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Nancy and Sarah have fallen hard for documentary filmmaker Meg Smaker after her recent appearance on Sam Harris’ podcast. Smaker’s film, originally titled Jihad Rehab (now called The UnRedacted), was canceled before it was ever released, having met a perfect storm of identity politics, institutional cowardice, and social media pile-on. But what we see in Smaker is a champion of radical empathy. She’s also a bad-ass, a former firefighter who cusses like a Marine and describes herself as a “six-foot albino godzilla.” Our kinda woman.

Our friend Meghan Daum, of The Unspeakable and A Special Place in Hell podcasts, brought our attention to the dust-up at Hobart literary journal, where Cuban-born writer Alex Perez gave an interview filled with the spot-on observations everyone knows but no one talks about (Sarah calls them “truth clicks”) and which — surprise! — led to five editors quitting.

A new site called Semafor drops some truth bombs about tensions at The New York Times, including an exchange with a former editor that gave Nancy a mental orgasm. Speaking of orgasm: We climax with a discussion of the clitoris, and agree to volunteer for any future research. For science.

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Episode Notes:

Arkansas Hot Springs

There are many good Korean spas in Los Angeles, including Olympic Spa and Beverly Hot Springs. Plan on spending 2-3 hours.

Sojo Spa Club, in Edgewater, NJ, with free shuttle from 42nd St. in NYC

“Sundance Liked Her Documentary on Terrorism, Until Muslim Critics Didn’t,” by Michael Powell (New York Times)

Sam Harris: A TALE OF CANCELLATION: A Conversation with Meg Smaker

Jihad Rehab/The UnRedacted website and GoFundMe

“Who Killed Creative Writing? Thoughts on Alex Perez, Hobart magazine, and the price of literary citizenship,” by Meghan Daum

“Alex Perez on the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, baseball, growing up Cuban-American in Miami & saying goodbye to the literary community,” by Elizabeth Ellen (Hobart)

“Inside the Identity Crisis at The New York Times,” by Ben Smith (Semafor)

“New York Times Journalists Scared to Have an Op-Ed Page,” by Matt Welch (Reason)

“The New York Times staff revolt over Tom Cotton’s op-ed, explained,” by Zack Beauchamp (Vox)

“James Bennet’s Resignation Proves the Woke Scolds Are Taking Over The New York Times,” by Robby Soave (Reason)

‘Threw Him Under the Bus’: NY Times Publisher A.G. Sulzberger Laments Bennet’s Ouster,” by Lloyd Grove (Daily Beast)

Bari Weiss NYT resignation letter

“Half the World Has a Clitoris. Why Don’t Doctors Study It?” by Rachel E. Gross (New York Times)

The TV show Nancy was searching for was “The Practice,” and this was the story in which she asked each of the women about their body image. The most reluctant was Lara Flynn Boyle, whose mother stood off to the side during the shoot for the cover, pantomiming for Boyle a “Chest up! Chest out!” motion

What’s in your hotbox?

Sarah: LulaRich official trailer

Nancy: Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates

Outro song: “Put the Message in the Box” by World Party

We will world party with paid subscribers Wednesday, October 19 at 9pm ET!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit smokeempodcast.substack.com/subscribe

S4 Ep589: Talking Tigers Podcast with Andy Burcham-Nick Clinard