Author: Chapo Trap House

Alex Nichols a.k.a. @Lowenaffchen joins us to look at a series of certified Good Mental Moments from our top politicians. Then, we transition to doing a live listen to the new Tom McDonald feat. Ben Shapiro song FACTS. Is Ben bringing Tom down? Is that an AI or is Ben really that robotic? Do you really want to be talking compound interest in your rap verse? Alex puts on his Fortune Kit hat to discuss that and more. Check out Fortune Kit here or wherever you get pods: https://soundcloud.com/fortune-kit And the FYM podcast here or wherever you get pods: https://chapofym.podbean.com/

EDIT: Original file of this episode contained some muted audio clips. File is now fixed, redownload to correct. We start off today’s episode with a farewell to the DeSantis campaign as the Never Back Down PAC backs down, and dedicates its last days to puzzling through Iowa to the Moon Palace Retreat. We discuss Biden’s general lack of a coherent position going into this long, long general campaign, and how it’s leaving his would-be defenders in the lurch. BUT, for the main thrust of this ep, we celebrate one man: The Beekeeper. Because when the hive is threatened, when the Queen is producing faulty Offspring, then there’s one man you must call. To Bee or Not To Bee? To bee, bitch. Let’s keep some bees. Tickets to Talking Simpsons at SF Sketchfest on 1/24 here: https://sfsketchfest2024.sched.com/event/1VUtV/talking-simpsons

Well, here we are, Iowa Caucus day 2024. Considering we all took several points of permanent sanity damage this time 4 years ago, what’s insane this year is how on rails this whole thing is. Nonetheless, our elections correspondent Josh (@ettingermentum) returns to update us on the state of the races for 2024. We look at how Biden’s long-term hyper-commitment to Israel affects his chances, Trump’s advantages and disadvantages in his ‘24 campaign, the RFK Jr. of it all, and the race for #2 between the rest of the GOP candidates.. Find Josh’s newsletter here: https://www.ettingermentum.news/ Tickets to Talking Simpsons at SF Sketchfest on 1/24 here: https://sfsketchfest2024.sched.com/event/1VUtV/talking-simpsons

Ryan Grim shares an anecdote about democratic congressman and party hatchet-man Josh Gottheimer from his new book on The Squad. Subscribe today for access to the full episode and all premium episodes! www.patreon.com/chapotraphouse

We had some other news items to discuss, but the bulk of this episode is taken up with one piece of breaking news: Did you know that there's a tunnel under Eastern Pkwy? Yes we’re discussing the ridiculous story out of Brooklyn about a group of Chabad-Lubavitch members attempting to dig a secret and unlicensed tunnel under the streets of Crown Heights. We also take a look at Bill Ackman facing some blowback against his wife in his crusade against “academic plagiarism”. Alone, you come India. Buy Amber’s book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250269621/dirtbag

Will and guest Séamus Malekafzali discuss the Houthi Red Sea blockade. Subscribe today for access to the full episode and all premium episodes! www.patreon.com/chapotraphouse

Stavvy baby joins us to ring in the New Year with some talk on Christmas gift-giving, review some recent comedic offerings from Israeli TV and Tucker Carlson’s X show, and finally to look at some of recent political developments in the great city of Baltimore and state of Maryland. Watch Stav’s special “Fat Rascal”, streaming now on Netflix. And listen to the Stavvy’s World podcast wherever you get podcasts.

Ben and Hesse from Seeking Derrangements stop by to cover a slew of gay-related news stories, from gay sex in the senate hearing room, to the downfall of George Santos, sex crimes among the sex-panicked Moms For Liberty, and some guys trying to build a libertarian utopia in the Mediterranean. Subscribe to Seeking Derrangements at: https://www.patreon.com/seekingderangements

After a last minute guest cancelation leaves Will in a tight spot, Hesse Deni from Seeking Derangements and Movie Mindset comes off the bench to field another slew of questions sourced from advice columns. Q's include: What to do when your mom spends too much money on premium pornography? What if your child is in school with a dark psychopath? How to defend your home from the tooth fairy and much more. Subscribe to Seeking Derangements https://www.patreon.com/seekingderangements/posts Submit Questions to the Seeking Derangements help line at 332 203 8247

TrueAnon’s Liz Franczak helps us look at this week’s GOP debate, the candidates’ pandering to the weirdest freaks in their audience, and Ron DeSantis’ love of Calvin Coolidge. Subscribe today for access to the full episode and all premium episodes! www.patreon.com/chapotraphouse