Pretendians

1,092

The life of an unassuming sociology professor in Canada gets turned upside down when he is accused of carrying out a 1980 bomb attack on a synagogue in Paris. Hassan Diab says heʼs innocent, but French investigators are determined to prove otherwise. Journalists Dana Ballout and Alex Atack take listeners through the twists and turns of this extraordinary story, all the while asking: Is Hassan Diab guilty, or is he a scapegoat? And what if one person’s justice means committing an injustice to another?


The Copernic Affair is coming January 22nd. Canadaland supporters can listen to the whole series early and ad-free beginning November 11.


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Recent Reviews
  • TruthyMcTruthFace1776
    When is the Elizabeth warren episode ?
    Interesting how they say racial things about white folks like falling whites Casper but then talk about systemic racism
  • 🥔🗿
    No more A.I. intro songs!!!!
    This is the first time I’ve been motivated to write a review. I enjoyed the content quite a bit. Please stop with the A.I. music, it’s not good, it’s not necessary and doesn’t make the show better. It’s like the clip art from the late nineties…just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
  • Lindseylooberry
    Binged It
    After listening to this podcast, I HAD to leave a comment and review. You guys did such an amazing job reporting and shining a light on this issue. This issue hit home for me. I grew up in a pretendian household! and man oh man do I have a story for you! I shared this podcast with my siblings as well and warn them that it is slightly triggering. Triggering in a sense of they will be taken back to our childhood of living with this. If you ever want to hear an intense story of growing up in a pretendian household reach out. You will get a slightly different perspective than the ones you interviewed on your show. Side note: while listening to your podcast I was happy that none of us siblings are card carrying and have never taken advantage of the programs in place to help those that are really indigenous. Again, well done and I hope you are able to come out with another season.
  • Hortnsuch
    I’m 100% Mohawk
    No no no As a very Caucasian person (Irish/German) I truly enjoy this show. The hosts do not blatantly white-shame, which I appreciate and, instead, educate and speak their truth by experience(s). They are respectful and interesting, and speak on a very unique topic. The first episode I listened to was 4.1 (Interview with a Pretendian) - what an episode. I would have truly struggled biting my tongue during that interview - what a warped person that “Grand Chief” was. Yikes. However, he was spoken to politely and the interview was executed professionally. I followed immediately after that episode and I’m excited to start this podcast from the beginning. Keep up the phenomenal work.
  • Tilly bearzzzz
    Informational.
    I’m a first generation American and can say with certainty that I am not American Indian. I found it interesting on the how’s and why’s of people pretending, but not surprised that anyone in government would stay silent on this issue. Great job! I’m looking forward to more seasons.
  • lotustexas
    Well-done
    Explored the topic thoughtfully and humanely.
  • Jogunz5
    Elizabeth Warren
    She’s the most pretendian. She lied about being native to get a university gig that paid 6 figures.
  • jacqui8888
    Eagerly waiting for the Elizabeth Warren Episode
    Will they or won’t they..
  • sheilastorm
    Eye-Opening
    Delivered by two people who are definitely not Pretendians, this podcast is clever, informative, and insightful. Love the pop culture callbacks and the thoughtful approach. Very accessible delivery of a topic that deserves further examination. Hoping for another season!
  • KyMart_3
    Loved it!
    Extremely helpful to learn in a conversational style investigative podcast how we continue to harm native people in absolutely assbackaward ways. The perfect topic to not only be critically analyzed but discussed by those with lived experience to help me, a white woman, better understand the impact on an emotional level. Though this would have been outside the realm of lived experience for the hosts, I would have loved to learn more about native peoples historic relationship to those tribes in Mexico, since that seemed to have been a prominent theme. Also feel the AI generated songs take away from the otherwise very quality podcast - it could have been leveraged as an opportunity to highlight real artists/native artists.
  • loudlael
    Education is the way
    Learning about others experiences is so greatly needed in this country. Well made podcast that should be used to help others understand lived experiences of indigenous people and how being a pretendían negatively impacts them.
  • BLC75
    Elizabeth Warren?
    Need an episode on this crazy and corrupt politician! Oh of course, it doesn’t fit your agenda!
  • charlie nolaski
    Hi
    Great podcast! Please release the AI music!
  • ekyles
    An Entire Podcast on Elizabeth Warren
    I cannot believe there is an entire podcast dedicated to Democrats and Fauxchahantos. Somebody should tell them there is no such thing g as indigenous people though. Everyone came from somewhere else.
  • jonblaque
    Fascinating
    Solid, thoughtful reporting on a topic seldom discussed among white Americans and Canadians. For generations, the Pretendian industry has run deep, wide, and rampant – and as Robert & Angel reveal, it turns up in some really unexpected places including the imposter-hunting world itself. A fascinating piece of investigative journalism.
  • Soccerfan100000000000
    Wow
    Bleeping the work redskin when talking about the football team? This is the most racist thing I’ve ever listened to. Its no ones fault that you got conquered. It happened everywhere.
  • Dan Tuna
    Pocahontas
    Is this show about Elizabeth Warren?
  • Greenlee2014
    Elizabeth Warren?
    one of the most egregious violators. Liberal Democrats get a pass?
  • heylookanewreview
    Easily Digestible and Fun
    FANTASTIC and no notes. Indecisive listener, just start an episode already. Hilariously, it does trip me up that Robert sounds so much like Ari Shapiro from NPR. The Ryan Reynolds-voiced ads while looking at the Ken Pretendian cover art for this podcast are also beautifully juxtaposed. 10/10. Keep it up! I will be finding ways to support this great team.
  • emerald wizard
    10/10
    Entertaining, informative, top notch journalism and podcasting
  • Avaholic1984
    Very important listen!
    I’m a holder of the sacred laminate card, but was raised a state over from my tribe and pass as white easily with my white skin, freckles, and blue eyes. Indigenous people are SO marginalized, faked, disowned, ignored, misunderstood, and where I live, most people think we’re all dead! This podcast does a great job of explaining the harm caused, how it happens, and even delves into the why of Pretendians. I can’t wait to delve into the back seasons and look forward to more!
  • Harvey Butthole
    Yup, this is racist
    Holy smokes, can we just all be one planet already? So sick of the hatred, from BOTH sides. Part of healing is apologizing and forgiveness. One side has apologized and has actively tried to build you back up. You just want to sit there and cry racism. Nobody can change the past, but you can change the future. Don’t be part of the cycle of racism, rise above and find forgiveness.
  • HenrytheWorst
    Excellent Lessons
    Everything about this show - so good. As an American with zero percent native roots, I’m doing everything I can to learn so I can be part of solutions to injustice instead of a lump of unseasoned potatoes like most of us. That Oklahoma governor needs to be exposed even more! I hate AI - but your use of it was chefs kiss
  • migney moo
    Elizabeth Warren
    Fraud
  • Firegirl1001
    Great Concept
    Very grateful to have stumbled upon this series. The investigative journalism is thorough and sheds light on a largely unaddressed and rampant issue. Both of the hosts are engaging and work well with each other. I especially appreciate how Robert challenges interviewees, outlining clear holes in their claims, while still speaking with a level of respect and clarity that prevents them from fully shutting down in the interviews. This must take an incredible amount of poise and emotional maturity, given how incredibly egregious the subjects of the show can be. The reason I put this podcast at 4 rather than 5 stars is that the use of AI art, especially the music, is truly off-putting, the constant use of such an exploitative and derivative tool derails the entire message of the show. I would love to see more of this podcast, but without the use of AI music and art. Please consider supporting real artists and musicians instead, and if you are unable to do so, omit the music breaks altogether. It would be better to sit in silence than be subjected to off-putting and hollow imitations of music and art in between important and informative conversations.
  • Egg girl 91
    Pretendians is amazing!
    The amount of times my jaw has dropped and my eyes have rolled is hard to count. Great podcast! Amazing music too!
  • debdeb123
    Thank you!
    I love the approach you have taken. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, your insides… taking us to understand such a serious issue about identity with care & subtitle analysis.
  • Angel+Eyes
    2nd episode questionable guest
    The idea covering natives and fake natives in prison is a great and important topic to cover. However Norman Larue is charged with brutally murdering a man….. and they barely mention this. Could they not find a guest who didn’t commit horrible murder? I think that using this guest clouds the narrative for me and I think the way that the hosts leave the extent of this murder unacknowledged makes it even worse. Regardless great show great topic I will continue listening.
  • roo8908
    Trash
    Racist! Tell me why any race should get better conditions.
  • Matthew Gronholm (Moose)
    The Best
    American non-native here. Absolutely loving all four seasons. Thank you for all of this. Just trying to be a stronger ally. Keep pushin, and much love.
  • Littleworldcunningly
    More please!
    American listener tuning in to give all the kudos to Pretendians. The biggest surprise I got was learning that “Littlefeather” of the Oscars was a pretendian! Love the insights. A little uneasy about the AI—maybe you can find a real life native musician or band to plug for next season? Looking forward to the next season!!
  • 000Angelica
    Love it
    This podcast is super interesting and insightful. I love that they are bringing this pretending topic to light. I really like listening to them! I hope they do another season!
  • tatsuko_xo
    Awesome Show!
    Its really awesome to hear fellow Natives talk about this topic, and to explore the nuances and difficult topics associated with it. Keep up the good work, and looking forward to a season 2!
  • I_don_even_lyk_apple
    Strong subject, real theft, some poor moral choices.
    Living in North America is like living on a crime scene- the degree of theft, murder, and trickery is staggering. Issues of sovereignty make issues of identity on this subject very real. The scale of theft committed when the producers use machine-learning-generated music is *NOT* comparable to the scale of what has been inflicted through history. This is obvious. But the fact that they don’t acknowledge it is very sleazy. If they would have, say, used machine-learning music and said “our music is by “___” based on the prompt “___” at the end, it would have at least indicated that their choice to manufacture racist AI generated powwowing tomahawking crackerjack jingles was a statement about the overwhelming scale of economic and cultural precedent of indigenous identity theft. But the show just slips it through like we wouldn’t notice. I wonder if this was intentional, because such a statement might accidentally humanize the guilty, because it indicates the crushing pressure of social and technological forces that convince people to turn to evil carpetbaggery. Point is, why not just get some friend with a guitar to cover some Redbone, for goodness sake.
  • PhD_Shana
    Really well done
    This show is so thoughtful and interesting. Great approach to a unique and interesting subject. Please make a second season!
  • angrylf
    Amazing show!
    Fantastic reporting and presentation - absolutely shocking content - highly recommend - in fact I did recommend each episode on FB and instagram which I don’t do for most shows.
  • asfiscus
    Great show
    Great show
  • Madi Lee71
    Amazing
    Thank you for educating! Loved every episode. And thanks for telling me why I thought I was descendent from a “Native American princess” until I was about 12. Please less AI art/music 💕
  • Yve1789
    Sacred laminated card...
    ...instant classic, cant wait for a new season!
  • Catty Lions
    10/10
    Love Angel’s frank candor & both hosts take care to be thoughtful. The use of AI songs is hilarious for the irony but ultimately a lil dangerous/lazy but besides that 10/10, I couldn’t get enough!
  • Al&frank
    Really important podcast
    I learned so much from this podcast. I knew someone in my youth who would assume different ethnic identities. I thought it was just an eccentricity but now I realize it affects the assumed culture, too. Well worth an in depth listen
  • MKCDart
    Incredible podcast that everyone should listen to
    I learned so much from this podcast, even though I was already familiar with the concept and some of the high profile offenders. As a professor of American art, podcasts like this are indispensable in helping me to unlearn and relearn so much of the history of N. America. I binged all available episodes and really hope there is a season 2. Would love to see the hosts dig into the art world and help us navigate the rumors as well as the outing of several prominent artists who claim Native identities. Thank you. Your podcast is informative, fair, empathetic, and entertaining.
  • Jorgan byorgan
    Good podcast with awful Ai music clips
    Love the show but find the use of Ai music segments highly disappointing. I hope they reconsider the use of Ai music.
  • ChiefDlock
    Thank you
    Thanks for telling us your story, your truth, your life! As a Lumbee I know our story must be told as well! Or maybe it’s just another story of the indigenous getting used, abused, stepped on and stepped over by the whites. Anyway love your work!
  • Lolipoppea
    Excellent!
    As a white European I really appreciated the information in this very well done podcast. Thank you for your hard and diligent work!
  • Just another mol Eliza
    oof
    just a mix of trump propaganda & woke identity politics victim complex and a boring over emphasis on a handful of cultures that should be forgotten in short two ppl on the worst side of every take
  • stylee
    Great show, too bad about the sponsor
    This is a terrific show: great reporting and amusing story telling. However I hope the hosts appreciate the irony of AG-1 as a sponsor. Athletic greens is a known scam with zero evidence to support the claims of the supplement. It should be called Pretendigreens, then it would be 5 stars.
  • Chrissylocs
    Love this!
    Great show, i learned so much about Pretendians. Funny and informative I recommend
  • San Juan mountains
    Loved it!
    Accidentally stumbled upon this & listened to Episode 1. The ‘my Grandma was Cherokee’ always gets an eyebrow raise from me & my husband. Dee Browns daughter taught us this years ago. The hosts are fantastic, funny & real. Absolutely loved every minute of it!
  • MelzyP
    Gratuitous F bombs
    Important podcast, but I would listen more and rate it higher if Angel could curb her language a bit. Prefer to just listen to Robert. He is interesting and respectful.
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