The Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table

An anonymous interview with a diaspora Palestinian - an ex-Muslim who made millions on Polymarket and writes the Substack Moderate Palestinianism.

He supports two states on the '67 borders with no right of return, opposes Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, and appears anonymously because these views are dangerous in his own community. On the heckler's veto that kills every peace deal, whether Palestinians can change, what Israelis get wrong about Al-Aqsa and the right of return, why he calls Ben-Gvir "great propaganda for my side," and why Israeli hasbara fails.

His Substack: https://moderatepalestinianism.substack.com/

0:00 — Intro
1:49 — The heckler's veto: why no deal ever sticks
4:57 — "I'm all for the occupation": civil war, withdrawal, humiliation
13:08 — What Israel should do anyway: settler terrorism and a $50,000 bet
20:05 — How October 7th changed him — and can Palestinians change
30:27 — Why make peace with the Jews? The UAE, Al-Aqsa, the right of return
40:44 — Beinart's one-state "nonsense," Ben-Gvir, and would Bibi take the two-state solution
50:04 'How bad is hasbara'

Noam Dworman, Dan Naturman and Periel Aschenbrand are joined by Evan Barker, writer and author of the book, Nothing Left.

Previously, she worked in Democratic politics, primarily as a fundraiser for progressive politicians and organizations.

They discuss she left progressive politics, why she voted for Trump in 2024, and what she believes Democrats have misunderstood about the working class.

www.evanbarker.net

X: @Evanwch

CHAPTERS

00:00 — Evan Barker joins Live From The Table

04:00 — Why Trump connected with working-class voters

07:30 — “They have contempt for the working class”

10:30 — The Left, race and identity

15:00 — Religion, the Ten Commandments and the culture war

19:00 — Why the Left pushed voters toward Trump

21:00 — Why Democrats are losing trust

24:00 — Israel, antisemitism and the progressive left

27:00 — Mamdani, Jews and the politics of representation

31:00 — Feeling politically homeless after 2024

34:00 — What should—and shouldn't—be taught to children

49:00 — Antisemitism and the argument over Israel

52:00 — Plagiarism, journalism and double standards

Lucas Gage (www.Lucasgage.com X.com/lucasgagex) spent 14 years as one of the loudest antisemites on the internet - a Marine who came home from Iraq, read Mein Kampf, and became a true believer. Then he walked away.What did he believed, and why? What snapped him out of it? And what does it tell us about Tucker, Candace, Fuentes and the rest? Are they believers, grifters, or a bit of both?

0:00 The rise and fall of a viral antisemite
7:18 What radicalized him: Iraq, Mein Kampf, and the ADL
16:35 Tucker, Candace, Fuentes: dog whistles or grifters?
23:15 "Afraid to give my name" - and why Jews succeed anyway
36:54 9/11, October 7, and Charlie Kirk: the conspiracy machine
48:07 Patriotism and the "dual loyalty" smear
57:40 Should America stay majority white? The final debate

SS

Noam Dworman and Periel Aschenbrand sit down expecting to interview Evan Barker—but when she doesn't arrive, they discuss Tucker Carlson, Daryl Cooper, antisemitism, Germany, immigration, media and why Evan Barker never made it.

Chapters
00:00 Waiting for Evan Barker
02:15 Tucker Carlson, Daryl Cooper & extremism
08:35 Germany, antisemitism & lessons from Europe
19:30 Noam on ideology, immigration & prejudice
32:20 Listener emails & why the podcast matters
44:40 Evan Barker finally checks in
49:00 All is forgiven & rescheduling the interview

0:00 "You picked the wrong guy" – the audiobook story
3:12 "You own [Comedy Cellar], one of New York's treasures"
7:28 The customer who will never tip again
15:41 Motivating a team after you've won: finite vs. infinite games
23:23 Noam doesn't like fine dining
39:55 Handling Google reviews & hunting down critics

Noam sits down with Will Guidara — author of the New York Times bestseller Unreasonable Hospitality, former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park (named the best restaurant in the world under his leadership), and co-producer of The Bear — for a conversation between two obsessives who refuse to run their businesses as businesses. They compare notes on why the money has to be a byproduct, how to answer a customer who swears he'll never tip again, keeping a team motivated after you've won, why fine dining lost its way, tracking down anonymous Google reviewers, and why Will walked away from the top restaurant on earth to be a better dad.