In a wide-ranging and provocative conversation that traversed the intersections of technology, politics, and social change, veteran tech journalist Sarah Lacy and host Michael Krasny engaged in a candid dialogue that explored the most pressing cultural and political issues of the moment. The conversation began with Lacy opining on venture capitalists investing in Trump. They went on to talk about the increase in hypermasculinity, and Lacy brought up the diminution of trans rights. Krasny asked L...
Mar 05, 2025•59 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast We began this episode talking about Joan Didion as a Hollywood figure and the importance of John Wayne, as well as her importance as a political writer with early strong conservative political views. Didion's portrayal of Hollywood and her lesser-known film criticism also came up for discussion, followed by a consideration of the work of the legendary film critic Pauline Kael and how Wilkinson, a film critic for The New York Times, decides what films to review or critique. Alyssa Wilkinson ...
Feb 27, 2025•59 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast Tik Tok and data acquisition, scary topics on China up ahead. Michael Krasny featured leading Sinologist Orville Schell and began by asking Schell for his response to the Trump administration's imposed tariffs and their potential effects on a possible trade war, fentanyl out of China and U.S. China relations. Schell spoke of Xi Jinping's irrational actions and what appears to bind him and Putin together and Krasny asked Schell if he foresaw a role for Beijing brokering a peace between ...
Feb 12, 2025•58 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast Former Gambino family mobster Lou Ferrante joined us for an episode about his three volumes of research on the Mafia. He spoke of the alleged role of the Mob in the JFK assassination just as the files were about to be opened and he and Michael Krasny explored the ethos of the Mob -- the law of Omerta and the past frequency of so called "whackings," as well as the perks of being a mobster and such Cosa Nostra figures as John Gotti, Henry Hill and Joey Gallo. They spoke of politicians an...
Feb 04, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast Michael Krasny interviewed Professor Greg Sarris, Chair of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. This was the fourth interview sponsored by the Bill Lane Center for the American West. The dialogue began with Krasny asking Sarris his views on what separated Indians of the West from Indians of other regions in America. The conversation then moved into discussions about Indian casinos and the uses of their reso...
Jan 28, 2025•59 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Michael Krasny sought answers to what we need to know—and still don't know—about what many are convinced might be our next pandemic. Leading health and environmental journalist Lisa Krieger provided an immense amount of important information about avian flu (H5N1), discussing what humans need to be most concerned about and how it affects different animals, as well as vaccines, surveillance, what to avoid, and routes of transmission. A listener asked Krieger what she, one of...
Jan 22, 2025•50 min•Ep 114•Transcript available on Metacast Michael Krasny began this episode with author, hotelier and long-time wisdom seeker Chip Conley, who was in Baja, talking about the terrible fires in Los Angeles and what if any lessons can be learned from them. They spoke of wisdom seeking and Conley of the metaphor for our lives of a rental car as well as his ongoing struggle with cancer, which he calls his teacher. Krasny brought up wrong headed views of cancer that place too much blame on the individual self and they spoke of environmental a...
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast The episode with two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times op-ed columnist Nick Kristof focused on his recent inspirational and hope-filled book, "Chasing Hope." The conversation began with Kristof speaking to Michael Krasny about the effects on him and the moral challenges he faced covering Tiananmen Square, as well as the lessons he gleaned from his early reporter's work in Cambodia and the U.S. He opined on the fight for democracy and weighed the effect on him of the oppre...
Jan 08, 2025•55 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast The episode with Professor and Middle East expert Stephen Zunes began with Professor Michael Krasny asking about the victory of HTS over Assad in Syria and the poison weapons that remain there, as well as what to expect of the new government and its effect on ISIS, the Kurds, and migration. Krasny spoke of the profound enmity and divisions, and he and Zunes discussed prospects for democracy and the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Talk of Iran's role, the Houthis and Ye...
Dec 31, 2024•54 min•Ep 111•Transcript available on Metacast Mother Jones magazine co-founder, author, and journalist Adam Hochschild joined Michael Krasny for a rich and varied conversation focused on Russia's war with Ukraine. A long-time dove and opponent of U.S. and other nations' wars, Hochschild described himself as an anti-Russia hawk. The two discussed Vladimir Putin's brutality and lack of human empathy, with Krasny referencing the pro-Russia views of the late left-leaning Princeton professor Stephen Cohen. They explored Putin&apos...
Dec 26, 2024•56 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast Michael Krasny interviewed best-selling author Cory Doctorow (with over 150 million book sales globally), initially exploring his personal and national backgrounds. They discussed why Doctorow sees himself as more closely tied to science fiction as a genre, despite the range of his writings. They delved into how he became so knowledgeable about technology and why he dropped out of four different colleges. The interview also touched on his surname and the likely lack of blood kinship to acclaimed...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast This episode with Jungian psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and author Dr. Thomas Singer, one of the contributors to "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump," began with a discussion of President-elect Donald Trump's present mental state and what appears to have shifted from the first time he was elected to the nation's highest office. Dr. Singer spoke with Michael Krasny about the shadow self and the notion of Trump invading individual psyches of both followers and detractors and being drawn to selectin...
Nov 27, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast The latest episode of Grey Matter with Michael Krasny featured best-selling crime and detective novelist Michael Connelly, creator of Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller, and author of his 39th novel, "The Waiting." The conversation began with Krasny asking Connelly how he decides which character to feature, since "The Waiting" stars Renée Ballard, though Bosch plays a major role. Connelly discussed the important advisory role of Ballard's prototype, Mitzi Roberts, the recentl...
Nov 21, 2024•53 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast Our third of four Bill Lane Center for the American West podcasts featured Stanford's Alex Nemerov in conversation with Michael Krasny. The discussion began with what makes Western art distinctive and what captured Alex's imagination. Michael then explored Alex's approach to curating art exhibitions and discussed the influences of Alex's father, celebrated poet Howard Nemerov, and his aunt, iconic pioneer photographer Diane Arbus. This led to a discussion of Susan Sontag's book on photography an...
Nov 14, 2024•50 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast In a thought-provoking interview, Michael Krasny speaks with Richard Reeves, founder of the American Institute for Boys and Men, about the mounting challenges facing boys and men in contemporary society. Reeves, drawing from his experience at the Brookings Institution, outlines how girls have significantly surpassed boys in educational achievement, from high school through college, attributing this partly to differences in executive functioning, developmental timelines, and brain maturation. He ...
Nov 05, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast In a wide-ranging conversation with Michael Krasny, NPR Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elving provided insightful political analysis of the upcoming elections. The discussion began with an examination of polling efficacy and the impact of absentee ballots before delving into the roles of race and gender in the presidential race. The conversation explored campaign tactics, including discussions of Trump being labeled a fascist and his characterization of the U.S. as a "garbage can."...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast We began our second Bill Lane Center for the American West sponsored episode with leading long-time environmental and former Russia-based journalist Felicity Barringer, editor of & the West, a magazine about the future and nature of the West. We discussed the future of water in the West, focusing on the divisions in the Colorado River, new water technologies, and the region's concentration of lithium. We then explored geothermal energy alternatives, the Sustainable Groundwater Act, and the threa...
Oct 22, 2024•58 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast A wide-ranging discussion featured acclaimed author and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell. Michael Krasny began by exploring Malcolm's entry into podcasting. Malcolm shared his love for the medium and how his podcast, Revisionist History, showcases his "mischievous side." They discussed the success of podcasters Joe Rogan and Bill Simmons and the importance of curiosity and listening skills. Malcolm touched on his experience with Paul Simon and the cultural effects on cardiologists, as detailed in his ...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast Michael Krasny began this episode with tech and media expert Jim Louderback by asking him what he foresees for the future of digital media and the dialogue then moved on to a discussion of AI and ChatGPT. From there the conversation went to the fate of TikTok & Jim's opinions on Instagram, YouTube and its creators, Netflix, and entrepreneurship. The conversation then flowed to Jim and Michael discussing their experiences with conferences and some of what each disclosed as the secrets of good and...
Oct 08, 2024•59 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast We began this first of four episodes, sponsored by the Bill Lane Center for the American West, with its co-founder and emeritus Stanford History Professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David M. Kennedy, discussing the real and the mythic American West and the nation's possibly most interdisciplinary course offered by the Center on the West and defining what the West is – including its geological history and the over two-century singular role of the federal government. This was followed by Mi...
Oct 01, 2024•57 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast Elizabeth Farnsworth, former PBS Newshour anchor and reporter turned writer, engaged in a wide-ranging conversation with host Michael Krasny about her career and latest work. The discussion covered her memorable interviews, mentors, and experiences as a foreign correspondent, including traumatic events that led to her leaving that role. Farnsworth reflected on the challenges of modern news reporting and the differences between commercial and public broadcasting. The conversation then shifted to ...
Sep 26, 2024•57 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast We spent a recorded hour with esteemed journalist and editor Perry Garfinkel, author of the bestselling Buddha or Bust and the recently published Becoming Gandhi. Perry spoke of his quest to find morality in Gandhi's life and work and Gandhi's six principles and the differences between being and becoming – the latter presupposing the infinite in practice. Perry spoke of the Mahatma's lack of understanding of his own sexuality as well as his belief in goodness, which Perry labeled "pollyannaish."...
Sep 17, 2024•50 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast This week we spoke with author Amy Tan about her most recent best-seller, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, a fascinating immersion into nature, the world of birds and her dedication to drawing them. In 2016 during a time of overt racism, especially towards Asian Americans, Amy decided to dive into nature journaling. There she discovered a fascination for birds and approached this world as a novelist, these were her characters. When she drew a bird she imagined she was the bird- trying to understand...
Sep 11, 2024•59 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast A deep and wide ranging conversation with sociologist Jessica Calarco, focusing on educational disparities, class privilege, and social inequities. Key topics included the hidden curriculum in schools, the role of community colleges, and tax policies aimed at economic equality. The conversation began with a focus on the gap between the privileged and the marginalized and the differences in class and race and what the research reveals as well as the question of the effect of inequities on immigra...
Sep 03, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 96•Transcript available on Metacast Ethan Elkind, a leading climate scientist, led us initially into an understanding of why climate goals were not being met and how that affects overall messaging. From there he spoke of the importance of battery technology, solar and wind renewable energies, and transition to minerals such as lithium, cobalt and graphite. He emphasized the need for care in the mining sector where he sees a window for change and the building of better grids. We then spoke of "lifestyle" changes, the need for more ...
Aug 27, 2024•1 hr•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast Aimee Allison, Founder of She the People, joined us to talk about the Kamala Harris presidential nomination and the increased and increasing role of women of color in U.S. key positions of political power. We spoke of political organizer, Georgia's Stacey Abrams, as well as the defeat of squad members Cori Bush in a Missouri primary and Jamaal Bowman in Queens, and the significant role of AIPAC in both losses. We discussed Trump's response to Black journalists which Allison described as "deeply ...
Aug 13, 2024•59 min•Ep 94•Transcript available on Metacast Stanford Business School Lecturer, author and host of the popular podcast Think Fast/Talk Smart joined us for an inspired and inspiring hour on overcoming public speech anxiety and communicating effectively. Matt spoke of the importance of focusing on value and being conversational as well as having a map and structure. He talked about deep breathing, holding something cold and "greeting anxiety" as well as how his own career began with anxiety over a speech he had to give at the age of fourteen...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr•Ep 93•Transcript available on Metacast Popular PBS Interviewer and New York Times best-selling author Kelly Corrigan sat down with Michael Krasny to talk about a wide range of topics including her experiences decades ago as Professor Krasny's student as well as her views on interviewing. She spoke of her interviews ("A lot like a date and full of emotion") with Francis Collins; Jennifer Garner; David Byrne; Bryan Stevenson and Judd Apatow and delved into the question of why do good and the problem of what media buyers want as well as...
Jul 29, 2024•58 min•Ep 92•Transcript available on Metacast Pulitzer prize winning journalist and economics and tax expert David Cay Johnston spoke with us about his long and extensive investigative research on former U.S. president Donald Trump as well as the state of the U.S. economy during the Trump and Biden presidencies. Johnston spoke critically of news organizations, especially of what he characterized as their inability to cover Trump as "a con artist" and three generations of white collar criminality of the family of the man who now wields contr...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep 91•Transcript available on Metacast Acclaimed actor, famed narrative voice and Zen Buddhist priest Peter Coyote joined us in a far reaching dialogue which took in his acting and voice careers as well as his life and his life philosophy and sharp edged political views. We spoke, too, about the content in his latest book, Zen in the Vernacular and his early, preeminent family influences and the shaping influences of the Diggers, as well as his heroin addiction and his radical political beliefs and faith in what he calls radical opti...
Jul 16, 2024•57 min•Ep 90•Transcript available on Metacast 
