Ed Zitron's 15 Minutes In Hell

This week I’m joined by New York Times opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie.Jamelle and I discuss the disconnect between the positive coverage of the economy and what people online are feeling, as well as Trump’s chances at a second term.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord.Exciting News…Hello everyone! I’m excited to announce that next year I’ll be covering the tech industry - the good, the bad and the stupid - in my new weekly tech podcast for iHeartRadio and Cool Zone Media. I’ll have more details in the new year!What Does This Mean For 15 Minutes In Hell?I currently have a big backlog of recorded episodes - originally designed to cover the holiday break before I decided that I would wait until I return in the second week of January to start publishing again. I am considering (though have not decided yet) moving 15 Minutes In Hell to a bi-weekly schedule - I want to make sure I can still make this a good show without stressing about pumping it out weekly.Anyway, I’ll return both in newsletter and podcast form the week of January 8th 2024. Have a wonderful holiday. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

This week I’m joined by Youtube influencer Steve Linkowski, better known as UrinatingTree.We discussed Steve’s transition from politics coverage to sports, how capitalism has made sports worse, and whether we may see the end of contact football. Even if you’re not a sports fan, I really recommend this one.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

This week I’m joined by labor and politics journalist Hamilton Nolan.Hamilton joins me to discuss the American social contract. We dig into what the hell a CEO does, to how workers’ livelihoods have been affected by the gig economy, outsourcing, and now, AI.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

This week I’m joined by journalist David Weigel.David joins me to chat about how the general public’s ability to process news has deteriorated, as well as why many people feel things are getting worse when economic indicators say otherwise.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

This week I’m joined by journalist Zeke Faux, author of the Washington Post and Financial Times best book of the year “Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall.” Zeke joins me to chat about seeing first-hand the damage done by crypto, how a Pokémon clone inadvertently led to North Korea’s nuclear advancement, and how even he got fooled by Sam Bankman-Fried.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Hello and welcome to Episode 15 of 15 Minutes In Hell.This week I’m joined by rock & roll musician Max Collins of Eve 6.Max joins me to talk about his unusual rise to fame after his success in the ‘90s, what makes alt rock unique, and the band’s choice to not put their music up on streaming services.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve 6. Yeah, that Eve 6, the one from the podcast episode.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Welcome to episode 14 of 15 Minutes In Hell.This week I’m joined by journalist Ken Klippenstein.Ken joins me to chat about his unusual news beat that ranges from the FBI to UFO “authorities,” the future of Twitter, and the truth behind the evil cabal of masterminds plotting for world domination (hint: they probably don’t exist).The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

This week I’m joined by the creator of the Xbox - Seamus Blackley.Seamus shares a brief yet spirited tale of going from begging Bill Gates for a middle management job to successfully pitching, inventing and launching the Xbox, as well as his current passions including the Playdate console and growing his own cacao trees.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord.Disclaimer: Minutes in hell may vary. Also, apologies for some unavoidable audio issues. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Hello and welcome to the 12th episode of 15 Minutes In Hell.Today I’m joined by Kari Byron, former Mythbuster and director of the National STEM Challenge.We discussed what it takes to go from introvert to a television host, how to help kids learn to employ critical thinking, and her fight to introduce STEM into the lives of more children, including her own.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

This week I’m joined by former BBC journalist and author Rory Cellan-Jones.Rory shares his thoughts on the state of social media, what it’s like having a mega-famous dog, and his book - Ruskin Park: Sylvia, Me and the BBC.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

This week I’m joined by Molly White (Web3 is Going Just Great).She joins to share her observations as a longtime crypto-critic, discussing who the biggest scumbags are in the world of crypto, and if the blockchain really has any value at all. The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

This week I’m joined by journalist David Roth of Defector. It’s one of my favourite episodes - and I think you’ll get a lot out of it even if you’re not a sports fan.We spoke about the morality of watching the NFL, how things could get significantly worse, and what the hell is going on with Las Vegas’ baseball situation.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord.Editor’s Note: A previous version of this episode randomly had the theme played 4 minutes in - this should now be fixed. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Welcome to the eighth episode of 15 Minutes In Hell.Today’s guest is political commentator and news anchor Chris Hayes of MSNBC. We talked about the growth of cult-like grifters in the media, how American democracy is in a trust crisis, and how doing television scratches the itch when you’re a theater kid. Chris is currently on tour with his podcast Why Is This Happening. The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Welcome to the seventh episode of 15* Minutes In Hell.Today’s guest is Twitch streamer and political commentator Hasan Piker.We talked about how Hasan sees his role in the political ecosystem, the flop-era of Tucker Carlson, and how men like Andrew Tate prey on young mens’ insecurities.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord.*Minutes in Hell may vary. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Welcome to the sixth episode of 15 Minutes In Hell.Today’s guest is astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson.We talked about his very particular online critiques, whether or not artificial intelligence is a threat to society, and, of course, his conflicted feelings around Elon Musk.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Heart Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Welcome to the fifth episode of 15* Minutes In Hell.Today’s guest is TV writer David Slack (credits include Person of Interest, Teen Titans, Law & Order, Lie To Me, Jackie Chan Adventures, and Dark Crystal), who was also on the board of the Writers Guild of America West from 2018 to 2022.I had David on to cut through the noise around the Hollywood strikes - what’s happening, why it’s happening, what the stakes are, and why executives like David Zaslav are fighting a losing battle against some of the strongest unions in the world.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Heart Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord.*episode runtime may vary based on answers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Welcome to the fourth episode of 15 Minutes In Hell.Today’s guest is actor and comedian Rob Corddry, who you might know from Hot Tub Time Machine, Ballers, and The Upright Citizens Brigade.We talked about how the internet has changed comedy, the Hollywood strike, and how being funny online is vastly different than being funny in a movie.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Heart Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Welcome to episode three of 15 Minutes In Hell. Today’s guest is Taylor Lorenz, columnist at The Washington Post and author of Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet, available for preorder now. We talked about how modern news organizations have failed to keep up with the progress of internet culture, how exploitative online fame has become, and how now more than ever we need to be aware of how much internet content can be used to manipulate others.The 15 Minutes In Hell Theme is written and performed by Eve6.If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, subscribe free to Ed’s newsletter Where’s Your Heart Ed At, or join us at the Where’s Your Ed At Discord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Welcome to the second episode of 15 Minutes In Hell.Today’s guest is Derek Guy, known as “The Menswear Guy” or @dieworkwear (https://twitter.com/dieworkwear) on Twitter. He’s written for the Washington Post, Financial Times, Esquire, Mr. Porter, and the Business of Fashion, and he’s currently an editor at Put This On (https://putthison.com).We talked about how the new Twitter algorithm took him from about fifty thousand followers to over 470,000, why people on Twitter find him so frustrating, why men are so afraid of enjoying fashion, and how evil fast fashion (EG: Shein) has become.We’re also debuting the official theme of 15 Minutes In Hell, written and performed by Eve6 (https://www.patreon.com/Eve6ix). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com

Today I’m launching a new podcast called 15 Minutes In Hell — a 15-minute-long interview show featuring interesting people in tech, business, entertainment, sports, and any other area I see fit. You’ll be able to subscribe through Apple Podcasts, PocketCasts, and Spotify in the coming days. I’ll update this post as and when I get links. In the meantime, you can manually add the feed to your preferred podcast app using this link. If you like the show, please do review it on Apple Podcasts.Today’s guest is Ben Collins, Senior Reporter at NBC, who you can find on Twitter and Bluesky. We talked about Elon Musk and how Ben manages to keep empathetic while covering the worst people in the world.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ez.substack.com