Bodega Superstar

Online writer, martial artist and fisticuffs enthusiast extraordinaire Raphael Garcia joins me to talk about the general state of writing online, his misadventures to reach his present place and how to be frank and direct with the haters. Some of them earn the lumps coming their way. You can follow him on the Twitters, or check out his work at Fansided, Daily DDT and listen to his musings over at MMARatings. He's good people, so show some support. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Today I'm joined by Hussein Kesvani, editor, author, podcaster, and sandwich sommelier. You may know him for his exploits over at Trashfuture, where he comments on (among other things) life in Britain, political dunderheads and the information hellscape we haven't fully realized we're in. We cover a LOT of ground while trying to make sense of everything, and we don't quite get there. It sure as hell was fun, though. Be sure to listen to him over at Trashfuture, as well as his other podcast, 10 Thousand Posts. His other musings can be found over on his Twitters. Song used for this episode is Eple, by Röyksopp This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This was a treat. Joined by Trashfuture's Riley Quinn, we delve into odd internet fame, the dispelling of myths surrounding institutional power, and the fact that the world is way too weird and stuck in the most depressing cycle possible. Be sure to follow Riley over on Twitter, and subscribe immediately to Trashfuture and follow them online as well. Great stuff all around. The song for this episode is Freaky by Yvng Tavo, courtesy of Ryan Celsius. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Today I'm joined by Emily Gorcenski, an activist that has been tracking, monitoring, and exposing hate groups and their members. While her work does come at a very personal cost, she continues to do honest and daring work in putting a spotlight on dangerous people for a good cause. You can follow her on Twitter, and support her work at First-Vigil.com, HowHateSleeps.com, as well as her personal site. The song for this episode was Destiny by Aritus. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Isaac Spooner is a performance artist, actor, stuntman, matial artist, and a member of the Marvel Universe Live touring circuit. We keep it light and talk about his origin story, from active kid to hard-working adult. His path is a curious one, leading from one adventure to the next and detailing the quirky, risky, but ultimately rewarding career in the live performance sphere. You can keep up with Isaac on Twitter, as well as making you feel emasculated over on Instagram. Songs for this episode include Burn by Alex Hook and Emma Brammer, and Solid State by Aritus & Fibre. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Oh, uh... I'm back? Yeah. Long break, sure. But I'm making up for it in a major way with Benjamin Dixon, one of the most amazing political commentators and an astute observer of matters related to class and race in our current climate. We cover his work undermining the Mike Bloomberg campaign, the state of the presidential election and the directions this could all go. Most importantly, we look to where we can make more progress and he successfully talks me off a ledge near the end. Oh, and some primo suggestions on where to eat in the ATL. Be sure to check out Benjamin's YouTube and SoundCloud channels, Stitcher and iTunes links, as well as his Facebook page. Keep up with his musings on Twitter, where he's always killing it. And of course, there's his official site at ProgressiveArmy.com. Songs: Lulileela - Dive Tatsuro Yamashita - Love Talkin' This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Cannabis advocate and activist Jamela Zarha sits down to talk all things cannabis, as far as legalization efforts and how social justice comes into play. It's a great convo with some great perspective from Jamela, which led to some very positive and productive items popping up. Jamela is the owner and main queen of green over at HighHowAreYou.com, a cannabis-centered site with news, culture, and random but amusing musings. She's also a great follow over on them Twitters, and you can (and should) follow her at @JamelaZarha as well. Songs for this episode include Hits From the Bong by Cypress Hill and Outta Sight by the inimitable James Brown. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Today I'm joined by Nate Bethea, military badass and Twitter sage that is an integral part of the What a Hell Of A Way To Die and Trashfuture podcasts. We start off talking about his background and military service, what it's like to be a leftist running a military podcast and a burdgeoning community, and life as an expat in the UK working on a hilarious show with a diverse and funky crew. Be sure to check out his podcasts and follow him on the Twitters. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

In this episode, I'm joined by the infamous Chad, also known as PrettyBadLefty on Twitter. I'll admit, I wasn't on my A-game here and got pretty down in the dumps, but Chad was great on sharing his thoughts regarding those of us that are too online and how that's fried our brains. Also, don't test him. He can totally kick your ass. Songs for this episode are Everything's Not You by Stoneproof and Cities In Dust by Siouxsie and the Banshees. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Kemi Fuentes-George joins me again as we talk about the environment and societal impact, as well as a dash of social justice stuff. If you missed him the first time, he's a professor at Middlebury College and author of Between Preservation and Exploitation, [available here]. You can also check out his musings on Twitter. (https://mitpress.mit.edu/contributors/kemi-fuentes-george). Songs for this episode are Give Me The Night by George Benson and Complicate Ya by Otis McDonald. Big thanks for listening after yet another long hiatus, and big thanks to Kemi for stepping in again and enlightening us with straight facts. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

So, we went straight into politics this time. Jordan Uhl joins me to talk about a lot of current political topics, the weird climate, and maaaaaaaaybe a possible way out. No, I'm not holding my breath. Neither should you. Still, this was great fun. Be sure to check out more of Jordan's musings over on Twitter, and remember to vote this year. Yes, there were some audio problems. It's whatever. Enjoy the convo. Music provided by the inimitable Ryan Celsius over on YouTube and Soundcloud. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Musician, actor, writer, fearless provocateur and guy that can kick your ass any day of the week Eugene S Robinson joins me to talk about his life, and get a little more into what makes him tick. A born and bred Brooklynite, Eugene's seen a ton of wild stuff. He's written a few gems, such as A Long, Slow Screw, The Inimitable Sounds of Love: A Threesome In Four Acts, and Fight: Everything You Wanted To Know About Ass Kicking But Were Afraid You'd Get Your Ass Kicked For Asking. You can also find him on Twitter (@eugeneSrobinson) and his riotous sex advice colums (and other generally amazing stuff) over at Ozy.com. None of it is normal, but a lot of it is chuckle-worthy. Be sure to follow him on Twitter at @imjustdeo and check out his photography on Instagram. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Kanye West lost his damn mind, but more than examining his politics, we try to observe his behavior and how people fall into that weird trap of believing things that make no sense. Also, fun times with my mainest dude D.E.O. as we share more ruminations of what it's like to grow up the child of immigrants in the U.S. None of it is normal, but a lot of it is chuckle-worthy. Be sure to follow him on Twitter at @imjustdeo and check out his photography on Instagram. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

The one and only Trevor Strunk (also known as Hegelbon) and I start spitballing about all sorts of video game talk. That inevitably leads to the world outside of games, and questions regarding influence in a social context. Also, I kept talking while muted because I'm a clumsy asshole. You're getting this episode warts and all. Songs include a chiptune version of This Must Be The Place by Talking Heads and Super Shooter by Rip Slyme. Be sure to check out Trevor's podcast No Cartridge on iTunes and Stitcher, and to drop something in his bucket over at Patreon. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

From fighter to writer? That's what Julie Kedzie is doing. The MMA pioneer takes us through her Midwest upbringing, her childhood martial arts journey and her unexpected fighting career. After falling in and out of love with fighting, she began to explore artistic expression and after a whirlwind of events ended up in Iowa dedicating her life to writing. Julie's a real gem, and a true treasure to the MMA community despite her departure from fighting. She's still a commentator for Invicta FC, the premier women's combat sports organization on the planet. And no, we didn't get to talk about the Berlusconi thing. You can (and absolutely should) follow her on Twitter at @JulesK_Fighter - and be nice to her. Seriously, she'll beat your ass and then say something snarky, and if that happens it's because you deserve it. Big ups to Julie for joining me and baring a lot of personal stuff. She didn't had to, but I'm glad she did - and you'll be too. Also, big ups to Zencast for making podcasting easier. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Today I'm joined by Francis, a.k.a. @armystrang from the What a Hell of a Way To Die podcast, where we cover all manner of things related to military life, civilian perception of it, and America's odd cultlike reverance and obsession with it on a day to day basis. We also touch on the always absurd way that we discuss gun laws, and political matters pertaining to veteran benefits as well as protests. His podcast is available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. Please be sure to check out their Patreon page as well as their Twitter account for more content from the group, as they offer a ton of great insight for us non-combatant folk Special thanks to Francis for joining me on a somewhat busy morning for him, and big thanks as always to Zencast.fm. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Today I'm joined by artist Chris Rini, mostly known for his renditions of moments in Mixed Martial Art history. We get a bit deep in the weeds for this one with fight talk and certain references, and Chris offers his thoughts on the creative process and what led him to do what he loves. As for me, I dropped the mic like a true klutz. His work was previously featured on Fightland, and his most notable animation "Gone in 16 Seconds" was a true labor of love, featured on his YouTube channel. You can also find information regarding his band, The=Equation here: https://www.facebook.com/equationband/ Catch them performing soon on November 4th in Brooklyn with more information at their page. All music used in this episode is from The=Equation, who were kind enough to allow me to share it. Songs include "Pangaea", "Eating the Other Half" and "Rising Stab of the Unfelt Needle". Follow the man and his work, he's a good egg. As always, big thanks to Zencast.fm for helping make this podcast possible.

David Bixenspan graces us with his time for this one, as he covers the Hulk Hogan lawsuit vs Gawker as well as various other items surrounding professional wrestling nerd fandom. We also get into the modern trappings of interacting with strange people while writing on the internet and everything that leads to, as well as David Bixenspan is a good egg, and he can be found on Twitter at @DavidBix. He currently writes for Deadspin and other corners of the internet and is responsible for the Between the Sheets podcast, also available on iTunes and Soundcloud. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Author, attorney and man of the world Alexei Auld joins me today for another fun convo in which we cover life in the arts, self-imposed restrictions, personal safety nets and the oddities of life. Born to a Jamaican father and First Nation mother, Alexei comes from a family of artists and curiously enough, decided to become a lawyer. His perspectives come from a different vantage point, and there's a lot of great observations made here. Be sure to check out the Slate featurette done with him and his parents here. Alexei has written various books, including 7 Secret Sources of Inspiration, Tonto Canto Pocahontas, and Billionaire Secrets of a Wanglorious Bastard. His work is available via Amazon.com and on his website.

Today I'm joined by Andrew, a.k.a. Illy Bocean, Australian muckracker and podcaster. We covered a lot of the common threads of insanity in American and Australian life, especially as it pertains to politics, policing, race and the absurdity of day to day life. No, there are no questions about koalas, Vegemite nor Paul Hogan. Andrew is also the host of the irreverent and always fun Boonta Vista Socialist Club podcast. He's a cohost along with his friends, comedians Ben McLeay and Lucy Valentine. Be sure to check them out via their Twitter account and subscribe to their Patreon page.

This episode was very special to me, as Drexel University professor George Ciccariello-Maher sits down to discuss various subjects regarding the American right's reaction to his Twitter comments as well as the state of political discouse in America. The real meat and potatoes for this episode is Venezuela, a nation currently in a state of turmoil that has been so drastic it seems almost impossible to work out of. His literary work has been indexed here, and includes We Created Chávez: A People's History of the Venezuelan Revolution, Building the Commune: Radical Democracy in Venezuela, and Decolonizing Dialectics. All of his works are available at Amazon.com, also indexed here. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

I'm once again joined by the dishonorable, disreputable and infamous D.E.O. in a sharp turnaround of our post-election malaise. We also expand on more ruminations about the immigrant and minority experience of living in an ever-changing America and an increasingly strange modern world. Also, don't forget to check out D.E.O.'s podcast at Crowd Interference, as well as checking him out on Twitter. As always, big thanks to Zencast.fm. Music for this episode by Fela Kuti and The Budos Band. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

So, how does a well-to-do Jamaican dude end up in Iowa, to turn things around and merge work with vacation in Mexico? How does an outsider make sense of a more multicultural Egypt than he expected? Kemi Fuentes-George is a professor at Middlebury College in Vermont, and the author of Between Preservation and Exploitation: Transnational Advocacy Networks and Conservation in Developing Countries. He's travelled to different locales in the name of environmental research and the pursuit of better understanding of ecosystems and the real-world consquences of socioeconomic factors as they relate to the environment. Also, he's pretty goddamn charming. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Today I'm joined by author, journalist, documentarian and man of many opinions, Brin-Jonathan Butler. Butler has written some of the most essential pieces on boxing, Cuba, the struggles of athletes and finding humanity in it all through the prism of sport. His works include the brief but excellent documentary Ali vs Stevenson: The Greatest Fight That Never Was on Vimeo, as well as works such as Farewell Champions of Havana at RoadsAndKingdoms.com and The Poison Oasis with Mickey Duzyj for SBNation.com. He's also authored A Cuban Boxer’s Journey: Guillermo Rigondeaux. From Castro’s Traitor to American Champion and The Domino Diaries: My Decade Boxing with Olympic Champions and Chasing Hemingway’s Ghost in the Last Days of Castro’s Cuba. His website is http://www.brin-jonathanbutler.com/

This time around, I'm joined by my good friend D.E.O. after a crushing election week. Topics include: growing up in immigrant households, being the "other" while growing up, facing day to day life, internet culture shaping human interaction, the Uncle Ruckus phenomenon, and what the hell we do now with so many living in actual fear.

British/Canadian writer/producer/director/refined gentleman Timothy Bissell addresses his work dealing with historical oddities, life in Canada and shirtless men punching each other in the head. From there, we discuss living with Tourette's and attempt to dispel misconceptions regarding the condition.

Today I'm joined by law enforcement veteran and drug legalization advocate Raeford Davis, and get caught in a long lot of sad stuff despite our penchant for optimism.

In this episode I discuss various subjects with one of my favorite people on the internet, dealing with life in Mexico, effects of the drug war, the best tacos on earth, and my hatred of Michael Dudikoff.

First episode, lots of growing pains. Immigration attorney extraordinaire Mirriam Seddiq joins me to talk about legal matters, growing up in an immigrant household in America, as well as just how to be a grownup. Baby noises are made as a knucklehead wannabe podcaster decides to do an interview with an uncomfortable infant in his arms. Excellent conversation that gets cut short in the end, but totally worth it.