We have had many media panics about swarms and hordes, about infestations and plagues of dangerous insects and arachnids that promise to rain destruction down on the defenseless American public. My guest today is comedian Akilah Hughes, host of the podcast How Is This Better? We are talking about our American fear around sensationalized bugs, from killer bees to infected mosquitos to floating spiders to the kissing bug. We’ll discuss what these panics can tell us about the language of our politics and the way mass hysteria can create monstrous problems from perceived threats, no matter how tiny.

Get more of Akilah's work:
<a href="https://akilahhughes.com/">Website</a> / <a href="https://couriernewsroom.com/how-is-this-better/">How Is This Better?</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3pC_1P11PhzYThH2SnKAcg">YouTube</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/akilahh/?hl=en">Instagram</a>

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Get some of our new merch at <a href="https://www.chelseywebersmith.com/americanhysteria">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠americanhysteria.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>, all profits go to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian-led mutual aid group who are on the ground in Gaza delivering food and supplies to displaced families. 

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Producer and Editor: <a href="https://linktr.ee/mirandatheswampmonster">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Miranda Zickler⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>
Associate Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rileymsmith96">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Riley Swedelius-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>
Additional editing by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kayleeshaye">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kaylee Jasperson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>
Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

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