News Weakly with Sami Shah

NEWS WEAKLY 196 – 17th January 2026 Top Stories of the Week Running From Iran A nationwide internet blackout, mass killings, exile fantasies, and the danger of confusing silence for stability. Albo Hates Hate After Bondi, Australia reaches for sweeping hate laws that try to arrest a feeling instead of fixing a mechanism, while New Zealand’s Christchurch response still quietly embarrasses us. Write...

Just a quick announcement that the next episode of News Weakly will contain a bonus audio documentary about News Satire. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

NEWS WEAKLY 195 – 10 January 2026 This week on  News Weakly , the empire stops pretending, the internet gets unplugged, a royal commission settles in for the long haul, and a writers’ festival demonstrates once again that its strongest literary skill is drafting a press release explaining why someone has been quietly uninvited. ALSO IN THIS EPISODE • Trump abandons subtlety entirely, floats G...

NEWS WEAKLY 194 – Media Ethics, Paper Wars, and a Currency in Freefall 03 January 2026 TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK • A terror hero meets Australian media ethics • Humanitarian aid fails an ideological compliance test • Iran’s economy collapses again • Australia’s regulator regulates itself QUOTE OF THE WEEK “You don’t pay for interviews. Not in cash. Not in gifts. Definitely not in hotel suites.” SUPP...

NEWS WEAKLY 193 - 24th Dec, 2025 Temporary Democracy, Permanent Consequences This week on  News Weakly , grief turns into legislation at speed, history offers an inconvenient warning, and Australia tests whether banning protest actually makes anyone safer. QUOTE OF THE WEEK “You don’t delete anger by banning protest. You just move it somewhere else.” SUPPORT THE SHOW If you value sharp analys...

NEWS WEAKLY – 20 Dec, 2025 TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK A national tragedy becomes a political talking point Also, why the antisemitism plan didn’t come with a time machine All that, and more, on  News Weakly . Quote of the Week “You can’t spend a decade attacking the fire brigade and then act shocked when the hose pressure isn’t what you wanted.” Support the Show If you value independent satire t...

NEWS WEAKLY – Episode 191 Conditional Condolences 17th December, 2025 This week on  News Weakly , Sami Shah delivers a long-form editorial on the Bondi attack and the reaction that followed, focusing not on the crime itself but on the way grief gets filtered, qualified, and politically managed online. Support the show If you value independent, listener-supported satire, you can support ...

News Weakly 190 - 13th Dec, 2025 Top stories of the week TEENS UNPLUGGED, NATION UNBOTHERED RECEIPT OF THE WEEK BEHIND BARS AND BEYOND SCRUTINY BETTING ON THE APOCALYPSE Quote of the week “Advertising people will arrive like seagulls at a chip shop.” Credits Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music “Historic...

NEWS WEAKLY 189 – 06 December, 2025 TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK SOUTHEAST ASIA SINKS WHILE THE WORLD SCROLLS! ALSO, DUMBASS IN THE DONBAS! AND, THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE DEFENDS ITSELF FROM THE INDEFENSIBLE! All that and more on News Weakly! Hello and welcome to News Weakly, where we punch the news in the headlines weakly. I’m Sami Shah, a journalist and comedian who still hasn’t got his Christmas...

Top Stories of the Week Joyce Makes A Choice Niqab-solutely Not Helping Fraudshore Processing Inferno of Neglect Quote of the Week “We’re essentially running the world’s most expensive Patreon, but instead of supporting artists we’re funding a government that appears to convert public money directly into cash withdrawals.” Support the show If you want News Weakly to keep punching the news in the h...

NEWS WEAKLY 187 – 22 November, 2025 Epstein’t Going to Change a Damn Thing! Peace Plan, War Everywhere! COP-ping Out! QUOTE OF THE WEEK “That is not peace, that is a diet war.” SUPPORT THE SHOW News Weakly is kept independent and listener funded, thanks to the generosity of paid supporters on Patreon. Join at patreon.com/samishah to keep the show going and to access bonus content, early episodes,...

186 - You'd Think After 20 Years I'd Be Better At This A special commemoration of my 20 years in standup comedy. Bit of a weird episode this one! Hope you enjoy it! Support the Show Keep  News Weakly  independent, and fuelled by sarcasm! Join the Patreon at  patreon.com/samishah . Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: h...

NEWS WEAKLY 185 — 8th November 2025 Top Stories of the Week One Dick Less in the World! Don’t Mess with the Zohran! Platforms of Our Discontent! Streaming the Nation! Quote of the Week “Dick Cheney was, without question, the most powerful vice president in American history—which is like being the world’s most dangerous koala. You’re not meant to do anything, but somehow you’ve become a drop bear.”...

I’m doing a one-night-only 20th anniversary stand-up show: You'd Think After 20 Years I'd Be Better At This 13 Nov, 6:30pm — Comedy Republic (Melbourne) Tickets via  comedyrepublic.com.au . Top Stories of the Week The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Andrew Ceasefire Withdrawal Symptoms Erupt Sudan’ed If You Do, Sudan’ed If You Don’t You Can’t Spell Sussan Without SS Babies, Barnaby & Bull...

We’re on baby watch at News Weakly HQ! Two weeks off incoming—don’t unsubscribe! I’ll be back once I’ve defeated a boss-level nappy. Also: I’m doing a one-night-only 20th anniversary stand-up show: You'd Think After 20 Years I'd Be Better At This 13 Nov, 6:30pm — Comedy Republic (Melbourne) Patreon members get a discount code (see the pinned post at  patreon.com/samishah ). Otherwise, tickets...

Two years after October 7th, the world still argues in absolutes. Pro-Israel voices call it a war for survival. Pro-Palestine voices call it resistance against colonialism. And somewhere between the slogans and the hashtags, the dead keep multiplying. In this  News Weakly  special, Sami Shah steps back from the noise and looks at the long view — drawing lessons from the  Thirty Year...

Hi everyone, This year marks my twenty years in comedy, and to celebrate I’m doing a one-off, one-time-only anniversary comedy show called: You'd Think After 20 Years I'd Be Better At This 13th November, 6:30pm Comedy Republic Theatre, Melbourne It’s twenty years of stand-up crammed into one night—a greatest hits, a worst-of, and some brand new material, all about surviving two decades of comedy,...

NEWS WEAKLY 180 – 27th September, 2025 Hi everyone, This year marks my twenty years in comedy, and to celebrate I’m doing a one-off, one-time-only anniversary comedy show called: You'd Think After 20 Years I'd Be Better At This 13th November, 6:30pm Comedy Republic Theatre, Melbourne It’s twenty years of stand-up crammed into one night—a greatest hits, a worst-of, and some brand new material, all...

NEWS WEAKLY 179 – 20th September, 2025 Sami Shah’s  20th anniversary stand-up show   You’d Think After 20 Years I’d Be Better At This  is happening on  Thursday 13 November, 6:30pm at Comedy Republic, Melbourne . Tickets are $25—but Patreon members get a special discount code. Join at  patreon.com/samishah  for cheaper tickets and better karma. TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK...

Link to the 20th Anniversary live show tickets: https://www.comedyrepublic.com.au/event/38:520/38:1821/ Sami Shah: You'd Think After 20 Years I'd Be Better At This Thursday 13 November, 6:30pm Twenty years. That’s how long it’s been since Sami Shah first stepped on stage, told a joke, and thought, “This’ll be easy.” Two decades later, he's got the stories, and the heckler scars to prove otherwise....

NEWS WEAKLY 178 – 6th September, 2025 TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK Wannabe Dictator Dan! Also, why read a literary journal when you can watch a TikTok instead! All that, and more, on News Weakly! Quote of the Week “The government says this is to help public servants be more ‘frank.’ Which is true, they’ll be frank, because every document will now say: ‘Frankly, fuck off.’” Support the Show Did you know...

NEWS WEAKLY 177 – 2nd Sept 2025 TOP STORY OF THE WEEK March of the Meatheads! Also, NOM NOM NOM! And, Katter Does Jefferson! All that, and more, on News Weakly. QUOTE OF THE WEEK “So no, it’s not an invasion—it’s just registered nurses, accountants, and software engineers. If that’s your idea of a hostile takeover, then your enemy is Excel spreadsheets.” SUPPORT THE SHOW Keep News Weakly ad-free a...

NEWS WEAKLY 176 – 30TH AUG 2025 TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK From Tehran With Hate! Also, Sovereign? More like SoveRUN! Amirite! And, Things go sideways in Nauru! All that and more on News Weakly! QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Just because Israel’s committing genocide in Gaza doesn’t make Iran freedom fighters. Pretending otherwise is like cheering for the Hindenburg because you hate planes.” SUPPORT THE SHOW Hi,...

NEWS WEAKLY 175 – 23rd August, 2025 TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK Bibi bullies Albo! And, Fuck off we’re full of rallies! Also, What’s the deal with beheading dissidents! All that, and more, on News Weakly. QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Yo mama so weak, she calls it appeasement when people recognise Palestine, but negotiation when Trump offers Gaza as a casino franchise.” SUPPORT THE SHOW Keep News Weakly independ...

NEWS WEAKLY 174 – 16th August, 2025 TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK Hamas and Albanese sitting in a tree! R.E.C.O.G.N.I.S.E And,  Tickle vs. Giggle 2: Giggle Harder! Also, Writers tell Bendigo to get bent! QUOTE OF THE WEEK “When your lead story collapses, just add ‘more’ and hit publish.” SUPPORT THE SHOW Keep News Weakly independent! Support Sami at:  patreon.com/samishah Sami Shah is a multi-...