Zero Hour with James Poulos

Seth Dillon, CEO of the Babylon Bee, joins James Poulos to discuss stand-up and sketch comedy’s comeback through social media sites like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok. With the advancement of AI, can artificial intelligence replace comedy? After Elon Musk shifted Twitter to X, the limited censorship on the site allowed for the biggest comedy show, the Trump vs. Biden election. We’ve seen unconstitutional censorship over the last several years surrounding COVID-19. Despite having a platform with a free flow of ideas, the Supreme Court now holds the power to decide just how “free” free speech is. Seth believes people are waking up from the woke DEI, gender ideology, etc. political takes that are being pushed on kids. He spoke to Elon personally about his faith and the future of America.Sponsors:Join the New Founding Talent Network. Find your next hire — newfounding.com/talent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Father Josiah Trenham, pastor of St. Andrew Orthodox Church, joins James Poulos to discuss modern-day Christianity in a technologically changing America. As an Orthodox pastor, he gives his thoughts on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and how Orthodox Christianity has changed in Russia since the fall of communism. Similarly, he explains Orthodox history in Israel and Gaza and how the Palestinian conflict has affected both Jews and Christians. How can Christians find anchors in modern Protestant churches when the world around them has turned to war? He argues there is a way to find faith and that America seems to be turning in a positive religious direction. Sponsors:Invest in the New Founding Fund — newfounding.com/venturefund Join the New Founding Talent Network. Find your next hire — newfounding.com/talent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glenn Beck predicts the future of America, Big Tech, and the potential collapse of society. Will Elon Musk become a pioneer like Nicola Tesla or an evil visionary like Thomas Edison? How will traditional conservative values find a place alongside advancing technology like AI bots OpenAi and ChatGPT? The elites and politicians are replacing our constitutional republic with crony capitalism at the expense of Americans. Key figures like Secretary of State Antony Blinken continue to flip-flop on global issues like NATO’s role in the Ukraine war, causing confusion and news fatigue for the American public. While the U.S. continues to decline as a global power, the public loses freedom, including the right to their own information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the government hand-picked conservative individuals to target in a series of social media take-downs, Murthy v. Missouri (originally Missouri v. Biden) will go through the Supreme Court to decide the role of the First Amendment on social media. Jay Bhattacharya, a professor at Stanford University and a plaintiff in the case, joins James Poulos to discuss the Biden administration’s censorship complex during the COVID-19 pandemic. Will the United States go down a path of internet suppression like Scotland, the E.U., and other countries with internet safety bills? Or are we headed toward Orwellian censorship laws reminiscent of Soviet-era or Chinese government overreach?Sponsors:Invest in the New Founding Fund — newfounding.com/venturefundJoin the New Founding Talent Network. Find your next hire — newfounding.com/talent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darren Beattie, founder of Revolver News, joins James Poulos to discuss the conflicting narratives surrounding the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, including the still-unidentified pipe bomber and the Capitol Police’s questionable response. When Americans lose trust in news reporting and journalism, Beattie argues, speculation clouds stories like Ray Epps’ involvement in the so-called “insurrection” or even Jeffrey Epstein’s death. Beattie also addresses deep-state strategies and how he believes they impacted geopolitical issues, such as the Nord Stream pipeline explosions, Putin and Russia’s influence, and the 2020 election between Trump and Biden. James and Darren also discuss whether Big Tech and the establishment media will once again try to influence the 2024 election. Or, will Americans challenge the narratives early on before they crystallize? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kashmir Hill, a tech reporter at the New York Times and author of "Your Face Belongs to Us," joins James Poulos to discuss facial recognition technology and the need for online privacy protections in response to advancing technology. If you use apps like Venmo, Facebook, and Instagram, or if you have a photo on the internet, companies like Clearview AI have scraped it and placed it in a database. Digital surveillance and artificial intelligence are becoming more widespread, all while Americans lack privacy laws at all levels of government. Despite resistance from these big tech companies, grassroots activism and informed advocacy can shape future legislation surrounding digital privacy. Does stepping back from the digital world allow you to regain control over your personal data? Or will big tech companies continue to own and weaponize your personal information? Sponsors:Join the New Founding Talent Network. Find your next hire! NewFounding.com/Talent Invest in the New Founding Fund. NewFounding.com/VentureFund Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Rowe, founder of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation and host of "Dirty Jobs," joins James Poulos to discuss America’s societal challenges, such as the lack of trust in our institutions and the call for political reform. Despite Generation Z being the most educated generation yet, they have a pressing need to reassess educational priorities. Will the future workforce be able to keep up with changing technology and artificial intelligence? By prioritizing vocational skills and supporting initiatives such as mikeroweWORKS Work Ethic Scholarships, we can empower future generations, ensuring they are equipped for success in the workforce.Today's Sponsors:newfounding.com/venturefund - Invest in the New Founding FundJoin the New Founding Talent Network. Find your next hire. – https://newfounding.com/talent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Douglas Wilson, the pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, the most interesting pastor in America? His critics would say he's the most controversial, but Pastor Wilson explains why he doesn't shy away from the culture wars and challenges the audience to stop angering God and "make America Christian again." He also addresses why he believes Christians get a bad reputation and wades into the debate over the new buzzword "Christian nationalism." And how should Christians navigate the digital world, which seems to devalue humanity? "You don't want to lock yourself up in a Dilbert cubicle for Jesus," Wilson says. He argues it's possible to use the same technology to bring families together. Sponsors:Join the New Founding Talent Network. Find your next hire – https://newfounding.com/talent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Milius, the producer and director of "The Plot Against the President," joins James Poulos for a cultural analysis of everything from pop culture to politics. Following the Trump and Biden presidencies, there is a yearning to return to a more unified “Purple America” amidst the dominance of woke culture in the media. While most Americans are burned out from news fatigue, there is a growing nostalgia for Hollywood Americana classics such as "The Sopranos" or "Mission: Impossible" that have shaped our culture. Sponsors:Join the New Founding Talent Network. Find your next hire – https://newfounding.com/talent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Benz, executive director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, joins James Poulos to discuss protecting digital liberties and the growing government control over censorship and access to information. As conflicts like Russia and Ukraine unfold, censorship on social media platforms further complicates the discourse, hindering efforts toward constructive dialogue and peace. While the U.S. government limits online free speech domestically, it continues to hold a weakened global position compared to China (Huawei) and Taiwan (chip manufacturing), both of which have technological superiority. Sponsors:Join the New Founding Talent Network. Find your next hire – https://newfounding.com/talent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices