"Independent Thinking" with Steve Gelder

Here's today's podcast:

 
Episode 208: A Tripp Through The Headlines

Steve welcomes comedian, former journalist and author James Tripp to the show. They talk about James' new book, "The Hierophant", how the media is failing to do their job when it comes to reporting on the candidates, the role of religion in society, how the Internet will eventually be taken over by corporate interests, and summering in Martha's Vineyard with Gary Hart.
Buy My Book:

Happy July 4th!

Buy The Hierophant:

Trippitorial - "Super Pac vs Super Pac" - March 23, 2009

"Comedy Nation This Week" - March 23, 2012

Here’s today’s podcast with special call in guest John Fugelsang, regular panelists Laurie Buckley, Dave Plunkett, James Tripp and host Bill Bronner:

Panelists discuss the Etch A Sketch flap, the Supreme Court Review of health care and more.

Trippitorial - Super Pac vs Super Pac

Sarah Palin’s Super Pac is in a fight with Barack Obama’s Super Pac and nobody likes any of Mitt Romney’s Super Pacs. Why can’t all these Super Pacs just get along?

This chapter began when comedian Bill Maher gave a million dollars to Barack Obama’s Super Pac. Now, normally I wouldn’t talk about another comedian with a better career than me, especially one that could employ me as a writer, although he does not, but Bill Maher crossed the line when he gave a million dollars to a Super Pac. He became a participant instead of an observer. He became a set up for one of my punchlines.

Now, I could have used that million dollars, but that’s not the point. That’s not why I’m talking about Bill Maher and I want to make that perfectly clear. I’m all for it. Get that money out of Hollywood. Send it to Washington and Madison Ave.

Oh sure, I have a one man show, which I could probably produce for only $950,000. That’s $50,000 in Bill Maher’s pocket! And if he wants to give that to Obama’s Pac, he should go right ahead, although I do have a short film I’d like to direct for funnyordie.com which I’m sure I could bring in at $49,727. And fifty cents.

Seventy-three dollars in Bill Maher’s pocket. Seventy-two-fifty.

But that’s not the point I’m trying to make. I’m sure the President of the United States could use the money. Oh sure, I have a sitcom pilot I wrote for myself which I could probably produce for a flat million, but I guess Clear Channel could use that money too.

Anyway, that’s not the point I was trying to make. The point I was trying to make is that conservatives preach that money is free speech. Bill Maher exercised his right to their kind of free speech by giving a million dollars to Barack Obama’s Super Pac and Sarah Palin used the millions from her Super Pac to try to cancel out his million dollars.

Why not just give it to me? I have a nice middle school recital about Alaska I could produce for only $400,000. But again, I digress.

Anyway, in an effort to deflect attention from the Republican’s “War on Women” and Rush Limbaugh’s attack on a woman far more intelligent than himself, Sarah Palin’s Super Pac, ShePac, produced a short attack ad on Obama for accepting money from Bill Maher because of some joke he made about her “frisky” daughter.

In the commercial, Palin’s Pac violates copyright law by stringing together a series of very funny Bill Maher monologue jokes which I hadn’t seen before because I don’t get HBO, in which he told jokes about Palin and her daughter. Palin was so offended by these jokes that she paid someone to edit them together so she could illegally rebroadcast them to an audience larger than the original HBO audience.

Sarah Palin is really hoping you’ll watch this video that derides her daughter.

"Thanks mom!"

I feel sorry for Bristol.  Her mother and the Republican Party have used her to spout propaganda written by others since the 2008 election.

In a new, slick multimedia blog which is being produced under Bristol’s name, which she began only weeks ago, “Bristol” attacks Obama for accepting Maher’s donation. The blog embeds ShePac’s video and chances are the blog entry is coordinated with her mother and ShePac.

You can fool some Republicans all of the time...

You know what the best thing about this video is? When it’s over,  the YouTube suggested links are to Bill Maher’s most recent free stand-up special “Crazy, Stupid Politics” in which I’m sure there are bound to be Palin jokes and to Alexandra Pelosi’s recent documentary short that was shown on Real Time about Mississippi Tea Partiers, which was less than flattering.

Thanks for the free advertising, ShePac! Don’t forget to say, “Fridays at nine!”

When Super Pacs start advertising about other Super Pacs, it’s time to pack in the Super Pacs!

"Comedy Nation This Week" - March 9, 2012

Here's today's podcast with me, Laurie Buckley, Dave Plunkett and host Bill Bronner:

The Panel discuss Super Tuesday, Religion in Politics and Brietbart's last release.

Trippitorial - Religion in Politics

I am tired of seeing religion in politics and I’m not too crazy about it in churches. Ever since our money was converted to God in the 1950’s, I haven’t trusted in the government and I never really trusted in money.

During the 1950’s a new translation of E Pluribus Unum was apparently adopted by the brave politicians of that time: “Out of many Gods, one,” a Christian God. I wasn’t alive in the 1950’s, but thanks to a prohibition on birth control, it wasn’t long before I would be. Shortly after I was born a prohibition ensued in my family, but that’s another story, and one I don’t take personally.

Up until the 1950’s, America had managed to keep religion out of the national motto. Although, “George Washington, Son of God.” Was rejected by John Adams in favor of “his Majesty the President,” which I wasn’t too crazy about, but that’s another story.

Apparently, during the 1950’s, the founding fathers were born again, not unlike the way dead victims of the Holocaust were reborn as “Latter Day Saints.” I was born again. Now my mother really hates me.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Jesus. Why, when I was a boy, I had one of those Jesus Christ plush toys, you know, the kind that sticks to the inside of your car window with suction cups.

One thing the field of Republicans can agree on is that they all love Jesus and they love him more than Obama loves Jesus, and he may be a Muslim anyway. But while they’re all worshipping Jesus, they’re all worshipping a different Jesus.

Newt Gingrich is worshipping the “Sick, heal thyself Jesus.” This is a Jesus you don’t hear a lot about.

Rick Santorum is worshipping the Calvin and Hobbes Jesus. Rick talks to Jesus and Jesus talks back. “I’m over here Rick. No, I’m over here. I’m over here. Jesus is everywhere!”

Mitt Romney’s Jesus was born in America. He was the first and greatest American.

Ron Paul’s Jesus is an expletive when he thinks about the other candidates in the GOP race.

They’re all worshipping different Gods too. I have to wonder about Rick Santorum’s God. What God would want Rick Santorum to worship him? Not me. That guy is not all there. I think the doctor dropped Rick Santorum on his head during his circumcision.

I don’t know what God Newt is following, but he seems to be having fun. I’ll bet it’s Bacchus. “Lovey, I think I’ll have another glass of wine.”

Mitt is following a bunch of different Gods, or one God who changes his mind a lot.

I don’t know if Ron Paul has a God, but chances are if he does, his God would eliminate religion from the federal government. I don’t think he would trust it on our money. I don’t think he trusts our money either---well, it’s the Federal Reserve’s money. Let’s face it. And I don’t trust them.

Live Tweets from the State of the Union

January 24, 2012, 3:54 pm PST James Tripp @thejamestripp will be live tweeting the State of the Union tonight beginning at 6 pm PST. Meanwhile, check out this DVD extra: youtu.be/FxwcJx0-21E

January 24, 2012, 6:01 pm PST James Tripp @thejamestripp

is hoping the #GOP side acts like a #GOPDebate audience.

Hail to the tweets

It looks like John Kerry was Swift Boated again.

I'll bet if #NewtGingrich was hugging Congresswoman #Giffords, he'd leave her.

Republicans unsure if they should applaud America.

Obama should run for President.

When Obama asked everyone to work together, only one side was applauding.

The #GOP like the rules the way they are.

#Obama put in place new rules the #GOP want to repeal.

I helped bail out #GM and I don't even own a car.

"The American #Auto industry is back!" Cough! Hack!

January 24, 2012, 6:23 pm PST James Tripp @thejamestripp

doesn't know if it's a good thing that a lock maker is working at full capacity.

What kind of tax cut should a comedian get?

Can you [Obama] sign my tax form?

I will go to any market and not find any American products.

Our workers are the most productive in the world as long as I can leave early on Friday.

Obama was supposed to point at me in the chamber, but there was no point.

January 24, 2012, 6:32 pm PST James Tripp @thejamestripp

If this was a #GOPDebate, when #Obama said, "Lay off teachers..." there would have been applause.

Some members of the #House should be sent back to #school.

"Boots on the Border" sounds like a #Porn movie.

#Obama is playing the "Race for the Future" card.

Oil isn't enough. I want more, more, more!

The gas in the chamber could last 200 years.

How will the #oil industry survive without tax credits?

Send #Obama a bill that creates a job for me.

Does #TomPetty know #Obama won't back down?

#GOP sees #PayrollTaxCut as bargaining chip for #Keystone.

"Fair share of taxes?" #MittRomney is covering his ears.

#WarrenBuffet ’s secretary pays more taxes than me. She has a job.

Is #ChrisDodd listening?

January 24, 2012, 7:02 PST James Tripp @thejamestripp

Finally "Finally."

The #2012 campaign is off and running.

James Tripp - "The Inauguration"

Live at "Comedy Nation at the Cafe Muse" in Los Angeles, CA. Recorded January 21, 2009. © by James Tripp

Daily Audio Stash Podcast

I did a podcast for Daily Audio Stash, the March 27th episode. My segment with Tere Joyce starts around 57 minutes in. Here's the show:

The Daily Audio Stash with guest James Tripp