We're Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends

It's been a long time coming, but Mehdi was finally joined by the acclaimed Palestinian-American comedian Mo Amer for a very special LIVE taping of 'We're Not Kidding' in Mo's hometown of Houston, Texas. In this wide-ranging, hilarious, and, at times, emotional conversation, the two talk about Mo's groundbreaking Netflix TV series 'Mo', his roots in the Houston comedy scene, and how the past three years of genocide in Gaza has impacted him and his community. Mo talks about his family's background in Palestine and growing up in the melting pot of Houston – the primary inspirations for his Peabody Award-winning series 'Mo'. Mehdi asks about the series' truly exceptional second season, which explored ICE detention centers, Israeli cultural appropriation, and even depicts life for persecuted Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Mo also gives Mehdi his unfiltered opinion about another famous Palestinian who has stayed silent on the genocide: DJ Khaled.  The two also talk about: Mo's first American Halloween as a bewildered immigrant child How Mo got into comedy Being the first Arab-American to sell out Radio City Music Hall Whether James Talarico will turn Texas blue The best places to eat in Houston And they play a Texas-themed version of 'This or That' They also take questions from the audience of 1,500 people in Houston about comedy as resistance, the best ways to support the Palestinian diaspora, and Muslim representation on the stand-up stage. This interview was published on Oct. 28, 2026 on Zeteo.com. If you want early access to 'We're Not Kidding' and to support Zeteo's independent journalism, subscribe on Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Mo Amer Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Special Thanks: Yezen Saadah   To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/network/Zeteo

Exactly one year ago, Mehdi was joined on 'We're Not Kidding' by actor Mark Ruffalo, who plays the Incredible Hulk in Marvel's 'Avengers' movies. So it feels fitting that today's guest is none other than Emmy award-winning actor Tatiana Maslany who plays She-Hulk in the Marvel TV series of the same name. Like Mark, Tatiana has been an outspoken advocate for Palestine over the past few years and continues to use her platform to bring attention to Israel's genocide.  Mehdi also asks Tatiana about the issues roiling Hollywood right now, including the widespread adoption of AI technology ("idiotic" says Tatiana) and the looming acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by the Trump-aligned Ellison family. Finally, Mehdi asks Tatiana to "burst the bubble" for Americans who think Canada and Canadian politics are more progressive than here in the U.S.  This interview was published on Sept. 14, 2026 on Zeteo.com. If you want early access to 'We're Not Kidding' and to support Zeteo's independent journalism, subscribe on Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends   Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan   Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Tatiana Maslany Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Producer: Melanie Riehl Research: Skylar Maile Paxton Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali   To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/network/Zeteo

There are few people who have worked in progressive media as long as Sam Seder. As the host of the massively popular and long-running YouTube series 'The Majority Report', Sam paved the way for progressive pundits with his sharp and funny analysis of U.S. politics. That's why Sam was the perfect guest for this week's 'We're Not Kidding' for Mehdi to discuss the wave of progressive and socialist wins across the country. Oh and don't think Mehdi forgot that Sam was the person who told Mehdi to participate in that insanely racist 'Jubilee' debate. They unpack their insane experiences (though Mehdi's was objectively more insane) and what it revealed about young MAGA conservatives. The two also weigh in on what we're now calling 'The Great Tucker Carlson Debate.' Will the right-wing podcaster run for president? Can he be trusted on issues like Israel and foreign wars? Is there utility to going on his platform, or vice versa? And which part of the debate does Sam think is "bullshit?"  This interview was published Aug. 10, 2026 on Zeteo.com. If you want early access to exclusive content and hard-hitting, independent journalism, subscribe on Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Sam Seder Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Producer: Melanie Riehl Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali   To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/network/Zeteo

This episode is sponsored by Odoo. Go to https://www.odoo.com/notkidding to try it for free. This week's 'We're Not Kidding' guest thinks "hot people" have been excluded from politics for too long — and it's time to change that.  Mary Beth Barone is a New York City comedian, actor, socialist, and early supporter of Zohran Mamdani's mayoral campaign. But before that, she was raised in a Republican household and thought George W. Bush was cool when she was in fifth grade. Mary Beth joined Mehdi in NYC to talk about her political character arc, her new Netflix standup special 'Galaxy Brain', and how the Democratic party can do better. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribe WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO 'WE'RE NOT KIDDING' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends FIND ZETEO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews FIND MEHDI: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Credits: Hosted by Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Mary Beth Barone Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Producer: Melanie Riehl Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali   To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/network/Zeteo  

This episode is sponsored by Odoo. Go to https://www.odoo.com/notkidding to try it for free. "How is it that a 34 year-old Turkish-American socialist Twitch streamer is now a kingmaker in the Democratic Party of the United States?" Hasan Piker says he can take the heat. The famous political commentator has spent the past several months as the primary target of the Democratic party establishment for what they claim are his repugnant views. According to Hasan, the real reason is the success of the broader left movement that he has been a vocal advocate for.  Now, he sits down with Mehdi in Washington, D.C. to talk about becoming a "lightning rod" and the recent Democratic primaries shaking up the political landscape, like the upcoming Michigan Senate primary between the AIPAC-backed Haley Stevens and the progressive Abdul El-Sayed. The polls are close, the money is overwhelming (Stevens has a 12-1 spending advantage over El-Sayed), yet Hasan explains why he thinks "this race will shock the world." They also get into the whole Tucker Carlson debate. Is Tucker setting up JD Vance for 2028, or is he planning his own presidential run? Hasan and Mehdi unpack whether the right-wing Christian nationalist can be a trusted ally on Gaza and Israel.  The Hasans also discuss: Socialism's rising popularity in the U.S. Hasan being targeted by both Democrats and Republicans. Accusations of antisemitism. Mehdi's appearance on the PBD podcast. Marco Rubio vs. JD Vance. The hypocrisy of Joe Rogan and Bill Maher.  And which Democrat Hasan wants to run in 2028… This interview was published 7 days earlier on Zeteo.com. If you want early access to exclusive content and hard-hitting, independent journalism, subscribe on Substack here: https://zeteo.com/subscribe Watch, listen and subscribe to 'We're Not Kidding' on Substack: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friends Find Zeteo: Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_news Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonews Find Mehdi: Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasan Twitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasan TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasan Credits: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Hasan Piker Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Special thanks to: Aaliyah Haque   To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/network/Zeteo