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The Yes Men: Raising Awareness Through Pranks, Spoofs, and "Laughtivism"

Emily Woodbury
Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, leading members of The Yes Men

The Yes Men have been pulling pranks and engaging in guerilla activism for 20 years. They’ve targeted the World Trade Organization, George W. Bush, big industry, and in their most recent film, they’re battling climate change.

"This latest film is addressed to the people who can actually make change, which is all of us," says Bichlbaum.

On this edition of Talk of Iowa, Charity Nebbe talks with Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno (pseudonyms for Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos) about making mischief in the hopes of sparking change and their latest film, “The Yes Men Are Revolting.”

In the second half of the show, Charity talks with author J. Ryan Stradal, whose debut novel Kitchens of the Great Midwest celebrates Midwestern food culture from Lutefisk and Lutheran church bake-offs, to hyper-local haute cuisine. Stradal also tells the story of a Midwestern family that has been touched by tragedy.

Charity Nebbe is the host of IPR's Talk of Iowa