on climate, economics and politics — 2024 will be a helluva lot better than you think.

Josh Szeps

𝕁𝕠𝕤𝕙 𝕊𝕫𝕖𝕡𝕤 (@joshzepps) on X

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Josh Szeps on TikTok

Josh had a tradition on his radio show. Each Friday, he’d banter with two celebrities about the news. Well, behold this first-ever inaugural grand honorary opening maiden extravaganza lollapalooza: The Uncomfortable Conversations Panel.

This week, our guests are the two most interesting people in the world: Sarah Wilson and Jessie Stephens. Sarah’s podcast is Wild, which you should listen to. She’s also a multi-New York Times best-selling author, social philosopher and keynote speaker. Jessie’s podcasts are Mamamia Out Loud and Cancelled, which you should also listen to. She’s also a best-selling author. They’re both rather impressive and you should follow them.

If you’re a paid subscriber and if you’re seeing that this episode is only about 26 minutes long, then something is wrong and you’re on the free feed. The full episode is almost an hour long! Log into Substack to get your own unique premium podcast feed with no ads and longer episodes at https://bit.ly/UC_Primo. Or, if you’re just a free subscriber and you’re happy with that, enjoy the first 25 minutes and we're glad to have you.

In this week’s conversation, a judge strips Elon Musk of his big fat bonus, the government bans vapes, and the UK prime minister practices serrrrrrrious intermittent fasting. Let us know what you think in the Substack comments. Enjoy.

To subscribe to Josh’s premium podcast feed, hit the Substack page at https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/subscribe

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Should swastikas be banned? Should you be allowed to chant “Palestinians are terrorists”? What about “trans women aren’t women”? Or “Covid was a hoax”?

In an era of misinformation and hate speech, universities, governments and journalists are wrestling with whether to control what gets said. Should there be any limits?

You’ve seen James Kirchick on Bill Maher’s show. He’s a big free-speecher; a writer, columnist, and a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. He and Josh butt heads debating free speech and hate speech in a chaotic world.

To subscribe to Josh’s premium podcast feed. Hit the Substack page at https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/subscribe

Josh Szeps

𝕁𝕠𝕤𝕙 𝕊𝕫𝕖𝕡𝕤 (@joshzepps) on X

Instagram (@joshszeps)

Josh Szeps on TikTok

Today, January 26th, is Australia's national day. It's hugely controversial, being the anniversary of the British Empire's arrival on indigenous land. On the morning of Australia Day, Josh reflects on race relations and the ongoing Australia-Day controversy.

To subscribe to Josh’s premium podcast feed. Hit the Substack page at https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/subscribe

Josh Szeps

𝕁𝕠𝕤𝕙 𝕊𝕫𝕖𝕡𝕤 (@joshzepps) on X

Instagram (@joshszeps)

Josh Szeps on TikTok

Elie Honig used to prosecute the mafia in New York City. Now he’s CNN’s senior Legal analyst. As a seasoned prosecutor of organised crime, he helps Josh wrestle through Trump’s legal problems and their likely outcomes. Elie’s new book is “Untouchable: How Powerful People Get Away with It”.

To subscribe to Josh’s premium podcast feed. Hit the Substack page at https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/subscribe

Josh Szeps

𝕁𝕠𝕤𝕙 𝕊𝕫𝕖𝕡𝕤 (@joshzepps) on X

Instagram (@joshszeps)

Josh Szeps on TikTok

Meg made an astonishing documentary about Guantanamo terrorists who were released into a de-radicalisation program in Saudi Arabia. Then her film, The UnRedacted (Jihad Rehab), was cancelled… and so was she.

To subscribe to Josh’s premium podcast feed. Hit the Substack page at https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/subscribe

*CORRECTION: The UnRedacted (Jihad Rehab) is not yet available to watch at JihadRehab.com but Meg is working on it and it will be ready in the very near future. Follow Meg's my GoFundMe or Facebook page for the film for updates, links below.

FILM FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-UnRedacted-Documentary/100086743011195/

FILM GOFUNDME PAGE: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-unredacted-jihad-rehab

Josh Szeps

𝕁𝕠𝕤𝕙 𝕊𝕫𝕖𝕡𝕤 (@joshzepps) on X

Instagram (@joshszeps)

Josh Szeps on TikTok

When we accuse a country of being a "coloniser", it's meant as a bad thing. But what if colonialism is okay? What if the British Empire was, on balance... good?

That's the position of @NigelBiggar, a Professor Emeritus at Oxford University whose new book, “Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning”, is making heads explode all over Britain. Join Josh as he tries to wrestle with the ethics of the Raj, indigenous rights, racism, and one of the greatest crimes – or greatest virtues? – in political history.

To subscribe to Josh’s premium podcast feed, hit the Substack page at https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/subscribe

Josh Szeps

𝕁𝕠𝕤𝕙 𝕊𝕫𝕖𝕡𝕤 (@joshzepps) on X

Instagram (@joshszeps)

Josh Szeps on TikTok

Are Jews a minority? Do they deserve the same social-justice protections as other identity groups? Or are they white—perhaps even the “whitest” of white privileged elites?

David Baddiel is a comedian and writer. He helped turn comedy into ‘the New Rock’n’Roll’ when he created the hit TV shows ‘The Mary Whitehouse Experience’ and ‘Newman & Baddiel in Pieces’. He’s appeared on the UK’s biggest comedy shows including ‘Little Britain’, ‘Skins’, ‘8 Out of 10 Cats’, and ‘QI’, and he performed to 12,500 people at the Wembley arena in the UK’s first ever stadium comedy show.

Now, he has turned his ferocious intellect to his Jewishness. How does the social-justice Left think about Jews? Where do Jews fit in a ‘woke’ worldview? Baddiel’s brilliant new book and TV documenatry are both called “Jews Don't Count”.

To subscribe to Josh’s premium podcast feed, hit the Substack page at https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/subscribe

How long can ham sit on the Christmas table before you shouldn’t eat it? Can fried rice kill you? Can you store butter out of the fridge? Why did Josh start spewing chunks just twenty minutes after eating a chimichanga? Gary Kennedy is a world expert in food safety and the managing director of Correct Food Systems. To help you survive your impending holiday feast (and every Chinese takeaway you’ll ever have), don’t miss this quirky, compelling, uncomfortable Christmas special.

How would your life change if you found out, beyond all doubt, that you're a robot? What if nothing you’ve ever done was your own free choice? What if your brain just tricks you into feeling like you’re choosing things it already planned?

Josh can't believe that. But the Stanford Professor Robert Sapolsky, one of the world’s leading free-will sceptics, does. His latest book is “Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will”.

Prepare to have your mind blown. If you have one.

To subscribe to Josh’s premium podcast feed, hit the Substack page at https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/subscribe

Josh Szeps

𝕁𝕠𝕤𝕙 𝕊𝕫𝕖𝕡𝕤 (@joshzepps) on X

Instagram (@joshszeps)

Josh Szeps on TikTok