Best of Bad Hasbara LIVE in Brooklyn! (October 2025)

Quick Overview

The "Best of Bad Hasbara LIVE in Brooklyn" episode featured hosts Matt and Daniel Mate joined by Brianna Joy Gray and Francesca Furenti to mock recent Israeli political and cultural commentary, notably focusing on Norman Finkelstein's controversial tweets about Van Jones and an Israeli artist's attempt to "reclaim the watermelon" symbol from Palestinian solidarity.

Key Points: The show opened with a deeply sarcastic land acknowledgement recognizing the traditional unseated territory of the "Zionists of Brooklyn," who allegedly practiced "self victimization in the face of immense comfort and privilege." The hosts read several inflammatory tweets allegedly written by Norman Finkelstein about Van Jones, including accusations like, "Why is Van Jones wearing a pimp's blazer when he's so OBVIOUSLY A HIGH PRICE CALL GIRL?" Brianna Joy Gray discussed feeling conflicted about Finkelstein's use of racial slurs, noting he uses them "in the service of making racism like whenever Norm makes a point." Francesca Furenti discussed the media reaction to a ceasefire deal, noting that paid Israeli shills all tweeted the exact same phrase: "The silence from the ceasefire now crowd is deafening." The segment on Kavi Feldman's Times of Israel blog post detailed her attempt to "reclaim the watermelon" from being a Palestinian symbol, replacing it with a lion in her children's alphabet print because the war is called "Rising Lion." The hosts analyzed Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff's appearance at Hostage Square, where Witkoff claimed Netanyahu "sacrificed so much for this country," leading the hosts to mock the praise as flattering the Israeli audience. The analysis concluded that Trump is not a Zionist and does not buy into "Hezbara," while Biden is, suggesting this transactional difference explains why Trump is engaging publicly regarding the conflict.

Context: This transcript captures a live podcast recording of "Bad Hasbara" in Brooklyn, hosted by Matt and Daniel Mate, featuring guests Brianna Joy Gray and Francesca Furenti. The show utilizes dark humor and intense political commentary, often mocking Israeli narratives (Hasbara) and figures on the American left and right regarding the ongoing conflict. The discussion centers on recent events, including controversial social media posts by academic Norman Finkelstein and an attempt by an Israeli artist to counteract the use of the watermelon as a symbol of Palestinian solidarity.