Steven Lee August, AKA Vegan Heretic has led a fascinating life as an entertainer, activist and author. He made a living as a juggler and magician in Las Vegas, but his real passion is his Christian faith and his compassion for animals. And as a Christian animal rights activist, he has a lot of wisdom to share, especially with non-Christians, particularly when it comes to effective outreach TO Christians. And so when life came to a standstill during Covid, Steven parked himself at a local vegan restaurant where, for hours on end, powered by coffee refills, he penned his book "Vegans Vs. The Verses." It's a handy guide to all things vegan in the Bible and how to effectively communicate that message of kindness towards all living beings. Steven embodies the best of Christianity, and was a real joy to speak with. This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Steven's book "Vegans vs. The Verses"Steven's YouTubeSteven's IGSteven's websiteVegan TheologyCreation Care ChurchWatch ChristspiracyWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

John Curtin has been involved in the animal liberation movement since before I was even born. He's taken the fight to the teeth of the vivisection industry, a fight that continues to this day. John has spent the last 3 1/2 years as a resident of Camp Beagle, an ongoing protest camp outside of beagle breeding facility MBR Acres in the UK. He's rescued animals, raided laboratories and been to prison numerous times standing up for animals. But don't call him a hero.If you try calling John a hero, he'll correct you that he's just a knobhead. And I love that. We need a few more knobheads like John in this movement. John got raw in this interview, telling me about things he says he rarely talks about. Crazy traumatic experiences, watching a hunter die in front of his face, desecrating a grave. I was honored to be able to ask John about the late Jill Phipps, Barry Horne, and Mike Hill, all of whom he knew personally. John is a bit mad in the best way, an old punk. But what makes John such a special person is his absolute love for animals. I've watched him break down numerous times over the plight of the beagles at MBR Acres. There's a bottle of champaigne at Camp Beagle that's only going to be opened when that place shuts down. I can't wait to watch that video.This conversation is also available on YouTube.If you're a UK resident, sign the petition to end testing on dogs.Links:John's IGThe Camp Beagle IGCamp Beagle FBThe Camp BeagleJill Phipps docWatch EarthlingsWatch DominionJohn's book recs:The Dreaded ComparisonThe Bloodless RevolutionEternal Treblinka

Curtis Vollmar was peacefully protesting foie gras at an Omni Hotel in New Orleans when a man stuck a gun in his face. Luckily no shots were fired. News of the incident quickly reached activist circles and myself and others were incensed at how close such a well-regarded activist had come to getting seriously hurt or worse. The protest was part of a large multi-city campaign to pressure Omni Hotels to stop selling foie gras spearheaded by the Duck Alliance with the support of @AnimalActivismCollective  . I urge Omni Hotels to get rid of the foie gras and put an end to the violence, whether it's to ducks or to peaceful protesters who they've ignored. I've known Curtis for awhile now and consider him a good friend. He's one of the many multi-talented, impressive activists associated with  @DirectActionEverywhere  and Compassionate Bay. Having Curtis on the podcast was something I'd wanted for a long time, but it became suddenly very timely in the wake of that incident. I'm very happy he wasn't hurt and grateful for his incredible work. On this episode, Curtis discusses what happened and the many areas of activism he does, whether it's getting arrested, having guns pulled on him, flying his drone for an investigation, or pushing legislative and ballot box progress for animals. If I was picking my dream team of activists, Curtis would be on it. #animalrights #vegan #animalrightsactivists #gunviolence #gunviolenceawareness #gunviolenceprevention This episode is also available as an audio podcast, wherever you download them. Just search my name. Links: Video of the incident Curtis' IG Register for Zoe's Trial, ALC Duck Alliance IG Animal Activism Collective IG AAC on Youtube DxE Compassionate Bay Smell of Money documentary Gary Yourofsky speech Watch Eartlings Watch Dominion

I feel silly even writing an intro for Vegan Gains, since he's one of the most recognizable vegan activists on YouTube. So I'll write this with a personal touch. There's probably no one even close to the amount of content I've viewed online as Richard Burgess. Partly, that's because he streams all the time, and they are often a very entertaining mix of subject matter. I've learned a great deal and strengthened my own convictions partly as a result of Richard's content. He is someone who doesn't care what anyone thinks. That can come off with mixed results. He can be abrasive and come across as mean, but it also makes for very honest and therefore informative viewing. I have found him personally to be very kind and generous. As someone who has watched Vegan Gains throughout the years, I feel like I know him better than I know some of the closest people to me. And I've got his back. And that is because he has the animals' backs. And regardless of people getting their feelings hurt over his choice of words, he has the backs of who he sees being victimized, no matter who they are. I find that refreshing and needed. As activists, we have to be ok with being not liked. We just have to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done. I feel like Richard embodies that in ways that are admirable. When I was scheduling interviews over on Wayne Hsiung's channel (a role I've stepped away from), Richard was a top priority of mine and it turned out to have been a nice fit, as those conversations between them have been among the liveliest and most intellectually stimulating on the channel. Richard and I have talked only very briefly prior to this interview. This is the first time we have really spoken in depth, and it was an honor. Watch this conversation on YouTube. Links: Vegan Gains YT Vegan Gains IG Toronto slaughter footage Richard video on Regan Russell Richard calling out some BS Gary Yourofsky's speech Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion

Dane Evans is the lead singer of the phenomenal Australian deathcore band To The Grave. The band has in recent years put out a steady stream of albums with a strong animal rights theme. Evans is not only trying to be the voice for the animals, but for the activists trying to save them. And what a voice it is. The word that came to me when listening to his dynamic range from guttural, demonic growls to ear-splitting high-pitched screams was "otherworldly." I've only known about To The Grave for about a week. It was during my interview with Vegan Gaze that she mentioned going to the band's show and having a fire lit under her. I had never really gotten into deathcore. I think it's probably a genre of music that could easily be garbage if not done right and my guess is I've heard some mediocre deathcore in the past. To The Grave is anything but. It is constantly shifting, constantly driving, constantly creative, fascinating to listen to. And of course there is the message. And that's what I wanted to talk to Dane about. I have seen Dane and his bandmates expand upon their animal rights beliefs in several fantastic interviews. But mostly those were interviews conducted by people from the metal scene and not the animal rights world. Dane is very much a part of both worlds, as he explained to me here. Dane can write and sing about this stuff with so much conviction because he has lived it. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Watch this conversation on YouTube. Links: To The Grave on YouTube To The Grave IG To The Grave on FB To The Grave Spotify Dane's IG Dane's YouTube On the Garza Podcast Interview on  @SeenFeen  Vegan Gaze on YouTube Gaze and Chris Hines on TTG Farm Transparency Project IG Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) IG Punk Rock Vegan Movie Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion

Jack Higgs has been involved with some of the wildest animal rights demonstrations I've seen. He, along with his partner Tash Peterson have garnered a huge amount of attention in Australia for their uncompromising approach to activism. That has enabled them to reach an audience far outside just a circle of vegan activists.

I have a huge amount of respect for Jack. He has evolved from filming Tash's demonstrations (which he still does) to also being more and more in the spotlight himself. And with his calm demeanor, he is a perfect complement to Tash and needs to be considering the huge amount of negativity the two of them endure to get their message out. To have a partner as charismatic as Tash and to not just shrink into the shadows is impressive by itself, but Jack is becoming one of the most confident, skilled messengers for the animals we have.

We are lucky to have Jack and Tash. They're also both incredibly kind and easygoing behind the scenes. This conversation has been among my favorites so far.

Watch this conversation on YouTube.

Links:

Jack's YouTube

Jack's IG

Jack's TikTok

Jack's Facebook

Tash's YouTube

Thich Nhat Hanh on why vegan

Earthlings Documentary

Dominion Documentary

Elle Fleming, also known as Vegan Gaze, has been one of my favorite activists to follow over the years. There are several reasons for that. One is her no-nonsense, consistent and strong animal rights message. Second is her hilarious and biting wit. I have also appreciated how supportive she has been in directing her viewers to other activists' work, especially smaller channels. But what mainly draws me to Elle is that she lets her guard down enough during her livestreams to show her authentic self. It's why, during this, our first more in-depth conversation, I already felt like I knew her. Elle is someone who is as kind and supportive off the camera as on the camera. She was one of the first guests we booked on Wayne Hsiung's channel when we started it. I came into this conversation, as I usually do, with only a basic idea of what we'd get into, and it was somewhat unexpected in that we got into some really serious and dark topics. But at no point did I not enjoy the conversation, which shows how Elle's real strength is that her true self is someone who can remain likeable, energetic, humorous and versatile even discussing grim topics, something she does on her channel all the time. While my channel is small and cannot offer her much of a bump in viewers, I want to return the favor that she's shown to so many smaller channels, so I hope that anyone watching this will sub to her channel and follow her on social media, because if anyone deserves a bigger following, it's Vegan Gaze.

Watch this conversation on YouTube.

Links: Elle's YouTube Elle's socials and Patreon links: Vegan F.T.A. IG Animal Liberation Video Game in the works To The Grave deathcore band song namedrops Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) Elle's book recs: Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

I've worked with a lot of impressive people over the course of my life, many of them during my time working for NPR member stations. But I never met more hard-working people until I joined the animal rights movement, and began to work more closely with people like Direct Action Everywhere's press coordinator Cassie King. Cassie blows my mind away with her fastidious attention to detail, dedication, work ethic, and professionalism. Cassie has been right there for many of the iconic moments in DxE's history and the history of the animal rights movement, taking part in bold demonstrations, daring rescues, and securing massive press hits all the while in major publications like the New York Times and National Geographic. The animal rights movement is lucky to have Cassie King. I've worked with Cassie for several years volunteering on DxE's press team under her leadership. She has not only been someone who inspires me and makes me feel hopeful about the prospects of animal liberation, but she's also been a great friend. I consider myself insanely privileged to be able to work with people like Cassie, and was thrilled to have her on my channel. This conversation is also available on YouTube here. Links: Register for the convergence The Yes on J website Right to Rescue website DxE's website Cassie's IG Cassie's FB Cassie's Twitter DxE's IG DxE's X/Twitter DxE's FB DxE's YouTube Wired story Farhad Manjoo opinion piece National Geographic piece Vox piece Dominion Documentary Earthlings Documentary

Mac Thompson spent about three years in the sled dog racing industry, and it took a psychological toll on him. As someone who cares for animals, he struggled with how to process the deplorable conditions the dogs were kept in. He already described some of that to me in our last conversation, but told me we had only scratched the surface, so I invited him back to delve deeper into the topic. Links: Qikiqtani Truth Commission:  @qikiqtanitruthcommission4217  The Report Our Dogs No. 1 (1933) Sled Dogs 2016 film (free with ads) Sled Dogs film trailer YouTube playlist on sled dog industry Humanemushing.org Mac Thompson's YouTube Dominion Documentary Earthlings Documentary

Zoe Rosenberg was just 11 years old when she started an animal rescue that would become Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary. She's since become one of the boldest animal rescuers and investigators I've ever met. She now faces years in prison in Sonoma County, CA for rescuing ducks and chickens from factory farms. But while the authorities in Sonoma may bend a knee to the animal agriculture industry, Zoe faces it unflinchingly with grace and determination. They may be afraid. Zoe isn't. Zoe is the kind of person that makes demonstrations most people find uncomfortable look like a walk in the park. She's someone who, like her peers in Direct Action Everywhere, makes me believe animal liberation is achievable. When the history books are written, people like Zoe will be cast as heroes and Sonoma authorities as villains. I was very proud to have her on the show. This show is also available on YouTube here. Register for the convergence The Yes on J website Right to Rescue website DxE's website Zoe's IG Zoe's Twitter Zoe's Facebook Zoe's TikTok DxE's IG DxE's X/Twitter DxE's FB DxE's YouTube Emmeline Pankhurst book Saul Alinsky book Poor People's Movements book Readings on Social Movements Dominion Documentary Earthlings Documentary

In part two of my conversation with my friend Liesel Appel, we discuss how she rejected Nazism in her home country of Germany only to find racial bigotry in America.

In Part 1, Liesel tells how as a baby, she was dedicated to Hitler at two weeks old by her Nazi parents. But she didn't learn who the Nazis were or what they stood for until a fateful visit by a Jewish man to her home when she was 9 years old. This incredible story led her to rejecting her mother, abandoning Germany, fighting against apartheid in the Congo and eventually landing in Florida. But instead of being embraced, the mostly white community of Palm Springs reacted to her then-marriage to a black musician with racist hostility.

This was an important part of her story that we didn't delve into in part one, so critical because of the parallels Liesel draws between how the German people fell for a fascist dictator in much the same way she sees people falling for Trump's divisive, hate-filled politics.

Liesel is an inspiration, someone who fights against injustice wherever she sees it. And that's why it's no shock that she became a passionate animal rights activist. Liesel's life experience makes her warning to us about how easily people can be led astray and how we combat that with compassion, kindness, and determination such a vital message to get out. It's with deep gratitude that I call her a friend and such an honor to be able to have these talks with her.

Liesel's memoir "The Neighbor's Son"

"Eternal Treblinka" by Charles Patterson

Earthlings Documentary

"Earthlings" is the film which first linked for me the concepts examined in "Eternal Treblinka" and is the reason I went vegan.

Vegan Linked ( @VeganLinked  ) did an outstanding video profile of Liesel

LA Times article on Liesel

Liesel's past husband, the incredible George Browne

Lawyers Without Rights book

Fear of the Animal Planet book

Free Paul Watson!

Shakira is someone whose love for animals has been her life's passion. Whether as a veterinary nurse or animal rights activist, caring for animals is what she does. And standing up for animals has come at a cost for her. She's faced consequences legally and professionally, but doesn't regret it, despite the hardships. And why? Because of them.I am so grateful that we have people like Shakira in this world. Her courage and conviction is exemplary, something we should all try to emulate. If the world had as much kindness and compassion as she did, we would live in a beautiful utopia, a world with far less pain and suffering. As she said during our conversation, she has a few "mini-me's" following in her footsteps. I hope this interview will inspire a few more. This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Shakira's IGShakira's TikTokShakira's YouTubeShakira's LinkTreeWatch DominionWatch Earthlings

One recent afternoon I was finishing Charles Patterson's book "Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust" when I came across an eye-catching chapter. But it wasn't the title: "Hitler's Baby," which caught my eye. It was the name immediately following it: Liesel Appel. Liesel Appel? Where had I heard that name before? I thought I remembered the name from Facebook, of all places. Sure enough, when I checked my Facebook buddies, there was Liesel Appel. But wait... Hitler's Baby? I quickly read through Liesel's chapter and immediately sent her a message inviting her to do an interview. It turns out that was a wise decision.

Liesel and I met when the animal rights activist and attorney Wayne Hsiung, who I co-produce a YouTube channel with, was on trial in North Carolina for rescuing a sick goat. I don't recall us having an actual conversation, though. I'm pretty sure if we had, I would have remembered it, because there is something about the way Liesel speaks that commands attention. She is kind, soft-spoken and unassuming, but there seems to be poignancy behind every word she utters. At least that is my experience during this conversation. When I invited her to be on my channel, she also informed me she had written several books, including an autobiography. I ordered it and was floored by the richness and depth of Liesel's story.

I was deeply, deeply honored to speak with Liesel for this channel, and if you listen to the contents of the interview, you will understand why. The story she tells is utterly spellbinding and, in fact, we barely scratched the surface. For that reason, Liesel and I intend to continue the conversation, so stay tuned for part 2! This conversation is also available on YouTube here.

Liesel's memoir "The Neighbor's Son"

"Eternal Treblinka" by Charles Patterson

Earthlings Documentary

Earthlings" is the film which first linked for me the concepts examined in "Eternal Treblinka" and is the reason I went vegan. Vegan Linked did an outstanding video profile of Liesel.

YouTube video of this conversation. Upon my arrival in Berkeley, California for my first look into Direct Action Everywhere's press operation, one of the first people to greet me was Michelle Del Cueto. DxE's international coordinator and I were easy friends. She, along with DxE's press coordinator at the time, Matt Johnson, were my two steady companions during that first visit. And despite several years of friendship, I had never really gotten Michelle's personal story.

What I knew about Michelle before was her bravery and dedication to animal rights. I knew her to be outspoken and unwavering in the face of injustice. I knew she also is the person behind the lens of some of the most iconic photos and videos in DxE's history. I knew that if you drive a car after she's been in it to turn the radio down as fast as you can, lest you lose your hearing. But what I learned about her during this conversation, especially her background in Mexico City, only makes me admire her all the more. Michelle is a genuine badass.

This video is also available as a podcast, wherever you download them.

Register for the convergence

The Yes on J website

Right to Rescue website

DxE's website

Michelle's IG

DxE's IG

DxE's X/Twitter

DxE's FB

DxE's YouTube

Punk Rock Vegan Movie

Dominion Documentary

Earthlings Documentary

Just as Hunter S. Thompson put it in his seminal 1970 article about the Kentucky Derby, sled dog racing is decadent and depraved. Decadent: characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline. Depraved: morally corrupt; wicked. (Oxford Languages) So apt is this title that the whistleblower describing to me in vivid detail the deplorable treatment of dogs he witnessed during his time working for a musher characterized these conditions as "above average" in the industry. Yet, he still felt the need to alert the authorities to what he saw. Mac Thompson recalls his time in the sled dog industry in Minnesota and his time working in a roadside zoo in South Carolina. I sincerely thank Mac for shedding light on this often-overlooked example of mankind's arrogant, speciesist attitude towards our fellow creatures. Such a sorry excuse for entertainment, a practice future humans will look back on with utter contempt.

This conversation on YouTube. Links: Sled Dogs 2016 film (free with ads) Sled Dogs film trailer YouTube playlist on sled dog industry Whistler Sled Dog Massacre Humanemushing.org Mac Thompson's YouTube Dominion Documentary Earthlings Documentary

Almira Tanner is someone who makes me optimistic that we will achieve animal liberation. Almira is the lead organizer of the global animal rights organization Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), a role she's occupied for around five years. I feel deeply honored to have been able to work alongside her on several occasions, and I personally witnessed how dedicated and hardworking she is. I witnessed Almira working deep into the night, after days of countless meetings, activism events, and signature gathering for a ballot measure in Sonoma County, a person leading by example. Almira has many strengths (organizational skills being one of the more obvious) but what really makes her an impressive leader is her ability to keep focus during tumultuous events. Whether it's facing felonies, answering to cascades of animal industry disinformation, dealing with internal disputes, or simply managing a day-to-day schedule that makes me pale in the face, I have seen Almira as a steady hand with a unique ability to navigate all of this and still make DxE into one of the most potent vehicles of change for animals. It is my humble opinion that DxE is in great hands with Almira Tanner. In this conversation, I find out more about Almira's backstory, how a woman from Canada found herself at the helm of a grassroots animal rights juggernaut that has so disrupted industry and authorities for its ability to draw media attention and pressure the entire structure of the animal exploitation industry, and most notably the broken legal system that, instead of regulating it, is propping it up. I ask Almira about how she has handled the many controversies she's had to address at DxE, and what keeps her going through it all.

YouTube video of this conversation. Almira mostly wants people to know about the convergence to end factory farming in Sonoma County, CA. The first link below is a link to register to join that effort on August 23-27 in Petaluma. Register for the convergence The Yes on J website Right to Rescue website DxE's website Almira's IG Almira's X/Twitter Almira's Facebook DxE's IG DxE's X/Twitter DxE's FB DxE's YouTube Dominion Documentary Earthlings Documentary

I was a subscriber to Daynesh's YouTube channel long before I reached out to him for support for the Ridglan beagle rescue trial. And when I did, I already felt like he was an old buddy of mine. That's the strength of Daynesh. He has a powerfully relatable approach to vegan activism that just makes you feel like you've known the guy for years. But not only is he friendly and humble, he's also very talented at making videos and put together one of the best explainer videos about the Ridglan trial for us. I was thrilled to have Daynesh on my channel and get a chance to learn more about who he is as a person. So how did Daynesh go from one of the most respected universities to a corporate world position to leaving all that behind and focusing his attention on the animals? You'll just have to listen. Or watch the video on my YouTube channel.

Links:

Daynesh's YouTube

Daynesh's IG

Ridglan trial explainer

Daynesh's wedding video

Daynesh recommends Vegan Power Lab

It's funny, we talked about the show Hot Ones and how we'd go on there if we could and recommend the vegan wings. Since we did that interview, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton did just that

As always:

Dominion Documentary

Earthlings Documentary

I joined the worst sex cult ever, and chose his birthday to interrogate him and finally bring him down. It took years, but I finally got him. In all seriousness, Wayne Hsiung is actually the co-founder of animal rights groups Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) and The Simple Heart Initiative. He doesn't run a sex cult, as some people would choose to believe. Or if he does, I wasn't invited to that (sigh). What we do instead is try to help animals, and few people I have met have done more for animals than Wayne Hsiung. We co-produce, along with other talented members of his team, his new YouTube channel, and I'm thrilled to have him on my channel. About an hour before we were to have this conversation, I learned it was Wayne's birthday, so I rushed out to get him a vegan cupcake (which I ate, lol). Wayne's a dear friend, and I hope you'll enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Happy birthday, Wayne. You're an inspiration.

Justin Jacobs, Debug Your Brain on YouTube, makes outreach videos that are useful not just for the casual viewer, but for activists as well. He often describes in text what he's doing, or attempting to do during outreach, and why. Justin gets a lot of bang for his buck during outreach. A simple conversation with a passerby can turn into a useful tool for activists and the public in general. And I love to see someone being so analytical and strategic with their outreach and their content. Even when we roleplayed an outreach conversation and I wanted to stump him, he neutralized even me pretending to be difficult by asking such methodical questions that it was impossible to do anything but follow his logical reasoning to its ultimate conclusion: veganism. Justin's not only a great activist but a genuine, kind person. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

Activists notched a huge win over the fur industry this week when Marc Jacobs announced he was dropping fur after weeks of relentless pressure from Animal Activism Mentorship (AAM) and the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT). I mark the occasion with some foxy co-hosts. I also joined a long list of activists from Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) disrupting a celebrity chef on his book tour.

Politicians are standing in the way of progress for animals, so activists are bypassing them and going directly to voters. One of them is Natalie Fulton, who is working with Pro-Animal Future on Denver ballot initiatives to ban fur and slaughterhouses. Listen now or watch the video.

What do Moby Dick and Haruki Murakami novels share in common? What does a Chinese pianist share in common with a Danish string quartet? What does an ancient palace garden and an enigmatic tattoo parlor share in common? What does any of this have to do with a Korean slaughterhouse? Nothing. Or everything. In any case, they're all part of this story.

Colin Pink-Hines is the brother of Chris Hines, a prolific UK-based animal rights activist. Colin is an animal lover himself, and always admired his brother's work. But it wasn't until Chris invited Colin to join a small team of activists to document conditions on a pig farm that it really hit home for him. That made what Chris had been telling him all those years immediate and real. The team followed up with a visit to a slaughterhouse that solidified in Colin the urgency of the atrocity happening to animals. And now Colin is not only vegan but an animal rights activist. Colin's transformation is really a credit to his openmindedness and courage to take a chance, and also to his close bond with Chris. It was during an interview with Chris that I realized I had questions for Colin he was game to answer. I want to shout out the incredible activists Mel and Steve, whose channel  @Itsmelandsteve  is where this series appeared on, as well as the investigator Calvin Tasker for doing the incredible work to bring light into the darkness of these horrible places. He took the incredible photo used in the thumbnail. And of course Chris for suggesting the conversation. His Youtube is  @chrishinesofficial  This conversation is also available on YouTube. Links: Colin's IG The farm visit The vigil The team discusses Chris's IG Mel and Steve IG Calvin's IG My interview with Chris Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion

My first interview in six years! James Aspey was one of the biggest names in animal rights activism around the time I got my start in activism. Since then, he's taken a pummeling from, sadly, the animal rights community. While I believe James has made some mistakes (mainly dwelling too much on the hate he has received), I have always found him to be someone who treated me with kindness and respect. In my first video, I talked a bit about recent controversy he's had, so you can go get my take on all that (it's towards the end of my intro video). In any case, he always responds with a helping hand when I have asked, and I'm so appreciative of his authenticity and generosity behind the scenes. What is unquestionable is that James has done a huge amount for the animals, and it's his north star, whether his detractors want to believe him or not. Maybe you can question his ideas, his goals, his methods. But at least don't question his sincerity. We touch on some important topics here. We talk about the activism he did with Wayne Hsiung in North Carolina. We talk about his year of silence, and being under the microscope from day one of his activism. We talk about the power of films like Dominion. We talk about Joey Carbstrong's film Pignorant and his discussion with Tristan Tate. James gives credit to Jack Higgs for encouraging him to use the word "person" in describing animals, an evolution in his approach to activism. While these are also big names in our movement who don't need any help from me, I still hope you will subscribe to all of them. We talk about James' new endeavor, rapping about animal rights under the handle Jimmy Cashpey, and wonder why all these vegan rappers (there are many) aren't putting animal rights to a beat. Well, I guess it's on you, Jimmy.

In this maiden episode of the podcast, I tell my story of going from respectable-ish radio host and reporter, to less respectable street pianist, to being side-by-side with animal rights activist/attorney Wayne Hsiung and giving him invaluable legal advice that landed him in jail for a month, to co-producing a podcast with him and launching my own.

If you are someone who consumes a lot of animal rights content on YouTube or social media, there's a good chance you've come across Chris Hines whether you knew it or not. Chris is a longtime activist, investigator, videographer and photographer. He's also a filmmaker. He's been working on a documentary that will be a thorough look at the strong links between music and animal rights. Chris was media liasion for Meat the Victims UK, an organizer with Save and Anonymous for the Voiceless, and a musician who ran a music magazine. He's worked closely with the prolific animal rights activist Joey Carbstrong and collaborated with loads of other well-known activists like David Ramms and Mel and Steve. We talk about some of that work. He's also indirectly the reason I discovered the deathcore band To The Grave. Chris is also just a really kind, down to the earth guy who's easy to talk to. This conversation was over two hours but it flew by for me. I feel like I could've talked to Chris for another 10 hours easy. This conversation is also available on YouTube.

Links: Chris Hines YouTube Chris on IG Chris on FB Chris on Bluesky Taking Note film on IG Taking Note on FB The Most Transparent Slaughterhouse on Earth Hogwood Documentary Pignorant film Mel and Steve video of Chris's brother Me reacting to Chris's BBC interview The Ghosts in Our Machine Punk Rock Vegan Movie

We are soon going to witness the fruits of 16 years of labor from Chris Cooney, aka Vegan Zombie. Chris came up with the concept of a zombie film with a vegan message so long ago that it happened nearly a decade before I was even a brand new vegan. I had never spoken with him until this interview, and I found it one of the most inspiring conversations I've had. Chris embodies the very concept of JUST TRY IT that has been a mantra for me since turning towards activism, music, and other life passions. I am so impressed by how he persevered towards achieving one of his major life goals with a miniscule budget and crew. This film looks scary and fun, and it may pack a surprising emotional bang, as Chris hints at in this conversation. Hear how he managed to make a feature film on a shoestring budget, grinding out a film in which he starred, directed and edited, just a mindboggling achievement. And that doesn't even get into his successful YouTube channel  @TheVeganZombie  which is one of the longest running vegan channels there is. Oh, and this interview is coming out on Chris's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRIS, and thank you so much for your dedication to following your heart and helping animals. This conversation is also available on YouTube. Links: A44 Trailer A44movie.com Vegan Zombie YouTube Vegan Zombie IG Vegan Zombie FB Vegan Zombie TikTok A44 on IG A44 on FB

Tom Harris' book "Your Neighbour Kills Puppies: Inside the Animal Liberation Movement" is a comprehensive firsthand account of the legendary SHAC campaign. The Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty campaign is one of the most important moments of the animal liberation movement. The campaign showed what was possible for activists to accomplish with enough bravery, ingenuity, and tenaciousness. It also, unfortunately, showed the incredible lengths government and industry will go to to protect the animal exploitation industries. Tom ended up doing several years in prison for his role in the campaign. I'm incredibly grateful to Tom for his sacrifice and continued fight for the animals. One of the most powerful moments from his book, and one he recounts during our interview, is a moment when he had made his way inside what was then Harlan Interfauna, coming face to face with the victims of the vivisection industry. But with no way to free the dogs, and the police bearing down on him, he looked one of them in the eye and made them a promise: "I will never stop fighting to end this industry." And he hasn't.

This conversation is also available on YouTube Links: Get Tom's book SHAC Justice Tom's IG Tom's FB Tom's LinkedIn Tom's website MBR Suppliers FB Group

In a media landscape woefully lacking in coverage of animal agriculture and animal rights, Marina Bolotnikova is one of the people filling that void. Having written pieces for such lauded publications like the Guardian, The New York Times, and The Intercept, Marina is now most visible as an editor for Vox. And Vox has been one of the few publications that has a dedicated team to writing about animal agriculture with an eye to exposing the reality of it and not whitewashing it in a way so many others do. When I began working more closely with Direct Action Everywhere's press team, I kept hearing a name over and over. That was Marina. And that's because DxE had identified a reporter who was passionate, smart, and took the issue seriously. Sadly this is a rare quality when it comes to the topic, as I have bemoaned on this channel quite a bit. I got to meet Marina in Wisconsin during the Ridglan trial-that-didn't-happen, but this is our first really in-depth conversation, and it was a joy. Thank you for shining a light into the darkness of these factory farms, Marina.

This episode is also available on YouTube. Links: Marina's IG Processing Meat Newsletter Marina's FB Marina's Bluesky Marina's list of Bluesky accounts to follow Vox Future Perfect Vox.com Marina's Vox Profile Marina's website My interview with DxE Press Coordinator Cassie King Watch Earthlings Watch Dominion

For years, David Ramms has done a year-end livestream called the Rammys where he gives out awards for the best and worst of veganism for that year. While it's meant to be humorous in part, David also has a serious purpose to it, one of which is to showcase deserving activists' work. David spends so much of his channel's social capital supporting smaller content creators that I thought it was time for someone needs to give HIM some appreciation, and I'm happy to do it. So yes, I nominate David Ramms, fan appreciation award for 2024. Thank you for all the great work, David. I've been watching David's content for years, pretty much since I went vegan. I've watched him use biting wit to point out hypocrisy. I've seen him cover the animal rights news of the week with his "Face the Facts Friday." I got "fact" so many times I don't know what's fact and what's fiction anymore. I've watched him appear on big channels and make strong cases for animal rights. And for several years, I have seen him taking a serious look at his content and evolving to what he thinks will most help the animals. We talk about his channel's evolution, his time in India, calling out spiritual charlatans and much more. It was such an honor to speak with David. This conversation is also available on YouTube.

Links: David Ramms YouTube David's substack David's IG David's FB 2024 Unsung Hero award David talking about "Human Cruelties" 2024 Rammys David introduced me to Thich Nhat Hanh David interviewing Jidion David's speech on Unity Watch Dominion Watch Earthlings

There are people I can always count on during my time as an activist for advice, support, or whatever I needed. One of them is my buddy Trey from Animal Activism Collective. Trey and I were together for some of our earliest actions for animals. Siginficantly, he and I shared 5 days in eastern North Carolina that were instrumental in our development as activists. Trey was always someone who was there for the animals since I knew him, but following that five day event he became something even more powerful. In short, he found his voice. And what a voice that is. He speaks with a force that I consider the standard I reach for if I am holding a megaphone. And not only did he find his voice, he learned to build coalitions, organize, and develop other activists, something that took shape with the founding of Animal Activism Mentoriship, recently renamed Animal Activim Collective. Trey is one of the people that makes me confident in our movement's eventual victory. It was fun to reminisce about those formative five days we shared with legendary activists, and to get into some of Trey's philosophy and theory of change. I believe he is truly one of the vital pieces of the animal liberation puzzle. This conversation is also available on YouTube. Links: Animal Activism Collective AAC bookstore AAC IG AAC FB AAC YouTube AAC Workshop on pressure campaigns CAFT IG Duck Alliance IG Watch Dominion Watch Earthlings

Dr. Jerry Vlasak has one hell of a resume in the animal liberation movement. From his deep involvement in the legendary Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign, to joining Captain Paul Watson on the high seas to stop whaling and seal hunts, to running the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, few people I know have spent more time and done so much for the animals. I consider myself incredibly lucky to even know him, much less stand side by side with him at demonstrations. In this conversation we talk about his adventures with Watson, going before Senator Jim Inhofe to voice the animal rights position of the SHAC activists, and even the controversial remarks he made about violence that have followed him around during his decades in the movement. As part of the animal liberation press office, Jerry gives voice to the anonymous animal liberationists who are unable to speak. Whether he's giving voice to the activists with no voice or the animals, or performing life-saving surgery during his long medical career, Jerry has spent his time in the service of others. He's a kind, generous man, quite the opposite of how the animal exploitation industries would try to paint him. It's a true honor to have him on my podcast.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Press OfficeIGBooks and merchCAFT websiteCAFT IGAAC IGWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

Of all the activist content I've reviewed since starting this channel, I probably have watched more of Mel and Steve's videos than anyone else. The reason for that is simple. The quality of their work is matched by the intense passion and energy they bring. And because of that, they are cranking out banger after banger so that every time I go live, there's a new Mel and Steve video to check out. While the channel started and remains a platform for street outreach, Mel and Steve have also begun doing investigations on farms, and bringing viewers directly to slaughterhouses during livestreams. We discuss the time they brought Chris Hines's brother Colin to a pig farm before Colin was vegan. It's been interesting to hear about that experience from Chris, Colin, and now Mel and Steve as well. If it isn't obvious from their commitment to the animals or their street outreach, Mel and Steve are just the loveliest people, and I was truly honored to have them on the program.This conversation is also available on YouTube. Mel and Steve's YouTubeM&S LinktreeM&S IGFBTikTokPart 1 of Colin VideoMy interview with ColinMy interview with Chris HinesWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

George Martin, Carnism Debunked, joins the channel for a discussion about some of the most harmful things in the vegan movement over the last decade or so. As a self-described centrist, George has been one of the fiercest critics of some on the political left's gatekeeping of animal rights, as well as intersectionalism in the movement. He often takes on topics that others are timid to touch and isn't afraid of the isolation that could bring. I have not always agreed with George's takes, but I agree with him more than not. And I appreciate how willing he is to take on tough topics.Beyond that, I find George to be one of the most articulate and clear when it comes to advocating animal rights. I appreciate his good-natured style in debates, and how he seems to relish in the pursuit of truth. As I told him in the interview, I think we are lucky to have in the movement. We discussed Seaspiracy director Ali Tabrizi failing to navigate the marshmallow minefield (hat tip my friend Felix for that line), the short story "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" and of course intersectionalism in this episode. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:George's YouTubeGeorge's IGGeorge's FBCarnismdebunked.com"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" videoPodcast with Natalie FultonPodcast with Wayne Hsiung Watch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

I've been an admirer of Jim Sande's music for decades. Jim makes rich, layered sonic tapestries that are hard to describe in a few words. I was so deeply moved by what I consider his masterpience album "Harvest Bell Ride" that I reached out to him, and he responded with a kind message of his own. This was probably 20 years ago. Since then, I've kept a sporadic, sparse correspondence with him over the years. Finally, I decided why not ask him to be on my program?There are several reasons for doing so. For one, I felt Jim was a hidden gem of sorts, a composer few knew about that more ought to. Another reason was purely selfish: I just wanted to talk to the guy and pick his brain. Remember the old saying "Never meet your heroes"? That didn't apply here. Jim was as kind and gracious and interesting as I expected him to be, if not moreso. Talking to him felt like talking to an old friend, and in a way I was. The way I listen to Jim Sande is oddly specific. I listen to him often while reading Haruki Murakami novels. I've shared with him that they pair so well together that it's as if they collaborated, and that I can't really read Murakami without listening to Sande's music, because it feels incomplete. And to this day, I still don't.I also hear in Jim's music a sensitivity, a kindess that made it feel appropriate to bring him on what is primarily an animal rights channel. And interestingly enough, we did discuss animals quite a bit. Perhaps it's his Buddhist background, his artist sensibility, or some combination, but he seems to hold a deep reverence for animals. I forgot that over the years, his paintings, another passion of his, have largely been of animals, and only recalled that as I looked for photos after the fact for a thumbnail (haha!).In any case, I deeply enjoyed getting to know Jim a bit better, and I hope some of you will discover him and find his music through this conversation. This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Jim's blogJim on SpotifyJim on FacebookJim on IG"Harvest Bell Ride"Jim on YouTubeWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

Elizabeth MeLampy's book "Forget the Camel" is unforgettable. It's a look at a world most of us know very little about: the world of animal festivals. I've come to learn animal festivals are nearly everywhere, yet most of them detailed in this book I'd never heard of. And while there are some well-known festivals like the Iditarod sled dog race and the Groundhog Day festival, even those I got a richer understanding of after reading "Forget the Camel."

I have come to know Elizabeth because she plans to work on a book about the open rescue movement. After reading her recently released debut novel, I am even more looking forward to that book. Because Elizabeth brought an enormous amount of care and thoughtfulness to this project on animal festivals, which was simultaneously a continuation of her grandmother's unfinished work on this same topic as well as grappling with her own concerns as someone who wants a better world for animals. The book asks hard questions about festivals that are centered on animals who have not in any way consented to their use. And Elizabeth asked those questions in a way that is honest and open-minded, and leaves us with a provocative work that will keep you thinking after you've closed the book.

This interview is also available on YouTube.

Links:

The book

Elizabeth's website

Elizabeth on IG

Watch Earthlings

Watch Dominion

Peter Young is one of the most prominent American activists in the Animal Liberation Front, the underground direct action anonymous animal rescuers best known for raiding labs and fur farms. He's one of the most prominent because he's one of the few who are actually known. The reason for that is that he got caught, after rescuing likely in excess of 10,000 minks and foxes from fur farms. After 7 years as a fugitive, he ultimately served two years in prison. Since then, he's been freed up to talk about his life in illuminating ways.Peter's book "Liberate: Stories and Lessons on Animal Liberation Above the Law" had a huge impact on me, and not just because it was about people saving animals. It's because, as we discuss in this conversation, a lot of the book is about overcoming false perceptions and overhyped dangers that often live only in our own heads. This can be applied to any facet of your life, in and outside the animal liberation movement. That book was introduced to me at a time that could have been discouraging as I was seeing friends of mine struggling through the legal system, and in Wayne Hsiung's case, imprisoned for the open rescue of animals. Learning about the deep struggle for animal rights that's been going on for decades and the immense courage shown by Peter and all the anonymous ALF activists was a unique and timely gift of perspective.I am starting to sound like a broken record, but I was deeply honored just to meet Peter, let alone to have him on the channel. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Peter Young's websitePeter on YouTubeBooksPeter's FBPeter on Nancy Grace

Animal Activism Collective chat

Green Scare Podcast episodeWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

It's been a minute since I had Wayne on the podcast. A lot has happened since then. Probably most siginificantly for Wayne is that he's gotten married. I wanted to catch up with Wayne about life, marriage, and the state of the animal rights movement. We also discuss the massive increase in animal agriculture subsidies inside the "Big, Beautiful Bill" that was recently passed by the U.S. Senate, and being haggled over right now in the House.

It's always a joy to chat with Wayne, and I'm really happy that he has found some real bright spots in the world.

You can also watch this on YouTube.

Links:

Wayne's YouTube

Wayne's blogWayne's IG

Wayne's TikTok

Wayne's FaceBook

Watch Earthlings

Watch Dominion

Andy Stepanian is best known as a member of the SHAC 7. The Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty campaign against the contract animal testing laboratory then called Huntingdon Life Sciences began in the UK, before spreading to the US, where Andy became involved. The hugely successful tactics were ultimately cracked down on by both governments leading to draconian arrests and sentencing of those involved. That included, in America, the SHAC 7. Andy would serve 3 years in prison for his role, including time in a top-secret maximum security prison.I realize a 3 hour interview is hard to digest in our busy world. I didn't anticipate it going that long. But the interview surprised me in how much I learned that I didn't know about Andy. We talked about SHAC, the Animal Liberation Front, Andy's time in what's called a Communications Management Unit, a secretive and controversial "prison within a prison" as Andy described it, alongside Earth Liberation Front prisoner Daniel McGowan. Those things I knew about, but many details I didn't. We also talk about Gaza and how that issue has roiled the animal rights movement. We talk about his past trauma and abuse, his PTSD of being there as Heather Heyer was run over by a white supremacist in Charlottesville, Virginia. I had considered breaking this interview into multiple parts, or adding timestamps. I decided I'm not going to do that, even though it may ultimately doom this interview to low views. For that, I'm sorry to Andy. But I think too much of this conversation was informed by the other parts, that I don't want it broken up. I'd rather it be understood in full.I have enormous gratitude for Andy's time and for all he has done for animals. I got a lot from this conversation, and hope you do too.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Andy's IG"The Animal People" trailer"If a Tree Falls"Tom Harris' bookMy interview with Tom"Green is the New Red"Prisoner support: Anarchist Black Cross

Books Through BarsWatch DominionWatch Earthlings

Calvin Tasker came onto my radar fairly recently. It was a video from Mel and Steve's channel. They teamed up with long-time investigator Chris Hines to take his brother Colin, who was at that point not even vegan, in the dark of night onto a pig farm. That story was compelling enough that I interviewed all of them. But there was another member of that team, and it was Calvin. And after seeing him there, I started to notice him more and more in the vicinity of well known activists like Joey Carbstrong and Jamie Logan.Calvin gets more impressive the more you know about him. Not only does he courageously go into the dark shadows that only a select few dare to, but he takes from there hard-hitting photographs that linger in your mind long after seeing them. Following the formula from when I asked animal photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur to select photographs for us to pore over, I asked Calvin to do the same. The result is a fascinating look at images that endure for their personal intimacy, their beauty and heartbreak, and the stark, grotesque reality facing animals 24/7. I remember reading a simple but gutting quote once from PETA co-founder Ingrid Newkirk, something along the lines of "we are trying really hard to make the world wake up." I'm convinced that if more people saw images like the ones Calvin has captured and shared here, the world would wake up. I hope that, as small as my channel is, at least a few more people will see them than would have otherwise.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Calvin's IGMultitaskers IGMultitaskers YouTubeMultitaskters FBMel and Steve podcast episodeWatch DominionWatch Earthlings

Rod Coronado's story is one of the wildest I've ever read. As a prominent member of the Animal Liberation Front, Sea Shepherd and the Hunt Saboteurs, he saved thousands of animals and embarked on a campaign against animal exploitation industries that had massive ripple effects. One of his earliest actions was to sink two docked whaling ships in Iceland. That's quite a way to start your activism career. Rod ended up doing around 6 years in prison after a campaign against the fur industry and research laboratories. His incredible story is documented in the book "Operation Bite Back" by Dean Kuipers, through his own words in "Flaming Arrows" and a memoir just about to release called "Memories of Freedom." Releasing this interview on 9/11 seemed strangly poignant, as the government hunted Rod Coronado in a way you would a violent criminal. And indeed, Rod and other radical animal and environmental activists have been deemed "eco-terrorists" many times before, but though Rod engaged in property destruction, he did it to rescue lives, not take them. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to speak with Rod Coronado. Beyond his story, we touch on topics like veganism and infighting in the animal rights movement. I think it's a shame that more younger activists may not be aware of Rod's incredible struggle for animals and I hope this interview at least shares it a little further.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Operation Wolf Patrol documentary"Flaming Arrows" book"Operation Bite Back" book"Memories of Freedom" bookVermont Wildlife Patrol FBTeam Wolf Patrol FBWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

To be honest, I wasn't that excited to interview Gary Yourofsky. Yes, I admire his advocacy for animals. Yes, I recommend his speech. Yes, I think he is a hero for the animals. Yet...I wasn't stoked. And no, it's not for the reason you think. It's not because of Gary's various controversial statements. It's not because of his views on politics or war. No offense to Gary or any other animal activist, I care about as much about his views on the Middle East as I do about his favorite color. I care about his views on what he's an expert on, animal rights and animal liberation. And Gary knows a lot about it. So why wasn't I revved up?It's because I didn't think I had anything to offer to the conversation. Gary has come back after a years-long hiatus from public advocacy. He was basically out of the spotlight by the time I even went vegan. Since coming back several months back, he's done dozens and dozens of interviews. What could I possibly add to this?Well, I was wrong to think about it this way. I'm going to try to explain why. In texting with Gary and then the few moments we spoke before recording, I don't think I've ever been more at ease in a conversation. Usually there's at least a small moment of familiarization that's needed for a genuine, authentic conversation. Not so with Gary. There is no filter. It doesn't matter what I bring. Or Gary, for that matter. Only so much as Gary is a mouthpiece for the animals. And if I was an animal, I would want someone speaking EXACTLY like Gary Yourofsky. And talking with Gary even briefly, I could see this was going to be easy. I felt like I was talking to an old friend before we even started. So by the time we started recording, I was pretty pumped. So did I clickbait you into reading this? Guilty. Gary is a wrecking ball, a force of nature. You may not agree with him on everything, or like or respect him. That's your right. But if you want to question his effectiveness or dedication, you might direct your questions to Sasha Farm sanctuary, or to the animals he helps care for there or to the animals whose cages he opened. I hope you can overlook the messy signal. We did our best. Just like my conversation with John Curtin of Camp Beagle, some of these old school activists are the amazing people they are exactly because they are so uninterested in things like that, so unpolished. I love it. Despite all of this, I honestly feel this is one of the most beautiful and surprising interviews I've ever conducted, exactly because it was so natural.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Donate to SashaBest Speech You'll Ever HearGary's IGADAPTTWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

You've probably seen Jo-Anne McArthur's photography, whether you knew it or not. And if you haven't seen any of her thousands of iconic images, you've probably seen some from her many collaborators at the non-profit We Animals that she founded. Jo-Anne is simply one of the most talented and driven photojournalists working today.Shortly before our interview, I asked Jo-Anne to send me some images that stood out to her that we could analyze on the program. Not surprisingly, I had already been well-acquainted with several of them. One, in fact, was the leading image of one of the proudest recent stories facilitated by the Direct Action Everywhere press team, a feature piece about open rescue in National Geographic.To meet Jo-Anne is a treat. To be able to comb through some of the extraordinary images with her and hear the stories behind the images is something else entirely. I'm incredibly grateful to Jo-Anne for the generosity of her time and her amazing work that is changing the world for animals.This conversation is also available on YouTube and may be a more rewarding experience to be able to see her photographs.Links:We AnimalsDonate to We Animals"The Ghosts in Our Machine"Jo-Anne's websiteHer booksHer IGHer FBWe Animals IGFBBlueskyNational Geographic open rescue pieceWatch DominionWatch Earthlings

Dr. Faraz Harsini is making waves in the animal rights movement with his no-nonsense, yet approachable outreach style. His background in biomedical science lends gravitas just as his upbringing in Tehran and immigration to America is moving and inspiring. I've known about Faraz for awhile and wanted to have him on my program. But since we connected, I've learned more about him, and I now find him even more compelling. I could speak a lot about his background and professional resume, but what I admire most about Faraz is his commitment to bringing a vegan message to college campuses through his nonprofit Allied Scholars for Animal Protection. As I mentioned multiple times in this interview, it's something I wish I had come across when I was in college decades ago. This was the first time I've really spoken with Faraz. He shared that he is an introvert and I think that comes across in this interview. I think it's a kind of superpower for him, because it gives him a manner that is very disarming and gentle. I believe this is part of what makes him so effective at communicating. He also has a genuine empathy and curiosity towards others. But you'd be very mistaken if you think that he compromises on the message. He doesn't. He keeps the focus on the animals and speaking for them in the way they would want and deserve. As I said, I have admired Faraz for a while, but after speaking more with him, I'm convinced that he's among our greatest advocates. We are lucky to have him in this movement.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Allied ScholarsDonate to ASAPFaraz's YouTubeFaraz's IGFaraz's FBFaraz's BlueSky

ASAP IG

FBGood Food InstituteWatch DominionWatch Earthlings

Well, this was unfortunate. I invited Molly Elwood, CEO of Elwood's Organic Dog Meat, for what I hoped would be a cordial debate. It started out well. But things all started to go off the rails after Molly, in true Cruella de Vil style, started to cackle after describing some tragic details of what happens to her dogs. After that moment, and as the questions started to get too intense for her, she started mashing buttons on her keyboard to cause the feed to crash out over and over. I wasn't about to let her sabotage the debate, though. So I've done my best to edit it back into a seamless, watchable debate. Despite Molly's childish behavior, I am considering inviting her back for a part 2. I hesitate whether to give someone as despicable as Molly a platform. But in fairness to her, I will include her links below. However, I would warn people with regards to her website. Under no circumstances should you scroll to the bottom of the page. There's some really horrific stuff down there. If you can bear to see her, this podcast is also available on YouTube.Links:Elwood's websiteElwood's on YouTube

Elwood's IGMolly's IGElwood's FBMolly's FBElwood's TikTokElwood's BlueSkyWatch DominionWatch Earthlings

I'm really fond of this conversation, for the same reason I'm fond of Jake's channel and podcast  @plantgeezer . It's raw, honest, and unapologetically vegan AF. And even with the IDGAF attitude (or maybe because of it), Jake IMO comes across really well. It's probably because he has a huge heart for the animals. That is what is making doing all these interviews such a joy. I am seeing the best humanity has to offer, even while my guests' work may be to expose the worst of it. I started this channel with the tentative plan to expose the good in people. They've made my job easy.Jake's channel is one I just discovered, thanks to the YouTube algorithm. And watching video after video, you can see that Jake is skilled as an activist in areas from debate and humor all the way to serious investigative work. I've only just scratched the surface and it seems to me that Plant Geezer is really a channel to watch and follow. Luckily, there are a few activists I have seen at the moment that have about the same energy and drive that Jake does. But not a ton. Jake sets the bar high. We all should strive to reach that bar. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links: Jake's YouTubeJake's IGJake's TikTok"I walked straight in"Calling an abbatoirBrian debateFarmer lady debateWatch DominionWatch Earthlings

Alexandra Paul may be best known as a Hollywood actress starring in Baywatch, but most people in our movement know her for her bold and daring rescue and investigative work around factory farms. My first introduction to Alexandra was during the Sonoma trial of Wayne Hsiung, when Alexandra was one of our witnesses. Watching hours of footage from different angles of the Sunrise demonstration, rescue and civil disobedience, she impressed me with her demeanor and confidence. And why shouldn't Alexandra be confident? She had already been acquitted for rescuing chickens from a slaughterhouse truck and been a long time activist for animal, environmental, and anti-war causes. She's done numerous undercover investigations of factory farms, like the recent expose of Mountaire chicken facilities run by a major donor to Donald Trump. I'm blown away that someone like Alexandra, who could spend her time living in the lap of luxury, instead goes into hellhole factory farms to expose what's being hidden inside, and willing to sit in a jail cell for doing so. I've really enjoyed whenever I've gotten a chance to talk or joke around with Alexandra, but we have never really had a chance to really go in depth about life and activism beyond the immediate task at hand. So this was a joy, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Alexandra on IGOn FBWayne video on Mountaire investigationExtended versionVox articleWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

Dr. Alka Chandna has for decades worked to expose vivisection laboratories through her work with PETA. Having Alka on my channel is timely as PETA just released new whisteblower footage from Massachusetts General Hospital showing deplorable, horrific experiments being conducted on monkeys. Alka has been a huge help to myself and others during the time I have known her. Whenever we needed something, be it research documents, contacts, whatever it was, she has provided it. That has been my experience with everyone at PETA, by the way: timely, accessible, and professional. In this conversation we talk about the Mass General footage, and how Alka went from writing an article for her student newspaper about animal testing to Vice President of Laboratory Oversight and Special Cases at arguably the most consequential and effective animal rights organizations in the world. The animal rights movement is lucky to have her.This conversation is also available as an audio podcast, wherever you download them. Just search my name.Links:Mass General footageRecent PETA beagle investigationThe CARGO ActTest Subjects short filmThe Failed Experiment docuseriesAlka on Wayne's channelAlka on IG

Alka's FBUndercover. Inside the Bunker on PrimeWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

I got to know the incredible attorney Steffen Seitz when I had the privilege of serving on Wayne Hsiung's legal team during his trial for organizing mass open rescues of animals in Sonoma County, California. Steffen was fresh out of Yale Law School and there to be of assistance in any way he could. And his positive impact was immediately felt, by myself and the whole team. What I found in Steffen was someone extraordinarily bright, insightful and generous. Beyond his enormous help to the team, I will never forget the late nights when I was scrambling to finish something up for court the next day and Steffen staying up late to help me with this thing or that thing when he didn't have to. Steffen is the person who completed what I consider a crazily improbable hail mary pass in getting a special prosecutor appointed to look into beagle breeder Ridglan Farms. At that point, Ridglan had just dropped charges that had been pending on Wayne and his two co-defendants for rescuing dogs from that place, and a petition was filed to appoint a special prosecutor to finally do something about Ridglan. Steffen's successful petition ultimately led to the agreement reached between Tim Gruenke and Ridglan to give up their state breeders license, a massive win, but a win tempered by the refusal by authorities to do anything for the beagles still remaining there, a problem that remains unresolved to this day.Steffen's work, along with his colleagues at the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project, is one of the true godsends for the animal rights movement. I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:AALDPAALDP IGAALDP LinkedInVoluntary Prosecution and the Case of Animal RescueConspiracy and Social Movements"This is an Uprising" bookSign up for the April 19 RescueWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion

I've wanted to have Jeremy Beckham on my podcast for awhile to talk about his deep research into how beagles became the dogs used as lab experiments. Now with there being so much focus on beagle breeder Ridglan Farms due to a March 15 open rescue that got 22 dogs to safety, it's the perfect time to speak with him and look at the big picture. It was likely Jeremy himself who largely put Ridglan under a microscope years ago when, while living in Madison, he happened to learn of a secretive dog breeder nearby that was at that time the 3rd largest breeder of beagles for research in America.Jeremy documented in his harrowing research paper "Radioactive Beagles" how the Cold War-era focus on atomic energy and weapons prompted a surge in studies about how radiation affects the human body. But, as he documents, through a series of decisions of convenience, the beagle was chosen to conduct that research, costing many thousands of dogs a life of suffering which continues to this day. In this episode you'll hear Jeremy's take on what's happening at Ridglan Farms, animal testing and the animal rights movement over his decades advocating for animals, whether with Beagle Freedom Project, PETA, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, or any other of the many roles he's played. I hope you enjoy this insightful conversation as much as I did.This episode is also available on YouTube.Links:Radioactive BeaglesJeremy's LinkedIn"Animal Liberation Now"John Gluck bookJeremy on Wayne's podcastJoin the April 19th Riglan rescueWatch DominionWatch Earthlings