Shows
FruitlessHolding Out for a !Hero (feat. Brian Alford)Christian Rock Summer 2025 continues! On today's episode, Brian Alford (The Worst of All Possible Worlds, @spocksbrian) joined Josiah and Josh to discuss !Hero: The Rock Opera: a 2003 musical attempting to be "Jesus Christ Superstar for the MTV generation," featuring a CCM star-studded cast including Michael Tait, Rebecca St. James, Mark Stuart, and more. Content warning: Today's episode contains a lengthy discussion about the sexual assault allegations that have come out regarding Michael Tait.Follow today's guest on Twitter @spocksbrian and Bluesky @spocksbrian.worstpossible.worldListen to The Worst of All Possible WorldsBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://w...2025-07-232h 41
FruitlessIntro to Christian Rock (feat. Tom O'Mahony)Christian Rock Summer is back for 2025! And this time, we're kicking it off with a more general introduction to the history of Christian rock. On today's episode, Josiah and Josh introduce Tom O'Mahony (@gotitatguineys, Beneath the Skin, Lions Led By Donkeys) to the edgier side of CCM.Follow today's guest on Twitter @gotitatguineys and Bluesky @gotitatguineys.bsky.socialListen to Lions Led By Donkeys and Beneath the SkinBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesIn...2025-07-022h 13
FruitlessIran & the Logic of Escalation (feat. Keanu Heydari)On today's episode, Keanu Heydari joins Josiah to discuss the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran in historical context.Read Keanu’s piece in the New International: https://newintermag.com/iran-israel-the-logic-of-escalation/Follow Keanu on Bluesky @keanuheydari.bsky.socialFind Keanu's work here: https://www.keanuheydari.com/Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZWDsDrQ0XvDQFWzE6s2ggFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesQuote from Ursula von der Leyen about energy markets, https://x.com/v...2025-06-1957 min
FruitlessWeiner SuckedOn today's episode, Jackal, Alien, and Josiah discuss Weiner (2016) and Anthony Weiner's story since the events of the film.Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter & Bluesky @josiahwsutton(.bsky.social)ReferencesWeiner (2016)"ANTHONY WEINER | Scandal, 2016 Election, Hillary Clinton," The Adam Friedland Show on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k2klUR6h9o"Anthony Weiner MELTDOWN," PBD Podcast on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8sKo4KQO-E"Anthony Weiner Addresses Past Se...2025-06-101h 48
FruitlessNick, the Birthday PartyOn today's episode, Caleb, Josh, and Josiah discuss the early work of Nick Cave, The Birthday Party, and a Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds concert that both Caleb and Josiah attended. Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter & Bluesky @josiahwsutton(.bsky.social)ReferencesCaleb's Spotify playlist, https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7bSlCXPulffUmLsTt5ueeT?si=05a7243f0a0c4ed9"Nick Cave's first band was called 'the most violent band in the world,'" QwithTomPower on...2025-05-231h 31
FruitlessThis Conclave is Like Conclave (2024) (feat. Finch)On today's episode, Finch joins Josiah to talk about the 2025 conclave, the Conclave (2024) fandom, and the last few weeks of Vatican news online.Check out Finch's Substack here: https://jmkazmierczak.substack.com/Read Finch's piece "Death and the Archivist" here: https://jmkazmierczak.substack.com/p/death-and-the-archivistFollow Finch on Twitter @santo_pinzon or Bluesky @finchowar.bsky.socialBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZWDsDrQ0XvDQFWzE6s2ggFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferences"Society of...2025-05-131h 14
FruitlessRetvrn to Rome (feat. Tribunate's Gaius)On today's episode, Gaius from Tribunate joins Josiah to talk about Roman history and it's parallels to the present moments. Is the U.S. in a decline like the end of the Roman Republic? Or, perhaps, the end of the Roman Empire? Why are fascists and far right groypers so obsessed with Rome? All this and more.Check out Tribunate on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tribunateSPQRFollow Gaius on Bluesky @gaius.bsky.socialBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZWDsDrQ0XvDQFWzE6s2ggFind more...2025-04-291h 20
Fruitless[Preview] You Are a CinemaTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/126664485On today's episode, Alien, Josh, and Josiah turn up the dubstep, shotgun their Monster energy drinks, and get party rocking as they talk about Spring Breakers (2012) and the cinematic universe of Harmony Korine, as well as take a brief detour into the work and influence of Skrillex on American pop culture.Music by SHADE08 and Skrillex
★ Support this podcast on...2025-04-1510 min
FruitlessAmused to Death (feat. Phil Christman)On today's episode, Phil Christman joins Josiah to discuss Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. They explore Postman's intellectual trajectory and legacy, as well as the broader media ecology movement. Did Postman predict Donald Trump? Is Postman a conservative? Would Postman have liked podcasts? All this and more on today's episode.Phil Christman's previous appearance on Fruitless: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e49b23bcPre-order Why Christians Should Be Leftists here: https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802884053/why-christians-should-be-leftists/Check out Phil Christman's Substack The Tourist: https://philipchristman.substack.com/Follow Phil on Bluesky @philipchristman.bsky.socialBecome a...2025-04-012h 01
Fruitless[Preview] The Body, The Blood, The Plagues (MX #11)THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/125236565Josh and I discuss Plagues Upon Plagues by Sect and The Body, The Blood, The Machine by The Thermals. Also Josiah is sick.Music by Sect, The Thermals, and SHADE08
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2025-03-2711 min
FruitlessPierce the Snow (feat. Jacob Dallas-Main)On today's episode, Jacob Dallas-Main (The Socialist Shelf) joins Josiah to talk about Bong Joon Ho's masterpiece about how to wage class war on a big train, Snowpiercer (2013).Check out The Socialist Shelf: https://www.socialistshelf.com/Follow The Socialist Shelf on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/socialistshelf.bsky.socialBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonMusic & audio creditsSentimental - Dan DarmawanYesterday – bloom.In My Dreams – bloom
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2025-03-191h 19
Fruitless[Preview] SportsballTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/124223975Imagine the title of this episode being said in the most annoying voice possible. Like, imagine the nerd emoji saying it. On today's episode, Nate Thiessen asks Josiah about his recent conversion to Sports Guy over the past year. We talk soccer, NFL, college football, and a bit of baseball.Music by SHADE08
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2025-03-1210 min
FruitlessKnot IowanOn today's episode, Alien (aka Stewie Griffin DJ), Josh, and Josiah discuss Iowa by Slipknot, the impact Slipknot had on the Des Moines music scene, and the whole phenomenon of nu metal. Follow today's guest on Bluesky @stewiegriffindj.bsky.socialBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter & Bluesky @josiahwsutton(.bsky.social)ReferencesIowa by SlipknotMetal reference points, Spotify Playlist by Alien, https://open.spotify.com/playlist/51ZEXeFuBuRaNc5fxJZyNG?si=650f89044f644bf4Metal reference poi...2025-03-101h 45
FruitlessLets Rock and Roll, America!!!Jackal and Josiah catch up on some current events. We discuss recent anti-trans legislation in Iowa and the chaos of the first few weeks of the second Trump admin before catching back up with our good friend, Eric Adams.Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesThumbnail from AP News, taken by Charlie Neibergal, https://apnews.com/article/iowa-civil-rights-code-gender-identity-cf68d2183210133b15a47e526ad2fb0d"Iowa City City Council candidate Oliver Weilein is...2025-02-281h 19
Fruitless[Preview] Blue Valentine as Needed for Pain (MX #10)THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/123027149Josh and I discuss Take as Needed for Pain by Eyehategod and Blue Valentine by Tom Waits. Also Josiah is watching the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Music by Eyehategod, Tom Waits, and SHADE08
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2025-02-2510 min
FruitlessNormalmaxxing (feat. AJ)On today's episode, AJ (@normalmaxxedajc) joins Josiah to teach you all how to be normal about sex, politics, and the internet.Check out Normalmaxxing here: https://normalmaxxing.substack.com/Follow AJ on Twitter @normalmaxxedajc and Bluesky @normalmaxxedajc.bsky.socialCheck out AJ's previous episode of Fruitless here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/297ea2a7Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonMu...2025-02-181h 28
Fruitless[Preview] Death Drive Death Drive Death DriveTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/121046053Josh and Josiah discuss American politics and the wonderful highs and lows of having a body. Also Josh keeps buying Doom.Music by SHADE08
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2025-01-2907 min
FruitlessAutism & Christianity (feat. Jon from Christianity on the Spectrum)Jon from Christianity on the Spectrum (@ChristianityOn) joins Josiah to discuss his research into the relationship between autistic individuals and Christianity. They discuss why autistic people tend to leave Christianity as well as what many find compelling about the faith. They also discuss a few surprising results that Jon found in his data.Check out Christianity on the Spectrum here: https://christianityonthespectrum.podbean.com/Follow Jon on Twitter @ChristianityOn or Bluesky @christianityon.bsky.socialBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTube...2025-01-221h 17
Fruitless[Preview] He's Lost ControlTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/120294489Caleb (@theboghog) joins Josiah to discuss Control (2007), Joy Division, and the life and work of Ian Curtis.Music by SHADE08 & Joy Division
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2025-01-1910 min
FruitlessWelcome to 2025On today's episode, Josh, James (@cigarette_liker), and Caleb (@theboghog) join Josiah to welcome in the new year by hanging out, making some vague predictions about the coming year, sharing some resolutions, and then talking about escaping the imminent catastrophe through table top RPGs, video games, and sports.Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonRecommendations"Silly Little Game," 30 for 30, S1E11"The History of...2025-01-131h 43
Fruitless[Preview] The Destiel CoupTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/118549470Against Josiah's will, the subject of Supernatural returns as Finch brings Jackal and Caleb back to discuss Destiel and how the internet is bad. Josiah only allows this coup d'état of his beloved podcast in the spirit of the holiday and because he is incredibly generous to his friends, but has issued an official ban on the topic of Supernatural going f...2024-12-2310 min
FruitlessBlue Christmas (feat. Phil Cozzi)Phil Cozzi joins Josiah to get in the holiday spirit and discuss The Holdovers (2023) and having a bad time around Christmas.Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonMusic & audio creditsSilver Joy - Damien JuradoYesterday – bloom.In My Dreams – bloomGod Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - David Bazan
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2024-12-221h 40
FruitlessThey're Ready to Go Home (feat. Amelia Schafer)Amelia Schafer (@ameliaschafers, Rapid City Journal) returns to discuss her recent investigation into a South Dakota boarding school and the thirty-eight graves that were uncovered last year.Follow today’s guest on Twitter @ameliaschafers and Bluesky @ameliaschafer.bsky.social.Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonDonateIndian Country Today, to fund more nonprofit journalism like the work Amelia did, https://ictnews.fundjournalism.org/donate/COUP Council, https://coupcouncil.org/donate.Frie...2024-12-071h 01
FruitlessCircular Economy of Head Trauma (feat. Tom O'Mahony)Tom O'Mahony (@gotitatguineys, Beneath the Skin, Lions Led By Donkeys) joins Josiah and Josh to discuss hardcore as a genre and a social movement. They do a crash course of the history of the genre and talk about why it rules.Shout out to Bobby: @OnlyOnTuesday_s on Twitter, @OnlyOnTuesdays.bsky.social on BlueskyShout out to KenoShout out to Budang and EstorvoFollow today's guest on Twitter @gotitatguineys and Bluesky @gotitatguineys.bsky.socialListen to Lions Led By Donkeys and Beneath the SkinBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141...2024-11-281h 29
Fruitless[Preview] Exterminate All Rational ThoughtTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/115934204Okay, look. This episode is technically about Naked Lunch (1991), but it's mostly Alien and Josiah having a mental breakdown about the election while listening to Death Grips, and also there's some questions about Rivers Cuomo's sexuality.Music by SHADE08
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2024-11-1410 min
FruitlessBittersweet 50On today’s episode, Josh, James (@cigarette_liker), and Jake the Lawyer join Josiah in celebrating 50 years of Fruitless. That’s right: it’s the 50th episode. We reflect on the past few years of the show, go on a number of rabbit trails, and also address the election results (hence the "bittersweet"). Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonMusic & audio creditsTrump Song (En...2024-11-112h 10
Fruitless[Preview] The Weird, the Other, & the IncomprehensibleTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/114640806Closing out horror month, Jackal and Josiah discuss the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, specifically The Shadow over Innsmouth and At the Mountains of Madness. We all know Lovecraft was a massive racist, and that he is also one of the most influential horror writers of all time. On today's episode, we discuss why his work still resonates with us despite it's...2024-10-3110 min
FruitlessThe 9/11 Girlboss (feat. Vita Breva)Horror month continues! This week, Vita Breva (@vitabreva) joins Jackal and Josiah to discuss Jennifer's Body (2009). We discuss the movie's poor contemporary reception and later reappraisal, the film's exploration of feminism, sexuality, and the post-911 era, the attempted character assassination of Megan Fox, as well as Vita's Girardian read on the film. Follow today's guest on Twitter @vitabrevaFollow today's guest on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/vitabreva/Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: ht...2024-10-231h 39
FruitlessDanzigologyAlt title: Despite Looking Like an Ogre, Danzig Does Not Have LayersHorror Month at Fruitless continues! This week, Caleb Sutton (@theboghog) joins Jackal and Josiah to discuss Misfits and the king of horror punk, Glenn Danzig. Please listen, I suffered through Verotika (2019) for this one. Follow today's guest on Twitter @theboghog or also on Twitter @clebsootenFollow today's guest on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/csutton2/Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesC...2024-10-152h 05
FruitlessDon't Torture Donald Duck (feat. Jesse Hawken)It's Horror Month at Fruitless, and we're kicking it off with some Italian horror. Jesse Hawken (@jessehawken, Junk Filter) joins Josiah and Jackal to discuss Don't Torture a Duckling (1972), Lucio Fulci's rural giallo about a string of child murders happening in a small Italian village. We discuss Catholicism, modernity, and Disney in Italy. Content warning: discussion of sexual violence and pedophilia.Follow today's guest on Twitter @jessehawken and Bluesky @jessehawken.bsky.socialCheck out Junk Filter: https://patreon.com/junkfilterBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of J...2024-10-071h 21
Fruitless...And Forgive Them Their Debts (Bookclub #6)This is the sixth installment of the Fruitless Bookclub, a show-within-a-show, featuring Chris Barker and Jake the Lawyer, where we read all those nonfiction books we've been meaning to read. Today's episode is about ...And Forgive Them Their Debts: Lending, Foreclosure, and Redemption From Bronze Age Finance to the Jubilee Year by Michael Hudson. We're talking debt forgiveness! We're talking bronze age names that we can't pronounce! And we're talking about how a lot of modern political and religious concepts originate in bronze age practices that are now uniformly rejected by our institutions and their weird Austrian economists. Come...2024-10-042h 36
FruitlessGreatest City in the World, BabyJackal and Josiah catch up on some current events before we launch into Horror Month in October. We discuss an article about the LAPD conducting a pot raid, Mark Robinson's "black Nazi" scandal, Israel's attack on Lebanon, and the fearmonger over Haitian immigrants before zooming in on the indictment of Eric Adams and why being the Mayor of New York is a curse.Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferences"LAPD raid goes fr...2024-09-301h 59
Fruitless[Preview] Gemstones #3. We Can Finally Play the VictimTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/112681845Joseph (@gross_online) joins Josiah, Josh, and James (@cigarette_liker) to finally accomplish the dream of having four J names on one episode, and also to discuss the most recent season of The Righteous Gemstones. Shout out to monster trucks.Music by The Righteous Gemstones & SHADE08
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2024-09-2510 min
FruitlessThe Sutton Brothers RegressAlt title: The Iconic Movie Where John Goodman Voices a ParrotWith the help of neutral observer, Kelli (@Kellitoris444), Josiah and Caleb (@theboghog) meet their inner child by watching a forgotten Australian adventure film from the 90s where a parrot helps a young boy find treasure: The Real Macaw (1998).Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonMusic & audio creditsYesterday – bloom.Treasure in You (Conti/Saltzman), performed by Rod Davies
★ Support this podcas...2024-09-181h 45
FruitlessGemstones #1. Protestant ComedyOn today's episode, James C. Liker (@cigarette_liker), Josh Christianson, and Josiah are running through the house with a pickle in their mouth to kick off a series of episodes on The Righteous Gemstones. This month, we discuss the first season and introduce the show; over the next months or two, we'll be discussing the rest of the show on the Patreon.Follow James on Twitter @cigarette_liker // Bluesky @cigaretteliker.bsky.socialBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twi...2024-08-271h 47
FruitlessSupernatural SpoilersAlt title: Getting Queerbaited by God. Note: We will be spoiling this whole show.Caleb (@theboghog) tries to explain Supernatural to Josiah and Jackal by throwing them into the deep end: the big God reveal.Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesSupernatural, S11E20, "Don't Call Me Shurley."Supernatural, S11E21, "All in the Family.""Lecture 3. The Hebrew Bible in Its Ancient Near Eastern Setting: Genesis 1-4 in Context," Ya...2024-08-191h 52
FruitlessThe Vibe Shift (feat. Jack Mirkinson)On today's episode, Jack Mirkinson (@jackmirkinson, The Nation, Discourse Blog) joins Josiah to discuss the "vibe shift" in electoral politics over the past two months from Biden dropping out to the Veepstakes. In a lot of left wing circles, there seems to be a real resurgence of hope, but does this vibe shift represent anything different for Gaza?Follow Jack Mirkinson on Twitter @jackmirkinson // Bluesky @jackmirkinson.bsky.socialFind more of Jack's work in The Nation: https://www.thenation.com/authors/jack-mirkinson/Check out Discourse Blog: https://www.discourseblog.com/Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com...2024-08-131h 33
Fruitless[Preview] A Worshipful Encore (feat. Nathan Thiessen)THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/worshipful-109038929It's August now, but Fruitless is still stuck in Christian Rock Summer for one little encore. Nate Thiessen (@NateT93) joins Josiah to discuss his time playing worship bands, the weird business of CCLI, and the connection between his evangelical background and his career as a rock musician.Music by SHADE08
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2024-08-0105 min
Fruitless[Preview] The Saint of CCM: Rich MullinsTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/saint-of-ccm-108989125Here it is: the fifth and final episode of Christian Rock Summer, a month long exploration of the fringes of Christian music with Josh Christianson joining Josiah as co-host.Today, we are wrapping up with the king of CCM: Rich Mullins. Focusing primarily on his life and his saint-like role in the world of worship music, we discuss Mullins...2024-07-2909 min
FruitlessConfessions of a Worship Leader (feat. Kim Hensley)It's Christian Rock Summer! This is the fourth episode in a month long exploration of the fringes of Christian music with Josh Christianson joining Josiah as co-host. However, we're pivoting away from rock and roll in the second half of the month to focus our hearts and minds on the Lord. We're talking worship music.On today's episode, Kim Hensley joins Josh and Josiah to talk about her time as a worship leader. We talk about her education in music ministry, the politics and business of large evangelical churches, and why Kim ultimately left. Become a F...2024-07-222h 19
FruitlessIf We Burn (Bookclub #5)Taking a brief* intermission from Christian Rock Summer, this is the fifth installment of the Fruitless Bookclub, a show-within-a-show, featuring Chris Barker and Jake the Lawyer, where we read all those nonfiction books we've been meaning to read. Today's episode is about If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution by Vincent Bevins. We talk about Occupy, the Arab Spring, Euromaidan, and so many other massive, spontaneous political movements during the 2010s that, ultimately, ended in defeat. Why did this happen? And what can we learn from the decade of mass protest? *the longest e...2024-07-153h 23
FruitlessThe Bad Christians: Emery (feat. Nathan Thiessen)It's Christian Rock Summer! This is the second episode in a month long exploration of the fringes of Christian music with Josh Christianson joining Josiah as co-host. We're talking "not a Christian band, just Christians in a band." We're talking Christianity being more of a relationship than a religion. On today's episode, Nathan Thiessen (@NateT93) joins Josh and Josiah to talk about the post-hardcore band, Emery, and the podcast it gave birth to: Bad Christian. They discuss the band's role in the world of Christian alternative music, the complex relationship with purity culture in their early lyrics, a...2024-07-082h 23
FruitlessExtreme Youth Group Energy: The Chariot (feat. James)It's Christian Rock Summer! This is the beginning of a month long exploration of the fringes of Christian music with Josh Christianson joining Josiah as co-host. We're talking "not a Christian band, just Christians in a band." We're talking Christianity being more of a relationship than a religion. On today's episode, James (@cigarette_liker) joins Josh and Josiah to discuss the hardcore/metalcore/mathcore band, The Chariot, and its charismatic front man, Josh Scogin. They discuss the band's discography, their notorious live shows, what made them unique at the time, and whether or not there is a p...2024-07-012h 10
Fruitless[Unlocked] You Should Watch Scavengers ReignHey everyone! Something came up and so I won't be able to release another free episode in June. To make up for that, I'm releasing this Patreon episode to the main feed. If you want a bit more detail, you can check out this Patreon post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/defeat-107021276 I kind of regretted pay-walling this one anyway, especially since I want to spread the word about this wonderful show. So enjoy! Jackal joins Josiah to discuss the animated New Weird series, Scavengers Reign and, ultimately, pitch you all on watching it. They...2024-06-281h 16
Fruitless[Preview] You Should Watch Scavengers ReignTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/106824916Jackal joins Josiah to discuss the animated New Weird series, Scavengers Reign and, ultimately, pitch you all on watching it. They try to avoid spoilers as they discuss body and environmental horror, the influence of Jeff VanderMeer, the return of working class sci-fi, and also a little bit about AI, Starfield, and the Gaia Hypothesis.Music by SHADE082024-06-2505 min
FruitlessHell is a World Without You (feat. Jason Kirk)Josiah is joined by Jason Kirk (@jasonkirk_fyi, Shutdown Fullcast, VBS Podcast) to discuss his novel, Hell is a World Without You, as well as growing up evangelical, the world of Christian alternative music, and the good news of universalism.Follow Jason Kirk on Twitter @JasonKirk_fyi // Bluesky @Jasonkirk.fyi // Instagram @Jasonkirk.fyiJason Kirk's newsletter: https://www.jasonkirk.fyi/More of Jason's work: https://linktr.ee/jasonkirkBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonAudio & visual cr...2024-06-201h 09
FruitlessFighting the Food Barons (feat. Caitlin Golle & Julie Duhn)Josiah is joined by two members of Iowa CCI: Caitlin Golle, a farming & environment community organizer with the organization, and Julie Duhn, a board member who joined CCI to combat the construction of a factory farm in her town of Eldora, IA. We discuss the impact of factory farming and pipelines on the state, particularly their impact on the water quality, as well as the work CCI is doing to fight corporate power in rural communities.Follow Iowa CCI on Twitter @IowaCCI // Facebook @IowaCCILearn more about Iowa CCI: https://www.iowacci.org/Become a Fruitless Patron here: https...2024-05-301h 07
FruitlessFood Barons (feat. Austin Frerick)Austin Frerick joins Josiah to discuss his book, Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry and the politics of food production in Iowa and around the country.Follow Austin on Twitter @AustinFrerick // Facebook @AustinFrerickFind more of Austin's work: https://www.austinfrerick.comBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferences"The Hog Barons," Austin Frerick in Vox, https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/22344953/iowa-select-jeff-hansen-pork-farmingBarons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry by...2024-05-221h 25
Fruitless[Preview] Veggies, Derechos, & SteelTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/veggies-derechos-103210759Chris Barker and Josiah talk about "environmental history." We talk a bit about Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond, the ecology of the Midwest, and how vegetables are a technology. This is a pretty casual episode, mostly just to introduce a few themes to the show going forward. Music by SHADE08
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2024-04-2908 min
FruitlessDrawing Dinosaurs (feat. Tyler Stone)Tyler Stone (@TylerStoneArt) joins Josiah to discuss his work as a freelance paleoartist. Paleoart (scientific illustration of prehistoric life) is a field with an interesting relationship between art and hard sciences. They discuss this relationship and the nitty gritty of the business side of paleoart, before delving into the challenges of being a science communicator in a field that attracts conspiracy theories, and how AI image generation is impacting the field.Follow Tyler on Twitter @TylerStoneArt // TikTok @TylerStoneArt // Instagram @TylerStoneArtFind more of Tyler's work: https://tylerstoneart.wordpress.comBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141...2024-04-222h 03
FruitlessShared Dreams (feat. Wes Klingele)Wesley Klingele (@MannnMiami) joins Josiah to discuss his new short film, Somnium, and the artistic themes he finds compelling. They talk about dreams, coming of age in your 20s, how religion and spirituality intersects with film, slow cinema vs. montage, and Wes' connection to the Pacific Northwest. Special thanks to Phil Cozzi for providing the microphone I used in today's episode and going forward.You can watch Wes' short experimental film, Cortex, here on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/838056217. DM him directly for a screener of Somnium or wait until it's publicly available. Follow Wes on Twitter @Ma...2024-04-181h 21
FruitlessRamp Hollow (Bookclub #4)This is the fourth installment of the Fruitless Bookclub, a show-within-a-show, featuring Chris Barker and Jake the Lawyer, where we read all those nonfiction books we've been meaning to read. Today's episode is about Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia by Steven Stoll. We talk peasants. We talk agrarians. We talk about peasants and agrarians getting destroyed by industry. We take a closer look at rural class dynamics and the history of the Appalachians. This is probably the longest episode of Fruitless yet. Sorry.Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check...2024-04-092h 44
FruitlessKaufman for LentAlien aka Stewie Griffin DJ joins Josiah to discuss Synecdoche, New York and whether or not life is worth living. Happy Good Friday!Follow today's guest on Bluesky @stewiegriffindj.bsky.socialBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter & Bluesky @josiahwsutton(.bsky.social)ReferencesSynecdoche, New York (2008), directed by Charlie Kaufman.'Waiting for God in the Dark Night of the Soul: On Peter Rollins' Atheism fo...2024-03-291h 25
Fruitless[Preview] HogcastTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/101162953Josiah catches up with his brother, Caleb aka The Bog Hog. We talk about what we've been watching and listening to, and get a little into the history of punk, post-punk, folk punk, surf rock, and emo. We also spoil Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, and Train to Busan, and then have a conversation about blood donation....2024-03-2709 min
Fruitless[Preview] Ukraine RevisitedTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/101034575Chris Barker returns to talk to Josiah about the war in Ukraine, reflect on the episode they did about the conflict in 2022, see what ways their views have changed in the following two years, and discuss the other global conflicts that have been impacted by the war in Ukraine. Music by SHADE08
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2024-03-2508 min
FruitlessA Hollywood in Our Backyard (feat. Will Sloan)Josiah is joined by Will Sloan (@WillSloanEsq, Important Cinema Club, Michael & Us) to discuss Motern Media and the artistic philosophy of Matt Farley and Charles Roxburgh. Follow today’s guest on Twitter.Check out the Important Cinema Club and Michael & UsBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesThe Paperboy (1999), directed by Matt Farley & Charles RoxburghSammy (2002), directed by Charles RoxburghAdventures in Cruben Country (2002), directed by Matt...2024-03-161h 11
FruitlessThe Puffy Chair (feat. AJ Ditty)Josiah is joined by AJ Ditty (@thefuzzymask, The Worst of All Possible Worlds) to discuss The Puffy Chair (2005) and how Mumblecore can actually be pretty good sometimes. Follow today’s guest on Twitter.Check out The Worst of All Possible WorldsBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesThe Puffy Chair (2005), directed by Jay Duplass"'The Puffy Chair' Tells the Story of a Trip to Atla...2024-02-271h 49
FruitlessSociety of the Snow (feat. Finch)Josiah is joined by Finch (@santo_pinzon, Mammonburg) to talk about Society of the Snow (2023) and the discourse around the film in the Spanish-speaking world.Finch’s essay about the film and Catholic spirituality on Substack: https://jmkazmierczak.substack.com/p/a-voice-cries-out-in-the-wildernessFollow today's guest on Twitter @santo_pinzonCheck out Finch's Substack here: https://jmkazmierczak.substack.com/Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter & Bluesky @josi...2024-02-121h 23
Fruitless[Unlocked] It's a Damn Documentary! (feat. James)This is an unlocked episode from the Fruitless Patreon, originally published 1/12/2024. Enjoy!James (@cigarette_liker) joins Josiah to talk about Idiocracy (2006). Yes, it's a eugenicist movie. Yes, it is a product of the smug, upper class liberalism of the Bush years, and it was popular during the resurgence of that sentiment during the Trump years. But what does it mean now? And is it funny?Follow today's guest on Twitter @cigarette_liker and on Bluesky @cigarettelikerReferencesIdiocracy (2006), directed by Mike Judge.Office Space (1999), directed by Mike Judge.Mike Judge on...2024-02-091h 36
FruitlessThe End of the End of History (feat. Luke Savage)Josiah is joined by Luke Savage (@LukewSavage, Michael & Us, Jacobin) to reflect on the last fifteen years of U.S. electoral politics in light of the current election year: the failures of the Obama administration, the hyperpolitics of the Trump administration, and the attempted 'return to normalcy' of Biden's first term. Follow today's guest on Twitter @LukewSavageCheck out Michael & Us here: https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-usLuke Savage in Jacobin: https://jacobin.com/author/luke-savageBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind...2024-02-071h 21
Fruitless[Unlocked] How America Got Obsessed With Israel (feat. Keanu Heydari)After some positive reception, I've decided to release this Patreon episode from 12/18/2023 to the free feed as a resource. Enjoy!Keanu Heydari returns to teach Josiah the strange history of Christian Zionism and the story of how the United States became obsessed with Israel.Follow today’s guest on Twitter, and remember to check out his podcast and his website.Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on T...2024-01-171h 02
Fruitless[Preview] It’s a Damn Documentary! (feat. James Eric)THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/96317794EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-america-got-94875928James Eric (@cigarette_liker) joins Josiah to talk about the comedy/documentary Idiocracy (2006). Yes, it's a eugenicist movie. Yes, it is a product of the smug, upper class liberalism of the Bush years, and it was popular during the resurgence of that sentiment during the Trump years. But what does it mean now? And is it funny?Music by SHADE082024-01-1310 min
FruitlessMorbid Symptoms (feat. Jesse D. Goodman)Josiah is joined by Jesse Goodman (@platofan402, Post-Cultural Amnesiac) to discuss 2023. Beginning with a focus on 2023 in personal media consumption, the conversation evolves into a broader discuss of the anecdotal "vibe shift," the sense of living in a hyperpolitical age, and the difficulty of talking about film or art while genocide and war unfolds in the background. Correction: I (Josiah) briefly discuss the strange Osama Bin Laden going viral on TikTok situation and suggest that we will eventually find out who is behind that. We already have. It was Yashar Ali who platformed it. Follow...2024-01-081h 52
FruitlessChildren of Men, or The Fruitless Christmas SpecialIt's the Fruitless Christmas special. Chris Barker and Alien (aka Stewie Griffin DJ) join Josiah to discuss Children of Men (2006), the incredible craft behind the film, and the politics of hope and futurity. Become a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter & Bluesky @josiahwsuttonReferencesChildren of Men (2006), directed by Alfonso Cuarón.Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? by Mark FisherThe Possibility of Hope, an archival doc...2023-12-302h 00
FruitlessHow Europe Underdeveloped Africa (Bookclub #3)This is the third installment of the Fruitless Bookclub, a show-within-a-show, featuring Chris Barker and Jake the Lawyer, where we read all those nonfiction books we've been meaning to read. Today's episode is about How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter RodneyNext month: Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia by Steven StollBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonOther references"Reconsidering a Cl...2023-12-202h 05
FruitlessPREVIEW: How America Got Obsessed With Israel (feat. Keanu Heydari)THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-america-got-94875928Keanu Heydari returns to teach Josiah the strange history of Christian Zionism and the story of how the United States became obsessed with Israel.Music by SHADE082023-12-1808 min
FruitlessThe Home Town Curse (feat. Brian Alford)Josiah is joined by Brian Alford (@SpocksBrian) from The Worst of All Possible Worlds to discuss HGTV's Home Town, the Napier family, and Laurel, Mississippi, alongside Showtime's new series, The Curse. Follow today’s guest on Twitter.Check out The Worst of All Possible WorldsBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonReferencesThe Curse, Showtime. Season 1, Episodes 1 - 5 are out at time of recording.Reddit thre...2023-12-131h 45
Fruitless[Preview] Leanin' in Rapid (feat. Evan Sand)THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/94255461Josiah is joined by his college roommate, Evan Sand, to reminisce about the good old days. And also discuss life in Des Moines, IA and Rapid City, SD after graduating college during a pandemic.Music by SHADE08
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2023-12-0712 min
FruitlessIndian Country in Present Tense (feat. Amelia Schafer)Amelia Schafer (Indian Country Today, Rapid City Journal) joins Josiah to discuss her reporting on indigenous affairs in South Dakota, and the issues facing Indian Country, particularly the Pine Ridge Reservation.Follow today’s guest on Twitter, and remember to check out her work here.Find more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonDonateCOUP Council, https://coupcouncil.org/donate.Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation, https://friendsofpineridgereservation.org/projects.One Spirit, https://www.onespiritlakota.org/donate.Native American Heritage Association, https://www.naha-inc.org/donate.R...2023-11-301h 08
Fruitless[Preview] Content With AlienTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/93631193On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, Josiah catches up with Alien aka Stevie Griffin DJ. Discussion topics include sports, Matt Johnson, Italian exploitation movies, Max Landis, Armond White, early silent film, Béla Tarr, Wang Bing, cop shows, movies being too long, animated kids movies, Harmony Korine, Dogma 95, Charlie Kaufman, and Next (2007).Music by SHADE08
★ Support this podcast on Pat...2023-11-2710 min
FruitlessIsrael-Palestine (feat. Keanu Heydari)Keanu Heydari joins Josiah to discuss the history of Palestine, Zionism, and the state of Israel in light of the war in Gaza. As always, he is incredibly insightful.Follow today’s guest on Twitter, and remember to check out his podcast and his website.Find more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonResourcesThe Israel-Palestine Conflict: A History by James L. GelvinExcept for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics by Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell PlitnickThe Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colo...2023-11-141h 27
Fruitless[Preview] Iowa Democrats vs. Palestinian Solidarity (feat. Justin Comer & Gavin Aronsen)THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/iowa-democrats-92538451Justin Comer (Rock Hard Caucus) and Gavin Aronsen (Iowa Informer) join Josiah to discuss the Iowa Democratic Party's attack on University of Iowa Democrats after they issued a statement supporting Palestine. While this is a local Iowan story, it's also a case study in a broader trend of liberals attacking Palestinian solidarity, both on campuses and in their own ranks, especially...2023-11-0909 min
Fruitless[Preview] The Fruitless Halloween SpecialTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/fruitless-91915168Josiah and Jackal open up the Discord voice channel to take calls from former Fruitless guests, Phil Cozzi and Jake the Lawyer. They talk about horror and try to get Josiah into anime. This episode is brought to you by Cloverfield.Music by SHADE08
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2023-10-3008 min
FruitlessSlit-Mouthed Worms from the Lost DecadeCW: some discussion of suicide and abortionJackal joins Josiah to discuss J-Horror. Specifically Noroi: The Curse (2005) and Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 01 - Operation Capture the Slit-Mouthed Woman (2012), as well as The Worst of All Possible World’s fantastic video essay on Pulse (2001). They discuss the impact of the Lost Decade on the development of J Horror and the similarities that era in Japan has with the present United States, as well as J Horror's long term impact on horror.For more Jackal, check out Mammonburg and The Good Apples.Become a Fr...2023-10-281h 48
Fruitless[Preview] The Last ExorcismTHIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/last-exorcism-91719689Josh Christianson joins Josiah to discuss The Last Exorcism (2010) and The Last Exorcism Part II (2013), which means that we are not, in fact, taking a break from the subject of evangelicalism in October like we thought. Also a discussion about how the world feels like it's ending right now.Music by SHADE08
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2023-10-2604 min
FruitlessLate Victorian Holocausts (Bookclub #2)This is the second installment of the Fruitless Bookclub (Chris didn't like it being called the Barker Bookclub), a show-within-a-show where we read all those nonfiction books we've been meaning to read. Today's episode is about Late Victorian Holocausts by Mike Davis.Next month: How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter RodneyBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonMusicYesterday – bloom.2023-10-231h 38
FruitlessWNUF Halloween Special (feat. Spike Stonehand)Spike Stonehand (aka Stephen) joins Josiah to talk about WNUF Halloween Special (2013) and what makes a found footage movie good. They also compare and contrast found footage genre with Dogme 95, Mumblecore, mockumentaries, and various social realist film movements.Other films discussed: Blair Witch Project, Man Bites Dog, Cannibal Holocaust, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Deadstream, Deadware, V/H/S, Creep, Lake Mungo, SavagelandFollow Stephen on Bluesky @spikestonehandCheck out Stephen's work, Divining Comics at SpikeStonehand.comYou can find WNUF Halloween Special here: https://wnuf.bigcartel.com/product/wnuf-halloween-special-blu-ray Become a...2023-10-181h 33
Fruitless[Preview] Homeschooled Evangelical (feat. Leo Dickenson)THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/89570963Leo Dickenson joins Josiah to wrap up Christian Girl Fall (Evangelicalism month at Fruitless) by talking about growing up as an evangelical homeschooler, the strange relationship to sexuality this environment fostered, the way homeschooling helps and hinders those who are neurodivergent, and the focus on aesthetics over coherent faith or morality that characterizes much of the homeschooled evangelical world. This is a...2023-09-2015 min
Fruitless[VLVC Repost] Making Up a Guy (feat. Leo Dickenson)Hello! This is a reposted episode from a previous podcast I used to do called Very Legal, Very Cool. I'm reposting this episode as a way of introducing Leo Dickenson to the Fruitless canon since he'll be appearing on a Patreon episode I will be releasing within the next week. Enjoy.Originally posted 4/5/2021You can find a link to the Very Legal, Very Cool archive here.Intro music by SHADE08Original show notesIn today's episode, Leo (@LCDickens) joins Josiah to talk about the discourse: Lil Nas X, Dr. Seuss, "cancel...2023-09-191h 32
Fruitless[Preview] Hardcore Evangelical (feat. Josh Christianson)THIS IS A PREVIEW. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK OUT FRUITLESS ON PATREON HERE: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141EPISODE ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/posts/hardcore-89265282Josh Christianson joins Josiah to reflect on Fruitless' Christian Girl Fall kick-off (the last two public episodes about evangelicalism). They talk a lot about evangelicalism's relationship to emotions, their personal relationship with music, the sense of living in the end times, and all sorts of other super personal stuff with juicy details that you only get if you support the show...2023-09-1408 minFruitlessClimate Apocalypticism and Evangelicalism (feat. Tad Delay)Josiah and Josh Christianson are joined by philosopher and psychoanalyst, Tad Delay, to discuss his book Against: What Does the White Evangelical Want? and his upcoming book Future of Denial: The Ideologies of Climate Change, focusing particularly on evangelicalism's relationship with climate denial.Follow Tad Delay on Twitter @taddelay or on BlueSky @taddelayCheck out more on Tad Delay's work at taddelay.comBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFo...2023-09-081h 10Fruitless"Secular Media" and American Loneliness (feat. Josh Boerman)Josiah is joined by Josh Boerman (@boshj) from The Worst of All Possible Worlds to discuss growing up Reformed and evangelical, discovering "secular media," the general loneliness of American life that makes church attractive, and the way Trump broke the brains of so many evangelicals.Follow today’s guest on Twitter.Check out The Worst of All Possible WorldsBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonMusic & audi...2023-09-011h 17
FruitlessThe Basque History of the World (Bookclub #1)Today's episode is the first installation of the Barker Bookclub (Maybe. Name pending.), a show-within-a-show where Chris Barker and Josiah read nonfiction books they've been meaning to read. In today's episode, Chris and Josiah are also joined by Chimera to discuss The Basque History of the World by Mark Kurlansky. Next book: Late Victorian Holocausts by Mike DavisBecome a Fruitless Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=11922141Check out Fruitless on YouTubeFind more of Josiah’s work here: https://linktr.ee/josiahwsuttonFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton...2023-08-221h 24FruitlessTo Tradition and Back (feat. Joseph)Josiah is joined by Joseph (@Gross_Online) to learn a bit about the Evangelical Orthodox Church and discuss the role of the Orthodox Church in America, before turning to a more personal conversation about Joseph's eventual choice not to convert to Orthodoxy, and the role traditions we almost join have in our spiritual lives.ReferenceTurning to Tradition: Converts and the Making of an American Orthodox Church by D. Oliver Herbel Follow today’s guest on Twitter.Find more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonMu...2022-12-311h 05FruitlessThe Springtime of the Peoples (feat. Chris Barker)Josiah is joined by his first return guest, Chris Barker, to discuss the revolutions of 1848. While the string of revolutions that rocked Europe over the year were ultimately a failure, their legacy lived on and shaped the way modern politics developed. This is the year nationalism became a real political force. This is the year Marx wrote the Communist Manifesto. The ripple effects from this event would stretch everywhere and the conversation goes all over the place because of that, from abolitionists in the U.S. to the Hungarian revolt against the soviets in 1956. Beyond that though, this is...2022-11-291h 28FruitlessYou Are Not the Chosen One (feat. Phil Cozzi)Josiah is joined by Phil Cozzi (@CryptidDirector) to discuss film and chasing your dreams. While the conversation was initially going to be about film, it eventually pivoted into a more personal discussion about the feeling of giving up on your passions, and the narcissism lurking in most artistic or academic endeavors. We often think of great artists or thinkers as powerful individuals who pursued their dreams, and this notion is fed by the films and books most zoomers and millennials were raised with. Phil and Josiah try to untangle this and look at art in a more communal sense.2022-09-291h 22FruitlessIowa and the Right (feat. Gavin Aronsen)Josiah is joined by Gavin Aronsen (@garonsen) to discuss Iowa politics, especially it’s recent right wing turn. They discuss Steve King’s connections to Viktor Orban, the rise of illiberal conservatism, and the failure of local media to report on local politics. They also reflect on the 2020 protests, Occupy Wall Street, and point toward some optimistic developments as well.Follow today’s guest on Twitter.Find more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsuttonMusicYesterday – bloom.In My Dreams – bloom.
★ Support this podcast o2022-08-011h 00FruitlessLearning from Lost Futures (feat. Phil Christman)Josiah is joined by Phil Christman (@phil_christman) to talk about the Midwest, American evangelicalism, and the future of the left. Both the Midwest and evangelicalism are made up of lost futures—radical moral or political visions that eventually lost out to the iterations we see today. In a casual discussion, Josiah and Phil ask what we can learn from history, both the good and the bad, and how that can help in imagining the future.Follow today’s guest on Twitter.Find more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiah...2022-07-201h 16Fruitless[VLVC Repost] My God Has Two Arms (feat. Randy Sutton)You can find a link to the new Very Legal, Very Cool RSS feed here.Here are the original show notes:The season finale! In today's episode, Randy (Josiah's dad) joins Josiah to talk about his faith journey from drugs and rock music to Golden Dawn occultism, on to a born again conversion to Christianity during the 90s. We discuss the rise of the charismatic movement bringing him to Reformed theology, and the impact all of this had on Josiah's faith growing up. 16 Shells from a 30.6 - Tom Waits Dig, Lazarus, Dig...2022-06-261h 40Fruitless[VLVC Repost] Portraits of War Gods (feat. Jackal)Hello! I was not able to record any new Fruitless this month. Instead, I'll be sharing two old Very Legal, Very Cool episodes. This is the first one featuring Jackal (@JackalJester)You can find a link to the new Very Legal, Very Cool RSS feed here.Here are the original show notes:cw: sexual violence, gore, and racism/racial slurs. In today's episode, Jackal (Mammonburg! @JackalJester) joins Josiah to discuss Caravaggio, Goya, and the Haitian Revolution. This disparate combination of topics began to synthesize into a visual history of modernity, war, colonialism, religion...2022-06-262h 10
The Very Legal, Very Cool Archivewe were kids feat. josiahIn today's episode, Michael (@MichaelTaber) from Sh*tty Christians joins the gang as a host, with Josiah as the guest to talk about his recently released album "We Were Kids." We discuss Josiah's evangelical upbringing and divorce, and why his album really sucks.PUBLISHED 2/22/2021 Cry Your Guts Out - Josiah Sutton Get Through Anything (Pawn Shop) - Josiah Sutton I've Never Been To Oregon - Josiah Sutton Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye - Steam Anniversary - Josiah Sutton2022-06-261h 54FruitlessChrist and the Queer Apocalypse (feat. Keanu Heydari)Josiah is joined by Keanu Heydari (@WoeToChorazin) to discuss queer theory and Christian theology. While liberal Christian denominations have grown increasingly inclusive of a queer individuals in the past decade, they still struggle to make sense of sexual identity and gender. In the broader culture, anti-LGBTQ politics seems to be on the rise. Using the insight of queer theory and Christian theology, Keanu argues that an apocalyptic and deontologized view of gender and sexuality is the path forward.Follow today’s guest on Twitter, as well as his podcast and his website.Fi...2022-06-011h 05FruitlessThe Culture War is a Spiritual Problem (feat. AJ)Josiah is joined by AJ to discuss the material and spiritual sides of the culture war. Among left wing circles, it is common to either completely disregard the culture war to focus on "material" politics or become completely enthralled by cultural battles. AJ and Josiah try to find a middle ground and, in the process, discuss the future of the left and online media. Music Yesterday – bloom.Straight to Hell – The ClashCommiserations – SocietyGreen - Young JesusSubterraneans – Willie J HealeyKiller Parties – The Hold Steady2022-05-151h 13FruitlessPainting the East (feat. Jackal)Josiah is joined by Jackal (@JackalJester) to discuss Orientalism in art history. They take some time to look over a few paintings and try to examine what they say about European perceptions of the East, as well as European perceptions of their role in the East. ReferencesOrientalism by Edward SaidBonaparte Visiting the Plague Victims of Jaffa, painted by Antoine-Jean Gros (1804)The Massacre at Chios, painted by Eugène Delacroix (1824)Solomon’s Wall, painted by Vasily Vereshchagin (1884-5)The Apotheosis of War, painted by Vasil...2022-04-301h 34FruitlessPunk, Authenticity, and the Exvangelicals (feat. Joel Harrison)Josiah is joined by Joel Harrison (@profjharrison) of uswithoutThem to discuss the book he’s writing on Christian music of the 1990s and 2000s, specifically bands signed on to Tooth & Nail. This serves as an entry point to discuss the broader religious and political development of millennial evangelicals and the rise of “deconstruction” or exvangelical movements. ReferencesAgainst by Tad Delay MusicYesterday – bloom.January 1979 – mewithoutYouThe Sun and the Moon – mewithoutYouEverything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt – mewithoutYouTaste the Red Ha...2022-04-281h 21FruitlessRevolution is Complicated, Hope is Simple (feat. Morgan Vander Hart)In today's episode, Josiah is joined by Morgan Vander Hart, a good friend and anarchist who is heavily involved in mutual aid work in Des Moines, IA. They discuss the state of radical politics in Des Moines and the Midwest after the 2020 George Floyd protests and the struggle for hope in spite of the increasingly dire political situation in the United States.I didn't release a second episode for March. Since I broke that promise, I'm going to try to release two more in April if I'm able to. See you later this month.Music...2022-04-061h 14FruitlessUkraine is a Rorschach Test (feat. Chris Barker)Josiah is joined by Chris Barker to discuss the Russo-Ukrainian War. The invasion of Ukraine has lead to a lot of scrambling to make sense of the conflict. Chris and Josiah walk through some of the history of Ukraine before offering their thoughts on the future and where they think the left is gets lost.Referenced WorksNeonazis & Euromaidan - Aleksey Kochetkov and Stanislav Byshok (Russian propaganda book)Music creditYesterday – bloom.Мы идём в тишине - Чёрный ЛукичДалеко бежит дорога (Впереди веселья много) - Гражданская ОборонаFollow today’s guest on TwitterFind more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton
★ Support this podcast on Patreo2022-03-131h 52FruitlessCrossing the Bosporus (feat. Francis Cooper)Josiah is joined by Francis Cooper (@attnfrancis) to discuss his conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy. Francis and Josiah have been friends for a long time and both went through various "deconstruction" paths regarding their former evangelical faiths. Through this conversation, they talk about their spiritual journeys to high church traditions and what, for Francis, is compelling about Orthodox spirituality. Francis also makes it clear that, if anything he says contradicts an Orthodox priest, you should trust the priest.Follow today’s guest on TwitterFind more of Josiah’s work hereFollow Josi...2022-02-281h 11FruitlessSearching for a Midwestern Weirdness (feat. Josh Christianson)Josiah is joined by Josh Christianson (@GnomeChamsky) to discuss the Midwest as a region and a concept. The Midwest represent "normality" in the American psyche despite it being a very weird place. It gets treated as a place without history, and it has a mythology of not having a mythology. In a casual discussion, Josiah and Josh deconstruct these ideas and ask what the future of the Midwest may be, calling for a re-imagining of Midwestern identity.Follow today’s guest on Twitter and check out some of his work here.Find more of Josiah’s wo...2022-02-071h 28FruitlessA Narcissistic Launch Brief introduction to who I am and what I’m doing here.MusicYesterday - bloom.In My Dreams - bloom.Find more of Josiah's work hereFollow Josiah on Twitter @josiahwsutton
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2022-01-1907 min