Emily VanDerWerff

Oleksiy Sorokin, political editor at the Kyiv Independent, shares his insights on how Volodymyr Zelenskyy transformed from a comedian into a resolute wartime leader amid Russia's invasion. Emily VanDerWerff, cultural critic at Vox, discusses the impact of Zelenskyy's unique communication style on national morale and global perception. They explore the stark contrasts in media strategies between Ukraine and Russia, emphasizing how effective storytelling has galvanized support for Ukraine while undermining Russian propaganda.

So many of us have been getting through this year by watching movies at home by ourselves, or with friends on Zoom, inventing new ways to grieve and to hope, to keep ourselves laughing, all through the simple act of watching stories unfold on our screens. Movies have the power to unearth the many layers of our identities; to help us answer the question: Who am I? And that is what we trace, by way of a few beloved movies including The Color Purple, The Fly, and Blockers, in this episode.Danez Smith — is a Black, queer, HIV-positive writer and performer from St. Paul, Minnesota. They are the author of Homie and Don’t Call Us Dead, which was a finalist for the National Book Award.Tony Banout — is the Senior Vice President of Interfaith Youth Core. He holds a PhD from the University of Chicago, where he studied at the Divinity School and was a Martin Marty Center and Provost fellow.Shea Serrano —  is an author, journalist, and former teacher whose work has been featured in The Ringer and Grantland. He’s the author of The Rap Year Book, Basketball (and Other Things), and Movies (and Other Things).Emily VanDerWerff — is a writer and the Critic at Large for Vox.Virgie Tovar — is an author, activist, and one of the nation's leading experts and lecturers on weight-based discrimination and body image. She is the author of You Have the Right to Remain Fat and The Self-Love Revolution, and hosts the podcast Rebel Eaters Club.Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.

Emily VanDerWerff, Vox's critic-at-large, brings her sharp insights on political satire, while comedian Kylie Brakeman shares her experiences creating viral political comedy. They discuss the struggle of late-night shows to effectively satirize Trump and how social media offers fresh comedic angles. The conversation dives into the evolution of political humor, the challenges of parody in today's climate, and the important balance between critique and entertainment. Expect laughs and thought-provoking commentary on the absurdities of modern politics.