The Beached White Male Podcast with Ken Kemp

Send us Fan Mail Today, Betsey and I reconvene after nearly a month.  NOTE: This conversation was recorded before the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk. We talk about the headlines that dominated the news prior to the horrible, very public shooting in Utah - and issues that should not be forgotten. The President has targeted Chicago, Betsey’s hometown, with the National Guard. He calls it a hoplessly...

Send us Fan Mail Because of the shocking news regarding Charlie Kirk, I'm postponing the Beach Talk with Betsey Newenhuyse that we recorded this week. Listen in to our 6.5-minute reflection. Support the show Become a Patron  - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you! Ken’s Substack Page The Podcast Official Site : TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail Ken Fong and I unpack the life and legacy of Dr. James Dobson, who just recently passed away. For many of us, Dobson’s voice was a constant presence in American evangelical homes. He was the trusted “family counselor” who seemed to offer simple, practical guidance about raising children, strengthening marriages, and protecting the home. His books— Dare to Discipline , Bringing Up...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with two longtime friends of the podcast: Osahon Obazuaye , pastor and activist, and Grant Young , who holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from one of America’s leading evangelical universities. Both of them bring firsthand experience as Black men navigating predominantly white evangelical spaces—churches, classrooms, and institutions that sha...

Send us Fan Mail Today I welcome a familiar voice and a longtime friend—Dr. Randall Balmer. Back in the day, when we were “Trinity Men,” he was “Randy” to me. Today, he’s Dr. Balmer—historian, author, professor, and one of the leading voices on religion in America. He earned his graduate degrees at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Princeton, and Union Theological Seminary, and this marks our t...

Send us Fan Mail Today, I’m here with my good friend and fellow podcaster, Ken Fong. Every week, the two of us dig deep into the big conversations shaping our lives, our culture, and the soul of our nation. We come to you from different vantage points, different life experiences, but with a shared commitment to truth, curiosity, and connection. This week, we talk about something that’s been quietl...

Send us Fan Mail I’m honored to welcome Dr. Edward J. Larson to this episode of the podcast. Dr. Larson is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion , a landmark work that reexamines the 1925 Scopes “Monkey” Trial with fresh insight and scholarly depth. In our conversation, Dr. Larson challenges the fam...

Send us Fan Mail My guest is Matt Mikalatos — author, screenwriter, producer, and all-around brilliant storyteller.  He has written award-winning books, including the beautifully illustrated graphic novel God With Us , the devotional Praying with Saint Nicholas , and an imaginative Young Adult fantasy series, The Sunlit Lands . He’s also co-authored Loving Disagreement with Kathy Khang — a timely,...

Send us Fan Mail Today, I’m joined by my longtime friend Mike Mizrahi—yes, we go way back. Mike’s career took him from an undergraduate degree in journalism to a Master's in corporate communication. He had a career as a corporate spokesperson, but his real passion found its home in writing historical fiction. And his latest novel, The Weight of Loyalty , is a great achievement. I read it with...

Send us Fan Mail In this important and timely episode, I welcome back journalist, author, and friend of the podcast, Peter Wehner. We dig into his provocative and widely discussed article in The Atlantic : “ Why Evangelicals Turned Their Back on PEPFAR .” PEPFAR—President George W. Bush’s historic global AIDS relief program—has saved over 26 million lives and prevented millions of HIV infections....

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ken Fong and I take on a sobering question: Why do so many Americans celebrate cruelty? With the help of British psychiatrist Dr. Russell Razzaque , we explore the mental state of Donald Trump and the deeper dynamics that fuel authoritarian behavior. At the core? Fear. Not fear of crime or poverty—but of losing status, especially among white men who once held unchalleng...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we have a conversation that’s very personal for me. I’m pleased to welcome author Dave Larsen to discuss his powerful new novel, Green Street in Black and White: A Chicago Story . I can relate to the story - I was born in Chicago, lived in Wheaton as a boy, and worked in my first role as a Youth Pastor in Maywood, when “white flight,” the fear-driven, racially charged mass...

Send us Fan Mail Today, as we celebrate the 4th of July, we have another Beach Talk with Bestey Newenhuyse. This week. Betsey and I consider what July 4th means to us in 2025. A new Gallup poll says only 58% of Americans are proud to be American, down from 85% in 2013. What happened? We also reflect on the tragic Minnesota shooting and the loss of Melissa Hortman, with insights into the memorial a...

Send us Fan Mail Today, I share my most recent Substack, #48: The Mist Trail: Digital Detox and Yosemite's Reward It's a story I will long remember. Maybe it will bring back some memories and some inspiration to you, too. CLICK HERE to read along and enjoy some of the photos. Enjoy! Support the show Become a Patron  - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Th...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we welcome a conversation with Dr. Christian Smith, one of America’s leading sociologists of religion. He studied at Wheaton and Gordon College, earned an M.A. and PhD at Harvard, and serves currently as the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame. You may know him from his groundbreaking research on adolescent spirituality, but in this e...

Send us Fan Mail On this Juneteenth, Ken invites John Williams back to the podcast, this time to talk about the summer series, TRUTH QUEST . John and Ken review the origins of the Civil Rights (C.R.) Tour of the South , and John's journey from his law practice to his first C.R. Tour. His experience became a catalyst for leaving his law practice behind. A vision was born to introduce others to...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we’ve got another edition of The Two Kens with my good friend and fellow podcaster, Ken Fong. This time, we dive into the bizarre breakup between Donald Trump and Elon Musk — a political feud that feels like your parents fighting in public. No one’s enjoying it, but everyone’s watching. Trump, the undisputed Master of Distraction, still knows how to hijack the media cycle l...

Send us Fan Mail (REPRISE) Ken welcomes professor, fellow podcaster, and author Dr. Brad Onishi back to the podcast to talk about his new book - Preparing for War - The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next (release date: January 3, 2023) . A long-time friend of the podcast, Brad has been busy after a major event in Denver focussed on Christian Nationalism last month...

Send us Fan Mail Philip Yancey's courageous and penetrating new book, his memoir - Where the Light Fell - will be released on October 5. There's a big audience for Philip's story. There are over 100 million claim to have experienced Christian fundamentalism and 25 million more identify as " exvangelicals ." Brother Marshall , a musical prodigy, had perfect pitch. Philip&ap...

Send us Fan Mail (REPRISE) For a second time, Ken welcomes Rev. Ben Cremer to the podcast for Season 5. Ken starts by thanking Ben for that first interview, "Myths We Believe," which is far and away the most downloaded podcast of Ken's more than 300 episodes (exceeding the former first-place interview with Kristin Kobes Du Mez). Ben is a prolific author, just finishing up the manusc...

Send us Fan Mail PLEASE NOTE: EDITING ERRORS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED .  This week on Beach Talk with Betsey Newenhuyse , we’re reflecting on Memorial Day from Betsey’s visit to Ft. Sheridan Cemetery—where memory and meaning converge. We’ll share personal thoughts about our dads and how sensational politics and shallow discourse often diminish this solemn day. Betsey brings us a notable message from Pet...

Send us Fan Mail I’m pleased to welcome Tracey Gee to the podcast — author, coach, keynote speaker, and the thoughtful spirit behind The Magic of Knowing What You Want . Tracey brings clarity, warmth, and wisdom. You’ll love this conversation - it’ll help you, too, as it did me. Tracey holds degrees from UCLA in Anthropology and Business, a Master’s in Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary,...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode connects ancient Viking history to today’s global headlines.  This is my seventh conversation with historian and political commentator Martyn Whittock—this time we dive into his brand-new book, “Vikings in the East: From Vladimir the Great to Vladimir Putin.” Martyn joins us from Bath, UK, where he’s been tracking the strange but powerful ways history is being used...

Send us Fan Mail Today, my guest is journalist and author Katherine Stewart. I had a compelling conversation with this highly sought-after writer, and we went deep . Known for The Power Worshippers , she’s back with Money, Lies, and God , exposing the dangerous alliance of Christian Nationalism and political power. We dive into her journey from the Child Evangelism Fellowship to attending rallies...

Send us Fan Mail Join me for the latest episode of Beach Talk with Betsey Newenhuyse—we’ve got a packed show you won’t want to miss! Betsey shares a moving story about her brother joining a protest last weekend. He’s not usually out there with a sign, but his action got us talking about showing up in different ways—and how that still matters. We dive into big headlines, like 60 Minutes teaming up...