Honest Offense with Eric Cervone

Tim Rosenberger is a JD/MBA student at Stanford University, where he is President of the Federalist Society. On March 9, Judge Kyle Duncan was invited to speak at Stanford Law by the Stanford Federalist Society. The title of his talk was "The Fifth Circuit in Conversation with the Supreme Court: Covid, Guns, and Twitter." Duncan was continuously interrupted and cut short by student protesters and the SLS Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In a statement, SLS Dean Jenny Martinez announced that all SLS students will take part in a mandatory half-day of training “on the topic of freedom of speech and the norms of the legal profession.” Coverage of the event: https://davidlat.substack.com/p/yale-law-is-no-longer-1for-free-speech Audio of the event: https://davidlat.substack.com/p/the-full-audio-recording-of-judge Video of a portion of the event: https://vimeo.com/806801455 Statement from SLS Dean Jenny Martinez: https://law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Next-Steps-on-Protests-and-Free-Speech.pdf Judge Duncan's response to the event: https://www.wsj.com/articles/struggle-session-at-stanford-law-school-federalist-society-kyle-duncan-circuit-court-judge-steinbach-4f8da19e Tim Rosenberger on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TimJRJR

Mo is the founder and CEO of Standard Notes, a privacy-focused note-taking app. Standard Notes features end-to-end encryption, advanced security, and unique privacy controls. Standard Notes' code is completely open-source and independently audited by leading security researchers. It is an ideal example of what an alternative to the corporate-controlled internet can be. https://standardnotes.com –––– 00:00 Introduction 01:00 What is Standard Notes? 9:00 How Mo got interest in privacy 15:00 How Standard Notes fits into the tech world 22:00 What privacy means 28:00 What is encryption and why it matters 32:00 Responding to critics of encryption and privacy 39:00 Do people actually care about privacy? 45:00 Moving from privacy to security 50:00 How Standard Notes can compete with larger tech companies –––– ericcervone.com

David Plastik is a photographer who worked with the biggest music acts of the 80s: Guns N Roses, AC/DC, Aerosmith, and a ton more. David also worked closely with legendary comedian Sam Kinsion during the peak of Sam’s career. David’ photograph site: https://erockphotos.photoshelter.com/gallery-list David on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidplastik22/?hl=en Brother Sam: https://www.amazon.com/Brother-Sam-Short-Spectacular-Kinison/dp/0688126340/ Sam’s world hunger bit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0q4o58pKwA –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at patreon.com/ericcervone​​​​​​ Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone https://www.ericcervone.com

Between 1953-1987, people who lived and worked at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina were exposed to contaminated water that’s caused death, illness, and life-altering health conditions. Senior military leaders allegedly knew of the risks and concealed knowledge of the problem. A recent report found that the VA made errors on thousands of claims related to the exposure, wrongly denying veterans over $14 million in payments. Ed Bell is the founder and senior partner of Bell Legal Group. Ed led the charge to pass the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in 2021, which allows veterans to sue the government for harm from exposure to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Ed now works to ensure that Marines and others who were at Camp Lejeune are able to receive the compensation they are owed. Brian Amburgey is a retired Marine who trained at Camp Lejeune in the 1980s. He has worked with Ed to bring attention to the contaminated water issue, as is currently suing the government under the Camp Jejune Justice Act. 00:00 Introduction 1:30 How Ed got involved in the Camp Lejeune issue 7:50 How Brian got involved in advocating for Marines 13:20 How did nobody in Congress know about the issue 18:30 The frustration of nobody listening 21:00 Why Ed & Brian stuck with the Camp Lejeune case despite years of no progress 29:10 The betrayal Marines feel 31:00 The support from Congress once they learned of the issue 38:30 Brian's medical issues and why he's suing 40:50 Problems with the VA and how to fix veteran medical care 48:00 What steps Marines who were exposed to contaminated water should take 50:50 Closing words –––– Bell Legal Group: https://www.belllegalgroup.com VA information on Camp Lejeune water contamination health issues: https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/camp-lejeune-water-contamination Camp Lejeune Justice Act: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2192/text Camp Lejeune water contamination claims total about 5,000 so far, U.S. Navy says: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/camp-lejeune-water-contamination-claims-total-about-5000-so-far-us-navy-says-2022-09-12 Veterans Were Denied $14 Million in Payments Because VA Mishandled Lejeune Water Claims: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/08/26/veterans-were-denied-14-million-payments-because-va-mishandled-lejeune-water-claims.html –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at patreon.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone https://www.ericcervone.com

Stuart Brotman is a professor of Media Management and Law as well as a Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee. He recently published "The First Amendment Lives On: Conversations Commemorating Hugh M. Hefner's Legacy of Enduring Free Speech and Free Press Values," which is filled with incredible discussions on the history and current state of free speech. Professor Brotman's book: https://www.amazon.com/First-Amendment-Lives-Conversations-Commemorating/dp/0826222609/ –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at patreon.com/ericcervone​​​​​​ Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone

If you've listened to this podcast at all, you know how big a fan I am of FIRE. Until recently, FIRE stood for the "Foundation for Individual Rights in Education," but as of last week, they have expanded their mission and are now the "Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression." To me, FIRE is easily the premiere defender of free speech in America today. Nico Perrino serves as the Vice President of FIRE’s Communications department. He is also the creator and host of FIRE’s So to Speak Podcast, which takes an uncensored look at the world of free expression through personal stories and candid conversations. Nico also is Co-Director and Senior Producer of the excellent documentary “Mighty Ira: A Civil Liberties Story," about the life and career of former ACLU Executive Director Ira Glasser. Ira led the ACLU through the aftermath of its famous Skokie case, in which the ACLU defended the Fist Amendment rights of neo-Nazis to hold a march on public streets. Check out FIRE's work and send them your support: https://www.thefire.org Nico's So to Speak podcast: https://www.thefire.org/news-and-media/so-to-speak Nico's Mighty Ira documentary: https://www.mightyira.com 00:00 Introduction 01:36 FIRE's rebranding and expansion beyond campus 09:50 Gen Z's views on free speech/are Nico and I just angry old men? 15:30 FIRE's future plans 20:30 Defending free expression culturally as well as legally 23:30 What it means to support speech unapologetically 25:11 What can be done to protect free speech on social media? 34:00 The making of Mighty Ira 41:30 The Brooklyn Dodges and civil liberties 44:30 Talking with a Holocaust survivor about the Skokie case 47:00 How Ira Glasser dealt with the fallout of Skokie 49:00 Favorite lighthearted moment in the documentary 54:00 Ira Glasser's views on the modern ACLU –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at patreon.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone https://www.ericcervone.com

In college, Patric Verrone was an editor of the renowned Harvard Lampoon. He graduated from Boston College Law School and briefly practiced law before becoming a TV writer. Early in his career, he was a monologue writer for The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He's written for Futurama (which is coming back next year!) since its first season and has served a producer and executive producer on the show. He also served a the president of the Writers Guild of America during the 2007-2008 writers strike. On top of all that he also sculpts, paints, and sells historical figurines. Patric has one of the most fascinating careers of anyone in entertainment—I could've talked to him for hours. Patric's figurines: verrone.com Watch Futurama on Hulu: hulu.com/series/futurama 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Funny as a kid? 08:00 Writing for the Harvard Lampoon 24:00 Leaving the law to work in Hollywood 26:00 Writing for Joan Rivers 34:30 Getting hired by Johnny Carson 37:00 The beginning of Futurama and "the most overeducated cartoon writers in history" 55:20 Leading the 2007 writers strike 1:10:00 The 1960s Marx presidential figurines –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at patreon.com/ericcervone​​​​​​ Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone https://www.ericcervone.com

Wrestling fans know Mayor Glenn Jacobs as WWE Superstar Kane. Mayor Jacobs has been with the WWE since 1995, and since 2018 he has served as the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. He is also the author of the excellent book, "Mayor Kane: My Life in Wrestling and Politics"—likely the only book in history to have chapters detailing both Austrian economics and Japanese shoot wrestling. Mayor Kane's book: https://www.amazon.com/Mayor-Kane-Life-Wrestling-Liberty/dp/154608584X/ Mayor Kane on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlennJacobsTN 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Running for reelection 05:30 Fighting partisanship 08:00 Competing in Japanese shoot wrestling 11:30 The entrepreneurial genius of Vince McMahon 18:20 How Mayor Jacobs found libertarian philosophy 23:30 Philosophy vs. governing 26:30 Combating COVID mandates 29:00 DDP Yoga –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone https://www.ericcervone.com/

Wayne Federman is a standup comic, actor, producer, writer, comedy historian, and USC professor. He has been in about 90% of my favorite comedies: 40-Year-Old Virgin, Step Brothers, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The League, Community, Always Sunny, Tough Crowd, 50 First Dates, Knocked Up, Crashing, Silicon Valley, Legally Blonde...among over one hundred other credits. And he is the author of the excellent book, "The History of Stand-Up: From Mark Twain to Dave Chappelle." Wayne is also a producer on the upcoming HBO Documentary "George Carlin's American Dream," which premieres May 20. The History of Stand-Up: https://www.amazon.com/History-Stand-Up-Mark-Twain-Chappelle/dp/B08YRP1R2G/ George Carlin's American Dream: https://www.hbo.com/george-carlins-american-dream 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Comedian Richard Nixon 04:00 How Wayne got into comedy 8:50 Freddie Prinze's Tonight Show appearance 15:30 Wayne's TV and movie career 17:00 How Judd Apatow found success 18:00 The golden era of comedy movies 22:00 When did standup start? 26:30 Comedy's short shelf life 29:20 Friar's Club 34:15 Vaudeville's role in comedy history 45:00 Hugh Hefner's role in comedy history 48:50 Where did the classic brick wall and stool originate? 54:10 Saturday Night Live 59:00 Comedy Central's rise and (debatably) fall 1:04:00 Dane Cook and the rise of the internet 1:08:10 Louis CK and self-publishing 1:18:30 George Carlin's American Dream –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone https://www.ericcervone.com/

It's easy to defend speech you agree with. But the fight for free speech truly begin when you support someone with whom you disagree. Which makes this conversation I had with professor Michael Phillips particularly significant. Michael Phillips is a history professor at Collin College in McKinney, Texas. He spoke out about the College’s response to the pandemic on his personal social media. According to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), "In reference to the College’s...

Standup comedy is under attack, figuratively and literally. In the past few months, Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock were both physically assaulted on stage. And with increasing calls to silence offensive comics, more attacks are likely. But why should you, good citizen, care? Why should you stand up for a bunch of degenerates who just want to tell dirty jokes? It's because offensive comedy has a long history in America of shining light on issues that "good" people would rather just ignore....

Isaac Morehouse is someone I first met over a decade ago, and who I’ve loved following ever since. He is an entrepreneur who has been involved in multiple start-ups, he’s run a taxpayer advocacy group, and he’s the author of numerous books. He is the founder of Praxis, Crash, and Career Hackers, and the co-founder of PartnerHacker—all focused on helping young adults find their true purpose and avoid the dull, soul-sucking treadmill of higher education and corporate America that is the default option for many of us. You might have seen Isaac on TV talking about the death of college, the value of apprenticeships, and how to make yourself marketable to employers. He's inspiring, passionate, energized, and one of my favorite people to talk with. Get Isaac's books: https://www.amazon.com/Isaac-M-Morehouse/e/B00QLR969M Isaac's personal website: https://isaacmorehouse.com/ Follow Isaac on Twitter: https://twitter.com/isaacmorehouse Isaac on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/isaacmorehouse Praxis: https://discoverpraxis.com/ Crash: https://crash.co/ CareerHackers: https://careerhackers.com/ 00:00 Introduction 1:42 Where does the entrepreneurial spirit come from? 8:50 Not letting your spirit get broken by the system 11:00 DC dead-eyes 13:00 Have fun when you can have fun 16:50 Low tolerance for pain as a virtue 23:01 How to succeed being willfully irresponsible 25:40 How can I make the most money by doing the least things I dislike? 33:20 Figuring out what you want through process of elimination 38:00 You don't have to make a leap to get a better career 41:25 What Isaac learned from politics & DC 53:50 Who has done the most to change the NBA? –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone https://www.ericcervone.com/

Aaron Sibarium is associate editor at the Washington Free Beacon. He graduated from Yale University, where he was the opinion editor of the Yale Daily News. Before joining the Free Beacon, he was an editor at The American Interest. Aaron has recently focused his reporting on dystopia of college campuses, including publishing a recent column for Bari Weiss' Common Sense Substack: https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/the-takeover-of-americas-legal-system. In this conversation, we cover the recent controversy at Yale Law School and how the current campus culture is spilling into the real world, threatening some of the most fundamental aspects of the American legal system. Aaron's column at the Washington Free Beacon: https://freebeacon.com/author/aaron-sibarium Follow Aaron on Twitter @aaronsibarium –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com​​​​​​ Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone https://www.ericcervone.com/

Tony Hsieh was one of the most fascinating people in an industry full of fascinating people. As the CEO of Zappos, he created a revolutionary culture that is still studied today. Outside of Zappos, Tony invested hundreds of millions of dollars into creating a unique community in Downtown Las Vegas, based on Tony's vision for world peace. Tony also had severe internal demons; despite attempts from friends like singer Jewel to help Tony, his alcohol and drug abuse fueled a years-long downward spiral that ultimately led to his death at 46 years old. Kirsten Grind is an enterprise reporter for The Wall Street Journal. She has received more than a dozen national awards for her work, including a Pulitzer Prize finalist citation. She is the coauthor of the new book, "Happy at Any Cost: The Revolutionary Vision and Fatal Quest of Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh." Get "Happy at Any Cost": https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Any-Cost-Revolutionary-Vision/dp/1982186984/ Kirsten Grind on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KirstenGrind Kirsten Grind on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirsten.grind –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com​​​​​​ Eric Cervone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcervone Eric Cervone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericcervone https://www.ericcervone.com/

Robert Corn-Revere is an attorney and partner in the Washington, DC office of Davis Wright Tremaine. Bob is one of the country's preeminent First Amendment lawyers, having argued on behalf of Playboy in front of the Supreme Court, defended CBS Television and Viacom in an FCC proceeding resulting from the Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction," and successfully petitioned for a pardon of comedian Lenny Bruce. (If you're interested in hearing more about Bob's illustrious career, check out on conversation on Episode 57.) Bob's new book, "The Mind of the Censor and the Eye of the Beholder: The First Amendment and the Censor's Dilemma," is a masterful look at the mindset of censors and why censors never occupy the moral high ground. The Mind of the Censor and the Eye of the Beholder: https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Censor-Eye-Beholder/dp/1107570379/ –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com​​​​​​ Other ways to support the podcast: https://www.ericcervone.com/support​ Follow Eric on Twitter and Instagram @ericcervone

Dr. Rima Azar is an Associate Professor of health psychology at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada. She was suspended from her position, and banned from campus, following complains about her personal blog. She’s fought back against the suspension. Last June she spoke with Jordan Peterson on his podcast about what she was going through. In this conversation, I talk with Rima about her time growing un in Lebanon during its civil war, what happened to her at Mount Allison, why she chose to fight back, and where she goes next. Rima's blog: https://bambisafkar.ca/ GoFundMe for Rima's legal defense: https://www.gofundme.com/f/t88quc-raising-money-for-legal-fees –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com​​​​​​ Other ways to support the podcast: https://www.ericcervone.com/support​ Follow Eric on Twitter and Instagram @ericcervone

John Hasnas is a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business, and the executive director of the Georgetown Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics. John has written some of my favorite pieces of academic legal writing including The Myth of the Rule of Law, The Obviousness of Anarchy, and recently Ten Questions about Democracy. What makes John’s work unique is that most legal scholarship is dry, and boring—usually, it seeks promote some minor incremental change in a niche area of the law. John’s work forces the reader to think from first principles about the very nature of law and government. It’s what the founders of this country did, and what few serious thinkers do today. John's website: https://sites.google.com/georgetown.edu/john-hasnas/home Georgetown Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics: https://global.georgetown.edu/georgetown_units/georgetown-institute-for-the-study-of-markets-and-ethics –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com Other ways to support the podcast: https://www.ericcervone.com/support Follow Eric on Twitter and Instagram @ericcervone

Michelle Drouin is a professor of psychology at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne. She has served as a forensic consultant, expert witness, and she is an internationally-recognized researcher and speaker. Dr. Drouin focuses her work on issues related to technology, relationships, couples, and sexuality. Dr. Drouin is also the author of the upcoming book Out of Touch: How to Survive an Intimacy Famine, which will be out February 1. The book is a scientific and personal look at how technology and the COVID pandemic are shaping the way we interact with each other at all levels. Pre-order the book: https://www.amazon.com/Out-Touch-Survive-Intimacy-Famine/dp/0262046679 Michelle on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrMDrouin Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.michelledrouin Michelle's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQGjAp4GXU4 –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com​​​​​​ Other ways to support the podcast: https://www.ericcervone.com/support​ Follow Eric on Twitter and Instagram @ericcervone

Dorian Abbot is an associate professor of geophysical science at the University of Chicago. Dorian first made national news when he challenged the university's diversity hiring practices. (To hear that story, check out our conversation on episode 43.) In August, Dorian published a widely discussed op-ed in Newsweek titled “The Diversity Problem on Campus,” which caused MIT to cancel a lecture he was scheduled to give at a prestigious event. Dorian's been all over the media since then to talk about what’s happening to academic freedom on campuses across the country. Dorian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DorianAbbot Dorian's Newsweek article: https://www.newsweek.com/diversity-problem-campus-opinion-1618419 Dorian's Substack article: https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/mit-abandons-its-mission-and-me The University of Austin: https://www.uaustin.org/ New York Times coverage: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/us/dorian-abbot-mit.html –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com​​​​​​ Other ways to support the podcast: https://www.ericcervone.com/support​ Follow Eric on Twitter and Instagram @ericcervone

Ryan MacDonald is an MMA fighter and UFC veteran with a professional record of 11-2. He is also the owner and coach of 6910N1 MMA & Fitness in his hometown of North Platte, Nebraska. Ryan is coming off an impressive finish last week at Art of Scrap 3 against fellow UFC veteran Willie Gates. Ryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainevent_mac Ryan on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/maineventssb 6910N1 MMA & Fitness: https://waysofharmony.wixsite.com/6910n1mma –––– Support the podcast and join the Honest Offense community at https://honestoffense.locals.com​​​​​​ Other ways to support the podcast: https://www.ericcervone.com/support​ Follow Eric on Twitter and Instagram @ericcervone