American Friction
Podmasters
Want to understand what's happening in the 2024 US election? Join us on American Friction
- 59 minutes 23 secondsTrump's violent, weird and lie-filled State of the Union
Trump’s State of the Union was not normal. It was longer than ever, more weird and more hate-filled than any before it, and most reports aren’t nailing that. Nikki, Jarv and Chris discuss.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
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Written and presented by Chris Jones, Nikki McCann Ramirez and Jacob Jarvis. Video and audio editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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27 February 2026, 4:19 pm - 36 minutes 35 secondsThe Mafia and America – How made men made the United States
The Mafia’s place in American culture can be seen as a cultural phenomenon. But how did the real mob, who inspired The Sopranos and The Godfather, come to be? And what influence have they had in shaping the United States? Ryan Gingeras, author of The Mafia: A Global History, joins Chris and Jarv to discuss.
Buy The Mafia: A Global History through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund American Friction by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
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Written and presented by Chris Jones and Jacob Jarvis. Video and audio editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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23 February 2026, 4:00 am - 51 minutes 47 secondsDonald Trump destroys American elections forever
Trump is meddling where he can and pushing to make it harder for people to vote. Will Trump ever allow free votes in America under his watch? Nikki, Jarv and Chris discuss in our latest episode.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
Follow us on social media:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social
Written and presented by Chris Jones, Nikki McCann Ramirez and Jacob Jarvis. Video and audio editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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20 February 2026, 2:55 pm - 33 minutes 25 secondsWhy US athletes are turning on Trump – "We're in a pick a side moment"
Trump’s despicable shenanigans have seen more and more US athletes speak out against him. The Winter Olympics have thrown this into sharp focus, and Chris is joined by Jules Boykoff, author of What are the olympics for? and Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics to discuss this backlash and the history of protest at the games.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
Follow us on social media:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social
Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer plus video and audio editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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16 February 2026, 4:00 am - 58 minutes 22 secondsDonald Trump vs. The Culture War
Trump and his MAGA goons are trying to pretend Kid Rock is good. Why are they so set on embarrassing themselves and denying themselves from enjoying proper culture? Nikki, Jarv and Chris discuss the Bad Bunny Superbowl fallout and ask why Trump is losing the culture war.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
Follow us on social media:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social
Written and presented by Chris Jones, Nikki McCann Ramirez and Jacob Jarvis. Producer plus video and audio editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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13 February 2026, 2:52 pm - 37 minutes 13 secondsIs Joe Rogan kind of left wing? – The confusing world of podcast bros
Joe Rogan and the world of bro podcasts was a big deal in the run up to the election. Do they still matter? We unpack the impact and politics of the dude podcast world with Melina Much, a postdoctoral fellow for NYU’s Center for Social Media and Politics and a Siegel Research Fellow for the Siegel Family Endowment.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
Follow us on social media:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social
Written and presented by Chris Jones and Jacob Jarvis. Video and audio editor: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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9 February 2026, 4:00 am - 55 minutes 36 secondsTrump, Epstein and the Clintons: So weird, so confusing
Trump says the Epstein files are actually fine for him but we should all ignore them anyway. Oh, and we should leave Bill Clinton alone! What is going on? Nobody knows, but we’ll try get into it anyway.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
Follow us on social media:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social
Written and presented by Chris Jones, Nikki McCann Ramirez and Jacob Jarvis. Video and audio editor:Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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6 February 2026, 12:41 pm - 38 minutes 52 secondsTrump’s destruction of America – Why Congress isn’t holding him back
Congress technically should be a check on the presidency, and holding back Trump’s worst ages. It isn’t though. Eric Garcia, Washington bureau chief at The Independent, joins Jarv to discuss how Trump has wreaked havoc upon what should be an equal branch of government.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
Follow us on social media:
Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Video and audio editor: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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2 February 2026, 1:00 am - 58 minutes 14 secondsTrump, ICE and murder – Will this ever end?
Trump’s tyrannous ICE crackdown continues unabated despite token changes in personnel. Is anything going to change? Nikki, Chris and Jarv discuss a dark moment in America.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
Follow us on social media:
Written and presented by Chris Jones, Nikki McCann Ramirez and Jacob Jarvis. Video and audio editor: Chris Jones. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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30 January 2026, 3:11 pm - 35 minutes 29 secondsTrump and dirty money – Make America Grift Again!
Donald Trump loves to bend the law and make money. So we’re looking at how he’s been doing both with legal scholar Jennifer Taub, author of Big Dirty Money, who’s a major expert in white collar crime (tracking it, not committing it that is…).
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
Follow us on social media:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social
Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis and Nikki McCann Ramirez. Video and audio editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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26 January 2026, 4:00 am - 57 minutes 22 secondsTrump's wild week – The end of America as we know it?
Well, it’s hard to know how to react to that. What a week, and one it feels like we might never come back from. Nikki and Jarv unpack Trump’s latest wild and weird and ultimately tyrannical actions.
Back us on Patreon – we need your help to keep going. Get ad free episodes, extra bits and merch: https://www.patreon.com/c/americanfriction
We’re now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanFrictionPod
Follow us on social media:
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/americanfric.bsky.social
Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis and Nikki McCann Ramirez. Video and audio editor: Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis Executive producer: Martin Bojtos. Artwork by James Parrett. Music: Orange Factory Music. AMERICAN FRICTION is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk
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23 January 2026, 1:13 pm - More Episodes? Get the App