Latest news with #NelkBoys
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
As Gaza starves, Netanyahu natters about McDonald's with ‘manosphere' podcasters Nelk Boys
Gaza is starving. Nearly 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and a third of Gaza's population is going days without eating, according to an expert from the UN World Food Programme. Tons of food sits rotting in warehouses just outside Gaza but the government of Israel will not allow it to be freely delivered. Instead, starving Palestinians must contend with a real-life version of The Hunger Games to try and eat. Over 1,000 desperate Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli forces since the end of May trying to reach food distribution points run by the US – and the Israel-backed Gaza 'Humanitarian' Foundation. But enough about that, eh! Who wants to hear about starving babies who will either die painful deaths or never fully recover from the long-term consequences of malnutrition in early childhood? I'm sure what you really want to know is what Benjamin Netanyahu's favourite fast food order is. And, luckily, I've got some answers for you. On Monday Netanyahu, one of the main architects of Gaza's man-made mass starvation campaign, gave an hour-long interview to Nelk Boy members Kyle Forgeard and Aaron Steinberg on their Full Send Podcast. If you are not in their target demographic (a young man with right-leaning tendencies), you might not know much about the collection of media personalities known as the Nelk Boys, but they wield a lot of influence. They have more than 8.5m subscribers on YouTube and have interviewed Donald Trump multiple times. While they initially built a name for themselves as pranksters, they've now aligned themselves with the likes of self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate and went all-in on Trump's 2024 campaign. Some political scientists believe that they are partly responsible for Trump's second term. Indeed, the Nelk Boys, along with other 'manosphere'-adjacent podcasters such as Adin Ross, Theo Von and Joe Rogan, even got a shout out from UFC CEO Dana White at Trump's election night victory party. Benjamin Netanyahu on the fullsendpodcast LIVE at 12PM/EST How they brokered the Netanyahu interview is unclear, although an entrepreneur named Elkana Bar Eitan, who previously arranged a trip to Israel for the Nelk Boys, is claiming he suggested it in order to help 'convey pro-Israel messages to a younger audience'. You can watch the entire inane 70 minutes for yourself if you want to sacrifice some braincells and get served annoying ads for sports betting and cryptocurrency. But the 'too long; didn't listen' summary of the conversation is that Netanyahu touched on all his preferred talking points and lied continuously without any pushback. He started by sucking up to Trump – something he's very skilled at – praising the US president's sense of humour and sharing the fact that his wife, Sara, told him that Trump 'is a good person with a good heart'. He claimed that most civilian casualties in Gaza are Hamas's fault and, engaging in a little pinkwashing, said that it was nonsensical for women and gay people to support Gaza: 'It's like chickens for KFC, right?' He also said that everyone in Gaza wants to be transferred to another country, and falsely claimed that Hamas isn't letting them leave. He also said Hamas is responsible for the fact Gaza is starving. And then he pivoted to the topic of Zohran Mamdani (he's not a fan) before spending a lot of time talking about Iran. But don't worry, this tour-de-force of hard-hitting journalism was interspersed with lighter moments like when the Nelk Boys asked what Netanyahu's favourite McDonald's order is and Netanyahu replied that he preferred Burger King. 'That's your worst take, I think,' Steinberg responded jokingly. Hilarious, right? It's just side-splittingly funny that kids are dying of starvation in Gaza thanks to a man who is a big fan of Whoppers. If Steinberg wants to see some more of Netanyahu's 'bad takes', I strongly suggest he look up a few things the prime minister has said about Palestinians. In 2001, for example, Netanyahu said his approach to Palestinians is that you should: 'Beat them up, not once but repeatedly, beat them up so it hurts so badly, until it's unbearable.' Of course, that would require the Nelk Boys doing any research before having Netanyahu on. 'I see so much stuff about what's going on in Israel and Iran and Palestine, and to be honest, I just really don't know what is going on there,' Forgeard said. I think we all saw that. Netanyahu made it very clear why he was on the podcast, stating that he was sitting down with the Nelk Boys 'to reach young people'. After almost two years of carnage which has left over 17,000 children dead, support for Israel is dropping, particularly among young Americans. Whether Netanyahu achieved what he wanted from the useful idiots interviewing him is unclear. And while the Nelk Boys received a lot of publicity for the interview, I'm not sure they're happy with the backlash they're getting. They've lost more than 100,000 subscribers in less than a day and the comment section isn't exactly flattering. (One of the top YouTube comments says: 'Holy shit this is insane. War criminal. You will be remembered for centuries for this interview.') The Nelk Boys, meanwhile, are doing their best to defend themselves. They jumped on a stream with leftwing podcaster Hasan Piker after the Netanyahu interview to explain they know the Israeli prime minister was trying to promote his actions, and that's fine because that's what everyone does on podcasts. 'Benjamin Netanyahu isn't promoting a book, he's promoting a genocide,' Piker replied. They've also admitted 'we're probably not the best at asking questions.' Perhaps the Nelk Boys shouldn't feel so bad. Large swathes of the mainstream media seem to have little interest in hearing the Palestinian point of view or pushing back against Israeli propaganda. One analysis of media coverage found that US cable shows displayed consistent anti-Palestinian bias and went for months without speaking to a single Palestinian. When Ta-Nehisi Coates went on the media circuit to discuss his new book, The Message, one section of which criticizes Israel's treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank, he was smeared as an extremist by CBS Mornings' Tony Dokoupil. Despite winning an Oscar, no major US distributor would touch No Other Land, the Palestinian-Israeli documentary which looks at how the Israeli government is trying to force Palestinians from their homes in the southern West Bank. While peacefully waving a Palestinian flag or speaking up for Palestinians can have you threatened with arrest in the UK or deportation from the US, accused war criminals are getting the kid-gloves treatment. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest for Netanyahu for crimes against humanity and war crimes. In a just world, this would make him a pariah. Instead, the ICC arrest warrant, which is still active, has been swept under the rug. It rarely comes up in news reports that mention the prime minister of Israel, and it hasn't stopped US politicians cheerfully hobnobbing with him. Even the likes of Cory Booker, who postures as some sort of civil rights activist, posed for photos with Netanyahu earlier this month. I'm pointing all this out because the normalization of Netanyahu, the constant whitewashing of Israel's alleged war crimes by 'respectable' figures, is why a man who has blood dripping from his hands, a man who is responsible for what many experts say 'is the worst humanitarian situation they have ever seen', can be invited onto the Nelk Boys' highly influential podcast to natter about whether he prefers McDonalds or Burger King. While condemnation of Israel's actions has increased in recent months, the media still often presents what is happening as a response to 7 October 2023, rather than looking at the broader historical context. Israel weaponized food long before 7 October. In 2008, for example, Israeli authorities calculated the minimum caloric intake necessary for Palestinians to avoid malnutrition so they could limit the amount of food into Gaza without causing a famine. For decades Israel has controlled almost every aspect of Palestinian lives and stripped them of every facet of human dignity; today, people in Gaza are not even allowed to dip their feet in the sea. So while the Nelk Boys interview is unpleasant listening, it's not some fratty podcasters asking a man who should be in the Hague what his favourite burger is who are the real problem. It's decades of the mainstream media systematically dehumanizing Palestinians. As an apocalyptic Gaza starves, there are a lot of politicians and journalists in the US who should be asking themselves how they helped pave the way for a genocide to happen.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ilia Topuria willing to vacate UFC belt before giving Arman Tsarukyan shot; gets response
UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria insists he won't give Arman Tsarukyan a shot at his title. Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) claimed the vacant belt by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 earlier this month. He awaits his next title challenger, who he thinks will end up being either Justin Gaethje or Paddy Pimblett. Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was the No. 1 contender, but after withdrawing from his title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 just a day before the fight, Dana White said he needs to work his way back. Topuria thinks Tsarukyan would be an unreliable opponent. "Listen, when you put so much effort in the game, and you have a guy in front who you don't know that maybe he could pull out from the fight, that's not something good for us," Topuria told the Nelk Boys. "It's not, 'Ah, my back!' Bro, I don't f*cking care." Topuria went as far as saying he'd vacate the belt before fighting Tsarukyan. "They are going to give him a fight before the title shot because there is no way – I'm the world champion, I'm never going to give him a chance to fight for the title," Topuria said. "I will be like, listen, if that's the case, take my belt. I don't do it." Tsarukyan responded by mocking Topuria for his mindset. "Imagine calling yourself a champion, but you're already looking for a way out. You can vacate it, or I'll take it. Either way, it's mine."
Asharq Al-Awsat
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Netanyahu: We Will Not Stop War Until Hamas Lays Down its Arms
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened that the war on the Gaza Strip will not stop unless Hamas declares its complete surrender. 'The minute Hamas lays down its arms and surrenders, maybe we will let them leave, that's the end of the war,' Netanyahu said in an interview, which dropped on the Nelk Boys' 'Full Send Podcast' on Monday. Netanyahu's statements confirm that the PM has a set of conditions that make any ceasefire agreement in Gaza difficult and complicated. He also seemed to be replying to a statement by the UK and 24 western nations, including France, Canada, Australia and Italy, that called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza as Israel launched fresh attacks on the central city of Deir al-Balah. The countries' joint statement on Monday said the war 'must end now' and it warned that the 'suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.' When asked what his message to Palestinians, who want to have a peaceful life, was, the PM replied: 'Get rid of Hamas.' Israel insists on continuing the war on Hamas until the movement surrenders, despite the complexities and cost of the standoff in Gaza. During a rare 'multi-front situational assessment' at the Glilot intelligence base — the first of its kind in nearly two years — Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the ongoing campaign against Hamas in Gaza is 'one of the most complex' the army has ever faced. According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Zamir said 'the army is required to operate offensively on multiple fronts alongside vital defense in each sector and on the borders.' He added: 'We will continue to act to achieve our objectives: the return of the hostages and the collapse of Hamas.' Zamir stressed that the army will also continue to weaken and prevent strategic capabilities from Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon and preserve its freedom of action. Regarding Iran, after last month's 12-day war, Zamir said: 'Iran and its axis remain in our sights; the campaign against Iran isn't over.' He did not say what Israel's plans are in Gaza, but hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told a pro-settler conference on Tuesday that Zamir told him last week that Israel needs to annex the north of the Gaza Strip for security purposes. Meanwhile, the Yedioth Ahronoth reported that while dozens of western nations called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza on Monday, a 'Gaza Riviera' conference was being held in the Knesset where MPs openly discussed intentions to annex the coastal enclave, rebuild settlements there and turn it into a tourist destination. The newspaper said European Union Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas issued an 'explicit threat' to Israel, stating that 'the killing of civilians seeking aid in Gaza is indefensible.' Kallas added: 'All options are on the table if Israel does not fulfill its commitments. I spoke again with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to remind him of our agreement regarding aid flow - and to clarify that the Israeli army must stop killing people at distribution points.'
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ilia Topuria fires back at Max Holloway's BMF title criticism: 'I put you to sleep'
Ilia Topuria is unbothered by Max Holloway's verbal jabs over his continuous flaunting of an inauthentic BMF title. Holloway (27-8 MMA, 23-8 UFC) captured the BMF strap at UFC 300 in April 2024 when he scored a last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje. His next fight came against Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) at UFC 308 in October, but the BMF belt was not on the line, and therefor Holloway technically kept it despite being stopped by strikes. It was back up for grabs this past weekend when Holloway defeated Dustin Poirier by unanimous decision in the UFC 318 main event, and afterward "Blessed" dissed for Topuria to keep trotting around the non-legitimate version of the silver title. That doesn't bother Topuria one bit, he said, because even if Holloway or the UFC doesn't recognize it as official, he's certain that the only BMF around is himself. "That's not my problem," Topuria told the Nelk Boys. "I just knocked him out. How can you still be the BMF if I knocked you out? I pointed to the ground in the first 10 seconds. You ran away. Then I caught you anyways and I put you to sleep. And you're still the BMF? How's that?" Holloway has made it clear he wants revenge on now-lightweight champion Topuria in the form of a rematch. UFC CEO Dana White expressed interest in possibly running it back with the BMF officially at stake, but he did not commit to Holloway being next. Topuria said he does not have any confirmation about his next opponent, but Holloway, Justin Gaethje, Arman Tsarukyan and Paddy Pimblett have all made the argument to having a case. "I think they are going to try to push for Justin," Topuria said. "That's what I think. Or maybe Paddy. There's not even a conversation about Arman. ... He needs to fight."
NBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Netanyahu's appearance on popular Nelk Boys podcast draws criticism from right and left online
A podcast popular among young men shocked the internet this week with an unexpected interview guest: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Netanyahu's bid to appeal to young people appeared to backfire online, where the interview drew widespread criticism from viewers across the political spectrum. His interviewers, Kyle Forgeard and Aaron 'Steiny' Steinberg, are members of the Nelk Boys, a group of social media influencers known for their vlogs and prank videos. The group, which has amassed more than 8.5 million subscribers on YouTube, attracted even more fans after its content began to highlight more conservative political figures, including President Donald Trump, whom the podcast interviewed in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Netanyahu's hourlong interview, which dropped on the Nelk Boys' 'Full Send Podcast' on Monday, was met with overwhelmingly critical reception online, with viewers accusing the podcasters of asking softball questions and neglecting to push back against Netanyahu's claims. Netanyahu and his government continue to face worldwide outrage over the war in Gaza that followed the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The podcast's YouTube channel lost more than 10,000 subscribers within a day, according to the social media tracking platform Social Blade. On YouTube, top comments on the episode were critical of the hosts' apparent lack of preparedness. 'I see so much stuff about what's going on in Israel and Iran and Palestine, and to be honest, I just really don't know what is going on there,' Forgeard said in the episode. Steinberg said he was similarly hoping to 'get educated' by interviewing Netanyahu. At one point, the topic of discussion turned to Netanyahu's and Trump's shared affection for hamburgers. Asked about his go-to McDonald's order, Netanyahu revealed that he prefers Burger King, leading Steinberg to respond, appalled: 'That's your worst take, I think.' Throughout the rest of the interview, Netanyahu condemned anti-Israel protesters as 'un-American' and contrasted life in Israel with life under the oppressive regime in Iran. He also railed against New York's Democratic mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, calling his proposals for the city 'nonsense.' (Mamdani has called Israel's military actions in Gaza 'genocide' and has said he would arrest Netanyahu, who is the subject of a warrant for his arrest from the International Criminal Court, if he visited New York City.) Asked why he's 'so hated worldwide,' Netanyahu answered: 'Well, a lot of propaganda. First of all, I'm not hated worldwide.' He said Israel has received a lot of goodwill from many in Europe, claiming that Israel's attack on Iran also 'liberated them, because those Iranian missiles were geared at Europe, too, and ultimately at America.' 'The propaganda is there, I don't deny it,' Netanyahu said. 'But people also have, you know, sometimes the truth beckons. And what Israel did with President Trump is safeguard free societies from a menace. I mean, this Iranian regime hangs gays from cranes.' On Monday, 25 countries, including Britain, Japan and many European nations, called on Israel to end the war in Gaza — a sign of Israel's traditional allies' dismay over the conflict's humanitarian toll. Close to 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, according to Palestinian health authorities, with much of the enclave's population driven from their homes and pushed to the edge of starvation. The Israeli military and government officials have repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting civilian sites, including hospitals and schools, as cover for its operations, an accusation that health officials and Hamas have denied. Israel has also faced mounting accusations of war crimes and genocide, including in a case brought by South Africa before the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' top court. The court last year ordered Israel to do everything it could to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza. Both Israel and the United States have rejected accusations of genocide. Online, clips of Netanyahu's interview drew viral backlash from viewers, many of whom accused the Nelk Boys of platforming 'genocide propaganda' and compared interviewing Netanyahu to interviewing Adolf Hitler. Far-left political streamer Hasan Piker and far-right white supremacist Nick Fuentes were among those who criticized the latest 'Full Send Podcast' episode Monday during separate livestreams on their platforms. 'You just basically presented someone who is a war criminal, someone who is doing a genocide, in a somewhat neutral light,' Piker told Forgeard and Steinberg in his stream. 'And you can't be neutral when you have someone like Benjamin Netanyahu directly in an opportunity to talk to him. But that's what happened, so there is moral culpability here for you guys individually.' He added that while he would agree to interview Netanyahu if he were given the opportunity, he would be 'well-equipped' to fact-check his statements and push back against potentially dubious claims. Forgeard, in response, countered that their style of interviewing could "give us the opportunity to get the biggest people in the world." "And I think you'll know by the 'Full Send Podcast' when you watch it, it's like, 'Hey, these guys are going to get big guests. We might not necessarily get these guys grilling these people,'" Forgeard said. "And that's just what you're going to come to expect." Fuentes, in his own stream with Forgeard and Steinberg, also questioned the moral equivalency between himself, who has faced condemnation online for his views and beliefs, and 'a foreign head of state who is killing women and children.' 'This is somebody who's in the process of committing what is effectively an ethnic cleansing and a genocide,' Fuentes said. The interview struggled to land positively even among some supporters of Netanyahu's military agenda. In The Times of Israel on Tuesday, contributor Elkana Bar Eitan expressed his disappointment that Netanyahu 'blew it' on the podcast, despite the lack of pushback he got from the hosts. 'It was painful to witness how Netanyahu, once a master communicator, missed this opportunity and showed that he's lost his touch, even in English,' he wrote in an opinion piece. 'Despite the friendly atmosphere and softball questions, Netanyahu came across as completely detached from reality.' A representative for the 'Full Send Podcast' declined to comment. In a video responding to the backlash, Steinberg and Forgeard said they plan to 'give the other side the opportunity' to speak on their next episode, though it's unclear what guest they're referring to. 'Someone has to do it,' Forgeard said. 'And if we have to take the fall and be the bad guys for having the controversial people on, I think we're willing to do it.'
