The Brian Lehrer Show

As our centennial series continues, James Sanders , architect, author, filmmaker, and co-writer with Ric Burns of the PBS series "New York: A Documentary Film" and its companion volume, New York: An Illustrated History (Knopf, 2021) and the author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies (Knopf, 2001), talks about the New York seen in films since the beginning of movie-making.   Hosted by Sim...

Listeners listen to an iconic or otherwise interesting quote by a famous person in politics or from history and try to guess "who said that?"  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York State's Adult Survivors Act brought a flood of lawsuits against the city by women who say they were abused at Rosie's (the women's jail) on Rikers Island. Jessy Edwards , writer and editor for Hell Gate, and  Christopher Werth , senior editor at WNYC and Gothamist focusing on investigations, talk about their reporting on serial sexual abuse at the jail, which was recognized as a finalist...

Emily Bazelon , staff writer for The New York Times Magazine , co-host of Slate's "Political Gabfest" podcast, Truman Capote fellow for creative writing and law at Yale Law School and author of Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution  and End Mass Incarceration  (Random House, 2019), offers legal analysis of the Supreme Court decision to continue to prohibit the Trump Administr...

Catch up with the summer cultural calendar with this pledge-drive miniseries.  Today, Adam Feldman, national theater and dance editor and chief theater critic at Time Out New York,  talks about the reopening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park and other summer theater coming up this summer. " Free outdoor theater this summer in New York " (TONY, 5/19/25) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz compa...

In order to become a naturalized citizen of the United States, applicants must pass an oral civics exam. Listeners call in to try their hand at some of the questions on the test, related to American history and geography and symbols. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Mets and the Yankees -- who both sit at the top of their respective divisions -- will meet for a subway series this week. Gary Cohen , Mets announcer, previews the games, and talks about what it's like calling games for the Mets, currently one of the best teams in baseball. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal da...

Catch up with the summer cultural calendar with this pledge-drive miniseries. Today, Ryan Kailath , WNYC/Gothamist arts and culture reporter, talks about some of the art on view this summer in local museums, galleries and public spaces. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jonathan Capehart , associate editor at The Washington Post , co-host of the morning edition of The Weekend on MSNBC, contributor, PBS NewsHour and author of Yet Here I Am: Lessons from a Black Man's Search for Home  (Grand Central Publishing, 2025), talks about his personal new book, which includes stories from his upbringing and his early career at WNYC, plus the latest national political news....

Brian Boucher , contributor for Artnet News and journalist covering the New York art world, talks about how arts organizations are reacting to the Trump administration starting to cut their grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nancy Solomon , WNYC reporter and host of the “Ask Governor Murphy” monthly call-in show, recaps her conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, including the recent setbacks at Newark Airport, a potential NJ Transit engineers strike and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka's ICE arrest.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pers...

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 news from the campaign trails of candidates in the city's June primary election, and previews the debate he'll be co-moderating with Brian on June 12th at 7PM. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz compan...

In order to become a naturalized citizen of the United States, applicants must pass an oral civics exam. Listeners call in to try their hand at some of the questions on the test, related to what US Citizenship and Immigration Services calls "principles of American democracy" and "systems of government." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collect...

Catch up with the summer cultural calendar with this pledge-drive miniseries.  Today,  Rossilynne Culgan , Things to Do editor at Time Out New York , tour guide, and the author of Secret New York City: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure  (Reedy Press, 2024), talks about some of the fun things to do this summer after dark -- night markets, outdoor movies, and fireworks on the beach, inclu...

LaFontaine Oliver , president and CEO of New York Public Radio, talks about the executive order President Trump signed regarding federal funding for public media and what comes next for the NYPR and the broader system. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chris Murphy , U.S. Senator (D CT), author of The Violence Inside Us: A Brief History of an Ongoing American Tragedy  (Random House, 2020) talks about his critique of the Trump administration and what he calls a "relentless, coordinated assault" on democracy and the effect of the administration's policies in Connecticut. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information...

In order to become a naturalized citizen of the United States, applicants must pass an oral civics exam. Listeners call in to try their hand at some of the questions on the test, related to what US Citizenship and Immigration Services calls "principles of American democracy" and "systems of government." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collect...

Elizabeth Kim , Gothamist and WNYC reporter and Brigid Bergin , WNYC's senior political correspondent, talk about the latest news from the campaign trail, including former Gov. Cuomo's campaign finance troubles, the candidates on antisemitism and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Catch up with the summer cultural calendar with this pledge-drive miniseries. Today, Ryan Kailath , WNYC/Gothamist arts and culture reporter, runs through the highlights from the annual SummerStage and Celebrate Brooklyn! concert lineups.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As our centennial series continues, Michael Kimmelman , architecture critic for The New York Times  and the author of The Intimate City: Walking New York  (Penguin Press, 2022), talks about the major changes to the NYC skyline across the past century.   correction:  The tallest  building in Brooklyn for many years was the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower at 1 Hanson Place. Hosted by Simplecast, an...

Last week, President Trump declared on Truth Social that he would place a 100% tariff on movies made outside the United States. Listeners who work in the film and TV industry call in to share what they think of the president's idea, and report on how much work has returned (or not) since the twin shocks of the pandemic and the 2023 strikes.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswi...

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently said he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation nationwide. Jessica Steier, DRPH, PMP, CEO of Unbiased Science and host of the Unbiased Science Podcast and Linda Birnbaum , scientist emeritus and former director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, as well as the National...

Michael Hill , WNYC Morning Edition host and Briana Vannozzi , anchor for NJ Spotlight News, recap and offer analysis of a conversation between New Jersey's Democratic candidates for governor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Civil rights groups in New York City have filed a lawsuit challenging the NYPD's gang database, which these groups call discriminatory. Meanwhile, City Council and the Adams administration have clashed over the issue. Babe Howell , professor at CUNY School of Law, and Peter Moskos , professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, former Baltimore City police officer and author of Back from...

John Cassidy , staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI (Macmillan, 2025), traces the last three hundred years of global capitalism from its beginnings.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.