Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

On this edition of Parallax Views, we delve into the controversial world of deathmatch wrestling with deathmatch wrestler Mike Krueger. For those unfamiliar with deathmatch wrestling, it is by far the most extreme variant of professional wrestling imaginable. When watching a deathmatch promotion like Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW), Underground Empire Wrestling (UEW), or any number of others similar promotions you can expect to see things that you'd never see in a mainstream pro wrestling promotion like WWE. This includes wrestler diving off balconies into glass, wrestler being thrown into flaming tables, and competitors using objects like light tubes and barbed wire bats as weapons. It is, in other words, the "outlaw" form of pro wrestling that is often heavily criticized for it's blood-n-guts gruesomeness. And yet, deathmatch wrestling has cultivated a rather diverse audience. On one hand there's the "anti-woke" fans of Rob Black's notorious XPW. On the other there's Game Changer Wrestling, which has become popular especially with some in the LGBTQ+ community for its inclusiveness. Additionally, despite its violence, deathmatch wrestling also has some famous fans. The Muslim gonzo punk novelist Michael Muhammad Knight, for example, is on record as being a fan of legendary deathmatch wrestler Necro Butcher. And then there's the RackaRacka Brothers aka Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, known for directing last year's A24-distributed sleeper horror hit Talk to Me, who are not only making a documentary on deathmatch wrestling, but have actually participated in deathmatches. And they aren't the only celebrities who have been involved in deathmatch wrestling. Actor David Arquette, known for the Scream movies (as well as his infamous stint in mainstream wrestling as the short-lived World Heavyweight champion of WCW), did a deathmatch with one of the genre's biggest names: Nick Gage. Additionally, rock stars like Glenn Danzig, Korn's Jonathan Davis, Slayer's Kerry King, and former Danzig bassist Josh Lazie as well as rap duo the Insane Clown Posse made appearances or were involved with XPW in the late 90s/early 2000s. The deathmatch performance art shows of New York's Casanova Valentine have gained the attention of punk rock and urban hipster youths at bars. And VICE has tackled the topic in multiple documentaries, most notably in in season 3 of the popular TV show Dark Side of the Ring's "The Ultra-Violence of Nick Gage" episode. Violent as it may be, deathmatch wrestling is, against seemingly all odds, arguably breaking through to the mainstream. The widely listened to Joe Rogan Experience podcast devoting an entire segment to the subject with the aforementioned Phillippou Bros. should attest to that fact. What is the appeal of deathmatch wrestling though? Is there more to it than the elements of ultra-violence? And what is it like being a deathmatch wrestler? Mike Krueger will help answers those questions and more. We'll discuss a number of topics including: - The punk rock nature of deathmatch wrestling -  The connection between deathmatch wrestlers and the smaller, more intimate audiences they perform for - The Mount Rushmore of death match wrestling - The trendiness of deathmatch wrestling in the past few years - What drives deathmatch wrestlers? - The dangerous nature of deathmatch wrestling and the fact that the damage the wrestlers' bodies take in deathmatches can't be fact even if the results are predetermined - Trauma, psychological issues, and deathmatch wrestlers - The psychology of deathmatch wrestling - Old school deathmatch wrestling from Japan: Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling (FMW) and their infamous barbed wire exploding death match between Terry Funk and Atsushi Onita - Storytelling in deathmatch wrestling - The wear and tear Mike's body has endured from deathmatch wrestling - The cut-throat nature of the independent wrestling scene; backstabbing in the scene; promoters that don't pay the talent - The story of Mike getting hit multiple times with a weed whacker in a match - The role of muscle memory in pro wrestling - How do deathmatch wrestlers protect themselves when being hit by glass or lighttubes? - Has deathmatch wrestling gotten too violent since the time it began? How has the deathmatch wrestling scene changed since Mike got involved in it? - Mike Krueger's background in amateur wrestling and answering the question of how many deathmatch wrestlers are properly trained - Why Mike quit pro wrestling and why he more recently made a comeback - Deathmatch wrestling and how its violence combined with the type of wrestlers it attracts makes people question the "is this fake?" question more so than other forms of wrestling? How wrestlers like the late New Jack made people believe that they may be watching a "shoot" (a real fight) - The craziest thing Mike has ever seen in a deathmatch - The falls from high heights that deathmatch wrestlers take onto tables, concrete, etc. - The So Cal deathmatch wrestling scenes and the late deathmatch wrestler Supreme - What is "heat" in pro wrestling and how to get it in a match; how Mike has to get heat in a match without talking - What's it like working matches with barbed wire; Mike talks about preparing for his first ever no-ropes barbed wire match (the ropes are barbed wire); taking hits from glass vs. barbed wire; the worst part of barbed wire matches - The adrenaline rush the wrestlers get during a match and how the pain often sets in after the match is over rather than during - How time flows differently for a wrestler during a match - Feeding off the energy fans and the audiences during a match - And much, much more!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Jon Hoffman, policy analyst in defense and foreign policy at the Cato Institute, joins the show to discuss his Foreign Policy article "For America, Israel Is a Liability, Not an Asset". Hot off his appearance on MSNBC discussing said article, Hoffman joined me to go further into the main points that he raises throughout the piece. Specfically, Hoffman argues that is time for the U.S. to reconsider its special relationship with Israel. He argues that it has become detrimental to both the U.S. and Israel. This is not, to say, however that Hoffman thinks we should have no relationship with Israel. Instead he argues, as other such as Matthe Yglesias have also done, that it is time for a normalization of the U.S.-Israel relationship. The current nature of the special relationship, he argues, does not serve American interests and does harm to U.S. foreign policy and stability in the Middle East. We delve into such issues as the Gaza War, Israel's lack of an endgame strategy beyond "eliminating Hamas" in regards to Gaza, fury against the U.S. and Israel by the Arab streets in the region, how unconditional support for countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia can undermine belief in the U.S.-led "international rules-based order", the nature of the U.S.-Saudi relationship and oil, the argument that Israel is the U.S.'s necessary "eyes and ears" in the Middle East, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and pro-Israel lobbying efforts, how the special relationship may be empowering right-wing figures like Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu TO THE DETERIMENT of Israel itself (this is likely a key point for people who would dismiss Hoffman's piece as an anti-Israel screed; it isn't regardless of what one's views of Israel and the Gaza War are), what normalization of relations between the U.S. and Israel would look like, and much, much more.

On this edition of Parallax Views, Kristin Lunz Trujillo, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of South Carolina, joins the show to discuss her Newsweek op-ed "'White Rural Rage' Cites My Research. It Gets Everything About Rural America Wrong". Like previous guest Prof. Nicholas F. Jacobs, Trujillo has a critique of Paul Waldman and Tom Schaller's new book White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy. Given that the book has been covered in various media outlets as of late, Trujillo's critique seems relevant, especially as many Democrats and Democratic Party strategists may take the book to heart despite the problems with the way it cites research. Trujillo and I get into the problems with both the blanket demonization of rural America as well as the romanticization of it. We'll also delve into the problems with the books depiction of rural American politics, a subject that Trujillo specializes in researching. We'll look at the rural America in relation to Christian nationalism and QAnon conspriacy theories as well as delving into how media creates a certain image of rural America that flattens our understanding of rural Americans and their voting habits. All that and more on this edition of the show! In the second, short-but-sweet bonus segment of the show The Libertarian Institute's Patrick MacFarlane joins the program to discuss the right-wing culture warriors pushing stories about Haitian cannibal gangs in light of the crisis in Haiti and how these stories may not be true and actually serve as war propaganda. In particular we hone in on the claims around Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier as detailed in his article "Culture Warriors Spread Disinfo on 'Haitian Cannibals'".

On this edition of Parallax Views, last week a number of prominent Jewish Americans came together to sign an open letter voicing opposition to AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and its influence on both major American political parties. A statement in the leader reads, "Given that Israel is so isolated internationally that it could not continue its inhumane treatment of the Palestinians without U.S. political and military support, AIPAC is an essential link in the chain that holds in place the unbearable tragedy of Israel/Palestine. In coming U.S. elections, we need to break that chain in order to help free the people of Israel/Palestine to pursue peaceful coexistence." This open letter comes at a crucial time given Israel's war in Gaza and mounting concerns over the humanitarian crisis faced by Palestinians at this very moment. Prominent signees include actors Elliot Gould and Wallace Shawn, journalist Martin A. Lee, playwright Tony Kushner, and previous Parallax Views guests such as Ariel Gold, Dave Zirin, Mitchell Plitnick, and Samuel Moyn. Given AIPAC activities against progessive candidates in the Democratic Party, this letter should catch the eye of progressive voters and activists. Alan Minsky, executive director of Progressive Democrats of America and one of the main forces behind the letter, joins the show to discuss the letter, AIPAC, and related issues. Full text of the open letter below: A Statement from Jewish Americans Opposing AIPAC’s Intervention in Democratic Party Politics We are Jewish Americans who have varying perspectives. We’ve agreed to come together to highlight and oppose the unprecedented and damaging role of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and allied groups in U.S. elections, especially within Democratic Party primaries. We recognize the purpose of AIPAC's interventions in electoral politics is to defeat any critics of Israeli Government policy and to support candidates who vow unwavering loyalty to Israel, thereby ensuring the United States' continuing support for all that Israel does, regardless of its violence and illegality. Given that Israel is so isolated internationally that it could not continue its inhumane treatment of the Palestinians without U.S. political and military support, AIPAC is an essential link in the chain that holds in place the unbearable tragedy of Israel/Palestine. In the coming U.S. elections, we need to break that chain in order to help free the people of Israel/Palestine to pursue peaceful coexistence. In the same 2021-22 election cycle in which AIPAC endorsed Republican extremists and dozens of Congress members who’d voted against certifying Biden’s victory over Trump, the AIPAC network raised millions from Trump donors and spent the money inside Democratic primaries against progressives, mostly candidates of color. AIPAC is now vowing to spend even more millions in the 2024 Democratic primaries, targeting specific Democrats in Congress – initially all legislators of color – who’ve advocated for a Gaza ceasefire, a position supported by the vast majority of Democratic voters. AIPAC’s election spending increasingly works to defeat candidates who criticize the racist policies of Israel. In contrast to AIPAC, we are American Jews who believe that U.S. support for foreign governments should only be extended to those that respect the full human and civil rights, and right to self-determination, of all people. We oppose all forms of racism and bigotry, including antisemitism – and we support the historic alliance in our country of Jewish Americans with African Americans and other people of color in the cause of civil rights and equal justice. Therefore, we strongly oppose AIPAC's attempts to dominate Democratic primary elections. We call on Democratic candidates to not accept AIPAC network funding, and demand that the Democratic leadership not allow Republican funders to use that network to deform Democratic primary elections. We will support candidates who are opposed by AIPAC, and who are advocates for peace and a new, just U.S. policy toward Israel/Palestine.

On this edition of Parallax Views, freelance writer Corey Atad, who has written in such publications as Esquire, Slate, Hazlitt, and The Baffler, joins the show to discuss his piece in Welcome to Hellworld on Jonathan Glazer's Oscar speech and the reaction to said speech. Glazer decided to bring up the Gaza War when accepting the award for his Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest. He was accused of saying he was "refuting his Jewishness and the memory of the Holocaust" even though the clip was taken out of context. What he said was actually a commentary on the hijacking of Jewish identity and Holocaust memory for political purposes (which is what he sought to refute), a warning/call to resistance against dehumanization. As Glazer explained, he felt that Zone of Interest was not just a film about the past, but also the present. In other words: we need to be aware of where dehumanization has led in the past and where it could lead in the present. Glazer also made reference to Israel's Occupation of Palestinian territories during this speech. This has all sparked backlash and the aforementioned distortion of Glazer's words. A letter signed by at least a thousand people in Hollywood (some, like Jennifer Jason Leigh, recognizable, but many not) denouncing Glazer. Other, such as playwright Tony Kushner and the Auschwitz Memorial director Piotr Cywiński, have come to Glazer's defense. Corey joins the show to give his take on the speech as well as to offer his commentary on The Zone of Interest and relaying the tale of actress Vanessa Redgrave's 1978 Oscar speech which cause a similar controversy when she called out the extremist Jewish Defense League (referring to them as "Zionist hoodlums). We'll also delve into The Zone of Interest from the perspective of Hannah Arendt's "banality of evil" concept, Corey's criticism of The Zone of Interest, and the themes of alienation at the heart of The Zone of Interest's story centered on Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss, his wife Hedwig, and their family against the backdrop of the Third Reich's exterminatory horrors. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views.

On this edition of Parallax Views, Middle East scholar Prof. James Dorsey, the man behind The Turbulent World w/ James M. Dorsey blog and Substakc, returns for a Gaza War update. We discuss the clans in Gaza that may or may not end up collaborating with Israel against Hamas and their own unsavory nature, the bombing of Gaza and its infrastructure like hospitals, Israel's information war, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden's vision for the Middle East and the political obstacles he faces, the 1948 war and what came after it, the two-state vs. one-state solution, and much, much more.   NOTE: There's some audio crackle that couldn't be fixed in post on this episode. I hope you will find it listenable anyways.

Prof. Nicholas F. Jacobs critiques 'White Rural Rage' for misusing data and promoting harmful stereotypes about rural voters. He challenges the book's claims about voter attitudes, conspiracy theories, and right-wing talking points. The discussion delves into the misinterpretation of data, misconceptions about rural America, and the importance of bridging divides for effective political solutions.

On this edition of Parallax Views, Amb. Patrick Theros of the Gulf International Forum returns to discuss his The National Herald op-ed "Europe Must Take Charge of Europe". Amb. Theros argues that a combination of U.S. public attitudes on foreign policy (particularly amongst, but not limited to Republicans; namely, what Theros sees as the return of isolationist attitudes of the 1930s) and the U.S. foreign policy spreading itself too thin means that Europe must take charge of its own future going forward rather than relying on U.S. assistance. This gets into a discussion of NATO, the specter of another Trump Presidency in the U.S., France's President Emmanuel Macron and his vision for Europe, the Ukraine-Russia war, and much, much more. We'll also talk a bit about the war in Gaza, President Biden, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the latter half of the program. And we'll discuss isolationism vs. pro-restraint views in foreign policy, the issue of the U.S. not using diplomacy as a tool in its arsenal nearly enough, the disaster of Libya, and more. NOTE: Messed up on the Producer's Credits on this one and put an older version of it in. This has been rectified with the correct Producer's Credits.

On this edition of Parallax Views, Jim DiEugenio, writer of Oliver Stone's JFK Revisited and co-author of The JFK Assassination Chokeholds: That Prove There Was a Conspiracy, returns to discuss the death of film criticism as well as the rise of Marvel/DC superhero movies and what he judges to be their negative impact on the movie landscape. Although he's known to most as a JFK assassination researcher, Jim has also for many years been a film critic and has an insight into the golden era of film critics that included such names as Pauline Kael, Andrew Sarris, Dwight MacDonald, and John Simon among others. In the course of our conversation we talk about such classic films as Lawrence of Arabia, Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch, Michael Antonioni's Blow-Up, and Bonnie and Clyde among many others. We'll discuss the Golden Era of New Hollywood from the mid-60s to the mid-70s and why Jim mourns the loss of this era of film and film criticism. Additionally, Jim will give his take on the latest Oscar-nominated movies like Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, the Emma Stone vehicle Poor Things, and Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. And he'll explain why he thinks the film critics Ebert and Siskel, with their show At the Movies, hurt film criticism. All that and much more!

On this edition of Parallax Views, ReThinking Foreign Policy's Mitchell Plitnick and Sahar Aziz of the Center for Security, Race, and Rights join the show to discuss their recent report Presumptively Antisemitic: Islamophobic Tropes in the Palestine-Israel Discourse. Sahar Aziz is the author of the book The Racial Muslim: When Racism Quashes Religious Freedom and has done extensive work on the issue of Islamophobia. Together with Mitchell Plitnick, known for his work on U.S. foreign policy related to Israel/Palestine, they are taking on the connection between Islamophobia and the silencing of Arab voices on the issue of the Israel-Palestine conflict. This has an impact on the Israel-Palestine discourse. We'll also delve into the forces at play in promoting Islamophobia and, more specifically, what is often referred to as the Islamophobia network in the U.S. In relation to all of this we will discuss the terrorist trope, Orientalism, President Joe Biden's approach to the Gaza War, and more.