Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

Are we doomed by a coming climate change apocalypse? Patrick Farnsworth of the Last Born in the Wilderness podcast and Alexander Miller, who recently appeared on the You Can't Win podcast to challenge climate doomerism, join us for a debate and discussion based around that very question. Alex requested to have a debate on this matter after hearing a previous conversation between Patrick and I. Alex argues that Patrick views represent what's been called "Doomerism" about climate change and wanted to debate him what climate change and climate catastrophe will entail. Alex does not argue that climate change isn't a major issue, but rather takes the view that it will not be an extinction level event. Patrick takes more or less a bleaker view on what climate change entails. In this conversation they debate the merits of their viewpoints and let the listeners decide. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, journalist Joseph L. Flatley joins us to discuss his new investigative podcast series The So-Called Prophet from Pittsburgh exploring a New Age UFO religion, or, as other would argue a destructive cult, operating an eco-village in the desert heat of Arizona and led by a man calling himself Gabriel of Urantia. Following in the footsteps of hit podcasts like Serial, S-Town, and Wonderland, The So-Called Prophet from Pittsburgh will appeal to fans of true crime and cult investigations. Joseph tells us all about the pod, Gabriel of Urantia, Gabriel's follower, and the ex-members who've formed what they call "The Negative Network". All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Peru-based commentator and analyst joins us to discuss his work with The Center for a Stateless Society (C4SS), an organization that describes itself as pro-market but anti-capitalist and has been referred to as left libertarian or market anarchist in its orientation, as well as his recent piece covering the Chile protest entitled "Chile and the Limits of Neoliberalism". What is driving the protests in Chile and what do they mean within the broader context of the growing global resistance to neoliberalism worldwide? All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views.

On this edition of Parallax Views, C. Derick Varn joins us to discuss his new and improved Pop the Left! podcast series for Zero Books. Additionally, Derick and I also discuss the Iran Situation in the wake of the assassination of Gen. Soleimani. This was recorded a day after the assassination and tensions have continued to heat up since then, but Derick provides what I consider to be useful insights. We also discuss a number of other topics in this conversation that marks the first episode of Parallax Views for the new year of 2020! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

Gather around the Christmas tree and crack open some eggnog because it's the Parallax Views 2019 Holiday Special! On this edition of the program we bring you some holiday cheer with not one but two conversations with previous Parallax Views guests. First up, "The P.T. Barnum of the Underground" Shane Bugbee returns to tells us all about the time he organized the first ever Jean Shepherd Festival in Hammond, Indiana. For those not familiar, Shepherd was the great humorist whose writings served as the basis for the classic holiday movie A Christmas Story. Hot off the heels of his controversial Expo of the Extreme in Chicago, Shane had moved to the small, downtrodden town of Hammond and was surprised to find out its residents were unaware that Jean Shepherd, who impacted such influential figures as Jerry Seinfeld, was raised in their very town. So Shane decided to put together a festival that would celebrate Shepherd as Hammond's hometown hero and brought in a number of actors from A Christmas Story for the occasion. In this conversation you'll hear how Shane organized the events, his experience getting the "Key to the City" from the Mayor for it, how Shane had to sign a paper stating that Satan would not appear at the event, how he thinks it helped uplift the spirits of many in the town, and much, much more. Additionally, we cap off this conversation with a brief discussion of Shane's encounter with the late great Rudy Ray Moore, who was recently immortalized in the Eddie Murphy-starring feature film Dolemite is My Name, and the pranksterish shenanigans Shane and Rudy got up to that raised the ire of Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams, stars of the TV sitcom Laverne and Shirley. Shane Bugbee rocking the infamous Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story Then, multi-time guests and friends of the show Jon and Ash of the Horror Vanguard podcast join us to discuss the wild world of Christmas horror movies! This is a light-hearted casual conversation that covers alternative holiday classics from Black Christmas and Gremlins to the 6 film Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise and, of course, the greatest holiday horror of them all... ELVES, the movie where Dan Haggerty, Grizzly Adams himself, goes head-to-head with genetically modified Nazi demons elves! Hell, we even discuss such obscurities as the mean-spirited British slasher Don't Open Till Christmas, Santa's Slay starring pro wrestling legend Bill Goldberg, the fantastic short film Black Santa's Revenge, and the French proto-Home Alone thriller Deadly Games. MERRY CHRISTMAS PARALLAX VIEWS LISTENERS AND MAY YOU ALL HAVE A

On this edition of Parallax Views, Frank Capra is generally one of the most beloved filmmaker in Hollywood history. Best known for movies like the Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and the holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life, Capra is often seen as being a forerunner to the auteur (thanks to his motto "one man, one film) and whose cinematic efforts championed the working class. Noted film historian Joseph McBride, whose storied career has included working with the legendary Orson Welles as well as writing biographies of Welles, Steven Spielberg, and John Ford, however, found that the popular image of the man was a myth in writing the biography Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success. For one thing, McBride found that Capra, contrary to the myth, was not as big a fan of the masses and everyday man as his films would lead many to believe. In fact, in interviewing Capra and others, as well as engaging in extensive research, he found that Capra had a certain fear for the masses, was a lifelong Republican who disliked FDR, and, despite being an immigrant himself, a xenophobe with anti-Semitic tendencies. Most damning of all perhaps was McBride's discovery of a file in Capra's archives which revealed that Capra snitched on his fellow Hollywood colleagues during the era of McCarthyism and the Red Scare. McBride set about telling the true story of this legendary filmmaker, not to destroy his legacy but instead to reveal a complex man that considered himself an ardent patriot who felt betrayed by his country when he was accused of being a subversive. As a result of this betrayal, McBride argues, Capra lost his way and went against the very values espoused in his beloved filmography by feeding the McCarthyite menace. The story, however, did not end with the publication of Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success in 1992. In his new book, Frankly: Unmasking Frank Capra, McBride relates the Kafka-esque tale of his struggle to complete and see published Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success. The experience found McBride, after having the project initially greenlit by his publisher, Capra's archivist, and Capra himself, being stonewalled. As such Frankly: Unmasking Frank Capra serves not only as the follow-up to Frank Capra: The Catastrophe but also as a story about the monumental struggles journalists and biographers often face in attempting to, as reporter Walter Lippman once said, "Tell the truth and shame the devil." On this edition of the program Joseph McBride himself joins us to share this fascinating story.

On this edition of Parallax Views, we discuss two very distinct topics with Dr. Rob Williams, a Media/Communications professor at Champlain College and the University of Vermont as well the publisher of Vermont Independent (not to mention a musician, author, and a yak farmer/enthusiast; Dr. Williams wears many different hats!). First up, Dr. Williams tells us about the Vermont Independence Movement or Second Vermont Republic, which would like to see Vermont return to it's former status as independent republic by seceding from the United States. Regardless of one's thoughts on secession the topic has had occasionally breached mainstream discourse vis-à-vis not only the 2nd Vermont Republic's efforts but also CalExit, a California secessionist group, in recent years. It is my hope that this part of the conversation with Dr. Williams, who is a staunch supporter of 2VR, can provide an insight into what leads a small-but-vocal number of citizens to advocate for secession. Then, in the second half of our conversation we discuss Dr. Williams short book The Post (Truth) World: Fighting Fake News with a 21st Century "Propaganda Model" for our Digital Age. In this brief work Dr. Williams attempts to update Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Hermann's "Propaganda Model" for understanding systemic biases in corporate media as outlined in their 1988 book Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. We begin this portion of the discussion by delving into Dr. Williams' critical take on Steven Spielberg's recent critically-acclaimed film The Post, which detailed The Washingto Post's publishing of the scandalous Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War. From there we explore the issues facing news media today and the digital age's impact on said media. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, there have been many critiques made of the controversial psychologist Jordan Peterson since he first became an internet sensation in 2016. Much has been made of Peterson's fusion of self-help and Jungian psychology with a thinly-veiled conservative political agenda, but what about the criticism of Peterson from an academic and psychology-based perspective? Rising YouTube star Cass Eris is seeking to fill that void as a cognitive psychologist taking the deep-dive into Peterson's 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos in a series a videos that dissect the popular 2018 self-help book chapter by chapter. On this edition of the show Eris joins us to discuss not only the series but also her background; criticisms of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Jung; Peterson's lack of citations; the just world hypothesis; and, of course, lobsters. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views! KEEP UP WITH THE WORK OF CASS ERIS ON YOUTUBE! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, the decentralized, non-profit media collective Unicorn Riot has gained notoriety in the past few year for its databases and exposés of leaks pertaining to the inner world and workings of the American far-right or alt right. This, however, is only a small part of the work done by Unicorn Riot, whose motto is "Your Alternative Media". Recently, for example, Unicorn Riot has been publishing investigations related to scandalous, seedy world of offshore banking. Specifically, Unicorn Riot, alongside Distributed Denial of Secrets, has been shedding light on the data hacks of The Cayman National Bank and, shortly after the recording of this episode, the London finance firm Formations House. On this edition of the program, Dan Feidt, a co-founder of Unicorn Riot, joins us to discuss the collective's work, mission, its decentralized nature. In addition Dan fills us in on his reporting in regards to the shadowy world of offshore banking, specifically the recent Cayman National Bank data hack leaks. Dan and I also chat about conspiracy theories and offer a critique of right-wing conspiracy theories like QAnon and figures like Alex Jones of Infowars. And yes, we do discuss Unicorn Riot's work pertaining to the leaks they've published and databased pertaining to the inner world and workings of the alt right. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, we return to the world of true indie films with Henrique Couto, director of the recently released Boggy Creek: The Series. For the uninitiated, Boggy Creek: The Series takes it's name from a series of popular cult movies, starting with Charles B. Pierce's 1972 docudrama The Legend of Boggy Creek, about the Arkansas-based legend of a Bigfoot creature called the Fouke Monster. In this new series, a pair of investigators for "The American Yeti Project", Roger and Sarah, try to find the mysterious Beast of Boggy of Creek while also having various misadventures involving bandits, a serial killer, the town's alleged witch, and even a murderous supernatural scarecrow! Available now for streaming on Amazon, Boggy Creek: The Series was produced by prolific B-movie maven Fred Olen Ray and features a guest appearance from noted "Scream "Queen" Brinke Stevens and narration by Academy Award-nominated actor Eric Roberts. Sasquatch hunter Sarah and Roger (Joni Durian and Mike Hillinski) with Sheriff McCay (Joe Kidd) in Boggy Creek: The Series Sara (Joni Durian) getting menaced by the legendary Beast of Boggy Creek "Scream Queen" Brinke Stevens makes a special guest appearance on the first episode of Boggy Creek: The Series as the town's alleged witch Eric Roberts, who won an academy award-nominated actor and multi-time Golden Globe-nominee Eric Roberts provides the narration for Boggy Creek: The Series Henrique Couto, enjoying himself in between filming Boggy Creek: The Series In addition to Boggy Creek: The Series, Henrique Couto has also directed such features as the horror anthology Scarewaves, the neo-slasher movie Babysitter Massacre, the western Calamity Jane's Revenge (starring former WWE Superstar Al Snow), the family feature A Bulldog for Christmas, and comedies such as Depression: The Movie, Making Out, Awkward Thanksgiving. During this conversation Henrique discusses how he became involved in film at a very young age, being mentored by fellow indie filmmaker Andrew Copp, finding his voice as an artist, Boggy Creek: The Series, and much more. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, a casual conversation with a rising star in the YouTube left media space, Cole James Cash of GNN (Ghetto News Network). Cole has been giving his take on current events through GNN since March of last year. He's also interviewed such personalities as Jamie Peck of the Antifada podcast, author Ben Burgis of Give Them an Argument: Logic for the Left fame, and progressive commentator Benjamin Dixon. Additionally he has tussled with such figures as Tulsi Gabbard supporter Niko House and, most infamously, black conservative broadcaster Jesse Lee Peterson. In this free-wheeling conversation Cole and I discuss rap music (before GNN Cole was a rapper), the military, American history, and much more. And yes, we do discuss his confrontation with Jesse Lee Peterson. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, the historian Charles Austin Beard is not widely discussed today, but in the early 20th century he was a juggernaut amongst public intellectuals. Along with his wife Mary Beard, Charles Beard is one of the forebears of the progressive school of historical interpretation. He is perhaps best know for 1913 book An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States, which provocatively re-evaluated the founding fathers as being driven primarily by material factors rather than ideals. Additionally Bear was a staunch anti-imperialist. So much so, in fact, that he went on to oppose U.S. intervention into WWII. Due to his stance on U.S. involvement in WWII at the time Beard fell out of favor with historians in the latter half of the 20th century. On this edition of the program Dr. Richard Drake, the Lucille Spear Research Chair in Politics and History at University of Montana, joins us to discuss his reevaluating this forgotten figure in his new book Charles Austin Beard: The Return of the Master Historian of American Imperialism. We begin the conversation by discussing Richard's adjacent research into the great poet Robinson Jeffers, whom shares a great deal in common with Beard. From there we delve into how Richard became interested in figures like Beard and Jeffers, which he says originated with his historical research into European history and the Italian Red Brigades. We then delve into the concept of America as Empire, what it means, and how it relates to Beard's work. After laying that groundwork, Richard and I begin delving into our main subject, the historian Charles Austin Beard, by explaining how Richard's new book relates to his previous work The Education of an Anti-Imperialist: Robert La Follette and U.S. Expansion. Additionally, Richard fills listeners in on how Beard had a strong intellectual collaboration with his wife Mary Ritter Beard, a historian in her on own right who chronicled American women's history, that led to the influential two volume The Rise of American Civilization. Early 20th Century Wisconsin Senator Robert La Follette Charles Beard's wife, Mary Ritter Beard, was an influential historian her on write often credited as a founding figure for the field of American women's history The Rise of American Civilization by Charles and Mary Beard was influential to historians in the first half of the 20th century Richard and I then dig into how Beard became more staunchly anti-imperialist after WWI. Additionally we talk a bit about Beard's radical reinterpretation of the United States Constitutions and his influence on latter 20th century public intellectuals like Gore Vidal and Howard Zinn as well as the Wisconsin School of American diplomatic history as championed by William Appleman Williams. More broadly Richard explains just how much of a revered public intellectual Beard was in his own time and the values that drove his thought. The title of Gore Vidal's Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace is a reference to Charles Austin Beard We close out the show by discussing the controversy surrounding Beard's opposition to America's entry into WWII. During this portion of the conversation Richard notes how Beard became increasingly critical of FDR both domestically (Beard criticized the New Deal as not doing enough) and in regards to foreign policy. Despite this, Richard points out that Beard was firmly opposed to Adolf Hitler and viewed the notorious Fuhrer of the Third Reich as monstrous. Nonetheless, Beard ultimately believed that U.S. entry into WWII would lead to a disastorous. expansion of American empire and militarism. Richard says that Beard's analyses of these matters are not infallible, but argues that there is still something to be gained from reevaluating Beard. Additionally, Richard and I briefly touch open how Beard, in contrast to some of his contemporaries (most notably Harry Elmer Barnes), refused to dabble in or promote anti-Semitism and in fact had many pro-semitic tendencies. We close out the conversation with Richard's comments on the present and why he believes it is important to reconsider Charles Austin Beard in the 21st centur CHARLES AUSTIN BEARD:THE RETURN OF THE MASTER HISTORIAN OF AMERICAN IMPERIALISM BY RICHARD DRAKE AVAILABLE NOW FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

Parallax Views Presents... THE DARK SIDE OF HOLLYWOOD On this second installment of the Parallax Views series The Dark Side of Hollywood, journalist Albert Lanier and I discuss the murder of Bonny Lee Bakely that led to the arrest of her husband, famed Hollywood actor Robert Blake. Blake was a bonafide legend of Hollywood, specifically for his turns in movies like In Cold Blood and David Lynch's Lost Highway as well as starring in the TV series Barretta, but his star was fading in the 21st century. That is until the death of his wife Bonny Lee Bakely thrust him back into the spotlight. Bakely herself led what could be politely called a rather interesting life. She was, for all intent and purposes, a lifelong conwoman who aspired to be amongst the rich and famous. In fact, this even led to relationships with Marlon Brando's son Christian Brando and Jerry Lee Lewis before her marriage to Blake. On May 4, 2001 that all changed when Bakely was murdered. Robert Blake quickly became the prime suspect. Was he the murder? Albert Lanier dissects the case and gives his take on this edition of... THE DARK SIDE OF HOLLYWOOD SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this special Thanksgiving edition of Parallax Views, American conservatives have often laid claim to the founding fathers and the historical traditions of America. This begs the question: Is there a radical tradition in American history that contrasts this narrative? Our guest on this edition of the program, historian and sociologist Harvey J. Kaye, the Ben & Joyce Rosenberg Professor of Democracy and Justice Studies at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, says there is in his new collection of essays and interviews entitled Take Hold of History: Make America Radical Again (Zero Books, 2019). Harvey J. Kaye speaking with legendary broadcast journalist Bill Moyers Our conversation covers a great deal of ground beginning with how Harvey became interested in America's radical tradition. From there we delve into a number of areas including his admiration for Thomas Paine, the founding father who wrote Common Sense, and the importance of Franklin Dealanor Roosevelt's Four Freedoms. We even talk a bit about religion, Abraham Lincoln's alleged correspondence with Karl Marx, the sociologist C. Wright Mills (who famously popularized the Power Elite theory of societal organization), and the classic novel It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis (which warned of the possibility of fascism coming to America). All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views. TAKE HOLD OF OUR HISTORY: MAKE AMERICA RADICAL AGAIN BY HARVEY J. KAYE AVAILABLE NOW FROM ZERO BOOKS SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, Mike Watson, author of Towards a Conceptual Militancy, argues that there's liberatory potential in millennial cultural-production such as memes in his new book Can the Left Learn to Meme?: Adorno, Video Gaming, and Stranger Things. From the synopsis courtesy of Zero Books: "Taking in an array of cultural references from the contemporary art world, to cat memes, Stranger Things, the Kardashian-Jenners, Mad Men, Run the Jewels, and video gaming, Can the Left Learn to Meme? argues that there is positivity in millennial-era cultural production. Utilising Adorno’s unswerving yet understated hope in spite of the odds, Mike Watson embraces the abstraction of the new media landscape as millennials refuse to surrender to cynicism, by out-weirding even the world at large. They pose a radical alternative to the right wing approach of Steve Bannon and the conservative psychology of Jordan Peterson. Here, the cultural elitism of the art world is contrasted with the anything-goes approach of millennial culture. The left avant-garde dream of an art-for-all is with us, though you won't find it in museums. It is time the left learned to meme, challenging conventions along the way." Watson joins us to discuss the book as well as his observations of and understanding of the art world from an insider's perspective. Additionally, we take a dive into the ideas of Frankfurt School critical theorist Theodor Adorno, who serves as a major inspiration for Can the Left Learn to Meme?. From there we delve into the world of internet culture and memes, which have been seized upon by the right. Watson sees figures like Steve Bannon and Jordan B. Peterson as targeting online audiences and a sort of battle for the millennial mind taking place in cyberspace. We also discuss the relevance of the TV show Stranger Things to Mike's book, Adorno's concept of the shudder, the jarring webseries Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, vaporwave music, and more. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

A Note to Listeners: Please Consider Supporting This GoFundMe for the Medical Expenses of this Pittsburgh Family. Your Support Would Mean the World to Parallax Views & J.G. Michael A few months ago Parallax Views supported a family hit bit unexpected healthcare expenses by promoting their GoFundMe in a series of episodes dedicated to healthcare reform and health justice. The family has since raiser over $17k, but is still seeking to reach their $40k goal. As such, Parallax Views want to show their continued support for the family by publishing previously unreleased conversations from the health justice fundraiser. On this edition of the show you'll hear conversation on healthcare and health justice featuring: - Eliot Rosenstock, author of Zizek in the Clinic: A Revolutionary Proposal for a New Endgame in Psychotherapy - Jeremy Salmon, host of the Giving the Mic to the Wrong Person podcast, which espouses DSA politics while chatting about pop culture and all things "nerdy" - Jeremy's friend Rachel, who provides her own insight into the healthcare issue as a social worker at a crisis center

On this edition of Parallax Views, since launching in January 2019 the I Don't Speak German podcast has become the a go-to resource for understanding the latest goings on in the alt right or far-right today. The show features conversations between Jack Graham and Daniel Harper, the latter of whom follows alt right media and tries to explain it to the former. Don't be mistaken, however, neither Graham or Harper are alt right. In fact, both are openly leftist and Daniel, as reported recently by Nick Martin in The Daily Beast, was recently threatened by a far-right Satanic neo-Nazi over the podcast. Daniel Harper, one half of the I Don't Speak German podcast, joins us on this edition for a conversation about the far-right in America today. We begin with how Daniel became interested in tracking the various activities (and dramas) of the alt right as well as the scary incident in which the aforementioned Satanic neo-Nazi had threatened, in online communications, to burn down Daniel's house. From there we have a wide-ranging conversation about online radicalization, deradicalization, the forces (and possible financial benefactors) behind the far-right, and much more on this edition of Parallax Views. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, former Senator Mike Gravel made some waves earlier this year when a group of teens meme'd him into a Presidential campaign seeking the Democratic nomination. Although that campaign has since ended, Gravel is hard at work promoting one of his greatest passions: direct democracy. During his Senatorial career Gravel forcefully opposed the Vietnam War draft and, famously, read the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Department of Defense study courageously leaked to the public by whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, on the floor of Congress. He is, in another words, a man that has not only bore witness to history, but participated in it. And at 89 years old he's a passionate and committed as ever. Not only that, but he has a great deal of hope. As a proponent of direct democracy he believes strongly in the will of "We the People" and has faith in the masses. Moreover, he argues that a more direct democracy, which would include the citizens in our lawmaking processes, is eminently possible. In this conversation we discuss all of these matters and subjects as well as Mike's working-class background, the influence figures like Bertrand Russell and IF Stone had on him, and more. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, writer Douglas Valentine is perhaps most known for his controversial research into the CIA and its covert operations. His most-well-known work is the heavily-footnoted The Phoenix Program: America's Use of Terror in Vietnam, which attempted to document particularly chilling Vietnam War operation undertaken by the Agency as overseen by William Colby (who, it should be noted, served as Director of the CIA from September 1973 to January 1976). Valentine has continued to explored the terrain of covert skullduggery in such works as The Strength of the Wolf: The Secret History of America's War on Drugs, The Strength of the Pack: The Personalities, Politics, and Espionage Intrigues that Shaped the DEA, and The CIA as Organized Crime: How Illegal Operations Corrupt America and the World. It turns out, however, that this is only one accept of Valentine's work. He is also, as it were, a champion and author of poetry. On this edition of the program, he joins us to discuss the poetry anthology he edited, With Our Eyes Wide Open: Poems of the New American Century. In the course of this conversation Douglas explain how he became interested in poetry and how poetry connects to his broader concerns, namely the promotion of humanism and social justice. Additionally, Douglas reads a few poems from the aforementioned anthology and gives his thoughts on the passing of Toni Morrison. And, during the intro, we fill listeners in, just a bit, on his work pertaining to The Phoenix Program. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, the controversial Nikolas Schreck returns to discuss his latest musical work, The Illusionist, and the upcoming updated (and final) edition of The Manson File as well as expressing his uncensored opinions on the Church of Satan's Anton LaVey, conspiracy theories, the alt right, and the far-right's resurgent interest in the work of neo-Nazi extremist James Mason. We begin the conversation by discussing Nikolas' new album The Illusionist, available from Records Ad Nauseam, including the outer space influenced psychedelic single "The Futura Model" and "This Hideous Thing", Nikolas' final musical exploration of the Tate-LaBianca murders. From there we discuss the dark humor found in Nikolas' musical projects over the years and his collaboration with the cult musician John Murphy. Additionally, Nikolas expresses the influence that musicians like Nico and crooners such as Russ Columbo have had on his musical endeavors. In this regard we also discuss Nikolas love of "outsider" musicians like Roky Erikson and Daniel Johnston. During this segment Nikolas explains his issues with the term of "outsider musician". Nikolas Schreck and his drummer Heathen Rae Nikolas Schreck and his bassist Ohnesorg Nikolas Schreck and his keyboardist Winfried Strauss We then delve into the fiction and reality of the Tate-Labianca or Manson murders as outlined in the upcoming, final updated edition of his book The Manson File. In particular, we discuss what Nikolas consider to be the real reason for the murders, namely a drug deal gone bad. Interestingly, the Hollywood Reporter recently featured a protégé of Jay Siebring (a victim in the Tate murders) saying this was the true reason for the murders. Nikolas also notes that, based on his research, Roman Polanski is a much darker figure in the Manson story than recognized and argues that Sharon Tate had wanted pleaded with him to move from Cielo Drive before the murders took place. Additionally, Nikolas delves into his relationship with Charles Manson as well as Manson's criminality and role in the murders. He argues, however, that at the heart of the Tate-LaBianca murders is actually Manson Family members Tex Watson and Linda Kasabian, the latter of whom was the only family member to escape prison. Ultimately, Nikolas says, the Tate-LaBianca murders may be even darker than the story told by Vincent Bugliosi in Helter Skelter and in fact reveal a dark side of Hollywood years prior to the scandals of Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein. In this regard, Nikolas and I discuss the seemy underbelly of the record industry in that era and Nikolas' thoughts on the relationship between Manson and the Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson. Sidney Korshak, a mob-connected lawyer who some considers one of 20th Century America's "Hidden Power Brokers", factors greatly into Nikolas' research into both the Manson Murders and the JFK assassination We go on to use the Manson saga as a launching point for a conversation about America's hidden history. We begin by discussing the figure of Lawrence Schiller, who has a connection to not only the Manson story but also the JFK assassination (which Nikolas will be writing about in a novel format with The Dallas Book of the Dead). This leads us into an examination of the mob-connected lawyer Sidney Korshak, who may well have been one of America's hidden power brokers in the 20th century. This brings us around to a conversation of conspiracy theories and conspiracy culture. In particular, Nikolas comments on and criticizes the recent , popular Manson book CHAOS by Tom O'Neill and the works of Mae Brussell and Dave McGowan. This leads us into a conversation about the pornographic nature of conspiracy theories like the supposed MKULTRA sex slave program "Project Monarch" and Maury Terry's Ultimate Evil, a book which posits that the Son of Sam murders were perpetrated by a cult known as the Process Church of the Final Judgment. Nikolas takes issues with these theories and argues that they actually aid the conservative agendas of right-wing conspiracists like the late ex-FBI agent Ted Gunderson and their views of the 60s counterculture. This segues into a conversation about Anton LaVey. Nikolas, who was formerly married to LaVey's daughter Zeena, paints a very negative picture of the Church of Satan founder. He argues that LaVey showed little interest in combating the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and instead left that work to his daughter Zeena. Additionally, he says that LaVey constructed a false image around himself and, more shockingly says that the Church of Satan attained funding from a convicted child sex offender and San Francisco real estate tycoon that abused one of LaVey's family members. Moreover, Nikolas says that LaVey looked the other way in regards to this tycoon's abusive behaviors. Nikolas also addresses LaVey's connection to Ragnar Redbeard's Might Makes Right, a book that has come under renewed scrutiny due to its apparen

On this edition of Parallax Views, what is the line between reality and fantasy? Filmmaker Julian Shaw’s debut features, Use Me, starring previous Parallax Views guest and noted cyber-dominatrix, or, as she refers to herself, “humiliatrix extraordinaire”, Ceara Lynch, asks that question and others. Set for a November 26th Video-On-Demand release after a successful showing at the Brooklyn Film Festival, Use Me has been described as blurring the lines between documentary and thriller leading some to refer to it as a “post-truth” movie apropos to our current cultural moment. We begin the conversation by delving into how Use Me came together and the social media funding that made it possible. From there we discuss how the movie went from a documentary to a docufiction thriller. Julian and I get into how he inserted himself into the movie as a character. Ceara details her first experience acting in a motion picture and how it differs from the work she does as an online dominatrix. Additionally, Ceara talks a little bit about her experience in the Joe Rogan show. A great portion of the conversations deals with themes of reality vs fantasy, the nature of sexuality and taboos, and the "post-truth" nature of Use Me. And finally, we talk a little bit about the influence of erotic thriller on Julian's vision for the movie and how Ceara's friends have reacted to the feature. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views CHECK OUT USE ME AVAILABLE FROM VIDEO-ON-DEMAND STREAMING SERVICE NOVEMBER 26th, 2019 CHECK OUT CEARA'S PODCAST STANDARD DEVIATION SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, economics is a topic that intimidate many as impenetrable. Concepts like neoliberalism, Modern Monetary Theory, and Universal Basic Income are often talked about in public discourse, but what are they? Doug Henwood, founder of the Left Business Observers and host of the Behind the News radio program, joins us to demystify economics as well as to discuss current events, specifically the Democratic Presidential debates and talk of an increased wealth tax drawing the ire of billionaires. Doug Henwood The conversation begins with Doug informing us how he went from being a young right-wing conservative to taking an interest in economics from a left-wing perspective. From their we have a conversation about the much-used-but-often-little-explained concept of neoliberalism and its history. Then we discuss the legacy of Keynesian economics and FDR's New Deal. This transitions us into the hot topic of Modern Monetary Theory, which, despite increasing popularity on the Left, Doug is remains extremely skeptical about. We also briefly discuss the idea of Universal Basic Income, challenges faced by workers under neoliberalism, the Democratic Presidential debates, and billionaires being in a furor over a greater wealth tax. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, Eddie Murphy has made a much anticipated and critically-acclaimed comeback in the form of Dolemite is My Name, a Netflix-produced biopic of the legendary black comic Rudy Ray Moore. Known as "The King of the Party Records" and "The Godfather of Rap", Rudy Ray Moore, through his kung fu fighting, rappin' and tappin, anti-establishment alter ego Dolemite and various other characters, overcame all odds in the often fickle world of showbiz to entertain audiences with his bawdy, risque-brand of humor. From his comedy albums like Eat Out More Often to his cult classic movies like Dolemite, The Human Tornado, and Petey Wheatstraw, Rudy Ray Moore, despite unfortunately passing away in 2008, lives on in the pantheon of pop culture. His films have been name-checked by such respected and directors as Quentin Tarantino and John Landis. And rappers, specifically and most notably Snoop Dogg, have cited him as a major influence. His diverse fanbase even extends to such figures as Miriam Linna, a founding member of the psychobilly punk band The Cramps, and the notorious juggalo hip hop duo The Insane Clown Posse, who featured Moore, reprising his famous role of Dolemite, in their movie Big Money Hustlas. In other words, Rudy Ray Moore has earned his keep as an iconic figure and Dolemite is My Name serves long-overdue, fitting tribute to the man, the myth, and the legend. Rudy Ray Moore as "Dolemite" Eddie Murphy as Rudy Ray Moore in Dolemite is My Name Joining us on this edition of Parallax Views to discuss Dolemite is My Name, Rudy Ray Moore, and black cinema are returning guest Brian Shaughnessy and Casey Gane-McCalla, also known as the rapper "The Mighty Casey" and the author of Inside the CIA's Secret War in Jamaica. Among the topics discussed are our initial thoughts on Dolemite is My Name. We chat about Eddie Murphy's comeback and the ensemble cast that supports him in the movie including Keegan Michael-Peele, Craig Robinson, Chris Rock, and Wesley Snipes. Additionally, we delve into the world of blaxploitation movies from which Rudy Ray Moore, as his alter ego Dolemite, became a star. In particular we reference such films as the Wayans Brothers parody of the genre I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, the films of Mario and Melvin Van Peebles, and, of course, Dolemite. And, in the final portion of our conversation, we discuss the current state of black cinema with the popularity of hit movies like Marvel's Black Panther and Jordan Peele's Get Out. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, one of the most controversial underground publishers to come out of the 1980s and 1990s counterculture joins us to discuss his life and times uncensored. He infamously republished Ragnar Redbeard's Might Makes Right, a book advocating the values of social darwinism that recently experienced newfound scrutiny when the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooter referenced it in one of his Instagram posts. He organized the Expo. He organized the Expo of the Extreme, which brought together artists from the worlds of punk, metal, industrial/noise music, and BDSM. He worked with the former child actress Dana Plato shortly before her passing and published a book/audio CD purporting to contain her "last breath". He published "The Trenchcoat Diaries" in the aftermath of the Columbine school shooting. And, after being run out of a small town in Minnesota, sought to make a documentary that would be an indictment of America. That documentary, The Suffering and Celebration of Life in America, sent him on a road trip across the country that may have inadvertently challenged the misanthropy which long drove him. The man in question is the controversial underground publisher Shane Bugbee and he joins us on this edition of Parallax Views to detail his storied life from a difficult childhood born in a Lubbock, Texas trailer to speaking at the prestigious Ivy League university Harvard. Shane initially gained notoriety for his involvement in what he calls the "Art That Kills" movement. Driven by anger and rage, Shane and others sought to create art with the misanthropic intent of hurt others. In other words, before there was 4chan edgelords, there was countercultural (in a much darker sense than the flower-power of the 1960s hippies) figures like Shane Bugbee. In many ways, the Shane Bugbee of today seems to be a completely different person from the misanthrope sometimes referred to as the "P.T. Barnum of the Underground". He's a proponent of LGBTQ+ right and believes transgender issues are at the frontier of freed speech and freedom of expression. He's a staunch supporter of Bernie Sanders and a proponent of Marshall Roseberg's Nonviolent Communication. After the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States he made the decision to pull his publication of Might Makes Right by Ragnar Redbeard from circulation. And, he now believes, contrary to misanthropy, that people aren't that bad. Despite this, Shane does not agree that he's changed. Rather he prefers to say that he's evolved. He makes no bones about his past endeavors, nor does he necessarily apologize for them. In this conversation he's completely frank, open, and uncensored. You may not agree with everything he says here or how he speaks concerning his past, but Parallax Views believes that no matter what you, dear listener, will find it fascinating. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, arising from the aftermath of the Watergate scandal the media watchdog organization Project Censored was founded in 1976 by Dr. Carl Jensen of Sonoma State University to "educate students and the public about the importance of a truly free press for democratic self-government". For over 40 years it has sought to shine a much needed light on issues like censorship, junk food news, news abuse, and critical media literacy. In addition to producing documentaries and a weekly radio program on these important matters, Project Censored publishes an annual yearbook which attempts to collate the top censored news stories and media analysis of the past year. Joining us to discuss the latest yearbook in this series, Censored 2020: Through the Looking Glass, is Andy Lee Roth, the associate director of Project Censored and coordinator of Project Censored's Validated Independent News program. The conversation begins with a discussion of Project Censored's mission. Andy Lee Roth references the work of the 20th century Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Walter Lippman in this regard and his famous quote arguing that journalism should, "Tell the truth and shame the devil." From there we delve into how Project Censored decides what stories will go into the annual Censored yearbook and fills us in on the Project's Validated Independent News program. Andy then shares with us the poem that opens up Censored 2020 and explains why it used in this edition of the annual yearbook. Then we discuss the Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass motifs that inform the book. Roth explains how these motifs seem prevalent in an age of fake news and media distortion. This brings us into a discussion of fake news and some of the possibly problematic solutions being offered to combat it. From there we discuss some of the chapters contained in Censored 2020: Through the Looking Glass starting with April Anderson and Andy's report on coverage of LGQBTQ+ issues in the age of Trump. We then talk about the annual "Media Democracy in Action" chapter which includes contributions from transparency advocate Russ Kick, Kathyrn Foxhall of the Society of Professional Journalists, and others. Andy and I then discuss a few of the stories included in the top 25 censored stories section of Censored 2020. In particular, Andy tells us about the upsetting story of flawed investigations into sexual assault at Children's Migrant Center and the more positive story of new programs that are making school food systems more equitable. We begin wrapping up the conversation by discussing the state of journalism and the media ecosystem today, specifically in light of the recent collapse of Splinter and Deadspin under G/O Media. Andy and I chat about what the future may hold for journalism in the years ahead. And, as always, we try to end the conversation on a positive note in these precarious times. Censored 2020: Through the Looking Glass Available Now From Seven Stories Press CHECK OUT PROJECT CENSORED SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, the multi-level marketing NXIVM has gained national infamy as the "Hollywood Sex Cult" that landed its founder Keith Raniere, Smallville actress Allison Mack, and others in prison on multiple counts related to horrifically abusive behaviors against its members. The sensational headlines, however, may not do justice to understanding the true depravity of Keith Raniere, known within the cult as "Vanguard", and the horror show of NXIVM. Joining us on this edition of the program to unravel the sordid story and provide insight into the mind of a cult leader is Keith Raniere's ex-girlfriend, the "Patient Zero" of NXIVM, Toni Natalie and journalist Chet Hardin, who has been one of the main journalists covering the cult. Together Natalie and Hardin have authored the new book The Program: Inside the Mind of Keith Raniere and The Rise and Fall of NXIVM. We discuss Toni's story from how she met Raniere through the company Consumers Byline Inc. to the gaslighting she experienced after crossing Raniere and finally bearing witness to the fall of NXIVM's founder at his trial. Chet fills us in on how he began reporting on NXIVM and his experiences with its members. Additionally, Chet notes that, while NXIVM may have connections to political campaigns of the Clinton family, Raniere and his cult's beliefs share a great deal in common with the right-wing ideologies espoused online by "incels" and "the red pill" in regards to women. Toni notes that the story of NXIVM is not over yet and that victims, like the late Kristin Snyder, still deserve justice. We close out the conversation by trying to offer some kind of light amidst all the darkness. NXIVM founders Keith Raniere and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) expert Nancy Salzman, known within the cult as "Vanguard" and "Prefect" The Smallville actress Allison was a particularly high-profile member of NXIVM and has admitted to coming up with the idea for the human branding of NXIVM members Sara and Clare Bronfman, heiresses to the immense wealth generated by the Seagram Company, were also high-profile figures associated with NXIVM THE PROGRAM: INSIDE THE MIND OF KEITH RANIERE AND THE RISE AND FALL OF NXIVM BY TONI NATALIE W/ CHET HARDIN AVAILABLE NOW FROM GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, a previously unpublished conversation with Joshua Strawn of the musical duo Azar Swan on his journey from growing up as an evangelical Christian to becoming a highly acclaimed post-punk musician with a militant humanist worldview in the goth music scene. In addition to Azar Swan, a collaboration between himself and the mysterious Zohra Atash, Joshua has also been in musical innovator in such bands as the indie rock outfit Religious to Damn, the experimental black metal-influenced project Vaura, and the New York post-punk revival band Blacklist. As well as being a multi-talented musician, Joshua has a keen interest in matters related to politics, humanism, and atheism and, during his time in New York's The New School, was mentored by the late, acerbic New Atheist provocateur Christopher Hitchens. Zohra Atash and Joshua Strawn performing as Azar Swan The Blacklist album Midnight of the Century has attained a cult status Joshua has also tried his hand at a very experimental form of black metal with the band Vaura During his time studying at The New School, Joshua struck up a friendship with the controversial and acerbic social critic Christopher Hitchens During this conversation, Joshua and I discuss his experiences growing up in an evangelical Christian family and understanding the evangelical mindset. From there we dive into how Joshua became a militant atheist driven by humanism and how his interest in music initially blossomed. We discuss his music from Azar Swan to Vaura and Blacklist as well as his involvement in the Wierd Record music label and scene founded by Peter Schoolwerth. And finally we delve into his relationship with Christopher Hitchens including his personal anedotes and feelings about the late social critic with an acidic wit. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

In light of whistleblowers being in the news cycle as of late, Parallax Views presents a classic replay of our conversation with Billie Winne-Davis about her daughter Reality Leigh Winner, an early whistleblower of the Trump era. Since the inception of the War On Terror there has been a parallel war waged by the National Security State to silence whistleblowers. Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, and John Kiriakou are just some of the victims in the War on Whistleblowers. In 2017 27 year old air force veteran and former NSA contractor Reality Leigh Winner became the first target of the Trump administration's continuation of this ongoing War on Whistleblower after leaking classified information concerning the possibility of Russian hacking in the 2016 Presidential election. Reality's mother, Billie Winner-Davis, joins us for an emotional conversation about her daughter's case and the ordeal Reality has been put through for being a conscientious citizen. Billie Winner-Davis Reality Leigh Winner We begin the conversation with Billie giving us a brief outline of who Reality is as a person and her many passions. From there we delve right into how reality became a whistleblower after leaking classified information concerning claims of Russian hacking in the 2016 Presidential election to the online news outlet The Intercept. She describes how Reality was treated during her interrogation, how she was not read her Miranda rights, and the smears that were made against her during the trial. We also delve into the challenges Reality faces in prison and the ways in which she was not provided with proper care and services. In addition we discuss, in a very emotional moment of the conversation, how the now convicted Paul Manafort's treatment during the Mueller Probe stands in harsh contrast to what has been done to Reality. Moreover, we delve into the real, vibrant human being that most media coverage of the case has missed by speaking to Reality's artwork, activism, and love for figures like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. We also discuss Donald Trump's tweet seemingly in support of Reality Winner and how he has failed to follow through with that support. Billie Winner-Davis gives her take on the media's handling of the case before we begin to wrap up the conversation by telling listeners how they can Stand With Reality. On a final note Billie describes how, despite the nightmarish nature of Reality's ordeal, both Reality and her family have not had their spirits broken and how they are hopeful for the future. SUPPORT REALITY WINNER AT STAND WITH REALITY! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON!

On this Halloween bonus edition of Parallax Views, the Hungarian-born actor Bela Lugosi has become immortalized in pop culture since he starred as the title vampire in Tod Browning's 1931 Universal Studios monster movie classic Dracula. Additionally, Lugosi is also remembered for his collaborations with the notoriously inept filmmaker Ed Wood in the final years of his life. Together Wood and Lugosi made Glen or Glenda, Bride of the Monster, and, most infamously, "The Worst Movie Ever Made" Plan 9 from Outer Space. Lugosi's relationship with Wood went on to become the subject of a major motion picture, Tim Burton's Ed Wood, and garnered the late Martin Landau an Academy Award for his performance as the iconic thespian. Even after his passing 63 years ago, Lugosi's place in the pantheon of popular culture remains cemented into the collective imagination with the legendary actor being referenced in works by artists as varied as Andy Warhol and the goth rock band Bauhaus. In other words, the Lugosi legacy lives on all these years later. Joining us to discuss the life and times of Bela Lugosi, from Dracula to Plan 9 from Outer Space, is film historian Gary D. Rhodes. Having written multiple books on Lugosi, including Bela Lugosi, Dreams and Nightmares, Ed Wood and the Lost Lugosi Screenplays, and Bela Lugosi and the Monogram 9 (with previous Parallax Views guest Robert Guffey), Rhodes is without a doubt the foremost scholar of all things Bela Lugosi. In this previously unpublished conversation Rhodes takes us through the life and times of Lugosi, from his rise to stardom to his eventual struggles with addiction and infamous collaborations with Ed Wood. CHECK OUT BELA LUGOSI AND THE MONOGRAM 9 BY GARY D. RHODES AND ROBERT GUFFEY SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, we delve into the history of Devil's Night and Halloween from a "People's History of" perspective w/ Nestor of Black Banner Magic. Additionally Nestor and I discuss occultism, whether occultism is inherently right wing, Nestor's criticisms of the "Trump Binding" rituals performed by some witches across the U.S., the concept of "Harvest Goth", and much, much more. It's a free-wheeling conversation to cap-off our celebration of the Halloween season here at Parallax Views! Sorry if this description is short-but-sweet, but I have to go bob for some apples and binge watch horror movies before the Halloween season is over. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, we continue to celebrate Halloween and the spooky season by diving into the world of television horror hosts. The character of the horror host has been a part of pop culture since the days of spook shows and radio, but have become a staple of late night television since the 1950s. Hosts like the buxom Vampira, the beatnik Ghoulardi, "The Cool Ghoul" Zacherley, the unrepentant redneck Joe Bob Briggs, the humorously sexy Elvira, and the currently nationally-syndicated Svengoolie have acted as guides for audiences wanting to embark into the world of the strange, uncanny, and often cheesy. Vampira, one of the earliest television horror hosts Joe Bob Briggs hosting "The Last Drive-In" The alluring Elvira, Mistress of the Dark Long-time host Svengoolie is now nationally-syndicated on MeTV Mr. Lobo and his houseplant sidekick Miss Mittents host strange movies somewhere in "The Void" for the long-running Cinema Insomnia Joining us to discuss the world of horror hosts, and their often unspoken countercultural heritage, is Mr. Lobo of Cinema Insomnia and the streaming service OSI 74 (Outer Space International 74). His motto is, "They're not bad movie, just misunderstood." Alongside hosts like Joe Bob Briggs on Shudder and Svengoolie on MeTV, Mr. Lobo is likely one of the most high-profile horror hosts in America today. In addition to hosting outre movies on Cinema Insomnia for a whopping 18 seasons (and still going!), Mr. Lobo has also made multiple appearances on Coast to Coast AM w/ George Noory, starred as "Criswell" in John Johnston's Plan 9 (a loving homage/reimagining of Ed Wood's notorious Plan 9 from Outer Space), and designed the title animation for Jenn Wexler's inventive 2018 neo-slasher The Ranger. Oh, and he's also a card-carrying member of the "religion" known as the Church of the Subgenius! Mr. Lobo stars as the foul-mouthed "Criswell" in John Johnson's PLAN 9, a reimagining of Ed Wood's notorious Plan 9 from Outer Space Mr. Lobo and I have a conversation covering all these bases from the history of horror hosts to his appearance in Plan 9 and work on The Ranger. Additionally, Mr. Lobo fills listeners in on how a houseplant became his movie hosting sidekick in Cinema Insomnia, the concept behind his character and the setting of "The Void", the subversive aspects of his show such as cutting jokes about copyright laws, his free streaming service OSI 74, and working with Sleazy P. Martini of the heavy metal band GWAR! GWAR's Sleazy P. Martini hosts Sleazy Pictures After Dark on OSI 74 All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views! WATCH OSI 74 ON ROKU! CHECK OUT MR. LOBO'S NEW SERIES OF CINEMA INSOMNIA DVDs AVAILABLE FORM ALPHA VIDEO SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, what's more terrifying than the murderous force of nature Michael Myers stalking and slashing his way through innocent victims on Halloween night? According to the horror-comedy parody President Evil it's a murderous force of nature in a Donald Trump mask stalking and slashing his way through innocent victims on Election Night. Gregory P. Wolk and Ruben Estremera, the writer/producer duo behind the Donald Trump slasher movie President Evil and Giant Meteor films, join us to discuss their loving spoof of John Carpenter's 1978 cult classic Halloween with a timely political twist. In addition to discussing the movie itself, Gregory and Ruben also tells us a little bit about the fears they had making the film and the anger directed at them for spoofing the current sitting President of the United States. They also discuss their current views on political matters and the possibility of President Evil sequels, including a possible Terminator spoof, during our conversation CHECK OUT PRESIDENT EVIL AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON PRIME (STREAM AT NO EXTRA CHARGE WITH AN AMAZON PRIME SUBSCRIPTION) SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, Halloween is around the corner and to celebrate Parallax Views is welcoming back Chris Alexander of Delirium Magazine to chat about the joys of horror! In addition to Delirium Magazine, Alexander has also been an editor-in-chief for Fangoria, a writer for Rue Morgue, and an editor for the official magazine of the rock band KISS. He's also a filmmaker whose cinematic efforts include Blood for Irina, Queen of Blood, Female Werewolf, and Blood Dynasty as well as his upcoming feature, produced as part of Full Moon Feature's Deadly Ten project, Necropolis: Legion. On this edition of the show, Chris tells us about his abiding love of not only horror but also rock 'n' roll and how the two are intertwined. From the we delve into a number of topics with a special focus on the history of independent film producer Charles Band and his studio Full Moon Features. Charles Band and Full Moon have created such iconic horror, sci-fi, and fantasy franchises as Puppet Master, Demonic Toys, Evil Bong, the Gingerdead Man, and many, many more. Chris also tells us about Full Moon's latest venture, The Deadly Ten, which will allow fans to watch the making of 10 Full Moon movie in real time for free via the internet. CHECK OUT FULL MOON'S DEADLY TEN! ALSO BE SURE TO CHECK OUT FULL MOON FEATURES STREAMING! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, Texas-based activist Tiffney Lee Billions of We the People Organize and Billions TV joins us to discuss the fatal police shooting of Botham Jean and Atatiana Jefferson as well as the broader problem of police misconduct in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Billions has tirelessly sought to raise awareness of police brutality in the Dallas-Forth Worth area by closely following and cataloguing multiple cases in the area. During the course of her activism she has visited the crime scene of the Botham Jean murder, come into conflict with the Dallas Morning News, and appears to have recently been monitored Dallas PD at an event designed to raise awareness of police misconduct. Although this may seem like a regional issue, Tiffney and I argue that the policing problem in Dallas-Forth Worth are an example of a broader crisis facing America as a nation. Much like the murder of Botham Jean by Dallas PD officer Amber Guyger, the fatal police shooting of 28 year-old Ft. Worth, Texas resident Atatiana Jefferson has sparked outrage in the Lone Star State that's garnered national attention. Atatiana was babysitting her 8-year old nephew Zion when she heard noises outside her home during the early morning hours of October 12th, 2019. Likely alarmed by the possibility of an intruder, Atatiana, as per the testimony of her nephew, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the window. A voice yelled out, “Put your hands up! Show me your hands!” Seconds later a shot was fired. Those were the final moments of Atatiana Jefferson’s life before she was terminated from this mortal coil. Ft. Worth officer Aaron Dean arrived at Jefferson’s home for a police welfare check after a neighbor had called a non-emergency number to report that the front door of Jefferson's home was open. He did not, as far as we know, announce his presence. Two days after the fatal incident, on October 14th, Officer Dean resigned from the Dallas Police Department and was arrested on charges of murdering Atatiana Jefferson. Coupled with the murder of Botham Jean on September 6th 2018, the deadly shooting of Atatiana Jefferson has raised serious concerns about police misconduct in North Texas and America as a whole. In this conversation Tiffney dissects both the Botham Jean and Atatiana Jefferson cases and offers her critique of how local police and media handled said cases. Additionally, she explains why members of the Dallas-Fort Worth community see these incidents as being part of a broader, systemic problem that demands immediate reforms within DFW police departments. CORRECTION: In the intro I state "shot were fired" at Atatiana Jefferson. Officer Dean fired a single shot that fatally wounded Jefferson. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, journalist, whistleblower, and former Anonymous associate Barrett Brown joins us to discuss misconduct by police and press in Brown's hometown of Dallas, Texas. Dallas police have come under heavy scrutiny since the shooting death of Botham Jean, in his own apartment, by police officer Amber Guyger. Guyger lived in the same building and says she mistakenly entered Jean's apartment thinking it was her own. According to Guyger she believed that Jean was an intruder and fatally shot the 26-year old Harding University alumnus and PricewaterhouseCoopers accountant. Guyger has since been convicted for Jean's murder and sentenced to a 10-yea prison sentence. Barrett Brown Brown, a recipient of the National Magazine Award during his time with The Intercept, covered the murder of Botham Jean for the local press outlet D Magazine. While covering Botham Jean's murder he has been critical not only of the Dallas Police Department, but also the city's local press. Since then a Facebook account going by the name "Wesley Taylor, Jr." made a bomb threat directed towards D Magazine for publishing Brown's columns. Moreover, this person has harassed Brown's girlfriends and made threats directed at U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke. In the following conversation Brown discusses all of this and Dallas PD's response to the bomb threat. Trey Garrison aka alt right personality Spectre Additionally, Brown and I discuss how journalist Trey Garrison (real name: Norman Asa Garrison III) wrote for major city publications while living a double-life as the alt right personality "Spectre". Under this alias, Garrison became a notorious Twitter troll and host of the white nationalist podcast Third Rail. As Spectre, Garrison promoted #DayOftheBrick which encouraged harassment and physical violence against journalist. Under his Garrison byline, he wrote a column for the Dallas News entitled "Why I Don't Want Diversity in My Neighborhood" that was republished by the alt right outlet American Renaissance. Dallas Morning News Coverage of the Guyger Trial Brown argues that, all of these things, taken together display misconduct and lack of reflection on the part of both the Dallas police department and the city press. Moreover, he believes that these issues in Dallas represent a microcosm of a broader national issue that points towards an urgent need to reform media and police institutions in America. Barrett Brown and Julian Assange At the beginning of the show, Brown addresses his recent Twitter ban and the controversial comments he has made concerning Julian Assange. Barret and I have a frank discussion about his approach to criticizing Julian Assange and how his anger towards Assange has often manifested in admittedly outlandish statements on his part. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

Victor Salva on the set of Jeepers Creepers 2 On this edition of Parallax Views, the second in a two-part exposé of convicted Hollywood pedophile Victor Salva. Salva is perhaps most famous for writing and directing the Jeepers Creepers (2001-2017) franchise and the Disney movie Powder (1995). Before making his big break, however, the low-budget horror movie Clownhouse (1989). Salva was convicted of molesting that film's 12 year old star, Nathan Forrest Winters in 1988. Despite this, Salva has maintained a career in Hollywood and his latest feature, Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017), was given a theatrical rerelease for the Halloween season this year. In part one, CSA (Childhood Sexual Abuse) survivor Nathan Forest Winter joined us to tell his story of abuse perpetrated by Salva, the process of healing, and his upcoming documentary 7he 6oy. In part two, Connar Frazier, the director of 7he 6oy, joins us to discuss Nathan's story and Victor Salva further. Connar also discusses how their documentary, 7he 6oy, came about, their experiences making it, and more. Additionally, the intro to this episode features a very brief clip of testimony from Brian McHugh, Nathan's co-star in Clownhouse, that Connar has offered to us as a Parallax Views exclusive. 7he 6oy Available October 31st, 2019 SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, the first in a two-part exposé of convicted Hollywood pedophile Victor Salva. Salva is perhaps most famous for writing and directing the Jeepers Creepers (2001-2017) franchise and the Disney movie Powder (1995). Before making his big break, however, the low-budget horror movie Clownhouse (1989). Salva was convicted of molesting that film's 12 year old star, Nathan Forrest Wintters in 1988. Despite this, Salva has maintained a career in Hollywood and his latest feature, Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017), was given a theatrical rerelease for the Halloween season this year. In part one, CSA (Childhood Sexual Abuse) survivor Nathan Forest Winter joins us to tell his story of abuse perpetrated by Salva, the process of healing, and his upcoming documentary 7he 6oy. In part two, Connar Frazier, the director of 7he 6oy, will join us to discuss Nathan's story and Victor Salva further. Nathan Forrest Winters in Clownhouse (1989) Nathan Forrest Winters today 7he 6oy Available October 31st, 2019 SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, a founding member of the Stop the War Coalition and author of How the Establishment Lost Control (Zero Books, 2017), joins to discuss his new book The British State: A Warning (Zero Books, 2019). As the chaos of Brexit rages on, Chris and I discuss the mythology of the British state and its role in propping up the status quo. Chris begins by discussing how the mythology of the British state is underpinned by a belief in gradualism. This is to say that the state exists to slowly bring about progress towards liberal freedoms. Chris argues however that the British state, even viewed from a left wing perspective, has a darker history that has supported the Establishment by repressing dissidents, particularly the working class. From there we discuss a number of different topics from the Establishments maneuvers against the Labor government of Harold Wilson, the rise of neoliberalism under Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and New Labor, why the Left needs to consider the role of the State even if victories are made by figures like Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders in the future, and much, much more. THE BRITISH STATE: A WARNING AVAILABLE FROM ZERO BOOKS SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, it's Halloween season and that means horror movies are all the rage. Although until recently dismissed as "low-brow" entertainment by some segments of society, horror movies have proven time and time again to be huge profit-makers that can reliably make financial returns. In fact, Hollywood titans like Oliver Stone, Peter Jackson, Sam Raimi, and James Cameron first cut their teeth in filmmaking through the world of horror. And it shouldn't be any wonder why since audiences can't seem to get enough of a good ol' fashioned scare coupled with the fact that such films can be produced on tight budgets and even tighter production schedules. Although low-budget horror has, due to it's financial viability, proven popular since the early days of cinema, an even lower-than-low-budget emerged in the 1980s thanks to the VHS boom. SOV (Shot-on-Video) horror are the fright flicks made on a micro-budget, sometimes for as little as a couple thousand dollars, that represent the underground of the horror genre. SOV horror has developed a cult fandom since its heyday in the 1980s with VHS What are the trials and tribulations that go into making movies on such a shoestring budget? And who are the people who make such movies? Joining us on this edition of Parallax Views to answer those questions is Todd Sheets, who has been making SOV horrors and micro-budget terrors for over 30 years. The conversation begins with Todd and I hashing out what constitutes a micro-budget movie and how Todd was mentored in the art of shoestring movie-making by the American-Canadian filmmaker David Decoteau. From there we discuss the difficulties Todd making what he considers his first "real" movie, 1993's Zombie Bloodbath. Specifically, he relates how he and his crew had to make the movie during the Great Flood of 1993 that devastated the Midwestern United States! Todd Sheets' VHS-era terrors From there, Todd and I discuss armchair movie critics. Specifically, Todd talks about some of the harshest, nastiest experiences he's had with critics and trolls over the years. On the other hand, Todd also notes that he has disowned many of his earlier efforts due to his belief that those movies don't meet quality standards. That being said, Todd argues that some critics go over the line into the realm of personal mean-spiritedness that lack basic human decency. In this regard, Todd relates a particularly callous trolling incident that targeted an actress, namely 80s scream queen Linnea Quigley, in one of his movies. Todd Sheet & Scream Queen Linnea Quigley From there we discuss the trials and tribulations of his two latest labors of love. We start by talking about last year's Bonehill Road, a throwback werewolf creature feature with practical effects and an inventive plot twist. Todd says that he'd always wanted to make a werewolf movie and how Bonehill Road marked his first foray into crowd-sourced funding through Indiegogo. Additionally, he tells us about some of the difficulties of making the film, how he achieved special effects, and how a company that thought the movie was Satanic almost kept Bonehill Road from seeing the light of day. Bonehill Road Los Angeles Premiere Poster Todd and I begin to conclude the conversation by discussing his latest wild feature, Clownado, which mixes the killer clown genre repopularized by the IT remake with elements from SyFy's so-bad-it's-good hit franchise Sharknado. Todd notes, however, that the origins of Clownado's script predate both by over a decade. And finally Todd illustrates the just how hard low-budget movie-making can be with the story of a exceptionally grueling night of shooting for the movie where everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Killer clowns + a killer tornado may prove more deadly than Killer Klowns from Outer Space in Clownado! We wrap up with the now almost mandatory "Parallax Views positive note" where Todd talks a little about why he keeps making micro-budget movies. During this final portion of the conversation Todd mentions some of his other features like Violent New Breed, House of Forbidden Secrets, and Dreaming Neon Purple. Despite all the trials and tribulations Todd has had both in life and in filmmaking, he says that the positive experiences he's had through filmmaking, the friends he's made along the way (including the legendary comedian Rudy Ray Moore aka "Dolemite"!), and the fans who've enjoyed his work have been a blessing. Even if you're not a fan of the horror genre this is an episode of Parallax Views you won't want to miss as Todd discusses the highs and lows of micro-budget filmmaking! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, the American poet Louis Untermeyer once wrote that, "Poetry is the power of defining the indefinable in terms of the unforgettable." In the case Peter Dale Scott, however, that quote may be worth modifying "the unforgettable" in that quote to "the unspeakable". Scott, a Professor Emeritus at UC Berkeley, is perhaps best known for his non-fiction prose which conceptualizes a parapolitics or deep politics that occurs alongside and parallel to everyday politics. For many decades now Scott has tirelessly investigated the nature of U.S. power as it relates to drugs, oil, and war. This has led him to write a number of thought-provoking articles and books that cast a critical eye on intelligence agencies, the American defense industry, and Wall Street among others. For some this may sound like an intellectualization of conspiracy theory and, indeed, Scott has played a pivotal role popularizing the now common parlance idea of the "deep state" for American audiences. Scott's approach to these matters, however, prove to be much more hard-nosed than the American right and Donald Trump's crude appropriations of these concepts. Scott's interest in history and deep politics has not just been limited to his prose writing though. These issues also greatly inform his poetry, particularly Coming to Jakarta: A Poem About Terror which deals with the Indonesian massacres and U.S. involvement in said atrocities. What sets Scott's political poetry apart from his political prose is quite simple: the personal element. In a great number of ways Scott's work, in both poetry and prose, have been committed to what the Catholic theologian and social activist Thomas Merton referred to as "raids on the unspeakable". What does it mean to investigate the unsettling aspects of U.S. policy, particularly in relation to war? What kind of trauma does it incur to bear witness to history in its fullness? And how are we, as citizens living in the U.S., implicated in these matters? Scott's poetry, and especially Coming to Jakarta, may provide a few answers or at least the clues to them. In this conversation, Professor Scott joins us, alongside Freeman Ng, to discuss their new book Poetry and Terror: Politics and Poetics in Coming to Jakarta. Peter discusses his family life, thoughts on deep politics, experiencing a dark night of the soul, and more in this thoughtful conversation. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, Kollibri terre Sonnenblume, author of Roadtripping at the End of the World, joins us to discuss the climate crisis and his recent piece "The Teachable Moment of the Greta Thunberg Phenomena", which responds to the provocative six-part report "The Manufacturing of Greta Thunberg – for Consent: The Political Economy of the Non-Profit Industrial Complex" by investigative journalist Cory Morningstar. This is not, however, an attempted takedown of Greta Thunberg or the phenomena she has sparked in regards to climate activism. Kollibri finds a great deal of inspiration in Thunberg, but argues that we must guard against her message being co-opted by those seeking to only make gestures about climate change and take half measures in response to it. Indeed, Thunberg herself seemed to express this same sentiment in her now famous "How Dare You!" speech delivered at the 2019 UN climate change summit in New York. Additionally we discuss politics, the environmental movement as a whole, the Green New Deal, generational difference between boomers, Gen X, and millennials, the media, and much, much more! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, Stuart Wexler, author of America's Secret Jihad: The Hidden History of Religious Terrorism in the United States (Counterpoint Press, 2015), joins us to uncover a far-right anti-Semitic movement known as Christian Identity and what he argues is its often overlooked role in stoking violent hate crimes and white supremacist terrorism across the United States for decades. First, however, Stuart relates an uplifting story about how students of his Government and Politics class at Highstown High School drafted The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act. In this amazingly inspiring story, Stuart's student lobbied social media and Congress to the point that they gained enough support for the bill to end up on President Trump's White House Desk. President Trump then signed that bill into law. Put another way, these young students made history. Stuart Wexler and His Students From there we pivot into a lengthy conversation about Stuart's excellent book America's Secret Jihad: The Hidden History of Religious Terrorism in the United States. Stuart details the origins of the Christian Identity movement and its peculiar interpretation of the Bible. In addition to noting its apocalyptic, millenarian nature, Stuart explains how Christian Identity's adherents believe in a variation of a discredited theory known as British Israelism, which argued that the English are the true descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Furthermore, they hold that those generally understood to be Jewish by mainstream society are, in actuality, bearing false witness and belong to a "serpent seedline" they describe as "The Synagogue of Satan". Put in layman's terms, Christian Identity's adherents believe that Jews are demonic entities. Despite the admittedly fringe nature of these beliefs and the movement itself, Stuart makes the case that Christian Identity's extremist orientation has left a trail of violence in its wake dating back to the days of Civil Rights. He also describes how the movement eventually came under greater scrutiny in the 1980's through the activities of The Order (aka The Silent Brother or Bruder Schweigen) and The Covenant, The Sword, and The Arm of the Lord. Moreover, Stuart argues that Christian Identity's fingerprints and presence can be found in or around the periphery of historical events such as the Ole Miss race riots of 1962,the siege of Ruby Ridge, the Oklahoma City Bombing, and possibly even the Atlanta Child Murders. Stuart also argues that today the traces of Christian Identity extremism can be found in the recent Pittsburgh and San Diego synagogue shootings. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, a previously unpublished conversation with filmmaker Cevin Soling on his fascinating documentary The Gilligan Manifesto, which argues that Gilligan's Island acts as a depiction, inadvertently or otherwise, of Karl Marx's communist ideals. What's perhaps most interesting about Soling's documentary is that is neither a left-wing or right-wing polemic. Instead, The Gilligan Manifesto seeks to deal with philosophical issues related to utopianism, cooperation, and more through the lens of Gilligan's Island and the writings of Karl Marx. Cevin deftly argues that Gilligan's Island, despite it's reputation as a low-brow sitcom in it's time, is actually an extremely radical and subversive show and that it has a great deal to say about social relations built on a cooperative, as opposed to competitive, foundation. In the course of our conversation we cover the myriad of reasons that Gilligan's Island proves to be a subversive sitcom that challenges many of our ideas about capitalism, communism, and the concept of paradise. But will we get to the biggest question of them all? Namely, Ginger or Mary Ann? You'll have to listen to find out! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, what could possibly be scarier to America's Christian Right than a stripper, alternative model, and dominatrix who self-identifies as a Satanist and a feminist? Answer: A stripper, alternative model, and dominatrix who self-identifies as a Satanist and a feminist that also happens to be a huge supporter of Bernie Sanders! Our guest on this edition of the program, Venita Estella, checks all those boxes. Don't let the admittedly provocative title of this episode fool you, however. The conversation Venita and I have is not a Howard Stern-esque hour of shock jockery. Instead, we delve into a number of topics seriously while also having a bit of fun. Venita begins by explaining what Satanism, specifically what she calls "modern romantic Satanism", means to her as a member of the now Satanic Temple (whose prankster-infused activism fighting for the firm separation of Church and State has gained widespread media attention in recent years) and how it is different from both devil worship and the form of Satanism espoused by Anton LaVey's Church of Satan. From there we delve into Venita's experiences as a stripper, alternative model, and dominatrix. Additionally, Venita and I discuss sexuality as it relates to her spirituality, the changing dynamics of gender relations in 21st century America, internalized misogyny, and masculinity. Finally, we delve into how Venita became a Bernie supporter, how it changed her life, and why she is hopeful for a future in which people of all genders, sexual orientations, and races can be more free, equal, and prosperous. Artwork for this episode kindly provided by James Curcio, author of MASKS: Bowie and Artists of Artifice This Episode is Dedicated To CULT MOVIE ACTOR SID HAIG RIP (1939-2019) SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, the mythology of 20th century counterculture, that zeitgeist in which rebellious youths experimented radically with sexuality and psychedelic drugs, began and ended in the 1960s. Scholar of esoteric Erik Davis, however, excavates the countercultural moment of the 1970s in his new book High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies (MIT Press) through the figures of sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, philosopher Robert Anton Wilson, and psychedelic explorer Terence McKenna. In this conversation Erik and I discuss the possible pitfalls of counterculture in the 60s/70s as well as how Erik came to take on the project of examining 70s counterculture. We particularly hone in on the work of Robert Anton Wilson and its similarities to the ideas of postmodernism that gained ground in continental philosophy around the same period Davis writes about in High Weirdness. Additionally, Erik and I delve into the concept of the Chapel Perilous, an experience which cause one to question his/her reality, in relation to Wilson, Dick, and McKenna and how we, as a society, may be experiencing a collective moment of High Weirdness and the Chapel Perilous in the 21st century. HIGH WEIRDNESS: DRUGS, ESOTERICA, AND VISIONARY EXPERIENCE IN THE SEVENTIES BY ERIK DAVIS AVAILABLE NOW FROM MIT Press SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, the French continental philosopher Gilles Deleuze has had an impact that's moved from the halls of academia into places like Buzzfeed and even the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Deleuze is perhaps most well-known for either his metaphysical treatise Difference & Repitition or his seminal two-volume collaboration with Felix Guattari on Capitalism and Schizophrenia that began with Anti-Oedipus and concluded with A Thousand Plateaus. One key aspect, perhaps even what could be called the motivating force, of Deleuze's work is the cultivation of joy. In other words, a positive philosophy. However, our guest for this conversation, media scholar Andrew Culp, has sought to, through an engagement with this popularly imagined Deleuze, birth a new Deleuze. In other words, a monstrous child of the "Joyous Deleuze" that Andrew calls "Dark Deleuze". Andrew argues that in this current moment, when neoliberalism demands constant happiness from its subject, we must harness a "hatred for this world" that reacts to the global injustices of our time with a righteous contempt and rage (although not a crude misanthropy). All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views. Dark Deleuze by Andrew Culp Now Available For FREE Reading Online @ University of Minnesota's Manifold Project SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, America's #1 War Tax Resister Larry Bassett, the subject of the recent award-winning independent documentary The Pacifist, joins us to discuss his life and times. War tax resistance is a radical subset of the peace movement that refuses to pay the IRS, but not for selfish reasons. Rather war tax resisters like Larry do not want their tax dollar going to the funding of America war abroad. Given that a hefty portion of income taxes go to the defense budget, war tax resisters often redirect their money that would go to the IRS into charitable organizations. Larry's story is particularly unique in that he's been a war tax protesters for decades and, since then, has inherite $1 million dollars after the passing of his father. Larry owes over $200k to the IRS, but, interestingly, has exceeded that amount in his donations to charitable causes locally and globally. One thing that is striking about Larry is that he lives a relatively inexpensive life that resists not only the war tax but also hedonism. And in doing so he seems all the happier for it as Larry, in the opinion of this podcaster, is one of the most upbeat personalities to have graced this program. This is an extremely fascinating and touching episode of Parallax Views that you're can't possibly miss. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of the Parallax Views, comparative mythologist and media theorist John David Ebert returns to discuss his book, co-authored with Brian Francis Culkin, Hypermodernity and the End of the World. Along with John, poet Michael Kamins, who provides the preface for the book, also joins us to turn this episode into a roundtable discussion on the current zeitgeist and the apocalyptic anxieties that accompany it. Given the jam-packed nature of this over two-hour juggernaut of an auditory adventure for mind, it may be best to list some of the topics covered in bullet points: - What is hypermodernity? - The strange synchronicities of Ingersoll Lockwood's Baron Trump novels and The Last President - The history of media from stone tablets to the Gutenberg press and finally the digital age - An analysis of David Cronenberg's Videodrome and it's relations to the ideas of media theorist Marshall McLuhan - Conspiracy theories, semiotic excess, and pattern recognition - 9/11 as a "Hyksos event"; a catastrophe presaging a new epoch - Neoliberalism and Silicon Valley capitalism; the commodification of human relations - Trump phenomenon as the return of Caesarism; immanentizing the eschaton; the internet as Terence McKenna's transcendental object at the end of time - The philosophical problem of transhumanism; catastrophic climate change - Reality television politics and the Truman Show; the Truman Show Syndrome, the Mandela Effect, the Berenstain Bears Conspiracy

On this edition of Parallax Views, a roundtable discussion with foreign policy analyst Sameera Khan, Media Roots' Robbie Martin, and freelance journalism Marlon Ettinger on American hegemony and the antiwar/anti-imperialist movement. Sameera, Robbie, Marlon, and I begin by discussing the field of Democratic Presidential candidates in regards to their views on foreign policy. Although I myself am supportive of the Sanders campaign, our guests offer a more critical view of all of the candidates. From there we delve into a number of different topics including and especially the state of the antiwar movement. In particular we note the ways in which the paleoconservative, anti-interventionist right seems to have captured the antiwar movement. Sameera offers her critique of Tulsi Gabbard as well as discussing matters related to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and China. Robbie gives insights into the role neoconservatism has played in paving the current tumultuous course of American foreign policy. Marlon chimes in with his usual astute observations about matters related to the politics of the current zeitgeist as they relate to America's foreign adventures. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM

On this edition of Parallax Views, author and radio host joins us to discuss his book, co-authored with RJ Parker, In Chains: The Dangerous World of Human Trafficking in light of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Although human trafficking has previously been dismissed as a myth or the sensational fodder of B-grade horror movie and trashy daytime talk shows, Warren and Parker attempt to provide a sober analysis of and introduction to this dark, unsettling topic. Warren explains how human trafficking is not limited to sexual slavery, but also forced labor and organ harvesting. Additionally, we discuss how alleged human trafficking ties into the current controversies around immigrant detention center vis-à-vis private prison companies like GEO Group. Warren and I also discuss the problems of fake news and phenomena like QAnon, which, he argues, serve to muddy the waters around the topic. Perhaps most strikingly Warren details how the United States contributes to human trafficking through consumption. This is a difficult episode on a difficult topic, but running away from the subject, Warren says, will only lead human trafficking to continue and grow worldwide. LISTEN TO ALAN WARREN'S HOUSE OF MYSTERY on KCAA Radio 1050 AM IN CHAINS: THE DANGEROUS WORLD OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AVAILABLE NOW FROM RJ PARKER PUBLISHING SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS! AND NOW PRESENTING... PARALLAX VIEWS THE WEEK THAT WAS CURRENT EVENTS PROGRAM