Best Michael Cheney Podcasts (2025)

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Sarah Silverman & Kyle Kinane: Comedy, Cancel Culture, and Conspiracies 36:16

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23h ago36:16

36:16

Mike unlocks two interviews from the vault featuring comics who navigate the cultural minefield with very different styles. First, Sarah Silverman discusses her evolution from "arrogant ignoramus" character comedy to earnest podcasting, reflecting on her blackface controversy, her embrace of the "Bernie bro" label, and why she believes being wrong …

1
Alex Edelman: "The Hardest Thing to Talk About in a Joke is Israel." 57:48

2d ago57:48

57:48

In this special holiday week episode, Mike sits down with comedian Alex Edelman, fresh off a Tony Award for his show Just For Us and a spot on the Time 100 list. They discuss the "liquid dynamics" of a Comedy Cellar audience, the art of bombing while testing new material, and why jokes about the Israel-Gaza conflict are the hardest tightrope in com…

1
Roy Wood Jr.: "People Just Want to Feel Good." 1:02:19

3d ago1:02:19

1:02:19

In this special Christmas Day edition, Mike gives the gift of Roy Wood Jr., a comedian who embodies the "profundities in punchlines" ethos. Wood joins to discuss his CNN show Have I Got News for You, his upbringing as the son of a pioneering radio journalist, and the central thesis of his comedy: that in a fractured world, people prioritize dopamin…

1
Django Gold: The Comedian Who Wants to Dim Your Shine 58:21

4d ago58:21

58:21

In a special Christmas Eve edition, Mike brings you a "gift" from the comedy vault: an interview with the brilliantly off-kilter Django Gold. A veteran of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Onion, Gold discusses his YouTube special Bag of Tricks and his commitment to playing a paranoid, morose character on stage—a persona he claims is "clos…

1
Thomas Chatterton Williams: Why the Summer of 2020 Wasn't Inevitable 39:31

1d ago39:31

39:31

Thomas Chatterton Williams joins to discuss his new book, The Summer of Our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse. He argues that the racial reckoning of 2020 was not an inevitable tide of history but a perfect storm of pandemic isolation, polarizing politics, and institutional failure. TCW dissects how mainstream institution…

1
Quico Toro: "Charlatans Burrow Into Your Life and Don't Leave." 36:32

6d ago36:32

36:32

Quico Toro joins to discuss Charlatans: How Grifters, Swindlers, and Hucksters Bamboozle the Media, the Markets, and the Masses, distinguishing the "parasitic" nature of the charlatan from the hit-and-run tactics of the scammer. He traces the lineage of the grift from the official alchemists of 16th-century Venice to the upsell tactics of Trump Uni…

1
BEST OF: Epstein, Les Wexner, Iran/Contra, and the Iraq War w/ Bob Fitrakis 1:05:03

3d ago1:05:03

1:05:03

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ Replay for the holiday season (and because yours truly is having issues with his equipm…

1
Episode 887: MAGA and Rob Reiner 1:09:29

3d ago1:09:29

1:09:29

Two-thirds of Americans say government should ensure health care for all: poll | LiveNOW from FOX House GOP will not allow amendment vote to extend ObamaCare subsidies Republicans Clinch Democrats' Bid to Force Vote on ACA Subsidies - The New York Times Even MAGA Can't Stomach Trump's Vile Rob Reiner Post | HuffPost Latest News Epstein survivors an…

1
Chris Whipple on the Susie Wiles Interviews: A Rare Look Inside the White House

4d ago

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Brought to you by www.michaelmedved.com

1
Rob Reiner: "I Just Viewed My Child in Pain" 35:02

5d ago35:02

35:02

In light of the recent tragedy, Mike unlocks a 2016 interview with the late Rob Reiner. It is a conversation that now plays differently: Reiner discusses his film Being Charlie, which was written by his son Nick Reiner—the man now arrested in connection with his death. Mike reflects on the director's legacy, the eerie prescience of their discussion…

1
Jay Jurden: High Profundities Per Minute 51:47

9d ago51:47

51:47

Comedian Jay Jurden explains why nine years of theater training is his "superpower" on the stand-up stage—and why he treats every punchline like a line of dialogue rather than a personal diary entry. His new special, Yes Ma'am, argues that physical specificity (from "rolling a wheelchair into affordable housing" to Marjorie Taylor Greene's hooves) …

1
Nicholas Wright: When Ancient Brains Meet Modern War 41:30

10d ago41:30

41:30

Neuroscientist Nicholas Wright explains why big powers "lose" wars they dominate on the kill ratio—and why counterinsurgencies (Vietnam, Afghanistan, maybe Iraq) reliably punish the side with less at stake. His new book, Warhead: How the Brain Shapes War and War Shapes the Brain, argues that identity, surprise, and revenge are ancient brain feature…

1
Episode 886: Who are the Groypers? 1:00:00

7d ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Who Are the 'Groypers'? - The New York Times The Conservative Old Guard Wakes Up and Smells the Groypers People Are Underestimating America's Groyper Problem - The Atlantic Grappling With the Groyper Problem: Insight From Columbia University | RealClearPolitics

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James Clyburn: "The World Would Much Rather See a Sermon Than Hear One." 42:29

11d ago42:29

42:29

Clyburn discusses The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation, explaining how Reconstruction-era Black lawmakers navigated power, compromise, and backlash—and why their choices still resonate. He reflects on faith as action, not rhetoric, and on history as a guide rather than a museum piece. Plus: Mar…

1
Mikhail Zygar: From Glasnost Whiplash to Social-Media Smog 41:26

12d ago41:26

41:26

Russian journalist in exile Mikhail Zygar traces an information system so sealed even Gorbachev couldn't get the facts in The Dark Side of the Earth: Russia's Short-Lived Victory Over Totalitarianism. He draws a straight psychological line from late-Soviet overload to our current tech-firehose, arguing humans don't change much; institutions do (and…

1
Netflix/Warner Bros., Monopoly Capitalism, & Theaters as a Bulwark Against Atomization w/ Corey Atad 1:58:46

10d ago1:58:46

1:58:46

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by freelance film journalist …

1
Chris Dalla Riva: "Billboard's become a Christmas chart." 39:42

13d ago39:42

39:42

Data journalist Chris Dalla Riva brings charts, facts, and plenty of fight to Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us About the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves, a tour through every Billboard Hot 100 #1 and the strange incentives that pick our "popular." They debate whether streaming makes the charts more accurate or just more boring—why Christma…

1
Episode 885: Kash and the FBI Slush Fund, Trump's Mortgage Fraud 1:07:43

10d ago1:07:43

1:07:43

Jasmine Crockett announces campaign for Texas Democratic Senate primary Democrats flip Miami mayor's office, winning control for first time in nearly 30 years House Democrat Seeks to Impeach Kennedy for Undercutting Public Health Trump's Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal — ProPublica Kash Patel ordered FBI detail…

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Finding the Next Terry Gross with Daniel Oppenheimer 40:22

15d ago40:22

40:22

In this special Saturday edition, Mike sits down with Daniel Oppenheimer of Eminent Americans to tackle a high-stakes question: Who is worthy of the Fresh Air throne? They dissect the craft of interviewing, critique the "unprepared celebrity" podcast trend, and evaluate potential successors ranging from Colin McEnroe to Jon Ronson. Produced by Core…

1
Shadi Hamid: The Left Should Learn to Love American Power 42:52

16d ago42:52

42:52

Shadi Hamid joins to discuss his new book, The Case for American Power, arguing that progressives' retreat from global engagement is a mistake. He contends that while the Left often views U.S. hegemony as intrinsically immoral—citing the legacy of Iraq and the tragedy in Gaza—the alternative of withdrawal often leads to greater atrocities, such as …

1
Project Censored's State of the Free Press 2026 w/ Mickey Huff 36:30

13d ago36:30

36:30

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by Mickey Huff, director of P…

1
Not Even Mad: Anthony Weiner & John Ketcham 1:03:30

14d ago1:03:30

1:03:30

Anthony Weiner and John Ketcham break down a Congress being flayed by its own fringes, where the "crazies" sometimes deliver the sharpest institutional critiques. They then assess Pete Hegseth and the possible release video of a lethal Caribbean boat strike, the challenges reshaping New York politics, and what it really means to govern a city you o…

1
Episode 884: Bus Joy Ride and Bear Shelters 49:12

14d ago49:12

49:12

Man tries to rescue injured raccoon, gets bitten on face while driving, learns it has rabies Campbell's fires executive who was recorded saying company's products are for 'poor people' | AP News The 'ShamWow guy' is running for Congress in Texas Man who took Hamilton bus on joy ride 'did a great job' driving, left no dings, say police | CBC News 'W…

1
Holiday Suicides: Is That BS? with Sadie Dingfelder 27:42

15d ago27:42

27:42

Holiday dread is real enough—fraught family gatherings, forced merriment, and the persistent myth that December is the peak month for suicide. In truth, it's the lowest month for suicides, even as the season brings elevated risks of car crashes, cardiac emergencies, and alcohol-related ER visits. Sadie Dingfelder joins for an Is That Bulls**t? to e…

1
Mark Rowlands on Memory and the Stories We Tell Ourselves 26:16

16d ago26:16

26:16

The philosopher discusses The Book of Memory: How We Become Who We Are, exploring how recollection constructs identity, coherence, and the personas we inhabit. He explains why memory is less an archive than an act of ongoing authorship, shaped by emotion, imagination, and the stories we rehearse. The conversation traces the boundary between what we…

1
Daniel Zoughbie: The Mightiest Turns an Enemy into a Friend 34:27

20d ago34:27

34:27

Daniel Zoughbie discusses Kicking the Hornet's Nest: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East from Truman to Trump, arguing that Truman's one-sided recognition of Israel and decades of U.S. overreliance on defense distorted the region's trajectory. He traces missed off-ramps from Oslo to the Olmert–Abbas talks, explaining why partition remains the on…

1
Episode 883: Boat Strike War Crimes 1:01:14

17d ago1:01:14

1:01:14

Costco sues the Trump administration, seeking a refund of tariffs FBI paid nearly $1M in overtime to redact Epstein files, documents show | Snopes.com Epstein Survivors Believe DOJ Is 'Intentionally' Exposing Their Names In The Files: Lawyers | HuffPost Latest News Trump said he was 'sharper than I was 25 years ago.' Then he spent an hour appearing…

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Mike Pesca on the Vig, the Fix, and the John Goodman Thumb 33:43

22d ago33:43

33:43

On this Saturday edition, Mike Pesca joins the cast of Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone to explain the dopamine minefield of modern sports betting. He walks Paula and Adam Felber through the mechanics of the "vig," the absurdity of Cleveland pitchers throwing balls into the dirt to cover prop bets, and the time NBA legend Chauncey Billups unwitti…

1
The AI Hivemind Threat aka The Loop: How AI Is Creating a World Without Choices w/ Jacob Ward 1:00:17

19d ago1:00:17

1:00:17

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this episode of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael speaks with acclaimed journalist and au…

1
Funny You Should Mention: Mohanad Elshieky 1:03:08

20d ago1:03:08

1:03:08

Mohanad Elshieky joins Funny You Should Mention with stories that make Benghazi feel less like a political Rorschach test and more like the small town where he learned comedy by roasting his siblings and dodging unlicensed militias. He walks us through the dictatorship-era silence around politics, the sudden rise of ISIS-adjacent checkpoints, and t…

1551
Prof. John Yoo on Prof. John Yoo on the Illegality of an Unlawful Military Order

20d ago

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Brought to you by www.michaelmedved.com

1
TJ Raphael on the Liberty Godparent Trap and the Cost of Coercion 37:17

24d ago37:17

37:17

TJ Raphael, host of the series Liberty Lost, joins Mike to investigate the "Liberty Godparent Home"—a facility on Liberty University's campus where pregnant teens were allegedly pressured into adoption under the guise of spiritual redemption—and discuss why the financial incentives of the "adoption industrial complex" often cause the promise of ope…

1
Rachel McCarthy James on Axe Murder, Salad Spinners, and the Hat-Brim Line 37:25

25d ago37:25

37:25

True crime historian Rachel McCarthy James joins to talk about Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder, tracing humanity's relationship between axe and skull, where questions about Axe-related word play are axed and answered. Then the show pivots to how algorithms elevate the most loathed spokespeople on every hot-button issue, from Riley Gaines to Jasm…

1
Daniel Brook & Brandy Schillace: The Sex Expert Who Scared Hitler 32:11

26d ago32:11

32:11

Daniel Brook and Brandy Schillace trace the life and legacy of Magnus Hirschfeld, the so-called "Einstein of Sex," from his pioneering Institute for Sexual Science to the Nazis parading his severed likeness at the 1933 book burning. They dig into the longer prehistory of Weimar queer politics and antisemitism, discussing how obsessions with masculi…

1
Murdaugh Showrunner Michael D. Fuller: Power Metastasizes 42:01

27d ago42:01

42:01

Michael D. Fuller joins to talk about Hulu's Murdaugh: Death in the Family. The conversation digs into what scripted drama can do that true-crime podcasts and prosecutors can't, especially around messy motives and family dynamics that don't fit a neat trial narrative. Plus, an opening segment on Trump's "don't give up the ship" blowup, congressiona…

1
Episode 882: Right Wing Chatbots and Vulgarity for Charity 2025 1:16:01

24d ago1:16:01

1:16:01

Right-Wing Chatbots Turbocharge America's Political and Cultural Wars - The New York Times Palantir CEO Says a Surveillance State Is Preferable to China Winning the AI Race Vulgarity for charity returns! Thanks to everyone who donated!

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Jesse Eisenberg: "Marv Albert Is My Therapist" 24:41

29d ago24:41

24:41

On this Saturday edition, Mike Pesca reaches into the archives for a 2016 classic with actor and author Jesse Eisenberg. They discuss Eisenberg's short story collection Bream Gives Me Hiccups and the "creek vs. crick" linguistic controversy it sparked, while analyzing why a nine-year-old restaurant critic is the perfect vessel for exposing adult hy…

1
Bob Saget & Chuck Klosterman: "I Really Have Become Liza Minnelli" 33:13

30d ago33:13

33:13

Today on The Gist, the late Bob Saget, who reconciles his Full House image with his "Dirty Daddy" persona while admitting he was a "nerd burglar" in his youth. They dissect the difference between misogyny and locker room talk, deconstruct the logic of his famous "Winnebago" joke. Then, cultural critic Chuck Klosterman joins to analyze The Nineties,…

1
Henry Winkler & Clint Watts: "Three Little Fonzies and a Trail of Dead Russians" 38:04

1M ago38:04

38:04

On this Thanksgiving edition Mike Pesca serves up two revitalized classics, starting with Henry Winkler (The Fonz), who joins to discuss his Hank Zipser books, the unique Dutch font designed for dyslexic readers, and his tenure-granting plan to design the world's first consumer jet pack. Then, we revisit a conversation with counterterrorism expert …

1
Bonfire: American Sociocide, Broken Relations, & the Quest for Democracy w/ Charles Derber 1:20:51

28d ago1:20:51

1:20:51

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this episode of Parallax Views, J. G. Michael speaks with sociologist and public int…

1
Abby Phillip: "The Stones for David's Slingshot" 46:05

1M ago46:05

46:05

Mike Pesca is joined by CNN anchor and author Abby Phillip to discuss her new book, A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power. They explore Jackson's soaring, sermon-like rhetorical style and the hubris of the "tree shaker, not a jelly maker" philosophy. The conversation traces how Jackson's push to change delegate rul…

1
Not Even Mad: Russ Muirhead & Nick Gillespie 1:03:49

1M ago1:03:49

1:03:49

Mike Pesca welcomes back Nick Gillespie (Reason Magazine) and first-time guest Russ Muirhead (Dartmouth professor and New Hampshire State Rep.) for a spirited debate that is—we swear—not even mad. Today, we look at the half-full autocratic glass: Does the dismissal of the Comey and James indictments prove that institutions are holding, or does the …

1
Mike Vuolo & Bob Garfield: "Life Is a Flat Pizza Bagel" 50:21

1M ago50:21

50:21

Mike Vuolo and Bob Garfield of Lexicon Valley join to talk 23 skidoo, Massapequa, and why life, in fact, is a flat bagel. They trace the 6/7 meme from Skrilla's drill track "Doot Doot" through LaMelo Ball highlights and a middle-schooler named Maverick, and explain how a throwaway number became the meme stock of language. The conversation winds thr…

1
Kevin D. Williamson: Investment, Not Regulation, Raises Wages

1M ago

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Brought to you by www.michaelmedved.com

1
Episode 881: Epstein List and MAGA Rift 1:02:19

1M ago1:02:19

1:02:19

https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/18/us/video/trump-snaps-reporter-epstein-quiet-piggy-digvid https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-withdraws-support-marjorie-taylor-greene-2025-11-15/ https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5606562-ufc-fighter-slams-white-house-matches/ https://apnews.com/article/trump-pardon-biden-justice-department-ed-martin-d525b19115…

1
The History of Dick Cheney and the Neocons & How They Paved the Road for Trump w/ Jim Lobe 1:55:14

1M ago1:55:14

1:55:14

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael speaks with Jim Lobe, one of the foremo…

1
Mike on Matt Lewis Can't Lose 30:28

1M ago30:28

30:28

Mike joins Matt Lewis for a lively crossover conversation that opens with deep dives into Huey Lewis puns before shifting into the Democrats' "affordability" message, why word wars matter more than policy wins, and how political optics collide with economic reality. They unpack everything from tariffs to AI dislocation to the future of the Democrat…

1
The Most American King: King Abdullah of Jordan w/ Aaron Magid 1:13:02

1M ago1:13:02

1:13:02

👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael speaks with journalist and author Aaron…

1
Funny You Should Mention: Myq Kaplan 1:19:23

1M ago1:19:23

1:19:23

Comedian Myq Kaplan joins the show for a deep dive into joke logic, philosophy, and the very slippery business of defining who counts as a comedian. Using his new special Rini as a jumping-off point, he and Mike wander through Grecian maxims, the paradox of the heap, why some laughs are closer to enlightenment than punch lines, and how his relation…

1
Fareed Zakaria on Revolutions, Backlashes, and the High Cost of Not Fixing Immigration 41:55

1M ago41:55

41:55

Fareed Zakaria joins the show to discuss The Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present, arguing that the past 30 years of globalization, AI, and cultural upheaval rival the Industrial Revolutions in their political consequences. He makes the case that today's populist surges—from Sweden to the U.S.—are driven less by econom…