We just experienced something we haven’t seen in years in this country, a civil debate between two politicians. Senator J.D. Vance and Govenor Tim Walz faced off in what is likely to be the last debate of this presidential election year. How did Walz respond to those fabrication allegations? And why doesn’t Vance want to be fact checked? (OK, I guess we know why.) Newsweek’s Carlo Versano joins H. Alan Scott to break down the Vice Presidential Debate. Subscribe to Newsweek’s The 1600 newsletter ...
Oct 02, 2024•23 min•Ep. 225
We’ve reached the end of September and it’s officially Fall. While the rest of us settle in for those cozy autumn vibes, the two campaigns are making it a fight to the finish heading into October. Will there be an October surprise and what can we expect from the Vice-Presidential debate between Governor Tim Walz and Senator JD Vance next week? Also, President Joe Biden just did The View, so the question must be asked: how impactful is The View politically? And finally, are we done with Anna Delv...
Sep 27, 2024•39 min•Ep. 224
Netflix knows exactly what millennials want, and it's to see Adam Brody and Kristen Bell fall in love. "We're a generationally approved couple. There is something nice to the familiarity there," Brody says. In Nobody Wants This (September 26), Brody plays Noah, a "modern" rabbi who falls for Joanne (Bell), an irreverent, non-Jewish woman who is hopelessly bad at love. "He's so modern—not that rabbis can't be modern, but still—he's not a stereotypical rabbi." One thing that stood out to Brody was...
Sep 27, 2024•23 min•Ep. 223
"Can you imagine if the air was just filled with dust particles and you literally could not breathe?" That's what Sarah Paulson is tackling in her new film Hold Your Breath (October 3). Paulson plays Margaret, a Dust Bowl-era mother who's slowly descending into madness after being plagued by a perceived spirit. "The moment you're confronted with a larger problem, like Margaret is, that very tightly coiled survival tactic quickly just unwinds itself." After a series of performances where Paulson ...
Sep 26, 2024•30 min•Ep. 222
Leslie Grossman thought she knew everything about Lyle and Erik Menendez, brothers convicted of the 1989 murder of their parents, because she grew up in the same community. “I came to learn that the reality is so much more insane than you could ever imagine.” In Ryan Murphy’s latest season of Monster (Netflix, September 19), Grossman plays Judalon Smyth, the mistress of Dr. Jerome Oziel, “the therapist that Erik Menendez confessed these murders to.” It was Smyth’s tip to the police that led to t...
Sep 25, 2024•34 min•Ep. 221
Zachary Quinto has played doctors before, but he’s “never played a doctor like” the one he plays on NBC’s Brilliant Minds (September 23). Quinto plays Dr. Oliver Wolf, “based on a real-life person called Oliver Sacks, who was a world renowned, iconic neurologist and prolific author, complex, interesting, dynamic, beautiful person.” One of the things that stood out to Quinto was how unique the show is. “There have been so many wonderful and influential medical dramas over the years, and a lot of ...
Sep 24, 2024•24 min•Ep. 220
After another Trump assassination attempt is thwarted, the two campaigns point blame at each other for the heightened rhetoric... using heightened rhetoric. Speaking of unnecessary rhetoric, the Where’s Waldo of former White House press secretaries, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the current governor of Arkansas, took a jab at Vice President Kamala Harris for not having kids. And while America is riveted by the federal charges against Sean “Diddy” Combs, we’re simultaneously cheering on a felon prance ...
Sep 20, 2024•33 min•Ep. 219
It’s never fun to be the first one voted off a reality show, but that’s exactly what just happened to Pod Save America’s Jon Lovett on ‘Survivor.’ Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott recaps this wild week in reality TV (Anna Delvey on Dancing with the Stars was interesting) and chats with Jon about being the first one voted off. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Sep 19, 2024•17 min•Ep. 218
Bestselling author Rumaan Alam is happy to come out of hiding to promote his new novel Entitlement (September 17). “I spend all of my time here in this room hunched over this very computer, it's nice to have an opportunity to exist outside of that.” After the massive success of his last book, Leave the World Behind , Alam is once again focusing on class, but this time honing in on money. “We valorized the rich in this society, and by the same token, one must logically admit that we disregard the...
Sep 19, 2024•30 min•Ep. 218
Fresh off his Tony nomination for Mother Play , Jim Parsons is back on Broadway in Our Town . So, does he not like taking a break? "Until [Big Bang Theory] wrapped in 2019, I did not really know what it was to take a break that was not only extended, but also uncertain." The reason for back-to-back shows—besides theater being "more alive for me now as it...ever has been"—is that "within days of agreeing to one, another came," and, "I felt very strongly that I wanted to do both." Parsons plays th...
Sep 18, 2024•33 min•Ep. 217
Taylor Swift has officially declared herself THE childless cat lady after endorsing Kamala Harris. What impact will it have on the election? Also, we now have a trailer and release date for the Donald Trump biopic ‘The Apprentice,’ and we also know why he doesn’t want you to see it. Finally, who will win at the Emmys this year? To help make sense of it all and predict the big winners, Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott is joined by entertainment reporter Cameron Scheetz. See Privacy Policy at https://art1...
Sep 13, 2024•43 min•Ep. 216
When you think of Mormons, you don’t usually think of soft-swinging. But for a group of social media influencers, it was not only a fact, but also the perfect opportunity for a reality show. (Because it’s 2024 and that’s what we do now.) Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives follows Taylor Frankie Paul, the leader of a group of women known as MomTok online, after she caused a storm revealing the group of popular Mormon social media influencers were soft-swinging. The Hulu reality series follow...
Sep 12, 2024•30 min•Ep. 215
For Terry Crews, there are no rules. “There used to be so many rules. They used to say, ‘you can’t do TV, you must only do movies, you can’t do commercials.’” But Crews has proven you can do all of those things and more. He just joined pal Dave Bautista in The Killer’s Game (September 13). Crews loves that it’s funny, saying “to make people laugh is probably the hardest job in entertainment, because no one can agree on what’s funny.” He also loves that “it wasn’t three hours. I’ve had it with th...
Sep 11, 2024•28 min•Ep. 213
We just experienced what is likely to be the only debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, and it was raining cats and dogs. (More on that in a bit.) The big question is, who won? Did Kamala Harris define herself? And was Donald Trump able to stay on message? H. Alan Scott was joined by Newsweek’s Jesse Edwards to break it all down. Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. While you’re there, subscribe ...
Sep 11, 2024•29 min•Ep. 214
Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney is just as much of a ‘Sopranos’ fan as you and I are. That’s why he’s turning his attention to ‘Sopranos’ creator David Chase in his new two-part HBO documentary ‘Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos.’ The doc looks at the origins of what inspired the Emmy-winning series and how it pulls from Chase’s own life. Gibney joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to talk about ‘The Sopranos,’ what surprised him about his chats with Chase, and yes, we talked about that i...
Sep 07, 2024•29 min•Ep. 212
As Kamala Harris bunkers down in debate prep, Donald Trump is preparing by doing a lot of nothing. “Not a lot to do,” he told a New Hampshire radio station. Meanwhile, Republicans like John McCain’s son Jimmy and former Rep. Liz Cheney have said they’re voting for Harris. As all this is going on, RNC co-chair, Lara Trump, has decided to dabble in music. (Yes, music.) To help make sense of it all, Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott is joined by writer and comedian Will Weldon (host of the podcast ‘I Hate B...
Sep 06, 2024•41 min•Ep. 211
Carrie Coon is having such a moment right now, even though you may not recognize her. (And she’s fine with that.) “I rarely am recognized. It may be the age I am, partly, but it's also I don't present in the world like any kind of film star.” The Emmy-nominated star of The Gilded Age will next be seen in Netflix’s His Three Daughters (September 20). “The relationships feel real, the dynamics feel believable, and yet it's still an Azazel Jacobs movie.” While Coon was taken by the story of three d...
Sep 05, 2024•28 min•Ep. 210
In just one week former President Donald Trump got indicted (again), allegedly got into some kind of altercation at Arlington National Cemetery (how?), agreed to and then casted doubt on debating Vice President Kamala Harris, spoke to Dr. Phil and sold some trading cards. Comedian, actor and writer Jenny Yang joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to break it all down and attempt to make sense of it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priva...
Aug 30, 2024•39 min•Ep. 209
Sometimes the scariest thing can be the things we take for granted: our personal devices. Cell phones, smart TVs, Siri, Alexa. That's exactly what John Cho must battle in Chris Weitz's new film AfrAId (August 30). "Siri and I have a bumpy relationship. I've been looking at her askance for years." Cho plays Curtis, a dad tasked with protecting his family after their digital assistant turns against them. "Looking back on my own parenting, we didn't really think twice about the computer and the iPa...
Aug 29, 2024•24 min•Ep. 208
When you've reached the level of stardom Nick Jonas has, you can pretty much do anything. But his fame isn't a factor for him when picking projects, the story is. "It's definitely helpful to work with brilliant people. And this one [ The Good Half ] is insane." In the film, Jonas plays Renn, who returns home for his mom's funeral. He says the movie "made me think of great films that I think do that really well, where the themes and the story might be sad [but] the only way through situations is ...
Aug 28, 2024•14 min•Ep. 207
Ever since Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in King Richard , she's kept busy with three major upcoming projects. In Lee Daniel's The Deliverance (in theaters now; on Netflix August 30), she co-stars alongside Glenn Close and Mo'Nique. "I just hope they didn't catch me staring." She's following that up with Hulu's The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat (August 23), about Ellis-Taylor's Odette and her two best friends. "I love that Odette was always a protector...
Aug 28, 2024•25 min•Ep. 206
Kamala Harris is officially the Democratic nominee for president. As she wowed the crowd on the final night of the Democratic National Convention—who all were lowkey hoping Beyonce would make an appearance—Donald Trump was spiraling on Truth social, reacting in real time to her speech. Newsweek’s Jenni Fink and Jason Lemon join H. Alan Scott to break down all the events of the final night of the DNC. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.c...
Aug 23, 2024•30 min•Ep. 205
Oprah Winfrey just picked Kamala Harris as her new favorite thing, will America do the same? If the impact of the Oprah Effect is real, then it’s a real possibility. Day three of the Democratic National Convention was filled with speeches from former President Bill Clinton, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, but the night really belonged to two people and two people alone: Governor Tim Walz and Oprah Winfrey. Newsweek’s Jenni Fink and Jason Lemon join...
Aug 22, 2024•31 min•Ep. 204
Day two of the Democratic National Convention was filled with hope, change, and just a little bit of animosity. Can the fiery speeches from former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama inspire voters longing for more hope and change? Kamala Harris certainly hopes so. Newsweek’s Jenni Fink and Jason Lemon join H. Alan Scott to break down night two of the DNC. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Aug 21, 2024•31 min•Ep. 203
We’re reacting to day one of the Democratic National Convention. Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden pass the torch to Kamala Harris in a night seemingly targeted at exciting the Democratic base while also courting those suburban women. Throughout the very long night, Democrats attempted to make the case for why Harris is the leader for this moment. Did they succeed? Newsweek’s Jenni Fink and Jason Lemon join H. Alan Scott to break it all down. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Calif...
Aug 20, 2024•31 min•Ep. 202
The Democrats flood Chicago for the Democratic National Convention this week, and it’s sure to be a wild one. Will Kamala Harris lean in to the historic nature of her candidacy? How will Donald Trump respond? And will Beyonce make an appearance? All week long H. Alan Scott will be reacting to the DNC with Newsweek’s Jenni Fink and Jason Lemon. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Aug 19, 2024•27 min•Ep. 201
Just like Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Donald Trump should hire his own PR crisis manger after that chat he did with X’s Elon Musk. The big question after their conversation is are we seeing the downfall of Trump? (Probably not, let’s be real.) But is he, dare we say, becoming boring? Comedian and writer Eliot Glazer joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to react to all the news from this week. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privac...
Aug 16, 2024•33 min•Ep. 200
The ninth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars certainly delivered. From the cast to the antics, it had it all. Today H. Alan Scott chats with the season’s winner, Angeria Paris VanMicheals, about what it was like to play for charity (the National Black Justice Collective), compete against the likes of Roxxxy Andrews and Plastique Tiara, and what she thinks of past queens judging her looks on various podcasts. Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the ...
Aug 14, 2024•24 min•Ep. 199
We got off the couch to do this episode. (You hear that JD Vance?) From Vice President Kamala Harris picking Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her VP pick to Robert Kennedy Jr. being into bears—it’s not what you think, or maybe it is?—we’ve got a lot to go over this week. Comedian and writer Brent Sullivan joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to react to all the news from this week. Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. While you’re there, subscr...
Aug 09, 2024•36 min•Ep. 198
There was a time when it felt like everyone in America was watching American Idol. It made superstars out of contestants like Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood. But was there also something else going on? Did we ever question how many of the more marginalized contestants were treated? That’s something journalist Nico Lang explored in their article ‘LGBTQ+ Contestants Say ‘American Idol’ Failed Them: ‘I Saw the Worst of It,’ originally published in Rolling Stone. On today’s episode, N...
Aug 08, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 197
