Useful Idiots with Katie Halper and Aaron Maté

Jesse Singal and Katie Herzog, co-hosts of the podcast Blocked And Reported, join Useful Idiots to talk about the failed campaign to get Singal driven off of Substack and what, according to Herzog, some of Singal's most vocal critics have in common with QAnon. They also talk about how they met and why they started their podcast and how they're not exactly canceled. Singal discusses his new...

We spoke to legendary Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg about the nuclear threat nobody is talking about, the end of the world and how he, despite all that, stays hopeful. But before diving in with Ellsberg, Matt and Katie talk about, of course, Dems sucking, Republicans sucking, things being weird and terrible and even bring you a stoned moment. Stand by for the youtube episode. And,...

Useful Idiots, the podcast Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper started in the summer of 2019 at Rolling Stone, is moving. After eighty episodes that included interviews with the likes of Tulsi Gabbard (our first guest), Roger Waters, Andrew Yang, Erin Brockovich, Michael K. Williams, Noam Chomsky, Marianne Williamson, Adam McKay, Bernie Sanders, Nadya Tolkonnikova of Pussy Riot, Tim Robbins, Adolph Reed,...

Stella Moris, lawyer and life partner of Julian Assange, joins the show to discuss the current status of Assange's case and it’s implications for global journalism. Hosts Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper discuss arguments for and against independent journalism outlet Substack. Merch link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice...

Shahid Buttar joins the show to discuss Democrats, Fox News, and free speech. Hosts Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper discuss Tennessee GOP efforts to prohibit kneeling during college sports national anthems. Merch link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenma...

Journalist Aaron Maté joins the show to talk about the start of Biden's foreign policy, and his reporting on Syria and the OPCW Merch Link: https://bit.ly/3uiFz4D Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS * Check out Chilipad and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://slee...

Glenn Greenwald rejoins the show to discuss recent journalism news, content moderation, and more on GameStop/Wall Street. Hosts Katie Halper and Matt Taibbi trade off takes related to the contentious confirmation hearing of Neera Tanden. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Gree...

Congressman Ro Khanna makes another appearance to discuss the state of Covid relief, his experience during the January 6 riot and more. Hosts Katie Halper and Matt Taibbi discuss other recent news, including an inspired metaphor from Thomas Friedman on the Gamestop story. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our...

David Dayen joins hosts Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper to break down the GameStop/Wall Street Story. They also discuss the early days of Biden's presidency, and the moves that are available to him with his new authority. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: htt...

Thomas Frank joins hosts Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper in this special post-inauguration episode, looking ahead to the Biden era, and how the media can transition from Trump. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS * Check out...

Matt and Katie talk about the fallout from the storming of the capitol. Andre Damon of the World Socialist Web Site discusses how censorship has affected political opposition from the left. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDI...

Disclaimer: this episode was taped early Wednesday, before the events at the Capitol. Investigative reporter Stefania Maurizi joins the show to give an update on the Julian Assange case. Hosts Katie Halper and Matt Taibbi discuss the reconfirmation of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices....

Matt and Katie discuss the latest on the debate over Covid stimulus negotiations, NYU professor Mark Crispin Miller talks academic freedom. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS * Check out Chilipad and use my code USEFUL fo...

Vice writer Edward Ongweso Jr joins the show to discuss surveillance by tech companies, Biden's 'Biracial Commercial' thoughts, the DOJ's antitrust lawsuit against Google, and more. Matt breaks down a recent piece from his substack, 'TK Media,' about the flailing efforts by democrats to pass the Covid relief package. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Le...

Matt Christman joins the show to talk modern political identity in America and 'Chapo Trap House.' Katie and Matt watch a clip from MSNBC ridiculing him for his record of passing legislation that he's written Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https...

Erin Brockovich joins hosts Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper to discuss her recent book on the U.S. water crisis, Biden's EPA transition pick, Michael McCabe, and how to effectively fight against corporations who pollute. Merch link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: http...

Ryan McMahon and Jon Thompson join the show to talk about their excellent podcast Thunder Bay. Katie reads a couple passages from former president Barack Obama's recent memoir 'A Promised Land.' Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogree...

Legendary rock musician Roger Waters joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation on U.S. foreign policy, what happens after Trump, Julian Assange and more. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS * Check out Chilipad and us...

Thomas Frank rejoins the show to talk about the past, present, and future of the Democratic party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS * Check out Chilipad and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me * Check out Mint Mobile and use my code mintmobile.com/USEFUL f...

Glenn Greenwald joins to discuss the election (taped on Thursday), leaving the Intercept, and more. Matt and Katie ponder the future of both parties after a tightly contested result. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS * C...

Genre-bending singer, Tinashe, joins hosts Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper in a livestream event, sponsored by Yappa, to discuss the 2020 election and more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS * Check out Chilipad and use my code USEFUL for a great deal: https://sleep.me * Check o...

Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti from The Hill's 'Rising' rejoin the show ahead of the US election. Matt and Katie discuss Jared Kushner's viral clip on Fox. They also express concern on what the handling of the Hunter Biden story portends in media. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors...

Katie and Matt analyze the Jeffrey Toobin story and come up with a few ways to pitch Biden to undecided voters. Pollster Ben Tulchin, who worked on Bernie Sanders' campaigns in 2016 and 2020, joins the show to break down the polls and what to look for on election night. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices O...

Hosts Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper go over Nancy Pelosi's strategy for passing a new stimulus bill, and review a contentious appearance of hers on Wolf Blitzer's CNN show. Poly-hyphenate Antonio García Martínez joins the show to discuss the recent report from the ICO in the U.K. that seemed to unravel the heated accusations against Cambridge Analytica from a few years back, and how much in...

Journalist David Sirota joins the show to talk Trump and Covid, Biden and the election, and how 80s pop culture relates to today. Merch Link: https://teespring.com/stores/useful-idiots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/IDIOTS * Check out Chilipad and use my code USEFUL for a great...