
American Fever Dream
From under the desk to in your ears, V. Spehar joins Betches Media in a new podcast dedicated to curing the collective malaise brought on by our chaotic political environment. Every week, Spehar and co-host Sami Sage will tenderly guide you through the biggest moments in politics and pop culture with a healing dose of perspective and humor. Rather than spiral over the latest unprecedented event, the hosts dig for the 2024 political tea you *really* want to hear while offering all the information you need to be an empowered citizen, without the side of despair to keep you up at night.For constant news updates, sign up for the Sup email newsletter at betches.com/newsletters and follow us on Instagram at @betches_news. And follow V on TikTok and Instagram @underthedesknews.Watch American Fever Dream On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebetchesnews
Latest episodes

May 25, 2023 • 1h 39min
#862 If The Dress Sneaker Fits (Ron DeSantis, Taylor Swift)
Topics:
Ron DeSantis makes his clumsy entrance into the 2024 race. Will his glitchy start impact his campaign success? What was *substantively* important about his announcement?
Did Lauren Boebert accidentally make a good point?
For once, an extremely *low stakes* game of “Are Men OK?” involving the most controversial sneakers on Capitol Hill
Our voicemails are in chaos over the Ice Spice/Taylor Swift song amid the Matty Healey of it all. We give our (dueling) takes on the origins of the collab.
Then, Amanda is joined by Leah Stavenhagen and Sunny Brauss, members of the community Her ALS Story, a group of women diagnosed with ALS before their 35th birthday who are challenging the stereotype that ALS is an old white man’s disease.Learn more about Her ALS Story at @heralsstory and support their Warrior Weekend retreat by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/f/warriorweekend2023Call us! Leave us a voicemail at (212) 287-5244 to join the group chat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 22, 2023 • 1h 5min
#861 Who Is In Their Anti-Hero Era? (Ft. Rep. Jasmine Crockett)
Topics:
Rep. Jasmine Crockett joins after her viral House Oversight Committee statement calling out GOP hypocrisy on violence in America
Here are all the Republicans who are about to enter the 2024 presidential race. (Chris Christie.. .what are you doing here?)
Ron DeSantis is creating a state that no Floridian actually wants
Unpacking Taylor Swift’s…. interesting choices in romantic partners as she declines to speak out on feminist or LGBTQ issues
Call us with your messages! Share a local story, ask us a question, or pose an impossible Would You Rather by calling (212) 287-5244 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 18, 2023 • 1h 29min
#860 Traditional Values Are Flopping (Ft. Chasten Buttigieg)
Lauren Boebert is getting divorced. Meet Rifle, Colorado’s newest eligible bachelor
Why the writer’s strike may not be ending any time soon — and the actors are ready to join them
Josh Hawley writes a searing op-ed blaming the left for a crisis of masculinity. We simply have to ask… are men OK?
An amazing Listener Town Hall featuring the premiere of Bad Girls Club: Michigan GOP edition
An interview with Sup fave Chasten Buttigieg about attacks on LGBTQ rights, parenthood, and rewriting his memoir “I Have Something To Tell You” for young adults
LISTENER TOWN HALL will now run every Thursday! Call (212) 287-5244 to leave us a message you know we’ll want to hear Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 15, 2023 • 1h 8min
#859 The Eras Episode (Media, Immigration, Debt limit)
Topics:
Why are 2,400 Kyles gathering in Texas?
The latest non-boring updates on the debt limit
Vice Media files for bankruptcy as other once-trendy outlets falter. How did the media landscape change so dramatically, so fast?
People have thoughts about Joe Biden’s Howard University commencement speech.
Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh joins from the Migration Policy Institute to unpack the changes at the US-Mexico border after the end of Title 42, and how policymakers should approach desperately needed immigration reform.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 12, 2023 • 41min
EXTRA EXTRA Crossover: How Much Wealth Do The Windsor’s Have?
In this episode of Extra Extra, Sami Sage looks to the “scaled back” coronation of King Charles to unravel the broader financial web supporting the royal family. Which ancient arrangements and stolen assets keep the royal family’s checkbook balanced? How many billions is King Charles worth? In this crossover episode of Extra Extra by Sami Sage, we look for the source of the royal family’s wealth and the colonial origins of the “crown jewels.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 11, 2023 • 1h 41min
#858 Lip Sync For Your Life (Behind Bars)
Featuring guest host Grace Weinstein, who hosts “WTF, America?” for The Recount on SnapchatTopics:
The George Santos indictment
E Jean Carroll’s triumphant day in court
Trump’s nightmarish town hall on CNN
Is over-the-counter birth control about to become a reality?
A looming abortion ban in North Carolina – and the gender traitor who let it happen
Would you rather: Start of summer edition
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 8, 2023 • 48min
#857 Girlboss Penitentiary (Elizabeth Holmes)
Topics:
Why did this outlet feel the need to publish a bizarrely glowing profile of Elizabeth Holmes?
A shooting in Texas and an avoidable subway killing
A looming immigration crisis
Are Men Ok? Coronation edition
LISTENER TOWN HALL will now run every Thursday! Call (212) 287-5244 to leave us a message you know we’ll want to hear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 4, 2023 • 51min
#856 Trump’s “Gigli” Moment (Election 2024)
Topics:
Donald Trump takes a shocking lead in a potential match-up with Ron DeSantis
Is it irresponsible of CNN to host a town hall with Donald Trump?
Clarence Thomas adds a new scam to the trophy case
Should you have a bachelor’s degree to work in Congress? This member is removing the requirement
Our first ever “Are Men OK” in which our subject does – miraculously – appear to be OK
We’ve officially introduced Listener Town Hall! Want to leave us a voicemail? Call (212) 287-5244. Your message may be played on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 1, 2023 • 54min
#855 Where The Anti-Trans Agenda Is Working (Health Care Bans)
Topics:
Rating this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner on a scale of Obama mic drop to George W. Bush cringe.
Republicans change the nature of their anti-trans approach ahead of 2024. These are the talking points and policies we’re especially nervous about
How an increasingly likely writer’s strike will impact your favorite TV shows and why studios really ought to pay up
Our first edition of Listener Town Hall featuring your comments on Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ misguided participation in that “Real Woman Of Politics” ad and why Republicans in Congress manage not to marginalized their LGBTQ colleagues
Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 27, 2023 • 55min
#854 Real Men Of Politics (Joe Biden Announcement)
Topics:
Reacting to Joe Biden’s presidential announcement. Is the benefit of incumbency worth four more stale, white years?
Unpacking the fallout from Tucker Carlson’s firing and Abby Grossberg’s lawsuit against Fox News. Why are they so obsessed with older women in bathing suits?
Reacting to the highly confusing “Real Women Of Politics” ad. What is the state of political parody in 2023?
Featuring guest host Missy Modell (@missymodell), host of the podcast Sorry For Apologizing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices