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The New Abnormal
MAGA Leaders Use L.A. Fires to Push More Flaming ‘Bulls**t’
Season 1, Ep. 489
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Republicans have jumped on the opportunity to weaponize coverage of the devastating greater Los Angeles wildfires into political divisiveness, says The New Abnormal co-hosts Danielle Moodie and Andy Levy. “We have seen many people on the right, including Donald Trump Jr. Blaming this somehow on the fact that we've given money to Ukraine,” said Levy. Plus, New York Times technology correspondent Mike Isaac discusses Mark Zuckerberg’s overhaul of Meta's fact-checking system, and author Adrian Carrasquillo discusses how the media might cover the incoming presidential administration’s promised mass deportations.
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488. Elon Musk Reveals His Next Step On The Path To World Domination
01:00:48||Season 1, Ep. 488The New Abnormal co-hosts Andy Levy and Danielle Moodie share their apprehension at the increasing scope of Elon Musk’s political ambitions. Then, MSNBC legal analyst Glenn Kirschner joins the program to discuss the state of law and order in America (hint: It’s not doing so hot). Plus! Chris Geidner, the deputy editor for legal affairs at Grid and author of the Law Dork newsletter, catches us up on a number of big legal stories that happened over the holidays.Cancel Culture and the Eroding of America’s Institutions
19:59||Season 1Adrian Daub, professor at Stanford University and author of The Cancel Culture Panic: How an American Obsession Went Global, joins The New Abnormal to discuss moral panic, its echo chambers, and its celebrity origins. “Canceling” began with celebrity disinvestment in online spaces and moved into politics, Daub explained. “But there's a wholesale kind of reorientation of this term once it leaves those online only spaces,” said Daub.487. Do Yourself a Favor and Watch This Underrated Movie About Donald Trump
47:40||Season 1, Ep. 487“The Apprentice” is one of 2024’s best films, and didn’t get as much credit as it deserved, according to the co-hosts of The New Abnormal. Then, a conversation with Steven Monacelli of the Texas Observer about his investigation into the identities behind four anonymous neo-Nazi accounts on X. Plus! Paola Ramos, the author of “Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means For America” joins the program to discuss the Democratic Party's post-election struggles and the challenges of reconnecting with disillusioned young voters and communities of color.486. Historian Rick Perlstein Shares Why He Refused to Go on Steve Bannon’s Podcast
44:33||Season 1, Ep. 486This week on The New Abnormal, historian and author Rick Perlstein shares why he turned down an offer to go on Steve Bannon’s infamous podcast. Plus! Author David Daley joins the program to discuss how right-wing control over the Supreme Court will shape Americans’ lives for the next generation—or more.Uncertainty Looms as Trump’s Inauguration Day Approaches
18:32||Season 1Stanford professor Jamil Zaki, author of Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness, joins The New Abnormal podcast to discuss hope and the weaponization of hopelessness as President-elect Donald Trump again ascends to the highest office in the land. He explained, “People who lose their sense of value, who lose that compass for what they want as a society, are easier to control.”485. The Most Absurd Conservative Controversies of 2024
42:00||Season 1, Ep. 485Andrew Lawrence, Deputy Director of Rapid Response at Media Matters, unpacks 2024’s most absurd conservative outrages, from Olympic controversies to Taylor Swift’s political stances and the supposed “wokeness” of “Wicked.” Plus! Professor Ray Brescia, legal columnist for the Daily Beast, explores privacy and surveillance in the digital age, highlighting the need for stronger protections against big tech’s data exploitation and misinformation.484. Who’s the Worst Politician of 2024? Hard to Argue Against Donald Trump
46:24||Season 1, Ep. 484It would be hard to argue that anyone had a bigger—or worse—impact on the world this year than President-elect Donald Trump, The New Abnormal co-host Andy Levy argues on this week’s episode. Then, Ed Zitron, journalist and author of the Where’s Your Ed At? newsletter, explains the "rot economy," where growth-at-all-costs drives exploitative business practices in tech and beyond. Plus! Deepa Iyer, activist and author of We Too Sing America, joins the program to discuss the challenges facing progressive movements.Maye Musk’s Secrets to Having (and Affording) More Babies
44:00||Season 1Maye Musk proves the bad apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with some tone deaf advice on how Americans can afford to have more children to avoid population collapse. Plus! In a special podcast crossover, The Last Laugh podcast host Matt Wilstein reviews a year of high highs and low lows in political comedy and its future under a new Trump administration.