Johnny Knoxville sits down with Shane Smith to discuss the physical and emotional costs of his career. He reflects on the chaotic start of Jackass, the pressures of sudden fame, and serious injuries like concussions and an eye fracture that nearly ended his life. The conversation covers his collaborations with Spike Jonze and Jeff Tremaine, the shift from MTV to feature films, and the political backlash that ultimately forced the show off the air. Knoxville speaks openly about his mental health struggles after repeated head trauma and how he found stability through therapy. Beyond the stunts, Knoxville highlights projects he’s proud of, including The Ringer, his outlaw country radio show, and documentaries like The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia. This honest talk reveals a rarely seen side of Knoxville—the man behind the daredevil persona who lived through the consequences. Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane sits down with investigative filmmaker and UFO researcher Jeremy Corbell to explore the most controversial and captivating subject of our time: Are we alone in the universe? Corbell—known for his viral military UFO releases and his documentaries like Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers—walks Shane through some of the most compelling cases of unexplained aerial phenomena ever captured. From the infamous “Mosul Orb” to Navy encounters with pyramid-shaped craft, Corbell shares vetted military footage, insider accounts, and the ongoing fight to force government transparency. The two dig into the shift from “UFO” to UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena), testimony before Congress about crash retrieval programs and “biologics,” and the broader philosophical stakes if non-human intelligence is confirmed. Along the way, they debate proof, secrecy, and what disclosure could mean for humanity. Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane sits down with psychiatrist and bestselling author Phil Stutz to unpack the failures of modern psychiatry and why traditional methods often fall short. They explore how Stutz developed The Tools after realizing most therapy wasn’t helping patients, and why action—not endless analysis—is the real path to change. Stutz shares how experiences with anxiety, depression, and the fight against “Part X” informed his groundbreaking methods. They discuss gratitude as a weapon against despair, the power of human connection in healing, and why facing mortality head-on can spark creativity and meaning. Visit RocketRX now for 30% off your first order - https://www.rebrand.ly/ada758 Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane sits down with Liquid Death Founder/CEO Mike Cessario to talk branding, politics, and the power of provocation. They dive into how Liquid Death turned Internet hate into a billion-dollar water brand, why execution matters more than ideas, and how cultural tension fuels marketing breakthroughs. Cessario draws parallels between brand-building and political strategy, analyzing figures like Gavin Newsom, AOC, Trump, and Bernie Sanders through a marketer’s lens. They explore the dangers of brands playing it too safe, the role of advertisers as modern-day censors, and the shifting landscape of media in the age of AI, social virality, and meme culture. Packed with war stories, from Brandy ventures to high-stakes Super Bowl ads, this episode is a masterclass in disruptive marketing, joined with part cultural commentary and banter between two media-savvy provocateurs. Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane and nuclear-physics prodigy Taylor Wilson on the past, present, and future of atomic science, how Cold-War close calls, and today’s aging launch warning systems, make accidental nuclear war scarier than a deliberate attack, why Russia’s hypersonic torpedoes and cheap Ukrainian drones both reveal the same uneasy truth: deterrence math is being rewritten in real time. They dive into Wilson’s quest for radiation-proof bacteria, his optimism about compact fusion reactors and geothermal grids that could outcompete fossil fuels, and the data-driven breakthroughs quantum computing may unlock in medicine and materials. They dismantle moon-landing conspiracies with hard evidence, reveal natural fission reactors buried in Gabon two billion years ago, track the search for dark matter and alien microbes on Europa and Mars, and argue that the 21st-century energy race could end in abundance—if humanity can keep its trigger finger off aging warheads long enough for science to deliver. Get your fix with Zippix Toothpicks! Save 10% by using code Shane at http://www.ZippixToothpicks.com today. Must be 21+Instantly book a top-rated doctor today at https://www.zocdoc.com/shane Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane Smith sits down with Julian Kelly, Senior Director of Hardware at Google Quantum AI and architect of the groundbreaking Willow chip, to map out the next frontier of computing. Kelly explains how Google’s 100 plus qubit processors now complete benchmark tasks in minutes that would outlive the universe on today’s fastest supercomputers, why error corrected “logical” qubits are the last hurdle to practical machines, and which real world problems will fall first once quantum power comes online. Along the way they tackle encryption panic, AI synergy, the global quantum race, and the mind bending philosophy behind many worlds. Conversation Highlights: Willow & “beyond classical” benchmarks: 10²⁵year speedup over conventional supercomputers Roadmap milestones → quantum supremacy → scalable error correction →“Milestone 3” logical qubit Drug discovery, battery chemistry, fertilizer synthesis, fusion research & other early killer apps Post-quantum cryptography and the myth vs. reality of “QDay” data breach fears Cooling to 10 milliKelvin, chip design shifts from DWave annealers to gate based processors How AI can train on quantum generated data—and how quantum can turbocharge AI research Global landscape: Google’s lead, government labs, and the rise of private startups Philosophical detours: superposition, entanglement, many worlds interpretations Five-year horizon for the first commercially useful quantum workload Kelly’s personal journey—from UCSB lab tinkerer to Google’s quantum hardware chief Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane Smith sits down with Channel 5 and All Gas No Brakes founder Andrew Callaghan. They discuss Andrew’s hitchhiking origins, his first full-length interview with Hunter Biden and they unpack the rise and fall of All Gas No Brakes, the birth of Channel 5’s “global newsroom,” and why a single bad real-estate deal turned a Louisiana lawyer into the Q-pilled protagonist of Callaghan’s documentary This Place Rules. Smith and Callaghan swap war stories about embedding with warlords, avoiding stomach parasites, and learning to read a room when everyone is armed. They riff on Hunter Thompson, Louis Theroux, depersonalization, and the perils of becoming “industry approved.” The conversation veers from South African politics and resource curses to the revelation that Democratic Party powerbrokers pressured President Biden to bow out of 2024—straight from Hunter Biden, according to Callaghan. Part origin story, part media-critique, part travelogue, the episode is a masterclass in modern gonzo journalism and a candid look at what relentless public scrutiny does to artists and politicians alike. Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
When wildfires, homelessness, and immigration collide, Los Angeles becomes a focal point for America’s biggest debates. In this candid, hourlong sitdown, Shane Smith presses L.A. Mayor Karen Bass on everything from her controversial trip to Ghana during the Palisades inferno to the missing billions earmarked for homelessness relief. Bass pulls back the curtain on firedepartment missteps, why she fired the city’s fire chief, and how a thousand unused veteran housing vouchers were finally unlocked. Along the way, volunteer firefighter and Community Brigade cofounder Keegan Gibbs joins Shane to recount the night Malibu burned and explains why even the bestequipped departments can be powerless against hurricaneforce winds. Bass lays out her plan to rebuild faster—thanks in part to an unexpected assist from the Trump administration’s Army Corps of Engineers—and reveals a new public/private partnership with developer Rick Caruso and NBA vet JJ Redick to restore a devastated rec center. Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Rick Caruso breaks down the harsh realities behind LA’s wildfire devastation, exposing how political failures, broken systems, and poor leadership turned a preventable disaster into a full-blown crisis. From the incompetence that left reservoirs empty to the private firefighting efforts that saved his village while others burned, Rick explains why preparation and accountability matter more than empty ideology.He also unpacks the deeper systemic issues: insurance collapse, homelessness, rebuilding roadblocks, and how the lack of urgency continues to cripple recovery efforts. Shane and Rick tackle the delicate balance between private innovation and public responsibility, and why true leadership demands both competence and compassion. Themes Explored: How LA’s leadership failed during the fires Private vs. public responsibility in disaster response The insurance crisis crippling rebuilding efforts Clearing the brush, undergrounding power, and practical fixes Why ideology without competence is deadly The human cost: families, homes, and futures lost Caruso’s vision for resilient cities and competent leadership How communities can hold leaders accountable Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Rick Rubin dives deep into the essence of creativity, exploring its spiritual roots and the role of sensitivity in artistic expression. From his reflections on nature as the perfect balance to his thoughts on art as a universal language, Rick discusses how every piece of art — whether it’s music, painting, or writing — connects us to something greater. He also touches on how the power of creativity transcends barriers, overcoming propaganda and biases, and opens the door to greater understanding and connection. The episode also dives into Rick’s anti-surgery health journey, his relationship with red light, circadian rhythm, and diet, and how even a burst appendix led to a spiritual insight at a Barnes & Noble. They discuss AI, propaganda, post-pandemic polarization, and how the greatest danger to truth is our inability to sit with complexity. Part deep dive, part meditative retreat, this is not just a podcast—it’s a portal into how Rick Rubin sees, feels, and listens to the world. Themes Explored: The Source, creativity, and the unseen field Why true art starts by not knowing Healing through nature, intuition, and red light The cost of propaganda and loss of nuance in modern society Why AI may never truly replace human creativity Rick’s perspective on RFK Jr., media slander, and open dialogue Childhood trauma and artistic sensitivity How to live in wonder without needing answers Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Get 10% off your first order with code SHANE at https://www.zippixtoothpicks.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this wide-ranging conversation, Shane Smith presses Dr. Jordan B. Peterson on everything from academia’s groupthink and campus protests to benzo withdrawal, love in the face of terminal illness, and the geopolitical shadow of China. Peterson fires back—sometimes reflective, sometimes raw—laying out why he believes voluntary self-sacrifice, not power or pleasure, is the only antidote to cultural decay. Along the way you’ll hear: Inside the Coma: Peterson relives the three-year ordeal that nearly killed him—and the family support that didn’t let him quit. Campus Cage Match: Why he rarely sets foot in universities anymore, and the moment Oxford’s Union tried (and failed) to sandbag him. Carbon, China & Cataclysms: A blunt debate on climate policy, cheap energy, and whether the West can out-compete Beijing without losing its soul. RFK Jr., Trump, and the New “Not-So-Conservative” Right: Peterson’s take on the strange coalition reshaping U.S. politics. Meaning vs. Hedonism: From punk-rock rage to religious myth, how sacrifice—rather than desire—can stitch our fractured lives back together. Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Get 10% off your first order with code SHANE at https://www.zippixtoothpicks.com Download the DraftKings app and get 350 casino spins with code SHANE or go to or head to https://casino.draftkings.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
John Sandweg, former acting director of ICE under President Obama, explains why both Republican and Democratic leaders have struggled to manage the border, why immigration reform keeps hitting roadblocks, and what real, workable solutions could actually look like. This conversation goes beyond politics — it reveals the human stories and the complex systems behind immigration. Download the DraftKings app and get 350 casino spins with code SHANE or head to https://casino.draftkings.com/ Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
John Perkins was once an economic hitman — a chief economist helping powerful corporations and governments entrap resource-rich countries in massive debt. Loans disguised as development aid ended up enriching the elite, while ordinary people paid the price.He shares the moment that made him question everything, the “death economy” fueled by short-term greed, and how China is now leading this global game with a new twist. This isn’t just history — it’s the story of how economic power shapes today’s world and what it means for our planet’s future. Get $10 Off @BRUNT with code SHANE at https://www.bruntworkwear.com/SHANE #BRUNTpod #ad For free shipping and 365-day returns go to https://www.quince.com/questions Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane Smith sits down with three of the brightest minds pushing humanity’s final frontier, space. Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, author and space reporter and documentarian Ashlee Vance, and in-orbit manufacturing pioneer Delian Asparouhov pull back the curtain on the new era of private spaceflight, from cutting-edge rocket tech to factories floating above Earth. It’s a riveting look at how commercial actors, visionary entrepreneurs, and global superpowers are reshaping everything we know—and don’t yet know—about life beyond our planet. Get $10 Off at BRUNT with code SHANE at https://www.Bruntworkwear.com/SHANE #Bruntpod #ad Download the PrizePicks app today and get $50 after your play your first $5 lineup with code SHANE at https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SHANE Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane sits down with Faiz Shakir, Bernie Sanders' former campaign manager and executive director of More Perfect Union—to ask the question on everyone’s mind: How can Democrats truly rebuild? From reclaiming a genuine grassroots base to tackling the big-money stranglehold on politics, they dig into what it’ll take to inspire working-class Americans again. Faiz and Shane provide sharp insights on media’s role in the mess, why authenticity matters more than ever, and a refreshingly real take on forging a movement that’s about more than just fundraising. Secure your online data and get up to four months for free at https://www.expressvpn.com/shane Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane dives deep into today’s economic turbulence with two of the most respected voices in the field: former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and global affairs strategist Ian Bremmer. Together, they unpack how tariffs, shifting global alliances, and stock market jitters are reshaping our economic landscape. Summers offers an inside view of why tariffs have become such a flashpoint—shedding light on who really pays the price when countries impose or retaliate with higher trade barriers. Bremmer broadens the lens to explain how America’s trade disputes and political brinkmanship ripple across Europe, Asia, and beyond, hinting at bigger power shifts on the horizon. From concerns about inflation and job security to questions over national debt and diplomatic trust, this conversation peels back the layers of political theater to reveal what’s really at stake. Download the PrizePicks app today and get $50 after your play your first $5 lineup with code SHANE at https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SHANE Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane Smith and tech entrepreneur and biohacker Bryan Johnson—the mastermind behind the burgeoning “Don’t Die” movement and hit Netflix documentary— dissect one of humanity’s oldest obsessions: longevity and the possibility of extending life indefinitely. As Johnson lays out his plan to build a radical new ideology, part religion and part nation-state, he pushes beyond standard ideas about health and longevity. Think hyperbaric oxygen therapy, societal re-engineering, and yes, even measuring the one metric nobody ever talks about—because, according to Johnson, every data point counts when you’re determined to rewrite life’s expiration date. And it’s not just longevity. They also explore reinventing political systems and orchestrating trillion-dollar investments to the ancient mythological warnings against eternal life. Equal parts fearless and futuristic, this episode examines one man’s quest to reshape not only personal health and wellness, but also the framework of society—all in the name of one deceptively simple command: Don’t Die. Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane Smith sits down with key figures from Congress and the scientific community to dissect the new, two-year House investigation into COVID-19. Congressman Brad Wenstrup, who led the inquiry, lays out how missteps, censorship, and confusing mandates eroded public trust in institutions like the CDC and FDA. Dr. Robert Malone—an early pioneer of mRNA research—argues that known risks were concealed, while vaccine advocate Dr. Paul Offit acknowledges communication flaws yet defends the vaccines’ core value. From evidence of political pressure on social media platforms to the role of pharmaceutical companies and the thorny debate over the lab-leak theory, this candid discussion unpacks the data and controversies that shaped—and sometimes misshaped—America’s pandemic response. What went wrong, who’s responsible, and how do we shore up our defenses for the next outbreak? In this revealing episode, Shane demands real answers about lost credibility, the lessons learned, and whether our nation is prepared for a future crisis when the stakes could be even higher. Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get $5 off your Starter Pack (that’s over 40% off) with promo code SHANE at https://www.shopmando.com! #mandopod #ad Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane and Internet pioneer Marc Andreessen unpack how a Chinese open-source AI breakthrough could mark a “Sputnik moment” for the West, why governments are bent on crushing emerging technologies, and what recent events mean for the future of startups, freedom of speech, and global innovation. From exposing how AI can be deliberately taught to lie, to dissecting the ongoing U.S.–China rivalry and the far-reaching impacts of open-source software, Andreessen offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at political maneuvering, corporate self-interest, and the moral questions that will define the next wave of technological progress. Marc shares his candid takes on crypto, central bank digital currencies, and the possibility of a new Cold War over AI. This is the most crucial conversation shaping our world right now and you have a front row seat. Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get $5 off your Starter Pack (that’s over 40% off) with promo code SHANE at https://www.shopmando.com! #mandopod #ad Download the PrizePicks app today and get $50 after your play your first $5 lineup with code SHANE at https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SHANE X: https://x.com/a16z Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a16z/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z/ Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Shane does a deep dive on the bombshell Covid report with the man who chaired the committee, Congressman Brad Wenstrup. He gets alternate opinions from Dr. Alina Chan, a molecular biologist, who specializes in gene therapy and is a cell engineering scholar and lab leak theory supporter and Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases who shares his insights in a riveting conversation. Download the PrizePicks app today and get $50 after your play your first $5 lineup with code SHANE at https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SHANE Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Steven Maurice
so far I'm having a hard time believing this apolitical claim