Air Date: 12-22-2025

It's said that mockery is one of the most effective weapons against dictators. I guess it depends on your goal, but still, there's truth there. And the good thing in that regard is that they are so very mockable. No really nice, likable, non-clownish people make themselves dictators and so the people who do are, without exception, absolutely ridiculous lunatics who deserve all the mockery and disdain in the world.

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: Worlds Most Peaceful Man Finally Wins Peace Prize - Weekly Weird News - Internet Today - Air Date 12-6-25

KP 2: Why Is Trump so Obsessed with the Kennedy Center? - Post Reports - Air Date 8-14-25

KP 3: The Secret Life of Dictators with Frank Dikötter | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution Part 1 - The Secrets of Statecraft - Air Date 10-31-25

KP 4: A Guide to Propaganda - Shawn Grenier | The Canvas - Air Date 1-29-23

KP 5: How Dictators Really Control the World I Anne Applebaum Part 1 - Brad Carr - Air Date 9-18-25

KP 6: On The Epstein Loop and Parallel Improvisation - Robert Arnold - Air Date 12-20-25

(00:47:46) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On Trump's narcissism

DEEPER DIVES

(00:55:26) SECTION A: MADE UP AWARDS

A1: FIFA Gives Trump a Gold Pacifier Looming War on Venezuela Gives Jon Iraq Déjàj Vu - The Daily Show - Air Date 12-8-25

A2: Trump Centers Himself at Kennedy Center Honors - The Beat with Ari Melber - Air Date 12-8-25

A3: FIFA Creates "Peace Prize" to Give to Donald Trump - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-5-25

(01:18:24) SECTION B: MONUMENTS TO SELF

B1: Trump Announces DC Triumphal Arch, Claims It Will 'Blow Away' French Arc De Triomphe - Forbes Breaking News - Air Date 12-15-25

B2: Trump's DISASTER Day After Everything BLOWS UP in His Face! He Is OUT OF CONTROL! - I've Had It - Air Date 12-15-25

B3: Trump's Ballroom Corruption Exposed - Robert Reich and Inequality Media Civic Action - Air Date 12-4-25

B4: Trump's Ballroom Is a Lie - The Drey Dossier - Air Date 12-15-25

(01:40:40) SECTION C: PROPAGANDA WORKS

C1: How Governments Use Design Propaganda to Control You Part 1 - Design Theory - Air Date 2-17-24

C2: You're Not Immune To Propaganda - Second Thought - Air Date 4-21-23

C3: How Governments Use Design Propaganda to Control You Part 2 - Design Theory Part 2 - Air Date 2-17-24

(02:08:56) SECTION D: DICTATORS ARE ALL THE SAME MAN

D1: From Dictator to Demigod Part 1 - Power Corrupts - Air Date 8-1-19

D2: The Secret Life of Dictators with Frank Dikötter | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution Part 2 - The Secrets of Statecraft - Air Date 10-31-25

D3: What Can Americans Learn From Stalinism? - On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti - Air Date 10-15-25

D4: Dissecting Dictators - Seriously Social - Air Date 5-23-22

D5: The Miserable Lives and Golden Guns of Tyrants, Dictators, and Despots - Conversations - Air Date 5-21-25

D6: From Dictator to Demigod Part 2 - Power Corrupts - Air Date 8-1-19

(03:04:50) SECTION E: DICTATORSHIPS ALWAYS END

E1: Why Do People Miss Dictators? - Authoritarian Nostalgia - MTWright - Air Date 9-21-22

E2: How Dictators Really Control the World I Anne Applebaum Part 2 - Brad Carr - Air Date 9-18-25

E3: Has There Ever Been a Good Dictator? - Stephanie Honchell Smith - TED-Ed - Air Date 5-16-24

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: Cartoon image of Trump in the famous portrait of King Louis XIV, with a giant long curly wig, tights and robes.

Credit: “donald-trump-louis-xiv-létat” by heblo, Pixabay | Pixabay License

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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