We’re Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.com [https://zeteo.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] It’s been six months since Mehdi and Bassem Youssef last recorded an episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’, so needless to say they had a lot to catch up on. And what better place to host their reunion than ArabCon 2025 in Dearborn, Michigan? During this very special LIVE taping, the duo get candid about the Trump administration’s recent attacks on free speech, the potential of a Zohran Mamdani victory in New York City, and how much the world has changed (and sadly not changed) since Israel began its genocide in Gaza almost two years ago. Finally, the two take questions from the audience about the use of social media platforms complicit in genocide, whether either of them would travel to Israel for work, and how to build momentum for the BDS movement (‘Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions’). Mehdi also gets asked a couple of pointed questions about condemning Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7 and the killing of Israeli civilians — you don’t want to miss his response. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe]= FIND BASSEM: Twitter: https://x.com/Byoussef [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bassem/ [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bassem [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Bassem Youssef Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.com [https://zeteo.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] SPOILER ALERT: This episode includes plot details for the TV series ‘Andor’. On this week’s ‘We’re Not Kidding’, Mehdi once again gets to do his two favorite things: have a substantive conversation about politics and fanboy on nerd culture. That’s because this week’s guest is award-winning Irish actor Denise Gough, who came to prominence on the ‘Star Wars’ TV series ‘Andor’ playing an intelligence officer in service of the fascistic Empire. But in real life Denise’s politics are deeply anti-imperial as an outspoken advocate for Palestine and the people of Gaza.  Mehdi speaks with Denise about her breakout role on ‘Andor’ playing “one of the most compelling fascists [he’s] ever seen on screen,” and unpack the parallels between ‘Andor’ and the rise of fascism across the West right now. But unlike ‘Star Wars’, the “good guys” in many historical conflicts are often vilified by those in power. “It's very impressive when the good guys are doing it,” Mehdi says. “ But who defines who the good guys and the bad guys are?” The two then discuss Denise’s advocacy work and the historical connection between Ireland and Palestine. “[Ireland] lived under occupation for hundreds of years,” Denise says. She goes on to recount her recent trip to the occupied West Bank and witnessing Israel’s apartheid firsthand. “I've seen things that are undeniable,” a visibly emotional Denise says. From the military checkpoints and fences in Hebron, to Palestinian homes barred in steel to protect against settler attacks, to handmade jewelry carved from Israeli military tear gas canisters. “There isn't a person in the world that would be able to convince me what is happening there is a democracy.” SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND DENISE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denisegough1/?hl=en [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Denise Gough Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Special thanks: Khaleel Rahman

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.com [https://zeteo.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] On this week’s ‘We’re Not Kidding’ Mehdi sits down with an actual superhero. No, not the Incredible Hulk from Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’ —  he’s a pretend super hero. The real-life superhero we’re referring to this week is the award-winning Hollywood actor and activist Mark Ruffalo. For over two decades, Mark has been one of the most politically courageous actors in Hollywood, having spoken out against the fracking industry, US imperialism, Donald Trump, and the genocide in Gaza.  The two talk about Mark’s political evolution, from being raised in a household with three different religions to getting involved in the anti-war movement during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. When discussing Trump’s second term and rising fascism here in the US, Mark doesn’t mince words when it comes to the tepid opposition from Democratic party leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. Mark says, before also launching into a scathing critique of the notoriously pro-Israel House Democrat Ritchie Torres. Finally, Mehdi asks Mark about his years-long advocacy for Palestine and the elaborate “propaganda machine” deployed by Israel and its allies, as Mark is no stranger to being attacked for his pro-Palestine views. Now almost two years into Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Mark gets deeply emotional when discussing the human cost of the conflict. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Mark Ruffalo Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Special Thanks: Khaleel Rahman

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.com [https://zeteo.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] Mehdi is joined by Palestinian-Lebanese-American singer-songwriter-rapper Anees [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] to talk about his activism on Gaza and his belief in the power of music to influence politics.Anees tells Mehdi about his winding career path of going to law school, passing the bar exam, and delivering pizzas for 10 years. After getting his big break during an Instagram livestream with superstar Justin Bieber, Anees made the leap from up-and-comer to professional musician.  Growing up in a half-Palestinian, half-Lebanese household with a father who worked in civil rights, Anees explains to Mehdi how making political music isn’t even a conscious choice for him. Though when it comes to other famous musical artists, including a well-known Palestinian (cough cough, DJ Khaled), Anees has his own thoughts as to why some celebrities choose to stay out of the political fray.  When discussing US lawmakers and Israel, the duo unpack the mixed signals coming from progressives like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and whether purity tests on the left are helpful or harmful. Finally, Mehdi and Anees discuss the possibility of Zohran Mamdani winning the New York City mayor’s race and the shockwaves it would send to the political establishment.  SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] FIND ANEES: Website: https://www.aneesofficial.com/ [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anees/ [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anees?lang=en [https://www.instagram.com/anees/] CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Anees Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Special thanks: Khaleel Rahman

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.com [https://zeteo.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] In the last 20 years, Middle Eastern representation in American culture has gone from absolutely horrendous to… somewhat decent. Instead of TV shows like ‘24’ and ‘Homeland’, we now have ‘Ramy’ and ‘Mo’. But before ANY of that, there was Iranian-American comedian Maz Jobrani, this week’s co-host of ‘We’re Not Kidding’, who has been paving the way for Middle Eastern comics since the late 90s.  In this heartfelt conversation, Maz tells Mehdi about his lifelong struggle of representing his home country while trying to assimilate to American culture. Maz also discusses the challenges of beginning his comedy career during the post-9/11 era, and being a part of the groundbreaking ‘Axis of Evil’ comedy tour during a time of rampant Islamophobia in the US.  Maz and Mehdi also unpack Donald Trump’s “inhumane” immigration policy of mass detentions and deportations. As an outspoken advocate for immigrant rights, Maz slams the Trump admin for its abject cruelty and stupidity.  SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] FIND MAZ: Twitter: https://x.com/MazJobrani [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mazjobrani [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mazjobrani [https://zeteo.com/subscribe] CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Maz Jobrani Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Outlining: Khaleel Rahman Research: Selma Zuaiter