TrueAnon
TrueAnon is an American politics and true crime podcast hosted by Brace Belden and Liz Franczak. The podcast focuses on left-wing analysis of political issues and events, particularly those concerning deceased financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The title of the podcast is a parodic reference to the QAnon conspiracy theory.[1]
| TrueAnon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Presentation | |
| Hosted by | Brace Belden Liz Franczak |
| Genre | Politics, comedy, true crime |
| Updates | Twice-weekly |
| Length | 60–90 minutes |
| Production | |
| Production | Yung Chomsky (Real name unknown) |
| Opening theme | "You'd Never Guess" by Yung Chomsky |
| Composed by | Yung Chomsky |
| Publication | |
| Original release | July 23, 2019 – present |
History and content
TrueAnon is hosted by Brace Belden, a left-wing internet personality noted for fighting with the People's Protection Units in the Syrian Civil War, and Liz Franczak, a writer for The Baffler and Deadspin.[1] Belden and Franczak met in the early 2000s, through San Francisco's punk music scene.[1] The hosts, who identify as Marxists,[2] developed an interest in the Epstein case after Gawker published the contents of Epstein's personal address book in 2015, which established Epstein's connections to multiple influential figures in politics, finance, academia, and entertainment.[3]
Following Epstein's arrest in July 2019, Belden and Franczak noted how many of the details of the Epstein case, such as his connections to U.S. intelligence agencies, were not covered in the mainstream press.[2] TrueAnon was thus conceived to explore how "the fascination with Epstein is part of a larger story about the rot at the heart of the global elite,"[2] and how this reveals "larger class antagonisms within the United States."[4]
The first episode of TrueAnon was released on July 23, 2019.[1] Branding itself as "the only non-pedophile podcast,"[5] TrueAnon combines elements of the true crime genre and the dirtbag left, the rhetorical style most closely associated with Chapo Trap House defined by "subversive, populist vulgarity."[1] In addition to covering the Epstein case, TrueAnon devotes analysis and discussion to topics such as human trafficking, Medicare for All, Silicon Valley,[2] academia, finance, and non-profit organizations.[1] While TrueAnon covers material that has been described as conspiracy theory, Belden and Franczak assert that the podcast engages in historical materialism, focusing on "the power structures that produced Epstein in the first place" rather than a "fixed theory of Epstein’s death."[1] Notable guests who have appeared on the podcast include Epstein accuser Maria Farmer[6] and musician Azealia Banks.[7]
Episode guide
As of August 15, 2020, 90 episodes of TrueAnon have been released.[8]
| No. overall | Given No.[lower-alpha 1] | Title | Guests | Original air date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Ep Files" | Matt Christman | July 24, 2019 | — |
| 2 | 2 | "Epcronomicon" | — | July 29, 2019 | — |
| 3 | 3 | "Sex Farm" | — | August 8, 2019 | — |
| 4 | 4 | "Here's Looking at You, Kids" | — | August 11, 2019 | Premium episode #1 |
| 5 | — | "EMERGENCY EPISODE: Limited Hangout" | — | August 11, 2019 | — |
| — | — | "You'd Never Guess (Theme from True Anon)" | — | August 15, 2019 | The full-length theme music by Yung Chomsky, released for premium subscribers only |
| 6 | 5 | "Forever Freaky Friday" | — | August 16, 2019 | — |
| 7 | 6 | "NOlympics" | Molly Lambert & Jonny Coleman | August 18, 2019 | Premium episode #2 |
| 8 | 7 | "Targeting Close Associates" | — | August 22, 2019 | — |
| 9 | 8 | "Jew Detective" | Noah Kulwin & Marissa Brostoff | August 26, 2019 | Premium episode #3 |
| 10 | — | "SPECIAL REPORT: Night Court" | Dasha Nekrasova | August 29, 2019 | — |
| 11 | — | "SPECIAL EP: MOONPILLED w/ Jade Hoye on Count The Dings" | Jade Hoye | August 30, 2019 | Premium episode #4 |
| 12 | 9 | "Take Me To Your Dealer" | — | August 30, 2019 | — |
| 13 | 10 | "F*ckingham Palace" | — | September 6, 2019 | — |
| 14 | 11 | "School's Out Forever" | — | September 10, 2019 | — |
| 15 | 12 | "Joker Mode" | — | September 17, 2019 | Premium episode #5 |
| 16 | 13 | "Let Me Be Frank" | — | September 24, 2019 | — |
| 17 | 14 | "Sicko Mode" | Tim Faust | September 28, 2019 | Premium episode #6, released for free on October 13, 2019 |
| 18 | 15 | "JeffCoin" | — | October 1, 2019 | — |
| 19 | 16 | "Way Down in Kosovo" | Lily Lynch | October 5, 2019 | Premium episode #7 |
| 20 | 17 | "Blood Sugar Sex Magick" | — | October 7, 2019 | — |
| 21 | 18 | "DARPA Marx" | Ben Tarnoff | October 15, 2019 | Premium episode #8, released for free on November 21, 2019 |
| 22 | XIX | "RETURN OF THE PISSPIG" | — | October 19, 2019 | — |
| 23 | 20 | "It's Not Easy Being Green" | — | October 24, 2019 | Premium episode #9 |
| 24 | 21 | "Djerassi High" | — | October 29, 2019 | — |
| 25 | 22 | "Q's Clues" | Travis View | November 2, 2019 | Premium episode #10 |
| 26 | 23 | "Gutsy W*men" | — | November 6, 2019 | — |
| 27 | 24 | "OK Coomer" | — | November 14, 2019 | Premium episode #11 |
| 28 | 25 | "True and A" | — | November 16, 2019 | — |
| — | — | "Epstein Ain't Going Away" | — | November 19, 2019 | — |
| 29 | 26 | "Groyper Wars" | Mike Crumplar | November 25, 2019 | Premium episode #12 |
| 30 | 27 | "Sticky Wicket" | — | November 29, 2019 | — |
| 31 | 28 | "Chuff Em and Cuff Em" | Alex Norton | December 4, 2019 | Premium episode #13, excerpt released for free on December 11, 2019 |
| 32 | 29 | "Ghislaine in the Membrane Pt. 1" | — | December 12, 2019 | — |
| 33 | 30 | "Ghislaine in the Membrane Pt. 2" | — | December 17, 2019 | Premium episode #14 |
| 34 | 31 | "Brexiting the Vampire Castle" | — | December 21, 2019 | — |
| 35 | 32 | "The Nonce Before Xmas" | — | December 25, 2019 | Premium episode #15 |
| — | — | "Happy True Year" | — | December 28, 2019 | — |
| No. overall | Given No.[lower-alpha 1] | Title | Guests | Original air date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 33 | "WASMAPPIN" | — | January 7, 2020 | — |
| 37 | 34 | "Douche Bank" | Alexandra Scaggs | January 10, 2020 | Premium episode #16 |
| 38 | 35 | "Baden 2020" | — | January 14, 2020 | — |
| — | — | "Lyin' Liz" | — | January 16, 2020 | — |
| 39 | 36 | "In the Pedoplane Over the Sea" | — | January 18, 2020 | Premium episode #17 |
| 40 | 37 | "Sounds About White" | — | January 21, 2020 | — |
| 41 | 38 | "Demonrats" | — | January 24, 2020 | Premium episode #18, released for free on February 4, 2020 |
| 42 | 39 | "Based and Fedpilled" | Jason Wilson | February 2, 2020 | — |
| 43 | 40 | "Moronavirus" | — | February 6, 2020 | Premium episode #19 |
| 44 | 41 | "Death on the Consultant Plan" | — | February 10, 2020 | — |
| 45 | 42 | "Vicky Seeks" | — | February 14, 2020 | Premium episode #20 |
| 46 | 43 | "Bush Did 9/11 Pt. 1" | @housetrotter | February 19, 2020 | — |
| 47 | 44 | "Bush Did 9/11 Pt. 2" | @housetrotter | February 24, 2020 | Premium episode #21, @housetrotter's 2nd episode |
| 48 | 45 | "Nygard Goes Down" | — | February 29, 2020 | — |
| 49 | 46 | "Bloompilled" | Lee Fang | March 3, 2020 | Premium episode #22 |
| 50 | 50 | "Radio Free TrueAnon" | Yasha Levine | March 3, 2020 | — |
| 51 | 51 | "Moronavirus II: Epidemic Flu-galoo" | Alexandra Scaggs | March 10, 2020 | Premium episode #23, Alexandra's 2nd episode, released for free on March 13, 2020 |
| 52 | 52 | "Love in the Time of Corona" | — | March 14, 2020 | — |
| 53 | 53 | "Love in the Time of Corona Pt. 2" | — | March 18, 2020 | — |
| 54 | 54 | "Covid Operations: Phase I" | — | March 24, 2020 | Premium episode #24 |
| 55 | 55 | "Qurona Qrisis" | Travis View | March 27, 2020 | Travis' 2nd episode |
| 56 | 56 | "True & A II" | — | March 29, 2020 | Premium episode #25 |
| 57 | 57 | "Mr. Market Goes To Washington" | Alexandra Scaggs | April 1, 2020 | Alexandra's 3rd episode |
| 58 | 58 | "Bush Did 9/11 Pt. 3" | @housetrotter | April 6, 2020 | Premium episode #26, @housetrotter's 3rd episode |
| 59 | 59 | "Nth Room" | — | April 10, 2020 | — |
| 60 | 60 | "MEK-19" | Séamus Malekafzali | April 13, 2020 | Premium episode #27 |
| 61 | 61 | "Return to Little St. James" | — | April 18, 2020 | — |
| 62 | 62 | "London Brawling" | Marcus Barnett | April 21, 2020 | Premium episode #28 |
| 63 | 63 | "Exiled on Main Street" | Mark Ames | April 25, 2020 | — |
| 64 | 64 | "Fake Plastic Trees" | — | April 28, 2020 | Premium episode #29 |
| 65 | 65 | "Tower of Terror" | Jathan Sadowski | May 1, 2020 | — |
| 66 | 66 | "Blood Crimes of the New Reich" | Steven Snider | May 1, 2020 | Premium episode #30 |
| 67 | 67 | "Maria Farmer" | Maria Farmer | May 9, 2020 | — |
| 68 | 68 | "Raid in Macuto" | — | May 15, 2020 | — |
| 69 | 69 | "Raising Atlantis" | Will Menaker & Matt Christman | May 18, 2020 | Premium episode #31, Matt's 2nd episode |
| 70 | 70 | "Azealia" | Azealia Banks | May 23, 2020 | — |
| 71 | 71 | "Listen, I Wanted Quar Gossip Too" | — | May 25, 2020 | Premium episode #32, released for free on June 2, 2020 |
| 72 | 72 | "Epstein: F*lthy B*tch" | — | May 30, 2020 | — |
| 73 | 73 | "Phase III" | — | June 7, 2020 | Premium episode #33 |
| 74 | 74 | "The Bolsonaro Method" | Vincent Bevins | June 11, 2020 | — |
| 75 | 75 | "The Lobby" | Noah Kulwin | June 16, 2020 | Premium episode #34, Noah's 2nd episode |
| 76 | 76 | "The Mask" | — | June 18, 2020 | — |
| 77 | 77 | "True and A III" | — | June 22, 2020 | Premium episode #35 |
| 78 | 78 | "Twin Portapiques" | Andrew Neville | June 25, 2020 | — |
| 79 | 79 | "Once Upon a Time in Pedowood" | Enty Lawyer | June 29, 2020 | Premium episode #36 |
| 80 | 80 | "Ghislaine Goes Down" | — | July 3, 2020 | — |
| 81 | 81 | "SCROTUS" | Tarik & Andy of ALAB Series | July 8, 2020 | Premium episode #37 |
| 82 | 82 | "Shoot Me In St. Louis" | Devin O'Shea | July 11, 2020 | — |
| 83 | 83 | "The Permanent Uncle & His Colony of Righteousness Pt. 1" | Michael S. Judge | July 15, 2020 | Premium episode #38, released for free on August 5, 2020 |
| 84 | 84 | "Zooming In On Maxwell" | — | July 18, 2020 | — |
| 85 | 85 | "Sex, Lies, and QAnon" | Robbie Martin | July 21, 2020 | Premium episode #39 |
| 86 | 86 | "D.H. Ass" | Ken Klippenstein | July 24, 2020 | — |
| 87 | 87 | "The Permanent Uncle & His Colony of Righteousness Pt. 2" | Michael S. Judge | July 28, 2020 | Premium episode #40, Michael's 2nd episode |
| 88 | 88 | "COVID Cliff" | — | August 1, 2020 | — |
| 89 | 89 | "The Permanent Uncle & His Colony of Righteousness Pt. 3" | Michael S. Judge | August 4, 2020 | Premium episode #41, Michael's 3rd episode |
| — | — | "Brace Has Fled" | — | August 6, 2020 | — |
| 90 | 90 | "Docudump" | — | August 12, 2020 | — |
Reception
TrueAnon has been positively received by critics. GQ described the podcast as possessing a "one-of-a-kind flair you won't get anywhere else," offering praise for the quality of the podcast's research.[9] Journalist Jeet Heer cited TrueAnon as one of the few left-wing outlets to discuss the Epstein case in detail, compared to "the reluctance of the mainstream media to tackle the topic for fear of seeming conspiratorial."[3] Journalist Glenn Greenwald has also offered praise for the podcast and its coverage of the 2016 Nevada caucus.[10]
As of March 2020, TrueAnon is the fifth-ranked podcast on Patreon[11] and the 14th ranked account on the site overall, as measured by number of patrons.[12]
See also
Notes
- TrueAnon episodes are given an official number, however unnumbered "bonus" episodes were initially not included in the episode count (until episode 50). The "given number" column shows the episode numbers designated in the show title, while the "number overall" column reflects the total number of all episodes.
References
- Beckwith, Caleb (3 March 2020). "Epstein Brain is for the People". San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- Goldstein, Sam Jaffe (30 January 2020). "Jeffrey Epstein Is a Feature of Our System: A Conversation with Liz Franczak and Brace Belden, Hosts of 'Trueanon'". The Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- Heer, Jeet (18 November 2019). "Jeffrey Epstein Isn't Going Away". The Nation. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- Amato, Natalli (9 November 2019). "Useful Idiots: TrueAnon's Liz Franczak on Epstein Saga". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- "TrueAnon on Apple Podcasts". iTunes. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- "TrueAnonPod -- Maria Farmer". May 8, 2020.
- "Episode 70: Azealia". Soundcloud. TrueAnon. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- https://www.patreon.com/TrueAnonPod/posts
- Groundwater, Colin; Schultz, Zlex (29 April 2020). "The Best Podcasts to Listen to During Self-Isolation". GQ. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- @ggreenwald (17 February 2020). "Episode 38 of @TrueAnonPod (yes, I've become a bit obsessed) has a great and highly factual review of the cheating shenanigans of the DNC in 2016 for those wanting to know what to expect. Arguably the worst cheating was in the Nevada caucus" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- "Monthly Ranking for Patreon Podcasts". Graphtreon. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- "Monthly Ranking for Patreon Creators". Graphtreon. Retrieved 30 April 2020.