Synopsis
Hosted by Hollywood producer and political media strategist Ben Mathis, KickAss News is a twice weekly podcast that features the most interesting personalities and thought leaders in politics, entertainment, tech, business, science, and more. Enjoy the podcast? Then please support the show and help keep us on the air by making a donation to our GoFundMe campaign at www.gofundme.com/kickassnews. Another way you can support the show is to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review on iTunes to help keep us ranking strong on the top podcasts charts. For more information visit www.kickassnews.com. Thanks for listening!
Episodes
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Governor John Kasich/Dr. Richard Haass
15/05/2017 Duration: 46minA double bill today w/ Ohio Governor John Kasich and Dr. Richard Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations. In Part 1, Governor Kasich discusses his book Two Paths: America United or Divided, the contentious 2016 GOP primary, and how to heal the country. He talks about valuing truth in the age of alternative facts, he shares why he’s opposed to the current version of the Republican healthcare bill, and why he’s tired some in his own party telling him to shut up about it. Governor Kasich also discuss how the Trump campaign approached his team about putting him on the ticket and why he’s more interested in swimming than running for President these days. In Part 2, Dr. Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, talks about his book A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order. He says the old world order is poorly equipped to address the crises of the 21st Century so he’s calling for a 2.0 version of world order that takes into account non-sta
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Anne-Marie Slaughter on Strategies of Connection in Networked World
11/05/2017 Duration: 39minDr. Anne-Marie Slaughter, president of the New America Foundation and former director of the State Department Office of Policy Planning discusses her new book The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World. She talks about the old model of Cold War era game theory and how the US needs to employ more inclusive strategies to deal with an increasingly more complex and decentralized world. She discusses how criminal and terrorist networks are using this type of organization to great effect, she talks about the divide between open and closed societies as the new capitalism vs communism, and how “America First” is terrible foreign policy in the age of globalization. She also discusses her time in the State Department, what she learned working for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and what might have been if her old boss was in the Oval Office right now. Special thanks to the Milken Institute for hosting this interview during the 2017 Milken Global Conference. Visit www.milkeninstitute.
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Bad Taste & Making Trouble w/ Director John Waters
09/05/2017 Duration: 39minfilm, creativity, art, movies, Hairspray, inspiration, political correctness, counter-culture, director, filmmaker, Baltimore, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Prof. Allan Lichtman Predicts Impeachment for President Trump
04/05/2017 Duration: 41minProfessor Allan J. Lichtman has successfully predicted every US Presidential election since 1984, and now he predicts a bumpy road ahead for President Donald Trump in his new book The Case for Impeachment. He talks about what he sees as the 8 most likely paths to impeaching Donald Trump including the possibility of removing Trump from office on the grounds that he is mentally unfit to hold office. He discusses the surprising likehood of Republicans in Congress abandoning Trump in favor of VP Mike Pence, and he gives some tips for how Donald Trump could save his Presidency. Step 1 - fire Steve Bannon! Order The Case for Impeachment on Amazon or download the audio version for free with a special offer for our listeners at www.audibletrial.com/kickassnews. Follow Professor Lichtman on twitter at @AllanLichtman. Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and follow us on Facebook at Kickass News or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod. You can also visit www.kickassnews.com for more fun stuff. See omnyst
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Inside Hillary Clinton's Shattered Campaign w/ Jonathan Allen
01/05/2017 Duration: 36minPolitical writer Jonathan Allen discusses his new book Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign. He talks about the various warring factions in the Clinton camp including Huma Abedin, John Podesta, and Robby Mook, and organizational disfunction and “too many cooks in the kitchen” undermined Hillary’s campaign. We discuss some of the fundamental flaws with Hillary Clinton as a candidate including her inability to articulate why she was running, her tone deaf response to outrage over her private email server, and he own admission that she didn’t “get what’s happening with the country.” Plus we’ll discuss how how close Joe Biden got to entering the race, how much of a factor Bill Clinton was, and a minute by minute account of election night from those who witnessed Hillary’s soul-crushing defeat first hand. Order Shattered: Insider Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign on Amazon or download the audio version for free with a special offer for our listeners at www.audibletrial.com/kickassnews. Follow Jona
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Comedian W. Kamau Bell on Denzel, the KKK & Black James Bond
27/04/2017 Duration: 47minComedian W. Kamau Bell, host of CNN's United Shades of America discusses the online marketing skills of the KKK, his leisurely stroll through the neighborhood with one of the most notorious gangs in Chicago’s South Side, and what it’s like to open carry while black. We debate the merits of Denzel Washington films and the phrase "All Lives Matter." Plus, a white nationalist who has a big problem with the idea of a black James Bond. The season premiere of United Shades of America airs this Sunday, April 30 at 10PM Eastern on CNN. For more information including behind the scenes extras, visit www.CNN.com/UnitedShades. For more information on W. Kamau Bell including upcoming live performances visit www.wkamaubell.com and follow Kamau on Twitter at @wkamaubell. Kamau's new book The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell hits shelves May 2 but you can pre-order it on Amazon now. Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and follow us on Facebook at Kickass News or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod. You can
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Adam Campbell of NBC's "Great News"
24/04/2017 Duration: 39minBritish actor Adam Campbell (Epic Movie, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) talks about Great News, NBC's new comedy series from the creators of 30 Rock. He discusses British comedy, the English funny men who inspired him, and defines a particular type of sarcasm known as "west country humor." He talks about living as a British ex-pat in LA, his thoughts on "fake news," and how Great News creator Tracey Wigfield may have drawn her inspiration from her time as intern at CNN. The series premiere of Great News airs Tuesday, April 25 at 9/8 central on NBC. For more information visit www.nbc.com/great-news and follow Adam on Twitter at @adamcampbelly. Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and follow us on Facebook at Kickass News or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod. You can also visit www.kickassnews.com for more fun stuff. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Chris Whipple on the President's Gatekeeper
20/04/2017 Duration: 44minEmmy and Peabody-winning producer and journalist Chris Whipple (60 Minutes, ABC News Primetime) discusses his new book called The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency. He'll reveal why the Chief of Staff is considered the 2nd most powerful job in government, who is considered to be the gold standard of White House Chiefs, and why the burnout rate is so high. He'll talk about how this relatively recent position was born out of Dwight Eisenhower's experience in the military and he'll discuss the Presidents who tried (and failed) to get by without a Chief of Staff. Plus, Chris rates the new Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, and reveals which mistake is a "hanging offense" for a White House Chief of Staff. Order The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency on Amazon or download the audio book for free with special promotion for our listeners at www.audibletrial.com/kickassnews. You can read can visit Chris Whipple’s website at www.chriswhipple.
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Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night w/ NYT Comedy Critic Jason Zinoman
17/04/2017 Duration: 58mincomedy, David Letterman, talk show, Johnny Carson, comedian, late night, television, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Daniel Franklin of "The Economist" Envisions Technology in 2050
13/04/2017 Duration: 41minTechnology, Futurist, The Economist, Future, AI, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Laughing Through the Arab Spring w/ Bassem Youssef
10/04/2017 Duration: 47mincomedy, political, satire, Egypt, Middle East, Arab Spring, humor, The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, Muslim Brotherhood, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Philipp Meyer & Kevin Murphy Talk Texas Oil & Buffalo Blood
06/04/2017 Duration: 38minPhilipp Meyer and Kevin Murphy discuss adapting Meyer's Pulitzer-nominated novel THE SON into an epic new AMC drama series starring Pierce Brosnan. They talk about the frontier spirit that led larger than life characters to risk everything, first in the cattle business and then in the Texas oil boom, and how that story fits into the mythology of America. They talk about the violent racial history of Texas including the oft forgotten chapter known as the "bandit wars," and how popular culture glosses over native Americans' own bloody past. Plus Philipp Meyer drinks buffalo blood! The 2 hour series premiere of THE SON airs tonight Saturday, April 8 at 9/8C on AMC. For more information, visit http://www.amc.com/shows/the-son. Order Philipp Meyer's novels THE SON and AMERICAN RUST on Amazon. Visit Philipp Meyer's website at www.philippmeyer.com and follow Kevin Murphy on Twitter at @@kevinmurphyhc Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and follow us on Facebook at Kickass News or on Twitter a
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Exploring the Dark Net w/ Mati Kochavi
03/04/2017 Duration: 35minMati Kochavi is the Israeli tech entrepreneur who created the Showtime docu-series Dark Net, which explores the mysterious world of the deep web and how technology is changing our lives for better and for worse. Today, he talks about the dark web, home of illegal arms sales, sex trafficking, drug deals, and chat rooms for hackers, terrorists, and other illicit communities. He discusses how his interest in the deep web began with the our failure to predict the Arab Spring and what the deep web can reveal about our changing society. Plus Mr. Kochavi shares how we may be the last generation to enjoy privacy and why technology may soon make human love obsolete. Season 2 of Dark Net premieres Thursday, April 6, at 10PM Eastern on Showtime, or you can watch it whenever you want with a subscription to Showtime Anytime. For more information visit www.showtime.com. You check out Mati Kochavi’s news site Vocativ at www.vocativ.com. Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and follow us on Facebook at Kicka
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Theoretical Physicist Lawrence Krauss Answers "Why Are We Here?"
30/03/2017 Duration: 32minscience, physics, existentialism, origins, evolution, universe, big bang, religion, bible, Einstein, atheism, atomic, doomsday, education, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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P.J. O'Rourke on Election 2016: How the Hell Did This Happen?
27/03/2017 Duration: 49minBest-selling political satirist P.J. O'Rourke (Parliament of Whores) discusses his new book How the Hell Did This Happen?: The Election of 2016. The hilarious pundit shares his thoughts on a better way to choose the President, a tax on the Kardashians, and rates the candidates fashion. He ponders what happened to the Libertarians' "big moment" in 2016, reminisces about his days as editor at National Lampoon, and offers some tips on how to talk like a pundit. Order How the Hell Did This Happen?: The Election of 2016 on Amazon or download the audiobook for free at www.audibletrial.com/kickassnews. Read P.J. O’Rourke’s regular articles in The Weekly Standard or at www.pjorourke.com. Follow P.J. O'Rourke on Twitter at @pjorourke. Please subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts and follow us on Facebook at Kickass News or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod. You can also visit www.kickassnews.com for more fun stuff. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m
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Professor Tom Nichols on the Death of Expertise & the Rise of American Ignorance
23/03/2017 Duration: 53minTom Nichols is a professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, an adjunct professor in the Harvard Extension School, and a 5 time Jeopardy! champion. He’s a respected expert on national security, Russia, and nuclear proliferation, and he’s alarmed by Americans sudden rebuke of experts like himself, and the elevation of ignorance to some sort of virtue. He writes about it in a new book called The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters. Today he discusses how colleges are fostering a society in which everyone’s opinion is treated as fact and how the internet is turning Americans into a bunch of ignorant “know-it-alls.” He talks about how fact checking sites like Snopes are fighting a losing battle against the tide of disinformation on the internet, he spells out how experts share part of the responsibility for the rebellion against knowledge, he talks about Donald Trump's professed "love" of "uneducated people," and how the embrace of ignora
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Henry Winkler on the Fonz, Fonts & Helping Dyslexic Kids
20/03/2017 Duration: 40minActor, producer, and author Henry Winkler (Happy Days, Arrested Development) talks about his best-selling series of Hank Zipzer books for children with dyslexia inspired by his own childhood struggles with the learning disability. He shares how his reading disorder led to some creative auditioning when he tried out for Happy Days, his fondest memories of the show’s creator Gary Marshall, and why the network tried to shoot down the Fonz’s famous leather jacket. He discusses how he navigates the hurdles presented by his learning disorder in his roles as actor, producer, and author, and he talks about the innovative new font he uses in the Here’s Hank books that actually makes reading easier for dyslexics. Plus, why bad grades aren’t the end of the world and why “jumping the shark” isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are 17 books available in Henry Winkler’s Hank Zipzer: World’s Greatest Under-Achiever series (ages 8-12) and 9 books in the Here’s Hank series (ages 6-8) including his latest Here’s Hank: Alwa
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Making a Murderer: Jerome Buting vs. Ken Kratz
16/03/2017 Duration: 55minMaking a Murderer received over 16 million viewers in its first two months on Netflix, and the docu-series made convicted murderer Steven Avery a household name. Many people now believe Avery was framed and over 500,000 Americans have petitioned the President for a pardon for Avery. Today, the prosecutor Ken Kratz and Jerome Buting, the defense attorney for Steven Avery, will argue their cases and discuss what Making a Murderer did and didn’t show you. They’ll both share their thoughts on the appeal of Brendan Dassey’s conviction and recent statements by Steven Avery’s former girlfriend Jodi Stachowski in which she says he’s guilty. Plus Jerome Buting will discuss alternative suspects for the Theresa Halback murder, and Ken Kratz reveals why he and Steven Avery later became pen pals. Order Jerome Buting’s book The Illusion of Justice: Inside Making a Murderer and America's Broken System and Ken Kratz’s book Avery: The Case Against Steven Avery and What "Making a Murderer" Gets Wrong on Amazon or download th
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Evgeny Afineevsky Discusses His Documentary "Cries from Syria"
13/03/2017 Duration: 42minOscar nominated documentary filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky (Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom) returns to the podcast to talk about his new HBO documentary Cries from Syria. Evegny details how Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad helped fuel radical groups like ISIS to force the Free Syrian Army to fight a war on two fronts and misdirect media attention toward ISIS instead of Assad’s own crimes. He shares evidence that Assad continues to use chemical weapons on his own people and bombs civilian neighborhoods, hospitals and schools in a deliberate campaign of terror. He tells some of the heartbreaking stories of the thousands of children who have become the innocent victims of the Syrian War and he debunks Vladimir Putin’s claim that Russia is helping to fight ISIS in Syria. Plus Evgeny’s thoughts on the murky Trump-Putin relationship. CRIES FROM SYRIA airs tonight Monday, March 13 at 10PM Eastern on HBO or you can view it whenever you want with a subscription to HBO NOW or HBO GO. For more information, vis
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Man of 1000 Voices Rich Little
09/03/2017 Duration: 42min“The man of 1000 voices” celebrity impersonator Rich Little talks about his 50 years in showbiz and his memoir Little by Little: People I’ve Known and Been. He discusses the time he stood in for Ronald Reagan at a White House press conference, the time Jack Benny led him on a ridiculous quest for the perfect chicken noodle soup, an embarrassing cocktail party at Richard Nixon’s house, and how a trip to the San Diego Zoo helped him perfect his Johnny Carson impersonation. He says Ed Sullivan was dumb as a rock, Cary Grant was surprisingly insecure, and Jimmy Stewart avoided signing autographs by acting like Quasimodo. Rich Little even shares some tips on how to do celebrity voices. Order Rich Little’s book Little by Little: People I’ve Known and Been on Amazon or you can download the audio version for free with special offer for our listeners at www.audibletrial.com/kickassnews. Visit Rich at www.RichLittle.com or on Facebook and buy tickets for Rich Little Live! at the Tropicana in Las Vegas at www.troplv.