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

How Pronouns Evolve

John McWhorter , Columbia University linguistics professor, host of the Lexicon Valley podcast, opinion writer at The New York Times , and the author of Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words (Avery, 2025), talks about his new book that digs into the cultural and linguistic history of pronoun usage in English and what light that sheds on today's controversies. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal da...

Apr 04, 202520 minEp. 1186

Finding Your Way with the New Subway Map

The MTA released a new subway map that harkens back to the colorful 70s-era Vignelli version. Stephen Nessen , transportation reporter for the WNYC newsroom, talks about the change. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 04, 202514 minEp. 1188

Tariff Chaos

Global markets are in turmoil after President Trump announced his long-promised tariffs. Kathryn Anne Edwards , economist and economic policy consultant, offers analysis of the market reaction and explains how they will hit consumers' wallets—plus how the overall economy may fare in the weeks and months ahead as other countries respond. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Apr 04, 202543 minEp. 1187

Will Republicans in Washington Make New Yorkers Hungrier?

Experts anticipate deep cuts to federal food assistance programs by the Republican-led Congress in this year's budget negotiations set to take place in September. Karen Yi , WNYC and Gothamist reporter covering homelessness and poverty, explains how potential cuts will affect 1.8 million New Yorkers, including more than half a million children, who are reliant on SNAP. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for ...

Apr 03, 202528 minEp. 1184

The Upside of Boredom

Allie Volpe , senior reporter at Vox, talks about some of the common misunderstandings of boredom. → How to be less afraid of boredom | Vox Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 03, 202515 minEp. 1183

When Family Members Believe Conspiracy Theories

Zach Mack , host of Alternate Realities , a series from NPR's Embedded, talks about his three-part podcast on how he spent a year trying to save his father from conspiracy theories. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 03, 202524 minEp. 1182

A Good Week for Democrats

Katie Glueck , political reporter at The New York Times , offers analysis of the Democrats' very good week, with strong showings in special elections in Florida and a big win in Wisconsin, plus Sen. Cory Booker's record-breaking speech on the senate floor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 03, 202543 minEp. 1181

How Wikipedia May Be the Antidote to Trumpism

Margaret Talbot , staff writer at The New Yorker , breaks down her latest reporting on how Wikipedia, through its increasingly stringent standards for reliability, has become a source to counter disinformation spread by the Trump administration and rightwing media. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 02, 202517 minEp. 1180

Choosing a College Now

Colleges and universities made their acceptances at the end of March, now students have a month to decide. Angel Pérez , CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling , talks about the what goes into that decision and how the Trump administration actions might factor in. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Apr 02, 202521 minEp. 1180

Reporters Ask the Mayor: Adams Charges Dismissed, Mayoral Campaign Heats Up

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 his sharp criticisms of his primary opponent Andrew Cuomo — plus she offers analysis of the political ramifications of big news that the corruption charges against the mayor have been dropped. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our c...

Apr 02, 202534 minEp. 1179

Could Luigi Mangione be Sentenced to Death?

Attorney General Pam Bondi has told federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing a UnitedHealthCare executive on a midtown street last year. Samantha Max , reporter covering public safety for WNYC/Gothamist, talks about Bondi's priorities on the issue and how Mangione's status as a folk hero to some figures in - plus she reports on the dismissal with prejudice of the corruption charges against Mayor Adams. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. S...

Apr 02, 202537 minEp. 1178

Legal Sports Betting and Public Health

With the Final Four just ahead, Jonathan Cohen , the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Senior Program Officer for American Institutions, Society, and the Public Good at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the author of Losing Big: America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling (Columbia Global Reports, 2025), talks about the explosive growth of legalized sports betting and its effect on public health, beyond the games and the money. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for in...

Apr 01, 202527 minEp. 1174

April 1 Extra

Brian Lehrer shares his plans for today, April 1, with guest host Matt Katz. ...note: This is part of our yearly April Fool's coverage. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 01, 20256 minEp. 1177

Should You Delete Your 23andMe Data -- Even if it's Important to You?

When 23andMe declared bankruptcy last week, attorney generals in multiple states including New York advised users to delete their data. Max Eddy , writer at Wirecutter covering privacy, security, and software, explains how to do it and why this kind of data is particularly important to keep private. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Apr 01, 202510 minEp. 1175

Meet the NJ Governor Candidate: Steve Sweeney

Steve Sweeney , former New Jersey state senator and state senate president, now running for governor of New Jersey, talks about his run to be the Democratic nominee for governor and the issues the matter to voters in the state. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 01, 202524 minEp. 1173

Reciprocal Tariffs for 'Liberation Day'

Felix Salmon , chief financial correspondent at Axios, host of the Slate Money Podcast, and author of The Phoenix Economy: Work, Life, and Money in the New Not Normal (‎Harper Business, 2023), talks about President Trump's plans to impose "reciprocal tariffs," which he says will boost US manufacturing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Apr 01, 202542 minEp. 1176

Baseball's Back in New York City

Both the Mets and Yankees have had their first few games of Major League Baseball's 2025 season. Deesha Thosar , MLB writer for Fox Sports who covers the Mets and Yankees, recaps what happened on the off season, and how New York's teams are doing so far. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 31, 202514 minEp. 1172

How to Compost in NYC

Everyone in NYC is supposed to be composting already, but starting Tuesday, the city will start issuing fines to property owners for violations. Liam Quigley , parks and sanitation reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, shares how compliance is going so far (spoiler alert: not well!) and explains how to compost according to the city's rules. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 31, 202526 minEp. 1171

100 Years of 100 Things: Greenwich Village

As our centennial series continues, John Strausbaugh , author of The Village: 400 Years of Beats and Bohemians, Radicals and Rogues, a History of Greenwich Village (Ecco, 2013) and most recently, The Wrong Stuff: How the Soviet Space Program Crashed and Burned (PublicAffairs (2024), takes us through the rich history of Greenwich Village. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 31, 202532 minEp. 1170

Monday Morning Politics: Talks of a Trump Third Term, 'Signalgate' and More

Jim Newell , Slate's senior politics writer, breaks down the latest national politics headlines from over the weekend, the latest on President Donald Trump's remarks on a potential third term, "Signalgate" and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 31, 202539 minEp. 1169

Brian Lehrer Weekend: The Red Scare; The "Manosphere"; Tracing Preppy

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Clay Risen, New York Times reporter and the author of Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America (Scribner, 2025), on his new book (First) | Andrew Marantz, staff writer at The New Yorker , on why young men are shifting to the Right (Starts at 31:05) | Avery Trufelman, host of the podcast Articles of Interest, delves into the last 100 years of preppies and their clothes (Starts at 59:10) If you don't...

Mar 29, 20251 hr 12 minEp. 1168

Another Student Detained Over Pro-Palestinian Views

A doctoral student at Tufts University was detained in an arrest that was caught on video and shared widely and accused of supporting Hamas by the Department of Homeland Security. Lindsay Nash , associate and clinical professor of law at Cardozo Law and co-director of the Kathryn O. Greenberg Immigration Justice Clinic, offers legal analysis of this and other arrests of pro-Palestinian immigrants. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection ...

Mar 28, 202549 minEp. 1163

Staying Sharp During Retirement

Mohana Ravindranath , reporter covering longevity, aging and brain health at The New York Times , breaks down her latest reporting on how to stay mentally sharp and healthy through the major transition of going into retirement. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 28, 202514 minEp. 1166

Outdoor Dining Season Begins

New York City's outdoor dining season officially begins on Tuesday. Ryan Kailath , WNYC/Gothamist arts and culture reporter, reports on the confusing and expensive new process restaurants must go through to be approved, and how this year's outdoor setups will compare to the pandemic-era boom in outdoor dining. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 28, 202519 minEp. 1167

How the Left Can Connect with Young Men

Young men broke heavily for Trump in November, Andrew Marantz , staff writer at The New Yorker and author of Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation (Viking Press, 2019), discusses the reason behind this phenomena and how the left can make gains in this demographic. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 28, 202528 minEp. 1165

Elie Mystal's List of Laws that Need to Go

Elie Mystal , justice correspondent and columnist for The Nation magazine and host of the podcast, Contempt of Court with Elie Mystal, and author of Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America (The New Press, 2025), talks about the 10 laws he calls a "Bill of Wrongs" - like felony murder and immunity for gun manufacturers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 27, 202538 minEp. 1162

NPR and PBS in the Congressional Hot Seat

The leaders of PBS and NPR went before a House subcommittee led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to defend their networks against charges of liberal bias. Bill Grueskin , professor at Columbia Journalism School and a former senior editor at The Wall Street Journal and Miami Herald , offers analysis of the testy hearing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Mar 27, 202527 minEp. 1161

The Latest on Columbia University and the Trump Administration

Columbia University agreed to the Trump administration's demands in order to restore $400 million dollars in federal funds, leading some faculty members to protest, and take legal action. David Graham , staff writer at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic daily newsletter, plus author of the forthcoming book The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America (Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2025), reports on the latest in the school's relationship with the administration, and what it might ...

Mar 27, 202545 minEp. 1160

Meet the NJ Governor Candidates: Mikie Sherrill

U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D, NJ-11) talks about her campaign to be the Democratic nominee for governor of New Jersey, and her work in Washington. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 26, 202539 minEp. 1159

100 Years of 100 Things: Preppies and Their Clothes

Polo shirts, khaki shorts, and boat shoes: the classic uniform of elites on their days off. As our centennial series continues, Avery Trufelman , host of the podcast Articles of Interest, delves into the last 100 years of preppies and their clothes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 26, 202512 minEp. 1157
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