# 184: What About Bobsled, with Moe Tkacik

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAre_4uxSFQ
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/TAre_4uxSFQ
Generated: 2026-02-25T03:00:33.163+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The hosts discuss the disqualification of the Israeli Olympic bobsled team for lying to officials to substitute a Druze teammate, linking the incident to broader themes of Israeli hasbara and PR failures, alongside a detailed investigation into documents found in the Epstein files concerning Mort Zuckerman and Robert Maxwell.

**Key Points:**
- The Israeli four-man bobsled team was disqualified from the Olympics after lying to the Olympic Committee of Israel (OCI) by faking an illness for athlete Yuri Zisman to allow alternate Ward Fawarsa Far Fars, who is Druze, to compete.
- Pilot AJ Edelman confirmed the withdrawal after placing 24th, stating, "circumstances under which we made the substitution did not meet the bar that allows a team to make a change and we withdrew from the final run."
- Host Matt Leeb tweeted that it is "physically impossible for an Israeli to follow international rules," leading Alon Levy to suggest the disqualification was poetic, implying they lied for a 'good reason' (wokeness).
- Investigations editor Moe Tkacik shared findings from the Epstein files indicating Mort Zuckerman was transferring millions to Epstein after an Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2013 to manage trusts, including assets from the New York Daily News.
- A document from James Hat, a British intelligence officer, claimed Robert Maxwell's missing £1.4 billion was hidden with Latvian-Bulgarian mobster Gregory Luchansky, and Ghislaine Maxwell was procuring individuals for Russian generals and Latvian businessmen.
- The hosts also noted that after the bobsled team's failure, Zionist media pivoted to celebrating USA Hockey's gold medal win where Jack Hughes scored, prompting commentary about Mike Huckabee's immediate tweet emphasizing Hughes' Jewish identity.
- The podcast hosts expressed pride in their listeners for duping one of them, 'Fool's' (Hal), twice with an AI-generated satirical pro-Israel song that was later swapped for an overtly genocidal, anti-Israel version.

**Context:** The podcast, Bad Hazbara, hosted by Matt Leeb and Daniel Mate, features an interview segment with Moe Tkacik, investigations editor at the American Prospect. The discussion ranges from current events, specifically the bizarre disqualification of the Israeli Olympic bobsled team, to deep dives into leaked documents, referencing the ongoing fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein case involving figures like Mort Zuckerman and the complex financial dealings surrounding Robert Maxwell's media empire.

## Detailed Analysis

The episode opens with hosts Matt Leeb and Daniel Mate discussing a blizzard in New York and then quickly transitions to promoting their live show in Los Angeles and their Patreon. A major segment involves an update on a listener, 'Fool's,' who was duped twice by an anonymous individual using AI to create a satirical pro-Israel song which was then swapped for an overtly genocidal version, leading the hosts to reflect on credulity and defense mechanisms regarding Israeli narratives. The interview with Moe Tkacik then focuses heavily on rabbit holes explored within the Epstein files, specifically mentioning Mort Zuckerman entrusting millions to Epstein after an Alzheimer's diagnosis, and documents suggesting Robert Maxwell's missing £1.4 billion was hidden with mobster Gregory Luchansky, with Ghislaine Maxwell reportedly laundering money and procuring individuals for powerful figures. Tkacik details how Maxwell's New York Daily News was sold for a dollar, including valuable waterfront land, potentially linked to Epstein's schemes. The conversation then shifts to the Israeli Olympic bobsled team being disqualified for faking an illness to substitute a Druze teammate, which the hosts frame as a PR failure—an attempt to show inclusivity that was sabotaged by internal Israeli bodies or their own inability to follow rules. Finally, the hosts celebrate USA Hockey's gold medal win where Jewish player Jack Hughes scored, noting the immediate reaction from Mike Huckabee to highlight his Jewishness, contrasting this with the earlier bobsled incident.

### Podcast Housekeeping and Listener Anecdotes

- Announcing LA live show tickets
- Producer Adam Leaven shout-out
- Detailed recounting of 'Fool's' being duped twice by swapped AI songs
- Reflection on Israeli credulity and defense mechanisms

### Epstein Files Investigation with Moe Tkacik

- Document review showing Mort Zuckerman transferred millions to Epstein post-Alzheimer's diagnosis
- Report alleging Robert Maxwell's missing £1.4 billion was hidden with Gregory Luchansky
- Ghislaine Maxwell's alleged involvement in procuring individuals for Russian generals and Latvian businessmen

### The Israeli Bobsled Team Disqualification

- Team disqualified for faking illness to substitute Druze alternate Ward Fawarsa Far Fars
- Yuri Zisman admitted lying to the OCI after medical examination
- Hosts mock the failure as typical Israeli hasbara/PR attempt gone wrong

### Sports and Identity Commentary

- Discussion of USA Hockey Gold Medal win where Jewish player Jack Hughes scored
- Critique of Mike Huckabee immediately tweeting about Hughes being Jewish
- Comparison between the bobsled PR failure and the hockey celebration

### Other Musical Selections

- Daniel Mate's spinning list included Cat Power Sings Dylan
- Jennifer Warren's famous blue raincoat: the songs of Leonard Cohen
- Other artists mentioned: Matt for Lashes, PJ Harvey, Mitski, Fiona Apple, Bahamadia, Erykah Badu, Karen Dalton, and Boygenius