The most interesting conversations in American life happen in private. This show brings them out of the closet. Stories no one else is telling and conversations with the most fascinating people in the country, every week from The Free Press, hosted by former New York Times and Wall Street Journal journalist Bari Weiss.
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Today, on our inaugural episode of Second Thought , Suzy Weiss sits down with one of the most influential people in YouTube’s history: Casey Neistat. Casey has millions of followers and billions of views to his name—and he saw early on that YouTube would change everything. It certainly changed his own life. In this conversation, Casey talks about riding the wave of the YouTube tsunami, his love of old technology, and how his career illustrates Andy Warhol’s infamous prediction that “In the futur...
This past year wasn’t easy—but it was certainly eventful. Donald Trump returned to the White House, issued a record number of executive orders, deployed the National Guard to American cities—like LA and D.C.—imposed sweeping tariffs on all our trading partners, gutted the government with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and unleashed a massive crackdown on immigration. But that was only the beginning. The administration also reached a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—and all the...
It's Christmas Eve. A holiday celebrated by 2.4 billion people around the world, which centers on a 2,000-year-old story about a Jewish man born in Bethlehem who became a rabbi, who the Romans would later execute in Jerusalem. But what most people don’t know is that the first people who believed in Jesus did not think they were starting a new religion. They were a small group of Jews who thought of themselves as history's last generation, with Jesus as their Messiah. Of course, as we all know no...
Last week, Bari sat down with Erika Kirk for an hour-long town hall in front of a live audience on CBS. It was an extremely powerful conversation. Erika and Bari spoke about a lot—rising political violence in this very divided country; the way some people justified or excused Charlie’s murder; what Erika thinks about some of the controversial things Charlie said in his lifetime; her response to Candace Owens and the conspiracy theories Owens and others are peddling; the growing antisemitism on t...
One of the most complex medical, ethical, moral, and religious questions of our era is that of physician-assisted suicide—also known as Medical Aid in Dying, or MAID. Eleven U.S. states and Washington, D.C. have legalized some form of MAID for terminally ill patients. And New York might join them. Over the summer, a Medical Aid in Dying Act passed New York’s state legislature. It is now sitting on Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk as she decides whether to sign it into law. Under the proposed New Yor...
All parents know what goes into raising children: the time spent changing diapers in inopportune places; the hours of worrying—about what to feed them, how to educate them, how to protect them and keep them healthy; the countless hours devoted to dance classes, summer camps, pediatricians, and piano lessons—all investments meant to give them the best chance in life. Most of us would do anything to help our kids become the most successful and happiest versions of themselves. But what if we could ...
Alan Dershowitz argues that the easy availability of firearms contributes significantly to America's high homicide rates, despite supporting the Second Amendment as a trade-off for liberty. Dana Loesch counters by emphasizing defensive gun use, criticizing judicial failures and flawed international crime data comparisons, and asserting that the Second Amendment protects individual liberty against criminality. The discussion explores historical intent, modern weapon technology, and potential regulatory measures like mandatory training, examining whether gun ownership ultimately makes the nation safer or less safe.
You probably know Jonathan Haidt as the guy trying to save your kids from smartphones and social media apps. Likely you’ve read The Anxious Generation , which has been translated into 44 languages and sold nearly 2 million copies. One might say that Jon is Elvis for 21st century moms who don't understand Discord. But when Haidt gets written about decades from now, it will be for much more than this book and the powerful movement that came out of it. He will be regarded as one of the most importa...
Who owns the future of the Democratic Party? That’s the question on everyone’s mind since last Tuesday night—when the richest city in America elected 34-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as its mayor. You can see Mamdani’s win as a one-off—a charismatic contender facing a rival mired in controversy. But the other way to see it is as emblematic of something larger: a sign about the state—and future—of the left. Here was a candidate promising to solve the affordability crisis with free ...
This episode features Paul Kingsnorth, author of "Against the Machine," who posits that our current societal disquiet isn't due to superficial issues but a deep-seated conflict with "the Machine," a pervasive technological and rationalistic worldview. He critiques the Enlightenment's impact on human connection to people, place, prayer, and the past, and warns of tech creators' pseudo-religious visions for AI. Kingsnorth suggests that while the traditional West may be "dead," this period of upheaval offers a crucial opportunity for individuals and communities to seek meaning and rebuild on authentic values, consciously resisting the Machine's influence.
Bari Weiss and Shiloh Brooks discuss the growing crisis among young men, characterized by mental health struggles, addiction, and a lack of purpose. Brooks proposes that reading great books offers a powerful antidote, fostering self-examination, spiritual expansion, and a deeper sense of meaning. The conversation explores the decline of reading, the influence of negative role models, and the vital role of literacy in cultivating principled leadership and engaged citizenship.
A former Senate staffer recently told our friend, reporter Dexter Filkins: “The last socialist systems in the world are in Cuba and the Pentagon.” My guest tonight is trying to do something about that. And good luck to anyone trying to get in his way. When people think of defense tech titans, they might not think of my guest tonight, Palmer Luckey. He looks more like Jimmy Buffett than George S. Patton. But don’t let his looks deceive you. At the age of 19, Palmer founded the VR company Oculus. ...
On October 21, 2023, beloved Detroit community leader Samantha Woll was found brutally stabbed to death outside her home—two weeks to the day after the October 7 attacks on Israel. It looked like an open-and-shut case—a hate crime. But swiftly the police ruled that out. Instead they eventually found themselves with two unrelated suspects. When they charged one with murder, the case took a turn that raised questions about antisemitism, race, and justice in America. Hosted by The Free Press’s Fran...
If you’re listening to this, you probably know someone who has struggled with alcohol addiction, or maybe you’re an alcoholic yourself. It’s one of the most universal human experiences. In 2023, 10 percent of the U.S. population met the criteria for alcoholism. That’s 30 million people. And throughout the past hundred or so years, there’s basically been one solution: total sobriety, talk therapy, and Alcoholics Anonymous. And yes, there are countless people ready and eager to say, “AA saved my l...
At 3:22 a.m. ET on October 7, 2023, Bari texted her producer: “Candace, there’s war in Israel.” At that moment, Hamas men still roamed southern Israel, and the details were far from clear. What we knew was that Israel had been attacked and that videos were beginning to make their way from Telegram to X: scenes of dozens of Palestinian terrorists breaking through the security fence and rushing into Israeli territory; clips of Hamas militants, with AK-47s slung over their chests, driving white pic...
Congratulations are not usually in order for someone who has been forced into hiding, someone whose children are scattered across continents for their safety, someone whose supporters are sitting in prison cells for the crime of believing in democracy. But our guest today, María Corina Machado, just won the Nobel Peace Prize—joining the ranks of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Dalai Lama, to name a few. On Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded their 2025 Peace Price to th...
This week commemorates the two year anniversary of October 7, 2023. That morning, Hamas invaded Israel. They slaughtered some 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage. Forty-eight hostages, some alive and some dead, are still being held in Gaza. In these last two years, the world has changed. In many ways, the past two years have felt like two decades. The world feels like it has tilted on its axis. There is nobody better suited to make sense of this moment—the lessons learned, the harsh realit...
Two years ago today, five terrorists broke into Eli Sharabi’s safe room on Kibbutz Be’eri. He had been sheltered there for hours with his wife, Lianne, and teenage daughters, Noiya and Yahel, reading horrific texts flooding in from neighbors and hoping somehow his family would be spared. They were not. The terrorists shot and killed their dog, then dragged Eli away, leaving his family behind. As they pulled him out the door, he looked back and shouted: “I’ll come back!” After 491 days in Hamas c...
Leland Vittert is one of America’s most recognizable television correspondents. You’ll know his face from years of frontline reporting in places like Egypt, Libya, Israel, and Ukraine. You may have followed his tumultuous exit from Fox News in 2021, after clashing with the network over its coverage of Donald Trump —and then his redemption arc, becoming the host of On Balance and the chief Washington anchor at NewsNation. But what you might not know is that Leland is autistic. He just wrote a boo...
If you’re anything like us, you’re a sucker for a good spy show: Homeland , Tehran , Fauda , The Bureau . We’re fascinated by the life of spies—the secret meetings in Beirut cafés, the wigs and false identities, the double and triple lives, always one step away from exposure, risking everything for their country. Most of the time, those TV characters are pure fiction and the stories are the stuff of Hollywood. But our guest’s new book, The Sword of Freedom , reads just like one of those fantasti...
You know the name Woody Allen. Everyone does. He’s made some of the most acclaimed films ever made: Annie Hall , Hannah and Her Sisters , Crimes and Misdemeanors —he list goes on and on and on. He’s made an astonishing 50 movies. You see his influence everywhere, from sitcoms to stand-up to just about every rom-com made since Annie Hall premiered in 1977. And in the process, he turned himself into America’s most unlikely leading man: short, thinning hair, bespectacled, and exceptionally neurotic...
Yesterday, in broad daylight, in front of a crowd of 3,000 people at Utah Valley University, Charlie Kirk was shot dead. Kirk was not just a husband, not just a father, and not just one of the most prominent young conservative voices in the country. He made his name doing something fundamental to the American project: disagreeing out loud. He famously said, “When people stop talking, bad stuff happens.” And so his thing was going to campuses, setting up a tent, and asking people to change his mi...
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett offers rare insights into her judicial approach and personal experiences, from her "outsider" appointment to the challenges of public scrutiny and family life. She explains her commitment to originalism and applying the law without personal bias, even in controversial cases like Dobbs and the death penalty, while also addressing the court's collegiality, the Dobbs leak, and the importance of institutional trust. Barrett clarifies her independent decision-making, which has often surprised both conservatives and liberals, underscoring her belief in the Constitution as the nation's unifying framework.
Everyone wants the war in Gaza to end. The reason the war is not over is because about 50 people are still being held hostage by Hamas. Twenty of them are alive, but on the brink of death. About 30 of them have already been killed, and their bodies remain in Hamas captivity. There are differing opinions on the best way to bring them home: continue the ground war in Gaza, or take the partial deal put forward by Qatar and Egypt—which includes a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living hostage...
Ever travel to Europe in the summer and suddenly feel very “ra ra ra” about America? It’s not because of American culture, or food, or architecture. The thing people miss first and foremost is AC. Yes, air-conditioning. It’s an American treasure and of course, fodder for many dad jokes. But beyond the jokes, this invention has been politically and culturally transformational. AC allowed factories to operate through the summer—creating more productivity, prosperity, wealth, and American dynamism....
This episode explores the alarming rise of the 'woke right,' a phenomenon where the illiberalism and identity politics seen on the progressive left now appear on the political right. Rod Dreher explains how this movement, with its 'nothing is taboo' ethos, attracts alienated young men by validating masculinity while embracing dangerous ideologies like white nationalism and antisemitism. The discussion highlights the urgent need for conservatives to confront this internal threat, distinguishing it from the left's institutional power but recognizing its moral corruption and potential to go mainstream, drawing parallels to how the left's wokeness spread.
On November 1, 2007, a man named Rudy Guede broke into a random home in Perugia, Italy, then raped and killed Meredith Kercher—a 21-year-old exchange student from the University of Leeds. You might not even remember the names Rudy Guede and Meredith Kercher. But one name you will remember is Meredith’s roommate, Amanda Knox, a 20-year-old exchange student from Seattle. In the weeks and years after Kercher’s murder, the media and the prosecution concocted a narrative that Amanda, her boyfriend Ra...
The question of who represents the working class is probably the hottest debate in American politics. Is it Republicans? Democrats? Or socialists like Zohran Mamdani? Pundits can debate that question all they want, but the undeniable test is: Who do the unions believe stands for working people? For a century, unions were undeniably Democratic. And in 2021, Joe Biden tried to carry on that tradition. He went as far as to say: “I intend to be the most pro-union president leading the most pro-union...
