The Play Typer Guy

I’ve enjoyed Reality Checking the Bulwark, an ongoing project by Steward Beckham and Evan Stern. As Steward says, “We believe that institutions matter, but when institutions fail, democracy falters. And institutions that are built to counter Trump should not repeat the same mistakes that laid the groundwork for Trump. We respect and value The Bulwark, but when it becomes a central pillar of our pro-democracy movement, it also needs to be interrogated for narrating our political stories in the same frames that may have produced the problem and also may not be the medicine for that problem. So that’s why we want to identify its failures in the best faith possible.”I was fortunate enough to speak about this in depth with Steward and Evan. Watch and/or listen to Part One here, and come back next week for Part Two. Also, go check out Steward and Evan’s substacks, Stew on This and Certain Thoughts.You will hear:Discussing The Bulwark - How it started and how it’s goingWhy Steward and Evan decided to discuss conversations happening on the conservative site and debate whether they were getting things right as a talking point to Democrats who are looking to take a more conservative view on politics and their expansion beyond the “Never Trump” crowdIs it arrogance or is it victory? - The Bulwark seems to be slow to catch up on matters that will shape an election (after the fact, by a mile) and have a very narrow viewpoint on whose opinion mattersStereotypical archetypes are used (the moonshining hillbilly, the longhorn-riding Texan, the Callifornian juicer, etc.) to drive how politician candidates are told to talk to different voters, infantilizing and demoralizing votersAnd more!Links:Evan’s Substack: https://substack.com/@therealevansternSteward’s Substack: https://substack.com/@stewardbeckhamStew on This Podcast: https://www.stewonthis.com/podcastConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Evan Barker is a former Democratic campaign operative and political strategist. Her upcoming book Nothing Left explores her departure from the party. Eric Swalwell, the disgraced former congressman and gubernatorial candidate, perhaps represents everything Evan dislikes about her former party. Evan and I discuss the Swalwell fallout and debate how to maintain the balance of believing victims while preserving the presumption of innocence. We also reject guilt by association, which we're starting to see more of recently.You will hear:The difference in America of the presumption of innocence is what we want (when it applies to us), but how one anonymous accusation of sexual misconduct can ruin a life or career long before any guilt is established Consensual versus nonconsensual relationships with staffers and othersDoes “believe all women” automatically equate to “don’t believe all men”?And more!Guest Info: Evan Barker is a political and cultural commentator who has worked in Democratic politics, primarily as a fundraiser for progressive US Senate, House, and DA campaigns. After attending the DNC in 2024, she left the party and became an Independent. Evan has been published in The Times, Newsweek, and The Free Press. She has appeared on System Update with Glenn Greenwald, Batya!, Cuomo, Jesse Watters Primetime and Fox News at Night. Evan writes on substack, hosts a podcast, and her first book, NOTHING LEFT is forthcoming from Simon and Schuster in July 2026 and is now available for pre-order.Links:Evan’s Website: https://www.evanbarker.net/Evan’s Substack: https://evanbarker.substack.com/Evan’s Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHtWrIrkPmYEvan’s Book (pre-order): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668213176?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_T6J7K2VZ9R6MB0KCV192&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_T6J7K2VZ9R6MB0KCV192&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_T6J7K2VZ9R6MB0KCV192&bestFormat=trueConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Author Patricia Martin joins me to discuss her new book, Will the Future Like You? Reflections on the Age of Hyper-reinvention. Martin has written four books, and her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Huffington Post, The New York Times, and Psyche Magazine.She holds an MFA in non-fiction from Bennington College, with post-graduate work in medical narrative at Duke University. She holds workshops in Jungian theory at the C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago and hosts the podcast Jung in the World.You will hear:How other people see us is how we see ourselves (letting the algorithm define us) and how we can consciously choose who we want to be and claim our authentic selvesOur consciousness is for sale and social media is the supply chain - How parasocial relationships affect and influence usHow social media has exacerbated the FOMO (fear of missing out) because we can see everything everyone is doing and wondering why we weren’t invitedModern society is in the grips of what Freud termed a cultural “death drive”And more!Links:  Patricia’s website: https://patricia-martin.com/Patricia’s book: https://rb.gy/fojfupConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

The Wall Street Journal article reported recently that some young voters are starting to regret their vote for Donald Trump, who set the world on fire and didn’t even lower the price of eggs. A new poll finds 58 percent of voters under 30 disapprove of his job performance.This is actually good news, if you’re up for Democrats winning elections. I know many liberals insist that Trump won because he’s a racist, sexist bigoted fool rather than in spite of those obvious character flaws. However, if all 2024 Trump voters wanted him to Make American Antebellum Again, he’d enjoy much higher approval. I don’t need to like former Trump voters to accept them in a winning coalition. It’s like Buffy teaming up with Spike in that epic Season 2 finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Spike’s motivations were self-centered and hardly noble, but ultimately, he still helped her save the world.This week, my guest is political strategist and friend of the podcast Cliston Brown.You will hear:Online shaming might feel good, but is it the most effective persuasion technique?Why Democrats too often fall for “silver bullet” thinkingWhy John Fetterman’s curious Senate career likely ends after one termWhy “the math is the math” when it comes to winning electionsAnd more!Guest Info: Cliston Brown is a political analyst and communications executive. He writes on U.S. politics at ClistonBrown.com, having previously written for the New York Observer and the California Globe.  On average, Brown has projected the final composition of the U.S. House of Representatives within 7.5 seats and the U.S. Senate within 1.222 seats. In the most recent election, he correctly predicted every U.S. Senate race.Brown began his career as a journalist in the Chicago area in 1994, covering government and politics, intellectual property law, international business issues, education, and law enforcement. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 2001, where he served for two years as director of communications for U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Indiana), then transitioned back into the private sector as a communications professional and political analyst in the insurance industry, holding positions in Washington, Chicago and San Francisco.Follow Brown on Twitter: @clistonbrownConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

My friend Lynne Streeter Childress answered the Bat signal for an emergency session about what the hell just happened at the BAFTA awards.John Davidson, the Scottish Tourette’s syndrome activist and the inspiration for the film I Swear, shouted the “n-word” — the full Tarantino — at presenters Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. That was unsettling but even worse was the BAFTA response.The usual suspects also emerged to argue that Jordan and Lindo having the “n-word” shouted at them is no big deal because they appeared in Sinners, where the word is used. It’s as if people who support Donald Trump don’t understand how consent works.Someone on Threads even posted in my feed that white people learned the n-word from “our” music. It’s a pathetic argument. Besides, if we’re talking about “my” music, I don’t think the “n-word” comes up much in Candide or Jesus Christ Superstar.Guest Info: Lynne Streeter Childress is a playwright, actor, teaching artist, singer, director, and the founder and artistic director of Building Better People Productions! Her show, “We Got It!: A Show About Empathy”, is among several of BBPP’s shows that are currently travelling to schools in Maryland and surrounding areas. This is her 25th year in professional theater, with much of that experience in theater for young audiences.  This includes performing at the Kennedy Center, Arena Stage and Adventure Theater, and teaching for institutions like the Folger Shakespeare Library. Through all those experiences, Lynne has seen firsthand how theater can communicate the most important things in the clearest and most interesting of ways, especially to young people. Links: Lynne’s Website: https://lynnestreeterchildress.com/Building Better People Productions: https://bbpproductions.com/Fine Beats and Cheeses Podcast: https://finebeatsandcheeses.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Donald Trump’s ongoing assault on non-MAGA America continues with no end in sight. My friend John Stoehr from The Editorial Board joins me on the podcast to discuss the federal occupation of Minneapolis, as well as the encouraging signs of resistance from congressional Democrats.You will hear:John discusses how quickly Trump has turned the tides with white, middle class, property-owning Americans into people who now openly doubt whether or not law enforcement would do anything to protect them with the current state of our countryWe are seeing the smearing of the names of the white victims of police/ICE brutality, which we have never really seen like we do regularly with POC and immigrant victimsWhy people need to watch out for “moderate Democrats” who are more likely to accept conservatism, which in itself is about maintaining inequality, as long as it works for themWhy we should expect evil people to be evil and plan accordinglyAnd more!About John StoehrI’m not a political scientist, but I have taught political science. I’m not a partisan, but for the moment the Democrats care about what I care about. I’m a journalist, writer and citizen. I’m a fellow at Yale’s Ezra Stiles College; a contributing writer for the Washington Monthly; a contributing editor for Religion Dispatches; and senior editor at Raw Story. My byline has been in news outlets big and small, but mostly small. Follow me @editorialboard.bsky.social and at editorialboard.com.Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

I’m delighted to welcome on the podcast Teal Sherer and Jessica Wallenfels. Teal is an actor, writer, mom, and disability advocate who has teamed up with Jessica, a fabulous director and choreographer, for the upcoming production The World Looks Different Sitting Down, which runs at Seattle Public Theater for two weekends only from February 20 to March 1.Combining comedy and confrontation, Teal shares her experiences as a wheelchair user in a world where strangers at Whole Foods either don’t notice you exist or ask oddly intimate questions about your sex life.Teal has performed multiple roles on stage and screen. One of her first major roles was in 2004’s Warm Springs with Kenneth Branagh and Cynthia Nixon. She played Venom in the web series The Guild and herself in her own hilarious series My Gimpy Life. You will hear:Teal talks about her life changing post-car crash, which left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair in a world that was not designed for herThe importance of accessibility and representation in the arts - disabled people deserve to play any kind of role, not just a disabled character - and being able to be included in everything the rest of the cast can do, like using the same dressing roomsTeal and Jessica’s partnershipAnd more!Links:Seattle Public Theater: https://www.seattlepublictheater.org/sittingdownTeal’s Website: https://www.tealsherer.com/Jessica’s Website: https://www.jessicawallenfels.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Author and activist Maya Contreras joins me to discuss the aftermath of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory, and what that means for a Democratic Party that might have a restrictive definition of “big tent.”Maya lives and works in New York City. She’s just finished a new book, The Language of Theft: How The Wealthy Fund Narratives That Rob America of Our Common Sense, in which she offers a blueprint of strategies Democrats can use to counter destructive, donor-funded right-wing narratives.Guest Info: Maya Contreras is a political strategist, a narrative interpreter, and an advocate for anti-racist policy. As a lifelong advocate, Contreras’s focus has been on Voting Rights because all paths to policy begin with access to the ballot box. On the road to equity, dominant political narratives that stem from domestic policy inhibit civic participation. Contreras has given Voting Rights lectures at the Brennan Center for Justice, Clark University, and NYU. She was invited to testify in support of the New York State Voting Rights Act at the New York Senate on March 3, 2020. Maya has held anti-racist narrative and messaging clinics for leading members of the media, and U.S. Democratic Senators’ social media teams.Maya’s own civic participation is a critical component of her work. Contreras was appointed by City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera to the Neighborhood Advisory Board, Community 3 Manhattan of which she now serves as Chairman.Contreras co-founded All Women’s Progress Policy Center to create an intersectional policy institute dedicated to improving the lives of womxn and marginalized groups through research and education.Maya has a MA in Arts & Public Policy from NYU and a BA in Comparative Religion from FSU.Links:Maya’s Website: https://www.mayacontreras.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Joining me on the podcast is my friend Lynne Streeter Childress — playwright, actor, teaching artist, singer, director, and (whew!) the founder and artistic director of Building Better People Productions, an organization based in Annapolis, Maryland, that produces theatre-based shows, workshops, and classes based in themes of empathy, kindness, and respect—Traits that don’t seem particularly prominent in our current era.Lynne has 31 years experience in professional theater, and she’s spent most of her career serving young audiences. This includes performing at the Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, and Adventure Theatre and teaching for such institutions as the Folger Shakespeare Library, Everyman Theatre, and Baltimore School for the Arts.Lynne also co-hosts the podcast Fine Beats and Cheeses with her twin sister (and friend of this newsletter), Leslie Gray Streeter. Last year, Lynne and Liz invited me on to discuss all things Law & Order.You’ll hear:How Lynne got started in theatreExpressing the Black experience while being told (falsely and offensively) that you or your experiences aren’t “black enough” and how important representation is on stage and screen to expand the view on a “typical” experienceThe importance of showing and teaching empathy on stage and starting these teachings earlyAnd more!Links:  Lynne’s Website: https://lynnestreeterchildress.com/Building Better People Productions: https://bbpproductions.com/Fine Beats and Cheeses Podcast: https://finebeatsandcheeses.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

My friend Jane Jones is founder of Seattle’s Book-It Repertory Theatre, and along with co-founding Artistic Director Myra Platt, she built a company that brought world premiere adaptations of great literature to the stage for 30 years.The pandemic silenced Book-It for a while, just like many other theatre organizations, but Book-It is back in a new form that I was happy to discuss with Jane. You can watch or listen to the podcast interview here or at my YouTube channel. While you’re over there, please subscribe!(Jane was also in the first episode of Twin Peaks, and she shares with me some advice she received from David Lynch.)You will hear:How March 2020 changed everything at Book-It Repertory TheatreHow Jane’s discovery of her own dyslexia in adulthood lead to Book-It’s unique style of adapting literature to live theatreHow being told she wasn’t the best dancer was actually a tremendous giftThe future of Book-It productionsAnd more!Guest Info: Jane Jones is the founder and founding co-artistic director of Book-It Repertory Theatre, with Myra Platt. In her 30 years of staging literature, she has performed, adapted, and directed works by such literary giants as Charles Dickens, Eudora Welty, Edith Wharton, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Pam Houston, Raymond Carver, Frank O’Connor, Jim Lynch, Ernest Hemingway, Colette, Amy Bloom, John Irving, John Steinbeck, Daphne du Maurier, and Jane Austen. A veteran actress of 35 years, she has played leading roles in many of America’s most prominent regional theatres. She co-directed with Tom Hulce at Seattle Repertory Theatre, Peter Parnell’s adaptation of John Irving’s The Cider House Rules, Parts I and II, which enjoyed successful runs in Seattle, at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles (Ovation Award, best director) and in New York (Drama Desk Nomination, best director)...Links:  Book-It Website: book-it.orgConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

There’s so much I love about Thanksgiving — the food, the official kick-off of Mariah Carey Music Season, and of course, the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Turkey Day marathons, which I’ve enjoyed since 1993. This magical combination of gluttony and cheesy movies are an annual treat.Joining me on the podcast for a special tribute to MST3K is Erik Barnes, a writer, comedian, and aspiring swashbuckler. Erik is currently a script writer for the comedy news video essay show Some More News, which you should check out on YouTube.The first Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode aired on November 24, 1988, which was Thanksgiving Day. It wasn’t intentional, but a holiday tradition began, especially once there were enough episodes to run as a marathon. It was perfect counter programming to sports and parades.You will hear:How we got into MST3K back in the dayHow the show gained a following and became a Thanksgiving traditionMST3K helped aspiring comedians learn comedic timing and became a sort of improv practiceEven though the movies are terrible, it is important to remember how hard it is to get a movie made at all and that all movies have inherent valueAnd more!Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Writer Noah Berlatsky from Public Notice and Everything Is Horrible joins me as we defy the authoritarian state and frankly discuss Charlie Kirk and his posthumous deification.You will hear:How the discussion around Charlie Kirk’s murder is overriding other shootings and why his supposed “good faith attempts” to cross the aisle is not what was happening at allKirk was often spoken of as someone who helped the left by debating (poorly) and allowing for (better) discussions to arise, all while ignoring the fact that he helped organized an insurrection, including transporting a rioter who violently hit law enforcement in the face with a fire extinguisherThe mainstream (right) media talks about how we should just get past corrosive politics without acknowledging that Charlie Kirk was a major contributor to those corrosive politics through blatant racism, smear campaigns, ad hominim attacks, etc.When people like Ezra Klein talk about “coming together” in a bipartisan way, they mean white people need to come together and subjugate everyone else around them to their way of doing things and understanding that non-white, non-cis/het people are not going to advanceThe consequences of elections and how politicians, especially Democrats, need to focus on doing the job they were elected to do and actually making a difference rather than looking to win the next electionAnd so much more!Guest Info: Noah Berlatsky has worked as a writer for twenty years, focusing on a wide array of topics for audiences including academics, popular audiences, high school students, and children. Noah’s book, Wonder Woman: Bondage and Feminism in the Marston/Peter Comics, 1941-1948 was published in early 2015 by Rutgers University Press.His reviews and essays have appeared on NPR's All Things Considered, NBC Think Online, Pacific Standard, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the LA Times, the Guardian, Media Matters, Salon, the Awl, Slate, the Chicago Reader, The Escapist, Esquire, Reason, the Dissolve, the Baffler, and many other publications. Links:  Everything is Horrible: https://www.everythingishorrible.net/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Author and playwright Laramie Dean (Black Forest) joins me for The Play Typer Guy‘s Third Annual Halloween Special! Last year, we celebrated witchy women in media, including the weird sisters from Agatha All Along. This year, we’re discussing Laramie’s new novel, Haunt Me, Then, which he describes as “big gay Wuthering Heights.” It’s out now, and makes a swell holiday gift.You will hear:Pillars of the Gothic genreThe trouble with werewolvesFear, vulnerability, and losing your head in the showerAnd more!Guest Info: Laramie Dean was born and raised on a ranch in northeastern Montana. He is the author of Black Forest, a novel from Inkshares, as well as several plays from Theatrefolk, including Frankenstein Among the Dead, Dracula, The Gorgon Sisters, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Finding Jo March. Currently, Laramie enjoys his dream job as the Theatre Director at Hellgate High School in Missoula, Montana.Links:  Laramie Dean’s website: https://www.bylaramiedean.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Joining me today is my friend NC Barton, author of The Now In Forever, a romance set along the picturesque Oregon Coast. We discuss her process, inspirations, and how a working mom finds time to write.You will hear:Nicole’s writing process and inspirationsSome of Nicole’s favorite books and moviesWho she would cast in a movie of her bookHer next book, The Art of the Meet Cute released October 10, 2025 - Make sure you grab your copy!And more!Guest Info: In 2004 NC Barton received a BFA in mixed media studio art. With a degree in the arts and no solid plan, she’s had the opportunity to hold many different jobs; video store manager, barista, photographer’s assistant, toy store clerk, and yoga instructor at a retreat in Puerto Rico, all of which have served her well as hands-on research and inspiration for her novels. Links:  Nicole’s Website: https://ncbartonwrites.com/Nicole’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ncbartonwrites/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

This week’s episode is the unofficial “sequel” to my interview with Thomas Beckett Kane, author of The Reckoning. Filmmaker Jessica Ellis has lived with long Covid for several years now and offers a very different perspective from Kane on the government’s management of the pandemic.We discuss some key choices the Biden administration made back in 2021 regarding the covid vaccine, as well as the nation’s seeming desire to forget Covid ever happened and how that impacts public health. Ellis has some interesting observations about the know-nothing conspiracy theories that helped put chief know-nothing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services.You will hear:Jessica’s experience with long Covid and how people’s dismissal of the virus, vaccine, and effectiveness of protocols affects her personally and others who have to deal with the effects of long CovidHow the Biden administration’s “assurance” that once you took the vaccine everything would go back to normal killed a lot of people’s faith in anything they had to sayThe problem with both sides of the aisle trying to politicize the message around Covid rather than following the actual science led people to trust nothing, especially the scienceThe danger surrounding RFK’s know-nothing approach to the nation’s health and dangerous anti-vax rhetoric And more!Guest Info: Jessica Ellis is a commercial and narrative production designer, art director and multi-disciplinary artist.Jessica’s background as a painter motivates how she approaches set design and world building. Every set is an extension of painting composition, color, construction, movement, and balance. Her narrative and commercial work has been featured on popular network television, most major streaming platforms, and theaters. Her clients include brands like Adidas, Budweiser, Bosh, Doordash, Google, Madison Square Garden, Nike, The New York Rangers and The New York Knicks.Links: Jessica’s Website: https://www.jessicaellisstudio.com/Jessica’s BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/baddestmamajama.bsky.socialConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

This week I am joined by Thomas Beckett Kane, author of the book The Reckoning: A Definitive History of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Other Absurdities, releasing October 2, 2025. It’s been five years since the start of the covid pandemic, and Americans still don’t truly have a shared reality about the disease and the government’s response. Much of this is due to deliberate right-wing misinformation and absurd conspiracy theories. However, ultimately, the pandemic exposed and heightened ideological differences related to collective sacrifice versus personal freedom.Thomas has a more libertarian-influenced perspective that doesn’t exactly align with mine. (Full disclosure, he was critical of covid lockdowns.) But he also doesn’t share the far-right insistence that Dr. Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates created covid in a secret lab as part of their diabolical plot to subjugate humanity.Most of my readers probably agree with me on covid more than they would Kane, but I think you’ll still enjoy our discussion.You will hear:Dispelling the idea that just because Thomas was critical of the covid lockdown that he didn’t think the virus was realHis belief that the steps taken to address the virus were an overreaction and extreme to the point of tyranny, rather than a more targeted approach to protect the most vulnerable communities instead of a blanket shutdownThe downsides of pitting politics against science and experts where people grew more wary of expertise based on their own beliefs, rather than anything evidence-basedThomas' thoughts on vaccines and vaccine mandatesThe almost amnesiac response of the public five years after the pandemic where it feels like it never happenedThe nuance needed to look at the situation as a whole, rather than either side’s extreme views And so much more!Guest Info: In 2019, military veteran Thomas Beckett Kane found himself at the center of an impending shift in human affairs. After the Covid-19 virus arrived on American shores, L.A. experienced some of the most extreme responses imaginable. With basic freedoms ripped away, fear stoked within the population, and society plunged into chaos, he witnessed the fragility of social order and individual freedom first-hand. When not writing books about the decline of Western civilization, Kane enjoys working out, reading, and listening to Oasis.Links:  Thomas’ Website: https://thomasbeckettkane.wpcomstaging.com/Thomas’ Book: The Reckoning: A Definitive History of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Other AbsConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Democrats are consistently winning low-turnout special elections (just as they did prior to the devastating 2024 election), but they are also falling behind Republicans in new voter registration. I recently spoke with friend of the podcast Cliston Brown about his take on the situation and what he thinks about the party’s long-term prospects.You will hear:Why the “Never Trump” movement didn’t have as much impact on Democratic voter registration as expected and other reasons for lower voter registrations in every stateChanges within the party’s policies and agendas that were complete turnarounds to things happening prior to 2017 and specifically since the pandemicThe difference in how the parties look at current issues and their focus (intellectual vs. realistic) and where the average voter is personally concerned and how the party demographics have changed so significantly in the past decadePotential destruction of the Democratic PartyThe problem with trying to stand on moral issues that you will never be able to fix because you can’t get electedThe airline analogyAnd more!Guest Info: Cliston Brown is a political analyst and communications executive. He writes on U.S. politics at ClistonBrown.com, having previously written for the New York Observer and the California Globe. Additionally, he was a regularly scheduled weekly guest (“Listen to Cliston”) on The Hal Ginsberg Morning Show on Radio Monterey, and also has appeared on “Inside Story” on Al Jazeera English; A News (Istanbul, Turkey) with Andy Boyns, Zaviar Ahmed and Mark Mourad Hammami; India Ahead with Neha Khanna; “Left, Right, Center” with David Webb on the Sirius XM Patriot Channel; “The DeMaio Report” with Carl DeMaio on KOGO-600 AM San Diego; the CY Interview with Chris Yandek and Jay Bildstein; and “Millennial Talk” with Chelsea Krost. Brown began his career as a journalist in the Chicago area in 1994, covering government and politics, intellectual property law, international business issues, education, and law enforcement. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 2001, where he served for two years as director of communications, then transitioned back into the private sector as a communications professional and political analyst.Follow Brown on Twitter: @clistonbrownConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

My friend Emily Taylor from the Hot Feminism: Letters from South Carolina newsletter (go subscribe) returns to the podcast for a rousing discussion about the fallout from the 2024 election and how we move forward in even Republican-dominated areas like my home state.You’ll hear:Catching up since Emily’s last visit to the podcastCan we ever have a woman candidate for president?Why the Harris campaign seemed to be doomed from the startWhy people vote against their own class interestsWeaponized hypocrisy by RepublicansAnd more!Guest Info: Emily Taylor is a professor at Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina. She's the author of the newsletter, Hot Feminism: Letters from South Carolina, and she’s covered the fall-out from South Carolina’s post-Roe abortion ban.Links:  Emily’s Substack: https://substack.com/@emilytaylorConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

My friend Lee Heidel from Neighborhood Comics in Savannah, Georgia, joins me to discuss geek kid summer with Superman and Fantastic Four movies both releasing this month.Lee had me on his own podcast a few months ago to chat Superman, which you can check out below.You will hear:How the current run of superhero movies are moving beyond the origin storyJames Gunn using unusual source material for SupermanThe world of comics is getting it’s time in the spotlight and introducing a lot of new people to the genreSpeculation on the new Fantastic Four movie coming outAnd more!Links:  Neighborhood Comics Superman Episode: https://convo.neighborhoodcomics.com/p/re-discovering-superman-in-2025-with?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=webConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Joining me today is my friend Lisa Tolin, author of fiction and nonfiction for children. Her latest work is the picture book, Can You Imagine? The Art and Life of Yoko Ono.Lisa and I go way back. We met in New York when I worked at SPY and she worked at another magazine in the same office. She was a student at Barnard College at the time, and I lived not far away in Morningside Heights so we often hung out at Tom’s Diner and the Hungarian Pastry Shop. I’ve been quite impressed with her success over the years. She’s worked at the Associated Press and was Head of Special Projects for TODAY Digital. She’s now Editorial Director at PEN America.In 2005, Lisa interviewed Yoko Ono at her home in the Dakota apartment building (famous for its appearance in Rosemary’s Baby but unfortunately also for John Lennon’s tragic shooting death outside in 1980).It was a delight to catch up with Lisa and discuss her book, which you can purchase at the usual online locations but I highly recommend visiting your local bookstore for this one. Portland, Oregon, artist Yas Imamura is a perfect match for Lisa’s moving prose.You will hear:The inspiration for Lisa’s booksWhy Yoko Ono?Yoko’s influence and contributions that were completely separate from The Beatles and John LennonHow women, particularly foreign or POC, are often blamed for “taking the man away” from whatever - and how damaging that narrative isThe process of picture book creation and how it differs from other forms, like comic books, where you don’t necessarily know or interact with the illustrator on the projectBanned books and influential authors like Judy Blume and the difference in book banning from the moral majority to actual lawsAnd more!Guest Info: Lisa Tolin is an experienced editorial director, journalist, and content strategist who is passionate about storytelling in all its forms. Currently the editorial director of the literary and free expression nonprofit PEN America, Lisa has led teams covering arts and entertainment, lifestyles, health and breaking news for major news organizations. At NBC, she was Head of Special Projects for TODAY Digital, focusing on content strategy Lisa was inspired by her family to pursue a longtime dream of writing fiction and nonfiction for children. Her debut picture book, How to Be a Rock Star, was illustrated by Daniel Duncan, and published in 2022 with G.P. Putnam’s Sons. Her second picture book, Can You Imagine? The Life and Art of Yoko Ono comes out in 2025 and is illustrated by Yas Imamura and will be published with the Atheneum imprint of Simon & Schuster. Links:  Lisa’s Website: https://www.lisatolin.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

I’m happy to welcome back to the podcast theater maker Jasmine Joshua, one of the brilliant minds responsible for the new world premiere musical Here and Their, which runs at 12th Avenue Arts in Seattle from June 13th to June 28th.I had the pleasure of working with Jasmine on the Curiouser and Curiouser production at Cafe Nordo, and they were a wonderful steward during those early days back on stage after Covid hit.You will hear:How the story came to be and how the character of Sam is similar to Jasmine’s own experience (kind of)Why it is totally ok to burst into song on stage (If you can’t say it, sing it!)The importance of representation in the arts (if you see it, you can be it)How the casting process worked for Here and TheirInfo on the ins and outs of financing a showHow the team was selectedAnd more!Guest Info: Jasmine Joshua is a Seattle writer, producer, actor, and director. They are the Artistic Director of the award-winning Reboot Theatre Company whose mission is to test new interpretations of established works through nontraditional casting and design. Jasmine founded Reboot in 2014 while pregnant with twins and produced the nation's first ever all-female (at the time) production of 1776. Since its founding, Reboot has grown from a one-person operation to a nonprofit with a working board and has produced five productions, all nominated for Gregory Awards and winning several!Links:Website: https://www.jasminejoshua.com/aboutmeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/executive_enby/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasmine.joshua/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Joining me to discuss this year's Tony Award is my friend Raven Snook, editor in chief and digital services manager at TDF and a theater critic for Time Out New York. She is also a Drama Desk nominator, which she describes as “sort of the Golden Globes to the Oscars.”*Note: This episode was recorded before the Tony Award show aired in June 2025You will hear:Thoughts on nominations for this year’s awardsAddressing biases within the theatre world when it comes to gendered awardsIs it “Drag” or just playing a woman?Best plays to catchAnd so much more!Guest Info: Raven Snook is a writer, editor, performer, mom and all-around diva (in the positive sense of the word) who’s currently the Editor of Creative Content for TDF and a contributing theater critic for Time Out New York.Raven's work has also appeared in New York Magazine, Yahoo Parenting, the New York Post, The Village Voice, Bon Appétit, Better Homes & Gardens and Parents.com, among others.Links:  www.ravensnook.comConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Joining me today is Mirella Stoyanova, a Seattle-based writer, therapist and international adoptee from Bulgaria of Bulgarian and Iraqi origin. She discusses her experience growing up in a less-than-diverse environment and how she’s worked to reclaim her identity.You’ll hear:How much changed when Mirella came to AmericaCultural complexities and identityThe pressure to conform to as many conventions as possiblePromoting cultural awareness for adopteesAnd more!Guest Info: Mirella Stoyanova is a writer, speaker, and therapist. Much of her early adulthood was spent healing from trauma. She became a therapist in her late twenties to use what she learned through her own healing in the service of others. She wrote a book after she realized that no amount of self-work could protect her from the inherent vulnerability of life. Links:  Mirella’s Website: https://www.mirellastoyanova.com/Mirella’s Therapy Website: https://www.mirellawarren.com/Business Insider Article: https://www.businessinsider.com/my-family-cant-pronounce-my-name-correctly-2025-2Mirella’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirellastoyanova/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

In this week’s episode, after watching Governor Gretchen Whitmer step on a political rake by being photographed shaking hands with Trump, I am speaking again with my colleague Noah Berlatsky regarding an article he wrote last month on the different responses Republicans and Democrats have in treating with their political opponents after a loss. When Republicans lose, they tend to say “we were cheated!” rather than “we did something wrong,” and double down, whereas Democrats tend to abandon their base and try to appeal more to the middle.You will hear:The election landscape is tilted toward Republicans (especially in the Senate)Communications challenges held by the Democratic partyThe effect COVID had on how voters see politics and the worldDemocrats need to stop focusing on trying to win over Trump’s base and focus on fighting fascism because there’s really nothing to lose at this pointAnd more!Guest Info: Noah Berlatsky has worked as a writer for twenty years, focusing on a wide array of topics for audiences including academics, popular audiences, high school students, and children. Noah’s book, Wonder Woman: Bondage and Feminism in the Marston/Peter Comics, 1941-1948 was published in early 2015 by Rutgers University Press.His reviews and essays have appeared on NPR's All Things Considered, NBC Think Online, Pacific Standard, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the LA Times, the Guardian, Media Matters, Salon, the Awl, Slate, the Chicago Reader, The Escapist, Esquire, Reason, the Dissolve, the Baffler, and many other publications. Links:  Everything is Horrible: https://www.everythingishorrible.net/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Democratic National Committee vice chair David Hogg announced his support last week for primary challenges against incumbents in safe seats who he felt aren’t rising to the occasion during Donald Trump’s second nightmare term. This is an obviously controversial position for a DNC official, and it resulted in predictable backlash. Charles Pierce at Esquire wrote, “The one thing that this time in history doesn’t need is a well-financed primary campaign against safe incumbents.” In this episode, I am joined by political analyst and previous podcast guest Cliston Brown to give his thoughts on the matter.You will hear:How doing what we have always done WILL bring us what we have always gotten - How can the Democratic party shake things up?Why the party seems to be losing support within its own ranks, especially with younger votersHow under normal circumstances, we wouldn’t recommend running a primary against a sitting president, unless that president is 82 years old and isn’t always “with it,” and maybe do it more than three months before the electionHow can we make changes within the party to get away from the career, dinosaur politician…or does the entire party need to go up in flames and start fresh?And more!Guest Info: Cliston Brown is a political analyst and communications executive. He writes on U.S. politics at ClistonBrown.com, having previously written for the New York Observer and the California Globe. Additionally, he was a regularly scheduled weekly guest (“Listen to Cliston”) on The Hal Ginsberg Morning Show on Radio Monterey, and also has appeared on “Inside Story” on Al Jazeera English; A News (Istanbul, Turkey) with Andy Boyns, Zaviar Ahmed and Mark Mourad Hammami; India Ahead with Neha Khanna; “Left, Right, Center” with David Webb on the Sirius XM Patriot Channel; “The DeMaio Report” with Carl DeMaio on KOGO-600 AM San Diego; the CY Interview with Chris Yandek and Jay Bildstein; and “Millennial Talk” with Chelsea Krost. He has been mentioned in the Boston Herald, Newsweek, The New Republic, The Huffington Post, in Reason magazine’s “Hit and Run” blog and on Vox.com, among others, and he has spoken before numerous business and trade groups on U.S. elections.Follow Brown on Twitter: @clistonbrownConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Joining me today is Lindsey Boylan, who in 2021 was the first of several women to accuse former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. Cuomo would eventually resign, under collective pressure from Democrats at the state and national levels. Now, Cuomo is running for mayor of New York, where he’s leading in most polls. This might seem a shocking turn of events in a reality where Donald Trump — a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist — hadn’t just returned to the White House, but Lindsey isn’t sitting silently while Cuomo stages a comeback. She’s doing everything she can to stop it.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why is was less surprising for Cuomo to stage a political comeback than where he chose to make that comeback, as he spent most of his career taking resources away from New York City by leveraging it’s politicians and attempting to take power away from its mayorThe cowardice within the Democratic party where party leaders who once called for his resignation are now backing away with a “let the people decide” attitude, rather than addressing the horrific actions people have takenWhy it is so important for Lindsey and others like her to stand up against people who abuse their power, especially in today’s political climateRanked choice voting — how it works and the 5 Good ApplesAnd more!You can find Lindsey at Instagram (@lindseyboylanny) and Bluesky (@lindseyboylan.bsky.social). Her video testimony against Andrew Cuomo is devastating but important to watch, especially if you are a New York City voter. Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

The free world is under assault by unhinged, power-mad billionaires, and we could use a powerful beacon of justice who’s also a crusading journalist. My friend Michael Mora joins me to continue my ongoing discussion about Superman, the progressive champion who happens to come from another planet.You will hear:Is Superman the ultimate story of immigration fraud?How much of Superman’s origin story (literal alien from a dying world vs. being raised to be a good person by good people) makes a difference to who he becomes as a hero?Luthor the “benevolent billionaire” to the masses vs. Luthor who despises Superman for some reason (depending on storyline) and how that relates to our own storyline with a supposed billionaire in office and the damage being done to the American people, as well as around the worldIs Pa Kent actually conservative or is the very ideal of protecting the weak a liberal value?How much of Superman’s acceptance by most is because he is white passing? Would that be different if he had a different skin color or appeared more “other” than the typical Kansas teenager?And more!Guest Info: Michael Mora is your friendly neighborhood Puerto Rican Political Freelance Writer for @wonkette. When he’s not busy writing, he’s busy reading. Pop Culture observer, Amateur Movie reviewer & Comics fan. U.S. Marine veteranLinks:  Michael’s BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/m3writer.bsky.socialMichael’s Substack: https://substack.com/@m3writerConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

It’s 1987, and a heartbroken Sam Malone (Ted Danson) has sold his beloved bar Cheers to the massive Lillian corporation — originally called Drox Chemical, Die, and Munitions with the unlikely motto “We care about people.”Sam’s new boss is businesswoman Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley), and for the next three years, this faceless corporation where nobody knows anyone’s name would provide a new source of humor that was both topical but also eerily prescient. Sam even faces off against Donald Trump-inspired foil Robin Colcord (Roger Rees) who he defeats and helps send to prison. (We can only dare to dream.)I had the chance to chat with Ryan Daly, host of the wonderful Cheers Cast — the podcast where everyone knows your name. We had a fun conversation about the Cheers “corporate era” and how it still has a lot to say about corporate America.You will hear:Our childhood adoration of this beloved TV sitcomHow the 6th season and corporate takeover of Cheers was almost a new series and how it differed from the previous seasonsThe pre-Me Too sentiments on how Rebecca Howe was treated as a woman in the workplace and how Sam’s conflicts changed from matters of intelligence to matters of moneyThe corporation as the show villainAnd more!Guest Info: Ryan Daly is the host of CHEERS CAST, and occasionally FIRE AND WATER RECORDS, GIVE ME THOSE STAR WARS, and BATMAN KNIGHTCAST. Former podcasts that he hosted include THE SECRET ORIGINS PODCAST, POWER OF FISHNETS, and MIDNIGHT: THE PODCASTING HOUR. He always ends up hating the subject of his podcasts.Links:  Cheers Cast podcast: https://fireandwaterpodcast.com/show/cheers-cast/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

In this episode, I had the honor of speaking with filmmaker Joy Davenport, whose documentary Fannie Lou Hamer’s America is a must watch. Joy and I had a great conversation about Hamer’s life and activism, as well as the personal inspiration she’s provided. You can find the documentary on YouTube.You will hear:Why Joy felt compelled to tell Ms. Hamer’s storyWhy more people don’t know about Fannie Lou’s part in the Civil Rights movementThe very real dangers of being a politically active person during this timeWhy it is important to stand up and fight against the propaganda and status quo rather than ignoring it or “being the bigger person”And more!Guest Info:Joy Elaine Davenport is a multimedia director, editor, and composer who specializes in building layered, emotional narratives from a variety of original and archival sources. She comes to documentary from a background of education and social advocacy, believing that nonfiction film should be actively engaged with restoring historically excluded voices, perspectives, and histories.Her directorial debut, "Fannie Lou Hamer's America," premiered nationally on PBS in February 2022 and continues to screen around the world. It won the International Documentary Association's award for Best TV Documentary or Mini-Series in December 2022. Davenport also edited the short film "I Snuck Off the Slave Ship," directed by Lonnie Holley & Cyrus Moussavi, which debuted at Sundance Film Festival in January 2019.Links: Joy’s Website: https://www.joyelainedavenport.com/Joy’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/joydavenport.bsky.socialFull Movie: Fannie Lou Hamer’s America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h2MzXavgEgConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Kaitlin Byrd (Dame Magazine) joins me to discuss what the hell just happened on January 6, 2025.In this episode, we will discuss:The easy concession by Democrats during the vote confirmation on January 6thProblems within the Democratic party and the need for younger people who understand the current political landscapeHow was Trump even allowed to take office after violating Section 3 of the 14th AmendmentHow politicians in the past did a better job of keeping their agendas in front of the people (even if in a creepy way)And more! Guest Info: Kaitlin Byrd has been commenting about American politics on Twitter since 2016, through published essays since 2018, and as a loudmouth her whole life. Born and raised in New York, Kaitlin is the second generation of her family to be from the city, and the first to grow up immersed in local politics, with her first door-to-door canvassing done at the ripe old age of three years old. In the wake of the Great Election Calamity of 2016, she began speaking out on social media about the past, present, and future of the United States with her unique blend of bluntness, humor and unyielding clarity.Since then, she’s been asked to give her take on unfolding events by a range of publications and productions, including the Huffington Post, Bustle, the Boston Globe, The Cut, and Betches Media. She’s a monthly columnist for Dame Magazine and a weekly cohost of the Betches Sup podcast. She lives a very short commute away from her beloved Brooklyn, in New York.Links:  Kaitlin’s Website: https://www.gothamgirlblue.com/aboutConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Our guest this week is writer and author Matthew K. Manning. Matthew has written hundreds of comics and prose books for a range of publishers, including DC, Marvel, IDW, Scholastic, Disney, and many more. Some standouts are the Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, the hardcover The Batman Files, the 12-issue comic series Marvel Action: Avengers, and a recent stint on the Dick Tracy comic strip.Links:https://www.matthewkmanning.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

In this episode, I interviewed author Tim English about his book, The Kennedys' New York: American Royalty in the Greatest City in the World, which I recommend even if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has permanently soured you on the Kennedy family or if you prefer New Orleans and Barcelona to New York.You will hear:Why Tim chose to write about the Kennedys specifically and how he chose to make it different from other books on the familyHow the Kennedy family carried on in the wake of the assassinations of JFK and Bobby to keep their political and social work aliveDetails about the life and tragic death of JFK Jr.Where people can go if they are interested in visiting places in New York that had significance with the KennedysAnd more!Guest Info: Timothy English is a renowned pop culture historian. In addition to The Kennedys' New York, he is the author of the best-selling books Sounds Like Teen Spirit: Stolen Melodies, Ripped-off Riffs, and the Secret History of Rock 'n Roll, John Lennon: 1980 Playlist, and Popology: The Music of the Era in the Lives of Four Icons of the 1960s (JFK, RFK, MLK, and Thomas Merton).His work has been featured in a wide range of media outlets, including the Chicago Tribune, the Huffington Post, NPR's All Things Considered, and the Howard Stern Show. He is the winner of Independent Publisher's Bronze Medal for authoring one of the best books of the year. He was a weekly contributor to the Pete Mitchell Show on BBC Radio 2 for many years and currently appears each week on WFMU-FM's morning show.Links:  Tim’s Book The Kennedys’ New York: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D912MSJ9?ref=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_0DEWMAQ21J1Y3HV15NGJ&ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_0DEWMAQ21J1Y3HV15NGJ&social_share=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_0DEWMAQ21J1Y3HV15NGJ&language=en-USConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling was born on Christmas Day, 1924. I had the great honor of speaking with Emmy-winning writer, Joseph Dougherty (Thirtysomething, Pretty Little Liars), about his new book, Rod Serling at 100: One Writer's Acknowledgement, a wonderful tribute to Serling that examines his work and significant contributions to television.You will hear:Rod Serling’s contributions to writing, especially for television and how it influenced more current day writersHow Serling’s use of language and choices to change the ending to better serve the story move beyond the “twist”Using 25-minute “light” story episodes to pack a punch when it comes to how we look at problems happening in the real worldHow writing for television used to be versus the current streaming-service version where you have fewer episodes with less collaborationAnd so much more!Guest Info: Joseph Dougherty's play "Chester Bailey," premiered at A.C.T. in San Francisco where it was selected Outstanding World Premiere Play and Outstanding Production of a Play by the TBA Awards. It was subsequently produced at The Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. He earned Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for his play "Digby" produced by Manhattan Theatre Club. He wrote the libretto for the Tony winning musical version of "My Favorite Year," presented at Lincoln Center.An Emmy and Humanitas Prize winner for his work on the groundbreaking series "thirtysomething," Joe has written several movies for HBO including the remake of "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," directed by Christopher Guest, and the Emmy winning Noir/Occult mashup "Cast A Deadly Spell," which was nominated for a Ray Bradbury Award by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.He has contributed as a writer and director to several television series including "Judging Amy," "Once and Again," and "Saving Grace." He was a writer, director, and executive producer on the hit series "Pretty Little Liars," co-created the Pretty Little Liars spin-off, "Ravenswood," and helped launch "Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists". His books include Comfort and Joi, Trunk Piece, Psychopomp, and The Persistence of Phosphors, which received an AfterEllen Visibility Award as Best Book of 2013.Links:  Rod Serling at 100: One Writer’s Acknowledgement: https://www.amazon.com/Rod-Serling-100-Writers-Acknowledgment/dp/1959748181/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=20vO9&content-id=amzn1.sym.bc3ba8d1-5076-4ab7-9ba8-a5c6211e002d&pf_rd_p=bc3ba8d1-5076-4ab7-9ba8-a5c6211e002d&pf_rd_r=142-0259041-3253825&pd_rd_wg=dpXx8&pd_rd_r=6d18607b-f6cb-4d58-adb3-8f6eab8c1b20&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dskConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

In this episode, I am joined by previous guest and political analyst Cliston Brown for a post-election debrief to talk about what went wrong and what we need to do to get out of this situation going forward.You will hear:Democrats have a problem connecting with everyday “normal” people and how that impacts the votersA realignment is happening along class lines rather than racial or ethnic linesNot listening to or dismissing the concerns of the people as unimportant will never get us where we need to goWhy the Democratic party is being hurt more by the true information from far left extremists than actual Republican misinformationTraditional media vs. new mediaAnd more!Guest Info: Cliston Brown is a political analyst and communications executive. He writes on U.S. politics at ClistonBrown.com, having previously written for the New York Observer and the California Globe. Additionally, he was a regularly scheduled weekly guest (“Listen to Cliston”) on The Hal Ginsberg Morning Show on Radio Monterey, and also has appeared on “Inside Story” on Al Jazeera English; A News (Istanbul, Turkey) with Andy Boyns, Zaviar Ahmed and Mark Mourad Hammami; India Ahead with Neha Khanna; “Left, Right, Center” with David Webb on the Sirius XM Patriot Channel; “The DeMaio Report” with Carl DeMaio on KOGO-600 AM San Diego; the CY Interview with Chris Yandek and Jay Bildstein; and “Millennial Talk” with Chelsea Krost. He has been mentioned in the Boston Herald, Newsweek, The New Republic, The Huffington Post, in Reason magazine’s “Hit and Run” blog and on Vox.com, among others, and he has spoken before numerous business and trade groups on U.S. elections.Brown began his career as a journalist in the Chicago area in 1994, covering government and politics, intellectual property law, international business issues, education, and law enforcement. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 2001, where he served for two years as director of communications for U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Indiana), then transitioned back into the private sector as a communications professional and political analyst in the insurance industry, holding positions in Washington, Chicago and San Francisco.A Midwesterner born and raised in the Northwest Indiana suburbs of Chicago, Brown currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, and graduated from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana.Follow Brown on Bluesky or Twitter: @clistonbrownConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Writer Michael Mora joins me to discuss Donald Trump's historic performance among Latino voters in the 2024 election, which should not have come as a surprise to Democrats and pundits.You will hear:How the party bases are treated by Republicans versus Democrats when it comes to speaking out against the radicals amongst themWhy Democrats need to divorce themselves from the term “Latino” and how assuming all people with this ethnic origin are the same has backfired when it comes to getting the voteStrategy for changing the outreach towards Latino voters based on their own concerns, rather than assuming that all “Latino” issues (mass deportation, etc) will impact them equallyHow the Trump campaign was able to reach these votersAnd more!Links:  Michael’s BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/m3writer.bsky.socialConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

The Avengers (no, not those Avengers) remains my favorite TV show, so I'm thrilled to speak with author Michael Scott Phillips to discuss his book, Quite Quite Fantastic! The Avengers for Modern Viewers (The Grande Marque Edition). Pop open the champagne, watch out for diabolical masterminds, and enjoy.You’ll hear:Michael’s interest in British cult (classic) televisionHow the filming of shows like The Avengers hold up against other shows of its era and how they still hold up to similar shows filmed todayHow the different characters play off each other, giving each pairing the perfect chemistryAnd more!Guest Info: Michael Scott Phillips is an author, graphic designer, and oil painter. Mainly, he writes space opera, though he doesn't feel bound by any particular genre and tends to write whatever idea thrills him. He also enjoys film photography, SF television shows, classic films, and developing alien languages and symbols—such as his semasiographic language, Astivian.Michael’s debut science fiction novel, When Morpheus Overslept, is a space opera about a brilliant physicist who is trying to develop a faster-than-light drive system but instead crash-lands on a distant planet in the far future. Cornered by a terrifying alien in a ruined city, he discovers that telepathy is the key to escaping and saving an entire star system of peaceful insectoid aliens.Michael also wrote Quite Quite Fantastic! The Avengers for Modern Viewers, the definitive book on the classic television shows, The Avengers and The New Avengers. His articles on cult television have been published in the magazine Chromakey.Link:  Michael’s website: https://michaelscottphillipsauthor.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

This week we are taking a break from natural disasters and political mayhem to have a pleasant conversation with Oregon’s Mallory Smith from Alt Wine Fest.You will hear:How Mallory got into wine thanks to the owner of a wine and beer barHow she teaches wine classes based on the history and geography of wine using writing and storytellingThe creation of the Alt Wine Fest with her partner, MartinThe history of grapes/wine in Oregon pre- and post-prohibition and how to look at more than Pinot Noir for a great Oregon wineAnd more!Guest Info: Mallory Smith and Martin Skegg started the annual Alt Wine Fest in 2019 as a way to celebrate the 80-odd grape varieties in Oregon that aren’t pinot noir. They wanted to put the spotlight on these ‘alternative’ grapes, moving it away from pinot, which dominates production and the conversation around wine in Oregon.Since then they’ve highlighted dozens of different grapes (including some esoteric varieties you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the country), and showcased the passionate, resolute—possibly crazed—winemakers who see the future in asking “What else?”The mission now is to continue to spread the word about the flip side of Oregon and its pioneering winemakers—while hooking people up with the most exciting wines in the country.Links:  Alt Wine Fest: https://www.altwinefest.com/Sunday School Wine Society: https://sundayschoolwinesociety.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

On this week’s bonus episode, Stephen is joined by actor, writer, and comedian Tess Rafferty. They discuss her wonderful Kat Kelly mystery series and how mysteries can provide a much-needed escape and catharsis during America’s slow creep toward fascism. You will hear:The inherent interest and sexiness brought out in mystery storiesHow the election in 2016 impacted Tess’ writingHow much of what we see in entertainment today is an impact of the Trump era of the past decadeAnd more!Guest Info: Tess Rafferty: Writer for TV. Author of the Kat Kelly mystery series. Columnist for Dame and Ms. Day drinking enthusiast. Caftan aficionada. Yes, I was in that video where I called Trump supporters a bunch for racists.Links:  Check out Tess's Substack newsletter, Recipes for the Resistance: https://tessrafferty.substack.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Author and playwright Laramie Dean (Black Forest) joins me for The Play Typer Guy's second annual Halloween special! This time, we're celebrating the witchy women of the Marvel Cinematic Universe! (Spoiler Alerts for Agatha All Along included)You will hear:Witches in fiction, from the Weird Sisters in MacBeth to Maleficent and the Evil Queen in Snow White, among othersAgatha All Along and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the aftermath of WandaVision and The Scarlet Witch’s take over of an entire town with her ability to reshape reality and mind controlQueer representation in the show without it being made into a major plot point or shown as code for the “bad” character minority groupWitches (women in power) and how they are typically shown to be unable to handle the power, which is why they go off the deep endWhy we like our witches to be terrifyingAnd more!Guest Info: Laramie Dean was born and raised on a ranch in northeastern Montana. He is the author of Black Forest, a novel from Inkshares, as well as several plays from Theatrefolk, including Frankenstein Among the Dead, Dracula, The Gorgon Sisters, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Finding Jo March. Currently, Laramie enjoys his dream job as the Theatre Director at Hellgate High School in Missoula, Montana.Links:  Laramie Dean’s website: https://www.bylaramiedean.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

In this week’s episode, Florida state senator Shevrin Jones discusses the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, climate change, and the Democrats’ chances in this year’s elections.You will hear:Policy conversations that need to be happening, even in states like Florida where the current government officials want to wipe anything to do with climate change off the map, especially with an annual hurricane season that seems to be getting worse every yearWhy Republicans are more focused on excluding marginalized communities in lawmaking than on solving problems that affect all AmericansHow gerrymandering impacts the voices of the people at the ballot box, including silencing those who don’t serve the purpose of the current party in powerIs Florida actually a red state or is it a purple state that has been demoralized?And more!Guest Info: A Florida native, born and raised in Miami Gardens (Carol City), Shevrin Jones has called West Park home for nearly two decades. After teaching A.P. Chemistry in Broward County Public Schools, he served as Executive Director of South Florida Reading Corps. He also founded South Florida Youth Summit, the largest gathering of young people in South Florida, and LEAD Nation, one of South Florida’s top organizations for leadership training. As a teacher, leader, and legislator, Shev has always fought to expand opportunities for our kids.Before his election to the State Senate, Shev served in the Florida House from 2013-2018. From advocating and securing funding for youth mentoring to championing legislation that increases transparency between the public and law enforcement, he consistently fought for real change. Shev has a track record of working collaboratively to get the job done for our community, even as a member of the minority party.Links:  Shevrin Jones website: https://shevrinjones.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

This week, Noah Berlatsky from the Everything Is Horrible newsletter joins me to discuss CNN's misinformation campaign against Rep. Rashida Tlaib.You will hear:How CNN moved the news cycle focus away from Republican Mark Robinson’s declaration of being a “Black Nazi” to smear Representative Tlaib as anti-semetic after expressing concern for anti-Palestenian bias shown by Michigan’s Attorney General, Dana Nessel, after charges were filed against students at the University of Michigan protesting ongoing war crimes against Palestinian people in GazaHow openly lying about antisemitism where none exists is dangerous to all, particularly to progressive Jewish peopleWhy the right tends to focus on college campus protests as a way to infiltrate educational institutions in order to squash progressive efforts to fight fascism and anti-democratic policies (such as anti-abortion laws or raising the voting age, etc.)And more!Guest Info: Noah Berlatsky has worked as a writer for twenty years, focusing on a wide array of topics for audiences including academics, popular audiences, high school students, and children. Noah’s book, Wonder Woman: Bondage and Feminism in the Marston/Peter Comics, 1941-1948 was published in early 2015 by Rutgers University Press.His reviews and essays have appeared on NPR's All Things Considered, NBC Think Online, Pacific Standard, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the LA Times, the Guardian, Media Matters, Salon, the Awl, Slate, the Chicago Reader, The Escapist, Esquire, Reason, the Dissolve, the Baffler, and many other publications. Links:  Everything is Horrible: https://www.everythingishorrible.net/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Democrat Ruwa Romman made history in 2022 as the first known Muslim woman elected to the Georgia House of Representatives. The granddaughter of Palestinian refugees, she’s also the first Palestinian-American elected to any office in the state. I had the opportunity to speak with Rep. Romman about the upcoming election and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. You will hear:Ruwa’s unusual story of how she got into officeHow she came to be in Georgia with grandparents who were forced out of their homes in PalestineThe difference between attempting to interact with the Biden White House regarding the conflict in Palestine/Gaza/Israel versus the access to the Harris CampaignHow focusing on local campaigns can lead to bigger things as leaders move upAnd more!Guest Info: Ruwa is passionate about politics, civic engagement,  interfaith dialogue and community service. As an organizer, policy analyst, and public speaker, she works to empower communities and everyday people to become more civically engaged!Last year she leveraged her platform to inform thousands of Georgians how to get involved in the 2020 elections, and worked as a field organizer for Asian American Advocacy Fund. Ruwa also helped establish the Georgia Volunteer Hub to train the influx of Georgia and national volunteers while connecting them to local Georgia organizations. Ruwa has volunteered in every election cycle since 2014 to help flip Georgia blue. In the past, she also worked as a Field Organizer for the Georgia Muslim Voter Project, as well as served as Communications Director for CAIR Georgia.Ruwa was born in Jordan and is the granddaughter of Palestinian refugees. Her family moved to Georgia when she was 7 years old. Ruwa graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from Oglethorpe University in 2015 and a Masters in Public Policy from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University in 2019. Ruwa currently works as a senior consultant for a professional services management company assisting government agencies and other stakeholders by advising, implementing, and developing improved strategies to deal with major public policy issues at the local, state, and federal level.Through her diverse set of experiences, Ruwa will be ready on day one to tackle the tough challenges facing our state and to provide the leadership that District 97 deserves.Links:  Rep. Romman's website: https://www.ruwa4georgia.comConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

(Recorded before President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign on July 21)Democrats in tough races this year are asking the incumbent president and presumptive nominee Joe Biden to step aside. This is unprecedented, so political analyst Cliston Brown joins me to unpack why the Biden re-election campaign has become the Hindenburg after the explosion. Can the president turn this around and why is he struggling against a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist? Does it really just come down to Biden's age and the price of eggs?You’ll hear:The correlation between presidential candidate votes and votes for Congressional racesHow “strong and wrong” can tend to win out over “weak and right”Why the “average” voter might still vote for Trump over Biden, even with all of his faults and poor performance previouslyThe problem when Democrats spend more time talking to each other than trying to explain to non-Democrats why their options are betterThe importance of having a strong “bench” of party leadership in the wings, rather than the one and only optionAnd more!Guest Info: Cliston Brown is a political analyst and communications executive. He writes on U.S. politics at ClistonBrown.com, having previously written for the New York Observer and the California Globe. Additionally, he was a regularly scheduled weekly guest (“Listen to Cliston”) on The Hal Ginsberg Morning Show on Radio Monterey, and also has appeared on “Inside Story” on Al Jazeera English; A News (Istanbul, Turkey) with Andy Boyns, Zaviar Ahmed and Mark Mourad Hammami; India Ahead with Neha Khanna; “Left, Right, Center” with David Webb on the Sirius XM Patriot Channel; “The DeMaio Report” with Carl DeMaio on KOGO-600 AM San Diego; the CY Interview with Chris Yandek and Jay Bildstein; and “Millennial Talk” with Chelsea Krost. He has been mentioned in the Boston Herald, Newsweek, The New Republic, The Huffington Post, in Reason magazine’s “Hit and Run” blog and on Vox.com, among others, and he has spoken before numerous business and trade groups on U.S. elections.Brown has had particular success in pinpointing key Congressional races and projecting the number of seats won by each of the major political parties every two years starting in 2006.On average, Brown has projected the final composition of the U.S. House of Representatives within 7.5 seats and the U.S. Senate within 1.222 seats. In the most recent election, he correctly predicted every U.S. Senate race.In the 2012 election, Brown correctly called 49 of the 50 statConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

The showgirl scholar herself, Sailor St. Claire — also known as Stevi Costa, joins me to discuss her work at the Noveltease Theatre in Seattle and the state of theatre during what the government at least considers the post-covid period.You’ll hear:How Noveltease Theatre uses burlesque to drive storytelling forward, harkening back to how burlesque started in the U.S. back in the 1880sHow the theatre chooses what works to interpret and how to make it more gay, looking into how to create a queer reading or understanding of the storyStevi’s background in academics and literature and how it affects her interpretation of storiesHer experience with the COVID shut down in 2020 and how the company handled the months/years to followThe challenges of rebuilding an audience after the shutdownThe value of participating in a collective experience rather than watching entertainment at home in your robeAnd more!Guest Info: Sailor St. Claire (Stevi Costa) (she/her) is the Artistic Director of Noveltease Theatre whose mission is to create community through storytelling by reviving the historical artform of literary burlesque. Sailor has been putting her knowledge of the literary canon to more-than-scholarly uses as a performer, producer, and emcee since 2009. She is entrusted to steer the ship as the host of Emerald City Burlesque Revue and at Burlesque and Cabaret Behind the Pink Door, and has worked her wordsmithery on the grand stages of the Vogue Theatre at the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival and the Orleans Casino Showroom at the Burlesque Hall of Fame’s Movers, Shakers, & Innovators Showcase.She is proud to have been a part of the production team for Sinner Saint Burlesque from 2013-2018, co-adapting and co-directing the troupe’s much lauded burlesque of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and was also part of the team of nerdy feminist superheroes that brought Bechdel Test Burlesque to the University of Oregon in 2016 at the invitation of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program. The Showgirl Scholar holds a PhD in English from the University of Washington, and once did a pin-up shoot atop her actual dissertation.Although she loves 19th century American realism and naturalism with a fervor that confuses most, her favorite book is and will always be Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love.Links, info you’d like to share with audience:  Novelties Theatre: https://novelteasetheatre.org/Sailor’s Bio: https://novelteasetheatre.org/sailor-st-claireConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

In the previous episode, I chatted with Gabe Garbowit, former Senate staffer for Democrat Tina Smith, regarding the radicalized Supreme Court and how the party’s leadership has responded in ways not easily understood by the public. In this episode, Gabe and I continue our discussion, so make sure you check out episode 34 for the first part.You’ll hear:Why we hear that crime is up/down or that there is an invasion at the border, but also why our economy is the best it has ever beenHow opinions are often filtered through “polls” and pundits, leaning on supposed data versus people saying what they personally believeWhy communications staffers should be watching Fox NewsAnd more!Guest Info: Gabe Garbowit is the former Digital Media Specialist for Senator Tina Smith and found his way to the Hill sort of by accident — but has been invested in carving out his own space in the Senate’s digital landscape since his arrival in 2018. Garbowit left Congress and took a sharp turn away from politics. He worked briefly as a meat cutter at a Washington barbecue joint and then moved back to Minnesota.He’s more than 1,000 miles away from the Capitol now, but the challenges he experienced working on the Hill are still top of mind. Garbowit decided to do something he hopes will improve conditions for former compatriots still working in the Senate and those yet to join. In 2023, he launched SenateUnionTracker.com, which, true to its domain name, tracks the union support or opposition of all 100 senators.Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Gabe Garbowit, former Senate staffer for Tina Smith, joins me to help explain why Senate Democrats, especially in leadership, have responded to a radicalized Supreme Court and GOP in ways that don’t make a lot of sense to us common folk. This is part one of a two-part episode. You're welcome.In this part, you will hear:How things have come to become so radicalized within the U.S. Supreme CourtHow Dick Durbin has not been checking the Court with the tools at his committee’s disposalWhy is the leadership for the Democratic party so lax in handling seemingly obvious corruption?The difference between how Republicans and Democrats use their resources to get what they wantThe downside of taking the high road or being the adult in the room when things go sidewaysWhat would the polls look like if Biden were running against someone other than Trump?And more!Guest Info: Gabe Garbowit is the former Digital Media Specialist for Senator Tina Smith and found his way to the Hill sort of by accident — but has been invested in carving out his own space in the Senate’s digital landscape since his arrival in 2018. Garbowit left Congress and took a sharp turn away from politics. He worked briefly as a meat cutter at a Washington barbecue joint and then moved back to Minnesota.He’s more than 1,000 miles away from the Capitol now, but the challenges he experienced working on the Hill are still top of mind. Garbowit decided to do something he hopes will improve conditions for former compatriots still working in the Senate and those yet to join. In 2023, he launched SenateUnionTracker.com, which, true to its domain name, tracks the union support or opposition of all 100 senators.Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

My friend Raven Snook is a writer, editor, performer, mom and all-around diva (in the positive sense of the word) who’s currently the Editor of Creative Content for TDF and a contributing theater critic for Time Out New York. She joins me to discuss the Tony Awards and the post-pandemic state of theatre. You will hear:Raven’s analysis of this season’s Broadway shows and who could win different categoriesDisappointment over shows and performers who were not nominatedComparison between the storyline of Cabaret with our current MAGA climateThe uncertainty of how the pandemic would affect the theatre world with everything shutting downDownturn of financial availability for shows post-pandemic and the accessibility to the average American who might want to see showsAnd more!Guest Info: Raven Snook is a writer, editor, performer, mom and all-around diva (in the positive sense of the word) who’s currently the Editor of Creative Content for TDF and a contributing theater critic for Time Out New York.Raven's work has also appeared in New York Magazine, Yahoo Parenting, the New York Post, The Village Voice, Bon Appétit, Better Homes & Gardens and Parents.com, among others.Links:  www.ravensnook.comConnect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

In this episode, Sci-Fi/Fantasy author M.H. Ayinde and I discuss the racial politics at the core of Doctor Who’s “Dot and Bubble.” We also discuss Modupe’s debut novel, A Song of Legends Lost, launching in 2025, how it came to be, and more about the publishing journey itself. You will hear:Moving forward in the face of rejectionFinding space in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre as a POCLooking at colonialism and racial undertones in this particular episode of Doctor Who and how it isn’t something from the distant past, but something struggled with in modern day and in futuristic settings like in Sci-Fi/Fantasy mediaThe backstory of Modupe’s novel and where her ideas came from, from microaggressions that non-POC people may not even realize to depicting a society that is dominated by POC peopleAnd more!Guest Info: Modupe H. Ayinde was born in London’s East End and studied English Literature at university. She’s worked as a video games reviewer, magazine sub editor, and television researcher, and now tinkers with spreadsheets for a large media organization. She is a runner, a screen time enthusiast, and a lapsed student of martial arts, including Wing Chun and karate. Her debut novel, A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST, the first in an epic fantasy trilogy, will be published by Orbit Books in Spring 2025. Her short fiction can be found in FIYAH Literary Magazine, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Fantasy Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Omenana, and elsewhere, and she was the 2021 winner of the Future Worlds Prize. She lives in North London with three generations of her family and their Studio Ghibli obsession. Modupe is a member of SFWA and the African Speculative Fiction Society.Links: https://www.mhayinde.com/ Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Lawyer, professor, and all-around whiz Madiba Dennie joins us for a lively discussion about her debut book, "The Originalism Trap, How Extremists Stole The Constitution And How We The People Can Take It Back."Dennie's legal and political commentary has been featured in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and more. She's shared her views about race, gender, and the law on BBC and MSNBC. She's taught at Western Washington University and NYU School of Law. She earned her law degree from Columbia Law School and her undergraduate degree from Princeton University, where she concentrated in Politics and earned a certificate in African-American Studies.In this episode, you’ll hear:What originalism is and how it’s affecting our countryWhy we cannot just “pass an amendment” to the Constitution (it’s not that easy!)Issues with the Supreme Court being largely unchecked and the structural reforms necessary to keep the Court from staying stagnant and dividedWhy Court expansion is neededAnd more!Guest Info: Madiba K. Dennie is an attorney, columnist, and professor whose work focuses on fostering an equitable multiracial democracy. Her debut book, The Originalism Trap: How Extremists Stole the Constitution and How We the People Can Take It Back, is now available for preorder. Dennie is the Deputy Editor and Senior Contributor at the critical legal commentary outlet Balls and Strikes. In her previous role as a counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, she provided legal and policy analysis regarding a range of democracy issues including the census, the courts, and attempts to disempower communities of color. Her legal and political commentary has been featured in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and more. Dennie has been interviewed on-air about race, gender, and the law on outlets including the BBC and MSNBC. She has taught at Western Washington University and NYU School of Law. She earned her law degree from Columbia Law School and her undergraduate degree from Princeton University, where she concentrated in Politics and earned a certificate in African-American Studies. Her hot takes are not legal advice.Links:  Madiba Dennie’s website: https://madibadennie.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

Friend of the podcast Dr. Andrew Erdman joins us to discuss Beautiful: The Story of Julian Eltinge, America's Greatest Female Impersonator. His book is a compelling read about a major figure on stage and screen who was sadly forgotten although his legacy endures today. I enjoyed chatting with Andy about Eltinge’s career and this fascinating period in pop culture history. “Beautiful” is out on May 17. You can order it here (https://www.magersandquinn.com/product/BEAUTIFUL/26331176) and of course on Amazon.In this episode, you will hear:How Andrew chose Julian Eltinge to write about in this bookA brief history of female impersonation/drag in AmericaThe lead in to Vaudeville and Variety showsSexual/gender coding in male roles and how they have been viewed throughout the yearsHow the waning popularity of Vaudeville drove Eltinge’s careerAnd more!Guest Info:Historian and psychotherapist Andrew L. Erdman revels in uncovering misunderstood aspects of cultural history and how they relate to misunderstood parts of ourselves. Thanks to a grandfather who remembered the glory days of Dreamland and Luna Park, Andrew often visited Coney Island, the spiritual home of American cheap amusements.A doctoral program in theatre studies led him to a deepened interest in the history of popular culture. He stumbled across the remarkable female impersonator Julian Eltinge while researching his prior book about vaudeville’s Eva Tanguay, a hugely popular, irreverent comedienne who prefigured Bette Midler and Madonna despite being virtually unable to sing, dance, or act.His books including Beautiful: The Story of Julian Eltinge, America’s Greatest Female Impersonator, and Queen of Vaudeville: The Story of Eva Tanguay connect the broad sweep of history to our very real, inner lives. A theatre kid who aspired to be a rockstar, Erdman grew up to write for scholarly journals, magazines, television shows, and the stage. He also got trained in social work and psychoanalysis.​Andrew would like to express his deep gratitude to Sigmund Freud, Theodore Dreiser, Carol Burnett, and the coterie of theatre nerds at his all-boys sports camp who sometimes played girls' and women’s parts, always to the roaring approval of many a fellow in the audience.Links:https://www.andrewerdman.com/Connect with Stephen:Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuyEmail: [email protected]  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson