The Tower Record

In 1996, Samuel P. Huntington published "The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order," an influential book of geopolitical analysis that purported to identify a new post-Cold War global paradigm — the "clash of civilizations" thesis. The book both channeled and had an outsized influence on a certain school of political thinking, proving controversial for its portrayal of Islamic cul...

In this episode: TTR discusses the long, tortured, and ongoing story behind the building of 2 World Trade Center, the yet-to-be-completed skyscraper intended to inherit the original tower's name. Long in the planning but slow to actually be made, the reasons behind its protracted development are something only a New York-based expert of architecture could adequately explain. Fortunately, one of th...

TTR discusses "John Q.", the under-discussed and apparently critically-reviled 2002 American health care thriller starring Denzel Washington and directed by Nick Cassavetes. "Dog Day Afternoon" by way of M4A, it is somehow one of the most-watched movies of Sarah's youth. And despite being one of the more bang-on portraits of the outrageous nature of the American health care system, invoked by some...

TTR discusses the Tribute in Light, the iconic art installation that commemorates 9/11 each year in downtown NYC.  Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord Subscribe to TTR on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@TheTowerRecord New episodes every Tuesday morning. Music by Rrrrrose Azerty. Recorded September 27, 2026 in South Slope, Brooklyn and Astoria, Queens.

After the events of 9/11, experts anticipated an epidemic of PTSD could soon sweep the United States. What actually happened was significantly more nuanced, in a way that helped shape the modern understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder. Health and science journalist Catherine Roberts joins TTR to explain.   Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord Subscribe to T...

And we're all still here. Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord Subscribe to TTR on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/@TheTowerRecord New episodes every Tuesday morning. Music by Rrrrrose Azerty. Recorded September 14, 2026 in Astoria, Queens.

As part of the lead-up to the long awaited GTA VI, TTR discusses a high water mark of western culture, post-9/11 or otherwise: the release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, one of the greatest video games of all time. Discussion of game design, cultural impact, and hot coffee awaits you within. Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord Subscribe to TTR on Youtube: https...

For Florida-based snake handler Lawrence Van Sertima, September 11, 2001 was a very bad day for a very unique reason. In this episode: the myths, misconceptions, and ultimately true story behind one of the only civilian flights allowed to take to the skies over North America after the attacks of 9/11.  Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord New episodes every Tuesday...

TTR discusses "Spider-Man 2," one of the most successful and era-defining movies of the 2000s. Long regarded as a classic of its genre, it has also long had a reputation for carrying a message of post-9/11 American solidarity. But how does it all hold up, 22 years divorced from context and 7 or so Spider-Mans later? Sorry for the Wednesday upload on this one :)  Follow The Tower Record everywhere:...

TTR discusses "War All The Time," the major label debut from New Jersey post-hardcore/emo band Thursday, which was released in September 2003 into a post-'90s, post-9/11 world that truly had begun to feel tainted by war, all of the time. Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord New episodes every Tuesday morning. Music by Rrrrrose Azerty. Recorded August 2, 2026 in Sou...

Deep inside the White Mountains of Afghanistan, an immortal warlord waits inside his fortified castle for the enemy to attack — or so the press suggested, days before coalition troops actually got a look at what was really going down inside the caves of Tora Bora. Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord New episodes every Tuesday morning. Music by Rrrrrose Azerty. Rec...

In the waning days of the decade 2000-2009, a computer worm that would come to be known as Stuxnet quietly emerged as the most complex and imposing piece of malware ever seen. Security technicians quickly determined that the worm displayed an alarming degree of sophistication, precision, and quality control in its design. What appeared at first to be a well-funded tool for espionage was slowly rev...

TTR discusses "12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers," starring Chris Hemsworth and directed by Nicolai Fuglsig. Is this film, which has perhaps the most scientifically average movie reviews in the history of the medium, actually a hidden gem? Is the story behind it, based on the book by Doug Stanton, worth telling? Who do you think wins, the centaurs or Al-Qaeda? All this a...

TTR again delves into the history of the Twin Towers, as Kevin discusses the life and work of Minoru Yamasaki, the architect who designed the original World Trade Center. Meanwhile, Sarah treads water and pretends to know what a building is. Audio note: Sarah used a different mic this time for the remote recording sesh and her audio sounds tinnier than usual. This ep is mostly Kevin anyway. As alw...

Kevin and Sarah compromise another vacation to spend time together rediscovering another strange post-9/11 day. Yes, someone starts running a leaf blower 30-odd minutes into this thing. We move inside 10 minutes later. Thank you for holding it down with us this holiday season. Content warning: We talk about the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case for about five minutes between 24:00 and 30:00. Follow...

From the midway point of the Reagan years to the reign of Donald Trump, Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." has been *the* modern anthem of American pride and patriotism. Inspired by LG's involvement in the Great American State Fair (and related proceedings from Freedom 250), TTR digs into the decades-long fixation on the track by the American right. Why this song? Who this man? And what the he...

The Spielberg two-fer continues and concludes with good-ass movie Minority Report, released in 2002, predicting the future and making it look easy. Also discussed — the short story by Philip K. Dick from which the movie is adapted. Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord New episodes every Tuesday morning. Music by Rrrrrose Azerty. Recorded June 13, 2026 in South Slop...

It's a Steven Spielberg extravaganza as TTR goes in on two very different post-9/11 movies from America's schmaltziest filmmaker. Next week is where we talk about the good movie; this week is the one that sucks ass. Plus! Disclosure Day discussion, as Sarah reveals she knows way too much about aliens. Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord New episodes every Tuesday...

TTR's "Grand Theft Auto" miniseries continues apace with a quick trip down to the southern tip of Florida, with an examination of another game that really set the tone of post-9/11 culture, especially as it pertains to the rise of 80s nostalgia. Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord New episodes every Tuesday morning. Music by Rrrrrose Azerty. Recorded May 28, 2026...

"Islamophobia" feels too soft a term for the social and political hell that met Islam, Muslims, and anyone who "looked Muslim" in the decades, years, and even minutes following the attacks of September 11. The true depth of anti-Muslim brutality that the US unleashed upon itself and the world is still not widely understood to the extent that the topic requires; it remains deeply-rooted in the soci...

Today on our podcast about post-9/11 history, politics, and culture: Tiger Cruise , the 52nd Disney Channel Original Movie, about what it's like to be a teenage girl on a US naval aircraft carrier, arguing with your dad, when 9/11 happens. As mentioned in the intro, there's a few audio errors in this ep, unfortunately. Sarah's fault — thank you for sticking it out. Won't be a problem next week! Fo...

It's Sarah vs. Kevin in TTR's first debate-style episode! The format? Policy debate. The topic? "Resolved: The United States federal government should provide free medical care to Rudy Giuliani." Production note: Might be a touch of audio wonkiness on this ep, which I've worked to address, amateurishly. Still figuring out how best to do a three-person live setup when our usual recorder only seats...

Actor and podcaster Robert Neumark Jones joins Kevin to commence the restoration of US-UK diplomatic relations, and also demand to know why US foreign policy is making his mortgage go up. Follow The Tower Record everywhere:  https://linktr.ee/thetowerrecord Listen to Bliss of the Abyss here: https://robertnj.com/podcast New episodes every Tuesday morning. Music by Rrrrrose Azerty. Recorded May 5,...

On April 29, 2026, His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom made an historic visit to America, stopping off at New York City's 9/11 Memorial for a brief visit. The Tower Record discusses why. Programming note: Sarah's off for a week; we're planning on having an ep on Tues 5/12 as usual, but if something comes up and it doesn't happen, that's why.  Thank you for spending...

Well — Did they? I tried to think of so many punny wordplay titles for this, but nothing gets at the anesthetizing weirdness of this premise like just doing away with all artifice and wit and plainly posing this question to you, the audience, and us, the researchers. This story is insane btw P.S. Sincere apologies to author William Langewiesche for not even attempting to look into the correct pron...