History Hyenas – "Men for Mamdani"

Podcast: History Hyenas
Hosts: Chris Distefano & Yannis Pappas
Date: October 30, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode is classic, "off the beam" History Hyenas, with Chris and Yannis in rare form—riffing as much about their personal misadventures, existential malaise, and fan shout-outs as their (eventually reached) historical topic. After meandering through tales of drunken escapades, weight gain camaraderie, masculinity self-doubt, and the hierarchy of Italian values, the boys ultimately deep-dived into the wild story of Yitzhak Bentov—a self-taught genius whose work inspired the CIA's Stargate remote viewing program and whose philosophies about consciousness get the Hyenas waxing philosophical.

The tone is fast, irreverent, and as always, the line between history and standup is thin and blurry. This is one for fans who love the blend of personal oversharing, running gags, and a side of mind-bending historical science.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "Off the Beam" Self-Deprecation and Midlife Crisis

Timeframe: 02:02–09:00

• Both Chris and Yannis confess to being "off the beam", describing themselves as "fat, bloated, tired" and sharing tales of drunken mishaps—Yannis falling flat-on-his-face drunk in his driveway, which he insists was cushioned by his belly ("Gut big, penis small" – 02:45).
• They riff on the comfort and emotional support provided by overeating, oversized sweaters, autumn, and "country nights" by a fire.
• Chris likens his current state to a woman on her period, complete with sweatpants and tea (06:20), and the two commiserate over feeling their age and weight.

"We're twinning right now. Like some girls cycle up with their periods, we're cycling up with our weights."
– Yannis, 02:20

2. Masculinity, Towels, and Political Stereotypes

Timeframe: 07:54–08:41

• Extended riff on how men "wear their towels" after a shower is a true test of manhood. Chris admits to wearing it wrapped above his chest, "like a girl", and Yannis quips this is the signature of "men who vote for Zoran" (NY local politics reference).
• Young men who wrap towels under their armpits = not "men's men", in their skewed, tongue-in-cheek view.
• Riffs connect to contemporary politics and fandom ("I am proud to say that today I ordered breakfast and gave the name Zoran; people clapped." – Chris, 05:55).

"Guys who are voting for Zoran get out of the shower and they wrap the towel under their armpits."
– Yannis, 08:17

3. Emotional Vulnerability & Creative Pain

Timeframe: 14:38–19:28

• Chris opens up about feeling legitimately depressed—“I just feel tired, and I just feel depressed” (15:29)—and asks if Yannis ever has trouble finding words or if that's just aging.
• Yannis launches into an introspective, psychoanalytic thread about why comedians are often maladaptive, pain-driven, and how laughter in comedy stems from "disarming fear" (18:18).
• The conversation touches on the fleeting nature of existence, referencing Aristotle's paradox of "now" and the existential smallness of the present moment (19:28–21:25).

“Laughter at comedy is defined as disarming fear. It’s an antidote for fear and is born from fear.”
– Yannis, reading his text to Chris, 18:18

4. Fan Community & Nostalgia

Timeframe: 12:57–15:01 & 43:41–44:34

• Shoutouts to old fan favorites and past community memes (Nora’s Cupcakes, Lisa Johnson, Raph DeLuca, Jesse the Truffle Pig).
• Longing for earlier, "tighter" community days; threats/promises to bring back fan FaceTimes.
• A running joke that being a true fan means joining the Patreon and NOT wearing your towel under your armpits.

5. Zoran Mamdani, Identity, and 'Taqiya'

Timeframe: Interspersed (26:44–37:37)

• The hosts humorously (and sometimes controversially) dig into current NYC politics, with targets including Zoran Mamdani and political rivals, while riffing on stereotypes.
• Extended, provocative exploration of the Islamic concept of 'taqiya'—concealing one’s faith under threat—juxtaposed with historical Christian responses and (in true Hyenas fashion) compared to “the ultimate sneak attack.”
• History, identity, and contemporary politics get mashed up with tongue-in-cheek distrust, invented scenarios, and running cultural jokes.

“So what happens is … in the Islamic faith … what you can do is you’re allowed to denounce your religion … if it’s to push the Muslim agenda forward… which is what some people think maybe Zoran Mamdani could be doing.”
– Chris, 35:13

6. Ashkenazi Genius & Yitzhak Bentov's Legacy

Timeframe: 46:08–54:45

• Focus shifts to the episode’s ostensible topic: Yitzhak Bentov, mechanical engineer, inventor (created the cardiac catheter), and mystic/philosopher.
• Both hosts riff on the intelligence of Ashkenazi Jews (“I like to call them the white Chinese” – Yannis, 46:31), and describe Bentov as a polymath who believed humans are more like “radios”—able to "tune in" to universal consciousness, not just generate it locally.
• Bentov’s ideas about the body and consciousness inspire a discussion on meditation, self-soothing, and the fleeting moment.

"He felt that consciousness was something you could tune into. Your brain was more like a radio antenna … consciousness is just there.”
– Yannis, 47:58

7. The Stargate Program, Remote Viewing & Conspiracy

Timeframe: 41:36–51:50

• Yannis provides a primer on the CIA's Stargate Project—an actual Cold War program attempting to develop psychic spies and remote viewing, directly inspired by Bentov's work.
• Teased as the main topic for an extended bonus episode on Patreon, but given a surface-level treatment here; references to time travel, seeing Russian submarines, and the convergence of mysticism and official science.
• Discussion includes the suggestion that some “remote viewers” scored shockingly accurate “hits.”

8. Practical Philosophy: Living in the Moment & Meditation

Timeframe: 59:16–61:04

• Touches on Bentov’s argument that the body acts like an oscillator; in deep meditation, a person's internal resonance aligns with the earth’s magnetic pulses (7Hz), and this allegedly can lead to expanded consciousness and even out-of-body experiences.
• Chris and Yannis discuss their own approaches to meditation as practical mood enhancers. Yannis credits tennis legend Djokovic for his own mindfulness practice.

“Meditation is not something you do, it’s a way you have to be. Sometimes I’ll do it for 30 seconds … All it is is just conscious breathing, returning to your breath.”
– Yannis, 60:16

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Chris: "I really just don’t like where things have turned out for me the last few days." (15:29)
• Yannis: “The Italians figured it out, you know? They have principles: God first, country second, family third, goomah fourth, then sauce.” (15:40)
• Chris: “We’re soy boys ... Make fun of both sides. We are soy boys.” (05:36)
• Yannis: “He was one of those special Ashkenazi Jews, self-taught, kind of inventor and mystic who believed that through meditation you could expand your consciousness … The CIA used some of his findings.” (16:11)
• Chris: “Our bodies are just conductors, like the universe is happening, the ideas, the life, we’re just conducting it.” (47:47)
• Yannis: “I think we gotta bring back the old days where fans could FaceTime in … If you’re not on our Patreon, you wear your towel under your armpits.” (45:40)
• About Bentov’s Death: “He died like Richie Valens in a crash. But on a commercial airline.” (55:50)
• About Ashkenazi Jews: “I like to call them the white Chinese kids.” (46:31)
• On the CIA and Remote Viewing: “The CIA did use what this guy was saying in the book … to see if remote viewing was possible … and actually there was a bunch of people … that had crazy hits.” (50:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:02–09:00 | Off the Beam: Fat, Old, and Relatable—Physical and Mental States | | 07:54–08:41 | Masculinity and the Towel Test (Plus Political Jabs) | | 14:38–19:28 | Depression, Brain Fog, and Comedy as Pain Alchemy | | 19:28–21:25 | Aristotle’s Paradox and the Smallness of Existence | | 26:44–37:37 | Zoran Mamdani, 'Taqiya', and Identity Politics | | 41:36–51:50 | Yitzhak Bentov, Ashkenazi Genius, and the CIA Stargate Project | | 59:16–61:04 | Meditation Practice and Mindfulness Advice | | 61:44–73:00 | Extended Patreon Name Read (Fan Shoutouts & Community Banter) |

Final Thoughts

This episode is quintessential Hyenas: erratic, brutally honest, and packed with both smart and sophomoric humor. The promised “wild science” makes a somewhat late entrance but pays off for conspiracy and speculative science fans, especially with the Bentov/Stargate/CIA narrative. Throughout, the personal banter and nostalgia for the show's OG fanbase shine, asking listeners to join the community (and to wear their towels properly, like real men).

For hardcore history? Hit the Patreon for the Stargate deep dive.
For character-driven, hysterical hangout pod? This one is a riotous, messy must-listen.

Patreon Push

“If you’re listening to this podcast and you’re not on the Patreon, then you wear your towel under your armpits.”
— Chris, 45:40

[For full CIA/Bentov weirdness, the hosts direct all listeners to their Patreon bonus episode.]