The Bitchuation Room

Baited by the far right, Trump declares a national emergency with the same cadence that an eight year old explains the Lego movie. Plus former Starbucks CEO and presidential hopeful Howard Schultz (i.e. "HowSchu") flexes his Venti-sized elitism in a CNN town hall by declaring that he "doesn't see color." Grassroots organizer Joshua Kahn (Wildfire Project) and stand-up comedian Paco Romane (Sup Doc Podcast) join Francesca to understand attacks on progressive movements both from the far right and the far center. Plus a cultural appropriation edition of "Sext, Elect, Overthrow"! Thanks to Marc Atinkson for editing and Creative Commons music producer Kevin MacLeod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wants to save the planet AND the middle class? Not before Nancy Pelosi tinkles all over it. Francesca welcomes Crooked Media's Erin Gloria Ryan and The Young Turk's Brett Erlich to assess whether centrist shade has been thrown, and what the Green New Deal could mean for American politics and our future. Also why was there a war hype-man in the Capitol building during the State of the Union? And Francesca gets real about liberals fawning over AOC while still resenting Bernie Sanders. Plus "Sext, Elect Overthrow" with rising right-wing starlets including the Barbie you never played with, Tomi Lahren. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And so the madness begins. Not with a bang but with meaningless polling data. Two more unqualified comedians Kiran Deol (Crooked Media's "Hysteria" Podcast) and Matt Lieb (Newsbroke, Filmdrunk Podcast) join Francesca to separate centrist from progressive, shill from shrill, ego from id. We talk Cory Booker's big donors, Kamala Harris as the best on-screen President, Gillibrand, Biden, Bloomberg, Brown, Bernie, Elmo and Warren. Plus an all-acronym game of "Sext, Elect Overthrow": NFL, NSA or NPR. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Pence speaks Spanish for one reason and one reason only: Venezuelan oil money. Plus another Scooby Doo moment in the Mueller investigation nabs yet another mediocre Trump crook who wasn't gonna get away with it, Roger Stone. Badass feminist organizer Blanca Missé and comedian Kevin Camia join Francesca to bitch about where real regime change is needed and how Marie Kondo would organize all of the President's book. Thanks to Marc Atkinson for the editing genius, and music producer Kevin MacLeod for the creepy jazzy intro music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Teachers are organizing en masse around the country and four people are running for President whose names aren't Bernie Sanders. Comedian Joyelle Nicole Johnson (Patriot Act with Hasan Minaj, Broad City) and racial justice organizer N'Tanya Lee (Left Roots) join Francesca and Nato Green to talk about the teacher's strike, Bernie Sanders and that illusive seemingly monolithic 'black vote' and why there needs to be Grindr for black lesbians over 40. Plus "Sext, Elect, Overthrow" featuring all the superheroes that fragile straight white men hate. Also Francesca coins the phrase "college-free tuition" and no one corrects her! Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

R Kelly and Donald Trump have a striking amount of trash in common. Francesca welcomes comedian and writer Dewayne Perkins (The Break with Michelle Wolf) and journalist Paula Neudorf (YR Media & Viceland) to The Bitchuation Room to discuss how the president gets lost in his own hyperbole, the time Paula most likely met with Russian DNC hackers, and how R Kelly may actually be a skilled white supremacist. Plus a famous duos edition of Sext, Elect, Overthrow featuring Chuck and Nancy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new year means the same ole you but a new Congress! For the first time Democrats in the House will hold hearings on Medicare for All to build support for what's shaping up to be the defining issue come 2020. Helping to doctor-splain it all is Paul Song, an oncologist and president of Physicians for a National Health Program California which advocates for a single-payer Medicare for All healthcare system. We talk centrist democrats as the biggest roadblock to progress and the new PayGo rules. Also joining Francesca is comedian and host of the Unpopular Opinion podcast network Adam Tod Brown. He weights in on the Louis CK noise and breaks down what's wrong with cries of "PC culture" policing comedy. Plus "Sext, Elect, Overthrow" with Republicans who're trying to save face by pointing out the obvious about our commander in chief. Special thanks to Marc Atkinson for these sweet sweet edits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a libertarian's dream come true as the government grinds to a halt over a border wall. Francesca is joined by Feminist Frequency's Anita Sarkeesian and comedians Atsuko Okatsuka and Matt Lieb to assess the current state of the nation and to put 2018 to bed once and for all. They discuss Kevin Spacey's nonconsensual stocking stuffer, the MeToo movement one year later, and Francesca divulges her secret (yes teen) obsession with aforementioned actor/serial assaulter. Plus why Angelina Jolie is a monster in the Celebrity Billionaire 2020 edition of "Sext, Elect, Overthrow" that completely bypasses the Beto VS. Bernie noise. Happy New Year Everyone! Thanks to Marc Atkinson for the production pizzaz. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are Americans taking an interest in democratic socialism? What led to the radical left movements of the 60s and 70s in the United States and which vintage shop can we get some at? In the second live episode of The Bitchuation Room, Francesca and co-host comedian Nato Green are joined by activist and author Max Elbaum to talk about the work cut out for revolutionaries in America. Also joining the panel is comedian Dhaya Lakshminarayanan to dissect Don Trump Jr.'s psyche, the withdrawal of troops from Syria and how sexting Che Guevara would probably only lead to heartache. Also apparently Lenin was a monogamist. Thanks to Marc Atkinson, Dominic del Bene, and Jessica Mozes for their production help! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's that time of year when we gather as family and look at the US-Mexico border and think "How the fuck has it come to this?!" The death of a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl in border patrol custody and the Department of Homeland Security's 'not my problem bro' response seem to be waging the real war on the Christmas spirit. Joining Francesca to bitch about the border, government shutdowns and beyond is Lara Kiswani, executive director of The Arab Resource Organizing Center in the Bay Area, and comedian Mikey Walz who recently survived cancer, but lost his leg to it. Fuck. Cancer. (Come out to a fundraiser for his new prosthetic leg on January 19th at the Brava Theater in San Francisco). Podcast also features Mikey's cat Barry meowing throughout the ENTIRE episode. Thanks for listening, keep those ratings coming. Merry Jesusmas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the freak show of white collar crime continues in the White House, Francesca is joined by The Young Turk's John Iadarola and comedian Jena Friedman to talk of other things. Like sore Republican losers in the midwest booby-trapping their governments against Democrats and whether liking fascism is a question of nurture or nature. Plus the apology that Kevin Hart simply could not muster, Golden Globes snubs and Cardi B's relationship status. Plenty of food for THOT. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump's 'very cool and very legal' business dealings with a foreign power that tampered in US elections are everything but. To discuss what recent Russia revelations might amount to, Francesca is joined by former Fusion host Nando Villa and comedian and Newsbroke homie Matt Lieb. Plus, the centrist spin-job on George HW Bush's legacy, the difficulty of asserting progressive foreign policy in the Trump era, and how Bezos now makes money from QAnon merch. Also a "Targeted Character Assassination" starring the 'lodestar' veep himself, and figuring whether Ariana Grande or Julian Assange would make better world leaders in The Bitchuation Room's favorite game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even plastic bags get more love than Republicans in California, after a blue tsunami flipped 6 of 7 contested seats for the Democrats. To eulogize the Grand Old Party and talk about what it means for progressives, Francesca is joined by comedians Nato Green, Kevin Avery (The Jim Jeffries Show), and newly elected SF district 6 supervisor Matt Haney. They also talk about the allegations against Don Resistánce, Michael Avenatti, how to use a water bottle to punish creeps, and which of the top tech CEOs is better at sexting. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at The Setup in San Francisco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook betrays us again but we still can't quit. Like an abusive partner you keep going back to for those dank memes. Meanwhile the Israeli military somehow needs more money because occupation is expensive and Pharrell Williams is "Happy" to oblige. Plus a takedown of Amazon's HQ2, the diamond industry, and whether eating Poke is like eating the sea's grandparents. Comic Imran G. and labor organizer Vasudha Desikan join Francesca Fiorentini for the hour and then some. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democracy ain't dead. Days after Democrats take back the house with historic turnout and a record number of women winning congressional seats, Francesca makes sense of the midterms along with comedian Jessica Sele and radio producer Sam Greenspan. They talk climate apocalypse, what new attorney general could mean for the Russia investigation, and whether 'deep kissing' can cause an orgasm. Plus an all-female edition of Sext Elect Overthrow with women who have at one point or another seen the president's junk. Shower after listening. Thanks to Creative Commons music producer Kevin MacLeod for TBR's creepy jazzy intro music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hours away from a potential blue wave of democratic midterm victories nationwide, Grandpa Donald keeps ratcheting up the fear. To discuss pre-electoral madness with Francesca in The Bitchuation Room is her childhood friend Yonatan Rosen, and the executive director of Amazon Watch, Leila Salazar-Lopez. They hash out the 'migrant caravan', the 14th amendment, the Brazilian elections and what Bolsonaro means for the future of the planet, as well as how the Brexit vote was financed by Russia through yet another convenient idiot. Also included are tales of bad English translations and who should be the elected the tiniest mayor of Tiny Town. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mass shooters, bomb threats and the right's spin have got Francesca and frands wondering: who am truth? A powerhouse episode featuring Gasland director and former Bernie delegate Josh Fox, along with ASMR addict and Newsbroke producer Kate Elston. We talk media complicity, voter suppression, and Francesca's captivity to her Halloween costume nails. Go see Josh's show "The Truth Has Changed" and hear Kate on her period podcast The Vicious Cycle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist Shane Bauer and Comedian Natasha Muse join Francesca to discuss how beards are now more Nazi than hipster, thoughts on Elizabeth Warren's big DNA reveal and the four months Shane worked in a private prison. Plus bad Irish accents for a good cause and a very difficult edition of "Sext, Elect, Overthrow." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three comedians hash out the UN climate report, whether Kanye has always been a bit of a "black skinhead", why the future governor of California should stick to wine, and how to sext the Saudi Prince. Joining host Francesca Fiorentini is Karinda Dobbins who has opened for Trevor Noah and Dave Chappelle, and Nato Green who wrote for Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell on FX and has a very good comedy special called "The Whiteness Album.”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first throwdown of the Bitchuation Room, Francesca and friends Carlos Martinez and Matt Lieb discuss Justice Brett and the male fear of "losing power"/being held accountable, Lindsay Lohan becoming #SaviorSandy, deportees in Tijuana, La Croix poisoning us, Matt's dry sandwich, and the Bitchuation Room's classic game "Sext Elect Overthrow." Enjoy! (Don't @ me about all the mathematical flubs or audio pops.) Thanks to Creative Commons music producer Kevin MacLeod for the creepy jazzy intro music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The West Wing has one, Wolf Blitzer has one, and you know what? #TimesUp on them. Enter "The Bitchuation Room", located in the Left Wing of your comedy podcasts, where low level talks reach high level stank. TBR is a weekly hour of semi-structured sparring among likeminded progressive personalities that'll leaving listeners with laughs, analysis, and some concrete tasks for bringing about the Rev. Stay tuned… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices