John Safran is a cult Australian documentarian and professional bear-poker whose career has included everything from trying to join the Ku Klux Klan to getting crucified in the Philippines - and he says he’d probably still do it all again.

The filmmaker first gained fame in Race Around the World in 1997 and since then has always inserted himself into the centre of uncomfortable stories, including squatting inside Kanye West’s abandoned mansion while trying to understand the psychology behind Ye’s antisemitic spiral.

In this chat with Sacha Barbour Gatt, John shares his take on free speech in 2026, why censorship means something completely different in the internet age and how Australians are smarter than we give them credit for.

Weekend list with Helen Smith

Listener Daniel TO READ: Griefdogg by Michael Winkler
TO WATCH: Prime Minister (Jacinda Ardern) on Netflix
TO TRY: Uber pool
TO DO: Check out Broadsheet

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