Michael Malice — Anarchist author of 'Dear Reader,' 'The New Right,' 'The Anarchist Handbook,' and 'The White Pill,' and host of the podcast 'YOUR WELCOME.' Known for North Korea expertise, contrarian wit, and a love of unusual art and creatures.
The gist
In this freewheeling Thanksgiving 'pirate special,' Michael Malice and Lex Fridman cover an enormous range of topics with constant joking, including a recurring bit with Lex's parrot. Malice discusses why he finds dark humor and absurdity funny, his favorite comedians (Norm Macdonald, Neil Hamburger, Dave Smith), and what he's thankful for: family, friends, his writing career, art, and social media. They unbox a sculpture called 'Chance Murmur' that an artist made for Lex, leading to a passionate defense of contemporary art and small artisans. The conversation also dives into serious territory: the nature of human goodness versus tribalism, lessons of the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, religion versus internet atheism, soft power versus military power, and Camus. It closes with Malice's hyper-detailed 67-soap wet-shaving system, advice on happiness, and reflections on loyalty, betrayal, depression, and seeing beauty in the world.
Big reveals
- Malice once kept a peacock mantis shrimp as a pet and still keeps a pair of its molted punching appendages.
- Malice announces he is finally producing a 20-year-old screenplay about the band Rubber Rodeo as a graphic novel.
- An artist named Jake Michael Singer made Lex a sculpture called 'Chance Murmur,' which they unbox on the show.
- Malice owns an actual ancient Egyptian Ibis mummy, still in its bandages, overlooking his desk.
- Malice reveals his 'autistic' wet-shaving system: a rotating cycle of 67 shaving soaps with 86 more candidates in queue.
- Malice owns Margaret Thatcher's bookcases and considers them his personal symbol of having 'made it' as an immigrant.
Things worth remembering
- Malice last visited North Korea in 2012, and notes the border has recently been electrified, stopping nearly all escapes.
- Malice recounts a Norm Macdonald 'pumpkin head genie' joke he uses as a litmus test for sense of humor.
- Malice helped give national attention to a Texas independence referendum bill after discussing it with the legislator and on Rogan.
- Malice argues the Holocaust is singular in history and that comparing other events to it cheapens its lessons.
- Malice's view: most people are 'fundamentally deranged with a veneer of civility' that breaks down under pressure.
- Malice describes his 'ambassador program' theory for fighting bigotry: knowing a member of a group reduces prejudice against it.
- Malice argues the world is closer to 'Brave New World' than '1984,' with soft power and culture mattering more than military force.
- Malice collects trilobite fossils (about 15), which eBay lists as 'used.'
- Malice names favorite shaving soap companies including Ion Skincare (formerly Grooming Department), Barrister and Mann, Chiseled Face, and Phoenix Shaving.
Recommended in this episode
Books, products and media the guest or host genuinely endorsed here — with the buy link.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Dear Reader: The Unauthorized Autobiography of Kim Jong Il
Michael Malice
“the author of dear reader the new WR the anarchist handbook the white pill and he is the host of the podcast you're welcome” — Lex Fridman 00:00:31Find it on Amazon
The New Right: A Journey to the Fringe of American Politics
Michael Malice
“the author of dear reader the new WR the anarchist handbook the white pill and he is the host of the podcast you're welcome” — Lex Fridman 00:00:31Find it on Amazon
The Anarchist Handbook
Michael Malice
“the author of dear reader the new WR the anarchist handbook the white pill and he is the host of the podcast you're welcome” — Lex Fridman 00:00:31Find it on Amazon
The White Pill: A Tale of Good and Evil
Michael Malice
“the author of dear reader the new WR the anarchist handbook the white pill and he is the host of the podcast you're welcome” — Lex Fridman 00:00:31Find it on Amazon
Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story
Harvey Pekar
“he wrote a graphic novel about me in 2006 called Eon huus which goes for like $150 on on eBay it's not worth it” — Michael Malice 00:30:47Find it on Amazon
Police State
Dinesh D'Souza
“denes dza just released a movie called police state which was actually really good um highly recommend it I was surprised how much I liked it” — Michael Malice 00:20:22Find it on Amazon
Jesus' Son
Alison Maclean (inferred)
“he was in one of my favorite movies uh Jesus's son it's this Little Indie movie um he did a great turn in that” — Michael Malice 00:19:20Find it on Amazon
Aion Skincare (formerly Grooming Department) shaving soap
Aion Skincare
“the best company in my opinion is company called uh they just changed the name grooming department and now it's like ion skincare the soap is just really high quality” — Michael Malice 01:25:16Find it on Amazon
Barrister and Mann shaving soap (Seville)
Barrister and Mann
“another amazing company is Barrister and man and if I'm going to tell you to try one it's called cheser” — Michael Malice 01:25:48Find it on Amazon
Chiseled Face Midnight Stag shaving soap
Chiseled Face
“another great company is chiseled face they make something called Midnight stag one of my favorite soaps of all time” — Michael Malice 01:25:48Find it on Amazon
Phoenix Shaving (Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements) shaving soap
Phoenix Shaving
“another great company is Phoenix shaving um and they have one called Aloha Smackdown smells like Hawaiian Punch so they're great” — Michael Malice 01:26:22Find it on Amazon
Katie's Bubbles shaving soap
Katie's Bubbles
“oh and Katie's bubbles is great they're vegan um out of New Jersey they've got one called a knee high to a grape” — Michael Malice 01:26:54Find it on Amazon
Proraso shaving soap
Proraso
“this one's pzo that's like the Italian Granda soap which is also a great one and I went down this rabbit hole” — Michael Malice 01:28:57Find it on Amazon