129: Conclave (2024), the Papacy, and Right-Wing Catholicism
Release Date: 05/09/2025
131: Trump and South Africa, Duolingo and AI
I Don't Speak German
A News Roundup episode, and an episode of two halves. We start with a discussion of the recent public Oval Office meeting between Trump and Cyril Ramaphosa, in which Trump harangued the South African president with accusations of 'white genocide' based on 'evidence' which tracks straight back to people in our usual wheelhouse. Then we move on to a chat about the recent decision by language learning app Duolingo to replace loads of their contributors with AI, plus some dismaying news about Babbel, leading to a discussion of the impending AI jobs crisis. Then we cap it off with...
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130: South African Farm Murders and 'White Genocide', with Bianca van Wyk
I Don't Speak German
Daniel and Jack are joined by special guest, South African anti-disinformation advocate, Bianca van Wyk, to discuss the issue of 'South African farm murders', the reality vs the right-wing narrative, some of the bad actors pushing the fake version of the story, and the links to the 'white genocide' conspiracy theory. Bianca helps us get the whole thing into proper context, especially re South Africa's history and current politics. Also discussed: the recent fast-tracking of refugee status for white South Africans by the Trump administration, the US Right's embrace of the South...
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129: Conclave (2024), the Papacy, and Right-Wing Catholicism
I Don't Speak German
In this immediately out-of-date episode, Daniel and Jack discuss the 2024 movie Conclave in light of the (at the time of recording) underway 2025 Conclave in the Vatican to choose a new Pope. Both your hosts talk a little about their own religious backgrounds, review the film, and then get onto the politics of the Catholic Church, particularly the integration of right-wing US bishops with American reactionaries. Episode Notes: Show Notes: Please consider donating to help us make the show and stay ad-free and independent. Patrons get exclusive access to at least one full...
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News Brief: The JFK Files
I Don't Speak German
Trump released all the remaining secret JFK files! Except not really. And they're full of revelations! Except not really. (They're mainly full of people's social security numbers which, it transpires, is pretty much all the remaining redactions were hiding.) Anna Paulina Luna (R, FL) is leading a new congressional investigation! Er... no, she's inviting conspiracy theorists into Congress to confirm her ill-informed beliefs. The mystery is solved! Or deepens! Except nope nope and nope. In this impromptu News Brief, Jack and Daniel jump off...
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PREVIEW: Bonus 39 In the Line of Fire (1993)
I Don't Speak German
Our 'movies about presidents' series continues (probably for four more years) with a much better movie this time. 1993's Wolfgang Peterson joint In the Line of Fire, featuring Clint Eastwood again (are we... doing a Clint Eastwood season now?) as jaded old Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan, veteran of a particular epic fail in Dallas 1963, up against the 90s serial killer shtick of rogue CIA super-assassin John Malkovich and, even more dauntingly, the merciless side-eye of fellow agent Rene Russo. A superior slice of 90s Hollywood nonsense with a nice line in gentle self-mockery and some...
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PREVIEW: Bonus Ep38 Absolute Power (1997)
I Don't Speak German
Our series on 'movies about presidents' continues with a fun discussion of this 1997 'thriller', written by legendary Hollywood screenwriter William Goldman based on the debut novel of David Baldacci, starring/produced/directed by noted chair-interviewer Clint Eastwood, and boasting a splendid cast - including recently-deceased screen legend Gene Hackman - none of whom are given anything very interesting to do. Clint plays a suave cat burglar - with the unlikely name of Luther Whitney - who accidentally witnesses the president of the United States sexually assaulting a woman (far-fetched,...
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128: How to Talk to Your Son About Fascism, with Craig A. Johnson
I Don't Speak German
Jack and Daniel welcome to the show Craig A. Johnson - academic, researcher, antifascist, and host of the (excellent) podcast 15 Minutes of Fascism - to chat about his (excellent) new book How to Talk to Your Son About Fascism, a primer on today's fascist and far-right, in all their styles and iterations, aimed at people worried that a young person in their lives (most especially a young man, obviously) is being sucked into the darkness. Episode Notes: . Show Notes: Please consider donating to help us make the show and stay ad-free and independent. Patrons get exclusive access...
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News Brief: The First Ten Million Years of the Second Trump Presidency
I Don't Speak German
Daniel and Jack chat about the eventful millennia that have passed since they last convened... Features Cantwell News! Show Notes: Please consider donating to help us make the show and stay ad-free and independent. Patrons get exclusive access to at least one full extra episode a month plus all backer-only back-episodes. Daniel's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/danielharper/posts Jack's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4196618&fan_landing=true IDSG Twitter: https://twitter.com/idsgpod Daniel's Twitter: @danieleharper Jack's (Locked) Twitter: @_Jack_Graham_ Jack's...
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UNLOCKED! Bonus 13: A Few Good Men (1992)
I Don't Speak German
With apologies for our latest recent hiatus, here's an old bonus episode - formerly just for patrons - in which Daniel and Jack chat about 1992's A Few Good Men, a military courtroom drama written by Aaron 'West Wing' / 'Social Network' Sorkin, and starring Kevin Pollack and some other people probably. We're still alive and the show will be back. We appreciate your patience. Please consider donating to help us make the show and stay independent. Daniel's Patreon: Jack's Patreon: IDSG Twitter: Daniel's Twitter: Jack's (Locked) Twitter: Jack's...
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PUBLIC BONUS: Estranged Parents, with George Daniel Lea
I Don't Speak German
Jack is joined by friend (and friend-of-the-show), the writer George Daniel Lea, to talk about the online phenomenon known as 'Estranged Parents' or the 'Estranged Parents Movement'. George did a deep dive and is here to tell us about what he found. It turns out to be a lot more relevant to IDSG than it might seem at first glance! George's site George on Bluesky George on Youtube In researching this episode, and compiling a suite of clips of the infamous Estranged Parent content creator Diane, Jack made extensive use of the work of Maximmino on YouTube, who has covered this...
info_outlineIn this immediately out-of-date episode, Daniel and Jack discuss the 2024 movie Conclave in light of the (at the time of recording) underway 2025 Conclave in the Vatican to choose a new Pope. Both your hosts talk a little about their own religious backgrounds, review the film, and then get onto the politics of the Catholic Church, particularly the integration of right-wing US bishops with American reactionaries.
Episode Notes:
https://publicseminar.org/2024/08/the-catholic-new-right-and-project-2025/
https://www.politico.eu/article/vaticans-church-catholic-pope-francis-hard-right/
https://sojo.net/magazine/march-2019/rise-catholic-right
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/28/maga-catholics-vatican-pope-conclave
https://youtu.be/Mb3zYyhrUWg?si=d1UG7bpGi16WAaRo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKW-0fIDHdw&t=220s
Show Notes:
Please consider donating to help us make the show and stay ad-free and independent. Patrons get exclusive access to at least one full extra episode a month plus all backer-only back-episodes.
Daniel's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/danielharper/posts
Jack's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4196618&fan_landing=true
IDSG Twitter: https://twitter.com/idsgpod
Daniel's Twitter: @danieleharper
Jack's (Locked) Twitter: @_Jack_Graham_
Jack's Bluesky: @timescarcass.bsky.social
Daniel's Bluesky: @danielharper.bsky.social
IDSG on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-dont-speak-german/id1449848509?ls=1