We’re Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends

On the new episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding,’ Mehdi is joined by stand-up comedian, actor, and social justice advocate Amanda Seales for an unfiltered conversation about Palestine, and the cultural backlash for speaking out against genocide and U.S. imperialism. Amanda, who has Palestinian family members, has been a vocal proponent for Palestinian liberation over the last eight months, at great professional cost. She and Mehdi discuss the culture of fear in Hollywood - and the pressure on her own career for speaking out on Gaza - and why the term “liberal” needs to be redefined. They also talk about Jerry Seinfeld’s recent interventions on the Middle East - and whether George Costanza would have been as problematic.“I just think you’re misusing the word ‘liberal.’ They're not progressive. You know, ‘liberal’ at this point just means ‘I'm not okay with bad things as long as they don't inconvenience me.’”‘We’re Not Kidding’ releases new episodes twice a month, with Mehdi, Bassem and a cast of rotating guest co-hosts from the worlds of comedy, entertainment, and the media. Funny people talking about serious topics. Friendly reminder: All of our content is currently available to all subscribers, free or paid. But this will only be for a limited, promotional period. Building and sustaining an independent media company like this requires, above all else, money. If you appreciate the work we are doing, and want to be a part of this effort, please consider supporting us by becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to Zeteo at zeteo.com/subscribe

Stand-up comedian, best-selling author and acclaimed TV host W. Kamau Bell joins Mehdi as co-host of 'We're Not Kidding' this week. They discuss the student protestors, who join a long line of American anti-war demonstrators, as well as the police’s use of brute force against them. Mehdi and Kamau also examine the censorship of pro-Palestinian voices in the media and Hollywood, why Batman is politically problematic, and the cynical “defanging” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. since his death.“People celebrate [Dr. King] as a hero and forget the part where he was assassinated,” says Kamau. “He didn't die of old age… He was assassinated and many people were happy he was assassinated.”‘We’re Not Kidding’ releases new episodes twice a month, with Mehdi, Bassem and a cast of rotating guest co-hosts from the worlds of comedy, entertainment, and the media. Funny people talking about serious topics. (And for paid subscribers, let us know what you think in the comments – and who we should try to bring on next.)Don’t forget to subscribe and listen to ‘We’re Not Kidding’ wherever you listen to podcasts:SpotifyApple PodcastsIf you enjoyed this conversation with W. Kamau Bell, make sure to check out his Substack:Friendly reminder: The vast majority of our content is currently available to all of our subscribers, free and paid. But we are slowly introducing paywalls across Zeteo because building and sustaining an independent media company requires funding. So, if you appreciate the work we are doing, and want to be a part of this effort, please consider supporting us by becoming a paid subscriber. Get full access to Zeteo at zeteo.com/subscribe

Bassem Youssef is back with Mehdi to co-host the third episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding.’ They talk about the religious extremists, from the illegal settlements in the West Bank to the hallways of the U.S. Congress, who are trying to bring about the end of times - as well as a bunch of red cows that wield a lot of spiritual power. And they disagree on a few things too. ‘We’re Not Kidding’ releases new episodes twice a month, with Mehdi, Bassem and a cast of rotating guest co-hosts from the worlds of comedy, entertainment, and the media. Funny people talking about serious topics. The full video of episode 2 will be available on YouTube and Spotify on May 28. And the next episode of We’re Not Kidding with a new surprise guest co-host on June 6. Friendly reminder: All of our content is currently available to all subscribers, free or paid. But this will only be for a limited, promotional period. Building and sustaining an independent media company like this requires, above all else, money. If you appreciate the work we are doing, and want to be a part of this effort, please consider supporting us by becoming a paid subscriber.  Get full access to Zeteo at zeteo.com/subscribe

Palestinian-Lebanese-American comedian, Sammy Obeid, who rose to fame because of his viral jokes on Palestine and his Netflix show 100 Humans, joins Mehdi to guest host the second episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding.’ They dive into the student protests, DNA tests, pushing back against misinformation with comedy, the power of slogans, and doing 1001 nights of stand-up. ‘We’re Not Kidding’ will release episodes twice a month, with Mehdi, Bassem and a cast of rotating guest co-hosts from the worlds of comedy, entertainment, and the media. Funny people talking about serious topics. The full video of episode 2 will be available on YouTube and Spotify on May 14. And the next episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ with Bassem will come out on Substack on May 23. Friendly reminder: All of our content is currently available to all subscribers, free or paid. But this will only be for a limited, promotional period. Building and sustaining an independent media company like this requires, above all else, money. If you appreciate the work we are doing, and want to be a part of this effort, please consider supporting us by becoming a paid subscriber.  Get full access to Zeteo at zeteo.com/subscribe

In the very first episode of the new Zeteo podcast, 'We're Not Kidding,' Mehdi and guest co-host Bassem Youssef sit down and talk about what their brown parents make of their career choices, becoming famous for the right reasons, pushing back against the media’s coverage of Gaza, and Mehdi’s new hoodie. 'We're Not Kidding' will air twice a month, with Mehdi, Bassem, and a cast of rotating guest co-hosts from the worlds of comedy, entertainment, and the media. Funny people taking on serious topics. Watch the first episode above! (And for paid subscribers, let us know what you think in the comments – and who we should try to bring on next.)You can also subscribe and listen to ‘We’re Not Kidding’ wherever you listen to your podcasts: SpotifyApple Podcasts-Friendly reminder: All of our content is currently available to all subscribers, free or paid. But this will only be for a limited, promotional period. Building and sustaining an independent media company like this requires, above all else, money. If you appreciate the work we are doing, and want to be a part of this effort, please consider supporting us by becoming a paid subscriber.  Get full access to Zeteo at zeteo.com/subscribe