Beltway Banthas
187 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago - ★★★★★ - 111 ratingsBeltway Banthas is a monthly Star Wars podcast about the intersection of Star Wars and politics. Host, Stephen Kent, draws from politics IRL and connects the big problems we face to lessons in the Star Wars universe. Whether it be discourse about redemption, empathy, humility or hot button topics ranging from racial justice to cancel culture, Beltway Banthas takes it all on.
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Episodes
Walk The Way: A New Podcast from Stephen Kent
July 30, 2023 12:40 - 2 minutes - 2.6 MBIf you loved Beltway Banthas, you can still keep learning from Star Wars. Stephen Kent has a new podcast with co-host Riley Blanton, it's called Walk The Way. Inspired by the writing from How The Force Can Fix The World and This Is The Way, Walk The Way is dedicated to building a community around popular fiction and self-improvement. Myth can make us better, George Lucas knew that. Find WALK THE WAY on your favorite podcast app today and Subscribe Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/23...
FINALE: Do you want to know the REAL politics of Star Wars?
July 19, 2022 03:04 - 27 minutes - 31 MBJoin me at ThisIsTheWay.substack.com for the next chapter of Star Wars + politics and whatever else. Beltway Banthas has been one of the great joys of my life, and it's time to let it go. I believe even better things will come. I hope you'll come along with me. Twitter: @Stephen_kent89 The Force will be with you, always.
THIS IS THE WAY: An N95 masked bicyclist, The Phantom Menace and the problem with pride
March 28, 2022 10:00 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBHave you ever felt anger, hatred or contempt toward someone? What about a total stranger? If you hadn’t, you might not be a human being. Just something to consider. This episode of Beltway Banthas: This Is The Way, is a reflection on loving your enemies. Not such an easy thing to do, and we don’t have all the answers, but you can start with addressing your Pride. Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace has a wonderful message on pride, humility, power, and contempt. Queen Padme Amidala Nabe...
THIS IS THE WAY: General Leia, Marcus Aurelius and the state of the Beltway Banthas podcast
March 26, 2022 20:24 - 12 minutes - 12 MBWhat's going on with Beltway Banthas?! Why is Stephen Kent speaking so softly and what is this lovely background music?! Beltway Banthas is in a new season of it's life called 'This Is The Way,' a run of episodes focused on taking Star Wars wisdom and turning it out onto real life. Today Stephen answers a listener feedback email and has a call to action for everyone tuning in. This is also the first episode of Beltway Banthas with a sponsored message for Anchor, a podcasting platform by Sp...
THIS IS THE WAY: Yoda, being prepared and a prayer for Ukraine
March 16, 2022 11:18 - 12 minutes - 14.2 MBIntroducing THIS IS THE WAY, a new series from Beltway Banthas focused on putting the virtues and lessons on living from Star Wars into action. Today's episode is a reflection on Preparedness, or being prepared. There are a lot of things in the world you can worry about, lose sleep over or feel anxiety over, but what you do with those feelings is a choice. News is a fine example. Why do we watch the news? If it is merely to be informed, well you're taking on an awful lot of weight for such a...
THIS IS THE WAY: Empathy, anger and Qui-Gon Jinn meditating during battle
December 20, 2021 21:13 - 8 minutes - 10.7 MBHave you ever spoken in anger or put your foot in your mouth? It's sort of the way of the world these days, in case you haven't noticed or been online much. Today's podcast is an honest reflection on an experience I had with my own anger, understanding its source and a lesson on empathy. The Greek stoic Zeno once said, “Better to trip with the feet than the tongue.” This is true in so many ways. If you read How The Force Can Fix The World, you'll recall Chapter 2 on Empathy and the importa...
Empathy, anger and Qui-Gon Jinn meditating during battle (Reflections on How The Force Can Fix The World)
December 20, 2021 21:13 - 8 minutes - 10.7 MBHave you ever spoken in anger or put your foot in your mouth? It's sort of the way of the world these days, in case you haven't noticed or been online much. Today's podcast is an honest reflection on an experience I had with my own anger, understanding its source and a lesson on empathy. The Greek stoic Zeno once said, “Better to trip with the feet than the tongue.” This is true in so many ways. If you read How The Force Can Fix The World, you'll recall Chapter 2 on Empathy and the importa...
THIS IS THE WAY: Named your fear must be, before banish it you can
November 08, 2021 11:00 - 7 minutes - 8.06 MBWe live in a frightening time. Star Wars is steadfast in reminds us that Fear is the start of a road toward darkness. Fear leads to Anger, Anger leads to Hate, and Hate leads to Suffering. So says Yoda to a young Anakin Skywalker who admitted he missed his Mother. Understandably so, he was 9 years old and away from her and home for the first time in his life when he stood in the Jedi Council chamber on Coruscant. Surrounded by beady eyes and suspicion. What are you really afraid of? This is ...
Named your fear must be, before banish it you can (Reflections on How The Force Can Fix The World)
November 08, 2021 11:00 - 7 minutes - 8.06 MBWe live in a frightening time. Star Wars is steadfast in reminds us that Fear is the start of a road toward darkness. Fear leads to Anger, Anger leads to Hate, and Hate leads to Suffering. So says Yoda to a young Anakin Skywalker who admitted he missed his Mother. Understandably so, he was 9 years old and away from her and home for the first time in his life when he stood in the Jedi Council chamber on Coruscant. Surrounded by beady eyes and suspicion. What are you really afraid of? This is ...
How Kylo Ren, Rey and love brought balance to the Force (Reflections on How The Force Can Fix The World)
November 05, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBWhy were the Jedi so obsessed with the prophecy of balance being brought to the Force? And why did they clearly fail so badly? It's because balance is easier said than done, and their moral commitments were out of step with the principle of what balance really is. This episode is an explainer on how Rey and Kylo Ren eventually brought balance to the Force, and why the Jedi and Sith both fail when it comes to having a healthy relationship with the emotion of LOVE. This reflection is a new l...
THIS IS THE WAY: How Kylo Ren, Rey and love brought balance to the Force
November 05, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBWhy were the Jedi so obsessed with the prophecy of balance being brought to the Force? And why did they clearly fail so badly? It's because balance is easier said than done, and their moral commitments were out of step with the principle of what balance really is. This episode is an explainer on how Rey and Kylo Ren eventually brought balance to the Force, and why the Jedi and Sith both fail when it comes to having a healthy relationship with the emotion of LOVE. This reflection is a new l...
Rey Skywalker and your power to choose (Reflections on How The Force Can Fix The World)
November 04, 2021 10:00 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBDo we have free will and the power to choose our own destiny? Star Wars is clear eyed about both the power and reality of choice, but also the gravity of choices that were made FOR us. How have you had choices in your life limited by circumstance for the actions of others? We've all been there. But you can do something about it. In this Beltway Banthas miniseries, Stephen Kent offers a reflection on how to find and preserve your free will to shape the life you want to have. This reflection i...
THIS IS THE WAY: Rey Skywalker and your power to choose
November 04, 2021 10:00 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBDo we have free will and the power to choose our own destiny? Star Wars is clear eyed about both the power and reality of choice, but also the gravity of choices that were made FOR us. How have you had choices in your life limited by circumstance for the actions of others? We've all been there. But you can do something about it. In this Beltway Banthas miniseries, Stephen Kent offers a reflection on how to find and preserve your free will to shape the life you want to have. This reflection i...
How Star Wars Mirrors The American Culture Wars ft Tom Luongo
September 19, 2021 21:14 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBStar Wars, like any worthwhile piece of art, will always reflect the tensions of trials of the time in which it was created. This was the case for the original trilogy in a post-Vietnam America, and it was for the prequels during the Bush years and the War on Terror. Star Wars clicked with the mood of the times, because the mood impacted the films while they were made. The Disney Star Wars sequels are no different. Tom Luongo joins Beltway Banthas to talk about the ways in which the culture ...
In Star Wars, Faith & Life, Empathy Is A Dangerous Necessity
September 12, 2021 15:31 - 42 minutes - 49.1 MBOpportunities to discuss morality, virtue, and living well through the lens of Star Wars are all around us. For fans, this is part of what makes the galaxy far far away so special. Today's episode is a somewhat spontaneous look at the subject of Empathy, by way of a piece of writing by David French. A past guest of Beltway Banthas, French has a unique grasp of theology and a perspective on the Christian faith that ties neatly into numerous elements of the Star Wars story. Combining elements ...
Making "How The Force Can Fix The World" into an audiobook
August 14, 2021 22:44 - 33 minutes - 38.8 MBEver wanted to peek behind the curtain of the making of an Audiobook? Now you can! In this episode of Beltway Banthas, check out what's going on with the making of How The Force Can Fix The World for Audible. Stick around for a preview of Stephen Kent's appearance on the Around The Galaxy podcast to talk about the politics of Star Wars fandom, and a review of the Bad Batch season one finale. Get the book! HOW THE FORCE CAN FIX THE WORLD by Stephen Kent: https://www.centerstreet.com/titles/s...
Empathy is a gift to yourself, Star Wars can help you find it
July 30, 2021 20:31 - 1 hour - 74 MB"Empathy does not make you a good person. Being able to employ it does not rid you of your own basement of horrors. It is a tool to enhance our thinking, for if we know how other people feel, we have a better chance of understanding their thoughts. Hence why it is best used in service of those you disagree with" - Ayishat A Akanbi. Today's show is about empathy, and what Star Wars helps to teach us about this valuable principle. Star Wars tells numerous stories about the power of empathy t...
Tyrants love your despair, but Star Wars is fighting for hope
July 11, 2021 21:38 - 45 minutes - 52.5 MBHope is like the sun. So says General Leia. This week on Beltway Banthas, some thoughts on why the struggle for hope in hopeless times is the good fight. Logan Albright joins the show to talk about his recent op-ed on the problem of hopelessness & rising deaths of despair, and what it means for our politics and relationships. Of course, this all revolves around the wisdom of the galaxy far far away like any good Beltway Banthas episode would do. Pre-Order the book! HOW THE FORCE CAN FIX TH...
How the FORCE can fix the world, weekly listener hangouts and Star Wars life lessons
May 27, 2021 15:09 - 29 minutes - 33.6 MBBanthas! We're back and up and running after a brief disturbance in the Force. On this episode, Stephen Kent breaks down the latest in the journey toward publishing a book based on this very podcast and the life lessons embedded in Star Wars. Here you can listen to Stephen read the draft Introduction to the book: How The Force Can Fix The World: Lessons on Life, Liberty, and Happiness From a Galaxy Far, Far Away. Announcement! Every Thursday we'll host a Video Hangout for friends of the sh...
Redemption, feeding the Shadow and how Star Wars conquers hubris
April 05, 2021 13:30 - 1 hour - 61.5 MBThis month on Beltway Banthas, host Stephen Kent speaks with writer Brittany Hunter about Star Wars' complicated narrative on redemption. What does it mean to "come back to the light" or to be redeemed in Star Wars' greatest character arcs? As Stephen works his way toward finishing his book, How The Force Can Fix America this conversation is meant to work through one of the most sticky issues in American life...our nation's own redemption story.
Understanding Economics with the Power of Star Wars
February 19, 2021 14:00 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MBEconomics is like the Force, it surrounds us, penetrates us and binds the galaxy together. If you've never really been into economic theory, it's okay you're not alone. This episode is your primer on Economics 101 using Star Wars as a guide to powerful ideas such as Game Theory, Supply & Demand, Opportunity Cost and Incentives. Whether it's Rogue One, Return of the Jedi, Solo, A New Hope or Attack of the Clones...Star Wars is chock full of great scenes that have hidden lessons on economic the...
Self-own or cancel culture? Gina Carano fired from The Mandalorian
February 11, 2021 21:47 - 44 minutes - 50.8 MBGina Carano has been sacked by Disney Lucasfilm and will not be involved in The Mandalorian going forward. Today on Beltway Banthas, Stephen Kent speaks with Robby Soave of Reason Magazine and author of Panic Attack: Young Radicals in the Age of Trump. Robby and Stephen generally share the same concerns about what's known as cancel culture, but come down in different places on how we should think about Gina Carano's firing.
Searching for Star Wars after an insurrection
January 08, 2021 13:23 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBAmerica was attacked on January 6th, 2021 from within. A sitting president fulfilled his many years of promising to not concede a lost election and did so by sicking his craven supporters on Congress. Beltway Banthas is a Star Wars and politics podcast, but sometimes Star Wars is hard to find in the moments when history is being written on TV. In this episode Stephen Kent, Danielle Adams, Nick DiCo and Riley Blanton convene the day after an insurrection at the Capitol building and unload tho...
Searching for Star Wars after an insurrection
January 08, 2021 13:23 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBAmerica was attacked on January 6th, 2021 from within. A sitting president fulfilled his many years of promising to not concede a lost election and did so by sicking his craven supporters on Congress. Beltway Banthas is a Star Wars and politics podcast, but sometimes Star Wars is hard to find in the moments when history is being written on TV. In this episode Stephen Kent, Danielle Adams, Nick DiCo and Riley Blanton convene the day after an insurrection at the Capitol building and unload thei...
Star Wars on hope, fear and a much needed New Year
December 31, 2020 23:00 - 35 minutes - 40.4 MBStar Wars is all about conquering fear. Naming it. Facing it. It's the destiny of a Jedi after all. This episode is a reflection on fear, attachment and the search for hope beyond 2020. It's okay if you don't feel hope. This year has been hard. But nevertheless, "hope is like the sun...if you only believe in it when you see it, you'll never make it through the night." Happy New Years everyone. May the Force be with you.
Outer Rim Elegy & Brian Silliman of SYFY WIRE on The Mandalorian
November 30, 2020 11:00 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MBHello Banthas! I hope you had a great holiday weekend. The episode for this month tackles the political intrigue of The Mandalorian, whose recent episode offered some new insights on the troubles of governing a galaxy. There's a lot to chew on and it's important, not just for understanding Star Wars lore but for grappling with our own world's political disorder. We start off with a talk on government in a galaxy far, far away. After that, Brian Silliman (SYFY WIRE + Jabba The Pod) joins the...
Election 2020 Rebel Alliance Situation Room Roundtable
November 02, 2020 17:00 - 1 hour - 98.2 MBElection Day is upon us. ALL WINGS REPORT IN! On this months edition of the Beltway Banthas Roundtable, Stephen Kent is joined by Joe Tavano and Gabby Martin to ready for the 2020 election and break down our most recent episode. David French recently joined the podcast to explain why "Federalism" might be America's only salvation as polarization rips the union the asunder, and Stephen likened the stakes of our politics to a Death Star level threat. The panel will discuss this idea in-depth.
Election 2020 Rebel Alliance Situation Room Roundtable
November 02, 2020 17:00 - 1 hour - 98.2 MBElection Day is upon us. ALL WINGS REPORT IN! On this month's edition of the Beltway Banthas Roundtable, Stephen Kent is joined by Joe Tavano and Gabby Martin to ready for the 2020 election and break down our most recent episode. David French came on the podcast to explain why "Federalism" might be America's only salvation as polarization rips the union the asunder, and Stephen likened the stakes of our politics to a Death Star level threat. The panel will discuss this idea more in-depth...
How do we dismantle the Death Star level threat of politics?
October 29, 2020 10:00 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MBDid you hear? The U.S. presidential election next week is the most important election of our lifetime. Maybe that's true. But it's been said of every election since Reagan and beyond. Why does politics feel this way? Are the stakes supposed to always feel existential, or like life and death? Beltway Banthas explores this through the Star Wars lens with special guest DAVID FRENCH (The Dispatch) author of a new book, Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. ...
How do we dismantle the Death Star level threat of politics?
October 29, 2020 10:00 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MBDid you hear? The U.S. presidential election next week is the most important election of our lifetime. Maybe that's true. But it's been said of every election since Reagan and beyond. Why does politics feel this way? Are the stakes supposed to always feel existential, or like life and death? Beltway Banthas explores this through the Star Wars lens with special guest DAVID FRENCH (The Dispatch) author of a new book, Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation.
Star Wars, Court-Packing and Mike Lee vs the Galactic Senate
October 18, 2020 00:49 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBIn this special broadcast of Beltway Banthas, host Stephen Kent and producer Riley Blanton react to Republican Senator Mike Lee's mention of Star Wars' Galactic Senate to describe Court-Packing. Why did he say this? Slate seems to suggest it's a lowkey expression of Lee's disdain for diversity and pluralistic government, but does that sort of miss the point? We break it down in this short episode of the podcast!
Roundtable: Star Wars and the fight to save democracy
September 28, 2020 09:00 - 55 minutes - 50.8 MBOn this roundtable follow up to our most recent episode, "Does liberty always die in thunderous applause?" politicos Nick Dicolandrea and Danielle Adams rejoin Beltway Banthas to discuss the show. The panel grapples with the idea that democracy could die in the United States with barely a whimper, and why the political lessons of Star Wars still remain so poignant. Panel: Stephen Kent @Stephen_kent89 Danielle Adams @DanielleAdamsNC Nick Dicolandrea @NickDico
Does liberty always die with thunderous applause?
September 21, 2020 09:00 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MB"So this how liberty dies...with thunderous applause." There is so much of that line by Padme in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, that is timeless and true. But what if America's democratic crisis is more complicated and harder to even see? Featuring expert guest insights from Ilya Somin (George Mason University) and Prof. Seth Masket (University of Denver), this episode breaks down what Star Wars teaches us, and what it doesn't.
Important podcast update, exciting news and Rogue One in real life
July 24, 2020 17:41 - 12 minutes - 14.2 MBHello Banthas! We have some important updates about the podcast to share with you. Exciting news to be sure. In this broadcast, you'll get a quick primer on what we're working on and why! The podcast is about to undergo a major transformation and we hope you'll be part of it. **LISTENER SURVEY https://forms.gle/x2mkMgL1sWkTVZkW8 **NEWSLETTER SIGNUP: Star Wars, politics and more https://mailchi.mp/01c4273308e7/starwarspolitics YOUTUBE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/cXSsxgB88Us
Reflections on the politics of Revenge of the Sith at fifteen years
June 18, 2020 19:00 - 46 minutes - 53.5 MBEpisode III: Revenge of the Sith is a movie about control, and what happens when someone with a great deal of power cannot bear the idea of living with unpredictability. It's relatable. We all want a certain degree of control over our lives and destinies. 15 years after Revenge of the Sith and its message about control and safety vs security...what can we take from it that applies to the world today?
E.K. Johnston on Padme, Trade Wars and the politics of Naboo
June 04, 2020 16:00 - 28 minutes - 32.7 MBStar Wars author E.K. Johnston just put out her latest book on Padme, "Queens Peril". This new canon novel takes a look at Padme's rise the political power on Naboo and the days leading up to the Droid Invasion of Star Wars: Episode I. E.K and Stephen talk Naboo politics, how real-world principles over trade and immigration impact a galaxy, far, far away and what Padme teaches us about the virtue humility.
Star Wars' Identity Crisis Mirrors Our Own
May 28, 2020 16:00 - 43 minutes - 49.9 MBKat Rosenfield wrote for Reason Magazine a feature piece on how Star Wars' three trilogies aligns almost perfectly with the politics of the time they were made in. What makes the sequel trilogy so unique, Episodes VII-IX, is that their chaotic nature almost mirrors the era we live in today.
Michael Steel on the DC cantina, Han Solo and Star Wars' case for democracy
May 08, 2020 21:00 - 37 minutes - 43.1 MBMichael Steel is a Republican strategist and partner for Hamilton Place Strategies. He served as a communications officer for the likes the Jeb Bush, Paul Ryan and John Boehner. He caught the eye of Beltway Banthas when on Kasie DC (MSNBC) he knocked the Trump administration for approaching staffing like it was the Mos Eisley Cantina. We get into how Jeb Bush & Marco Rubio's 2016 feud sparked this podcast into being and also how Star Wars makes the case for democracy...but perhaps not with to...
The Tibetan struggle and the Force's threat to tyrants
April 30, 2020 21:00 - 50 minutes - 58.1 MBNo tyrant can fully control a people if they believe in something higher than their worldly ruler. This is reason all memory of the Jedi must be wiped out by the Empire. The Force is a threat. Ashwin Verghese of the Internation Campaign for Tibet sees this struggle playing out between the Tibetan people and the Chinese government. He joined Beltway Banthas to share his fandom, talk about Tibet, China, Yoda, Naboo and the future of Star Wars.
Mayor Betsy Hodges on surviving, governing and escaping to Tatooine
April 16, 2020 16:00 - 52 minutes - 59.6 MBMayor Betsy Hodges may be the former mayor of Minneapolis and now Washington, D.C., but she's really a citizen of Tatooine. In this special interview episode, the progressive activist and mayor joins Beltway Banthas to share how Star Wars saved her life (The Mary Sue). Beyond her personal story, which is a remarkable one, Stephen Kent and Betsy Hodges trace how Star Wars explains redemption and why that matters for the world we live in.
Ben Domenech (The Federalist) on The Rise of Skywalker, The Mandalorian and democracy
April 02, 2020 19:00 - 59 minutes - 68 MBTo supplement your social distancing we have a bonus episode with Ben Domenech, publisher of The Federalist. Ben and Stephen review the ending of the sequel trilogy and the case for The Mandalorian as the future of Star Wars storytelling. Ben makes a compelling point about why Star Wars raises some questions about the value and trade off's of democracy, and why people like Anakin Skywalker end of wanting something else.
The Clone Wars and the politics of starving
March 26, 2020 16:00 - 1 hour - 75.1 MBSeason 7 of The Clone Wars is live on Disney+ and it's as political as ever. Characters have to make real hard moral choices given their economic status, which is the making of a great Beltway Banthas episode. Bernie Sanders organizer Mohammed Shakibnia joins the show to dissect The Clone Wars political themes. Plus! Herb Scribner of the Deseret News makes a guest appearance to reflect on the messages of "The Bad Batch" episodes, and what they say about war, trauma and fandom.
Interview: Gene Park of the Washington Post
March 19, 2020 16:00 - 38 minutes - 43.8 MBGene Park may have been the very first Star Wars fan to buy a ticket for Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In this special interview, Washington Post gaming reporter Gene Park talks about his Star Wars fandom and how storytelling methods from video games have crept in and out of blockbuster films. Gene memorably wrote in for WaPo about how the ‘Rise of Skywalker’ embraces all the worst parts of video game storytelling' and he's on the podcast to explain why that is, but why he's hopeful for the ...
Can the Force fix America? ft. Maggie Lovitt
March 12, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 71.2 MBBeltway Banthas is back! In Episode 81, host Stephen Kent and guest host Maggie Lovitt review the latest Star Wars news including The High Republic era and The Rise of Skywalker novelization. We discuss theories around central planning and how some of the classic mistakes of governance might apply to the oddities in Star Wars storytelling since 2015. In our main segment, Maggie and Stephen discuss the principles of Star Wars that improve American politics and life. "Hope" and "Redemption"
#ReleaseTheJJCut: Star Wars and Conspiracy Theory
January 09, 2020 17:00 - 58 minutes - 66.6 MBLook around the world today and you will see otherwise advanced societies overrun by misinformation, myth and conspiratorial thinking. Information echo chambers and media disruption has helped to polarize communities on everything from political viewpoints to opinions on Star Wars. Buzzfeed's Ryan Broderick wrote The “Star Wars” Misinformation Hell Is The New Future Of Everything" and he couldn't be more right.
A Rise of Skywalker Review Spectacular!
December 28, 2019 21:16 - 1 hour - 97.3 MBWhat a merry time of year it is!! Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker crashed into theaters and has concluded the 42 year run of the Skywalker story that started in 1977. Stephen Kent saw it opening night and again the first weekend, and this is your REVIEW episode of the film. Stephen is joined by friends of the show to look at how The Rise of Skywalker does as a conclusion to STAR WARS, the good, the great, the bad and the ugly. We also feature reviews from LISTENERS.
A Rise of Skywalker Review Spectacular!
December 28, 2019 21:16 - 1 hour - 97.3 MBWhat a merry time of year it is!! Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker crashed into theaters and has concluded the 42 year run of the Skywalker story that started in 1977. Stephen Kent saw it opening night and again the first weekend, and this is your REVIEW episode of the film. Stephen is joined by friends of the show to look at how The Rise of Skywalker does as a conclusion to STAR WARS, the good, the great, the bad and the ugly. We also feature reviews from LISTENERS: John Liang,...
The Rise of Andrew Heaton and the case for Empire
December 17, 2019 17:00 - 1 hour - 76.4 MBThe Rise of Skywalker hits theaters this week! To discuss the hype and stakes for the film, comedian and baritone geek Andrew Heaton joins Beltway Banthas. We get into the return of Emperor Palpatine, Rey, fanboys vs The Last Jedi and Heaton's recent interview of Jonathan Last, who notoriously penned "The Case For Empire" in the Weekly Standard.
The Mandalorian, Legal Geeks and Baby Yoda
November 28, 2019 13:00 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBThe world loves The Mandalorian! This week on Beltway Banthas, guests Josh Gilliland (The Legal Geeks Podcast) and Gio Insignares (WUSA Channel 9 DC) join to discuss the new Star Wars series on Disney+. We review the show itself, Baby Yoda and the legal questions raised by the entire profession of bounty hunting. Gilliland helps us understand The Mandalorian in a whole new way. Then, Stephen reviews Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost cookbook from Insight Editions...
Ep #77: Bounty Hunting is a complicated profession
November 28, 2019 13:00 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBThe world loves The Mandalorian! This week on Beltway Banthas, guests Josh Gilliland (The Legal Geeks Podcast) and Gio Insignares (WUSA Channel 9 DC) join to discuss the new Star Wars series on Disney+. We review the show itself, Baby Yoda and the legal questions raised by the entire profession of bounty hunting. Gilliland helps us understand The Mandalorian in a whole new way. Then, Stephen reviews Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost cookbook from Insight Editions...