Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

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On this edition of Parallax Views, a previously unpublished conversation with Joshua Strawn of the musical duo Azar Swan on his journey from growing up as an evangelical Christian to becoming a highly acclaimed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

What is QAnon? Is it an attempt to expose an alleged conspiracy of elite Satanic pedophiles or the ravings of an apocalyptic, millenarian cult in the making? Joining us on this edition of Parallax Views is Travis View, co-host of the QAnon Anonymous podcast, who has been covering the dystopian beat of post-truth America through his reporting on the QAnon phenomenon for outlets like The Washington Post. Travis guides us through the history of the QAnon conspiracy theory and it's many strange contingents, including a faction of the subculture that believes JFK Jr. is still alive. For most, the QAnon conspiracy theory is so outrageous that it doesn't even merit sociological consideration. However, while the theory itself may be sensational, the subculture around it may be worth keeping an eye on in light of a recent FBI memo and the murder of mob boss Frank Cali by a QAnon believer. Additionally Travis and I delve into the topic of Alternate Reality Games as touched upon in the Parallax Views conversation with Joseph Matheny and try to untangle what the broader implications of QAnon as a social phenomenon. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS! - THE LATEST FROM PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS: Matthew Alford on What the Mainstream Media Won't Tell You About Western Foreign Policy

On this edition of Parallax Views, New York hardcore punk legend Paul Cripple (aka Paul Bakija) of Reagan Youth joins us to talk music, politics, and anti-fascism! Reagan Youth is one of the most iconic bands of the 80's New York hardcore punk (NYHC) scene and were known for sticking it to the Reagan administration with fast, catchy anthem of anarchism and antifascism. Paul has a lot to say about how Reagan Youth got formed with lead singer David Insurgent (aka Dave Rubinstein) and the early days of the band. He also GOES OFF on the current political climate in America giving his thoughts on the Obama legacy, current President Donald Trump, and even has some positive thoughts about firecracker Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Additionally, we discuss Reagan Youth's appearances on film and TV soundtracks (Airheads, The Frozen Ground, and Shameless amongst others), what life was like in the Reagan Years, other bands in the punk scene, and more on this edition of Parallax Views! CHECK OUT REAGAN YOUTH @ THEIR OFFICIAL WEBSITE! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS! - THE LATEST FROM PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS: Matthew Alford on What the Mainstream Media Won't Tell You About Western Foreign Policy

On this edition of Parallax Views, Tyler Walicek and Mel Gammie of Protean Magazine join us to discuss literature, the left, and liberation through militant joy. Protean Magazine describes itself as collecting "cutting edge literature and art for the discerning leftist, sans-advertisements". We begin by discussing the impetus for and goals behind Protean Magazine, the reason for the title of the publication, and the background of Mel and Tyler. From there we delve into a number of topics ranging from how Tyler and Mel became politicized to the nature of podcasting (Mel is also a host at the Coffee with Comrades podcast). Additionally, we discuss social media, paying writers, and Protean's first, "Pattern Machines", along with a conversation about the state of literature. CHECK OUT PROTEAN MAGAZINE! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS! - THE LATEST FROM PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS: Matthew Alford on What the Mainstream Media Won't Tell You About Western Foreign Policy

On the 18th anniversary of 9/11, Parallax Views would like to present listeners with this previously unpublished conversation with Ray Nowosielski and John Duffy, authors of The Watchdogs Didn't Bark: The CIA, NSA, and the Crimes of the War on Terror. Despite the cliché that "9/11 changed everything", few have proven willing to dive into the deep history of September 11th and ask the $1 million dollar question: how did this event, that constitutes not only America's worst terrorist attack but also it's greatest intelligence failure, happen? For over ten years, Nowosielski and Duffy thought to answer this question. This led them eventually being granted an interview with Richard A. Clarke, the counterrorism advisor to both President Clinton & President. What Clarke alleged to them was that the CIA, under the directorship of George Tenet, was guilty of "malfeasance and misfeasance" in the lead-up to the September 11th attack. Watchdogs Didn't Bark tells the chilling story of events which culminated in the September 11th terrosist attacks including tensions between the FBI and CIA, the CIA's Alec Station or Bin Laden Unit, and key 9/11 hijackers Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi. In this conversation you will hear about Bin Laden's arch-nemesis John O'Neill (who died in the WTC on that fateful September day shortly after leaving the FBI), the saga of the Alec Station's Michael Scheuer and "The Unidentified Queen of Torture" Alfreda Bikowsky, and the war on whistleblowers that was kickstarted by the War on Terror. And, by the end of it, you, dear listener, will understand that the watchdogs didn't bark. PLEASE READ THE WATCHDOGS DIDN'T BARK: THE CIA, NSA, AND THE CRIMES OF THE WAR ON TERROR SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS! - THE LATEST FROM PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS: Matthew Alford on What the Mainstream Media Won't Tell You About Western Foreign Policy

On this edition of Parallax Views, protests are raging across the streets of Hong Kong. Joining us to unpack the situation is Carl Zha of the Silk and Steel Podcast. In light of Steve Bannon's recent insertion into the protests and some of the protesters calling for the help of President Trump, Carl offers a critical take on what is happening right now in Hong Kong. I myself have been supportive of the protests, but have seen parallels with some of the problems found in the Yellow Vest protests in France. Namely, that some of the protesters seem to be of a right-wing nativist variety. In any case, Carl and I both agree that Hong Kong citizen have legitimate grievances and we attempt to unpack the unfolding situation with nuance in mind. What is your take on the Hong Kong protests? Do you have suggestions for guests that could give a different perspective on the protests? Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter or by email at [email protected]. LISTEN TO CARL ZHA'S SILK AND STEEL PODCAST SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS! - THE LATEST FROM PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS: Matthew Alford on What the Mainstream Media Won't Tell You About Western Foreign Policy

On this edition of Parallax Views, a previously unpublished conversation with Michael Brooks of the Majority Report and The Michael Brooks Show on the Intellectual Dark Web and building a strong, robust, left in America and the world. This conversation feels extremely relevant in light of the recent controversies surrounding #CancelCulture and Contrapoints among other current hot-button topics on the left. We cover a number of topics including Mark Fisher's Exiting the Vampire Castle and ideas around Acid Communism, building a worldwide political movement, Sam Harris, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, classism, spirituality, expanding human empathy, and much more. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS! - THE LATEST FROM PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS: HOW ANTIWAR IS TULSI GABBARD REALLY? w/ Marlon Ettinger

A PARALLAX VIEWS DOUBLE FEATURE: First... IS IT ANARCHY IN THE U.K.? The Bollocks of Brexit Update! w/ Matthew Alford Then, POSTMODERN... CONSERVATISM??? w/ Prof. Matthew McManus It's a jam-packed double feature edition of Parallax Views. First, we're joined from across the pond by scholar of media and propaganda Matthew Alford for a half hour conversation on the latest Brexit bollocks! What is happening with Brexit under the governance of Boris Johnson and what could a no-deal Brexit mean for Great Britain? Matthew and I try to parse out the complex and unpredictable situation currently unfolding in the United Kingdom. Then, is there such a thing as postmodern conservatism? Matthew McManus, Professor of Politics and International Relations at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, argue there is in his new academic book The Rise of Post-Modern Conservatism: Neoliberalism, Post-Modern Culture, and Reactionary Politics and the upcoming Zero Books title What is Post-Modernism Conservatism?: Essays on Our Hugely Tremendous Times. THE RISE OF POSTMODERN CONSERVATISM by Matthew McManus Available Now From Palgrave MacMillan SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS! - THE LATEST FROM PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS: HOW ANTIWAR IS TULSI GABBARD REALLY? w/ Marlon Ettinger

On this edition of Parallax Views, an equal parts wild and tense conversation with the founder of McAfee associates (the creators of McAfee Antivirus), bitcoin bull, Presidential candidate, international fugitive, and person of interest in the Belize murder of Gregory Faull, John McAfee. Joining me to help ask some of the more probing questions in this interview is the inimitable freelance journalist Marlon Ettinger, who previously joined us to discuss his experiences at the NY trial of the now deceased Jeffrey Epstein. Marlon was helpful in trying to ask questions that dug a little deeper during the course of the conversation. I trust that, unlike some podcasts dealing with the controversial figure of McAfee, this is not an exploitative or "comedic" conversation and gives some insights into both the notorious John McAfee and some of the infamies associated with him. In any case Marlon and I tried to do something different with this interview and we hope that you, the listener, get something out of it. Special thanks to Jamie Curcio, author of Mask: Bowie & Artists of Artifice, for help with this episode PRE-ORDER JAMIE CURCIO'S MASKS: BOWIE & ARTISTS OF ARTIFICE FROM INTELLECT BOOKS

Parallax Views Presents... THE DARK SIDE OF HOLLYWOOD Returning guest and journalist Albert Lanier joins us for the first in a potential series of episodes dealing with mysterious Hollywood deaths and scandals. In this episode Albert and I dive into the unsolved, cold case murder of TV actor Bob Crane, star of the cult classic sitcom Hogan's Heroes. Crane met a grisly demise in June of 1978, the aftermath of which unraveled an entire side of Crane's private life that proved shocking to the public: it was discovered that the popular TV star had not only been engaged in a slew of extra-marital affairs but had photographed and filmed them as personal pornography as well. Crane's friend John Henry Carpenter, who helped filmed the aforementioned sexual foray of the actor, has long been considered the main suspect. Albert, however, has an entirely different take on the case that provides a whole new perspective on this long-standing cold case that may be of interest to those interested in cases like Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein. So sit back, relax, and grab a glass of wine... because it's true crime time on... THE DARK SIDE OF HOLLYWOOD

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 It's a special fundraiser edition of Parallax Views! A family in Pittsburgh needs your help with a GoFundMe campaign for their father and Parallax Views is doing a podcast-a-thon on health justice to support the cause! Voice featured in this episode include: - Marlon Ettinger, freelance reporter and co-host of the upcoming podcast series Footnotes - Alley Valkyrie of Gods & Radicals Press, pagan activist, political theorist, and American living abroad in France - Dave from The Serfs, an increasingly popular left-oriented YouTube channel - Ash and Jon, hosts of the Horror Vanguard podcast - Eric Draitser, host of Counterpunch Radio and intrepid activist (audio on my end for this is of slightly reduced quality due to mic issues, BUT is a must listen; I don't speak much anyways and let Eric lay it all out for the listeners!)

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 It's a special fundraiser edition of Parallax Views! A family in Pittsburgh needs your help with a GoFundMe campaign for their father and Parallax Views is doing a podcast-a-thon on health justice to support the cause! Voice featured in this episode include: - Ben Burgis, author of the Zero Books title Give Them an Argument: Logic for the Left - Radio host Chuck Ochelli of the Ochelli Effect radio program and network - Patrick Farnsworth, host of the Last Born in the Wilderness podcast - Terry Tapp, artist, author of the Zero Books title A Serf's Journal: The Story of the United States' Longest Wildcat Strike, and host of The Other Future podcast. We cover the debate around Medicare-for-All, the moral questions around healthcare, the connection between environmental justice and health justice, and the possibility for a better future with this variety of guests for the fundraising effort.

A Note to Listeners: Please Consider Supporting This GoFundMe for the Medical Expenses of a Family in Need. Your Support Would Mean the World to Parallax Views & J.G. Michael On this edition of Parallax Views, the culture wars are raging as Antifa brawls in the streets with the alt right and the South African hip-hop sensation experiences a controversy around homophobia. Meanwhile the Jeffrey Epstein case becomes a conspiratorial tennis match between Trump and Clinton supporters. Joining us to cover the culture wars in the age of the 24/7 news cycle is Robbie Martin, co-host of Media Root Radio with his sister Abby Martin and the director of the documentary A Very Heavy Agenda about the history of neoconservativism along the D.C. beltway. Discussion of cancel culture, deep fakes, and more on this edition of Parallax Views! LISTEN TO MEDIA ROOTS RADIO WITH ROBBIE AND ABBY MARTIN Abby Martin's New Documentary Gaza Fights for Freedom Now Available for Streaming SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON!

A Note to Listeners: Please Consider Supporting This GoFundMe for the Medical Expenses of a Family in Need. Your Support Would Mean the World to Parallax Views & J.G. Michael Parallax Views joins forces with Wikileaks on Weed for a nearly 3 hour, spaced out, laidback, gonzo swapcast! This is probably the most I've let loose on a show and we cover a wide-range of bases including: - the death of right-wing billionaire David Koch - a crash course on the kooky world of QAnon - the aftermath of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Jean Luc Brunel of MC2 Modeling's connection to it, and Epstein's wacky ideas about cryogenically freezing his penis. - The art of podcasting, my experiences interviewing everyone from a professional e-dominatrix to the Godfather of Reality TV, WikileaksOnWeed's interviews with "sudden savant" artist Jon Sarkin - The Democratic Presidential debates, how Tulsi Gabbard would fry Trump's brain in a debate because he'd be... erm… distracted, a little debate over Andrew Yang and UBI as well as healthcare, and more! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS!

+ Parallax Views is back with another auditory double feature for your listening pleasure. First, Mickey Huff of the media watchdog group Project Censored joins us to discuss his new book, co-authored with Nolan Higdon, The United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America. Then, comedian and activist Sam Spadino joins us to talk about how he gained notoriety as the "Man Bun Guy" Trump protester arrested after heckling the President with a Trump/Epstein photo last year. Much has been made of Bernie Sanders' recent swipe at the Washington Post. Some have even gone so far as to call it a "Trump-like attack" on free press. Mickey Huff, director of the media watchdog organization Project Censore, however, believes there's room for a nuanced critique of corporate media outlets while also avoiding the pitfalls of Trump's crude attacks on news media. In the new book The United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth Amerca, Mickey Huff and Nolan Higdon skillfully chronicle American media's journey from a Fourth Estate that kept government and corporate interests in check to it's decline in the post-Truth era. Additionally Mickey and Nolan argue that good media and journalism are necessary to a healthy functioning democracy and offer ways that our society can navigate its way of the post-truth malaise. For those unfamiliar with issues related to media criticism, Huff and Higdon's The United States of Distraction, featuring a foreword by the legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader, is a brilliant introduction for citizens and students as well as a teaching tool for professors and activists. THE UNITED STATES OF DISTRATION: MEDIA MANIPULATION IN POST-TRUTH AMERICA (AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT) BY NOLAN HIGDON AND MICKEY HUFF AVAILABLE NOW FROM CITY LIGHTS BOOKS Then, comedian and activist Sam Spadino, known in the news as the #ManBunGuy Trump protester, joins us to discuss his experiences at two separate Trump rallies last where he heckled the President over his relationship with the now deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. At the second rally, Spadino managed to rile enough feathers to be arrested. His protests managed to garner a fair amount of media attention, including by Fox News, and he goes over the experience with us in this conversation. Additionally, Sam reveals how he developed his anti-authoritarian tendencies, gives his take on the power of humor and pranks when politically applied, and talks a little bit about how he became a full-time medical test subject (or, as a VICE headline put it, "a human guinea pig"). SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS!

On this edition of Parallax Views we have a previously unpublished conversation with Brian Quinby of Street Fight Radio, the World's #1 Anarcho-Comedy Podcast. The "working class Republican" and "blue-collar conservative" have become a trope, especially in light of the Trump Presidency. Right-wing personalities like Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson claim to speak for the forgotten workers while railing against coastal elites. Meanwhile, Dirty Job's Mike Rowe injects libertarian talking points into his valorization of the Protestant work ethic. But do these figures have the final say on the ethos of the working class? Brian Quinby, along with his Street Fight Radio co-host Brett Payne, argues that shouldn't be the case. And he would know give that Street Fight Radio is a left-oriented podcast based around its hosts personal experiences of being part of the working class. Bryan and I chat about a number of topics related to the public discussion around the working class as well as talking a bit about comedy, culture, and, yes, pro wrestling!

Chuck Ochelli, host and producer of the Ochelli Effect radio program/network, is an eclectic figure within the world of online media. He has a keen interest in the JFK assassination, got through a rough and tumble early life that brought him into contact with organized crime and outlaw bikers gangs, and was heavily involved in the East Coast punk and metal scenes. Both articulate and street-wise, Chuck Ochelli has managed to do a great deal in his lifetime. And, inspirationally, he's done it while overcoming the limitations of being legally blind. I've appeared on two Ochelli Effect network shows, The Age of Transitions and Porkins Policy Review (both of which the workman Ochelli produces in addition to his own show!), and thought it was high time to have Chuck on Parallax Views. We discuss a number of topics starting with a little background on Chuck's life, specifically his wild childhood years onto his experiences amongst the criminal underworld and the outlaw biker gang known as The Pagans. From there we delve into his affinity for the Black Panthers and shows he's done covering the little known Civil Rights figure T.RM. Howard. Chuck's also gives a firsthand perspective on the rise of Trumpism through his experiences, as an online talk radio host, with the eerie proto-Trumpist militia and Patriot movement. He's got some thoughts on these so-called "Patriots" and their ties to the white nationalist movement. Additionally, Chuck tells listeners about the crackpot conspiracy shock jock and generally distrainable figure James Fetzer. During this portion of the conversation Chuck goes no-holds-barred on many elements in the so-called "alternative" media. We start wrapping up the conversation by discussing a very fun story from Chuck's days in the East Coast punk/metal scenes. Specifically, Chuck tells the tale of how he was offered the role of lead vocalist for the infamous Murder Junkies after the passing of the infamous G.G. Allin! All in all it's a fascinating, free-wheeling conversation that you're not going to want to miss on this edition of Parallax Views! LISTEN TO THE OCHELLI EFFECT NETOWORK HERE! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! WHERE YOU CAN HEAR... PARALLAX VIEWS AFTER HOURS! First episode, featuring extended conversation with Joseph Green, from our Paul Krassner episode, discussing conspiracy theory now available for listening! LISTEN HEAR PATREON SUBSCRIBERS Links for this episode: Garrison: The Journal of History and Deep Politics Pagan's Motorcycle Club (Wikipedia) "Trump Dynasty: Did Donald Trump Have Mob Connections?" (Heavy.Com; Chuck weighs in on this issue during our conversation) Ochelli Effect Shows on Civil Rights Leader T.R.M. Howard G.G. Allin (Wikipedia) Renegade Smith (Creator of the Ochelli Effect Theme Song Used in the Intro)

John Barbour John Barbour is a showbiz legend. He worked with Frank Sinatra. He interviewed such figures as boxer Muhammad Ali, gangster Mickey Cohen, Ronald Reagan, Jane Fonda, and American labor leader Cesar Chavez among others. He helped create reality TV in 1979 with the groundbreaking show Real People. He was a player in the 1960's "sick humor" comedy circuit alongside greats like Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, and Lenny Bruce. And now he's telling his story in a funny, warm, and comprehensive autobiography entitled Your Mother's Not a Virgin!: The Bumpy Life and Times of the Canadian Dropout Who Changed the Face of American TV! John joins us UNLEASHED and UNCENSORED to discuss his life and times. He doesn't mince words and speaks his mind at all times. He may surprise you. He may upset you. He may make you laugh. But, if you're like me, you'll never find him boring. We discuss a number of topics in this conversation including his take on Quentin Tarantino's latest movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, coming to Hollywood during the heated cultural turmoil of America during the Cold War, his relationship with the legendary cinematographer and director Haskell Wexler, his role in creating reality television with the show Real People, and his involvement in 1960's stand-up comedy. You'll also hear John's takes on politics, something he's very passionate about and finds a way to interject into the conversation. Agree or disagree with those views, John is always an engaging speaker with a fascinating life story. YOUR MOTHER'S NOT A VIRGIN BY JOHN BARBOUR AVAILABLE NOW FROM TRINEDAY SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON!

The sordid saga of Jeffrey Epstein has gained widespread public attention, however it is not the only case of wealthy, well-connected abusers to make waves in recent years. The cases of Jimmy Savile, Bill Cosby, and Harvey Weinstein have likewise helped open the floodgates. One of the strangest, however, is NXIVM. Presenting itself as a multi-level marketing organization peddling self-help under the tutelage of the manipulative, Manson-esque guru Keith Raniere, NXIVM has since been exposed as a sex cult that counted Smallville actresses Allison Mack and Kristin Kreuk as well as American heiress Claire Bronfman amongst its famous and influential members. The cult's alleged activities included brainwashing, blackmail, physical branding of members, and BDSM practice of master-slave relationships sans anything that could reasonably be understood as consent. Raniere and other members have since been convicted on charges including racketeering, forced labor, and sexual trafficking. Joining us on this edition of Parallax Views to discuss both the Jeffrey Epstein and NXIVM cases is Roberta Glass of True Crime Report. Roberta, in addition to the True Crime Report podcast, has done firsthand reporting from court on both the NXIVM trial and the Epstein-related Virginia Roberts Guiffre v Ghislaine Maxwell. She gives her experiences reporting on these cases and personal recollections concerning Alan Dershowitz, what she saw at the NXIVM trial, and much more on this sobering edition of Parallax Views. LISTEN TO ROBERTA GLASS TRUE CRIME REPORT ON SPREAKER (ALSO AVAILABLE ON ITUNES & OTHER PODCAST APPS) SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON!

The post-Epstein media ecosystem has been a clown car crash. You could say it's a... CIRCUS OF DOOM! Faithful listeners will remember the Circus of Doom from when Parallax Views covered the media brouhaha over Roger Stone w/ Pearse Redmond and Ed Opperman. This time returning guest JP Sottile, the NewsVandal himself, joins us to discuss not only the media circus around Epstein, but also establishment pundit David Frum's clownish declaration that Trump could be the US's "1st Marxist President". The conversation takes us down the general nightmare funhouse of media mayhem that's been gripping the U.S. since 2016 and is packed with JP's always articulate analysis. So step right up to hear... DAVID FRUM AND THE POST-EPSTEIN CLOWN CAR CRASH OF DOOM! Check out JP's work at Newsvandal and subscribe to the Newsvandal Rundown

#ClintonBodyCount. #TrumpsBodyCount. The concern trolling over all the speculation. Conspiracy theory is experiencing its moment in the mainstream thanks to the demise of wealthy sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Joining us to discuss this renewed public interest in conspiracy theories is a student of "parapolitics", Gumby (@Gumby4Christ), whose Twitter following has been experiencing an uptick in light of recent events. Gumby begins by commenting on the public response to Epstein's death before telling us how he became interested in the subject of conspiracy theories. He relates a personal story involving confirmed. secretive, Cold War era radiation testing in St. Louis that has lingering effect today. He recommends a book on the subject by sociologist Lisa Martino-Taylor called Behind the Fog that proposes an intriguing academic theory of "elite deviance". From there we bounce around to a number of different topics including media responses to conspiracy theories, disinformation, the seemingly astroturfed origins of Pizzagate, Netflix's Wormwood series, Tom O'Neill's popular new book on the Manson murders called Chaos, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, MKULTRA, mob-related conspiracies involving infamous organized crime figures like Whitey Bulger and Lucky Luciano, the strange career of FBI agent and Satanic Panic peddler Ted Gunderson, and, of course, the sordid saga of Jeffrey Epstein. All that and much more on this edition of Parallax Views!

On this edition of Parallax Views, libertarian Hunter DeRensis, foreign policy reporter for The National Interest, joins us to discuss last month's National Conservatism Conference that set out to define the path of America's conservative movement in the age of Trump. DeRensis and I are no doubt divided on most political issues given that I'm openly to the left whereas he positions himself on the libertarian right. However, both DeRensis and I stand in opposition the war-hawk foreign policy mentality that was on prominent display, despite Trumpism's alleged affinity for non-interventionism, at the National Conservatism conference. DeRensis and I talk about the hawkish figures at the conference such as Cliff May, Rebeccah Heinrichs, and Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton among others. This also leads to some discussion of neoconservatism and its history, the ideological differences between neocons and those who spoke at the National Conservatism conference, Saudi Arabia, US-Russia relations, the geopolitical situation with China, war-hawks against Iran, and Hunter's recent article on concerns of nuclear catastrophe that some expert believe are more of a threat now than during the Cold War. Links: “Dangerous Foreign Policy at the National Conservatism Conference” by Hunter DeRensis (The Libertarian Institute) "Will Nationalism Become the New Credo of the GOP?" by Hunter DeRensis (The National Interest) "The Danger of A Nuclear Catastrophe Is Greater Than During the Cold War" by Hunter DeRensis (The National Interest)

Over the weekend Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy sex offender whose sordid saga has taken the nation by storm, was found unconscious in prison and later declared dead. New York-based journalist Marlon Ettinger, who has been covering the case at the courthouse, joins us to discuss this huge development as well as discussing the recently unsealed documents from the Giuffre v Maxwell and his experiences reporting the case from the courthouse (including encounter with Mike Cernovich and Conchita Sarnoff as well as seeing Epstein in the flesh). Consider this an emergency podcast with more to come... Links & Resources: Data Dump: Giuffre V Maxwell unsealed documents (Porkins Policy Review) Conchita Sarnoff, Investigative Journalist & Author of TrafficKing Jeffrey Epstein could have ‘paid’ for help with suicide: Former Gotti pal (New York Post) FBI Record: The Vault - Jeffrey Epstein

Are we living on a Gangster Planet? That's the explosively provocative but intriguing claim investigative reporter Daniel Hopsicker has made for almost two decades since he began delving into the wild story of Medellin Cartel drug smuggler Barry Seal. But Hopsicker say Barry Seal, who recently became the subject of the major motion picture American Made starring Tom Cruise, is only the tip of the iceberg. In fact, it took him down many rabbit holes from the Venice, FL flight school where 9/11 hijackers like Mohammad Atta trained to the underworld of the Russian mafia. It's also led him to dig into an assorted rogue's gallery of infamous figures like international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, the Russian mob's "Boss of Bosses" Semion Mogilevich, billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and even the President Donald Trump. Roberto Saviano, a critically acclaimed essayist and reporter whose exposés of organized crime and the international drug trade has placed his life in jeopardy, famously proclaimed, "Look at Cocaine and All You See Is Powder. Look Through Cocaine and You See the World." "Here it is, laid bare: cartel as corporation, corporation as cartel; cocaine as pure capitalism," write Ed Vulliamy of Saviano's ZeroZeroZero, "Here it is, laid bare: cartel as corporation, corporation as cartel; cocaine as pure capitalism." Hopsicker shares alot in common with Saviano, albeit trading in the Italian reporter's continental literary stylings for his own fittingly hard-boiled approach. In any case, both Hopsicker and Saviano scrutinize the lucrative business of what has come to be known as "Narco-Capitalism". And given the amount of money the illicit drug trade makes within the global economy it's an apropos portmanteau. Together, Daniel and I weave through the labyrinth of his reporting on what he dubs "transnational organized crime" and it's intersection with politics and business. Along the way Daniel gives his take the late Gary Webb's "Dark Alliance" series covering the alleged connection between Iran/Contra and LA's crack-cocaine epidemic, the notoriously controversial ex-Trump strategist Steve Bannon, and, near the end of our conversation, even offers a compellingly probable contender for who the "Q" is behind the madness of QAnon. Links: "CONTAINER SHIP CRIME WAVE!" by Daniel Hopsicker "The Jeffrey Epstein Social Network & The Container Ship Crime Wave" by Daniel Hopsicker "The Jeffrey Epstein Social Network Mega Meta Scandal" by Daniel Hopsicker Daniel Hopsicker on Youtube Daniel Hopsicker on Twitter The Narco News Bulletin Journalist Gary Webb's "Dark Alliance" Series from the San Jose Mercury News (PDF) Gary Webb: In His Own Words (Video) Gary Webb on C-Span's Washington Journal (Video) Adnan Khashoggi (Wikispooks) Barry Seal (Wikispooks) Roberto Saviano (Wikipedia) Check Out Daniel Hopsicker's Work at MadCowProd.Com

Questioning Authority... Now And... Then On this edition of Parallax Views, the them is questioning authority with two guests who highlight resistance in both the present and our historical past. First up, investigative reporter Arun Gupta, founding editor of The Indypendent, joins us to talk about his work organizing the No More Concentration Camps movement. Firecracker congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez caused a stir recently by referring to ICE detention centers for migrants and refuges as concentration camps. Some pundits have decried AOC's statements as a bridge to far and argue the concentration camp characterization is irresponsible. Arun Gupta, however, agrees with AOC's take and joins us to explain why in this pertinent conversation. Paul Krassner April 19, 1932 - July 21, 2019 Next up, Joseph E. Green, a contributing writer at Garrison: The Journal of History and Deep Politics, joins us to celebrate the life and times of investigative satirist, Yippie activist, and all-around counterculture icon Paul Krassner. A consummate rebel and subversive humorist who proved a thorn in the side of the establishment thanks in part to his groundbreaking underground press 'zine The Realist, Paul Krassner passed away at the age of 87 in late July of this year. Alongside Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, Krassner helped found the Youth International Party, or Yippies, who pranked on right-wing authoritarians throughout the turbulent times of the Vietnam war. Green, who currently publishes his own underground zines through Microcosm Publishing, was heavily influenced by Krassner's work and helps us celebrate the legacy he left behind. Be sure to check out two book reviews that Green mentioned on this episode here and here.

On this edition of Parallax Views, a special, previously unpublished conversationwith Joseph Matheny, a pivotal fixture of the bohemian tech counterculture during the early days of the internet, who may offer a key to understanding the wild social media phenomenon of QAnon and the general hijacking of counterculture by right-wing and corporate forces. This should be of particular interest in light of the recent FBI memo pointing towards QAnon conspiracy theories presenting a potential domestic terror threat. Joseph Matheny is perhaps best known as a transmedia artist who pioneered the Alternate Reality Game (ARG) with the inter-based collaborative fiction Ong's Hat. An ARG is a type of game that uses the real world as platform and have been used in marketing campaign for Halo 2, the Lost TV series, and Nine Inch Nails' Year Zero album. The genre has flourished because of the internet and is particularly interesting in that it does not require the player realize that they are playing. The parallels between ARGs and the QAnon phenomenon are striking. In fact, due to the focus of conspiracy theories and arcane secret histories found in Ong's Hat, some have whispered that Matheny is having a bit of a laugh as the possible mastermind behind QAnon. Matheny adamantly denies this and I believe him when he says he's not involved in QAnon. However, both of us agree that QAnon, whether knowingly or otherwise, uses the mechanics of an ARG in a way that is quite eerie. In addition to discussing alternate reality games and things like Pizzagate and QAnon as "Dark ARGs" in the age of MAGA, Joseph Matheny and I more generally delve into how counterculture appears to have been hijacked, perhaps even weaponized, by corporate and right-wing elements. It's a fascinating episode that you're not going to want to miss!