Shows
The James McMahon Music PodcastEverything you ever wanted to know about cancel culture - but were too sure of your moral superiority to askThis episode originally aired on September 3rd, 2021. ***On episode five of Shame, I’m talking to noted US TV producers Rob Rosen and Desma Simon, the creators of a podcast I’ve been gripped by these last few months. It’s called Cancelled and I think it, and the podcast you’re here to listen to, share a great deal in common. The reality of being cancelled is shame at the deep end. In my mind, it’s weaponsized shame, and while the more socially progressive among us might perform all sorts of mental gym...
2022-09-2152 min
Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonSpecial AnnouncementRob and Desma make a special announcement about their future plans for the podcast.
2022-01-1011 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonMaud MaronMaud Maron was a good liberal; a Bernie supporter who worked as a lawyer for the Legal Aid Society. But when she won a seat on her local school board and expressed some unfashionable opinions, she was cancelled in a very public and traumatic way. In a provocative and open discussion, Maud reflects on what happened and what's made people so intolerant of different points of view.
2021-12-011h 12Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonJohn GorhamJohn Gorham was Portland's top chef and the owner of ten local restaurants. But his empire came crashing down when he got into an online fight with a trans-woman. In this emotional interview, John tells Rob and Desma how, overnight, he went from king to cancelled.
2021-11-171h 04Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonJay AsherJay Asher became a sensation with his book '13 Reasons Why' which got adapted into a hit Netflix series. But his life came crashing down when he was hit with multiple sexual harassment allegations. In a very candid and raw interview, Jay sets the record straight about what he did wrong, but argues that his punishment does not fit the crime.
2021-11-041h 06Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonVince the Fed Ex Guy and Michael McVince the Fed Ex Guy made international news when he posted a video claiming he wouldn't deliver packages to any household with a visible Biden or BLM sign.This is a unique episode because we get a chance to not only hear from Vince, the cancelled, but his canceller: Michael Mc- who's an award winning music director witha highly influential Tik Tok page.Vince argues his cancellers got the story wrong and doxed him for no reason; threatening his safety and his marriage. Michael Mc explains why he revealed Vince's identity and why, given the c...
2021-10-201h 40Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonNathan Miller-The FixerWhen big name stars are about to get cancelled, they turn to Nathan Miller, the fixer, to try and save their careers. Rob and Desma talk to Miller about what he advises his clients to do when the mob comes after them. Plus, they go through some of the highest profile cancellations in history and Nathan explains what those celebrities did wrong and whether there was anything they could have done to save themselves.
2021-10-0652 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonSeth CiferriSeth Ciferri was a rockstar in the tattoo world. He was an artist, an innovator and even a celebrity judge on the hit show 'Ink Master.' But the cancel mob took him out after an ex-girlfriend posted a video about him. In an emotional conversation, Seth talks about losing everything and how his new fiancé, who makes an appearance on the podcast, is the only thing that carried him through.
2021-09-221h 11Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonLittle RagamuffinRob and Desma return to the world of knitting. In this episode, a woman who goes by Little Ragamuffin, was cancelled because of the name she gave one of her shirts. Some said it was racist. But when you find out what the name actually was, you may be just as shocked as Rob and Desma that anybody actually took offense to it.
2021-09-0854 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonSonya Renee TaylorRob and Desma talk to activist and New York Times best selling author Sonya Renee Taylor. She recently gave a provocative talk about cancel culture. Sparks fly as the three have an intense, but always respectful, debate about what’s really behind the phenomena.
2021-08-261h 02Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonNicki ClyneNicki Clyne gained fame as one of the stars of the 'Battlestar Galactica' reboot. She gained infamy fo her role in NXIVM, the self-help group some people consider a cult. Nicki was never charged with a crime but she has been completely canceled by Hollywood. In one of her first interviews since the scandal broke, she talks about what drew her to the group, the truth about her marriage to Smallville's Allison Mack, why she continues to defend group leader Keith Raniere and how she has had to humble herself to survive. Download the provocative interview and make sure to s...
2021-08-111h 43Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonPasquale D'SilvaIt's like something out of an episode of 'Black Mirror.' Digital animator Pasquale D'Silva woke up one morning, in horror, to find out he'd lost all his business and a bunch of his friends. The online mob had taken him out. In an emotional interview, Pasquale tells Rob and Desma what happened and what he's doing to fight back.
2021-07-281h 05Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonDorian AbbotIt's time for another chilling story from our college campuses. University of Chicago Associate Professor Dorian Abbot criticized the way the school was implementing its diversity initiatives. It very nearly got him fired. Download to hear his incredible story and how he was able to ultimately beat the cancel mob at its own game.
2021-07-141h 02Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonBuddy BrownCountry music singer Buddy Brown has gotten a huge following by making fun of woke, cancel culture. He tells Rob and Desma how he became a self-made star and why he's bulletproof from the online mob.
2021-06-3055 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonCancelling family membersActor-director Betty Hart joins Rob and Desma for a difficult discussion: when is it appropriate to cancel family members? Betty cut her father out of her life for ten-years. In a powerful and revealing interview, she explains why she did it and how the two of them finally reconciled. This episode is a bit different but a must-listen for anyone involved in a toxic relationship.
2021-06-161h 01Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonZubyHe is an inspirational rapper and a fitness expert, but many of you may know Zuby as a social media provocateur. In this freewheeling conversation, Zuby tells Rob and Desma how he stays one step ahead of the online mob, why he refuses to use the N word in his rap lyrics and why he believes lockdowns were a costly farce.
2021-06-021h 15Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonDr. DrewFrom 'Loveline' to 'Teen Mom,' Dr. Drew has spent 30-years in the public eye giving solid medical advice with his trademark gentle delivery. But at the beginning of the pandemic, the online mob went after him so hard, his family had to go into hiding. In this revealing interview, Dr. Drew opens up about what happened and why he believes cancel culture is a mental disorder.
2021-05-1957 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonJodi ShawHow did a librarian at a fancy all-girl's college in New England get cancelled? Download episode to hear her remarkable story.
2021-05-121h 04Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonWrongfully accused of murder!Death metal artist Pablo Vergara, whose stage name is Morbid, posted videos of himself during a stay at downtown Los Angeles's infamous Cecil Hotel. One year later, in 2013, a young woman was found dead on the roof of the building (there's a Netflix true crime special on the case). Some online 'sleuths' accused Morbid of committing the murder. Undeterred by the inconvenient fact that he wasn't even in the country at the time, the cancel mob went after Morbid and drove him to the brink of suicide. Vergara relives the painful experience to Rob and Desma and tells them what...
2021-04-2856 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonHawk NewsomeIn a very timely episode, Rob and Desma talk to Hawk Newsome, one of the worldwide leaders of the BLM movement. He is no stranger to the online mob. Last year, he was targeted after he had a very public fight with then President Trump. Now, a different online mob is attacking him after he called out BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors for her purchase of a pricey home in a predominantly white Los Angeles neighborhood. In a freewheeling talk, Hawk holds nothing back and shares his iconoclastic takes on the police, white progressives and the 'trendiness' of social justice move...
2021-04-211h 20Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonJoe WalshJoe Walsh was a rising star in the conservative movement. The former Tea Party congressman was making waves in the world of right-wing talk radio. But when he threw his hat in the ring and challenged Donald Trump for the 2020 GOP nomination, MAGA nation cancelled him big time. In a freewheeling interview, Joe Walsh opens up about the anger and hurt he feels and his fears about how he'll be able to survive in the future.
2021-04-071h 01Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonJosh DennyHe was a successful comedian and the host of his own show on the Food Network, but a series of controversial tweets got Josh Denny completely canceled. In a provocative interview with Rob and Desma, Denny is not backing down saying he has absolutely nothing to apologize for.
2021-03-241h 21Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonChris SavinoHe was a rockstar in the world of animation, working on iconic shows like The Ren & Stimpy Show, The Powerpuff Girls and Mickey Mouse. He went on to create and showrun Nickelodeon's hit series The Loud House. But it all came crashing down when multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. Savino has been exiled from the business for more than three-years and is now speaking out for the first time. In a raw and emotional interview with Rob and Desma, Savino comes clean about how he destroyed his career and marriage and how he's now trying to rebuild his l...
2021-03-101h 18Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonNoah BradleyNoah Bradley was an artist- a rock star in the world of magical D&D type games. Fresh off his cancellation, Noah tells Rob and Desma what brought him down in an open and emotional conversation.
2021-02-1758 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonSystem of a Down-John DolmayanJohn Dolmayan, the drummer for the alternative band System of a Down, joins Rob and Desma to talk about how his political beliefs have made him a target of the mob.
2021-01-2759 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonTravis Aaron WadeHe was an up and coming leading man. He had starred in two movies with John Travolta and got cast on the hit TV series 'Supernatural.' But then a series of on-line accusations sent Travis Aaron Wade's career crashing down. Hear his side of the story and find out what, if anything, he's planning to do to revive his career.
2021-01-1459 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonYear End SpecialIn this special episode, Rob and Desma look back on the wildest, most contentious, most touching and most provocative interviews they conducted in 2020.
2020-12-211h 11Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonCaylan FordCaylan Ford was a rising star in Canadian politics until a 2017 FB post surfaced and got her banished. Was it bad enough to destroy her career? Take a listen and judge for yourself.This episode is guest hosted by former cancelled guest Sara Christensen.
2020-12-0258 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonLibby EmmonsRob and Desma talk to Libby Emmons, a feminist playwright who got cancelled for her views on transsexuality. Was her opinion hateful and her banishment merited? Or is she yet another victim of a totalitarian mob?
2020-11-1852 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonAlan DershowitzHe has represented clients like Mike Tyson, Jeffrey Epstein and OJ Simpson, but when famed attorney Alan Dershowitz argued for Donald Trump at his impeachment trial, he got cancelled. In a raw, honest, no holds barred conversation, Dershowitz tells Rob and Desma the painful lessons he's learned about modern day cancel culture and the toll it's taken on him and his family.
2020-11-0455 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonKonstantin KisinStandup comedian Konstantin Kisin ran afoul of the online mob when he refused to sign a 'behavioral agreement' before a charity benefit. The agreement asked him to agree to a no tolerance policy for making any jokes about anything from racism, sexism, homophobia to ageism. Kisin tells Rob and Desma why he refused to sign, what the fallout was and what he believes is behind the movement to stifle the artistic freedom of creative people.
2020-10-211h 00Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonSockmaticianHe's a gay, HIV positive man who became a British celebrity when he got married on live TV. So how did he get cancelled? Believe it or not, it happened when he made a plea for kindness. Welcome to 2020, friends. This mind-bending story has to be heard to be believed.
2020-10-071h 07Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonAntonio Sabato Jr.He was a heartthrob Calvin Klein model, an actor and a family man. Everything was going great for Antonio Sabato Jr until he spoke at the 2016 RNC in support of Donald Trump. Sabato says that speech cost him his career and many friends. Things got so bad, so quick- he wound up working construction in Florida to make ends meet. In a no-holds barred conversation, Sabato tells Rob and Desma how he made it through the dark times and how he plans to comeback from his cancellation.
2020-09-2354 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonMonica HarrisMonica Harris is a black author, but when she wrote about an exhibit at an African American museum that she found patronizing and offensive, the mob turned on her. In a freewheeling discussion. Monica discusses how 'wokesters' are starting to sound a lot like the alt-right and what she thinks it will take to bring free speech back to the public square.
2020-09-0955 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonSheryl SwoopesShe’s been called the Michael Jordan of women’s basketball. Now, the WNBA hall of famer finds herself embroiled in controversy after she called out a long time NBA photographer for an offensive Facebook post. After he got fired, the mob went after her. In an emotional, free-wheeling discussion Swoopes finally sets the record straight and for the first time tells Rob Rosen and Desma Simon exactly what happened and why she doesn’t buy the photographer’s apology. She also shares her thoughts about BLM and the stunning rise of activism in professional sports.
2020-08-301h 02Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonMaria TuskenThere's no hiding from cancel culture. In this episode, Rob and Desma talk to Maria Tusken- a professional knitter- who got destroyed by the mob. How on earth could a knitter get herself cancelled? Download and find out.
2020-08-1950 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonProfessors under fireIn this episode Rob and Desma speak to two university professors, one liberal-one conservative, who came under fire for expressing their views. First, Lisa Durden who got fired after mixing it up with Tucker Carlson on Fox News. Then William Jacobsen, a Cornell law professor who got attacked for expressing his disapproval of the BLM movement.
2020-08-121h 03Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonKeri SmithKeri Smith was never cancelled- she was a canceller. A self-described former SJW, Keri used to be the manager for comedians like Margaret Cho and W Kamau Bell. When people would get their lives destroyed online, she was either part of the mob or cheering them on. Over time, this began to wear on her conscience. In a remarkably candid interview, Keri reveals why she believes the 'woke' mob operates like a cult, how she got out of it and how she has rebuilt her life and finally found peace and joy.
2020-08-051h 08Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonAlex DayAlex Day had it all. He was a major You Tube influencer and even recorded a surprise pop music hit. And then some allegations of bad behavior sent his world crashing down. In a no-holds barred conversation Alex describes what it was like to get cancelled, his regrets, and how he's hoping to rebuild his life.
2020-07-291h 02Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonNatasha TynesJordanian immigrant Natasha Tynes was sitting on top of the world. She was a happy mother of three, just four-weeks away from having her first novel published. But a confrontation with a DC Metro employee over of all things- a burrito- sent her world crashing down. Now cancelled, Natasha openly talks about her regrets, her anger and how this incident very nearly caused her to take her own life.
2020-07-221h 05Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonCathy Young-The Harper's letterCathy Young is one of 153 artists and intellectuals who signed an open letter in Harper's Magazine calling for an end to cancel culture. So how did a simple plea for artistic and intellectual freedom cause such a firestorm? In a freewheeling conversation Young talks to Rob and Desma about why she thinks cancel culture is similar to the French Revolution and how she thinks we can get back to being a country that celebrates open and honest debate.
2020-07-161h 04Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonJoseph MasseyRob and Desma delve into the mysterious world of poetry, where one of it's biggest stars, Joseph Massey, got cancelled after an affair gone bad.
2020-07-0853 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonDamian GoddardDamian Goddard was one of the biggest sportscasters in Canada, until one tweet sent his world crashing down. Cancelled, and struggling to stay solvent, he tells Rob and Desma why he believes the mob had no right to destroy his career.
2020-07-011h 02Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonMistaken IdentityCancel culture has gotten so cruel, innocent people are now becoming targets of the mob. In this episode, Rob and Desma speak to Emmanuel Cafferty, who lost his dream job at SDG&E. They also speak to a couple, Ivan and Melissa Milosavljevic, who are now fighting to save their business. These people have one thing in common: they did absolutely nothing wrong but still got cancelled.
2020-06-251h 01Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonSara ChristensenShe was flying high as the CEO of her own company. But when Sara Christensen decided to teach a young female applicant a lesson in professionalism, it backfired- and Sara found herself cancelled. In an emotional interview tells Rob and Desma what she's learned from her ordeal and the surprising way she plans to rebuild her life.
2020-06-181h 01Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonStephen ElliottHe was an acclaimed novelist who became a one in a million Hollywood success story- directing two James Franco movies. But when Stephen Elliott's name turned up on the anonymous 'Sh***y Media Men' list- he was cancelled. Now for the first time he's telling his side of the story.
2020-06-1154 minCancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonSarah BraaschSarah Braasch, a Yale graduate student, got cancelled after becoming the center of the nationwide #nappingwhileblack scandal. In a no-holds barred interview, a defiant Braasch insists she is the real victim.
2020-06-041h 12
Cancelled with Rob Rosen and Desma SimonTed HaggardHe was once the most influential evangelical leader in the United States. Ted Haggard had a mega-church with a congregation of 14,000 people and a hotline to President George W Bush. But in 2006, a sex scandal destroyed his career and eviscerated his reputation. Ted Haggard was banished. One of the original victims of cancel culture. Now, for the first time in nearly a decade- Ted Haggard is publicly speaking out. In a wild, free-wheeling and often contentious interview with TV producers Rob Rosen and Desma Simon, Haggard shares how he's been trying to rebuild his life and makes a stunning clai...
2020-05-121h 05