The New Conspiracist: Recent Episodes
Somethin' Else
‘Conspiracy? Unexplained Correlation? Just a Coincidence? Conspiracy theories are being discussed more than ever. BAFTA award winning comedian Jolyon Rubinstein and Pulitzer prize-winning investigative journalist James Ball are deliberating what makes conspiracy theories believable or rejectable. From who shot JFK to who replaced Melania Trump? James and Jol dive into the silly and the serious world of conspiracies theorists. Every episode joined by expert guests to help them come to a decision, throughout a somewhat unplanned discussion. But let’s face it, the truth is never the best story to tell, so might as well have some fun along the way.
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Jolyon is joined by editor of Private Eye Magazine and star of Have I Got News For You Ian Hislop to round up season 2. James was being sued at the time of recording so it’s a good old chin wag between two satirist trying to get to the heart of what conspiracy theories so powerful today.
Was Barack Obama secretly born in Kenya? A years long conspiracy theory boosted by Donald Trump has suggested so – but this week comedian Athena Kugblenu joins Jolyon and James to solve the mystery. Like this episode? Please like, share and subscribe if so – or leave us a (five star) review.
David Icke used to be a footballer. Now, he’s better known as the father of all conspiracy theorists – behind anti-5G, covid truther movements, and more. But before that he revealed the world was ruled by lizard people. Journalist and metropolitan liberal elitist Hugo Rifkind joins Jolyon and James to tell all on the great lizard man theory. Like the podcast? Please subscribe, share, and leave a (five star?) review!
Author, broadcaster, former Labour Party advisor and Scot Ayesha Hazarika joins Jolyon and James to talk Scottish independence conspiracies. Did the Westminster government hide a North Sea oilfield? Are they faking the accounts? Do you need to #usepens? All that and more answered in this week’s episode. Like it? Please subscribe, share, and leave a (five star?) review!
Journalist and podcaster Nicky Woolf becomes Jolyon and James’ first ever repeat guest to explain the QAnon-led insurrection on the US Capital on January 6th. Like this episode? Please like, share and subscribe on your favourite podcast provider.
Was Neil Armstrong really standing on the moon when he said “one small step…”? We all wonder about the USA’s space achievements – but the USSR gets a free pass. Journalist and think tanker extraordinaire Agnes Frimston joins Jol and James to talk all thing soviet space in this week’s episode.
There's no escaping Russia. Twitter is full of Russian bots, stoking division, hyping Donald Trump, and promoting Brexit. Russia helped drive the UK out of the EU and influenced the 2016 Presidential election. It's everywhere…isn't it? Acclaimed documentary maker Adam Curtis joins Jolyon and James to cast a sceptical eye on the mainstream narrative on Russia. Liking the podcast? Please do like, share, subscribe, and drop us a (five star) review.
We all know what year it is…don't we? This week Jolyon and James are joined by Angela Barnes to discuss the new chronology – a surprisingly widespread conspiracy theory that suggests several years of history simply…never happened! It's less to learn at school, at least, but is it true? IF you're enjoying the podcast, please do like, share, subscribe and leave a – hopefully five star! – review.
Eliot Higgins, the founder of “intelligence agency for the people” Bellingcat, joins Jolyon and James to ask what’s really going in with Novichok. If it’s so deadly, why do people keep surviving it? Why use a weird poison? And is Salisbury Cathedral really worth the trip from Moscow?
Icons don't die on toilets. So comedian and Twitter superstar Rosie Holt joins Jolyon and James to find out what really happened instead – is Elvis alive? Why might he fake his death? And where is he right now? As ever, if you're enjoying what you're hearing please give us a rating (we are especially fond of five stars), share on social, and hit the subscribe button.
It's season two! Join Jolyon, James, and Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney to dissect whether or not Stanley Kubrick helped the US government fake the moon landings for a much-needed Cold War PR boost. Were the Apollo missions fact, or fake news? Liking the podcast? Please rate us, subscribe, and share on your social networks of choice.
For their last episode of the first season Jolyon and James are joined by veteran investigative reporter John Sweeney to dig into one of the murkiest conspiracy theories of the 21st century: just who was Jeffrey Epstein, what did he do, and how, exactly, did he die in a New York prison? Please do like, share and subscribe to the podcast, and get in touch with us @jamesrbuk and @jolyonrubs to let us know what topics you'd like to see in season two – and just #WhereIsEpisode11?
Doctors do it, peers do it, even Ian McKellen is doing it: you can't move for media shots of notable people getting the first of the new Coronavirus vaccine jabs. But are they making a terrible mistake? Is it dangerous? Is it even part of a plot from Bill Gates to – BUY MICROSOFT OFFICE – control our minds? Helping Jolyon and James dig into Corona vaccine conspiracies is campaigner, skeptic, and tiny-furniture maker Tracy King. Like the podcast? Please do like, review and share. No episode next Friday (it's Xmas!) but we're back on New Year's Day
It was the JFK moment of its generation: almost everyone remembers where they were when they found out Princess Diana had died in a car crash in 1997. And like JFK's, the death sparked thousands of conspiracy theories. Had she been killed? What was being covered up? One such theory, popular among Muslim households, was that she'd been killed because the Queen had found a Qu'ran in her room – Diana was converting. This week, we're joined by Sara Yasin to discuss the Diana phenomenon, the conspiracy, and what its popularity tells us about ourselves.
Beware if you're listening to this episode on your phone: is it exposing you to 5G even as we discuss it? 5G's supposed to make your mobile internet faster. But people are warning it could make you ill, control your mind, and might even be part of a global Coronavirus plot. Are they right? We're joined by award-winning comedian Heydon Prowse to investigate. As ever, please like, share and give us a five star rating if you enjoy the pod.
A nice, uncontroversial topic this week, one that should unite us all: BREXIT. Was it all done for Nigel Farage's hedge fund mates, or was it Putin who was behind it? And is the political and media establishment conspiring to steal our Brexit from us? Jolyon and James are joined by another member of the liberal media elite – award-winning broadcaster and author James O'Brien – to confess all. Liking the podcast? Please do share, review, and leave us a five star rating if you can. It really does help.
There's almost no conspiracy theory – from the middle ages onwards – that doesn't end up involving the Jewish people in some way, shape, or form. So what's happened to make one relatively small religious group at the apparent centre of so many plots? Jolyon and James are joined by the legendary comedian, novelist, presenter and more David Baddiel to discuss "The Jews" – and the antisemitism at the heart of so many conspiracies.
One day, we will go to Montauk. Project Montauk, no less – the conspiracy theory which inspired Stranger Things and much else. But what really went on in the US army base near the town of the same name? Jolyon and James are joined by the outrageously talented comedian Sophie Duker to find out. Like this episode? Please rate, review and share the podcast!
This week, Jolyon and James are joined by Syrian refugee, activist and sometime NHS hospital porter Hassan Akkad to talk about The Great Replacement – a conspiracy theory born in France that there’s a Muslim plot to repopulate Europe. What is it, why’s it spread, and what do we do about it?
"Where we go one, we go all”. QAnon is the conspiracy theory that defines the Trump presidency – but what is it, where did it come from, and how dangerous is it? Jolyon and James are joined by journalist Nicky Woolf to investigate the biggest conspiracy theory of the 21st century.
Is Donald Trump defunding the post office to deny people their votes? Are Democrats engaged in a nefarious plot to steal the 2020 Presidential election with false postal ballots? And is the Republican Party systematically closing polling stations in Black areas? Tackling the big questions of the 2020 Presidential election, Jolyon and James are joined by award-winning comedian Dane Baptiste – asking: who’s trying to steal the Presidency? Please like, subscribe, and share the show if you enjoy the pod. Follow Jolyon on @jolyonrubs, James on @jamesrbuk and Dane on @danesnaptiste
Jolyon and James kick off the podcast with Josh Pieters and Archie Manners, talking about the conspiracy theory that’s crossing continents – did Avril Lavigne die, only to be replaced with Melissa, her former body double? Please like, subscribe, and share the show if you enjoy the pod. Follow Jolyon on @jolyonrubs, James on @jamesrbuk, Josh at @Joshua_pieters and Archie at @archiemanners.
Qanon. Pizzagate. Flat earth. The Great Replacement. Conspiracy theories are swirling around like never before – tormenting mistrust, infecting our politics, and even tearing families apart. But Brit Award-winning comedian Jolyon Rubenstein and investigative journalist James Ball are here to save the day. Or at least try.
Every episode takes one conspiracy theory – from niche to widespread, deadly serious to trivial – and one great guest, and dissects what makes it tick, what it tells us, and why it matters. After all, the truth is (probably) still out there.
Please like, subscribe, and follow Jolyon on @jolyonrubs and James on @jamesrbuk.