SWAJ Rewind: “Who Owns Christmas?”
Who “owns” Christmas? When Christians tell non-Christians that they need to “remember the reason for the season,” or accuse them of engaging in a “war on Christmas,” do they have a right to do so? Is Christmas “theirs” just because it originated as a Christian religious holiday? In this episode, Dan argues that American Christians […]
044: Venezuela, Vanity Fair, and Rob Reiner
Andrew begins with some good news out of Oklahoma and a Christian Nationalist meltdown; he talks about Rob Reiner’s God + Country documentary and Trump’s reaction to Rob and Michele Singer Reiner’s murder. Then, Andrew wonders about Trump and Steven Miller’s real reasons for targeting Venezuela, especially in light of recent reporting and their dabbling […]
A Year That Nearly Broke Us—and Why We Keep Going
In this end-of-year episode of Straight White American, Jesus, Brad Onishi steps away from headlines, interviews, and analysis to offer something closer to a sermon—a reflection shaped by grief, exhaustion, and defiance at the close of 2025. Naming this past year as the hardest in the life of the show, Brad traces the weight of […]
Jack Finn on Meet Your Maker
In this episode of Horror Joy, Brian and Jeff speak with Jack Finn, a Horror author from the Pacific Northwest. Jack discusses his life-long love for Horror, how it played a joyous role in his childhood through monster movies, and his journey from enjoying Horror to writing it. He talks about his 2023 debut novel […]
Weekly Roundup: Cruelty as Policy, From Healthcare to Trans Panic
Dan Miller unpacks how Republican policy and ideology are converging around harm rather than governance. He begins with healthcare, breaking down how congressional action allowed Affordable Care Act subsidies to lapse and what that means for millions of Americans who rely on them. Rather than offering alternatives, the GOP continues to frame healthcare through an […]
It’s in the Code ep 173: “They Just Hate Men”
Josh Hawley suggests that men are tasked with being “leaders.” But what does that mean for him? In what ways does he mix and match his terms to mask his real understanding of leadership and masculinity? And how does it bring to light the ways he presents a caricature of anyone who would question his […]
043: Preaching the Gospel of Church-State Separation
Andrew has been on the road preaching the gospel of church-state separation in houses of worship. But first, we begin (and end) with a remembrance of Christopher Hitchens, who died on Dec. 15, 2011. Then Andrew breaks down why, even as an atheist, traveling around the country and giving talks in synagogues and churches is […]
Myths of Violence: How Guns Became Sacred in America
Brad sits down with Dr. Rachel Wagner, Professor of Religious Studies at Ithaca College and author of Cowboy Apocalypse, for a sobering and necessary conversation about why guns hold such powerful meaning in American life. Prompted by recent mass shootings, the episode explores how firearms have become more than tools or political symbols and instead […]
Found Footage and The October Film Haunt with Michael Wehunt
In this episode of ‘Horror Joy,’ hosts Brian and Jeff delve into the appeal of found footage horror and are joined by author Michael Wehunt to explore these themes. They discuss Wehunt’s debut novel, ‘The October Film Haunt,’ which blends subgenres including found footage, slasher, and occult horror. The conversation covers Wehunt’s writing journey, the […]
Weekly Roundup: A Battle of Fonts and Freedoms: Analyzing Trump’s Authoritarianism and Growing Unpopularity
Brad and Dan return to unpack another week of chaos, contradictions, and creeping authoritarianism in American politics. They open with what seems like a small story but carries outsized symbolic weight: the State Department’s decision to ditch Calibri and return to Times New Roman. It’s a font change driven not by aesthetics but by politics, […]