The Godless Spellchecker Podcast

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan of sedaa.org (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 1:22 France 5:14 French school ‘row’ over renaissance art and Muslim pupils 18:20 The UK’s diplomatic spat with Greece over Parthenon marbles. 25:10 Stephen speaking at The Battle Of Ideas in Buxton 28:38 The march against antisemitism in London and the arrest of Tommy Robinson 34:00 American college presidents, free speech and antisemitism. 45:36 Italian carbonara row 48.14 Owen Jones reviews October 7 massacre footage 57:16 Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? 59:00 Audience questions Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Sedaa: www.sedaa.org Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) speaks to Author Dr Rakib Ehsan (@rakibEhsan) about his book 'Beyond Grievance: What The Left Gets Wrong About Ethnic Minorities'. Watch the video version at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE9CIlh4AQg 0:00 Intro 0:10 About Rakib Ehsan 1:49 Why talk about ‘race’ given how controversial it is? 3:04 Does it matter what publications you write for? 5:50 Is religious faith really a solution to our problems? 9:35 Freedom of expression at pro-Palestinian protests and the failure of the Metropolitan Police. 14:04 Reflecting on the Brexit referendum. 16:40 The white saviour complex of the progressive left. 19:18 Is it ethical to limit certain types of immigration? 22:18 ‘The traditional family’ argument. 25:22 The outcome of Bianca Williams’s stop and search case. 32:21 The problem with importing American identity politics and grievances to the UK 37:29 Is the gender debate really all that important to the general public and our election cycle? 41:40 Reflecting on the problem of Jeremy Corbyn 45:44 Do ethnic minorities in the UK lean conservative? 48:55 Is patriotism important to a modern Britian? 55:25 ‘White privilege’ and anti-white attitudes. Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) speaks to Author, Journalist and editor of The Jewish Chronicle, Jake Wallis Simons about his book ‘Israelophobia’. Watch the video version at www.youtube.com/gspellchecker 0:00 Intro 0:32 About Jake 2:03 Why the title of ‘Israelophobia’ for Jake’s book? 3:49 Disagreement with David Baddiel 8:18 Israel and the power dynamic 9:40 The left’s problem with Israel and reality 11:40 The problem of Jeremy Corbyn 12:29 Does Keir Starmer understand the problem? 17:08 People who take a position of neutrality on the conflict 19:53 Israel screening footage of Hamas’s atrocities for journalists. 22:04 Islamist and Arab support for Israel from within Israel 28:32 Is Israel an ‘apartheid state’? 34:48 History repeating itself and younger generations 41:36 Is antisemitism a unique form of racism? 45:22 Pro-Palestine marches and freedom of expression 51:46 Are more people openly supporting Israel now? Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@Gspellchecker) welcomes the return of counter-extremist Liam Duffy. Liam has recently released a report chronicling the problem of violence in response to perceived ‘blasphemy’ in the west. They will discuss the high profile cases and the effect this has had on freedom of expression in the West. Watch the video version: www.youtube.com/gspellchecker 0:00 Intro 01:02 Have we failed to make any progress on the issue of Islamic ‘blasphemy’ in the west? 01:14 What is ‘The Counter Extremism Project’? 05:41 How are we defining ‘blasphemy’? 08:27 Sensitivity surrounding Islam’s prophet Muhammad 14:32 The chilling effect on free speech: Is it now just a bad idea to publish cartoons that will inevitably inspire violence? 18:03 Elon Musk and should Muhammad cartoons violate Twitter’s rules? 23:56 Are modern blasphemy controversies in the west almost exclusively Islam related? 28:45 The reaction to the attempted murder of Salman Rushdie in New York 35:09 The silence from the UK Government on the Batley teacher forced into hiding. 38:10 Will we see more isolated attacks rather than largescale ones? 44:11 UK ‘hate speech’ laws as secularized blasphemy codes. Report: Violence Against Perceived Blasphemers In The West – From Khamenei’s Fatwa To The Present: https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/2023-06/Violence%20Against%20Perceived%20Blasphemers%20in%20the%20West_July%202022.pdf Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Support the podcast at http://www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan of sedaa.org (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 2:06 Tommy Robinson’s contempt of court case used as a case study in new Journalism Law textbook. 6:06 Iram meets movie legend Jean Claude Van Damme 10:14 The moral implications of the ‘new’ Beatles song ‘Now and Then’. 14:42 The best Arnold Schwarzenegger impressions you’ll ever hear. 16:52 Elon Musk’s advertiser problems on ‘X’/Twitter. 26:59 The allegations against Russell Brand and his reinvention as a political commentator and ‘guru’. 38:30 Female Newcastle football fan is interviewed by the police and has club membership terminated for tweets about trans people. 32:34 Trans footballer quits women’s team and threatens to sue as rival team refuses to play against them 47:18 Israel/Gaza conflict 01:05:05 Audience Questions: Nigel Farage in I’m A Celeb and daytime drinking. Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Sedaa: www.sedaa.org Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan of sedaa.org (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 0:28 Barbie or Oppenheimer? 3:34 Iram stays overnight in a Welsh mine. 10:04 Kevin Spacey found not guilty in court. 18:49 Nigel Farage being ‘debanked’ by Coutts 35:03 Sadiq Khan’s ‘maaate’ campaign and gender lunacy. 49:05 Keir Starmer causes controversy by saying a woman is an ‘adult human female’. 50:48 Ending membership with Humanists UK 55:20 Audience Question: Test Cricket in Manchester 56:30 Audience Question: Fight or leave in the face of institutional capture? 59:22 Audience Question: More on ‘maate’. 59:43 Tobias Ellwood’s comments on Afghanistan Iram’s Welsh mine article: https://www.mailplus.co.uk/edition/features/292700/now-thats-what-you-call-a-deep-sleep Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Sedaa: www.sedaa.org Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@Gspellchecker) welcomes author Matt Johnson. They will be discussing Matt’s new book ‘How Hitchens Can Save the Left: Rediscovering Fearless Liberalism in an Age of Counter-Enlightenment’. Video Version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6a4Ccp9zhQ 0:00 Intro 0:29 Why focus on Christopher Hitchens to make the points in your book? 2:59 Why does ‘the left’ need saving? 5:55 Leaving the left for the right and Dave Rubin. 09:36 What is meant by ‘the counter-enlightenment’? 11:30 Trump and the right’s hypocrisy on free speech 14:10 Richard Seymour’s terrible book on Christopher Hitchens (‘Unhitched’) 18:36 How much did ‘The Rushdie Affair’ impact the life of Christopher Hitchens? 22:04 Has freedom of speech improved where Islam is concerned since the death of Christopher Hitchens? 25:20 Would it help for people to simply admit they are scared to criticise Islam for safety reasons? 28:57 Stephen Knight’s debate with Chris Hedges about Islam 30:28 What explains the Putin apologism from the American right? 33:34 Christopher Hitchens’s support for the invasion of Iraq 40:12 What did Christopher Hitchens think about identity politics? 45:18 What is ‘fearless liberalism’? How can it be applied? 49:16 The legacy of Jeremy Corbyn 56:34 Disappointment with Hitchens’s dislike of Sci-fi and preference for limericks over puns. 01:00:14 Sensationalist Youtube Thumbnails Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Buy Matt Johnson’s Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hitchens-Save-Left-Rediscovering-Counter-Enlightenment/dp/1634312341 Support the podcast at http://www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan of sedaa.org (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 1:25 Golliwog controversy pub closes down 4:21 Iram investigates Brazilian Jiujitsu with Roger Gracie 15:17 Andrew Bridgen spreading vaccine falsehoods 28:04 The unlawful tactics of ‘Just Stop Oil’ protests 35:10 Anti-Monarchy protests and police overreach 47:46 Sarah Comrie: The pregnant NYC nurse dubbed ‘racist Karen’ in bike altercation. 1:00:28 Audience Question: Is Artificial Intelligence an existential risk? 1:05:11 Audience Question: What explains the people that support Putin? 1:09:16 Audience Question: Guardians of The Galaxy volume III 1:10:12 Audience Question: Oxford students needing mental health protection from Kathleen Stock Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Iram tries BJJ: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12100889/IRAM-RAMZAN-tries-hand-Britains-fastest-growing-sport-Brazilian-jiu-jitsu.html Sedaa: www.sedaa.org Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan of sedaa.org (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 0:44 The Dalai Lama asking a child to “suck my tongue”. 6:17 Stephen Knight reporting from Kellie-Jay Keen event in London 10:16 The Nashville school shooting in the USA. 18:11 Police seize ‘Golliwog’ dolls from a UK pub after complaints. 30:53 Kier Starmer Vs Rishi Sunak on women with penises. 35:21 The backlash to Dylan Mulvaney’s Nike and Bud light endorsements. 45:17 Elon Musk V Substack 51:33 Megan Markle not attending the Coronation of King Charles Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Sedaa: www.sedaa.org Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan of sedaa.org (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 0:21 Ramadan 5:10 Shamima Begum loses citizenship appeal and her BBC podcast 14:59 Kellie-Jay Keen (Posie Parker) mobbed in New Zealand 30:13 World Athletics say trans athletes must compete in their correct sex category 40:27 Roald Dahl books changed by publisher to make them more progressive. 54:06 The Wakefield school Quran blasphemy controversy. 01:03:16 Audience Question: Do mobs that shutdown gender critical events actually help to grow support for the gender critical side? 01:06:36 Audience Question: What is going on with Eddie Izzard? Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Sedaa: www.sedaa.org Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@Gspellchecker) welcomes the return of Michael Shermer. Michael Shermer is an author and founding publisher of Skeptic magazine. They will be talking about Michael’s new book titled ‘Conspiracy: Why The Rational Believe The Irrational’. 0:00 Intro 0:46 Is it possible for a ‘rational’ person to believe in conspiracy theories? 3:57 Why did you write this book? Was it inspired by the recent conspiracies surrounding ‘stolen elections’ and COVID? 8:37 Why do people believe conspiracies? The tribal, political and emotional reasons. 14:43 Are conspiracy theories becoming more sinister and dangerous? Has there been an escalation? 17:59 Is it worth pushing back against conspiracy theories? Is the best tactic to just ignore them? Why didn’t you push back against Brett Weinstein and Heather Heying? 30:25 If something worse than COVID comes along, will we be able to convince the public to lockdown again? 31:31 Are the COVID anti-vax arguments any different than the ones we have heard for previous vaccines? 35:42 Is it a waste of time to debunk conspiracy theories? 39:28 Peddlers of anti-vax nonsense achieving huge popularity and success 44:41 Should Alex Jones’s conspiracy theories about Sandy Hook have been protected under the First Amendment? 48:09 Is Trump legally culpable for the Capitol riots? 49:26 Does Michael know that Bill Murray’s character in Ghost Busters (2016) is based on him according to Dan Aykroyd? 51:21 Haunted locations and exposing ‘Paranormal Investigators’. Support the podcast at http://www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan of sedaa.org (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 1:52 The dangerous ‘grooming gang’ hoax in Cumbria, UK 13:13 The spread of anti-vax misinformation. 14:59 Professor in Minnesota fired for showing painting of Muhammad in art history class. 26:43 The gender recognition act in Scotland and the mystery of ‘non-binary’. 45:17 The rise and arrest of Andrew Tate 51:26 Masculinity, societal shift and male role models. 57:21 Prince Harry’s book revelations and the response to them. 1:05:06 Top Gun review and fatal attraction. Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Sedaa: www.sedaa.org Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan of sedaa.org (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 0:39 The death of The Queen, the impact of monarchy and national identity 11:17 Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover 27:43 The current civil unrest in Iran 36:03 The attempted terror attack on a migrant centre in Dover, UK 46:19 The Stop Oil protests and disruption in the UK—Climate activism 52:16 Audience Questions: Leicester riots and the war in Ukraine Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@Gspellchecker) is joined by comedy writer and activist Graham Linehan. Graham had a very successful career in comedy writing (Father Ted, The IT Crowd) until he vocally opposed gender ideology. They discuss the destruction of his career by activists, gender ideology and his journey from pro-cancellation to the ‘cancelled’. Watch the video version here: www.youtube.com/gspellchecker 0:00 Intro 0:23 How much has Graham’s worldview changed in the last few years? 4:11 What would Graham do if he got his Twitter account back? 5:13 How does he feel about what happened with Mark Meechan/Count Dankula now? 9:07 Why get involved in the trans/gender debate? 16:34 Is it fair to label Graham “anti-transgender”? 21:47 When did Graham realise his career as a comedy writer was in big trouble? 24:18 How can we expect people to speak up when the personal and professional consequences are so huge? 29:05 Why was Graham so critical of comedian Stewart Lee? 37:04 Unisex spaces and safeguarding 40:43 Will those responsible for supporting this harmful ideology be held to account? And the misrepresentation of trans murder stats 44:47 How far has gender ideology spread? 47:47 The controversy over the Canadian teacher with the huge prosthetic breasts… 51:51 Punching down? 54:19 Visits from the police Support the podcast at http://www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@Gspellchecker) is joined by author and comedian Andrew Doyle (@AndrewDoyle_com). Andrew discusses his latest books ‘The New Puritans: How the Religion of Social Justice Captured The Western World’. Andrew makes a strong case for treating the new ideology of social justice the same way we would any faith-based religion. 0:00 Intro 0:26 Andrew working for GB News 3:29 ‘The New Puritans’. What is this ideology? How can it be a religion without a god? 7:18 Titania McGrath and the challenge of satire in the current climate 11:42 Has Twitter spilled over into the real world? 15:39 The Salem witch trials hysteria 20:35 Jerry Sadowitz’s show being cancelled at Edinburgh fringe and the decline of mainstream comedy 30:14 Is everyone now being forced to engage in “the culture war”? 32:25 Does the issue of class and economic inequality get overlooked by ‘the new puritans’? 36:25 Does Andrew feel he has been let down by gay rights movements in the current day? And how much harm has gender ideology caused children? 41:55 The treatment and misrepresentation of JK Rowling Watch the video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP2wOf3SUkw&t=255s Support the podcast at http://www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@Gspellchecker) is joined by screenwriter and renowned author Chris Matheson. Chris Matheson is one of the screenwriters for the popular Bill & Ted movies and the author of several books of comedy fiction. Chris’s late father is Richard Matheson, author of iconic books such as ‘I Am Legend’. In Chris’s latest book, ‘Conversations with the Father’, he explores his relationship with his father, and how they became estranged due to their differences on spirituality and new age beliefs. 0:00 Intro 0:29 Thoughts on Bill & Ted Face The Music 5:19 Why pivot from fiction to writing about your personal relationship with your father? 10:36 Who was the author Richard Matheson? 13:51 Does everyone have unresolved issues with their parents that they need to work through after they have died? 15:59 Were you worried about the possibility of tainting the public perception of Richard Matheson? 17:33 Is it an odd upbringing having a famous father? 18:48 Disdain for Psychics 23:22 Is comedy a coping mechanism? 31:51 What are “new age beliefs”? Why do they annoy you so much? 36:28 Is it harder to find meaning as a non-believer? 43:00 Is there a sense that your father was stolen from you by new age ideology? 46:13 Do you regret arguing with your father about these issues? Would you have done it differently if you could go back? 51:30 The fictional, second half of his book. Support the podcast at http://www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify. Buy ‘Conversations with the Father’ on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AqGW6k

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@Gspellchecker) is joined by Journalist and evolutionary biologist Colin Wright (@SwipeWright). Colin has spent a significant amount of his time debunking a lot of the anti-scientific claims made in service of gender ideology. On this episode a number of those claims are covered in detail. Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nIT9hmtwQ3I 0:00 Intro 0:21 2:18 What is ‘male’ and ‘female’? What can science objectively tell us about the distinction between the two? 5:11 What is ‘intersex’? Is it relevant to the current debates about gender? 8:15 Is an intersex condition really as common in the general population as red hair? 11:27 Why get involved in this issue? How does it affect you at all? 15:24 Has academia been completely captured by gender ideology? 16:54 The current state of ‘new atheism’ and atheist organisations 21:16 The accusation that open debate on gender ideology will lead to trans suicides. 25:13 Puberty Blockers: What do they do? How are they used? Are there permanent effects? 29:42 Is any progress being made in the States on this issue compared to the UK? 32:17 The effects of gender ideology on free speech in the UK. 36:18 Gender v Sex. 39:40 In what ways do men have biological advantages of women in sports? 44:24 What role does testosterone play in sex differences? 46:11 Attempts to control the language: ‘sex assigned at birth’? 49:31 How credible is the claim about ‘social contagion’? Support the podcast at http://www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify. SEGM: https://segm.org/ Reality’s Last Stand Website: https://www.realityslaststand.com/

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) and Iram Ramzan of sedaa.org (@Iram_Ramzan) discuss all the big topics. 0:00 Intro 0:29 Iram’s trip to Pakistan 4:14 The attempted assassination of Salman Rushdie in New York 19:49 Comedian Jerry Sadowitz has is show cancelled by the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 27:52 Movie studio Paramount says they will not censor or edit ‘problematic’ content from the past. 31:30 Movie Review—Top Gun: Maverick 36:31 Muslim woman loses discrimination claims over being referred to as a “guinea pig”. 44:17 Retailer Marks and Spencer affirm commitment to ‘inclusive’ changing rooms policy. 55:25 Megan Markle and her amazing new podcast and celebs using social media. Stephen Knight’s Substack: www.sknight.substack.com Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@Gspellchecker) is joined by writer and renowned feminist campaigner, Julie Bindel. Julie will be discussing the issues covered in her new book ‘Feminism for Women: The Real Route to Liberation’. 0:00 Intro 0:39 About Julie 1:38 Liberal Feminism Vs Radical Feminism 5:54 What is ‘The Patriarchy’? Where can we see it in action? 8:09 Why is feminism so unpopular with women according to polls? Third Wave Feminism and choosing religion over feminism. 15:42 Can a man be a feminist? Should we be suspicious of ‘male feminists’? Owen Jones and Matt Walsh 16:43 Porn, prostitution and ‘sex work’. Is this really a form of female liberation? 26:59 Is the prominence of OnlyFans good for women? 33:16 Has the women’s rights discussion been hijacked by trans issues? Can you be “trapped in the wrong body”? 39:18 The framing of gender critical feminists as “fascists”. 46:32 Social contagion and the erasure of gay people. 50:43 The accusation that discussion on this issue will cause death and harm. You can buy ‘Feminism for Women: The Real Route to Liberation’ here: https://amzn.to/3w2uvex Support the podcast at http://www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.

This week on The Knight Tube, Stephen Knight (@Gspellchecker) is joined by Dr. Lyell Asher. Dr. Asher is an American English teacher and has become increasingly concerned about the stifling of free expression on American campuses and the spread of illiberal ideologies. He’s recently fronted a documentary titled ‘Why colleges are becoming cults’ which can be found on YouTube. You can watch the video version of this interview on YouTube: www.youtube.com/gspellchecker Watch ‘Why colleges are becoming cults’ on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAqDwn_Q-QQ 0:00 Intro 0:18 About Dr Lyell Asher 2:13 Why take the risk of speaking up publicly? 5:28 Which incidents inspired action? 08:37 The ‘N-word’ and a focus on ‘impact’ over ‘intention’. 15:31 How are you defining ‘woke’? 19:53 Why is progress not being acknowledged? Why is there a new obsession with race? 25:56 Why are students imposing speech codes and illiberal ideology on themselves? 30:49 How do we know we aren’t just grumpy old men that need to get with it? 36:31 Do you use social media? 38:16 Authoritarian tactics and redefining words as violence. 42:03 Have the right taken ownership of defending free speech? 46:32 American speech rights compared to UK ‘hate speech’ laws. 52:19 The importance of which method of reading is taught in schools. Support the podcast at http://www.patreon.com/gspellchecker Also available on iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube & Spotify.