The Political Orphanage

Justin Robert Young explains why Kim Kardashian will run for president, why she’ll be an unstoppable media bulldozer when she does, and which political party she’ll swing for.   

George Washington didn’t have a marriage license; why should you? Heaton rants about why the government should get out of the marriage business altogether, along with comedian (and married guy) Tom Brennan. Plus: A brand-new game pits host and guest against each other to see who can be the most feckless partisan!

Former CNN correspondent Chris Moody and his wife Cristi Moody sold all their stuff, outfitted a van, and spent the year driving around America on the cheap with no boss or schedule. They’ve encountered hundreds of other people living off-grid, and join Heaton to talk about what forces Americans to compete in the rat race, and how to escape it.

Comedian Jaron Myers rejoins Heaton to sort out the week’s more obscure headlines, from Venezuelan criminals running out of bullets to Russian communists demanding that HBO redo the "Game of Thrones" finale.

What if dropping bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki isn’t what corked off World War II? How tactically useful are nukes, and how many times have we almost accidentally obliterated ourselves with them? Ward Wilson is the author of “Five Myths About Nuclear Weapons,” and joins Heaton to discuss the stuff about atomic warfare you’ve never considered.

Denver just became the first city in the U.S. to decriminalize hallucinogenic mushrooms, and Oakland, CA, is eyeballing a similar measure. Heaton brings on psilocybin and drug policy expert Mike Riggs of Reason to talk about the concerns of legalizing psychotropic drugs. 

A lone Republican congressman is calling for Trump’s impeachment. Podcaster and magician Brian Brushwood joins Heaton to investigate the case and to make an unrelated call for George Takei to run for Congress.

From human composting to poop-stained checks; from a comedian disbanding the Ukrainian Parliament to a restaurant where you have to bring your own table, the Friday Release Valve brings you the silliest news of the week. Joined by comedian Turner Sparks, Heaton explores the latest headlines.

Are we approaching a time when we will be able to download our consciousness into a computer? If so, what will that do to our lifestyle, economy, etc...? Robin Hanson, author of 'Age of Em', chats with Heaton about the future of the human mind.

Have you seen the term “neoliberal” floating around the political sphere? Has someone ever thrown a tomato at you and insisted you’re a neoliberal shill? Heaton brings on the Executive Director of the Neoliberal project to answer: what the hell is neoliberalism, exactly?