The Night Light with Joshua Johnson

It was a hilariously fake image: an AI-generated diagram of a rat whose endowment reached way over its head. The image’s source? A peer-reviewed scientific journal article. The journal retracted it quickly, but it still got there… and its author is still publishing papers. Generative AI is making hoaxes and disinformation much easier to publish, but the tools are also improving for catching it. I’...

Ever wanted to quit your job and join the circus? Meet a man who did exactly that. Jack Lepiarz left his anchor post at NPR station WBUR in Boston, to follow his passion for circus performing. He even made it on “America’s Got Talent” in 2022. I’ve been dying to talk to him about this transition: the highs & lows, as well as what it might say about our relationships with our jobs today. Also,...

Ever wanted to quit your job and join the circus? Meet a man who did exactly that. Jack Lepiarz left his anchor post at NPR station WBUR in Boston, to follow his passion for circus performing. He even made it on “America’s Got Talent” in 2022. I’ve been dying to talk to him about this transition: the highs & lows, as well as what it might say about our relationships with our jobs today. Also,...

Race remains one of America’s touchiest topics, and the Census is approaching it in a new way. What does it mean to be Hispanic? If you’re Middle Eastern, should you be counted as White? Today the US Census Bureau announced major revisions to address these issues. I’ll walk you through the arguments for & against these changes. And I’ll show you some other Census proposals & findings you m...

Race remains one of America’s touchiest topics, and the Census is approaching it in a new way. What does it mean to be Hispanic? If you’re Middle Eastern, should you be counted as White? Today the US Census Bureau announced major revisions to address these issues. I’ll walk you through the arguments for & against these changes. And I’ll show you some other Census proposals & findings you m...

Black folks like me are among Russia's favorite targets for election disinformation. I’m furious over a viral video that made its way into my family’s group chat. This might be an angrier episode from me than you’re used to, but I need you to hear me on this and help fight these lies.

Black folks like me are among Russia's favorite targets for election disinformation. I’m furious over a viral video that made its way into my family’s group chat. This might be an angrier episode from me than you’re used to, but I need you to hear me on this and help fight these lies.

NBC is cutting ties with former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, days after a disastrous appearance on “Meet the Press” that sent the news division into an open revolt. As a former NBC News anchor and contributor, I think my old network blew a huge opportunity to do some good. MORE DETAILS: https://www.nightlightshow.com/p/how-nbc-shouldve-handled-ronna-mcdaniel

NBC is cutting ties with former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, days after a disastrous appearance on “Meet the Press” that sent the news division into an open revolt. As a former NBC News anchor and contributor, I think my old network blew a huge opportunity to do some good.

March 22nd was my birthday! I’m pretty happy with life these days, but apparently Americans are slipping in the latest World Happiness Report. (No, I didn’t make that up: there is such a thing.) I’ll show you who’s lowering our score, and what I’ve learned about happiness that might help them. Use promo code YOULOOK30 to save 15% in the merch store: SHOP HERE

March 22nd was my birthday! I’m pretty happy with life these days, but apparently Americans are slipping in the latest World Happiness Report. (No, I didn’t make that up: there is such a thing.) I’ll show you who’s lowering our score, and what I’ve learned about happiness that might help them. Use promo code YOULOOK30 to save 15% in the merch store: ⁠ SHOP HERE ⁠

ISIS claims it’s behind an attack near Moscow that killed at least 40 people just before a concert. This claim has yet to be confirmed, but what is ISIS up to these days? Also, March 22nd is World Water Day, with plenty of challenges in hydrating the human race. Let’s check on some of the big water conflicts that could shape the future. 0:00-Intro/Chat 5:46-Russia attack, ISIS-K background 43:23-M...

ISIS claims it’s behind an attack near Moscow that killed at least 40 people just before a concert. This claim has yet to be confirmed, but what is ISIS up to these days? March 22nd is World Water Day, with plenty of challenges in hydrating the human race. Let’s check on some of the big water conflicts that could shape the future. 0:00-Intro/Chat 5:46-Russia attack, ISIS-K background 43:23-Merch p...

This week attorneys for former President Donald Trump laid out his legal argument for “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution over the January 6th insurrection. I’m no lawyer, but it doesn’t take much to see that his argument has some pretty big holes. Also this week, McDonald’s released the final part of a unique marketing push, acknowledging the anime parody WcDonald’s. The campaign might...

This week attorneys for former President Donald Trump laid out his legal argument for “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution over the January 6th insurrection. I’m no lawyer, but it doesn’t take much to see that his argument has some pretty big holes. Also this week, McDonald’s released the final part of a unique marketing push, acknowledging the anime parody WcDonald’s. The campaign might...

Evangelical Christians have been getting a ton of attention lately, particularly as many align themselves more with conservative politics. An upcoming book from NPR National Political Correspondent Sarah McCammon explores how & why people are leaving their faith, and recalls her own struggles with growing up in the church. Join the live chat as we talk about “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living...

Evangelical Christians have been getting a ton of attention lately, particularly as many align themselves more with conservative politics. An upcoming book from NPR National Political Correspondent Sarah McCammon explores how & why people are leaving their faith, and recalls her own struggles with growing up in the church. Join the live chat as we talk about “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living...

You might want to wait before buying or selling a house. A settlement announced today would dramatically change the fees you pay. Also, the Supreme Court just punted on a case out of Texas involving drag shows at a public university. It’s not the end of the case, though… nor the end of West Texas A&M’s efforts to become a conservative bastion. 0:00-Intro/Chat 0:58-Drag show legal fight 30:15-P...

Can government officials block you on social media if they don’t like what you say? The Supreme Court clarified that today with a new ruling. More cases are coming, including about the Biden Administration’s efforts to reduce COVID misinformation. I’ll break down today’s opinion and look ahead to the next case.

Can government officials block you on social media if they don’t like what you say? The Supreme Court clarified that today with a new ruling. More cases are coming, including about the Biden Administration’s efforts to reduce COVID misinformation. I’ll break down today’s opinion and look ahead to the next case.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) proposes to shorten America’s standard workweek to 32 hours, with overtime at 8+ hours a day and double time at 12 hours. What would the pros & cons be… and would you want it for your company? Also, a number of mostly Republican-led states have been advancing bills to relax child labor laws. I’ll have a quick update on where those efforts stand. And Pi Day celebrates...

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) proposes to shorten America’s standard workweek to 32 hours, with overtime at 8+ hours a day and double time at 12 hours. What would the pros & cons be… and would you want it for your company? Also, a number of mostly Republican-led states have been advancing bills to relax child labor laws. I’ll have a quick update on where those efforts stand. And Pi Day celebrates...

The US government may be one step closer to banning TikTok. Today the US House overwhelmingly passed a bill that would force the app’s sale away from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. Previous efforts to do this have failed. Not surprisingly, young adults are sounding off against this move, even though surveys show teens admit using TikTok way too much. What should we do about this app? And in the mea...

The US government may be one step closer to banning TikTok. Today the US House overwhelmingly passed a bill that would force the app’s sale away from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. Previous efforts to do this have failed. Not surprisingly, young adults are sounding off against this move, even though surveys show teens admit using TikTok way too much. What should we do about this app? And in the mea...

“Feisty”. That word keeps coming up in describing Pres. Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address. Meanwhile, Donald Trump hosted authoritarian Viktor Orban of Hungary at Mar-A-Lago. And Republicans voted in Lara Trump as the Party’s co-chair. If the humanitarian crisis in Gaza matters to you, there's another such calamity right off America's shores. Haiti is closer than ever to literally be...