Avast Ye Harties!

Yar! This week be the inaugural episode of a New Streamer/Academic Guru season. Join us as we set sail with a bang and embark on an adventure with the famous and controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. Formerly of the Young Turks, Hasan has carved out a niche as a popular left-wing commentator. He is sometimes described as representing a new wave of political communicators who leverage social media and live streaming to reach new audiences, particularly disengaged younger viewers.

But how does he fare in these Decoding waters?

We take a look at his recent interview with Rashed Al-Haddad, a dashing Yemeni teenager (nicknamed Tim Houthi Chalamet), who recently found himself streaming video on an international transport ship hijacked by Houthi militants. But fear not! Hasan addresses this sensitive topic and the complex geopolitical issues involved with due diligence and care. Moreover, Rashed reports that all of the kidnapped crew are having a grand old time in Yemen! They are simply vibing with their captors, chewing khat, and have fully embraced the honourable Houthi perspective.

The Houthis' official slogan, "God is the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, A Curse Upon the Jews, Victory to Islam", and reports of severe human rights abuses in their territory, might still give one pause... but as Hasan explains—drawing on his deep political and psychological insights—the Houthis are just like the heroic Straw Hat pirates in the popular anime One Piece!

So with that settled, we can focus on the more important questions like what videogames Rashed likes, if he has ever heard of Mr. Beast, whether he's eaten 'Western' food, what cartoons he watched growing up, and if there are KFCs in Yemen? Truly, this is a conversation for the ages, and Hasan is just the man for the job.

So join us for this week's episode as we ponder whether combining influencer culture with political analysis was a wise move and if there are any possible contradictions or minor ideological skews in Hasan's content.

Links

- Hasan Interviews Viral 'Hot Yemeni TikTok Pirate' | Hasanabi Reacts

- Atlantic article about the Houthis and the situation in Yemen

- AP article on the crew of the hijacked 'Galaxy Leader' ship and their ability to contact their families

- Amnesty article on Houthi sentencing of stoning and crucifixion for crimes of homosexuality

- Human Rights Watch article on Houthi recruitment of child soldiers

- Human Rights Watch article on the al-Ahli Hospital Explosion

- Willy Mac 'drama' YouTuber collated episodes on Hasan (part 1 and part 2)

S4E5 - How Much Road Does America Have? (Erick Guerra)

How Much Road Does America Have? (Erick Guerra)