REEL TALK with Daizy Gedeon

Daizy Gedeon
  • 3.7 (3)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Bi-monthly

Introducing the relaunch of a touching and uplifting, human interest series called REEL TALK. Brought to you by award-winning, independent journalist and filmmaker, Daizy Gedeon, who dives deep into REAL STORIES with REAL PEOPLE from Lebanon and across the world, and provides a unique insight into the REAL issues that are challenging people locally and globally. She engages in incisive discussion that goes beyond the headlines to spotlight the TRUTH over the propaganda that dominates our media and political pulpits.

  1. 3 days ago ·  Bonus

    S4 | Special Report - Inside the Ruins of South Lebanon

    A special report from Nabatieh, South Lebanon, with Daizy Gedeon. This is not a typical episode of Reel Talk. This time, I went to South Lebanon to witness the devastation firsthand, meet the people living through it, and hear the stories behind the ruins. In September, I returned to a region I had been afraid to visit since October 2023. Accompanied by my cameraman, Malek, and my friend Abbas Al-Hajj Ahmad, I travelled to Nabatieh to see what remained of his home and to meet the people who had stayed behind. What we encountered was heartbreaking. A once-thriving town, known for its markets, businesses, schools, and community life, had been profoundly transformed by destruction. Behind the damaged buildings are families grieving loved ones, business owners rebuilding again and again, healthcare workers continuing their work, and residents trying to hold on to the lives they built. In this special report, I speak with people whose stories reveal the human cost of the destruction: a father who lost his only son, Nabatieh’s mayor working from a makeshift office after the municipal centre was destroyed, a café owner who has rebuilt his business three times, and residents determined not to abandon their hometown. These are not just images of ruined buildings. They are stories of loss, resilience, dignity, and a community refusing to disappear. I made this report because the people of South Lebanon deserve to be seen and heard. Their stories must not be forgotten, and their suffering must not become another headline that the world moves on from. This is Reel Talk, a special report on, from, and for the people of South Lebanon. 🎧 Listen, share this episode, and help bring these stories to a wider audience. Support my work:☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/daizygedeon Subscribe to Reel Talk for more independent reporting and conversations that matter.

    S4 | Special Report - Inside the Ruins of South Lebanon

  2. 28 Sept

    S4 | E14 - DOES NAZI GERMANY HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST?

    A surgeon stood outside the US Embassy in London and called Israel a “genocidal settler colonial entity.” Within days, he was suspended by his hospital and arrested at his home.I sit down with Dr. Ranjeet Brar, consultant vascular and endovascular surgeon at King’s College Hospital, to discuss the speech that triggered the fallout, his fight over free speech, and his legal challenges to the NHS’s use of the IHRA definition of antisemitism.We also discuss his account of what happened to a colleague in Gaza and the wider questions this case raises about political speech, professional consequences, and the boundaries of free expression.🎧 Listen to the full conversation on Spotify.Support our work:https://buymeacoffee.com/daizygedeonhttps://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted..#RealTalk #DaizyGedeon #RanjeetBrar #FreeSpeech #NHS #IHRA #Gaza #Palestine

    S4 | E14 - DOES NAZI GERMANY HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST?

  3. 21 Sept

    S4 | E13 - TOP U.S. ANALYST: "ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST MISTAKES"

    IS AMERICA LOSING CONTROL OF THE MIDDLE EAST?In this episode of Real Talk with Daizy Gedeon, Daizy sits down with Dr. Steven Cook, senior fellow for Middle East and African Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of The End of Ambition, for a candid conversation about the U.S.-Israel war with Iran and its wider consequences.Dr. Cook argues that what began as an attempt to eliminate a strategic threat could instead leave the United States facing a deeper regional crisis — from the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear ambitions to America’s security commitments across the Gulf.They also discuss Iran’s control over escalation, the emerging Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan security relationship, the future of Lebanon and Hezbollah, Israel’s pursuit of “total victory,” and whether Washington still has the ability to shape events across the region.Is America still in control — or has the balance of power already shifted?🎙️ Listen to the full conversation on Real Talk with Daizy Gedeon.If you are enjoying our podcasts, please consider a small contribution of $5 a month to allow us to keep you informed:https://buymeacoffee.com/daizygedeonOr support our work here:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted..#RealTalk #DaizyGedeon #StevenCook #Iran #Israel #Lebanon #MiddleEast #USForeignPolicy #Geopolitics #StraitOfHormuz

    S4 | E13 - TOP U.S. ANALYST: "ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST MISTAKES"

  4. 21 Sept

    S4 | E12 - The Jewish American Israel Banned for Life

    Can a Jewish American find more brotherhood in Beirut than back home? In this episode of Real Talk, I sit down with Jacob Berger, Jewish-American content creator, humanitarian, and outspoken anti-Zionist voice, to unpack his second trip to Lebanon — from paragliding over Beirut to preparing to cross the "yellow line" into South Lebanon.Jacob has spent the past week travelling a country he was once warned never to visit, using comedy, satire, and raw honesty to challenge the narratives he grew up with — separating Judaism from Zionism, visiting refugee camps in Beddawi and Shatila, and raising emergency funds along the way.How does a Jew raised on Birthright Israel become one of the loudest anti-Zionist voices online? What really happened when he was detained by Israeli forces on the Global Sumud Flotilla? And why does he believe liberation will come from the people, not the politicians?WHAT WE DISCUSSWhy Jacob keeps returning to Lebanon despite the conflictUsing comedy and satire to reframe how the world sees LebanonSeparating Judaism from Zionism — and the backlash for saying soChristian Zionism, Birthright Israel, and generational "brainwashing"Being smeared as a "self-hating Jew" and placed on Canary MissionThe Global Sumud Flotilla: sabotage, interception, and detention in IsraelLosing his 2.1 million-follower platform and estrangement from familyThe Lebanon-Israel framework agreement and Lebanon's political balancing actWhy real allyship means more than performative activismLearn more from Jacob Berger: Jewish-American actor, content creator, and humanitarian known for his comedy, satire, and on-the-ground advocacy across the Middle East, including a mission with the Global Sumud Flotilla. Follow him on TikTok @jacobberger9797.If you're enjoying Real Talk, consider supporting us at https://buymeacoffee.com/daizygedeon or https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted...Subscribe to Real Talk with Daizy Gedeon for more candid conversations on the Middle East, foreign policy, and the stories mainstream media won't tell.

    S4 | E12 - The Jewish American Israel Banned for Life

  5. 21 Aug

    S4 | E11 - FERGIE CHAMBERS FED 500 FAMILIES IN GAZA

    In this episode of Real Talk, Daizy Gedeon speaks with Ammar Al-Kahwaji, the 19-year-old founder of the Sumud Project, joining us from Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Ammar has been displaced eight times since October 7. His home, school and community in Bani Suheila were destroyed, and he now lives with his family in Al-Mawasi. Yet amid unimaginable circumstances, he has continued working to help families across Gaza. Since launching the Sumud Project in May 2025, Ammar says he has completed 49 humanitarian initiatives, supporting families with food, water, clothing, tents and shelter materials, while also supporting schools, kindergartens and children through educational and community activities. In this conversation, Ammar shares his firsthand experience of working inside Gaza, his family's repeated displacement, and the impact of losing the support of James “Jim” Chambers, an American donor currently detained in Spain following a U.S. extradition request. Ammar explains how he first contacted Chambers, how a $10,000 donation helped provide 50 meals a day for 10 consecutive days during Ramadan, supporting 500 families, and what Chambers' support has meant to humanitarian initiatives in Gaza. He also speaks about his greatest hope—not for wealth, politics or power, but simply to live in peace, have a home, see his family safe, and live the life every person should be able to live. This is a conversation about Gaza beyond the headlines: displacement, survival, humanitarian work, loss, resilience and the determination to keep going. Listen to the full episode of Real Talk now. ☕ SUPPORT REAL TALK If you value independent journalism and want to help us continue bringing important conversations and stories from around the world, please consider supporting our work: Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/daizygedeon PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TEAEE8YVEU996 Follow Real Talk with Daizy Gedeon and stay connected for more conversations on the stories shaping our world. #RealTalk #DaizyGedeon #Gaza #Palestine #AmmarAlKahwaji #SumudProject #JimChambers #HumanitarianAid #GazaWar #PalestineNews #MiddleEast #HumanRights

    S4 | E11 - FERGIE CHAMBERS FED 500 FAMILIES IN GAZA

  6. 15 Aug

    S4 | E10 - NETANYAHU NEEDS THE WAR. TRUMP NEEDS IT OVER.

    In this episode of Real Talk, Daizy Gedeon sits down with Rami Khouri, Palestinian-American journalist, political commentator, and Senior Public Policy Fellow at the American University of Beirut, to examine the starkly opposing domestic and strategic pressures driving Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, and regional leadership today. Within a single nine-day window, two diametrically opposed political realities collided: while Benjamin Netanyahu depends on sustaining conflict for his political survival and strategic momentum, Donald Trump faces mounting domestic urgency to force an end to regional wars. WHAT WE DISCUSS: The political divide: Why Netanyahu needs war while Trump needs resolution Analyzing the failure of short-term framework agreements and collapsed ceasefires The economic and political costs driving U.S. election calculations The evolution of the "Axis of Resistance" and regional military capacity The reality of Israeli domestic politics, coalition pressures, and war strategy U.S. foreign policy blunders: From transactional deal-making to military overreach The devastating humanitarian impact on Gaza, Lebanon, and the wider region Media narratives vs. ground realities in Middle Eastern diplomacy Why traditional deterrence strategies are failing the West What true, lasting stability in the Middle East actually looks like TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Netanyahu Needs War. Trump Needs It Over. (01:58) Introducing Rami Khouri (03:46) Two Leaders, Opposite Objectives (07:48) The Limits of American Leverage (16:10) Gaza, Lebanon, and the Interconnected Fronts (23:17) Can Netanyahu Survive Without Ongoing Conflict? (33:38) Trump’s Transactional Foreign Policy Dilemma (41:38) The Shifting Regional Balance of Power (50:24) Why Tactical Ceasefires Keep Collapsing (58:45) The Role of the "Axis of Resistance" Today (01:08:32) Can Lebanon Escape the Regional Crossfire? (01:22:18) Media Distortions & The Political Reality on the Ground (01:26:45) What Happens Next for U.S.-Middle East Relations? ABOUT RAMI KHOURI Rami Khouri is a renowned Palestinian-American journalist, political analyst, and Senior Public Policy Fellow at the American University of Beirut. With over five decades of experience covering Middle Eastern geopolitics, Khouri is a globally respected voice on regional policy, international diplomacy, and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. SUPPORT OUR WORK If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider supporting us: Buy Me A Coffee: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/daizygedeon⁠ PayPal: ⁠https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5M4DXYG6L2Y8U⁠ YouTube Channel: ⁠https://shorturl.at/qrjGx⁠ #RamiKhouri #Netanyahu #Trump #RealTalk #DaizyGedeon #Geopolitics #MiddleEast #USForeignPolicy #Lebanon #Gaza

    S4 | E10 - NETANYAHU NEEDS THE WAR. TRUMP NEEDS IT OVER.

  7. 7 Aug

    S4 | E9 - Geopolitical Economy of the Iran War

    Is the war over Iran's nuclear program about global security or the hidden collapse of Western economic power? In this episode of Real Talk, Daizy Gedeon sits down with Radhika Desai, Professor of Political Studies at the University of Manitoba and Director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group, to examine the deeper economic drivers behind today's Middle East conflicts. Within a single nine-day span, the U.S. signed a major nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia while simultaneously launching airstrikes against Iranian nuclear targets. Two opposite responses to the exact same technology. To make sense of this contradiction, we step back from the daily news and look at the underlying structural reality:• Are wars caused by presidential personalities or shifting global economies?• U.S. weapons shortages and the limits of Western military power.• How capital speculation and war profiteering drive ongoing conflicts.• The rise of "taker" economies over "maker" economies.• Why the U.S. empire can no longer win through production alone. WHAT WE DISCUSS• The U.S. nuclear double standard: Saudi Arabia vs. Iran explained• U.S. military capacity and multi-front wars• Market speculation, war profiteering, and who actually benefits from conflict• The historical origins of nuclear diplomacy and NPT• How neoliberal policies deindustrialized Western economies• The role of private funds and corporate monopolies• China's economic expansion vs. U.S. military power• The neoconservative movement & Project for the New American Century• Why U.S. global hegemony is unravelling faster than ever• What must happen for lasting stability in the Middle East TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Two Contradictory Nuclear Decisions(01:58) Introducing Radhika Desai(03:46) Has Iran Already Won the War?(07:48) War Profiteering & Market Speculation(16:10) Double Standard: Saudi Arabia vs. Iran(23:17) Does Iran Need a Nuclear Deterrent?(33:38) When Did the U.S. Stop Winning by Producing?(41:38) Neoliberalism & The "Economy of Takers"(50:24) Can the U.S. Empire Last Forever?(58:45) Who Are the Neoconservatives?(01:08:32) The "Clean Break" Strategy & Today's Reality(01:22:18) Can Lebanon Achieve Real Peace?(01:26:45) What Happens Next Between the U.S. & Iran ABOUT RADHIKA DESAIRadhika Desai is a Professor in the Department of Political Studies at the University of Manitoba and Director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group. She is the author of "Geopolitical Economy: After US Hegemony, Globalization and Empire" and co-host of the Geopolitical Economy Hour. SUPPORT OUR WORK If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider supporting us: • Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/daizygedeon • PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5M4DXYG6L2Y8U • Youtube Channel: https://shorturl.at/qrjGx #RadhikaDesai #Iran #RealTalk #DaizyGedeon #Geopolitics #MiddleEast #Economy #USForeignPolicy #Lebanon

    S4 | E9 - Geopolitical Economy of the Iran War

  8. 30 July

    S4 | E8 - BOMBING LEBANON: Terror Expert Says "That Is the Plan"

    Can Lebanon and Israel finally achieve peace or is this agreement destined to fail?|In this episode of Real Talk, I sit down with Matthew Levitt—former FBI counterterrorism official, former U.S. Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary, and Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute—to examine the new U.S.-brokered framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel.The proposal promises a path toward ending decades of conflict:• The Lebanese Army takes control of southern Lebanon.• Hezbollah is disarmed.• Israeli forces withdraw.But can peace be negotiated while airstrikes continue, villages remain devastated, and thousands of Lebanese are still displaced?Who decides when Hezbollah has disarmed enough? Can Israel be trusted to withdraw? Can the Lebanese Army realistically secure the south? And does this agreement offer genuine hope—or simply postpone another war?Together, we explore the framework agreement, the challenges of implementation and verification, the future of Hezbollah, the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces, ongoing Israeli military operations, reconstruction efforts, and the role of the United States in shaping the region's future.Whether you agree with Matthew Levitt's analysis or not, this conversation offers an opportunity to hear a different perspective on one of the Middle East's most complex and consequential issues.Learn more from Matthew Levitt:🎙️ Breaking Hezbollah's Golden Rule – Matthew's podcast exploring Hezbollah, regional security, and developments across the Middle East.📖 Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God – His book examining Hezbollah's international networks, financing, operations, and global influence.If you enjoy Real Talk and would like to support independent journalism, please consider making a contribution:☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/daizygedeon💙 PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted...Thank you for listening. Don't forget to follow Real Talk on Spotify so you never miss a new episode.

    S4 | E8 - BOMBING LEBANON: Terror Expert Says "That Is the Plan"
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Ratings & Reviews

3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Introducing the relaunch of a touching and uplifting, human interest series called REEL TALK. Brought to you by award-winning, independent journalist and filmmaker, Daizy Gedeon, who dives deep into REAL STORIES with REAL PEOPLE from Lebanon and across the world, and provides a unique insight into the REAL issues that are challenging people locally and globally. She engages in incisive discussion that goes beyond the headlines to spotlight the TRUTH over the propaganda that dominates our media and political pulpits.

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