The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table

Josh Szeps joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about Israel, Gaza, antisemitism, Zionism, Jewish identity and why the debate has become so exhausting and distorted. We talk about whether Jews outside Israel are being forced to answer for the Israeli government, what anti-Zionism really means, the failure of the peace process, Netanyahu, Gaza, drones, Palestinian leadership, the pressure to “circle the wagons,” and whether it is possible to criticize Israel without giving ammunition to people who hate Jews. Josh Szeps hosts one of the biggest shows on Substack, Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps, where he has funny, bullshit-free conversations with people like Sam Harris, Jimmy Carr, Bari Weiss and Mark Normand about subjects that the mainstream media fails to discuss honestly. He has been on Joe Rogan's show seven times, he was a founding host of HuffPost Live in New York, then went on to get cancelled from his own top-rating talk radio show on Australia’s national public broadcaster. He's a columnist for Australia's most prestigious newspaper, the Australian Financial Review, and a major media figure Down Under. https://x.com/joshzepps?lang=en https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/about Chapters: 00:00 Intro and Josh Szeps joins the show 03:06 Josh’s background, Australia, and his previous Israel controversy 07:12 Jokes, parenting, kids, porn and the internet 12:59 Antisemitism, Australia, and the post-October 7th climate 15:36 Anti-Zionism, Israel’s legitimacy, and the meaning of a Jewish state 22:07 Palestinian refugees, Arab countries, and the right of return 27:26 Gaza, drones, October 7th, and whether Israel had another choice 30:29 Josh’s controversial “abandon Israel” column 38:16 Circling the wagons, Jewish identity, and criticizing Israel from the diaspora 47:58 Anti-Israel backlash, boycotts, and Jews being blamed for Israel 54:16 Kristof, the dog allegations, and the difficulty of discussing ugly claims honestly 01:08:35 The flotilla, Israeli detention, and skepticism toward activist claims 01:11:23 War crimes, double standards, history, and modern technology 01:13:05 Uyghurs, Kurds, ethno-states, and why Israel gets singled out 01:17:00 Media collapse, audience capture, and trying to have sane conversations 01:18:29 Finkelstein, complexity, and final thoughts

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Eric Kaufmann. Kaufmann is the author of multiple books, including The Third Awokening: A 12-Point Plan for Rolling Back Progressive Extremism. He is a professor of politics at the University of Buckingham, an adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute and director of the Center for Heterodox Social Science.

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by bestselling author and award-winning journalist, Jesse Brown. Brown is the founder and editor of Canadaland. He won the Hillman Prize for Investigative reporting for breaking the Jian Ghomeshi scandal and the Canadian Screen Award for Best Factual Series for the television documentary Thunder Bay. He is a bestselling author and reporter and host of the podcast, What Is Happening Here.

While Noam is away, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by investigative journalist Michael Tracey to discuss the latest developments in the newly released Epstein files. Tracey asserts that the popular narrative of Jeffrey Epstein running a vast international sex trafficking ring—especially one involving “elite” clients—is not supported by credible evidence. He says that the factual record doesn’t substantiate claims of a sprawling organized network. They discuss ulterior motives, questions about victims and what's fact and what's fiction. Tracey has contributed to a wide range of publications across the political spectrum, from The Nation to The American Conservative, the New York Daily News to the New York Post, and many more.

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Michael Mazarr, Senior Political Scientist at the RAND Corporation, author of 10 books including Leap of Faith: Hubris, Negligence, and America's Greatest Foreign Policy Tragedy. Mazarr explains why the Iraq War was not an Israel-driven conspiracy but a catastrophic American decision born of post-9/11 panic, hubris, and bureaucratic failure. It’s a needed rebuttal to takes like Dave Smith’s, which mistake confident rhetoric for serious historical analysis. Leap of Faith available here: https://a.co/d/06H6wnO1

Noam Dworman, Hatem Gabr and Periel Aschenbrand take calls and are joined by Adar Weinreb, former IDF soldier, committed to peace building. Is Israel the most dangerous place for Jews to live? Is the war in Gaza creating more anti semitism? Weinreb is an entrepreneur and social activist focused on peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. He’s the co-founder of HeadOn.ai a platform designed to help people engage productively across polarized conflicts.

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are in-studio and taking calls. Is Dan disparaging the show? Should we cancel it entirely? Will Noam raise prices? A caller lecture us on pronunciation and Noam eviscerates John Mearsheimer.