Simon Rich, writer and creator of TBS’s Miracle Workers, joins Offline to explain how he got his hands on an AI that makes Chat GPT look like a kindergartner. Simon and two friends used the indefatigable (and often unhinged) code-davinci-002 to generate poems on birth, art, love and death. The resulting collection, I Am Code, is the first book “written” by an AI. Simon and Jon talk through the alarming questions the book raises: what is the future of creativity, does it matter why robots may wan...
Sep 24, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 89
Kaitlyn Tiffany, Atlantic reporter and author of Everything I Need I Get from You, joins Offline to break down internet trolls. She and Jon unpack who these people are, and examine why the online trend of celebrating the misfortunes of strangers – including their deaths – is still very much alive. They talk about how trolls from across the political spectrum see their victims not as nuanced individuals with feelings, but as representatives of an enemy ideology, and thus fair game for online bull...
Sep 17, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 88
Jon and Max are back and ready to answer your mailbag questions! But first, a post mortem on the Offline Challenge: best practices that remain, where their screen time stands now, and why on earth Jon logged 17 hours in one day. The two discuss parenting the Internet Generation, their tech predictions for 2033, and how to stay sane in the run up to the 2024 election. Then they dive into their favorite media scandals, the best career advice they received, and whether Kim Jong Un listens to Joe Ro...
Sep 10, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 87
We're off for Labor Day! Please enjoy this exclusive episode of Terminally Online, our new Subscription show and loosest pod here at Crooked Media. Every week Pod Save America hosts are joined by your favorite Crooked producers and staffers to commiserate about being way too online as they make their shows. Get episodes of Terminally Online, ads free Pod Save America and so much more by signing up for Friends of the Pod at crooked.com/friends ....
Sep 03, 2023•32 min•Ep. 86
Maia Wyman, or Broey Deschanel as she’s known on Youtube, joins Offline to talk about her generation of movie critics and influencers—spoiler alert, they’re not the same! Her nuanced video essays break down films, analyzing everything from the political themes of Parasite to why Barbie had to spoon-feed feminism to its audience. But for every voice like Maia’s, there are many others who don’t leverage the social web so much as indulge it. Guest host Max Fisher talks with Maia about how the inter...
Aug 27, 2023•57 min•Ep. 85
Kate Lindsay, author of internet culture newsletter Embedded, joins Offline to talk about whether the hottest take is to have no take at all. Kate’s most recent Atlantic piece is titled “Is It Time to Embrace “Opinion Fatigue?” which argues that the internet is getting sick of discourse. She and Jon discuss how we arrived at this take apocalypse, how Gen Z cares less about their digital footprints, and how older generations are thinking harder about the virtual caches they pass on to loved ones ...
Aug 20, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 84
According to a series of new studies published in Nature and Science, the way Facebook influences its users isn’t as straight forward as it seems. Does that mean Facebook is off the hook for polarizing America? Joshua Tucker, NYU professor and lead researcher on the 2020 Facebook Election Research Project, joins Offline to talk about what his team found, what lessons we learned about Facebook’s role in our world, and what its like to collaborate on a project with Mark Zuckerberg’s company. Plus:...
Aug 13, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 83
Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard, hosts of The Ringer’s “Every Single Album” podcast join Offline to talk about queen of pop — and queen of the internet — Taylor Swift. They break down how the one-time anti-hero has navigated the Internet Age to build one of the most successful music careers of all time and a fanbase that follows her on- and off-line. The three weigh streaming vs. touring as business models for musicians, question whether Taylor’s obsessive internet lurking is an asset, and sh...
Aug 06, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 82
Comedian and Writer’s Guild negotiator, Adam Conover joins Offline to talk about how the ethos of Silicon Valley has affected the livelihoods of writers, actors and everyone in the entertainment industry. He gives Jon a behind the scenes look at why Hollywood’s workers and bosses have been so far apart in these negotiations. And they talk about the way streaming era jobs differ from cable era jobs, why, after a decade of streaming, studios look like they’re starting to rebuild a version of the o...
Jul 30, 2023•53 min•Ep. 81
Madeline Ashby, futurist and WIRED contributor joins Offline to talk about her recent piece “Hollywood’s Future Belongs to People — Not Machines." She and Jon discuss how the entertainment industry is “unbundling,” the role of art in creating social cohesion, and the hubris of TV execs who think AI will deliver content that is fast, good AND cheap. Then, Jon and Max discuss the decline of streaming and subscription models, how AI could be used by reporters, and the problem with community leaders...
Jul 23, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 80
Jason Goldman, former Chief Digital Officer in the Obama White House, joins Offline to break down “the AI election.” He and Jon talk through their fears for AI in politics, the ways they wish they could have used AI during their stints in the White House, and Jon asks Jason, a former VP at Twitter, his thoughts on Elon Musk’s leadership at the the app he helped build. Plus: Max and Jon talk about Sarah Silverman’s lawsuit against ChatGPT and watch some very, very weird TikTok lives. For a closed...
Jul 16, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 79
Will Sommer, author of Trust the Plan, joins Offline to talk about what QAnon actually is, how people are drawn into the world of Q, and how the Republican party has become intertwined with these conspiracies. He and Jon peel back the layers of the movement to understand how it’s being monetized, why Michael Flynn is a QAnon hero, and where you can find adrenochrome in real life (hint: it’s not in the blood of children!). Plus: Max and Jon join Threads, Mark Zuckerberg’s new Twitter. For a close...
Jul 09, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 78
Jon and Max answer your questions about AI, unions, writing and fallen titans — submersible and tech leader alike. Plus, America Dissected’s Dr. Abdul El-Sayed joins Offline to talk about how the internet age endangers public health, how to persuade people to get vaccinated, and why debates are the wrong setting to talk about science, especially when RFK Jr. is involved. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooke...
Jun 25, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 77
Simone Giertz, YouTube’s favorite inventor and robotics enthusiast, joins Offline this week to discuss the joy of building useless things and why adults should be able to play like kids do. She and the guys talk about overcoming perfectionism, the joys of “forward facing” activities, and how branding pastimes as productive vs. meaningless undermines the creative process. Jon and Max train their sights on Simone’s most recent invention, and then they talk about ways to cut down on their screen ti...
Jun 18, 2023•56 min•Ep. 76
Catherine Price, science journalist and author of The Power of Fun and How to Break Up with Your Phone, joins the show to close out The Offline Challenge. After a dramatic sendoff from our Offline Chancellor, Catherine talks with Max and Jon about the effectiveness of the past month’s unplug challenges, from cold turkey to clown cases. Then she outlines how to stay broken up with your phone and explains why the guys’ screen addictions are a symptom of a larger problem. The three conclude that a ...
Jun 11, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 75
Social media is ubiquitous among young people. But is it safe? Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States, joins Offline to break down a new Surgeon General’s Advisory that warns social media may be harmful to children and offers Jon a doctor’s perspective on how to overcome his phone addiction.
May 28, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 74
Kat Abu and Andrew Lawrence watch Fox News every night so you don’t have to. As researchers at Media Matters, a right-wing media watchdog, it’s their job to monitor the conspiracies and propaganda spreading on the network. Andrew is one of the nation’s leading Fox experts, having watched primetime Fox since the 2016 campaign and Kat has recently brought their work to new audiences, breaking down Fox News in weekly viral TikTok explainers. They join Jon to talk about this unusual moment at Fox Ne...
May 21, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 73
Ben Smith, Semafor founder and former Editor-in-Chief of Buzzfeed News, joins Offline to discuss what the shuttering of newsrooms at Buzzfeed and Vice means for the future of journalism. Ben’s new book, Traffic, traces the rise and fall of the digital media era. He and Jon talk about the personalities and publications that caused this phenomenon, the value of clickbait, and how the race to go viral was doomed from the start. Then, Jon and Max Fisher reunite to recap their week without iPhones an...
May 14, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 72
Introducing Offline’s Unplug Challenge! Jon and Max reflect on how their screen addictions have worsened their focus, hijacked their social lives, and even broken some bones. Faced with damning screen time reports, the guys take a big first step towards overcoming their compulsive smartphone habits. Offline Unplugged is a multi-week series that will invite hosts and listeners alike to rediscover the world that’s beyond our fingertips. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . ...
May 07, 2023•55 min•Ep. 71
This week we're giving you a feed drop from Crooked’s very own Hysteria! In this excerpt, Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco cover some lighter news — Don Lemon being an idiot, Jimmy Carter being a legend, governors supporting abortion, Wisconsin election wins — before Julissa Arce and Kara Klenk join to discuss how to deal with the world being terrible. Then, the crew dives into their moments of Sanity (featuring good television on Peacock) and Petty (trying to get answers about your own health ...
May 03, 2023•37 min
Hasan Piker, viral political streamer, joins Offline to talk about Tucker Carlson’s demise, the 2024 election, and what it is about wokeism that makes him twitch. Hasan has been one of Gen Z’s most influential commentators for years, and his 8-hour daily streams blend current events, leftist ideals and pop culture savvy. Hasan talks to Jon about his approach to political persuasion, how to appeal to the next generation, and what it’s like streaming your consciousness. For a closed-captioned vers...
Apr 30, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 70
Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project and author of Men Who Hate Women and Fix the System, Not Women , joins Offline to shed light on one of the darkest corners of the internet: the manosphere. Made up of tens of thousands of incels, pick up artists, and white supremacists, the manosphere is an online hotbed of misogyny with violent real-world implications. Laura describes how she went undercover to infiltrate these platforms, and what she learned about protecting men and boys from...
Apr 23, 2023•57 min•Ep. 69
John Green, bestselling author and YouTube Vlogbrother , joins Offline to share lessons from his most recent book, The Anthropocene Reviewed. His collection of essays rates historical events, philosophical musings and personal anecdotes on a 5-star scale that, these days, feels both inescapable and indispensable. The Jo(h)ns talk through the faults in these stars, and the importance of finding ways to live meaningfully and hopefully in a world of mixed reviews. For a closed-captioned version of ...
Apr 16, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 68
This week we’re bringing you the TikTok debate we wish we had from Congress. Featuring perspectives from V Spehar, host of TikTok’s Under the Desk News; Senator Mark Warner, lead sponsor of the RESTRICT Act; and Graham Webster, Chinese technology expert. Over three interviews, Jon and Max offer a smarter debate for and against banning TikTok. 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...
Apr 09, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 67
Jon welcomes Max Fisher, Crooked’s newest team member, to the Offline family! Max, former New York Times reporter and author of The Chaos Machine, joins the show as a recurring contributor, bringing fresh commentary, segments, and even interviews to Offline. This week he and Jon put their heads together to decode AI hysteria, the TikTok ban, and whether big tech has passed its prime. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email trans...
Mar 26, 2023•55 min•Ep. 66
Andy Kroll, author and ProPublica journalist, joins Offline to discuss the one thing Fox News fears: lawsuits. Kroll’s new book, A Death on W Street: The Murder of Seth Rich and the Age of Conspiracy, recounts how conspiracists co-opted a young man’s tragic death, the role of Fox News in perpetuating those lies, and how the Rich family fought back and won. He and Jon talk about what this means for the Dominion lawsuit, and whether Fox has finally met its match. For a closed-captioned version of ...
Mar 19, 2023•51 min•Ep. 65
Margaret Atwood, famed author, poet and “dystopia prophet,” joins Offline to talk about fighting tyranny and finding hope. Much like her latest book, Old Babes in the Wood, Atwood’s conversation with Jon sandwiches her thoughts and fears on the present between poignant chapters of the past. They discuss censorship, religion, parenting and how to listen for what you can’t hear. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@...
Mar 12, 2023•46 min•Ep. 64
Jason Parham, senior writer at WIRED, walks Jon through the evolution and legacy of Black Twitter. Parham’s three-part series, “A People’s History of Black Twitter,” follows the online community from its early days of late night takes, through an era of platform dominance, and into an uncertain future. He joins Offline to discuss how Black Twitter has shaped the last ten years of discourse and activism, how the internet complicates cultural appropriation, and what will happen if Twitter fades aw...
Mar 05, 2023•37 min•Ep. 63
Offline's crew is *offline* this week but we're excited to share one of our favorite recent episodes of Crooked's podcast Work Appropriate hosted by Anne Helen Petersen. In this episode Anne, along with guest Rainesford Stauffer, author of the forthcoming All the Gold Stars: Reimagining Ambition and the Ways We Strive, field listener-submitted questions about the real-life issues they're running into at work due to their ambition and discuss how ambition could be used as a positive force outside...
Feb 26, 2023•50 min
Megan Garber, staff writer at the Atlantic, joins Offline to explain how we’re already living in the Metaverse––not with headsets and legless avatars, but via a continuous stream of immersive entertainment. Jon and Megan discuss how our internet jargon, scandal-to-miniseries pipeline, and former reality TV president all reflect a blurring of fact and fiction. And they ask: when everything becomes entertainment, what remains of our reality? For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click he...
Feb 19, 2023•44 min•Ep. 62
