The hosts tackle the hilariously odd concept of Hulk Hogan as Santa Claus in a 1996 film. They blend nostalgic childhood memories with sharp critiques of Hogan's leap from wrestling star to political figure. With a dose of humor, they explore wrestling's broader cultural impact and Hogan's colorful controversies, creating a satirical look at a celebrity whose life is anything but ordinary. Listeners are in for a wild ride filled with laugh-out-loud moments and intriguing anecdotes!

Andrew Fishman, Head of The Intercept Brasil, joins Caio Almendra, the outlet's editor, to dissect Brazil's chaotic political landscape. They delve into a bizarre assassination plot tied to the World Cup and the fallout from Bolsonaro's supporters' coup attempt. The conversation humorously critiques military ineptitude and the absurdities of protests, while exploring the powerful influence of cattle ranching and the rise of evangelical churches in politics. Prepare for a captivating blend of insight and satire as they navigate Brazil's tumultuous atmosphere.

Pokémon Go is more than a worldwide craze that inspired millions to hunt Zigzagoons through smartphone-enabled alternate reality. According to intelligence officials in several countries, it’s also an information security threat. Since the game’s release by game developer Niantic in 2016, people have pondered the potential uses of the data that’s collected by aspiring PokéMasters as they meander outside and scan virtual PokéStops. Travis, Jake, Julian, and Liv dive into why a children’s game about collecting fighting pets has inspired such paranoia. Including how Niantic’s startup ancestor Keyhole, Inc. was saved from bankruptcy by the CIA, how Niantic’s former parent company Google committed one of the worst data privacy violations in history through the “Wi-Spy” scandal, and Niantic’s recent announcement that Pokemon Go data is being used to produce an artificial intelligence system they call a Large Geospatial Model (LGM). Gotta Catch ‘Em All! And by “Em All” we mean “massive amounts of data from everyone’s smartphones for undisclosed purposes.” Subscribe for $5 a month to get all the premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/qaa Editing by Julian Feeld. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by Pontus Berghe. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (https://instagram.com/theyylivve / https://sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (https://pedrocorrea.com) https://qaapodcast.com QAA was known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast. REFERENCES Consumer Watchdog. Lost In The Cloud: Google And the US Government https://insidegoogle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/GOOGGovfinal012411.pdf Gawker. Pokemon Go Is A Government Surveillance Psyop Conspiracy https://web.archive.org/web/20160712023458/http://blackbag.gawker.com/pokemon-go-is-a-government-surveillance-psyop-conspirac-1783461240 Pando. Oakland emails give another glimpse into the Google-Military-Surveillance Complex https://web.archive.org/web/20150819032041/https://pando.com/2014/03/07/the-google-military-surveillance-complex/ Financial Times. Lunch with the FT: Pokémon Go creator John Hanke https://www-ft-com.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/content/596ec790-afe8-11e6-9c37-5787335499a0 Dalton, Craig M. "Sovereigns, spooks, and hackers: An early history of Google geo services and map mashups." Cartographica: The International Journal for Geographic Information and Geovisualization 48.4 (2013): 261-274. Kilday, Bill. Never lost again: The Google mapping revolution that sparked new industries and augmented our reality. Harper Business, 2018. Wes’s Blog. My Personal Journey On Google Earth https://westhierry.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-personal-journey-on-google-earth.html Intercept. Privacy Scandal Haunts Pokemon Go CEO https://theintercept.com/2016/08/09/privacy-scandal-haunts-pokemon-gos-ceo/ CJR. Poor coverage of Google’s Street View scandal settlement https://www.cjr.org/the_audit/misleading_coverage_of_street.php RFI. Pokemon Go to jail - Frenchman nabbed hunting Pokemon on Indonesian military base. https://www.rfi.fr/en/asia-pacific/20160719-pokemon-go-jail-frenchman-nabbed-hunting-pokemon-indonesian-military-base CIA Office of Security. Are you At An Agency Facility? Pokemon NO! https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/are%20you%20at%20an%20agency%20faci%5B15210727%5D.pdf Foreign Policy. The Great Pokemon Go Spy Panic. https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/11/29/pokemongo-cia-nsa-intelligence-spying/ Niantic Labs. Building a Large Geospatial Model to Achieve Spatial Intelligence https://nianticlabs.com/news/largegeospatialmodel

Talia Lavin, author of "Wild Faith: How the Christian Right Is Taking Over America," delves into the troubling rise of rightwing evangelical Christians and their political influence. She discusses the intersections of faith, politics, and extremism, shedding light on the Christian Patriarchy and its harmful impact on women and children. Lavin also explores how extremist beliefs have found fertile ground in online conspiracy theories, all while keeping the conversation engaging with anecdotes ranging from moldy bagels to social media experiences.

Explore the bizarre rise of Javier Milei, Argentina's president who claims to have been urged by his dead dog to run for office. His offbeat antics, like cosplaying as 'General Ancap' and taking swings at a piñata representing the central bank, draw both laughter and concern. Delve into the chaotic political landscape of Argentina, marked by historical complexities and human rights issues. The discussion also highlights the extreme opposition faced by Milei amidst a split political climate.

Cursed McDonald’s humiliation rituals, secret messages sent through a filet-o-fish, Elon posting a QAnon News Network meme, UFO disclosure in congress, and Tucker Carlson being attacked by a demon in his sleep. Sit down and eat, children. Subscribe for $5 a month to get all the premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/qaa Editing by Corey Klotz. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by Pontus Berghe, Nick Sena, Jake Rockatansky. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (https://instagram.com/theyylivve / https://sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (https://pedrocorrea.com) https://qaapodcast.com QAA was known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.

“I tried to think of the most harmless thing. Something I loved from my childhood. Something that could never ever possibly destroy us: LOST.” And I was wrong. This week, Jake strands the co-hosts and listeners on a small, dangerous island, and dissects the ‘LOST’ alternate reality game from 2006. In an effort to steer the show away from politics and conspiracy theories in these trying times, Jake has inadvertently uncovered the inconvenient truth that TV shows and their advertisers may have primed us for Qanon. Subscribe for $5 a month to get all the premium episodes: www.patreon.com/QAA Liv’s newsletter: https://www.livagar.com/ Editing by Corey Klotz. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by Jake Rockatansky. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (https://instagram.com/theyylivve / https://sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (https://pedrocorrea.com) https://qaapodcast.com QAA was known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.

The election has come and gone. Liv, Jake, Travis and Julian talk about conspiracism among online Republicans and Democrats in the wake of Trump’s victory. We also talk a bit about Kash Patel, who guested on QAnon podcasts before becoming the future Director of the FBI. Plus Jake brings us a sequel to his story: Letter from the Meme War. Subscribe for $5 a month to get all the premium episodes: www.patreon.com/QAA Editing by Corey Klotz. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by Pontus Berghe, Nick Sena, Jake Rockatansky. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (https://instagram.com/theyylivve / https://sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (https://pedrocorrea.com) https://qaapodcast.com QAA was known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.

Dive into the curious world of Royal Watchers who obsess over Princess Kate's mysterious absence, sparking wild conspiracy theories. Explore the intense rivalries among fans as they speculate about her health and hospitalizations. Then, pivot to a sobering discussion about how misinformation on social media fueled race riots in the UK, revealing the dark side of online discourse. It's a rollercoaster of royal intrigue and societal implications, blending humor with hard-hitting truths.

To celebrate 300 regular episodes we have brought on a special guest: Julian Feeld. And what a beefy episode number 300 is. First we cover Trump’s lively Madison Square Garden rally and a conspiracy theory that sprang up in the wake of stand up comedian Kill Tony’s appearance there. Plus, the return of the “Panda Eyes” conspiracy theory at a Trump event. If you don’t know what “Panda Eyes" are, then just assume the worst before listening to the episode. Then we dive into the bizarre claims among some liberal posters who believe the first Trump assassination attempt was “staged.” There’s a new twist, with new lore, and the plot has thickened. Get ready for quality ear analysis. Finally we go through the ways the US election is being besieged by efforts to skew the vote and apply some well honed election denial tactics, including an app by an organization you might remember from the last cycle: True The Vote. It’s a window into alternate realities and a preview of the kind of paranoid delusions that will become popular as America struggles through the first presidential post-election cycle since January 6th. Subscribe for $5 a month to get all the premium episodes: www.patreon.com/QAA Editing by Corey Klotz. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by Pontus Berghe. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (https://instagram.com/theyylivve / https://sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (https://pedrocorrea.com) https://qaapodcast.com QAA was known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.