Weekly Roundup: Kristi Noem Implicated, Erika Kirk’s Love Language, and Bill McKibben on the Tragedy of American Christianity

Brad and Dan are back from the American Academy of Religion conference in Boston and kick off this episode with some love for the folks they met there before diving into a wild week in American politics and religion. They start with the viral moment between Erika Kirk and JD Vance at a TPUSA event, […]
040: The Court Case That Could Blow the Roof Off Political Spending

There’s so much to cover. Andrew dives into Trump threatening the lives of Democratic lawmakers and veterans; Trump’s awful, piggish misogyny and the White House coverup; and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s apologies tour. But that’s not even the biggest news because a court is hearing a case that could blow a hole in American democracy bigger […]
Pulitzer Winner on How the End of the Cold War Created MAGA Populism

Brad Onishi sits down with Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Starr to dig into his new book, American Contradiction, and the idea that the United States is less a shining city on a hill and more a city built on a fault line. Starr traces how the nation’s promise of liberty has always coexisted with exclusion, […]
Gwendoly Kiste on Meet Your Maker

In this episode of Horror Joy, hosts Brian and Jeff welcome acclaimed author Gwendolyn Kiste, a multiple Bram Stoker Award winner, to discuss her novel ‘The Haunting of Velkwood.’ They explore the synergistic relationship between horror and joy, emphasizing the cathartic and self-discovery elements inherent in the genre. Kiste shares her journey from a young […]
Short Weekly Roundup: Donald Trump is the Anti-Christian President

In this episode of ‘Straight White American, Jesus,’ Brad Oishi discusses the Trump administration’s paradoxical treatment of Christianity. Highlighting the arrest of Christian clergy during a protest at the Broadview immigration facility, Oishi critiques the administration’s selective support for certain Christian ideologies while persecuting others. He explores the historical prominence of Evangelical Christianity in American […]
It’s in the Code ep 170: “Order, Chaos, and Evil”

[CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains references to, and discussion of, death by suicide]. In this episode, Dan begins exploring what Josh Hawley calls “a man’s battle.” Hawley argues that what defines men, what gives them purpose, is fighting and confronting evil, and maintaining order in the face of chaos. But what exactly does this mean? […]
Is Marriage Equality Safe? + Megyn Kelly Defends Epstein’s Assault on Underage Girls

Marriage equality is safe for now. Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith sounds off on Christian Nationalism and sounds like a man who doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Trump is helping his allies get rich off DOJ investigations. And, of course, Epstein email and Megyn Kelly Indiana’s Lieutenant Gov. gets everything wrong Subscribe for $5.99 […]
ICE is Detaining Holocaust Survivors

Brad takes listeners through two heartbreaking stories that reveal how religion, immigration policy, and selective notions of freedom collide in today’s political climate. He first looks at the attempted deportation of a Holocaust survivor born in a refugee camp after World War Two who has lived in the United States for decades. Brad shares details […]
The Bay (2012)

The Depths of Horror: Exploring Barry Levinson’s The Bay In this episode, Brian and Jeff delve into Barry Levinson’s 2012 found footage horror film, ‘The Bay.’ Set during a disastrous 4th of July celebration in Claridge, Maryland, the film intertwines environmental horror with a mockumentary format. The story follows reporter Donna Thompson as she navigates […]
Weekly Roundup: MAGAworld Splinters: Epstein Revelations, Civilizational Populism, and the Future of the GOP

MAGAworld Splinters: Epstein Revelations, Civilizational Populism, and the Future of the GOP In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, hosts Brad O’Ri and Dan Miller discuss the tumultuous week surrounding U.S. politics, including the recent government shutdown, infamous Epstein emails, and the ensuing so-called ‘MAGA Civil War.’ They delve into the escalating division within […]