Rephonic
Artwork for Diet Soap

Diet Soap - a podcast

Douglas Lain
Capitalism
Socialism
Donald Trump
Marxism
Neoliberalism
Democratic Party
Kamala Harris
Trump
Iran
Israel
Republican Party
Sublation Media
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Class Struggle
Anti-Imperialism
Identity Politics
Hamas
Gaza
Palestine
Critical Theory

The Diet Soap podcast began in 2009 in response to the economic crisis of 2008. Since then it has gone through many transformations, including becoming the podcast for a critical theory imprint out of the UK. Today the Diet Soap podcast is running under its original name for Sublation Media.Sublation Media includes a book publishing effort for critical theory and left politics, a magazine that cov... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes100Founded17 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CulturePhilosophy

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Diet Soap

Latest Episodes

Chris Knight is a political activist and the author of the book "Decoding Chomsky: Science and Revolutionary Politics." In this episode of Diet Soap, Knight discusses Chomsky's legacy, his role within the military industrial complex, and the meaning ... more

YouTube

Chris Cutrone and Douglas Lain discuss their new film entitled "The Last Election."

Film description:

In 1992, the dissident writer Douglas Lain ran a rubber goldfish for president and declared himself a surrealist. In 2024, he took a group of you... more

Rudi Greiser and Douglas Lain discuss the various approaches to acting that have developed in the West. How should a new Avant Garde, a new Expansivist Realist theatre, understand the history of and techniques deployed by actors.

Support Sublation M... more

Chris Cutrone discusses how China fits into the Global Capitalist order and how we should understand the way the world works today.

Support Sublation Media:

patreon.com/dietsoap

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Bungacast
BungacastBungacast
This Wreckage
This WreckageSean KB and AP Andy
What's Left of Philosophy
What's Left of PhilosophyLillian Cicerchia, Owen Glyn-Williams, Gil Morejón, and William Paris
Acid Horizon
Acid HorizonAcid Horizon
Why Theory
Why TheoryWhy Theory

Recent Guests

Benjamin Studebaker
Guest on the show, author of The Credit Crisis of American Democracy and other works
Author; The Credit Crisis of American Democracy, The Way is Shut, Legitimacy in Liberal Democracies
Episode: Episode 687: Project Freedom? (War is Politics by Other Means)
Ashley Frawley
Editor and podcaster, author of Jeffrey Epstein's Necrophilia and Ours
Compact Magazine
Episode: Episode 684: Jeffrey Epstein's Necrophilia
Chris Cutrone
Last Marxist chief strategist, discussed as a guest on the episode
Unknown / Diegetic in-show bio
Episode: Episode 680: Chris Cutrone on the Democrats and Iran
Ethan Linehan
Writer and scholar; contributor to Sublation Magazine; discussed his piece Wrong Life and Abortion
Sublation Magazine / Sublation Media
Episode: Episode 678: Reproductive Freedom in a Wrong Life?
Dan Davison
An independent scholar based in the UK
Episode: Episode 653: The Left is Stuck in a Time Loop with Zohran
Stanley Sharpey
The author of The Discreet Charm of the PMC
Episode: Episode 645: The Discreet Charm of the PMC
Philip Cunliffe
Associate Professor of International Relations at University College London, author, and co-host at Afabungabunga podcast
University College London
Episode: Episode 641: Trump Wins Again and Again?
Thomas Peermohamed Lambert
Author of the novel "Shibboleth" and doctoral student at Oxford.
Europa Editions
Episode: Episode 634: Shibboleths, Customs, and Lies
Will Stratford
PhD candidate in modern European history at Boston College
Boston College
Episode: Episode 630: Understanding the Marxist Revisionism Dispute

Hosts

Douglas Lane
Host of the Diet Soap and related programs; guides conversation and introduces guests; affiliated with Sublation Media / Diet Soap.
Douglas Lain
Host and interview facilitator; co-host in several segments and known for cross-podcast appearances; associated with Sublation Media and related projects.
Chris Cutrone
Philosopher and Marxist theorist; frequent guest and co-host contributor; central to regime-change and imperial policy discussions.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 356 ratings
  • Mixed bag but not clearly trying to brand itself as “controversial” like Compact

    Very eclectic and often seeming to be purposefully contrarian. Weird mix of so-called “Marxist humanism “, Moishe Postone, lots of Christopher Lasch, and being anti-woke for the sake of being anti-wokeness. There are some good episodes, like the debate over GA Cohen and analytical Marxism a few years ago, recent interview with JA Smith, and the recent discussion on afterlives of the Frankfurt School.

    A lot of it is just too confusing and peripatetic for me to handle. I was on oxycodone yesterd... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    shd345
    United States2 years ago
  • Great work

    Thanks for putting all the work in. This podcast has improved my morning shift 100 fold!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    teesmi
    Canada2 years ago
  • Good example of conservative style Marxism

    This is an entertaining view of Marxist/ Hegelian philosophy.just be aware that it comes from a questionable conservative place that place’s identity politics in opposition to Marxism, specifically often in a quite transphobic way.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Jill Lloyd Flanagan
    United States3 years ago
  • Still Marxist after all these years(?)

    Stubbornly representing Marxist, Marxian, and Marx-ish ideas. I hold out hope that one day, Lain and Varn will read Rerum Novarum, Quadragesimo Anno, and Centesimus Annus and see the light.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    L. Blownapart
    United States3 years ago
  • Very good podcast. Sometimes I feel like the hosts don't do enough to contextualise for the audience, but I appreciate the content nonetheless.

    Podcast Addict
    xolotlll
    3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise strong guest choices and the host's willingness to push provocative ideas.
Some reviews note dense, arcane discussions that can be hard to follow but are rewarding for deep thinkers.
A few critics describe certain episodes as esoteric, but overall reception highlights rigorous analysis and engaging debate.
Listeners value long-form, theory-rich conversations that challenge conventional wisdom.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 684: Jeffrey Epstein's Necrophilia
Q: How do Fromm and Pareto illuminate today's tech-driven economy and AI developments?
Fromm shows necrophilia as a longing to bend life to will and to separate life from its organic basis, while Pareto demonstrates how beautiful the system can seem on the surface but relies on impure inputs—humans—to function; together they contextualize AI as both a disruptive force and a potential tool for emancipation, contingent on human-centered use.
Episode 684: Jeffrey Epstein's Necrophilia
Q: What did you mean by the term necrophilia in the context of culture and economy?
It's about the craving for control over life, the fetishization of decay and dead labor in systems that operate like machines, and the way that such attitudes permeate culture, technology, and economic organization, often at the expense of human vitality.
Episode 659: Forming a Socialist Cult, Forming a Socialist Strategy
Q: What do you see as the primary problem for would-be socialists today that organizing might overcome?
There are many presuppositions that people get as leftists that need to be unlearned, necessitating a different kind of contact with reality and disciplined practice.
Episode 648: The Last Marxist Explains the conflict with IRAN
Q: What are your thoughts about the war with Iran that appears to have broken up?
It raises concerns about regional dynamics and U.S. involvement.
Episode 647: How Socialists Should Understand American Conservatism
Q: What is American conservatism?
American conservatism is historically defined as a reactionary movement arising around the time of the Gilded Age, characterized by opposition to progressive forces and a desire to preserve traditional political structures and free-market capitalism.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Diet Soap

What is Diet Soap about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, theory-forward discussion style that blends political theory, Marxism, and contemporary geopolitics with culture and media analysis. Episodes frequently probe imperial power, state strategy, and leftist critique, while hosting guests who contribute historical, philosophical, and sociopolitical perspectives. Listeners are likely drawn to rigorous dialogue, dense ideas, and a willingness to challenge mainstream narratives, with a tendency toward the academic, activist, and intellectually curious. A few notable traits include patchwork conversations that mix theory with current events, a habit of lively, contrarian exchanges, and a consistent, left-leaning critical stance that seeks to rethink capitalism and democracy.

Potential list... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Diet Soap?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Diet Soap. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Diet Soap and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Diet Soap get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Diet Soap, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Diet Soap?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Diet Soap, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Diet Soap have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Diet Soap has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Diet Soap?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Diet Soap:

1. Bungacast
2. This Wreckage
3. What's Left of Philosophy
4. Acid Horizon
5. Why Theory

How many episodes of Diet Soap are there?

Diet Soap launched 17 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Diet Soap?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Diet Soap?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Diet Soap from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Diet Soap?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Diet Soap. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Diet Soap?

Recent guests on Diet Soap include:

1. Benjamin Studebaker
2. Ashley Frawley
3. Chris Cutrone
4. Ethan Linehan
5. Dan Davison
6. Stanley Sharpey
7. Philip Cunliffe
8. Thomas Peermohamed Lambert

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days