This week Anna Merlan ( @annamerlan ) helps us Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) parse America’s increasingly conspiratorial culture. Anna spent eight years covering conspiracy groups and just came out with a book, Republic of Lies: American Conspiracy Theorists and Their Surprising Rise to Power . Join us as we discuss vaccinations, UFOs, spying on Quakers, and finding a path forward. Also, check out our bonus mega-mix of Anna Merlin, Will Sommer, Heather Armstrong, Tommy Orange, Will Sommer again...
Jun 28, 2019•59 min
This week Vann Newkirk ( @fivefifths ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss conspiracy and its complex relationship with marginalized groups. Why does conspiratorial thinking appeal to those who feel “othered” within their society? Vann walks us through how the historic mistreatment of people of color has created a baseline of skepticism that can grow into full-on conspiracy. As Vann says: “Black Americans’ belief in conspiracy theories is like the Farmers’ Almanac: accurate enough to...
Jun 21, 2019•57 min
This week Will Sommer ( @willsommer ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) for a discussion of his work in exploring the wide-spread radicalization of mostly middle-aged people who think a shadowy cabal is going to take revenge on everyone they don’t like. And also make other people (including the still living JFK Jr.) like them and support their cause? QAnon, it turns out, is a bit of a mess. Which you might expect from an ideology founded on the belief that Donald Trump is out here playing thr...
Jun 14, 2019•40 min
This week Jesse Walker ( @notjessewalker ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) for an exciting round of “Who’s Right and Who’s a Nut?” Jesse Walker reminds us that you don’t need a tinfoil hat to believe in conspiracy theories, and that they have surrounded us for centuries. Afterwards they talk about when conspiracy theories have been based in malice, versus when they have actually been true. This is your periodic reminder that the CIA is still terrifying! Afterwards, Parker Molloy ( @ParkerMo...
Jun 07, 2019•1 hr 39 min
This week Adam Savage ( @donttrythis ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to talk about his new book “Every Tool's a Hammer: Life Is What You Make It.” They talk about glue, principles of metal working, and how to forgive yourself when you mess up. Afterwards, they talk about why we are going to need radical empathy in order to make it through these troubling times. Finally, they discuss the myths that refuse to die, including the voices in your head telling you that you are not enough. Ana is...
May 31, 2019•1 hr 28 min
When you think of a Native American person what comes to your mind? Is it a sports decal? Is it Tonto on the Lone Ranger? Did you just think of all of the White people you know who claim to have Native ancestry? This week writer Tommy Orange ( @thommyorange ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to unpack those stereotypes and talk about his book, There, There. They begin with a conversation on the violence Native people have suffered, and why resilience is not the right word. Afterwards they ta...
May 24, 2019•59 min
Y’all ever create a constitutional crisis to own the libs? This week, Rick Wilson ( @TheRickWilson ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to talk Ana down after another week of neverending bad news. They discuss light topics such as the recent pro-forced birth laws in Alabama and Georgia, the need for democrats to campaign in the Midwest, and the future of our country. Afterwards, Jordan Klepper ( @jordanklepper ) comes on to talk about the formation of his new show Klepper, and what it means to...
May 17, 2019•1 hr 21 min
CW: Depression and Suicide. If you or a loved one is struggling with depression or suicidal ideation, please call the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255. You are worthy of love and you deserve to be alive. This week Heather Armstrong ( @dooce ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss family, a changing work world-- and also going into several medically induced comas to cure her depression. They begin by unpacking that depression and why going to the extreme to find solutions seemed...
May 10, 2019•1 hr 5 min
CW: Suicide and Sexual Assault What does it mean to be a well meaning white person? What does it mean to have to deal with well meaning white people? This week Damon Young ( @DamonYoungVSB ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to grapple with those questions and more. They start with a conversation on vulnerability, and eventually move onto a broad discussion on race and intersectionality. Tune in for a meaningful conversation, and remember: it’s okay to be uncomfortable. Thanks to our sponsors...
May 03, 2019•1 hr 9 min
There are many misconceptions surrounding poverty in America. Author Stephanie Land ( @stepville ) joins Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss her experiences as a maid and how those myths affect policy and perceptions of low income people. They talked about what government should be doing, and what individual people can do to make other’s lives easier. Afterwards they dive into the psychological effects of poverty and coping mechanisms. Stephanie leaves us with some tangible advice: offer t...
Apr 26, 2019•1 hr 14 min
CW: Sexual Assault Got Mueller Madness? Join Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) and Rick Wilson ( @TheRickWilson ) as they get up from a fetal position and debrief the Mueller Report. They begin with a quick review of the day from the perspective of the White House and various media outlets. Afterwards they talk about what it will take to defeat Trump in 2020, and which candidates they think can make it in this reality tv-esque election cycle. Turn off that NPR coverage and tune in. Thanks to our sp...
Apr 19, 2019•55 min
This week host Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) is joined by Kathleen Hall Jamieson and Jay Rosen ( @jayrosen_nyu ) to talk about why scrolling down your news feed has become such a painful and depressing chore. Kathleen Hall Jamieson breaks down the rise of cynicism in the last 25 years and what the American media consumer can do to turn things around. Later, Jay Rosen joins Ana to talk about why political journalists need to stop trying to outsmart each other constantly. Jay tells us, we can’t c...
Apr 12, 2019•1 hr 35 min
Need some advice on how to deal with that one uncle who brings up the Birther Conspiracy at every family gathering? This week journalist Eli Saslow ( @elisaslow ) joins host Ana Marie Cox ( @anamariecox ) to discuss to radicalization of older people. One of our listeners, Holly Griffith, is a NASA rocket scientist. She wrote to us because she’s experienced a huge disconnect with her mother over fake news related nonsense. She called-in and discussed some of the trauma of losing a parent to Russi...
Apr 05, 2019•1 hr 9 min
This week Nausheena Hussain (@nausheena) and Beth Gendler (@bethgendler) join host Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to remind us that asking invasive questions requires a strong relationship, and that the internet is free! Nausheena and Beth talk about how their relationship formed over a common interest in stopping gun violence, and grew into a solidarity movement known as Muslim-Jewish Women on Minnesota. Afterwards they explore how White privilege affects not just their friendship, but the way th...
Mar 29, 2019•1 hr 4 min
In the wake of the blockbuster Cohen testimony, there’s a lot to be unpacked about how the Trump family handles relationships, and in particular how Trump has spent his entire life commodifying and branding women. Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) is joined this week by Nina Burleigh (@ninaburleigh) who is Newsweek’s national politics editor. She wrote the book “Golden Handcuffs: The Secret History of Trump's Women” which picks apart systematic and generational issues within America’s Worst Family. W...
Mar 01, 2019•45 min
Jussie Smollett. Yeah. That whole thing. Ugh. Ughhhh. This week, Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) interviewed Rolling Stone journalist Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) about how to untangle this mess. There’s a rising trend in hate crime and organized hate groups across the country, and as a society we lack the tools to parse solutions to these developments. Jamil discusses the implications of this trending disaster, and how our Commander-in-chief is leading the charge towards a dangerous and divided Ameri...
Feb 22, 2019•57 min
Whether you’re going out to dinner, or sitting at home with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, Valentine’s Day offers unique problems for everyone. This week, Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) interviewed Blythe Roberson (@blythelikehappy) to talk about the modern pitfalls of dating men, when sometimes you can’t stand them. In her new book, How to Date Men When You Hate Men, Blythe Roberson covers the sexism that gets excused in the dating world, and why women often feel the need to be desirable in the eyes ...
Feb 15, 2019•1 hr 10 min
Tune in this week for a double interview feature! First, Dr. Tressie Cottom joined Ana Marie Cox for “the hot take superbowl.” They began by recapping the Northam debacle in Virginia and where it fits into our historical moment. They continued with a discussion of Dr. Cottom’s new book THICK: And Other Essays. From Betsy Devos to our society’s flawed concept of beauty, Dr. Cottom wrote about her personal experiences with all of it. Ana then interviewed Erika Christensen about her experience with...
Feb 08, 2019•1 hr 26 min
This week proud Kansas native Sarah Smarsh (@Sarah_Smarsh) joined Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to discuss her new book Heartland: A Memoir of Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth. From not knowing you’re poor, to feeling shame about your social class, Sarah Smarsh covers what growing up white and working class is like. Next, they discussed the intersection of public policy and private life, and why accurate media portrayal of poverty matters. Sarah ended by adding onto the call for repres...
Feb 01, 2019•57 min
This week Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) joined Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about the government shutdown, and the newest implications of the Trump presidency. They covered how Trump’s decisions have affected everyone from Congress to the average American citizen. Afterwards, they talked about coping; teaching that taking care of yourself can be macro and take the form of activism, or micro and just involve sitting on the couch with a loved one, or a loved pet. Tune in for your weekly rem...
Jan 25, 2019•51 min
Have you ever cancelled a celebrity? Do you believe you can separate the art from the artist? Do Twitter arguments and trending hashtags matter in the real world? This week Dianna Anderson (@diannaeanderson) joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to answer all these questions and more. In her new book, Problematic: How Toxic Callout Culture is Destroying Feminism, Dianna Anderson ponders the strive towards perfectionism in the feminist movement and the positive and negative implications of that stru...
Jan 18, 2019•1 hr 18 min
This week Ashley Nicole Black (@ashleyn1cole) joined Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about her own experiences as a writer and an academic and pass out some advice along the way. They began by talking about the changes in comedy in the age of widespread “wokeness.” They covered broader social issues, and eventually got on a more personal level: the pressure to become a mother and what it means to reject it. Ashley offered a potential solution to the jealousy and resentment women sometimes f...
Jan 11, 2019•1 hr 15 min
The typical American family holiday can be characterized by the three F’s: food, family, and football. This week Ana Marie Cox (@amc) and Mina Kimes (@minakimes) talked about the intersections of sports and politics, and why football isn’t the safest dinner table topic anymore. They began with the importance of football both personally and politically, and continued by talking what it’s like to be a woman covering a traditionally masculine subject. Finally, they covered the NFL’s non reaction to...
Jan 04, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Nearly 30% of registered voters are Republican, but almost half of them don’t support Trump as of 2018. What happens to the other half? This week Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) joined Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about being in the other half, and the split in the Republican party. They began with a conversation on being conservative and the state of the GOP. They focused in on being a woman in a party that supported an overtly sexist president. Afterwards they debated the rise of T...
Dec 28, 2018•1 hr 1 min
This week Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) joined Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox ) to talk about being a meteorologist in a time where climate change has reached both a critical point scientifically and politically. From making small personal decisions, to fighting for large scale societal changes, Eric and Ana cover the activism being done and why we can’t give up yet. Tune in to see how you can fight your existential dread concerning global warming and come up with your own solutions. Thanks to our ...
Dec 21, 2018•1 hr 1 min
This week With Friends Like These is coming to you live from the 6th Annual Women Rule Summit in D.C. In this episode Anna Palmer (@apalmerdc) and Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) talked to Piper Perabo (@PiperPerabo) about going from actress to activist. Piper shared her journey from simply wanting to help, to being willing to get arrested for what she believed in. They talked about what it means to really be an ally, and how to listen and help those who are marginalized without taking over their c...
Dec 14, 2018•45 min
CW: Gore, Violence This week Dr. Carol Anderson (@ProfCAnderson) joined host Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about current events in the context of her new book, One Person, No Vote. They covered an intensive history of voting rights and the violence in those battles. Dr. Carol Anderson clarified the lie that is the American dream, and talked with Ana about the work that needs to be done by White people to stop the onslaught of violence that People of Color face day in and day out. They end...
Dec 07, 2018•1 hr 7 min
CW: Addiction, Eating Disorders, and Suicide. If you are struggling with any of these issues, please click the link in the content warning. You are loved and there is help available. This week Kiese Laymon (@KieseLaymon) joined Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox ) to have a meaningful and intimate conversation about his new book, Heavy: An American Memoir. They talked about what it’s like deal with other people’s difficult stories, as well as how they cope with their own. Afterwards, they connected the...
Nov 30, 2018•1 hr 9 min
CW: Sexual Assault. If you are struggling with sexual assault, there is help available. Please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 This week Diana Butler Bass (@dianabutlerbass) joined host Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to talk about gratefulness, and the contradictions that ensue. They asked what it means to celebrate Thanksgiving, when you’re on stolen land. Afterwards, they talked about being grateful when there appears to be nothing to be grateful for, especially in ...
Nov 23, 2018•53 min
This week Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) sat down with Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) to talk about the 2018 Midterms. They began with a broader analysis of the Blue Wave that narrowed down into a discussion about Florida, Georgia, and voter suppression. They moved onto what they struggled with in the election, and what will happen next in terms of the White House, investigations, and potential policy. Thanks to our sponsors! To listen on Spotify, just open the app, tap search, type in your favorite...
Nov 16, 2018•34 min
