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

City Politics: Free Speech; School Bathrooms; Endorsements and Non-Endorsements

Elizabeth Kim , Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from the mayoral campaign trail, including an off-and-back-on-again town hall; growing frustration from some over Sen. Schumer's refusal to endorse Zohran Mamdani; a potential fight brewing over charter schools; and Mayor Adams's comments about bathrooms and gender identity. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Sep 24, 202549 minEp. 1671

Developing Nations Face Climate Change

David Gelles , reporter on the New York Times climate team and the Times ’s Climate Forward newsletter and author of Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away (Simon & Schuster, 2025), talks about New York City Climate Week and the challenge of several developing nations who are facing the challenges of a changing climate without the support of the United States, since the Trump administration withdrew the United States from the Paris Agree...

Sep 23, 202529 minEp. 1669

30 Issues in 30 Days: NYC Ballot Initiatives on Housing

David Brand , housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, explains NYC’s three ballot proposals on streamlining the housing construction process. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 23, 202525 minEp. 1668

Saris in New York

Salonee Bhaman , co-curator for "The New York Sari: A Journey Through Tradition, Fashion, and Identity" at The New York Historical and curatorial scholar at the Center for Women's History at The New York Historical, and S. Mitra Kalita , co-founder of URL Media and CEO and publisher of Epicenter-NYC, talk about the exhibition at The New York Historical that shows the cultural and community significance of the sari among immigrant communities in New York. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company....

Sep 23, 202517 minEp. 1670

Vaccine Status and Other Public Health News

Chelsea Cirruzzo , Washington correspondent for STAT News, talks about the White House press conference on autism, acetaminophen, and immunizations, plus the results of last week's meeting of the federal advisory committee on vaccines, and the confusion over federal, state and local public health rules. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Sep 23, 202539 minEp. 1667

UNGA Preview

Richard Gowan , International Crisis Group's director of UN and Multilateral Diplomacy, shares what to expect at the UN General Assembly, including what President Trump may say in his Tuesday address, the war in Gaza and other crises and the role of the United Nations globally. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 22, 202537 minEp. 1666

Changing Your Faith

In a new memoir, Yusuf Islam, also known as the singer-songwriter Cat Stevens, writes about how converted his faith after a near-death experience. Listeners call in to share what has prompted them to change their faith. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 22, 202516 minEp. 1650

30 Issues in 30 Days: Sanctuary Laws in NYC and NJ

Daniel Di Martino , fellow at the Manhattan Institute whose research focuses on immigration, and Amy Torres , executive director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, debate the issues around sanctuary laws in the New York City mayor's race and the New Jersey governor's election. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Sep 22, 202557 minEp. 1665

Brian Lehrer Weekend: Changing Elections; AI & Jobs; Family Language

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. How Trump May Be Changing the Elections Process (First) | AI in the Job Market (Starts at 51:0 0) | Your Family's 'Secret Language' (Starts at 1:18:00) 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....

Sep 20, 20251 hr 28 minEp. 1664

Warnings From an AI Doomsayer

Nate Soares , president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute and the co-author (with Eliezer Yudkowsky) of If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All (Little, Brown and Company, 2025), talks about why he worries that AI "superintelligence" will lead to catastrophic outcomes, and what safeguards he recommends to prevent this. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advert...

Sep 19, 202526 minEp. 1662

What's So Great About New York?

A new Siena poll shows a (slight) majority of New Yorkers said the state is on the right track, while 59% of respondents thought the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction. New Yorkers call in to share what they think is going well in the state compared to the rest of the country. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 19, 202510 minEp. 1659

BP Reynoso on Support for Brooklyn Marine Terminal Plan

Brooklyn Borough president Antonio Reynoso talks about why he's now supporting the plan to redevelop Brooklyn's Marine Terminal ahead of a pivotal vote on the project. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 19, 202539 minEp. 1659

When DOJ Investigates the President

Elie Honig , senior legal analyst at CNN, New York Magazine columnist, former state and federal prosecutor and author of several books, including When You Come at the King: Inside DOJ’s Pursuit of the President, From Nixon to Trump (Harper, 2025), explores investigations by the Department of Justice of presidents and other high-ranking officials throughout the years, and how the system may be tested during Trump's second presidency. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com f...

Sep 19, 202535 minEp. 1658

Atlantic Festival Takes on Politics and Knowledge

As the Atlantic Festival takes place in NYC, staff writers and panelists Ashley Parker , staff writer at The Atlantic , former Washington Post White House bureau chief, and Adam Serwer , staff writer at The Atlantic , preview their panels and discuss the latest from the White House particularly the events after the the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Sep 18, 202545 minEp. 1655

What "The Pitt" Means to Healthcare Workers

On Sunday, the television drama "The Pitt," about emergency room healthcare workers at a hospital in Pittsburgh, cleaned up at the Emmys with several major wins. Listeners who work in the healthcare profession call in to share what the series meant to them and how accurately it depicted post-COVID healthcare. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Sep 18, 20258 minEp. 1654

A Call for More Scrutiny of Deaths in NYPD Custody

Meghna Philip , director of the special litigation unit at the Legal Aid Society, talks about its call for the department of investigation to look into all cases of deaths in police custody, after a fifth death occurred this year. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 18, 202528 minEp. 1656

AI in the Job Market

Hilke Schellmann , investigative reporter, assistant professor of journalism at New York University, and author of The Algorithm: How AI Decides Who Gets Hired, Monitored, Promoted, and Fired, And Why We Need To Fight Back (Grand Central Publishing, 2024), talks about AI's expanding role in the job hiring process for both applicants and employers—and its implications. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for a...

Sep 18, 202528 minEp. 1657

City Politics: Governor Hochul Endorses Zohran Mamdani, Trouble in the Lander-Mamdani Bromance

Elizabeth Kim , Gothamist and WNYC reporter, and Jimmy Vielkind , New York state issues reporter for Gothamist and WNYC and author of the substack "Notes from Jimmy," talk about the latest in the mayor's race, including Gov. Hochul's endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, and a wrinkle in the relationship between comptroller Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Sep 17, 202542 minEp. 1653

Are the Lethal U.S. Strikes on Venezuelan Boats Legal?

The Trump administration's recent lethal strikes on purported drug boats in Venezuela drew widespread condemnation from experts in international law. Brian Finucane , senior adviser at the International Crisis Group and a non-resident senior fellow at Reiss Center on Law and Security at NYU Law, talks about the strikes and breaks down their legality, plus discusses the implications of that analysis. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collectio...

Sep 17, 202532 minEp. 1652

Meet the NJ Governor Candidates: Rep. Mikie Sherrill

Democratic nominee U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D, NJ-11) talks about her campaign for governor and takes calls from NJ voters. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 17, 202538 minEp. 1651

Jill Lepore on the American Constitution

Looking ahead to the 250th anniversary of the U.S., Jill Lepore , professor of American history at Harvard University, staff writer at The New Yorker , and the author of several books, including We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution (Liveright, 2025), digs into the history of the country's founding document and what it means for the country that it is so difficult, but still possible, to change. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our c...

Sep 16, 202541 minEp. 1649

Supportive Housing Sitting Empty

David Brand, housing reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talks about new City Council legislation to require reporting on unfilled supportive housing units, aimed at decreasing the number of empty units (5,000, as of June). " To fill empty apartments for homeless people, NYC will first start tracking them " (Gothamist, Sept 12) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Sep 16, 202526 minEp. 1648

Inside RFK Jr's MAHA Report on Childhood Health

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has issued a report on the state of children's health. Julie Rovner , chief Washington correspondent, KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast, talks about the details of the report and where it fits into the Trump administration's MAHA initiative. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Sep 16, 202542 minEp. 1647

Social Media and the Charlie Kirk Killing

Almost immediately after Charlie Kirk was shot and killed, videos were circulating on social media, and many people saw the gruesome crime without meaning to just by logging on. Adam Clark Estes, senior technology correspondent at Vox, talks about how little content moderation big tech companies are doing these days, how the algorithm fed off people pausing to watch the video, and how content like this may traumatize vast swaths of people. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswiz...

Sep 15, 202520 minEp. 1643

City Council Overrides Mayor's Vetoes

Jeffery Mays , New York Times reporter covering politics with a focus on New York City Hall, talks about the new worker and vendor protections passed by the City Council, overriding Mayor Adams' vetoes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 15, 202530 minEp. 1645

Your Family's 'Secret Language'

A recent Washington Post article explained how most families have a secret language that only they understand, or a "familect" as some linguists call it. Listeners call in to share the words in their family that only they use, which are often conjured in the minds of small children and then used for years down the road. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....

Sep 15, 20259 minEp. 1644

How Trump May Be Changing the Elections Process

Ari Berman , voting rights correspondent for Mother Jones and author of Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People—and the Fight to Resist It (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2024), talks about his latest article on the "rapidly escalating" threats to America’s election system, including how the Trump administration is making it harder to vote, the DOJ's civil rights division has dropped cases investigating gerrymandered maps in states such as Arizona, Georgia, and Texas and more....

Sep 15, 202550 minEp. 1642

Brian Lehrer Weekend: Improving Ticket-Buying; NYC's Rat Czar; Saving Monarch Butterflies

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. Lawmakers Attempt to Improve the Ticket-Buying Experience (First) | The City's Rat Czar Shares Progress and Challenges (Starts at 23:40) | Helping Monarch Butterflies Thrive in NYC (Starts at 44:44) 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....

Sep 13, 202558 minEp. 1646

How Economic Trends Are Reshaping Restaurants

As the US economy and consumer preferences fluctuate, listeners in the restaurant industry and their customers share how they're adapting to tariffs, slowed job growth, widespread use of GLP-1 medications altering appetites, and other trends. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 12, 202511 minEp. 1641

The Democrats' Shutdown Debate

Zack Beauchamp , senior correspondent at Vox and the author of The Reactionary Spirit: How America's Most Insidious Political Tradition Swept the World (PublicAffairs, 2024), talks about the debate among Democrats over whether to go along with the Republican plan to fund the government or withhold their votes, resulting in a shutdown. => " The Democrats’ shutdown debate is about something much bigger " (Vox, Sept. 10, 2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for inf...

Sep 12, 202550 minEp. 1639
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