Alex and Ben have done their best to be fair and objective in their exploration of the coup, but one Marine objects. In this week’s episode, Smedley Butler (played by Joe Kinosian) takes the mic to tell the story from his perspective. Looking back on his career as a hard-nosed death-dealer for Big Business, Smedley wonders: What led him to this point? Where will he go next?

Alex and Ben have done their best to be fair and objective in their exploration of the coup, but one Marine objects. In this week’s episode, Smedley Butler (played by Joe Kinosian) takes the mic to tell the story from his perspective. Looking back on his career as a hard-nosed death-dealer for Big Business, Smedley wonders: What led him to this point? Where will he go next?

What would you do if a secret cabal of the nation’s most powerful people asked you to overthrow the President? Weirdly enough – it’s not a hypothetical. It almost happened to FDR in the 1930s, were it not for a very intense, very problematic Marine named Major General Smedley Butler. 



Join Ben Bowlin, Alex French, and a cast of historical characters brought to life by Joe Kinosian for a darkly comedic – and terrifying –​ retelling of one of the weirdest forgotten schemes in American history.

What would you do if a secret cabal of the nation’s most powerful people asked you to overthrow the President? Weirdly enough – it’s not a hypothetical. It almost happened to FDR in the 1930s, were it not for a very intense, very problematic Marine named Major General Smedley Butler. 
 
Join Ben Bowlin, Alex French, and a cast of historical characters brought to life by Joe Kinosian for a darkly comedic – and terrifying –​ retelling of one of the weirdest forgotten schemes in American history.

Let's Start a Coup!

Ep 4 – All Smedleys Considered

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ad1f31a0-bcf3-46da-ae26-afc80164a756/transcript

From the fall of the Taliban until its return, people all over Afghanistan planned their lives around Afghan Star. People would pack into apartments. Villages would hook up generators to a single tv so crowds could watch. New Year’s celebrations would come to a halt, all to watch this one show. Over its 15 seasons, Afghan Star spotlighted an Afghanistan that could be: women singing without hijabs, Afghanistan’s first rapper, people of warring ethnic groups hugging and cheering for each other on stage. And it launched a cultural revolution. This is the story behind it all– from how a ragtag team scrambled to make the show every week, to the dangers they faced for trying to push the country forward. In Afghanistan, a cultural revolution was televised through a musical talent show, and this is its story. Hosted by John Legend.

Listen here or on the iHeartRadio app.

From the fall of the Taliban until its return, people all over Afghanistan planned their lives around Afghan Star. People would pack into apartments. Villages would hook up generators to a single tv so crowds could watch. New Year’s celebrations would come to a halt, all to watch this one show. Over its 15 seasons, Afghan Star spotlighted an Afghanistan that could be: women singing without hijabs, Afghanistan’s first rapper, people of warring ethnic groups hugging and cheering for each other on stage. And it launched a cultural revolution. This is the story behind it all– from how a ragtag team scrambled to make the show every week, to the dangers they faced for trying to push the country forward. In Afghanistan, a cultural revolution was televised through a musical talent show, and this is its story. Hosted by John Legend.
Listen <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/139-afghan-star-hosted-by-john-173987785/">here</a> or on the iHeartRadio app.

Introducing: Afghan Star, hosted by John Legend

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1eb54ae7-3fea-4302-99d8-b17201143a67/transcript

The Congressional investigation is, surprise, a farce. Those in office – heavily influenced by their powerful donors – seem determined to prevent any genuine attempt at investigating Smedley’s evidence. The press, controlled by the same forces, dismisses his claims as the paranoid ramblings of an old, no longer relevant relic of a bygone age.

Yet the nation is listening. The original gonzo journalist John Spivak digs into the story – and he is able to prove Smedley’s claims. What happens next? 

LINK: http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/spivak-NewMasses.pdf

(Page 8 for conspiracy board)

The Congressional investigation is, surprise, a farce. Those in office – heavily influenced by their powerful donors – seem determined to prevent any genuine attempt at investigating Smedley’s evidence. The press, controlled by the same forces, dismisses his claims as the paranoid ramblings of an old, no longer relevant relic of a bygone age.
Yet the nation is listening. The original gonzo journalist John Spivak digs into the story – and he is able to prove Smedley’s claims. What happens next? 
LINK: <a href="http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/spivak-NewMasses.pdf">http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/spivak-NewMasses.pdf</a> 
(Page 8 for conspiracy board)

Ep 6 – The Real Coup

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/15374004-6d15-4e87-8651-afd9001142ba/transcript

As the conspiracy to overthrow the United States government rushes from idea to action, Major General Smedley Butler draws a line in the sand. From what he can tell, the country’s most powerful people have both the money and the political will to betray their own nation. And he knows the plotters' mercenary army could outnumber U.S. forces. Smedley orders a pizza and then blows the whistle, triggering a Congressional investigation.

Yet, it seems, Smedley forgot one important thing: the shadowy forces plotting the coup may have already bought Congress.

As the conspiracy to overthrow the United States government rushes from idea to action, Major General Smedley Butler draws a line in the sand. From what he can tell, the country’s most powerful people have both the money and the political will to betray their own nation. And he knows the plotters' mercenary army could outnumber U.S. forces. Smedley orders a pizza and then blows the whistle, triggering a Congressional investigation.
Yet, it seems, Smedley forgot one important thing: the shadowy forces plotting the coup may have already bought Congress.

Ep 5 – Ham on Half

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/78391693-ab0d-4057-b00d-afcf017009a1/transcript

Ep 4 – All Smedleys Considered

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