<![CDATA[The Bitchuation Room]]>https://franifio.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wqrq!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffcaa12a8-ef8b-4652-bb8b-9c2500f117cf_1080x1080.pngThe Bitchuation Roomhttps://franifio.substack.comSubstackThu, 03 Sep 2026 03:15:21 GMT<![CDATA[Hasan Hysteria Threatens Midterms w/ Prem Thakker & Rep. Analilia Mejia (Ep 345)]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/hasan-hysteria-threatens-midtermshttps://franifio.substack.com/p/hasan-hysteria-threatens-midtermsTue, 01 Sep 2026 15:27:25 GMTLaura Loomer is doing schoolyard racism against Angie Nixon and CBS's Islamophobic hit piece on Abdul El-Sayed. It’s a bigoted kind of Monday. Prem Thakker of Zeteo News joins to break it down. Then Rep. Analilia Mejia talks 14th Amendment, ICE, and why Democrats keep capitulating to AIPAC.

Shadow Trump advisor and side chick Laura Loomer calls Angie Nixon ‘ghetto bitch’ and then doubles down, because that's America in 2026. Prem Thakker of Zeteo joins to break down CBS's bogus tweet implying Abdul El-Sayed somehow is related to 9/11 – is our another symptom of “Hasan derangement syndrome?”

Then, Rep. Analilia Mejia of New Jersey's 11th District joins to talk about the progressive wave reshaping Congress, the task force she launched around 14th Amendment due process protections, and what she's seen firsthand inside ICE detention centers — including a constituent nearly killed by being denied her diabetes medication. We also discuss her bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour, Medicare for All, and why she believes serving in Congress isn't worth compromising your values for.

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Featuring:
, Columnist at

Rep. Analila Mejia, Congresswoman of NJ-11 https://www.analiliafornj.com/

Also please excuse the awkward ad start! New sponsor just dropped to make the show more sustainable: https://cloaked.com/bitchuation.

AUDIO VERSION:

Season Two of “Hot Button” has kicked off! Check out the full episode by becoming a Patron or a Substack supporter!

Plus Francesca is LIVE in the PNW this week! Tickets are still available in Portland and Seattle!

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th

Tickets Here

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets Here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets Here

Thanks for listening!

]]><![CDATA[The U.S. Is Covering Its Tracks In Ecuador]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/the-us-is-covering-its-tracks-inhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/the-us-is-covering-its-tracks-inMon, 31 Aug 2026 17:01:49 GMTIt has become nearly impossible to keep track of all the ways the Trump regime is causing chaos around the world. The way that American militarism is wreaking havoc in Latin America has fallen under the radar, but there are journalists putting their lives on the line to report on this.

Investigative journalist with and labor organizer joined Francesca to talk about America’s drone strikes off the coast of Ecuador, and how the U.S.-backed dictatorship there is playing its part to uphold American Imperialism.

Since the Trump regime came into power, they have carried out 36 boat strikes off the coast of Ecuador, killing 223 people. Their stated reason for these unprovoked attacks is to fight “narco terrorists.” And yet, the 36 survivors of these drone strikes were all found to have no history in the drug trade but are fishermen. We now know that the CIA conducted the operations along with U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Coast Guard, where boats were bombed, survivors kidnapped and tortured and nearly foisted onto El Salvador. Then, for her work representing the 36 survivors, prosecutor Alexandra Bravo was assassinated along with her sister. Someone is covering up their tracks.

We know these attacks have nothing to do with drugs. Ecuador’s U.S.-backed dictator and American billionaire, Daniel Noboa, literally owns a company that trafficked over 26 million Euros worth of cocaine to Europe. So it begs the question: what is it about? Just like with Venezuela, it seems the motivation is likely oil. One of the targets of these drone strikes happens to be where one of Ecuador’s largest oil deposits is located.

The Bitchuation Room is a reader-supported podcast. To get access to AMAs, bonus episodes, and our interview series “Hot Button,” become a paid sub on Substack or Patreon!

LIVE SHOWS:

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th

Tickets Here

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets Here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets Here

Los Angeles, October 4th at 1pm: The Bitchuation Room LIVE with Emma Vigeland at The Lodge Room

Tickets Here

Philadelphia, October 13th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline The Punchline:

Tickets Here

Philadelphia, October 14th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At The Punchline.

Tickets Here

Brooklyn, October 15th: Francesca and Matt Lieb Co-headline The Bell House

Tickets Here

Watch the full episode here!

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]]><![CDATA[AIPAC-Funded Slimeball Jimmy Gomez Must Be Unseated w/ Angela Gonzales-Torres]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/aipac-funded-slimeball-jimmy-gomezhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/aipac-funded-slimeball-jimmy-gomezMon, 31 Aug 2026 13:00:42 GMTThis is a portion of a one-hour interview with comedian Angela Gonzales-Torres. To get access to the full interview and the rest of the Hot Button series, upgrade to a paying substack and watch it here.

AIPAC. Crypto and AI. Real Estate. These are the forces that are backing the establishment incumbency of Jimmy Gomez in Congress in November. Angela Gonzales-Torres is trying to change all that.

After clinching her primary in June, Angela is getting to work and knocking doors to tell the district about how everything from universal healthcare to a livable wage to universal basic income and an end to supporting Israel’s wars will help the working people of Los Angeles thrive.

She is an LA-born Chicana, and a lifelong community organizer with experience working around homelessness and criminal justice reform. And now with the backing of Justice Democrats and Working Families Party she wants to make California’s 34th district not just more equitable but more accountable to the people.

Gomez has bucked challengers before with copious amounts of AIPAC money. This time however he’s being investigated by the House Appropriations Committee for inappropriate relationships with staffers. (Mind you he was also co-chair of sex pest Eric Swalwell’s failed California gubernatorial campaign.)

Angela sits down with Francesca to discuss everything from how deportation affected her own family, to her veganism, and which policy she would like to obliterate with the push of one…HOT BUTTON.

Support Angela by volunteering, donating and getting involved at:

https://www.angela4congress.com/

***

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support of The Bitchuation Room. Be sure to check out all the exclusive Hot Button interviews you get access to!

The Bitchuation Room is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

***

Watch The Bitchuation Room LIVE on Tuesdays 1pmPT/4pmET on YouTube
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Listen to the show on:
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LIVE SHOWS:

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-show-francesca-fiorentini-and-matt-lieb-laughs-comedy-club-tickets-1989424855296

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy
https://portland.heliumcomedy.com/shows/373712

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy
https://portland.heliumcomedy.com/shows/372818

Los Angeles, October 4th at 1pm: The Bitchuation Room LIVE with Emma Vigeland at The Lodge Room

https://www.lodgeroomhlp.com/shows/francesca-fiorentini-the-bitchuation-room-live/

Philadelphia, October 13th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline The Punchline: https://www.livenation.com/event/vvG1FZ_uLomA9S/francesca-fiorentini-the-bitchuation-room-live

Philadelphia, October 14th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At The Punchline. https://www.livenation.com/event/vvG1FZ_uLomA9S/francesca-fiorentini-the-bitchuation-room-live

Brooklyn, October 15th: Francesca and Matt Lieb Co-headline The Bell House

https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/300064F43E856080

]]><![CDATA[MILO DETAINED BY ICE & JASMINE CROCKETT REFUSES TO HELP TALARICO (feat.Wajahat Ali)]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/milo-detained-by-ice-and-jasminehttps://franifio.substack.com/p/milo-detained-by-ice-and-jasmineSun, 30 Aug 2026 15:35:43 GMTMilo Yiannopoulos: arrested by the same ICE machine he spent years cheering on! He’s detained pending deportation, and Jasmine Crockett won’t say whether she’ll campaign for James Talarico against Ken Paxton in Texas. Wajahat Ali of The Left Hook joins to break it all down.

We cover the deliberate dismantling of the FDA, CDC, and EPA that’s turned grocery store lettuce, guac, and pistachio butter into public health hazards, the Trump administration’s push to sell off Yosemite and Big Bend National Park to private developers and border wall contractors, and Hakeem Jeffries’ meeting with Jared Kushner days after attacking Medicare for All and defending Islamophobe Randy Fine. Then, the Milo Yiannopoulos story: the DHS press release, the years of him demanding mass deportations and ICE checkpoints, and why nobody’s crying for him. 

Plus Jasmine Crockett is refusing to commit to campaigning for Talarico in the Texas Senate race? WHAT HAPPENED TO “vote blue no matter who”?!

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Featuring:

Wajahat Ali, host of

AUDIO VERSION:

UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS:

Seattle, Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Laughs

Tickets here

Image

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets here

JUST ANNOUNCED

Los Angeles, October 4th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Lodge Room with Emma Vigeland

Tickets here

Philly, October 13th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline the Punch Line Philly

Tickets here

Philly, October 14th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at the Punch Line Philly

Tickets here

Brooklyn, October 15th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline the The Bell House

Tickets here

Image

Subscribe as a paying Substack or Patreon member to get access to Season Two of “Hot Button”

]]><![CDATA[Unseating An AIPAC Democrat In California with Angela-Gonzalez Torres *HOT BUTTON*]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/unseating-an-aipac-democrat-in-californiahttps://franifio.substack.com/p/unseating-an-aipac-democrat-in-californiaSat, 29 Aug 2026 16:53:58 GMTAIPAC. Crypto and AI. Real Estate. These are the forces that are backing the establishment incumbency of Jimmy Gomez in Congress in November. Angela Gonzales-Torres is trying to change all that.

After clinching her primary in June, Angela is getting to work and knocking doors to tell the district about how everything from universal healthcare to a livabl…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[THE WNBA PANIC AND HEGSETH’S CRIMINAL BOAT STRIKES (feat. Miles Gray & Camila Galarza)]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/the-wnba-panic-and-hegseths-criminalhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/the-wnba-panic-and-hegseths-criminalWed, 26 Aug 2026 14:05:55 GMTDolly Parton is dead at 80 — RIP to a lady who set the standard for what a good person can accomplish. Meanwhile, on the extreme opposite end, Jared Kushner is meeting privately with Hakeem Jeffries while AIPAC still runs the table in Washington.

Francesca is joined by Miles Gray of The Daily Zeitgeist to talk about Dolly’s legacy, the manufactured trans panic that erupted at a WNBA game, and why the Democratic establishment keeps finding common ground with LITERALLY ANYONE instead of the left.

Then, Francesca interviews investigative journalist and labor organizer Camila Lourdes Galarza, reporting from an undisclosed location after receiving death threats, about the tortured fishermen who survived the strikes, the murdered prosecutor, and the US-backed dictatorship taking shape in Ecuador under President Daniel Noboa.

And oh, yeah – remember the US boat strikes off the coast that killed over 220 people with zero evidence any of them were trafficking drugs? The prosecutor investigating it just turned up assassinated.

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AUDIO VERSION:

Featuring:
Miles Gray, comedian and co-host of The Daily Zeitgeist, https://www.instagram.com/thedailyzeitgeist/
https://x.com/milesofgray

Camila Lourdes Galarza, investigative journalist and labor organizer, https://x.com/sovietwithsazon

Camila Lourdes Galarza
Bylines @dropsitenews | Documenting the U.S.-backed dictatorship in Ecuador
White short-sleeve tee with red "Abolish ICE" graphic worn with black denim shorts in front of colorful stairs.

Rock the pod on your bod. Get a brand new “Abolish ICE” t-shirt and a brand new mug!

Merch here

UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS:

Seattle, Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Laughs

Tickets here

Image

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets here

JUST ANNOUNCED

Los Angeles, October 4th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Lodge Room with Emma Vigeland

Tickets here

Philly, October 13th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline the Punch Line Philly

Tickets here

Philly, October 14th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at the Punch Line Philly

Tickets here

Brooklyn, October 15th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline the The Bell House

Tickets here

Image

The Bitchuation Room is a people-powered podcast. To get access to our special Hot Button episodes (season 2 incoming!) consider becoming paid subscriber on Substack or Patreon.

]]><![CDATA[How Minnesota Is Leading the Way LIVE! In Minneapolis w/ Zaynab Mohamed, Lizz Winstead & Matt Lieb]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/how-minnesota-is-leading-the-wayhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/how-minnesota-is-leading-the-waySat, 22 Aug 2026 20:08:59 GMTMinnesota leads the way with Peggy Flanagan and anti-ICE , anti-FLOCK cameras and anti-Jake Lang resistance. How is this midwest seed-art state able to do so much in these times of fascism? Francesca finds out, speaking with state Senator Zaynab Mohamed, on how a slim Democratic majority converted to real political wins.

Then from Natalie Harp’s insanity, Boy George’s genocide song, and the many FDA recalls, Francesca digs into local and national shennanigans with comedians Matt Lieb and Lizz Winstead. Plus a history lesson into Anthony Comstock, the man who purchased all the lewd magazines and objects and is the reason we might not have Plan C pills no more. There’s even a cameo from failed Minnesota gubernatorial candidate, Mike Lindell, by way of James Adomian.

Recorded live at the Parkway Theater on August 20th, 2026. Thanks to everyone who came out.

Featuring
Zaynab Mohamed, Minnesota State Senator
https://www.instagram.com/zaynabmmohamed/
https://x.com/ZaynabMMohamed

Lizz Winstead, comedian and co-creator of The Daily Show
https://www.instagram.com/lizzwinstead/
https://x.com/lizzwinstead

Matt Lieb, comedian, writer, and co-host of Bad Hasbara https://www.instagram.com/mattliebjokes/
https://x.com/mattlieb

The Bitchuation Room is a reader-supported podcast. Become a paying member and get exclusive content today!

CATCH MORE LIVE SHOWS with Francesca and Matt:

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-show-francesca-fiorentini-and-matt-lieb-laughs-comedy-club-tickets-1989424855296

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy
https://portland.heliumcomedy.com/shows/373712

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy
https://portland.heliumcomedy.com/shows/372818

Los Angeles, October 4th at 1pm: The Bitchuation Room LIVE with Emma Vigeland at The Lodge Room

https://www.lodgeroomhlp.com/shows/francesca-fiorentini-the-bitchuation-room-live/

Philadelphia, October 13th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline The Punchline: https://www.livenation.com/event/vvG1FZ_uLomA9S/francesca-fiorentini-the-bitchuation-room-live

Philadelphia, October 14th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At The Punchline. https://tr.ee/etd9vCkRQN

Brooklyn, Thursday October 15th: Francesca and Matt Lieb Co-headline The Bell House

https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/300064F43E856080

]]><![CDATA[REPUBLICANS LOVE ANDREW TATE AND HATE VOTERS W/Mike Figueredo & Ari Berman (Ep 343)]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/republicans-love-andrew-tate-andhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/republicans-love-andrew-tate-andWed, 19 Aug 2026 13:30:18 GMTA black academic is dead, while Andrew Tate gets a MAGA lawyer to defend his crimes. Hakeem Jeffries rejects Medicare for All and Jared Kushner tells Israel to “finish the job”. Francesca is joined by Mike Figueredo of The Humanist Report to talk about why the British press is so vicious and how Peter Thiel fascists are behind the deadly anti-DEI backlash.

Then, the Tate Brothers are bringing all the worst men out to rally for them outside of a Miami jail, and we all wonder how such misogyny has broken containment into the mainstream.

Finally, Francesca interviews Mother Jones’ elections correspondent Ari Berman about the midterms, gerrymandering, Trump’s grand plan (if any exists) for 2028, how are Republicans making voting near impossible, and where are they holding back on their worst wiles… if anywhere.

AUDIO VERSION:

Featuring:
, the Humanist Report, https://www.youtube.com/@TheHumanistReport

Ari Berman, author and journalist, Mother Jones
https://www.motherjones.com/author/ari-berman/

The Bitchuation Room comes to Minneapolis THURSDAY 8/20

Tickets still available

…And the tour continues!

More tickets!

]]><![CDATA[KAROLINE QUITS AND HEGSETH DOES CRIMES IN LATIN AMERICA (feat. Emma Vigeland)]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/karoline-quits-and-hegseth-does-crimeshttps://franifio.substack.com/p/karoline-quits-and-hegseth-does-crimesFri, 14 Aug 2026 14:41:50 GMTAOC is single and Iran makes Trump hide in a catering truck. Emma Vigeland joins to talk about all that plus Karoline Leavitt resigning, Pete Hegseth's new control of Latin America, sailors jumping overboard on the USS Abraham Lincoln, and whether or not Israel is gaslighting Trump about his imminent assassination.
Plus, Emma's thoughts on the Woke 1.0 discourse, the failure of Bernie and AOC to endorse Francesca Hong, and how AOC's IVF journey has led to us realizing that she's single.

See Francesca and Emma in person in Los Angeles for The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Lodge Room October 4th

Get tickets!

AUDIO VERSION:

Check out Francesca on tour this fall!

]]><![CDATA[Woke 1.0, Abdul El-Say Slays & The Nightmare Merger w/ Caroline Kwan & Alvaro Bedoya (Ep 342)]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/woke-10-abdul-el-say-slays-and-thehttps://franifio.substack.com/p/woke-10-abdul-el-say-slays-and-theWed, 12 Aug 2026 13:35:03 GMTThis week: Twitch streamer and cultural commentator Caroline Kwan joins to talk about Abdul El-Sayed's fight through Islamophobic attacks, and why fandoms can be good? Plus former FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya on the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger that could kill Hollywood.

Francesca unpacks the online fight over "Woke 1.0" — performative identity politics versus material policy — and how AOC threw the Black Lives Movement under the bus. Also, the Abdul El-Sayed freakout continues, but the candidate has a comeback for every ounce of hate. Then, MSNOW’s Joe Scarborough has a next-level meltdown over Hasan Piker. Also, AOC opens up about her IVF journey and the right of course has a problem with it.

Then, former FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya joins to break down the Skydance-Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger — $80 billion in debt, promised "synergies" (lmao), an insane round of cuts, and what it means for creatives, contractors, and the future of what gets made when one family controls CBS, CNN, and HBO.

Subscribe now

AUDIO VERSION:


Featuring:
Caroline Kwan, cultural commentator and Twitch streamer, https://www.instagram.com/carolinekwann/
https://www.twitch.tv/carolinekwan

Alvaro Bedoya, Senior Advisor at the American Economic Liberties Project, https://x.com/BedoyaUSA
Take Action: https://blockthemerger.com/

Check out Francesca on tour this fall!

]]><![CDATA[UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS! ]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/upcoming-live-showshttps://franifio.substack.com/p/upcoming-live-showsTue, 28 Jul 2026 17:16:55 GMT

The Bitchuation Room is officially on summer break for the next two weeks.

Subscribe now

The Tuesday live show will be BACK officially on August 11th.

In the meantime, its a good time to catch up on our ten “Hot Button” episodes or grab a ticket to see Francesca IRL this fall...

UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS:

Minneapolis, August 20th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Parkway Theater

Tickets here

Seattle, Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Laughs

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets here

JUST ANNOUNCED

Los Angeles, October 4th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Lodge Room with Emma Vigeland

Tickets here

Philly, October 13th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline the Punch Line Philly

Tickets here

Philly, October 14th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at the Punch Line Philly

Tickets here

Brooklyn, October 15th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline the The Bell House

Tickets here

Image

The Bitchuation Room is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[ZOHRAN DOUBLES DOWN ON ARRESTING NETANYAHU & DEMOCRATS FAILURE TO STOP ICE (feat. Andrea Flores)]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/zohran-doubles-down-on-arrestinghttps://franifio.substack.com/p/zohran-doubles-down-on-arrestingWed, 22 Jul 2026 18:57:57 GMTThis week: Andrea Flores on the ethnic cleansing at the heart of Trump’s immigration regime, and Iran War Season 2 is BACK with fresh war-crimes.

First, Andy Beshear says two sources told him Mitch McConnell is dead. Oh nooo. Meanwhile, the right is accusing Canada of climate warfare over wildfire smoke.

On top of that, the Iran war is back on for ten straight nights, with the US striking desalination plants and civilian infrastructure in Tehran. In retaliation, Iran killed three more American servicemembers, bringing the total death toll to 18. And it only cost the taxpayers $37.5 billion dollars?! Plus, the SAVE Act’s voter suppression push is now somehow related to The Olive Garden? And Zohran Mamdani triples down on his promise to arrest Netanyahu if he sets foot in New York.

Then, immigration attorney and policy expert Andrea Flores — who advised both the Obama and Biden administrations before resigning in frustration — joins to break down the violent racial profiling defining ICE enforcement right now, the deafening lack of investigations into detention deaths, and why Democrats’ decades-long habit of treating immigration as a technicality rather than a moral question has left them with a bankrupt playbook.

Subscribe now

Featuring:
Andrea Flores, immigration attorney and policy expert
https://x.com/Arosaflores

America's’s Substack
My personal Substack
By America's Promise

AUDIO VERSION

UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS:

Minneapolis August 20th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Parkway Theater.

Tickets here

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Watch our new show ‘Hot Button’

For access to the full season of the new show become a supporter on Substack or Patreon!

]]><![CDATA[The Policing Of Latino Identity with Aida Rodriguez *TEASER*]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/the-policing-of-latino-identity-withhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/the-policing-of-latino-identity-withSun, 19 Jul 2026 13:02:15 GMTThis is a portion of a one-hour interview with comedian Aida Rodriguez. To get access to the full interview and the rest of the Hot Button series, upgrade to a paying substack subscriber for as little as $5 a month

“I get my likes in person”, says Aida Rodriguez, who is difficult not to like in person. Aida is a stand up comedian who has been on HBO, Peacock, and a phenomenal special on HBO, an actor, and political commentator who is also the host of the Say What You Mean Podcast. She joins Francesca to talk about being a touring woman comic in an industry chalk full of mediocre white guys who are now glazing Donald Trump. Aida says she wants women in comedy to squad up in solidarity and stand up for one another. They talk about the toxic culture of celebrity, the lack of truly outspoken celebrities, and what it means to “make it” in the industry.

Aida is also starring in an upcoming feature film called Hurricane Seasons set in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. They discuss the legacies of colonialism, the political complexities of Puerto Rican and Cuban identity, and the ways that differing waves of Latino immigrants can turn on one another. They talk about why the left shouldn’t fetishize Cuba and why Latino voters face so much scrutiny over voting for Trump, when Democrats have failed to reach them.

Featuring:

Aida Rodriguez, comedian
https://www.funnyaida.com/

Go see Aida LIVE: https://punchup.live/aidarodriguez

Watch Say What You Mean Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@aidarodriguez

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro
00:02:05 - Little Aida
00:08:06 - The Beauty (and Infighting) Of Latinidad
00:19:00 - Puerto Rican Visibility
00:25:04 - Stop Romanticizing Cuba
00:28:01 - Road Comic Warrior
00:43:00 - On Reactionary Comedy
00:48:44 - Aida’s New Film
00:53:13 - On “Making It”
01:00:29 - Hot Button Question

Watch the full interview when you upgrade:

Subscribe to the show and becoming a paying member to get access to every Hot Button interview.

***

Thanks to Brent Godin and Drew Spears Productions.

***

Rock the pod on your bod. Get a brand new “Abolish ICE” t-shirt and a brand new mug at: www.bitchuationroom.com.

***

LIVE SHOWS:

Minneapolis August 20th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Parkway Theater. Get tickets here:

Tickets Here

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th

Tickets Here

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets Here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets Here

]]><![CDATA[Thursday Livestream (feat. Joey D'Urso)]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/thursday-livestream-feat-joey-dursohttps://franifio.substack.com/p/thursday-livestream-feat-joey-dursoSat, 18 Jul 2026 15:01:44 GMTThis week: Joey D'Urso on the politics of the 2026 World Cup, and Wajahat Ali on the 103 Democrats who just voted to end $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel.
Francesca is wearing an Argentina jersey and she IS NOT apologizing! Football and politics journalist joins to discuss the historical and political fault lines running through this World Cup: why the US can't host the world's biggest tournament without its immigration enforcement making headlines, what Argentina's racial history actually looks like versus the internet's version of it, the Malvinas/Falklands question, and more.

Then, Wajahat Ali of joins to break down Trump's announcement that China rigged the 2020 election in Georgia, Pete Hegseth's testosterone screening program for service members, and the National Security Presidential Memo 7 groundwork being laid to declare a national emergency over "election interference."


Plus, a vote that actually matters: 103 Democrats — including Nancy Pelosi?! — backed Thomas Massie's bill to end ALL U.S. military aid to Israel, while AIPAC is spending $40 million to sink Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan? Democrats are evolving… just slowly. Still sometimes it feels like the establishment would rather lose the Senate than admit the left is winning.

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AUDIO VERSION:

UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS:

Minneapolis August 20th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Parkway Theater.

Tickets here

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Watch our new show ‘Hot Button’

Become a paid supporter on Patreon or Substack to get access to the full season of interviews!

]]><![CDATA[Comedy and Colonialism]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/comedy-and-colonialismhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/comedy-and-colonialismSat, 18 Jul 2026 13:02:24 GMT"I get my likes in person," says Aida Rodriguez, who is difficult not to like in person. Aida is a stand up comedian who has been on HBO, Peacock, and Last Comic Standing. She is also an actor and a political commentator who is now the host of the Say What You Mean Podcast. She joins Francesca to talk about being a touring woman comic in an industry ful…

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]]><![CDATA[A Dying Senate and The Forgotten Anti-Zionists w/ The Serfs & Molly Crabapple]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/a-dying-senate-and-the-forgottenhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/a-dying-senate-and-the-forgottenWed, 15 Jul 2026 13:19:01 GMTLindsey Graham will haunt the United States for years to come. Or come back as a ladybug. [shudders]

This week, Lance of SerfsTV joined to talk about Senate democrats fawning over the death of Lady Gray, and what it says about how seriously they take Trump’s fascism. Then, ICE claims another life in less than a week in Maine. Joan Sebastian Guerrero was 26, Colombian, had a social security number, and could legally work in the US. ICE shot him at least four times while he was in his car and accompanied by his toddler. His last words were reportedly “I tried to stop.” According to Senator Angus King, they were looking for someone else. Shut it down.

Plus, more Platner post-mortem as Lance explains why he was always dubious of the candidate. We also discuss the Rep. Ro Khanna’s trip to the West Bank, where he was detained by groups of armed settlers who then called in the IDF. Now Benjamin Netanyahu is calling Khanna a liar, claiming that 99.9% of the settlers are not violent. The illegal settlers, taking land by force, are not violent. Mmmhmm.

Then, author and artist Molly Crabapple joins to discuss her new book Here Where We Live Is Our Country, an illustrated look at the Jewish Labor Bund — the secular, socialist, anti-Zionist movement that Zionism has tried to erase.

We discuss how Zionism eclipsed Bundism, how the Bundists were always against the creation of the state of Israel on ethical grounds but also resisted nationalism and the idea that Jews did not belong where they lived.

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AUDIO VERSION

Featuring:
Lance from The Serfs,

Molly Crabapple, author https://www.mollycrabapple.com/
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/646320/here-where-we-live-is-our-country-by-molly-crabapple/

UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS:

Minneapolis August 20th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Parkway Theater.

Tickets here

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets here

The Bitchuation Room is a reader-supported publication. Consider becoming a paid supporter on Substack or Patreon to get access to special bonus episodes!

]]><![CDATA[Lindsey Graham's Rotten Legacy + Abolishing ICE]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/lindsey-grahams-rotten-legacy-abolishinghttps://franifio.substack.com/p/lindsey-grahams-rotten-legacy-abolishingTue, 14 Jul 2026 01:09:03 GMTI had the pleasure of joining former Capitol Police Officer Michael Fanone on his show “BYOB with Mike Fanone” today, along with the content creator Jolly Good Ginger. We waxed about Lindsey Graham’s death and his status as #1 sycophant of Donald Trump. So why are so many Democrats lamenting this loss? It’s cause the Senate is the most undemocratic place on Earth. We also spoke about the ICE killing in Maine, why abolishing ICE is the floor politically, and why the movement to defund the police saw this moment coming. How are our struggles against police violence, linked with our struggles against ICE’s campaign of fascism?

Plus I asked Officer Fanone when/if cops will ever break with helping and protecting federal agents?

The Bitchuation Room is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and get exclusive content, become a paying subscriber.

Thank you , , , , , and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.

Get more from Francesca Fiorentini in the Substack app
Available for iOS and Android

]]><![CDATA[PLATNER DROPS OUT AND WAR IS BACK with Francesca and Emma Vigeland]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/platner-drops-out-and-war-is-backhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/platner-drops-out-and-war-is-backFri, 10 Jul 2026 16:07:53 GMTGraham Platner undermined a movement with his recklessness. Centrists, Republicans are using this moment to dunk on the left, while the left itself is obsessing over I Told you so's. Emma Vigeland, who advocated tirelessly for Platner before the recent allegations, joins Francesca to explain why recent SA allegations against are unlike his scandals from before.

It's a tough conversation but an important one. What do we expect of progressive candidates and do we have the time to only elevate those who have been tested inside the party apparatus? Especially when the other side spawns unqualified weirdos like rabbitts.
The two talk about how Jenny Racicot really represents a change in how women will no longer remain silent about powerful men, the gall of Graham Platner coming out with yet another apology video instead of choosing to just say nothing, and why he might have the biggest chance at a redemption arc now...just not one that involves the U.S. Senate.

Then, the war on Iran is back on, costing lives, the economy and likely Republicans in the midterms. Maybe that's why Trump is firing election commissioners? Emma and Francesca talk about why it's so critical to get Zionist warhawk Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Cory Booker out of office in order to finally extract our country from needless wars abroad.

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AUDIO VERSION:

UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS:

Pasadena Saturday July 11th, New World Disorder at The Ice House.

Tickets here

Minneapolis August 20th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Parkway Theater.

TIckets here

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets here

]]><![CDATA[Graham Platner’s Downfall And Trump Curses the USMNT w/ Janesh Rahlan & Cayden Mak (Ep 339)]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/graham-platners-downfall-and-trumphttps://franifio.substack.com/p/graham-platners-downfall-and-trumpWed, 08 Jul 2026 13:25:45 GMTBig yikes — a monster Graham Platner bombshell dropped this week. We talk about the grim news, along with the less-grim news of Mallory McMorrow dropping out of her race against hunky M4A doctor Abdul El-Sayed. Comedian and actor Janesh Rahlan joins for a roundup of the World Cup, and why the Trump Curse has struck again! Also, is Christian Pulisic doing the Trump dance, in support?

Then, Cayden Mak — publisher of Convergence Magazine and host of Block & Build — joins to discuss what the DSA surge means for left organizing strategy, how movements operate when electoralism feels like the only safe terrain. Plus, what should the left actually be doing about media in an era of total consolidation?

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AUDIO VERSION:

Featuring:
Janesh Rahlan, comedian https://www.janeshrahlan.com/ @janeshrahlan
Cayden Mak, publisher Convergence magazine, https://convergencemag.com/authors/cayden-mak/

Watch our interview with Abdul Al-Sayed here:

This week:

Pasadena Saturday July 11th, New World Disorder at The Ice House. Get tickets here: https://events.leapevents.com/event/New-World-Disorder-07-11-26-8-pm

Just announced:

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th

Seattle Tickets

More live shows!

Minneapolis August 20th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Parkway Theater.

Minneapolis Tickets


Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Portland Tickets


Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Portland Tickets

Check out our latest episode of ‘Hot Button’ with Robin D. G. Kelley

]]><![CDATA[The Founding Fathers Never Wanted Democracy]]>https://franifio.substack.com/p/the-founding-fathers-never-wantedhttps://franifio.substack.com/p/the-founding-fathers-never-wantedSun, 05 Jul 2026 13:03:18 GMTThis is a portion of a substack supporter-funded conversation series. To access it in full, become a paying member and you’re in.

The Bill of Rights is the ultimate receipt. The Founding Fathers did not mean to create such a banger of a document that helped enshrine equality and justice for all, they really only meant for landowning white men. Then social movements, wars, and freedom happened and Americans are still trying to live up to this document. Francesca sits down with acclaimed author and Professor Robin DG Kelley, a black radical historian whose work has been instructive for thinkers, organizers and activists.

TThey dive into how democracy in America has never truly existed, save for a brief moment in the Reconstruction; why fascism and capitalism work so well under one another, and how nationalism and nation-states in and of themselves lead to fascism.

They then discuss Kelley’s forthcoming book “Making a Killing: Capitalism, Cops, and the War on Black Life” and how the police decide whose lives are disposable and whose lives matter. Kelley argues that organizing against police violence is part and parcel of the class struggle against the capitalists, and we’d be well served to see it as such. They also discuss the failures of black neoliberalism, from Obama to the many Black politicians in Atlanta who somehow support projects like Cop City.

Watch the full interview by becoming a supporter on Substack or Patreon!

00:01:09 Robin’s Fourth of July Message

00:08:49 Black Neoliberals and Cop City

00:13:32 Why Capitalism Loves Fascism

00:22:56 How Black Radicals Always Saw Fascism on The Horizon

00:29:27 All Goes Back to The Reconstruction 00:42:29 Robin’s New Book on Police Violence
00:50:05 The Limits of Identity Politics

00:54:14 What We Must Learn From Jesse Jackson’s Legacy

01:02:00 Why Robin is Quitting Academia

01:07:49 Hot Button Question?

Pre-order Professor Kelley’s book today: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250803078/makingakilling/

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LIVE SHOWS:

Pasadena Saturday July 11th, New World Disorder at The Ice House.

Tickets here

Minneapolis August 20th: The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE! at The Parkway Theater.

TIckets here

Seattle Friday Sept 4th & Saturday Sept. 5th

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 7th: The Bitchuation Room LIVE! At Helium Comedy

Tickets here

Portland, OR September 8th: Francesca Fiorentini & Matt Lieb, co-headline Helium Comedy

Tickets here

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