Say Everything: John Cusack on Kaepernick, The Cubs, Snowden & Things that Can and Cannot Be Said

Edge of Sports

Dave Zirin / The Nation

Sports, History, News, Politics, Sports News

4.8 • 619 Ratings

🗓️ 21 October 2016

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

John Cusack is a renowned actor, best known for classics like Being John Malkovich, Better Off Dead, Say Anything, and for my money, the greatest sports movie of all time, Eight Men Out. Cusack is also a serious political thinker with a new book “Things That Can and Cannot Be Said: Essays and Conversations,” co-written with Indian author Arundhati Roy about a range of subjects from patriotism, war, resistance, and empire – most centrally a reflection on a trip Cusack took with Roy and famed whistleblower of the Pentagon Papers, Daniel Ellsberg to meet with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. We speak with Cusack on his book, his beloved Chicago Cubs, patriotism, the anthem protests of Colin Kaepernick and I slip in a couple of movie questions as well. I also have some "choice words" about Kaepernick's first start of the season in Buffalo and “Just Stand Up” awards go to Wisconsin Badger Nigel Hayes and LA Dodger Adrian Gonzalez.Things that Can and Cannot Be Said: Essays and Conversations by Arundhati Roy and John Cusack http://www.haymarketbooks.org/pb/Things-That-Can-and-Cannot-Be-Said Freedom of the Press Foundation https://freedom.press/‘The Woke Tailgate’: The Brave of Buffalo Kneel in Solidarity With Colin Kaepernick https://www.thenation.com/article/the-woke-tailgate-the-brave-of-buffalo-kneel-in-solidarity-with-colin-kaepernick/—http://edgeofsportspodcast.com | http://twitter.com/edgeofsports | http://fb.com/edgeofsportspod | email us: edgeofsports@slate.com—music: “The Magnificent Seven” by The Clash http://www.theclash.com/ | “Coolie Dance Riddim” - Cordell "Scatta" Burrell | “Step Into a World (Rapture's Delight)” - KRS-ONE (Jesse West production) | The Swanky Modes (Sam Moore and Junior Walker) - Ordinary Man (Tapeheads Soundtrack) | “In Your Eyes” - Peter Gabriel (Orchestral version) http://petergabriel.com | “Hail Mary” & “Keep Ya Head Up” - 2Pac (Hurt-M-Badd & DJ Daryl production) | “All the Way Up” - Fat Joe & Remy Ma (Edsclusive Cool & Dre production) | “Slow Down” - Brand Nubian Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Edge of Sports podcast. I'm Dave Ziron. Today we speak to actor and activist John Cusack.
0:08.6	I like disruptive enterprises, right? Colin is the fine traditions of a musician and writers, actors, athletes, you know, who refuse to buy the bullse.
0:19.3	The real meaning of the flag is that we have the ability to do just what he did.
0:24.3	Independent people and people who challenge things on principle are a pain of the ass.
0:36.0	You know him from a remarkable range of classic films.
0:39.6	Sincerely some of my favorites.
0:41.4	From Say Anything to Gross Point Blank to what for my money is the greatest sports film of all time, Eight Men Out.
0:48.3	Today, we'll speak to John Cusack, certainly about his beloved Chicago Cubs, but also his remarkable new book,
0:54.9	Things That Can and Cannot Be Said, Essays and Conversations, Co-written with Indian author Arandotti Roy.
1:02.5	This is a book about a range of subjects from patriotism to war to resistance to empire.
1:08.3	And most centrally, this book is a reflection on a trip Kusak took with Arundadi Roy to Moscow
1:15.7	with famed whistleblower of the Pentagon Papers, Daniel Ellsberg, to meet with NSA whistleblower,
1:22.6	Edward Snowden.
1:26.1	Before we get to the serious stuff, I just, you know, I know you're Chicago to the core.
1:30.5	Just got to ask you, how are you feeling about the Cubbies right now?
1:33.6	Let us know.
1:34.8	Well, it's very blissful in Wrigleyville right now.
1:39.4	We feel pretty good about Arieta and Lackey and Lester in our three-game series in Los Angeles.
1:45.9	So we're hoping to get the series back here and get this thing done.
1:50.9	But it's tense, but fantastic.
1:53.5	How long have you been a Cubs fan?
1:55.2	I know you're Chicago to the core, but how long has this been your team?
	...

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