In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt

It's time for another Monday Toolkit episode! This week, Andy feeds your questions and real-life situations to Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers and former New York City epidemiologist Farzad Mostashari. This conversation aims to help us bring normality back into our lives, and they'll offer up advice about traveling, kids, school, socializing and more. You will need to vote after the ep...

If there is one expert Andy could talk with about coronavirus and how we are really doing, it is epidemiologist Larry Brilliant. Larry, who helped eradicate smallpox and is hard at work on coronavirus, grades our performance on a scientific, sociological, and political basis. He also shares everything that science knows, and doesn't know, about the way the novel coronavirus is transmitted and infe...

 Andy connects with journalist and Recode co-founder Kara Swisher for one reason but it goes in a very different direction. She schools the spoiled brats in the country in a way you may just want to keep replaying.  Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt and Instagram @andyslavitt, and find Kara Swisher on Twitter and Instagram @KaraSwisher. In the Bubble is supported in part by listeners like you...

Andy calls Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders to talk about M4A. Yes, they discuss Medicare For All but they also get into the Senator's new strategy for ending the pandemic: Masks For All. It's something the two of them have worked on together. Bernie also discusses the political dynamics within the Democratic Party and the Senate as a whole, along with how he and Vice President Biden are collaborati...

It's the Monday Toolkit episode of In The Bubble that people have been waiting for. Today, Andy and Zach get answers to the most important questions we all have about vaccines from two of the world's foremost experts, Drs. Mark McClellan and David Agus. There is incredibly promising news and some news that is likely to be fairly surprising. You'll learn when we can expect to see a vaccine and how...

The anger and frustration are palpable In The Bubble when Andy and Massachusetts Congressman Joe Kennedy III get together to talk about what’s not getting done in the country and what Congress needs to do to help ease the pain so many Americans are experiencing. Then, we hear from one of the true patriots fighting New-England-style for people’s lives and dignity, disability health care advocate De...

Andy calls up Adam Schefter in-between his SportsCenter appearances to talk about sports in the era of the coronavirus. The pandemic has cancelled seasons for the pros, college athletes, and for you and your kids. Leagues around the world are looking to resume play, but should they? Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt and Instagram @andyslavitt, and follow Adam Schefter on Twitter and Instagram...

Andy catches up with Chef José Andrés in a rare moment of rest. Chef Andrés has been jumping from one crisis to the next since February, feeding people around the world affected by the pandemic. His organization, World Central Kitchen, is now providing 250,000 fresh meals a day in dozens of cities across America. In total, they’ve served nearly 18 million meals worldwide. They talk about how the p...

Andy and Zach take a new approach in this episode, exploring the most pressing topics on people’s minds with two experts. Today: how to talk to others in your life who disagree with you about masks and social distancing. The panelists are Lanhee Chen, presidential health policy advisor to Mitt Romney, and United States of Care co-founder Natalie Davis. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt and In...

Andy calls Governor Gretchen Whitmer to talk about what she’s learned from the pandemic in Michigan and what governors across the nation need to do next. They also talk about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the Black community. Then, Andy has the first of many conversations to come on how to vote during the pandemic by talking with Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin....

Andy calls Washington Post columnist, Jennifer Rubin, to talk about how a conservative changed teams and reckons with the precedent of a country on the precipice. They also remember the time they were on MSNBC together and got a big surprise. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt and Instagram @andyslavitt, and find Jennifer @JRubinBlogger on Twitter. In the Bubble is supported in part by listene...

Andy and Pete Buttigieg talk about allyship, protest, and this week’s historic supreme court decision on LGBTQ rights. They also get into what it’s like to go straight from a presidential campaign into social isolation. (Spoiler: It’s weird!) Then, Andy calls Dr. Nzinga Harrison to chat about health equity, the relationship between racism and addiction, and how to do addiction treatment in America...

Andy calls comedian and director Judd Apatow to talk about how to get through this long crisis day by day with some harmony. Working through trauma is also the topic of Judd’s latest movie The King of Staten Island. This is a talk that’s both deep and funny.  Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt and Instagram @andyslavitt, and find Judd @JuddApatow on Twitter and Instagram.  Rent the King of Sta...

Every parent wants to know: Will school will reopen in the fall, and if so, what will it look like? Andy brings you the answer as he chats with former Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. He also interviews Sonal Gerten, a parent of two public school kids, and a budding college freshman named Zach. Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt and Instagram @andyslavitt. Find Arne on Twitter @arneduncan....

 Today, Andy calls emergency room physician and public health expert, Dr. Leana Wen to get the best advice on how to manage their risk of contracting COVID-19, even while resuming some normal activities. But they start by talking about why racism and police violence is also a public health emergency.   Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt and Instagram @andyslavitt, and find Dr. Leana Wen @DrLea...

Andy talks to DeRay Mckesson about another epidemic sweeping the country — violence by the police against Black people. They talk data and policy solutions, and DeRay provides a personal and comprehensive view of what’s been going on across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of the Minneapolis police. Then Andy calls disability activist Sinéad Burke in Ireland to provide...

Andy calls his friend Al Franken and they ramble about holding people accountable, bearing witness, Zach’s burden, and being a grandparent during the pandemic. Mostly, they talk about ways Andy can do a much better job. The episode is dedicated to the memory of George Floyd and healing the city of Minneapolis.  Keep up with Andy on Twitter @ASlavitt and Instagram @andyslavitt, and find Al Franken...

Today, it’s a moms episode! Andy and Zach are joined by Lana, who leads a chat with activist Shannon Watts about how the pandemic is colliding with guns. They talk about gun violence and what can be done to address gun safety under these circumstances. They also talk about the movement of women running for political office. The Slavitt family touches on Andy’s new initiative #opensafely and go ove...

This Memorial Day, Andy speaks with veteran and politician, Jason Kander. Jason has long been candid about his experiences with PTSD but also how post-traumatic growth is possible. He and Andy talk about challenging assumptions about what’s appropriate to feel, accepting help, and how COVID-19 has been so traumatizing for people. They also discuss voter suppression and the importance of making sur...

Today, Andy and Chelsea Clinton talk about the role of the US in the world as Trump diverges from other world leaders in going it alone in the face of this global pandemic. They also discuss what their parents taught them about America and what they’re telling their own kids. Then, Andy calls author and historian Steven Johnson to put COVID-19 into a global, historical context.  Check out our spon...

As he detailed in his breakout hit movie The Big Sick, Kumail Nanjiani’s wife Emily is immuno-compromised, and, with COVID-19, that changes everything. The comedian and actor opens up about the feeling of losing control in this crisis, but he and Andy can’t help but laugh their way through even a serious conversation about fear, love, and painful messages from society. Kumail also reveals some inc...

Today, 18-year-old Zach and his dad talk about how to get broader points of view on the podcast. To that end, they reach out to former congressman and presidential candidate, Beto O’Rourke, to hear how Texas’s approach to COVID-19 is going. Andy and Beto chat about how people’s own experiences dictate their views on the crisis. Then Peter Morley, an advocate for people with chronic illnesses, shar...

 Today, Andy calls journalist and political commentator, Chris Hayes. Chris has been carrying the burden of seeing the pandemic coming long before America began to address it. He had to talk about it before it was real to most people and is still talking about it now that many have grown weary. They chat about how Chris thinks about his job in the news these days and the emotional toll it’s taking...

Andy seeks out a conversation on competency. Things change rapidly in a crisis. When you're in the middle of it, not knowing how everything will turn out can be stomach-churning, and big problems look way easier in hindsight. Having led a major government crisis-response, Andy gets this, and so does Ron Klain, who was the Ebola Czar during the Obama Administration. So, today, they talk about past...

As President Trump shuts down all immigration as a reaction to COVID-19, Andy calls David Frum, who was by George W. Bush’s side after 9-11. How will globalization, public debate, and democracy itself fare in the context of a pandemic? Frum argues that America’s role in the global community has never been more important. He also has a clear view on the impact of this time on the coming election. ...