With the British monarchy at its lowest ebb of popularity since the week after Diana's death, we consider these two moments within the context of the wretched institution's ignoble history. We watch Christopher Hitchens' documentary DIANA: THE MOURNING AFTER (1998) - a controversial dissenting take on the Diana myth - and also discuss Netflix's THE CROWN and the Harry/Meghan phenomenon. In the process, we speculate how the existential threat facing this frankly worthless institution might lead to an unholy reinvention. PLUS: a rueful look back at James Berardinelli, the most popular web-based critic of the '90s.

"The British Monarchy Will Not Survive Late Capitalism — And Harry and Meghan Are Proof" by Luke Savage - https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/03/british-monarchy-neoliberal-age-prince-harry-meghan-markle

Michael and Us

#222- Guillotine in Piccadilly

Dating's weird, isn't it? In this episode we're joined by the wonderful Kate Willett (@katewillett on Twitter) to explore the wild uncertainties of dating and the financial windfall available to those with the foresight to monetize it with a gimmick. Specifically we give an overview of the life and times of Bumble's Whitney Wolfe Herd and learn how she made her billion dollar fortune through shady Russian start up money, hostile work environments, offshore tax avoidance shell corporations, and most important of all, an app that puts women first.

Kate's podcast Reply Guys can be found here:
https://soundcloud.com/replyguys

You can listen to Kate's audible audiobook "Dirtbag Anthropology" here:
https://www.audible.com/pd/Dirtbag-Anthropology-Audiobook/B08W5FSQ1V

Grubstakers Podcast

Patreon Unlocked Episode 231: Whitney Wolfe Herd feat. Kate Willett

Jake Tapper’s career trajectory is an object lesson in how to succeed in corporate media. The formula generally goes like this: go after the fringes of the left and the right––but mostly the left. Never offend any traditional centers of power. Mug. Constantly mug for the camera. Hitch your brand to “The Troops” And-always, always––attack from the neoconservative right.
 
As previously discussed in our John McCain News Brief, the issue with John McCain was less so about the man himself but what he represented: posturing National Security state jingoism at the heart of America’s civic religion; a phony notion of self-importance that animates US militarism. Just the same, this week’s episode is less about Tapper and more about what he represents: the dead center of American corporate media; hollow, faux-adversarialism marked by military worship; less interested in original reporting than serving as a bouncer for Club Acceptable Opinion.  

We are joined on this week's episode by journalist Natasha Lennard.

Episode 55: Jake Tapper and the Art of Faux-Adversarialism

And introducing, from Iceland, our NATO ally to the north, it’s BJORK. The most famous musician from the isolated northern island, Bjork has built an incredible career and international  fame from her unique voice and genre-exploring, endlessly idiosyncratic music. And today we’ll be exploring all things Bjork from her coffee table book BJORK and a 2004 Bjork New Yorker story called “Bjork’s Saga”.

Songs in Order:

CarlosAndres90 - Army of Me (YouTube FL Studio cover)
Bjork - Ruby Baby
Recordings of Bjork at age 11:  https://www.openculture.com/2014/09/the-album-bjork-recorded-as-an-11-year-old.html
KUKL - Dismembered
The Sugarcubes - Birthday
Bjork - Human Behavior
Bjork - Army of Me
Bjork - Alarm Call

And Introducing

#82 BJÖRK!

Elements inside the Democratic Party establishment raised a mutiny against AOC last week and we should probably talk about it... Joining us to do just that is Alex Samman, staff writer at The American Prospect. We break it down and try to suss out just what the hell is going on.

***Support this project by becoming a patron today: HTTP://www.patreon.com/deadpundits ***

See his article here: 
https://prospect.org/politics/establishment-strikes-back-aoc-versus-centrist-democrats/

The Establishment Strikes Back w/ Alex Samman

In the aftermath of the siege on the Capitol, we looked at a movie that depicts America as at war with itself. The 2020 action-satire THE HUNT is an "equal-opportunity offender" in which Liberal Elites hunt MAGA Chuds for sport - and like most "equal-opportunity offenders," it misses all the real targets. PLUS: thoughts on the Georgia runoff elections.

Desktop

#199 - Snobs and Deplorables

Basement show yall...
// Rich Dad $80 Board Game // Fostering Dialogue // Propaganda Feedback Loop // Shitting & Pissing // Stole Some Files // Java // Shadow Banned // Committed To Freedom & Excellence // Put Us Down For A Prayer // 

Street Fight Mail - P.O Box 82306 Columbus, OH 43202
Street Fight Radio Call In Show - (614) 655-3887

Rich Dad $80 Board Game

Max Collins of Eve 6 drops by to discuss mysterious cartoon memories, predatory music management, the Trolls franchise, rock ‘n roll for children, evil owls, and more all through Don Bluth’s 1992 animated film “ROCK-A-DOODLE”. We also talk about Eve 6, being a teenage superstar, and finding emotional catharsis through twitter, but this is a ROCK-A-DOODLE ep.

The new EP is called “Grim Value” and it’s available wherever music is streamed/sold!

Songs:
Rock-a-Doodle - Sun Do Shine
Rock-a-Doodle - Rock-a-Doodle
Eve 6 - Inside Out
Eve 6 - Amphetamines
Eve 6 - Can We Combine

BONUS: ROCK-A-DOODLE! (feat. Max Collins of Eve 6)

And introducing, on the ones and twos, it’s RICK RUBIN. One of the superstar producers of the last forty years, Rubin went from Long Island punk to hip-hop pioneer in the 80’s, founding Def Jam Records out of his dorm room with Russell Simmons. He’d go on to produce some of the top recording artists of his era, ranging from Beastie Boys to Neil Diamond, LL Kool J to Metallica, and co-head Columbia Records. And today we’re joined by producer Jesse Cannon to learn all about Rubin from the book “Rick Rubin in the Studio” by Jake Brown

Check out Jesse’s YouTube channel and other work here:
www.Musformation.com
www.Jessecannon.com

SONGS IN ORDER:
T La Rock & Jazzy Jay - It’s Yours
LL Cool J - I Need A Beat
Beastie Boys - Rhymin & Stealin
Public Enemy - Don’t Believe the Hype
Slayer - Raining Blood
Danzig - Mother
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Suck My Kiss
The Chicks - Lubbock of Leave It
The Chicks - Gaslighter
Lady Gaga - Dope

#85 RICK RUBIN! (feat. Jesse Canon)

Just when we thought we'd found the bottom of the barrel, we scrape a little bit further. From executive producers Van Jones and Meghan McCain, THE REUNITED STATES (2021) seeks to open a new chapter on the American story by highlighting people trying to bridge the left and right. But does a political "movement" that believes in nothing more than "listening to each other" actually do anything to address the issues allegedly dividing us? (Hint: no).

#211 - Post-Partisan Struggle Session

We finally watch one of our most requested movies: the political parable ELECTION (1999), which presents a vision of American politics circa 1999 as represented by three student candidates and one faculty power-broken in a high school election. PLUS: Neera Tanden, the Golden Globes, and what happens to culture when the zeitgeist is taken away?

Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive episodes: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

#214 - Tracy Flick for President

A podcast about culture, politics, and our crumbling world. Hosted by Luke Savage and Will Sloan.

Exclusive subscriber-only episodes: https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus/overview