Shows
Cup Series – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen on Road Courses?Caleb Barnes and Luken Glover also discuss Bubba Wallace's great day and the regular season points battle.2025-08-1111 minFeatured Content – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen on Road Courses?Caleb Barnes and Luken Glover also discuss Bubba Wallace's great day and the regular season points battle.2025-08-1111 minStock Car Scoop – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen on Road Courses?Caleb Barnes and Luken Glover also discuss Bubba Wallace's great day and the regular season points battle.2025-08-1111 minFrontstretch Podcast Network – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen on Road Courses?Caleb Barnes and Luken Glover also discuss Bubba Wallace's great day and the regular season points battle.2025-08-1111 min
Frontstretch Podcast NetworkStock Car Scoop: Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen on Road Courses?Caleb Barnes and Luken Glover also discuss Bubba Wallace's great day and the regular season points battle.2025-08-1111 minLuken Glover – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen on Road Courses?Caleb Barnes and Luken Glover also discuss Bubba Wallace's great day and the regular season points battle.2025-08-1111 minCaleb Barnes – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen on Road Courses?Caleb Barnes and Luken Glover also discuss Bubba Wallace's great day and the regular season points battle.2025-08-1111 min
Bang-Bang PodcastSoundtrack to a Coup d’État (2025) w/ Sandipto Dasgupta | Ep. 39This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined by Sandipto Dasgupta—legal scholar, political theorist, and possessor of an encyclopedic knowledge of Congolese politics, the Non-Aligned Movement, and postcolonial political economy—to discuss Johan Grimonprez’s Soundtrack to a Coup d’État. The film blends archival footage, radical history, and one of the most inspired uses of diegetic sound you’ll ever encounter, tracing the assassination of Patrice Lumumba against a global backdrop of jazz diplomacy, Cold War intrigue, and the contested promises of decolonizat...2025-08-1020 minWyatt Watson – FrontstretchThrough the Gears: NASCAR Betting Odds for Watkins GlenCan anyone beat Shane van Gisbergen and the odds at Watkins Glen?2025-08-0800 minFeatured Content – FrontstretchThrough the Gears: NASCAR Betting Odds for Watkins GlenCan anyone beat Shane van Gisbergen and the odds at Watkins Glen?2025-08-0800 minCup Series – FrontstretchThrough the Gears: NASCAR Betting Odds for Watkins GlenCan anyone beat Shane van Gisbergen and the odds at Watkins Glen?2025-08-0800 minThrough the Gears – FrontstretchThrough the Gears: NASCAR Betting Odds for Watkins GlenCan anyone beat Shane van Gisbergen and the odds at Watkins Glen?2025-08-0800 minFrontstretch Podcast NetworkThrough the Gears: NASCAR Betting Odds for Watkins GlenCan anyone beat Shane van Gisbergen and the odds at Watkins Glen?2025-08-0800 minFrontstretch Podcast Network – FrontstretchThrough the Gears: NASCAR Betting Odds for Watkins GlenCan anyone beat Shane van Gisbergen and the odds at Watkins Glen?2025-08-0800 min
Bang-Bang PodcastCosta-Gavras' State of Siege (1972) w/ Alex Aviña and Stuart Schrader | Ep. 38This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comIn this episode, we discuss Costa-Gavras’s State of Siege, a tightly constructed political thriller based on the real-life kidnapping and execution of U.S. police advisor Dan Mitrione by Uruguay’s Tupamaros guerrillas. Set in early 1970s Uruguay but filmed in Allende-era Chile just before the coup, the film dramatizes how U.S. “public safety” programs—nominally about technical assistance and crime prevention—became tools of Cold War counterinsurgency, helping repressive regimes police and suppress political dissent. With scholars Stu...2025-08-0311 min
Just Talking Business with Stephanie van VarkBrother Lyle Muhammad’s Community Model: Safer Streets, Stronger Bottom LinesBrother Lyle Muhammad, Executive Director of The Circle of Brotherhood, is a visionary strategist and community architect with over 35 years of experience designing scalable, high-impact violence prevention and reentry programs. His work bridges grassroots organizing and public-private collaboration to drive measurable change in underserved communities. Mr. Muhammad’s programs have attracted investment from government agencies, nonprofits, and community redevelopment partners. He's agreed to share his unique ability to align grassroots leadership with institutional funding and measurable outcomes.� If you're interested in scalable models for public safety, workforce development, or justice reform, Mr. Muhammad’s blueprint offers both inspirat...2025-07-2836 min
Bang-Bang Podcast28 Days Later Trilogy (2002, 2007, 2025) w/ Rebecca Onion | Ep. 37This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined by historian and Slate Senior Editor Rebecca Onion to talk through the entire 28 Days Later trilogy, from its early aughts origins to its apocalyptic present. Together they explore the first film’s anti-militarist edge, arriving just as the War on Terror began to unfold, and how its disaffected rage gave way to the bombastic sensibilities of the 2007 sequel. If the original cast British soldiers as the truest threats to civilization, the second leans into Gl...2025-07-2120 min
The Un-Diplomatic PodcastThe Art of Memoir and Stories of Conversion: A Bang-Bang Podcast Crossover | Ep. 248Free episode cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. The question of “Which side are you on?” haunted me (Van Jackson) intermittently throughout the long Global War on Terror. It was a beat that I would hear during occasional moments of consciousness, which I tried to suppress or rationalize away…until I no longer could.On my other show, The Bang-Bang Podcast, I ended up having a surprising conversation with our guest, George Dardess. Before we started the actual episode, we talked at length about memoirs and stories of conversion.George is an expert in the lost art of...2025-07-1118 min
Bang-Bang PodcastGuy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023) w/ Sam Carliner | Ep. 36This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined by journalist Sam Carliner to unpack Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, a 2023 entry into the Afghanistan war movie canon. Together they examine how the film reinforces the myth, heavily circulated in the wake of the 2021 U.S. pullout, that American troops and Afghan interpreters were bonded as brothers in arms, fighting a noble, shared war against evil. While the film’s central relationship between Master Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Dar Sali...2025-07-1119 minMichael Massie – FrontstretchHappy Hour: Are Fans Tired of Shane van Gisbergen Already?Jayski.com's Dustin Albino joins the show.2025-07-0900 minFrontstretch Podcast Network – FrontstretchHappy Hour: Are Fans Tired of Shane van Gisbergen Already?Jayski.com's Dustin Albino joins the show.2025-07-0900 minBryan Nolen – FrontstretchHappy Hour: Are Fans Tired of Shane van Gisbergen Already?Jayski.com's Dustin Albino joins the show.2025-07-0900 minFrontstretch Happy Hour Podcast – FrontstretchHappy Hour: Are Fans Tired of Shane van Gisbergen Already?Jayski.com's Dustin Albino joins the show.2025-07-0900 minDalton Hopkins – FrontstretchHappy Hour: Are Fans Tired of Shane van Gisbergen Already?Jayski.com's Dustin Albino joins the show.2025-07-0900 minDustin Albino – FrontstretchHappy Hour: Are Fans Tired of Shane van Gisbergen Already?Jayski.com's Dustin Albino joins the show2025-07-0900 minFrontstretch Podcast NetworkHappy Hour: Are Fans Tired of Shane van Gisbergen Already?Jayski.com's Dustin Albino joins the show.2025-07-0900 minFrontstretch Podcast NetworkStock Car Scoop: Shane van Gisbergen Flexes Road Course Talent at ChicagoThe Trackhouse driver showed the field who the king of the road is once again.2025-07-0716 minAdam Cheek – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Shane van Gisbergen Flexes Road Course Talent at ChicagoThe Trackhouse driver showed the field who the king of the road is once again.2025-07-0716 minWyatt Watson – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Shane van Gisbergen Flexes Road Course Talent at ChicagoThe Trackhouse driver showed the field who the king of the road is once again.2025-07-0716 minStock Car Scoop – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Shane van Gisbergen Flexes Road Course Talent at ChicagoThe Trackhouse driver showed the field who the king of the road is once again.2025-07-0716 minFrontstretch Podcast Network – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Shane van Gisbergen Flexes Road Course Talent at ChicagoThe Trackhouse driver showed the field who the king of the road is once again.2025-07-0716 min
Bang-Bang PodcastThe Art of Memoir and Stories of Conversion w/ George Dardess | Ep. 35Politics behind the scenes: A rare glimpse behind the curtain as Van, Lyle, and guest George Dardess talk about about memoir and stories of conversion. They discuss their own experiences relating to Monterey, California and the Defense Language Institute before getting into personal radicalization, the art of close reading, and the question of conscience that looms louder until it consumes you—which side are you on? This conversation took place prior to recording a forthcoming episode about the film Downfall (although we’re releasing a few episodes ahead of Downfall). Good thing the mics were on, because this...2025-07-0618 minThe Un-Diplomatic PodcastAndor Season 2 Finale + Rogue One w/ Matt Duss and Paul Adlerstein | Bang-Bang Podcast Crossover | Ep. 246Free cross-over episode with the Bang-Bang Podcast. In this finale to our Andor series, Van and Lyle are joined by returning guest Paul Adlerstein and—making his first appearance on the pod—Matt Duss, former foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders and current executive vice president at the Center for International Policy.The conversation spans the closing arc of Andor Season 2 and Rogue One, treating them as one long meditation on revolutionary grief, sacrifice, and strategy. We reflect on Kleya Marki’s backstory, Deedra Meero’s karmic consignment to the labor camps, and the quiet closure of Bix C...2025-06-291h 37
Bang-Bang PodcastAndor (2025), Season 2 Ep. 10–12 + Rogue One (2016) w/ Matt Duss and Paul Adlerstein | Ep. 34This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comIn this finale to our Andor series, Van and Lyle are joined by returning guest Paul Adlerstein and—making his first appearance on the pod—Matt Duss, former foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders and current executive vice president at the Center for International Policy.The conversation spans the closing arc of Andor Season 2 and Rogue One, treating them as one long meditation on revolutionary grief, sacrifice, and strategy. We reflect on Kleya Marki’s backstory, Deedra Meero’s karmic...2025-06-2230 min
Bang-Bang PodcastThe Battle of Chile (Part III) (1975) and Obstinate Memory (1997) w/ Jonathan M. Katz | Ep. 33This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comThis is Part III of our three-part series covering the Battle of Chile (itself a trilogy). Check out Part I and Part II!Van and Lyle are joined by journalist and historian Jonathan M. Katz to discuss Patricio Guzmán’s seminal Battle of Chile trilogy—widely regarded as one of the greatest political documentaries ever made—alongside its 1997 epilogue, Obstinate Memory. Our conversation was recorded mostly in the weeks after Trump’s reelection but before his inauguration, and the urgen...2025-06-1750 minFrontstretch Podcast NetworkStock Car Scoop: Rain & Pain Can’t Stop Shane van Gisbergen in Mexico CityTy Gibbs' bad luck and Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s continued feud are also among this week’s talking points.2025-06-1612 minWyatt Watson – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Rain & Pain Can’t Stop Shane van Gisbergen in Mexico CityTy Gibbs' bad luck and Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s continued feud are also among this week’s talking points.2025-06-1612 minBryan Nolen – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Rain & Pain Can’t Stop Shane van Gisbergen in Mexico CityTy Gibbs' bad luck and Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s continued feud are also among this week’s talking points.2025-06-1612 minStock Car Scoop – FrontstretchStock Car Scoop: Rain & Pain Can’t Stop Shane van Gisbergen in Mexico CityTy Gibbs' bad luck and Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s continued feud are also among this week’s talking points.2025-06-1612 min
Bang-Bang PodcastThe Battle of Chile (Part II) (1975) w/ Jonathan M. Katz | Ep. 32This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comThis is Part II of our three-part series covering the Battle of Chile (itself a trilogy). Check out Part I!Van and Lyle are joined by journalist and historian Jonathan M. Katz to discuss Patricio Guzmán’s seminal Battle of Chile trilogy—widely regarded as one of the greatest political documentaries ever made—alongside its 1997 epilogue, Obstinate Memory. Our conversation was recorded mostly in the weeks after Trump’s reelection but before his inauguration, and the urgency of that mome...2025-06-1214 min
Bang-Bang PodcastThe Battle of Chile (Part I) (1975) w/ Jonathan M. Katz | Ep. 31This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined by journalist and historian Jonathan M. Katz to discuss Patricio Guzmán’s seminal Battle of Chile trilogy—widely regarded as one of the greatest political documentaries ever made—alongside its 1997 epilogue, Obstinate Memory. Our conversation was recorded mostly in the weeks after Trump’s reelection but before his inauguration, and the urgency of that moment colors much of our analysis. At the heart of it: What can the Chilean road to socialism and its systematic destructi...2025-06-1028 min
Bang-Bang PodcastAndor (2025), Season 2, Ep. 7-9 w/ David Klion and David Austin Walsh | Ep. 30This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comThe Death Star was born in blood well before it ever came into existence. In episodes 7-9 of Andor, we see just how much blood, and why. A false-flag operation to secure critical minerals. A French-resistance style sub-plot involving infiltration by an ambitious order muppet. Genocide of the Ghormans—an affluent middle-power planet. And a Galactic media that pretends to be the arbiter of truth while merely manufacturing consent for empire. These are among the many thrills of a st...2025-06-0431 min
Bang-Bang PodcastLiberal-to-Left Transformations and America's Settler Colonial Exceptionalism: David Klion and David Austin Walsh | Ep. 29This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comAn occasional glimpse behind the curtain as Van (missing Lyle!) sits down with writer David Klion and historian David Austin Walsh. Their candid convo ranges from the politics of liberal Zionism to personal radicalization and the history of the United States as the world’s most successful (but ultimately failed?) settler-colonial project founded on genocide.You can catch this chat wherever you listen to podcasts, and the full video version is included as an unlisted YouTube link, below. ...2025-06-0329 min
Bang-Bang PodcastAndor (2025), Season 2, Ep. 4-6 w/ Paul Adlerstein and David Klion | Ep. 28This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined by journalist David Klion and returning guest Paul Adlerstein to unpack Episodes 4 through 6 of Andor Season 2, when the slow-burn tension of the early arc erupts into full-fledged moral crisis.They discuss how Ghorman—rendered with a kind of haute-bourgeois, French fusion aesthetic—is not only targeted by the Empire’s military clampdown, but also by its Fox News–style media wing, and fashion becomes a proxy for disloyalty. Meanwhile, Mothma’s effort to secure a de-escal...2025-05-2729 minThe Un-Diplomatic PodcastAndor Season 1 Finale with David Austin Walsh | Bang-Bang Cross-Over | Ep. 241Free full-episode cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. Van (minus Lyle) is joined by historian David Austin Walsh to explore episodes 10-12 of Andor’s first-season finale. Their conversation focuses on Andor’s embrace of revolution and the surprising political realism of the show’s portrayal of labor exploitation and social uprisings. Van and David also discuss liberalism’s failure to inspire meaningful change in the real world—why has no electoral politician in our lifetime ever roused our souls like Marva did in episode’s 12’s revolt on the planet Ferrix? What might that say about the rise of fascism in the...2025-05-241h 13
Bang-Bang PodcastAndor (2025) Season 2 Ep. 1-3 w/ Jenny G. Zhang | Ep. 27This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comSlate culture editor Jenny G. Zhang returns to the pod for our initial foray into the first block of Andor Season 2. Van and Jenny discuss the all-too-familiar labor exploitation on the agricultural planet Mina Rau, and how it relies on illegal immigration to remain profitable; the way that the Galactic Empire offers license to the patriarchal impulse of some to dominate others; and the secretive, elitist logic that leads agents of empire into committing genocide in order to secure...2025-05-2227 min
Bang-Bang PodcastExodus (1960) w/ David Meir Grossman | Ep. 26This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comOtto Preminger’s Exodus isn’t just a sweeping Hollywood epic but a foundational text of the postwar Zionist imagination. Van and Lyle are joined by journalist David Meir Grossman to dissect the 1960 film and its enduring legacy. Together, they parse the film’s aesthetics and ideology, its thinly veiled apologetics for settler colonialism, and its staging of Jewish suffering as license for state power.From the very first scene, where a tour guide on Cyprus rattles off its many c...2025-05-1927 min
Bang-Bang PodcastAndor (2022), Episodes 10–12 w/ David Austin Walsh | Ep. 25Van (minus Lyle) is joined by historian David Austin Walsh to explore episodes 10-12 of Andor’s first-season finale. Their conversation focuses on Andor’s embrace of revolution and the surprising political realism of the show’s portrayal of labor exploitation and social uprisings. Van and David also discuss liberalism’s failure to inspire meaningful change in the real world—why has no electoral politician in our lifetime ever roused our souls like Marva did in episode’s 12’s revolt on the planet Ferrix? What might that say about the rise of fascism in the 2020s? Further Reading...2025-05-151h 13
Bang-Bang PodcastPolitics Behind the Scenes with David Austin Walsh | Ep. 24An occasional glimpse behind the curtain as Van (missing Lyle!) sits down with historian David Austin Walsh to gossip a bit about the conservative movement, far-right politics, and how Van ended up unwittingly studying at a paleocon university. David joined the Bang-Bang Podcast to discuss Star Wars’ Andor (episode forthcoming) and we were able to get some great convo before recording.Bang-Bang is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd li...2025-05-1426 min
Bang-Bang PodcastAndor (2022), Episodes 8–10 w/ Paul Adlerstein | Ep. 23This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined once again by historian Paul Adlerstein to delve into episodes 8 through 10 of Andor. The conversation traces the jarring split between the dystopian labor camps of Narkina 5 and the sterile dinner parties of Coruscant’s elite, two poles of the same imperial order. They examine the moral complexities faced by characters like Mon Mothma, who grapples with the potential betrothal of her daughter to secure rebel funding, and how sectarianism and hard strategy collide in the rebel un...2025-05-0725 minThe Un-Diplomatic PodcastAndor, Episodes 1–3 w/ Jenny G. Zhang | Bang-Bang Podcast Cross-Over | Ep. 237Free preview cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. Van and Lyle kick off their Andor series with Slate culture editor Jenny G. Zhang, diving into the show’s slow-burn opening arc where imperial bootlickers, jealous love interests, and rebels in the making collide on the Outer Rim. They discuss what makes Andor—a property of the Star Wars universe—feel different than its franchise kin, from its social realism to its psychological bite. If The Battle of Algiers looms large, so does Parable of the Sower, especially the show’s landscape of authoritarian company towns and the simmering hints of a revolu...2025-05-0234 min
Bang-Bang PodcastAndor (2022), Episodes 4–6 w/ Jenny G. Zhang and Paul Adlerstein | Ep. 22This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comThe pod returns to Andor with Slate culture editor Jenny G. Zhang and, for the first time, the historian Paul Adlerstein. This second installment covers the Aldhani arc, Coruscant as pristine imperial metropole, and metropolitan contempt for the indigenous periphery—writ large in their treatment of the Aldhani tribes.They discuss the protagonist's mirroring of Ali’s radicalization in The Battle of Algiers, how Ali’s theme song from that film makes a near-identical appearance in Andor’s own opening...2025-04-3019 min
Bang-Bang PodcastPart II: The Siege (1998) w/ Kevin Fox | Ep. 21This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comThis is the second half of our conversation on 1998’s The Siege, starring Denzel Washington, Bruce Willis, Annette Benning, and many more. Be sure to check out Part I, as well as our back catalog!Long before the Patriot Act, long before “See Something, Say Something,” long before 9/11—there was The Siege. Released in 1998, this Bruce Willis–Denzel Washington vehicle depicts a post–terror attack New York placed under martial law. The city is bombed, neighborhoods are surveilled, and Arab and Mus...2025-04-2609 minThe Un-Diplomatic PodcastThe Siege (1998) w/ Kevin Fox | Bang-Bang Podcast Cross-Over | Ep. 235Free preview cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. Long before the Patriot Act, long before “See Something, Say Something,” long before 9/11—there was The Siege. Released in 1998, this Bruce Willis–Denzel Washington vehicle depicts a post–terror attack New York placed under martial law. The city is bombed, neighborhoods are surveilled, and Arab and Muslim men are rounded up en masse, held indefinitely in cages under the Brooklyn Bridge. And yet, in perhaps the most jarring twist of all, the whole thing was co-written by Lawrence Wright, the celebrated journalist behind the GWOT-era classic, The Looming Tower.In this episo...2025-04-2430 min
Bang-Bang PodcastAndor (2022), Episodes 1–3 w/ Jenny G. Zhang | Ep. 20This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle kick off their Andor series with Slate culture editor Jenny G. Zhang, diving into the show’s slow-burn opening arc where imperial bootlickers, jealous love interests, and rebels in the making collide on the Outer Rim. They discuss what makes Andor—a property of the Star Wars universe—feel different than its franchise kin, from its social realism to its psychological bite. If The Battle of Algiers looms large, so does Parable of the Sower, especially the show’s landsc...2025-04-2434 min
Bang-Bang PodcastPart I: The Siege (1998) w/ Kevin Fox | Ep. 19This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comLong before the Patriot Act, long before “See Something, Say Something,” long before 9/11—there was The Siege. Released in 1998, this Bruce Willis–Denzel Washington vehicle depicts a post–terror attack New York placed under martial law. The city is bombed, neighborhoods are surveilled, and Arab and Muslim men are rounded up en masse, held indefinitely in cages under the Brooklyn Bridge. And yet, in perhaps the most jarring twist of all, the whole thing was co-written by Lawrence Wright, the celebrated journalist...2025-04-1930 min
Bang-Bang PodcastPolitics Behind the Scenes with Noah HurowitzSomething special for paid subscribers: A rare glimpse behind the curtain as Van, Lyle, and guest Noah Hurowitz talk about life and politics prior to recording a forthcoming episode of the pod. The full episode that followed from this conversation won’t be out for a while (covering the award-winning mini-series Carlos, from 2010). But there was so much good convo apart from Carlos that we wanted to share this part as a standalone behind-the-scenes episode where we’re just shooting the s**t.Their excessively candid discussion includes: * How Noah got laid off when his work...2025-04-1626 min
Bang-Bang PodcastAkira Kurosawa's Ran (1985) w/ Tobita Chow | Ep. 18This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined by scholar-organizer Tobita Chow as they take on Akira Kurosawa’s classic adaptation of King Lear. They dig into the film’s depiction of friendly fire, not just as cinematic spectacle, but as a stark commentary on the self-defeating logic of war. They also follow Hidetora’s descent from absolute ruler to ghost-like shell, wandering through the desolation of his past crimes.“In a mad world,” says the Shakespearean fool, “only the mad are sane.” Madne...2025-04-0622 min
Bang-Bang PodcastFull Metal Jacket (1987) w/ Miles Lagoze and Eric Schuman | Ep. 17This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined by Combat Obscura filmmakers Miles Lagoze and Eric Schuman—whose documentary launched Bang-Bang—to unpack what may be the greatest war film ever made.They revisit Parris Island’s brutal choreography, where cruelty becomes a kind of moral training. They discuss the infamous towel party, the haunting arc of Private Pyle, and the eerie echoes between his final scene and the female sniper’s death in the film’s second half. They track Joker’s evolution...2025-03-2435 minThe Un-Diplomatic PodcastThe Sum of All Fears (2002) w/ Max Read | Ep. 227Free preview cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. In this episode, Van and Lyle are joined by writer Max Read to dissect The Sum of All Fears, the 2002 film adaptation of Tom Clancy’s novel. The film thrusts CIA analyst Jack Ryan, portrayed by Ben Affleck, into a high-stakes scenario where a nuclear bomb detonates in Baltimore, pushing the U.S. and Russia to the brink of war. The movie’s release shortly after 9/11 adds a layer of poignancy to its themes of terrorism and national insecurity.The discussion delves into the portrayal of neo-Nazi antagonists manipulating global powe...2025-03-2128 min
Bang-Bang PodcastThe Sum of All Fears (2002) w/ Max Read | Ep. 16This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comIn this episode, Van and Lyle are joined by writer Max Read to dissect The Sum of All Fears, the 2002 film adaptation of Tom Clancy’s novel. The film thrusts CIA analyst Jack Ryan, portrayed by Ben Affleck, into a high-stakes scenario where a nuclear bomb detonates in Baltimore, pushing the U.S. and Russia to the brink of war. The movie’s release shortly after 9/11 adds a layer of poignancy to its themes of terrorism and national insecurity. The...2025-03-1028 min
Bang-Bang PodcastPart I: The Thin Red Line (1998) w/ Andrew Coville | Ep. 14This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comFew war films feel as sensuous, fractured, and unsettlingly beautiful as The Thin Red Line. Released the same year as Saving Private Ryan but standing in stark contrast to Spielberg’s unabashed Americanism, Terrence Malick’s adaptation of James Jones’ novel turns war into a meditation on nature, destruction, cosmos, self. Van and Lyle welcome Andrew Cov…2025-02-2529 minThe Un-Diplomatic PodcastThree Kings (1999) w/ Kevin Fox | Bang-Bang Podcast Crossover | Ep. 223Free preview episode cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. A madcap collage of American Berserk—that’s one way to describe David O. Russell’s Three Kings, and it’s exactly how Van, Lyle, and screenwriter Kevin Fox dive into it.This two-part episode (the second installment drops shortly) unpacks the film’s wild genre mash-up: comic book absurdities collide with nods to Star Wars and Apocalypse Now, all while a grim commentary on U.S. militarism and society simmers underneath. The group digs into how the film disorients viewers with slapstick humor and sudden, brutal violence—like Mark Wahlber...2025-02-2247 min
Bang-Bang PodcastPart II: Three Kings (1999) w/ Kevin Fox | Ep. 13This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comThis is Part II of our coverage of Three Kings. Check out Part I here, or wherever you get podcasts. A madcap collage of American Berserk—that’s one way to describe David O. Russell’s Three Kings, and it’s exactly how Van, Lyle, and screenwriter Kevin Fox dive into it.This two-part episode (the second installment drops shortly) unpacks the film’s wild genre mash-up: comic book absurdities collide with nods to Star Wars and Apocalypse...2025-02-1527 min
Bang-Bang PodcastPart I: Three Kings (1999) w/ Kevin Fox | Ep. 12This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comA madcap collage of American Berserk—that’s one way to describe David O. Russell’s Three Kings, and it’s exactly how Van, Lyle, and screenwriter Kevin Fox dive into it. This two-part episode (the second installment drops shortly) unpacks the film’s wild genre mash-up: comic book absurdities collide with nods to Star Wars and Apocalypse Now, all while a grim commentary on U.S. militarism and society simmers underneath. The group digs into how the film disorients...2025-02-0947 min
Bang-Bang PodcastBonus Episode! Pistachio Wars (2024) w/ Rowan Wernham | Ep. 11Free bonus episode!If you’re like us, many terrible things have been front of mind lately: California wildfires, overdevelopment in unsuitable locales, billionaire corruption, and the climate crisis to name a few. Lucky for us that Rowan Wernham, the co-writer and director of a 2024 documentary called Pistachio Wars, joins us to talk about how all of that converges. You might not think of those issues as constituting war in the traditional sense, but they sure do amount to a class war, from above. And as we discuss in the episode, California’s favorite agricultural olig...2025-01-301h 20
Bang-Bang PodcastPaths of Glory (1957) w/ Daniel Larison | Ep. 10This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle kick off their first of many Kubrick features with a splendid and superb discussion of the auteur’s WW1-era classic, Paths of Glory. And in case you’re wondering why we describe the discussion in these terms, that’s because such language—in all its freakish loftiness—infuses the film from start to finish. French generals in chateaus sacrifice their men in the trenches while boasting about how they love “to create a pleasant atmosphere in which to work.” Fr...2025-01-1939 minThe Un-Diplomatic PodcastEnder's Game w/ Alexander McCoy (2013) | Bang-Bang Podcast Crossover | Ep. 216Just for the strategy nerds, sharing a free preview of the Bang-Bang Podcast episode covering Ender’s Game, the 2013 film adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s classic sci-fi novel of the same name. Neither achieving box office nor critical success, the movie still evokes a wide range of reactions. Especially when it comes to its ambiguous relationship to the original text. Van and Lyle have fellow vet and strategist Alexander McCoy on the show to debate their competing reads. Along the way, they come to agree that certain insights gleaned from the cinematic rendering might be at odds with Card...2025-01-1436 min
Bang-Bang PodcastLive! Private Valentine (2008) w/ Colette Shade | Ep. 9The pod has finally found a woman to join Van and Lyle in their Dudes Rock Extravaganza. And she is the wife of Lyle. Or perhaps more in keeping with a recurring theme in this episode, Lyle is the husband of the far more successful and accomplished author, Colette Shade. And Colette has much to say about the epic, late Y2K-era stink bomb, Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous (aka Major Movie Star). A movie so awful that despite it being released at the height of Jessica Simpson’s fame, it went straight to DVD—granted, after a brief theatrical debu...2025-01-061h 26
The 98% - Life After PrisonOn a Mission with a Purpose: April interviews a man on death row.If you want get in touch, send us a textLyle May received a death sentence in 1999. Since that time, he's found God, gotten sober, and has devoted himself to a life of scholarship and reflection. This is Episode 3 of April's special series On a Mission with A Purpose, in which she interviews people who are living with meaning and purpose despite their particular circumstance.Stay Tuned for the Fourth Season of The 98% - Life After Prison coming in January.In 2023, Judy Van Wyk and April Barber partnered to create a pod...2024-12-3120 min
Bang-Bang PodcastEnder's Game (2013) w/ Alexander McCoy | Ep. 8This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.com“When I understand my enemy well enough to defeat him, then in that moment, I also love him.” So begins the 2013 film adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s classic sci-fi novel Ender’s Game. Neither achieving box office nor critical success, the movie still evokes a wide range of reactions. Especially when it comes to its ambiguous relationship to the origin…2024-12-1636 min
Bang-Bang PodcastCross of Iron (1977) w/ Adrian Bonenberger | Ep. 7Auteur Sam Peckinpah is most famous for The Wild Bunch, his blistering take on the Western. Few outside the aficionados bother to mention Cross of Iron, Peckinpah’s foray into the Good War, and one that earned him pans upon its initial release. Yet despite its rough start and later relegation to mass cultural obscurity, the work has rightfully garnered a committed if dwindling following. Including some of the most accomplished filmmakers of our time. Van and Lyle welcome author and combat vet Adrian Bonenberger onto the show to make sense of the glorious, no-holds-barred mess. And why it stil...2024-12-021h 23
Bang-Bang PodcastIn the Loop (2009) w/ Spencer Ackerman | Ep. 6Scottish filmmaker Armando Iannucci’s In the Loop, a satire about the lead-up to the Iraq War, never achieved the household success of Veep (Iannucci’s later HBO series). Yet, D.C. staffers have come to see it as a cult classic, and there is much to be gleaned from the black comedy beyond the predictable, Beltway absurdities. Van and Lyle have the acclaimed journalist Spencer Ackerman on the show to discuss his own role in the film’s creation, as all three exchange biting laughs and commentary along the way. Especially about the rotting tooth that is Washington. Bonus...2024-11-171h 14The Un-Diplomatic PodcastThe Battle of Algiers (1966) | A Bang-Bang Podcast Crossover | Ep. 205Free preview crossover with the Bang-Bang Podcast!Arguably the most successful revolutionary film of all time, Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers boasts many legacies. For film buffs, its import derives from its landmark status in the pantheon of Italian neorealism and political cinema. For anti-imperialists, its value comes from its hardnosed but sympathetic depictions of armed struggle. And for imperialists or right-wing strongmen, the film has been deployed as a realistic guidebook for counterinsurgency. Van and Lyle relate these competing readings to the War on Terror and the latest debates around Gaza, Palestine, and liberation....2024-11-1517 min
Bang-Bang PodcastWhere Democrats Go From Here: Election Lessons, Mainstream Media, American Fascism, and India-China RivalryVan and Lyle jumped on the mic to record some stuff for Bang-Bang, but started off just musing about what just happened in the presidential election. This is their wide-ranging conversation, which explores why Kamala Harris lost, American fascism, India-China rivalry, and where Democrats go from here.Bang-Bang is a patron-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.bangbangpod...2024-11-0719 min
Bang-Bang PodcastThe Battle of Algiers (1966) | Ep. 5Arguably the most successful revolutionary film of all time, Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers boasts many legacies. For film buffs, its import derives from its landmark status in the pantheon of Italian neorealism and political cinema. For anti-imperialists, its value comes from its hardnosed but sympathetic depictions of armed struggle. And for imperialists or right-wing strongmen, the film has been deployed as a realistic guidebook for counterinsurgency. Van and Lyle relate these competing readings to the War on Terror and the latest debates around Gaza, Palestine, and liberation.A Savage War of Peace (1977), by Alistair Ho...2024-11-041h 28
The Halloween PodcastSouth Dakota's Haunted Badlands: Ghost Stories of the Mount Rushmore State | Ep. 41In this episode of The Halloween Podcast, we travel through the haunted plains of South Dakota, a state known for its rugged beauty and wild frontier past. But beneath the iconic landscapes of Mount Rushmore and the Badlands, there are ghostly stories that have been told for generations. From haunted hotels to eerie theaters, South Dakota is filled with tales of restless spirits and unexplained phenomena. We’re uncovering ten of the most haunted locations in the Badlands, each with its own chilling legends and ghostly encounters.
Featured Locations:
Bullock Hotel
633 Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732
The Bu...2024-10-2215 minThe Un-Diplomatic PodcastZero Dark Thirty (2012) Free Preview of Bang-Bang Podcast | Ep. 200Free preview of the Bang-Bang Podcast. “We tortured some folks.” Katherine Bigelow and Mark Boal’s cinematic blockbuster about the Bin Laden assassination was alternately ballyhooed and panned upon its release. Fans praised its purported cinematic achievements while critics lamented its alleged militarism or pro-torture sympathies. What’s remarkable today is the attention it received in all directions, perhaps a universal attention no longer possible in a society so fragmented and lost. Van and Lyle try to make sense of the movie as a contested event, and what its ambiguous ending might tell us about what came next. They also rec...2024-10-2113 min
Bang-Bang PodcastZero Dark Thirty (2012) | Ep. 4“We tortured some folks.” Katherine Bigelow and Mark Boal’s blockbuster on the leadup to Bin Laden’s assassination was alternately ballyhooed and panned upon its release. Fans praised its purported cinematic achievements while critics lamented its alleged militarism or pro-torture sympathies. What’s remarkable today is the attention it received in all directions, perhaps a universal attention no longer possible in a society so fragmented and lost. Van and Lyle try to make sense of the movie as a contested event, and what its ambiguous ending might tell us about what came next. They also recall where they were when...2024-10-211h 25
Bang-Bang PodcastJacob's Ladder (1990) | Ep. 3Screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin (no relation to Lyle) claims the first scene of Jacob’s Ladder was inspired by his own sense of being stuck in a rut, and the prevailing premonitions of doom that came of that. But the work itself comes off as something just as social as it is private, and even as a unique if at times blind-spotted meditation on U.S.-led violence and impunity. Van and Lyle explore the virtues and limitations of this genuinely anti-war film, as well as what the classic dark trip tells us about the American past and present.2024-10-141h 26
Bang-Bang PodcastWar Machine (2017) | Ep. 2Lyle had been serving as a marine officer in and around the Helmand province for about five months before Rolling Stone published “The Runaway General” (June 2010), the explosive profile of General Stanley McChrystal and his entourage. Michael Hasting’s account led to the general’s immediate ouster as NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commander in Afghanistan, and in 2012—about a year before the journalist’s own mysterious death—Hastings published The Operators, his book-length version of the same story. War Machine is the darkly satirical rendition of that book, and Van and Lyle have much to say about the movie’...2024-10-071h 29The Un-Diplomatic PodcastCombat Obscura--A Bang-Bang Podcast Cross-Over | Ep. 198Crossover episode! In addition to Un-Diplomatic, Van is now co-hosting Bang-Bang--a new show about war movies, with an anti-imperialist twist. Van and his co-host, Lyle Jeremy Rubin, are military veterans, war critics, and film junkies. Enjoy this free cross-over episode where Van and Lyle discuss Combat Obscura, a 2018 documentary from Miles Lagoze about Marines in Afghanistan (and Lyle’s experience as a Marine in Afghanistan at the same time this was filmed). Subscribe to the Bang-Bang Podcast: https://www.bangbangpod.com/
2024-10-011h 32
Bang-Bang PodcastCombat Obscura (2018) | Ep. 1In 2011, the combat cameraman Miles Lagoze arrived in Helmand province, Afghanistan, tasked with manufacturing propaganda-friendly visuals and audio. In 2018, Lagoze released Combat Obscura, his documentary bringing together 70 minutes of recorded footage of his fellow marines, all originally left on the cutting room floor. The result was inconvenient enough for the U.S. government that it threatened (but ultimately abandoned) legal action. Van and Lyle discuss the film’s most endearing and vicious moments, as well as everything in between. They also reflect on their own roles in the war machine around the same time. Further ReadingW...2024-09-301h 32
Bang-Bang PodcastBang-Bang Podcast Teaser | from Ep. 1 on Combat ObscuraWelcome to Bang-Bang! A show about war movies, with an anti-imperialist twist. The hosts—Van Jackson and Lyle Jeremy Rubin—are military veterans, antiwar advocates, and lovers of film.In every episode, we grapple with the pain, humor, and contradictions of our war-addled culture. Our medium for that exploration happens to be war films we all know and love (and sometimes hate).This teaser from our first episode—where we dove into a 2018 documentary called Combat Obscura—hopefully gives a sense of our vibe.Subscribe today—Bang-Bang! ✌️ This is a public episode...2024-09-2502 min
The Halloween PodcastIllinois Ghost Stories: Haunted Places of the Prairie State | Ep. 13In Episode 13 of the Haunted America series, host Lyle Perez dives into the ghostly past of Illinois. From eerie hotels to haunted cemeteries, the Prairie State is home to some of the most notorious haunted locations. Here's a quick look at the spots we’ll explore:
Featured Haunted Locations:
Congress Plaza Hotel - 520 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605
Known for its haunted Room 441 and the ghost of Peg Leg Johnny, this iconic hotel is rife with paranormal activity.
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery - 143rd St, Midlothian, IL 60445
This small, secluded cemetery is ho...2024-09-2416 min
Frontstretch Podcast NetworkBringing the Heat: Daniel Hemric Still Focused on 2024Hear from Daniel Hemric, plus the Soundbite of the Week from Shane van Gisbergen.2024-09-1929 minBringing the Heat Podcast – FrontstretchBringing the Heat: Daniel Hemric Still Focused on 2024Hear from Daniel Hemric, plus the Soundbite of the Week from Shane van Gisbergen.2024-09-1929 minBringing the Heat with Bryan Nolen Podcast – FrontstretchBringing the Heat: Daniel Hemric Still Focused on 2024Hear from Daniel Hemric, plus the Soundbite of the Week from Shane van Gisbergen.2024-09-1929 min
The Halloween PodcastArkansas Hauntings: Eerie Tales from the Ozarks | Ep. 04Prepare yourself for a journey into the dark and eerie side of the Natural State in this haunting episode of The Halloween Podcast. Host Lyle Perez takes you to Arkansas, where haunted hotels, eerie battlefields, and ghostly theaters await. This is Episode 4 of the Haunted America series, released on September 15, 2024. Here’s a glimpse at the haunted locations we’ll explore:
The Crescent Hotel - 75 Prospect Ave, Eureka Springs, AR 72632
Explore "America’s Most Haunted Hotel," where spirits like Michael the stonemason and a ghostly nurse still roam the halls.
The Allen House - 705 N Main...2024-09-1517 min
The Halloween PodcastAlaska's Haunted Frontier: Spirits in the Wilderness | Ep. 02Bundle up, spooky souls, because in this chilling episode of The Halloween Podcast, host Lyle Perez takes you on a ghostly journey through Alaska’s most haunted locations. Known for its breathtaking landscapes and rugged wilderness, Alaska also harbors some of the most eerie and bone-chilling sites in America. Here’s a glimpse at the haunted locations we’ll explore:
Red Onion Saloon - 205 Broadway, Skagway, AK 99840 Experience the lingering spirit of Lydia, a former madam, in this historic bar and brothel from the Klondike Gold Rush era.
The Alaskan Hotel - 167 S Franklin St, Juneau...2024-09-1315 min
Frontstretch Podcast NetworkHappy Hour: NASCAR Does the Waive with Kyle LarsonDid NASCAR take too long giving Larson the waiver? Can Shane van Gisbergen be the fastest to win in all three series?2024-06-051h 00Frontstretch Happy Hour Podcast – FrontstretchHappy Hour: NASCAR Does the Waive with Kyle LarsonDid NASCAR take too long giving Larson the waiver? Can Shane van Gisbergen be the fastest to win in all three series?2024-06-051h 00
Amateur CriticsOctober Hits and MissesThis month ended on such a sad note. The passing of Matthew Perry has hit us hard, both being Friends lovers and the joy that Chandler Bing brought was unlike any other character on TV, the show would not be what it was without him. We hope that he has finally found the peace he deserves. We (finally) got 1989 (Taylors Version) and it doesn't disappoint, we talk a little about our favorite songs on the album but we honestly don't go into too much about it, but know that we are loving it. We Watched:2023-10-3136 minAmateur CriticsSeptember Hits and MissesWe were not that busy this month, with football being back that is honestly taking up most of our time. Here is what we did: Movies:The Mask (Max)You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (Netflix)Books:Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van PeltHappy Fake Wide, Happy Fake Life by Donna SchwartzePart of Your World by Abby JimenezFirecracker by Abby GlinesIf you have any spooky movie recommendations for us please send them! we are doing Halloween/scary movies for O...2023-09-2923 minThe Un-Diplomatic PodcastFrom Imperial Agent to Anti-War Advocate: Interview w/ Lyle Jeremy Rubin | Ep. 127Lyle Jeremy Rubin joins the podcast to talk about his new memoir "Pain Is Weakness Leaving the Body: A Marine's Unbecoming." Lyle and Van discuss the way that hypocrisy radicalizes people, the trouble with imperialism, the psychosexual insecurities mixed into military life, how personal violence affects foreign policy, the Karate Kid, the paradoxically traumatizing lack of combat on the front lines of war, and much more. Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body: https://www.boldtypebooks.com/titles/...Guest Website: https://www.lylejeremyrubin.comPodcast: https://www.undiplomaticpodcast.comBuy Me a C...2022-10-171h 37
Welcome To Cup TalkNHL Predictions, Frozen Fury, Buoy!,4:53 Episode Dedicated to Coach Lyle12:19 Youth Hockey updates 18:23 Parent Rivalries 25:10 High School Hockey30:56 College Hockey34:49 Juniors 42:05 Utah Grizzlies 43:45 Frozen Fury54:57 NHL Season Has Begun56:57 BUOY 1:00:38 NHL Perdictions2022-10-121h 29
Visit the North East of Scotland - Unlocking AberdeenshireOutdoor Activities in the North East of ScotlandIn this episode we meet outdoor enthusiast Lyle Smith. Lyle owns the adventure sports company Granite Adventures and he shares with us why he is passionate about outdoor sports in the North East and believes everyone can find something suitable for them. Find out what Aberdeenshire has to offer, whether it is water based activities or lacing up those walking boots. Tune in next time on the 24th of September, when we speak with Dr. Fiona-Jane Brown about the culture of the people of the North East of Scotland. The people of the land and the...2020-09-1016 min
One Clap Speech and DebatePetra Van Court Demystifies K Debate and Speaks Out on Student AdvocacySend us a textPetra Van Court is a self-professed "true debate nerd" who qualified for Nationals in Policy Debate twice when she competed with Cheyenne East. These days, Petra uses her debate knowledge and experience to help prep her students at Norman North HS while she attends school at the University of Oklahoma where she is finishing a Sociology degree.Petra shared some of her debate chops on the One Clap Pod in a fun and interesting conversation. She explained her take on Kritik (K) debate - how a "K" works, why it is so...2020-06-2332 min
The LPCorona Convos - The Mitch Belot BandThe theme is Corona Conversations, my guests are Mitch Belot and Justine Rowbotham. The reality of COVID-19 is that we are truly all effected and suddenly we all feeling more connected.
How are these Calgary, Alberta musicians taking their show online safely from self-isolation. We discuss their postponed tour, van-life, the positives that can be found in isolation, the canals of Venice, and more. If you haven't already I highly recommend checking them out on any music app or social media. As Mitch says "just type in Mitch Belot" and you will find them.2020-03-2600 min
Virginia History PodcastFalling Creek Ironwork's 400th Anniversary - Interview with Archaeologist Lyle BrowningIn which archaeologist Lyle Browning discusses the history of Falling Creek Ironworks, as well as the archaeological work being done at Virginia and America's first ironworks.2019-04-3032 min