The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table

The Truth About Iran That Nobody in the West Wants to Hear with Kian Tajbakhsh

Was the MOU a good idea? Noam says yes, the Professor says no. The Table is joined by Kian Tajbakhsh. They discuss his years as a political prisoner in Iran, the psychology of the Iranian regime, why he believes Iran's leaders genuinely seek Israel's destruction and what the West continues to misunderstand about the Middle East. He also weighs in on Trump, the latest U.S.-Iran developments and the future of the region. Kian Tajbakhsh is Visiting Professor of International Relations at NYU and Fellow at Columbia University’s Committee on Global Thought. An Iranian-American scholar of Middle East geopolitics and Iranian politics, he previously worked as a democracy and human rights advocate inside Iran. He spent nearly 13 months in Tehran’s Evin Prison, including 8 months in solitary confinement in a high-security IRGC wing, followed by 6 years under house arrest as a political prisoner, before being released as part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. He is the author of Creating Local Democracy in Iran (Cambridge University Press 2022). His essays have appeared in The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, Project Syndicate, and his analysis has been featured on NBC, CNN, BBC, CBC, and NPR. He writes and comments frequently on Iranian politics, regional geopolitics, and democratic reform; author of The Iran Crisis Notebook on Substack. www.kiantajbakhsh.net kian.substack.com CHAPTERS 02:20 Arrested by Iran & Life in Solitary Confinement 16:20 House Arrest and Release 20:30 October 7 and America's Blind Spot 23:00 Why Iran Wants to Destroy Israel 35:50 Trump, Iran, and the New Middle East Strategy 49:20 Was Trump's Deal a Mistake?

Epstein, Civil Liberties and the New Public Shaming with Ankush Khardori

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Ankush Khardori. They discuss the Epstein files, Kathy Ruemmler, civil liberties, public shaming and whether the release of Epstein-related documents has generated more heat than facts. They also discuss cancel culture, online mobs, Anthony Weiner, anti-Semitism, and the broader consequences of judging people through leaked communications. Ankush Khardori is a legal analyst and former federal prosecutor. He has been the legal affairs columnist for Politico and New York Magazine and has contributed to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, The New York Review of Books, The Atlantic, TIME and many more. Khardori regularly provides legal commentary and analysis on television, radio, and podcasts -- including CNN, MS NOW, the BBC, and NPR. CHAPTERS 04:40 How Ankush Got the Kathy Ruemmler Story08:00 The Epstein Files and Civil Liberties Debate12:00 What the Document Releases Actually Revealed22:30 Kathy Ruemmler, Bill Gates, and Jeffrey Epstein29:00 The Human Cost of Public Accusations42:40 The Cornell Student Anti-Semitism Controversy48:40 Internet Mobs, Cancellation, and Public Shaming

From Gay Rights to Gender Ideology: What Changed?

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Ben Kawaller. They discuss his podcast Strange Bedfellows, the evolution of the LGBT movement, gay marriage, Pride culture, trans politics, free speech, Andrew Sullivan and why some gay activists believe the movement has fundamentally changed. Ben Kawaller is the lead reporter on the Reflector podcast’s three-part miniseries, “Strange Bedfellows,” about the evolution of the LGBT movement. Ben's writing and video reporting have appeared in the Times of London, the New York Post, Racket News, and The Free Press. He’s also written humor for The American Bystander, The Advocate, and Salon, among others. www.benkawaller.com https://x.com/benkawaller CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction & Ben Kawaller 06:13 Why Ben Made Strange Bedfellows 07:17 From Gay Rights to Gender Politics 15:36 How Gay Marriage Changed America 20:19 Has the LGBTQ Movement Reached Its Goal? 26:19 Why Gay and Trans Issues Are Different 35:00 The Matt Walsh Debate 42:30 What Should Kids Be Taught About Gender? 46:04 Closeted Celebrities & Gay Culture 50:17 Judging the Past Through Today's Lens

The Hamas Documents Reveal the Real October 7 Plan

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Professor Daniel Sobelman. They discuss his research into the strategic origins of October 7, the captured Hamas documents recovered during the war, how Israel's deterrence strategy failed and what the future of warfare means for Israel and the region. Sobelman explains why Hamas believed it could fundamentally alter the balance of power, what Israeli leaders misunderstood before October 7 and why the next generation of conflict may be driven by cheap drones, precision weapons, and asymmetric warfare. Daniel Sobelman is a professor of International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in Israel, and a research fellow with the Harvard Kennedy School's Middle East Initiative. His area of expertise is the conflict and deterrence dynamics between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. His current research focuses on the strategic foundations of Hamas's October 7th attack. His recent book is entitled "Axis of Resistance: Asymmetric Conflicts and Rules of the Game in Contemporary Middle East Conflicts." https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1057610X.2026.2613426#abstract CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 01:30 The article that changed the October 7 debate 06:25 How Hamas deterred Israel 15:25 Buying quiet: Qatar money and Hamas leverage 20:10 The captured Hamas documents 22:30 Hamas's plan for a regional war 26:25 How bad October 7 could have been 39:00 The documents discussing Israel's destruction 46:25 Would Hamas ever accept a two-state solution? 53:35 Israel's future after October 7 01:01:05 Can Israel reverse its global isolation?x

Charlie Kirk, Trump and Pro-Israel Conservatives with Daniella Bloom

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Daniella Bloom to discuss her journey from Democrat to conservative, the rise of anti-Israel sentiment, Charlie Kirk, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, free speech, Trump, antisemitism and the future of the conservative movement. Daniella Bloom is a former California Democrat, a psychotherapist, keynote speaker, producer and on-air commentator. She appears regularly on Fox News and is the #1 bestselling author of the Under the Tree series.  www.DaniellaBloom.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 01:14 New York, Israel, and Changing Political Culture 06:44 From California Democrat to Jewish Patriot 11:43 The Rise of Anti-Israel Voices on the Right 23:52 Daniella Bloom's Charlie Kirk Controversy 31:33 Free Speech, Tucker Carlson, and Conservative Media 40:14 The Digital War and Social Media Influence 44:04 Why Daniella Supports Trump 45:50 Iran, Israel, and American Foreign Policy 49:19 The Future of Gen Z and the Conservative Movement