Episode 169: Jussie Smollett, Christopher Hasson, and Debunking Psychics

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the scandal over Jussie Smollett’s alleged attack, Christopher Hasson’s terrorist plot, and how the internet is helping debunk mediums and psychics.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Actor Jussie Smollett is at the center of the nation’s latest high-profile racial hoax. Natalia referred to John McWhorter’s Atlantic article on the rise of “victimhood culture” as well as this Atlantic article on the history of racial hoaxes.
• Coast Guard member and ex-Marine Christopher Hasson has been apprehended for plotting a terrorist attack. Niki and Natalia recommended Kathleen Belew’s book Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America. Natalia also referred to Amy Schumer’s Comedy Central skit about football and rape culture.
• Skeptics are using Facebook to expose psychics who are also using social media, but to defraud paying customers. Niki referred to this article at The Cut about Camp Edna, an important site in the history of women’s spiritualism.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed Reeves Wiedeman’s The Cut article, “Who Killed Tulum?”
• Neil reflected on his visit to the Maitland Art + History Museum’s current exhibition of the artist J. Andre Smith.
• Niki talked about Pat Robertson’s 1988 announcement that he was running for the Republican presidential nomination and recommended Gil Troy’s Daily Beast article, “Rosey Grier: The Lineman who Tried to Save RFK—and Voted for Trump.”