The Bitchuation Room

Millions of Americans believe in the QAnon conspiracy. Some of them have committed extreme acts of violence, and most of them don't know how streaming services work which let's be real would probably fill a lot of their idle time. Journalist Will Sommer joins Francesca to talk about his new book Trust The Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America. Also, another mass shooting in a school and this time, the right is blaming trans people...

Trump is FINALLY indicted, bringing all the New York MAGA nutters to the yard. Former Rep. Katie Hill (CA-25) joins Francesca to weigh in on this historic day, and the first of likely many criminal charges levied on the Hamburglar of democracy. THEN, Miles Kampf-Lassin on the Chicago mayoral race and the historic campaign (AND VICTORY!) of Brandon Johnson. Paul Vallas will undoubtedly move on to privatize the education system in Argentina next...

From Tennessee to superyachts carrying supreme court justices, this episode asks: why are the rich and powerful also so fragile? Mike Figueredo of The Humanist Report joins Francesca to bitch about the "SF crime" narrative in the wake of the murder of Cash App founder Bob Lee, the 20-year sugar daddy relationship between Harlan Crow and Justice Clarence Thomas, and the fight for democracy and gun rights in Tennessee as state lawmakers try and expel two young democrats have not gone quietly...

Will we ever ditch the war on drugs? Author Maia Szalavitz joins to talk harm reduction, the fentanyl crisis, responsible regulation, and why Francesca's husband can't get his ADHD meds. Plus comedian Jenny Zirgrino on the Pentagon leaks and the right's latest hero, and why the right isn't going to let Dianne Feinstein be temporarily replaced on the Senate Judiciary Committee unless she resigns. And it's tax day! And you probably paid more than most billionaires...

Fox News fires Tucker on a dime and the fallout will be juicy. Turns out Carlson was as vile off air as he was on air as a former staffer's lawsuit alleges. She also has tapes! Wosny Lambre of The Ringer joins to discuss that and Biden/Harris 2024. Joe's not throwing in the towel yet. He wants four more years to finish a job that no one has that much clarity on, including him. Then, the Teamsters are looking to strike in the summer for a better UPS contract that doesn't undercut workers...

A jury finds Trump a rap... "sexual abuser". Sure, we'll take it I guess. Comedian Jenny Yang joins to talk about E Jean Carroll's defamation and rape lawsuit against the former president coming to a close, and why she as a writer is on strike with the WGA. Also in the room is Rotimi Adeoye, communications director of the ACLU to talk about Justice Clarence Thomas' no good very bad week of bald-faced corruption scandals and how the GOP is trying to disenfranchise young voters...

Is the antiwar left missing the forest for the trees when it comes to Russia's war on Ukraine? Bill Fletcher, organizer and writer, argues that the left has a responsibility to stand with an oppressed country fighting for its sovereignty...

The Dad is back! A babysitter has granted Matt back into The Bitchuation Room to talk Ron DeSantis announcing his presidential bid on Twitter, Marjorie Taylor Greene pulling a full Karen on Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and the horror stories of abortion denial in states across the country. Then a "fun" segment about whether we're buying the excuses that famous folks have for hanging with Jeffrey Epstein: Bill Gates, Chomsky, and Musk. It's all pretty bad but Matt helps it feel less heinous...

A killer whale leads attacks on yachts, while the head of Oathkeepers gets 18 years for leading an attack on the Capitol. Jack O'Brien of The Daily Zeitgeist joins Francesca to discuss Minnesota's Governor circumventing the will of the people so that Uber and Lyft can keep underpaying drivers, and what's happened three years since George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis. Plus, Francesca defends Shiv Roy and then we imagine which animals will attack the one percent next...

Let's talk presidential candidates not named Joe Biden or Donald Trump, shall we? Mike Pence is play-acting tough guy on a motorcycle for the Road & Roast in Iowa ahead of his imminent announcement that he wants America to be his new "Mother". Then Dr. Cornel West throws his hat in the ring for president by pairing with a very fringe political party better known for calling other leftists out online than actual organizing...