Who'll Win the 'MAGA Podcast Wars'? Krystal Ball and Mehdi on Ben Shapiro vs. Tucker Carlson, AIPAC, and Iran

If you're as terminally online as the rest of us at Zeteo, you may have noticed that conservative podcasters are at war with each other. Ben Shapiro is attacking Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson is attacking Ben Shapiro, and everyone is attacking Mark Levin. So for this week's 'We're Not Kidding', Mehdi is joined by Krystal Ball, co-host of the massively popular online news show 'Breaking Points', to unpack all of the MAGA drama.  The two also get into how Donald Trump's disastrous war with Iran is creating even MORE rifts within the Republican party, Israel and Netanyahu's role in instigating the war, and why we shouldn't totally trust defectors like Trump's now former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent. "They are very comfortable saying, 'Israel, Israel, Israel. It's all Israel's fault,'" Krystal says. "But at the end of the day, this is Donald Trump's war. He's not a baby. He's the most powerful man on the planet." The two also discuss: Krystal's famous hardball interview with Sen. Elissa Slotkin. How AIPAC's brand has become "completely toxic" with Democratic voters. Why podcasts will be important for 2028 presidential candidates. And whether Gavin Newsom will be brave enough to appear on 'Mehdi Unfiltered' or 'Breaking Points'... Subscribe to Zeteo to support independent and unfiltered journalism: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Krystal Ball Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali   To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/Zeteo

Mehdi and Ayman Mohyeldin have a lot in common: They were both born in the same year, they're both immigrants and naturalized US citizens, they're both Muslim, and they both worked at Al Jazeera and then MSNBC (now MS NOW). As Mehdi says to his former colleague, "I look at you and I feel like I'm looking at a taller, better looking, Arab version of myself." Ayman joins Mehdi in Washington DC for the latest episode of 'We're Not Kidding' to discuss their careers in TV journalism, the failures of Western media on Gaza, and the new US war with Iran. The two discuss Israel's role in instigating the war, Benjamin Netanyahu's decades-long obsession with toppling the Iranian regime, as well as the media's unwillingness to name Israel as an influence on US foreign policy. "Israel has said it wants regime change in Iran for 40 years, but you couldn't say that until Marco Rubio came out and said that," Ayman says. As one of the only American journalists who lived in Gaza during the 2008-09 war, Ayman brings a perspective on the region that few other mainstream journalists are able to. The two talk about Ayman's history of reporting on the conflict, what has changed (and sadly not changed), as well as the shortcomings of most Western media outlets in offering balanced coverage.  The two also discuss: Beginning their journalism careers in the post 9/11 era. Double standard attacks levied against Muslim journalists. Bari Weiss and her "Iran expert" Douglas Murray. Which Republican lawmakers are "dumb as shit." And Mehdi quizzes Ayman on the French national soccer (sorry, football) team…   Subscribe to Zeteo to support independent and unfiltered journalism: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends   Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews   Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan   Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Ayman Mohyeldin Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali   To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/Zeteo

Since Oct. 7, 22 year-old Palestinian-American influencer Hamzah Saadah has gained international notoriety for doing something that no mainstream news outlet would dare to do: asking regular Israelis what they think about Palestine. The results have been shocking, as Hamzah's interviews with civilians and soldiers alike demonstrate a comfort and willingness to use "genocidal rhetoric" across Israeli society. Hamzah now joins Mehdi for a live taping of 'We're Not Kidding' at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah to discuss his work on social media and take some questions from the audience.  Before Oct. 7, Hamzah was a gaming influencer, musician, and magician (yes, you read that right) with nearly 8 million followers across social media. But once Israel's genocide began in Gaza, Hamzah made the decision to use his massive following to expose the anti-Palestinian rhetoric of some Israeli soldiers. The two also discuss: Receiving threats for their political work. Larry Ellison and censorship on TikTok. The time the police showed up at Hamzah's house at 3:00am. How to change the minds of audiences. How old Mehdi is, again, and again, and again. 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Recorded at The Muslim House® Produced by the MPAC® Hollywood Bureau with the support of the Doris Duke Foundation. Subscribe to Zeteo to support independent and unfiltered journalism: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Hamzah Saadah Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/Zeteo

As one of the co-hosts of the massively popular podcast 'I've Had It', Jennifer Welch has made a name for herself as a sharp-witted, foul-mouthed, uncomfortable-truth-bomb-dropping political commentator. Whether you've seen social media clips of her ranting about Donald Trump's poorly applied makeup or watched her eviscerate Sen. Cory Booker on AIPAC during their viral interview, Jennifer is shaking up the way liberal media thinks about political punditry. Now, she joins Mehdi on 'We're Not Kidding' to talk about her political journey and rise to fame.  Once an "MSNBC liberal" from the Bible Belt, Mehdi and Jennifer discuss her evolution on issues like corporate influence on the Democratic party and Israel-Palestine. They also get into the recent dump of Epstein files, including Elon Musk's "pathetic" attempt to get an invite to Epstein's island on Christmas, and how Joe Biden and the Democrats once again fumbled the ball. "Merrick Garland had these files for four f*****g years and didn't do anything with it!" Jennifer says. The two also discuss: - How atheism influences Jennifer's politics (and religion influences Mehdi's!). - Why Trump appeals to evangelical Christians. - Scott Jennings, Jesse Watters, and why Republican men are "submissive." - Whether Epstein was a Mossad spy. - Which national Democrats should be "remodeled" and which should "retire." Subscribe to Zeteo to support independent and unfiltered journalism: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Find Jennifer: 'I've Had It': https://ivehaditpodcast.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mizzwelch/?hl=en Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Jennifer Welch Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali

Aasif Mandvi broke more glass ceilings than you probably realize. If you watched 'The Daily Show' during the post-9/11 era, you likely already know the comedian and actor for his biting commentary on Islamophobia, George W. Bush, and the 'War on Terror'.  But did you know he was the political comedy show's first non-white cast member? Or that he served as the "Senior Middle East Correspondent" and "Senior Muslim Correspondent" even though he's not from the Middle East or a practicing Muslim? Now, Aasif joins Mehdi on the new episode of 'We're Not Kidding' in front of a live audience at the Sundance Film Festival for a wide-ranging conversation about being fellow immigrants, Muslim representation, Gaza, Donald Trump, ICE, Zohran Mamdani, as well as take some questions from the audience. Subscribe to Zeteo to support independent and unfiltered journalism: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Find Aasif: Twitter: https://x.com/aasif Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasif Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Aasif Mandvi Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali

Noam Schuster-Eliassi is what some people might call a 'unicorn'.  She's an anti-Zionist, Jewish-Iranian Israeli who speaks fluent Arabic and grew up in a tiny village in Israel called the 'Oasis of Peace', where Jews and Palestinians voluntarily choose to live together. Noam is now the star of the new documentary 'Coexistence, My Ass!', which won the Special Jury Award at Sundance film festival last year. The film explores her political evolution from growing up as an Israeli poster-child of the "coexistence movement" to becoming a standup comedian determined to dismantle apartheid within Israel.  The two also discuss the contradiction of liberal Israelis who are critical of Netanyahu's anti-democratic government yet don't extend the same consideration to Palestinians living under apartheid, as well as the barrage of hasbara that Israeli society was exposed to after October 7.  Subscribe to Zeteo to support independent and unfiltered journalism: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Find Noam: Twitter: https://x.com/ShusterNoam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noam_joon/ Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Noam Shuster-Eliassi Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali

On the day after Zohran Mamdani's historic election win, what better 'We're Not Kidding' guest could we ask for than New York City icon Ilana Glazer? The Jewish-American comedian, activist, and 'Broad City' creator joined Mehdi in midtown Manhattan to talk about what Mamdani's victory means for the future of US politics. The two also discuss the recent failures of the Democratic party and whether Mamdani's win has the power to finally push party leadership to embrace its populist flank. "Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries were not there celebrating last night," Ilana says. "A Democratic mayor won. They should be there celebrating." They also talk about someone else who was definitely not celebrating on election night — Debra Messing and her very public Instagram crash out. Ilana opens up to Mehdi about her feelings around the modern Jewish identity, particularly since Oct. 7. The two also discuss the weaponization of antisemitism by figures like Jonathan Greenblatt (who has already announced the Anti-Defamation League's 'Mamdani Monitor' to purportedly "keep Jewish New Yorkers safe"), while simultaneously ignoring the dangers of right-wing antisemitism espoused by people like Nick Fuentes and Tucker Carlson. Finally, Mehdi asks Ilana about speaking out against Israel's genocide in Gaza and the risks of receiving backlash or being censored. Subscribe to Zeteo to support independent and unfiltered journalism: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Ilana Glazer Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali

If you were a fan of the HBO series 'Succession' — then do we have a treat for you. On this new episode of 'We're Not Kidding', Mehdi is joined by Iranian-American actor Arian Moayed who played the scene-stealing character Stewy Hosseini on the hit HBO show. Mehdi and Arian unpack the ways our reality mirrors the fictional world of 'Succession', like how pro-Israel billionaire Larry Ellison, the world's second richest man, is buying up media companies Paramount, CBS News, and TikTok. Mehdi also challenges Arian to a new rapid-fire question game called, "Real Billionaire or 'Succession' Character?" As two naturalized US citizens, Mehdi and Arian discuss the recent military-style ICE raids in Arian's hometown of Chicago and the fears that many immigrant communities are feeling in the Trump era. Mehdi and Arian also get into the recent political history of Iran, including the 1979 revolution which led to Arian's family immigrating to the US when he was a child. Arian, an outspoken critic of the Iranian government, explains the importance of Iranian representation and self-determination and offers his own analogy for why Western governments should stay out of Iran's affairs.  Finally, the two discuss the two-year anniversary of Oct. 7 and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. As Arian was one of the earliest signatories on the Artists 4 Ceasefire letter in October of 2023, Mehdi asks if he feared retribution from Hollywood and the entertainment industry for being pro-Palestine. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO 'WE'RE NOT KIDDING' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan FIND ARIAN: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arianmoayed Waterwell: https://www.waterwell.org/ CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Arian Moayed Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali

It's been six months since Mehdi and Bassem Youssef last recorded an episode of 'We're Not Kidding', so needless to say they had a lot to catch up on. And what better place to host their reunion than ArabCon 2025 in Dearborn, Michigan? During this very special LIVE taping, the duo get candid about the Trump administration's recent attacks on free speech, the potential of a Zohran Mamdani victory in New York City, and how much the world has changed (and sadly not changed) since Israel began its genocide in Gaza almost two years ago. Finally, the two take questions from the audience about the use of social media platforms complicit in genocide, whether either of them would travel to Israel for work, and how to build momentum for the BDS movement ('Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions'). Mehdi also gets asked a couple of pointed questions about condemning Hamas' attack on Oct. 7 and the killing of Israeli civilians — you don't want to miss his response. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO 'WE'RE NOT KIDDING' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan= FIND BASSEM: Twitter: https://x.com/Byoussef Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bassem/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bassem CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Bassem Youssef Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali

SPOILER ALERT: This episode includes plot details for the TV series 'Andor'. On this week's 'We're Not Kidding', Mehdi once again gets to do his two favorite things: have a substantive conversation about politics and fanboy on nerd culture. That's because this week's guest is award-winning Irish actor Denise Gough, who came to prominence on the 'Star Wars' TV series 'Andor' playing an intelligence officer in service of the fascistic Empire. But in real life Denise's politics are deeply anti-imperial as an outspoken advocate for Palestine and the people of Gaza.  Mehdi speaks with Denise about her breakout role on 'Andor' playing "one of the most compelling fascists [he's] ever seen on screen," and unpack the parallels between 'Andor' and the rise of fascism across the West right now. But unlike 'Star Wars', the "good guys" in many historical conflicts are often vilified by those in power. "It's very impressive when the good guys are doing it," Mehdi says. " But who defines who the good guys and the bad guys are?" The two then discuss Denise's advocacy work and the historical connection between Ireland and Palestine. "[Ireland] lived under occupation for hundreds of years," Denise says. She goes on to recount her recent trip to the occupied West Bank and witnessing Israel's apartheid firsthand. "I've seen things that are undeniable," a visibly emotional Denise says. From the military checkpoints and fences in Hebron, to Palestinian homes barred in steel to protect against settler attacks, to handmade jewelry carved from Israeli military tear gas canisters. "There isn't a person in the world that would be able to convince me what is happening there is a democracy." SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO 'WE'RE NOT KIDDING' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan FIND DENISE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denisegough1/?hl=en CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Denise Gough Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Special thanks: Khaleel Rahman