The Brian Lehrer Show - podcast cover

The Brian Lehrer Show

WNYCwnyc.org
Brian Lehrer leads the conversation about what matters most now in local and national politics, our own communities and our lives.
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Episodes

Rep. Goldman Responds to President Trump's Executive Orders

Dan Goldman, US Representative (D, NY-10), formerly lead counsel for the impeachment investigation of Pres. Trump in 2019 and former assistant US attorney SDNY, responds to President Trump's executive orders, and to the moves by Elon Musk and DOGE to drastically cut the federal work force. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 14, 202526 minEp. 1036

Secret Loves and a Saint Valentine's Day Origin Story

Antonio Pagliarulo , writer and author of The Evil Eye: The History, Mystery & Magic of the Quiet Curse (Weiser Books, 2023) and the forthcoming The Queer Saints: A Radical Guide to Magic, Miracles and Modern Intercession , tells us about the saint for whom Valentine's Day is named, and listeners tell us about their secret loves. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 14, 202515 minEp. 1039

Oscar Docs: Sugarcane

This month we hear from the makers of the five films nominated for the Academy Award for best feature documentary. Today, Julian Brave NoiseCat , writer and filmmaker, and Emily Kassie , filmmaker and investigative journalist, discuss their film "Sugarcane" that documents the long history of abuse at one Indian residential school in Canada and the damage to individuals, families and communities from the century-long practice across the U.S. and Canada. Sugarcane is streaming on Hulu and Disney+....

Feb 14, 202517 minEp. 1037

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Quits Over DOJ's Request to Drop Adams Charges

Samantha Max , reporter covering public safety for WNYC/Gothamist, talks about the news that the acting Manhattan U.S. attorney quit rather than comply with the DOJ's request that her office drop the charges against Mayor Adams, and explains the prosecutor's reasoning. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 14, 202527 minEp. 1040

100 Years of 100 Things: White Resistance to Federal Authority

As our centennial series continues, Jefferson Cowie , historian at Vanderbilt University and the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Freedom’s Dominion: A Saga of White Resistance to Federal Power (Basic Books, 2022), reviews the history of white Americans fighting the federal government over civil rights legislation and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 13, 202522 minEp. 1034

The White House & the Constitution

Kate Shaw , professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, co-host of the Supreme Court podcast Strict Scrutiny, and a contributing opinion Writer with the New York Times, talks about the constitutional issues at stake with some of the actions taken by the White House. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 13, 202542 minEp. 1032

Oscar Docs: ’Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat'

This month we hear from the makers of the five films nominated for the Academy Award for best feature documentary. Today, Johan Grimonprez , director of "Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat", discusses his film's "fusion of jazz and geopolitics" that touches on colonialism, racism, the 1961 assassination of Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba, and a State Department-backed goodwill tour by jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong and Nina Simone. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.ad...

Feb 13, 202524 minEp. 1035

Meet the Mayoral Candidates: Scott Stringer

Scott Stringer , former NYC Comptroller, talks about his campaign for the Democratic nomination for NYC Mayor in the June primary. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 13, 202522 minEp. 1033

The State of Plastic Pollution

With the news that President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reverse a federal push away from plastic straws, Judith Enck , founder of Beyond Plastics, professor at Bennington College and former EPA Region 2 administrator, provides the broader state of plastic pollution in the United States, which efforts from former President Joe Biden actually worked and what the current president could rollback. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our ...

Feb 12, 202519 minEp. 1029

Oscar Docs: ’Black Box Diaries'

This month we hear from the makers of the five films nominated for the Academy Award for best feature documentary. Today, Shiori Itō , director of " Black Box Diaries ," talks about her film that tells the story of her investigation of her own sexual assault case, credited with starting Japan's #metoo movement. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 12, 202522 minEp. 1030

Mayor Adams' Good News

The DOJ directed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to drop the corruption charges against Mayor Adams. Elizabeth Kim , Gothamist and WNYC reporter, reports on how the mayor is reacting, whether it will affect how City Hall cooperates with the Trump administration, and how the news may shake up the mayoral campaign. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 12, 202526 minEp. 1028

DOGE's Plan for the U.S. Education Department

President Trump has been clear he'd like to dismantle the Education Department. Dana Goldstein , education reporter at The New York Times and the author of The Teacher Wars: A History of America's Most Embattled Profession (Anchor, 2015), reports on how Elon Musk and DOGE have started to do that, and how their plans will affect schools and education. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 12, 202542 minEp. 1031

Area Code Pride

At the end of January, the New York State Public Service Commission approved the creation of a new New York City area code. Listeners call in to share what their area codes mean to them as a personal point of pride. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 11, 20259 minEp. 1025

How Nassau County Police Will Work With ICE

Bahar Ostadan , Nassau County politics reporter at Newsday Media Group, reports on the news that Nassau County has authorized its police detectives to work with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants accused of committing crimes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 11, 202522 minEp. 1023

New Tariffs and Trump Trade Policy

Monica Gorman , managing director at Crowell Global Advisors who served as special assistant to the president for manufacturing & industrial policy under former President Joe Biden, talks about the new 25% tariffs announced by President Trump on steel and aluminum imports, plus the broader trade policy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 11, 202536 minEp. 1027

Adams Prosecution Update

Brigid Bergin , WNYC's senior political correspondent, talks about the DOJ memo instructing prosecutors to drop the charges against Mayor Adams. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 11, 202510 minEp. 1026

The Pitfalls of Cannabis Legalization

Since 2012, a total of 23 states have legalized cannabis. Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, author of Addiction: A Very Short Introduction, and a member of the Stanford Network on Addiction Policy, discusses why he thinks legalization has led to more frequent consumption and increased potency, arguing that those factors raise a range of concerns, for both mental and physical health. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.c...

Feb 11, 202533 minEp. 1024

Monday Morning Politics: Week Four of the Trump Administration Begins

Susan Page , USA Today Washington bureau chief and the author of several books, including The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters (Simon & Schuster, 2024), talks about the latest national political news, as President Trump enters week four of his second administration. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 10, 202540 minEp. 1022

New Yorkers Respond to Congestion Pricing

Kathryn Wylde , president and CEO for the Partnership for New York City, talks about polling on congestion pricing showing its popularity with New Yorkers, as well as the local business climate under the new Trump administration. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 10, 202532 minEp. 1021

100 Years of 100 Things: David Levering Lewis's American Story

As our centennial series continues, David Levering Lewis, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and the author of The Stained Glass Window: A Family History as the American Story, 1790-1958 (Penguin, 2025), discusses his new book, which turns the historian’s lens on his own family tree. EVENT: David Levering Lewis will be in conversation with fellow historian Annette Gordon Reed at 92Y on Thursday, March 13th at 7 PM. Details can be found here: www.92ny.org/events. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz co...

Feb 10, 202538 minEp. 1020

Brian Lehrer Weekend: The State of Crime in the City, 100 Years of 100 Things: Housing Inequality, Adam Gopnik's Insomnia

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. The State of Crime in the City (First) | 100 Years of 100 Things: Housing Inequality (Starts at 35:17) | Adam Gopnik's Insomnia (Starts at 1:11:4 0) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 08, 20251 hr 27 minEp. 1019

Trump 2.0 & Media Literacy

Micah Loewinger , co-host of WNYC's On the Media, offers guidance from reporters and consumers on how to navigate the "flood" of news items under the new Trump administration. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 07, 202530 minEp. 1016

Your Super Bowl Plans

Kavitha Davidson , sportswriter and host of the podcast Sportly, previews the Super Bowl game between the Eagles and the Chiefs, as well as the pop culture sideshow, and listeners call in to share how they'll watch the game, the halftime show, the ads -- or their counter-programming plans. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 07, 202511 minEp. 1017

Taking the Trump Administration to Court

Stephen Vladeck , professor of federal courts at Georgetown University Law Center, talks about some of the legal challenges to early actions by the Trump administration. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 07, 202545 minEp. 1015

Restaurant Industry Anxiety Over ICE Raids

Chris Crowley , senior writer at Grub Street, talks about his reporting on the fears among local restaurant workers over potential ICE raids. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 07, 202523 minEp. 1018

How Trump's Changes to Data at Federal Agencies Will Affect Our Health

Federal agencies like the CDC, NIH and the FDA had to remove and alter some data from their websites to comply with executive orders issued by President Trump. Katelyn Jetelina , founder and author of the newsletter "Your Local Epidemiologist," explains why data is "gold," and how these changes may affect our health. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 06, 202525 minEp. 1013

Thursday Morning Politics: Democrats Respond

Shane Goldmacher , national political correspondent for The New York Times covering the major developments, trends and forces shaping American politics, talks about the Democrats ability to respond to the barrage of action by the new Trump administration and the national party's new leadership. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 06, 202549 minEp. 1011

Adam Gopnik's Insomnia

Adam Gopnik , staff writer for The New Yorker , and author of The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery (Liveright, 2023), discusses a recent essay in which he describes his long battle with insomnia. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 06, 202514 minEp. 1014

What is Going on With Gender-Affirming Care in NYC?

News outlets are reporting that NYU Langone is cancelling some appointments for gender-affirming care for transgender children -- and that other hospital systems have removed mentions of gender-affirming care from their websites after President Trump issued a related executive order. Caroline Lewis , health care reporter for WNYC/Gothamist, reports on how trans kids and their families are reacting and the New York attorney general's warning to hospital systems that not providing the care would r...

Feb 06, 202521 minEp. 1012

It's Girl Scout Cookie Season for Troop 6000

As Girl Scout Cookie season kicks off, Karen Lundgard , interim CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater New York, tells listeners about Troop 6000, a first-of-its-kind program to serve families living in temporary housing in the New York City shelter system, as well as asylum seekers in New York City, and their efforts to sell some of America's favorite sweets. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 05, 202514 minEp. 1010
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