Bald and Bloviating

Seems two kinds of people inhabit the planet: those who have game, and those who don't. Here I rant about the importance of identifying yourself and others in either category, and what entails from such a fundamental distinction.  Cited Pod https://www.buzzsprout.com/2455331/episodes/16756707 Send the host a text! Let him know what you think Support the show

Doing things unconventionally my whole life, I've encountered unconventional people -- including celebrities-to-be Beck, and as described here, Andy Dick. Here I recount how we met, how we became friends, and our strange and memorable experiences together just before Andy moved to LA to become the Andy Dick we know and love and are annoyed by to this day...  Blog Post https://mookiespitz.medi...

Buckle up and get set for some serious bloviating. Your bald host, Mookie Spitz reconnects with coiffed musician, psychologist, and desert van-dweller Reza Ziai for a wild ride full of paywalls, pop stars in space, and why Elon Musk might be the messiah—or a Bond villain with ASD and excellent connectivity. They unpack why Iran still doesn’t have nukes and what should and shouldn't be done ab...

In this solo episode of Bald and Bloviating , host Mookie Spitz riffs on his linguistic pet peeve: the overuse of the passive voice. Prompted by a recent media blitz from linguist John McWhorter—whom Mookie once emailed with unsolicited writing advice—this episode dives into why phrases like "it is" and "there was" weaken prose. Drawing inspiration from a long-forgotten middle...

The Yemen attack Signal fiasco embodies the new administration's attitudes toward protocol, security, and the role of government itself. Here's my take from the concerned vantage point of a Marine dad... My video parody: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHr4FSRpQ5J/ My video commentary: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHqk_0oxuX7/ Send the host a text! Let him know what you think Support the show

"I knew them when..." is the ultimate celebrity trope, in this case a true one when back in North Hollywood, California in the mid-80s, I got to know and hang out with teenage Beck. Reminiscing can be fun and revealing, saying much about the roads to fame, and the elements of great storytelling. Here's how I met him, recorded a song together, and argued about music. (Spoiler alert:...

Science fiction is often based on the counterfactual conditional, "What if...?" I based this short story I wrote back in the mid-90s on two such speculations: "What if... global nuclear disarmament precludes WW3 but leads to our extinction, anyway, because we can't deflect a planet-killer asteroid or comet?" and "What if... the President of the United States is eventu...

Writers write, and when not writing stories write about writing stories. Here's a rant about my first short story, the short story itself, and the agony and ecstasy of learning how to write stories. Whether or not you're a writer you might enjoy hearing about the process, and how it feels to revisit work decades later, dust it off, and share it with shock and awe...  The original short s...

At the home stretch of finishing and publishing my second novel, I waxed nostalgic and sought eleventh hour inspiration in dusting off the short story that spawned it. Here I give a bit of background, and read the original post that has evolved to a fully rendered novel, first in a series, out on Amazon and Kindle soon...  My short story on Medium: https://medium.com/@mookiespitz/johnny-fazoolie-t...

The "Multiverse" has become a science fiction cliche and science fact distraction -- but where did the idea come from, and what might it mean for our lives if the hypothesis were actually true? I'm soon to publish a sci fi novel with this theme, taking a new take on it as described in this solo episode. Hope you enjoy! Here's an early draft of an early chapter from my sci fi no...

How often do we hear the expression "Everything always happens for a reason"? I think the reason is rationalizing failure, and trying to sugar coat the inherent unfairness and difficulties of life.  Here I describe why this phrase embodies the worst aspects of our "self-help" obsessed culture, and propose a better way to realize goals.  Eager to hear what you think!  Send the h...

What happens when a Democrat tries to articulate what he thinks is the "Trump Doctrine" to another Democrat, who isn't having it? You get this podcast! Listen as two liberals go mano-a-Mar-a-Lago over Trump's second term so far... Regardless which side you sit on, the conversation takes some unexpected turns! The Debaters Vince Parry is a Democrat who dislikes (stronger words?)...

The Intent Sitting down and trying to understand the Middle East, and doing so as objectively as possible -- what do you think?  The Original Video (at 1.5x speed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=866CL2WWd0M&t=239s My Medium Posts https://mookiespitz.medium.com/list/middle-east-war-peace-e8a9771a422e Send the host a text! Let him know what you think Support the show

A voting Democrat shares his take on "The Trump Doctrine" and how it makes sense, and why understanding its intent and merits are vitally important even and especially if you don't agree with it. Send the host a text! Let him know what you think Support the show

A solo chat where I share my excitement and learnings after going viral on TikTok, and figuring out how to transform my self-image as a writer and blogger to a video ranter and now podcaster...  Send the host a text! Let him know what you think Support the show

The Wright Brothers flew sixty years ago, and it's been almost as much time since the Apollo Moon landings -- yet humans haven't been back since, not even leaving Earth orbit. What's gone wrong with the space program, and what's gone right? I ask the best-informed space geek I know, Carl Alessi, and have a wonderful conversation about where we were, where we are, and where we c...

The first month of Trump's second term is being slammed by Democrats as executive over-reach, and celebrated by Republicans as a return to how the Framers of the Constitution defined the role.  Today's guest explains what he means by a "unitary executive," and how Trump is following an established tradition that has since been eroded by the legislature and courts, creating a co...

Old School Liberal HP and Libertarian Me both voted for Harris, but now that Trump is in office have different views of the administration's policies and where the nation is headed... The End of American Exceptionalism https://mookiespitz.medium.com/the-end-of-american-exceptionalism-415ae8e1b333 Eleventh Hour Election Debate https://mookiespitz.medium.com/eleventh-hour-election-debate-d4c4f3...

Today Trump announced the US takeover of the Gaza Strip, which is essentially declaring the end of the dream of Palestinian statehood. You'll hear historical context and intent, as I still can't wrap my bald head fully around the idea of proposing yet another mass deportation... Send the host a text! Let him know what you think Support the show