The Bigfoot Manifesto

About The Bigfoot Manifesto

The Bigfoot Manifesto is a sharp, satirical podcast where progressive politics collides with cryptid culture and biting humor. Host Dave Pederson (Oscar-nominated producer of Super Size Me and Americonned) dives into the strange overlap of myths, media, and manipulation—from billionaire fairy tales and QAnon fever dreams to the legends we tell ourselves to survive late capitalism. Equal parts investigative journalism and campfire storytelling, each episode blends fact, folklore, and firebrand commentary to expose the absurdities of our modern world. Why do people believe in Bigfoot, trickle-down economics, or a "self-made" billionaire? Maybe it's all the same myth. So grab your flashlight, your sense of humor, and maybe a union card. Because believing in Bigfoot is still more logical than believing billionaires will save us.

Publisher

Dave Pederson

Category

news · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

8 Oct 2025

Latest episode

28 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

37 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Oct 2026

   Baristas vs. Billionaires: The Starbucks Union War | Mark Mori (EP36)

   What happens when the people making your coffee decide they've had enough of the people making billions? ☕✊ In 2021, a handful of Starbucks workers in Buffalo, New York, helped ignite a nationwide union organizing movement. What began in one coffee shop became a much bigger fight over wages, working conditions, corporate power, and the right to organize. In Episode 36 of The Bigfoot Manifesto, host Dave Pederson welcomes Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Mark Mori, director of the documentary Baristas vs. Billionaires. Mark spent years following the young workers challenging one of America's most recognizable corporations. A former steelworker and union activist himself, Mark brings a unique perspective to a story about courage, solidarity, and what happens when ordinary people discover their collective strength. And Dave knows a thing or two about documenting labor struggles. As a producer of Americonned, which followed the Amazon unionization movement, he finds plenty of common ground with Mark. IN THIS EPISODE: ☕ How the Starbucks organizing campaign began in Buffalo and spread nationwide. ✊ Why a new generation of workers is rediscovering the power of unions. 💰 How corporate power shapes the fight over wages, benefits, and working conditions. ⚖️ Why winning a union election doesn't necessarily mean winning a first contract. 🎥 What Mark witnessed while documenting workers' accounts of surveillance, retaliation, and anti-union tactics. 🎬 How Susan Sarandon and Alec Baldwin became involved in the documentary. 🤝 Why documentary filmmaking can still inspire action and bring about change. 🤖 And Dave makes the case that perhaps AI should replace CEOs before it replaces workers. This isn't just a conversation about coffee. It's about who holds the power in the American economy—and what happens when workers decide to take some of it back. ABOUT MARK MORI & THE FILM Mark Mori is an Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work explores social justice, corporate accountability, and the lives of ordinary people confronting powerful institutions. His latest documentary, Baristas vs. Billionaires, follows the Starbucks union organizing movement and the workers who helped build it. Learn more about the film, upcoming screenings, and how to organize a community screening: 🎬 Official website: https://www.baristasvsbillionaires.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baristasvsbillionaires 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@baristasvsbillionaires 𝕏 X: https://x.com/baristasvsbill 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ZfBi7GvwU/ ▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@baristasvsbillionaires ABOUT THE BIGFOOT MANIFESTO Progressive politics. Cryptid truth. Hosted by filmmaker Dave Pederson, The Bigfoot Manifesto investigates the real monsters lurking in American politics, economics, and corporate power. 🌐 Website: https://bigfootmanifesto.com ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBigfootManifesto 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/bigfootmanifesto-apple 🟢 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/bigfootmanifesto-spotify The real monsters aren't hiding in the forest. They're sitting in the boardroom. 🦶

2. 

   21 Oct 2026

   Why America's Two-Party System Keeps Us Trapped | Bob Dixon

   What if America's two-party system isn't broken? What if it's working exactly as the people in power intended? On Episode 35 of The Bigfoot Manifesto, Dave Pederson welcomes longtime friend, retired U.S. Army Colonel, combat veteran, and leadership strategist Bob Dixon for a candid, funny, and occasionally heated conversation about the Democratic-Republican duopoly. Dave leans left. Bob leans libertarian-right. They've known each other for nearly 40 years, disagree about plenty, and share one conviction: Americans deserve more than a political system built around choosing the lesser of two evils. Together, they explore how America's two major parties maintain their grip on power—and why voters increasingly feel politically homeless. In this episode: How the two-party system rewards party loyalty over accountability. Why Ross Perot's 1992 campaign still offers lessons for independent voters. Corporate money, Citizens United, and political influence. What three decades of military leadership taught Bob about broken institutions, checks and balances, and government accountability. How political tribalism turns everything—even public health—into a partisan battlefield. What progressives and libertarians might actually agree on. Open primaries, election reform, and reclaiming political independence. Bob also shares practical advice for voters tired of voting out of fear rather than conviction. The bigger question: What if we're not nearly as divided as the political parties need us to believe? This isn't a left-versus-right shouting match. It's two old friends challenging each other's assumptions, finding unexpected common ground, and demonstrating that disagreement doesn't have to mean contempt. ABOUT BOB DIXON Bob Dixon is the founder of 5 Eagles Leadership, an executive coaching and strategic advisory company. He retired from the U.S. Army in 2020 after 30 years of service, including operational and combat tours in Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He is also an author, certified coach, entrepreneur, and co-founder and CEO of LCAB Holdings. CONNECT WITH BOB 5 Eagles Leadership: https://5eaglesleadership.com/ Bob's Biography: https://5eaglesleadership.com/about/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobdixon31 Eagle's Insight Weekly Podcast: https://5eaglesleadership.com/podcast/ THE BIGFOOT MANIFESTO Progressive Politics. Cryptid Truth. We investigate the monsters hiding in plain sight: corporate power, economic inequality, political manipulation, and the institutions shaping our lives. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBigfootManifesto Visit: https://bigfootmanifesto.com/ Protect the commons. Follow the money. Question power. #TheBigfootManifesto #TwoPartySystem #IndependentVoters

3. 

   2 Sept 2026

   Never Again for Whom? Gaza, Genocide & Progressive Jewish Identity | Nicole Levin | EP34

   In Episode 34 of The Bigfoot Manifesto, Dave Pederson is joined by environmental scientist, organizer and writer Nicole Levin for a deeply personal conversation about Gaza, genocide, Zionism, Jewish identity, Palestinian humanity, political belonging and the moral meaning of "Never Again." Nicole reflects on growing up Jewish with the Holocaust as a central part of her historical and moral education, and on understanding "Never Again" as a universal warning — not only a promise of Jewish safety, but a principle meant to apply to everyone. She talks candidly about how her views on Israel and Palestine changed over time, the personal cost of using the word "genocide," and what happens when conscience begins to conflict with family, community and inherited political identity. The conversation also explores antisemitism and anti-Zionism, progressive Jewish solidarity with Palestinians, the nonprofit industrial complex, climate activism, burnout, institutional compromise and the politics of hopelessness. Dave and Nicole also discuss her new book, Diary of a Mad Girl: Me Vs. The Oil Industry Vs. My Nonprofit Job, a story about activism, economic insecurity, burnout and finding hope while the systems around you feel increasingly broken. What does "Never Again" mean if it only applies to us? Follow Nicole Levin Website: https://www.nicolejlevin.com/ Substack: https://nicolejoellelevin.substack.com/ Instagram: @njldraws Signed preorder — Diary of a Mad Girl: https://skylightbooks.com/pre-order-signed-copies-diary-mad-girl-nicole-levin Listen to The Bigfoot Manifesto Website: https://bigfootmanifesto.com/ep34/ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/apple-tbm-ep34 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/spotify-tbm-ep34 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBigfootManifesto Available on all major podcast platforms.

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Guest appearances

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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