American Fever Dream

Latest Episodes:

#484 OK… Now Are We Ending The Filibuster? Ft. Shaniqua McClendon May 13, 2021

Show notes

The hosts are joined by Shaniqua Mcclendon, political director of Crooked Media, to discuss the voting rights battle coming to a head in the Senate. Shaniqua breaks down what the filibuster is, why it’s outdated, and how tying its reform to Voting Rights could save our democracy. Casual. Then, they brainstorm ways to get Joe Manchin on board with ending the filibuster and discuss the voting rights bill in the context of voter suppression bills across the country.

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#483 An Existential Crisis In An Existential Crisis May 12, 2021

Show notes

The hosts have a deeper discussion about the tensions in Israel and Palestine as violence escalates between the Israeli military and Hamas. They discuss why the violence can be difficult to discuss, and the bad political actors who take advantage of justified emotions. Then, they discuss Republican attempts to form a third party amid the ouster of Liz Cheney from leadership.

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#482 A Series Of Light Cancellations May 11, 2021

Show notes

The hosts are back for a pop culture filled episode. First, we break down the controversy surrounding the Golden Globes and Hollywood Foreign Press Association after NBC announced it won’t air next year’s ceremony and explain how the HFPA’s repeated failure to reform will hurt artists this year. Then they explore the internet’s reaction to Gwyneth Paltrow saying she broke down to eat bread. Finally, they share an interview with the Kentucky Derby horse owner claiming his winning horse is a victim of “cancel culture.”

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#481 What’s Keeping Women From The Workforce? May 10, 2021

Show notes

Alise, Sami, and Amanda break down two converging moments in the pandemic: the first-ever nationwide case decline, and a shocking job report signaling we’re not quite ready to return to pre-pandemic life. They discuss the factors that have prevented some from returning to the workforce, particularly women. Why are men re-entering the labor market while women keep leaving it? Then, they break down a spate of abortion bans across the U.S. Finally, Amanda chats with Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO of Planned Parenthood of America, to discuss National Health Week.

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Afternoon Tea With Emily Favreau May 07, 2021

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In this week’s episode of Afternoon Tea, Sami is joined by former Communications Director for TIME’S UP, Emily Favreau. They chatted about what it was like growing up with a politically adjacent family, the moment Emily started to really think about politics, and the early stages of her career working as Deputy Press Secretary to Senator Sherrod Brown. Next, Emily shares how she met Crooked Media's Jon Favreau, some of her favorite memories at the White House (including one with Michelle Obama), and what pregnancy and motherhood have been like during the pandemic. Lastly, Sami and Emily face off in a special Taylor Swift trivia game, moderated by The Betches Sup Amanda Duberman.

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#480 Ball And Cheney May 06, 2021

Show notes

Alise, Sami, and Amanda break down the turmoil among Republicans in Congress and how Donald Trump is orchestrating their every move, including replacing Liz Cheney with Elise Stefanik. They break down a Facebook oversight board’s decision to maintain a ban on Trump for another six months, and the rollout of his own new social media platform. Finally, they discuss the absolutely insane election audit in Maricopa County, Arizona, and wrap up with a Mother’s Day edition of Would You Rather.

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#479 “Every Day Is A Gift” ft. Senator Tammy Duckworth May 05, 2021

Show notes

Bryan and Amanda welcome back Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois. They discuss her new memoir Every Day Is A Gift, and how she balanced stories of tragedy and sacrifice with dirty jokes and well-placed swear words. She describes her own experiences with child poverty and how her father’s resistance to government support mirrors policy objections today. Finally, she explains why she stood up to the Biden administration’s delay in appointing Asian American nominees, and how she finally got them to move the needle.

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#478 What Happened To The Yang Gang? May 04, 2021

Show notes

Milly, Amanda, and Alise give an update on Florida’s Least Finest, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. Why is a man letting his aging population remain in danger a top 2024 contender? Then, they react to the divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates, and what it means for which issues get funding and prioritization. Finally, they explain why some New Yorkers are so opposed to Andrew Yang as mayor.

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#477 When The Masks Come Off May 03, 2021

Show notes

Amanda, Bryan, and Sami are back to debrief on the dialogue about mask-wearing outdoors. Are we clinging to our masks, or to our pandemic superiority complexes? They break down new data suggesting that the United States won’t achieve herd immunity, and explore what might happen when the vaccine hesitant wellness influencers realize they can’t travel unvaccinated. Finally, they break down an Idaho anti-trans law that could determine the fate of trans women in sports.

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Afternoon Tea With Gabrielle Bluestone Apr 30, 2021

Show notes

In this week’s Afternoon Tea, Sami is joined by Gabrielle Bluestone, journalist, Emmy-nominated executive producer of Fyre on Netflix, and author of Hype: How Scammers, Grifters, and Con Artists Are Taking Over the Internet— and Why We’re Following. They start off with a conversation about her new book and the moment she realized the overhyped Fyre Festival was not what it claimed to be. Next, they discuss the rise of the scammer industry, why it seems like we live in an age where scams are the new normal, and how we as consumers can stop getting played. To end the episode, they play a round of The Four Questions, which leads to a conversation about what the world would look like without marketing and advertising.

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