Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy

Julian Walker is a yoga instructor, writer, and co-host of the podcast Conspirituality. He and Bridget discuss the growing overlap between new age spirituality and conspiracy theory culture in the last few years, how QAnon-influenced ideas started to take hold in the yoga space, the growing trend of anti-intellectualism and shying away from science, the difference between freshman skepticism and healthy skepticism, and why he’s committed to the principle that politics should be boring. Julian talks about growing up in South Africa amid the dismantling of apartheid and the perspective it gave him about reality bubbles, authoritarianism, propaganda, and what a charismatic candidate that arouses a passionate response in their followers means in a society. They talk empathy, morality, purity, cults, gurus, political stability, and why we should give people the benefit of the doubt in conversation rather than going from zero to calling them a Nazi in two seconds. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Angel Eduardo is a writer, musician, photographer and artist. He and Bridget discuss the discipline of being a professional artist, the moral panic around art these days, self-censorship and the fear of being cancelled, victimhood culture, exercise & discipline, Bridget's ideal super power, why mistakes are like wrapping paper, what to do when you're lost, and the ground we're losing in the equality movement. Angel explains his concept of "star-manning" a way of engaging in discourse with each other that acknowledges a person's point of view and their intentions in a conversation as a means of finding common ground, making them feel heard, and making them more likely to listen to you in return. He believes that most people mean well, and we often lose sight of that fact and depersonalize them in a disagreement, particularly over social media. Learn more about Angel on his website, angeleduardo.com. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Stand-up comic, Erica Rhodes, stops in to trade stories with Bridget about their various adventures that always seemed to start with “there was a boy…”. They discuss the winding roads that brought them to comedy, why spoken word poetry is a lot harder than you might think, acting as a gateway drug, the joys of creativity, the embarrassment of journals full of men, and their struggles with love and commitment. They also cover therapists who flirt with you, the nightmare of online dating, Bridget’s “one headshot per couple” rule, Erica’s tactic of playing dumb which allows her to see who people really are, losing people close to you, searching for validation, and why what you think you want in a relationship is very different from what you actually need in a relationship. Don’t miss Erica’s new comedy special La Vie En Rhodes. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Heather Heying is a scientist, educator and author. She and Bridget discuss the possibility of a vaccine passport and why they’re so unsettled by the idea. They reflect that nothing good comes from being told that in order to do something you have to show your papers, that once you give up a certain amount of liberty or power, it’s much more difficult to get it back, how being against the idea of a vaccine passport does not make you an anti-vaxxer, and the dangers of being called a conspiracy theorist when you dare to ask questions. They also cover the death of credibility, why you should spend time in nature moving fast, how it’s easy to radicalize people when they’re lost, why Joe Rogan is so awesome, and why we should all remember that on some level, we’re all self-righteous hypocrites. Be sure to check out Heather’s podcast with her husband Bret Weinstein, DarkHorse Podcast. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Nick Gillespie is the host of The Reason Interview podcast and editor-at-large at Reason Magazine. He and Bridget discuss the need to create meaning in our lives and why this has driven a lot of American culture insane, how he became a libertarian, Burning Man, his time working for a teen magazine, and why we need a government that does fewer things, but does them well. He shares how attending high school graduations and zoning board meetings radicalized him, the difference between liberals and progressives, how we can build a robust culture by having more arguments, and how he learned almost anything is possible. He and Bridget cover their hope for the future, why Walter Kronkite sucked, the consequences of growing up comfortable, and the truth behind our political parties’ ideologies. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Nancy Rommelman, journalist & author, sits down with Bridget for an in-depth conversation about her feature for Reason Magazine The Dream of The 90’s Dies in Portland, covering the Portland protests. They discuss what the endgame is for people whose skill set only involves destruction, how people are starting to behave in real life the way they do online, how people can become addicted to their “quest for justice,” the reality of what happens when you’ve been cancelled, and why your attitude after experiencing adversity is everything. They also cover the danger of a subscriber model when saying outrageous things and playing the victim gets you attention and an audience, the disconcerting current attitude of trying to pull everybody down rather than lifting them up, how when you weaponize terms you shut down the ability to have conversations, and their hope that the woke will go to sleep eventually. Subscribe to Nancy’s substack Make More Pie. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Cherie DeVille is an adult film star who offers Bridget an inside look at today’s porn industry. They cover how Cherie got into porn, how her parents reacted, why she loves it, the secret to her decade-long career, the perception versus the reality of the industry, the social stigma that comes with it, how it’s changed in the last 10 years, and how women have more power and control in the industry than ever before. They also discuss having an emotionally monogamous relationship, shame, boundaries, the struggle of kids today, how damaging porn addiction can be, the fact that conservatives and pornstars are on the same side when it comes to the arbitrary control and restrictions that financial institutions have over one’s ability to sell a product, and why we should all be terrified of what this means for the future. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Jeff Charles is a political commentator, podcast host, and freelance writer. He and Bridget discuss a variety of issues including why Republicans seem more interested in making it more difficult to vote than winning over hearts & minds, how even though most conservatives aren’t racist, they fall into a trap that lets the left paint them as racist, why the far left doesn’t really care about black people, and why you’re not that likely to be killed by a black person. They cover hot topics like Dr. Seuss and Gina Carano, along with more nuanced topics like why most black people don’t want to defund the police – they want the police to be held accountable, why Jeff believes conservatives will come around to the idea of black outreach, why Republicans should be advocating for reparations when Democrats will never do it, and wonder how many black farmers there actually are in America. Check out Jeff’s YouTube channel Breaking Conservatarian. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a research fellow, former member of the Dutch parliament, and author of the new book Prey: Immigration, Islam and the Erosion of Women’s Rights. She shares her story with Bridget and discusses fleeing an arranged marriage, seeking asylum in the Netherlands, the methods women in oppressive countries have developed to cope with or avoid being harassed, and the failure that occurs in our society when women don’t feel safe. She and Bridget have a fascinating conversation ranging from the homelessness problem in the US, to the effect the failure to assimilate the refugees in European countries is having on public safety – especially for women, and the fact that any conversation about these topics is considered taboo and likely to get you slapped with the label of classist, racist, or Islamophobic. They cover why critical race theory is a toxic ideology, how individuals are no longer being held responsible for their own actions, “white flight,” how men don’t have the same experience of feeling like prey, where feminists have gone wrong, and why America has done more things right than wrong. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show

Bridget and Jeren sit down to discuss their recent trip to South Africa. They discuss traveling during Covid, the importance of leaving the United States on a regular basis, what you learn when you travel internationally, their families’ attitudes towards traveling growing up, and their adventures in the wildlife parks they visited. They also get into the differences for traveling between men and women, an emotional helicopter ride, saving the rhinos, and trying to devise ways to protect themselves in the event of a lion attack. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.phetasy.com/subscribeSupport the show