We’re Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends

In the latest episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’, Mehdi’s in London (again!) and this time chatting with the Nando’s-loving comedian and host of ‘Pod Save the UK’ Nish Kumar. We promise you will laugh – and maybe even cry of laughter. 

Nish and Mehdi lead with that - their shared love of Nando’s - and how, as Nish describes, it’s the only thing uniting a fragmented British society right now. 

The two also get deep into what that fragmented society looks like: the far-right, racist-fueled riots that took hold of the country this summer where more than 1,000 people were arrested, the post-October 7 resurgence of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment (that feels a lot like the 9/11-era), and how it’s echoed across the pond, in the US. 

Nish and Mehdi also talk biryani (who does it best), Gaza, Netanyahu and even Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.  

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Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND NISH:

Twitter: https://x.com/MrNishKumar

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrnishkumar/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrnishkumar

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: Nish Kumar

Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi

Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera

Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali

Special thanks to: Stephen Wentzell

Mehdi is joined by Oscar-winning actor and producer Riz Ahmed for a high school reunion (yes, they went to school together back in London in the 1990s!) and catch up on life, work, and how the world has changed for brown folks since their childhood. They talk about Riz’s journey as an actor — from playing stereotypical roles to now creating his own work and championing the work of up-and-coming filmmakers. 

“Representation within a broken system doesn't necessarily get us anywhere.” Riz tells Mehdi. “We need to build our own systems.”

They also discuss Riz’s decision to speak out against Israel’s war on Gaza early on in the conflict, the Hollywood’s Artists for Ceasefire letter, and how much things have changed - or not! - from 9/11 to Oct. 7. Finally, Riz asks Mehdi to co-write his next rap song…

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND RIZ:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rizahmed

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: Riz Ahmed

Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi

Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

‘We’re Not Kidding’ will be taking a break during the month of August, but will return in September with new episodes and a very special guest host - check out Mehdi’s announcement video for a sneak peak! 

‘We’re Not Kidding’ launched just a few months ago, and has already had hundreds of thousands of people watch and listen, six amazing guest hosts, and a live show in DC in front of a studio audience with Zeteo’s paid subscribers. 

If you haven’t had the chance yet, consider becoming a paid subscriber so you don’t miss any new episodes and can watch them without a paywall the moment they’re released – and get an invitation to future live events. Also, we’d love if you could please take a few seconds to rate and review ‘We’re Not Kidding’ on Apple or Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts - it helps other people find the show!

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Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi

Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

On this week’s special LIVE episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding,’ filmed in front of a studio audience in the Washington DC area, Mehdi is joined by activist, influencer and fashion designer Alana Hadid, who has been one of the most vocal advocates for the people of Gaza over the past nine months. Alana’s family is arguably the most famous Palestinian family on Earth, and the Hadids have received a ton of backlash - and a lot of threats - due to their outspoken criticisms of Israel’s genocidal campaign.

Mehdi and Alana, who is also creative director for Watermelon Pictures, discuss her family’s history of being displaced from Palestine in 1948, the double-edged sword of speaking out on a massive social media platform, the experience of losing friends since October 7th, and why ‘hope’ shouldn’t be confused with ‘optimism.’ They also take live questions from Zeteo paid subscribers who were invited to the taping! 

“If you have to defend me, you’re in the wrong room,” a defiant Alana tells Mehdi.

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FIND MEHDI:

Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND ALANA:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanzybear/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alanahadid?lang=en

Watermelon Pictures: https://www.watermelonpictures.com/

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: Alana Hadid

Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi

Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

Special thanks to: Lara Strydom and Mohammed Abdelbary

On this week’s episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding,’ Mehdi travels to London to speak with U.S. comedian, writer, and actor Rob Delaney, who has lived in the UK for the last 10 years. In this powerful, wide-ranging, and at times emotional conversation, Rob speaks with Mehdi about how the tragic loss of his 2 year-old son in 2018 drove him to speak out against Israel’s brutal assault on Palestinian children.

“What I do not have in common with the people in Gaza,” Rob tells Mehdi, “is once my baby died, I did not have to worry about the safety of my other children.”

They also discuss the rise and fall of Twitter, Rob’s role in the new Deadpool movie, the recent U.K. election results and the role of the NHS, and whether Joe Biden should stay in the presidential race (spoiler alert: Rob makes the case for him dropping out!).

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Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND ROB:

Twitter: https://x.com/robdelaney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robdelaney/

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: Rob Delaney

Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi

Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

On this week’s bonus episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding,’ Bassem Youssef joins Mehdi for an honest and critical conversation about Oct. 7, and the avalanche of Israeli propaganda and lies that followed Hamas’ deadly attack.

Bassem and Mehdi discuss and debunk a number of lies and distortions about the events on the day, from Israel’s controversial “Hannibal directive,” which led to the Israeli military killing a number of its own citizens, to the the now infamous “40 beheaded babies” and “babies in ovens” falsehoods that began to surface only days after the attack. 

Bassem and Mehdi are also joined by NYU journalism professor and war correspondent Azadeh Moaveni, whose recent reporting went into detail about how sexual violence and claims of mass rape have been weaponized by supporters of Israel over the past eight months, and how the New York Times in particular misreported this incendiary story. 

This episode includes discussions on sexual violence, the specifics of which may be disturbing or traumatizing for some viewers and listeners. Below is a list of resources for survivors of sexual violence.

RESOURCES:

* RAINN: National sexual assault hotline

* Dart Center: Reporting on Sexual Violence

* Poynter: 11 Resources for Responsibly Reporting on Rape

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Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND BASSEM:

Twitter: https://x.com/Byoussef

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bassem/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bassem?lang=en

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: Bassem Youssef

Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi

Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

On the new episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding,’ Mehdi is joined by stand-up comedian, actor, and social justice advocate Amanda Seales for an unfiltered conversation about Palestine, and the cultural backlash for speaking out against genocide and U.S. imperialism. Amanda, who has Palestinian family members, has been a vocal proponent for Palestinian liberation over the last eight months, at great professional cost. She and Mehdi discuss the culture of fear in Hollywood - and the pressure on her own career for speaking out on Gaza - and why the term “liberal” needs to be redefined. They also talk about Jerry Seinfeld’s recent interventions on the Middle East - and whether George Costanza would have been as problematic.

“I just think you’re misusing the word ‘liberal.’ They're not progressive. You know, ‘liberal’ at this point just means ‘I'm not okay with bad things as long as they don't inconvenience me.’”

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Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND AMANDA:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaseales/

Website: https://www.amandaseales.com/

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: Amanda Seales

Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi

Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

Stand-up comedian, best-selling author and acclaimed TV host W. Kamau Bell joins Mehdi as co-host of 'We're Not Kidding' this week. They discuss the student protestors, who join a long line of American anti-war demonstrators, as well as the police’s use of brute force against them. Mehdi and Kamau also examine the censorship of pro-Palestinian voices in the media and Hollywood, why Batman is politically problematic, and the cynical “defanging” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. since his death.

“People celebrate [Dr. King] as a hero and forget the part where he was assassinated,” says Kamau. “He didn't die of old age… He was assassinated and many people were happy he was assassinated.”

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Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND KAMAU:

Twitter: https://x.com/wkamaubell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wkamaubell/

Substack: https://wkamaubell.substack.com/

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: W. Kamau Bell

Executive Producers: Misha Euceph & Kiran Alvi

Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

Bassem Youssef is back with Mehdi to co-host the third episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding.’ They talk about the religious extremists, from the illegal settlements in the West Bank to the hallways of the U.S. Congress, who are trying to bring about the end of times - as well as a bunch of red cows that wield a lot of spiritual power. And they disagree on a few things too. 

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news

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FIND MEHDI:

Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND BASSEM:

Twitter: https://x.com/Byoussef

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bassem/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bassem?lang=en

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: Bassem Youssef

Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi

Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone

Palestinian-Lebanese-American comedian, Sammy Obeid, who rose to fame because of his viral jokes on Palestine and his Netflix show 100 Humans, joins Mehdi to guest host the second episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding.’ They dive into the student protests, DNA tests, pushing back against misinformation with comedy, the power of slogans, and doing 1001 nights of stand-up. 

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FIND ZETEO:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news

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FIND MEHDI:

Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan

FIND SAMMY:

Twitter: https://x.com/SammyObeid

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammyobeid/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammyobeidthem?lang=en

CREDITS:

Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan

Guest Host: Sammy Obeid

Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi

Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello

Music: Andy Clausen

Design: Alicia Tatone