The Bitchuation Room

Trump’s private police has used Portland as a testing ground for the rest of the country. Turns out, the city has long been the testing ground for white nationalist violence and complicity from police. And residents have had enough. Journalist Arun Gupta (Daily Beast, Guardian, Intercept) joins Francesca and guest Matt Lieb to talk about the origins of Portland's anti-fascist movement, and what we...

Could single payer healthcare work in New York State first? Not with democratic governors like Cuomo, or “Crisis Daddy”, in the way. State Senator Gustavo Rivera joins Francesca and Nato to discuss how Coronavirus has made the need for universal healthcare even clearer, and what is required politically to pass statewide Medicare legislation, The New York Health Act. Plus comedian Naomi Ekperigin j...

Just cause Weinstein and Cosby are in jail doesn’t mean workplaces are free of “harrassholes”. Author Adrienne Lawrence joins Francesca and Nato to talk about her handbook for surviving and stopping sexual harassment. BUT FIRST, comedian Kate Willet (Late Show) discusses Portland going full Pinochet. And finally, Kanye’s manic episode leads to a promise of free weed and Francesca shares her weirde...

The movement goes electoral in California as badass indigenous Latina organizer Jackie Fielder runs for state senate. Jackie joins Francesca and Nato to talk about what it'll take to change politics in the Golden State. Plus guest comedian Brodie Reed joins us for "The Week Where" to talk cake memes, freak trains, Covid numbers, and making it to Tik Tok. Featuring: Francesca Fiorentini, Nato Green...

Some are more concerned about the PC police brutality than actual police brutality. Francesca is joined by comedian and her beau, Matt Lieb (Newsbroke, Good Mythical Morning, Frotcast) to talk about an academic "open letter" from the likes of JK Rowling, Malcom Gladwell, and even Noam Chomksy! Enjoy this bonus bitchuation. Featuring: Francesca Fiorentini, Matt Lieb. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...

Your worm compost is cute, but we can't stop climate change unless we stop the fossil fuel industry. Author Kate Aronoff joins Francesca and Nato in The Bitchuation Room to talk about how both activists and a nosediving oil market are making the case for a different future. Perhaps one that involves a rethinking of our relationship to "land, life and labor" through a Green New Deal? Plus...

How can progressives win when so many are shut out of mainstream outlets? John Iadarola of The Damage Report on TYT joins Francesca to talk coronavirus, white supremacists on golf carts and Medicare, and the ever-constant struggle for left voices on major outlets. Plus progressive electoral wins, The Week Where, and a new segment where we predict the future. That always ends well. Featuring: Franc...

It seems like every statue is falling except Jackie Robinson and Paddington Bear. It truly is a new day. So what does the 2020 American civil rights movement mean for November's election and turning out black voters? Black Voters Matter organizer and Memphis county commissioner Tami Sawyer joins Francesca and Nato to hash it out. Plus the double-edged sword of "Veepstakes" and corporate...

Can we stop a coming economic depression with Democrats like these? After trillions of dollars and great acronyms like CARES and HEROS, Republicans have had enough of stimulus money (cause their friends have made enough off it). Yet the Democratic leadership hasn't exactly been pushing them. Francesca Fiorentini and Nato Green welcome Vasudha Desikan, policy director for United For Respect, to bre...

The best cancel culture is rent cancel culture. This week Francesca and co-host Nato Green welcome tenants rights activist Shanti Singh to talk about why protecting renters is critical during coronavirus. Plus "The Week Where", "My Favorite Arrest" and what we're not bitching about for once: the many victories the #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd movement can already claim. Hosted on Aca...

George Floyd's murder re-ignited the movement against police brutality and for black lives. Francesca Fiorentini and comedian Nato Green welcome Maurice Mitchell of Working Families Party and Movement 4 Black Lives into The Bitchuation Room to discuss everything from capitalism and anti-racism to the "Flu Klux Klan" and Riverdance. Plus SpaceX's launch and a Nazi-collaborating alligator...

Taking stock of Anti-Asian racism amidst a resurgence of hate crimes, and why identity politics still matter with author and journalist Jeff Chang. Plus co-hosts Francesca Fiorentini and Nato Green debut a brand new segment "This Week in Karen", why Diehard 3 makes little sense and Francesca's beef with Andrew Cuomo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Watch The...

Science! Think about it. The Bitchuation Room with Francesca Fiorentini returns as a shelter in place livestream. At her side is comedian, labor organizer and wannabe mixologist Nato Green. This week, clinical lab scientist Veronica Huerta joins to explain Covid-19 testing and why it is that we're so bad at it. Plus, Nato wants sourdough starters forever and Francesca wants to bring back the bush....

Are you working to win power, guy listening to podcast in traffic? The Bitchuation Room LIVE! is back with the smart, no BS union organizer Jane McAlevey. Francesca is joined by comic Nato Green to talk about Jane's new book "A Collective Bargain: Unions, Organizing, and the Fight for Democracy" and how the left can get serious about taking economic power. Plus your Nato and Francesca te...

How Robert Mueller didn't indict the President or (more of) his grifters based on this report is ridonkulous. Francesca goes over the juiciest details of the Mueller report, and offers up impressions, tidbits, sweeping generalizations. Joined by comedian and sweetheart Matt Lieb (FilmDrunk), Francesca digs into it all including a very a fun edition of Mad Libs with the most redacted section. Enjoy...

Is the President a witting, unwitting, or nit-witting Russian puppet? Francesca gives her take on the not-yet-released Mueller report while trying to avoid tribalist political sand traps. Also, why does the "left" insist on Tulsi Gabbard for president when her foreign policy is so inconsistently hawkish and Islamophobic? To talk about it in The Bitchuation Room is national social justice...

The Beto bubble is bursting early while Biden is the spaghetti and meatballs of political imagination. To discuss the centrists jumping into the 2020 fire is comedian Johan Miranda (Larry Charles' Dangerous World of Comedy) and DSA organizer Brandon Ramirez. Plus how Democrats have no real plan to fix immigration and if they did, what would it look like? And the college tuition bribery scandal bri...

In American politics there's only one right way to criticize Israel. Don't. But progressive congresspeople like Ilhan Omar aren't following suit, criticizing occupation and the Israeli lobby and being called antisemitic for it. This time however grassroots pressure is changing the narrative in the Democratic Party, and forcing Congress to have a good long think about its priorities. Francesca is j...

There's one movement at the crossroads of the crisis of workers rights, immigration reform, racial inequality, and even feminist politics: the movement of domestic workers.  Thankfully organizers like Jess Morales Rocketto are helping housecleaners, caregivers and nannies gain power and win rights with the National Domestic Workers Alliance. She joins Francesca along with comedian and actor Jenny...

Why is criticizing the Israeli occupation antisemitic but Marvelous Mrs. Maisel can say 'brisket' ten times without repercussions? Three Jews and a gentile discuss the fallout of Rep. Ilhan Omar's tweets on the Israeli lobby, the hypocrisy of the right on antisemitism, and how the military industrial complex will ensure Congress' undying loyalty to our human rights-violating ally. Francesca and co...

Baited by the far right, Trump declares a national emergency with the same cadence that an eight year old explains the Lego movie. Plus former Starbucks CEO and presidential hopeful Howard Schultz (i.e. "HowSchu") flexes his Venti-sized elitism in a CNN town hall by declaring that he "doesn't see color." Grassroots organizer Joshua Kahn (Wildfire Project) and stand-up comedian...

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wants to save the planet AND the middle class? Not before Nancy Pelosi tinkles all over it. Francesca welcomes Crooked Media's Erin Gloria Ryan and The Young Turk's Brett Erlich to assess whether centrist shade has been thrown, and what the Green New Deal could mean for American politics and our future. Also why was there a war hype-man in the Capitol building during the S...

And so the madness begins. Not with a bang but with meaningless polling data. Two more unqualified comedians Kiran Deol (Crooked Media's "Hysteria" Podcast) and Matt Lieb (Newsbroke, Filmdrunk Podcast) join Francesca to separate centrist from progressive, shill from shrill, ego from id. We talk Cory Booker's big donors, Kamala Harris as the best on-screen President, Gillibrand, Biden, Bl...

Mike Pence speaks Spanish for one reason and one reason only: Venezuelan oil money. Plus another Scooby Doo moment in the Mueller investigation nabs yet another mediocre Trump crook who wasn't gonna get away with it, Roger Stone. Badass feminist organizer Blanca Missé and comedian Kevin Camia join Francesca to bitch about where real regime change is needed and how Marie Kondo would organize all of...

Teachers are organizing en masse around the country and four people are running for President whose names aren't Bernie Sanders. Comedian Joyelle Nicole Johnson (Patriot Act with Hasan Minaj, Broad City) and racial justice organizer N'Tanya Lee (Left Roots) join Francesca and Nato Green to talk about the teacher's strike, Bernie Sanders and that illusive seemingly monolithic 'black vote' and why t...