Over Here, Over There

Be honest — when did you last feel genuinely optimistic about the future?
With Trump, Putin, climate chaos, wars, inflation and a media machine built
on doom — it's never been harder to stay hopeful. But what if optimism
isn't just a feeling? What if it's a science-backed survival skill — and
the single most important force keeping democracy alive?

In this live episode, recorded at the beautiful Hotel Klostermaier in Icking,
Bavaria, we sit down with two of Germany's most respected science journalists
and documentary filmmakers — Dirk and Sabine Steffens — to talk about
optimism, the negativity bias, doomscrolling, climate solutions, and why the
facts about our world are far better than the headlines suggest.

Dirk has just published his new book "Hoffnungslos Optimistisch"
(Hopelessly Optimistic) — a must-read for anyone who wants to stop
feeling paralysed and starting to feel empowered again.

🌍 In this episode, you'll discover:
✅ Why pessimism is actually the lazy option — and optimism takes real work
✅ The evolutionary reason your brain is wired for doom (and how to override it)
✅ Why a toddler falls 4,000 times before walking — and what that tells us about resilience
✅ How pooping blue whales could solve up to 40% of our climate problem (yes, really)
✅ Why bees ARE coming back — and you haven't heard about it because of the negativity bias
✅ The shocking truth: over 60% of Germany's electricity now comes from renewables
✅ Why democracy literally cannot function without optimism
✅ How to hack the algorithm to feed you good news instead of doom
✅ What JFK's moon speech teaches us about courage and goal-setting
✅ Why the future is still an open book — and that is great news

💬 "You cannot solve any problem by not being optimistic." — Dirk Steffens
💬 "We have more solutions than problems." — Sabine Steffens
💬 "Democracy is the promise of a better future." — Dirk Steffens

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👉 ABOUT DIRK & SABINE STEFFENS
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Dirk Steffens and Sabine Steffens are award-winning German science journalists,
documentary filmmakers, and TV presenters. They have traveled to over 120 countries, covering nature, climate, science, and the future of our planet for ZDF, Terra X, and international media. Dirk is the author of the new book
"Hoffnungslos Optimistisch" — a science-based case for hope in troubled times.

📺 Watch their documentaries and reports: https://www.zdf.de/serien/terra-x
🎙️ Their Podcast: https://www.geo.de/wissen/kettenreakt...
📘 Dirk's Book "Hoffnungslos Optimistisch": https://www.penguin.de/buecher/dirk

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are heading to Washington — but is this the most  politically charged royal state visit in modern history?

With the UK-US "Special Relationship" under unprecedented strain, a gunman at a White House dinner, the Falklands sovereignty row reigniting, and Donald Trump at his most unpredictable — what can Britain's greatest diplomat actually achieve?

In this exclusive interview, Dan Harris — former White House and Capitol Hill insider, now host of the Global Affairs Podcast  @OverHereOverThere    — gives the unfiltered American perspective on King Charles's high-stakes visit to Trump's Washington.

👉 What you'll find out in this episode:

- Why Americans are watching this state visit with "morbid fascination"
- Can King Charles actually repair the Special Relationship — or is it already too late?
- How the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner is casting a shadow over the visit
- Why BOTH sides of a divided America are desperately trying to work out: whose side IS the King on?
- What this means for Trump's poll numbers, the midterms — and the future of the UK-US alliance
- The Falklands, Iran, tariffs, Ukraine — and why this visit matters far beyond a royal photo op

🔔 Subscribe for more global affairs analysis, breaking political news and exclusive interviews.

👍 Like this video if you want more content on UK-US relations, royal news and international politics.

📻 Originally broadcast on  @BBC   Radio Gloucestershire with presenter Graham Rogers.

#KingCharles #Trump #SpecialRelationship #StateVisit #UKPolitics #USPolitics #RoyalFamily #QueenCamilla #KeirStarmer #Falklands #GlobalAffairs #BritishPolitics #BreakingNews #Podcast #BBCRadio #DanHarris #WhiteHouse #BuckinghamPalace #UKUSRelations #PoliticalPodcast #RoyalStateVisit #CharlesIII #TrumpNews #UKNews #NewsToday #InternationalRelations #PodcastInterview #BBCGloucestershire #GrahamRogers #OverHereOverThere

Over Here, Over There is pleased to launch a new series exploring international comedy across cultures, countries, and genres. At a time of global uncertainty and division, we turn to humour to better understand ourselves — and each other.

In this series, we travel across borders in search of what makes people laugh — and why. While the world may feel increasingly divided, laughter remains a universal language. Through these conversations, we hope to highlight our shared humanity and perhaps remind ourselves that the person on the other side of the border is not so different from us after all.

🎙️ This Episode

In this episode, Over Here, Over There co-hosts Claudia Koestler and Dan Harris speak with renowned German comedian and Kabarett artist Arnulf Rating about the unique world of German Kabarett — its history, cultural significance, and enduring role in political and social commentary.

Together, they explore how humour functions as a form of protest, a mirror to society, and a powerful tool for navigating complex political realities. The discussion also compares German Kabarett with American and British comedy traditions, offering fascinating cross-cultural insights into how different societies use humour to challenge authority and reflect on themselves.

The humourist and author Mark Twain once said, 'A German joke is no laughing matter'.  As you'll see and hear, Arnulf proves otherwise. 

🎧 How to Listen

This is primarily an audio episode and is available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

On our YouTube channel, you can also watch a companion version featuring a curated slideshow highlighting key discussion topics and moments from our conversation with Arnulf Rating.

📣 Join the Conversation

If you enjoyed this episode, please like, share, and subscribe — it really helps us grow.

We’re always keen to hear from our listeners: how does comedy work in your country? What makes people laugh where you are? Share your thoughts and suggestions — we may feature your perspective in a future episode.

🧠 Key Topics

•  The history and significance of German Kabarett
•  Comparing German humour with American and British comedy 
•  Humour as a form of protest and societal reflection 
•  The future of political satire in a changing world 

⭐ Special Guest

Arnulf Rating — legendary German comedian and Kabarett artist

🔗 Resources & References

• Arnulf Rating's Website
• Monty Python
• The Daily Show
• Bassem Youssef
•  Werner Fink's Performances
• Billy Wilder Films
• Ernst Lubitsch Films

🌐 Guest Links

• Website
• Twitter

In this episode of 'Over Here, Over There', hosts Dan Harris and Claudia Koestler engage in a deep conversation with David Cay Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and expert on Donald Trump. Johnston shares his insights on Trump's rise to power, his manipulative tactics, health issues, and the implications of his presidency on American democracy and global relations. The discussion also touches on Trump's tax practices, the potential impact of the Epstein files, and the risks posed by Trumpism in future elections. Johnston emphasizes the need for courage in journalism and politics to confront the challenges posed by Trump and his administration. This episode was recorded before the onset of US/Israeli hostilities with Iran, but all the content is more relevant than ever. 

Please don't forget to like, subscribe, share, and add your comments about this episode below. Why do you think Trump does what he does? How is his administration affecting your life, and what are you going to do about it? David Cay Johnston challenges all of us to uphold our democratic values during these challenging times, and at a minimum, make sure you register and cast your vote in November's midterm elections.

Here are links to David Cay Johnston's resources: 

Wikipedia bio; DC Report; Rochester Institute of Technology Profile

Here are a few of David Cay Johnston's outstanding investigative works in Amazon Books:

‘The Making of Donald Trump’; ‘The Big Cheat: How Donald Trump Fleeced America and Enriched Himself and His Family'

'It's Even Worse Than You Think: What the Trump Administration Is Doing to America'

See also David's bio and other resources: Wikipedia bio; DC Report; Rochester Institute of Technology Profile

In partnership with the Amerikahaus in Munich, Germany, Over Here, Over There's Claudia Koestler explores the profound insights of renowned photographer Jeff Dunas, in his latest exhibition, capturing the essence of smalltown America and blues legends. Discover how his long-term projects reveal cultural identity, the power of photography, and the enduring legacy of blues music.

At times when politics so often drives a wedge between people — and especially across the transatlantic relationship — Dunas's insight and artistry offer something rare: a look at the America we all carry in our hearts.

Dunas's work looks past ideology. His lens turns instead toward the human side of America: through it, the diners, dusty roads, and soulful portraits of Blues legends become not symbols of division but echoes of home, no matter which side of the Atlantic we stand on. His images remind us that beyond politics and noise, there’s still a universal language in the light, faces, and rhythms of everyday life — the America of the heart, not headlines.

📍 Visiting Munich?
See Jeff Dunas’ exhibition “Smalltown America” and “Blues Legends” at Amerikahaus through July 31, 2026.

More at
AMERIKAHAUS.DE

For more information on Jeff Dunas's work, please see https://www.dunas.com/.

A special thanks to the Amerikahaus Munich, which provides thought-provoking and engaging events throughout the year.

Please see our website at Over Here, Over There , and please don't forget to like, subscribe, share, and comment on this and other episodes. Your support makes this podcast possible. Thank you!