Unsafe Space
Summary: Comedians do standup on controversial political and social topics, followed by a panel discussion with experts and the audience. A variety of perspectives are represented, from liberal to conservative, centrist to libertarian. Produced by Toby Muresianu and Lou Perez in Los Angeles, California.
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- Artist: Toby Muresianu
Podcasts:
We trade takes on a trade war with comedians Ramsay Badawi (KPCC), Jimmy O. Yang (HBO's Silicon Valley) and panelists Jonathan Aronson (USC International Relations), Ian Henderson (writer for American Greatness), and Brian Peck (USC Law Center for Transnational Law and Business)! Hosted by Toby Muresianu and Faith Choyce.
We get to the bottom of what's *really* going on with Adam Tod Brown (host of Conspiracy! the show), Tom Goss (of the Mean Boys podcast), and professors Gar Culbert (Cal State LA professor of Political Science), Richard Fox (author of iPolitics: Citizens, Elections, and Governing in the New Media Era), and Nigel Raab (Professor of Russian History at Loyola Marymount University). Hosted by Toby Muresianu and Faith Choyce.
Is capitalism the future, past its prime, or what? Our live episode on it features stand-up from favorites Helen Hong and Mitch Burrow, insight from experts Elham Saeidinezhad of the Milken Institute and Kevan Harris, UCLA sociology professor and author of "A Social Revolution: Politics and the Welfare State in Iran," plus comedy and hosting by Toby Muresianu and Sameer Suri!
Comedians Joe Dosch and Chris Estrada join Paul Ong, Urban Planning professor at UCLA, and Mott Smith, founder of Civic Enterprise Development for stand-up and discussion on gentrification at the Hollywood Improv Comedy Club! Hosted by Toby Muresianu and Faith Choyce.
We talk about climate change science and policy with panelists Dr. Willie Soon and Dr. Jon Christensen and comedians Bryan Dey and Lori Weiss. Both panelists provided a few links and encouraged people to look into the science themselves. Jon Christensen: The "Climate Lab" video series with Vox and the University of California: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/climate-lab The book "Why We Disagree About Climate Change: Understanding Controversy, Inaction and Opportunity" by Mike Hulme (Cambridge University Press, 2009): https://www.amazon.com/Disagree-about-Climate-Change-Understanding/dp/0521727324/ The reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: http://www.ipcc.ch/ Willie Soon: http://www.co2science.org/ http://climateilluminated.com/index.html https://wattsupwiththat.com/
What needs to change? Who should resign? Is there another side to the story? We talk sexual harassment and the current cultural moment with The Hollywood Reporter's Ashley Cullins, therapist Pamela Georgette, and comedians Casey Ley and Faith Choyce!
We get the inside scoop on the mysterious kingdom with former diplomat and editor of 38North.org Joel S. Wit, Rorry Daniels of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, producer of The Rundown with Robin Thede Sachi Ezura, and former senior producer of the Nightly Show Benari Poulten! Video clips: http://bit.ly/unsafespacenorthkorea Chapters: 2:25 Toby Muresianu Standup 5:12 Sachi Ezura Standup 8:13 Benari Poulten Standup 13:31 Panel Discussion
Comedian + former convict Johnny Mitchell and comedian + former defense attorney Mike Schmidt join Toby and Lou to talk prison and criminal justice. See video on YouTube: http://bit.ly/UnsafeStudioIncarceration Topics: 1:54 What’s prison like and does it work? 6:00 Religion in Prison 8:47 Are fewer laws the answer? Is the Prison industry driving incarceration? 10:49 Breakdown of drug offenders in federal and state prison. 12:34 Is the damage incarceration and for-profit policing are doing to society greater than crime itself? 16:29 What’s the difference between jail and prison? 17:24 The bail system 20:45 Violent vs. Nonviolent crimes in prison, and why America has higher incarceration rates than other countries. 22:30 Caning, and how to make punishment swift and certain. 25:35 What’s the practical alternative to prison? 32:35 Does keeping criminals off the streets reduce crime? 33:55 Taking away the parole system 36:04 Prison workers 42:67 Programs that reduce sentence length 50:35 Treating teens who are sexting as sex offenders. 53:25 English common law as the basis of our law. 57:40 Withholding evidence and false accusations. 1:01:45 The role of race in criminal justice Sources: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2016.html https://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/releasing-drug-offenders-wont-end-mass-incarceration/ https://www.ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publications/pdf/whos_in_prison_for_marij.pdf Read co-host Toby Muresianu's thoughts on the topic: https://medium.com/@tobymuresianu/afterthoughts-on-unsafe-space-incarceration-fb982beafb6d
Our latest episode covers surveillance - from domestic surveillance of us to leaks about Trump - with a lively panel including standup comedian and former NSA worker Bryan Vokey, comedian and returning favorite Sammy Obeid, Navy veteran and former president of LA Vets in Tech André Andrews, and James R. Harrigan, former dean of the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani.
We return to NYC to tackle incarceration with vocal advocate for police Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute, libertarian and founder of Renegade University Thaddeus Russell, former criminal and comedian Petey DeAbreau, and former prosecutor and comedian JL Cauvin. What do you think? Go to our facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/UnsafeSpaceShow) to discuss this episode! Table of Contents: 1:08 Show begins. 2:54 Toby Muresianu Standup 7:35 JL Cauvin Standup 14:10 Petey DeAbreu Standup 22:32 What causes America's high incarceration rates? 32:35 Why don't other countries that prohibit the same things have similar rates of incarceration? 41:39 Is a racial conspiracy to blame for incarceration, a la Michelle Alexander's "The New Jim Crow"? 43:53 What led you to crime? 45:58 What would the effect of legalizing drugs be on poor communities? 52:28 What was the experience of a prosecutor like? 59:20 Evidentiary requirements and the constitution. 1:06:20 Stop and Frisk. 1:14:30 Growing up in the hood. 1:18:51 Audience member: It's not an honest discussion with out addressing racism.
Russia feat. Kira Soltanovich, Sofiya Alexandra, Peter Savodnik and Benjamin Graham
The Next 4 Years feat. Elahi Izadi, Caleb Brown, Chelsea Shorte, Jack Hunter and Matty Litwack
Sex Work feat. Manisha Shah, Kasey Koop, Thai Rivera and Sammy Obeid
Campus Free Speech and Silence U Part 2 Premiere feat. Rob Montz, Jenny Yang and Nathan Mosher
Unsafe Studio: Environmentalism & Strip Mining Uteruses feat. Trey Lord
