The Chauncey DeVega Show

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Ep. 71: David Silverman is an Atheist Who is Fighting God and Religion Jan 08, 2016

Show notes

David Silverman is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show.

He is the president of the American Atheists. David is also the author of the new book Fighting God: An Atheist Manifesto for a Religious World. He is one of the United States' most prominent voices in favor of a true separation between Church and State. Mr. Silverman is also an unapologetic, proud, "firebrand" atheist, who takes no prisoners.

In this episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Chauncey and David, of course, talk about politics, faith, and religion in the United States. They also cut to the chase and explore questions of good and evil, God, theodicy, why so many atheists hide behind the cloak of "secular humanism", "agnosticism", and other such labels. David also helps Chauncey to decide if he is actually an atheist or maybe something else.

At the virtual bar, Chauncey and David also talk about love, marriage and personal relationships. Is it possible for a religious person and an atheist to find happiness together? If your partner actually thinks that you will go to hell in the afterlife because you are an atheist, is a healthy and happy relationship possible? Is religion a type of brainwashing and abuse?

David and Chauncey also talk about ISIS, religion, and the Republican Party during this great episode.

David is one hell of a conversation partner. It was wonderful to be able to sit down with him at the virtual bar and sort out matters of politics and religion.

During this first episode of 2016, Chauncey gives proper thanks to the folks who donated to the fundraising drive, talks about his recent interviews on Ring of Fire and Thom Hartmann, sends positive energy to Professor Larycia Hawkins, hints at future plans, and tells a story about how a man who was released from a hospital (or escaped?) helped him to further own his life calling.

Ep. 70: Deconstructing "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Dec 31, 2015

Show notes

This week's New Year's Eve episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show is two great shows in one.

The first part of the New Year's Eve podcast features a review and discussion of Star Wars: The Force Awakens with friend of the podcast and site Bill the Lizard. Bill and Chauncey have been thinking about, anticipating, and meditating on all things Star Wars for many years.

Their conversation about Star Wars: The Force Awakens is more than a basic review.

Chauncey and Bill the Lizard talk about how this new film is a remix of A New Hope, questions surrounding Arthurian legend and the Hero's Journey, speculate about how the First Order (the new version of The Galactic Empire) is now both multicultural and also includes women, explain how Commander Snoke must be Darth Plagueis the Wise, and map out what the sequels to J.J. Abrams version of Star Wars must do next to make or break the foundation laid down in The Force Awakens. This is a spoiler filled and fun conversation.

The second part of the New Year's Eve podcast turns to far more serious matters. In this extended segment, Chauncey talks about the extrajudicial killing of Tamir Rice and answers the question(s) asked by some online about how best to stay sane and positive in these trying times. To that end, Chauncey reads some of the wicked comments at the white supremacist Right-wing political website known as The Free Republic about the killing of Tamir Rice and the exoneration of the thug cops who stole his life. Chauncey then uses the wisdom of Dr. Na'im Akbar to help black and brown folks understand how best to win a psychological battle with white racists.

In this New Year's Eve episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Chauncey also gives some love to the now permanently retired radio legend Art Bell by playing a clip from one of the latter's amazing conversations with Father Malachi Martin, former exorcist for the Vatican.

Chauncey shills for the great new movie The Hateful Eight and then overshares during this episode of the podcast about his inexorable lust and explosive desire for Katrina Pierson, the bullet necklace wearing spokeswoman for Donald Trump.

Ep. 69: Michael Witwer on the Secret History of the Dungeons and Dragons Role-playing Game Dec 24, 2015

Show notes

This episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show features two great guests. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is taking the world by storm. The Chauncey DeVega Show has done several special episodes with friend of the site Bill the Lizard about the new series of Star Wars films. Chauncey and Bill the Lizard have finally seen the new movie. They originally intended to talk for only 20 minutes, but instead ended up with an almost hour long deconstruction of the film, the future of the franchise, and other matters about the (for all intents and purposes) rebooted/remixed J.J. Abrams Star Wars universe. This week's episode features 20 or so minutes of that conversation. It will be posted next week as an end of year full episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. The main guest on this week's installment of The Chauncey DeVega Show is Michael Witwer. He is the author of the great new book Empire of Imagination. Popular culture is social history. In this wonderful conversation Michael Witwer and Chauncey talk about the history of pen and paper and dice role-playing games in the United States, the history of Dungeons and Dragons, share some great stories about its primary inventor Gary Gygax, laugh about how the U.S. military infiltrated Gygax's role-playing group, and explore the legacy of Dungeons and Dragons as one of the great influences on a whole generation of Hollywood filmmakers, video game creators, and authors. Michael Witwer and Chauncey also discuss questions of "inclusion" around race and gender in role-playing fandom and events such as Gencon and the subgenre known as "swine gaming" that features "games" about the Holocaust, the genocide of First Nations peoples, and white on black chattel slavery in the New World. Michael Witwer also surprises Chauncey with his in depth knowledge of Star Wars and how his brother does voice-over work for Star Wars video games and animated series. In addition to the great teaching done by Michael Witwer and Bill the Lizard, Chauncey talks about Donald Trump's use of the phrase "schlonged", reflects on the death of Sandra Bland, offers up his Festivus grievances, tells folks about his iron skillet troubles, continues to thank the kind folks who donated to the fundraiser, and shares why he is happy and more or less content this holiday season.

Ep. 68: Joe Lansdale is Back to Talk "Hap and Leonard" & Other Goodness Dec 18, 2015

Show notes

Print author, TV, and film writer Joe Lansdale is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. This is the second time that "Champion" Joe has stopped by to chat at the virtual bar and he does not disappoint. Chauncey and Joe talked about a huge range of topics including, the new Hap and Leonard book and TV series, Paradise Sky about African-American cowboy Nat Love, Joe's work on the Batman cartoon series, writing Tarzan, thinking about the movie John Carter of Mars, generational change and codes of honor, manhood, race, martial arts, Ronda Rousey's loss, Bruce Lee, and whatever topics happened to come up. Champion Joe is always lots of fun and does some great teaching and sharing as is his habit on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. This week's podcast also features some Star Wars: The Force Awakens content. Friend of the site and podcast Bill the Lizard stops by to talk with Chauncey about their excitement, fears, and worries about the new movie. This conversation was recorded Wednesday night before the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens the next day. There will be a special all things Star Wars: The Force Awakens podcast episode next week where Chauncey and Bill the Lizard talk about the new movie. In addition to the great sharing and teaching offered by Joe Lansdale and Bill the Lizard, on this episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Chauncey talks about the human zoo sociopaths at the CNN GOP primary "debate", discussed the Freddie Gray mistrial for the first thug cop whose inaction/actions led to that horrible death, revealed more about his soda addiction, and talked about going on the David Pakman Show and the accusations that Chauncey looks like a turtle and is high on bath salts.

Ep. 67: Ned and Constance Sublette Discuss "The American Slave Coast: A History of the Slave-Breeding Industry" Dec 10, 2015

Show notes

Ned and Constance Sublette are the guests on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. They are the authors of the amazing and powerful new book The American Slave Coast: A History of the Slave-Breeding Industry.

Ned and Constance do some serious teaching and sharing on a very difficult subject for this week's show. Chauncey and his guests work through questions regarding the scale and scope of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, how many people were killed during that horrific business, why did the slave population in the United States grow as compared to other parts of the world, and what is "the capitalized womb" and "slave-breeding?"

Ned and Constance also take on common white supremacist and other myths about how chattel slavery in the "New World" was not as harsh as the labor experienced by European serfs or North American urban white industrial workers.

In addition to the amazing teaching and sharing offered by Ned and Constance, on this episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Chauncey talks about Donald Trump and the "fascism" con game distraction, shares his secrets for healthy living, talks about popular culture and the new movie Spotlight, offers up his own story about an African Catholic priest who had lustful eyes, and gets personal as he confesses his anxieties about gaining weight and discovering that he does not in fact suffer from elephantiasis.

Ep. 66: David Neiwert on the Right-wing Hate Media and the Beauty of Killer Whales Dec 04, 2015

Show notes

Dave Neiwert is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. He is one of the United States' foremost experts on the American Right-wing media, militia movement, and politics more generally. He current writes the Hatewatch blog for the Southern Poverty Law Center. Dave Neiwert is the author of several books including The Eliminationists. He is one of the founders of the essential news website Crooks and Liars. Dave is also an ally of our animal friends. His new book is Of Orcas and Men: What Killer Whales Can Teach Us.

This is the first conversation in the annual December fundraising month for the website ChaunceyDeVega.com and the podcast The Chauncey DeVega Show. David is a great guest and does some wonderful teaching and sharing on this week's installment of the show. David Neiwert is an amazing guest who has supported Chauncey DeVega's work for some years. It was so cool to finally be able to chat with him on the podcast. In addition to Dave's great conversation, on this episode of The Chauncey Devega Show, Chauncey talks about the bookend of mass shootings at Planned Parenthood and in California, gives some insight about the pressure to write "hot takes" on current events, offers up a poontang hypothesis about the San Bernardino shootings and radical violent Islam, complains about the New England Patriots getting screwed by the referees, as well his upsetness regarding his cold electric heat (not) warmed overpriced Chicago apartment.

Ep. 65: Sean McElwee from Demos Explores Race, Wealth Inequality and Democracy Nov 28, 2015

Show notes

Sean McElwee is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. He is a Research Associate at the Demos think tank. He is also a contributing writer for Salon and Al Jazeera. In this great conversation on The Chauncey DeVega Show, Sean and Chauncey talk about race and wealth inequality, if the United States is still a "democracy", libertarianism, and what the data reveals about how the plutocrats and 1 percent have gamed America's politics to their own advantage.

Sean also does some great sharing about the world of think tanks, dealing with trolls, and the challenge of translating complex information so that a smart and interested general readership can process and make use of it.

On this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Chauncey tells folks about his Thanksgiving dining at a Middle Eastern buffet, gives some love for the new movie Creed, and cuts a promo about loud and obnoxious children who almost ruined his dining experience.

Chauncey also talks about Fox News' Megyn Kelly's Jim and Jane Crow lynching culture complaints about black men who "reckless eyeball" America's police, as well as the GOP's proto fascist politics.

Ep. 64: Paula Ioanide on How Emotions Trump Facts in a Colorblind Era Nov 20, 2015

Show notes

Paula Ioanide is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. Dr. Ioanide is a Professor of Comparative Race and Ethnicity Studies at Ithaca College.

She is the author of the great new book The Emotional Politics of Racism: How Feelings Trump Facts in an Era of Colorblindness. In this conversation on The Chauncey DeVega Show, Paula and Chauncey talk about emotion, empathy, sympathy, and human concern across the color line. They also discuss police brutality, the white racial frame, and if the white gaze is capable of seeing people of color as full and equal human beings.

Paula Ioanide also does some great sharing about her activist work and teaching in the American prison system.

On this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Chauncey talks about his week dealing with Right-wing sewer dwellers who were upset about his essay about the Paris terror attacks and the Right-wing hate media, gives an update on his recent TV and radio appearances, and then closes the show discussing so-called "safe spaces" on college campuses, as well as the manifesto for campus change offered by the young lions at Amherst College in Massachusetts.

Ep. 63: Irvin Muchnick on Pro Wrestling, the NFL, Concussions and Cover-ups Nov 13, 2015

Show notes

This week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show features sports journalist Irvin Muchnick. In addition to many articles, he is the author of Justice Denied; Wrestling Babylon; and Concussion Inc.. He is a smart, direct, and incisive writer who is expert at locating events in the "world of sports" within their broader social context.

In this installment of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Irvin and Chauncey talk about how the worlds of professional wrestling and broader American culture and life intersect, the rise of Donald Trump, Irvin's groundbreaking journalism on the Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka domestic violence-murder case, as well as the Chris Benoit tragedy.

Irvin also shares some great insights about the N.F.L. concussion scandal and his new work on sexual exploitation and abuse in the USA Swimming organization.

This episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show also features Chauncey talking about the hypocrite Ben Carson and how his adviser Armstrong Williams is apparently a closeted gay man who was accused of sexual harassment, and how the GOP's horrible last debate is more evidence of the ways that Fox News is Right-wing state-controlled media. At the end of this week's episode, Chauncey gets personal and gives some inside advice to the students who are protesting racism at Yale and the University of Missouri based on his background as a student activist and quick few years as a college administrator.

Ep. 62: Heather Richardson on the Republican Party vs. the Poor and People of Color Nov 06, 2015

Show notes

Historian Heather Cox Richardson is the guest on this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show.

Dr. Richardson is the author of numerous books including To Make Men Free: A History of the Republican Party and Wounded Knee: Party Politics and the Road to an American Massacre.

She is also a contributing writer for the online magazine Salon.com. Her essays on American politics, culture, and the past/present of the GOP offer an amazing amount of wonderfully researched and grounded insight into the dangers and threats posed by "movement conservatism" to the Common Good. Dr. Richardson is also a sharp and precise writer who has the rare ability to bring a deep understanding of American history, life, and politics to bear on contemporary topics of public concern in these United States.

In this episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show, Heather and Chauncey talk about the history of the Republican Party, as well as how its war on the poor, people of color, and the "Other" who it has identified as the "enemy" is not new, but rather has been decades in the making. Chauncey and Dr. Richardson also dialogue about Donald Trump, how America in the Age of Obama is eerily like that of the United States before the Civil War, and share some thoughts on their fears about the future of the republic.

Dr. Richardson is a great guest and wonderful teacher who does some great sharing about the perils facing American politics as a function of the past living through to the present.

This installment of The Chauncey DeVega Show also includes Chauncey DeVega doing some truth-telling about white privilege and the TV show 60 Minutes' "white victimology blues" about heroin and pill addicts in "the heartland", while wondering why white folks get love, and black and brown folks get prison for being addicted to drugs. Chauncey also shares his disdain for Ben Carson's new "rap" song political campaign ad while demanding some empathy and sympathy for his addiction to high fructose corn syrup products.

This episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show can be downloaded from Libsyn and also listened to here. The Chauncey DeVega Show is available on Itunes and at Stitcher as well.

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