We're Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends

The 2028 U.S. presidential election is just over two years away — which means we already have to start talking about it.
In a special LIVE taping of 'We're Not Kidding' in New York City, Mehdi was joined by author, political commentator, and host of the 'Fast Politics' podcast Molly Jong-Fast, where they sought to answer the one burning question of every politics (and comic book) nerd: Which of the Democratic presidential hopefuls has the greatest superpower – and what is their 'Kryptonite' that could tank their candidacy?
Together, they break down Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's celebrity status, who the sleeper hit of the Democratic primary could be, and discuss why, if she runs, Kamala Harris will probably lose…again. "When you lose, shouldn't you just go away?" Mehdi asks. "That's why I think [Kamala Harris] is not going to run again," Molly says.
They also take questions from the live audience in New York on whether social media is to blame for young people being drawn in by right-wing pundits like Tucker Carlson, why the media rarely covers labor issues, and whether Trump has an exit strategy in Iran (spoiler: he doesn't).
The two also discuss:
The Jan. 6 rioters' billion-dollar payout from the Trump administration.

Marco Rubio and JD Vance's 'Apprentice'-style tryout for Trump's backing in 2028.

How much right-wing political content is actually astroturfed.

This episode was co-produced by On Air Fest and On Air Presents as part of their yearlong programming.
This interview was published 7 days earlier on Zeteo.com. If you want early access to exclusive content and hard-hitting, independent journalism, subscribe on Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
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Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan
Credits:
Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan
Guest Host: Molly Jong-Fast
Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi
Senior Producer: Frank Cappello
Editor: Liam Mann
Music: Andy Clausen
Design: Alicia Tatone
Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera
Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali
 
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This episode is sponsored by Incogni. For 60% off your first order, go to https://incogni.com/mehdi
Would you be surprised to find out that one of the leading investigators into the cryptocurrency industry is… a former teen heartthrob from the early 2000s TV series 'The O.C.'? Ben McKenzie became famous for playing bad boy Ryan Atwood in the hit 2003 drama, but he may end up being remembered for his work investigating and speaking out against the opaque crypto industry. 
Ben is the writer, director, and star of the new documentary, 'Everyone Is Lying To You For Money', which documents his years-long look into the scammy, fraudulent, and oftentimes criminal world of cryptocurrency. He met up with Mehdi in Washington D.C. to talk about his new film and what drove him to make it. Mehdi and Ben unpack the film's globetrotting story — from Miami, to El Salvador, to London — as Ben follows the (figurative) money. Ben explains what exactly cryptocurrency is and uncovers why its evangelists want you to buy it so badly. 
The two also discuss:
How 'The O.C.' introduced an entire generation to class politics.

Why Ben is supporting Brad Lander for Congress over Dan Goldman. 

If taking corporate PAC money should be a litmus test for Democrats.

Which Democrats have a shot at the presidency in 2028…

This interview was published 10 days earlier on Zeteo.com. If you want early access to exclusive content and hard-hitting, independent journalism, subscribe on Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends
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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
Credits:
Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan
Guest Host: Ben McKenzie
Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi
Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello
Music: Andy Clausen
Design: Alicia Tatone
Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera
Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali
 
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This episode is sponsored by Ellydee. To sign up, go to ellydee.ai/mehdi
Riz Ahmed is the man of the moment. The Oscar and Emmy award-winning actor is currently on the press tour for not one but two new projects: his TV series 'Bait', and a film adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. But the tour wouldn't be complete without joining his former school mate and fellow school play actor Mehdi for a special LIVE taping of 'We're Not Kidding' in New York City. The two dig into Riz's new roles, the state of Muslim representation in popular culture, and making political art. They also take questions from the audience, but first they share a few choice anecdotes from their teenage years.
The two also discuss:
Neil Patrick Harris' recent ridiculous comments about making "apolitical" art. 

Why "getting in the room" doesn't matter if you let the room change you.

The lasting significance of his films 'Four Lions' and 'The Long Goodbye' given the UK far-right political scene. 

And how Riz got banned… from UK grocery store Tesco's!

They also take questions from the audience about why some Muslim entertainers have stayed silent on Gaza, the best ways to resist fascism, the power of political storytelling, and whether Riz's aunties call him up to chastise him about some of his.. erm… spicier on-camera scenes.
This interview was published 7 days earlier on Zeteo.com. If you want early access to exclusive content and hard-hitting, independent journalism, subscribe on Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends
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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
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
Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera
Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali
Special thanks to: Stephen Wentzell & Leena Fraihat
 
To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit
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It's been six months (!) since Bassem Youssef joined Mehdi for an episode of 'We're Not Kidding', and since then Israel has started two new wars, right-wing podcasters have turned on Donald Trump over his war with Iran, and centrist Democrats have mounted a cancellation campaign against leftist streamer Hasan Piker. But before they get to any of that, they dig into Epstein and Mehdi's viral interview with the so-called "Professor Jiang," the two get into a friendly argument over which terms and ideas qualify as religious tropes and how the weaponization of antisemitism by Zionists has diluted the meaning of the word. 
The two also debate whether right-wingers like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson can be trusted allies for calling out Israel's genocide in Gaza and Donald Trump's war with Iran, or if they're just opportunists who see the writing on the wall for the MAGA movement. "Why don't you like Candace Owens or Tucker Carlson?" Bassem asks Mehdi, who explains his position on the two.
The two also discuss:
Zionists cracking down on free speech and civil liberties.

Why "Pax Judaica" is an antisemitic trope and "Greater Israel" is not. 

US citizen Moshe Katz who recently died in Lebanon fighting for the Israeli military. 

Why Bill Maher is… just the worst.

This interview was published 7 days earlier on Zeteo.com. If you want early access to exclusive content and hard-hitting, independent journalism, subscribe on Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe
Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends
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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
Credits:
Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan
Guest Host: Bassem Youssef
Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi
Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello
Music: Andy Clausen
Design: Alicia Tatone
Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera
Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali
To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit
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If you're as terminally online as the rest of us at Zeteo, you may have noticed that conservative podcasters are at war with each other. Ben Shapiro is attacking Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson is attacking Ben Shapiro, and everyone is attacking Mark Levin. So for this week's 'We're Not Kidding', Mehdi is joined by Krystal Ball, co-host of the massively popular online news show 'Breaking Points', to unpack all of the MAGA drama. 
The two also get into how Donald Trump's disastrous war with Iran is creating even MORE rifts within the Republican party, Israel and Netanyahu's role in instigating the war, and why we shouldn't totally trust defectors like Trump's now former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent. "They are very comfortable saying, 'Israel, Israel, Israel. It's all Israel's fault,'" Krystal says. "But at the end of the day, this is Donald Trump's war. He's not a baby. He's the most powerful man on the planet."
The two also discuss:
Krystal's famous hardball interview with Sen. Elissa Slotkin.

How AIPAC's brand has become "completely toxic" with Democratic voters.

Why podcasts will be important for 2028 presidential candidates.

And whether Gavin Newsom will be brave enough to appear on 'Mehdi Unfiltered' or 'Breaking Points'...

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Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends
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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
Credits:
Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan
Guest Host: Krystal Ball
Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi
Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello
Music: Andy Clausen
Design: Alicia Tatone
Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera
Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali
 
To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit
https://advertising.libsyn.com/Zeteo