The Journalism of Everything Podcast

Darisse Smith
  • 5.0 (2)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Have you ever wondered if birth order determines one's personality? Or if we know what happens in our brains when we have deja vu? Have you thought about the rights undocumented immigrants have? Does capitalism improve healthcare innovation? The Journalism of Everything Podcast takes curiosity to another level. Host Darisse Smith is an experienced freelance journalist that brings research, expert interviews, and thoughtfulness to a wide array of topics. Let's go beyond a Google search and find out about everything!

  1. The Rise and Fall of the Shah of Iran

    3D AGO · BONUS

    The Rise and Fall of the Shah of Iran

    Before Iran became one of America’s greatest geopolitical rivals, it was one of its closest allies. From 1941 to 1979, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, attempted to transform the country into a powerful, modern state. His ambitious reforms brought massive infrastructure projects, rapid industrialization, expanded education, and new rights for women. Fueled by booming oil revenues, Iran’s economy grew at one of the fastest rates in the world during the 1960s and 1970s. But modernization came with unintended consequences. Land reforms displaced rural farmers, religious leaders lost power and influence, urban populations exploded, and economic inequality grew. Meanwhile, the Shah increasingly relied on authoritarian tactics to suppress political opposition. By the late 1970s, resentment was building across Iranian society—from clerics and bazaar merchants to students and intellectuals. In this episode of The Journalism of Everything Podcast, host Darisse Smith explores how the Shah’s modernization project reshaped Iran—and how it helped ignite the revolution that would ultimately overthrow him. In the next episode, we’ll examine the rise of Ruhollah Khomeini and the revolution that fundamentally transformed Iran and its relationship with the United States. History rarely begins where we think it does. #IranHistory #IranianRevolution #MohammadRezaPahlavi #MiddleEastHistory #ColdWarHistory #Geopolitics #WorldHistory #JournalismPodcast #HistoryPodcast #TheJournalismOfEverything

    16 min
  2. When War in China Changed Immigration in the United States Mini Episode

    6D AGO · BONUS

    When War in China Changed Immigration in the United States Mini Episode

    What does the deadliest civil war in human history have to do with immigration in America today? In this episode, we trace a direct line from the Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864) in China — a conflict that killed more than 20 million people — to the wave of Chinese migration during the California Gold Rush and the political backlash that followed. Led by Hong Xiuquan, a failed civil service candidate who claimed to be the brother of Jesus, the Taiping movement devastated southern China through war, famine, and social collapse. As farms were destroyed and livelihoods disappeared, thousands fled to “Gold Mountain” — California — in search of survival, not just riches. At first, Chinese miners were welcomed. They worked abandoned mines, rebuilt infrastructure, and helped power California’s economy. But as they became visible economic competitors, acceptance turned to resentment. The Foreign Miners Tax, the 1854 People v. Hall decision, and escalating anti-Chinese rhetoric marked the beginning of exclusionary immigration politics in America. This episode explores a recurring historical pattern: Global crisis → Migration → Initial acceptance → Economic fear → Political exclusion. To understand today’s immigration debates, sometimes you have to look 170 years into the past — and halfway across the world. This is The Journalism of Everything Podcast — where history provides context, not conclusions. #TaipingRebellion #ChineseImmigration #CaliforniaGoldRush #ImmigrationHistory #GoldMountain #AmericanHistory #Nativism #ImmigrationDebate #USHistory #TheJournalismOfEverything#BorderPolitics #ImmigrationPolicy #GlobalMigration #PoliticalHistory #EconomicAnxiety #CulturalIdentity #NationalIdentity #ImmigrationReform #HistoryRepeats #ContextMatters

    13 min
  3. The Know Nothing Party: America’s First Anti-Immigrant Movement Mini Episode

    MAR 4 · BONUS

    The Know Nothing Party: America’s First Anti-Immigrant Movement Mini Episode

    Immigration debates feel uniquely modern — but they aren’t. In the 1850s, millions of Irish and German immigrants arrived in the United States seeking opportunity, democracy, and freedom from famine, political persecution, and economic collapse. What they found was not universal welcome — but suspicion, fear, and organized political backlash. In this mini-episode, I explore the rise of the Know Nothing Party, an anti-immigrant political movement built on nativism, anti-Catholicism, and fears about jobs, culture, religion, and political power. We’ll look at how the movement gained traction, how violence shaped elections — including the deadly Baltimore election riots of 1856 — and how immigration anxieties became central to national politics. Most importantly, we’ll examine the historical pattern: immigrant groups once seen as incompatible with American democracy eventually becoming fully integrated into it. History doesn’t tell us what to think — but it does give us context. And context matters. This is a mini-episode of The Journalism of Everything Podcast — where we explore the past to better understand the present. #KnowNothingParty #AmericanHistory #ImmigrationHistory #Nativism #1850s #IrishImmigration #GermanImmigration #USPolitics #ElectionViolence #Journalism #TheJournalismOfEverything

    17 min
  4. Is This Protest? Inside a Crowdsourced App Tracking ICE

    FEB 2

    Is This Protest? Inside a Crowdsourced App Tracking ICE

    What does protest look like in 2026? In this episode, independent journalist Darisse Smith speaks with Peter, the founder of Coqui—a crowdsourced, live-map community alert app designed to help people stay informed about ICE and police presence in their neighborhoods in real time. Peter explains how Coqui works similarly to Waze, but instead of traffic or potholes, users can report nearby ICE activity, upload photos, confirm reports through community verification, and communicate locally—without confrontation and while remaining anonymous. Together, we discuss: Whether sharing information can itself be a form of protest How fear affects undocumented and documented immigrants alike Why situational awareness matters for everyday life—work, school, pharmacies, and small businesses Claims that apps like this endanger law enforcement, and what the evidence actually shows Free speech, anonymity, and the role of technology in modern civic action Immigration data, crime statistics, and how media narratives shape public perception This conversation is not about encouraging confrontation. It’s about visibility, humanity, and choice—and what it means to live in a country where some people are afraid to move freely in their own communities. As always, this episode challenges listeners to seek multiple sources, question messaging, and examine how power and policy affect real lives. If it affects your life, it’s worth examining. #Immigration #ICE #CivilLiberties #FreeSpeech #Technology #CommunitySafety #CurrentEvents #Politics Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome & Why Immigration Is Personal(00:03:45) - Fear, Enforcement, and the Reality on the Ground(00:06:10) - Introducing Peter & the Coqui App(00:08:00) - “It’s Like Waze, But for ICE”(00:12:30) - Crowdsourcing, Misinformation & Safety Controls(00:16:45) - Why Peter Built This App(00:20:30) - Protest vs. Awareness: What Is This, Really?(00:25:10) - Does Tracking ICE Endanger Agents?(00:30:00) - Tech, Speech, and Government Pushback(00:34:45) - Personal Risk, Threats & Why He Keeps Going(00:39:00) - Patriotism, Power, and Who America Is For(00:44:20) - Real Stories: When the App Helped(00:48:30) - Immigration Data vs. Political Narratives(00:54:10) - Final Thoughts: Why This Matters Now(00:59:10) - Closing & Where to Find More

    1 hr
  5. Trump’s Second-Term Foreign Policy: Venezuela, Greenland, and the Return of 19th-Century Thinking

    JAN 21

    Trump’s Second-Term Foreign Policy: Venezuela, Greenland, and the Return of 19th-Century Thinking

    What is driving Donald Trump’s foreign policy in his second term—and is it rooted in strategy, history, or impulse? In this episode of The Journalism of Everything, independent journalist Darisse Smith speaks with Dr. Charles Kupchan, Professor of International Affairs at Georgetown University and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Dr. Kupchan previously served on the National Security Council in both the Clinton and Obama administrations, advising presidents on U.S. foreign policy and global security. The conversation examines the rapid escalation of Trump’s second-term foreign policy—from U.S. military actions in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, to renewed efforts to acquire Greenland and mounting pressure on NATO allies. Kupchan explains how “America First” has evolved in Trump’s second term, why it looks less restrained than before, and how elements of the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny are resurfacing in modern geopolitics. We explore whether Trump is attempting to revive a 19th-century vision of American power in a 21st-century world shaped by cyber threats, globalization, pandemics, and climate change—and what that means for U.S. alliances, global stability, and America’s long-term credibility. Topics include: How Trump’s second-term foreign policy differs from his first Venezuela, Greenland, and the limits of military power NATO, Europe, and America’s shifting role in the world Neo-isolationism vs. global entanglement What allies are doing to manage uncertainty—and what comes next A deep, historically grounded conversation about power, geography, alliances, and whether the United States can ever truly “pull up the drawbridge.” #USForeignPolicy #Geopolitics #TrumpForeignPolicy #AmericaFirst #InternationalRelations #GlobalPolitics #NATO #Venezuela #Greenland #NationalSecurity #ForeignPolicyPodcast #PoliticalAnalysis #TheJournalismOfEverything #CharlesKupchan

    52 min
  6. Illegal Orders & Military Oaths? A Colonel Explains The Truth

    12/10/2025

    Illegal Orders & Military Oaths? A Colonel Explains The Truth

    In this episode of The Journalism of Everything Podcast, I sit down with retired U.S. Army Colonel Ron Gallimore — Cold War officer, parachutist, engineer commander, Iraq veteran, and the senior leader who oversaw my own deployment — for a candid, boots-on-the-ground conversation about duty, morality, leadership, war, and the Constitution. We talk about: • What the military oath actually requires • Can soldiers refuse illegal orders — and how realistic is it? • What 9/11 looked like inside Army command • Why some leaders get away with bad decisions • How the Venezuelan strike raises questions of war crimes and accountability • Why civilians misunderstand the chain of command • Why America’s military culture is mission-focused — and why that matters • Whether someone who has never served should run the Department of Defense From Korea liaison missions in Iraq to Fort Bragg’s airborne culture and the complexities of Iraq’s collapse, Gallimore takes us inside the moments most Americans never see — where ethics, survival, and loyalty collide. Stay to the end — his response to whether non-military politicians should run the Pentagon is blunt, uncomfortable, and timely. Let me know what you think: Do you believe service members can disobey illegal orders? Was the Venezuela operation a justified strike — or a war crime? Should Pete Hegseth be Secretary of Defense? Comment, rate, and share — the debate starts here. — Darisse Smith Journalist & Host, The Journalism of Everything Podcast #PeteHegseth #Venezuela #JournalismOfEverything #MilitaryEthics #VeteransVoices #ColonelGallimore #IllegalOrders #MilitaryOath #ChainOfCommand #IraqWarStories #NationalSecurityTalk #LeadershipInWar #DefensePolitics #USMilitaryCulture #MoralityAndWar #WarCrimesDebate #MilitaryLeadership #PoliticalPodcast #VeteransPodcast #ForeignPolicy #HistoryAndConflict Chapters (00:00:00) - Opening: A Message to Soldiers Sparks Outrage(00:02:01) - What the Military Oath Actually Says(00:04:02) - Can You Really Disobey an Illegal Order?(00:05:45) - Meet COL Ron Gallimore(00:08:00) - How We Met: Baghdad, Mosul, and a Trial by Fire(00:12:01) - 9/11 Inside the Army: “We Thought It Was an Exercise”(00:15:30) - “You’re Not Retiring — You’re Going to Bragg.”(00:18:00) - What Makes a Paratrooper Legend(00:19:45) - Leadership vs. Blind Obedience(00:24:00) - My Lai, Moral Failure, and Who Takes the Blame(00:26:45) - Combat Reality: The First Bullet Changes Everything(00:29:00) - Convoys, IEDs, and My Wake-Up Call(00:31:30) - Training Iraq’s Army: “They Wanted TVs, Not Doctrine”(00:33:45) - Americans Aren’t Wanted Everywhere — and Don’t Understand It(00:36:46) - The Brotherhood of Combat Veterans (1% of America)(00:38:00) - Illegal Orders Explained: A Practical Test(00:41:00) - Would Senior Officers Push Back?(00:44:30) - Responsibility at 22: Holding Lives and Millions in Assets(00:46:45) - Venezuela Strike: Who Gets Held Accountable?(00:49:00) - Should Civilians Run the Pentagon?(00:52:01) - Can America Lead Without Looking for War?(00:54:30) - Why Iraq Collapsed and Nobody Saw It Coming(00:56:00) - Closing: What Do YOU Think About Illegal Orders and Leadership?

    57 min

  7. 11/24/2025

    Punching Up or Down in Comedy with Andy Haynes

    Today I’m talking with Andy Haynes — stand-up comedian, writer, podcaster, and sharp cultural commentator whose work blends humor, honesty, self-deprecation and social critique. Andy has appeared on Jimmy Fallon, Conan, Comedy Central, Roast Battle, and more. His comedy often explores politics, culture, identity, and the uncomfortable truths we don’t always want to say out loud. In this conversation, we break down how comedy has changed, why some jokes “land” differently today, and how comedians navigate the tension between free speech, responsibility, and backlash. Andy offers a candid look at punching up vs. punching down, the post-Trump comedy landscape, the rise of “culture-war comedy,” and what comics owe their audiences in an era of rapid political polarization. We also talk about: ✔️ When jokes have real-world consequences ✔️ Why certain groups became “off-limits” ✔️ Comedy’s backlash to wokeness ✔️ How free speech became a political weapon ✔️ What it’s like to perform for veterans, working-class crowds, and online audiences ✔️ Why comedy became more divisive — and whether it can course-correct ✔️ How social media changed what it means to be a comedian today Andy’s honesty, depth, and perspective make this one of the most insightful conversations I’ve had about the state of comedy, culture, and America. Tell me in the comments: Do you think comedy changed for better or worse — and why? — ABOUT ANDY HAYNES Andy is a stand-up comic, writer, and actor based in New York. His credits include Jimmy Fallon, Conan, Comedy Central Presents, The Pete Holmes Show, Adam Ruins Everything, and multiple digital series. He hosts the podcast Beautiful Boys with Mike Cannon. — If you enjoyed this interview, please LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more conversations about journalism, culture, and politics. #AndyHaynes #StandupComedy #ComedyPodcast #ComedyCulture #PoliticalComedy #FreeSpeech #CancelCulture #PunchingUp #PunchingDown #Wokeness #CultureWar #MediaBias #TheJournalismOfEverything #PodcastInterview #ComedyDiscussion #TruthInComedy #AmericanCulture #SocialCommentary Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction to Andy Haynes(00:02:05) - Social Media, Comedy & the New Hustle(00:07:10) - The Reality of Starting Out in Comedy(00:11:30) - Andy’s Origin Story: Bill Hicks, Campfires & Open Mics(00:17:00) - How Comedy Changed After 2016(00:22:25) - Comedy, Free Speech & Consequences(00:26:45) - Journalism, Media Power & What Comes Next(00:31:00) - Veterans, War & Comics Learning to Listen(00:36:00) - The American Working Class & Liberal Blind Spots(00:41:30) - Can Comedy Open Political Dialogue?(00:45:40) - Final Thoughts & Closing

    50 min

  8. 11/10/2025

    Why Free Speech Still Matters in Comedy with Andy Haynes

    What happens when entertainment loses its purpose? In this episode of The Journalism of Everything Podcast, host Darisse Smith and comedian Andy Haynes take on a surprising question: Should comedy just entertain, or should it mean something? Inspired by a raw and unforgettable quote from Sean Penn — “If I just need entertainment, I’ll go buy an eight ball and two hookers” — Darisse and Andy explore the fine line between art that comforts and art that challenges. They unpack how modern comedy, social media, and Hollywood have shifted from thought-provoking storytelling to algorithm-driven distraction — and what we lose when entertainment becomes hollow. Join this insightful, funny, and deeply human conversation about the purpose of art, empathy in humor, and the changing face of American entertainment. Is comedy supposed to make us think — or just make us laugh? #AndyHaynes #DarisseSmith #TheJournalismOfEverything #ComedyAndCulture #SeanPenn #FreeSpeech #MeaningfulComedy #PodcastInterview #EntertainmentIndustry #ArtAndMeaning #MediaAndSociety #PoliticalComedy #GeorgeCarlin #LarryFlynt #FirstAmendmentRights Chapters (00:00:00) - Opening Quote: “If the First Amendment Will Protect a Scumbag Like Me…”(00:00:45) - Who Was Larry Flynt?(00:02:00) - The Rise of Hustler Magazine(00:03:15) - Pushing the Limits of Decency(00:04:00) - Violence and Retaliation(00:05:01) - Politics, Parody, and Outrage(00:06:02) - The Lawsuit: Hustler v. Falwell(00:07:03) - The Supreme Court’s Landmark Ruling(00:08:00) - How the Case Changed Comedy(00:09:15) - Introducing Andy Hayne(00:10:30) - Social Media, Censorship, and Comedy’s New Reality(00:14:00) - When Jokes Become Political(00:25:00) - The Role of Comedy in a Divided America(00:44:00) - Shared Humanity and Perspective(00:56:01) - Closing Reflection: George Carlin’s “American Dream”(01:03:00) - Outro: The Price of Truth

    1h 4m
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Have you ever wondered if birth order determines one's personality? Or if we know what happens in our brains when we have deja vu? Have you thought about the rights undocumented immigrants have? Does capitalism improve healthcare innovation? The Journalism of Everything Podcast takes curiosity to another level. Host Darisse Smith is an experienced freelance journalist that brings research, expert interviews, and thoughtfulness to a wide array of topics. Let's go beyond a Google search and find out about everything!

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