show episodes
 
Sometimes TikTok superstar V Spehar needs more than a minute to bring you the news. The Under the Desk News anchor is bringing their sharp outfits and sharper commentary to a new weekly show with Lemonada Media. V highlights the interesting parts of stories we often lose in the chaotic news cycle and goes deeper into the complex, evergreen Big Issues that matter most, but don’t have a simple, Tweetable solution. Part explainer, part thought-starter show, V’s goal is to make you the most well ...
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From under the desk to in your ears, V. Spehar joins Betches Media in a new podcast dedicated to curing the collective malaise brought on by our chaotic political environment. Every week, Spehar and co-host Sami Sage will tenderly guide you through the biggest moments in politics and pop culture with a healing dose of perspective and humor. Rather than spiral over the latest unprecedented event, the hosts dig for the 2024 political tea you *really* want to hear while offering all the informa ...
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V from Under The Desk News gently lulls you to sleep reading long form articles, product reviews, recipes from some of their favorite Chefs, and original stories submitted by friends and listeners. New episodes every Sunday.
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Everyone has a true crime story that they're obsessed with solving. Join true-crime experts, Rabia Chaudry and Ellyn Marsh, along with special celebrity guests as they break down their favorite true crime cases. With Rabia’s legal expertise and Ellyn’s comedic wit, you’ll be seeing these cases in a whole new light. Tune in to solve the case with Rabia and Ellyn!
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show series
 
We’re excited to drop in your feed today a special episode of Podcrushed featuring the prolific, amazingly talented, and incredibly sweet Ariana Grande. In this first part of a two-part conversation with the pop icon, the crew has a wide-ranging conversation on childhood, Ariana's Broadway origins, and getting to act alongside her best friends. Pod…
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In this episode, join Rabia and Ellyn, along with V Spehar, creator and host of TikTok's Under the Desk News, as they delve into the tragic & perplexing case of Chandra Levy. Levy, an FBI Intern, disappears one day, only for her remains to be found a year later in Rock Creek Park. Did her relationship with Congressman Gary Condit play a role in her…
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In this very special 4th of July episode, Sami and V discuss the case for Kamala Harris as the potential Democratic presidential candidate, highlighting her voting record as a Senator, her advocacy for LGBTQ rights, and her stance on Israel-Palestine. They also consider how embracing Harris and giving her more spotlight is the clearest path to a vi…
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Welcome back to About Damn Crime on the main feed! Ellyn brings us up to speed on the dramatic Karen Reed murder case with a deadlocked jury and a judge who’s fed up. We also dive into the Supreme Court’s shocking rulings, the long-awaited indictments of Uvalde officers, and the chilling Wade Wilson case, where execution is on the table for the con…
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Back from Vidcon, V and Sami are comparing Project 2025, the Nazi's, Theocracy and Saudi Arabia, and where a win for Trump this fall would leave us. V and Sami also explore what the current round of Supreme Court rulings mean, and how this might be the end of #vanlife. TEMP CHECK: What are the realities of Project 2025? Everyone is quick to compare…
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We’re excited to drop in your feed today to tell you about a new series from Lemonada Media and the BBC: Pop Culture Debate Club with Aminatou Sow. Being a pop culture fan naturally comes with a lot of opinions. You’ve got your favorites and you’re ready to defend your picks at a moment’s notice. That’s what Pop Culture Debate Club is all about. Ea…
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In this gripping episode, Rabia and Ellyn are joined by the incredible Nathan Lee Graham to explore the tragic death of Freddie Gray Jr. On April 12, 2015, Freddie was arrested in West Baltimore. While in police custody he suffered severe spinal injuries which resulted in his death a week later. What really happened? Why was he arrested? Rabia, Ell…
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Sami and V are joined by host and creative director at MSNBC Live, Luke Russert, to talk about his book Look for Me There: Grieving My Father, Finding Myself. “Give them the best and the world will take care of the rest.” Luke shares how his grandparents’ and parents’ legacies shaped not only his career but his worldview. There is no correct way to…
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04:45 TEMP CHECK: Will this week’s headlines give you a fever or make you freeze? 24:45 MAIN NEWS: Now that Louisiana has posted the 10 Commandments in every classroom, Sami and V discuss how extreme conservatives are spreading the Christian Dominionist Movement and how they want to completely rewrite the Constitution to create a more evangelical A…
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Rabia and Ellyn return to About Damn Crime with a thrilling episode! Rabia revisits the dark past of the Tulsa Race Massacre on its 103rd anniversary, while Ellyn covers Kevin Spacey’s first interview in 7 years. Do you believe him and can Hollywood forgive him? Rabia then spills the unbelievable story of former Indiana Sheriff Jamey Noel facing 25…
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00:00 Sami and V are joined by authors Lisa Lerer & Elizabeth Dias of the new book The Fall of Roe: the Rise Of A New America, to discuss the decades of work done by anti-abortion groups to finally overturn Roe. 11:00 V wonders if American politicians had been more comfortable with using the word ‘abortion’ and didn’t shy away from these conversati…
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00:00 Welcome to your guide on media literacy. V and Sami explore how social media is used in hybrid warfare to manipulate public opinion through disinformation and emphasize the need to rebuild social trust. 16:00 How can you spot a bot? In a few easy steps you too can spot disinformation through fake accounts, false engagement, and artificial int…
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1:20 Sami and V are joined by Representative Ro Khanna to share his economic philosophies and proposed changes to the legislative and judicial branches, which already have bipartisan support among voters (though not lawmakers!) 9:00 They discuss the threat of AI to elections and discourse, and what regulations are needed around to rebuild trust in …
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13:00 TEMP CHECK: Will this week’s headlines give you a fever or make you freeze? 45:00 MAIN NEWS: Sami and V define the term ‘Manufactured Consensus’ and how social media has been used to sway popular opinion towards believing that a third party has more support than we think. Not sure how to spot a bot? Make sure to tune in next week for an in de…
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Welcome back to About Damn Crime. Rabia and Ellyn discuss the shocking Trump verdict with 34 convictions—is anyone even paying attention? Rabia breaks down the case and its implications for his political future. Ellyn updates on the Herb Baumeister case and the controversial sentencing of convicted murderers Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. Pl…
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7:55 TEMP CHECK: Sami and V are back this week to check your temperature on 6 new headlines. Have you ever heard of auto-brewery syndrome? 33:40 MAIN NEWS: After reviewing Trump’s convictions, Sami and V uncover how social media could be the end to elections and how foreign interference poses a significant threat to democratic processes (and also t…
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Join Rabia and Ellyn as they delve into one of the most notorious murder trials in modern history with special guest, attorney and host of the hit Unbiased podcast, Jordan Berman. In this gripping episode, they dissect the infamous O.J. Simpson case, exploring the intricacies of the trial that captivated the world and redefined sensationalism in th…
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2:00 Sami and V are joined by New York Governor Kathy Hochul to discuss the impact of New York becoming the first state to create a paid family leave program for prenatal care. 8:00 A $1 billion plan was put forward to overhaul New York state’s mental health system, allocating $1.6 million specifically for maternal mental health initiatives. They d…
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2:30 TEMP CHECK: New take on Temp Check where we cover 8 wild headlines. Does your fever spike or sink? 25:15 MAIN NEWS: In honor of Memorial Day, they sound the alarm against the treatment of veterans and the proposed changes to veterans’ benefits under Project 2025. But don’t worry, Biden dropped a new fiscal budget with $369 billion for the DoD …
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Welcome back to About Damn Crime on the main feed, where we delve into the human side of the biggest true crime headlines. This week, Rabia, Ellyn, and guests Rebecca Lavoie and Kevin Flynn from the 'Crime Writers On' podcast take on the Karen Read murder trial. Did she run down her police officer boyfriend with her SUV? Her lawyer claims she was f…
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Topics: Representative Colin Allred discusses his vision for a more equitable Texas and his campaign to unseat Ted Cruz, stressing the need for a more engaged and representative leader. Allred shares his journey from being an NFL linebacker to a lawyer and now a representative, driven by a desire to represent all 30 million Texans. Sami and V ask A…
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4:27 TEMP CHECK: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister, and six passengers were found dead at the site of a helicopter crash on Monday, one month before the next election. Was it foul play or an inevitable accident? 20:30 MAIN NEWS: After uncovering the brutality of P. Diddy’s assault on Cassie Ventura and Sami, V exposes …
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Topics: Sami is joined by Sharon McMahon, the author of “The Small and the Mighty,” to share how history can be constructed and verified as accurately as possible. Sharon stresses the importance of local journalism and how it has been the backbone of America’s microcultures. How different generations navigate gathering information, disseminating it…
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Join Rabia, Ellyn, and Katherine Kubler, director of "The Program," in a powerful episode as they explore the tragic case of Kalief Browder. Kalief spent three years in Rikers Island Jail without trial, accused of stealing a backpack. Despite his charges being dismissed, the mental and physical toll of his incarceration led to his untimely death at…
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15:55 TEMP CHECK: Vice President Harris spoke at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies’ annual legislative leadership summit and imparted some honest words to the group. 24:30 MAIN NEWS: Sami and V give a rundown of the MANY threats to the 2024 election, from AI and disinformation, to election denial, to voter suppression b…
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With today's headlines painting a clear picture, it's no wonder the Bear is stealing the show. Join Rabia and Ellyn as they tackle the heated Man or Bear TikTok debate that's taken the internet by storm. They go behind the headlines and discuss the tragic death of Mica Miller, a South Carolina pastor's wife. With social media clues in hand, they ex…
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Topics: Sami and V are joined by the hosts of Strict Scrutiny to talk about how the Supreme Court’s handling of important cases like Mifepristone and EMTALA raises concerns about standing and the potential impact on reproductive rights. They predict the risks of the Supreme Court undermining federal supremacy over state law as constitutional princi…
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12:45 TEMP CHECK: V and Sami take the nation’s temperature after Drew Barrymore’s “Mamala Controversy” and how her interview with Vice President Harris became cringe-worthy and even inappropriate. 29:17 MAIN NEWS: Project 2025 outlines Trump’s policy plans, which aims to consolidate executive authority and implement conservative policies, potential…
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Samantha Vinograd, senior national security counselor and assistant secretary for counterterrorism and threat prevention at the DHS, joins Sami and V to talk about how the council is approaching Holocaust denialism and the lack of Holocaust education. Lawmakers proposed the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would codify the International…
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5:40 TEMP CHECK: V and Sami check the temperature on the Columbia University protest, clarifying the motivation behind the protests and discussing how they’ve expanded nationwide. 25:45 MAIN NEWS: Why does it seem like every headline is about a court case? They highlight the latest developments at SCOTUS, criminal cases, and more… while reflecting …
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