The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table Epstein, Moral Panic and Racism with Richard Hanania
Dec 1, 2025
Richard Hanania, a political commentator and author of The Origins of Woke, joins the hosts for a thought-provoking discussion. They delve into the Epstein revelations and the associated moral panic, questioning the fairness of privacy invasions. Hanania also explores cultural shifts regarding attraction norms and contrasts past and present societal judgments. The conversation turns to immigration, examining its impact on wages and political identities, while also addressing the complexities of identity politics and the future of American pluralism.
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Epstein Myth Grows, Not Answers
- The Epstein story grows into a legend as time passes, producing titillating tidbits but likely few conclusive breakthroughs.
- Richard Hanania argues moral panic fuels overreach like publicizing private emails and treating association as guilt.
Hanania's Read On Epstein's Behavior
- Hanania recounts reading Ghislaine Maxwell's interview and suggests Epstein may have preferred sexual acts or massages rather than intercourse.
- He notes many alleged victims later received settlements and some accusations were discredited in court.
Moral Panic Overrides Fairness
- Publicizing private emails of associates like Larry Summers shows how moral panic erodes norms like privacy and proportionality.
- Hanania warns treating mere association as equivalent to criminality is a hallmark of such panics.
