Pause for Parrots
150 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 20 ratingsThe sociopolitical landscape of the day is a minefield of cognitive dissonance, intellectual laziness, and disingenuous actors. Listen in weekly as four dudes navigate the perilous state of national discourse and laugh at current events. Because if you don't laugh you'll cry.
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Episodes
The Supreme Court, The Fourth Amendment, & You
February 12, 2021 19:12 - 1 hour - 63 MBThe Supreme Court is set to hear a case surrounding the 4th Amendment's Community Care exception, which allows law enforcement to seize property in the performance of "community care functions". The guys dive deep into the implications on our civil liberties, how the summer of police reform has waned in Washington, and why careful consideration of the risks and cost of freedom is so important.
Tuesday Dispatch: Black History Month, Marjorie Taylor Green, Bernie Sanders' White Privilege
February 09, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 75 MBThe guys riff on Utah's move to block parents from opting their kids out of Black History Month lessons and discuss whether or not Black History Month is actually usefull, get an update on the Qanon movement's new goalpost and how Trump has already found a way to grift it, and have a long conversation about a shitty op-ed on how Bernie's inauguration outfit is a sign of white privilege.
Friday Dispatch: Harriet Tubman, Lin Wood's Glass House, Mandatory Vaccines
February 05, 2021 18:54 - 59 minutes - 55.1 MBThe flock convenes for a Friday dispatch. They recap some excellent Trump nicknames, give an update on WSB and the inherently political nature of capitalist collectivism, and debate the validity of mandatory vaccination requirements at work.
Tuesday Dispatch: The Media Fumbled Gamestop, Capitol Police Suicides, Kimberly Gilfoyle
February 02, 2021 19:53 - 1 hour - 61.8 MBThe boys are back in town. They parse through some conspiracy thinking surrounding Capitol police suicides, get into the downfall of Kimberly Gilfoyle, and discuss a very specific way that China is way ahead of the United States. Plus Joe Biden is wasting no time in writing a bunch of executive orders and the media totally dropped the ball on the Gamestop story.
Occupy Wall Street 2.0: The Revolution Will Not be Tendie-vized
January 29, 2021 06:32 - 1 hour - 88.5 MBThe guys get together for a comprehensive primer on WallStreet bets, Gamestop, and the ongoing battle between institutional money and the American public. They dive deep into the history and culture of the WSB subreddit and how our long simmering resentment at Wall Street is turning into full-fledged fury at the architects of the 2008 financial crisis.
Tuesday Dispatch: Impeachments for Everyone, Fact Checking Politifact, Russian Protests
January 26, 2021 05:30 - 1 hour - 64.8 MBThe guys cover some of the biggest and weirdest headlines of the week. Marjorie Taylor Greene is already trying to impeach Joe Biden, people are protesting in the streets in Russia, and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gets banned from Twitter for threatening to kill Trump. Plus Politifact is back on their bullshit and Parler is still mortally wounded.
Friday Dispatch: QAnon Fallout, Trump Pardons, Fox News Wellness Check
January 22, 2021 22:13 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBTwo-thirds of the three-headed parrot monster convene for a special Friday dispatch. They bid farewell to the Trump presidency with some final thoughts on his pardons, check-in on an interesting Fox News pivot, and have a conversation about where QAnon believers go from here, and much more.
Tuesday Dispatch: My Pillow for Martial Law, The Influensurrection, Impeached Again
January 19, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 66.2 MBAnother week, another bunch of pretty bad news. The guys cover some follow-up stories from the Capitol insurrection, react to some audio from inside the building, try to parse the story about panic buttons being removed, and argue about whether Elon Musk should be held personally liable for the death of a bunch of Jamie Lynn Spears' cats.
Revisiting Intellectual Censorship in the Digital Age
January 15, 2021 20:13 - 1 hour - 77.7 MBThe guys reconvene on an earlier conversation about the corporate censorship impulse that seems to be steadily accelerating over the last few years, but particularly in the last couple of weeks. They recap some of what's happened since the Capitol incident on January 6th, discuss whether or not any of the developments have changed their stances, and make a case for why putting more faith in social media behemoths might not be the answer.
Wednesday Dispatch: January 6th Fallout, Larping for Revolution, The Presidential Bunkbed
January 14, 2021 02:20 - 1 hour - 67.7 MBThe guy's have had a week to parse out the fallout from last week's Capitol siege. They tackle the Parler shut down, try to follow the increasingly frantic QAnon breadcrumbs, and Dylan gets mad on pod about how stupid this makes conservatives look.
Did You Hear About what Happened at the Capitol?
January 09, 2021 00:44 - 1 hour - 86.3 MBThe church of perch was going to record a year in review on Wednesday, but then shit hit the fan, so here's a conversation from Wednesday in the thick of the chaos about what happened and why, whether any parallels can be drawn between the riots from the past summer, and what it means for the country going forward.
Tuesday Dispatch: Cruise Ship Suicides, 11780 Votes, Mitch McConnell Mayhem
January 05, 2021 19:47 - 1 hour - 67.5 MBThe first week of the new year brings plenty of garbage for the guys to break down - from angry Americans vandalizing the homes of Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi to an update on the Nashville Bomber Anthony Warner and his poor, blameless dog, to the effect of lock down measures on the amount of mass shooting occurrences.
To Pimp a Culture: Cultural Exploitation in the Music Industry
January 02, 2021 20:19 - 1 hour - 77.8 MBThe gang discusses hip hop culture, including an examination of how the commercialization of rap music coincided with a shift in the culture towards the glorification of drugs, violence, and chauvinism. They explore why positive rap music doesn't get nearly the same amount of mainstream marketing and support - but also how the internet and streaming culture is giving a voice to new artists that don't fit in the traditional box.
Tuesday Dispatch: Nashville Bombing, COVID Relief, British Police Sting
December 29, 2020 23:29 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBThe guys are back in the studio together for the holidays. They get into some news on the Nashville Bombing, discuss why the Dalai Lama is holding up the latest round of stimulus, and discover that David is actually just a WASP cosplaying as a socialist.
Tuesday Dispatch: WallStreetBets, Peter Nygard, Super COVID
December 22, 2020 23:43 - 1 hour - 63.9 MBThe church of perch is in session. The guys talk about Fat Obama arresting William Barr, riff on the rebranding of Space Force operatives, and do a deep dive on the Ruby Freeman conspiracy theory. Oh and apparently bacteria can scream now so have fun with that!
Mental Health in America
December 18, 2020 22:59 - 1 hour - 92.9 MBThe guys take a look at the history of mental health treatment in America to figure out how we got where we are and where we're headed next.
Tuesday Dispatch: The Church of Perch, Drop the Doc, Is P4P too Left?
December 15, 2020 20:16 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBThe guys break down a Biden heavy news week, including a dumb Wall Street Journal op-ed about the incoming First Lady, Joe Biden's weird broken foot story, and a new investigation into Hunter Biden and China. They also respond to a listener who thinks they're being way too close-minded about the possibility of election fraud.
Is the Right Racist?
December 11, 2020 21:11 - 1 hour - 69 MBSome recent personal experiences lead the guys to a conversation centered around the question of racism in American politics. Are most Trump supporters actually in support of racist ideology? Should POC really be afraid of 70m Americans? The guys try to parse these questions and discuss whether or not intent matters when it comes to judging our peers' political affiliations.
Tuesday DIspatch: Michael Flynn, Ex-Presidents Vaccine, Special Guest Melissa Carone
December 08, 2020 21:44 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBThis week in Hellworld: Michael Flynn is back on his bullshit, Trump threatens to defund the military, Google fires an ethical AI researcher, ex-presidents might be lying about taking the vaccine, and the Too Tall Bandit strikes again.
The New White Supremacists
December 04, 2020 21:45 - 1 hour - 73.9 MBThe guys spend some time on the worst parts of the internet to bring you a deep dive into the world of online white supremacy, including how it's spreading, who it's reaching, and why it's been so effective.
Tuesday Dispatch: Is Sia Ableist? Donald Trump's Tiny Desk Concert, Purdue Pharma Lawsuit
December 01, 2020 18:02 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBDavid got covid, but that won't stop the guys from vaccinating your ears from all the horrible headlines this week. Do any undecideds actually care about Diaper Don or is it just fun for libs? Neera Tanden secures the bag. Purdue Pharma makes a ton of money on pain.
Punditry for Parrots
November 27, 2020 21:23 - 1 hour - 77.2 MBThe guys take a look at some times the media got it wrong. From compulsive liar Brian Williams to Jeffery Gannon's #gannongate, all the way to the Gulf of Tonkin.
Tuesday Dispatch: Suckle Trutherson, Joseph Robbin' It Biden, Chris Christie's Revenge
November 24, 2020 07:09 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBThe boys cover a lot of ground this week. There's some stuff about moose law, a wannabe James Bond's unsuccessful attempts to thwart the FBI, how children in cages increase wages, the end of the coronavirus pandemic, and another installment of Coping with Copeland.
The Epistemology of the Coronavirus Pandemic
November 20, 2020 21:15 - 1 hour - 78 MBThe guys have a conversation about the coronavirus pandemic, the discourse surrounding conflicting scientific approaches, why certain parts of the country are less inclined to support lockdown measures, and whether or not Bill Gates is actually a supervillain. WHO News release regarding COVAX from August https://www.who.int/news/item/24-08-2020-172-countries-and-multiple-candidate-vaccines-engaged-in-covid-19-vaccine-global-access-facility WHO website information regarding COV...
Tuesday Dispatch: Fraudulent Fraud Claims, Koch's For Bipartisanship, Biden Cabinet Rumors
November 17, 2020 16:08 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBThe boys take another look at some election fraud claims, try to parse why covid-19 patients seem to be suffering from higher rates of mental illness, and David gets some bad news about a potential Biden cabinet member.
Election Results Reaction: Lukewarm Brunch, Epistemology Over Easy
November 14, 2020 00:53 - 1 hour - 88.4 MBThe boys react to election reactions and dive further into what lies ahead on the landscape of our National discourse.
Tuesday Dispatch: QAnon Congress, Kenneth Copeland's Cackle, Kanye's Campaign Cadaver
November 10, 2020 06:49 - 57 minutes - 53.1 MBThe guys come prepared with some extremely insightful election analysis. JUST KIDDING. Instead, they bake some election fraud breadcrumbs, follow up on the QAnon congressional races, see how Kanye ended up stacking up to notable 2016 nominee Deez Nuts, check-in on friend of the pod Kenneth Copeland, and much much more.
Where Do We Go From Here?
November 06, 2020 07:00 - 1 hour - 84.9 MBBefore the election results come in, the boys have a conversation about the relationship between the left and the right, thoughts on how the push and pull between them could actually create a healthier system, and argue that bridging the divide with a unifying theory that a critical majority can believe in could go a long way to healing the country.
Tuesday Dispatch: Trump Trains, Girl Scout Apology, Polish Protests
November 03, 2020 21:03 - 1 hour - 57 MBDavid is still on a mystery mission in Florida, so Dylan and Tony hold down the perch with a conversation about some headlines: Trump Trains are just a precursor to the Mad Max universe, Trump is using The Secret to manifest a coronavirus cure, and someone really needs to check on Jaden Smith.
Tuesday Dispatch: Mitch McConnell's Cold Dead Hands, The Cool Pope, Fun with Voter Fraud
October 28, 2020 00:38 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBThe boys break down all the best headlines of the week, from Rudy Giuliani's Borat encounter to Mitch McConnell's no good very bad bruising, and much more.
Let's Relitigate Some Cancel Cases
October 23, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 68 MBThe guys take a look at some prominent examples of cancellations over the last couple of years - from R Kelly to Jessie Smollet to Louis CK, and have a conversation about the effectiveness of the cancellations in question and whether or not the crime justified the time.
Tuesday Dispatch: The Great Barrington Debacle, Hunter Biden's Emails, Schrodinger's Vote
October 20, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBThe boys are back to break down the news of the week, including Nancy Pelosi getting pumped up for UFC 254 by exchanging blows with Wolf Blitzer, Trump's latest twitter conspiracy spiral, and the media's predictable yet disillusioning response to The Great Barrington Declaration.
Internet Hate Machine
October 16, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 80.3 MBThe guys take a deep dive in to the evolution of mainstream internet culture, its origins in the primordial ooze of 4chan, and try to examine what happens when a subculture drenched in irony and absurdism meets a more earnest general population.
Tuesday Dispatch: Trump's Taliban Endorsement, Biden Court Packing, Priests be Fuckin
October 13, 2020 18:48 - 1 hour - 57.2 MBFind a comfy branch and put your wings up while the guys catch up on this week's current events. We've got stories on Trump's Taliban endorsement, another scientific journal endorsing Joe Biden, a priest and two dominatrix's walk into a church, and much more.
Hot Takes
October 09, 2020 16:27 - 1 hour - 62.7 MBMove over Hot Ones -- the Parrot's Perch is coming with the spice. The guys put forth some truly insane hot takes and then try to convince each other - and you - that they're actually reasonable. Was Hitler good for civil rights? Was Judas really the good guy? Is Donald Trump not actually more racist than Joe Biden?
*FIXED* Tuesday Dispatch: Trump Has Covid, #WetBuzzardFart?, Claudia Conway
October 06, 2020 15:20 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBJust like the Republican Party, this week's dispatch gets absolutely dominated by Covid-19. The guys break down a bunch of angles on the Trump diagnosis. Is he actually playing 4D chess? Did the America writer's room finally jump the shark? Is someone going to make Claudia Conway "disappear"? Keep Squawkin' in the Free World. **An earlier version of this episode had some audio issues. We assume it was a hex placed upon the podcast. If both versions downloaded, this is the one to listen...
The Age of New Ageism
October 02, 2020 19:59 - 1 hour - 85 MBThe guys take a deep dive into new age spiritual movements and the surprising ways they've influenced the world around us. From the festival girl with the Native American headdress looking for her vibe tribe to the rise of conspiracy theory culture and even within the halls of the United Nations, the implications of New Ageism can be seen reverberating through all facets of modern life.
Tuesday Dispatch: Trump Taxes, Ninja Drones, Brain Eating Amoebas
September 29, 2020 16:36 - 1 hour - 63.8 MBThe guys break down this week's headlines from Hellworld, including the Trump tax returns obtained by the New York Times, brain eating amoebas in the Texas water supply, scientists fixing the time travel problem, and much more.
A Firsthand Account of the Troubled Teen Industry
September 25, 2020 20:27 - 1 hour - 90.4 MBThe boys shine a light on those subjected to the mistreatment and abuse of the "troubled teen industry". David shares his own personal experience about the 9 months he spent in one of these establishments, details how the administrators of these programs avoid any kind of consequences, and the guys offer an analysis on how this particular moment in American history might be what it takes to achieve meaningful reform.
Tuesday Dispatch: Replacing Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Someone Reset Nancy Pelosi, Scientific American Endorsement
September 22, 2020 22:08 - 1 hour - 59.4 MBFrom three remote bunkers scattered across the country, the guys talk about the news of the week - including the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, competing media narratives around a controversial shooting, and what it means that Scientific American broke tradition to endorse Joe Biden.
Intellectual Censorship in the Digital Age
September 18, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 67.3 MBIn 2020, book burning smells a lot like an electrical fire. The guys tackle intellectual, social, and corporate censorship and make a case for why a society policing each others thoughts and ideas - even the worst ones - is both dangerous and counter productive.
Tuesday Dispatch: Roger Stone, Antifa Wildfires, Extra-judicial Executions
September 15, 2020 16:28 - 1 hour - 61.8 MBThe guys explore the claims that Antifa set the west coast on fire, talk about a bad look for protesters in LA, and gawk at super villain Roger Stone's calls for martial law in the U.S. Plus the question on everybody's mind: Should Britney really be free?
November Election Scenarios: A Zero Sum Game
September 10, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 66.2 MBThe guys take a deep dive into what happened when a group of bi-partisan political operatives and strategists ran a series of "war games" on the outcomes of the 2020 election - none of which ended without political gridlock and street level violence. Is this the future we're doomed to or is there anything we can do to change it?
Tuesday Dispatch: Sunken Rally, Candace & Cardi B, Save Whose Children?
September 08, 2020 04:00 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBThe bunker boys are back to tackle the absurd news of the week. Learn why Candace Owens is fighting Cardi B, explore some ways in which the Save Our Children movement is extremely dumb, and hear about why The Left wants to cancel non-English languages. Plus a listener email about the Second Amendment and an apology from our resident Republican Man.
The Second Amendment: Red Meat for Liberty Teeth
September 03, 2020 06:11 - 1 hour - 68 MBThe gang have a thing or two to say about guns. What did the founding fathers actually think? Why is Radiolab lying to you? Is there room for regulation? Should the Government fund family firearm time?
Tuesday Dispatch: Kenosha, Steve Bannon, Tik Tok Holocaust
September 01, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 87.7 MBWelcome to the Tuesday dispatch. The boys cover a lot of ground in this, from Steve Bannon's arrest, to Comey Rules, to Bella Thorne's OnlyFans - before diving in to a thoughtful discussion around the events in Kenosha, Wisconsin (38:32) and the subsequent political reaction.
Episode 3: The War on Science
August 27, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 69.5 MBNow more than ever, it's increasingly difficult to find sources of information we can trust. Political pundits openly dispute facts, statistics, and research, so nobody can seem to agree on who's telling the truth. Scientists didn't leave us for our college roommates and steal all our favorite t-shirts, so why don't we believe them anymore?
The War on Science
August 27, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 69.5 MBNow more than ever, it's increasingly difficult to find sources of information we can trust. Political pundits openly dispute facts, statistics, and research, so nobody can seem to agree on who's telling the truth. Scientists didn't leave us for our college roommates and steal all our favorite t-shirts, so why don't we believe them anymore?
The QAnon Theory of Everything
August 19, 2020 21:36 - 1 hour - 67.9 MBThe dudes discuss QAnon - truly the Marvel Cinematic Universe of conspiracy theories. They examine its spread and make the case for why we should all understand how this seemingly fringe belief system has become a legitimate political threat.
July 21st 2020 Dispatch
August 19, 2020 16:00 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MB*These events were current at the time of recording.* Kanye's bulletproof platform. Which type of railroad is it? How'd this kid get this sweater meat? Dylan tastes the boot, but spits it out, sorta. Jizzlane is a girl boss.