#416 - A Sloppy Summer Pod, Recovered

Our favorite Danish intellectual returns! After a three-plus year absence, Jacob Mchangama is back on the Fifth, this time promoting his amazing new book, Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media, which P.J. O'Rourke calls "best history of free speech ever written and the best defense of free speech ever made." We tend to agree. The lads make quick work of a bottle of sake and still manage to blather about...The state of free speech in EuropeJoe Rogan and the crisis of speechMany of history's heroes of free speech were kind of shitty on free speechIt always comes back to NazisThe Weimar fallacyHanged for speech. Really, really bad speechThe sheep theoryJacob brings up Nazis again Tell the moon about the crying roomThe most powerful engine for social changeFree speech is a powerful engine *against* racismTwo islamists realize they were wrong about free speech See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wethefifth.substack.com/subscribe

7 Feb 20221h 52min

A freebie for the great unwashed, cheapskate masses. A little...ummm....looser than the free feed pod. And note that Moynihan's car was stuck in the snow just moments before recording, so he's slightly more unhinged than usual. When contacted, he apologized profusely and said "had I known you were releasing this to the freeloaders I wouldn't have said all of those things that I totally believe but make people pay to hear..." -TFC Snowstorms. People moving. Daughters acting crazy. Fiona Hill. Lots happening in the Fifthdom, but the lads got together this afternoon for a shouty, everyone-is-insane rant fest. The following topics were soberly discussed:- To save democracy, it must be destroyed- A left-right synthesis! Let's all abandon principles!- 16 free speech help lines- Oprah: The OG Joe- Jenny from the U of G- Smooth brown something- We need to talk about Rogan- We need to talk about (Ilya) Shapiro- Welcome to Georgetown...now into the penalty box, you racist!- A warning label for everything- A magic word supercut!- Canadian truck driving Nazis?- The Thousand Beer Reich: 14 out-of-shape Nazis stand on an Orlando bridge- Patti for SCOTUS- And much, much more.... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wethefifth.substack.com/subscribe

2 Feb 20221h 29min

Almost a year after being run out of Slate for possession of an unpopular opinion, journalist and podcaster Mike Pesca joins the Fifth for his first post-controversy conversation on how it all went down, when banal opinions became "harassment," and what we can expect from the The Gist 2.0.Is Kmele being prioritized for Covid treatment? Because, ya know...Mike Pesca gets pushed out of Slate (for referencing, but not saying, a magic word)Bull Connor's boss, SteveA "harassment-worthy" opinionWas anyone brave and did they call bullshit? Ummm...N-words and Mohammad cartoonsInsert $5 for more podcastKmele's Kovid fogThe roughest period of Mike's life, everThe new, new journalismHating Joe RoganYou don't have the truth, journalists. But you can get thereThe Gist's approchal Moynihan likes The Gist. Except that one episode...The media is atomized. Or maybe balkanizedColeman is a good rapperDon't catastrophize the normal See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wethefifth.substack.com/subscribe

20 Jan 20221h 42min

Kmele at HereticonFallibility vs. FundamentalismA Time to ChooseIn Your Heart You Know He's RacistGerrymandering for GoodCredibility, TransparencyIgnoring Alex JonesArguing with Alex JonesThe One Thing Americans Agree On......It's All Going to Shit Alex Jones' AmericaIdiots Wrote ThisRecorded: Jan 13th, 2022Published: Jan 14th, 2022 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wethefifth.substack.com/subscribe

15 Jan 20221h 42min

He's brilliant. He has a Pulitzer Prize, And he's totally jacked. New York Times reporter Matthew Rosenberg, who was at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and could definitely kick your ass, joins the Fifth to reflect on the riot, coup, insurrection, revolution, putsch, mass hate crime...whatever you want to call it. But hang around after the Rosenberg Coup Hour for a freewheeling postgame meditation on legal crime in New York City, upbraiding Moynihan for his bad parenting skills, and the secret ghostwriters behind Kmele's Twitter account...*Note: It's someone else's fault, obviously, but allow us to extend a half-hearted apology for the slightly subpar (occasional but not terrible) audio quality on one of our mics. If this was a Patreon episode and you forked over cash--which you really, really should do--our regrets would be far more groveling and effusive. But you skinflints and freeloaders can just deal with it.... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wethefifth.substack.com/subscribe

7 Jan 20222h 22min

A Covid Christmas A Merry KwanzaaBefore you eulogize the dead, I have stupid tweet you should considerMatt sort of emptywheels Harry ReidPlanes, Trains, and superspreader eventsYes, there are no testsThe usual Covid frustrationsThe Webb Hubbell telescopeThe Memorial shutdownThe non-historians lecture us on historyDestroy the idols of AmericanismWhat on Earth is the Flatbush Remonstrance? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wethefifth.substack.com/subscribe

29 Dec 20211h 44min

Back for his third (we think?) visit, the scourge of crackpots and charlatans, America's greatest ginger, and our favorite congressman...Rep. Peter Meijer!Look, it's not a great time for the Republican PartyUnity! Now get the fuck outWhat Rep, Meijer wrong about January 6thDear Congress: gimme some truth about January 6thWhy Nancy Pelosi wanted impeachment to failTo get out of an anti-democratic moment, we must have even less democracy "You voted to impeach and your career has been weird ever since" - Matt WelchWas that terrorism? Or just a bunch of delusional losersIs the insurrection investigation the job of congress or...historians?He's "fucking furious"Exit question to Rep. Meijer: What say you about Julian Assange? "Just find out about the UFOs" - Kmele FosterAn hour of post-Meijer postgame A mask for Dmitrios: remembering Kmele's trip to Greece Pack the court! / Kmele's insane Elizabeth Warren impressionUnlike most rich people, Elon acts like a rich personMerry Christmas, wokeness is over (if DeSantis wants it) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wethefifth.substack.com/subscribe

17 Dec 20212h 10min

Jussie Smollett's years-long legal drama careening toward its conclusion. New York City enacts the countries most expansive (and ill-conceived) COVID restrictions. While the Biden Administration sends diplomatic shots at Xi in China and navigates an increasingly tumultuous situation with Putin in Russia.Kmele's New York State of MindCreep ShowPlayin' JournalistDiplomatic Games + Human RightsBlaming Everything on NATO (and Biden)Russia HawksNo Justice for JussieElite Lives MatterYoko/LennonMcLaughlin Psychic Friends Network See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wethefifth.substack.com/subscribe

10 Dec 20211h 54min