Up Close & Political
25 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 13 ratingsStand-up comedy on hot-button issues followed by discussion with experts and the audience. Recorded at the Hollywood Improv Comedy Club, along with special in-studio conversations with experts and comics.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
The Road Ahead feat. Helen Hong, Jackie Kashian, Jose Sarduy, Geraldo Cadava & Mark A. Peterson
November 23, 2020 06:28 - 1 hour - 78.1 MBWhere do we go from here after the election? Comedians do stand-up followed by a discussion with experts and the audience. Comics: Helen Hong (Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me) Jackie Kashian (The Dork Forest) Jose Sarduy (The GIs of Comedy) with Professors Gerry Cadava (author of The Hispanic Republican) and Mark A. Peterson of UCLA Political Science. Hosted as always by Toby Muresianu.
Oh Great, What Now? - Norm Ornstein Explains Why Our Government is Like This
March 29, 2020 23:16 - 1 hour - 31.7 MBToby interviews political scholar and bestselling author of One Nation Under Trump Norm Ornstein. We talk about how our country ended up politically in the place it did in this episode of "Oh Great, What Now?" - the version of the show recorded without a live studio audience. As mentioned during the episode, Norm also helps run the Matthew Ornstein Memorial Foundation, dedicated to furthering mental health care and urban debate. You can find out more or support it at mornstein.org.
The Democratic Primary feat. Ben Gleib, Taquita Love, John L. Ray & Aura Vasquez
February 24, 2020 07:45 - 1 hourThe Democratic primary is upon us and California’s date is March 3rd. We discuss the state of the race—and the local elections California will be deciding at the same time—with comedian and former presidential candidate Ben Gleib, comedian and nurse Taquita Love, progressive pollster and analyst John L. Ray, and DSA-endorsed candidate for LA City Council Aura Vasquez.
The Housing Crisis feat. Madison Shepard, Jenny Yang, Andy Bales, Liz Falletta and Michael Manville
January 31, 2020 22:46 - 1 hour - 38 MBAnother great live episode from the Hollywood Improv, this time tackling California’s - and America’s - housing crisis. Featuring standup from Comedy Central's Madison Shepard and Last Man Standing writer Jenny Yang, followed by discussion with Andy Bales of the Union Rescue Mission and professors Liz Falletta of USC and the Los Angeles Zoning Advisory Committee and Michael Manville of UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.
2 Hard 2 Spell: An Interview with My Brother, Alex Muresianu
January 06, 2020 23:00 - 50 minutes - 23.2 MBI interview my younger brother Alex Muresianu, the #NeverTrump head of the Tufts College Republicans and contributor to various right-leaning publications on taxes and licensing reform, on this episode of "Oh Great, What Now?,” the long-neglected in-studio complement to Up Close & Political's live shows.
Impeachment feat. Jordan Coburn, Michael Loftus, Robert English and Michael Genovese
October 09, 2019 16:24 - 1 hour - 33.9 MBStand-up comedy and an open discussion with experts on impeachment, featuring comedians Jordan Coburn (host of "Mueller, She Wrote") and Michael Loftus (host of "The Loftus Project") and experts Robert English (USC professor of international relations, specializing in Eastern Europe) and Michael Genovese (Loyola Marymount professor of Political Science and author of 50 books including "How Trump Governs.")
Guns feat. Erroll Southers, Susan Shelley, Josh Stepakoff, Joe Carl Abou Sakher and Steph Tolev!
October 03, 2019 06:12 - 43.4 MBStand-up comedy on guns from comics Joe Carl AbouSakher and Steph Tolev, followed by a discussion with USC professor and law enforcement veteran Erroll Southers, conservative columnist Susan Shelley and gun violence survivor and activist Josh Stepakoff
New Abortion Laws feat. Megan Gailey, Laurie Kilmartin, Adam Yenser, Brian Nguyen, Jasmine Patel and Raquelle De La Rocha!
October 03, 2019 04:37 - 1 hour - 42.4 MBComedians Megan Gailey, Laurie Kilmartin, Adam Yenser, and host Toby Muresianu do stand-up comedy on the new abortion laws, followed by a discussion with Dr. Brian Nguyen, Dr. Jasmine Patel and civil rights lawyer Raquelle De La Rocha.
The Mueller Report feat. Jaleesa Johnson, Mitchell Lamar, Michael Genovese and Rachel VanLandingham
May 30, 2019 09:18 - 1 hour - 32 MBPolitical science professor Michael Genovese, natural security law professor Rachel VanLandingham, co-host of the Mueller, She Wrote podcast Jaleesa Johnson, and comedian and veteran Mitchell Lamar discuss the Mueller Report.
Extremism feat. Sammy Obeid, Adam Yenser, Ariella Schusterman and Jihad Turk
May 06, 2019 23:07 - 1 hour - 33.1 MBWe take it to the limit with stand-up comedy on extremism from Palestinian American Sammy Obeid, Conservative American Adam Yenser, and dorky American Toby Muresianu - followed by insightful discussion with Ariella Schusterman, deputy regional director of the Anti-Defamation League in Los Angeles, and Jihad Turk, president of Bayan Claremont Islamic graduate school.
The Environment feat. JC Coccoli, Brian McWilliams, Noah Bleich and R. Jisung Park
April 01, 2019 05:22 - 1 hour - 32.6 MBComics JC Coccoli, Brian McWilliams, and host Toby Muresianu do stand-up on the environment, followed by an open discussion with environmental entrepreneur Noah Bleich of The Tea Book and UCLA professor R. Jisung Park.
The Shutdown Showdown with Aida Rodriguez, Kelly McCarron, Matthew Craffey and Mark Peterson
February 15, 2019 02:20 - 1 hour - 37.5 MBComedians Kelly McCarron and Aida Rodriguez do stand-up comedy on the negotiations over the shutdown and border wall, followed by a discussion with Matthew Craffey - head of the California Log Cabin Republicans - and Mark Peterson, a UCLA professor of political science and public policy on the key factors, what a national emergency means, and more. Unexpected audience cameos, insight, laughs, and maybe a little gossip add up to a very fun and interesting show.
Poverty feat. Michael Loftus, Armando Torres, Anna Valenzuela, Erin Kaplan and Michael Stoll
January 30, 2019 03:39 - 1 hour - 37.2 MBExperts Michael Stoll and Erin Kaplan provide society-level analysis and debate with libertarian comic Michael Loftus, while Anna Valenzuela and Armando Torres talk about what it’s like in person and provide a number of ‘homeless hacks’ you can use at home (if you have one).
Election Eve feat. Felicia Folkes, Julianne Simitz, Adam Yenser & Gar Culbert
November 06, 2018 08:25 - 1 hour - 41.9 MBA (fully) unedited discussion on what's about to go down in the midterm elections - and what’s up with American elections in general - with Inglewood's own Felicia Folkes, politico-turned-comic Julianne Simitz, and conservative comedy writer Adam Yenser along with PoliSci professor Gar Culbert and host Toby Muresianu. Recorded live at the Hollywood Improv 11/5/2018.
The Midterms feat. Joe Carl Abousakher, Helen Hong, Michael Loftus, Michael Knowles, and Dan Flynn
October 04, 2018 09:08 - 1 hour - 35 BytesStand-up and discussion on the midterm elections and one Brett Kavanaugh with comedians Joe Carl Abousakher (LA’s Funniest Comedian finalist), Helen Hong (“Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me”), and Michael Loftus (of “The Flipside with Michael Loftus”), plus panelists Michael Knowles (of “the Michael Knowles show” on the Daily Wire) and Dan Flynn, a political strategist and consultant.
Transportation feat. Virginia Jones, Brody Stevens, Joe Linton and Brian Taylor
September 22, 2018 22:44 - 1 hour - 33 BytesStand-up and discussion on transportation with comedians Virginia Jones & Brody Stevens, Streetsblog LA editor Joe Linton, and UCLA Transportation Lab head Brian Taylor.
America feat. Sofiya Alexandra, Thom Tran, Sean Dempsey and Pedro Gonzalez
July 04, 2018 22:13 - 1 hour - 43 BytesWho is America, really? What is our national identity, our values, and the American Dream? We discuss these things we were apparently all supposed to agree on with comedians Sofiya Alexandra and Thom Tran, history professor Sean Dempsey, and writer Pedro Gonzalez.
Oh Great, What Now? Joel Silberman + Kittens
July 01, 2018 21:27 - 38 minutes - 17.7 MBA discussion of civility, the border, kittens, and how Hollywood inspires politics with writer and political consultant Joel Silberman and host Toby Muresianu.
Oh Great, What Now? Immigration feat. Johan Miranda and Brian Lonquich
June 21, 2018 03:55 - 52 minutes - 24 BytesAmidst national fervor about child separation policies at the border, comedian and DACA recipient Johan Miranda shares his views and experiences, along with Dr. Brian Lonquitch, a doctor who's treated families at the border. Hosted by Toby Muresianu.
Oh Great, What Now? College Nowadays, the Media, and More feat. Nathan Mosher and Gabriel Rossman
June 11, 2018 01:12 - 1 hour - 30 BytesWhat's college really like nowadays? How are the media doing covering tragic events? We talk to UCLA Sociology professor studying broadcast communications Gabriel Rossman and newly minted UCLA grad and comedian Nathan Mosher on our weekly podcast.
California Primary feat. Ramsey Badawi, Corey Loykasek, Dan Flynn, Mariel Garza, and Sebastian Ridley-Thomas
June 05, 2018 07:16 - 1 hour - 43 BytesLive standup and discussion on the eve of the California primary, discussing the race and challenges facing California. Featuring comedians Ramsey Badawi and Corey Loykasek, campaign strategist Dan Flynn, LA Times editor Mariel Garza, USC Professor and former legislator Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, and hosts Faith Choyce, Laura Crawford, and Toby Muresianu.
Oh Great, What Now? - National Anthems, Border Families, and Morgan Freeman Too
June 02, 2018 19:58 - 1 hour - 31 BytesDavid Levitus of progressive grassroots organization LA Forward and Brian McWilliams of Lions of Liberty and the Electric Libertyland podcast discuss a variety of topical issues with hosts Toby Muresianu and Laura Crawford.
Oh Great, What Now? - Israel / Palestine feat. Sammy Obeid and Uri Aviv
May 23, 2018 04:38 - 1 hour - 29 BytesArab-American comedian Sammy Obeid and Israeli entertainment dynamo Uri Aviv discuss the most recent events in the Israel-Palestine conflict with Toby on our latest podcast and live stream, recorded in another disputed territory with a long history - Sammy and Toby's old apartment.
Oh Great, What Now? - The Iran Deal with Sameer Suri and Elham Saeidinezhad
May 15, 2018 08:43 - 1 hour - 30.5 MBThe debut recording of Oh Great, What Now - the weekly podcast recapping the news of the previous week. This time we're discussing the Iran deal (and some more lighthearted topics) with Iranian economist Elham Saeidinezhad, comedian and writer Sameer Suri, and hosts Toby Muresianu and Laura Crawford. Watch the live stream on our facebook page!
Social Media (our first live show!)
May 10, 2018 08:54 - 1 hour - 40 BytesThe premiere of Up Close & Political tackles social media. Amid privacy scandals and concern about fake news, mental health, and more - is facebook your friend or foe? Karen North (professor of Social Media at USC) and David Pierson (business and technology journalist for the LA Times) join comedians Kaseem Bentley and Everett Byram. Hosted by Toby Muresianu with Faith Choyce and Laura Crawford. Video of the live stream is also available on our facebook page.