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Politically in Circus: 2025 Recap & 2026 Vision with Martin Frenette- Circuspreneur Podcast
22 Plays3 months ago
#Recap2025 #Politics #CircusArts #NewYear2026 #Artsadvocacy #CircusPolicy
In this Circuspreneur Podcast episode, Shenea Stiletto and Martin Frenette close out 2025 with a deep, honest conversation about where politics and circus intersect.
From labor rights and the global economy to the ongoing impacts of the Russia–Ukraine conflict, Venezuela’s instability, and the U.S. cultural funding debates, they unpack how current events ripple through the lives of artists and touring professionals.
They also reflect on what 2026 could bring — new opportunities for creative policy, safer working environments, and a redefinition of what it means to be an artist in America today.
🎪 This is more than a recap — it’s a roadmap for where circus and culture go next.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to the Circuspreneur Podcast
00:00:01
Circuspreneur Podcast
Welcome to the Circuspreneur podcast sponsored by Stagelink.com, where creativity beats advocacy and the business of circus is reimagined. I'm your host, Shanae Stiletto, world champion acrobat, artist, and unapologetic believer that circus belongs not just on the stage, but at the decision-making table. And joining me is someone who knows circus from the inside out, artist, creator, and fellow circus savant, Martin Frenette. Welcome to the podcast again, Martin. How are you? And thank you for being here.
00:00:31
Martin Frenette
Well, third time is a charm, so I'm hoping we'll get even more than five or tens of viewers this time around, because it is a delight to talk to you each time. So bring it!
00:00:42
Martin Frenette
I'm up for it.
00:00:44
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yes,
Circus in Civic Spaces
00:00:44
Circuspreneur Podcast
folks. Together we're asking the real questions. What happens when circus artists step into civic spaces or political spaces? How does movement become message and can balancing on our hands help us better balance policy? i think it can.
00:01:00
Circuspreneur Podcast
We're showing that right here. This isn't just about performing anymore. It's about representation and it's about bringing the story of circus into the rooms where laws are written and futures are shaped and riffing off of what Martin Frenet just said,
00:01:14
Circuspreneur Podcast
Please like, subscribe to the podcast. Please comment on the episode because we hear so much about what you like, but commenting, subscribing, liking, it helps us to potentially go viral and to have more eyes and ears on the podcast in our circus spaces so that we can learn and grow together and get politically in circus, which we are continuing to call this series.
00:01:32
Martin Frenette
Bye.
00:01:39
Circuspreneur Podcast
That's why we're bringing Martin back. We're engaging Martin. almost at this point, week to week, on the current and ongoing political issues in America, and also to some other issues from around the world that seep in and intersect as well, because the circus is, again, so international and interconnected,
00:02:03
Circuspreneur Podcast
And, yeah, you kind of we don't know where our conversations are going to go. But from what we were speaking about just before we got into this podcast, it's definitely going to focus on the Miss Jasmine Crockett.
Political Campaigns and Funding
00:02:16
Circuspreneur Podcast
We were just speaking about her right before the podcast, Martin. And you had some really interesting things to say about the Congresswoman movement. who has just announced recently that she's going to be launching a bid for the Senate. And why is that important, Martin? And what were some facts that you wanted to relay on the podcast about, you know, things that are factually important around that fact? There we go.
00:02:44
Martin Frenette
Well, number one, actually, I will surprise you because I was going start with something else. But just before I was coming here, I heard an interview she gave in which she said she decided to run for Senate because she thinks elected people should not stand their seat forever.
00:03:04
Circuspreneur Podcast
Oh, my God. Can she please pass that on to every other person in Congress, in the Senate, in the Supreme Court? And also to our current president, because we do not have three term presidents, y'all.
00:03:13
Martin Frenette
Nah.
00:03:19
Circuspreneur Podcast
We have two terms for a reason. We do not do monarchies. We are not. We don't we don't. Yeah, we don't have we don't have royals here, which nothing bad about it, but we're a little different in America.
00:03:32
Circuspreneur Podcast
So. You get to be elected twice. And yeah, you should not be elected infinite amount of times in government. You should not be a career politician. And, you know, I like the way that places like, you know, Switzerland does it where everybody has to, you know, can have the opportunity to hold a seat.
00:03:53
Circuspreneur Podcast
You know, that's how it's set up. You hold like, I think it's a like two year term, something like that.
00:03:57
Martin Frenette
Mm-hmm.
00:03:58
Circuspreneur Podcast
So then you get people from all walks of life that get to participate in government that are state assembly members or, you know, that are in Congress or in Parliament.
00:04:08
Circuspreneur Podcast
And it's all sorts of regular people coming in and out. So you're not just there raising money day in and day out. And then you have like this foothold on your district and then no one can get you out of there if they don't like you or if they feel like you're not representing them adequately anymore. You're now representing all the special interests. And that's why we need us to get money out of politics. And i like to see that Australia just passed a law just this past week.
00:04:38
Circuspreneur Podcast
where billionaires can only contribute, I think like $50,000 to a campaign each. And so you cannot give $250 million dollars to a campaign like some of the billionaires did in our last presidential election. Now, i'm not saying that they're not gonna find loopholes in Australia to find those loopholes to abuse them as well, but let's do something about it. We need to repeal and overturn Citizens United in America, which made it so that you could contribute an unlimited amount of money to a campaign.
00:05:17
Circuspreneur Podcast
Like that can't be good. That can't take us into good spaces. where just because you have a trillion dollars, you can essentially buy an election. So Australia is trying to set the standard of we cannot be, you know, bought and And hope it changes things. But back to Ms. Jasmine Crockett and the importance of what she said about that, Martin, because I don't think that we can like diminish how important it is that she's willing to give up her congressional seat to go to another seat out of respect for her constituency. Now, other people may interpret that as just something she's doing for soundbite or something she's doing for you know increased popularity, but at least she's willing to say that and actually do it. She's not just saying it, she's actually doing it. she's She's doing that at risk to what she where she's currently at. So I think that's great. It's nice to hear that. hope that we hear more of that.
00:06:14
Martin Frenette
And because even her like her team, she wasn't here, her team and even her or people in Congress were saying, why would you step down? Like you could it keep the seat safe and warm.
00:06:26
Martin Frenette
But like, she wanted to take risks. Also, the only way the Supreme Court will change as well is the Senate change, the Senate map change and adding more diversity because, side note,
00:06:42
Martin Frenette
in the history of the United States, in the last 10 or 20 years, in the history of the US, there's only been 14 black senators and only two black congress people in the history of the country.
00:06:56
Circuspreneur Podcast
Wow.
00:06:59
Circuspreneur Podcast
yeah History.
00:07:00
Martin Frenette
So I think Ms.
00:07:01
Circuspreneur Podcast
Wow.
00:07:04
Martin Frenette
Crockett could be the 15th black senator. she and Talking about her campaign when started she was 28, when she first started to run, she goes out, she meets her constituents, she meets the voters, she hears about the concerns, which I think is something we've seen from other people that won elections lately in the states of Georgia or against Zahra Mamdani in New York.
00:07:28
Martin Frenette
you need to hear what voters think and say. It is really, and I think that is something at the New Yorker we've seen in 2025, how the voice of the people can be impactful. If you look at the way we had in ne November's election, but also on a very, very side topic, when people protested the whole Jimmy Kimmel cancellation with ABC, there was so much backlash against ABC and Disney
00:07:55
Martin Frenette
he came back on air. So I think we've learned in
00:07:57
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah.
Representation and Diversity in Politics
00:07:59
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:07:59
Martin Frenette
2025, if we stick together, if we don't only comment and send little things on social media, if we actually speak out loud, let our voices be heard, if we go out and vote,
00:08:12
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm.
00:08:13
Martin Frenette
we can make a change because even if the jamist Jasmine Crockett of the world and even if all these great people come forward it and go and get us try and get a seat, unless we vote, unless we let our voices be heard, those great people cannot pass any law or do anything.
00:08:30
Martin Frenette
So there we go. We need to let ourselves be heard and speak.
00:08:35
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah. And I heard the other day, you know, it was interesting. I was watching this great influencer and this great podcast channel that like watching. And they were talking about how they canvassed for, you know, Zoran. And he was the other day thinking, I think, about 100,000 volunteers that canvassed and door knocked.
00:08:55
Circuspreneur Podcast
for his campaign to win mayor of New York. And I mean, and and the other thing to remind people is also too, the strength of and incumbents and folks that have been around for a very long time, like Andrew Cuomo was not shy about running for mayor.
00:09:13
Martin Frenette
Mm-hmm.
00:09:13
Circuspreneur Podcast
Like he was not shy. I mean, he just had an overtly, tremendously like horrific scandal not that long ago and was unbothered to run for office again and got and could have gotten close.
00:09:24
Martin Frenette
Oh.
00:09:28
Circuspreneur Podcast
I mean, you know, he could have potentially. given Zoran Mamdani a run for his money just because his name is well known. And I think that that is also too, again, what we're speaking about when people stay in these seats and they stay around for so long, how much they can harness just by folks not you know hearing about other people enough they can just get back in there.
00:09:52
Circuspreneur Podcast
I mean, you know, Andrew Coma, you know, and sexual harassment, you know, charges and and and things and accusations against him. i don't want to go into too much of it because I can't remember all the different ins and outs of what he was accused of.
00:10:06
Circuspreneur Podcast
He wasn't convicted of anything from what I understand. But, you know, he had a lot of scandal centered around him. And he also, too, had to step down. So he had to step down in the face of scandal, but then was completely, completely, you know, like unbothered to run for office again. So, you know, folks also too, why aren't you willing to hold these people accountable?
00:10:30
Circuspreneur Podcast
you know, having these terrible track records, no matter who it is from whatever side, holding people accountable and and having that matter, you know, in terms of where, how you want them to represent you, because they're coming with all of those things. And, you know, just because they have, they have gotten name recognition, doesn't mean that they just deserve to continue to stay where they're at. They should have to work for it, I think is what we're both saying. They should have to fight for it. And they should have to show you their value and their worth time and time again to retain these seats that are just so important. I mean, like you're saying, it influences everything that you do on a day daily basis and everything that is happening in the world. And then it leads to people building these careers over time and then eventually harnessing them to get into offices that could eventually, you know, be the president.
00:11:28
Martin Frenette
And then of course, like we've seen, especially the last since the last election, how the Supreme Court has such an impact. Like really, the Supreme Court has a lot to do, if you look at the overton of Roe v Wade, of the military is actually no longer being allowed to go to cities now. But this, going back to Jasmine Crockett, goes back to the Senate. If you want to have a seat on the Supreme Court, you need to go through a Senate hearing first.
00:11:55
Martin Frenette
So for someone like her to be bringing this fresh blood energy, because she will live longer than some people are now on Supreme Court. Her kids, her grandkids, like you and I, our nieces and nephews, they're here for a long time.
00:12:11
Martin Frenette
We cannot be governed and dictated what to do by older generations all the time. We need to let the younger ones go the same way that, for instance, a few years ago, Nancy Pelosi passed the baton to Hakim Jeffries as well. That was an example of, okay, I've done my time.
00:12:30
Martin Frenette
I could stay here forever. Moving on. Yeah.
00:12:33
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah, I think that's something interesting to note. I also do think it's something interesting to note that her daughter is also, Nancy Pelosi's daughter is getting involved in a certain way as well.
00:12:45
Circuspreneur Podcast
Also speaks to the fact that, again, the connections that you have,
00:12:45
Martin Frenette
It
00:12:49
Circuspreneur Podcast
lead to certain dynamics, and it does help in where you might be headed next.
00:12:50
Martin Frenette
it helps.
00:12:56
Circuspreneur Podcast
And i think it's also important for folks to remember things like that, too. Like, it is great to see people that do not have all of those overt connections stepping into these spaces, because then you're not passing down that level of power and engagement and influence.
00:13:14
Circuspreneur Podcast
Now, I'm not saying that just because your parents were in positions of power for a long time that you have no right to step into those spaces, but also to keeping in mind that they are coming with a certain level of lineage and they are coming to with, I think, a certain level of perspective because they are coming from a family or from a background that has been extremely influential and how you know Sometimes that's something that will continue to kind of upshift or upswing in halls of power too.
00:13:25
Martin Frenette
Thank you.
00:13:46
Circuspreneur Podcast
And how that can also, I think, be a deterrent in some ways where then it's like, you know you have people... being engaged that, you know, just don't have any ties. And the importance, I think, of, again, having people that have, you know, again, strategic ties is one thing, but, you know, ties that will embed you in, you know, in in backgrounds or in political thought that are maybe not fresh and are not anew. So I like, you know, the Hakeem Jeffries, like that's also wonderful and great. But I also...
00:14:18
Circuspreneur Podcast
you know, and very sensitive to, you know, just like if you see, you know, again, there's very influential spaces, even in our industry in circus, where, you know, if you don't really understand who those people are, it might seem kind of, you don't really understand what's going on.
00:14:26
Martin Frenette
Yes.
00:14:33
Circuspreneur Podcast
But then you're like, oh, that's the cousin of so-and-so. so And this is the brother of so-and-so. And then things can start to make a little bit more sense for you. And That's typical in our industry. So I think it's also interesting that it's kind of typical in politics because that's something that's very, you know, that's, you know, kind of like what happens in circus culture as well, where families, you know, stay in in spaces of influence and will stay around for generations to come,
Global Conflicts and Peace Talks
00:15:01
Martin Frenette
Mm-hmm.
00:15:01
Circuspreneur Podcast
which can almost similarly be considered in some ways kind of like a, you know, royal lineage to kind of cycling back around to that, which interesting enough, I think to step into our next phase of discussion here, you know, there's been a lot of talk this past week about Ukraine and Russia.
00:15:20
Circuspreneur Podcast
It seems that there might be a, you know, peace treaty on the books or on the horizon coming in the near future. i would like to see Ukraine retain all of Ukraine in the midst of that. I think going into 2026, I'll be absolutely heartbroken if I think if Ukraine is forced to give up any of their land or any of their territory, even though as much as I want peace for the region and I want peace for Ukraine, I want peace for Russia, you know, and all of our friends and, you know, and colleagues that we have on both sides. which I do not see sides. I just see people. But I hope that there's not a push to give up any any more land. What do you think, Martyn?
00:16:03
Martin Frenette
Well, the thing, as you were just saying, we both of us, we know, and there's a lot of Russian and Ukrainian artists out there. We've performed with them, we've seen them. And even now, these when you meet one of them, if you meet a Russian artist, jugular, trapezius, whatever it is,
00:16:22
Martin Frenette
they will say like, I'm not Putin. Like I have Ukrainian friends. I don't want to invade Ukraine. Ukrainians will say, oh, like the porter in my shoe is Russian and we go for a beer tonight. It's not, this division that we see between political figures is very heartbreaking because there is this power struggle, like this war. But again, like the small people,
00:16:47
Martin Frenette
that can be heard hopefully, maybe not in those countries, but we need to find a way to not take over the governments, but if the Russian Ukrainians can like go out for a beer for the show, can't share the backstage and all, there has to be a way for these two countries to, as you said, like not give up, just find peace in both senses, because i know Russians are very sad about Ukraine situation. It's not people I think are we saying, you know, Russia, Ukraine, enemies.
00:17:18
Martin Frenette
There are still people that are friendly with one another. It's really, it's a power struggle, it's a political struggle. I'm still puzzled by this peace tweet that Trump allegedly wrote.
00:17:36
Martin Frenette
That somehow Trump was spelled with a P and an M somewhere. It's really... i don't know how the Ukrainian president held it, because this peace treaty was basically just give it up already.
00:17:52
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah, basically.
00:17:53
Martin Frenette
and done And they do not deserve it. it's They've been fighting the war for way too long already, but also so they do not they did not deserve this war, and they do not deserve to give up anything for that.
00:18:06
Martin Frenette
It's... It's, uh, it is really something I hope it's been four years already. It's been way too long. It has to end.
00:18:15
Circuspreneur Podcast
Four years and then on top of the initial war. So it's been 14 years, actually, but since like the start of everything.
00:18:19
Martin Frenette
Yes. Yeah. beat it yeah
00:18:23
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah, I mean, it's it's wild. I mean, I thought it was also, it was really cool. i saw the other day that the EU pledged what, I think it was 100 billion to Ukraine, right?
00:18:32
Martin Frenette
A hundred. Yeah. A hundred billions.
00:18:33
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah. Over the next, what, 20, 40 years? i don't know how long that would potentially be. But again, what is the what is the ask here? if we're If we're going to be giving Ukraine the support and the love that it needs, what are what do we say that they need to be willing to give up here? And I think that the that what they're being forced to give up is too much. It's too much. Because if you give a little, i mean, we all know that. You give a little,
00:19:01
Circuspreneur Podcast
everyone's going to want a lot from you. It's like anything, you know, even if you go down on a contract and you say, okay, you don't want to pay me what I'm worth. I'm willing to go down about $500. And then what did they do?
00:19:12
Circuspreneur Podcast
They come back with, could you go down a thousand? Could you do this? Could you do that?
00:19:16
Martin Frenette
For
00:19:18
Circuspreneur Podcast
Oh, you're willing to go down $500. Oh, we got them. We got them guys. They're willing to do the whole contract for free. yeah
00:19:24
Martin Frenette
free. Yeah.
00:19:25
Circuspreneur Podcast
They no longer need to get paid. It is a hobby. You know, the circus is the circus. You know, now they're going to, next year's contract, now they're going go down 1,500.
00:19:35
Martin Frenette
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:19:36
Circuspreneur Podcast
And then you find yourself between a rock and a hard place. I mean, i did think that it was interesting that Zelensky, you know, of Ukraine said that there needed to be a national referendum or vote on any peace treaty that was going to be coming down.
00:19:51
Circuspreneur Podcast
Again, i know that there's a lot of, disagreements and consternation around that and around what kind of decisions and if he's making the right decisions. But I do think that, you know, Ukraine is being put in an impossible position, like we're saying that they don't deserve to be in. And, you know, I hope that with the support, you know, that they're able to get the support that they need on a continued basis. And then I also hope that their government continues to not be stalled out, you
00:20:21
Circuspreneur Podcast
so that they're able to, you know, vote adequately in the near future for new representation if that's what the people want. And if that's what, you know, that's what they need. Right. I also think that it's becoming a uncomfortable, even for Zelensky, to continuously stay in a position and and and not have And new election so that they can get fresh representation in there, too.
00:20:42
Martin Frenette
Mm-hmm.
00:20:45
Circuspreneur Podcast
But this is all very complex and complicated. And again, I always tell everyone speaking to Ukrainian and Russian friends, I would never, you know, think that I can speak on these issues better than a friend that is living there, that is from there, and that is interacting on a daily basis with their friends and their family there. But as we are interacting on a regular basis with friends and family that are having these firsthand accounts and experiences of being there, that is why we are speaking on these issues in the way that we are. But again, we would not imagine to speak for anyone or to assume that we could overtly describe the complexities in and around this. But coming back to the fact that it is not as complex and that, you know, these countries do not want to be at war on a fundamental level. And especially in our industry, they are so integrated with one another and friendly and, you know, want to see
00:21:42
Circuspreneur Podcast
want to see want to see peace and want to see these things you know end. Nobody wants the continuation you know of this war and of these things. so going into 2026, I hope that we see peace in this region.
00:21:54
Circuspreneur Podcast
i hope that we see peace with Venezuela. We were just talking before as well that there was some engagement between China and Taiwan this morning. Now also too, going into 2026, I hope that that does not continue to escalate.
00:22:08
Circuspreneur Podcast
We also did see that there was a peace treaty moving forward between Thailand and Cambodia. That's very good news. They also too rebuked the peace treaty that was coming from Trump, but decided to move forward with their own peace treaty because they did not like the U.S. stepping in and trying to resolve things with on their terms. So that was also, i think, you know interesting to see peace going forward in some regions. only you know God knows that we do not need more regions destabilized around the world with respect to work, with respect to touring artists, with respect to you know you know our international network of the circus industry and being impacted
Impact of Global Instability on Circus Industry
00:22:50
Circuspreneur Podcast
on that level. And, you know, we've spoken a lot, Martin, about, you know, destabilizing anywhere in the world and how that destabilizes our industry and how hard it is on our industry and how yet our industry continues to go and move forward. Despite all of those destabilizations, we all continue to work and to travel and to perform and do contracts.
00:23:11
Circuspreneur Podcast
regardless, but it still does have far reaching implications for our industry, you know, kind of like nonetheless.
00:23:12
Martin Frenette
Mm-hmm.
00:23:21
Circuspreneur Podcast
And so we are kind of like in our last like six or seven minutes here in the podcast. Martin, is there another topic on your mind in rounding out our 2025 political conversation with circus and, you know, kind of looking forward to the 2026 political climate, anything on the horizon and then more thoughts on 2025?
00:23:49
Martin Frenette
I think, well, just to wrap up on Ukraine, I think for Zelensky to actually go and say, let's have a referendum. Oh, sorry. For Zelensky to have a referendum, it loops back to the giving a mic to the people.
00:24:02
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah.
00:24:02
Martin Frenette
Like, it won't be my call. Like, it will be yours in a way.
00:24:06
Circuspreneur Podcast
yeah
00:24:06
Martin Frenette
So think that is a step in the right direction. That's how it goes, but it is a step in the right direction. And, I really hope in 2026, it seems to me like 2025 has been a lot about, for instance, like you said, like the US coming in between Thailand and Cambodia, like, can we stop looking at what the neighbor is up to and try to tell them what to do? i feel even in my own life, a lot of people are stepping in, giving unsolated advice, like,
00:24:42
Martin Frenette
You may have the right, like you have your hand on your heart, you have the best intention, but this advice maybe wasn't asked for. And for instance, with the US s going to Asia and saying, you should do peace that way.
00:24:58
Martin Frenette
Okay. And Like, for instance, if you look at, I don't want to bring this, don't want to put topic, but like the shootings there was in Australia and in the US the same weekend, basically.
00:25:10
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:13
Circuspreneur Podcast
yeah
00:25:14
Martin Frenette
Australia didn't go like the US and say, you should have a law on your guns or... They were like, no, we a week later, Australia passed a law that made gun control even tougher.
00:25:28
Martin Frenette
Like, this happened in our country, we'll make it here. We won't go in other countries and tell them what to do. So I hope we can find a way to coexist without judging from afar, without passing and advice or passing judgment.
00:25:46
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank
00:25:46
Martin Frenette
Just like let's can we all fix maybe our own situations fast the way we've seen with Cambodia and Thailand now? Can we make it maybe home healthy and balanced?
00:25:58
Martin Frenette
And then when we have success we can share with others and not impose that success but say oh we did that way. Just saying and let it grow from there you know.
Political Accountability and Legislative Actions
00:26:10
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah, I think that's like really important feedback. And then also to speaking a little bit about what happened in Australia and, you know, the different levels of hate crimes that have been happening this past year that have been so awful and, you know, so sad. I think even looking at Australia and the complexities there are where, you know, there was a loophole that was able to be exploited for that hate crime to happen.
00:26:35
Circuspreneur Podcast
And so it just goes to show as well, because you know you'll get other folks saying, well, you know it was still you know able to happen. But what we're also speaking of is that at least Australia act, like at least when they
00:26:48
Martin Frenette
Within a week, a week time.
00:26:50
Circuspreneur Podcast
Within a week, within a week, right?
00:26:51
Martin Frenette
Yeah.
00:26:52
Circuspreneur Podcast
These folks that did that in Australia, these terrorists, domestic terrorists, actually had a hunting license, which from what I understand. And so they were able to exploit what level of hunting license and what kind of laws that Australia has around that.
00:27:01
Martin Frenette
30 years
00:27:07
Circuspreneur Podcast
But after the other big mass shooting in Australia, the country voluntarily turned in their guns. They voluntarily did it.
00:27:16
Martin Frenette
ago, 96 think. Yeah.
00:27:17
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah. Yeah. And so, you know, even the folks that are like, well, you know, you should have gun, you know, gun laws in certain capacities and, and allow certain things they did.
00:27:28
Circuspreneur Podcast
They had hunting things and they have things, I think for like military, like they have those things.
00:27:30
Martin Frenette
Yeah.
00:27:34
Circuspreneur Podcast
However, even when they saw, wow, someone was able to exploit that for the first time in decades, eight they They got that law passed right away. And that's another thing that I do like about Australia too. And not to make this all about like Australia is the one doing it the best. But if Australia did not like their prime minister and they have been there for a week, they can vote you out.
00:27:55
Circuspreneur Podcast
And they do. Like there are people that have been prime minister for like a second in Australia and just gone, you know?
00:28:02
Martin Frenette
Yeah.
00:28:02
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah. like they you know England, UK does the same thing. They don't like you, they get you out of there. And you know that's a very different thing you know in terms of, you know they're speaking about that in our current political environment about bringing about the articles of impeachment and going that right that route.
00:28:21
Circuspreneur Podcast
And there's been several representatives speaking about that in connection to the Epstein files and how they're being handled right now. And everyone is looking at the redacted files and Someone like me is a survivor of USA Gymnastics and, you know, was a part of so an environment and of a system and of a case that was extremely corrupt and handed with extremely corruptible hands and corrupted hands.
00:28:44
Circuspreneur Podcast
I mean, it's wild to see, you know, the the rollout of these now hundreds of thousands of files, which we can go back to our favorite person, Pam Bondi.
00:28:53
Martin Frenette
A million, actually. A million file.
00:28:55
Circuspreneur Podcast
a million files after they said there was nothing else to see here. There was nothing else to release. Nothing. They have now released hundreds of thousands, million, a million files, which have been redacted in ways that go against the Epstein act. Actually that was passed into law. They, they did actually act.
Corruption and Power in Politics and Circus
00:29:16
Circuspreneur Podcast
representatives,
00:29:17
Circuspreneur Podcast
were even able to pass some a piece of legislation that would force them to release these files, and they still did it and went against the law and did not you know release these files properly, which is absolutely wild. And even the things that we're seeing, I mean, even Bill Clinton, who is heavily implicated in these files, is asking for them to be unredacted according to the actual law. And this rollout will hurt this administration going into 2026. I mean, it's already hurting them, but it will definitely continue to because, you know, with how many things we are still, you know, being left out, we still don't know so much, you know, even reading through
00:30:01
Circuspreneur Podcast
the files and seeing employee one did this employee to did this, you know, we see the folks that were indicted essentially that we still don't know the co-conspirators of who they were, what are their names?
00:30:13
Circuspreneur Podcast
Who are these other people? This, this, this guy and this woman, they did not act alone. And all of these people that, you know, could be implicated within this and you know, this network and,
00:30:19
Martin Frenette
No. oh
00:30:27
Circuspreneur Podcast
You know what the FBI is is doing and how they're handling this. And, you know, the kind of like the amateur ish seemingly, you know, they also sent out kind of like a a notice of asking for help to sift through the files. I mean, this is just I mean, everything that we're seeing, they're saying this is absolutely unprecedented. in terms of how you would handle a case or like a file release of this type and this size and this scope. And you know that is, I think, gonna continue to be a big topic going into 2026.
00:30:58
Circuspreneur Podcast
and continuing to protect whoever else is out there that they already know. But we're all saying, you know, allegedly and all the things that we may or may not know that we're discovering and finding out. I mean you can go online and you can read through these files yourself. But I think that this, again, just speaks to the fact of how...
00:31:16
Circuspreneur Podcast
corruptible these spaces are that are supposed to be our government and supposed to be you know spaces that are supposed to be speaking for us and working for us and reminding us that our governments and you know these officials that many are implicated in these files are supposed to be the people that are handling our livelihoods and our ways of being on a day-to-day basis.
00:31:41
Circuspreneur Podcast
And, you know, folks should just, I think, continue to be up in arms about how this is being handled and what this says about people in positions of power how they're able to abuse that in any space, whether it's in a circus space, whether it's in your own networks.
00:31:58
Circuspreneur Podcast
in your own inner circles and then in your outer circles, in terms of your your legislators and your governments and, you know, who is handling, you know, these important matters that affect your life, that affect your livelihood and affect and affect your, you know, your way of being every single day. It's just, I think i think it's just wild.
00:32:20
Martin Frenette
It's... I like how you said supposed to be about 20 times in 10 seconds. it You are all supposed to be. And yet you are not.
00:32:32
Circuspreneur Podcast
you're not allegedly
00:32:33
Martin Frenette
It's, it is allegedly, but it's honestly, it's all about if you go back as well to one of the big topics this year of the whole like Medicaid, Medicare, how many people are struggling already or will struggle now.
00:32:51
Martin Frenette
You are supposed to be in the government. You're supposed to be there. You are supposed to be there for your constituents, for the good of your country. People will die without their Medicaid and their Medicare.
00:33:06
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm.
00:33:07
Martin Frenette
Do you really don't want to pass that act only because there's a former president's name on it?
00:33:13
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm.
00:33:14
Martin Frenette
It's for me, it's really what when you think like no one deserves to die because of political views.
00:33:15
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm.
00:33:20
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-mm.
00:33:21
Martin Frenette
You're supposed to be there for these people voting for you. so
00:33:26
Circuspreneur Podcast
of the things that they actually need. And yeah, there's going to be a really important vote coming up within this next month. Listeners, everybody listening in you know, please, if you are engaged, get engaged harder.
00:33:38
Martin Frenette
Yeah.
00:33:38
Circuspreneur Podcast
Call your representatives, email them, Every day, if you can, it takes literally a minute or so to call an office and say, these issues are important to me.
00:33:50
Circuspreneur Podcast
I believe in this particular act. I believe in you making this certain decision and I will not vote for you. If you do not vote in this way, and I will encourage everyone that I know to not vote for you and to not support you outwardly.
00:34:07
Circuspreneur Podcast
If you do not get behind these initiatives that I think are important, even if they don't affect my life, they affect
Political Engagement in Circus Industry
00:34:15
Circuspreneur Podcast
other people, they affect others, other people, you know, in our in our country that are relying on it, even if I'm not relying on it and reminding yourself that you never know when you'll be reliant on something.
00:34:16
Martin Frenette
others yeah
00:34:27
Martin Frenette
yeah
00:34:27
Circuspreneur Podcast
You just, you never know, right? You never know when you're, you'll need something in your career, in your life, in your healthcare. Life can change very, very quickly. And I wish nothing but good things on folks, but we are not in control of so many things that happen in our lives.
00:34:44
Circuspreneur Podcast
You don't know. That's the beauty and also the difficulty of life. And so something that might not be, Essential for you now could be very essential for you in the new year. And maybe your representative didn't vote for it.
00:34:58
Circuspreneur Podcast
And maybe they're not even aligned for it. They're not aligned with it. So make sure you know what your representatives and you don't have to just stay within your state. You can call any representative in any state in any town.
00:35:10
Martin Frenette
Mm-hmm.
00:35:11
Circuspreneur Podcast
You can call their office. It does not matter. And tell them, these are the things that I want. And, you know, being, again, politically engaged that we are like, we are trying to continue to promote here on the podcast, Martin, in, you know, showing and discussing for the industry that it's, you know, it's not about sides, you know, it's about certain issues. And these issues affect maybe you you or someone else that you're close to and they're all important and how it shouldn't matter. It should be much more about the people. It should be much more about your community, about your industry than it is about just, you know, a singular person because it's about so much more than that, I think.
00:35:51
Circuspreneur Podcast
And so in winding down last thoughts, Martin, in politically in circus,
00:35:59
Martin Frenette
Let's make 2026 one for the books and make those changes happen. Let's stop talking about change and make change happen. Let's do it, people. Come on.
00:36:12
Martin Frenette
We've seen it with the, again, I'm going to repeat myself, with elections, with Jimmy Kimmel, with look Australia passing a law within a week after shooting. Change can happen, but if we only whine about the situation, it won't change. We need to color elected people and make it work. Yes.
00:36:33
Circuspreneur Podcast
And it changes and have to always come out of tragedy and change could be motivated by good things.
00:36:39
Martin Frenette
Let's avoid tragedy and change before.
00:36:40
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yes, yes, yes. And, you know, be riled up so that, you know, that doesn't have to be the indicator. We don't have to come from that negative place to advocate for the things that we want. And remember, listeners that are circus and politically engaged here, continue to call your representatives about the Circus Workers Act that we are lobbying for behind the scenes. so that we can promote change in our own industry and in our own environment so that we can get policy passed for our industry and get our initiatives in a singular space so that we can be united behind something.
00:37:18
Circuspreneur Podcast
Think about the Safe Art and the Safe Circus Act that we are also too asking for sponsorship that will increase protections for our industry. All those things that you're having discussions about in your own circus life, in your own circus world. We have put into these bills, they are already there and they're already on the desk of representatives across America. They are interested in them. They want to hear from you about those specifically. If you continue to ask us, how can we be engaged? We also have the Circus Arts Category Recognition Act that will help circus as an art form
00:37:54
Circuspreneur Podcast
in innumerable ways that is already on the desk of so many representatives. They wanna support it they wanna sponsor it they need to hear from you. So that is already three pieces of legislation that you can continue to be engaged with in 2026 that are already written, that we are already lobbying for, and that will change your circus career and your circus life.
00:38:15
Circuspreneur Podcast
And that is the honest truth. We are not, you know, being, is the word superfluous?
00:38:19
Martin Frenette
This is a legend. This is true.
00:38:21
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yes, yes, yes, this is true.
00:38:22
Martin Frenette
Yeah.
00:38:23
Circuspreneur Podcast
This is not a legend. This is not supposed and is definitely not redacted.
00:38:26
Martin Frenette
Yeah.
00:38:28
Circuspreneur Podcast
but Right. You know, and it doesn't matter what background you're from. we Everyone should be engaged around these because there's a little bit of circus for someone in all of these policies. i want to remind you this. These are the most bipartisan pieces of legislation that you could ever support in your circus life. Believe me, they are the most bipartisan policies that we have created. There's a little bit in there for everybody. that can be supported, that can get behind. So, you know, industry, organize, talk to one another, get engaged. And if you need more, you know, information, again, DM me on the Circuspreneur podcast or on my Sinead Saletto, DM Martin Frenette. And, you know, if you want to hear different political conversations between me and Martin, let us know. and continue to comment and subscribe to the podcast and like these episodes and let us know what is important to you on an American level, on a state local level, and then on an international level. We will continue to speak to these issues, you know, on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, you know,
00:39:36
Circuspreneur Podcast
basis as much as Martin and I can get engaged as we do many things and wear multiple hats.
Closing Remarks and Networking Opportunities
00:39:41
Circuspreneur Podcast
We are busy, but we love to discuss, you know, politics from a circus perspective and, you know, from again, a human perspective as well. And so happy new year, everyone. Happy 2026. we look forward to speaking with you all in the next upcoming new year. And thank you to our sponsor, StageLink. dot com And I will leave us with the Circuspreneur podcast is also available on stage link.com S D A G E L Y N C dot C O M the groundbreaking new platform for live performing arts that provides unmatched access and connection to this vibrant world of shows and entertainment. If you're a professional in the performing arts, visit stage link.com slash phone.
00:40:25
Circuspreneur Podcast
StageLink Pro, S-T-A-G-E-L-Y-N-C-P-R-O offers industry professionals higher visibility networking opportunities and tools to support and enhance their careers. Thank you so much, Martin.
00:40:35
Martin Frenette
Pleasure. Thank you for having me.