Discourse Pod

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com Producer Sam is in the third chair this week to discuss: * Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner cancelling a bunch of events this week * The new, explosive exposé from Politico in which a former girlfriend of Platner accuses him of sexual assault * Platner’s video statement almost, but not quite, suspen...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com It’s a New York primary-centric episode this week, with Rolling Stone ’s Jack “Cros” Crosbie returning to the third chair to discuss: * Ranking New York City’s avenues and the darkness of Eighth Avenue * Zohran Mamdani going three for three with this Congressional primary endorsements * Some people who are mad abou...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com With Aleks out this week, Jack steps into the host role and The Week ’s Rafi Schwartz returns to the third chair to discuss: * The would-be Iran Peace Deal, aka “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran” * Everyone’s mad about it! Mostly neocons, in...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com Slate’s Caitlin Schneider returns to the third chair to discuss: * Trump attending Game Three of NBA Finals (they lost) * Are rumors of Taylor and Travis holding their wedding at Madison Square Garden a false flag by Tree Paine? * Scott Pelley’s tearful exit interview from 60 Minutes and CBS News with the New York...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com After weeks of pleading from the Frasiers, Producer Sam is BACK in the third chair to discuss: * Sid Rosenberg is looking… well toasted ? Let’s just say, when you make Trump’s skin look normal, then you might have a problem. Everyone, please wear sunscreen (EVERY DAY). * Bari cleans house at 60 Minutes and installs...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com We continue to innovate the form by choosing to NOT have a third chair this week (might this experiment be the result of no one being available to record? we’ll never know), so it’s just Aleks and Jack discussing: * Jack doing a tight 10 on the Strait of Hormuz * Boots Riley’s latest film, I Love Boosters (we’re no...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com In a SHOCKING turn of events (Aleks was out of town), JACK is hosting this week’s episode, wherein The Intercept’s Katherine Krueger returns to discuss: * New York State is eying banning potassium bromate , AKA the chemical that makes bagels taste so damn good * Speaking of chemicals worth dying for, you can pry Ka...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com Newly minted Rolling Stone senior writer Jack “Cros” Crobie is back in the third chair to discuss: * How having a W2 job can make you a little bit (or a lot of bit) libertarian * Trump saying he doesn’t care at all about the impact of the Iran war on Americans’ finances * A quick aside about The Devil Wears Prada 2...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com ! IMPORTANT PROGRAMMING NOTE! We’re taking next week (May 5, 2026) off! We’ll be back the following week with a new episode (May 12, 2026). The Week ’s Rafi Schwartz returns to the third chair to discuss: * What foods are better soggy * Kelsey Grammer’s 2021 collaboration with Gristedes ?? * Was the shooting a FALS...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com Producer Sam is BACK in the third chair to discuss: * Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigns ; Tim Apple said, “Also, me” * Checking in on Ellen DeGeneres (she’s back in America ! sort of) * Speaking of problematic lesbians, Rosie O’Donnell is MAD at disgraced former Congressman Eric Swalwell * Also Producer S...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com The Intercept’s Katherine Krueger returns to the third chair to discuss: * Sid Rosenberg’s beef with Mr. and Mrs. Met * Eric Swalwell’s resignation from Congress * Jack’s first bylines as an intern at The San Francisco Chronicle * Those photos of Justin Trudeau and and Katy Perry at Coachella , which reminded us of...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com The Week ’s Rafi Schwartz returns to the third chair to discuss: * Whether werewolf astronauts would permanently be in wolf form due to their proximity to the moon * Trump’s chaotic Easter Sunday post and his promise of war crimes ( note : this episode was recorded before Trump threatened on Tuesday that a “whole c...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com Slate’s Caitlin Schneider is back in the third chair this week to discuss: * A very silly Politico magazine story about Rahm Emanuel that opens with an inane lede about how he eats a salad and how we’ll be slurping down countless stories like this in the lead-up to the 2028 Democratic primary * We Remember Some Sal...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com We’re back! After taking a week off due to illness (more on that on the pod…), Jack Crosbie (“Cros”) returns to the third chair to get into: * Trump saying the war is over , but not really, but maybe? The only thing we know for sure? We’re losing * This Max Fisher video about what’s motivating the four main actors...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com This week we get into: * A winding discussion about Train Dreams , Blue Moon , Felicity Jones Bad Actor Disease, and an important plug for our forthcoming annual Oscars Special Edition episode * Producer Sam gives us the local perspective on the Texas Senate primaries * She also reminds about that weird scandal inv...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com It’s a single-topic episode this week, recorded just days after the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran. The Week and Discourse Blog’s own Rafi Schwartz is back in the third chair to discuss: * How this turned out to be even more terrible than we could have predicted * Trump’s nonsensical prete...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com We get into a lot this week with Katherine back in the third chair, including: * How we’re all dealing with the Big Blizzard of 2026 * Katherine saw Emerald Fennel’s Wuthering Heights . She’s not a fan! * The DNC is refusing to release its 2024 election autopsy, probably in large part because of how much of Kamala...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com Discourse Blog and Slate’s very own Caitlin Schneider returns to the third chair, and you know what that means! Another fully deranged episode, including: * Jack tries to coin a new catchphrase involving Frasier * We get into MAGA’s Certified Loser reaction to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance * We remember some S...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com OG Discourse Blog-er and current More Perfect Union producer Paul Blest returns as third chair just in time for the first big contest of this year’s election cycle, including: * Analilia Mejia’s shocking win in the special election to fill New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s former Congressional seat * Taylor Rehmet f...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com With Producer Sam pulling double-duty this week, we get into a lot, including: * Why Wirecutter recommends the ugliest products * How the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by CBP in broad daylight has unleashed a huge, mainstream wave of hating ICE * A quick review of Bari Weiss’ “bold” new vision for CBS News and h...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com We’re ringing in one full year of Trump’s second administration with Katherine back in the third chair to discuss how we’re all coping (not well), the key differences we’re noticing between Trump Era 1 and Trump Era 2 (spoiler alert: more organized, vicious fascism), and important digressions into: * An exciting ne...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com This is a shorter, single-topic episode serving as a followup to Rafi’s excellent blog chronicling what he’s seen as ICE continues its violent invasion of his hometown. He tells us what it’s been like to have his community overtaken by armed goons and the acts of bravery that have surprised and inspired him, and th...

We’re BACK from the holiday break, baby!!! New Year, New Regime! It was a big week for the military industrial complex, so naturally we had to have Troop Knower Jack Crosbie back in the third chair. We get into: * The origins of COUP TALK and its glorious Discourse Pod debut. The big idea? According to Cros: What if—and hear him out—some coups are good ? Cros also gets into quite a bit more about...

After a slight illness-related delay (get better soon Producer Sam!!!), we are BACK for our last pod of the year. Thank God Caitlin was free to be third chair for an ep that covers a lot of ground, including: * A disturbing rumor about an actor who allegedly is out and proud about having an AI girlfriend (it’s giving James Franco x body pillow on 30 Rock ) * How President Obama putting Lady Gaga’s...

The holiday season is in full swing and we’re bursting with joy for: * Whether Frequent Podcast Guest Katherine is still vaping (watch to find out) * N*zz* Watch pt. 1,000,000,000 * Trump took the brain test for people with dementia three times . Seems fine! * The Warner Bros. acquisition by either Netflix or Paramount, both of which are outcomes that are definitely good * Important digressions ab...