Topic: Salman Rushdie

A correction is issued regarding COVID-19 mortality data from the Netherlands, clarifying that one out of every 800 people over age 60 who are vaccinated dies. Additionally, a correction is made regarding the location of the Salman Rushdie stabbing, which occurred in upstate New York rather than New York City.

Author Salman Rushdie was stabbed on stage in New York, 33 years after a fatwa was issued against him by Iran. The timing of the attack, along with reported Iranian plots against John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, coincides with the Biden administration's efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

The hosts speculate that the attack on Salman Rushdie may be leveraged by political factions opposed to the Iran nuclear deal. They note that Iran's current leadership reaffirmed the fatwa as recently as 2019 on social media, suggesting the threat never truly dissipated.

The discussion opens with the growth of the No Agenda YouTube channel and the potential for a Netflix deal. Attention shifts to Apple TV Plus and its new leadership from HBO, specifically the original programming featuring Jennifer Aniston. An anecdote follows regarding a Salman Rushdie lookalike at a Whole Foods in Berkeley, California.

The hosts trace the roots of Brexit to the perceived failure of state-sponsored multiculturalism in Europe. They revisit a 2011 speech by David Cameron where he admitted that segregated communities and "hands-off tolerance" led to radicalization. The discussion links these social tensions to the eventual rejection of EU open-border policies.

Author Salman Rushdie expressed outrage over Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) performing at Jon Stewart's "Rally to Restore Sanity." The conflict stems from Islam's 1989 comments supporting the fatwa against Rushdie for his book, *The Satanic Verses*. The hosts revisit the history of Cat Stevens' conversion to Islam in the late 1970s and his subsequent departure from the music industry before his recent return.

Comedian Bill Maher discusses demographic changes in Europe and the United States, suggesting that Arab and Mexican populations will eventually "breed their way to power." The segment features a panel with Salman Rushdie and a former Goldman Sachs executive. The hosts critique the "laugh track" nature of the show and the perceived lack of pushback against Maher's controversial statements on race and immigration.

Prominent figures on both sides of the political aisle are predicting a landslide victory for their respective candidates. Salman Rushdie and Janeane Garofalo expressed certainty of an Obama landslide on Bill Maher's program, while Rush Limbaugh suggests McCain could win decisively. The hosts analyze these conflicting "echo chamber" predictions as the election nears.