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The B.E.E. Podcast - 3/15/20 - Lee Smith - SILVER (Patreon)

Published:
2020-03-16 02:06:11
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2026-06
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Content

Journalist/author Lee Smith and Bret Easton Ellis discuss watching the secrets of the adult world revealed at the movies, the literary lifestyle of 1990's New York City, moving to the Middle East after 9/11 and writing about a political plot.

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Comments

M. Nero Nava

Great opening. 56 minute mark—the show takes a shit. I feel my brain cells fleeing when BEE gets all Fox News

M. Nero Nava

Keep fighting for us, Todd! You’re the bravest Millenial I know

Rachel Bartlett
>>33722431

Even though I don’t agree with some of the more right-leaning points I do enjoy hearing both sides to try and see if there is anything to be learned (especially since I consider myself to be independent and somewhere in the middle of all of the extremism of both sides) - however I’m always thinking about you Todd and imagine you shaking your head in the corner 😂

Nick Not Nolte

i love that you both hit the conclusion that the only film in the early 70s to celebrate family and children was The Godfather 🤣

Mai Tai

Hey Bret or Adam or Todd, let’s get some Bret-only episodes if you can’t get guests during this coronavirus shutdown. Maybe some Bret approved double feature movie nights? Maybe Bret goes back to his childhood or college days to reminisce about some films that are available on VOD so we can watch along? Also I’m open to paying for weekly pods even if they are shorter just to get through the social isolation. Or if he spends this distancing time writing, fine with me as well. Just some thoughts!

bpvalentine

Surely Bret could resort to using Skype for interview if this "pandemic" has the temerity to screw with the best podcast doing. (Yes, this is kiss assy, but it's also how I feel, so *channeling Adam Sandler* BLOW ME! haha) Without meaning to disrespect those seriously affected or who have died, this seems a kind of boring pandemic so far. I'm not calling for death. But how can anyone brag about having survived the PANDEMIC OF 2020. "Yeah, we lost people. We lost a whole lot of people," I'll say to great, great grandchildren. "They were already dying, but that godforsaken virus made the victims feel like star of a movie that jumped from the middle straight to the credits. We'll never forget."

Chad Daniel Russell
>>33755462

I wholeheartedly agree with the idea of Bret doing solo podcasts; particularly if these are about aesthetics (not ideology). The stories from the trenches of the empire days and film and book recommendations are priceless. But, if Bret what's to keep up his 'cancelled men' theme (which I'm all for) maybe Woody Allen could spare a an hour on the phone?

Mauricio Gonzalez Lara

For a guy that claims he’s not catholic, Bret certainly spends a lot of time in churches speaking with priests and nodding in approval. Poor Todd!

Fausto Johann Johann Lopez Rosado

Ok so now Bret interviewing right wing opportunists is a permanent segment? i'm not paying for that! F%$#CK that!

Terrance

Enough bitching about the “right wing” guests on the pod...I think BEE should read from the works of Nabokov for our listening pleasure if he can’t have any guests over the next few weeks

Erick

Another great podcast I've never heard of this guy and now I want to read this book.

Joseph A Aisenberg

So Devin Nunez is the one true voice in the maelstrom of corrupt media? Everyone else is full of shit, lying, but Nunez Trump, true blue. Your guest makes fun of the conspiracy theories of anti Trumpers but his conspiracy is even bigger. And while it is a bit rich liberals now love Republican FBI and CIA operatives it's even richer that NOW suddenly conservatives realize stuff like FIZA courts are just rubber stamping intrusive investigations based on iffy evidence. And unless you, Bret, are saying Mueller's Report was totally full of shit then you cannot say that the idea Trump's campaign was working in concert with Russians to disseminate the material it stole from DNC and others is complete bullshit; it wasn't, that's not what the Report said, it's not what it meant, please saying that, it's misinformation.

Adam Long

Great episode and keep them coming if you can. I'll leave it at that. Take good care.

FlyingWaffle

Really happy Bret finally checked out Cleo and loved it! It made my day!

James Reeves

“... New York is dead to me ...” — Bret I ❤️ this! 😂

Alex Waller

David Foster Wallace is an awesome writer, who cares if he wasn't a perfect person. I think everyone is aware that someone who ended up committing suicide was not perfect and not every decision they made was perfect. Honestly don't get the DFW hate. His greatness as a writer doesn't diminish the great books by Bret at all. Of course Bret can say what he wants, but its weird how everyone who comes on the show has to take jabs at him, especially because he can't defend himself. Hopefully someday someone will come on who has to admit that Infinite Jest is a great book.

Chad Daniel Russell
>>33867615

I'm sympathetic to you're POV. However, I maintain that DFW was a great, maybe the best (i.e. most entertaining) journalist of his generation. There are also a handful of short stories (e.g. the stuff in Oblivion) that are stunning. But Infinite Jest (yes I've read the whole thing) is a waste of time.

Alex Waller
>>33867615

Gosh, I have to disagree. I really enjoy the non-fiction, especially the one about the tennis tournament in Quebec and the one about Roger Federer. I was prepared for Infinite Jest to be stuffy and difficult, but I ended up by being totally entertained by it, and found its themes genuinely powerful.

Chad Daniel Russell
>>33867615

Well, fuck it, I'll give it another look. Still on the shelf. And I have time. You know what I really loved was that diving board story; can't recall the title, but I remember being moved. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

john pica

What about the lies fed to us by Fox daily ?? I’m sorry you are cherry picking. People who are scared by Trump have legitimate arguments. Trump isn’t qualified and he is a huckster unworthy of his office. I don’t believe any President in our generation has been so ill prepared and corrupt. By the way the Mueller -sp report was pretty damning it just that the President is wielding incredible amounts of power to evade the arm of justice. Dude. Come on man BEE is my God, but I question if you got this right. In summary: Institutions matter. They are not plug and play, they must be developed and maintained by networks of professionals. Trump views them as anathema. I don’t believe you wanna swim in waters where these entities are not in place. If your Rich I get it. Trump is your guy and you are voting with your interests. But Donald Trump is potentially dangerous to the world. He shouldn’t be in control of the nuclear football which he brandished for a photo with a supporter in Mara lago. I mean can you imagine. ?? Dear Bret, I hope you are right and that our concern as a level headed ‘merican patriots is ill founded. Trump gave a nice gift in the form of tax relief to the richest among us. Let’s see what he does for all the medium and small business and their employees who have their ass In the air during this Latest epidemic and catastrophic crisis. Keep up the good work otherwise - I don’t know where I would be without your preambles and fascinating interviews.

Jorge Espinha

Another dig at DFW. Hehe. I actually finished Infinite Jest. I loved the book. It takes you from 0 to 0 in 1200 pages. The non fiction material was good. So he was a dickhead... Well if you remove the dickheads from the art world who do we read?

Jorge Espinha

Bought the book about the middle east. Let's see what mr Smith has to say

Jorge Espinha

My favorite part of the podcast is the monologue. I liked this interview. The interviews with actors are my least favorite, one of the reasons is that actors have to be extra careful with what they say. They can't afford to have strong opinions. Some of the listeners aren't very keen in listening to opinions and views they disagree. They are missing the point about the podcast.

Dave

Another great interview! I read - and enjoyed - Smith’s “President” book, but knew nothing about the author himself. Like Ellis, I’m drawn to writing style and that was one of the attractions of Smith’s book (much better than McCarthy’s “Ball of Collusion” on a similar topic - stylistically I found it difficult to get through “Ball”). I loved your reminiscences with Smith on the 70s through 90s NYC and our long lost book culture (where did all the DeLillo go?). Thumbs up, Bret!

Dave
>>33817786

Smith does a very good job at describing the events in a captivating read. He also details the decline and fall - the reasons - of journalism over the last couple decades that brought new insights and fresh perspectives. Hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Dave
>>33817786

I read the book (and gifted two copies to friends 😊).

Mary Walker

Best answer to Eagles question so far.

Donkey Byte

Trump will be gone in 20 or 24 but the mechanisms that happened in 15 to the present will still be in place. These are the direct result of the Patriot Act. All administration will be tempted to use this playbook to destroy any and all opponent that they deem dangerous. As a person who lives in “ Get’er done country “ I will tell you that if team blue had been successful the amount of people ready and energetically willing to go full Red Dawn would stager most. The heavens saved these people from them selves.

Reservoir Frog
>>33755462

Some Bret movie Commentary tracks would be amazing. What about him watching and commenting along with Mary Haron’s American Psycho or Avery’s Rules of Attraction.

Alec K. Redfearn

Great opening monologue. Turned it off before the interview. I have very little time for the woke crowd and even less time for the Trump apologists. Tired of politics in general.

Sven Safarow

Interesting guest. I would have liked to hear more about the Woodward/Bernstein-myth that is still very much alive in american mainstream politics and culture. Can anyone recommend a good (more honest) book about Watergate? I tried to read "Dirty Tricks" by Shane O'Sullivan but that was more advanced and complicated (at least for me).

Ben Ovenden

Running the line that the Mueller Report exonerated Trump and nodding towards 'Deep State' conspiracy theories...combined with the disappointingly shallow blather based on objective notions of aesthetics and merit while claiming that representation only applies to certain groups...this may be the end of the line for me...

Hanna Vincent
>>34157678

Strongly agree. Came for the cultural criticism, v close to leaving for the unprincipled political hackery. Either BEE is pandering to the lucrative angry right-wing market, or he actually believes the shamelessly selective, utterly blinkered, nonsense spouted during latter part of guest segment. Either way, despite having been an avid listener since day 1 on PodcastOne, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to respect the guy or in good conscience support him financially. Sad!

Daniel

Watch tiger king bretgod

John Doe

Like many, I stopped listening to the so-called interviews. It's not the inanity of the arguments or the idiocy of many guests that bother me, but the sheer monotony of the conversations. BEE is trying too hard to be controversial at all costs, but he is just increasingly tedious. Being a contrarian is admirable. Being boring is simply inexcusable.

Joseph Escalante

Regarding Paint Your Wagon, we saw it at the Cinerama Dome when it was released and I thought it was a triumph! I guess I thought it combined the stuff I liked about the Good Bad and The Ugly with stuff like the Ghost and Mr. Chicken and the James Garner's Support Your Local Sheriff. I was primed for it, I guess.

Andrew Lapointe
>>34157678

The strongest part of this podcast is the cultural criticism and talk about cinema. The political content gets tiresome, even when I agree with it.

Michael Walsh
>>34157678

This complaint and others like it reeks of the ideological (read: religious) butthurt that pervades the Hollywood that Bret chronicles, and that the sane among us have grown quite sick of.

Michael Walsh

The guest points out that the tools devised by the Justice Dept. and FBI to deal with terrorists were later weaponized against domestic political opponents of those in power. I fear the same off-label use of measure employed to help us deal with Covid-19. So many of the partisans of the State are joyous at the prospect.

Michael Walsh
>>33827086

Thank you for this pitch-perfect demonstration of precisely the kind of intellectual pathology that Bret and his guest describe and decry.

Joseph A Aisenberg
>>33827086

Your welcome, though I would switch "pathological" out with "pedantic"--I'm not pushing for impeachment, didn't want impeachment at the time, don't care if you don't; am sympathetic to some of Mr. Ellis' exasperation on the whole subject. But it's just a fact, volume one of the Mueller Report does not say the idea Trump's campaign was coordinating with Russia was total bullshit, as Mr. Ellis has claimed on so many occasions. It says the case could not be legally proven, though not because there wasn't evidence of coordination. They couldn't firmly establish it because several individuals lied and destroyed evidence; other evidence was unobtainable overseas. Hence my pedantry, and insistence that those who think there might have been hanky panky aren't just gibbering Salem witch accusers. Now, perhaps it will turn out, as Mr. Lee suggests, that Mueller himself was biased, his investigation totally misguided and off the rails. That remains to be seen. In any case, I see no need to have me dragged off, screaming, to the snake pit. Least not over the issue of Trump.

Ben Ovenden
>>34157678

I wish you well on your journey to an ideology free zone where everyone is sane and people aren't 'butthurt'. I miss intelligence.

Robert strong

Nunez ! Are you kidding me? conspiracy’s! what schlock , give me a break...we all know what down unless you think Mueller report nonsense, the senate intelligence report...at least get a better caliber of right wing journalist..the first part of the show was great

Elizabeth

Great interview. I’ve seen Lee on various cable shows but this interview really articulated the Russian story in a very coherent way. Thank you for sharing great writers with your listeners

Jett

I had skipped over this episode for a while, assuming it would be boring, but I found it to be one of the better ones and I enjoyed the guest's obvious intelligence and great insights. I was brought up stridently and blindly leftist and I am fully aware of the dangerous mindset of people on the left. As a left leaning moderate, I thought Smith was coherent and well spoken. Great episode.