Actual Friends

Dave Rubin, Sage Steele, & Russell Brand talk all things personal and political. New episode drops every Friday at 3 pm ET.

President Trump Takes Charge of D.C. Police and Considers Weed Law Change 08/15/2025

President Trump Takes Charge of D.C. Police and Considers Weed Law Change

“Actual Friends” podcast hosts Sage Steele and Russell Brand talk about President Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to address Washington D.C.'s escalating crime rates; the broader issues of political polarization, government control, and national decline; the potential reclassification of marijuana from schedule one to schedule three and the larger implications of drug legalization; the role of faith in Russell's recovery journey; and much more.

00:00 START /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914540

Major Company Just Repeated Bud Light’s Woke Mistake 08/08/2025

Major Company Just Repeated Bud Light’s Woke Mistake

“Actual Friends” podcast hosts Sage Steele and Russell Brand talk about whether it is insulting to the female customers of Ulta Beauty to be recreating Bud Light’s Dylan Mulvaney error by having “Queer Eye’s” Jonathan Van Ness create a line of beauty products for them; if Russell will tell his daughters about his dark promiscuous past; the brutal reality of unrealistic male and female beauty standards; what Russell will be wearing to Sage’s wedding; and much more.

00:00 I /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914545

Company’s Must-See Ad May Be the Official Death of Woke 08/01/2025

Company’s Must-See Ad May Be the Official Death of Woke

“Actual Friends” podcast hosts Sage Steele, Dave Rubin, and Dr. Drew Pinsky talk about how Sydney Sweeney’s new controversial ad campaign for American Eagle jeans caused an immediate rise in the value of American Eagle and may be the nail in the coffin for woke ads from major corporations; Zohran Mamdani’s past tweets about eliminating specific units of the NYPD and his support for defunding the police coming back to haunt him after he tried to show support for the NYPD after Shane Tamura murdere /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914550

The Real Reason Colbert Was Canceled, Why Hulk Hogan Mattered & Obama Scandal 07/25/2025

The Real Reason Colbert Was Canceled, Why Hulk Hogan Mattered & Obama Scandal

“Actual Friends” podcast hosts Sage Steele, Dave Rubin, and Russell Brand talk about the death of legendary wrestler Hulk Hogan; the New York Post getting the scoop on the real reason why “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” was canceled by CBS and Paramount; Trey Parker and Matt Stone announcing South Park’s massive new streaming deal with Paramount; US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard exposing the smoking gun and the ugly details of how Barack Obama led an effort to ignore conf /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914555

Shane Gillis Torches ESPYs Crowd with Jokes He Couldn’t Make Last Year 07/18/2025

Shane Gillis Torches ESPYs Crowd with Jokes He Couldn’t Make Last Year

“Actual Friends” podcast hosts Sage Steele and Dave Rubin talk about Shane Gillis dividing and outraging the crowd at the 2025 ESPY Awards, where he brutally roasted Caitlin Clark and the WNBA; CNN’s profile on an immigrant family choosing to self-deport to Mexico to avoid getting swept up in Donald Trump’s mass deportation ICE raids; Rep. Maria Salazar outraging Republicans by co-sponsoring the Dignity Act to give amnesty to working illegal immigrants who have been in America for years; Brett Co /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914560

Elon Musk Dividing MAGA, Charlize Theron's ‘Call Her Daddy’ Controversy & Love Island Scandal 07/11/2025

Elon Musk Dividing MAGA, Charlize Theron's ‘Call Her Daddy’ Controversy & Love Island Scandal

“Actual Friends” podcast hosts Sage Steele, Dave Rubin, and Russell Brand talk about Elon Musk announcing the America Party, after denouncing both political parties for not representing the people after Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill; if cancel culture is making a comeback after “Love Island USA’s” latest controversial move of kicking Cierra Ortega off the show as old racist social media posts were resurfaced; Donald Trump mocking the presses obsession with Jeffrey Epstein after /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914565

UNCENSORED: Dave, Sage & Russell React to NYC’s Socialist Rise, Trump’s F-Bomb, AI Lies & More 06/27/2025

UNCENSORED: Dave, Sage & Russell React to NYC’s Socialist Rise, Trump’s F-Bomb, AI Lies & More

Dave Rubin, Sage Steele, and Russell Brand of the Actual Friends podcast react to Trump’s viral F-bomb during the Israel-Iran ceasefire and debate when presidential profanity goes too far; discuss Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani’s NYC mayoral primary win and what it means for cities, populism, and Jewish voters; break down the spread of fake AI war footage and how online information is eroding public trust; reflect on decentralization, community, and how the digital future might send us back to o /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914570

HEATED DEBATE: Russell, Sage, & Dave debate Tucker Carlson, Iran, Caitlan Clark, Whoopi & MORE! 06/20/2025

HEATED DEBATE: Russell, Sage, & Dave debate Tucker Carlson, Iran, Caitlan Clark, Whoopi & MORE!

Sage Steele, Russell Brand, and Dave Rubin of the "Actual Friends" podcast debate about Tucker Carlson taking opposition with President Donald Trump and his potential engagement with the Iran-Israel war, Tucker Carlson's hostile interview with US Senator from Texas, Ted Cruz; These Actual Friends also talk about Whoopi Goldberg's insane comments on the view, Caitlan Clark superstardom in the WNBA coupled with controversy surrounding her and other players as pertains to race and gender; Mark Ruffalo's biz /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914575

Russell Exposes Media Spin on Greta Thunberg & Viral Apologies, Dave Dissects LA Riots & Unrest 06/13/2025

Russell Exposes Media Spin on Greta Thunberg & Viral Apologies, Dave Dissects LA Riots & Unrest

Russell Brand and Dave Rubin of the Actual Friends podcast take on a wild week around the world; Russell tunes in from Nashville to break down media spin on Greta Thunberg’s deportation, Simone Biles’s clash with Riley Gaines, and Elon Musk’s apology to Trump; Dave shares his thoughts on the not-so-peaceful Los Angeles as riots flare, outlines a path to calm, and shares how to keep your family safe. More Friends will be on NEXT WEEK so don't forget to SUBSCRIBE!
00:00 Intro
07:16 Greta T /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914580

Dave’s Real Experience in Israel, Sage Takes on Fairness in Sports, Russell Defends Free Speech 06/06/2025

Dave’s Real Experience in Israel, Sage Takes on Fairness in Sports, Russell Defends Free Speech

Dave Rubin, Sage Steele, and Russell Brand of the Actual Friends podcast take on a wild week around the world; Dave reports from (yes, really) a former Israeli Prime Minister’s bomb shelter after a whirlwind tour of Jerusalem; Sage breaks down the latest sports chaos as Trump threatens fines over trans athletes; Russell phones in from his trusty iPad to talk free speech, cancel culture, and why telling the truth isn’t a crime.

00:00 Intro01:36 Dave’s Adventures in Israel08:39 Russell Brand Jo /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914585

Dave Meets Orbán in Hungary, Sage Slams SF’s “Equity Grading,” Roseanne Confronts Antisemitism 05/31/2025

Dave Meets Orbán in Hungary, Sage Slams SF’s “Equity Grading,” Roseanne Confronts Antisemitism

Dave Rubin, Sage Steele, and guest host Roseanne Barr of the Actual Friends podcast talk about what stood out about Prime Minister Orbán’s leadership and why Budapest feels like a city that gets it right; the latest chaos in San Francisco: a paused grading policy that would have let students pass with scores as low as 21%, and the growing financial collapse of Pride events across the country; rising antisemitism and university response, and more!

Russell will have a lot to cover wi /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914590

Russell Exposes Biden’s Cancer, Emily vs South Africa, Dave on Miami Flip, Sage Highlights Jennings 05/23/2025

Russell Exposes Biden’s Cancer, Emily vs South Africa, Dave on Miami Flip, Sage Highlights Jennings

Russell Brand, guest host Emily Wilson (in for Jillian Michaels), Dave Rubin, and Sage Steele of the "Actual Friends" podcast talk about Biden’s cancer diagnosis; the 2022 video footage of Biden previously saying he had cancer; Joe Scarborough admitting he was wrong about Biden (but not saying he was sorry about it all); Trump confronting the South African President about the "white genocide"; the Republican voter registration lead in Miami-Dade County; Megyn Kelly ripping into Jake Tapper for hiding B /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914595

Sage Reveals Trump's Wins, Russell on Kanye West, Jillian v Big Pharma, & Dave Calls Out Jake Tapper 05/16/2025

Sage Reveals Trump's Wins, Russell on Kanye West, Jillian v Big Pharma, & Dave Calls Out Jake Tapper

Sage Steele, Russell Brand, Jillian Michaels, and Dave Rubin of the "Actual Friends" podcast talk about Trump's massive and unprecedented accomplishments in his first 100 days in office; Sage's 3 year anniversary after getting hit in the face by a golf ball at the 2022 PGA Tour and during her lawsuit against Disney; The viral video of French President Emanuel Macron and United Kingdom Prime Minster Keir Starmer hiding a baggie that looks like cocaine; The debate behind Kanye West's /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914600

Dave Spars w/ Biden, Sage Gets Engaged, Russell Responds to Allegations, & Jillian Goes on Rogan 05/09/2025

Dave Spars w/ Biden, Sage Gets Engaged, Russell Responds to Allegations, & Jillian Goes on Rogan

Dave Rubin, Sage Steele, Russell Brand, and Jillian Michaels of the "Actual Friends" podcast talk about Joe Biden's first television appearance since leaving office; Dave's speech at the University of Delaware's Biden School of Public Policy and Administration and his fight with a University Professor; Jasmine Crockett skipping the line at the airport; Bernie Sanders' defense of flying private; Sage recently getting engaged and finding love; Sage moving her daughter out of college after graduating; Disne /episode/index/show/43c1264c-b502-4732-9db3-5676b222fc9a/id/37914605

Actual Friends

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