# Best of Bad Hasbara LIVE in Brooklyn! (October 2025) Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrAcVEpOI4M Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/WrAcVEpOI4M Generated: 2025-11-27T20:00:59.531+00:00 --- ## 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. ## Detailed Analysis The live podcast began with highly satirical commentary, including a land acknowledgement mocking Brooklyn Zionists as a cult practicing self-victimization. The main segment involved reading out loud tweets attributed to Norman Finkelstein attacking Van Jones, which were characterized as brutal and shocking, although co-host Brianna Joy Gray noted Finkelstein often uses such extreme language to make broader points about race and Zionism, recalling a past instance where he used the N-word while arguing against self-congratulatory American Jewish narratives of civil rights involvement. Later, Francesca Furenti discussed the media's response to a ceasefire announcement, pointing out coordinated tweets from pro-Israel accounts claiming the "ceasefire now crowd is deafening." A significant portion of the show was dedicated to dissecting a Times of Israel blog post by Kavi Feldman, who expressed distress that the watermelon emoji had become a symbol of Palestinian resistance because its colors match the flag; Feldman replaced the watermelon with a lion in her Israeli alphabet art, citing the IDF operation name "Rising Lion," arguing that waving a watermelon image to a Jew is a "threat." The hosts concluded by analyzing the public appearances of Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in Israel, contrasting Trump's transactional approach, which they believe lacks belief in "Hezbara," with Biden's perceived Zionist alignment, and noting that figures like Candace Owens are speaking uncomfortable truths about the situation being a "Holocaust." ### Opening Satire - Hosts introduced themselves as the "world's most moral live podcast" - Began with a land acknowledgement mocking Zionists of Brooklyn - Mentioned the guest, Brianna Joy Gray, host of Bad Faith podcast. ### Finkelstein Commentary - Hosts read graphic tweets from Norman Finkelstein targeting Van Jones - Brianna Joy Gray noted Finkelstein previously used the N-word on her show while arguing against American Jewish involvement in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. ### Ceasefire Media Analysis - Francesca Furenti highlighted coordinated tweets from Israeli shills echoing "The silence from the ceasefire now crowd is deafening" - Furenti criticized the Israeli government for delaying a ceasefire that could have happened in November 2023. ### The Watermelon Reclaim Attempt - Kavi Feldman attempted to replace the watermelon symbol with a lion in an Israeli alphabet print - Feldman stated the watermelon represents a "threat" and "globalize the inifada" to Jews, while she wants it to represent a "summer picnic." ### Political Figures on Tour - The panel mocked Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner speaking at Hostage Square - Witkoff praised Netanyahu for avoiding the "barbarism of the enemy" (implying Israel did not replicate it). ### Trump vs. Biden Stance - Hosts argued Trump does not buy into "Hezbara" and is transactional, unlike Biden who "is a Zionist" - They noted that Trump's lack of Zionist belief forces Qatar to buy him out with concessions. ### Guest Francesca Furenti Discussion - Furenti's husband, Matt, is gaining notoriety, causing people to bypass her at shows - The segment included discussion on the hypocrisy of calling the Gaza situation anything other than a "Nakba" despite death counts.