News Weakly with Sami Shah

Sami Shah
  • 4.7 (21)
  • Comedy
  • Updated Weekly

News Weakly is the sharpest, funniest, and most professional news satire podcast in Australia—where we punch the news in the headlines… weakly. Hosted by multi-award-winning comedian, journalist, and author Sami Shah, the show delivers a fast-paced, fiercely intelligent breakdown of the biggest stories in politics, global affairs, and culture. With a background that spans stand-up comedy, radio broadcasting, and serious journalism—including bylines in The New York Times, The Guardian, and ABC RN—Sami cuts through the noise with biting satire, relentless wit, and just enough sarcasm to keep us all from screaming into the void. News Weakly isn’t just about the headlines—it’s about the hypocrisy, the absurdity, and the sheer chaos behind them. Whether it's Australian politics, international disasters, or billionaires doing dumb things, Sami delivers a fresh, fearless take that keeps listeners informed and entertained. With a growing and engaged audience of news junkies, comedy lovers, and politics obsessives, News Weakly is the perfect space for advertisers looking to reach smart, curious, and highly engaged listeners. Get in on the conversation. Stay ahead of the spin. And never trust a headline again. New episodes every week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Bloodsport of the Deal

    5h ago

    Bloodsport of the Deal

    This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah explains why Donald Trump's favourite movie might also explain his foreign policy. From Jean-Claude Van Damme's Bloodsport to the Iran war, this episode explores the dangers of confusing spectacle with strategy, humiliation with victory, and refusing to flinch with actual courage. How did America win every battle but still end up negotiating over the Strait of Hormuz? And what can an '80s martial arts movie teach us about modern geopolitics? All that, and more. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

  2. Jun 19

    One Culture Under Pauline

    This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah takes a deep dive into Pauline Hanson’s first National Press Club address and the global rise of populist politics. From multiculturalism and immigration to childcare, abortion, transgender rights, and the meaning of “Australian culture”, Hanson’s speech offers a masterclass in the political lessons democracies keep refusing to learn from Donald Trump. What does “monoculture” actually mean? Is Australia already a shared civic culture? And why do major parties keep responding to populists by adopting parts of their argument? And one more thing: News Weakly is now completely ad-free. No sponsors. No mining companies. No meal kits. No cryptocurrency exchanges run by fugitives. Just listener support through Patreon and the ongoing collapse of civilisation. All that, and more. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min

  3. Jun 12

    Hughsie and Cry

    This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah looks at how every political problem somehow ends up being blamed on immigrants. Comedian Dave Hughes goes viral railing against Labor’s housing policies, permanent residents, and falling property values, accidentally arriving at the same talking points that have fuelled One Nation’s resurgence. Meanwhile, anti-immigration riots erupt in Belfast after a violent crime becomes a vehicle for broader fears about migration, identity, and social decline. The episode explores why housing affordability, wage stagnation, and cost-of-living pressures keep getting reframed as migration problems instead of policy failures, and how media personalities help launder increasingly extreme ideas into “common sense”. Plus: Pauline Hanson’s political comeback, Barnaby Joyce’s confusion about what a permanent resident actually is, and the algorithmic pipeline turning ageing celebrities into grievance influencers. All that, and more. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    17 min

  4. Jun 5

    Grace Tame, Charlie Pickering & The Cancellation Olympics

    This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah dives into the latest Australian culture war, where an autism podcast somehow becomes a referendum on Israel, Gaza, free speech, antisemitism, cancellation, and who should be allowed to work. The ABC finds itself under fire after commissioning a podcast hosted by Grace Tame, despite controversy surrounding her comments about October 7, Hamas sexual violence, and the phrase "globalise the intifada". Meanwhile, Charlie Pickering discovers the dangers of talking to Avi Yemini, and Australia once again debates whether disagreement should be answered with argument or unemployment. Along the way, Sami examines the Jayson Gillham controversy, the limits of institutional neutrality, why cancellation campaigns rarely achieve their stated goals, and the difference between offensive speech, political speech, artistic speech, and work that is itself the speech. All that, and more. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

  5. May 29

    Abbott Returns, NDIS Cuts & The War on Oman

    This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah looks at what happens when political parties mistake nostalgia for strategy and spreadsheets for compassion. Tony Abbott returns as Liberal Party president, raising questions about whether the Coalition plans to solve its existential crisis or simply appoint it to a leadership role. Meanwhile, sweeping changes to the NDIS could see hundreds of thousands of Australians lose access to support, generating considerably less outrage than proposed tax changes affecting property investors. Plus, BHP’s green ambitions collide with leaked internal documents, KPMG discovers the risks of ignoring whistleblowers, and Donald Trump attempts to resolve the Iran conflict by threatening… Oman. All that, and more. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    18 min

  6. May 22

    Pauline Hanson’s Socialist Gas & AI Lit Prizes

    This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah looks at what happens when populism accidentally stumbles into good policy while everything else quietly catches fire. The federal government tweaks negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions, triggering a media meltdown from a property-owning class suddenly discovering class warfare. Meanwhile, Pauline Hanson unveils a gas policy so interventionist it accidentally sounds Scandinavian. Australia also discovers compassion for “boat people” when the people on the boats happen to be Australian activists detained by Israel during the Gaza flotilla interception. Plus: literary fiction panics after an allegedly AI-generated short story gets shortlisted for a major prize, and Elon Musk’s gutting of USAID collides with a growing Ebola outbreak in Africa. All that, and more. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    21 min

  7. May 15

    Broken Promises, Gambling Cowards & The Empathy Wars

    This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah looks at what happens when politics stops pretending to care equally about everyone. Labor’s latest budget is compared to the brutal Abbott-Hockey austerity budget of 2014, revealing how conservative outrage mysteriously only appears when wealthy Australians lose tax advantages. Meanwhile, the Albanese government finally responds to gambling reform recommendations with a plan so timid it feels focus-grouped by Sportsbet itself. In the UK, Labour MPs appear ready to repeat the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years at high speed, threatening to hand Nigel Farage the easiest political opening of his life. Plus: Coles gets caught playing games with “Down Down” pricing, and the Royal Commission into antisemitism exposes something darker than political disagreement — a growing public instinct to explain away Jewish fear rather than confront it. All that, and more. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    22 min

  8. May 8

    Pink Flamingos & The Objectivity Wars

    This week on News Weakly, Sami Shah looks at the stories Australia keeps turning into culture wars instead of solving. The death of Kumanjayi Little Baby reignites debate around Indigenous communities, systemic neglect, Welcome to Country ceremonies, and the country’s ongoing inability to confront its own contradictions. Sami explores the idea of the “Pink Flamingo”: the national dysfunction everyone sees but nobody meaningfully addresses. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party responds to electoral collapse by considering a return to Tony Abbott, because apparently the answer to political failure is expired yoghurt conservatism. And in journalism, former Age editor Michael Gawenda and writer Jeff Sparrow collide in a debate over objectivity, activism, and whether journalists still know the difference between reporting facts and performing politics online. All that, and more. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music 'Historic Anticipation' by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    16 min
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Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

News Weakly is the sharpest, funniest, and most professional news satire podcast in Australia—where we punch the news in the headlines… weakly. Hosted by multi-award-winning comedian, journalist, and author Sami Shah, the show delivers a fast-paced, fiercely intelligent breakdown of the biggest stories in politics, global affairs, and culture. With a background that spans stand-up comedy, radio broadcasting, and serious journalism—including bylines in The New York Times, The Guardian, and ABC RN—Sami cuts through the noise with biting satire, relentless wit, and just enough sarcasm to keep us all from screaming into the void. News Weakly isn’t just about the headlines—it’s about the hypocrisy, the absurdity, and the sheer chaos behind them. Whether it's Australian politics, international disasters, or billionaires doing dumb things, Sami delivers a fresh, fearless take that keeps listeners informed and entertained. With a growing and engaged audience of news junkies, comedy lovers, and politics obsessives, News Weakly is the perfect space for advertisers looking to reach smart, curious, and highly engaged listeners. Get in on the conversation. Stay ahead of the spin. And never trust a headline again. New episodes every week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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