Shows / Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps
The world has never been more connected. Yet never more divided. We yell at each other from inside our echo chambers. But change doesn’t happen inside an echo chamber. It’s time to get out, to stretch our legs, to step on some land mines. It's time to have an uncomfortable conversation with Josh Szeps.
A DM Podcast
Episodes
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsAnthony Bourdain’s “Lieutenant”, Laurie Woolever
Anthony Bourdain was Josh's hero. Laurie Woolever was, as Bourdain called her, his "lieutenant". A writer and culinary graduate, Laurie had worked for another…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREVIEW: "What Is the 'Patriarchy'?" with Prof. Cordelia Fine
Do males and females differ in what we want out of life? In what jobs we want to do? In how much we want to look after babies, or run a tech start-up, or sweep…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJUST JOSH: The Woke Catastrophe of “Snow White”
If you want to see what's wrong with not being offensive, watch Snow White. The new Disney re-make is so committed to not offending anyone that it’s a…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsBOB CARR on Diplomacy, Statesmanship and Grief
Even if you're not Australian, you want to listen to this conversation with one of the nation's most iconic statesmen. Bob Carr is a former foreign minister of…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREVIEW: “Does Ukraine Still Matter?" with correspondent Misha Zelinsky
What are Trump and Putin cooking up for Ukraine? Can the Europeans sideline it? What options does Ukraine still have on the table? And does any of this really…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsAustralia’s Shadow Treasurer, Angus Taylor
Angus Taylor is the Shadow Treasurer of Australia and a key figure of the Opposition, the centre-right Liberal Party. A former cabinet minister, businessman…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREVIEW: "Two Jews Debate Israel" with Antony Loewenstein
How should moderate, secular Jews feel about Israel? How brutalising must Israel’s Gaza policy be before more Jews denounce it? Is Israel a…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJOHN McWHORTER: Language, Race & Trump
John McWhorter is arguably the world’s most famous linguist. A professor at Columbia University and a columnist for the New York Times, he alternately…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"Why Greenland Matters" with Sherri Goodman
When Trump floated the idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, some called it a random brain fart. But there is a real conversation among security experts about…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsBONUS: Josh on Israel-Palestine Coverage
Last week, Arab leaders gathered in Egypt for a Palestine Summit. The 22-nation Arab League emerged with a re-energised Arab Peace Initiative to solve the…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"Trump, Gaza & Liberalism" with Senator Dave Sharma
Australians go to the polls in a few months. It looks surprisingly grim for the first-term, centre-left Labor government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. As…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"The Next Canadian PM” with Jen Gerson
Justin Trudeau's political career will end this weekend when his replacement is elected as the Canadian Liberal leader. This happens at a moment of…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"Hate Speech or Free Speech?" with Prof. Alan Davison
Perhaps the most dangerous idea is what to do about dangerous ideas. A spate of anti-semitic attacks has led to new laws that will punish Australians for "hate…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps“Chinese War Games” with Sam Roggeveen
How should medium-sized countries respond when they're bullied by a superpower? The question applies as much to Canada dealing with President Trump as to…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREVIEW: "Rogue Fentanyl Chemists" with Ben Westhoff
Imagine posing as a drug dealer and going undercover into a Chinese drug lab. That's what Ben Westhoff did to report on how fentanyl -- which kills about…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"The Great Aussie Rort" with Punter's Politics
Varied are the ways in which political parties, media moguls and corporations screw you. One man who stands up to them all -- or who at least makes funny…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREMIUM: "The Fallacy of Productivity" with Oliver Burkeman
Productivity tips. Life hacks. Calendar apps. Magic mornings. Brain supplements. None of it will free you from the sense that there's more to do than you…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREVIEW: Oct. 7th Survivor Natalie Sanandaji
Natalie is a Jewish Iranian-American who grew up in New York. She was partying at the Nova Music Festival in Israel when Hamas attacked. Today, she uses her…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps“Gay Sex on Stage” with Tony nominee Samuel Barnett & Marcelo Dos Santos
What's it like being a promiscuous young gay guy in the 2020s? How much freedom is there in random sex from hookup apps, versus how much shame? Do social…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJosh on Trump on Gaza
President Trump says the United States should take over the Gaza Strip and relocate its two million residents to neighbouring countries while we redevelop Gaza…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"American Oddities" with David Farrier
Why do Americans use shower curtains instead of glass shower stalls? How do you explain the success of The Olive Garden? And is Los Angeles really as foul as…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJosh on Trump on Gender
How well is the legacy media covering President Trump's flurry of executive actions? Among the first deluge of White House orders is a decree defining "sex"…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"How the Church can Defeat Trumpism" with Jonathan Rauch
White, conservative, evangelical American Christians helped to bring Donald Trump to power. Their political activism is turbo-charged by populist right-wing…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREMIUM: Triumph of the Karens with Meghan Daum
Do women police each other's behaviour more than men do? Are they likelier to be busybodies, calling each other out online? Pouncing, denouncing, hounding…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsInauguration Episode Two: Josh & the Anti-Trumper, David Frum
Well, it's Trump's Inauguration. Again. On our previous episode, "Inauguration Episode One", Josh interviewed a pro-Trumper. Today, expand your thinking about…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsInauguration Episode One: Josh & the Pro-Trumper
On Monday, Donald J Trump will be sworn in as president. Again. To help us understand the best-case scenarios and worst-case scenarios for his second term…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREMIUM: "Multiculturalism & Identity" with Stan Grant
How can we flourish in 2025 in a world gripped by tribalism on the right and left? Friend-of-the-show Stan Grant returns to reflect on community, cancellation…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJUST JOSH: L.A. On Fire
As Los Angeles burns, our thoughts are with everyone in L.A. In this special episode, Josh reflects on natural disasters, leadership, and the anniversary of…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREMIUM: "A.I. for Humans" with Prof. Joel Pearson
Artificial systems are about to revolutionise your workplace, your school, your home, your phone… and, most of all, your head. How should we prepare for…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsAn Interview With Josh
For the first show of the year, an unexpected treat. A few months ago, Josh had an amazing conversation as a guest on a colleague's podcast. We bring this to…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"Beyond 2025" with Futurist Dr Ben Hamer
Happy new year, human. Remember the Year 2000, the turn of the millennium? Well, you're about to enter the century's second quarter. This Wednesday, we'll be…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"Best & Worst Films of 2024" with Alexei Toliopoulos
It's one of the biggest weeks of the year at the box office. What's your most overrated and underrated movie of the year? Today, comedian and film buff Alexei…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJosh's Christmas Feast with Gary Kennedy
One of the greatest characters Josh regularly interviews is Gary Kennedy, the iconoclastic food scientist who oversees international food safety protocols and…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps“The Elite 'Social Justice’ Scam” with Musa al-Gharbi
The full conversation is almost two hours long and sbolitely fascinating. Enjoy this free preview or, to hear the whole shebang, subscribe at…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps“The Case for Assassinating CEOs” with Ethicist Tim Dean
After the slaying of one of America’s highest-flying health-insurance CEOs, the tenor of many reactions from the Online Left was: “Murder is never…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsANDREW DOYLE on Satirising the Left
How did the best satirists notice the comedic potential of “wokeness” in its earliest moments? And where does the evolution of the Left leave…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps“Liberalism in 2025”: STAN GRANT
As Syria transforms, as Trump returns, as Putin prepares for victory, as China lies in wait, and as we all look towards a new year, Josh sits down with one of…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREMIUM: Noam Chomsky's Co-Writer Nathan Robinson on America in the World
What should the role of America be? In their new book, "The Myth of American idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World", Noam Chomsky and Nathan…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsHow QANTAS Corrupted Everything with Joe Aston
What happens to politicians when they're openly bribed -- *ahem*, sorry, "assisted" -- by a hugely powerful corporation? The saga of how Qantas peddles…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREMIUM: "A Radical Vision for Palestine" with Palestinian Professor Omar Dajani
As Israel and Hezbollah cautiously observe a ceasefire, the prospect of a Palestinian state feels as remote as ever. But there are people working tirelessly to…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsDAVID WALLIAMS & JOSH: Little Britain, Gender & Satire
David Walliams is one of the most successful comedians in the world. On "Little Britain", his smash hit BBC sketch comedy show, he created characters whose…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJUST JOSH: "Me and Mr Jones"
This is the most uncomfortable conversation Josh has ever recorded. He used to work for Alan Jones, the most powerful broadcaster in Australia. Now, he's been…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsNIALL FERGUSON: How Civilisations Flourish (or Fail)
Why do some civilisations enlighten while others languish? Why do some conquer, and others collapse? Was the British Empire a bloody stain... or, on balance, a…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsURGENT "AUSTRALIA: Banning Misinformation... or Suppressing Speech?" with Professor Daniel Angus
It's crunch time for the Australian government's Orwellian-sounding "Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation" legislation. The bill was passed last…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsSTEPHEN FRY Visits Josh
Few Britons are as iconic as Stephen Fry. On TV, he's an Emmy-winning comedy legend immortalised in shows like A Bit of Fry & Laurie, Jeeves & Wooster, and…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJOSH'S TAKE On Trump's Win
Well, it's Trump. The morning after the election, Josh live-streamed his post-election analysis and his predictions for a second Trump term from Cambridge…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"ELECTION DAY: SNL, MSG, OMG! An Autopsy of Two Campaigns" with Chas Licciardello
You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code UNCOMFORTABLE20 at…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps2016 ELECTION TIME CAPSULE: Hear Josh's Reaction to Trump's First Election Win, with David Plotz
The full premium version of this episode is available as a free gift to you. This version here is just a teaser, but ALL ELECTION-RELATED CONTENT WILL NOT BE…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"Escape the Echo Chamber" with Stephanie Lepp
You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code UNCOMFORTABLE20 at…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsAmerica in the World: A Live-Streamed Dialog with Michael Moynihan
The full premium version of this episode is available as a free gift to you. This version here is just a teaser, but ALL ELECTION-RELATED CONTENT WILL NOT BE…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsUNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS ELECTION SURVIVAL GUIDE: "How Trump Will Dispute the Result" with Journalist Matt Bevan
Arm yourself with facts now, to stay sane on election night. This episode is your toolkit against the schemes to sow confusion, foment chaos and challenge the…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsIMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Do Not Miss This Message!
Get ready, humans. Josh is about to start pumping out extra shows all week long to keep you informed, inspired and resilient during the U.S. election. But to…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJOHN SAFRAN: Kanye, Jews & Satire
John Safran is a legendary provocateur and comedy documentarian. He is iconic Down Under for his outrageous explorations of taboo subjects (think: Sacha Baron…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsCOLEMAN HUGHES: Live At The Festival of Dangerous Ideas
Are we too focused on race? Have recent anti-racist movements like Black Lives Matter abandoned the ‘colourblind’ spirit of the original civil rights movement?…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsJUST JOSH SPECIAL: Sinwar's Dead. Now Bibi, End the War!
Ding, dong, the psychopathic tyrant of Gaza is dead. Who was Yahya Sinwar? What does his death mean? Should Netanyahu declare victory and end the war? And why…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsPREMIUM: “American Political Violence” with BBC Foreign Correspondent Nick Bryant
Is political violence “unAmerican”? Or is it as American as Thomas Jefferson, who wrote that "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"Australia's Covid Response" with Economist Steven Hamilton
Australia's response to the pandemic was among the most aggressive -- and controversial -- in the world. What went right? What went wrong? At last, we have a…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps"What's Israel Doing?" with WSJ Reporter Marcus Walker
One year on from the Hamas attack, Josh is sick of biased bickering about why Israel is in the right or in the wrong. Here, he brings you an informed…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsDamien Cave: New York Times, America and Australia
Damien Cave is the Vietnam bureau chief and global affairs correspondent for The New York Times, covering shifts in power across Asia and the wider world. He…
Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh SzepsCANDACE OWENS VS JOSH
Candace Owens is one of the most popular commentators in the world. Initially critical of President Trump, she was a famous critic of Black Lives Matter and…