Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover has reignited a debate about the dangers of social media. It may seem like all funny gifs and nephew photos, but these days, many sites are also full of dangerous lies that impact democracy, bullying that affects the mental health of our kids, human trafficking, and drug sales. Andy speaks with Stanford Law Professor Nate Persily and former Facebook employee Brandon Silverman about whether social media platforms should be policed, the consequences if they’re not, and...
Dec 23, 2022•53 min
Has inflation peaked? What will the economy look like next year? Are we heading into a recession? What will happen to unemployment and home prices? Andy has a lot of questions, and economist Justin Wolfers has educated predictions. They discuss how COVID continues to impact the supply chain, why unemployment numbers are so low right now, whether or not we’re in a wage price spiral, and some good news around the corner in 2023. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt . Follow Justin Wolfers on Twi...
Dec 21, 2022•46 min
The public health emergency declared when COVID-19 hit the U.S. in early 2020 is expected to end this coming spring. What does that mean for the vaccines and testing that Americans have been receiving for free, not to mention their access to broader health insurance coverage? Andy explores this question with physician and Medicaid expert Meera Mani, who explains why 15 million people could be at risk of losing care. Prem Shah, the chief pharmacy officer at CVS Health, then reminds Andy of the ex...
Dec 19, 2022•32 min
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ controversial plan to address homelessness would allow police to involuntarily remove people with mental illness from the street and bring them to the hospital. He calls it the moral thing to do. Is it, or is it a violation of people's constitutional rights? Are there better ways? Andy speaks with reporter Maya Kaufman about how the plan is getting rolled out and the reaction so far. Then he turns to mental health crisis responder Ben Adam Climer, who explains why...
Dec 16, 2022•36 min
Many crypto platforms entice new investors by saying you should buy into the industry even if you don't understand it, or else risk getting left behind. Andy has some issues with that. He speaks to reporter Laura Shin, who’s been covering the crypto industry since 2015, about his major qualms with digital currencies, from carbon emissions and marketing deception to its unregulated nature. Laura explains, and on many occasions attempts to defend, what's going on in the crypto market and how it ca...
Dec 14, 2022•44 min
Andy wants to share a new show from Lemonada Media called Uncared For. You’re more likely to die as a pregnant person in the United States than any other wealthy nation in the world. Why? This six-part series, hosted by award-winning journalist SuChin Pak (Add to Cart, MTV News), takes a deeply personal and wide-ranging look at maternal health care around the globe to find the answer. We start in the United States then travel to Germany, the Netherlands, and Costa Rica to see what works and what...
Dec 12, 2022•49 min
Antisemitism is infiltrating mainstream politics and pop culture in new and pernicious ways. Fresh off a meeting at the White House about the rise of antisemitism, George Selim from the Anti-Defamation League describes to Andy how the words from a politician, rapper or comedian can help spark the hate crimes his organization tracks. Rabbi Steve Leder from the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles explains why antisemitism is not only normalized but an acceptable “ism” in many communities, and...
Dec 09, 2022•40 min
Despite some uptick in cases and hospitalizations, COVID is disrupting life less this winter compared to winters past. Why, and what does that mean as we enter 2023? Andy speaks with epidemiologist and ITB favorite Katelyn Jetelina, who offers an hypothesis for why new mutations are not wreaking havoc like Omicron did last year. She also breaks down the added dangers of flu and RSV and predicts the worldwide implications if China relaxes its zero COVID policies. As an added bonus, today’s episod...
Dec 07, 2022•35 min
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof spent more than a week in Ukraine touring towns recently abandoned by Russian forces and speaking with Ukrainians consumed with grief and trauma. He saw torture chambers, interviewed women who were beaten and raped by Russian soldiers, and learned of Ukrainian kids trafficked to Russia to be put up for adoption. Nick tells Andy that these crimes against humanity should remind us of the stakes as the war continues, and offers ways to help this holiday sea...
Dec 05, 2022•40 min
The widespread protests against the Chinese government are the most extensive since Tiananmen Square in 1989. The demonstrations are against both the severe zero-COVID policies and Xi Jinping’s rule. But the consequences of protesting in China are harsh. Andy speaks with two China experts, Xiao Qiang at the University of California Berkeley and Michael Beckley at Tufts University, about whether COVID rules will loosen, why these protests could mark the start of an even more authoritarian era, an...
Dec 02, 2022•36 min
With the next round of COVID-19 funding stalled in Congress, Americans face a future where vaccines and tests will no longer be free for everyone. Andy speaks with CVS Health’s Executive Vice President Tom Moriarty, who says cutting off funding for basic preventative measures along with new advances like a nasal vaccine is a bad decision both for public health and national security. Tom gives us an update on who’s getting the updated booster, along with the flu shot, and predicts how much sickne...
Nov 30, 2022•33 min
The five people killed in Colorado Springs this month join 18,000 other Americans who died of gun homicides this year. Stephanie Wittels Wachs sits in for Andy to process the news with Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Shannon shares her experience hearing about the shooting as the mother of a nonbinary young adult living in Colorado, and takes stock of what her organization has accomplished since forming in the wake of Sandy Hook. Amid the heartache, thi...
Nov 28, 2022•36 min
On this holiday weekend, we celebrate a favorite episode from earlier this year. Oscar winner and best-selling author Matthew McConaughey comes in the bubble to talk about the big lessons: what unites us, what he has learned about being a dad, what values really matter, and what we owe our kids. McConaughey tells Andy about the moments of decisive action that have shaped his life, which he explores in his book, “Greenlights,” and practices through his charitable work, including his just keep liv...
Nov 25, 2022•46 min
The producers of this series would like to share with you another series they know you’ll love. BEING is reality TV for your ears, an innovative new audio format like no other podcast you've ever heard. This season, it’s BEING Golden -- a look inside the lives of four 60+ seniors living in LA. Meet Buzz, a 71-year-old former sales and marketing executive who drastically uprooted his life by moving out west to Los Angeles to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming an actor -- even if it means taking ...
Nov 23, 2022•41 min
Americans are having a hard time getting in to see a doctor, and burnout among heathcare workers is a leading reason why. The stressors of the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated a burnout crisis among physicians and nurses. But even before the pandemic, burnout was already a rampant problem for physicians and other health workers. Dr. Bob Wachter sits in for Andy and talks with AMA vice president and burnout expert Christine Sinsky about the root causes of burnout and what it will mean for all of us....
Nov 21, 2022•34 min
Democrats defied expectations in this year’s midterm elections, maintaining control of the Senate and keeping the GOP from gaining ground in the House. Former U.S. Housing Secretary Julián Castro unpacks the midterm election results with Time magazine’s national political correspondent, Molly Ball. Just how much did issues like abortion, the Jan. 6 insurrection, and the economic crisis shape the results? Also, the two dive into what Congress’ legislative agenda may look like, and whether the GOP...
Nov 18, 2022•39 min
Some pediatric units are reaching capacity already and experts are warning of a possible "Tripledemic" of respiratory viruses this winter. With an early surge in RSV cases, the upcoming flu season and the possibility of a COVID-19 surge, emergency rooms are preparing for a flood of visits in the coming month. Dr Bob Wachter sits in for Andy and talks with Dr Caitlin Rivers, an Infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins about how to protect you and your family this Thanksgiving. Keep up w...
Nov 16, 2022•37 min
Trump is expected to formally announce his run for president any day now. His reputation was tarnished after the predicted red wave in the midterms didn’t surface, but as New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman reminds guest host Gloria Riviera in this episode, Trump has survived political vulnerability many times before. Maggie talks about who is taking a step back from Trump after the midterms, who’s still supporting him, and those who are walking a very fine line. Plus, she shares an anecdote...
Nov 14, 2022•39 min
With a potentially split legislature on the horizon, passing climate policy could become a lot more difficult. We revisit a recent show on one piece of policy President Biden was able to get passed: the Inflation Reduction Act. Andy speaks with public policy expert Leah Stokes, who helped craft The IRA’s climate provisions. She explains how the law will transition the economy from fossil fuels to clean energy and get us closer to cutting pollution in half. NASA climatologist Gavin Schmidt tells ...
Nov 11, 2022•35 min
Republicans expected to celebrate a red wave this morning. Instead, we’re all left wondering who will control the Senate, and what’s next for Congress. Guest Host, Steve Nelson calls on former US Senator, Al Franken and “The Political Junkie”, Ken Rudin to get their early reactions to the 2022 Midterms and what it means for both parties going forward. Plus, Sen. Franken recounts what it’s like to wait for results on election night… and beyond, much like what the candidates in Georgia are experie...
Nov 09, 2022•41 min
Leading up to Election Day, we’re revisiting a favorite episode with lawyer and journalist Dahlia Lithwick. Dahlia explains in detail the consequences of the Dobbs ruling and whether they'll drive people out to the midterms. How does your vote impact the makeup of the highest court and the decisions it makes? This episode is for everyone who cares about the future of reproductive rights. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt . Follow Dahlia Lithwick on Twitter @Dahlialithwick . Joining Lemonada...
Nov 07, 2022•41 min
For most of us, our mental health took a hit during the pandemic. Gary Gulman knows a little something about severe depression. His HBO special, “The Great Depresh,” goes deep into his experience being hospitalized, getting treatment, and the ongoing road called recovery. Guest host Stephanie Wittels Wachs talks with Gary about her own bout of severe depression after losing her brother Harris Wittels, making art out of struggles with mental health, and what specific treatments helped Gary find h...
Nov 04, 2022•38 min
We are living in a time of incredible technological advances that pose both opportunities and risks to the human species. Andy speaks with futurist William MacAskill about some of the ways humanity could end, from nuclear war to artificial intelligence, and how to take steps now to prevent our own extinction. He explains his approach to living with a long term mindset and the ways in which the future could be a thousand times greater than it is today. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt . Fol...
Nov 02, 2022•41 min
MAGA Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene will hold major influence in the House if the GOP takes back the majority in the midterms. What impact will that have on the priorities set by Congress and the way our government functions? Andy speaks with journalist Robert Draper, whose new book, “Weapons of Mass Delusion,” details how a new breed of Republicans have taken the politics of hysteria to even greater extremes. He forecasts a potential future where Greene becomes House speaker, an impeac...
Oct 31, 2022•45 min
Abortion access is on the midterm ballot in more ways than one, from state measures restricting and expanding rights to federal races that will decide the future of nationwide legislation like Senator Lindsey Graham’s abortion ban bill. Andy talks with reproductive rights lawyer Fatima Goss Graves and activist Kimberly Inez McGuire about what’s at stake this November and how your vote impacts the future of body autonomy. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt . Follow Fatima Goss Graves and Kimb...
Oct 28, 2022•42 min
Words matter. Coming from the highest office, they have the power to bring the nation together or tear it apart. Andy speaks with Barack Obama’s chief speechwriter Cody Keenan about some of the most high-stakes speeches Obama gave during his presidency, from the aftermath of a white supremacist shooting to the fate of marriage equality, and why his message of redemption resonated so strongly with the American people. Cody also reacts to the pendulum swing that brought us Trump’s hateful language...
Oct 26, 2022•41 min
Saudi Arabia’s push for OPEC+ to cut oil production is fueling Russia's coffers in its war in Ukraine. Andy talks to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s right hand man, Derek Chollet, about the geopolitical reasons behind that decision and the effect it will have abroad and at home. He explains the delicate diplomacy taking place between America and Saudi Arabia and why Europe’s split from Russian energy will ultimately benefit global democracy. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt . Follo...
Oct 24, 2022•37 min
The Jan. 6 hearings were must-see TV for many Americans, but did they come too late? Washington Post’s Karoun Demirjian and Politico’s Rachael Bade join Andy to explain why the hearings were in many ways a tacit acknowledgement that the second impeachment got botched. They take us inside the thoughts and minds of political leaders, including Nancy Pelosi’s aversion to impeachment and McConnell’s decision to vote against his gut, all heavily reported for their book, “Unchecked: The Untold Story B...
Oct 21, 2022•48 min
Prescription drugs are about to become more affordable for millions of Americans, despite the efforts of the pharmaceutical lobby. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra joins Andy to talk about the fight to control drug costs, how it relates to containing inflation and what it means for your wallet. They also dig in on the Administration’s efforts to keep abortion accessable following the Dobbs decision and more in this wide ranging discussion. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt . Follow Sec. Xavier ...
Oct 19, 2022•45 min
How bad will this winter’s COVID-19 wave be? That’s what Andy asks epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina, who’s been watching Europe closely and combing through the data on new variants. She predicts that a winter wave is about 90% likely and explains her biggest worries – an Omicron subvariant called BQ.1.1 and a simultaneous flu wave with fewer masking requirements. She and Andy also discuss how the fall bivalent booster will hold up against new winter variants, why uptake is still so low, and how t...
Oct 17, 2022•44 min
