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Discourse Lab

Discourse Lab

By: Clayton Smith and Anthony Rispo
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Co-hosts Anthony Rispo and Clayton Smith, along with their ideologically diverse suite of guests, use conversation to test ideas, analyze arguments, and question dogmas.Clayton Smith and Anthony Rispo Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Populism, Immigration, and Power w/ Sagnik Basu
    Apr 7 2026

    In their first-ever in-person episode, the boys are joined by Sagnik Basu. Sagnik is a content creator, producer, and community builder who helped get The Daily Caller and Breaking Points off the ground. He currently serves as the executive producer of Washington Post Opinions. He also hosted his own show, where he had conversations with right-leaning figures like Emily Jashinsky, Saagar Enjeti, Robby Soave, and Discourse Lab’s own Anthony Rispo.

    Listen to this episode to get Sagnik’s takes on populism, elitism, immigration, and much more!


    You can find Sagnik on…

    • X

    • Instagram

    • TikTok

    • YouTube


    Mentioned in this episode:

    • Ship of Fools by Tucker Carlson

    • Black Rednecks and White Liberals by Thomas Sowell


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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Gay Identity, Ideology, & Connection w/ Michael Pezzullo
    Mar 31 2026

    In this episode, Anthony is joined by Michael Pezzullo. Michael is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in gay men’s mental health. His YouTube channel Therapy for Gay Men has over 18k subscribers and counting.

    In this wide-ranging conversation, Anthony and Michael explore body image and self-worth in gay spaces, whether "the scene" actually exists or is mostly a projection, and what really drives the fracture within the LGBTQ+ umbrella. They discuss conversion therapy, social contagion, false consciousness, and much more!

    The boys also pull apart some of the most pressing, and avoided, questions facing gay men today. Why do so many gay men give up on love? Should you wait until you're "ready" to date? What actually makes a relationship work?

    Please rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.

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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • Dissecting the War in Iran
    Mar 24 2026

    Is Iran really trying to build a nuclear bomb? Why is the strait of Hormuz so important? What are some realistic best-case scenarios for this conflict?


    In this episode Clay is joined by returning guest Alex DeVitry. to try and make sense of these questions and more.


    Alex is a student at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), where he is studying international conflict resolution, foreign policy and diplomacy, and the Middle East. He also writes a Substack that is well worth reading.


    If you want to know more about Alex's truly fascinating backstory, check out his first appearance on Discourse Lab.


    Mentioned in this episode:

    • OSINT Defender
    • The End of The World is Just the Beginning - Peter Zeihan
    • “Why is Iran producing 60 percent-enriched uranium?” (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute)
    • “This Isn’t Israel’s War. It’s America’s” - Haviv Rettig Our
    • “This is How The War Goes Bad” - Niall Ferguson


    Please rate and review us on your podcast player of choice! It’s the best way to support us.


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    1 hr and 56 mins
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