The Trumpist right has a very clear picture of what they imagine masculinity to be, and are quite upset that it's not a picture all men find all that appealing. It's one of violence, belligerence, and professions of heavy labor. Anything else, including the whole of the knowledge economy that has made the developed world rich, is inauthentically ma…

The authoritarian right loves to talk about how they're upholding democracy. Trump didn't lose the 2020 election, because if he had, democracy would've been against him. So instead it was stolen from him, his loss a subversion of the democratic process. Now, as a deeply unpopular second-term president, he and his loyalists pretend they are executin…

The first few months of the Trump administration have proven not just how willing much of America was to embrace and celebrate fascism, but how crucial careful, clear-eye, and thoughtful reporting and analysis are to building and sustaining a resistance movement. Few publications have been as essential in this moment as Liberal Currents, which has …

As we've talked about a fair amount on the show, gender is at the center of the ideological clashes defining our political moment. Trumpism is, at its heart, a misogynistic movement, and the fractious coalition of philosophies within the Trumpist tent all agree that increased freedom and opportunities for women have been very upsetting for right-wi…

Many very rich men who support Trump fancy themselves heroes from the novels of Ayn Rand. I've never done an episode of this show on Rand's ideas, because I'm not a Randian, and don't think about political questions through anything like an Objectivist perspective. But the fact that so many men breaking the country believe they are Randian archetyp…

I wanted to try to do a hopeful episode. The world look pretty grim right now, and many of us feel discouraged. The unlawful and authoritarian actions of the Trump administration keep coming at a relentless pace, and it can be difficult to see any reasons for optimism. It can also be lonely. Someone mentioned to me recently that, in times as dark a…

The right-wing ideologies we see most active in the world right now aren't intellectual by any stretch of the imagination. But there is a rich tradition of conservative political and social philosophy and, as liberals, it's important to understand what its objections to liberalism look like. ReImagining Liberty stalwart Matthew McManus, a lecturer …

How we navigate the new political environment the voters thrust upon on, and the new regime that seeks to tear up the very foundations of our liberal society, is a matter of ethics. And ethics is bigger than just political questions. It's about how you live, what you aspire to, and what makes for an admirable life, both inside and outside of politi…

On today's show we jump into auditions, self taping, motivation and so much more with Mighty Tripod's David S. Hogan and Angela DiMarco! This dynamic duo does so much for the Seattle Film Community by educating and assisting actors to learn what it takes to excel and book acting gigs in this crazy industry! These two actors and filmmakers know the …

We talk a lot on this show about the benefits of free and open markets and, given the growing hostility to economic freedom, not just from the Trump administration, but from populist governments around the world, we'll continue to do so. Today I wanted to approach that conversation a little differently from usual though. Most of the time, when peop…

Today we chat with C. Scott Votaw, assistant vice chancellor of the University System of Georgia and a veteran film producer, who leads GFA. With more than 25 years of experience working with Saban, Fox, Lucasfilm and more, Scott has years of expertise in film production, animation, special effects and workforce development. His unique perspective …

The information environment in which Americans form and discuss their political views has gotten weird. Walter Cronkite is gone. The editorial pages of the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal have lost influence to podcasters, social media influencers, and internet conspiracy theorists. Trump's rise, and return to power, was in…

Last fall, I had the extraordinary opportunity to travel to Delhi, India, to give a talk to young Indian liberals. The topic was the connection between Buddhist philosophy and liberalism. If you’re a regular reader of my work, or listen to my podcast, you’ll know this connection has been central to my work for some time. I believe that Buddhist ide…

People take advantage of other people... we all have dealt with this issue one way or another. But are we somewhat responsible for it? On today's show we chat with rapper and actor Humpbakk Chunk and dive into this topic deeply! Now Humpbakk has been an artist a very long time and her entrepreneurial approach is pushing her career forward in the mu…

The rise of Trump is, in many ways, a story about status. Plenty of Americans feel like their relative status has fallen in recent decades, and they believe Trump, both as an embodiment of their identity and values and as a wielder of vast power, can give them that status back. That's the argument my guest made in a recent essay at the Bulwark call…

From writing, stand up comedy to filmmaking... Jordan Ray Smith & Alonzo Ross are a duo of creatives getting ready to hit the filmmaking scene head on! Their new film "495" is a fantastic example of what passionate filmmakers can accomplish with little resources! This is their first feature film and it's an extraordinary achievement for such young …

In this conversation, Aaron Ross Powell and Anthony L. Fisher (Senior Editor at MSNBC Daily) discuss the political landscape following Trump's second inauguration, focusing on the rapid changes in governance, the Democratic response, and the fractured media environment. They explore the implications of these dynamics on public opinion and the impor…

Today we sit down with director Steve Barnett and producer Alan Powell to discuss their new film Valiant One releasing January 31st, 2025 in theaters across the country! Steve and Alan are owners of Monarch Media and have had their hands on multiple films from 300, The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Mist and many more! These remarkable filmmakers break…

Can filmmaking be fun? On today's show we ask that question to filmmaker Chase Dudley! Take a ride with us as we discuss his films, his work ethic, determination and real views on what it's like as a "working director" in this indie community. We've all had our good days and bad but why do we really make films? Is it the art? The notoriety? The mon…

On the show today we chat with actor and up and coming filmmaker Bob Peavler! Now Bob is a veteran and has found an outlet for his TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and couldn't be happier. Four years ago he started his new journey with writing, acting and now filmmaking! He has written two books and his newest, Mayhem: The Retribution is in early produ…

Welcome to Season 6 of the Around The Reel Podcast! We are excited to kick thing off this year with one of the premiere indie filmmakers out there! Mr. J. Horton! Now this guy has built a catalog of at least 90 films over the years and has created a business for himself to make movies for a living. He's been nothing but gracious giving back to the …

We've talked a lot about gender on this show, in the context of transgender rights, the way declining relative status drives men to the political right, and the broader role gender plays in the political environment. The results of the presidential election in November proved just how central gender is to story of rising illiberalism, with men shif…

On today's podcast we welcome back filmmaker and host of Around The Reel Samantha Hanna! We've had a crazy year with some ups, downs and a lot in between! And on today's show we share those moments in all their glory! Samantha guides us on her journey and dives into some very deep and emotional moments she's dealt with. Her healing has been a bless…

For this first episode to be recorded after the results of the presidential election, I've brought on my friend and former colleague ⁠Walter Olson⁠. Walter is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a staunch defender of democracy and liberal institutions, and an expert in the processes and law of American elections.We talk about why the election we…

On today's show I wanted to share a little about how I edit a film and how important learning this craft really is. I believe a movie is made in the edit and as a filmmaker, it's up to you to have an idea how to do it yourself just in case you run into roadblocks during the journey! Efficiency, organization, style, tone, tempo... all of it matters …

Today we have the pleasure to chat with Seattle actor Eric Peddy and find out why and how this talented young man chose acting as his profession! Over the years we've learned that having a support system is key but not essential for your success. It really depends on what type of person you are! Eric, from a young age, was told that the creative ar…

Today's episode was recorded a few weeks before the results of the November presidential election, and before an unrelated change I've made to this podcast. So before we jump into my conversation with Matthew McManus, I wanted to take a moment to give some context and talk about ReImagining Liberty going forward. First, for all of its life, ReImagi…

Today we steer away from creativity and dive into a conversation about this year's election! Political stances, left, right, middle and everything in between has taken a lot of energy from all of us and we felt it important to not try to ignore the elephant in the room (see what I did there?) We here at Around The Reel have different views on a lot…

Today we have the pleasure to chat with actor and filmmaker Ren Caldwell in a robust, honest and fun conversation about being a non-binary artist in this industry! What an eye opening discussion that brings to the forefront how important a script is and how a filmmaker may be able to expand their story by considering a different approach! A writer …

Unless you're an early access supporter of the show, this is the last episode you'll hear before the presidential election, which will profoundly shape the state, or looming absence, of American democracy. The critical importance of the choice between Harris and Trump has much of the country thinking about getting more people involved in politics—a…

Making a feature film ain't easy but it's definitely doable! On today's show we sit down with filmmakers Mike & Allison Hayhurst, a husband and wife team for Evening Squire Productions. Their new film, "And Through The Portal We Go" is a fantastic new feature that was nominated for numerous awards at the Gig Harbor Film Festival and is currently in…

Imagine if you had the same urgency in your day to day filmmaking as you would with a 48 Hour Film Festival? Would you have more finished films under your belt? Makes you wonder?! On today's podcast we chat with filmmaker T.J. Hemmen and discuss his new film 4:04, how important a team is and how impactful a 48 can be on your creative output! T.J. s…

An important theme of this show is the role of rhetoric in politics. It's not just the arguments we make that matter, but when we choose to make them, and how we talk about political issues. And we can learn a lot about the people who disagree with us not just by parsing their arguments, but by paying attention to when and how they make them. This …

Welcome to the Around The Reel Podcast! This week we sit down with filmmaker Chris Shern to discuss his new film Vic Effects and what it takes to run a crowdfunding campaign! But our biggest question... why do you make movies? It's something we ask ourselves a lot and today we put Chris on the spot! From visual fx to building worlds... Mr. Shern br…

Welcome to Season 5 of the Around The Reel Podcast! We've had a helluva run and this year will be even more explosive! Today Aaron introduces the show and shed's some light on the new changes coming, new guests, new format and dives into a few thoughts on life, change and how enablers can ruin your chances at being great! We couldn't be happier to …

We're staring down the barrel of a presidential election, one that highlights deep questions about democracy and political participation. If our goal is radically more freedom, how should we think about democracy's place in achieving that, given that the popular will often isn't for more freedom. And if the system, as it exists, is rather far from …

Today we welcome filmmaker Brielle Wines to the show! Brielle is an up and coming filmmaker in the PNW and her latest film entitled The Beginning shows off her storytelling talents! Making movies isn't easy however, for Brielle, it's been smooth sailing. With multiple features and shorts, from YouTube to Amazon Prime, Brielle has locked in and has …

When Biden dropped out of the presidential race and Harris took over, we witnessed not just a change in candidate, but a change in rhetoric. Harris's campaign began talking in the language of "freedom" and "liberty." Harris's running mate, Tim Walz, contrasted himself with the meddlesome social conservatism of JD Vance by saying he was for "minding…

This, as it says on the tin, is a show about liberalism. But teasing out what that term means can be challenging. Not just because it's philosophically complex, but because common usage of terms doesn't always conform to rigorous conceptual categories, and even when it does, language evolves. That's the jumping off point for today's conversation. M…

A liberal society is necessarily an open and diverse one. When people are free to move and free to choose, a country's population and culture will reflect all those differences in tastes, preferences, and ways of living. And that's part of what makes liberalism so great. But a pluralistic society can be bothersome for those who'd prefer everyone be…

In this episode, we dive into an engaging conversation with author Dani Morrison. Known online as Blerd Girl Romance, Dani discusses the intersections of cultural identityand genre fiction. We explore the impact of social media on literary conversations and the complexities of empathy in our evolving political landscape.…

On this episode of Phantom Astronaut we're thrilled to feature Aaron Ross Powell. Known for his insights into political culture, Powell has been critically analyzing the transformations in political societal norms since his time at Cato Institute's Libertarianism.org, and continuing with his current writing and the Reimagining Liberty podcast. Toge…

In this episode of Phantom Astronaut, we're joined by author and music journalist, Tim Riley. We're navigate the multifaceted world of rock & roll, from the Beatles and Madonna to the current global music industry landscape. Discussing music, digital journalism, and cultural criticism, we evaluate the impact of The Beatles and their lasting influen…

Author William Deresiewicz discusses the economic challenges faced by artists in the current digital ecosystem. We tackle the financial realities of the art market but also offer pivotal strategies to navigate the complex web of modern creative industries. Take a pragmatic look at the industry's struggles, explore the lack of financial literacy in …

Join us for an enlightening journey on Phantom Astronaut as we unravel the ties between art and technology with our guest Emily Lawhead, a respected curator at the Utah Museum of Fine Art and one of the editors of the International Journal for Digital Art History. Delve into the power of technology as an influence and tool in modern and contemporar…

On today's show we chat with director Steve Moon and Actress Ginger Cressman about their new film "Diamond", a story about an alcoholic singer whose life has not turned out as she has dreamed. What's crazy about this feature length film is that Steve got this movie shot in one day!! We discuss how that was accomplished and we also chat more about w…

In this episode I speak with oncology nurse, death doula, and shamanic practitioner Ashley Oppon. Make sure to find her mythology podcast Dine with the Divine and learn more about her at https://www.sankofahealingsanctuary.comBy Phantom Astronaut - Dekker Dreyer

I'm joined today by Janet Bufton, Program Coordinator & Co-Founder at the Institute for Liberal Studies. I'm a little embarassed it's taken me this long to get her on the show, because she's one of the most thoughtful advocates out there of the kind of genuine and broad liberalism--and liberal values--that are at the heart of ReImagining Liberty. W…

On June 7th, David Boaz died. He was the Executive Vice President of the Cato Institute, author of *The Libertarian Mind*, and the most important figure in the libertarian movement in the last half century. He was also my mentor, my close friend, and, for twelve years, my boss. I had the privilege of holding, for the first two of those years, what …

Today on our show we sit down with musician, rapper, writer and actor Jeffery Messenger for one of the wildest conversations we've ever had on Around The Reel. Jeffery shares with us his insights on art, music, film and then goes deep into a message that will stimulate your thinking and make you question a lot of things you think you know! Definite…