‘Authentic’ is a regular political buzzword at the moment – and unfortunately, it might just be newspaper speak for ‘manly’. Danielle Kurtzleben from NPR recently wrote a piece called When "authenticity" means "dudes" for her Substack, and joins Jarv to talk about manliness in American politics. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictio...
Sep 29, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 119
Trump has been busy embarrassing America on the world stage this week with weird rants and conspiracy theories. Chris, Jarv and Nikki get into it all. Plus, friend of the podcast Eric Garcia, Washington bureau chief for The Independent joins us to discuss the harm caused by RFK Jr. and Trump’s autism misinformation. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube...
Sep 26, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 118
American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has been taken off air due to Trump through an authoritarian tantrum. Plus, the president wants to sue the New York Times. Oh, and he’s cracking down on anyone else he can. The US media seems… screwed? Friend of the pod Jeff Jarvis, the brain behind the BuzzMachine blog, media analyst and author, joins us to talk through the issues facing American news providers. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch:...
Sep 22, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 117
Well, what a week. Trump is mad at everyone and suing or censoring whoever he can get his hands on in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Bluntly, America once again feels more insane than ever. Nikki, Chris and Jarv unpack the latest. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social media: BlueSky: https://bsky.a...
Sep 19, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 116
Anti-Trump protesters gathered in London on Wednesday to showcase their disdain for the US president. Chris and Jarv headed over to ask them what message they wanted to get across to him — they filmed the whole thing so head to Spotify to watch the video too! Back us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch Follow us on social media: BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social Instagram TikT...
Sep 18, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 115
Trump has changed the Department of Defense to the Department of War, well kind of. It’s gonna cost a lot of money and it’s not totally official. But still, not great! So, what does this mean for America’s foreign policy and place in the world? Dr. Walter Ladwig, senior lecturer in International Relations in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London and an associate fellow at RUSI, joins us to discuss. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra...
Sep 15, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 114
Trump is once again denying sending Epstein the creepiest card ever which is even more creepy than we first thought. Will the weird denials ever end? Will there ever be consequences? Nikki, Jarv and Chris discuss this and more. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch. We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social media: BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social Instagram TikTok Go t...
Sep 12, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 113
The fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk has sent shockwaves across the globe. Discussion of it has been confused and in many cases problematic. Chris and Jarv sit down to discuss what we know, what we don’t and what sort of direction the conversation should perhaps move in. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social me...
Sep 11, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 112
Trump is taking America on a course that nobody is happy with, even members of his own party and movement. Molly Jong-Fast, Vanity Fair correspondent, host of Fast Politics and author of How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter's Memoir, joins Jarv for a big old chat about Trump’s enemies, real and mythical, how America feels and the age of the man baby. Buy How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter's Memoir through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund American Friction by earning us a small commiss...
Sep 08, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 111
Trump is alive, or at least that’s what he wants you to think. He’s been on one since rising from the fake dead, we unpack what’s going on with best friend of the pod Casey Burgat, host of Mastering the Room and author of We Hold These Truths: How to Spot the Myths That Are Holding America Back . Buy We Hold These Truths: How to Spot the Myths That Are Holding America Back through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org...
Sep 05, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 110
Donald Trump’s relationship with America’s far right is no secret. So has his second coming only served to embolden the neo-Nazi movement further – or are the cracks starting to show in their support for the president? National security journalist, Ben Makuch, has met many of these neo-Nazi’s face-to-face. He joins Chris to discuss what they want and how they’re rebuilding their ranks under this administration. Back us on Patreon! Follow us on social media: Bluesky Instagram TikTok Written and p...
Sep 01, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 109
Donald Trump’s recent cabinet meeting was everything we’ve come to expect - a circus. All of his secretaries were competing with one another to see who could come up with the biggliest compliment. Was this just a PR stunt made for clips, and what does it say about the state of this administration? Plus, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man wrongly deported to El Salvador, has been detained again and threatened with deportation to Uganda. And Trump’s firing top US officials who simply don’t agree with ...
Aug 29, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 108
Ooh they’re thirsty! Trump and Newsom have been battling it out for the headlines, with the California Governor trying to take the fight to the president. Will it work? Should we be impressed? Is 2028 going to be Newsom’s time to shine? Eric Garcia, Washington bureau chief for The Independent, joins Jarv and Chris to discuss. Back us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/ameri...
Aug 24, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 107
Trump went all weak at the knees when he got to meet his idol Vladimir Putin this week. How embarrassing for America was their get together? Plus, Chris unveils a bizarre political crush to Nikki and Jarv. All that and more! Back us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social me...
Aug 22, 2025•56 min•Season 1Ep. 106
There’s weird political meddling happening in Texas and it all revolves around “gerrymandering”. What’s that all about, then? David Daley, author of Antidemocratic: Inside the Far Right's 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections and Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count joins us to discuss. Buy Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund American Friction by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independen...
Aug 18, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 105
Trump has sent in troops in a bid to take over Washington, D.C. in a draconian move seemingly sparked by a bloke called Big Balls being attacked. Nope, us neither. We try to make it make sense, friends, we really try. All that plus more like a story about Laura Loomer, Marjorie Taylor Greene and a sandwich. Again, sorry. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.yo...
Aug 15, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 104
Trump’s economic plans of tariffs for the sake of tariffs ain’t working well. We speak to Mark Zandi, from Moody’s Analytics, to find out why it’s all going so wrong. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social media: BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social Instagram TikTok Advertisers! Want to r...
Aug 11, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 103
Trump has waged war on statistics as he looks to take charge of the truth in America. Meanwhile, people are losing it over Sydney Sweeney and her jeans/genes – why are the right wing so weird? Nikki, Jarv and Chris dive into all this and more. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social media: BlueSky: https://bsky...
Aug 08, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 102
Trump “broke” with Netanyahu recently by accepting the reality that people, including many children, are starving in Gaza. But despite this slight change in tone, will this lead to any real change in action from the US president? Chris and Jarv speak to Professor Yossi Mekelberg, senior consulting fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, to discuss Trump and Netanyahu’s relationship, how Trump could end this if he wanted to and what other leaders should do to stop...
Aug 04, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 101
Trump has been getting weirder and somehow MAGA and the GOP are ignoring it. Plus, he’s talking himself in knots over Epstein — does he understand how big a problem this is? Nikki and Jarv discuss all that and more in our 100th episode! Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod Follow us on social media: BlueSky: https://bsky.app/pr...
Aug 01, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 100
Donald Trump continues to bully news outlets in the US, suing Murdoch and seemingly getting Stephen Colbert fired. Why can’t the media stand up to him? Is it even trying anymore? Or is it time to declare the mainstream media dead? Jeff Jarvis, media critic and author of the BuzzMachine blog joins Jarv and Nikki to discuss all that and more. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on You...
Jul 27, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 99
Trump’s really pulling out all the stops and playing all the old hits to try and distract from the Epstein list. Even though it doesn’t exist and he’s definitely not on it and even if he was that doesn’t mean anything anyway! Nikki, Jarv and Chris discuss his skittishness and attempt to shift focus to Barack Obama instead. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www....
Jul 25, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 98
American politicians are too old. So, how can more young people win? Jarv and Chris speak to Amanda Litman, who is the president of Run for Something, an organisation aimed at getting more young people into politics. Go to https://surfshark.com/amfric or use code AMFRIC at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.yo...
Jul 21, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 97
Oh Trump, you can’t get the QAnon supporters too upset! They like you! But with his Epstein list denials and combative stance on the whole subject, the president is actually annoying everyone – conspiracy theorist and conspiracy skeptic alike. How’s he got it so wrong – and should he have known it’d go this badly? Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss. Go to https://surfshark.com/amfric or use code AMFRIC at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep ...
Jul 18, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 96
The tragic situation in Texas is bringing into focus the horrific and fatal consequences of Trump’s cuts. As he continues to gut agencies focused on the weather and climate change, Chris and Jarv are joined by Dr. Sweta Chakraborty, behavioural scientist and North American CEO of We Don’t Have Time , to discuss how we got here and how much worse things could get. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfr...
Jul 14, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 95
Elon Musk wants to start a new political party – and obviously that’s a terrible idea! We discuss why it would fail and why he needs to stop being such a weird egomaniac. Plus, Grok got really racist, Ted Cruz has a holiday while Texas floods, and more, more, more on American Friction with Nikki, Chris and Jarv. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com...
Jul 11, 2025•57 min•Season 1Ep. 94
Donald Trump’s involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran has got us thinking – does he have any idea how foreign policy works at all? What is leading his administration’s strategy, and does it boil down to one thing: extortion? Chris and Nikki sat down with Politico’s senior foreign affairs correspondent , Nahal Toosi , to find some answers. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re...
Jul 07, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 93
Donald Trump’s trademark Big Beautiful Bill has passed – but not after a whole lot of scrutiny. What state is it in now, and what real-life impacts will it have on ordinary Americans? Plus, what the hell is Alligator Alcatraz? Nikki and Chris explain the GOP’s latest inhumane immigration tactic. Back us on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction] – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction We’re now on Yout...
Jul 04, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 92
The US Supreme Court hasn’t been working well of late. To discuss why it’s so malfunctioning, Jarv speaks to Leah Litman, author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes. Buy Lawless through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund American Friction by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org ’s fees help support independent bookshops too. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra...
Jun 30, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 91
Zohran Mamdani’s primary win has “baffled” establishment Democrats who can’t imagine why a young candidate with big new ideas might do well. We discuss what his win means and what it should force the Democratic party to do. Plus, Trump’s going off about Iran and bragging about stuff that isn’t real – so nothing new there. All that and more with your fave pals Nikki, Chris and Jarv (and Simon!) who are all back together once again. Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free...
Jun 27, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 90
