The Beached White Male Podcast with Ken Kemp

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...

Send us Fan Mail Ken welcomes Washington political commentator, speechwriter, and author Peter Wehner. Pete is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum. He is well known for his prolific contribution to the intersection of politics, public policy, and faith. Early on, he identified as a conservative, a Republican, and an Evangelical. From 2011, when Donald Tru...

Send us Fan Mail SPOILER ALERT: If you have not seen the movie or read the book CONCLAVE , you may not want to listen (until you've seen the film or read the book). The Two Kens take a deep dive into the symbolism and message of this highly acclaimed motion picture starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, John Lithgow, and more. There’s much to discuss, unpack, and explore...

Send us Fan Mail This week, I sit down with Dr. Phil Allen—a former All-American basketball player turned theologian, poet, and prophetic voice. From the basketball courts of North Carolina A&T to the halls of Fuller Seminary , Phil shares his remarkable journey from hoop dreams to a life dedicated to ministry, ethics, and racial healing. We explore his moving documentary “Open Wounds”, inspir...

Send us Fan Mail After attending a recent event featuring Dr. Jemar Tisby, I had the chance to connect with the host of that gathering, Professor Jessica Wai-Fong Wong, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Azusa Pacific University and author of the groundbreaking book Disordered: Holy Icons and Racial Myths . In this episode, we reflect on that event, where Dr. Tisby shared moving stories...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for another Beach Talk!   In the midst of a week of global market turmoil, Betsy and I sit down for a heartfelt and thought-provoking conversation. We kick things off with Betsy’s anticipation of a beautiful experience of an Interfaith weekend—celebrating both a Saturday evening Seder and a Palm Sunday procession, complete with palm branches and a donkey. From there, we di...

Send us Fan Mail Join me for a compelling conversation with my guest, Dameon Wroe. His story is one of struggle, survival, and ultimately, redemption. Growing up in Southern California, Dameon faced challenges early on. After his parents’ divorce, he lived with his sister and, by his teenage years, had already experienced run-ins with the police. He learned his lesson and set out to become a polic...

Send us Fan Mail If you had difficulty listening to S6E15: Echoes of Internment: Filmmaker Claudia Katayanagi on History, Justice, and Resistance - the sound has been repaired. Try it again. Don't miss it! 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 Join me as I sit down with Claudia Katayanagi, an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work brings hidden histories to light. As a fourth-generation Japanese American, Claudia's personal and professional journey led her to uncover the dark realities of World War II’s "Citizen Isolation Centers," a topic explored in her powerful documentary A Bitter Legacy . In...

Send us Fan Mail On today’s Beach Talk, Betsey Newehuyse and I break down the headlines as the President floods the zone with controversy, wielding Executive Orders like a wrecking ball to smash the federal government to pieces. In these gloomy, fear-filled times, we need a break—so we turn to baseball and college hoops. March Madness is here, and my LA Dodgers take on Betsey’s Chicago Cubs in Tok...

Send us Fan Mail Ever heard the word patrimonialism ? Neither had we—until we read Jonathan Rauch’s eye-opening article in The Atlantic : "One Word Describes Trump." In this episode of The Two Kens, Ken Fong and I dive into what this term really means and why it’s the key to understanding the new administration. Patrimonialism , a concept from sociologist Max Weber, describes rulers who...

Send us Fan Mail I’m excited to welcome back my friend and political activist, Darcy McKenzie. Over the years, as our friendship has grown, we’ve witnessed and reflected on some major milestone moments in history. Darcy lives near the very street corner where George Floyd lost his life, and her advocacy began on local school boards before expanding into key roles supporting both local and national...