Our Odd Couple

 

When scrolling through Twitter on Thursday I came across this:

On the pages of National Review Michael Brendan Dougherty reviews something near and dear to me – London Calling.

About the sixth paragraph in, Dougherty writes:

Whereas once he and Young were both basically libertarian-oriented Tories, now Delingpole has stopped caring about conventional politics. He sometimes has trouble working up any interest at all in the latest too-ing and fro-ing at Westminster. And this change has strained the relationship at the heart of the podcast, occasionally making me wonder if I was listening to the final episode.

Yeah. Me, too. At least once every six weeks.

What makes London Calling riveting is that I know so many friendships, marriages, and enterprises in which something like the same division has arisen over the past three years. I know so many people who go through life with worldviews equivalent to those of #TeamToby and #TeamJames as the respective angel and devil on their shoulders. And there is something inherently fascinating about watching people struggle through it.

Mmmm. No mention of #TeamEvilBrian. That’s OK. I still get the occasional Moink Box.

But his motivation for the review is simple.

The fact that London Calling hasn’t broken up over its hosts’ sharply diverging views is — dare I say it — inspiring. In a way, both men’s liberality is what sustains it: They always find a way to talk through or around their disagreements, and their friendship allows each of them to practice viewing the world through the other’s warped lens.

When I sent the link to Toby he replied, “He gets us completely.”

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There are 7 comments.

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  1. Steve Fast Member
    Steve Fast
    @SteveFast

    One of my favorite podcasts! There was an episode 3-4 months ago that I really thought might their last because they seemed genuinely angry at each other. But they talked it out in the next episode and have gotten along better since. I think they showed that both parties in a genuine friendship have to be willing to do a little work from time to time to keep it together.

    • #1
  2. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    “Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it.” – Mark Twain

    • #2
  3. Nick Plosser Coolidge
    Nick Plosser
    @NickP

    Long time listener to London Calling. Although these days I mainly listen to hear the many and various ways which James will call Toby a cuck, and how he will spin everything from the latest shenanigans at 10 Downing St to Culture Corner to a Moink box as part of the ‘globalist cabal’.

    • #3
  4. Aloha Johnny Member
    Aloha Johnny
    @AlohaJohnny

    I used to listen every week, but now only about every 2nd or 3rd.   While I think James has been somewhat correct in the great reset stuff,  his conspiracy theory answer for everything is a bit too easy.  Yes, sometimes it is a conspiracy, but most times not organized.  Usually, it is a conspiracy of mutual interest and taking the easy way out.  Nobody who has worked in large companies, the military, and the government (as I have) believes in complex, long term and successful conspiracies.   They are not that capable, that organized, or that knowledgeable to pull off a large, complex, long-term conspiracy.   Though now that I think about it, the FBI has been able to be found out in a bunch of conspiracies (Russiagate, FOIAgate, Whitmergate, etc.), and without the press or populace caring, so they can get away with it.  Hmm.  I’ll listen next week.   Consider me Team Toby, but James Curious.  

    • #4
  5. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Oh, the OTHER James.

    • #5
  6. GlennAmurgis Coolidge
    GlennAmurgis
    @GlennAmurgis

    James is a over the top on most of his conspiracy’s theories, but he gets the great reset 

    • #6
  7. Rōnin Coolidge
    Rōnin
    @Ronin

    I’m on Team James, but Team Toby is OK too.  

    • #7
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