The Brian Lehrer Show

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani drops in to talk about the Knicks' win and the city's celebrations. Photo: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani ascends Knicks-themed subway steps (via @NYCMayor/X) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Errol Louis, political anchor of Spectrum NY1 News, host of Inside City Hall and The Big Deal with Errol Louis, New York Magazine columnist and host of the podcast You Decide, talks about the latest national and local political news. Photo: New York Knicks fans celebrate winning Game 4 of the NBA Finals between New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, on June 10, 2026 in New York City. Madison Squar...

On July 1, a new law will go into effect in New Jersey that aims to regulate e-bikes. Larry Higgs , commuting and transport reporter at NJ Advance Media and the Star-Ledger, reports on what riders need to know, the confusion surrounding the new rules and why some advocates are pushing back on the law. Photo: Row of parked Citi Ebike rentals, Brooklyn, New York, USA. (Photo by: Plexi Images/GHI/UCG...

Cory Turner , NPR education correspondent and senior editor, shares what's changing for student loan borrowers on July 1. => " July 1 brings big student loan changes. Here's what you need to know " (NPR.com, 6/10/26) Photo: Students outside the dining hall on the Siena College campus Tuesday Nov. 14, 2017 in Colonie, NY. (Photo by John Carl D'Annibale /Albany Times Union via Getty Images)   Hosted...

Matt Flegenheimer , New York Times correspondent, talks about the palpable joy and connection in the city during the playoff run and after the Knicks championship win, and what this means for the team's long-suffering fans. Photo: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks lifts the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award trophy after defeating the San Antoni...

Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them. What does it mean that AI companies are scooping up office space in Manhattan? (First) | Why the Trump administration has requested the medical records of trans youths at NYC area hospitals (Starts at 40:10) | What to do in New Jersey if you're here for the World Cup (Starts at 1:15:45) If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehre...

As early voting is about to get underway, Rebecca Lewis , state bureau chief at City & State New York, and Jon Campbell , Albany reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, talk about the themes and competitive races in the June 23 primary election, where candidates for congress, state comptroller and various seats in the legislature will be on the ballot. Photo: The NYS Senate begins the 2017 session of the...

Aziz Huq , professor of law at the University of Chicago Law School and author of The Rule of Law: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2024) previews the end of this year's Supreme Court term, including major cases concerning birthright citizenship, Temporary Protected Status and more. Photo: WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 6: The U.S. Supreme Court is seen at sunset on June 6, 2026 in Washi...

Michael Scherer , staff writer at The Atlantic, talks about his reporting on the conflicts over the 250th anniversary celebration. Photo: LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 12: A detailed view of the special commemorative 250th anniversary American Flag flying during the spring training baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 12, 2026...

As visitors from around the world pour into North Jersey for the World Cup, local listeners share their recommendations for things to do outside of the attending the games. Photo: A FIFA World Cup advertisement featuring the hashtag #WEARE26 at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. FIFA oversees international soccer competitions, including the World Cup. From June to July 2026, the U...

AI companies are scooping up office space in Manhattan at a pace that is reminiscent of the dot-com boom in the late 90s. Wall Street Journal reporter Isabelle Bousquette talks about what the office leases mean for the job market, plus weighs in on other related issues.   Photo: Large group of programmers working on computers in the office. Focus is on three women from the back. Credit: skynesher...

Francis Farrell , reporter at the Kyiv Independent, talks about the technology Ukraine is deploying against Russia, and how it's affecting the war, plus how the strategies Russia and Ukraine are using on the battlefield are resonating in the Iran war.    Photo: FPV kamikaze drone at sky. Drones at war - stock photo by Anton Petrus Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for i...

Franklin Foer , staff writer at the Atlantic and the author of How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization (Harper Perennial, new edition 2026), talks about the new edition of his book and looks ahead to the start of World Cup.   Photo: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: General view of the Adidas Trionda, official match ball of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at SoFi Stadium on Jun...

After last night's thrilling comeback win, Knicks fans call in to share their mini "Knicks in five" poems, inspired by a fan's viral moment from last week where he cried "My mayor Muslim, my bagel Jewish. My Christian Dior — Knicks in four!" Photo: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks celebrates after his team's 107-106 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Fi...

Brigid Bergin , WNYC's senior political correspondent, recaps the NY1 and WNYC debate she co-moderated with Brian Lehrer and Errol Louis with the candidates in New York's 12th congressional district, who are running in this month's primary for the Democratic nomination to replace the retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler. Photo: Voters cast their ballots at the Community Presbyterian Church on election day i...

Listeners weigh in on the perennial debate, which was reignited recently thanks to Jennifer Lopez's controversial opinion shared in her appearance on Subway Takes.  Photo: Danny Lyon July 1974, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As trust in science and institutions has eroded, Laura Lindenfeld, PhD, executive director, Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science and professor of communication at Stony Brook University, explains how improv (and the actor Alan Alda), is helping scientists improve their communication skills with the hope of winning back the skeptics.   Photo: Teacher With Male And Female Drama Students At Per...

As part of the yearlong series "Wild NYC," Marielle Anzelone, urban botanist and ecologist and the founder of NYC Wildflower Week , and Clara Holmes, plant ecologist at New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, talk about the challenges facing local wildflowers and native plants and how to preserve them. => NYC Native Plants (NYC Parks)   Photo: Narrow-leaved Blue-eyed Grass -  native wild...

Bill Bradley , two-time NBA champion with the Knicks and former U.S. Senator (D NJ), host of American Voices on Sirius XM and featured in the autobiographical documentary "Rolling Along: Bill Bradley" talks about this year's NBA finals, reflects on his own championship season, and more.   Photo: NEW YORK - CIRCA 1970: Bill Bradley #24 of the New York Knicks in action against the San Francisco Warr...

In an ongoing push to end gender affirming care for minors, the Trump administration has requested the medical records of trans youths at both NYU Langone and Mount Sinai. Caroline Lewis , health care reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, shares her reporting on how the hospitals are complying with the subpoena and the broader reaction from parents, politicians, and trans-rights advocates.     Photo: M...

Amid the ongoing Ebola outbreak, doctors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are treating symptomatic patients and facing shortages of crucial protective and diagnostic equipment. Amy Maxmen , PhD, public health correspondent and editor at KFF Health News, reports on the situation.   MONGBWALU, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - MAY 24: Community members watch as health workers wearing protective...

As Flag Day and America's 250th approach, Pride month is underway, and the World Cup is about to kick off. Listeners call in to share what flags they are flying, and what they mean.   Photo: Flags of different countries waving in the wind. Photo by: Oliver Helbig/Getty Images Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data...

Antonio Reynoso , Brooklyn borough president, Claire Valdez , NYS assembly member (37th district, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside, Maspeth, and Ridgewood), union organizer and artist, and Julie Won , New York City council member (district 26), discuss the key issues in their campaign to be the Democratic nominee in New York's 7th Congressional district. Photo: An election ballot box is seen...

New York City's unemployment rate is higher than it was before the coronavirus pandemic, and job growth has stalled. James Parrott , senior fellow and senior advisor at the Center for New York City Affairs at the New School, talks about factors contributing to these economic concerns. Photo: A 'help wanted' advertisement is displayed in Manhattan on January 09, 2026, in New York City. The Labor De...

Ben Rhodes , contributing opinion writer for the New York Times , co-host of Pod Save the World, an advisor to former president Barack Obama and the author of All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches  (Random House, 2026), talks about his new book that tells the history of the United States and its central conflicts through public speeches, from Benjamin Franklin to D...