As Times Goes By: The Odyssey, Casablanca, Birth of a Nation, and Southern Horrors (with Joseph Kelly)
Summary
Greg Olear interviews historian Joseph Kelly about his book *The Biggest Lie*, which explores the prehistory of American fascism from 1818 to 1915. They discuss how the influx of Irish immigrants forced Anglo-Saxon Protestants to redefine whiteness and adopt Southern racial control tactics to maintain power. The conversation also covers Kelly’s analysis of James Joyce’s *Ulysses*, Christopher Nolan’s *Odyssey* adaptation, and the evolution of the liberal hero in *Casablanca*.
Topics discussed
Introduction and Prevail Media sponsorship
Guest intro: Joe Kelly and his new book on American fascism
James Joyce's Ulysses and the political context of the 1950s
The banning of Ulysses and the Cyclops chapter
Review of Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of The Odyssey
Casablanca as the apotheosis of the liberal hero
The prehistory of American fascism and Irish immigration
White supremacy, eugenics, and the fear of replacement
Fascist tactics: undermining media and regaining masculinity
Modern parallels: ICE, the manosphere, and political resistance
Lincoln's assassination and the lost potential of Reconstruction
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