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

Bracing for Federal Cuts to NYC Housing

David Brand , housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, reports on how the prospect of federal cuts to housing programs may affect New York City, plus other related housing news, on rising insurance costs and security deposits. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 06, 202514 minEp. 1098

Microplastics and Health

A new study found that the human brain may contain up to a spoon’s worth of microplastics. Carolyn Kormann , writer with The New Yorker and New York Magazine , breaks down her latest reporting for New York Magazine, which shows that the amount of microplastics in the human body has been increasing over the past few decades, and explains what that means for health and how to minimize exposure. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and u...

Mar 06, 202512 minEp. 1100

10 Question Quiz: American History

Every day during this pledge drive, listeners can try their hands at a quiz. Today's topic is American history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 06, 202511 minEp. 1099

Reporters Ask the Mayor: Adams Testifies in Congress, Cuomo enters Mayoral Race

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim , Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event, including former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's entrance into the mayoral primary. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 05, 202516 minEp. 1093

The Points Guy's Travel Advice: Healthy Travel

Throughout this pledge drive, Brian Kelly , founder of the travel site The Points Guy and the author of How to Win at Travel (Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, 2025), shares advice on how to optimize your travel plans. Today, he shares advice on how to stay healthy when traveling, and how to cope with a fear of flying. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 05, 20258 minEp. 1095

President Trump's Speech to Congress

Susan Glasser , a staff writer at The New Yorker , where she writes a column on life in Washington and co-anchors a weekly roundtable discussion on "The Political Scene" podcast, and co-author with Peter Baker of The Divider: Trump in the White House , 2017-2021 (Doubleday, 2022), offers analysis, and fact-checking, of President Trump's speech to Congress. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 05, 202521 minEp. 1092

On the Democratic Response

Kadia Goba , congressional reporter for Semafor, provides her analysis of the official Democratic response to Pres. Trump's speech, from Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, as well as how Democrats in the chamber for the president's speech responded. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 05, 202515 minEp. 1096

10 Question Quiz: True or False

Every day during this pledge drive, listeners can try their hands at a quiz. Today: true or false? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 05, 20259 minEp. 1094

The Points Guy's Travel Advice: When Travel Goes Sideways

Throughout this pledge drive, Brian Kelly , founder of the travel site The Points Guy and the author of How to Win at Travel (Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, 2025), shares advice on how to optimize your travel plans. Today, he shares advice on how to deal when things go wrong on your trip. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 04, 20258 minEp. 1092

Trump's EPA Takes Aim at Climate Regulation

The Environmental Protection Agency has signaled that it will reverse the agency's 2009 declaration that greenhouse gases endanger human health. Naveena Sadasivam , senior staff writer at Grist, explains what the so-called "endangerment finding" has contributed in the fight to mitigate climate change and why Trump's administration is targeting the declaration. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertisi...

Mar 04, 202515 minEp. 1090

100 Years of 100 Things: The ERA

As our centennial series continues, Julie Suk , a law professor at Fordham University and the author of We the Women: The Unstoppable Mothers of the Equal Rights Amendment (Skyhorse Publishing, 2020), reviews the history of the Equal Rights Amendment, from its introduction by Alice Paul in 1923 through its current disputed status, following passage by a 38th state and President Biden's declaration that it's the "law of the land." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for ...

Mar 04, 202517 minEp. 1088

10 Question Quiz: Where Am I?

Every day during this pledge drive, listeners can try their hands at a quiz. Today's topic is local geography. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 04, 20259 minEp. 1087

Public Health Under RFK Jr.

Jessica Malaty Rivera , infectious disease epidemiologist, science communicator and PhD student at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, talks about the government's response to the ongoing measles outbreaks, why an FDA vaccine advisory committee meeting on planning next year's flu shot was cancelled and what it could mean for next year's flu season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 04, 202520 minEp. 1086

The Points Guy's Travel Advice: Booking Tips

Throughout this pledge drive, Brian Kelly , founder of the travel site The Points Guy and the author of How to Win at Travel (Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, 2025), shares advice on how to optimize your travel plans. Today, he explains his tips for booking travel, including the best site to search for flights and how to maximize credit card points. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising...

Mar 03, 20258 minEp. 1091

And the Oscars Go To...

Dana Stevens, film critic at Slate.com, co-host of the Slate Culture Gabfest podcast and the author of Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century (Atria Books, 2022), recaps the highs and lows of Sunday's Academy Awards presentation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 03, 202517 minEp. 1085

10 Question Quiz: This Year's Oscars

Every day during this pledge drive, listeners can try their hands at a quiz. Today's topic is this year's Academy Awards. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 03, 202510 minEp. 1082

Monday Morning Politics: Trump and Zelensky's Oval Office Showdown, Associated Press Loses Access to Trump

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, including how the president is choosing which reporters cover him as part of the White House press pool, tense negotiations with Ukrainian President Zelensky and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...

Mar 03, 202519 minEp. 1084

A New Way to Teach Math

The city has implemented a new math curriculum called "Illustrative Math" and not all teachers are fans. Jessica Gould , WNYC/Gothamist reporter, talks about how the roll out is going, and how officials hope it will improve dismal math scores. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 03, 202516 minEp. 1083

Brian Lehrer Weekend: Student Loans Under Trump 2.0; What 'America First' Means Now; Oscars History

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Navigating student loans under the new Trump administration (First) | What Trump's 'America First agenda' means right now (Starts at 26:20) | 100 Years of the Academy Awards (Starts at 54:55) 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....

Mar 01, 20251 hr 15 minEp. 1081

Boycotts, Town Halls, & Other Actions

John Nichols , national-affairs correspondent for The Nation magazine and the author of, with Sen. Bernie Sanders, It’s OK to be Angry About Capitalism (Crown, 2023), talks about today's planned protest boycotts and other responses by those opposed to the early Trump administration actions. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 28, 202528 minEp. 1080

100 Years of 100 Things: The 'Oscars'

As our centennial series continues and with Sunday's Oscar ceremony, Michael Schulman , New Yorker staff writer and the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears (Harper Collins, 2023), takes us through the decades of Best Picture winners and what they tell us about their time. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 28, 202519 minEp. 1079

New York Corrections Officers' Illegal Strike

Prison guards at upstate New York prisons have walked off the job in an illegal strike to protest working conditions, and a state law that restricts solitary confinement. Jimmy Vielkind , New York State issues reporter for WNYC, reports on what the corrections officers are demanding, conditions for inmates inside the prisons and the tentative deal the state and the union have reached to end the strike. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...

Feb 28, 202520 minEp. 1077

The Health Care Cuts in the GOP Budget

U.S. Representative Frank Pallone (D NJ 6th), ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, talks about the budget passed by House Republicans that he says will "take health care away from millions of Americans." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 28, 202524 minEp. 1076

Banned Book Report

Jonathan Friedman , managing director of U.S. free expression and education programs at PEN America, discusses their new analysis of the 4,000 books banned in schools during the 2023-2024 school year. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 28, 202520 minEp. 1078

Planets All in a Row

Jackie Faherty , astrophysicist and science educator at the American Museum of Natural History , talks about the rare alignment of the planets, many visible without a telescope. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 27, 202512 minEp. 1075

The State of Op-Eds

Jeff Bezos, the owner of The Washington Post , recently announced a major shift to the newspaper’s opinion section, saying that it would now advocate for “personal liberties and free markets." Paul Farhi , former reporter at The Washington Post , where he reported on the news media for 13 years, explains what the new directive means and walks through the history of opinion editorials and their purpose. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...

Feb 27, 202542 minEp. 1072

What Trump's 'America First' Worldview Really Means

George Packer , staff writer at The Atlantic and the author Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021), offers analysis of what he calls President Trump's "might makes right" strategy, and the decimation of the United States' soft power through the destruction of USAID. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Feb 27, 202529 minEp. 1074

Meet the NJ Governor Candidates: Steven Fulop

Steven Fulop , mayor of Jersey City, running for governor in the June primary, talks about his run to be the Democratic nominee for governor and the issues the matter to Jersey City and the state at large. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 27, 202526 minEp. 1073

Reporters Ask the Mayor: "Quid Pro Quo," Roosevelt Hotel Closure and More

Mayor Adams holds one off-topic press conference per week, where reporters can ask him questions on any subject. Elizabeth Kim , Gothamist and WNYC reporter, recaps what he talked about at this week's event, including the fallout from the DOJ's interference in his corruption case, plans to close the Roosevelt Hotel as a migrant shelter and the latest campaign news. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adve...

Feb 26, 202521 minEp. 1068

An Upside to Enemies

Rachel Feintzeig , writer based in Connecticut, talks about her recent New York Times guest essay "Why You, Too, Need a Nemesis" as listeners share how they've drawn inspiration from proving someone wrong about them. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 26, 202513 minEp. 1069
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