Call It Like I See It

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana continue their streaming between the lines series and discuss “Selma,” the 2014 movie that was directed by Ava DuVernay and is currently streaming on many platforms.  The guys consider movie’s depiction Civil Rights Movement leaders, most notably Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the nonviolent demonstrations they led in Selma, Alabama in an effort to speak to the moral...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to a piece from Harvard trained oncologist Ezekiel Emanuel on the most common misconceptions about nutrition and health and discuss how many of these “lies” are a result of unforeseen consequences of prior health initiatives or efforts to simplify health advice.  The guys also take a look at some recent findings that suggest that wearable fitness trackers like a...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the so called “insect apocalypse,” and try to make sense of the fact that bugs are disappearing all over the planet at an alarming rate (1:01).  The guys then react to a recent discovery of a black mold near Chernobyl that appears to have evolved to be feeding off ionizing radiation. (23:15).   A looming 'insect apocalypse' could endanger global food supplies....

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, and the staggering amounts she has donated to charitable causes not just in 2025 but also since 2019, consider whether this level of philanthropy is needed now with how much wealth disparity has grown, and discuss how the pillars in the American system that brought about the largest middle class in the history of the...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the ongoing professionalization of college sports in light of the recently announced deal between University of Utah and the private equity firm Otro Capital of New York that is reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.  The guys also discuss how the fall of former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore illustrates how one can set up their own downfall...

Note: This Podcast Contains SPOILERS.  James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the recent Netflix documentary “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” which was directed by Alex Stapleton and has been promoted extensively by longtime Diddy antagonist 50 Cent.  The guys break down a few themes that were emphasized in the documentary and consider the extent to which Diddy was treated fairly in it. Sean Combs: The...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at a recent discovery that suggests that plastics microplastics and nano plastics are being detected in human brains (0:56).  The guys then react to a study that suggested that kids remember being lied to, and lied to kids tend to become lying, ill adjust adults (20:35).   Psychiatrist sounds alarm after disturbing discovery made inside human brains: 'I sp...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to a recent interview of Ken Burns by Lex Pryor of the Ringer which discussed Burns' new documentary, “the American Revolution,” and gave some interesting insight into how Burns was able to avoid being a prisoner of the political moment when making this documentary over the last decade, and also how Burns was able to provide more context and depth to the origin...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at recent reporting which raises the alarm about scam ads on Facebook and how selling ad space to scammers appears to be substantial boost to the company’s bottom line (1:22).  The guys then consider whether ChatGPT is making people crazy, or at least crazier, in light of recent revelations about people ending up hospitalized, divorced, or dead following i...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the extreme reactions seen following Zoran Mamdani’s New York City mayor election victory, including how many in the media and politics (including Republicans and even some Democrats) have been freaking out, and consider what factors may be driving it.  The guys also take a look at the enthusiasm from Mamdani’s supporters and how Mamdani will need to navigate...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at Pope Leo XIV’s recent criticism of economies that have the wealthy live in “bubble of comfort and luxury” while marginalizing the poor and discuss some of the predatory aspects of the American economic system as well as how many of America’s most common economic measures may cover up how difficult things are for working people.     Pope Leo condemns eco...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to how widespread the recent No Kings Protests were and discuss how they reflect something deep inside the Americans psyche.  The guys also consider why some Americans in power and in places of influence, like Rep Mike Johnson or comedian Joe Rogan were apparently so bothered by these peaceful demonstrations that reflected Americans’ longstanding disdain for unc...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a couple of sections that stood out in Morgan Housel’s 2020 book, “The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness.”   The Psychology of Money (Bookshop.org)

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to recent comments from billionaire investor Ray Dalio, who suggests that a new civil war that is developing in the US and that economic issues such as out of control public debt and the massive wealth gap are key drivers of it.  The guys also consider the extent to which these very economic issues indicate that the culture war disputes may just misdirecting att...

James Keys and Tunde take a look at the growing trend in Canada which is seeing more and more people take advantage of the country’s expansive euthanasia and medical assistance in dying policies to end their life on their own terms, so to speak, and consider ways this seems to impact family dynamics as well as the medical system and legal system in Canada.   Canada is Killing Itself (The Atlantic)...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a section from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s fourth and final book, "Where Do We Go From Here, Chaos or Community," which was published in 1967.  The guys focus on a few of King's observations in the book's third chapter, "Racism and the White Backlash," and consider how well these observations hold up in light of the course of events in the U.S. over the past...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the 2020 PBS documentary “McCarthy - Power Feeds on Fear,” which tells the story of US Senator Joe McCarthy and his anti-communism demagoguery in the 1950s.  The guys also discuss the things in that society that allowed it to happen or even promoted it and what characteristics can make societies more susceptible to a demagogue takeover.   "McCarthy - Po...

James Keys and Tunde react to recent reports that Medicare will start paying AI companies what could be considered a bounty for every health coverage claim their AI software rejects, discuss how this kind of incentive will play out in the real world, and consider why the US has such a hard time addressing problems in its health care system even though there are so many working examples around the...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Gavin Newsom’s new social media approach, why it has gotten such a positive and negative reaction from both the public and political and media elites, and what it means, if anything, for political communications in the US moving forward.   How Gavin Newsom trolled his way to the top of social media (Politico) Gavin Newsom is expertly trolling Fox News stars by...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a recent effort by neurologists and researchers Ray Dorsey, MD, and Michael Okun, MD to warn people that Parkinson’s disease may be driven by modern pollution and chemical exposure, discuss how many other chronic diseases may actually not be merely bad luck occurrences but things arise in large part by chemicals we voluntarily use or surround ourselves with, a...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss what stood out in the new Netflix documentary “America’s Team: the Gambler and His Cowboys,” which focuses on the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, their dynastic run in the mid-1990s, and the wild cast of characters that defined the organization at that time.   America’s Team: the Gambler and His Cowboys (Netflix) Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a couple of the laws from Robert Greene’s bestselling book “The 48 Laws of Power,” particularly looking at the extent to which the laws hold up as society has evolved in the nearly 3 decades since the book was published.   The 48 Laws of Power (Bookshop.org)

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the public reaction to the American Eagle jeans advertising campaign which features Sydney Sweeney and makes a direct play on the word jeans and the idea of genetics, culminating in quote “Sydney Sweeney has great genes.”  The guys also consider what it means for the public discourse that stirring up controversy and creating outrage is a very reliable path to...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana reflect on an interesting point made in Yuval Noah Harari’s book “Nexus,” about the witch hunting era in Europe following the spread of the printing press and how that time shared many of the characteristics we see in our modern, post Internet society. The guys also discuss whether, in light of how things turned out in the witch hunting era, we should be more worried...

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the Washington state law that would require that clergy from any religion to report to authorities any child abuse, including sex abuse or pedophilia, that they learn about, even if they learn about it during a confessional, and discuss the Trump administration’s effort to fight the law in court based on the First Amendment to the Constitution and in th...