The Bigfoot Manifesto

Guest: Barry Ritholtz — author, columnist, and host of Bloomberg's "Masters in Business" Financial markets aren't rational. Humans aren't rational. So why do we keep pretending capitalism is? In this episode, Dave sits down with Barry Ritholtz to unpack the myths, narratives, and straight-up fairy tales that shape the modern economy — the stories Wall Street sells, the fears politicians weaponize,...

What happens when America's favorite elusive cryptid starts organizing? In this episode of The Bigfoot Manifesto , Dave Pederson dives into the rise of democratic socialism, the power of grassroots political organizing, and why Bigfoot would fit right in at a chapter meeting of the DSA. We explore the myths propping up American capitalism, the real work being done by on-the-ground socialist organi...

Exclusive Interview (Parody) — The Torch of Antifa… and His Ska Band This short episode from The Bigfoot Manifesto is a fully scripted comedy sketch told in a mock-NPR, documentary-style format. Meet Franklin "Torch" Devereaux — a completely fictional character who accidentally becomes the "leader" of a movement while he's really just trying to start a ska band. What follows is a dry, absurd, cryp...

Guest: Jamie Margolin — Climate Activist, Author, Co-Founder of Zero Hour What if the real monster haunting our planet isn't lurking deep in a lake — but sitting in a corporate boardroom? In this episode, Dave talks with climate activist and Zero Hour co-founder Jamie Margolin about how fossil-fuel giants, bought-out politicians, and PR wizards have turned a full-blown scientific emergency into a...

In this episode of The Bigfoot Manifesto , we explore why the United States has always been obsessed with "the Other." From UFO invasion stories to political fear campaigns about migrants, the narrative rarely changes—only the target does. To help break it down, Dave sits down with Dr. Nandita Sharma , Professor of Sociology at the University of Hawai'i and author of Home Rule . Her work challenge...

In this episode, host  Dave Pederson sits down with journalist Mick Reed to explore how mobile journalism is reshaping how we tell stories, uncover truth, and hold power to account — even in an era of shrinking newsrooms and information overload. From the field to the feed, Mick shares how smartphones have become the modern reporter's notebook, giving voice to communities often left out of the mai...

🎙️ Episode 4: Cancel Culture vs Accountability Can you joke without getting cancelled? Comedian Luis Jiminez ( Upright Citizens Brigade ) joins host Dave Pederson for a brutally funny and surprisingly honest conversation about free speech, comedy, and where accountability meets overreaction. From comedians to culture critics, everyone has an opinion on what "cancel culture" really means. But is it...

They told you to "work hard and you'll succeed." But what if that story was never true? In this episode of 🎙 The Bigfoot Manifesto , host Dave Pederson sits down with journalist and author Sarah Jaffe ( Work Won't Love You Back , From the Ashes ) to expose one of America's biggest fairy tales — the Myth of Meritocracy. From corporate bootstraps rhetoric to the illusion of "equal opportunity," we b...

🎙 Episode 2: Bigfoot vs. The Strongman (with Andrea Chalupa of Gaslit Nation) In this episode of The Bigfoot Manifesto , Dave Pederson sits down with author, journalist, and Gaslit Nation co-host Andrea Chalupa to unpack how Putin's propaganda, right-wing disinformation, and American media echo chambers have reshaped global politics — and why authoritarian myths spread faster than truth. From Russ...

Bigfoot sightings and QAnon posts share a strange DNA — both thrive where trust in institutions collapses. In this episode, host Dave Pederson (Oscar-nominated producer of Super Size Me and Americonned ) dives into the murky overlap between myth, propaganda, and politics with journalist and author Mike Rothschild ( The Storm Is Upon Us , Jewish Space Lasers ). Together they unpack why people turn...