Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/05/23/a-new-podcast-explores-the-cia.html
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This sounds like every single pre-internet rock and roll rumor, ever. From Rod Steward needing his stomach pumped to Phil Collins somehow singing In the Air Tonight to a murderer in the front row at his concert.
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Related?
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This is definitely worth a listen, you should do it.
Yes, there was a decent amount of both overt and covert cultural programming supported by the US government, everything from literature and high art to broadcast radio programs. The CIA had their hands in pretty much all these pies.
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Fuckin’ A, Man…
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If true, then they should have given up their day job.
Also, it’s sad how they went from being master pop-culture manipulators, to being sandbagged on twitter and facebook.
I’m two episodes in and it’s delightful. Ultimately, I don’t even care if it’s proven out to be true or not. This is a fun journey.
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Exactly, I recently read an article on how the CIA made sure that Boris Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago, being banned in the Soviet Union, was nevertheless available in Russian, making it thus eligible for a Nobel Prize.
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See also:
And:
And:
And:
And:
Etc etc etc.
The USA is the world’s leading propagandist, and has been for a very long time.
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Wondering who wrote this one then.
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Gil Scott-Heron?
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I’ve listened to the first two episodes of this, and it’s kind of insane how the podcaster is treating all this as somehow positive? There is little doubt that the people involved in the cultural side of the CW believed themselves to be doing the “right thing”, but it was still propaganda. And the guy is just a little too impressed by the spooks for my taste. Like… how is any of this cool?
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If you are into podcasts sleuthing origins of songs, this will blow you away
It is widely considered one of the best podcast episodes.
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Oh wow, that was an amazing story. 
Definitely blew me away!
Nice story. I think I will look that song up.
I also wonder how many of this CD still exist.
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