Do you love JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, but have been intimidated by the Silmarillion? Then this is your series! I love the Silmarillion and I simplify it for you here without losing the core of its multiple stories.

In Part 2, we cover the first war of the gods, the awakening of the Elves, the destruction of the Two Trees, and the creation of the Silmarils, the gems that give the Silmarillion its name.

If you want to get in touch, hit me at matt@notacosfortyrants.com with comments or thoughts on what you'd like to have covered in future episodes.

Do you love JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, but have been intimidated by the Silmarillion? Then this is your series! I love the Silmarillion and I simplify it for you here without losing the core of its multiple stories.

In Part 1, we cover the creation of the universe and the original rebel - Melkor - and then go through some of the major 'gods' of Tolkien's world, all of which is setting us up for the epic and tragic mythology that follows.

If you want to get in touch, hit me at matt@notacosfortyrants.com with comments or thoughts on what you'd like to have covered in future episodes.

In this deeply personal episode, Matt pays tribute to his late father Arpad Mihaly — a Hungarian revolutionary, immigrant, and entrepreneur. Matt traces his father's journey from war-torn Transylvania to Canadian gold mines, eventually arriving in the United States where he built a life defined by relentless work ethic and improbable success, though it's a life that ended recently after years of sad decline.

But it wouldn’t be No Tacos For Tyrants without a few well-aimed Molotovs! After honoring his dad, Matt tears into Trump’s administration, including national security leaks and Jerome Powell-firing fantasies and celebrates Elon's announcement today that he'd be dialing back his work in the government some.

If you want to get in touch, hit me at matt@notacosfortyrants.com with comments or thoughts on what you'd like to have covered in future episodes.

In this episode, Matt dives into the tangled mess of Trump's tariff policies and the far-reaching economic consequences they've triggered. With his usual firebrand style, Matt unpacks the absurd logic behind the tariffs, exposing how they’re not only poorly calculated but economically destructive—hurting consumers, scaring investors, and putting America’s financial reputation on the chopping block. He breaks down the real reason Trump folded on his tariff threats—the bond market's ominous signals—and explains in plain language how rising interest rates are a flashing red warning light for recession.

But this episode isn’t just economic doomscrolling. In the “Three Good Things” segment, Matt lifts spirits with stories of resistance, resilience, and one heroic rat named Ronan who’s saving lives in Cambodia. From a stirring anti-Trump protest to a unanimous Supreme Court decision pushing back on unlawful detentions, Matt reminds us that the fight isn’t over—and that hope, humor, and a little righteous rage still have a seat at the table.

If you want to get in touch, hit me at matt@notacosfortyrants.com with comments or thoughts on what you'd like to have covered in future episodes.

In this episode, Matt delivers a blistering critique of the Trump administration's continuing march towards facism. Topics include a sweeping executive order aimed at censoring museums and rewriting American history, escalating threats against Iran, and the coercion of major law firms into supporting the administration's causes under threat of retribution. The episode also exposes ICE's disturbing due process violations and Trump’s efforts to undermine elections through voter suppression tactics.

The podcast then shifts to a sharp takedown of Elon Musk’s public image and declining Tesla brand, highlighting bizarre AI-generated family ads and his daughter’s public mockery. The host also dissects Curtis Yarvin’s neo-reactionary ideology, revealing the dangerous appeal of technocratic monarchy to Silicon Valley elites. Despite the dark subject matter, the episode ends on a hopeful note: a rousing speech from Connecticut AG William Tong, legal accountability for Brazil’s Bolsonaro, and a glowing review of the new show The Studio.

Stay spicy, friends!

If you want to get in touch, hit me at matt@notacosfortyrants.com with comments or thoughts on what you'd like to have covered in future episodes.

Emmy Durham and her husband Rocky moved to Ukraine a couple of months after Russia invaded. They sold everything they had and have lived in Ukraine for the past 3 years helping displaced families, frontline soldiers, and even pets suffering from the war.

Join us for an interview with Emmy and find out what it's like to run towards a war rather than away, how the people in Ukraine reacted to the disgraceful Trump/Zelensky meeting in the Oval Office, and what it's like to live in Ukraine today.

Their organization: https://DurhamHumanitarian.org
Donate if you can!

If you'd like to get in touch with them: chefrockydurham@gmail.com

If you want to get in touch, hit me at matt@notacosfortyrants.com with comments or thoughts on what you'd like to have covered in future episodes.

Trump’s on a mission—to turn the U.S. from the global leader into an banana republic dumpster fire. In this episode, we break down how his administration is systematically dismantling America’s soft power while targeting dissidents, scholars, lawyers, and the media to consolidate control.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk is busy selling cologne to incels, and Trump is giving him a free White House infomercial. Because of course he is. This timeline is ridiculous.

If you want to get in touch, hit me at matt@notacosfortyrants.com with comments or thoughts on what you'd like to have covered in future episodes.

From Julius Caesar’s backstabbing demise to Pinochet’s semi-voluntary exit, authoritarian regimes rarely end the way their leaders expect. In this episode of No Tacos for Tyrants, we delve into the rise and fall of history’s most infamous strongmen—how they gained power, how they held onto it, and the often brutal ways they lost it. Whether it’s Napoleon overextending into Russia, Stalin’s death loosening his iron grip, or Idi Amin fleeing into exile, each dictator’s downfall offers a lesson in hubris, power, and the inevitable cracks in their control.

But what about the authoritarians who are still in power? We also look at Putin’s modern-day stranglehold on Russia and America’s own democratic backsliding. Remember: the past may not repeat itself exactly, but it does often rhyme.

If you want to get in touch, hit me at matt@notacosfortyrants.com with comments or thoughts on what you'd like to have covered in future episodes.