Remember Covid? Anything before October 7, 2023 is a blur for us Jews. Even a global pandemic. The world was so different for us back then. Little did we all know…
Anyway, after a while the scientist community came up with some pretty compelling theories about how Covid spread so quickly despite most of the world being in lock down. One of the more interesting concepts I read about came from Malcolm Gladwell in his 2024 follow up to his first megahit, Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering. In it, he breaks down data and vast amounts of research to reach the conclusion that a very small number of infected people were able to transmit the virus to an exponentially larger number of people. He concludes that this is a great example of the “Law of the Few.”
Gladwell gives a number of other examples throughout his book, and terms these “few” as superspreaders. And the broader argument he makes is that relatively small numbers of people (or groups or institutions) can create conditions (deliberately or accidentally) that cause an idea, behavior or even a crisis (like Covid) to spread dramatically.
Immediately following the horrifying news emerging from Israel 3 years ago, as many of us mourned friends and family, searched frantically for loved ones and prayed for the return of those stolen from us, something sinister took root across the planet. And this mindboggling reality, the complete antithesis of what a sane and rational person would expect following one of the most gruesome, barbaric pogroms ever committed in the history of humanity…crimes, it is painful to remind you all, that were proudly recorded by the terrorists wearing Go-Pros and gloriously posted to socials, and that were joyfully boasted by the perpetrators to their friends and family in Gaza…reminded IDROS of Bizarro World, a dimension created by Superman’s creators, who could only dream of such a nightmarish reality if they were themselves Jewish.
By October 8, 2023, Jews lived in post 10/7 Bizarro World, a world where the victims of the largest mass killing of Jews since the Holocaust became the enemy of humanity, the perpetrators of evil and the genocidal maniacs that Hamas literally showed the world they were. And this nightmare grew worse every day as it spread throughout the Western World, through our own cities, neighborhoods, campuses, grade schools, local governments, workplaces, social circles, travel destinations, transportation hubs, entertainment, news outlets, coffee houses, dining establishments, sports teams and arenas, music venues, etc. Images of hostage posters being ripped down were pervasive. And social media became a cesspool beyond anything we could have feared in a dystopian novel. The vitriol spread like wildfire.
How did it spread so far and so fast? The long answer is that the foundation was fortified and funded over decades leading up to the attack. But the real horror of October 8 was perpetrated by superspreaders.
These took the form of celebrities, media personalities and outlets and of course influencers and large social media presences with massive followings. Dangerous “role models,” biased media and paid influencers shifted the ground we walked on to the Upside Down of Stranger Things literally overnight.
And it’s still happening, 3 years later.
We have all seen the ramifications. You can’t go to a concert or sporting event today without that moment of dread, fearing the band or audience or players or fans will do or say or wear something or fly a flag that might be triggering. You can’t watch an awards show or certain comedy specials without a sprinkling of antisemitic virtue signaling (or worse). Medical (and mental health) care has become a roulette wheel of uncertainty. Politicians seem to be competing at our expense and aligning with the worst scumbags on the planet to win over their party’s most coveted demographic, the vilest antisemites imaginable. Once respected news outlets and dependable sources of reporting have abandoned any semblance of journalistic integrity when it comes to coverage of Israel and anti-Jew racism. Social media companies, many owned or run by Jews, allow the most racist bile imaginable to proliferate on their platforms, selling out civility and humanity for extra clicks in a world mesmerized by and addicted to Jew-hate. And new faces and influencers have emerged, riding their unabashed and unbridled antizionism to superstardom, virtue signaling their way to millions of followers.
Celebrities and media professionals with a voice and a large following have a responsibility to their throngs and to society as a whole to not say, post or platform ideas that are dangerous, incite violence or prey on the marginalized and vulnerable among us. Or at least they should.
One of IDROS favorite media personalities is Dan Le Batard.
Here is an email IDROS wrote this morning to Dan, who built a media empire from the ground up and who has amassed an enormous following. In the past month, a few guests and show topics raised huge red flags for IDROS. My email, which was incredibly painful and difficult to write, and which grew longer and longer as IDROS debated and procrastinated sending it (because things actually got worse the longer IDROS waited as Dan never addressed or apologized for the initial interview, and then actually exacerbated my trauma with a subsequent podcast segment on a related topic).
Dear Dan,
I am still reeling. I feel hurt and betrayed in ways that are difficult for me to put into words.
This is a very difficult letter for me to write. I really hope you read this in entirety, one writer to another. It would mean a great deal to me and so many others. I have been sitting on this, adding to it weekly, debating internally whether to actually send it to you. But it is October 7, which is a good enough reason to nudge me into action. I apologize in advance for how long this email became, but it naturally evolved due to additional actions, inactions and complementary topics that unfolded since I began to write.
I cannot tell you what your show means to me. When I moved down to South Florida 17 years ago, I stumbled across your radio show almost by accident. From the very first listen I was hooked. Whatever you, Stu and Hoch were saying, to me, it was like hearing the song of the Sirens. Your brand of sports but not sports, shooting the shit with your co-hosts and a litany of guests, your silly games, Roy’s Top Tens, all the imaging and your serious commentary on race and current events and politics and social consciousness spoke to me in a way no other radio hosts ever did…including Howard Stern, who had been my gold standard at the time.
I had read your articles before. Back when newspapers were still a thing, my grandparents, who had a place in South FL since I was a young child, got the Herald, and I would stumble across your pieces every so often when I visited. You were a great writer, but not even close to how good you were behind the microphone. Listening to your show gave me a dopamine rush, and in those early days, I truly felt like I discovered you, and had you all to myself. I had moved away from the northeast, where sports radio was a whole other animal, and felt like I found new friends on the air to make my move and adjustment better…easier. And your brand of “sports radio” was so great I barely noticed you almost never discussed any of my favorite teams.
I went to some of your events…poker tournaments at Dania, watch parties. I wrote you emails, told you what I liked and didn’t…what I missed from previous years…when Hoch left and the big voice was replaced by your father, when you had a particularly strong show that resonated with me, or a run of great shows with a guest co-host. And you wrote me back. You, not some intern. I felt honored. I secretly wanted to quit my job and join you in studio doing whatever you would let me do to earn my keep. You and the crew got me through some terrible times, a light in my darkest hours. And you always made me laugh, often. You were a godsend. You became almost family.
Then you grew and became a podcast. My love and appreciation for your show got even stronger, if that is even possible, because I could listen to you whenever I could, never miss a show and get to know you and all your crazy shipping container personalities even better. I was in heaven. You were my favorite entertainers…I devoted more hours per week on you and your shenanigans than anything or anyone else (outside my family), including the NFL, my favorite sports teams, all other podcasts combined, my favorite TV shows, music, hobbies, etc.
I love everything you do and have reveled in your success and growth throughout the years. Your creation of your own media company was, in my opinion, a well-deserved culmination of everything I hoped and even knew you were destined to achieve, because I knew everything I felt about the quality of what you put out there was true and real, and I knew you were going to achieve great things as soon as I discovered you.
South Beach Sessions (SBS) hooked me instantly as well. The raw emotion, the honesty, the conversations, the depth, the curiosity, the give and take and the motley crew of guests were appealing as much as getting more insight into you, what makes you tick and watching you peel the onion of your own psyche and background and fears and insecurities and loves and dislikes. It gave me a front row seat to you (and your guests) as an insider, and I enjoyed the intimacy and seeing not so much a different side of you, but certainly a more serious and honest and reverent side of you that was held in check, dulled or even masked during your primary namesake show by the cast of characters, the topics of discussion that usually weren’t personal (even if you added your personal opinions about them and sometimes delved, much to Stu’s chagrin, into more serious and intimate territory) and a general vibe that was more conducive to jocular banter, comedic bits, looser structure and a desire to keep things moving (Greg Cote’s never-ending countdown of catch phrases notwithstanding).
And I grieved with you when your brother got sick and mourned with you upon his death. And you should know that.
Before I continue, I feel obliged to include the fact that both your flagship show and SBS can often platform your (and all of your minions’ and often even your guests’) political views, opinions and bloviations (all seem to share your views or are forbidden to comment if they don’t, other than the everyman Stugotz character who was too afraid of topics like race to really express a true opinion). Your liberal and progressive views on pretty much everything (particularly race) are well known, and in most cases mirror my own. For the most part, I find myself nodding along to most of your scathing critiques of this administration, the anti-Kaepernick crowd, chaos created by ICE, global warming and the undoing of protections vis a vis our natural resources, the widening wealth gap, sausage fingers tweetstorms, hypocrisy in diplomacy or lack thereof and general buffoonery and lack of empathy.
All of the above hopefully gives you or any other reader enough of a background to at least have an appreciation of my relationship with and feelings about your shows, as well as the fact that your politics were never really a secret to me (nor any of your listeners regular or casual), and that a) they never bothered me once in 17 years; and b) for the most part, we park our cars in the same garage (in the parlance of Jean Claude Van Dameshek) on pretty much all of your political, racial and social views.
And that is why it hurt so much when I perused my podcast queue for SBS in early September and saw that the next guest was Cenk Uygur. I took a deep breath, but I couldn’t bring myself to press play. I procrastinated…stewing in my feelings for several days. I listened to Stugotz’s new show out of spite a few times. I started an audiobook. I purposefully avoided all of your shows.
And then I summoned the courage. I guess I trusted you; after all, I felt a kinship with you that is hard to explain. And I knew I had to listen to it anyway, because either you would allay most of my fears by understanding who this guest was and what he represented from the jump…asking the tough questions, following those up with more, controlling the conversation and not allowing yourself to be influenced or coerced by his charms…or we would get here…my fears would be validated and a little more of my post-October 7 self would be defiled by people I care about in our world.
I hate-listened to every second of the interview…numb with visceral internal pain, nausea and a constant shaking of my head in disbelief that became more and more like a tic or onset Tourette’s. The tough questions never came. You gave the equivalent of a softball lob when, toward the final minutes of the episode, a mention of Hasan Piker was made, and upon Cenk’s deflection, clear adulation for his nephew and dismissal of Piker’s 2019 incendiary and viral quote about 9/11 being America’s fault and deserved (he laughed and said “Hass walked it back”), you seemed to accept this and move on.
Now, in fairness, I do not know what was left on the cutting room floor, nor if Cenk and his people had you agree to certain boundaries or topics before the interview, but the interview was a giant dereliction of duty by the interviewer and a massive slap in the face to every Zionist and American patriot…especially those whose family was affected by 9/11. And the timing of the interview/release, just before the 25th anniversary of that infamous day which his nephew has since famously defiled was obtuse and tone-deaf to say the least.
I understand that Cenk has some things in common with you, Dan. I realize his digital media empire (which he created and built from the ground up, in Miami of all places, much like you did yours) has risen in the ranks much like Meadowlark, does incredible numbers and has outsized influence in the world of politics. In fact, his political stance against Donald Trump and the current administration clearly makes him an ally of yours on many political issues and causes. And so, for all these reasons I can appreciate why he might be a guest you would think about for SBS.
But I assume you vet your guests. I mean you did know Hasan Piker was his nephew, and I am not saying people should pay any price for being related to someone, but it should have at least raised a red flag or two? This hopefully would have led you and/or your booking team down a rabbit hole of evidence and reasons why: a) Cenk Uygur is an inflammatory racist, much like every bad thing you associate with Trump, except his racism is primarily directed at a group of people often overlooked or outright piled on by most people in progressive circles. He peddles in hate, makes outrageous claims and echoes conspiracy theories for clicks, and he constantly regurgitates serious libels about Israel and the Jewish people from every Islamist, Soviet, Chinese and Nazi hater around the world.
b) his digital media platform is named “The Young Turks.” Do you know what this references? The Young Turks, much like the IRGC in what was Persia (now Iran) led a revolution at the tail end of the Ottoman Empire. After seizing power under a generally accepted rationale to overthrow the powers that be, upon victory the Young Turks consolidated power and perpetrated the Armenian Genocide as well as serious persecution of Christian Minorities. Moreover, as usual, Jews were targeted. In fact, there was a push by the Young Turks (they made orders to allies in the region) to deport Jews from Palestine a number of times during the first World War, but fortunately the British advance and seizing of Palestinian Territory (which was far larger than what makes up today’s Israel and Palestinian Territories) precluded mass deportations of Jews. I realize Cenk has denied his show name is in homage to that group, but, um, it would be like a group of modern Germans forming a media platform and show and naming it The Hitler Youth. Or if you had named your media company and/or show The 26th of July Movement.
C) Hasan Piker. He might be the most dangerous person in America today. To put it in a way that might resonate with people who get your show, if I were making a top-5 list of dangerous people in America today, Piker would DEFINITELY be on it. And he holds a lot of power in the coming elections…the mid-terms and eventually, our next president. Cenk Uygur is his uncle and fawned all over Piker in the latter parts of your interview. [I love Hass. He’s a great guy. He’s just misunderstood. He says a lot of questionable things, I don’t even agree with some of those things, but you can disagree with people and still love them. We all say stupid stuff, especially if you talk for a living.] He is racist. He relishes saying inflammatory things targeting quite a number of minorities and social castes and even dabbles in misogyny. But worst of all, he is anti-America and spits venom and vitriol every day about our country. He very recently said (purposefully pretty close to the 25th anniversary of 9-11 no less) “America is worse than al-Qaeda.” And Piker’s anti-Jewish rhetoric is so awful that even antisemitic political candidates have had to distance themselves from Hass, because his brand of Jew Hate isn’t cloaked and is less palatable to sane and rational voters. He emphatically said it doesn’t matter that Jewish women were raped on 10/7 (sit with that a moment as the Cornell 7 case unfolds in Ithaca). And he is deeply embedded in the progressive left, emerging as one of the more influential players in their ranks. He has radicalized countless millions on social media with lies, hatred, racist tropes and conspiracy theories. And he should terrify you too.
I am not sure what I hoped you would have asked Cenk. But I can’t imagine you would have even invited any other guest on your show who trafficked in constant and relentless racism regarding any other minority in the entire world. And if you did, I am quite certain you would not have lobbed a softball fifty minutes into the interview and shrugged off the answer, which basically embraced and showed love for a hateful and repugnant person. And I know, he and his brethren will fight you to the death on what is and isn’t antisemitism…because liberal people have no issue with people outside of any minority telling any other minority what constitutes and doesn’t constitute racism, right? White people should always tell black people whether something is racist to blacks, right? Or straight people should dictate what is and isn’t anti-LGBTQ hate, right? And men should get to say what is and isn’t misogynism, right? I am not sure why the progressive world has no issue with the fact that for some reason, Jews are the exception that proves the rule…on all fronts. We have been abandoned by our allies, by the progressive groups and circles and causes WE FOUNDED. And liberal and progressive circles not only look the other way, but they openly join in and kick us and spit on us and pour salt in our wounds. And you propping up someone like Cenk, and peripherally, his disgusting and vile nephew by association on your show, to your millions of listeners, is the latest example.
As bad as it was for me seeing that name in the SBS queue, it has only gotten worse since. I was hoping you would say something in one of your subsequent shows, or perhaps you would write something owning the fact that you could have done better, or even that you recognize many might have been put off or felt offended by a previous guest, and by you by extension for platforming such a divisive figure. But crickets…nothing except the occasional link and promo of the episode on your socials.
And then on September 17, the other shoe dropped (a cliché you have likely looked into on the show – or should). You mentioned the Macklemore/Ed Sheeran fiasco, and I braced myself, fear welling up inside that my world was about to be shattered yet again. And my nightmare came true, and it was much worse than I feared. Because as awful as your Cenk interview was on SBS, it still stood alone and could be written off as a one-time mistake, or perhaps an oversight, lapse in judgement or general naiveté. You joke constantly on your show that “THIS IS NOT AN ECHO CHAMBER!” But it is. Your show and its various hosts are so left you make Steve Carlton and Phil Mickelson seem almost righties by comparison. And as I previously mentioned, for the most part that hasn’t bothered me, and often parallels my own sensibilities. But the progressive left, for all of its virtuous altruism, has a glaring blind spot, which has been magnified since October 7, 2023.
I am not sure how people like you…progressives who are so brave and outspoken on racial topics, who regularly wade into difficult but necessary conversations and ask tough questions of guests, cohosts (again, much to Stugotz’s chagrin) and your audience on a regular basis on various racial, gender, class and political issues and topics…can be so blind when it comes to one specific, historically marginalized and oppressed minority group. This is not an accusation directed solely at you, but rather the entire progressive left…
Jews have been an integral part of the progressive movement in the Western world…particularly in America. We have been marginalized, demonized, othered, bullied, forced to convert, massacred and forced to flee over and over again throughout history. And we are always blamed for whatever ills plague a society, without fail. Jews are and always have been the world’s champion scapegoat (the worst GOAT to be). And upon finding freedom in this land, we struggled to find the freedom this great nation boasted about and promised. We were shut out of most professions. So, we created our own firms in banking and law and medicine where we didn’t have to worry about not being hired due to our last names and/or appearance. We even forged new industries, like Hollywood and serial comics, where we could literally create worlds to escape the reality we faced, free from hatred and antisemitism. And we helped build and shape a nation that was eager to reform and repent for a past that was not fully a shining example of the values our forefathers proudly etched into the documents that would provide the foundation for our young national experiment that strove to be better and different from the colonial powers from whom we fought for liberation.
Jews wouldn’t dare treat any marginalized group the way we have historically been treated. And we wouldn’t let others abuse them either. Jews championed civil rights, women’s rights and LGBTQ rights. Jews created and were instrumental in building institutions that aimed to protect marginalized groups from inequality and prejudice, and legacies of those efforts remain today. Jews walked shoulder to shoulder with Dr. King in Selma, investigated (and were murdered for it) racial crimes in Mississippi, helped create the ACLU and NAACP, led the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and were instrumental in raising and providing funding for HBCUs and providing faculty support at those institutions. And we have voted Democrat in sweeping majorities.
And with that history, it is an even greater stab in the back that Jews have been abandoned by the majority of the progressive left, and worse still, have been betrayed and ostracized at the behest and bidding of nefarious groups that represent some of the most oppressive, racist, misogynist anti-LGBTQ, anti-West, anti-Democracy, anti-America regimes on the planet (Russia, China, Islamist groups led by Iran, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood).
And why? Because of Zionism. Because of Israel. Or so they claim. It should be said that a vast majority, likely upwards of 90% of Jews worldwide, are Zionists. Zionism is not the evil supremacist political desire to cleanse the middle east of Palestinians it has been painted to be by so many (foremost, the Soviets, who used the exact same language and propaganda in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s for various antisemitic and Anti-western reasons). Zionism is simply a belief that the Jews have a right to self-determination and nationhood in their ancestral homeland of Israel. PERIOD. And it happened, so Zionism is now irrelevant. Israel exists as the homeland and nation of the Jewish people. Antizionism is now a hate movement hell bent on murdering and/or cleansing Israel of all of its Jews. And has become the de rigueur, modern and safe way for antisemites to degrade, other, bully, intimidate, assault and scapegoat Jews for whatever ails their society or to assuage their own guilt and shame for being a descendant of people who did whatever it is for which they blame Zionists and Israel. And they always claim antizionism is not antisemitism.
But I digress. The conversation on your show on September 17 was enlightening in the worst way possible. Not only is it clear that you and your cohosts share the blind spot that today’s progressive left has for Jews, but it demonstrated the platforming of Cenk and the tacit acceptance of Hasan Piker despite his egregious anti-American and antisemitic rhetoric was no oversight. Amin, who has slipped and revealed his anti-Israel based antisemitism a few times previously (but who, as the only Muslim on your show’s roster, is evidently unimpeachable for that sin) was emphatic in his repeated genocide libels, echoing Macklemore, and belittling the insidious agenda and racism the opener’s hijacking of Sheeran’s tour has been since revealed to be (A full Israel-bashing music festival fully planned at major world capital venues magically materialized just days following his and numerous other acts’ exit from Sheeran’s tour – so clearly that was in the works prior to the platformed hatred). He questioned the conflation of anti-Israel sentiments (antizionism) and antisemitism. And then invoked the age old anti-Jewish trope by saying the “powers that be” decided to silence people…to quash this but somehow looked past Kanye. He then went on to insinuate that the Billionaire owners apparently believe “one kind of [stutter stutter “content”] is acceptable?” He almost showed his hand by saying one kind of antisemitism…but remembered the antizionist talking points and quickly covered with “type of content.” Trust me when I say that Kanye’s brand of antisemitism and Hitler-worship is not embraced by any Jew or Jewish team owner. But economics and the bottom line tend to matter to business people, and so Kanye, who was the headliner and a huge draw, was, after a public apology and other repercussions, allowed to perform in some locations…especially a municipally owned location like Raymond James Stadium, while an irrelevant opening act with a similarly checkered history with antisemitism will not garner the same consideration. Ticket buyers paid to see Ed Sheeran, not Macklemore and his political theatrics. (This is no different than a stud all-pro wide receiver being allowed to play following some antisemitic behavior…they make other people lots of money, so “the powers that be” generally look the other way or are more lenient toward their transgressions).
You then mentioned that you were saddened that we have come to place in our society, with all our divisions, where Macklemore is somehow controversial when he says, “let’s not kill children.” That was NOT what he said (or did) and I will revisit this.
But the jaw-dropping moments came moments later, after Kanye had been brought up, and Amin joyfully added that Kanye’s behavior qualified as “actual antisemitism” as Jeremy, a Jew, couldn’t wait to agree with a “yup!” Zaz (who is Jewish) seemed to actually push back here when he provided context that Macklemore had a major antisemitic moment in the past (in which he dressed in “Jew face” replete with caricature hook nose and proceeded to give a full-on NAZI salute to throngs of cheering audience members), but no worries…he apologized and all is forgiven. Zaz’s context was important to the discussion, but that seemed to be the extent of his push back and even if he disagreed with Macklemore or the bent of the on-air discussion, you wouldn’t know it by his reaction or lack of more serious pushback.
And then Jeremy went on a rambling rant to I guess add more emphasis to his agreement that Kanye was the actual antisemite. During these musings, Jeremy said plainly, on the air, that what was happening in Gaza was a genocide. (He is Jewish and not only thinks that but believes that opinion is important to include in a recorded podcast, on the record, for eternity). And then Jeremy went further to drive home his point stating that Jews are very divided on their views on the Palestinian conflict and Israel in general (we are not…there are a small but unfortunately loud minority of progressive, liberal antizionist Jews who comprise about 10, maybe 15 percent of the Jewish population – this has been confirmed by poll after poll. This minority would be considered “Uncle Toms” in the black community, and part of the Patriarchy among feminists. Much to our chagrin there are a number of celebrities who fall in this category – primarily because they are cowards and would rather succumb to the mob than risk fan adulation, likes and status by actually identifying with the people and nation who currently it is fashionable to publicly bash). Jeremy then uttered one of the all-time anti-Jewish tropes (as Amin had done previously…but again…Jeremy is Jewish) as he expressed his own view that a rich and powerful Jew has so much control and wields it to silence critics…he and Amin also both inferred that Kraft strong-armed other arena and stadium owners to blackball Macklemore. This is traditionally when hosts on your show would use the term “allegedly.” Alas…nobody did at any time…for the duration of the mindboggling segment.
To bring it home, Amin and Jeremy weighed in on the fact that Jews, Israelis and the Israeli government (democratically elected by the Israeli people) are all separate and represent separate demographics and then tried to explain that people try to conflate them to both drive antisemitism and also to quell antisemitism and that it was mostly people on the right who tried to stoke the flames of antisemitism by conflating them all because they have so much political and economic capital invested in Israel or some nonsense like that. Listening back, the only thing that is clear is that neither of them should be discussing this subject matter. It was incredibly offensive, dripped with antisemitic barbs and tropes and was 100% based on the opinion of 2 men who were out of their depth.
And then you yourself posited a closing argument for the segment (basically repeating your earlier comment that you were saddened…) in which you opined “It is not hate speech to say we need to stop killing children.” Of course it isn’t! And that is not why most Jews and many other allies are upset with Macklemore. If he got on stage and simply said what you said – “we should stop killing children” NOBODY would have any issue with that sentiment…even with an antisemite as the messenger. But that is not all he says and does on his soapbox of hate. Just curious, have you ever asked one of the millions of Zionist Jews (most of us) why we are so offended by Macklemore? Do you or any of the progressive left social justice warriors out there even care? Because I can assure you if any other minority, race or marginalized group said something was racist or offensive, you would listen. You wouldn’t even have to ask them why it was offensive…it’s not up to you to judge or debate. But for us Jews, we are told every day that we have thin skin…we love playing the victim…we think everything is antisemitism…and mostly, “antizionism isn’t antisemitism.”
Your final thought on the subject was that you couldn’t believe “Macklemore wore a costume” and what an idiot he was for doing so. It was unclear if you were being serious or facetious given everything you had just said yourself, and what your cohosts had said that you enthusiastically endorsed. I will give you undue credit and believe you were serious, though and ask another question…if an artist had dressed in blackface ten years ago, and made mocking jokes or gestures akin to lynching or the KKK, later apologized, but then was refused to perform at a black-owned venue, and that black owner maybe even spoke to some other black owners who similarly refused said performer at their venues…would you have any problem at all with that choice by the venue owner(s)? Would you ‘whatabout’ him, and say blacks are trying to quash free speech? What if a conservative radio, tv or podcast host took issue with those actions and questioned them and gruffed on air about it…what would you think of them? Sounds like a reason to have Jamelle Hill and her friendly neighborhood race lady imaging on your show asap, no?
In a recent show you berated Craig Carton (and rightly so) for saying things cavalierly that he had no basis in saying, that he has no real knowledge of, and that were dangerous allegations to boot (they could endanger Pablo Torre, his reputation and could put your media company in a tough legal spot. Carton has a history that calls into question his integrity in general (as does Macklemore, especially when speaking about anything even remotely related to Jews). The things Macklemore says and does at his concerts is dangerous to Jews because it incites and gives permission to antisemites to engage in abusive and violent behavior. His rhetoric is nothing but inflammatory lies. He repeats libels about Jews (genocide, apartheid and colonizer) that are nothing but white guilt for crimes committed against Jews and other minorities around the globe, bottled up by both Nazi and Soviet propogandists and adopted today by Islamist regimes like Iran and Qatar. Macklemore also shows video footage of the war in which IDF soldiers are portrayed as literal Nazis. He does not in any way say, “can’t we stop killing children.” And if you, like Carton, would simply do your former job of journalism, and actually speak to and listen to Jewish people who value and have a connection to Israel (again, 90% of Jews worldwide), you would know that none of us have any issue with people saying children should not be killed in a war (and definitely not in a barbaric attack on a music festival and on neighboring communities, raped, burned alive, tortured and in some cases taken hostage). And you would learn why Robert Kraft and so many of us do have a problem with Macklemore, before you repeat his slanderous language to your millions of listeners.
And so, I am left to wonder. Wonder what your true feelings are about Jews and Israel. Wonder if you have been conditioned in your progressive circles, like so many, to care about race and minorities and social justice for every marginalized group except the Jews. You talk about race often on your shows. You are one of the few media personalities who isn’t afraid to wade into racial issues, and you do it often. But you almost never talk about antisemitism despite it being the world’s oldest, and per capita, most prevalent form of racism. There are not only Jews within the shipping container, but many within the sporting world as well. Sure, the most prominent among these are in ownership and management and representation, but Robert Kraft is extremely active in the fight against antisemitism and even had a Super Bowl commercial this past year and yet was basically relegated to the “billionaire class” and “the powers that be” in your most recent discussion. Kyrie Irving doesn’t deserve to be talked about, but there are things to say, nonetheless. The 50th anniversary of the Munich terrorist murders at the 1972 Olympics came and went a few years back. No mention on your show nor was there any real proper commemoration or moment of silence at the games themselves. Not a word of the three years of campus protests that engulfed college campuses all over the US, and saw Jews targeted, assaulted, barred from classes. The games went on. Lucy visited campuses every week but never reported on the real rabid fervor that took over many quads. And never a word in any of your Soccer discussions, especially about the World Cup, about why Israel is forced to compete with all the European nations (the most competitive group in the world) despite being geographically located in ASIA, while the rest of the middle eastern nations compete against the Asian nations. And no mention of the recent soccer match featuring Ireland and Israel, and the ridiculous and disrespectful treatment of the Israeli team and the Irish star who refused to play (reactions that have plagued many sporting events and matches featuring Israel over the years).
I wonder whether you have any earthly idea how offensive it is to Jews (and likely some Zionist allies) that you platformed that man (Cenk) who spends any and every spare minute of his life telling lies and libeling Israel and the Jewish people on Piers Morgan’s show as well as his own. Amazingly he only mentioned Israel’s made up “genocide” twice during your interview, though we didn’t get all the footage that didn’t make it to air.
And speaking of that libel, I wonder if you or any of your listeners (other than Jews) know how offensive it is to hear people use the term genocide when discussing the war in Gaza or Israel in general. Imagine the worst thing ever that happened to any minority or people in the world, and then having that inverted and used as an accusation against its victims. Imagine, the term, which was coined to specifically describe the low point in human existence, which was the industrialized murder of a people…all of them, rounded up from around the world and brought like cattle in actual cattle cars to be slaughtered…and for the simple reason that they were Jewish. And then watching in horror as others use that same term, after changing its definition, to accuse the only country in the world – a tiny country the size of New Jersey – which is majority Jewish, of something equivalent in a scenario that couldn’t be more different and false in any possible interpretation of the word. For one, Israel was invaded in what was the most barbaric act of war against Jews since the genocide of the Holocaust. Second, many around the world, including people like Cenk and Hass, were accusing Israel of genocide on October 8, before the bodies were identified, before families began to mourn and certainly weeks before Israel began any form of armed response. Third, Hamas held hostages. So, war had been horrifically declared, and the aggressor held hostages. Zero in common with the Holocaust. Any nation would have responded, and responded violently, and would be well within their rights to do so. And any nation would continue to do so until the last hostage was returned or recovered (which took 2 years), and the threat at their doorstep was eliminated (still not there). Calling Israel’s actions in Gaza anything close to genocide is an insult to insults. It is like calling a black person with a cleaning lady (who is paid) a slave driver, or a rape victim who refuses to have sex after a date a rapist.
I wonder if you know that the accusation libels hurled at Israel and Jews (genocide, apartheid, colonizers, baby killers etc.) are all antizionist language invented by the Soviets over a century ago, before there was a Jewish nation, and that it is used today by Islamists to delegitimize Israel. As I already mentioned, antisemites (rebranded as antizionists) today cast such awful accusations at Israel and the Jews that support Israel that it gives people around the world PERMISSION to hate, assault and murder Jews – because anyone guilty of such crimes, especially genocide, DESERVES to die.
I wonder if you know that the Arab leader of pre-Israel Palestine (in the 1930s), the Grand Mufti of Palestine Haj Amin al-Husseini, was a close confidant and huge supporter of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi effort, met with Hitler multiple times, learned propaganda techniques from Goebbels (the Nazis provided Husseini and the Arabs with the machinery, money, expertise and broadcasting infrastructure to be the Nazi propaganda wing during WWII) and provided military intelligence to the Nazis against Britain and also tried to undermine efforts to create a Jewish state. Hitler promised Husseini that once German forces reached the Arab world, the Nazis would help the Arabs rid the region of the Jews.
I wonder if you know that Hamas’s founding charter clearly states that Hamas is against Jews as a people, not solely against Israel or Zionism, and that Hamas will find the Jews and kill them – language that invoked the genocide of the Jews. Hamas is a terrorist organization and declared war on Israel on October 7 in the most barbaric and heinous way possible. The world then quoted death tolls and many other lies every day told by this same terrorist organization and also forced Israel to negotiate with said terrorists to get their kidnapped babies, mothers and holocaust survivor hostages (as well as Americans and citizens from many other countries). When media outlets quote the number of children Israel allegedly “murdered” (no one killed by Israel was murdered by the way, tragic as their deaths may have been), they are getting their data from Hamas. Hamas fighters include children aged 13-18 who are drafted into the military. These Hamas “child soldiers” comprise a large percentage of the “children” Hamas reports as killed by Israel.
I wonder if you know why the term “Free Palestine” is so offensive to most Jews. The words seem innocuous, but they are disingenuous, are cloaked hate language, a literal dog whistle for inciting violence against Jews. Those words have been shouted at Jews in almost every assault, mass murder and riot around the world since October 7 (Bondi Beach, Boulder Colorado, Washington DC, Manchester, all the campus encampments and riots, as hostage posters were being ripped down, etc.) And what exactly does that mean? Free Palestine from whom, or what? There is no answer to that question (if somebody dares to answer it at all) that does not threaten Jews, replace Israel with another Muslim country in the Middle East, or even imply genocide against the Jews who live in the only Jewish majority nation on the planet.
I wonder what the Jewish members of the shipping container think about any of this. I wonder if David, Zaz, Dave or Jeremy know or care about the things Cenk and Hass say on the regular, and the millions upon millions they are radicalizing to hate the one majority Jewish nation in the entire world as well as every Jew on the planet, including the minority of Jews who are unfortunately antizionist.
I wonder what Stugotz thinks about it (if he even knows you spoke with Cenk). Or what he would think about it if he found out, and whether he would care. And whether similar sentiments have anything to do with your separation?
And I wonder if you realize that platforming Cenk and then reinforcing those sentiments with your Macklemore segment gives approval to your millions of listeners to tap into their rhetoric. It very well might introduce listeners and fans of yours who otherwise may never have heard of Cenk to seek him out, watch some of his clips on socials or even subscribe to his platform and may just radicalize them over time. And it certainly will give a certain group of listeners who already embrace and follow Hasan Piker a tacit endorsement, a wink wink not unlike Trump has done with dubious personalities and groups (like the Proud Boys, for example).
Finally, I wonder if you know that 4,000 Cubans fought with the Islamic forces against Israel during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. I know how much you love Castro’s government, so I hope you realize who he threw his hat in with, and which side of history he was on. Israel has been in an existential fight for its own survival since before it even declared independence, and it is also fighting for Western civilization, against regimes who vow “down with America” and “down with the West”…and those regimes include Castro’s Cuba. Thinking Jews are colonizers in the one nation on earth to which they are indigenous is a joke funnier than Cote’s top 50 (I mean 60, or 70, or 75) catchphrases. And thinking Jews are white is as racist as racism gets.
Please put in the work you demand of so many in our racist world. You are not alone having the blind spot you have…especially in liberal and progressive circles. And most especially in celebrity circles. But please do better. Jeremy is flat out wrong in his assertion (opinion) that Jews are sharply divided in their views on Israel. We aren’t. We may disagree with Israel’s government, policies or combat strategy (none of which we can or should control given Israel is a Democracy and has its own political, economic and security needs to address that we cannot possibly understand), but 90% of us believe Israel plays an important role in being Jewish – spiritually, culturally and historically. This vast majority identifies as Zionist. We believe the Jewish people have a right to self-determination and sovereignty in our ancestral homeland.
Those who do not share this view have likely been radicalized by the progressive groups and liberal colleges we have always been a part of, which have unfortunately been heavily funded and influenced by Islamic (and Russian/Chinese) regimes who hope to undermine Western civilization. Israel and Jerusalem are integral parts of Jewish history, life, tradition and culture, and are worth protecting and defending from radical and nefarious ideologies that aim to poison the West and destroy Israel. Those are facts and antizionists trying to rewrite history to paint a different picture is racist.
Thank you for reading. I still listen to your show even though you hurt me and am still waiting for some sort of apology or acknowledgement that you might have been wrong and that you will do better. I am willing to forgive. I do hope you will platform an opposing view, but it would mean the world to me if you and the shipping container watched the 47 minutes of footage from October 7, 2023 (actual footage, mostly taken from Hamas Go-Pros as they shot their depraved atrocities live and proudly as they committed the most barbaric, deranged crimes against humanity imaginable).
Best regards,
Todd
Incredibly, just before I was ready to post this saga, I received a response from Dan. Not from Dan’s handlers or publicist, but from Dan himself. He received my email this morning, read it in entirety and wrote me a heartfelt response. He was gracious, appreciative of my criticisms, owned mistakes he made and saw and heard me. He said he and his crew have discussed both shows I mentioned at length in private, and many of my concerns were similarly brought up by undisclosed members of his show. He owned that he has failed to bring any of this up publicly, at least up until today. He did not answer many of my questions but invited me to potentially meet up with him in person and discuss some of my broader points face to face. This was weighing on me of late. He was a hero of mine, someone who helped me escape the day to day for a half an hour of laughter and comradery here or there, and who, with many of his co-hosts and guests, was able to really talk about a wide range of topics in a way that really connected with me. To fear he was co-opted by the dark side, that I might not really be able to listen to him anymore because of what I felt was a savage betrayal was very painful. But his well thought out and prompt response, his clear acknowledgement of my pain and my vulnerability and my truth above all was incredibly welcome and, frankly, a little unexpected. Not that I didn’t trust him and believe in my gut, which always told me Dan was genuine and one of the good ones, but putting yourself out there in this post 10-7 world is not easy and often feels like you’re peeing directly into the wind.
Unfortunately, despite this positive outcome, we all know the story. The damage was done. A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes. Cenk, his praise for Hasan Piker, the repeated blood libels and the ridiculous Macklemore discussion was spread like Covid to millions of listeners and are still available to download. But there is hope that Dan heard me and will do something in the coming days to make up for these missteps. And even if he doesn’t, I truly believe he read my email, understood my message and will do better. He promised he would and thanked me for calling him out on his failures.
For three years, we Jews have all been Sisyphus, the mountain taller than Everest and covered in ice. But this is evidence that our fight is worth fighting. That small victories are possible. And that there is good in our world. Even our heroes are human, but some of them are redeemable.
Am Yisrael Chai!
Thank you for reading.
IDROS
