Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. From Pushkin Industries. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.
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Scene on Radio is a two-time Peabody-nominated podcast that dares to ask big, hard questions about who we are—really—and how we got this way. Their new season, The News, asks: what’s really wrong with the news? Some have called the news media the oxygen of a functioning democracy. But if that’s true, America’s lungs are in rough shape. Most Americans say they don’t trust the media. The business model for local journalism has all but collapsed. And we all know about the barrage of misinformation ...
A single line of a building code proposal filled out by a fire inspector in Glendale, Arizona has had a devastating impact on the way housing is built across the entire United States. Malcolm enlists Stephen Smith, Executive Director of the Center for Building in North America, to investigate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This July 4th marks the 250th Anniversary of America—250 years of rebellion and innovation, of struggle and survival. At many times, our American experiment looked like it could fall apart at the seams. When you look closely at those moments, it was ordinary people who kept it all together. In thew new season of Medal of Honor, our podcast about courage, leadership, identity, and sacrifice, we’re telling the stories of some of those people. People like James Fleming. In 1968, in the dense jungle...
The episode centers on the dilemma of a man with an advanced, metastatic case of prostate cancer. His name is Dan. Every doctor he spoke to had a different opinion on what he should do — or whether it was even worth doing anything at all. His question was: which of these many opinions should I trust? The episode centers on which doctor he ended up committing to, how he made that decision of where to place his trust, and how his choice probably saved his life. What Dan will explain — and he is so...
This episode explores the downfall of BlackBerry through the eyes of its former co-CEO, Jim Balsillie, as he reflects on the crucial strategic error. Balsillie details his rejected 2011 plan to pivot BlackBerry from its struggling hardware division to focus on its highly profitable messaging service, BlackBerry Messenger, as a universal social media platform. The episode highlights the clash between his logical, foresightful vision and a board unwilling to abandon the familiar, ultimately leading to BlackBerry's demise.
Dive into the catastrophic Tay Bridge disaster and meet William McGonagall, whose infamously bad poetry immortalized the event. The episode chronicles McGonagall's early life, theatrical misadventures, relentless pursuit of poetic fame despite constant mockery and elaborate hoaxes, and ultimately reinterprets his creative failures as deliberate acts of genius and clowning. It prompts listeners to reconsider what constitutes true artistry and the value of creative expression regardless of perceived quality.
This episode delves into music producer Irv Gotti's career-damaging mistake: publicly discrediting Jennifer Lopez in an Elle interview about her song "Ain't It Funny." Malcolm Gladwell explores how a preceding racist encounter fueled Gotti's outburst and examines the reporter's role in the fallout. The discussion questions responsibility, journalistic integrity, and the deep roots of our mistakes, offering a powerful lesson on self-reflection and judgment.
General David Goldfein, former Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, and Dr. Heather Wilson, former Secretary of the Air Force, tell the story of the worst day in their professional careers and what it taught them about leadership. You can find their book, Get Back up: Lessons in Servant Leadership , here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
We've just begun our series around mistakes and last week, you heard Michael Lynton, former head of Sony Pictures Entertainment, share how he found himself at the center of one of the most devastating corporate hacks in history. This week, we're sharing a preview of another podcast that looks at notorious Hollywood mistakes and the difficulties of movie-making, What Went Wrong. The Shawshank Redemption is the highest rated movie on IMDb. It’s held that position for nearly as long as the site has...
Malcolm Gladwell delves into the 2014 Sony Pictures hack with former CEO Michael Lynton, exploring how his impulsive decision to greenlight "The Interview" ignited a major cyberattack. The episode uncovers the complex factors, including Lynton's personal schema and overlooked international politics, that contributed to one of US history's most damaging business hacks. It highlights the profound consequences of misjudgment and the journey to understand mistakes.
Malcolm Gladwell speaks with filmmaker Andrew Jarecki about his documentary, "The Alabama Solution," which exposes the brutal realities of Alabama's prison system, largely through footage shot by incarcerated men on contraband cellphones. The conversation delves into the film's unique production, the ethical dilemmas of storytelling, and the shocking systemic failures, including forced labor and cover-ups. They discuss the disturbing political climate in Alabama and the profound impact of witnessing such inhumanity firsthand.
This episode delves into the controversial sequel, Zootopia 2, uncovering its hidden layers as a "perfect literary crime." Through meticulous analysis of visual cues and plot points, the hosts argue the film is an intentional, public apology from within Disney to screenwriter Gary Goldman, who sued Disney over the original Zootopia. The narrative connects this audacious act to the deep-seated social justice legacy of the film's co-writer, Jared Bush, whose family consistently fought for the marginalized, revealing a powerful message about authorship and redemption.
This episode delves into screenwriter Gary Goldman's seven-year legal battle against Disney, where he alleged the studio stole his concept and characters for the original Zootopia, despite numerous striking similarities between his pitch and the blockbuster film. The mystery deepens with the release of Zootopia 2, which introduces a character named "Gary the Snake" whose appearance, background, and entire plotline " centered on reclaiming stolen intellectual property from "corporate fatcats" ", eerily parallel Goldman's real-life experience. Malcolm Gladwell attempts to unravel how such a meta-narrative could have been approved by Disney, encountering a wall of silence from Hollywood insiders.
Valley of Shadows is a new Pushkin true crime podcast that digs into a nearly 30-year old secret buried in the California desert. On June 11, 1998, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy Jon Aujay went for a run in California’s Devil’s Punchbowl park...and never came back. Nearly 30 years later, the mystery surrounding his disappearance has only deepened. Some say Aujay is just another missing hiker, claimed by the inhospitable landscape of the Southern California desert. Some say he too...
Despite his disdain for birthdays, Malcolm finds himself celebrating ten years of Revisionist History by looking back on the making of the show with producers past and present. And, of course, his mother. Referenced Episodes: Season 1, Episode 5: Food Fight Season 6, Episode 10: The Dog Will See You Now Season 2, Episode 4: The Foot Soldier of Birmingham Season 9, Episode 5: Guns Part 5: The Footnote Season 11, Episode 9: Hitler's Olympics, Part 9: A Plague on Both Your Houses. Season 14, Episod...
A journalist reporting from some far-flung remote location. A massive blackout. Ticketless entry to a huge sporting event. Behind some of the most technologically complex scenarios is a network making it possible to connect. Malcolm sits down with Mo Katibeh, the Chief Marketing Officer for T-Mobile for Business, Guy Griggs, the CNN Senior Vice President of Ad Sales and Client partnerships, and Siemens Energy Senior Vice President Steve Douglas to learn more about this invisible infrastructure. ...
Malcolm recently went on the podcast of one of his favorite comedians, Hasan Minhaj. He enjoyed the experience so much, he wanted to share the conversation with you! Enjoy. On Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know, the two-time Peabody Award-winning comedian sits down with the biggest names in politics, culture, and tech with questions that are as thought-provoking as they are absurd. It’s a dumb show for curious people who are looking for answers but can’t find them, not even from their host. Because, ulti...
Today, we bring you our holiday epic from last year. When Arnold Schwarzenegger decided he wanted to direct a feature film, the choice of material was obvious: He would remake a 1945 holiday classic. Easier said than done. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For nearly 200 years, we have credited the most famous poem of the Christmas season to Clement Clarke Moore. But what if we got the wrong man? This holiday season: A centuries old family feud, a bold claim from an English professor, and the true meaning of Christmas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Malcolm and Liliana Segura, a criminal justice reporter at Intercept, sat down for an episode of The Intercept Briefing to discuss The Alabama Murders, the inherent cruelty of the death penalty, and the concerning rise of executions in America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Holman Correctional Facility. January 2024. Over three decades after the murder of Elizabeth Sennett, the failure cascade comes to an end, but not before claiming one more life. Get early, ad-free access to the full season of The Alabama Murders by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm . Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin....
Manhattan, NY December. 2022. What do you do, after the state has tried to execute you, but failed? Kenny Smith’s legal team calls Kate Porterfield. A psychologist who specializes in trauma. Get early, ad-free access to the full season of The Alabama Murders by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm . Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Push...
Holman Correctional Facility. November 2022. The State of Alabama tries to execute Kenneth Smith. Get early, ad-free access to the full season of The Alabama Murders by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm . Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.com/plus See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Holman Correctional Facility. June 2010. John Forrest Parker is put to death by lethal injection. He didn’t appear to suffer. But did he? Get early, ad-free access to the full season of The Alabama Murders by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm . Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.com/plus See omnystudio.com/listener for...
Colbert County. May 1989. One of the men charged with Elizabeth Sennett’s murder stands trial. But the prosecution’s case has problematic inconsistencies. His fate comes down to the jury’s decision –– at least at first. Get early, ad-free access to the full season of The Alabama Murders by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm . Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. Subscribe on Apple: apple...
Florence, Alabama. 1988. After a horrifying murder takes place, an anonymous caller names three young men as suspects. But speculation swirls about the victim’s husband. Get early, ad-free access to the full season of The Alabama Murders by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm . Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.com/plus...
In a small town in the northwest corner of Alabama, a cascade begins with a man and an affair. Get early, ad-free access to the full season of The Alabama Murders by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm . Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks, exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows. Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.com/plus See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Florence, Alabama. 1988. A preacher has an affair. A woman is murdered. One death cascades into more, stretching across decades and leaving no one untouched — victims, bystanders, perpetrators, and those just trying to help. Eventually, the consequences lead to the center of a hot national debate on who should be allowed to live, who should die, and how the state should execute them. On The Alabama Murders , Malcolm Gladwell asks: why, in our efforts to alleviate suffering, do we so often make i...
Wrapping up our summer music series, the Memphis-born, East Nashville-based singer songwriter Drew Holcomb talks with Malcolm in front of a live audience at the Cherry Lane Theater in Greenwich Village. Drew plays original songs and a few covers you might recognize on this exploration of his journey to Americana music. For more interviews like this, check out Pushkin’s Broken Record podcast. For more Drew Holcomb visit his website, drewholcomb.com . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...
This episode delves into Randy Newman's unique character-driven songwriting, particularly focusing on his album "Good Old Boys" and the song "Rednecks." It examines the real-life inspiration behind "Rednecks," tracing the story of segregationist Georgia Governor Lester Maddox and his infamous appearance on the Dick Cavett Show. The discussion raises the fundamental question of whether engaging with deeply disagreeable viewpoints holds any value, illustrating Newman's fearless approach to uncomfortable truths.
