Synopses & Reviews
A “feisty, literate, and uncompromising” (
Publishers Weekly) primer on the most urgent issues of our day, from the creators and co-hosts of
Citizen Radio, a listener-supported show whose slogan is “independent radio that wont lead you to war.”
#Newsfail is definitely not your grandmothers comedic-memoir-slash-political-manifesto. From page one (in a preface titled, “In Which the Authors Interview Ralph Nader in the Bathtub”), comedian Jamie Kilstein and journalist Allison Kilkenny pledge to give you the news like youve never gotten it before.
On issues ranging from feminism to gun control, climate change to class war, foreign policy to net neutrality, they tell you how the mainstream media gets it left, right, and utterly, unforgivably, irresponsibly wrong—think Noam Chomsky as channeled by Fred and Carrie from Portlandia. #Newsfail is all this, plus the story of Allison and Jamies own DIY foray into independent media via their podcast, Citizen Radio, which has featured guests such as Jeremy Scahill, Sarah Silverman, Glenn Greenwald, and Neil deGrasse Tyson, and been downloaded millions of times by people all over the world.
In #Newsfail, they “make a strong case that a greater range of voices needs to be part of the national media discussion, including theirs” (Kirkus Reviews). Their mission is truth-telling above brainwashing. All you have to do is listen.
About the Author
Jamie Kilstein is a stand-up comedian, who has been featured on The Conan OBrien Show, Showtime, Up With Chris, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and NPRs Weekend Edition. One time, Glenn Beck called him a doofus, which is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to him.Allison Kilkenny has previously reported for The Nation and has appeared on MSNBCs Melissa Harris-Perry Show and Up With Chris, and Democracy Now. One time, G. Gordon Liddy told Allison that her writing “makes him want to vomit,” which is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to her.