GameStop has made an unsolicited offer to buy eBay for about $56 billion. The proposed deal, which eBay says it is reviewing, is the brainchild of GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen. In an interview with WSJ’s Lauren Thomas , Cohen said that putting his videogame retailer and eBay under one roof could create opportunities to cut costs and improve earnings. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - To the Moon: How did a bunch of amateurs take Wall Street by surprise? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News ne...
May 08, 2026•22 min
Around the country, there’s been a construction boom in AI data centers , but opposition is surging too. In the small town of Festus, Missouri, a $6 billion project angered residents, leading to the removal of local council members and a campaign to recall the mayor. WSJ's Will Parker explains how intense local pushback is changing where data centers are built. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - More Coding, Less Slop? Why OpenAI Ditched Sora - The AI Economic Doomsday Report That Shook Wa...
May 07, 2026•21 min
Private credit was the hottest craze on Wall Street. Throughout the boom, one firm became its poster child, Blue Owl . But a recent panic posed a troubling question. What happens if investors suddenly want out at the same time? WSJ's Matt Wirz reports on the turmoil and explains why private credit is something American workers need to pay attention to. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Wall Street Craze Jamie Dimon Can’t Resist. Even If It Blows Up. - Private Equity and Crypto Could B...
May 06, 2026•21 min
After years of industrial decline, the Germany economy is stagnant . Government officials now hope an audacious plan, to pivot from consumer goods to weapons , will kickstart growth again. WSJ’s Bojan Pancevski explains how the same factories built to make German car parts are now gearing up to supply the defense industry. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Global Scramble for Patriot Missiles - Germany’s Economy Is Broken. There’s No Plan B. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsl...
May 05, 2026•19 min
Spirit Airlines ceased operations on Saturday after a possible government bailout plan fell apart. WSJ’s Alison Sider reports on the company’s challenging last few years and what the end of Spirit means for travelers. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Why Air Travel Costs Will Continue to Rise - How Spirit Airlines Landed in Bankruptcy Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
May 04, 2026•19 min
Last year, a massive cyberweapon terrorized the internet. It launched thousands of DDoS attacks, threatening tens of millions of people around the world. The weapon came to be known as Kimwolf. WSJ’s Robert McMillan reports that cybersecurity experts were stumped. Kimwolf’s attacks seemed to be launched from millions of internet-connected devices like TV boxes, cameras and picture frames. Eventually, the experts got help from an unlikely ally: a 22-year-old college senior named Benjamin Brundage...
May 01, 2026•37 min
Tariffs, inflation and an energy crisis have driven up the cost of nearly every consumer good. Despite those economic headwinds, IKEA has tried to keep its furniture affordable. Juvencio Maeztu is the CEO of the Ingka Group , IKEA’s largest franchise, and he explains how the company is making the numbers work . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: Can Burger King Regain Its Crown? The Battle to Be the King of Retail: Walmart vs. Amazon Etsy: Big Commerce or Crafters' Community? Sign up for WSJ...
Apr 30, 2026•23 min
In China, humanoid robots are on the rise . Robots with heads and torsos have been spotted staffing the front desk at hotels, working factory floors, and serving lattes. It's all thanks to an investment boom and subsidies from the Chinese government, which is betting on "embodied AI" as the next frontier in a global arms race. WSJ's Yoko Kubota explains how China's robots got so good, and what the US is doing to catch up. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - China and the U.S. Are in a Race ...
Apr 29, 2026•20 min
Meta is kicking its AI transformation into high gear. The Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram parent is getting aggressive about AI talent, integrating AI technology into employees’ workflows and even developing an AI agent to help its CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Last week, the company announced a 10% cut in its global workforce. WSJ’s Meghan Bobrowsky unpacks what the pivot means for the AI race and the company’s employees. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: Why Meta Is Offering $100 Million for AI ...
Apr 28, 2026•22 min
The war in Iran has sparked a global jet fuel crunch , sending prices soaring. Now, airlines are passing costs onto travelers , with higher ticket prices and additional fees. WSJ’s Matthew Dalton and Alison Sider explain how jet fuel has been caught up in the crisis and why airlines aren't planning to lower prices anytime soon. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How China Keeps Iran's Oil Industry Afloat - The Airline Industry Has a Toxic Fume Problem Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News ...
Apr 27, 2026•19 min
Four days before Donald Trump’s second inauguration, an Emirati royal known as the “spy sheikh” secretly purchased a stake in Trump's cryptocurrency venture World Liberty Financial for half a billion dollars. In the second of two episodes about World Liberty Financial, WSJ’s Rebecca Ballhaus details what the Sheikh received from the Trump Administration following his deal with the Trump family’s crypto company . Hosted by Jessica Mendoza. Further Listening: - The Crypto President: Part 1 - Priva...
Apr 25, 2026•27 min
At the height of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign for re-election in 2024, Trump gathered with his sons and longtime friend Steve Witkoff to launch a new money machine: a crypto company called World Liberty Financial. Since its launch less than two years ago, the company has earned the Trump family at least $1.2 billion dollars . It turns out much of that has come from secret business dealings with foreign-owned companies. In the first of two episodes diving into World Liberty Financial, WSJ...
Apr 24, 2026•26 min
After 15 years as the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook announced this week that he will be stepping down . During his tenure, Cook quadrupled Apple’s revenue and transformed the company’s supply chain, building a complex global network that churns out hundreds of millions of devices each year. WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler reports on Cook’s legacy , and the new guy that’s set to replace him . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - China and the U.S. Are in a Race for AI Supremacy - The Company Taking on Apple’s W...
Apr 23, 2026•21 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! In the first Trump administration, the U.S. launched a “maximum pressure” campaign to cut Iranian oil from the global market and eliminate Tehran’s biggest source of revenue. Today, Iran sells billions of dollars’ worth of oil every month via a shadow fleet of ships that have been passing through the Strait of Hormuz. WSJ’s Rory Jones takes us inside Iran’s underground network for shipping, processing and selling oil in China. Ryan Knutson hosts. Furt...
Apr 22, 2026•19 min
AI models like Anthropic's Mythos are finding software bugs at an unprecedented rate, kicking off a cybersecurity scramble to prevent what experts are calling “ bugmageddon .” Thanks to these new models, hackers will be able to exploit those bugs more quickly than ever before. WSJ’s Robert McMillan explains why major corporations and the White House are scrambling to patch their systems. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Battle Over AI in Warfare - AI Is Coming for Entry-Level Jobs...
Apr 21, 2026•19 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! At the outset of the U.S.-Iran War, the U.S. and Israel assassinated key figures in the Iranian regime, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But the killings of high-ranking officials have failed to spark the popular uprising President Trump initially called for. WSJ’s Margherita Stancati explores the current regime and reports that Iran’s theocratic dictatorship not only remains in control, but is more conservative, more radical, and more entrenched tha...
Apr 20, 2026•19 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! In 2019, influencer Tai Lopez made a pitch to his social media followers: by buying up distressed retail brands like Radio Shack and Pier 1 out of bankruptcy, they could all get rich . But as WSJ’s Suzanne Kapner reports, the Securities and Exchange Commission accused Lopez of running a “Ponzi-like scheme” through his company, Retail Ecommerce Ventures. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening/Viewing: - Influencer Arielle Charnas’s Fashion Fail - How a ...
Apr 17, 2026•23 min
The automotive industry is facing a shortage of mechanics . Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley has said his company’s dealerships have 5,000 open jobs – positions he says can pay up to $120,000 a year. WSJ’s Christopher Otts explains why more people aren’t taking him up on it. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The 20,000 Steps to a Walmart Manager’s Six-Figure Salary - The Repo Man Is Busier Than Ever Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Apr 16, 2026•22 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! The standoff in the Strait of Hormuz means millions of barrels of oil are still trapped in the Persian Gulf. As countries around the world begin to feel the impact of that energy shock, new inflation numbers are signalling that the U.S. economy is being impacted too. WSJ’s David Uberti explains how the stock market and consumers are processing what could be the worst oil crisis ever. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Strait of Hormuz Sho...
Apr 15, 2026•19 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! The Trump administration has shrunk the IRS . WSJ’s Richard Rubin reports on how the federal government has scaled back tax enforcement, leaving fewer federal employees to audit returns and collect unpaid tax debts. The cutbacks could lead to more Americans skirting the tax law. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Do You Refund $166 Billion? - DOGE: The Plan to Downsize the Government Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Sign up...
Apr 14, 2026•18 min
President Trump’s announcement that the U.S. military would blockade the Strait of Hormuz sets up a risky showdown to control the strategic chokepoint. WSJ’s Vera Bergengruen explains what the blockade could look like, explores the global economic damage caused by the conflict and discusses what could come next in the war. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - In Iran, an Uneasy Calm Amid a Cease-Fire - Will the U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Hold? - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Su...
Apr 13, 2026•18 min
When Tom Curtis took over as president of Burger King in 2021 , the company was struggling. After joining, Curtis worked to update restaurants and streamline the menu. Jessica Mendoza talks with Curtis about the fast food chain’s recent struggles, the rising price of beef and his turn as a social media influencer . Further Listening: - KFC Got Fried in the Chicken Wars. Can It Come Back? - The Epic Mess at TGI Fridays - Red Lobster's New CEO Plots Its Comeback - McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality...
Apr 10, 2026•22 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! After nearly six weeks of war in Iran, a fragile cease-fire is holding for now. But for people on the ground, the uncertainty is far from over . Jessica Mendoza speaks with a Tehran resident living through the strangeness of war and WSJ’s Jared Malsin unpacks the sticking points for achieving long-term peace. Further Listening: - Will the U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Hold? - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding? Sign up for WSJ’s free Wha...
Apr 09, 2026•21 min
The U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week cease-fire . President Trump said the truce was conditional on Iran opening up the Strait of Hormuz . WSJ’s Damian Paletta explains how the fragile cease-fire came together, why there are still many unanswered questions and what comes next. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding? - Iran Thinks It’s Winning the War - The Escalating Crisis at the Strait of Hormuz Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News...
Apr 08, 2026•19 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! After the smash success of ChatGPT, OpenAI positioned its video generation model Sora as AI’s next consumer-friendly frontier. Disney signed on to the vision, promising a huge investment and allowing the studio’s characters to appear in Sora videos. Then OpenAI abruptly shut Sora down . WSJ’s Berber Jin takes us inside the pivot and explores what it means for the AI industry. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - OpenAI's 'Code Red' Problem - Is...
Apr 07, 2026•21 min
A new billion-dollar industry of hemp-derived THC drinks exploded onto the market last year by exploiting an apparent legal loophole. Now, a federal ban is set to wipe the popular alcohol alternatives off shelves by November. WSJ's Laura Cooper and Cann CEO Jake Bullock detail the last-ditch effort to lobby Washington. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Scotts Miracle-Gro's Weed Business Went Up in Smoke - California's Wine Industry Is in Crisis Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News ne...
Apr 06, 2026•17 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! After Jeffrey Epstein’s death, Svetlana Pozhidaeva said she finally felt free. The former Russian model, who became one of Epstein’s “assistants” and a victim of his abuse, changed her name and moved to another city. Then the Epstein files dropped. WSJ’s Khadeeja Safdar unspools Pozhidaeva’s story and what it reveals about who Epstein allegedly ensared and how he did it. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Jeffrey Epstein Made Millions Fro...
Apr 03, 2026•22 min
After the Supreme Court ruled that many of President Trump’s tariffs were illegal , thousands of companies have sued the government in the hopes of getting their money back. WSJ’s Lydia Wheeler reports on the obscure court at the center of the refund battle and explains why the process will be slow and messy . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - How One Company Is Navigating a New Era of Tariff Uncertainty - Trump's Tariffs Are Illegal. He's Got a Plan B. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News ...
Apr 02, 2026•18 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! When the war with Iran started, Israel had three goals: reduce the threat from Iranian missiles, eliminate its nuclear capabilities and, most importantly, create the conditions for regime change . WSJ’s Dov Lieber reports that about four weeks in, achieving those goals against Israel’s biggest enemy is proving elusive. With President Trump stating that he wants the war to end within weeks, Israel is now racing to cripple Iranian industry . Jessica Men...
Apr 01, 2026•20 min
Get your tickets to our L.A. live show here! OpenAI planned to launch an “adult mode” for ChatGPT , opening the door to AI-generated, sexually explicit conversations. The decision created an internal uproar as some company experts warned of potential risks to minors and unhealthy emotional attachments . WSJ’s Sam Schechner discusses the complicated future of sex and artificial intelligence. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Her Client Was Deepfaked. She Says xAI Is to Blame. - Why Elon Mu...
Mar 31, 2026•21 min
