Alise, Milly, and Amanda start off with some important local news stories, including zebras in Maryland and a topless menace in Brooklyn. They break down a high stakes week in Congress and get into their frustrations with Kyrsten Sinema, and discuss whether it’s sexist to critique her presentation. Finally, they unpack a long-awaited guilty verdict for R. Kelly and reflect on four years into the #MeToo movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 28, 2021•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sami and Amanda are joined by dream guest Alyssa Mastromonaco, former deputy chief of staff for Barack Obama and host of the “Hysteria” podcast on Crooked Media. They discuss their journeys with special needs pets before returning to the moment Alyssa learned she’d have to give up weed to work in the White House. She describes watching a Democratic White House from the outside and offers an insider analysis of the administration’s moves. Finally, they try to parse out what to expect from the nex...
Sep 27, 2021•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast USWNT player Kelley O’Hara joins Amanda and Bryan to talk Tokyo Olympics, pay equity, and “Bachelor In Paradise.” O’Hara discusses her podcast for the Just Women’s Sports network and an upcoming season of incredible interviews with women athletes. She describes the unusual vibe at the Tokyo Olympics and how she feels about the responsibility imposed on women athletes to take a stand. Finally, they play a Bachelor In Paradise-inspired game in which Kelley assigns reality tv personalities to posit...
Sep 23, 2021•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alise, Kaitlin, and Amanda are back with a quick rundown of the debt ceiling debate: what’s the debt ceiling, why do we have it, and how did it become a political bargaining tool? They detail the calamity that would take place should government funding lapse and explain how Republicans manipulate the debt ceiling to promote their anti-spending agenda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 22, 2021•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Milly, Alise, and Amanda discuss why this year’s Emmys felt especially performative on diversity and list their biggest letdowns. Then they debrief on the first set of challenges to Texas’ abortion law brought by one former felon on house arrest and another pro-choice man in Chicago. Finally, they reflect on the devastating images of Haitians at the border and how the Biden administration is fighting to maintain a Trump-era asylum rule. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...
Sep 21, 2021•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Amanda and Sami react to the avalanche of weekend news stories, from “The Activist” pivoting its approach to France’s fury over submarines. Then they look behind the curtain of the barriers to passing the $3.5 trillion Biden agenda, including Kyrsten Sinema’s pharmaceutical funding and Manchin’s connections to fossil fuels. Plus, why the University of Virginia forged his daughter’s business degree. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 20, 2021•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode of Afternoon Tea, Sami is joined by Emily Amick, who you may know as the face behind the viral political instagram account @EmilyinYourPhone and the co-host of the We’ve Got Issues podcast. To start, Emily shares her background, including being a former Counsel to Senator Chuck Schumer, working as a lawyer representing victims of terrorism, and now being an internet personality. Next, they chat about the state of the Democratic Party, how she would grade them so far, and what we ...
Sep 16, 2021•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alise, Amanda, and Kaitlin are back to react to Governor Gavin Newsom’s victory and what lessons Democrats can take into 2022. Did anyone “beat back Trumpism” and is COVID still a winning strategy? Then they break down the new voting legislation Democrats are introducing in the Senate to convince Joe Manchin that there is truly no voting rights bill Republicans will vote for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 15, 2021•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alise, Bryan, and Amanda are back with an absurdity-filled show. First they react to the 2021 Met Gala, from Nicki Minaj’s vaccine admission to AOC’s pointed statement. Did wearing a “Tax The Rich” dress to one of the most exclusive displays of wealth miss the mark? Then they discuss the new reality show “The Activist,” which pits social causes against each other for a chance to ask rich people for money they don’t need. Is there any way to spotlight the activist world in a reality competition s...
Sep 14, 2021•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bryan and Amanda are back to reflect on the weekend’s September 11 events and how they each processed that tragic day, while discussing how the nation’s leaders honored the occasion. Then they break down new revelations from former Trump press secretary, who details how Melania Trump reacted to the storming of the Capitol. For the Dame Buzzworthy news segment, they reflect on the electric US open. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 13, 2021•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sami, Kaitlin, and Amanda check in on Congress’s back-to-work plans and give the Democratic Senate a third-quarter report card. Then they react to two toxic girlbosses: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and scammer Elizabeth Holmes. They discuss Noem’s ban on telemedicine abortion in her attempt to lead the culture war into 2024. Finally, they break down the trial of Theranos’ Elizabeth Holmes, her strange standom, and why we need more women crimelords. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...
Sep 09, 2021•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Amanda Duberman is joined by Kaytlin Bailey, stand-up comic and sex worker advocate, to break down the landscape for sex workers and prostitution policy in the US. They discuss how old-school feminism tarnishes sex work as anti-woman when criminalizing it actually feeds the patriarchy. Kaytlin also runs through some huge legal fights that will change the future for sex workers, and why victories for them mean better privacy and labor rights for all of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
Sep 08, 2021•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Milly, Amanda, and Chris are back for something a little different -- an entirely Beyonce-themed episode in honor of her 40th birthday. They react to criticism of the star’s appearance with the Tiffany Diamond, a blood diamond and symbol of colonialism. They unpack Beyonce’s overall cultural influence, and how her evolution has changed her relationship with the public. And because at the end of the day they are all proud members of the Beyhive, they share their all-time favorite Beyoncé performa...
Sep 07, 2021•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alise, Milly, and Amanda sit down for a special Labor Day-themed episode. They detail their own work history, the role jobs have played in their lives, and the big pivots they’ve made along the way. They describe separating your work and your sense of self when we give so much to our jobs, and share advice for those just starting their professional lives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 06, 2021•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Milly, Amanda, and our favorite friend-of Chris Burns (@fatcarriebradshaw) discuss the fallout from the Supreme Court’s decision to let the Texas abortion ban remain in place. How long will abortion be illegal in Texas? They explain how devastating this is even to women who can still access abortion out of state. They discuss all the consequences of parenthood that are never factored into the conservative calculus about abortion. They also share anecdotes from the flash flooding in New York City...
Sep 02, 2021•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Imani Gandy of Rewire News Group and the Boom! Lawyered podcast returns to break down Texas’s “diabolical” new abortion law. She describes how Texas obliterated its own legal norms to deputize citizens to enforce the law, and explains the damage that’s already been done even if SCOTUS blocks it. Finally, she shares the potential landscape for what comes next. Then, Kaitlin and Amanda play a round of the blame game and look back to the 2016 failures that got us here. Learn more about your ad choi...
Sep 01, 2021•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Learn more...
Aug 31, 2021•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Learn more about your ad ch...
Aug 30, 2021•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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? Learn more about y...
Aug 26, 2021•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 wei...
Aug 25, 2021•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 24, 2021•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Learn more about y...
Aug 23, 2021•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 turn...
Aug 20, 2021•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Learn more about your ad choic...
Aug 19, 2021•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 18, 2021•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 17, 2021•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Journalist Mosheh Oinounou joins Bryan and Amanda to break down the chaos and devastation in Afghanistan. He explains how the Taliban managed to take over Kabul so quickly, the effort to evacuate Americans and the tens of thousands of Afghans who helped us over 20 years, and what the US government failed to anticipate in its withdrawal. Finally, they consider the fate of women and girls whose rights and lives hang in the balance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 16, 2021•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode of Afternoon Tea, Sami hosts former US Secretary of Education John B. King, who is currently running for governor of Maryland. To kick things off, John shares the trajectory of his life so far, from leaving school at an early age to being part of the Obama administration and beyond. After that, they discuss the recent controversy surrounding Critical Race Theory, and why the whole issue is clouded by misinformation and bad-faith arguments. They also discuss his thoughts on the cu...
Aug 12, 2021•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alise, Amanda, and Kaitlin start with an unfortunate story involving Subway, Megan Rapinoe, and Alise’s first job. Then they discuss the fallout from Governor Cuomo’s resignation. Who is Kathy Hochul and what is she walking into? They react to Cuomo’s claim the lines have been “redrawn” and why disgraced Democrats are more likely to resign than Republicans. Then they preview the upcoming battle over the reconciliation bill and debt ceiling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...
Aug 11, 2021•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Milly, Alise, and Amanda discuss the Senate’s newly passed infrastructure bill before learning mid-show that Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York has resigned. They react to the surprising move and what’s in store for future governor Kathy Hochul. Then, they discuss why Governors Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis are willing to let children die before admitting they were wrong about the pandemic and the state of outbreaks in Louisiana and Arkansas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...
Aug 10, 2021•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
