Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em Podcast cover image

Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em Podcast

198. Kat Rosenfield on Illiberalism and Dad Bods

May 2, 2025
21:17
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit smokeempodcast.substack.com

Stop what you are doing and subscribe to Smoke ‘Em’s new YouTube! Right now yes thank you. On to our regular program!

Nancy and Sarah are joined by culture critic/novelist Kat Rosenfield to talk about who we can blame for our current morass: Social media? Heterodox thinkers? Everyone? The trio end up discussing the difference between activism and storytelling, what it means to be “disingenuous,” Kat’s Twitter beef with Cathy Young, writer’s envy (or maybe just Sarah’s envy), and Kat’s long-promised kimono, a gift for her most-frequent-guest status, which has not been bought yet (ed note: Sarah glares at Nancy).

Trump’s 100 Days: How did we get here? And if we all got into this together, can we get out together, too?

Also discussed:

* Three votes for the moon

* Surprise cat appearance!

* Trump “corrupts his allies and deranges his opponents in a way that makes the culture worse.”

* Why categorizing anyone as “anti-anti Trump” is axiomatically corrupt

* Ambiguity frightens people.

* Losing friends for speaking up

* Dick Cavett, the Joe Rogan of his day

* Politics as a litmus test for moral character

* England, don’t stick your dick in a box of badgers

* Dad-Bod-Gate

Plus, Sarah offers a poignant quote from Milan Kundera (or maybe Instagram; whatever), Nancy unintentionally inaugurates a “Hate Thing of the Week” feature, the problem with men wearing teensy-tiny pants, and much more!

REMINDER: Paid subscribers can join us this Sunday, May 4, for our First Sunday Zoom, 5pm PT / 8pm ET, link sent out day-of!

It’s already May! Looks like the perfect month for you to become a paid subscriber.

Reliable, beautiful and bright candidate that wasn’t on the ballot (though Kat wrote it in)

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app