American Fever Dream

Latest Episodes:

#546 The End Of The War Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

Milly, Amanda, and Bryan reflect on the end of the war in Afghanistan. Then, they discuss how the Biden administration has entered the chat on mask mandates, unleashing the Education Department to investigate whether mask bans violate the rights of people with disabilities. Then, they share the latest in Ron DeSantis’ never-ending quest to keep fabric off kids’ faces. They end with an update on potential new EU travel restrictions on the US while we keep our borders shut to Europeans.

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#545 Texas Is Really About To Outlaw Abortion Aug 30, 2021

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Bryan and Amanda debrief after Alise’s wild-style wedding. Then they share updates on Hurricane Ida’s impact on Lousiana, and why some people can’t heed “mandatory evacuations.” For the main topic, they break down how a shocking Texas law that puts a bounty on abortion providers managed to survive multiple court challenges, likely to take effect Wednesday. How did this happen? Finally, they share updates on civilian casualties from the US drone strikes in Afghanistan.

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#544 COVID Identity Crisis Aug 26, 2021

Show notes

Milly, Alise, and Amanda reunite for a jam-packed show. First they react to the new COVID vaccine names and propose some punchier alternatives. Then, they discuss the rising death rates in Florida and the sense of identity that has overcome anti-vaxxers, even when it’s children who are paying the price. Then they discuss the soulless monsters attempting to profit off the Afghan evacuations before asking the very important question: Why did Kylie Jenner get Stormi a school bus?

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#543 What 2021 Means For 2022 ft. Amanda Litman Aug 25, 2021

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Amanda Litman of Run For Something and The Recount’s “battleground” podcast join our hosts to look ahead to 2022. They explain why Democrats have historically ignored the state-level races that have created problems for national democracy, and the work Republicans have put in behind the scenes. They discuss the potential of “critical race theory” to swing white suburban voters and how 2020 funding could have been better spent. Finally, they discuss how Democrats can govern without constantly weighing how Republicans will react.

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#542 Did Cuomo Abandon His Dog? Aug 24, 2021

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Alise, Bryan, and Amanda are back to ask the question on everyone’s minds: did Andrew Cuomo try to rehome his dog? Survey says: not likely. Then, they break down a truly wild night in the House of Representatives as a group of moderates test Speaker Pelosi’s patience. But who is this fight really for? Finally, they share a story from the Arizona audit absolutely dripping in irony.

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#541 What’s Actually Being Banned From OnlyFans? ft. Irene Merrow Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

Irene Merrow joins us to react to the impact of OnlyFan’s decision to ban sexually explicit content on its site. What is the difference between “sexually explicit” content and “nudity”? Irene explains why the policy will be left intentionally vague in order to punish some creators (non-white with diverse body types) more than others. She explains how celebrities have appropriated stripper culture and what people like Bella Thorne could actually be doing to support sex workers.

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#540 An Afghan Woman’s Message For The World ft. Jessica Yellin Aug 20, 2021

Show notes

Jessica Yellin (@jessicayellin) joins Amanda for a timely bonus episode reflecting on the week of reporting on Afghanistan and the evacuation efforts. Yellin, founder of News Not News and former White House Correspondent who’s reported on Afghanistan for 20 years, explains exactly what we need to do to sustain pressure on leaders to ensure Afghans’ safety, why this is our obligation as Americans. Then, Yellin shares an excerpt of her interview with a woman in Afghanistan whose life has been turned upside down, in which she shares her greatest fears and a message for the rest of the world. Listen to the full 25-minute interview on Jessica’s page at @jessicayellin

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#539 Daily Double: Men Are Trash Edition Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

Milly, Alise, and Amanda are back with your weekly politics/pop culture round-up, starting with the mess that has surrounded new Jeopardy host Mike Richards. They discuss why Richards was chosen over other fan favorites and his history of lewd comments about women. Then, they react to the charges against R.Kelly and the first high-profile #MeToo trial with mostly Black victims. Finally, they praise Larry David for going off on Alan Derschowitz in Martha’s Vineyard.

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#538 A 10th Governor Gets COVID Aug 18, 2021

Show notes

The hosts are back to react to news that Texas Governor Greg Abbott has COVID and take some time to unpack the social and political factors that prolonged this pandemic longer than we ever expected. What happened to our great hopes for social change? They also share updates from Afghanistan, specifically how projecting western ideals -- including about feminism -- contributed to hopelessness after the Taliban takeover.

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#537 The California Recall Election Is A BFD Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

Alise, Bryan, and Amanda reflect on the end of a 20-year war that began dramatically in their childhoods and they watched end abruptly as adults. They discuss what we owe to the nation of 38 million people, many of them at risk because of their role in helping us. Then, they break down the basics of the California recall election and why Mitch McConnell really doesn’t want voters to know about it.

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