Podcast
War is Stupid: An Anti-War Podcast About War
Hosted by Orli Matlow · EN
The history and comedy podcast that challenges the centuries-old conventional wisdom that war is the smart and sensible thing to do. Hosted by comedian Orli Matlow.
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Cuba Is The Future? with Comedian Gabe Pacheco
3d ago00:51:51Tap to summarizeOrli Matlow sits down with comedian Gabe Pacheco, who might soon be subpoenaed by the federal government for joining the same aid mission to Cuba as Hasan Piker. They talk about Cuba’s history and present, whether Che Guevara shirts are as popular there as they are at liberal arts colleges, and why we need to bring the name Smedley back. Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective. Follow Gabe: Instagram YouTube Halal Cartels Podcast Website Follow Orli: Instagram TikTok Website
Transcribe →American Voters Can Fix Israel and Palestine? with Mattan Berner-Kadish
2w ago01:01:53Tap to summarizeOrli Matlow sits down with Mattan Berner-Kadish, an advocate for civil rights in Israel since his parents sued the country when he was four years old. Mattan talks about his work in the Occupied West Bank, bearing witness to extreme Israeli settler and military violence, including the killing of his close friend and fellow football fan Awdah Hathahleen. They talk nepo babies in the IDF, ICC evidence on Israeli Tinder, and how American Jews are the most progressive in the world (complimentary). Mattan talks about his new nonprofit From Here Forward, and makes the case that Naftali Bennett is not the Great Hope to save lives in Palestine and Israel—American primary voters are. Theme music by This Revolution Production Collective. Donate to From Here Forward Follow Mattan: Instagram TikTok Substack Follow Orli: Instagram TikTok Website
Transcribe →Catholics and Protestants Can Live Together? with Comedian Katie Boyle
3w ago00:56:15Tap to summarizeHost 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 Follow Katie: Instagram TikTok YouTube Website Follow Orli: Instagram TikTok YouTube Website
Transcribe →Nuance Is Possible? with Alex Willick, New Israel Fund
4w ago00:47:52Tap to summarizeHost 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. Follow Orli: Instagram TikTok Website
Transcribe →The Western Front Is Walkable? with Author Briana Gervat
Apr 2700:43:24Tap to summarizeHost 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. Follow Briana: Instagram Amazon Follow Orli: Instagram TikTok Website
Transcribe →There's A Palestinian Pop-Punk Musical? with Composer Fouad Dakwar
Apr 2000:53:33Tap to summarizeHost 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. Follow Fouad: Instagram Website Follow Orli: Instagram TikTok Website
Transcribe →War Is A Public Health Crisis? with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan Senate Candidate
Apr 1300:33:20Tap to summarizeHost 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. Follow Abdul: Website Instagram TikTok Facebook Twitter Bluesky YouTube Follow Orli: YouTube Instagram TikTok Website
Transcribe →Amsterdam Is Not Safe For Jews? with Activist Simcha Zijlstra
Apr 600:50:38Tap to summarizeHost 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. Follow Simcha on Instagram Read The Jewish Manifesto Follow Orli: YouTube Instagram TikTok Website
Transcribe →Activism Is No Picnic? with Young Friends of Standing Together
Mar 3000:46:54Tap to summarizeOrli 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
Transcribe →Star Trek Predicted World War III? with Comedian Justin Avery Smith
Mar 2301:03:11Tap to summarizeHost 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. Follow Justin: Instagram TikTok Twitter Website Follow Orli: YouTube Instagram TikTok Website
Transcribe →