00:00:00.11
Talal K
couple of talking points i'm sure we've got lots to talk about how's your energy okay

00:00:01.52
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:00:04.84
alexei sayle
Yeah, not too bad. Yeah Yeah.

00:00:06.98
Talal K
Okay. we were like half asleep last week let's let's have some energy if we can.

00:00:09.97
alexei sayle
yeah

00:00:14.25
alexei sayle
I said, I mean, people. Seem to enjoy it.

00:00:17.21
Talal K
It's not too big a problem. ah Okay.

00:00:21.77
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:00:21.76
Talal K
It's episode 140.

00:00:24.45
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:00:24.72
Talal K
I don't know why everything Sounds really quiet.

00:00:30.77
Talal K
Okay. Um, Yeah, whenever you're ready, habibi.

00:00:37.04
alexei sayle
All right

00:00:40.66
alexei sayle
Um... Hi everybody, welcome to episode 140 of the Alexis L podcast. As I said, we sounded a bit half asleep last week, so I've got to be full of energy this week.

00:00:47.53
Talal K
oh

00:00:49.46
alexei sayle
you Hey, wow, look at that thing over there that's doing that thing. What about that local sports team that's doing really well or really badly or...

00:00:55.30
Talal K
Fuck's sake. stak

00:01:00.06
alexei sayle
Whatever.

00:01:00.80
Talal K
I take it all back.

00:01:01.17
alexei sayle
Uh, ah Yeah, no, no. High energy. It's got to be high energy.

00:01:06.88
Talal K
Yibby dibby indeed.

00:01:06.83
alexei sayle
Um, Yibby yibby yibby. Ha ha. ah ah Is that your phone ringing?

00:01:11.94
Talal K
ah For fuck's sake. Fuck's sake.

00:01:14.30
alexei sayle
Don't people know?

00:01:25.41
Talal K
oh

00:01:29.12
Talal K
it's not even for me

00:01:31.10
alexei sayle
Good.

00:01:33.32
Talal K
It's the delivery. They just. bring everybody buzzer

00:01:35.71
alexei sayle
Oh, I know they do that, yeah.

00:01:39.42
Talal K
Yibby dibby indeed.

00:01:39.50
alexei sayle
Um. Yibby dibby dibby dibby. Yeah, high energy. Let's do this.

00:01:44.63
Talal K
We're recording on Friday on purpose because yesterday what happened Alexi?

00:01:45.43
alexei sayle
swo Yeah. Yesterday was the Holborn and St. Pancras by-election.

00:01:53.42
Talal K
Awful.

00:01:53.59
alexei sayle
for the seat vacated by the

00:01:55.36
Talal K
It is my doorbell. Sorry.

00:01:56.69
alexei sayle
Alright.

00:01:57.27
Talal K
Fuck me.

00:02:23.71
Talal K
It's the Cat shit clean up. Okay, sorry man. What happened yesterday?

00:02:28.92
alexei sayle
Yes, there was the Hobart and St Pancras by-election, which was... caused by the seat being vacated by the vile racer. Slog.

00:02:40.34
alexei sayle
Sick kiss, dumbass. And... One. Bye. Close. Acolytes of his Seagal Abbey. Seagull.

00:02:51.85
alexei sayle
Abdiwali. Uh, the leader of Camden Council. is is part of that. via right-wing. Coalition.

00:02:59.65
Talal K
m

00:03:01.05
alexei sayle
in ah in this world, in Holborn and St Pancras. And their leader, Zach Polanski, came. Second, although there was a Much.

00:03:12.93
alexei sayle
obfuscated by the um The media, I mean, the the Green Party vote stood up and there was a 13 % swing. to The Greens are very low turnout, so people were.

00:03:26.26
alexei sayle
I mean. you know. 38. 38 % of the electorate, I think, voted. and

00:03:33.77
Talal K
oof

00:03:34.24
alexei sayle
The Labour candidate got 40 % of that, so it's not exactly a ringing endorsement. Nevertheless, is this is the way we do things in this country. I mean, I spoke to him.

00:03:46.36
alexei sayle
A friend. a Green Party supporter this morning who was not... you know His mood was dark really. it I mean, I don't know.

00:03:57.62
alexei sayle
Um... you know, with this. Zach. Polanski's decision to stand was a Good idea or not really. I mean, it certainly allowed the media to do lots of Good.

00:04:08.25
alexei sayle
but his his position is now under the threat particularly as course Of course, at the weekend, there was also the Mentos. Green Party vote. Equating Zionism with racism.

00:04:19.48
alexei sayle
which just seems to be stating the obvious as far as I'm concerned.

00:04:22.96
Talal K
a

00:04:23.54
alexei sayle
Um, You know, it it's created a bit of ah a kind of media firestorm, which, you know.

00:04:28.53
Talal K
Do you think that was...

00:04:29.61
alexei sayle
deal with.

00:04:30.90
Talal K
Despite... you know, whether we believe it's true. Do you think it was a good move for the Green Party to...

00:04:34.69
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:04:37.41
Talal K
to bring that motion in

00:04:39.55
alexei sayle
yes absolutely no i do i think it moves the conversation i mean there's obviously tremendous

00:04:39.77
Talal K
What were your thoughts? Why is that?

00:04:45.06
alexei sayle
pushback from you know all labour friends of genocide and uk lawyers for genocide and the campaign for for genocide. um Uh... you know the campaign against anti-genocide Heh heh.

00:05:03.99
alexei sayle
um you know all the usual i i think that that accusation of anti-zionism being ah racist anti-semitism is that's not washing anymore really or washing less than it used to though the the media still and then friends of genocide still trying Play that card.

00:05:24.34
alexei sayle
But I think it you know it gets that idea ah out in the open, I think, that Zionism zionism is... in and of itself a racist. ideology I mean, it has to be.

00:05:34.71
Talal K
even though Even though it might be kind of... Bad for the party?

00:05:40.05
alexei sayle
Well, I don't know that it has. I mean, we'll see, really. I mean... will will I don't know if it has been. both I mean, it's certainly. I mean, I'm not a member of the Greens, and I suppose if you'd been...

00:05:51.51
alexei sayle
you know isnt Lib Dems on bicycles. you know as though was was which was what they were. And if you were happy with that, if you were Caroline, you know, were there.

00:06:02.07
alexei sayle
for their five MPs, Caroline Lucas.

00:06:04.84
Talal K
Yeah.

00:06:04.93
alexei sayle
who behaved disgracefully and joined the Jeremy Corbyn era, I think. If you were happy with that, just chugging along. With that role, comfortable with that role.

00:06:12.07
Talal K
comfortably.

00:06:16.31
alexei sayle
then, you know. you are going to be this influx of... knew more left-wing members attracted by Zach Polanski's Eco-Socialism.

00:06:28.11
alexei sayle
You know, you are going to be just there if there's any, you know, any... Cozy Club is when... new members flood in and and change its nature then. And, you know, there's going to be a...

00:06:39.43
alexei sayle
I guess there's going to be a conflict between those people, really. um

00:06:44.02
Talal K
It gives the greens some... Backbone really, doesn't it? And makes them...

00:06:48.62
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:06:49.24
Talal K
less apologetic than just fucking standing for something.

00:06:51.83
alexei sayle
Yeah. Yeah.

00:06:53.78
Talal K
Uh...

00:06:53.73
alexei sayle
i mean I mean, yeah, I mean, Zach Polanski's very... um Yeah, he says he wouldn't have supposed to, but he just he does. Leaf. speak out you know he did he then allied you know Zionism with racism even if he said he wouldn't.

00:07:09.11
alexei sayle
So support the motion really. So yeah, I think it, and it gets, it really gets that concept out there, you know, as a, as a, as a conversation, you know, in a way that.

00:07:17.85
Talal K
Yeah.

00:07:18.48
alexei sayle
You know, it's not just about a homeland, a safe place for Jewish people. It's about... creating an ethno-fascist. colonial state where The rights of others are...

00:07:32.51
alexei sayle
Suppressed now, we're actually just reading an article. I think in Al Jazeera about... one of the leaders of that one of the Haredi communities. And this is not me saying this, but one of the leaders... the ultra-Orthodox communities in Israel and he said, you know it would have been better if...

00:07:54.82
alexei sayle
for Jews if Israel had never existed. And, you know, one of the reasons that they trot out for the Creative Israel is also that... Jewish communities. to We're under threat.

00:08:08.32
alexei sayle
And, you know. and which is I think untrue in the Middle East. um and but so this is you know what a leader of the u an ultra orthodox leader in with a lot of supporters.

00:08:22.65
alexei sayle
Um, saying it would have been better if... israel had four Jews of Israel had never... existed and I Bye. I sincerely believe that myself.

00:08:32.96
Talal K
Yeah, regarding...

00:08:32.98
alexei sayle
So anyway, yeah.

00:08:35.68
Talal K
Regarding Zionism is racism. I agree with you completely. I have like, you know. friends of mine who are thinking it was a terrible idea because of you know the inevitable discourse that it led to, but...

00:08:47.83
Talal K
like you said like at least we're hearing that phrase on

00:08:50.98
alexei sayle
Mhm.

00:08:51.61
Talal K
the mainstream media, zionism is Zionism is racism, no matter how it's framed.

00:08:54.70
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:08:56.33
Talal K
That phrase is now in the forefront. of the conversation and yeah it should be and i just want to know i was really happy to see

00:09:01.22
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:09:04.30
Talal K
Owen Jones say something that has been on my mind That is like should be a big part of the conversation regarding Israel I don't know where he was on. um it was jeremy vine or pierce morgan or something but he was saying about how The thing that is the obvious truth of it all, which is the ironic truth, is that Palestinians are the ones who are genetically connected to the Jews who used to live there.

00:09:28.49
alexei sayle
Yes.

00:09:29.90
Talal K
And everyone talks about how.

00:09:30.29
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:09:32.06
Talal K
It's a Jewish homeland and it's we're returning to our homeland. The Palestinians are the ones who are actually the family of the people who were the original Jews there. They converted to Christianity.

00:09:40.63
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:09:41.98
Talal K
They converted to Islam. And that's who's left there.

00:09:44.61
alexei sayle
Yes.

00:09:46.54
Talal K
A lot of these white Jewish... people

00:09:48.61
alexei sayle
yeah netanyahu's got from fucking philadelphia he's got you know from then From Eastern Europe, he's got no it's got no genetic connection. And and i I think I'm right in saying that. Um,

00:10:00.85
alexei sayle
DNA testing is illegal in...

00:10:02.84
Talal K
Yes.

00:10:03.49
alexei sayle
Israel and that's for a very good reason because it would show that The vast majority of the population have no... Um, they You know, have no. a genetic connection with israel with the land of Israel at all.

00:10:16.58
alexei sayle
The... The...

00:10:17.20
Talal K
and all the Palestinians would

00:10:18.96
alexei sayle
Yeah, they're Slavs who converted to Judaism in the... Dark Ages is mine.

00:10:24.52
Talal K
And.

00:10:24.31
alexei sayle
understanding.

00:10:25.10
Talal K
Why is that not more common knowledge?

00:10:27.37
alexei sayle
Yeah, well, because our press is... Full of lies. as i said on krishnan gura matthews how to change the world podcast which has now got over 200

00:10:34.37
Talal K
Hmm.

00:10:38.10
alexei sayle
thousand two hundred Yeah. 200 is it 200 000 votes on their views on Yeah. On the... on the YouTube.

00:10:49.29
alexei sayle
$200 ,000.

00:10:50.69
Talal K
You want me to find out?

00:10:52.25
alexei sayle
Yeah. uh so anyway but i i mean so i think that that i mean that there has to be a There has to be a sorting out of of the... the relationship between the new members of the Greens and the older established members of the green as well so i mean that green so i think that

00:11:09.60
Talal K
my first act.

00:11:12.14
alexei sayle
That battle is... you know that that um Whatever you want to call it, that conflict or struggle or... Resolution has to be... yeah has Yeah, so better now than...

00:11:25.76
alexei sayle
never really and it you know has to you know

00:11:26.12
Talal K
Hmph. Hmm.

00:11:28.44
alexei sayle
i don't know The nature of the greens has changed because of Zach Belanski and Ian Fluxer. left-wing people and that has to be the nature of the party has to be sorted out whether you know how that is that i don't know i'm not in the green So.

00:11:45.38
alexei sayle
What his decision to stand, I don't know.

00:11:45.39
Talal K
Yes.

00:11:47.48
alexei sayle
I mean, it's... Again, I was reading an article in The Guardian. It says he can be you can be in some ways reasonably pleased because... that the left vote held up in and in so...

00:12:04.69
alexei sayle
ah He certainly took a risk. I don't know whether... Again, we will see in the long term whether that risk was worth it, really.

00:12:12.21
Talal K
Oh god, do you think he's gonna? Is he? gonna stay as leader do you think he says he will but

00:12:18.18
alexei sayle
I think so. I mean, he has the support of the membership and the the the Greens seem more democratic as an organisation than like the Labour Party ever was. so I don't know that he will face internal challenges or you know the sabotage of his...

00:12:34.45
alexei sayle
the sabotage of his kind of paid employees which is what jeremy faced you know i mean it's very you know

00:12:37.85
Talal K
Yeah.

00:12:41.06
Talal K
Well yeah, and he's responsible for a huge influx of members, isn't he?

00:12:44.44
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:12:47.37
Talal K
yeah a bit of a bit of a slap on the arse isn't it and now we've got

00:12:47.68
alexei sayle
So.

00:12:50.23
alexei sayle
Yeah. i mean i think yeah

00:12:52.81
Talal K
Steven Seagal, Abdiwali. um i don't I don't want to look at her in the same...

00:12:55.46
alexei sayle
but

00:12:59.14
Talal K
you know, cause you know, I'm looking at. you know and obviously a strong muslim woman with a career and you know i want to root for her in in a way, in that kind of aspect, you know, in representationally speaking.

00:13:10.46
alexei sayle
Yeah. as She's awful.

00:13:14.01
Talal K
well yeah i i i don't so i was gonna ask you so does linda have experience her with her being part of the

00:13:19.27
alexei sayle
She doesn't really, to be honest, because I think i mean she i think she's just aware of her as being one of that. right wing bloc i know she's very good friends with this Another councillor called Izzy Lenger, who is a leading member of the Jewish Labour movement.

00:13:33.88
alexei sayle
fanatically pro-Zionist. pro-racism, pro-genocide. Um, you're one of those people who took part in that hateful panorama.

00:13:39.85
Talal K
Hmm.

00:13:43.53
alexei sayle
documentary. Um, And so I've got no time for it. so She's also been... Hopeless, I think, with as leader. She covered the housing brief. and um I think the statistics are... something that Camden during her time as Housing Minister as it were had Camden built 610 council houses but demolished 500 council houses.

00:14:10.64
alexei sayle
It's built like a hundred council houses. um you know, during her tenure. And they they constantly... defer to developers. I think that they're very much. camden label council of labour parties very much in the pocket of

00:14:25.01
Talal K
well

00:14:25.09
alexei sayle
of developers.

00:14:26.05
Talal K
I hope she's not as bad as like the pretty Patel or Soella. Brothermen. in terms of self-hating uh minorities you know.

00:14:33.95
alexei sayle
her Yeah. Well, that's a debate and that's a kind of circle that you can never or circle that you can never square, in a sense, is it?

00:14:45.82
alexei sayle
is, you know... a I mean somebody from a... I don't know what the correct term is, minority ethnic background. Whether somebody who's clearly... Hateful in every way, like Sweller Braverman or Priti Patel.

00:15:00.06
alexei sayle
or whether somebody who hides their hatefulness in a sense by You know the you know the Labour Party's Roll a zive. always maintained was you know is to siphon off is to siphon off the socialist inclinations of the British working class and you know to deliver them to you know, slightly less vindictive.

00:15:24.63
alexei sayle
kind of monopoly capitalism it's you know so i mean is that is that better or worse so you know driver a

00:15:26.91
Talal K
Hmm.

00:15:31.68
alexei sayle
a person from you know an ex-refugee but during the in a way. You know pretending to be left, but in fact As Chairman Mao said waving the red flag to defeat the red flag.

00:15:46.04
alexei sayle
Um, You know, it really is, the you know, really is. is there to destroy. is to take people's left-wing...

00:15:57.18
alexei sayle
inclinations and to really siphon them off into corruption and authoritarianism or is it you know somebody like Shweta Bravman is really...

00:16:09.07
alexei sayle
Just... Claire on her awfulness. who's Who's better? I don't know. Ring in now with your answers. ah Somebody asked me, I was...

00:16:18.22
Talal K
Call in.

00:16:18.72
alexei sayle
um Um... Doing a... I did ah an event at Nottingham Playhouse, sold out event at Nottingham Playhouse. Um, Uh, Two nights ago.

00:16:30.79
Talal K
Yep, that was on Wednesday.

00:16:32.31
alexei sayle
Wednesday. Somebody had one of the questions was... Who's the biggest cunt in politics? And i saw this out I didn't really... I mean, it's such a wide choice, really. but um I did say Suella Braveman. anyway She's got the strangest neck.

00:16:50.35
alexei sayle
Looks like a tag key. and but But I mean, Priscilla Vitale is also a hateful, you know. This is... Labour's shitbag, what's his name, Luke A. Kirst. I mean, you know where do you start, though, really? i mean Everybody, everybody. More or less.

00:17:05.88
alexei sayle
jointly qualifies as the biggest cunt in politics. um Who did they... They thought Hamza Yousaf. when I talk to them later. Who's the reformed one? the reform one Is that Hamza Yousaf?

00:17:21.36
alexei sayle
No, I'm... I'm criticizing you're wrong. See you, Yusuf. Dear Yusuf, I think.

00:17:30.14
Talal K
Hamza Yusuf is the ex-SMP? No.

00:17:32.87
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:17:33.70
Talal K
Yeah.

00:17:33.98
alexei sayle
um I don't think I've got anything against him

00:17:40.54
Talal K
It's i Zia Youssef.

00:17:42.29
alexei sayle
Zia Yusuf, sorry. Got me use of mixed...

00:17:45.21
Talal K
Muhammad. His first name is actually Muhammad.

00:17:47.05
alexei sayle
Yeah. Alright. Yeah.

00:17:50.14
Talal K
Hmm.

00:17:50.38
alexei sayle
He's pretty oval.

00:17:51.08
Talal K
Yeah. Yeah, he is

00:17:55.51
alexei sayle
Uh...

00:17:55.42
Talal K
He looks a bit like ah like a... Blobfish.

00:17:59.91
alexei sayle
Met a nice spot but nice young man on the platform who listens to the podcast and I was going round the station.

00:18:00.02
Talal K
Um...

00:18:05.34
alexei sayle
And the massive nice young man outside the pub last night also listens to the podcast.

00:18:09.12
Talal K
Yeah.

00:18:11.28
alexei sayle
So, just check there.

00:18:11.81
Talal K
Who did I meet?

00:18:12.80
alexei sayle
just how Joe, I think he said he was.

00:18:13.86
Talal K
I went to play bowls. Good old English pastime, bowls, yeah?

00:18:17.99
alexei sayle
Yes.

00:18:19.17
Talal K
Again, I didn't see many flag waving reform. Voters there taking part in a traditional English pastime.

00:18:26.47
alexei sayle
Mm hmm.

00:18:27.53
Talal K
Although they claim to be... the most English of the lot. They weren't at the May Day parade I went to. They weren't playing bowls. ah with me. um They're just at home beating their wives up. ah ah We were playing bowls at the Peckham bowls club. I really didn't want to blow up the spot.

00:18:45.84
Talal K
because it's actually a bit of a nice hidden. gem

00:18:48.47
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:18:49.28
Talal K
but it's not like we have millions of listeners the peckham bowls club i was playing bowls and i was signing in And the guy was like instantly, I said, hello. And he goes. Are you from the Alexa podcast?

00:18:59.28
Talal K
Can you recognise my voice instantly?

00:19:00.98
alexei sayle
Man. Maroon.

00:19:01.84
Talal K
Really lovely guy, Sam, that runs the joint.

00:19:03.01
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:19:04.62
Talal K
and Big up the Peckham Bowls Club. Really cool place.

00:19:07.52
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:19:08.48
Talal K
They've got... you know a little bar in there you can get beers and play bowls and it's a very relaxing game A nice way to just hang out with your pals.

00:19:16.97
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:19:18.89
Talal K
um the lawn could be a bit flatter though i have to say sam sort it out Uh...

00:19:24.14
alexei sayle
Heh.

00:19:24.85
Talal K
um a decent price to play uh yes your krishna guru murphy interview does have over 200 000 views and the latest comment is a marxist saying don't believe the lies comedy gold What have you learned?

00:19:38.78
Talal K
What have you learned? Nothing. Stop listening to everyone else and believe me. Sound familiar? Alexi is the establishment. Wow, Alexi.

00:19:49.09
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:19:50.55
Talal K
We don't get barbs like that on our comments on our YouTube videos.

00:19:50.56
alexei sayle
Ouch. Ben. No.

00:19:55.22
Talal K
You have to go to the MSM.

00:19:55.92
alexei sayle
but We do occasionally, but yeah.

00:19:57.76
Talal K
to see what the people really feel.

00:20:00.07
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:20:00.100
Talal K
So Zach did lose.

00:20:01.35
alexei sayle
Um...

00:20:02.53
Talal K
And, ah you know, similar to Zionism is racism. Motion might seem like. you know, they're shooting themselves in the foot, but...

00:20:13.07
Talal K
it At least it's putting that. in, um, concept into the conversation and similarly green party may have lost the by-election but They did triple their their votes there from the last one and And...

00:20:31.39
Talal K
kind of putting pressure on Burnham and saying, yo, people are listening to the Greens and... So burn them.

00:20:36.79
alexei sayle
Yeah, well, Spandam's in time.

00:20:37.37
Talal K
the

00:20:38.84
alexei sayle
raison d 'être even if it hadn't been for zach the but the beano venom you know. Because yes. Star Mordor continued in his...

00:20:51.27
alexei sayle
Wow, sluggish. Progress.

00:20:53.23
Talal K
Yes.

00:20:54.51
alexei sayle
Leaving a trail of slime behind him.

00:20:54.63
Talal K
Yes. So.

00:20:57.21
alexei sayle
Uh...

00:20:58.00
Talal K
So you don't have to be in you don't have to be in charge to change shit, you know um They're calling it the Burnham honeymoon. I um i want to call it the Burnham bump. Can we start normalising the burn and bump?

00:21:09.88
Talal K
but

00:21:10.37
alexei sayle
Okay.

00:21:11.92
Talal K
What do you reckon?

00:21:11.97
alexei sayle
But it's... um

00:21:12.91
Talal K
Is he...

00:21:14.03
alexei sayle
Well, it's I don't know. I think it's... it's He'll come up against reality. It's something like that. that The feel-good vibes will at some point. Um,

00:21:25.22
alexei sayle
come up against reality and then we'll see what The man he's made of. I saw him give ah an interview. i didn' I didn't mention this last week. i the He was asked about the...

00:21:37.90
Talal K
Who burn them?

00:21:38.80
alexei sayle
Burnham was asked about the... Case. uh the corruption case the cheating case being brought by the Premier League. against Manchester City.

00:21:50.71
alexei sayle
And he... really... really waded in on the side of Manchester City, which I thought was kind of surprising. He compared it a bit with Everton, who were peanut-loss points. and um over a similar but smaller kind of contravention of the Premier League. but I was really surprised that he was taking such ah ah a position, which I think is contrary to.

00:22:12.63
alexei sayle
certainly the media and i think what most people think but then i read somewhere somebody saying that Burnham's kind of Manchester miracle, really. the you know that with you.

00:22:24.05
alexei sayle
I'm not. I mean, I'm not terribly familiar with Manchester Bum. All that supposed kind of be regeneration in Manchester has come via... Abu Dhabi has come via the owners of

00:22:35.06
Talal K
a

00:22:36.69
alexei sayle
Uh... Manchester City and he is very much in thrall too. those people really. and it's also it's not a

00:22:45.33
Talal K
Yeah. That makes sense.

00:22:46.42
alexei sayle
you know Housing problems continue in Manchester. yeah They're just throwing up a lot of... um luxury apartments people i've i i've read i say i'm not again it's not a city i'm familiar with but uh You know, it's and and I think that's why he spoke out in favour surprise. I think he spoke out.

00:23:06.13
alexei sayle
surprisingly in favor of manchester city he saying you know in you know that everton the case against everton was proved to be less than people originally thought and the same will be true of manchester city which was Surprising, I thought, and I'll say word the the explanation I've read is that he is because he is in the pocket of.

00:23:27.15
alexei sayle
the owners of Manchester City.

00:23:27.72
Talal K
That does make sense, yeah.

00:23:29.13
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:23:31.16
Talal K
I wonder how much did BBC's move to Salford help the Manchester economy as well?

00:23:36.66
alexei sayle
I don't know

00:23:37.09
Talal K
That was a while ago. Um... Do you know I went up there because I was a contestant on a game show once.

00:23:45.31
alexei sayle
Did you? Right. to manchester it's so it's the the did you say the holdian express it's the straight which is the

00:23:48.18
Talal K
The first and...

00:23:52.73
Talal K
Where did they put me up? Probably yeah.

00:23:55.11
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:23:55.76
Talal K
No, I think I was back on a train the same day

00:23:57.76
alexei sayle
All right

00:23:59.29
Talal K
Um, it was a... I was in the first and only series of a show called... the boss hosted by forgotten comedian Susan Coleman.

00:24:10.59
alexei sayle
Well, she's not forgotten, is she? Because she's on Channel 5 all the time. Susan Kalman goes...

00:24:14.49
Talal K
Who the fuck watches that? Does she?

00:24:16.63
alexei sayle
goes goes yes goes cruising and susan calman in the headlines

00:24:21.43
Talal K
oh Okay, well, she's got a cushy... gig then.

00:24:26.01
alexei sayle
Yeah, yeah.

00:24:27.04
Talal K
Um... And I, yeah, I lost. Awfully. It was terrible. But these people who do these game shows are like. professionals they like do the circuit apparently like i was talking to them backstage the the the other contestants

00:24:42.35
alexei sayle
right

00:24:44.63
Talal K
And they're like, yeah, I did Countdown the other day and I was on The Chase and that they they do like The Circuit and... That's kind of their job in a way. It's like they're just... taking their earnings from doing

00:24:56.23
alexei sayle
Right.

00:24:56.87
Talal K
and their trick is they just press when you get asked a question you just press the buzzer

00:25:01.40
alexei sayle
All right

00:25:01.76
Talal K
doesn't matter if you don't even think it's a race to press the buzzer And then by the time the lights flash and you hear the sound effect and then the host. asks you for your answer.

00:25:11.05
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:25:11.78
Talal K
You've had all of that time to think of an answer. And then you either get it right or you don't.

00:25:14.16
alexei sayle
Right.

00:25:15.74
Talal K
but I was sitting there trying to think of my answer and then pressed the buzzer.

00:25:20.55
alexei sayle
You fool.

00:25:20.84
Talal K
Um, I'm a fool. Right. While we're talking politics, let's turn to New York. ah Socialism's darling. The Palestine Movement's darling Zoran Mamdani.

00:25:34.76
Talal K
Got a bit of... flack this week and I wanted your thoughts on it. So obviously this week we had the anniversary of. October the 7th.

00:25:47.35
Talal K
Which do you know? ah tragic as it may have been, it gets more attention. once a year then the fucking genocide does the rest of the year.

00:25:58.45
Talal K
But Mamdani attended a vigil. For the victims of... October 7th.

00:26:05.87
alexei sayle
h

00:26:06.24
Talal K
and was getting heckled. and booed Bye. some pro-Palestine

00:26:13.01
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:26:14.00
Talal K
People for like, you know. being a traitor like i thought it was a bit unfair and then this guy i'm not gonna big him up but this guy on instagram who has slowly Yeah, this is kind of what the genocide does to us. is It takes all our strength not to go full.

00:26:33.67
Talal K
fucking mental and anti-semitic really doesn't it

00:26:36.83
alexei sayle
he

00:26:37.90
Talal K
Um... Because...

00:26:42.75
Talal K
You know, that that maybe there's been... You know they Any rise in anti-Semitism is Israel's fault, isn't it, in the end of the day, because they purport to represent all Jews.

00:26:53.51
alexei sayle
Yes, i think it's it's a difficult thing it's a difficult thing to say, I think.

00:26:53.56
Talal K
which they don't.

00:26:57.23
alexei sayle
when you know I... You know, I haven't particularly... thought that position through and so i don't know i don't say it on on

00:27:06.85
Talal K
It's hard to even talk about, yes.

00:27:07.87
alexei sayle
interviews But yes, I think that's true. it' it If... without the genocide there wouldn't be i mean i i'm very suspicious about how real a lot of these anti-semitic incidents are yeah Craig Murray was saying, yeah for instance, they the of the ambulances.

00:27:25.16
alexei sayle
in gold is green you know the kids were muslim kids were recruited by somebody they never met now as far as the media is concerned that is

00:27:27.36
Talal K
Let's go.

00:27:35.08
alexei sayle
anti-semitic incident generated by iran because of the The... claims of this entirely fake prose. pro-Iranian Islamist organization which is clearly doesn't exist and so who who knows whether that is a false flag or not who knows where that You know, you know, there is also that.

00:27:58.45
alexei sayle
Yeah, there was, you know, stabbing. Um...

00:28:05.12
alexei sayle
you know stabbings often the muslim yeah when a muslim gets stabbed that is uh

00:28:05.94
Talal K
Oh yes, there was that stabbing incident.

00:28:11.13
alexei sayle
You know, there was a... There was one recently, wasn't there? Jewish guy, two Jewish guys got stabbed, but the first victim was Muslim and he gets completely edited out of the story.

00:28:20.69
Talal K
yeah yeah

00:28:21.55
alexei sayle
becomes a... An anti-Semitic. So I am...

00:28:24.58
Talal K
Because he was trying to stop the stabber, wasn't he?

00:28:26.97
alexei sayle
Was it? Was that what happened?

00:28:28.15
Talal K
I don't know, I don't know.

00:28:29.04
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:28:29.12
Talal K
Okay, go on.

00:28:30.24
alexei sayle
um I think that... um I question, you know, it there is obviously... a

00:28:40.11
alexei sayle
Key Bono, who benefits? you know the the rise in anti-semitic incidents is used by the Israel lobby to justify their positions.

00:28:51.96
alexei sayle
saviors of the Jewish people.

00:28:53.52
Talal K
Mm hmm.

00:28:54.47
alexei sayle
and but But it also... If there is an uptick in anti-Semitism, then that is clearly... because of the genocide. Um,

00:29:05.01
alexei sayle
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm You can say, well, it's still... it's still anti-semitism and you know But um yeah, I think anyway, what you say in this guy?

00:29:15.39
Talal K
Anyway, so there's this geezer and I'm not going to. shout out his name because i think you know he For a couple of years, he's been a very... he's made very good content about the genocide. And...

00:29:27.83
Talal K
Um, But I think he's gone a bit extreme. And so he makes some points here about Mamdani's complicity. in the genocide um I'm not going to repeat all of them because some of them are just...

00:29:42.45
Talal K
bit too far but he says he Supports and campaign for pro-APAC politicians, Hakeem Jeffries. And Shakur and Brad Lander, Elbit Systems Investors.

00:29:54.44
Talal K
Uh...

00:29:54.59
alexei sayle
I think that's a bit unfair. I mean, I mean, I, I, strangely enough. a lot more about US politics than I ever do. You don't know if he's ever campaigned for...

00:30:01.20
Talal K
Yeah, that's what I wanted to ask you.

00:30:02.88
alexei sayle
I mean, Hakeem Jeffries is the leader of the Democrats in... the Senate or Congress? um I don't know that he's actively campaigned for Hakeem Jeffries.

00:30:09.80
Talal K
Okay.

00:30:13.10
alexei sayle
I mean, he's certainly had an APEC bought and sold shitbag. I mean, Brad Lander, I think, is a... is I don't know whether he says he's a very liberal.

00:30:25.40
alexei sayle
supporter, a Zionist, a very liberal, but he certainly you know by us standards i think the brad lander is you'd be you'd be happy to have him on our side, really. Yeah, it seemed a bit, I don't know the details, but it seemed a bit like, oh, for fuck's sake.

00:30:40.78
alexei sayle
when pro-Palestinians are heckling Mamdan. Mandani.

00:30:44.93
Talal K
Okay.

00:30:46.58
alexei sayle
ah It seemed like, oh, fucking hell, the left, you know.

00:30:46.85
Talal K
What? I know it's pissing me off to be honest. It's like you've got a fucking mayor of New York.

00:30:50.35
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:30:52.76
Talal K
calling it a genocide.

00:30:54.24
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:30:55.03
Talal K
And doing, playing the fucking politics game that he's. in a position where he has to fucking play it yes he has to sit down with trump because that's his job

00:31:03.90
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:31:04.19
Talal K
He has to do certain things um This guy claims ah that Mamdani preserves the and NYPD-IDF integration. Um, by retaining the zionist jessica tish as police captain that is i guess I remember when Mamdani got voted in and that was one of his first things, was keeping Jessica Tish, but I'd never heard of her before.

00:31:25.85
Talal K
mamdani came in but yeah that is true

00:31:26.44
alexei sayle
Yeah, i well... it's ah it's a I mean, it's ah again, it's a question that... um It's a question and I have no answers for this but If you... are a politician and then operating within a capitalist system.

00:31:46.12
alexei sayle
How do you go? 100%. Ideolog- ideologically pure and fire somebody like the New York Police Commissioner or do you?

00:31:58.37
alexei sayle
Make compromises, you know Um... I suspect that you kind of have to make compromises and that... really political purity is never going to get us anywhere but I ask the listenership what they think really.

00:32:12.18
Talal K
The greater good.

00:32:12.15
alexei sayle
I think that, you know, it it is, ah it's always, there's always a tension there between political purity.

00:32:17.59
Talal K
There is.

00:32:19.31
alexei sayle
And, and yeah. Or do you have... Do you have to make inevitable... con and you have to make inevitable concessions.

00:32:30.31
alexei sayle
But nevertheless, you... on balance do good which i think that you could say that mandani uh and it seems it seemed on the face of it certainly to me to be incredibly puritanical of those proud palestinian supporters to criticize him who is this person is it david miller who's making these points oh

00:32:48.27
Talal K
No.

00:32:50.32
alexei sayle
We don't have to broadcast it, but who is it?

00:32:52.02
Talal K
It's not David Miller. It's someone called Rathbone. It's not anyone.

00:32:55.07
alexei sayle
I don't know who that is

00:32:55.82
Talal K
Yeah, it's no one. in in that He's not a journalist or anything. He's just a content.

00:32:59.88
alexei sayle
No. Yeah.

00:33:01.25
Talal K
creator but he has a lot of followers and people agreeing with him

00:33:04.83
alexei sayle
Alright.

00:33:04.93
Talal K
Um,

00:33:05.31
alexei sayle
But that is that there is a that mean that is another thing that we that we... that you wrestle with in terms of progressive politics is how much Do you compromise with your enemies in order to gain?

00:33:18.53
alexei sayle
to do good things, you know.

00:33:19.67
Talal K
Yeah.

00:33:20.13
alexei sayle
Again, I don't necessarily have an answer.

00:33:23.33
Talal K
I'm not gonna read the rest of this guy's list, but...

00:33:25.05
alexei sayle
no no but it's a fair point i mean it raises i mean it raises ah a reasonable issue about

00:33:25.93
Talal K
I think...

00:33:28.88
Talal K
Yeah, it's important to highlight these things, sure. but I don't think it's fair to call him complicit or even a Zionist, you know, to call Mamdani that.

00:33:37.66
alexei sayle
No.

00:33:39.18
Talal K
it's It's a bit far-fetched. Uh... Fucking... Like... in in the landscape of American politics.

00:33:49.58
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:33:50.36
Talal K
what more What more could you fucking ask for than this guy, you know?

00:33:50.27
alexei sayle
It's astonishing. Yeah. Yeah. But that that is also, yeah.

00:33:54.84
Talal K
And he does.

00:33:56.87
alexei sayle
But that is something.

00:33:56.94
Talal K
he does play the game you know he's playing the game and doing it really well you know what what do you want um

00:33:58.85
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:34:03.27
Talal K
Who's that? Guy with the hook hand. What was his name? the The Muslim cleric with the hook hand.

00:34:08.27
alexei sayle
with the hook Abu Hamzah

00:34:11.24
Talal K
Do you want Abu Hamza as the mayor of New York? is that what you want

00:34:14.78
alexei sayle
That's the one good joke I've heard Boris Johnson say. makers he said he's abu about talking about abu hamsa he said he's not as nice as he looks ah

00:34:25.63
Talal K
That's a good. um

00:34:26.91
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:34:27.78
Talal K
That was good.

00:34:27.74
alexei sayle
I don't know whether he stole it from somebody else, but...

00:34:28.98
Talal K
i think I think, you know, we're hearing... with the election with ah With the by-election Holborn, we're hearing the... the same tune of the Corbyn years being played again.

00:34:45.48
alexei sayle
Yeah. but pete I think more people really see it for what it is now.

00:34:46.55
Talal K
And...

00:34:50.56
Talal K
Yep. And what we're not seeing though is the mistake. that Corbyn made as you say in your book a lot that you know

00:34:55.46
alexei sayle
no no apologies yeah

00:34:58.78
Talal K
the apologies. The.

00:35:00.01
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:35:00.42
Talal K
that you don't believe in, the apologies that are unwarranted. stand Sticking by your guns.

00:35:06.75
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:35:08.03
Talal K
I'm playing the game you know in a smart way. You know, I think. Maybe Corbyn could have been capable of it if it if he was. 30 years younger when he became leader of the party you know These younger, you know, Polanski's not. a mamdani but mamdani is sharp as fucking

00:35:24.26
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:35:24.65
Talal K
sharp as nails you know he's He's on it.

00:35:28.28
alexei sayle
ah But, it's a yeah, I mean, certainly him being heckled by the pro-Palestinian...

00:35:34.01
Talal K
It's democracy, I guess, isn't it?

00:35:33.91
alexei sayle
demonstrates this. well it is that but i mean it is something that we have to sort out on the left you know is that is that

00:35:44.19
alexei sayle
inclination towards 100 % political purity and Where do you think that gets you? Hmm. or maybe you think that's a good idea Phone in to the

00:36:04.94
Talal K
That's 01775577769. That reminds me, the other day I watched...

00:36:09.38
alexei sayle
That's the go the opinion call line, yeah.

00:36:11.66
Talal K
like The other day I watched a film. ah With my partner called... Ghostwatch from 1992. It was a BBC TV.

00:36:23.23
Talal K
movie which fooled the nation like Apparently... loads of people thought it was real in a type of you know Orson Welles War of the Worlds

00:36:32.34
alexei sayle
Alright.

00:36:32.56
Talal K
kind of style even there was this kid who bloody committed suicide because of this film

00:36:38.14
alexei sayle
Christ.

00:36:38.13
Talal K
And it was a broadcast on Halloween night on the BBC and it is hosted by Michael Parkinson. and it was about the most haunted house in the UK, and it was a house in Northolt, and they had Sarah something from from Blue Peter.

00:36:54.75
alexei sayle
Right.

00:36:54.76
Talal K
went and spent the night at this house and there was this family being terrorized by a poltergeist and it was kind of all looked like it was going to be a hoax. And then it just really. at first you're like oh the acting's really bad you've got craig charles kind of gurning outside the house interviewing people like neighbors and stuff like that and everyone's acting they're all supposed to These neighbours are meant to... Yes, ah there's been a number of...

00:37:18.90
Talal K
children gone missing in the last you know i'm doing a better job acting than the lady was but You kind of buy into it. you're you' Uh... suspension of disbelief kind of kicks in after an hour.

00:37:30.34
Talal K
And then the ending is really powerful. It's fucking crazy.

00:37:32.72
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:37:32.92
Talal K
And Michael Parkinson like keeps a straight face the whole time. Did you, do you not have any recollection of this?

00:37:38.51
alexei sayle
I have no recollection of that whatsoever.

00:37:38.64
Talal K
I really wanted. Oh, man.

00:37:40.68
alexei sayle
1992.

00:37:42.31
Talal K
Yeah.

00:37:43.26
alexei sayle
That would have been...

00:37:43.60
Talal K
ah We had to pay a tenner to watch it.

00:37:44.86
alexei sayle
I might have been in the States.

00:37:48.65
Talal K
It was good, man. I never thought i couldn't i couldn't believe it. Apparently, there was it was in the papers the next day, even though the show finishes and then the credits roll. And you see the cast and the actors.

00:37:56.86
alexei sayle
Right.

00:37:59.25
Talal K
Half the country thought it was a real paranormal investigation and that BBC studios got haunted and

00:37:59.63
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:38:05.77
Talal K
Um... All the studio lights go. The ghost somehow goes through the wires into the BBC studio.

00:38:08.83
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:38:11.100
Talal K
and

00:38:12.56
alexei sayle
Alright.

00:38:12.94
Talal K
Parkinson's sitting there while the wind is rushing around them and the lights are going off. It's good I recommend it.

00:38:18.66
alexei sayle
Crikey. Yeah.

00:38:20.81
Talal K
It was a good film. Alright, I wanted to talk to you a bit about AI. something new developing bee b be beep beep beep beep be beep beep This just in. AI is actually...

00:38:35.49
Talal K
Doing something good?

00:38:38.16
alexei sayle
Ready?

00:38:38.97
Talal K
AI versus capitalism? AI versus greed?

00:38:42.13
alexei sayle
I know Grok always, would they keep trying to edit his...

00:38:43.53
Talal K
I...

00:38:46.38
alexei sayle
And keep saying it's a genocide, doesn't he?

00:38:49.80
Talal K
Yeah. i don't know i don't use that x i don't

00:38:51.88
alexei sayle
They keep taking him. No, I don't, but I mean, they take him.

00:38:54.70
Talal K
I don't listen to grok.

00:38:55.56
alexei sayle
Back to the laboratory and fuck with his brain like Robocop.

00:38:55.64
Talal K
I'm not talking about a fucking grok.

00:39:00.07
alexei sayle
and But every time he comes back out and does it, yeah.

00:39:00.77
Talal K
Yeah, it keeps calling Elon Musk a small-penised wanker with a deformed face.

00:39:05.38
alexei sayle
Really?

00:39:07.76
Talal K
And Elon Musk keeps going in. They go, no, Gronk, you can't say that about me.

00:39:10.03
alexei sayle
yeah

00:39:12.62
Talal K
Please, tell them I have a big penis. My face is normal And that was a Roman salute, Grok. And Grok was like, Nazi salute, Nazi salute. No, it was Roman.

00:39:21.29
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:39:23.94
Talal K
Croc and Elon at home. Grokster. Grock's wearing like an apron cooking a roast and Elon's like...

00:39:32.39
alexei sayle
Sitting reading the paper.

00:39:32.40
Talal K
Screaming. Or is it the other way around? I want to see that cartoon

00:39:36.58
alexei sayle
I don't know ah Sitting on the chair with his many thousands of children.

00:39:38.03
Talal K
Elon and Grok.

00:39:41.20
Talal K
Yeah. no i'm not talking about grok so uh i don't know how much you would know about this but let me tell you about something uh have you heard of adobe

00:39:51.43
alexei sayle
Uh, The. Is that a... Software package from young...

00:39:55.99
Talal K
Photoshop.

00:39:57.15
alexei sayle
Yeah, right.

00:39:57.90
Talal K
yes from yonks ago you say uh so photoshop illustrator

00:39:58.25
alexei sayle
Yeah. Yeah.

00:40:02.94
Talal K
um Adobe Premiere. Adobe Audition which is the software I use to ah to edit this podcast. Um, a very good software adobe are obviously been leaders in the industry for yonks, as you say.

00:40:18.47
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:40:19.38
Talal K
And.

00:40:20.53
alexei sayle
It's also a very good kind of wall covering, mostly in the southwest.

00:40:20.28
Talal K
The difference. Yeah.

00:40:24.47
alexei sayle
southwestern the United States and in

00:40:26.39
Talal K
Adobe Slats.

00:40:27.56
alexei sayle
Mexico. to kind of

00:40:28.76
Talal K
Yeah.

00:40:29.60
alexei sayle
It's a kind of... mud kind of is it i don't know what it's made out of but it's a kind of smooth covering to buildings

00:40:36.99
Talal K
Yeah. Peace.

00:40:38.20
alexei sayle
Like a plaster.

00:40:40.96
Talal K
Adobe Slats, yep. it's kind of a It does look cool. It looks like you could climb it quite easily though. Yeah, it's like thin planks

00:40:47.85
alexei sayle
What's that?

00:40:49.60
Talal K
Wadobe sluts.

00:40:49.80
alexei sayle
ah thought it was like a smooth coat I thought it was like a a... Uh huh. um a kind of like a Yeah, but it's more like it.

00:40:53.96
Talal K
Well, there's a slap version.

00:40:58.29
alexei sayle
a kind of paste. Like a... plaster I think.

00:41:02.74
Talal K
adobe wall is a structural or decorative barrier made from sun-dried mud bricks composed of loam sand water and organic materials such as straw and you do get this kind of yeah it's very mexicano isn't it

00:41:03.07
alexei sayle
Yeah, yeah.

00:41:15.59
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:41:16.44
Talal K
It's kind of washed out. Muddy.

00:41:19.45
alexei sayle
Yeah, often ochre coloured, yeah.

00:41:19.83
Talal K
smooth-ish surface.

00:41:22.39
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:41:23.11
Talal K
You see it in like cowboy films.

00:41:23.40
alexei sayle
Anyway, but that's not what we're what we're talking about.

00:41:25.28
Talal K
No, I'm talking about Adobe, the creative suite.

00:41:27.72
alexei sayle
Mm.

00:41:28.31
Talal K
of programs.

00:41:29.74
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:41:29.90
Talal K
used to do creative things um for years.

00:41:32.71
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:41:34.73
Talal K
ah graphic designers, editors, audio engineers have relied on Adobe software.

00:41:39.89
alexei sayle
Right.

00:41:40.53
Talal K
Um, There's not quite a monopoly. There is, especially for video editing, there are other ones. There's like Avid, there's Final Cut. and adobe you do have some choices but in terms of graphics photoshop and illustrator lead the the game you know um and here's ah They kind of started this new shift.

00:42:00.68
Talal K
I'm going to ramble a little bit, but the the PlayStation 5. just has a new policy that's just come out where when you buy a game You don't own the game anymore. And they're not even going to sell you CDs anymore. You can't go to a shop and buy a CD. You can go to a shop and buy a code.

00:42:17.32
Talal K
And then you go home and pop that code into the PlayStation.

00:42:20.52
alexei sayle
right

00:42:20.85
Talal K
and you get a download code for that game But you don't you still don't actually. own. the thing you've bought. Much like with our streaming services. You're paying for the...

00:42:31.43
Talal K
privilege. to play it. You're paying for the privilege to use the software. But at any point, PlayStation or the pub... the publishing company can decide to take it off the shelf.

00:42:43.61
Talal K
and suddenly that thing you've paid for It's gone and you can't fucking play it anymore. Okay.

00:42:49.03
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:42:49.05
Talal K
Adobe, similarly, and Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office have done the same thing. This was probably a decade ago, but I'm guessing. At one point they said, oh yeah. You know how you used to just buy Adobe Photoshop?

00:43:03.81
Talal K
And you'd get it on a CD, you'd install it on your laptop. And it was yours. And you could use it and use it and use it. and we will update it. We'll come up with a new one every year.

00:43:14.43
Talal K
But it's up to you if you want to buy it. So most people, like maybe every five years, they buy the new version to update their software. but they Only the real pros would buy it every year and spend like 60 bucks.

00:43:25.92
Talal K
get a new Adobe Photoshop, get the updated version. No. remember that no more you have to pay a subscription now to use it

00:43:33.82
alexei sayle
Right.

00:43:34.13
Talal K
Okay. It started off as like a 10 or a month and you could use all the Adobe programs as much as you like. use them use them use them Um, But at any point they could cancel your subscription or if you can't afford it anymore You can't fucking use it at all, full stop.

00:43:49.78
alexei sayle
Right. That's really bad.

00:43:52.100
Talal K
It's bad and now it's gone up.

00:43:53.96
alexei sayle
It's just really bad

00:43:54.88
Talal K
It was 20 quid Now 30 quid. Me and my partner use it professionally.

00:43:59.31
alexei sayle
Right.

00:44:00.50
Talal K
So we pay. More than 30 quid a month.

00:44:02.58
alexei sayle
Yeah. Well, that's monopoly capitalism for you, isn't it?

00:44:03.90
Talal K
to use.

00:44:06.13
alexei sayle
I mean, most of the grinding out profit.

00:44:06.56
Talal K
It's horrid.

00:44:10.26
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:44:10.39
Talal K
Because they can. You know?

00:44:12.42
alexei sayle
Yeah, just really yeah

00:44:13.33
Talal K
Because there's no other options like where else are you can use Photoshop

00:44:16.71
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:44:17.35
Talal K
many people try online you can go on certain websites and there's photoshop Like.

00:44:22.93
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:44:22.89
Talal K
softwares that you can use and they're pretty much just as good. But if you're if you want to collaborate with someone else who... Use as actual Photoshop. You can't. There's no crossover.

00:44:32.84
alexei sayle
Right.

00:44:34.48
Talal K
You can't...

00:44:35.21
alexei sayle
It's terrible. It's completely wrong.

00:44:36.16
Talal K
cross-platform this stuff.

00:44:37.41
alexei sayle
I condemn it.

00:44:37.61
Talal K
It's wrong, yeah? Okay.

00:44:39.62
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:44:39.62
Talal K
Um,

00:44:40.79
alexei sayle
What do you think?

00:44:40.99
Talal K
But...

00:44:41.44
alexei sayle
Text us on

00:44:41.84
Talal K
AI?

00:44:48.31
Talal K
But wait, don't call in yet because I'm not done with my rant. AI has made. So i what's it called? Artcraft, I think it's called. Is this AI? this. program that some guy has done.

00:45:00.09
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:45:01.01
Talal K
It has recreated. all of the Adobe softwares.

00:45:04.57
alexei sayle
All right

00:45:05.98
Talal K
And. According to reports, It's... on par like it's just as good and if you're using it you wouldn't even be able to be even be able to tell the difference.

00:45:15.20
alexei sayle
That's free, is it?

00:45:16.62
Talal K
And it's completely free. And like, it's not stolen.

00:45:18.12
alexei sayle
Isn't that, like, isn't that contravening? It's not stoning, all right, because that was my concern.

00:45:21.28
Talal K
because they're not copying. the programming.

00:45:25.05
alexei sayle
Right.

00:45:25.46
Talal K
They're not using the same code. This AI has independently created a thing that happens to just be exactly the same. And they've made Photoshop, Illustrator.

00:45:32.66
alexei sayle
Right.

00:45:34.95
Talal K
Premiere, all the different things, yeah? but it's just a free one that everyone can use and it's a big up yours. to the corporations

00:45:43.35
alexei sayle
Alright. That's good then.

00:45:44.25
Talal K
And.

00:45:44.86
alexei sayle
That's a good thing.

00:45:45.12
Talal K
There's another.

00:45:45.52
alexei sayle
It's a happy ending to this story.

00:45:47.20
Talal K
What is it? Well, yeah, I wonder. Because... As an experiment, I'm gonna record, I'm gonna edit this episode using that software.

00:45:55.72
alexei sayle
Beakman out. Record. that out. Yep.

00:45:58.72
Talal K
I'm gonna try.

00:45:59.64
alexei sayle
Eek-ow!

00:45:59.57
Talal K
Okay. Maybe. it o

00:46:01.21
alexei sayle
Use that. I went.

00:46:03.45
Talal K
I know! It didn't work!

00:46:05.49
alexei sayle
Oh, God.

00:46:06.68
Talal K
hu

00:46:06.77
alexei sayle
Is this microphone erking?

00:46:10.67
Talal K
Oh, 77777777.

00:46:11.85
alexei sayle
Yeah, Texas on Oh. Email us on lexicell .com. Scum blum wham.

00:46:17.06
Talal K
I find it fascinating as fuck because I'm like the most anti-AI guy.

00:46:19.94
alexei sayle
Give all.

00:46:22.16
Talal K
And as an actor and as a voice actor, the biggest enemy on our battlefield right now is AI stealing our voices and doing.

00:46:26.93
alexei sayle
Yeah. It's terrifying.

00:46:30.36
Talal K
our jobs.

00:46:31.96
alexei sayle
This is terrifying.

00:46:31.84
Talal K
And now AI is doing the same thing to something I hate.

00:46:35.31
alexei sayle
Right.

00:46:35.86
Talal K
And I'm conflicted. I'm on board ethically because fuck capitalism, fuck these monopolies.

00:46:38.69
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:46:40.75
Talal K
And they've been taking the piss out of us for too long.

00:46:41.38
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:46:43.59
Talal K
There's another AI that's recreating every PlayStation 5 game.

00:46:47.55
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:46:47.62
Talal K
from the ground up. and making them better.

00:46:49.59
alexei sayle
Right.

00:46:50.78
Talal K
and you can play them for free online Because these guys have been riding us and taking advantage of us for too long.

00:46:58.22
alexei sayle
I've got a friend. and her daughter works on She's working on Grand Theft Auto, the new one. She's been working on the same two minutes for about... Five years.

00:47:08.16
Talal K
no my god I am so excited to fucking play that.

00:47:09.88
alexei sayle
But she doesn't mind because it's full of challenges. Hasn't come out yet. Has it come out yet?

00:47:14.35
Talal K
No, it's like mid-November, and I think we're not going to do a podcast for a few months when that comes out. No, we will.

00:47:20.36
alexei sayle
You bring him You'll be in your bedroom wearing in a nappy.

00:47:23.71
Talal K
ah With a long straw leading to the kitchen.

00:47:27.01
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:47:28.39
Talal K
drinking coffee out of it

00:47:30.99
alexei sayle
Have we got any questions from the... I think you should use it. Use that software to edit down that piece.

00:47:38.48
Talal K
That rant I just did.

00:47:39.83
alexei sayle
Yeah, to like a tolerable length.

00:47:42.22
Talal K
ha ah

00:47:43.46
alexei sayle
Get AIT.

00:47:43.98
Talal K
Was it that bad? but what do you What are your thoughts on it?

00:47:45.71
alexei sayle
Well, I don't...

00:47:46.40
Talal K
like

00:47:46.41
alexei sayle
I was... Yeah, I'll...

00:47:47.46
Talal K
A .I.

00:47:48.70
alexei sayle
you know it's it was just you know Whenever I hear the word AI, to paraphrase Hitler, whenever I hear the word... The word AI, I reach for my revolver. I reach for my pistol.

00:48:04.06
Talal K
Why are you paraphrasing Hitler?

00:48:04.28
alexei sayle
to shoot mess myself

00:48:05.36
Talal K
What did Hitler say? What was Hitler's version?

00:48:07.27
alexei sayle
He said whenever I... i Um. You hear the word culture, I reach for my pistol, he said.

00:48:13.93
Talal K
Fucking hell.

00:48:14.45
alexei sayle
and so I think some some people said he actually went further and said, I reach for my Walther P38 9mm. Pistol. I may have got the quote slightly wrong.

00:48:23.46
Talal K
Is there not an art of war about this? Like we're using the enemy's weapon against them in a way.

00:48:28.30
alexei sayle
Possibly, yeah I'm sure there is.

00:48:31.70
Talal K
but

00:48:32.20
alexei sayle
after what about everything

00:48:32.44
Talal K
Because Adobe has been integrating AI into their shit and trying to make me use AI.

00:48:36.73
alexei sayle
Are we still talking about this? i want Can we do something else?

00:48:38.92
Talal K
Fucking hell.

00:48:39.35
alexei sayle
No.

00:48:40.10
Talal K
Fuck you.

00:48:44.03
Talal K
Right. Let's get a... Okay. question. I love you, Alexi.

00:48:50.19
alexei sayle
I love you too, man.

00:48:50.98
Talal K
How's your book doing, buddy?

00:48:52.72
alexei sayle
Doing well, I think. Sold 70 copies in Nottingham alone. And the tenor went into Waterston's to sign so they can't send them back.

00:49:00.74
Talal K
Well. I found a typo.

00:49:04.47
alexei sayle
Really?

00:49:04.21
Talal K
and Yes.

00:49:05.91
alexei sayle
It's been quite...

00:49:07.83
Talal K
And I mentioned on page seven, there seemed to be an eyelash embedded in the paper.

00:49:13.04
alexei sayle
Ready?

00:49:13.72
Talal K
But I've had lots of people messaging me saying, it's not an eyelash. It's in my book too. It's right above the... third or fourth paragraph on page seven there seems to be a line ah Right above the word corruption. There's a little line and lots of people are spotting it.

00:49:32.75
Talal K
it's It's sweeping the nation, this controversy. You've got an early print. You've got like a... Or have you got the actual one there now?

00:49:40.40
alexei sayle
oh yeah

00:49:41.52
Talal K
Oh, you've got it. You see the line.

00:49:43.07
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:49:43.93
Talal K
So anyone out there, if you're ever lonely... Any listeners of this show? any socialists any marxists out there if you're ever lonely and feel like all is lost Turn to page 7. of how I've tried to change the world by walking down the middle of the street shouting and look at that little line above the word corruption

00:49:56.34
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:50:00.90
Talal K
And just know that somewhere out there. There's another socialist looking at that line. feeling the same desperation as you and we are not alone.

00:50:06.28
alexei sayle
Awww.

00:50:09.07
alexei sayle
That's very nice.

00:50:10.12
Talal K
as alone as we might feel. Um, Uh... The longest paragraph so far is the paragraph where you're just talking about Linda in the Labour Party. It's so good. It's so very good.

00:50:23.94
Talal K
I'm nearly done. I'm nearly done.

00:50:25.58
alexei sayle
Good.

00:50:25.64
Talal K
I'm on the penultimate. chapter ah longest paragraph, longest chapter I meant to say. um I had an email in. Is it worth reading? Let me just check out this one.

00:50:33.98
alexei sayle
Yeah, we've nearly reached the end of our time here, but yeah.

00:50:34.16
Talal K
Bob. This is from bob Book thoughts.

00:50:38.68
alexei sayle
up

00:50:40.08
Talal K
Loved the book, but wondered about the human spiritual element our political life takes in endless, often boring, pointless meetings. but is one which takes us on a more personal journey. As Alexi says, us on the left are simply nicer people. Would be interested to hear views.

00:50:57.83
Talal K
on that spiritual journey. Not in a religious sense. but one that helps us understand the world.

00:51:01.28
alexei sayle
No.

00:51:03.80
Talal K
and the lunatics that are in charge. hope that makes sense love the podcast just don't do another dnd ever well bob Halloween is coming.

00:51:13.12
alexei sayle
Oh Christ.

00:51:14.52
Talal K
Halloween is coming and it's the time for terror.

00:51:19.54
alexei sayle
um does he mean wants me to reflect on the spiritual journey or

00:51:23.98
Talal K
Yeah. I guess.

00:51:27.50
alexei sayle
um yes was Yes, I mean, obviously my experience has largely been...

00:51:28.14
Talal K
Help.

00:51:33.85
alexei sayle
I mean I've as been as you know in my work is incorporating politics in my work. and speaking at the odd event and you know backing the odd charity and so on and so forth um I haven't. i mean it was len linda who made the sacrifice to spending five years in hobble and st bank's labor party um It's, um you know, I've...

00:51:56.27
alexei sayle
Tremendous respect for anybody. you can Go to those meetings and stuff. I've been to the odd meeting of the Camden People's Alliance which I think I might be a member of, I'm not sure.

00:52:08.13
alexei sayle
Um, Yeah, it's I have great admiration for people who can... and But it is it's also, yeah, it's ah it's an it's a... you mean you know it's It's wonderful to sit with people who are.

00:52:21.12
alexei sayle
decent like you I mean that's the You know, that's one of the things I find about the demonstrations is it's so... It is a spiritual. It is... i I don't know what they're talking about, but it's a kind of prayer, you know, it's a kind of religious ceremony, the demonstration.

00:52:35.89
Talal K
Hmm. Mm.

00:52:37.63
alexei sayle
and it But it is that you get all those feelings of... um community and solidarity. and you know reinforcement and just admiration i think when you're on one of those Gaza demonstrations.

00:52:54.46
alexei sayle
Um, in fact i can't go to the one this saturday i think for the first time So I'm doing some Communist Party event that I agreed to. ages ago.

00:53:05.28
Talal K
Oh shit.

00:53:06.46
alexei sayle
Then I've got to go to the Henley Book Festival. oh

00:53:11.96
Talal K
Oh god. What is that on Sunday?

00:53:15.91
alexei sayle
oh do Yeah. Did you email that guy about the Edinburgh... Okay.

00:53:20.74
Talal K
I did.

00:53:22.52
alexei sayle
let me never head back

00:53:22.80
Talal K
A date.

00:53:24.94
alexei sayle
We never heard back.

00:53:24.87
Talal K
Um, I did, and it's... um She can't come any anymore.

00:53:31.17
alexei sayle
All right.

00:53:32.47
Talal K
But that was very sweet of you. um

00:53:33.86
alexei sayle
Was he grateful for her?

00:53:35.07
Talal K
Very very very very very um

00:53:43.53
Talal K
so probably get edited out um

00:53:45.63
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:53:46.36
Talal K
Thank you, that's so kind of you. She totally gutted, but she's now got other plans. She's going to spend a few days on the Isle of Mull. You depressed her so much that she ran away to the Isle of Mull. um Basically, people someone was ah upset. A student in Edinburgh really wanted to go to Alexei's show.

00:54:04.21
Talal K
but it was just out of her price bracket and Alexi offered her. A free ticket. um um

00:54:12.22
alexei sayle
I don't know whether we're setting this up for more.

00:54:12.05
Talal K
But...

00:54:14.77
alexei sayle
Set themselves.

00:54:14.72
Talal K
It's not in your control. Is it the price for these tickets? are Oh, yeah, let's edit this out.

00:54:17.70
alexei sayle
No, no

00:54:18.93
Talal K
Let's not bring this up

00:54:20.84
alexei sayle
No.

00:54:21.66
Talal K
um We have one more question here from the Patreon. God! ha If you want to support this show and if you love us, you could think about giving us three quid a month. Maybe five, maybe 10, maybe 20s.

00:54:33.58
Talal K
Some of you more rich folks are able to do.

00:54:34.41
alexei sayle
Maybe a thousand.

00:54:36.43
Talal K
That's not one of the options and there's no option for a thousand. But maybe I'll add it there.

00:54:39.05
alexei sayle
No, isn't it?

00:54:39.100
Talal K
I'll add it. See if someone does it. That would be great.

00:54:41.75
alexei sayle
Give us a gold doubloons.

00:54:42.08
Talal K
Then maybe Alexi could get paid. Right now, basically, I'm the only one getting paid from this show.

00:54:44.46
alexei sayle
Hundred gold doubloons.

00:54:47.21
Talal K
Because. We're not getting paid enough if we get a bit more

00:54:50.08
alexei sayle
I know I said that to the nice man in outside the pub last night. i said maybe one day it'll make money and then i feel i felt have i Have I left him? with an impression of me being mercenary.

00:55:02.95
Talal K
Hmm.

00:55:03.43
alexei sayle
I'd had three halves of lager, so I was tipsy.

00:55:03.70
Talal K
Look we're only human! thank We're only human and work deserves money, doesn't it?

00:55:09.28
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:55:10.08
Talal K
and We would love a bit more because yes, currently I'm able to pay. you know, a bit of my way using this uh but i would love to be able to pay alexi as well for the electricity sale podcast maybe it'd be a good idea if he got paid

00:55:21.25
alexei sayle
That'd be nice.

00:55:23.82
Talal K
I'm so sorry. e see Anyway, Joe, go to patreon .com forward slash Alexis L podcast. That's patreon .com forward slash Alexis L podcast. What is it, Alexi?

00:55:34.07
alexei sayle
Next show forward slash podcast. dot com.

00:55:37.84
Talal K
Yep. all right

00:55:38.56
alexei sayle
i can i've cover ive i've got I've got a mental block about it.

00:55:41.74
Talal K
We've got a chat room. ah There's extra content. There's full video episodes. ah Me and Alexi shooting. guns is there as well edward asks i'm not going to go on about it but it's very very sweet of you edward can we hear more about talal's Dad it's The timing is crazy because he sent this question in the day after my dad's birthday.

00:56:04.36
Talal K
um He sounds like a fascinating person. The episode about the Iran embassy siege was fascinating. That was with Ben McIntyre. Um, And...

00:56:15.65
Talal K
When that aired, I had just finished listening to the audiobook Ma All In Caps by John Guo. Do you know this?

00:56:23.92
alexei sayle
No.

00:56:25.26
Talal K
Their mother had fled China when the Communists came to power. Okay. um ah I would love to read a book Talal could write about Mustafa. I don't know about that. ah Maybe one day. But yeah, my dad, Alexei's friend. It's the reason this podcast exists.

00:56:41.61
Talal K
um I just posted a... picture on our Instagram of you and me. Alexi when I was like 14.

00:56:48.43
alexei sayle
No reading.

00:56:49.25
Talal K
And neither of us had beards.

00:56:51.43
alexei sayle
Is that when I came round to one of those cars?

00:56:51.59
Talal K
And you...

00:56:52.94
alexei sayle
I was tested.

00:56:53.39
Talal K
Yes. I remember that car.

00:56:54.21
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:56:54.94
Talal K
It was...

00:56:55.15
alexei sayle
Show off.

00:56:55.80
Talal K
Chromatic. It was chrome.

00:56:58.07
alexei sayle
Oh, it's the Alpha.

00:56:59.69
Talal K
Was that right?

00:57:00.66
alexei sayle
Right.

00:57:00.34
Talal K
Oh, right. It was like a chrome car and I was just...

00:57:02.52
alexei sayle
I ended up buying it. What's the matter?

00:57:04.71
Talal K
Ha!

00:57:05.37
alexei sayle
Much to my chagrin.

00:57:07.07
Talal K
I stood in the street staring at it. It was so shiny. Um, Alexi, my dad, go way back. Thanks to your old flatmate, Wasim.

00:57:16.86
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:57:16.88
Talal K
who you talk about in the book.

00:57:18.58
alexei sayle
Yeah. And I'm actually going to do a Zoom, I think, some sorts of podcast with Ian Williams next week. it was Also washings Best mate.

00:57:28.79
Talal K
o Dad died in 2020.

00:57:31.46
alexei sayle
Lives in New York now.

00:57:34.15
Talal K
He was a hostage in the Iranian embassy siege. He was there for five days. He was the only Arabic-speaking hostage. That is his big claim to fame. um you know he got terribly sick in there because all the pressure was on him to translate between the terrorists and the police out the window. He had a gun on the back of his head and he also was putting out fires inside the embassy for the entire time. People...

00:57:57.44
Talal K
um the some of the more fundamentalist muslim iranian hostages were like trying to martyr themselves and dad was fucking slapping them uh telling them to shut up you're gonna get us all killed very stressful.

00:58:11.23
Talal K
But before that, he was, you know. The Trotskyites.

00:58:17.25
Talal K
ah campaigner and activist and adjacent to guerrilla warfare fighter for palestine uh plfnlp A B C D.

00:58:23.18
alexei sayle
Hmm.

00:58:27.72
alexei sayle
You know armed resistance is Permitted under the Geneva Convention to an occupier.

00:58:33.87
Talal K
mm-hmm He was in the PLFO. p or something and their main rivals was the plfo

00:58:41.31
alexei sayle
Yeah, but it is People's Front of Judea, isn't it?

00:58:41.34
Talal K
P. Which is... it's Very much.

00:58:45.24
alexei sayle
Monty Python.

00:58:45.56
Talal K
uh a theme that comes up in your book a lot as well as this kind of fucking hell just get it together guys um he went to a training camp once in jordan

00:58:47.94
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:58:55.13
Talal K
And that scared the shit out of him. ah He was punished for falling asleep while on guard, so they put him in a hole.

00:59:01.71
alexei sayle
Heh.

00:59:02.68
Talal K
and shot a machine gun around the hole and he was like whoa these guys are nuts ah He was kicked out of Syria. for being anti-government Um,

00:59:15.37
Talal K
He was in prison at a young age at 17 for writing breaking into a school and writing slogans on the wall. and then the tortured him in prison. But while he was in prison, he started a handball team with the prisoners and did a match against the guards, which I think the longest yard is based on.

00:59:31.96
Talal K
Because he did that then, back then.

00:59:32.38
alexei sayle
Yeah.

00:59:33.65
Talal K
um He was in the Olympics. He got a medal for participation, even though he's on the bench the whole time. He played handball for his country. And his big brother gambled away his Olympic medal in a poker match. um moved to Lebanon. became a journalist, came to London as a correspondent.

00:59:53.24
Talal K
um kind of left his extremist

00:59:54.96
alexei sayle
It was off and on. What was it? that It's not on anymore. it was

00:59:58.35
Talal K
Dateline London.

00:59:59.41
alexei sayle
Eight lie in London with Catherine Mayer, Lisa's sister, of course.

01:00:00.37
Talal K
It was often on that. Oh I didn't know that.

01:00:04.87
alexei sayle
Yeah.

01:00:06.30
Talal K
and He was a...

01:00:06.44
alexei sayle
They're often on together.

01:00:08.59
Talal K
He was a... Journalist for a long... time. in fact that's what caused him to be in the Iranian embassy at the wrong time, at the wrong place at the wrong time because he was applying for a visa.

01:00:17.22
alexei sayle
Was he set because he was late?

01:00:20.40
Talal K
he was just a few minutes late yeah if he was on time he wouldn't have been caught up in all that um Uh... went on to be a big kind of opinion Peace, writer. got on the BBC Dateline London a lot.

01:00:35.90
Talal K
Um... and was often on the news to be honest. giving his opinion. He was a Middle Eastern. kind of expert and uh i love him dearly i miss him happy birthday dad and i thank you for creating the opportunity to do this podcast really His death brought us together again, reunited us.

01:00:55.75
alexei sayle
It did. I did.

01:00:57.57
Talal K
You kind of take the piss out of me and James O 'Brien joins in.

01:01:01.77
alexei sayle
but

01:01:02.93
Talal K
when I pitched you at my dad's funeral you kind of told that story to him

01:01:04.94
alexei sayle
All right Well, it's because you tell that story, so I thought it was...

01:01:08.05
Talal K
Yeah, I think it's a funny way of telling it But you know, there's more nuance to it than that.

01:01:09.08
alexei sayle
safe. Yeah. What does James O 'Brien, does James O 'Brien join?

01:01:13.44
Talal K
He just jumps in and like adds to the riff.

01:01:13.68
alexei sayle
that

01:01:16.59
Talal K
and like courses

01:01:16.97
alexei sayle
Alright.

01:01:18.81
Talal K
I don't know. I can't remember what he said. Someone clip it for me and send it to me.

01:01:22.07
alexei sayle
All right.

01:01:23.27
Talal K
So big ups. Thanks Edward for asking about my dad.

01:01:24.52
alexei sayle
Yes, I always is much miss your father. He's a marvellous man. He's really wonderful. Really glad to. I have him in my life really. I wish I'd seen more of him really. Elizabeth.

01:01:38.11
alexei sayle
remiss um Should we stop now?

01:01:42.08
Talal K
Yeah, please.

01:01:43.70
alexei sayle
Alright. Bye-bye. Bye-bye.