Episode 50 - John Sipher, ex-CIA operative

11/23/20 • 42 min

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For our 50th episode of the podcast, we have ex-CIA operative John Sipher.
In a powerful and damning interview he talks about the damage being done to the Intelligence Community by the current administration, the risks to America from a delayed transition and his anger at the current relationship with Russia.
He talks about how the pandemic will change intelligence gathering, the complications those currently serving face doing their jobs and how dangerous the politicization of intelligence work can be.
John also explains how his company Spycraft Entertainment bridges the intelligence services and Hollywood, which shows are the most realistic (very few of them!) and how much material there is to work with at the moment.
He also talks about scotch and espionage, taking a Russian defector to Scottish distilleries and why he wants to share a Lagavulin with Winston Churchill.

Previous Episode

Episode 49 - Tom Stubberfield, documentary filmmaker

We talk to documentary filmmaker Tom Stubberfield, founder of Bullitt Films.
He talks about his projects with the Chilean mine rescue, the Thai cave rescue as well as Hurricane Katrina and the Kilauea eruption in Hawaii.
Tom talks about why documentaries are enjoying a golden age, the emotion of filming rescues and dropping dynamite out of a helicopter.
He tells about his travels around America, the power of human story telling and why he wants to share a Laphroaig with Martin Scorsese in his garden.
Find out more at www.bullittfilms.com.

Next Episode

Episode 51 - Steve Lipp, whisky entrepreneur

We talk to whisky entrepreneur Steve Lipp, the man behind everything from Alexander Murray, to Costco's Kirkland whisky and also banana-flavor bourbon sensation Howler Head.
He tells us about how near-death experiences took him from the oil business to the whisky trade, why he named his brand after his great uncle and how a drowning fisherman helped Lagavulin 16 become his favorite whisky.
He talks about banana bourbon - and his partnership with UFC owner Dana White, his beer/whisky partnership with Firestone Walker and what next for Costco whiskys.
And why he wants to share a Lagavulin 16 with Sean Connery at the Pittodrie House Hotel.