Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy

Aymann Ismail (Slate Magazine staff writer) sat down with Bridget for an interview on January 6th 2022, coincidentally, Ismail had been in D.C. on January 6th, 2021, so inevitably their conversation covers the events of that day, including Aymann's sense of the mood of the crowd, what made it different from other Trump rallies, and why many different things can all be true at once about the Capitol riot. They also discuss Aymann's trip to Egypt during the Arab Spring and his coverage of the riots in Minneapolis in 2020, amidst a broader conversation about platforming dangerous ideas & ideologies, 9/11, the Patriot Act and the repercussions within the Muslim community in New York City, the polarization of our two political parties, people who view political violence as an acceptable means of affecting change, Gerrymandering, voter's rights, and they wrap it all up with the biggest mistakes Aymann made as a new father. Be sure to check out Aymann's podcast Scoot Over, a series of conversations about how to build a more inclusive world and what is standing in our way.  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Adam Carolla (The Adam Carolla Show) stops in to talk about his new comedy special Truth Yeller. He and Bridget discuss is wandering career trajectory from stand-up to sketch comedy, radio, television, podcasting, and back to stand-up. They cover why people are scared to talk about sex these days, how Adam keeps his job separate from his personal identity, why he feels bad for the Alyssa Milanos of the world, how he wound up on some sort of no-fly list for Netflix & HBO, the importance of keeping hold of your common sense in this day and age, how to avoid falling into the trap of narcissism, and why he does not wear a beret.  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Story Hour with Bridget Phetasy is a segment where Bridget reminisces with cousin Maggie and tells stories explaining who she is and how she got here.Bridget and Maggie tell tales of their individual and shared experiences with the holidays growing up. They cover their childhood traditions at their grandparents' house and then the diverging of their holiday celebrations as they grew up. Bridget talks about the stress of her parents' divorce, the annual meltdowns, the traveling and general chaos, why she hated the holidays for years, and how she reclaimed them as something to be enjoyed and celebrated as an adult. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Rabbi David Wolpe, the Max Webb Senior Rabbi of Sinai Temple, sits down with Bridget to discuss the complexity of human beings, learning how to be okay with people being upset with you, the advantage of getting older, how social media is turning adults back into teenagers, the difficulty of staying away from politics at the pulpit in today's social climate, and why we need more windows and fewer mirrors. They also discuss Rabbi Wolpe's strategies for tolerance and listening to someone he disagrees with, his belief that this extreme political polarization will not last forever, the importance of being authentic and connecting with people, how to make your losses and struggles matter in your life, the seduction of the instantaneous, how we're a lot more resilient than we give ourselves credit for, and why the conviction that you're 100% right makes you wrong.  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Briahna Joy Gray is the former National Press Secretary for the Bernie Sanders campaign, and the host of Bad Faith podcast. She and Bridget cover Briahna's background as a corporate lawyer, the truth about the way most corporate laws are written and the system we've inherited, how she became interested in politics, and how she wound up working for the Bernie Sanders campaign. They also discuss their willingness to have their minds changed, the importance of making your point in a way that can be heard by people who don't agree with you, the wealth disparity that most people don't understand, how class is weaponized against poor people, the basics of democratic socialism, and the reality of sensitivity training in corporate culture.  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Former US Presidential Candidate, Andrew Yang, sits down with Bridget to discuss his decision to leave the Democratic Party, the unexpected reaction and fallout as a result, his founding of the Forward Party, why a two party system doesn't work at all, and the importance of ending the duopoly if we have any hope of solving the problems this country faces. They cover the importance of an independent media, the difficulties of galvanizing the "mushy middle" into action, why Americans should travel more, restructuring unemployment benefits, Universal Basic Income, the decline of the labor rate, and building a new tribe to give people who feel disenfranchised a place to belong. Learn more about the Forward Party here . This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Jesse Morton was once an American born, jihadist propagandist who ran Revolution Muslim, a New York City-based organization active in the 2000s and connected to a number of terrorism cases. He and Bridget talk about his upbringing, how he discovered Islam and the process of his radicalization, and then the slow evolution of nuance creeping back into his life and what eventually caused him to reexamine his belief system and deradicalize. They cover the work he's doing now with his organization Parallel Networks to intervene with jihadist, far-right and far-left extremism and prevent reciprocal radicalization. They discuss the role the NYPD police officer who incarcerated him played in his deradicalization, whether censorship on social media platforms is effective in combatting terrorism, why differentiating between hate and violent extremism is so important, and Jesse's work trying to create a national program that has a public health, trauma-informed design that would not only help prevent terrorism, but get to the root of the hyper-polarization dividing our society. For more resources check out lightuponlight.online.  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Comedian Drew Lynch drops in to talk about his latest stand-up special, Concussed. He and Bridget discuss overcoming life's adversities including the head injury he suffered a decade ago, how it led him to comedy, what it taught him, and how at the end of the day it's how you respond to life's adversities that determines your character. They cover the grind of feeding the algorithm, how social media can rob you of things that used to be fulfilling, boxing yourself into your own brand and getting stuck there, addictive personalities, the ins and outs of running your own business, struggling with imposter syndrome, and why Drew's mom and Bridget think Yellowstone is so good.  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Comedian, writer & actor Aida Rodriguez stops in to discuss Fighting Words her new special streaming on HBO Max and her desire to give people perspective on what's going on in the world. It's easy to talk to people who think like you and talk like you, Aida hopes to push people outside the bounds of their own experiences and perhaps connect them to others in a new way. She and Bridget discuss the weird time we live in where comedians are held to a higher standard than public officials, why it's impossible and toxic to try to please everyone, why comedians should defend their right to be hyperbolic, and how stand-up saved them both. They also cover how political divisions merely get in the way of actually making changes, why artists can't possible be held responsible for all the different interpretations of their work, the fact that we're so busy policing each other that nothing is getting resolved, and what has helped Aida through the darkest times in her life.  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Katherine Brodsky was doxxed, harrassed and threatened because of a job posting on Facebook. She and Bridget discuss what happened, why she refuses to apologize, how it shifted the way she interacts with the world, and the private messages of support she received from people who were too scared to say anything publicly. They cover the toxicity of cancel culture, the long term effects in can have in your life, how other people's silence makes you feel even more isolated and alone, and how the incident gave Katherine the ability to be honest about where she was politically. They also discuss the importance of primary sources, how difficult it is for an institution to regain trust once it's been lost, the job of comedy in this day and age, Rogan as a gateway podcast, and the etiquette of heckling at a comedy show. Check out Katherine's substack Random Minds . This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show