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PODCAST

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson

Kimberley A. Johnson

Hosted by blogger and author Kimberley A. Johnson.'Start Me Up' isn't just any other podcast. I'm willing to call BS when I see it and I don't care if it's coming from a rightwinger or a self-professed bleedingheart liberal. I'm not always politically correct and I'm a huge fan of loose talk and salty language. Sarcasm is guaranteed and political correctness will be at a minimum. This podcast is for anyone who wants to listen to compelling conversations with a variety

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All Episodes

64:27

Start Me Up: Jared Yates Sexton

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/06/12

Jared Yates Sexton: Political Analyst, The Midnight Kingdom: A History of Power, Paranoia, and the Coming Crisis, Co-Host Muckrake Podcast, newsletter Dispatches From A Collapsing State, Board: The Change Campaign.Topics: the psychological and emotional toll of combating authoritarianism, the importance of self-care and maintaining a grounded perspective; our mixed feelings about Gavin Newsom, we acknowledgehis political skills while expressing skepticism about his trustworthiness due to past

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32:49

Start Me Up: Wajahat Ali

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/06/05

Wajahat Ali is the editor of The Left Hook Substack & Co-host of The Democracy-Ish Podcast.Topics: Wajahat talked about the challenges of maintaining hope and mental health while resisting a right-wing authoritarian regime; the normalization of extreme conspiracy theories and violence under Trump's presidency; concerns about the integrity of future elections; the dangers of underestimating Trump's willingness to stay in power, including the possibility of declaring martial law and

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43:58

Start Me Up: David Pepper

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/05/29

David Pepper is a lawyer, writer, political activist, former elected official, and adjunct professor, and served as the Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party between 2015 and 2021. He's the author of Laboratories of Autocracy and Saving Democracy.Topics: Courts say Trump tariffs are illegal--but will he obey the courts, and how would his defiance play to voters? Elon may be out of the White House, but is that good news? The "big beautiful" tax bill is devastating in many ways. David

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67:10

Start Me Up: Jennifer Taylor-Skinner

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/05/22

Jennifer Taylor-Skinner is a writer, essayist, and creator & host of the award-winning podcast, The Electorette—one of the longest-running feminist podcasts, offering analyses and solutions to the world's biggest political and social challenges, all through the lens of women.Topics: Both of us feel more hopeful about democracy than we did six months ago; Bernie Sanders' recent comment on identity politics and why many found it offensive, WTF is up with Gavin Newsom?; David Hogg and what

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57:45

Start Me Up: Kiersten Warren

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/05/08

Kiersten is such a delight. No politics today. We chatted about her book, I wish I were an Ocelot: Adventures of an Essential Kitten; upcoming projects; the hate Pamela Anderson is getting for being and looking 57; the pressure women are under to look sexy (for others) their entire lives, and much, much more.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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73:23

Start Me Up: Stephanie Dominguez Walton

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/04/29

Stephanie is back!!!!No prep...just two best friends talking about what's happening out there. Steph talked up Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and shared what happened when she met him; Stephanie passionately discusses the importance of providing healthcare to all, regardless of immigration status or other factors, emphasizing it as a human right; we talked about the protests and backlash against the t regime, what we have to be hopeful about and much more!Advertising Inquiries:

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68:36

Start Me Up: Cheri Jacobus

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/04/24

Cheri is back!Today's show was more about our personal lives wth a little bit of politics thrown in.Topics: What we do for self-care; Cheri weighs in on what may happen to Social Security; she also shared that surviving cancer has resulted in a healthier lifestyle; we shared rumors we heard about sex before we were sexually active, and we ended with supernatural experiences we've had. It was a light, fun show.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out:

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82:28

Start Me Up: Author Ann Werner (My Mom)

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/04/03

Topics: We discussed Ann's latest book series, "After the Apocalypse," and the Democratic party's response to the current political climate, focusing on the recent win of an important Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin and Cory Booker's 25-hour Senate filibuster. Ann emphasized the importance of Democrats showing up to town halls and engaging with constituents--as opposed to Republicans who belittle or run away from them. We also reminisced about our experiences in an acting class

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57:22

Start Me Up: Jody Hamilton

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/03/27

Jody is Back!!! We avoided politics save for one piece of good news.I record on Zoom and this was the AI description of the show (lol) Kimberley and Jody discussed their personal experiences, including their emotional struggles, lottery wins, and encounters with celebrities. They also reminisced about their shared past, including their childhood trauma from watching a movie, their experiences at nightclubs, and their preferences for colder temperatures. The conversation also touched on their plans

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65:41

Start Me Up: Christopher Bouzy

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/03/13

Christopher Bouzy is a serial entrepreneur, software engineer, and political maven and he’s the founder and CEO of both Bot Sentinel and Spoutible.com.Topics: We talked about the current state of the country and the need for stronger resistance against the fascist regime. Christopher's opinion on what happened in the 2024 election has evolved. We also touched on the potential shift in the Democratic party's identity and how that plays out in the midterm and general elections. The

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59:48

Start Me Up: D. Earl Stephens

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/03/06

D. Earl Stephens is the author of "Toxic Tales: A Caustic Collection of Donald J. Trump's Very Important Letters." He's the former managing editor of Stars & Stripes, a Navy vet, and a prolific writer. His Substack: Enough AlreadyEarl and I are pissed off and we vented BIGLY! We discussed the corrupt influence of money in politics and how it impacts Democratic optics/messaging; the impact of boycotts on companies--and the liberal scolds who only complain and refuse to unify; we

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50:35

Start Me Up: Steve Pierson of the The Practivist...

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/02/27

Steve Pierson is back! He is an activist and seasoned campaign organizer who has dedicated his career to empowering grassroots movements. He and Jess Craven have launched The Practivist Pod -- the practice of activism made practical.Topics: Steve shared the news about his new podcast and then we discussed the importance of focusing on gratitude in these very trying times. We also discussed an upcoming series of boycotts and economic actions aimed at large corporations, the potential impact of

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62:38

Start Me Up: Greg Olear

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/02/20

Greg Olear is back! He's the author of Rough Beast, PREVAIL columnist & podcaster, and co-host of The Five 8 on YouTube.Topics: We discussed our concerns about the current political climate, including the potential threat to Social Security and Medicare, and the importance of a shift in the political landscape. We also discussed the potential impact of a general strike on February 28th and the need for continued efforts to raise awareness and possibly impact politicians. The conversation

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43:06

Start Me Up: Writer/Director Jay Arnold

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/02/06

Writer/Director Jay Arnold is back! He directed and wrote the original screenplay for the 2023 award-winning romantic drama “Shoulder Dance.” Jay’s first Documentary “Sergio Dondoli’s Happy Life” releases in Spring 2025.Topics: First, we talked about his upcoming documentary and then chatted a bit about self-care. Then we got into politics: Musk hacking into major government websites, how systemic racism affects all of us, fighting back against fascism and we end with what we have to be hopeful

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80:16

Start Me Up: Tara Dublin

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/01/30

Tara is back! She's a prominent resister, a freelance writer, and the author of THE SOUND OF SETTLING, A Rock & Roll Love Story. Topics: Tara talks about her book and why she wrote it. We both spent time discussing the importance of self-care and how to achieve goals with how we think and what we believe is possible. Then we focused on how Democrats can improve messaging--and how voters can help make that happen. We spent some time talking about ''liberal" frauds who grift off of

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61:11

Start Me Up: Writer, Sarah Wood

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/01/23

Sarah Wood is back and she's extra sweary today. We love when she's sweary and there's a lot to swear about!Topics: the fascists want to overwhelm us so we disengage; Trump 2.0 will be worse than Trump 1.0 because many guardrails are gone but we still have power and we need to use it; focusing on self-care is vital; Germany knows Elon gave a Nazi salute; our news media is weak and it's failing us; ways to cope and Bishop Mariann Budde is a brave inspiration.Advertising Inquiries:

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61:03

Start Me Up: Comedian Mo Collins

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/01/16

Mo Collins is an actress and comedian. A few of her credits include MadTV; Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm; Parks and Recreation; 40-Year-Old Virgin and much more.After talking about the devastating fires in Southern California, Mo shared a bit about her life growing up in Minnesota, how she got into improv and comedy; what it's been like for her as a comedian and actress, and then we launched into politics. We discussed what needs to change and some happy and exciting news about what

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49:38

Start Me Up: Nick Knudsen - DemCast

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2025/01/09

Nick Knudsen returns! He's the Executive Director of DemCast USA--a digital movement to combat the prolific disinformation that is spreading online, we ask everyday social media users to share the truth and calls-to-action in their own social media feeds. Topics: Nick shares info about the premiere of his upcoming podcast; what everyday Americans can do to help rescue democracy; the Virginia special election this week was a win for Democrats (a hopeful sign); how we cope during the next four

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74:58

Start Me Up: Jennifer Taylor-Skinner

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2024/12/12

Jennifer Taylor-Skinner is a writer, essayist, and creator & host of the award-winning podcast, The Electorette—one of the longest-running feminist podcasts, offering analyses and solutions to the world's biggest political and social challenges, all through the lens of womenTopics: What we're doing to stay sane; trusted sources of the resistance; much of legacy media is obeying in advance; vigilantism; Jennifer highlights how gutting the Voting Rights Act in 2013 has affected US

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67:20

Start Me Up: Lorraine Devon Wilke

Start Me Up with Kimberley A. Johnson ·

2024/11/21

Writer, performer, and activist, Lorraine Devon Wilke is back! She's the author of the award-winning novel, THE ALCHEMY OF NOISE; her next, CHICK SINGER, pubs March 2025, and her latest endeavor is a popular Substack titled "Musings of a Creative Loudmouth."Today's conversation was centered around how the election affected us and what we're doing to cope. We talked about pragmatic, practical things each one of us can do to ease the fear of alarming news we hear daily, and we

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