Best Ben Davison Podcasts (2025)

1
Episode 169: New Cabinets, Old Wounds, and Wacky Ted: This Week on Wednesday 44:57

20d ago44:57

44:57

Van Badham (on her own while Ben’s away!) explores Australia’s new parliament, a record-breaking Labor majority, and freshly shuffled cabinet - but the real news? Susssssan Ley may be the Liberals’ new leader, but is she flying the Liberal plane straight into the glass cliff? Meanwhile, the Greens are fighting amongst themselves (again) about putti…

1
"Influencers, In-Fights & New Media" with Hannah Ferguson 1:35:02

21h ago1:35:02

1:35:02

At 26, Hannah Ferguson is one of the most influential young women in Australia. Her media company, Cheek Media, boasts an army of politically-engaged, progressive female fans. Ferguson co-hosts the smash hit podcast Big Small Talk, which breaks down politics and pop culture. An unapologetic progressive, she recently interviewed the prime minister a…

1
PREVIEW: Andrew Sullivan 36:10

5d ago36:10

36:10

Andrew Sullivan is one of the most influential political writers of his generation. He became the face of the gay marriage fight, after writing the first major American article arguing for it in 1989. His 1995 book, Virtually Normal, became a bible of the marriage equality movement. Andrew had moved to America to get his PhD in politics from Harvar…

1
"Why Gaza is Genocide" with Israeli Holocaust Historian Prof. Amos Goldberg 1:00:09

8d ago1:00:09

1:00:09

Terms like "genocide" and "apartheid" are thrown around a lot by anti-Israel activists. But when a leading Israeli Holocaust historian declares his own country to be a genocidal apartheid state, we ought to listen. Born and raised in Israel, Dr Goldberg is a professor in the Department of Jewish History and Contemporary Jewry at The Hebrew Universi…

1
PREVIEW: “Tariffs, Greenbacks, Qatar’s Air Force One, and American Empire” with Assoc. Prof. David Smith 28:19

13d ago28:19

28:19

How do you reconcile Trump's passion for American Greatness with his disengagement from international systems which America set up? What are the consequences so far of Trump's tariff flip-flops? Can Ukraine be resolved by the Great Powers alone? Do volatile bond markets predict the end of the U.S. dollar? Where does this all leave America in relati…

1
Josh on... Can You Change People's Minds? 1:33:36

15d ago1:33:36

1:33:36

We've got a special treat for you today. Josh sat down with the hosts of the "Changed My Mind" podcast, who interrogated him about whether it's really possible, in our divided times, to change someone's mind. Josh shares his thoughts about the art of persuasion; reveals topics on which his position has changed; and wrestles with conundrums like fac…

1
"The Game-ification of Everything" with Gurwinder Bhogal 1:42:43

19d ago1:42:43

1:42:43

Gurwinder rose to fame writing elaborately insightful Twitter threads about how to be human in the twenty-first century. He now publishes The Prism, on Substack, a guide to navigating the digital age. Watch this conversation on YouTube. And you’re missing out on our best ad-free content if you haven’t popped over to the Uncomfy Convos Substack page…

1
“Free Thought vs Free Speech” with Jenara Nerenberg 1:05:25

23d ago1:05:25

1:05:25

Are people too disagreeable these days? Or, in fact, are we losing the knack for disagreement? Are we self-silencing? Or getting more rude? Jenara Nerenberg is the founder and host of The Neurodiversity Project. She's a Harvard graduate who lectures widely on neuroscience and diversity, and who runs workshops at institutions like the Stanford Gradu…

1
Ohio University Sports Ad Series 5 Ep 12 with Russell Sargeant, VP, NBC Sports Sponsorship & Strategy at NBC Universal Media 38:44

23d ago38:44

38:44

Series: Ohio University Sports Ad Series 5 Ep 12 Guest: Russell Sargeant, VP, NBC Sports Sponsorship & Strategy at NBC Universal Media Title: Media Landscape in Sports Business 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today at https://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! T…

1
"Does Alien Life Exist?" with astrophysicist Dr Sara Webb 1:21:17

28d ago1:21:17

1:21:17

Are we alone? If alien life exists, why can't we find it? What's "the great filter"? Why is the universe set up the way it is? What are the chances there 's some purpose to it all? And is BBC News correct in reporting that "Scientists find 'strongest evidence yet' of life on distant planet"? What have we actually found? What might it mean? Whenever…

1
Episode 168: Landslide! Labor's Historic Victory and the Lessons for the Right 1:30:31

27d ago1:30:31

1:30:31

Van Badham and Ben Davison deliver an unmissable post-election edition of The Week on Wednesday, unpacking one of the most extraordinary federal election results in Australian history. With Anthony Albanese securing Labor’s biggest win since WWII, defeating not just Peter Dutton but also Greens leader Adam Bandt, Van and Ben bring deep analysis, bi…

1
“Conspiracies, Echo Chambers & Culture Wars” with Sacha Judd 1:44:24

1M ago1:44:24

1:44:24

The internet is a dumpster fire. Are you a firefighter? Or an arsonist? This episode is a cracker. Sacha Judd is an expert on internet subcultures. A former lawyer, she has become something like “the Mark Cuban of New Zealand” - a smart, left-wing investor in high-growth startups; advisor to businesses; and fierce commentator on Big Tech. Sacha wan…

1
PREVIEW: Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dave Sweeney 50:27

1M ago50:27

50:27

Do nuclear weapons protect Western civilisation? Or are they an insane error that humanity should undo? Is nuclear power worth the cost and risk? Dave Sweeney co-founded the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017. Dave and Josh debate the risks and rewards of nuclear weapons and nuclear pow…

1
BONUS: "Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Furore" with Tyson Yunkaporta 1:11:54

1M ago1:11:54

1:11:54

Have indigenous Welcomes-to-Country gone too far? On Friday, far-right hecklers disrupted the Welcome to Country (i.e. the land acknowledgment, in North American parlance) of a profound Australian national event, the Anzac Day Dawn Service. The protest has sparked a national firestorm about race, racism and remembrance. Josh shares his thoughts abo…

1
Episode 167: Brethren, Robes, and Ballot Box Shenanigans 1:00:54

1M ago1:00:54

1:00:54

Van Badham and Ben Davison launch into analysis of the Australian election campaign so far, with Ben barely emerged from a three-day strategy lockdown at his job but happily reunited with faithful hound, Germanicus. Van has been keeping an eye on the election, and a couple of perturbing recent twists: parents from Catholic schools in key marginal s…

1
"Facebook Whistleblower" Frances Haugen 1:13:36

1M ago1:13:36

1:13:36

What’s social media doing to us, and how would you fix it? Mark Zuckerberg has been a busy boy on the witness stand in Washington DC lately. In one of the most consequential antitrust cases in tech history, Meta is being sued by the U.S. government for allegedly maintaining a monopoly. It could reshape the future of social media, privacy regulation…

1
"American Authoritarianism" with Matt Welch 1:24:55

1M ago1:24:55

1:24:55

What do you make of a U.S. government that snatches people off the street and disappears them into Central American prisons, forever, with no trial, and no way to appeal? Matt Welch is a libertarian journalist. He's no wild-eyed, Trump-loathing leftie. Fresh off the back of his appearance on Bill Maher, Matt joined Josh on Josh's streaming TV show,…

1
Episode 166: Housing, health and education: The debates we all have to have, and the bobcats we deserve 1:11:22

1M ago1:11:22

1:11:22

Van Badham and Ben Davison are back - with new tech, new producer (welcome, Casper!), and a jam-packed episode on everything that matters. After three debates and polling momentum seeming to flow to Labor, Van and Ben pick apart three defining (and revealing) policy conversations of the election campaign: housing, health and education. From the ide…

1
“Reimagining Schooling” with Finnish education icon Prof. Pasi Sahlberg 1:48:09

1M ago1:48:09

1:48:09

What's the purpose of school? Why do we run schools the way we do? How might we reinvent education in an era of artificial intelligence and ADHD? Professor Pasi Sahlberg is one of the world's leading education experts. He ran Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture, moved to Washington DC to advise the World Bank on education, and was a visitin…

1
Ohio University Sports Ad Series 5 Ep 11 with Andres Lares, Shapiro Negotiations Institute 29:08

1M ago29:08

29:08

Series: Ohio University Sports Ad Series 5 Ep 11 Title: Negotiating in Business & Sports Guest: Andres Lares, Managing Partner at Shapiro Negotiations Institute 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today at https://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for S…

1
PREVIEW: "What Can Democrats Do?" with David Pakman 20:23

2M ago20:23

20:23

The Democratic Party is paralysed. It can't merely offer resistance to Trump. It also needs to offer an alternative to him. But how? Should they oppose his every move, as the likes of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Cory Booker believe? Or should they shut up and wait for the president to doom himself, as Senate minority leader …

1
“Decoding the Gurus” with Chris Kavanagh and Matt Browne 1:18:53

2M ago1:18:53

1:18:53

When are independent shows like Uncomfortable Conversations serving a useful purpose... and when are they just preaching to the choir? "Decoding the Gurus" is a podcast that dissects how new-media personalities gain guru status. Frequently, such podcasters claim to be bravely challenging the status quo... while comfortably pandering to their team. …

1
Ohio University Sports Ad Season 5 Ep 10 with Matt Hilley, CEO of Back Nine Marketing 33:36

2M ago33:36

33:36

Title: Ohio University Sports Ad Season 5 Ep 10 Topic: Entrepreneurship, Sponsorship Activation, & Agencies Guests: Matt Hilley, CEO of Back Nine Marketing 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today at https://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for SBV’s …

1
Anthony Bourdain’s “Lieutenant”, Laurie Woolever 1:11:24

2M ago1:11:24

1:11:24

Anthony Bourdain was Josh's hero. Laurie Woolever was, as Bourdain called her, his "lieutenant". A writer and culinary graduate, Laurie had worked for another gigantic cooking celebrity, Mario Batali, before he was brought down for alleged sexual harrassment. She spent almost ten years as Bourdain's right-hand-gal. The two of them wrote two books t…

1
PREVIEW: "What Is the 'Patriarchy'?" with Prof. Cordelia Fine 38:46

2M ago38:46

38:46

Do males and females differ in what we want out of life? In what jobs we want to do? In how much we want to look after babies, or run a tech start-up, or sweep the living room, or be a CEO? Or are biological preferences just an excuse to justify inequality? Cordelia Fine is a feminist academic who studies scientific explanations of sex differences …

1
Concierge Live Series Season 2 Episode 5 with Reid Mobley, Founder at Momentum Sports 37:22

2M ago37:22

37:22

Series: Concierge Live Series Season 2 Episode 5 Guest: Reid Mobley, Founder at Momentum Sports Title: Sponsorship in Motorsports 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today at https://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for SBV’s newsletters, register here…

1
JUST JOSH: The Woke Catastrophe of “Snow White” 28:49

2M ago28:49

28:49

If you want to see what's wrong with not being offensive, watch Snow White. The new Disney re-make is so committed to not offending anyone that it’s a social-justice jumble. Snow White isn’t white as snow; her love interest isn’t a prince; the dwarves aren’t “dwarves”; but there IS a dwarf in a non-dwarf role; Snow White doesn’t need a man; the man…

1
BOB CARR on Diplomacy, Statesmanship and Grief 1:40:32

2M ago1:40:32

1:40:32

Even if you're not Australian, you want to listen to this conversation with one of the nation's most iconic statesmen. Bob Carr is a former foreign minister of Australia (i.e. the secretary of state) and, before that, the longest-continuously-serving Premier of NSW, Australia's most populous state. He's an intellectual powerhouse, an icolonoclast, …

1
Concierge Live Series Season 2 Episode 4 with Ben Shapiro, Founder and CEO of PIVOT Agency 39:11

2M ago39:11

39:11

Title: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Series: Concierge Live Guests: Ben Shapiro, Founder and CEO of PIVOT agency 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today at https://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for SBV’s newsletters, register here: https://sport…

1
PREVIEW: “Does Ukraine Still Matter?" with correspondent Misha Zelinsky 38:43

2M ago38:43

38:43

What are Trump and Putin cooking up for Ukraine? Can the Europeans sideline it? What options does Ukraine still have on the table? And does any of this really matter to non-Europeans any more? This week, the ceasefire talks that President Trump boasted he'd wrap up in 24 hours fell apart, again. Russia says it wants an end to the war, if Ukraine ef…

1
Episode 165: Dr Jim's Australian budget box of delights, Donald Trump's group chat gone wild and African penguins forever 1:03:03

2M ago1:03:03

1:03:03

On her own today (yes, poor Ben is STILL unwell), Van takes you through some highlights of Dr Jim's 2025-26 Australian budget, the insane, almost-unbelievable story of the Trump administration's "group chat" scandal, and some good news for African penguins. Yes, the budget includes actual money for women's health (hello menopause clinics!), green i…

1
Australia’s Shadow Treasurer, Angus Taylor 1:06:30

2M ago1:06:30

1:06:30

Angus Taylor is the Shadow Treasurer of Australia and a key figure of the Opposition, the centre-right Liberal Party. A former cabinet minister, businessman and Rhodes scholar, he's often discussed as a future prime minister. Opinion polls put his party's return to power in the May election as a 50/50 bet. Josh sat down with the Shadow Treasurer to…

1
Vision Insights Series Episode 7 with Vision Insights' Zaheer Benjamin and Erin Davison 40:26

2M ago40:26

40:26

Title: Data Science, Fan Insights, and Analytics Career Paths Guests: Zaheer Benjamin and Erin Davison 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today at https://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for SBV’s newsletters, register here: https://sportsbusinessven…

1
PREVIEW: "Two Jews Debate Israel" with Antony Loewenstein 40:50

3M ago40:50

40:50

How should moderate, secular Jews feel about Israel? How brutalising must Israel’s Gaza policy be before more Jews denounce it? Is Israel a well-intentioned country hijacked by right-wing leaders from its true purpose of peace? Or is it intrinsically committed to destroying Palestinians? Was a Jewish ethno-state a mistake from the start? Or is Isra…

1
Vision Insights Series Ep 6 with Sam Hubble, Director of Strategy at the Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx 32:49

3M ago32:49

32:49

Title: Strategy in Sports Business Guest: Sam Hubble, Director of Strategy at the Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today at https://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for SBV’s newsletters, register here: https://sportsbu…

1
JOHN McWHORTER: Language, Race & Trump 1:25:46

3M ago1:25:46

1:25:46

John McWhorter is arguably the world’s most famous linguist. A professor at Columbia University and a columnist for the New York Times, he alternately enrages the right and the left as an anti-Trump, anti-woke, Black academic. John and Josh sat down in Sydney to discuss gay slang, the Trumpist right, Black provocateurs and “serving c***t”. Watch th…

1
"Why Greenland Matters" with Sherri Goodman 42:01

3M ago42:01

42:01

When Trump floated the idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, some called it a random brain fart. But there is a real conversation among security experts about control of the Arctic in the 21st century. As climate change opens up new avenues for shipping, spying, mining, submarining and warfare, the far North Atlantic matters more and more. Sherri G…

1
BONUS: Josh on Israel-Palestine Coverage 1:21:10

3M ago1:21:10

1:21:10

Last week, Arab leaders gathered in Egypt for a Palestine Summit. The 22-nation Arab League emerged with a re-energised Arab Peace Initiative to solve the Israel-Palestinian Conflict once and for all. Australia's largest and most trusted news organisation, the ABC, covered the event in an article entitled "This Plan Would End the Israel-Palestinian…

1
"Trump, Gaza & Liberalism" with Senator Dave Sharma 59:18

3M ago59:18

59:18

Australians go to the polls in a few months. It looks surprisingly grim for the first-term, centre-left Labor government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. As part of Uncomfortable Conversations' election coverage, Josh invited a select handful of prominent politicians who are likely to be the most interesting figures for listeners from all over t…

1
Technology & AI in Sports with Shripal Shah, Chief Digital Officer at Next League 36:16

3M ago36:16

36:16

Title: Technology & AI in Sports Guest: Shripal Shah, Chief Digital Officer at Next League 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today at https://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for SBV’s newsletters, register here: https://sportsbusinessventures.com/#s…

1
"The Next Canadian PM” with Jen Gerson 1:13:45

3M ago1:13:45

1:13:45

Justin Trudeau's political career will end this weekend when his replacement is elected as the Canadian Liberal leader. This happens at a moment of extraordinary uncertainty for Canadians. As the U.S. launches a painful trade war, Canadians are being forced to rethink their economic and strategic future. What's going on up there? Who are the candid…

1
"Hate Speech or Free Speech?" with Prof. Alan Davison 2:15:40

3M ago2:15:40

2:15:40

Perhaps the most dangerous idea is what to do about dangerous ideas. A spate of anti-semitic attacks has led to new laws that will punish Australians for "hate speech". But are hate-speech laws a band-aid over deeper problems like ethnic bigotry, religious conservatism, historical ignorance, social media, migrant integration, university bias, and I…

1
Ohio University Sports Ad Season 5 Ep 9 with Matthew Phillips, Business Intelligence at Nashville SC 38:36

3M ago38:36

38:36

Title: Ohio University Sports Ad Season 5 Ep 9 Topic: Team Business Intelligence in Sports Guests: Matthew Phillips, Business Intelligence at Nashville SC 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today athttps://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for SBV’s ne…

1
“Chinese War Games” with Sam Roggeveen 1:44:17

3M ago1:44:17

1:44:17

How should medium-sized countries respond when they're bullied by a superpower? The question applies as much to Canada dealing with President Trump as to Australia reacting to China. Last Friday, the pilot of a Virgin Australia flight from Australia to New Zealand noticed a flash of weapons from a Chinese warship just a few hundred miles off the co…

1
PREVIEW: "Rogue Fentanyl Chemists" with Ben Westhoff 39:58

3M ago39:58

39:58

Imagine posing as a drug dealer and going undercover into a Chinese drug lab. That's what Ben Westhoff did to report on how fentanyl -- which kills about 75,000 Americans every year -- gets made. Will Trump's crackdowns at the Mexican border stanch the flow? Why are other rich countries less affected by opioids? How did fentanyl cause the worst dru…

1
Ohio University Sports Ad Season 5, Episode 8 with Ethan Alkon, Senior Manager, Sponsorships at Verizon 31:24

3M ago31:24

31:24

Title: Ohio University Sports Ad Season 5, Episode 8 Topic: Sponsorships through the lens of a brand Guests: Ethan Alkon, Senior Manager, Sponsorships at Verizon 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today athttps://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for S…

1
"The Great Aussie Rort" with Punter's Politics 1:15:43

3M ago1:15:43

1:15:43

Varied are the ways in which political parties, media moguls and corporations screw you. One man who stands up to them all -- or who at least makes funny, informative, viral videos explaining their shenanigans -- is the phenomenon known as "Punters Politics". Millions of Aussies devour his Instagram and YouTube videos to learn how the system is rip…

1
PREMIUM: "The Fallacy of Productivity" with Oliver Burkeman 38:37

4M ago38:37

38:37

Productivity tips. Life hacks. Calendar apps. Magic mornings. Brain supplements. None of it will free you from the sense that there's more to do than you possibly can. That's because you're finite. Your time is finite, your focus is finite, and you're going to die. No productivity hack can change that. It's a liberating idea, if you look at it the …

1
Venture Capital in Sports with Ashley DeWalt, Managing Partner at the Collectiv 30:00

4M ago30:00

30:00

Title: Venture Capital in Sports Guest: Ashley DeWalt, Managing Partner at the Collectiv 🚨Podcast Perks!🚨 Sports Business Ventures: register today athttps://theplaybook.memberful.com/checkout?ref=ndziodg&plan=110409 for an annual subscription to the Playbook! To register for SBV’s newsletters, register here:https://sportsbusinessventures.com/#subsc…

1
PREVIEW: Oct. 7th Survivor Natalie Sanandaji 1:14:35

4M ago1:14:35

1:14:35

Natalie is a Jewish Iranian-American who grew up in New York. She was partying at the Nova Music Festival in Israel when Hamas attacked. Today, she uses her experience to advocate for the Combat Antisemitism Movement. She and Josh discuss Gaza, the Israeli occupation, hatred, love... and her experiences that day. To get more content like this and t…

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