War is Stupid: An Anti-War Podcast About War

Host Orli Matlow welcomes Irish comedian and newly minted American citizen, Katie Boyle. Katie teaches Orli about iconic figures in Irish history including Michael Collins, the pagan goddess Bridgid, and Crazy Bob. They talk the cool anti-war Pope Louis XIV and the real purpose of religion, plus Katie covers gun control and abortion rights—and doing standup in places that don’t have either. They also cover The Troubles, The Great Famine, and the lessons that today’s empires can learn from Britain losing theirs.
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.
Watch Katie’s specials:
Terapy 
I'll Do It Myself
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Host Orli Matlow sits down with Alex Willick, who was featured in the recent New Yorker article “At Synagogues, Tensions Are Boiling Over" by Eyal Press. A director at the New Israel Fund, he was invited to talk to the congregation about a recent trip to The Land, but the invitation was rescinded when he planned on speaking about settler violence in the West Bank. He shares the story that was banned from the bimah, and they discuss just how extreme this Israeli government truly is, its roots in the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, and what our responsibilities are as people who care about human rights. 
 
Read The New Yorker piece here.
Learn more about the New Israel Fund here.
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.
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Host Orli Matlow sits down with Briana Gervat, author of There Will Come Soft Rains: A Journey Along the Western Front. Briana hiked for 36 days through France and Belgium, tracing the path of World War I, a devastating war that changed the world for the absolute worst (with the exceptions of Winnie the Pooh and Pilates). 
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.
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Host Orli Matlow sits down with multimedia artist and 2025 Jonathan Larson Grant recipent Fouad Dakwar to celebrate the release of the concept album for his semi-autobiographical musical Fouad of Nazareth, out now! Fouad talks the Palestinian Christian immigrant theatre kid experience, covering everything from his family's Nakba story to which role he played in a summer camp production of Spring Awakening. They talk the "fairy tale" of the two-state solution, the Golden Age of Teen Angst musicals, and the universality of Fiddler on the Roof. 
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.
Listen to Fouad of Nazareth on Spotify and Apple Music.
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Host Orli Matlow sits down with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who is running as a Democrat to represent the March Madness champions of Michigan in the United States Senate. Abdul talks Iran and Lebanon, Israel and Temple Israel, and what a foreign policy that prioritizes the sanctity of human life would look like—as both a doctor and a politician. They discuss his favorite part of the Passover Seder, how Jews and Muslims can best unite against white supremacists, and the storied history of Detroit pizza.
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.
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Host Orli Matlow sits down with Dutch-Jewish activist and community organizer Simcha Zijlstra to talk about the three pillars of Jewish life in Europe: The Shoah, antisemitism, and Israel-Palestine (and sometimes football hooliganism). Simcha shares his journey discovering his Jewish heritage, challenging Zionist "fairy tales," and reestablishing joyful Jewish community in Amsterdam, complete with gremsjelies—matzah-based fruit latkes.
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective. 
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Read The Jewish Manifesto
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Orli Matlow sits down with Noa Wolf, Niv Likwornik, and Dalia Rubinstein, organizers for peace and justice in Israel-Palestine with Friends of Standing Together. The great conversation ranges explores everything from their activist origin stories to the existence of Amish Halal Farms. They discuss growing up in Israel and France, the best way to fight against all forms of hate (hint: it’s not bombs), and the importance of picnics and putting the social in social movements.
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective. 
Links:
Friends of Standing Together NYC on Instagram
The Long Answer Podcast
Standing Together Website
 

Host Orli Matlow welcomes a humor writer, performer, and intrepid nerd culture anthropologist Justin Avery Smith, whose solo show Revenge of the Soy Boy is coming to the NYC Fringe Festival. Justin explores the real wars that inspired Star Wars (which is now being used to promote real wars), what George Lucas was trying to warn us about, and how the Jedi are actually the corporate Democrats of the galaxy. Justin also introduces Orli to the world of Star Trek, which she’s been accidentally representing since she broke her finger in high school. Humanity—and alienkind—have the capacity to do better. 
Get tickets to Revenge of the Soy Boy here.
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.
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It’s the War is Stupid St. Patrick’s Day Special! Host Orli Matlow welcomes Mary Houlihan, an Irish American comedian with the gift of gab. They talk about her family’s history, the historical connection between Ireland and Palestine, and what Irish American families fight about if it’s not about Israel. They also discuss Tucker Carlson, art school, and Mary’s upcoming mission to Cuba, bringing medical aid and solar panels behind the blockade.
Donate to the humanitarian and reporting project here.
 
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.
 
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Orli Matlow sits down with organizer Liza Behrendt, who is working to get “cool bank” Capital One not to renew their loan to Elbit Systems, Israel’s #1 weapons manufacturer (and NOT a beloved member of the Jewish community). Liza shares her journey going from Birthright to BDS, the Eject Elbit campaign’s wins so far, and the power Jennifer Garner has in this moment. They also discuss the 2008 Gaza War, the 2023-2026 Gaza War, the 2025 Iran War, and the 2026 Iran War.
Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective.
Learn more about Eject Elbit and BDS Boston.
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