Best Contrapoints Podcasts (2025)

1
Charlie Kirk’s Legacy Deserves No Revisions 1:14:48

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5d ago1:14:48

1:14:48

The day after Charlie Kirk was murdered, Ezra Klein published an essay in the New York Times: “Charlie Kirk Practiced Politics The Right Way.” Klein’s piece was one of countless teary-eyed eulogies from across the spectrum of political media, and this first draft of Charlie Kirk’s legacy is now being used by the U.S. government to crack down on fre…

1
Dr. Phil: From Nice Guy to Nazi (with Aubrey Gordon) 1:43:53

19d ago1:43:53

1:43:53

Dr. Phil has a new hobby: ICE raids. The daytime television fixture bewildered fans when he began touring with the Trump campaign last year, ending his decades-long streak as a seemingly apolitical celebrity. Like so many 2000s stars, Dr. Phil has found a career revival in right-wing media, advocating for everything from deportations to zionism. Bu…

1
Dumbundance: can the “Abundance Agenda” fix the eternal housing crisis?

22d ago

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In the book Abundance, left liberal authors Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson identify unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape as an important factor in why there is a shortage of housing across the USA. Very quickly, billionaires and powerful donors have rallied to fund American politicians who campaign on an “Abundance Agenda”. Why is big money so excit…

1
Sydney Sweeney and the Outrage Machine 1:10:50

1M ago1:10:50

1:10:50

Sydney Sweeney is Hollywood’s most-discussed starlet, often for confusing reasons. Her existence as a visible woman with a human body made her the target of widespread male adoration, ridicule, and political projection. How she navigates being the new Miss American Dream is yielding increasingly bizarre results — what’s the deal with her eugenics, …

1
The Trans Teen Imprisoned for Refusing to Join the IDF 56:02

2M ago56:02

56:02

Yona Roseman is 19. In two weeks, the Israeli government is imprisoning her for refusing to join Israel's military, for which service is required by all Israeli Jewish teenagers. Because she is transgender, Yona anticipates she’ll be kept in solitary confinement for 22 hours per day. She’s been brutalized by cops who hurl slurs at her despite Israe…

1
How Inequality of Wealth and Power are like Obesity and Diabetes

2M ago

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Why are human beings so greedy and why are our societies so hierarchical, if our ancestors were so fiercely egalitarian? What is “human nature” in this regard? A new theory about inequality of wealth and power in human societies. TO SUPPORT MY EXISTENCE: PAYPAL ONE TIME OR MONTHLY DONATIONS PATREON PER EPISODE DONATIONS KO-FI ONE TIME OR MONTHLY DO…

1
Jojo Siwa: The Internet’s Court Jester 1:32:06

2M ago1:32:06

1:32:06

Jojo Siwa has been a lot of things: an eleven-year-old abused on television for public entertainment, a tween merchandising mogul with a billion dollar brand, Nickelodeon’s first out gay child star, and most recently, a dollar store trad wife. Behind the facade of endlessly shapeshifting court jester, though, Jojo Siwa is a 22-year-old human who ha…

1
The New York Times Thinks Gays Have Gone Too Far (with Chase Strangio) 2:01:11

3M ago2:01:11

2:01:11

On the twilight of Pride Month, the New York Times published (and sent out a push notification for) a guest essay titled “How the Gay Rights Movement Radicalized and Lost Its Way” by a gay journalist named Andrew Sullivan. If you thought I could resist this A Bit Fruity bait, you’d be wrong. Today, Chase Strangio — who recently made history as the …

1
Hello, Fellow Jews! How Lies About Oslo led to the Destruction of Gaza

3M ago

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My message to Jewish supporters of the war in Gaza. (TIMESTAMPS BELOW) TO SUPPORT MY EXISTENCE: PAYPAL ONE TIME OR MONTHLY DONATIONS: PATREON PER EPISODE DONATIONS: KO-FI ONE TIME OR MONTHLY DONATIONS: TRANSCRIPT BIBLIOGRAPHY / WORKS CITED VIDEO VERSION AUDIO PODCAST (or search for “worbs” on your podcast app) RSS FEED tweeter: @worbsintowords ALL …

1
Why Is Everyone Going Back Into the Closet? 1:14:24

3M ago1:14:24

1:14:24

From granola fascism to the manosphere, much gets said of the various right-wing pipelines people have gone down in the years since lockdown. One such pipeline remains more mysterious. When you think of conversion therapy, do you imagine a doctor administering shocks to a gay man strapped to a chair? A queer child sent to conversion camp against th…

1
Never Apologize to Fascists (with Contrapoints) 1:11:18

4M ago1:11:18

1:11:18

Last week, world-class athlete Simone Biles stood up to failed-athlete-turned-crybully Riley Gaines when Riley antagonized a transgender child to her 1.5 million Twitter followers. A harassment campaign, which has become a standard (and winning!) online strategy for online right, ensued against Simone. The comments flooded in, eviscerating the gymn…

1
The Antisemitism Panic (with Matt Lieb) 1:20:07

4M ago1:20:07

1:20:07

“From the river to the sea” is antisemitic. “Free Palestine” is antisemitic. Children’s YouTuber Ms. Rachel raising money for child amputees is antisemitic. ICE is kidnapping college students for antisemitism. Trump is dismantling higher education because of antisemitism. As a Jew, I’m… confused. And uncomfortable. Today, we examine the validity of…

1
Why Elites Ruined the Meaning of the Left Right Political Spectrum (and we need it back!)

4M ago

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Market Exit, like many others before him, tells us that the left-right political spectrum is obsolete and does more harm than good. That’s because he doesn’t know what they mean. This video explains: 1. What the political left and right actually mean 2. Why elites don’t want us to know what they mean 3. How confusion about left and right is a major…

1
A Morning With Vivian Wilson, Elon’s Estranged Daughter 47:36

4M ago47:36

47:36

In today’s special episode, we’re taking a break from political and cultural analysis to chat with someone who’s been at the center of today’s culture wars but rarely in her own voice: Vivian Jenna Wilson, Elon Musk’s 21-year-old estranged trans daughter. She tells us about her decision to take back her voice after years of being spoken for by an u…

1
The Breeders Who Want You to Have More Kids Right Now 1:27:03

5M ago1:27:03

1:27:03

Last week, the New York Times reported: “White House Assesses Ways to Persuade Women to Have More Children”. But who exactly is behind this push, and why, and what does it have to do with Elon Musk’s breeding compulsion? The answer is that “pronatalism”, a far-right movement that looks and smells a lot like a eugenics cult (despite what its leaders…

1
“Nationalism vs. Globalism”: Why is the Populist Right on the Rise?

5M ago

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Why are nationalist / populist / far right candidates and parties getting elected all around the world? Why isn’t the populist left enjoying the same success? Why does inequality keep getting worse nomatter who gets elected? PAYPAL ONE TIME OR MONTHLY DONATIONS: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=XJ6HBHFJ6C3RU PATREON PER EPISODE…

1
“Alpha Males” Are Making Men Lonelier (with Ryan Broderick) 1:16:54

5M ago1:16:54

1:16:54

When fitness influencer Ashton Hall’s absurd morning routine went viral a few weeks ago, I was… moved. The hours-long skincare, gym, and journaling ritual felt like an American Psycho-inspired metrosexual fever dream — one peppered with shocking misogyny and profound loneliness. Hall’s viral moment felt like a tipping in point in “alpha male” influ…

1
Maia Poet: The Final Boss of Detrans Grifters (with Kat Blaque) 1:25:33

6M ago1:25:33

1:25:33

What does “gender ideology” have in common with ISIS? Well, they are both… things, arguably. As more people become aware of opportunities to commodify their trauma into anti-trans right-wing media bait, the race for those opportunities is getting more competitive, and the results are… fascinating. Today, veteran trans YouTuber Kat Blaque and I inte…

1
12.1 – The Secret History of Israel / Palestine, Part I: the Jews of Europe and the rise of Zionism

6M ago

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This series focuses on those aspects of the origins of the Israel/Palestine conflict that partisans on both sides mutually ignore. This episode examines jewish life in Europe and the conditions leading to the rise of Zionism until the first wave of Zionist immigration in 1882. Cover image: Marc Chagall, Falling Angel (1923-1947) PAYPAL ONE TIME OR …

1
Gwen Stefani: From Feminist to Fascist 1:22:30

6M ago1:22:30

1:22:30

When Gwen Stefani made a tacit endorsement of Tucker Carlson earlier this month, I felt like somebody had knocked the wind out of me. Had the iconic 90’s ain’t-no-hollaback girl made a not-so-sweet escape to the dark side? Dizzy and disturbed, I set out to journey Gwen’s path from early aughts punk rock princess to… spokeswoman for a conservative b…

1
The Complex Tragedy of Grimes 1:17:50

7M ago1:17:50

1:17:50

To the mainstream news, she’s the mother of three of Elon Musk’s children. To a certain type of extremely online Tumblr user in the year 2012, she once approximated God. Today, we take a challenging look at the strange tapestry of Grimes’s life and unearth stories about the Internet era that shaped millennials, pipelines to right-wing radicalizatio…

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The Incoherent Sexual Politics of the Right 1:15:15

7M ago1:15:15

1:15:15

Elon Musk just (allegedly) had his thirteenth child with a fourth woman — a 26-year-old “conservative” influencer named Ashley St. Clair. In a past version of the “traditional family values” party, this might’ve been a career-ending event. Today, it hardly generates coverage. In this episode, Moira Donegan and Adrian Daub (of In Bed With The Right)…

1
How Conservatism Infiltrated Pop Culture 1:03:36

8M ago1:03:36

1:03:36

Quiet luxury. Clean girl. Old money. Trad living. Kylie Jenner’s pivot from Black culture vulture to glass skin pilates princess. College youth dressed like polyester Shein replicas of Reagan-era prepsters. Something’s happened, and I’m uncomfortable. Listen to bonus episodes on Patreon! Work smarter, not harder, with Factor meals ready in two minu…

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The Tech Bro-ligarchy 1:28:11

8M ago1:28:11

1:28:11

Our country is now run by a bunch of spineless billionaires who were cast out as nerds in college so they launched a vendetta against humanity. Today, Edward Ongweso Jr. of This Machine Kills helps us understand the tech bro-ligarchy’s key overlords, why they are so far up the president’s rectum, their deranged philosophy on life, and their apocaly…

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Blake Lively and the Amber Heard Effect 1:34:11

9M ago1:34:11

1:34:11

The first episode of this podcast ever recorded was about Amber Heard and the online public’s inability — or unwillingness — to distinguish between their organic feelings about celebrity abuse allegations and their participation in a strategic, well-funded smear campaign against a woman coming forward. Since that episode, journalist Kat Tenbarge an…

1
Why is the Media Coverage of Luigi Mangione So Bad? 57:39

9M ago57:39

57:39

The remarkable dissonance between the public’s embrace of UnitedHealthcare CEO assassin Luigi Mangione and the mainstream media’s outward disdain for both Luigi and the public’s martyrization of him has been… bizarre. In a rare moment where the culture war has been traded in for the class war, billionaire-owned media corporations and politicians al…

1
How Did Elon Musk Get Like This? 1:23:00

10M ago1:23:00

1:23:00

There was a time before Elon Musk was tweeting 60 times a day about trans people and the woke mind virus — and it wasn’t that long ago. As recently as 2018, Elon was boasting about Tesla scoring a 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s corporate equality index and telling anyone who was bothered by that to “not buy our car.” So what happened? Today, Ry…

1
Is Glinda Good? 51:41

10M ago51:41

51:41

A Bit Fruity was due for a good old-fashioned film analysis. Wicked is a kids movie that is actually for adults, holding up a mirror to our increasingly fascistic reality and asking us to question our struggle against it — or place within it. Glinda the Good Witch, thoughtfully delivered by Ariana Grande, is both easy to love and easy to hate. But …

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How the Right is Winning Young Men (with Taylor Lorenz) 1:17:00

11M ago1:17:00

1:17:00

This was the first election where the online far-right radicalization of young boys and men revealed itself in exit polls. After years of being fed diet-incel podcasts, one thing is clear: Gen Z will not, by some inherent virtue of youth, save us. Today, Taylor Lorenz and I break down the “epidemic of male loneliness”, the influencers exploiting it…

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Riley Gaines: Tie for 5th, Grift for Life 1:21:26

11M ago1:21:26

1:21:26

In America, the only thing standing between you and wealth beyond your wildest dreams is tying for fifth with a trans person. Today, media critic Ari Drennen takes us into the bizarre world of the 24-year-old whispering policy into Donald Trump’s ear. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon! Start managing your money better and cancel unwa…

1
Jubilee Must Be Stopped 1:27:02

12M ago1:27:02

1:27:02

The slogan of YouTube’s most popular debate channel, Jubilee, is “provoke understanding & create human connection.” So why is all of its content a cesspool of bigotry, rage-bait, and pseudoscientific slop? Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon! Huge thanks to the show's sponsors: Get 15% off a cuter, more sustainable way to clean at www.…

1
The Cult of Stan Culture (with Amanda Montell) 1:17:26

1y ago1:17:26

1:17:26

Well, I got Swiftied. As I sat there, sifting through ever more creative and graphic death threats, I wondered: is it time for a podcast episode? Today, Amanda Montell (of Sounds Like a Cult) takes us on an exploration of how online music fan culture co-opted the harassment tactics of the far right, which co-opted the social justice tactics of Blac…

1
Chappell Roan’s War on Fame (with Eliza McLamb) 1:23:43

1y ago1:23:43

1:23:43

H-O-T-T-O-G-O, Chappell Roan is someone we do not actually know. But what do we do with the (very real) feelings and relationships we form with the people on our screens? Today, Eliza of Binchtopia and I discuss fame — global fame and niche micro “fame” — to understand where we parasocially flew off the rails, and what the future of celebrity might…

1
The Crunchy to Far Right Pipeline 1:31:15

1y ago1:31:15

1:31:15

How does a harmless interest in yoga turn into a crusade against homosexuals in public schools? Specific though it seems, we’ve all seen it happen: a friend with a seemingly innocuous interest in wellness starts “doing their research”, and one year later, bam: QAnon. Sparked by some recent beauty influencer drama, Derek Beres of Conspirituality hel…

1
Transvestigating (with Contrapoints) 1:27:55

1y ago1:27:55

1:27:55

Your gender is not determined by your anatomy, your chromosomes, your hormones, or even your internal sense of self. It is determined by J.K. Rowling. Today, Natalie Wynn (aka Contrapoints) and I unpack the harassment campaign against Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and what it reveals about people who can “always tell.” Support me + listen to bonus ep…

1
The Kamalafication of BRAT 1:10:14

1y ago1:10:14

1:10:14

Is Kamala bumpin’ that? Is BRAT summer over? Who killed it? Today, Maia of Rehash and I attempt a cynical but fair analysis of meme culture, Gen Z nihilism, and political standom. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon! Rocket Money is a real one for sponsoring the show. Start managing your money better and cancel unwanted expenses at www…

1
Hawk Tuah: From Harmless Meme to Right Wing Symbol 1:12:50

1y ago1:12:50

1:12:50

I stay away from heterosexual mess, but this time it came to me. Today, Taylor Lorenz and I work backwards to understand how a 21-year-old bed spring factory worker from Tennessee became a culture war symbol because of a drunken joke about fellatio. None of these words are in the bible. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon! Listen to Ta…

1
Stories from the AIDS Crisis 1:03:16

1y ago1:03:16

1:03:16

A special episode where we hear from listeners of the show who were lovers, nurses, relatives, students, and friends of people who died from AIDS. Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon! Thanks to Blueland for supporting the show. For 15% off a better way to clean, head to https://www.blueland.com/fruity. Me on Instagram. A Bit Fruity on …

1
The Celebrity Ozempidemic (with Aubrey Gordon) 1:17:06

1+ y ago1:17:06

1:17:06

A drug that needs no introduction and a culture of fatphobia that lives on. Today, we are ALL beating the Ozempic allegations. Use code "fruity" at https://incogni.com/fruity to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan! Support me on Patreon! To uncover and cancel the unwanted expenses you’ve forgotten about, try Rocket Money. Listen to Aubr…

1
Oli London & the Right Wing Grift (with Taylor Lorenz) 1:09:41

1+ y ago1:09:41

1:09:41

How does a white gay guy from England go from “trans-Korean” troll to a member of the conservative media establishment? It’s easier than you think! Today, Taylor Lorenz helps us unpack the anatomy of the right wing grift — because if all else fails, just become a Fox News star. Support me on Patreon! Huge thanks to the sponsors of today’s show! For…

1
Amy Schumer & the Plague of White Feminism (with Broey Deschanel) 1:02:42

1+ y ago1:02:42

1:02:42

Girlbossing too close to the sun can cause a real trainwreck. Today, we examine the unstable foundation of Amy Schumer's feminist brand of comedy and how it all fell apart. Support me on Patreon! Thanks to Rocket Money for sponsoring the show. Uncover and cancel your unwanted expenses at www.rocketmoney.com/fruity. Here’s Maia’s YouTube channel, an…

1
Everything the Media is Getting Wrong About the College Protests 52:43

1+ y ago52:43

52:43

Until a month ago, college students in America were dweeby snowflake liberals, too socially anxious to notify the waiter of an incorrect order. Now, they’re (allegedly) well-connected, well-funded terrorists. Who are the students protesting for Palestine, what do they want, and why is the media obsessed with misrepresenting them? Support me on Patr…

1
Q&A on the ABCs of Israel/Palestine

1+ y ago

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This is a Q&A where I respond to questions and critiques about episode 12: The ABC’s of Israel/Palestine (https://youtu.be/OLr_VCqnId0) and also go off on a whole bunch of related tangents. TIMESTAMPS BELOW! BIBLIOGRAPHY: https://www.patreon.com/posts/102834580 (no paywall) I purposefully don’t monetize my channel in order to spare you the annoying…