Critical Babe Theory

Francesca Root-Dodson
  • 5.0 (16)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

Weekly podcast without liberal pieties, for people who like fun. Critical Babe Theory is hosted by Francesca Root-Dodson and features conversations with all the most interesting people talking about every important thing: politics, culture and the heart of the heart of America. Access full episodes & support the show at patreon.com/CriticalBabeTheory

  1. 6d ago

    There Are No Moral Candidates [First Half]

    The Democrats claim to be the “moral” party—that’s why they abandoned Platner. But is a party that facilitated the genocide in Gaza, allowed Ted Kennedy to serve in the Senate for 47 years after killing a girl, and is led by Nancy Pelosi—who clearly engages in insider trading—really the party that can demand their candidates be pure? An argument with political strategist and former Congressional staffer Matt Landini about what the Democrats mean when they say they’re the party of morality—and if they have what it takes to win. Also discussed: grievance politics works, “do we want hot candidates or do we want good guy candidates?”, bootstrap Dems, anti-Canadian immigration, crisis comms & posting through the pain, Francesca rereads Machiavelli, the gayest beach anywhere ever, real talk about SA, “one senate seat does not the republic make,” DSA works in NYC but not in the heartland, Dems being a big tent means they have a lot of constituents to please, “pedophilia is a bipartisan issue” and the greatest question of all: what is the calculus of moral culpability? Fact check: Troy Jackson did start his political career as a Republican. And here’s the best accounting of who funds AIPAC, many of whom have ties to the state of Israel: https://www.trackaipac.com/donors The first half of every episode of CBT is free wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to become a subscriber and hear the second half, please go to www.patreon.com/criticalbabetheory. Thank you for your support xo

    There Are No Moral Candidates [First Half]

  2. Jul 14

    The Suicide State [First Half]

    Murtaza Hussain, senior reporter at Drop Site News, comes on the show to talk about the war in Iran. But (of course) we end up talking about Israel—and how they’re scrambling to keep war in the Middle East going at any cost. Nota bene: this was taped on July 3rd. Since then the ceasefire between the US and Iran—in so much as there was one—has collapsed. Also discussed: when the goal is the creation of chaos, ethnic religion, draining down the bank of moral capital, the strength of a diasporic people is that they’re not all concentrated in one place, moving from offshore balancing to Israeli hegemony, don’t forget the evangelical component, underestimating the continuity of Persian civilization, the state of Israel as pastiche, “you’re into the Abrahamic or you’re not,” TM-ing ideas, how Mamdani doesn’t ever have a c**t-y moment, how the institutional memory of the Catholic Church puts everything in perspective, suppressing the student protests is suppressing future elites at their most impressionable moment, “Israel is trying to race to the end of history,” using Gaza as a verb, and the real question: is Iran coming out on top here? The first half of every episode of CBT is free wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to become a subscriber and hear the second half, please go to www.patreon.com/criticalbabetheory. Thank you for your support xo

    The Suicide State [First Half]

  3. Jul 7

    Patriotism & the Left

    Former pro wrestler and natural bodybuilder Max Barsky comes on the show to talk about wrestling, labor organizing, and patriotism. Plus we have an honest conversation about getting cancelled—and how it doesn’t have to make you swing to the right. Also discussed: bodybuilding categories, “cancellation doesn’t exist,” the moral obligation to run for office, the #speakingout movement, labor organizing in the indie professional wrestling circuit, an explanation of “customs,”strictly-for-entertainment visas, textbook gaslighting, idealist zionism, the best independent wrestling storyline, when you lie to your journal, how the unitary theory of the executive could lead to the Green New Deal, “no man has ever said ‘I’m overstimulated,’” sportswashing in Israel, the Salem witch burners were the real Americans, and Francesca asks: is it a crime to be a bad boyfriend? The first half of every episode of CBT is free wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to become a subscriber and hear the second half, please go to www.patreon.com/criticalbabetheory. Thank you for your support xo

    Patriotism & the Left

  4. Jun 30

    The Graham Platner Smear Campaign [First Half]

    The first half of my conversation with writer and organizer Caroline Debnam about the recent hit pieces on Graham Platner in the NY Times—their questionable sources, AIPAC-awarded journalists, and the real issue: legacy media is terrified of a viable populist candidate. Also discussed: the liberal discourse on the insurgent left, standing for the real America, letting go of “believe women,” DC technocrats are obsessed with voters being effected by bad ideas, Cuba can never win, the bs class position dialogue on Platner, “it’s morning in North Korea,” the psychic damage of San Francisco, people in their 20’s are a nightmare to date—that doesn’t mean they’re abusive, Euro-mutts, “if Platner were running as a Blue Dog, no one would be asking these questions," Francesca reminds us that Ezra Klein is a polyamorist, and the question of the day: is the problem with Democratic politics that coastal elites are just unpleasant conversationalists? Referenced: “Several Women Who Dated Graham Platner Recall ‘Unsettling’ Behavior” - Katie Glueck & Lisa Lerer  “Graham Platner and the Rise of White Male Identity Politics” - Joan Walsh Ezra Klien & Chris Hayes discuss Graham Platner  The first half of every episode of CBT is free wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to become a subscriber and hear the second half, please go to www.patreon.com/criticalbabetheory. Thank you for your support xo

    The Graham Platner Smear Campaign [First Half]

  5. Jun 23

    "May God destroy your heretical gay church" [First Half]

    The first half of my conversation with Rev. Dr. Andrew Blume—the rector of Saint Ignatius of Antioch in New York City—about what it’s like to be part of a church community grounded in traditional worship while also having an inclusive, open-door policy—and how angry that makes the tradcath trolls online. Also discussed: Francesca forsakes frivolity for more serious concerns, defining Anglo-Catholicism, a Jewish parent’s worst nightmare (their only child becoming a Christian priest), “don’t let anyone tell you that prayer in school doesn’t matter,” Anglican intellectual warmth, “you grow in life as you grow in ministry,” Vatican II, aesthetics as an inroad to faith, nothing is more scary to city kids than the suburbs, the English reformation as the first Brexit, sympathy for Henry VIII, out Roman-Catholic-ing the Roman Catholics, Father Blume: “I wanted to gather a community around the Eucharist so we could all make meaning of our lives,” and Francesca’s eternal question: should women be priests? https://www.saintignatiusnyc.org/index.html Instagram: @saintignatiusnyc The first half of every episode of CBT is free, wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to become a subscriber and hear the second half, please go to www.patreon.com/criticalbabetheory. Thank you for your support xo

    "May God destroy your heretical gay church" [First Half]

  6. Jun 16

    Vanity of Vanities [First Half]

    The first half of my conversation with guest Zoe Dubno—author of the novel Happiness & Love—on her recent article for NY Mag about whether we’ve gone too far in celebrating plastic surgery & extreme beauty routines. Also discussed: there's nothing new under the sun, corporate slop gyms, parents who force their ED on their kids, being allergic to cheap things vs being a snob, the obvious benefit to being more attractive as a woman, plastic surgery creating a paucity of beauty, the benefits of literally touching grass, Francesca reads the bible (again), the prison of self-obsession, being so hot it’s a problem, there are no attractive people on the UWS, searching for the illusion of purity, the depth of Francesca’s vanity, and the immortal question: is it good to get exactly what you want? Referenced: “I Spray Myself with Magnesium and Read Under a Chicken Light” - by Zoe Dubno, New York Magazine "The Year All My Friends Got Botox" - by Emmeline Clein, New York Magazine The first half of every episode of CBT is free wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to become a subscriber and hear the second half, please go to www.patreon.com/criticalbabetheory. Thank you for your support xo

    Vanity of Vanities [First Half]

  7. Jun 9

    The Porn Debate [First Half]

    My conversation with porn historian Noelle Perdue on the censorious attempt to regulate pornography today—and our heated debate about what a moral society owes its citizens. Also discussed: “pornography is neutral but our sexual culture is not,” box dye heritage, wanting to see things you can never unsee, “The Entertainment” in Infinite Jest, choking in porn is now illegal in the UK (!), vibes-based legislation, our sexual culture, the overlap between anti-trans and anti-porn rhetoric, Francesca just wants everyone to have good sex, the “porn industry” doesn’t exist as such, stalking the halls of the Bellagio, the feature of SESTA/FOSTA is to harm sex workers—it’s not a bug, the fallacy of the Nordic Model, and how “keeping people isolated is profitable business.” The first half of every episode of CBT is free wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to become a subscriber and hear the second half, please go to www.patreon.com/criticalbabetheory. Thank you for your support xo

    The Porn Debate [First Half]

  8. Jun 2

    You can’t have integrity if you’re always agreeing with everybody

    A wide-ranging conversation with writer and filmmaker Sean Wilsey about literature, the left, and his film IXXI that’s premiering at Tribeca this week. We discuss how hard it is to hold on to your values, orthodoxy as a means to protect yourself, and how radicals have lost the ability to cooperate. Also discussed: translations that are funnier than the original, “it’s really easy to throw people under whatever bus you want to keep moving,” Italy’s reputation as frivolous, The Nation doesn’t want anyone to have a good time, adorning prostitutes with flowers in Czechoslovakia, fun is a problem for political orthodoxies, profound moral alterations brought on by a work of literature, nostalgia for the worst times of one’s life, Republicans are a better hang these days, suffering without redemption is true perversion, everyone has a Southern accent at NASA, the jet-setting lifestyle of the last international magazine feature writer (Sean), we’re becoming a country of scammers and liars, and the unresolved question: did all Gen X ideas come from Woody Guthrie?  Link to Sean’s film IXXI at Tribeca, almost sold out:  https://tribecafilm.com/films/ix-xi-2026 Articles referenced: The Nation - “Luigi Pirandello’s Broken Men” by Gus O’Connor GQ - “The Next Giant Leap” by Sean Wilsey The first half of every episode of CBT is free wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to become a subscriber and hear the second half, please go to www.patreon.com/criticalbabetheory. Thank you for your support xo

    You can’t have integrity if you’re always agreeing with everybody
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About

Weekly podcast without liberal pieties, for people who like fun. Critical Babe Theory is hosted by Francesca Root-Dodson and features conversations with all the most interesting people talking about every important thing: politics, culture and the heart of the heart of America. Access full episodes & support the show at patreon.com/CriticalBabeTheory

Information

  • Creator
    Francesca Root-Dodson
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Francesca Root-Dodson
  • Show Website
    Critical Babe Theory

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