We're Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends
We’re Not Kidding is a show where funny people talk about serious things, hosted by Zeteo founder and CEO Mehdi Hasan and regularly featuring internationally acclaimed comedian Bassem Youssef. Each episode, Mehdi is joined by a renowned guest host for a sometimes lighthearted, sometimes vulnerable conversation about topics they can't discuss anywhere else.
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‘They Make Genocide Jokes’ - Israeli Comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi on Racism, Zionism, and Palestinian Liberation
12/09/2025
‘They Make Genocide Jokes’ - Israeli Comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi on Racism, Zionism, and Palestinian Liberation
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit Noam Shuster-Eliassi is what some people might call a ‘unicorn’. She’s an anti-Zionist, Jewish-Iranian Israeli who speaks fluent Arabic and grew up in a tiny village in Israel called the ‘Oasis of Peace’, where Jews and Palestinians choose to live together. And while she started a career in diplomacy with a stint at the United Nations trying to bring pea…
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‘Israel’s Sugar Daddy’ – Mehdi and Bassem on Trump, Kimmel, Mamdani, and Two Years of Genocide
09/30/2025
‘Israel’s Sugar Daddy’ – Mehdi and Bassem on Trump, Kimmel, Mamdani, and Two Years of Genocide
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit It’s been six months since Mehdi and Bassem Youssef last recorded an episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’, so needless to say they had a lot to catch up on. And what better place to host their reunion than ArabCon 2025 in Dearborn, Michigan? During this very special LIVE taping, the duo get candid about the Trump administration’s recent attacks on free speech, the potential of a Zohran Mamdani victory in New York City, and how much the world has changed (and sadly not changed) since Israel began its genocide in Gaza almost two years ago. Finally, the two take questions from the audience about the use of social media platforms complicit in genocide, whether either of them would travel to Israel for work, and how to build momentum for the BDS movement (‘Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions’). Mehdi also gets asked a couple of pointed questions about condemning Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7 and the killing of Israeli civilians — you don’t want to miss his response. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: = FIND BASSEM: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Bassem Youssef Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali
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‘Ethno-Nationalist, Hard-Right Whackjobs’ - Nish Kumar on Fascism, Starmer, and Being Both Brown and English
05/15/2025
‘Ethno-Nationalist, Hard-Right Whackjobs’ - Nish Kumar on Fascism, Starmer, and Being Both Brown and English
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit They first bonded over their of Nando’s — now Mehdi and UK comedian Nish Kumar reunite to talk about their shared contempt for the Trump administration. The two sat down in Washington DC to discuss UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s disastrous visits to the White House and the childish behavior of US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Mehdi and Nish also weigh in on the current debate raging in the UK over who gets to claim ‘English’ identity. Is Rishi Sunak English? Is ‘English’ an ethnic identity? Is this just racism disguised as legitimate debate? The two also dig into the nature of ‘American’ identity and Donald Trump’s attempts to revoke birthright citizenship in the US. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND NISH: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Nish Kumar Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali
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Taking On the Tech Oligarchs, with Taylor Lorenz
02/07/2025
Taking On the Tech Oligarchs, with Taylor Lorenz
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit ‘We’re Not Kidding’ is back! After a not-very-relaxing holiday break, Mehdi is joined by tech and online culture journalist ( !) Taylor Lorenz to discuss the new age of American oligarchy. Trump is back in office and his inauguration was a star-studded showcase of spineless tech billionaires. Mehdi and Taylor also unpack the dumbfounding blunder of Democrats’ TikTok ban, why private ownership of social media platforms by “red-pilled billionaires” is actually BAD for free speech, the MAGAfication of Elon Musk, and whether Mark Zuckerberg looks cool now. Taylor also pushes back against the argument made by Zeteo guest writer Will Stancil, who called for Democrats to with social media companies. “Then just get on board with Republicans! This is the problem, is people like that. That is so stupid!” SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND TAYLOR: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Taylor Lorenz Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Special thanks to: Stephen Wentzell
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"Holy Sh*t, We're Being Lied To": Huda Kattan, CEO of Huda Beauty, Speaks Out
12/20/2024
"Holy Sh*t, We're Being Lied To": Huda Kattan, CEO of Huda Beauty, Speaks Out
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit If you’ve followed Mehdi’s career, you know he’s interviewed heads of state, members of Congress, homicidal mercenaries, and even terrorists. But this may be Mehdi’s most intimidating guest yet — Huda Kattan — the superstar beauty influencer, activist, reality TV show host, and founder and CEO of international beauty brand 'Huda Beauty'. Funnily enough, Huda was also nervous to sit down with one of her personal role models. Huda opens up to Mehdi about growing up in Tennessee and the moment she realized that US media is oftentimes propaganda: “That was the moment where I was like, holy shit, we are being lied to. We're being told stories for the sake of specific agendas.” They also talk about the launch of 'Huda Beauty', the lack of diversity in the beauty industry, celebrities who have stayed silent on Gaza, and Huda's activism on Gaza and Palestine. “You don’t want people who support genocide to use your products?” Mehdi asks. “Absolutely not. You’re not allowed.” Huda replies. Subscribe at to watch the full interview. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND HUDA: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Huda Kattan Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali
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The One Where Hasan Minhaj Meets Mehdi Hasan
11/25/2024
The One Where Hasan Minhaj Meets Mehdi Hasan
Hasan Minhaj and Mehdi Hasan don’t just share a common brown name… actually, that may be all they have in common. One loves to debate, the other avoids it like the plague. One is obsessed (sorry, Mehdi) with Twitter, the other avoids it like the plague. And one knew months ago that Trump was going to win, and with record levels of Black and Brown support. They also talked about Joe Rogan and diagnosing what’s the matter with men these days, pseudo-intellectualism, Hasan’s latest Netflix special - including the perplexities and paradoxes of “Beigistan”, and yes, the whole ‘Daily Show’ thing with Hasan and the New Yorker. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND HASAN: YouTube: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Hasan Minhaj Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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‘Election Anxiety’ and Fears of a ‘Civil War’, with Nick Offerman
11/01/2024
‘Election Anxiety’ and Fears of a ‘Civil War’, with Nick Offerman
It’s less than a week until the 2024 US presidential election and who better to discuss the government with than ‘Parks and Rec’ star and comedian Nick Offerman. The last time Mehdi spoke with Nick about current events was back in May 2021, right before Nick was to testify before Congress about the Covid-19 vaccine. More recently, Nick released a couple of to encourage Americans to vote for Kamala Harris and defeat Donald Trump (hopefully) forever. Mehdi and Nick rant about the Donald Trump x Elon Musk teamup and the influence of corporate money on our media and politics. "The corporate interests that generally own the mainstream media so that no matter what messaging you get, it's never the fully straight dope,” Nick tells Mehdi. “You can count the politicians in Congress who aren't taking corporate money on two fingers.” Mehdi asks Nick about his recent role playing the president of the United States in Alex Garland’s hit film ‘Civil War’ and what Americans can learn from the cautionary tale about the waning days of a civil war fought on US soil. When discussing Trump, Nick humorously describes in graphic detail what he imagines the former president does on his golden toilet. They finish the conversation discussing the strengths and flaws of the Harris campaign, including her stance on Gaza and US arms sales to Israel. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND NICK: Twitter: Instagram: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Nick Offerman Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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Bassem Youssef, Unlike You’ve Ever Seen Him, on Hope, Despair, and A Year of Genocide
10/24/2024
Bassem Youssef, Unlike You’ve Ever Seen Him, on Hope, Despair, and A Year of Genocide
If you’ve been tuning into Zeteo’s flagship podcast, ‘We’re Not Kidding’ for the last six months, you’re going to find this one is a very special episode. Bassem Youssef returns to WNK for an intimate and heartfelt conversation – one unlike you’ve ever seen on this show. It’s also a version of Bassem none of us, including Mehdi, have ever seen before. “I’m from a very, very, very deep point of desperation,” he tells Mehdi backstage at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre in downtown Toronto. The two met up for this special recording right before Bassem went live onstage for one of the last shows of his sellout ‘Middle Beast Tour.’ It’s been a few months since Mehdi and Bassem last co-hosted WNK, and with so much that’s happened since then and the US elections just on the horizon, they had a lot to discuss: from trying to be hopeful versus feeling helplessness, to witnessing the impunity of Israel reach new heights, to whether the pro-Israel side can be defeated in the media or in Congress. If you’re looking for a listen that will resonate, that will make you feel seen, after a very long and hard-to-watch year, tune in now. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND BASSEM: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Bassem Youssef Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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A Palestinian and a Jew Walk Into a Podcast - Sammy Obeid & Matt Lieb Reflect on the Oct. 7 Anniversary
11/14/2024
A Palestinian and a Jew Walk Into a Podcast - Sammy Obeid & Matt Lieb Reflect on the Oct. 7 Anniversary
In the latest episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’, Mehdi is joined by comedians and to discuss the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas and Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza that followed. Matt, a Jewish-American, and Sammy, a Palestinian-American, share their personal experiences over the past year, including how they’ve managed to maintain their sense of humor through a year of intense violence and tragedy. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MATT: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND SAMMY: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Hosts: Matt Lieb & Sammy Obeid Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Special thanks: Stephen Wentzell This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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Make Nando’s, Not War - with Nish Kumar
09/26/2024
Make Nando’s, Not War - with Nish Kumar
In the latest episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’, Mehdi’s in London (again!) and this time chatting with the Nando’s-loving comedian and host of ‘Pod Save the UK’ Nish Kumar. We promise you will laugh – and maybe even cry of laughter. Nish and Mehdi lead with that - their shared love of Nando’s - and how, as Nish describes, it’s the only thing uniting a fragmented British society right now. The two also get deep into what that fragmented society looks like: the far-right, racist-fueled riots that took hold of the country this summer where more than 1,000 people were arrested, the post-October 7 resurgence of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment (that feels a lot like the 9/11-era), and how it’s echoed across the pond, in the US. Nish and Mehdi also talk biryani (who does it best), Gaza, Netanyahu and even Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND NISH: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Nish Kumar Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Mix Engineer: Valentino Rivera Title Animation: Ehsaan Mesghali Special thanks to: Stephen Wentzell This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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"We've Hit a Tipping Point" - Riz Ahmed on Protest, Joy, and the Power of Story
09/12/2024
"We've Hit a Tipping Point" - Riz Ahmed on Protest, Joy, and the Power of Story
Mehdi is joined by Oscar-winning actor and producer Riz Ahmed for a high school reunion (yes, they went to school together back in London in the 1990s!) and catch up on life, work, and how the world has changed for brown folks since their childhood. They talk about Riz’s journey as an actor — from playing stereotypical roles to now creating his own work and championing the work of up-and-coming filmmakers. “Representation within a broken system doesn't necessarily get us anywhere.” Riz tells Mehdi. “We need to build our own systems.” They also discuss Riz’s decision to speak out against Israel’s war on Gaza early on in the conflict, the Hollywood’s Artists for Ceasefire letter, and how much things have changed - or not! - from 9/11 to Oct. 7. Finally, Riz asks Mehdi to co-write his next rap song… SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND RIZ: Instagram: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Riz Ahmed Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Senior Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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‘We’re Not Kidding’ LIVE! - Alana Hadid & Mehdi on Palestine and the Fight for Liberation
07/23/2024
‘We’re Not Kidding’ LIVE! - Alana Hadid & Mehdi on Palestine and the Fight for Liberation
On this week’s special LIVE episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding,’ filmed in front of a studio audience in the Washington DC area, Mehdi is joined by activist, influencer and fashion designer Alana Hadid, who has been one of the most vocal advocates for the people of Gaza over the past nine months. Alana’s family is arguably the most famous Palestinian family on Earth, and the Hadids have received a ton of backlash - and a lot of threats - due to their outspoken criticisms of Israel’s genocidal campaign. Mehdi and Alana, who is also creative director for Watermelon Pictures, discuss her family’s history of being displaced from Palestine in 1948, the double-edged sword of speaking out on a massive social media platform, the experience of losing friends since October 7th, and why ‘hope’ shouldn’t be confused with ‘optimism.’ They also take live questions from Zeteo paid subscribers who were invited to the taping! “If you have to defend me, you’re in the wrong room,” a defiant Alana tells Mehdi. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND ALANA: Instagram: TikTok: Watermelon Pictures: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Alana Hadid Executive Producer: Kiran Alvi Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone Special thanks to: Lara Strydom and Mohammed Abdelbary This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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"I Will Do the Right Thing for those Children in Gaza." - Hollywood Star Rob Delaney Speaks Out
08/08/2024
"I Will Do the Right Thing for those Children in Gaza." - Hollywood Star Rob Delaney Speaks Out
On this week’s episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding,’ Mehdi travels to London to speak with U.S. comedian, writer, and actor Rob Delaney, who has lived in the UK for the last 10 years. In this powerful, wide-ranging, and at times emotional conversation, Rob speaks with Mehdi about how the tragic loss of his 2 year-old son in 2018 drove him to speak out against Israel’s brutal assault on Palestinian children. “What I do not have in common with the people in Gaza,” Rob tells Mehdi, “is once my baby died, I did not have to worry about the safety of my other children.” They also discuss the rise and fall of Twitter, Rob’s role in the new Deadpool movie, the recent U.K. election results and the role of the NHS, and whether Joe Biden should stay in the presidential race (spoiler alert: Rob makes the case for him dropping out!). SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN, AND SUBSCRIBE TO 'WE'RE NOT KIDDING' ON SUBSTACK: : FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND ROB: Twitter: Instagram: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Rob Delaney Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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The Missing 'Beheaded Babies' - Mehdi & Bassem Debunk Oct. 7 Lies
07/02/2024
The Missing 'Beheaded Babies' - Mehdi & Bassem Debunk Oct. 7 Lies
On this week’s bonus episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding,’ Bassem Youssef joins Mehdi for an honest and critical conversation about Oct. 7, and the avalanche of Israeli propaganda and lies that followed Hamas’ deadly attack. Bassem and Mehdi discuss and debunk a number of lies and distortions about the events on the day, from Israel’s controversial “Hannibal directive,” which led to the Israeli military killing a number of its own citizens, to the the now infamous “40 beheaded babies” and “babies in ovens” falsehoods that began to surface only days after the attack. Bassem and Mehdi are also joined by NYU journalism professor and war correspondent Azadeh Moaveni, whose went into detail about how sexual violence and claims of mass rape have been weaponized by supporters of Israel over the past eight months, and how the New York Times in particular misreported this incendiary story. This episode includes discussions on sexual violence, the specifics of which may be disturbing or traumatizing for some viewers and listeners. Below is a list of resources for survivors of sexual violence. RESOURCES: * RAINN: * Dart Center: * Poynter: SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND BASSEM: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Bassem Youssef Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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Gaza, Police Brutality and Batman with Mehdi and W. Kamau Bell
06/06/2024
Gaza, Police Brutality and Batman with Mehdi and W. Kamau Bell
Stand-up comedian, best-selling author and acclaimed TV host W. Kamau Bell joins Mehdi as co-host of 'We're Not Kidding' this week. They discuss the student protestors, who join a long line of American anti-war demonstrators, as well as the police’s use of brute force against them. Mehdi and Kamau also examine the censorship of pro-Palestinian voices in the media and Hollywood, why Batman is politically problematic, and the cynical “defanging” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. since his death. “People celebrate [Dr. King] as a hero and forget the part where he was assassinated,” says Kamau. “He didn't die of old age… He was assassinated and many people were happy he was assassinated.” SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND KAMAU: Twitter: Instagram: Substack: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: W. Kamau Bell Executive Producers: Misha Euceph & Kiran Alvi Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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Red Cows and Religious Extremists, with Bassem & Mehdi
05/23/2024
Red Cows and Religious Extremists, with Bassem & Mehdi
Bassem Youssef is back with Mehdi to co-host the third episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding.’ They talk about the religious extremists, from the illegal settlements in the West Bank to the hallways of the U.S. Congress, who are trying to bring about the end of times - as well as a bunch of red cows that wield a lot of spiritual power. And they disagree on a few things too. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND BASSEM: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Bassem Youssef Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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On Taylor Swift and Intifada
05/09/2024
On Taylor Swift and Intifada
Palestinian-Lebanese-American comedian, Sammy Obeid, who rose to fame because of his viral jokes on Palestine and his Netflix show 100 Humans, joins Mehdi to guest host the second episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding.’ They dive into the student protests, DNA tests, pushing back against misinformation with comedy, the power of slogans, and doing 1001 nights of stand-up. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND SAMMY: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Sammy Obeid Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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How Mehdi and Bassem Cope with What’s Happening in Gaza
04/25/2024
How Mehdi and Bassem Cope with What’s Happening in Gaza
In the very first episode of the new Zeteo podcast, 'We're Not Kidding,' Mehdi and guest co-host Bassem Youssef sit down and talk about what their brown parents make of their career choices, becoming famous for the right reasons, pushing back against the media’s coverage of Gaza, and Mehdi’s new hoodie. SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: WATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE’RE NOT KIDDING’ ON SUBSTACK: FIND ZETEO: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: FIND MEHDI: Substack: Twitter: Instagram: Tik Tok: FIND BASSEM: Twitter: Instagram: TikTok: CREDITS: Hosted by: Mehdi Hasan Guest Host: Bassem Youssef Executive Producers: Misha Euceph and Kiran Alvi Producer and Editor: Frank Cappello Music: Andy Clausen Design: Alicia Tatone This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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Announcing 'We're Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends'
06/20/2024
Announcing 'We're Not Kidding with Mehdi & Friends'
Introducing Zeteo's flagship podcast, 'We're Not Kidding,' a show where funny people talk about serious things, hosted by Zeteo founder and CEO Mehdi Hasan, and regularly featuring internationally acclaimed comedian Bassem Youssef. Each episode, Mehdi is joined by a renowned guest for a sometimes lighthearted, sometimes vulnerable conversation about topics they can't discuss anywhere else. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
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