

Shane Smith Has Questions
VICE News & Studio71
Shane Smith Has Questions is a dynamic, apolitical podcast hosted by Shane Smith dedicated to getting to the bottom of prominent instances of misinformation and disinformation while revealing the fascinating fundamental truths (if there are any?) of the most interesting and convoluted social and political issues of our time.For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com We want to make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4 Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 17, 2025 • 1h 16min
Inside LA’s Wildfire Crisis & Political Fallout ft. Karen Bass | Shane Has Questions | Vice News
When wildfires, homelessness, and immigration collide, Los Angeles becomes a focal point for America’s biggest debates. In this candid, hourlong sitdown, Shane Smith presses L.A. Mayor Karen Bass on everything from her controversial trip to Ghana during the Palisades inferno to the missing billions earmarked for homelessness relief. Bass pulls back the curtain on firedepartment missteps, why she fired the city’s fire chief, and how a thousand unused veteran housing vouchers were finally unlocked.
Along the way, volunteer firefighter and Community Brigade cofounder
Keegan Gibbs joins Shane to recount the night Malibu burned and explains why even the bestequipped departments can be powerless against hurricaneforce winds. Bass lays out her plan to rebuild faster—thanks in part to an unexpected assist from the Trump administration’s Army Corps of Engineers—and reveals a new public/private partnership with developer Rick Caruso and NBA vet JJ Redick to restore a devastated rec center.
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Jul 10, 2025 • 55min
Inside LA’s Fire Disaster & Political Chaos ft. Rick Caruso | Shane Has Questions
Rick Caruso, a prominent real estate developer and philanthropist, discusses the devastating impact of LA's wildfires and the political failures that contributed to the crisis. He reveals how empty ideology and lack of preparedness turned a preventable disaster into chaos. Caruso critiques the insurance collapse and the ongoing homelessness crisis, advocating for a balance of private innovation and public responsibility. With a focus on accountability, he shares his vision for resilient cities and the importance of competent leadership in disaster recovery.

Jun 26, 2025 • 1h 29min
The Spiritual Journey Behind Creativity & Art ft. Rick Rubin | Shane Has Questions | Vice News
Rick Rubin, a legendary record producer known for his minimalist approach, delves into the spiritual roots of creativity. He discusses how art serves as a universal language, connecting us to deeper truths. Rubin shares insights on healing through nature and the significance of intuition, diet, and light on well-being. He highlights AI's limitations in replicating human artistry and emphasizes the importance of embracing complexity in our truths. This conversation weaves together personal experience and profound reflections on the power of artistic expression.

Jun 12, 2025 • 1h 27min
Jordan Peterson on Academia, the New Right, & Saving the West | Shane Has Questions
Join clinical psychologist and author Jordan Peterson as he dives deep into the pitfalls of modern academia and the rise of groupthink. He shares his personal journey through a life-threatening health crisis and the importance of family support. The conversation touches on geopolitics, with a frank discussion on China's influence and the West’s identity crisis. Peterson contrasts sacrifice against hedonism, offering insights on meaningful living, and examines the shifting landscape of U.S. politics, challenging conventional conservatism.

May 29, 2025 • 47min
ICE, Asylum, and Why the Border Crisis Isn’t What You Think
John Sandweg, former acting director of ICE under President Obama, explains why both Republican and Democratic leaders have struggled to manage the border, why immigration reform keeps hitting roadblocks, and what real, workable solutions could actually look like. This conversation goes beyond politics — it reveals the human stories and the complex systems behind immigration.
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May 22, 2025 • 59min
My Life as an Economic Hitman with John Perkins
John Perkins was once an economic hitman — a chief economist helping powerful corporations and governments entrap resource-rich countries in massive debt. Loans disguised as development aid ended up enriching the elite, while ordinary people paid the price.He shares the moment that made him question everything, the “death economy” fueled by short-term greed, and how China is now leading this global game with a new twist. This isn’t just history — it’s the story of how economic power shapes today’s world and what it means for our planet’s future.
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Mar 30, 2025 • 1h 44min
Who will win the Space Race? w/ Ashlee Vance & Jonathan McDowell | Shane Smith Has Questions
Shane Smith sits down with three of the brightest minds pushing humanity’s
final frontier, space. Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, author and space
reporter and documentarian Ashlee Vance, and in-orbit manufacturing pioneer Delian Asparouhov pull back the curtain on the new era of private spaceflight, from cutting-edge rocket tech to factories floating above Earth. It’s a riveting look at how commercial actors, visionary entrepreneurs, and global superpowers are reshaping everything we know—and don’t yet know—about life beyond our planet.
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Mar 24, 2025 • 60min
What are the Next Moves for the Left w/ Faiz Shakir | Shane Smith Has Questions
In a lively discussion, Faiz Shakir, Bernie Sanders' former campaign manager and executive director of More Perfect Union, dives into the rebuilding of the Democratic party. He emphasizes the need for grassroots support and authenticity, while critiquing the big-money influence in politics. They explore the shift from economic justice to identity politics and the significance of media narratives. With a call for new, relatable leadership, Shakir advocates for a movement that prioritizes the working class rather than mere fundraising.

Mar 15, 2025 • 1h 24min
Stock Market Wipe Out Explained | Shane Smith Has Questions
Shane dives deep into today’s economic turbulence with two of the most respected voices in the field: former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and global affairs strategist Ian Bremmer. Together, they unpack how tariffs, shifting global alliances, and stock market jitters are reshaping our economic landscape.
Summers offers an inside view of why tariffs have become such a flashpoint—shedding light on who really pays the price when countries impose or retaliate with higher trade barriers. Bremmer broadens the lens to explain how America’s trade disputes and political brinkmanship ripple across Europe, Asia, and beyond, hinting at bigger power shifts on the horizon. From concerns about inflation and job security to questions over national debt and diplomatic trust, this conversation peels back the layers of political theater to reveal what’s really at stake.
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Mar 5, 2025 • 1h 37min
Bryan Johnson | Shane Smith Has Questions
Shane Smith and tech entrepreneur and biohacker Bryan Johnson—the mastermind behind the burgeoning “Don’t Die” movement and hit Netflix documentary— dissect one of humanity’s oldest obsessions: longevity and the possibility of extending life indefinitely. As Johnson lays out his plan to build a radical new ideology, part religion and part nation-state, he pushes beyond standard ideas about health and longevity. Think hyperbaric oxygen therapy, societal re-engineering, and yes, even measuring the one metric nobody ever talks about—because, according to Johnson, every data point counts when you’re determined to rewrite life’s expiration date.And it’s not just longevity. They also explore reinventing political systems and orchestrating trillion-dollar investments to the ancient mythological warnings against eternal life. Equal parts fearless and futuristic, this episode examines one man’s quest to reshape not only personal health and wellness, but also the framework of society—all in the name of one deceptively simple command: Don’t Die.Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-NewsCheck out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices