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Kickass News

Airwave Media
589 episodes   Last Updated: Apr 15, 22
Hosted by Hollywood producer and political media strategist Ben Mathis, KickAss News is a twice weekly podcast that features the most interesting personalities and thought leaders in politics, entertainment, tech, business, science, and more. Enjoy the podcast? Then please support the show and help keep us on the air by making a donation to our GoFundMe campaign at www.gofundme.com/kickassnews. Another way you can support the show is to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review on iTunes to help keep us ranking strong on the top podcasts charts. For more information visit www.kickassnews.com. Thanks for listening!

Episodes

Comedian Gilbert Gottfried passed away this week. Despite his brash on-stage persona, Gilbert was a kind soul and a real mench. We are remembering him by sharing a 2017 interview with this fearless and ground-breaking comic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today I am sharing a preview of one of my favorite podcasts and a brand new addition to the Airwave Media podcast network. Everything Everywhere is a daily podcast that literally covers everything everywhere from the Eiffel Tower and Air Force One to tsunamis, Dracula, and daylight savings time. Hosted by globe-trotting travel writer Gary Arndt, Everything Everywhere is the perfect way to learn something new every single day.  I hope you enjoy this preview of one of my favorite episodes about the history of the Worlds Fairs. Please subscribe to Everything Everywhere on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and learn more at www.everything-everywhere.com. . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Basketball great Dwayne Wade discusses the game that put him on the map when Marquette University beat top-seed Kentucky, what it was like to represent his country on the redeem team during 2008 summer olympics, and how he, Lebron James and Chris Bosh became the big three for the Miami Heat.  He talks about returning to his home town of Chicago to play for Bulls, his brief stint playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers,  why he wanted to finish his career playing for the team that made him.  Plus Dwayne talks Pregame rituals, the secret to a good head-fake, and black fatherhood. Order Dwayne Wade's new book DWAYNE on Amazon or wherever books are sold, and follow him on Twitter at @DwayneWade. Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and keep with us at www.kickassnews.com or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  Kickass News is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.  Visit Airwave at www.airwavemedia.com or on Apple Podcasts to discover our other excellent podcasts like Good Job Brain, Big Picture Science, Legends of the Old West, Investing for Beginners, Into the Impossible, and other great podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Master illusionist David Copperfield recalls his beginnings as a childhood magician, his very first magic act, and why his early heroes were filmmakers and dancers instead of magicians.  He reveals how he comes up with new ways to astound audiences and the remarkable 100 year evolution of his most famous illusion.  He talks about how he quietly began amassing the world's largest magic collection, some of his favorite pieces from the collection, and how these one-of-a-kind items tell the entire history of magic.  Plus we discuss some of Houdini's most famous escapes, the under-told story of women in magic, and the weird and wonderful stories behind some of the most colorful conjurors! Order David's new book David Copperfield's History of Magic on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  It's full of beautiful photos from his private collection and makes a great holiday gift.  Visit www.davidcopperfield.com to learn more and order tickets to Copperfield's show An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.  Follow him on Twitter at @D_Copperfield. Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and keep with us at www.kickassnews.com or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  Kickass News is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.  Visit Airwave at www.airwavemedia.com or on Apple Podcasts to discover our other excellent podcasts like Good Job Brain, Big Picture Science, Legends of the Old West, Investing for Beginners, Into the Impossible, and other great podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bestselling author Brad Meltzer returns to talk about his Ordinary People Change the World series of children's books and the importance of giving kids real heroes.  He discusses his latest children's book I Am Oprah Winfrey, why he thinks kids will find Oprah's story inspirational, and why he didn't want to gloss over the darker parts of her story.  Plus Brad talks about his successful battle with a school district that tried to ban his children's books about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Order Brad's book I Am Oprah Winfrey on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold and check out all of his books for kids at www.ordinarypeoplechangetheworld.com.  Follow him on Twitter at @bradmeltzer.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and keep with us at www.kickassnews.com or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  Kickass News is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.  Visit Airwave at www.airwavemedia.com or on Apple Podcasts to discover our other excellent podcasts like Good Job Brain, Big Picture Science, Legends of the Old West, Investing for Beginners, Into the Impossible, and other great podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Acclaimed journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa talk about the candid moment when President Donald Trump privately admitted that he had lost the 2020 election, how Rudy Giuliani convinced him to contest the results, and why Senate leaders in Trump’s own party decided that Trump’s case had zero merit.  They reveal the other former Vice-President who convinced Mike Pence to certify the 2020 election for Biden, and the brief moment when Pence actually considered invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.  They discuss the two times when General Mark Milley had to call his Chinese counterpart to assure him that Trump wasn't about to launch an imminent attack on China.  Plus they weigh on whether Trump will run in 2024, finding the “operational commander” behind the January 6 attack on the Capitol, and a crash-course in the Bob Woodward school of journalism. Order Bob Woodward and Robert Costa's new book Peril on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow them on Twitter at @realBobWoodward and @costareports.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and keep with us at www.kickassnews.com or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  Kickass News is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.  Visit Airwave at www.airwavemedia.com or on Apple Podcasts to discover our other excellent podcasts like Good Job Brain, Big Picture Science, Legends of the Old West, Investing for Beginners, Into the Impossible, and other great podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Science writer Mary Roach returns discusses the various animals that have stood trial in actual courts throughout history, and how that inspired her latest book Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law.  She talks about traveling the globe from Reno to the Himalayas to attend an animal forensics conference, track man-eating leopards, and blow up trees (yes Mary blew up a tree!).  Plus , drunk elephants, monkey muggers, and much more. Order Mary's new book Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Follow Mary on Twitter at @mary_roach or at www.maryroach.net.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and keep with us at www.kickassnews.com or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  Kickass News is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.  Visit Airwave at www.airwavemedia.com or on Apple Podcasts to discover our other excellent podcasts like Good Job Brain, Big Picture Science, Legends of the Old West, Investing for Beginners, Into the Impossible, and other great podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ron and Clint Howard talk about what it was like to balance school and their hit tv series The Andy Griffith Show and Gentle Ben.  They fondly recall how their midwestern parents helped them pursue their dreams in showbusiness while always keeping them grounded.  Ron shares some crucial advice that his dad gave Andy Griffith about the relationship between Andy and Opie, and how Ron later channelled his father’s strong will when he had stand up for himself during his time on Happy Days.  Clint discusses his following in father’s footsteps as a working character actor, and why his dad was the best acting coach that he and Ron could have asked for.  Plus they have some sage advice for pushy stage parents and showbiz kids. Order Ron and Clint's new book The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and keep with us at www.kickassnews.com or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  Kickass News is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.  Visit Airwave at www.airwavemedia.com or on Apple Podcasts to discover our other excellent podcasts like Good Job Brain, Big Picture Science, Legends of the Old West, Investing for Beginners, Into the Impossible, and other great podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reid Hoffman, Co-Founder of LinkedIn, Partner at Greylock, and Host of Masters of Scale Podcast and June Cohen, his producer and Co-Founder and CEO of WaitWhat, discuss their new book Masters of Scale: Surprising Truths from the World's Most Successful Entrepreneurs.  They talk about the entrepreneurial mindset, the keys to blitzscaling your way to success, and the underrated importance of a company's culture.  Plus they explain the value of embracing resistance, the various kinds of “no”s that one hears gets VC meetings, and the time Reid said "no" to a startup when he should have said “yes.” Order Reid and June's book Masters of Scale: Surprising Truths from the World's Most Successful Entrepreneurs at https://book.mastersofscale.com.  Subscribe to Masters of Scale podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen.  Follow them on Twitter at, @mastersofscale , @reid hoffman, and @junecohen. Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and keel with us at www.kickassnews.com or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  Kickass News is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.  Visit Airwave at www.airwavemedia.com or on Apple Podcasts to discover our other excellent podcasts like Infamous America, Investing for Beginners, The Accidental Creative, and Into the Impossible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman (Ret.) is the whistleblower who exposed former President Donald Trump's notorious phone call Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zellensky that led to the second impeachment of Trump.  Vindman reveals the weird activity that tipped him off that this was going to be an unusual phone call, the moment when he realized Trump may have violated the law, and what happened when he reported the matter to his own brother.  He describes the almost immediate pressure campaign to silence him, how his military training came in handy when he testified in the Congressional Impeachment Hearing, and why he feels that the Impeachment committee and the press focused too much on the prospect of a "quid pro quo."  Plus he talks about the effort to rob him of his expected military promotion and how he's now reaching out to help other victim's of bullying. Order Alexander Vindman's new memoir HERE, RIGHT MATTERS: An American Story on Amazon, Audible, or wherever books are sold.  Subscribe to Kickass News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and keel with us at www.kickassnews.com or on Twitter at @KickassNewsPod.  Kickass News is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.  Visit Airwave at www.airwavemedia.com or on Apple Podcasts to discover our other excellent podcasts like Infamous America, Investing for Beginners, The Accidental Creative, and Into the Impossible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices