Offline with Jon Favreau - podcast cover

Offline with Jon Favreau

Crooked Media•crooked.com
Society & Culture
News
Is the internet slowly breaking our brains, and if so, what can we do about it? Offline with Jon Favreau is a place where you can take a break from doom-scrolling and tune in to smarter, lighter conversations about the impact of technology and the internet on our collective culture. Intimate interviews between Pod Save America host Jon Favreau and notable guests like Stephen Colbert, Hasan Piker, Chimamanda Adichie, ContraPoints, Margaret Atwood, and Rachel Maddow spark curiosity and introspection around the various ways our extremely online existence shapes everything from the ways we live, work, and interact with one another. Together we’ll figure out how to live happier, healthier lives, both on and offline. New episodes drop every Thursday, wherever you get your podcasts and on the Offline YouTube channel. Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Offline with Jon Favreau, Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, and Lovett or Leave It, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts.
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Episodes

Does Elon Musk Want Free Speech or Attention?

Renee DiResta is an expert on tech policy, influence operations, and algorithms, managing research at the Stanford Internet Observatory. She joins Jon to break down Elon Musk buying Twitter, explaining his envisioned reforms and making the case that Elon Musk fundamentally misunderstands free speech on the internet. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, go to crooked.com and Offline. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podc...

May 01, 2022•52 min•Ep. 26

Are Russians Buying Putin’s Propaganda?

Russian propaganda expert Peter Pomerantsev is a journalist and former Russian television producer who talks to Jon about the distortion of truth and reality inside Putin’s Russia. Jon asks Peter about his recent interview with Ukrainian President Zelensky, how Putin’s propaganda apparatus is reaching a crossroads, and how the Trump/Murdoch propaganda machine mirrors a lot of what he’s seen in Russia. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, ...

Apr 24, 2022•57 min•Ep. 25

A Newsroom’s Fight Against Misinformation in the Black Community

Lauren Williams, former Editor-in-Chief of Vox , sits down with Jon to talk about launching Capital B News, a new local-national nonprofit news organization that centers Black voices. Together, they discuss how the murder of George Floyd inspired a “great reckoning” in newsrooms; how this new organization is aiming to rebuild trust in the black community by providing high-quality, local reporting; and the ways the media has failed people of color in its coverage of Critical Race Theory. For a cl...

Apr 17, 2022•48 min•Ep. 24

A Twitter Founder on Elon, Trump, and the Edit Button

Jon is joined by Ev Williams, Co-Founder and former CEO of Twitter. The two discuss Twitter’s early years, including the design decisions behind some of the app’s most important features. They dive into the promise of Twitter and attempt to make sense of what’s changed. Ev also talks about Twitter’s newest board member and largest shareholder, Elon Musk, and if Donald Trump should be allowed back on. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, p...

Apr 10, 2022•56 min•Ep. 23

Samantha Bee on Laughing at our Political Hellscape

Today, Jon is joined by Samantha Bee. Previously The Daily Show’s longest-ever correspondent and now host of the Emmy-award winning Full Frontal on TBS, Sam Bee has been talking politics — and cracking jokes — since the early years of the Bush administration. She joins Jon to talk about how she’s burned out from our worsening political discourse and offer some motherly advice for future Oscars attendees. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episod...

Apr 03, 2022•49 min•Ep. 22

Lilly Singh on YouTube to Late Night

This week, Jon is joined by YouTube sensation and former late night host Lilly Singh. Discussing her new book “Be a Triangle,” Jon asks Lilly how she recently got her life “into shape,” what being the first on late night meant to her, why she decided to delete social media off of her phone, and how she learned to be alone with her thoughts. “Be a Triangle” goes on sale April 5th. Find it wherever your buy books. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of thi...

Mar 27, 2022•49 min•Ep. 21

Taylor Lorenz on Why All Culture is Internet Culture

This week, Jon is joined by the technology reporter Taylor Lorenz. Covering what she calls “communication and connection,” Taylor has written extensively about the content creator economy, changing media ecosystems, TikTok, and more. The two talk about some of Taylor’s recent stories, break down why she left the New York Times for the Washington Post , and discuss what journalism in our internet-first age requires of writers and media publications. For a closed-captioned version of this episode,...

Mar 20, 2022•46 min•Ep. 20

Greg Daniels on the Digital Afterlife

Recorded live from the podcast stage at South by Southwest, Jon is joined by acclaimed television writer Greg Daniels, creator of 'The Office' and 'Parks and Rec.' The two talk about Greg's latest show 'Upload,' which just premiered its second season on Amazon Video. Jon asks Greg what inspired him to write a show about the digital afterlife, how likely that future may actually be, and what he thinks of 'The Office's' lasting impact. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . F...

Mar 13, 2022•36 min•Ep. 19

Kara Swisher on the Very Online War in Ukraine

To open Offline’s new feed, Jon interviews Kara Swisher, Silicon Valley’s most feared and respected journalist. The two discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine — how it marks the first true conflict of the internet age, why Putin is losing the misinformation battle, and what makes Zelensky a compelling online hero. Kara also gives Jon insight into Big Tech’s most important founders and teaches him a few interview tricks to use as Offline continues. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, clic...

Mar 06, 2022•52 min•Ep. 18

Ezra Klein on the Democrat’s Echo Chamber

This week on Offline, Jon is joined by the New York Times’s Ezra Klein. Dissecting polarization and virality, the two attempt to figure out if a healthy democracy is possible in today’s media environment and what it’ll take for the Democratic Party to step up to the task.

Feb 20, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 16

Hank Green on Inspiring Curiosity

This week, Jon is joined by the internet’s dad, Hank Green. For many people, Hank is a staple of the internet, whether on TikTok, YouTube, or in the classroom. He sat down with Jon to discuss how he attempts to inspire curiosity online, the communities he’s built, and how the internet has changed since he posted his first video in 2007. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the p...

Feb 13, 2022•49 min•Ep. 15

Roxane Gay on Why People Are So Awful Online

This week on Offline, Jon is joined by writer, professor, and social commentator Roxane Gay for a wide-ranging conversation on consequence culture, writing in the age of the internet, and, of course, Joe Rogan. She explains to Jon why she’s been spending less time on Twitter and lays out exactly why she believes people are so awful online. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, clic k he re. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of t...

Feb 06, 2022•45 min•Ep. 14

Abbie Richards on Fighting Disinformation on TikTok

This week on Offline, Jon is joined by TikToker and disinformation researcher Abbie Richards. A leading voice on the platform, Abbie inoculates her viewers to trending disinformation and provides them with the tools to fight back. Jon asks her about what that work entails, why this current moment has seen the rise of so many new conspiracies, and dives into her viral conspiracy theory classification chart. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, clic k he re. For a transcript of this epi...

Jan 30, 2022•59 min•Ep. 13

Jenny Odell on How to Do Nothing

This week, Jenny Odell teaches Jon how to unplug and, almost literally, smell the roses. Pulling from lessons outlined in her book “How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy,” Jenny makes the case that our attention is precious and what we choose to focus it on doesn’t always need to be productive.

Jan 23, 2022•50 min•Ep. 12

Chimamanda Adichie on the Death of Good Faith

This week, the writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie joins Jon to talk through the viral essay on social media that she wrote last June. The two discuss what compelled her to write that essay, how the internet has changed the way we interact with ideas, and the changes she’s seen in recent literature. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast....

Jan 16, 2022•59 min•Ep. 11

Alex Stamos on Leaving Facebook and Zuckerberg's Reign

This week on Offline, Jon is joined by Alex Stamos, Facebook’s former Chief Security Officer. As Jon’s first guest who has worked at a social media company, Alex gives us a first-hand look at Facebook’s internal politics, delivering insight on Russian hackers and the Haugen papers He also makes the case that it’s time for Mark Zuckerberg to step down. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include th...

Jan 09, 2022•51 min•Ep. 10

Mailbag Episode with Jon and Emily Favreau

Jon and Emily Favreau sit down for a special mailbag episode. They answer any questions (yes, any and all) submitted by listeners like you. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Jan 02, 2022•44 min•Ep. 9

Elizabeth Bruenig on Forgiving Trolls and Strangers

The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig joins Jon this week on Offline to discuss something the internet was never built for: forgiveness. Exploring faith, political polarization, and cancel culture, Jon and Liz investigate how finding the capacity to forgive the online transgressions of our enemies, strangers, or just our trolls has never been more important. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include ...

Dec 19, 2021•55 min•Ep. 8

Dr. Vivek Murthy on Defeating Doomscrolling with Human Connection

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy joins Jon on Offline to dissect the intersection between the internet and our emotional well-being. Dr. Murthy delivers a doctor’s diagnosis on Jon’s ceaseless doomscrolling, breaks down the impacts the pandemic and our increasing time online have had on our mental health, and makes the case for what it means to live a truly meaningful, connected life. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email tran...

Dec 12, 2021•50 min•Ep. 7

Charlie Warzel on Facebook's Original Sin

For the last decade, Charlie Warzel has covered the internet and culture at BuzzFeed News, The New York Times, and his newsletter Galaxy Brain. He joins Jon to talk about the architecture behind our platforms, break down how the internet has embedded itself in our culture, and argue that humans shouldn’t be connected at this scale. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcas...

Dec 05, 2021•52 min•Ep. 6

DeRay Mckesson on How Twitter Saved Black Lives

From the creation of #BlackLivesMatter to the first permanent ban, DeRay Mckesson has been at the center of some of Twitter’s highest highs and some of its lowest lows. He joins Jon to talk about how online activism has changed since the 2014 Ferguson protests, discuss how to win people over offline, and make the case that Twitter can be a tool for good.

Nov 28, 2021•48 min•Ep. 5

Stephen Colbert on Finding Laughter in the Darkness

Stephen Colbert joins Jon to defend his 8 hour-a-day screen habit and preach the benefits of a Twitter-free lifestyle. The two talk about what it took to produce The Late Show during the pandemic, why Stephen is glad his live audience is back, and what some of the darkest days of American democracy looked like behind the scenes at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Jon also asks Stephen about his perspective on cancel culture and why comedy must be rooted in empathy.

Nov 21, 2021•49 min•Ep. 4

Megan Rapinoe on Social Media and Mental Health

Soccer star Megan Rapinoe talks to Jon about the toll social media takes on professional athletes, what it’s like to become an online Resistance hero and a right-wing villain, and whether she will ever run for office.

Nov 14, 2021•47 min•Ep. 3

Peter Hamby on Saving Journalism from Twitter

Snapchat’s Peter Hamby talks to Jon about why Twitter has ruined political journalism, how the internet transformed the media business, and what a healthy, sustainable model of journalism might look like.

Nov 07, 2021•46 min•Ep. 2

Monica Lewinsky on the Internet's Culture of Humiliation

Monica Lewinsky sits down with Jon to talk about the rise of public shaming, what happens when your life is upended by the internet, and what we can do to push against our worst instincts when we’re on social media. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsaveamerica. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Oct 31, 2021•48 min•Ep. 1