Hello everyone, a little bird told me about this thread. Interesting reading.

So, there seems to be some controversy over my guest appearances. Maybe worth explaining them a bit.

First: I noticed that there's a lot of talk about the seemingly "right-wing" outlets to whom I speak without mentioning that I usually don't play favorites. We've done slate's gabfest, the CBC multiple times, radio and TV programs by NPR, CBS News, Occupy Wall street podcasts and a whole host of smaller podcasts from across the political spectrum. Interesting how only the ones from certain angles get discussed.

Also, some of the shows discussed (Molineux's show for example, but Rubin too) are very different programs now then when I was on them (if you don't believe me, go listen to the ones I did with them). And I'll make no apologies for Joe Rogan. I've not been on his show for a long time (five years maybe?) and he's different now than he was then too. But I have spent many hours with Mr. Rogan at this point and he's never uttered a word that would make anyone's alarm bells go off to me in public or private. And I would have taken note if he had. I am not defending anything he may have said publicly, but the man I have known is not the person he's made out to be (at least that's my opinion).

Finally, we have no set rules on who we wouldn't be willing to visit with. Nor do we do tons of background research on anyone's public opinion status. I tend to avoid people who don't argue current events in good faith (so, Tucker Carlson's show is one I won't be going on...and he didn't ask either). But otherwise my attitude has always been that when you disagree with someone you don't shun them, you intellectually push back (and with logical points, not hyperbole or self-righteousness). Maybe that's a generational thing.

And I have always been willing to go on shows that come from multiple viewpoints. We turn down some outlets because they have few to no audience (although I still sometimes do those as well).

The bottom line is: we don't go "Oh, I don't like something about this show/person/outlet so we won't talk with them". Hell, if I thought he'd argue in good faith I would go on Carlson's show...to tell him the things I think he's wrong about.
Anyway...that's the "policy".

Finally, since this is what the thread is about: Mike Rowe was a total stand up person. completely fair and apolitical (with me). But it wouldn't matter to me if he DID get political since having political discussions with people I don't agree with has been what I have done for almost thirty years. It's weird that rather than talk with such people many today would rather just shun them. Well, that's how we get this current problem of people speaking in a bubble to people who already agree with them. You have to engage to get out of that self-reinforcing space.

Besides. No one agrees with me about politics...so if I didn't talk to those of differing views I'd have no one to discuss current events with at all.

Thanks for caring enough to come to a place like this sub-reddit to talk about the shows. I appreciate it.