How to Stop a Nuclear War — and Why We’re Not Talking About It

In this powerful and timely conversation, Dr. John Izzo and Alain Gauthier sit down with award-winning filmmaker and journalist Paul Jay, whose upcoming documentary How to Stop a Nuclear War dives deep into the existential risks humanity continues to ignore. Together, they explore why the Cold War never truly ended, how nuclear weapons remain an urgent and immediate threat, and what each of us can do to break the silence and reclaim our collective future.

This episode is not just about nuclear war — it’s about truth, power, media silence, and our responsibility as citizens of a shared planet.

Jay shares the untold story behind the nuclear threat and the making of his new film inspired by Daniel Ellsberg’s The Doomsday Machine. He argues that the Cold War didn’t end — it simply evolved — and that the same forces of fear, profit, militarism, and denial continue to push humanity toward catastrophe.

You’ll hear why policymakers rarely talk about nuclear weapons, how media myths shape public perception, why dialogue with our “enemies” is essential, and how ordinary citizens can influence extraordinary change by confronting the “house of dynamite” we all live in before it explodes.

About Paul Jay

Paul Jay is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker, journalist, and founder of TheAnalysis.news (https://theanalysis.news). Formerly CEO and senior editor of The Real News Network, Jay has produced highly acclaimed documentaries including:

• Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows
• Return to Kandahar
• The Four Horsemen (producer)
• Lost in Las Vegas

He is also the founding chair of the Hot Docs International Documentary Festival, now the largest documentary festival in North America.

Paul is currently directing How to Stop a Nuclear War, based on Daniel Ellsberg’s The Doomsday Machine, examining the systems of power that shape global nuclear policy — and how citizens can reclaim agency over issues that determine humanity’s survival.

Explore more of his work: https://theanalysis.news

Our Sponsors

This episode is made possible through the generous support of our partners:

• Elders Action Network — https://eldersaction.org
• Elders Climate Action — https://eldersclimateaction.org

Their work empowers elders everywhere to stand up for democracy, climate action, justice, and the future of life on Earth.

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