Advertise on podcast: Here We Go Again With Kal Penn

Comedian and activist W. Kamau Bell has a new show, Who’s With Me?, and today we’re sharing an episode from it featuring Ted Danson. On Who’s With Me?, Kamau addresses what’s caught his attention in the current cultural or political landscape and sits down with someone he deeply admires to give them their flowers, ask his most burning questions, and discuss how to make the world a better place. Full of humor, heart, and intellect, Who’s With Me? shows that a simple conversation can lead to surprising revelations and spark change. Kamau and Ted discuss Ted’s storied career, starting with his breakout role as Sam Malone in the legendary sitcom Cheers. They talk about activism, Ted’s podcast Where Everybody Knows Your Name, and the 1993 Friars Club Roast of Whoopi Goldberg. Watch full episodes of Who’s With Me? With W. Kamau Bell on YouTube and listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts.  Link: lnk.to/WWMKal  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a newfound era for content creators, sex workers, and video bloggers; one spearheaded by the rising popularity of the platform OnlyFans. This week's guest, Art Bezrukavenko, sheds some light on what it takes to become a modern entrepreneur in an adult-forward world. What are the benefits and misconceptions? Is it all it's cracked up to be? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wonder how dictators use global, financial, and legal systems to move and hide money, influencing politics and altering democracies? If you answered 'no', then you may be an oligarch in hiding, and if you are, you may want to steer clear of this week's guest: Casey Michel, an oligarch combatant. Casey is an American investigative journalist, author, and anti-kleptocracy researcher. He examines how America's wealthiest have allied with dictators, all in the pursuit of maintaining power, and gaining more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when you spend over a decade talking about one distinct topic? You kind of want to talk about ANYTHING else. This week’s guest, the illustrious Tan France, has drifted into that exact cycle with fashion. So, Kal and Tan go on a much-needed tangent about…everything but fashion. This week, it’s all on the table. They explain exactly why diversifying conversation about other skillsets and cultural touch-points is healthy for the wider entertainment industry. From conspiracy theories to judging petty disagreements, and even Kal’s role on the hit HBO show, “Industry” (Spoilers abound!), there is no shortage of enlightening topics for two entertainers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we as Americans flock to Medical Dramas like rabbits to aromatic herbs? We can’t get enough! Since 1951, starting with City Hospital, there have been 140 medical TV shows on air, which is insane. Some have even gone on for over 21 years, "Greys Anatomy" we’re looking at you. This week, Kal sits down with Simran Baidwan, executive producer and writer of the Emmy-winning TV show "The Pitt". She's also a writer and producer of "The Good Doctor", "Chicago Med", "Royal Pains", and her first job in Hollywood was actually on "House", so if anyone out there knows about the healthcare industry on screen, it's Simran. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opening up the can of worms that is one’s trauma can be heavy. It's especially daunting when you're unpacking it through the lens of stand-up comedy, a seemingly dichotomous medium to use. This week, Kal speaks with one of his dearest friends, comedian Daniel Sloss, to talk about where power exists in comedy and how it also exists in tragedy and in silence. How do comedians unravel stories in a way that makes audiences relive the experience as if it’s happening to them in real time, and how can this form of artistic storytelling reframe those stories with a powerful message behind them? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every time a new international conflict breaks out, it feels like we might very well be on the brink of World War III. With that comes a low grade sense of anxiety over nuclear weapons. Embroiled in a new war with Iran, suddenly the risk of nuclear war feels very real once again. But that doesn't mean it ever really went away. Jeffrey Lewis is one of the country's leading experts on nuclear weapons policy. How did we get stuck in this cycle of nuclear dread? And is there any chance we'll ever escape so long as nukes are around? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedy is often political. In fact, it's been landing comedians in hot water for years. Take the warrant for George Carlin's arrest after those seven memorable words he said on television. In 1973, a year after Carlin's arrest, the US Supreme Court made it much harder to throw performers in jail for their offensive language, but that doesn't mean comedians in plenty of places don't still end up in jail -- or at least with warrants out for their arrest. Vir Das is an Emmy-award winning actor, writer and comedian, and today he sits down with Kal to talk about the politics of comedy, how it's changing, and satire about the government. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no secret that during acts of war, artifacts get stolen as an old act of dominance. But you may not realize that it's still happening today. In 2024, the Metropolitan Museum of Art physically returned 14 statues to Cambodia when they discovered that they had been looted during decades of civil war. And in 2023, the CEO of Hobby Lobby was indicted when he was found to be at the center of stolen Iraqi pieces that were for his Bible museum. Kal sits down with J.P. Labbat, a retired special agent who worked in the US government's Cultural Property, Art, and Antiquities unit. He's spent his career investigating stolen artifacts and returning them home. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, you heard about brain rot and its neuroscience. So this week, we wanted to tackle how to combat it. Manoush Zomorodi is a journalist and host of TED Radio Hour. Mostly, she's trying to figure out how technology is changing your body, your brain, and your behavior. She and Kal sit down to talk about how movement and boredom can be vital parts of warding off the more negative effects of scrolling and screentime. Check out Manoush's new book, Body Electric on Audible. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brain rot is a slang term for the cognitive decline we're experiencing these days due to screentime, social media, and the like. But is it a real thing? And is technology making us dumber? Kal sits down with neuroscientist David Eaglemann to delve into the relatively new idea of brain rot -- and whether it's so new after all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite its massive popularity, the culture of NASCAR has shifted -- from banning the Confederate flag at races to settling an antitrust lawsuit. Kal sits down with legendary NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, who just celebrated his first "crown jewel" victory. How is the sport evolving? How has it stayed the same? And, what's next? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are there harmful chemicals in our drinking water? Climate change and environmental reporter at New Hampshire Public Radio, Mara Hoplamazian, is on a mission to find out. On their new podcast, SAFE TO DRINK, Mara wades through the depths of what PFAS/PFOA Chemicals have been doing to us. Just how much is in our water, and how can we protect ourselves? And how come this same issue keeps repeating again and again across the country? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Need a ride? This week, Kal speaks with co-founder, president, and executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, Bhairavi Desai, about the ongoing disruption of the taxi industry. Bhairavi has fought alongside more than 21,000 drivers to raise the base income, create a cap on the number of ride-sharing vehicles permitted to drive in New York City, and relieve drivers of hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. But in a new era of ride-sharing and driverless vehicles, what threats remain to cab drives all over? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short form video is everywhere today. But if you rewind back to 2005, comedy trio The Lonely Island had only just released Saturday Night Live's first digital short: "Lazy Sunday." It went viral, transforming the lives of its members Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer. The Lonely Island would go on to produce hit after hit for SNL, from "I'm On A Boat," to "Dick in a Box." Kal and Jorma sit down to talk about digital shorts, now and then. Plus, hear more about Jorma's new film, Over Your Dead Body. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.