The Bitchuation Room

2021 is ending nearly as bizarre as it began. This time it’s the Covid denialist Donald Trump embracing the vaccine and speaking… science? Journalist Arun Gupta and comedian Matt Lieb join Francesca to discuss this heel turn. Plus, the anti-apartheid legacy of Desmond Tutu and Christmas Eve got saucy between President Biden and one Oregonian father. Although it seemed to only dawn on one of the parties. Finally the year’s highs and lows— from Rumsfeld croaking to the Delta Variant to Afghanistan withdrawal, we look back at it all. Finally, *BONUS BISH* for patrons on Trump’s latest anti-semitic pro-Israel remarks reveal that it is possible to be zionist and actually not like Jews. To get access become a patron and support the show: www.patron.com/bitchuationroom. Follow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPodGet your TBR merch: www.bitchuationroom.comThanks to Maximillien Inhoff, Ellie Hoffman, Alexandra OrnesMusic Credits: The Cannery by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4485-the-canneryLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseSupport The Bitchuation Room on: Venmo: @TBR-LIVE Cash-App: @TBRLIVE  Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuationSpotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation Find Francesca On: Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranifioInsta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another variant sweeping the nation is somehow still not as upsetting as Democrats letting Senator Joe Manchin tank Build Back Better Bill. Writer Molly Jong-Fast joins Francesca to discuss Democrats squandering any leverage they once had over the Maserati coal baron, and what it will take for them to actually LEAD damnit. Plus comedian Anthony Atamanuik on Fox News hosts' secret frantic text messages to Trump’s Chief of Staff on January 6th. Looks like they *do* have a heart buried under all that Murdoch money. And in the spirit of Christmas, what three spirits would you wish upon which powerful figure? PLUS a *BONUS BISH* all about the sexual assault allegations against Sex and the City star Christopher Noth, and comedian Louis CK self-releases a new special. Become a patron and listen or watch back: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom. Featuring: Molly Jong-Fast, Writer, The New Abnormal Podcast: https://twitter.com/MollyJongFastAnthony Atamanuik: Comedian: https://twitter.com/TonyAtamanuik Join the Franifa and become a Patron today: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroomFollow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPodGet your TBR merch: www.bitchuationroom.comThanks to Rebecca Rufer, Maximillien Inhoff, Ellie Hoffman, Alexandra OrnessMusic Credits: The Cannery by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4485-the-canneryLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseSupport The Bitchuation Room on: Venmo: @TBR-LIVE Cash-App: @TBRLIVE  Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuationSpotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation Find Francesca On: Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranifioInsta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Santas are in short supply and high demand. After all why would an elderly overweight man allow small un-vaccinated children on his lap for minimum wage? Gareth and Francesca hear from Santas about their plight, and Gareth recalls when he used to dress up as good ole Saint Nick. To listen to the full bonus bish and every bonus bish, become a patron at www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turns out Nancy Reagan sucked a lot more than we all imagined. Or never wanted to imagine. Comedian Gareth Reynolds joins Francesca to discuss the right's slut shaming gone wrong and Amazon corporation's crass reaction to their own workers killed by a tornado while on the job. Plus, progressive candidates for LA city council Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto-Martinez discuss taking on status quo council-members to enact their vision for Los Angeles: housing for all and money for supportive services instead of carceral non-solutions. Finally, what super dumb conspiracy theory would you start a-la “Birds Aren’t Real.” AND in a special *BONUS BISH* Gareth and Francesca talk about the real reason for the labor shortage of Santas and Gareth remembers what it was like to be one. Get access by becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom. Join the Franifa and become a Patron today: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroomFollow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPodGet your TBR merch: www.bitchuationroom.comThanks to Rebecca Rufer, Maximillien Inhoff, Ellie Hoffman, Alexandra OrnessMusic Credits: The Cannery by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4485-the-canneryLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseSupport The Bitchuation Room on: Venmo: @TBR-LIVE Cash-App: @TBRLIVE  Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuationSpotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation Find Francesca On: Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranifioInsta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ten months after the vaccine rollout and just 11 percent of Africans are fully vaccinated as compared with 72% of North Americans. Why? Big Pharma’s intellectual property rights (ie) money is running the show. And no wealthy nation, certainly none in the EU nor the one led by Joe Biden, is willing to stand up to the pharmaceutical industry’s power. Journalist Sarah Lazare joins to discuss the need for real internationalism. Plus, did Trump try and kill Biden at a presidential debate? He tested positive for Covid three days before! And, Rep. lhan Omar has the last word on Rep. Boebert's Islamophobia and Rep. McCarthy’s cowardice. Finally, if America had a Spotify account, what would our “Spotify Wrapped” statistics be like? 525,600 minutes listening to Rogan? BONUS BISH: A mass shooter’s parents are implicated in their son’s murder so they flee. Become a patron to get access: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom Featuring:Mateen Stewart, Comedian: https://twitter.com/MateenStewartSarah Lazare, Reporter, In These Times Magazine: https://twitter.com/sarahlazare Join the Franifa and become a Patron today: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroomFollow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPodGet your TBR merch: www.bitchuationroom.comThanks to Rebecca Rufer, Maximillien Inhoff, Ellie Hoffman, Alexandra OrnessMusic Credits: The Cannery by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4485-the-canneryLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseSupport The Bitchuation Room on: Venmo: @TBR-LIVE Cash-App: @TBRLIVE  Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuationSpotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation Find Francesca On: Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranifioInsta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump proved presidents have way too much power. It's easy to flaunt anti-corruption laws in the highest office because, well, they hardly exist. We mostly have cute little "norms" and guidelines. So when should those "norms" be made into laws, and how can we stop the ever-expanding power of the executive branch? Walter Shaub, former director of the Office of Government Ethics, had a front row seat to the worst impulses of one of the most corrupt administrations... ever. Where it was Donald Trump's refusal to divest from his organization or Kellyanne Conway hawking Ivanka jewelry on television. Shaub's job was to try and hold Trump minimally accountable which, as you can imagine, became impossible. Shaub resigned in July of 2017, citing the administration's disregard for basic government oversight and the stonewalling of his office. Now Shaub continues the work advocating for reform of the executive branch outside of government. He spoke with Francesca about his time in OGE under Trump, the importance of voting rights, and assesses whether Biden is doing what he can to prevent a future Trump. Short answer: No.  Featuring: Walter Shaub, Senior Ethics Fellow, Project on Government Oversight https://twitter.com/waltshaub Join the Franifa and become a Patron today: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroomFollow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPodGet your TBR merch: www.bitchuationroom.comThanks to Rebecca Rufer, Maximillien Inhoff, Ellie Hoffman, Alexandra OrnessMusic Credits: The Cannery by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4485-the-canneryLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseSupport The Bitchuation Room on: Venmo: @TBR-LIVE Cash-App: @TBRLIVE  Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuationSpotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation Find Francesca On: Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranifioInsta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does a trans man think about Senator Josh Hawley's cry that "Democrats are destroying masculinity"? Comedian RB Butcher weighs in. To get this PATREON ONLY content, become a patron at www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom and get an extra 15 minutes of content each week right to your feed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why can't fascists get original? Banning books is so 1933. And yet here we are with parents raging in school board meetings about "gay themes" in stories. Comedian RB Butcher helps break it down along with understanding why Steve Bannon is so afraid to testify about January 6th. He's not scared, you're scared! Plus IfNotNow director Morriah Kaplan on how American Jews against the occupation are pushing Congress and slowly but surely winning the moral argument on Palestine. Finally, what the hell does Elon Musk want? Cause crypto ain't it. AND A *PATREON ONLY BONUS BISH* all about Missouri Senator Josh Hawley's sad empty idea of masculinity. Become a patron today: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroomFeaturing:RB Butcher, Comedian - https://twitter.com/RheaButcherMorriah Kaplan, Managing Director of IfNotNow - https://twitter.com/morriahk Join the Franifa and become a Patron today: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroomFollow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPodGet your TBR merch: www.bitchuationroom.comThanks to Rebecca Rufer, Maximillien Inhoff, Ellie Hoffman, Alexandra OrnessMusic Credits: The Cannery by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4485-the-canneryLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseSupport The Bitchuation Room on: Venmo: @TBR-LIVE Cash-App: @TBRLIVE  Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuationSpotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation Find Francesca On: Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranifioInsta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pressure is on for democrats to deliver. Biden, Pelosi, Schumer as the horsemen of the infrastructure-pocalypse need to show the nation that they can pass a pared down Build Back Better Act or risk voters losing all faith in them. And were recent elections all bad for team blue? John Nichols of The Nation says not if you’re actually paying attention and care less about drama. Plus, comedian Matt Lieb on right-wing media vaccine mandates, and two more murder trials that say a lot about how far America has yet to go for real racial justice. And a *BONUS BISH* for all patrons on why Joe Rogan has become the go to COVID-19 shaman for dumb guy celebrities. Listen and watch by becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom Featuring: Matt Lieb, https://twitter.com/mattlieb John Nichols, https://twitter.com/NicholsUprising Join the Franifa and become a Patron today: www.patreon.com/bitchuationroomFollow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPodGet your TBR merch: www.bitchuationroom.comThanks to Rebecca Rufer, Maximillien Inhoff, Ellie Hoffman, Alexandra OrnessMusic Credits: The Cannery by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4485-the-canneryLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseSupport The Bitchuation Room on: Venmo: @TBR-LIVE Cash-App: @TBRLIVE  Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuationSpotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation Find Francesca On: Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifioFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranifioInsta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook came to life when QAnon believers gathered on the grassy knoll to wait for JFK Jr. Or senior. Comedian and former pastor Steve Hernandez explains to Francesca the overlap between evangelicals and QAnon supporters. Listen to full episode 111 with bonus bish by becoming a patron today for as little as $5 a month: https://www.patreon.com/posts/death-by-with-ep-58240239 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices