Unsafe Space: Recent Episodes
Toby Muresianu
We trade takes on a trade war with comedians Ramsay Badawi (KPCC), Jimmy O. Yang (HBO’s Silicon Valley) and panelists Jonathan Aronson (USC International Relations), Ian Henderson (writer for American Greatness), and Brian Peck (USC Law Center for Transnational Law and Business)! Hosted by Toby Muresianu and Faith Choyce.
We get to the bottom of what’s really going on with Adam Tod Brown (host of Conspiracy! the show), Tom Goss (of the Mean Boys podcast), and professors Gar Culbert (Cal State LA professor of Political Science), Richard Fox (author of iPolitics: Citizens, Elections, and Governing in the New Media Era), and Nigel Raab (Professor … Continue reading Conspiracies feat. Adam Tod Brown, Tom Goss, Gar Culbert, Richard Fox and Nigel Raab
Is capitalism the future, past its prime, or what? Our live episode on it features stand-up from favorites Helen Hong and Mitch Burrow, insight from experts Elham Saeidinezhad of the Milken Institute and Kevan Harris, UCLA sociology professor and author of “A Social Revolution: Politics and the Welfare State in Iran,” plus comedy and hosting … Continue reading Capitalism feat. Mitch Burrow, Helen Hong, Kevan Harris, Elham Saeidinezhad and Sameer Suri
Comedians Joe Dosch and Chris Estrada join Paul Ong, Urban Planning professor at UCLA, and Mott Smith, founder of Civic Enterprise Development for stand-up and discussion on gentrification at the Hollywood Improv Comedy Club! Hosted by Toby Muresianu and Faith Choyce.
We talk about climate change science and policy with panelists Dr. Willie Soon and Dr. Jon Christensen and comedians Bryan Dey and Lori Weiss. Both panelists provided a few links and encouraged people to look into the science themselves. Jon Christensen: The “Climate Lab” video series with Vox and the University of California: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/climate-lab The … Continue reading Climate Change feat. Jon Christensen, Willie Soon, Bryan Dey and Lori Weiss
What needs to change? Who should resign? Is there another side to the story? We talk sexual harassment and the current cultural moment with The Hollywood Reporter’s Ashley Cullins, therapist Pamela Georgette, and comedians Casey Ley and Faith Choyce!
We get the inside scoop on the mysterious kingdom with former diplomat and editor of 38North.org Joel S. Wit, Rorry Daniels of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, producer of The Rundown with Robin Thede Sachi Ezura, and former senior producer of the Nightly Show Benari Poulten! Video clips: http://bit.ly/unsafespacenorthkorea Chapters: 2:25 Toby Muresianu Standup … Continue reading North Korea with Joel Wit, Rorry Daniels, Benari Poulten and Sachi Ezura
Comedian + former convict Johnny Mitchell and comedian + former defense attorney Mike Schmidt join Toby and Lou to talk prison and criminal justice. See video on YouTube: http://bit.ly/UnsafeStudioIncarceration Topics: 1:54 What’s prison like and does it work? 6:00 Religion in Prison 8:47 Are fewer laws the answer? Is the Prison industry driving incarceration? 10:49 Breakdown … Continue reading Unsafe Studio feat. Mike Schmidt and Johnny Mitchell!
Our latest episode covers surveillance – from domestic surveillance of us to leaks about Trump – with a lively panel including standup comedian and former NSA worker Bryan Vokey, comedian and returning favorite Sammy Obeid, Navy veteran and former president of LA Vets in Tech André Andrews, and James R. Harrigan, former dean of the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani.
We return to NYC to tackle incarceration with vocal advocate for police Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute, libertarian and founder of Renegade University Thaddeus Russell, former criminal and comedian Petey DeAbreau, and former prosecutor and comedian JL Cauvin. What do you think? Go to our facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/UnsafeSpaceShow) to discuss this episode! Table of … Continue reading Incarceration feat. Heather Mac Donald, Thaddeus Russell, Petey DeAbreau and J-L Cauvin
Standup and discussion on the original international bad boy: Russia. With journalist Peter Savodnik (journalist and founder of Stateless Media), Benjamin Graham (USC International Relations professor) and comedians Kira Soltanovich (Showtime) and Sofiya Alexandra (Amazon’s Danger and Eggs). 2:20 Toby Muresianu Standup 6:40 Sofiya Alexandra Standup 16:00 Kira Soltanovich Standup 24:40 Panel Intros 25:47 What are … Continue reading Russia feat. Kira Soltanovich, Sofiya Alexandra, Peter Savodnik and Benjamin Graham
As we approach Trump’s 100 day milestone, here’s a show recorded right before the inauguration with people’s predictions and outlook for the next four years. Recorded in Washington D.C., the show features comedian and Washington Post journalist Elahi Izadi, the Cato Institute’s Caleb Brown, Rare.us editor Jack Hunter, and comedians Chelsea Shorte and Matty Litwack. 3:20 Toby Muresianu Standup 7:50 Chelsea Shorte Standup … Continue reading The Next 4 Years feat. Elahi Izadi, Caleb Brown, Chelsea Shorte, Jack Hunter and Matty Litwack
We discuss decriminalization, trafficking, personal experiences with sex work and more with UCLA professor Manisha Shah, Playboy writer and stripper Kasey Koop, Thai Rivera of the Unbothered podcast and Sammy Obeid of Conan and Last Comic Standing. Note: Resources for people who wish to leave sex work include JourneyOut.org, CastLA.org and others. 2:30 Toby Standup 6:35 … Continue reading Sex Work feat. Manisha Shah, Kasey Koop, Thai Rivera and Sammy Obeid
Is free speech is threatened on campus? We premiere mini-documentary Silence U Part 2: What Has Yale Become? and discuss it with filmmaker Rob Montz, comedian Jenny Yang of MTV’s #BeyondTheWall, and UCLA undergrad comedian Nathan Mosher. 00:00 Episode Intro 01:00 Stage Intro 02:45 Toby Muresianu Standup 07:48 Jenny Yang Standup 14:25 Nathan Mosher Standup 20:54 … Continue reading Campus Free Speech and Silence U Part 2 Premiere feat. Rob Montz, Jenny Yang and Nathan Mosher
A special Unsafe Studio recorded with Trey Lord of the Bionic Planet podcast at Songbyrd in Washington DC. Topic guide: 12:00: Ayahuasca 15:00: Private property in the developing world 18:30: What’s the best fuel for the developing world? 26:15: Black Lives Matter and the White Baby Defense 28:00: Obama writing check to Green Climate fund? 32:00: … Continue reading Unsafe Studio: Environmentalism & Strip Mining Uteruses feat. Trey Lord
We visit New York City with NYU professor and director of “The Other Side of Immigration” Roy Germano, Trump-supporting comedian James Myers, The Federalist senior contributor Dave Marcus, and comedian and former US Marine Courtney Fearrington.
Comedians Jeremy McLellan of South Carolina and Eric Lampaert of France and England join Lou and Toby to discuss Trump’s cabinet, immigration, and how age of consent laws apply to jockeys. Some highlights: 02:18 Tweeting comedy in multiple languages. 12:57: Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Flynn and Islam 26:50: Age of Consent. 32:53: Guns from a … Continue reading Unsafe Studio feat. Jeremy McLellan and Eric Lampaert
We discuss what’s next after the election, why it happened and why they voted the way they did in often-heated, often-hilarious discussion with comedians Helen Hong (Inside Amy Schumer), Thai Rivera (Fusion’s Roast of America), Caroline Heldman (Occidental College Politics professor) and John L. Ray (Former DNC analyst).
We return to Los Angeles to cover the industry that covers everybody: The Media. This was a funny and insightful show, as well as a contentious one – particularly around the topic of covering white supremacist movements. You can read some of the articles referenced on white nationalists, Trump and David Duke, and the fight between the … Continue reading The Media feat. Christina Bellantoni, Tamer Kattan, Chriss Street, Georgia Kernell and Julianne Simitz
We travel to Portland, Oregon to talk political correctness at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival! With a stellar lineup including Baron Vaughn (Netflix’s Frankie and Grace), Bri Pruett (comedian and sex columnist for the Portland Mercury), Teela Foxworth (professor of communications at Portland Community College) and Charlie Hinkle (board member of the Portland ACLU and first amendment law … Continue reading Political Correctness feat. Baron Vaughn, Bri Pruett, Teela Foxworth, and Charlie Hinkle – live from Bridgetown Comedy Festival
Lou calls in from covering the national conventions, former attorney and current comedian Mike Schmidt argues with guest Sameer Suri about NATO, and Toby Muresianu hosts a discussion about current politics.
Joanna Castle Miller discusses documenting her father’s run for President on the Constitution Party ticket as part of her comedic series Red White and Dad; Riley Silverman sheds light on the trans bathroom issue, and they both discuss the current state of political satire with hosts Lou and Toby.
A super fun discussion of why health care costs so much and how to fix the system, featuring Josh Barro (editor of Business Insider and host of KCRW’s Left, Right and Center) Daniel Bruggers (Otolaryngologist and fellow at the Reason Institute), Quincy Jones (star of the new HBO special Burning the Light), and Dave Merheje (winner … Continue reading Health Care feat. Josh Barro, Quincy Jones, Dave Mehreje, Daniel Bruggers
We’re back with an episode on sex, dating, and monogamy (or not) in the modern age. Joining us are marriage and family therapist Pamela Georgette and comedians Casey Ley, Greg Edwards and Laura Crawford.
A fun discussion of Trump rallies, Cuba, modern parenting, clearing the name of Pee-Wee Herman, what animal Lou would be in the gay community, and other things. Featuring Jeffrey Dinsmore of the Dad Jeans podcast and Joe Dosch, of the Mean Boys scripted podcast.
We return to the studio to talk to Julianne Simitz, producer of Bad News Live, and Carl Kozlowski of the Koz Effect podcast about whether Trump is like Hitler, squatty potties, and everything in between!
Lou and Toby sit down with comedians Sameer Suri, a gay Indian Trump supporter, and Justice Wainwright, whose viral tweets you may have seen. Sameer argues why Scalia was a fantastic judge, Justice recounts being stabbed over a Nintendo 64, and much more.
A funny and informative discussion on income inequality, featuring comedians Betsy Salkind (the Tonight Show, Comedy Central) and Keith Carey (The Comedy Store), plus experts James McKeever (Pierce College sociology and philosophy department chair) and Andrei Muresianu (mutual fund manager, board member of the Para Los Niños educational nonprofit, and brother of one of the hosts). Two charts are … Continue reading Income Inequality feat. James McKeever, Betsy Salkind, Keith Carey, and Andrei Muresianu!
Our latest episode of Unsafe Studio, the version of the show recorded in Lou’s apartment as opposed to in front of a live audience, features Brendan O’Neill, editor of spiked magazine and columnist for the Australian and the Big Issue, as well as the hilarious Marcella Arguello and Laura Crawford. We talk about universities, free speech, … Continue reading Unsafe Studio: Brendan O’Neill, Laura Crawford, Marcella Arguello
Our first in-studio (or in-apartment) podcast features USC Professor Christian Grose (author of Congress in Black and White), regular guest Laura Crawford (Buzzfeed) and Toby & Lou talking about the primaries, what really goes on at the Iowa Caucuses, and discuss whether what people say about college kids nowadays is true.
In our latest podcast, we talk about Islam in a political context with Jihad Turk, President of Bayan Claremont Islamic Graduate School, Aron Kader of Comedy Central’s Axis of Evil Comedy tour, Mitch Burrow (USMC veteran and regular on Bob & Tom radio) and Heina Dadabhoy, blogger for FreeThoughtBlogs.com!