The Nightly

Greta Johnsen talks with caller Violet about Starbucks discontinuing her beloved cranberry refresher, the quest for a decent sugar cookie latte, and why Aquaphor might just save us all this winter. What You'll Hear: The Cranberry Refresher Eulogy: Violet mourns the holiday drink that once made her Christmas complete, and Greta -- a self-proclaimed non-coffee-drinker -- gets a crash course in Starb...

Matt Bragg talks with caller Poppy about the tangled florist-slash-gift-shop-slash-insurance business she works at, the truffles that net her store a whopping fifteen cents apiece, and her heartfelt plea for customers to just spend a little more money. What You'll Hear: A Vinted Lowball Gone Wrong: Matt opens with his own haggling saga over a secondhand parka, and the friend whose lowball advice o...

Josh Gondelman talks with caller Robert about the magic of Red Rocks Amphitheatre, bands that level up live, and why Casa Bonita makes the perfect concert-day detour. What You'll Hear: Why Red Rocks Belongs on Your List: Robert makes his case for the famous Colorado amphitheater, from its ancient acoustics to the thunderstorms rolling across the prairie. Bands That Level Up Live: Josh and Robert s...

Greta Johnsen talks with caller Bill about playing nurse to his newly knee-replaced mom, the mysterious healing power of Milano cookies, and the childhood-home photo landmines he can't stop tripping over. What You'll Hear: Caretaking Suits Him: Bill describes feeling "born to be a caretaker" while nursing his mom through her second knee replacement, complete with walker etiquette notes and nerve-b...

Matt Bragg talks with Caller Matt about why Star Trek: The Next Generation, with its hopeful future and ever-present ship hum, makes the ultimate comfort watch. What You'll Hear: A Comfort Watch Confession: Matt kicks things off with his newfound soft spot for reruns of The Office (the American one!) Captain Picard's Endless Wisdom: Caller Matt explains why Star Trek: The Next Generation i...

Josh Gondelman talks with Caller Grace about how a nervous first night at a dive-bar mic turned into two years of karaoke courage, a 36-person group text called Karaoke Recovery, and even a performance at Chicago's Salt Shed. What You'll Hear: A Wichita Halloween Update: Josh shares a voice memo from past caller Kathryn, whose neighborhood went through $300 of candy by 8:15 and witnessed a very ga...

Josh Gondelman talks with film critic Alison Willmore (co-host of the podcast Critical Darlings) about the brain-breaking Elizabeth Holmes documentary, the small movies flying under the radar, and the big swings that teeter on glorious chaos. What You'll Hear: The Movie Everyone But Josh Has Seen: Josh confesses he's somehow the last person on earth who hasn't seen You Can See Everything, and Alis...

Greta Johnsen talks with caller Michael about his surprising strategy for finally finishing books: parking himself in a quiet, fake Old West saloon at Six Flags for twelve-hour reading marathons while his kids ride the roller coasters without him. What You'll Hear: The Reading Hack Born at Six Flags: Michael explains how refusing to ride roller coasters turned amusement park days into his most pro...

Matt Bragg talks with caller Andreas about hunting rare soul 45s, DJing his way across Copenhagen nightlife, and the thrill of chasing records that were only ever pressed in batches of 500. What You'll Hear: A CD in the Age of Streaming: Matt opens with a small, surprising joy -- a friend mailed him a sealed CD from an Australian band, proof that physical music still has its charms. From San Diego...

Josh Gondelman talks with Caller Emma about the three-hour Elizabeth Holmes documentary that broke her brain, Nathan Fielder's exquisitely uncomfortable genius, and whether anyone can truly know a person who keeps remaking herself. What You'll Hear: A Movie You Can't Stop Chewing On: Josh opens with his own recent obsession, a divisive Tom Cruise film, and invites listeners to call in...

Greta Johnsen talks with Caller Geraldy about hunting for a celebrity-gossip buddy, surviving awkward "friend-dating" meetups, and why intergenerational friendships might be the secret weapon. What You'll Hear: The Friends Fantasy: Greta and Geraldy dig into why sitcoms like Friends and How I Met Your Mother set us up to expect a ready-made eight-person besties squad, and why real li...

Matt Bragg talks with caller/producer Harry about the novelty song Agadoo that has hijacked his brain, Britain's long love affair with ridiculous Christmas number ones, and why America only managed to get the Cha Cha Slide to number eighty-three. What You'll Hear: An Earworm Named Agadoo: Harry calls in to confess a British novelty song from the '80s has taken over his every waking thought, and he...

Josh Gondelman and Matt Bragg trade wild hometown legends—an escaped king cobra, a backyard World War II museum, and a peek over the fence at Graceland Too—while previewing Matt's return with Notes From England. What You'll Hear: The Case of the Elementary School Cobra: Josh recalls the hometown legend of an illegally kept king cobra that went missing, and where it eventually turned up. A Living R...

Josh Gondelman talks with guest Jamie Doktor, aka Miss J, about bartending her way into her first striptease, performing eight months pregnant, and building Buffalo's longest-running burlesque troupe on instinct, whiskey, and a little bit of fate. What You'll Hear: Three Dollars and a Thursday Night Gap: Jamie returns to Buffalo nearly broke, takes a bartending job, and notices one empty night on...

Greta Johnsen talks with caller Kassey about a Halloweekend quandary: a cover charge and a costume line, a cozy night in by the fire, and a 7 AM flight to Puerto Rico the next morning. What You'll Hear: The Halloweekend Quandary: Kassey used to treat Halloween as a Thursday-to-Sunday event, but a long line in a costume now sounds less appealing than a night at home. Greta, who hasn't gone out for...

Matt Bragg talks with caller Kelsey about her nights as a Busch Gardens scare actor, the unwritten etiquette of jump-scaring strangers, and why she still sleeps with the lights on. What You'll Hear: A Newly Diagnosed Halloween Fan: Matt kicks things off by admitting he's more into Halloween than he ever realized, even though scare mazes still terrify him. Life Inside the Haunted House: Kelsey shar...

Josh Gondelman talks with caller Joy about her ever-expanding costume room, the night she cried during her very first burlesque class, and the train conductor hat she's still trying to justify buying. What You'll Hear: A Costume Room Comes to Life: Josh checks in on Joy's Airbnb before she shares what's happening in the costume-and-aerial-arts room she's been building at home. From Six-Week Class...

Greta Johnsen talks with caller Sahar about trading hustle mode for five-minute walks, kitchen squats, and the radical idea that rest doesn't have to be earned. What You'll Hear: Squats While the Coffee Brews: Sahar explains how she finds movement in tiny pockets of her day, proving that five minutes can count just as much as a full workout. The Season of Being Less Useful: Greta brings up a favor...

Matt Bragg and Deanna Ortiz trade notes on the Kelly Clarkson & Brooklyn shop showdown, the new seasons of It's Crime For Bed, and the strange legend of the Pez Outlaw. What You'll Hear: A Herb Garden Crime Scene: Matt confesses to a drone mishap that left his girlfriend's herbs in ruins, and the flimsy cover story he's still trying to sell her on. The Bird That Cost $15 Million: Deanna breaks dow...

Josh Gondelman talks with Caller Sarah about embracing daylight saving time, finding the clear umbrella that changed her rainy days, and feeding peanuts to a flock of blue jays. What You'll Hear: Sweater Weather Math: Josh opens with his yearly scramble to wear every cardigan and light jacket before the Northeast's brief, beautiful autumn disappears. Springing Forward, On Purpose: Sarah explains h...

Greta Johnsen talks with writer Fern Watt about the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade and why dogs make the best icebreakers with strangers. What You'll Hear: A Parade Grown Too Big for the Park: Greta learns how a scrappy dog run tradition outgrew its space to become the 36th annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade. Gumshoe and the Odyssey: Fern walks through some of this year's most glori...

Greta Johnsen talks with Caller Nicole about Halloween costume-making for her daughter, from a papier-mâché submarine to this year's sparkly, spandex-heavy Boo. What You'll Hear: From Dolly Parton to Boo: Nicole walks Greta through her daughter's costume history, including a full Dolly Parton era complete with bedazzled boots and street performances. The Papier-Mâché Deep Dive: The two trade notes...

Matt Bragg talks with caller Mike about father-daughter Halloween costume pairings, the economics of trick-or-treating candy, and the surprisingly spooky history of turnip jack-o'-lanterns. What You'll Hear: A Very Expensive Feather: Matt kicks things off with a frantic vet trip, a questionable hairball, and a bill steep enough to rival a nice dinner out. Eevee, Ash, and the Art of the Pairing: Mi...

Josh Gondelman talks with Caller Tim about his elaborate October movie marathon, from Witchy Wednesday to Sequel Saturday, and the campy gems most people have never heard of. What You'll Hear: A Calendar Built for Spooky Season: Tim explains the themed structure he's refined since the COVID days, complete with alliterative names like Macabre Monday and Fleshy Friday. The Deep Cuts Worth Digging Up...

Greta Johnsen talks with Caller Lauren about turning her wedding dress into a zombie bride costume and planning a Dracula-themed murder mystery for her husband's Halloween birthday. What You'll Hear: Zombie Bride and Groom, COVID Edition: Lauren tells Greta about the Halloween she and her new husband decided to reuse their wedding attire. Six Years, Two Daughters, One Dress: Looking back at those...