A Rational Fear

🎟️ TICKETS TO OUR LIVE SHOW: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cheerfulearfulaus/2298247 🔗 Laura Bank's story on Smart TVs and SkyNews: https://www.ettemedia.com/pay-for-play-the-hidden-deals-putting-news24-sky-news-first-on-your-smart-tv/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Special guest: Michael Bones, Senior Manager of Advocacy at the Investor Group on Climate Change A landmark High Court decision could change how Australian authorities assess proposed fossil-fuel projects. Dan Ilic and Lewis Hobba speak with Michael Bones about the Mount Pleasant coal mine case, why Scope 3 emissions matter, and what the ruling does—and doesn’t—mean for future mine approvals. In this episode Dan shares his move into the CEO role at GetUp. Michael explains the High Court’s ruling on the proposed Mount Pleasant mine expansion and emissions from exported coal. The group discusses why Scope 3 emissions made up about 98% of the project’s…

🎟️ TICKETS TO OUR LIVE SHOW: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cheerfulearfulaus/2298247 🔗 Laura Bank's story on Smart TVs and SkyNews: https://www.ettemedia.com/pay-for-play-the-hidden-deals-putting-news24-sky-news-first-on-your-smart-tv/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Here’s a tighter, no‑fluff version you can drop straight into podcast apps: A Rational Fear – 18 September 2026 Dan Ilic is joined by Lewis Hobba, Grace Vegesana (AYCC) and journalist Laura Banks to tear into Australia’s media, politics, and AI hype. In this episode: Karl Stefanovic’s podcast implosion, his blame‑shifting over the Tommy Robinson interview, and whether progressives should just buy his show and reprogram him. AI “we might end humanity” doom talk from Anthropic, OpenAI and Musk, and how it smells more like cartel-building and excuse-making than conscience. Grace on the Beetaloo Compute Zone and how AI data centres are being hard‑wired…

It was a real thrill for Lewis and me to chat with a new voice in Australian satire: Henry Bretz. For the past four months, Henry has been making the internet laugh with his uncanny, permanently furious impression of Karl Stefanovic's Right Wing Nut Job era. He's a fellow Queenslander, which only makes it sweeter. By day he's on Mix FM on the Sunshine Coast. The rest of the time he's on TikTok and Instagram, taking apart the Australian political and media landscape. We can't wait to work with him again. Henry's performing September 3rd at Good Chat Comedy Club in Brisbane. And we're on October 24th at the Cheerful Earful podcast festival in Melbourne. Line-up TBA — we haven't booked anyone yet, so tell us who you want to see. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ REGISTER FOR THE BIG BBQ: https://bigbbq.com.au/lesson In this episode, we explore Australia's energy transition, climate policy, and innovative initiatives like the world's largest veggie burger lesson powered by electric vehicles. Guest Thom Woodroofe shares insights on policy levers, sustainability, and Australia's future in the global green economy. Thom has a book — you can check it out here: https://publishing.monash.edu/product/power-prosperity-planet/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ This week Dan and Lewis Hobba are joined by independent journalist Michael West of Michael West Media — who's being sued by BHP, Australia's biggest company, over his reporting on coal miner Simon Turner's decade-long fight for compensation. Turner broke his back at BHP's Mount Arthur mine in 2015, was misclassified as a "clerical worker," and paid $400 a week for a job whose award rate is $137,000 a year. Sitting behind the lawsuit is a potentially $10 billion labour hire wage theft scandal involving Chandler Macleod and Coal LSL — and the awkward fact that BHP, a $300 billion company, is also the major sponsor of the Walkley Awards while using Minter Ellison to muzzle a four-person independent newsroom. 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ This week former Industry & Science Minister Ed Husic joined us in the A Rational Fear bunker to chat about the big fault lines where Labor's values meet Labor's actions — gas exports, the Iran strikes, Pauline's rise, and how you actually get things done when your own party doesn't always want to hear it. Ed was frank, funny, and refreshingly honest about the messiness of politics from the inside. Lewis came armed with the hard questions and didn't let up. And Dan tried to get Ed to endorse non-lethal Wedge-tail aircraft parts. It's that kind of show. April 16th: I’ll be hosting this very interesting keynote lunch about democracy, satire, and why Scott Dikkers from the Onion won’t be allowed back into the United States. Andrew Nash was the technical adviser on Silicon Valley, and John Delmenico (friend of the show) is one of the sharpest brains in comedy in Australia — you know him and…

Recorded live at Climate Action Week Sydney, this episode of A Rational Fear dives deep into the rise of the far right, fossil-fuel-funded disinformation, and what it all means for Australia’s climate future and democracy. Host Dan Ilic is joined on stage by: Malcolm Turnbull – former Prime Minister, now “concerned private citizen” Ed Coper – communications strategist and author of Angertainment Kate Hook – farmer, regional community leader, and two-time community independent candidate (Climate 200 co-convener) Across this wide-ranging conversation, they unpack: Why the far right’s culture war is such a serious threat to climate action How “anger-tainment” media ecosystems (hello Sky News) and social platforms reward disinformation The inside story on fossil-fuel-backed campaigns, from Clive Palmer to astroturf outfits like “Australians for Prosperity” The existential crisis inside the Liberal Party and the risks of preferencing One Nation How regional communities are actually embracing renewables when they…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ What a great episode to end the year on. It's magic when the guests are good old friends with time under their belts, joy in their hearts and stupidity in their mouths. Kirsten Drysdale's new YouTube show is crushing it, she reviews creators on the internet — The Internet Reviewed Sami Shah you can find weekly on Patreon making podcasts and thoughtful posts — News Weakly This week we cover a deeply important threat to democracy as we know it; The US State Department calling the Calibri font woke, we cash in on politician entitlements, and we try to decipher who 36 Months are and what they really want. Cam Wilson at Crikey.com.au has done some great work over the last year on the teenage social media ban — and this 36 Months story is developing fast. It's worth a sub to Cam and Crikey to follow it as it unfolds. There's also and end of year quiz, and for some reason we talk about Jimmy…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G'day Fearmongers — We have two of Australia's great brains join us, the brilliant Grace Tame and the editor of The Chaser John Delmenico. This week we sling satirical barbs about Spotify, satanic worshipers with a even less desirable side hobby, the bad essay that tried to start a culture war, and do a quick drive by of the photos release from Epstein's Island. And for new Patreon supporters who sign up this week — you can win yourself a bottle of Evil Ray sunscreen. https://evilray.com/ All you have to do is sign up to our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Cheers Dan 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ We speak with Richie Merzian who was live on the ground in Belem for COP30, he is big climate nerd who is deep in the civil society movement to bring COP31 to Australia. Sadly — we found out this morning that Australia will not be hosting COP31 in Australia. Rather Türkiye will host with COP31 with Minister Chris Bowen as the President of COP with a leaders meeting pre-COP in a Pacific Island nation to be determined. I'm a little disappointed today — it was going to be such a great moment for Australia to promote South Australia's efforts to decarbonise, to put the Pacific front and centre, and have an international spotlight on Australia as a major exporter of emissions, and put pressure on the government to change that. Anyway — sorry Adelaide — we've cancelled our COP live show, but maybe we'll be down for festival season. Cheers, Dan 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G’day Fearmongers, Athena Kugblenu joins us this week to help us answer the question of the year “What the hell is wrong with UK Labour?” They shouldn’t be failing, they should be thriving, but somehow, UK Labour is sh*tting the bed. Athena, a long-time connoisseur of cowardice, tells us as quickly and as poetically a she could why UK Labour is sinking faster than carbon fiber submersible. Enjoy this cathartic conversation. Cheers, Dan Ilic 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts:…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G’day Fearmongers, So much fun this week to have Jenny Yang joins Lewis and I on A Rational Fear. Jenny is a Los Angeles based comedian, writer, director, podcaster and community organiser. She’s spent a huge amount of time in local politics. She painted us a picture of what it was like this week when Zohran Mamdani won City Hall in New York City. We discuss what it means for grassroots politics in the US moving forward. Even thought it’s only a mayoral seat, it felt like a seismic shift in American politics. AND if you’re an AACTA Member — our web series “Long Head” is up for an AACTA nomination, please consider making us your #1 choice. Cheers, Dan Ilic 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Konrad from Punters Politics has had enough of being cut out of the lobbying game so he's raising money to join them. He's raising money to be the punters' lobbyist on the hill! Lewis and I take it upon ourselves to grill him to make sure he has the chops to represent us in Canberra to get better outcomes fro climate and get fossil fuel and resource companied to pay their fair share of tax and royalties. To chip in to help Konrad wield influence in Canberra — you can donate anonymous black money through his Chuffed page here: https://chuffed.org/project/134297-fund-australias-first-punter-powered-lobbyist Cheers Dan 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft…

G’day Fearmongers, This week we have one of my favourite comedians and tv producers walk us through the CBS decision to axe the Stephen Colbert Late Show. Was it financial or something more sinister? W.Kamau Bell is one of the smartest TV creators and stand ups and he’s got the silverware to prove it. Kamau has even hosted his own tonight show. He’s one of the most prolific brains in media, comedy and justice. 📝 You can read his very thoughtful analysis of the Colbert moment on his Substack Who’s With Me. 🎟️ And you can book to see him live on tour around the US later this year. If you enjoy A Rational Fear, chip in to the Patreon. ALSO In two weeks we have a Federal Minister on the show and on Patreon, you will be able to pitch your questions directly to them - but I’ll only take them for Patreon. Cheers, Dan 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G’day Fearmongers, We have two special guests this week! Firstly, from the International Intrigue newsletter this week, co-founder and editor, Jeremy Dicker. It's a great daily read. I highly recommend subscribing. Kind of like Morning Brew for #Geopol. International Intrigue website. We cover a couple of big internationally intriguing headlines from Albo's trip to China and why the US Department of Defense is buying a mining company in Nevada. AND Guest #2. James Blackwell gives the Federal Court a spray about this week's decision that the Australian Government doesn't have a duty of care to Torres Strait islanders… and thereby... all Australians. We’re also launching A Rational Fear Corporate. We will come to your conference to hold a panel show about your industry—that is guaranteed not to be boring. Imagine: Your company paying for comedians to make fun of your industry. To book A…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G’day Fearmongers, There’s only 48 hours left of this election — soon our national nightmare will be over. On the podcast we’re joined by the hosts of the new media and cultural podcast, Lamestream. Scott Mitchell and Osman Faruqui are a couple of smart media operators who have been inside big corporate media, and politics, and know lots about how the sausage is made. In this episode we chat about how the fourth estate has covered this election. Right wing vs progressive ecosystems, and how the major parties are trying to reach younger audiences. ALSO for lovers of wacky news clips — Dylan Behan has given us his Australian election edition of News Fighters. Cheers, Dan LAMESTREAM ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qVXiJ3EVcWavliV6eh4j3?si=874b15abc7cd41f1 LAMETREAM ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lamestream/id1810214465 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G’day Fearmongers, Thanks to everyone who made it out to our huge A Rational Fear live show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival — it was a great vibe. Our panel dives into the election campaign, what the minor parties are really up to, we explain how the US trade tariffs work, celebrate the role of traditional media in Australia, we chat with Belinda Gread and how nerds have ruined the world. Big thanks to all of our guests: Alice Fraser Tom Ballard John Delmenico Vidya Rajan Mel McGlensey Belinda Gread DJ Andy McClelland also thanks to me and Lewis — we were also very good. We couldn’t have put this show on without the help of Nathan and Yvonne from Token, Laura Milke at the Malthouse — and thanks to Tom Noble Creative for the great photos. And thanks to our Patreon supporters — it meant we could subsidise some of the cost of the show and make sure our interstate guests…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🎟️ MELBOURNE COMEDY FESTIVAL TICKETS: https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/comedy-festival-2025/a-rational-fear I know I am full of hyperbole for this podcast — but believe me when I say THIS is a great episode. We talk about Alex Dyson’s longest job interview ever. Both Allegra and Alex chat about dirty tactics, having a sense of humour while campaigning, how the cut and thrust of politics can make two candidates who want the same thing be at each others throats. Allegra Spender also has some great advice for Alex Dyson should he get into parliament. You’ll finish this episode thinking that these two individuals could indeed make Australia a better place. 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🎟️ MELBOURNE COMEDY FESTIVAL TICKETS: https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/comedy-festival-2025/a-rational-fear In this episode, we discuss the upcoming election on May 3rd with Alex Fein from RedBridge and Populares’ Ed Coper. These two people have their fingers (and toes) on the pulse more than most politicians — and the word that sums up the electorate in 2025 is “abandonment”. And we make some ropey jokes from 2005, and get some predictions where this election will end up in 5 weeks time. You can get a ticket to the Populares Campaigning Event here: https://events.humanitix.com/populares_event 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🎟️ MELBOURNE COMEDY FESTIVAL TICKETS: https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/comedy-festival-2025/a-rational-fear G’day Fearmongers, A reminder that our Melbourne Comedy Festival Show is only 3 weeks away! 🎟️ Get your tickets HERE PODCAST NOTES: In this episode, we discuss Australia's unique relationship with the United States, ANZUS, Pine Gap and wading into AUKUS submarine deal. Guests Senator Jacqui Lambie and Dr. Emma Shortis provide insights into Australia's defence strategy and the challenges posed by reliance on foreign powers. It’s a very silly and smart conversation — about one of the most complex relationships that underpins my own anxiety. See you at the big show Dan 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and…

G’day Fearmongers, A reminder that our Melbourne Comedy Festival Show is only 4 weeks away! 🎟️ Get your tickets HERE On this week’s podcast we have a conversation with award-winning environmental journalist Stefano Valentino. Stefano has written extensively about the confluence of power and greenwashing, and disinformation. We asked him about disinformation in elections, he told us about how the biggest companies get away with the claiming they have climate credentials. And Lewis comes up with the perfect metaphor for Misinformation vs Disinformation. See you next week! Cheers Dan TICKETS TO MELBOURNE COMEDY FESTIVAL: https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/comedy-festival-2025/a-rational-fear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🔗 https://its-not-a-race.raisely.com/ 🎟️ https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/comedy-festival-2025/a-rational-fear In this episode of A Rational Fear, Dan Ilic and Lewis Hobba catch up and discuss their busy start to the year, including Lewis's move to Melbourne and preparations for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. They introduce new initiatives like the A Rational Fukt Check, aimed at fact-checking political promises and disinformation during the upcoming election. The conversation also touches on the role of memes in political discourse and the importance of community engagement in combating misinformation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tonightly and Media Watch wacky clips craftsman Dylan Behan is back with his annual News Fighters year in review episode taking an in depth look at 2024 in news and politics. From Dutton’s nuclear epiphany to Albo’s endless cash splashing (mostly on his own house) this year has marked an an ever increasing enshittifcation of Australian politics. Also Stefan Pazur does his annual wrap of sport and entertainment. News Fighters: where we fight the news, so you don’t have to! 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G’day Fearmongers! Merry Christmas to everyone (except Raygun). Join A Rational Fear as we break down some of the most memorable stories (to us). We gathered around table at the Tilbury Hotel — one of the earliest satirical venues in Australia, the birth place of Three Men and A Baby Grand, and the earliest incarnations of the Wharf Revue — how very fitting that we, A Rational Fear, destroy that legacy with our little podcast. Joining Lewis Hobba and Dan are a handful of our favourite friends in comedy, Bec Melrose, Steph Broadbridge and Chris Taylor. We have a few lunch time beer, and let loose on the year 2024. Thank You if you’ve listened to any of our podcasts this year — as the 2025 election looms you can bet your Nuclear Power Plant that we’ll be back each week covering the ins and outs of the campaign. And Lewis, will be doing a video series on instagram reels and TikTok…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Hello Fearmongers, This is the Exit Interview for Kylea Tink, the current independant Member of Parliament for North Sydney. But not for long thanks to AEC the boundaries of North Sydney are being folded into the neighbouring electorates. Since there is no HR department at Parliament House I took it upon myself to sit down with Kylea Tink and ask her how her time was at the company. From this conversation it is clear that Kylea Tink is not done as she is already hinting that she could run for a neighbouring seat to the former electorate of North Sydney — is she going to Bennelong? Is she going to Berowra? What is for certain — Kylea is going to be putting her energy in getting more community independents elected in Parliament hosue. Thanks as always for downloading A Rational Fear — if you can chip into the Patreon or if you can’t shoot us a response on the listener survey. Cheers Dan 🤑…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G’day Fearmongers, We have a very different episode of the podcast this week — we’re throwing out the rule book to bring a conversation with Millie Holten (Instagram), the brilliant creator of a new web series that is doing huge numbers on TikTok called Long Head. Starring the incredible voices of incredible comedians Kate Dehnert, Tom Walker and Sam Campbell as the titular Long Head. The Age and Sydney Morning Herald called it “Mr Bean for the TikTok generation”. It’s a very strange and stupid series. A radical departure from the usual biting satire that folks subscribe to A Rational Fear for. Long Head is refreshingly delightful. How did we manage to book Millie? Well Dear Listener — I am the executive producer of the series — so this email is what the National Anti-Corruption Commission would call a gross compliment of interest EPISODE 1 » EPISODE 2 | EPISODE 3 | EPISODE 4 | EPISODE…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G’day Fearmongers, The privilege of being a white guy with a podcast is that you get to talk to your heroes, record those conversations and then share them with your friends, acquaintances, and 10,000 of you — our fellow fearmongers. In this episode Jon Ronson joins us to talk about psychopathy, the evolution of public shaming in the late social media era, we try to tease out of him what his experience was like on #QandA, we touch on Trump, and then Jon tells us this incredible anecdote about sneaking into Bohemian Grove with Alex Jones. It’s wild. The video of this podcast is ready to view only on Patreon If you’re the kind of person who’d rather watch an un-edited version of this chat — you can — by simply joining the Patreon for as little as $4 a month. You can go see Jon live on stage around Australia this month with his psychopath nights tour. 🎟️ fane.com.au Cheers Dan 🤑 CHIP IN TO…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Salam Fearmongers, This week we’re connecting with two of our favourite friends of the pod who are wandering around the hall of COP29 in Baku, Azerbijan. Linh Do & Richie Merzian. We chat negotiations, financial commitments and how no one at COP is even talking nuclear. And how that dead whale on the shores of Baku (on the land-locked Caspian Sea), rattled everyone on Day 1 of the climate talks. Read more about that whale. Richie and Linh also chat about Australia's bid for COP31, the quality of the meals in the football stadium where COP is being held this year, and, of course, climate celebrity sightings. Yeah, we’re TMZ now! Cheers Dan 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Howdy Fearmongers, Trying to make sense of the US Elections is a fools errand. Well, consider us your fools. I spent Wednesday afternoon not being able to do work, or anything really, the limit of my motor skills maxed out at flipping between live YouTube channels of US based news and refreshing the NYT app. This was the wrong choice. If I’ve learned anything from following US elections — no one knows anything, and everyone is making it up. As the red wave continued to spill across the USA I said “F it”, and walked to the pub. My wife and I sat in the spring afternoon sun, drinking a non-alcoholic beer, (because I’m now a soy boy that has been fully cucked) and feeling grateful that we live in Australia, and surely, nothing like that could happen here. Right? 🥔 On this week’s pod we chat with US comedian, journalist, activist and friend of the pod Francesca Fiorentini (The Bitchuation…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Howdy Fearmongers, We’re in the home stretch — at the time of publishing, there’s only 6 days left until Americans everywhere skip work, neglect their families, and dodge bullets to line up in droves to spend a few good hours deciding who will be the comptroller, dog catcher, deputy sheriff, parking tsar, book stacker and President of the USA. Recorded in Texas, this episode of A Rational Fear brings together a couple of Austin based poliphiles 🐘 Republican devotee James Donald Forbes McCann and 🫏 Democrat dedicatee Eve Ellenbogan as they grapple with some of the big issues facing the country in this — the Season Finale of the United States of America. And as for me — well I may as well have turned my mic off. Follow James Donald Forbes McCann on his podcast HERE. And you can follow Eve Ellenbogan on Instagram HERE. Summary In this episode of Irrational Fear, host Dan Ilic and guests…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Welcome to the JokeTober episode. Throughout October I had the privilege to run some satirical comedy workshops for 2SER, a community radio station in Sydney Part of the “prize” of being selected as a JokeTober co-hort they got some actual jokes published on the A Rational Fear podcast — we set them a challenge to write a satirical come up with 3 satirical comedy sketches that were all recorded last Monday at the 2SER studios in Sydney. And we’re playing those for you here! Also with Lewis and I ripping into them providing constructive feedback. JokeTober was such great fun. Big thanks to Paula Kruger for having us along, and to our mega brains who came along to share their comedy knowledge; Lewis Hobba, Cale Bain, Bec Melrose , Dylan Behan, John Delmenico, and Mark Humphries . The cohort are a talented bunch and will no doubt be making biting satirical comedy for your ears for years to…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G'day Fearmongers, This week we’re joined by Emerson Brophy and Hannah Ferguson. While the NACC is getting knackered, climate action is getting neutered, and action on cost of living is nixed. Albo is really getting into shrinkflation. albomp A post shared by @albomp Because some extra chips in a packet is going to solve how much that packet costs — thank goodness — without this new push, we wouldn’t have laws to protect consumers on this issue. Oh — checks notes — we already do. They’ve been around since 2010. This must be sweet relief to the compliance officers at Coles and Woolworths who have definitely been compliant for the last 15 years. Also on the podcast we’re talking Trump Bibles and Fat Bears. Thanks as always for downloading A Rational Fear — if you can chip into the Patreon or if you can’t shoot us a response on the listener survey. Cheers Dan In this episode, Dan Ilic and…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 📋 LISTENER SURVEY: CLICK HERE G’day Fearmongers, UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer had one of the all time gaffes in politics this week — demanding at the Labour conference that Hamas “Free the sausages” immediately he spat out “Free the Hostages” — with a look on his face that screamed “no one heard the sausage thing…right?” — but alas it was too late. There is nothing much funny about the middle east situation right now. This however is a gaffe that will stand the test of time. Perhaps it is so funny that waring sides in the middle east will come together in harmony and have a good old laugh over small goods. But sausages are pork products so by their inbuilt politic are antisemitic. Shame on you Kier Starmer. On the podcast this week we have David Rose, Sashi Perera, as well as Scott Mitchell who is on the trail with Lachlan Morton as he loops Australia by bicycle — Follow his journey…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 📋 FILL OUT OUR AUDIENCE SURVEY: https://z5xf13rh5z4.typeform.com/to/J0SFy05N Charlotte George, Zach Mander, Wayne Smith, Lewis Hobba, Dan Ilic G’day Fearmongers, This week Peter Dutton took his Nuclear dog for a walk in Sydney and it off the leash at the CEDA conference in Sydney — the Committee for Economic Development of Australia — a very pro industry think tank that really enjoys taking government money and making things for fun and profit. This line from RenewEconomy’s publisher Giles Parkinson summed up who was in the room aside from a smattering of bankers: Bizarrely, many of the rest were from the clean energy industry, curious to know what they might be dealing with should the Coalition return to power next year. Did they like what they heard? Not really. Did they learn anything? No. And we can guarantee you won’t learn anything new from listening to the podcast this week…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ G'day Fearmongers, Big thanks to Ampel and Myrtle & Pine Studio for lending us their podcast studio to record this week's A Rational Fear in person. We have in the studio Grace Tame, and Punter's Politics, as well as Lewis Hobba and me (Dan Ilic). This week we discuss the Murdoch family's legal battles, the controversy surrounding the Australian remake of The Office, and environmental concerns related to the Betaloo Basin. And here’s a quick plug — Grace Tame is touring around the country this month in conversation with various people including me in Sydney and Melbourne — she’s also going to Canberra and Brisbane. 🎟️ Get tickets here. Thanks always for listening to A Rational Fear — if you can chip into the Patreon, or a the very least leave a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll read them out on air. Cheers, Dan Ilic Takeaways The podcast humorously critiques current events and societal…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ In this episode of A Rational Fear, the hosts discuss a range of topics including the impact of Russian funding on YouTube influencers, the effectiveness of political propaganda, and a detailed analysis of the recent US presidential debate. They also touch on the upcoming COP31 climate conference and its implications for Australia. The conversation is filled with humour and insightful commentary on the current political landscape. Takeaways The influence of Russian funding on political messaging is significant. Tim Pool's case exemplifies the intersection of media and propaganda. Polarisation strategies are effective in shaping public opinion. Influencers play a crucial role in disseminating political messages. The recent US presidential debate showcased contrasting strategies between candidates. COP31 presents both challenges and opportunities for Australia in climate discussions. The…

G’day Fearmongers — We’re back next week with all new A Rational Fear Podcast episodes. But before that please enjoy this brand new podcast series I worked on with the UNSW Centre For Ideas called Preppers. It’s about how we all need to get prepared for the end of the world together. We talk to so many great people for this podcast. On the A Rational Fear podcast feed I’ve just put up Episode 1 but search for Preppers wherever you find podcasts or go to www.arationalfear.com to get the direct links. If you’re heading to the Better Future Forum next week in Canberra, I’ll see you there! Cheers Dan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Alex Apollonov and Aleksa Vulovic are the co-hosts of the youtube channel Boy_Boy who have built an epic following thanks to their adventures in democracy, civics and capitalism. They share how they snuck into the super secret spy base Pine Gap and the of ramifications of getting caught. 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Celebrating 1,000,000 downloads live in Melbourne at the Malthouse Theatre This is the show that rips into the news with the the best and brightest including Charlie Pickering. Sami Shah. Kirsty Webeck Richard Fidler DJ Andrew McClelland. 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear Here's all the fun stuff you get when you sign up to Patreon. 🎧 Get an ad-free and sponsor free version of the show. 🎟 Get early access and discounts to live shows. 🎥 Get early access to final videos, and draft edits of upcoming videos. 👨🏼‍⚖️ Make show suggestions. 💬 Get a link to the A Rational Fear discord. If you enjoyed this please drop us a review on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-rational-fear/id522303261 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎟️ BUY TICKETS TO OUR MELBOURNE 1,000,000th DOWNLOAD SHOW: https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/what-s-on/malthouse-outdoor-stage/a-rational-fear/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ John Delmenico, the editor of The Chaser, joins the podcast to discuss his role and the future of the publication. John shares his journey from dropping out of university to becoming a writer for The Chaser and eventually the editor. He talks about the process of writing satire, the challenges of covering politics, and the need for a fresh approach in 2024. John also discusses the revenue model of The Chaser and his experience as a young leader in the media industry. John has been writing jokes for The Chaser for ages, and if you're one of those people who are terminally online you certainly would have come across his work on Twitter, as well as his fine headlines and articles. If you like conversations about media, comedy and the craft of…

🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ 🎟️ BUY A TICKET TO OUR 1,000,000th Download show: https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/what-s-on/malthouse-outdoor-stage/a-rational-fear/ G’day Fearmongers — Thrilled to drop our end of the year special 2023 — hosted by Peter Dutton. Sorry, we have to for balance or risk jail in 2024. It’s been a big year — We’ve performed in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and Thursday Island. We won Best Comedy Podcast at the Australian Podcast Awards for the 4th time in a row — AND we hit 1,000,000 downloads last month so we’re putting on a big show to celebrate: It’s at Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre and the line up is stacked with ARF favourites including Charlie Pickering, Kirsty Webeck, Sami Shah, Dj Andrew McClelland and the man with the most downloads in Australia Richard Fidler. 🎟️ Buy a ticket now before they’re all sold out. THANKS RØDE Thanks to our friends at RØDE Microphones for hooking Lewis…

🎟️ BUY A TICKET TO OUR 1,000,000th DOWNLOAD SHOW: https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/what-s-on/malthouse-outdoor-stage/a-rational-fear/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎟️ BUY TICKETS TO OUR 1,000,000th DOWNLOAD LIVE SHOW: https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/tickets/malthouse-outdoor-stage/a-rational-fear/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ It's tricky times to be a satirical comedian on the world stage right now. The world is full of sad things, but it's a comedians job to find the catharsis in the contemporary anxiety. One comedian who is doing that on the toughest of subjects is Matt Lieb. A progressive jewish person Matt has created online sarcastic persona of the Liberal Zionist who attempts to justify the scale of violence being unleashed upon civilians in Gaza. Matt Lieb discusses his use of humour in addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict and the risks involved in speaking out. He highlights the challenges of navigating the minefield of criticising Israel and the consequences that individuals face for expressing their opinions. Matt also shares his experiences as a Jewish…

🎟️ BUY TICKETS TO OUR 1,000,000th DOWNLOAD LIVE SHOW: https://www.malthousetheatre.com.au/tickets/malthouse-outdoor-stage/a-rational-fear/ 🤑 CHIP IN TO OUR PATREON https://www.patreon.com/ARationalFear 📨 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: http://www.arationalfear.com/ In this conversation, Dan and Lewis interview Wendy Harmer, a comedy legend and former radio host. They discuss the evolution of comedy and radio, the impact of commercial radio, memorable interactions with radio management, and unconventional radio stunts. Wendy shares stories from her time on The Morning Crew and reflects on the cultural significance of the show. They also discuss the changing media landscape and the success of radio hosts like Kyle and Jackie O. Overall, the conversation highlights the unique and influential role of radio in the comedy industry. Takeaways Radio has played a significant role in the evolution of comedy, providing a platform for comedians to showcase their talent and reach a wide audience. Commercial radio has…