Hit Pause with Star Price

Just weeks before the 2026 midterms, political journalist Brian Karem thinks Republicans face a difficult fight to hold Congress. But how big could the Democratic gains be—and what happens after Election Day? On this episode of Hit Pause , Star Price talks with Brian Karem, White House columnist for Salon and host of the Just Ask the Question podcast, about the state of the midterm races, Donald T...

A HIT PAUSE SPECIAL EPISODE: What does a crime scene reveal that a killer doesn't want you to see? In this complete, uncut conversation, criminal investigator and true-crime TV host Paul Holes goes deep on how he thinks about murder, serial predators, staged crime scenes, investigative mistakes, and why we're so fascinated by true crime. Holes explains how he approaches a case from the cri...

Michigan’s Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests of 2026. Democrat Abdul El-Sayed emerged from a bruising primary and now faces Republican Mike Rogers in a battleground state that has become central to the fight for control of the Senate. In this episode of Hit Pause, Star Price talks with CNN political reporter Patrick Svitek about what’s really driving the race...

For some Americans, the idea of leaving the United States has gone from a fantasy to a serious possibility. In this episode of Hit Pause, I talk with Jana Sanchez and Bethany Quinn, two Americans who moved to Europe and now help other Americans figure out where they could go—and how they could actually make the move. Jana and Bethany are the founders of GTFO Tours, which helps Americans explore re...

You’re being watched. License plate readers, security cameras, facial recognition and other surveillance technologies are becoming part of everyday life, often without us fully realizing how much information they collect or who can access it. In this episode of Hit Pause, I talk with Dave Maass of the Electronic Frontier Foundation about the rapid expansion of surveillance technology, especially F...

NEW SEASON: We head into the Texas Senate race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton to find out whether the red state of Texas could actually turn blue. Texas has been a Republican stronghold for decades. But this race is different enough to raise a tantalizing question: Could James Talarico actually break through? For this episode of Hit Pause, I wanted to get beyond the camp...

A HIT PAUSE SPECIAL EPISODE: Who do we trust when we no longer agree on what is true? In this 81-minute Uncut Conversation, historian, author, and media analyst Claire Potter goes much deeper than in our 30-minute July episode. We examine Donald Trump, the media, political polarization, independent media, the decline of corporate news, and how Americans decide what information they can trust. Pott...

A HIT PAUSE SPECIAL EPISODE: What happens when a lifelong Republican strategist concludes that the Republican Party he spent decades working for has lost its way? In this Uncut Conversation, Stuart Stevens and I go much deeper than my 30-minute May episode allowed. For 81 minutes, we talk candidly about the transformation of the Republican Party, Donald Trump, the choices that brought us here, and...

Graham Platner is out. Troy Jackson is in. And suddenly the Maine Senate race is a very different fight. Can Jackson take the energy of the movement that grew around Platner and turn it into a winning coalition against Republican Senator Susan Collins? Joining us is Maine Monitor political journalist Josh Keefe, who explains what changed when Jackson became the Democratic nominee — from the appeal...

Emmy-winning comedian, actor, and writer David Cross joins Hit Pause to explore why more people are embracing conspiracy thinking, what the internet has done to our sense of reality, and why it's becoming harder than ever to agree on what's true. From the Dead Internet Theory and Project Blue Beam to Bigfoot and aliens, we explore why conspiracy theories spread so easily, and why so many p...

Technology is changing our lives faster than ever. But the bigger question isn't what our machines can do—it's what kind of future we're creating. Roboticist and bestselling author Daniel H. Wilson joins me for a conversation about creativity, surveillance, robotics, human connection, and how we can remain human in an increasingly technological world. Want more? The Extended Cut—with 3...

Historian and Political Junkies author Claire Potter joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about the forces reshaping American politics, media, and public life. We explore why authenticity has replaced polish in politics, how cable news and social media changed the way we consume information, why trust in institutions has eroded, and what might come next after the Trump era. We step back to exa...

Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than almost any technology in history. Every week brings more powerful models, new breakthroughs, and bigger promises. But are we moving too fast? Holly Elmore thinks the answer is yes. As the founder and executive director of PauseAI US, Holly has become one of the country's leading advocates for slowing the development of advanced AI until stronger...

Maine Monitor journalist Josh Keefe rejoins Hit Pause to discuss the new accusations against Graham Platner. Can he possibly survive this latest controversy? And how does his collapsing campaign change the Democratic race for Senate against Republican Susan Collins? Watch the full episode at https://www. youtube.com/@hitpausepad, and visit starprice.substack.com for all the episodes, and Star Pric...

In this episode of Hit Pause , legendary investigator Paul Holes joins me to explore the psychology behind our obsession with murder, serial killers, and unsolved mysteries. Paul shares what decades of studying violent crime have taught him about human nature. We also discuss: the Missy Bevers murder, the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, and the enduring mystery of Marilyn Monroe's death. If you enjoy...

For years, technology promised to make life easier. So why do so many of us feel more disconnected than ever? Bestselling author David Sax (The Future is Analog) joins Hit Pause to explore why people are rediscovering the value of real-world experiences. From bookstores and vinyl records to neighborhood restaurants, travel, and face-to-face conversation. We talk about why the future may actually b...

What explains the rise of Graham Platner? He's become one of the most controversial figures in Democratic politics. Supporters see him as a bold new voice. Critics point to a series of scandals that would have sunk many campaigns. In this special episode of Hit Pause, I hear directly from the people behind the Platner phenomenon. You'll hear from five Platner supporters about why they'...

New military videos, government disclosures, and congressional hearings have reignited the debate over UFOs and UAPs. But what does the evidence actually show? In this episode, Star Price sits down with Skeptic magazine publisher and bestselling author Michael Shermer to examine some of the most talked-about UFO footage in recent years. Together, they analyze the videos frame by frame, discuss wha...

Climate scientist and activist Peter Kalmus has spent his career studying what's happening to our planet. His conclusion is alarming — and he has a very specific argument about why billionaires are making the climate crisis worse, and why we all need to be talking about it.

Former Republican strategist Stuart Stevens helped elect George W. Bush twice. Now he says the party he built has surrendered, and he's done pulling punches. In this conversation, Stevens argues Trump didn't change the Republican Party, he revealed it. Why Republican senators are despicable in their own children's eyes. Why Marco Rubio is a broken man. Why JD Vance will run in 2028 wit...

Veteran White House journalist and Salon columnist Brian Karem joins Star Price on Hit Pause to break down the Trump crisis — what it means for American democracy, the global order, and whether the 25th Amendment or impeachment are realistic paths forward. Then: the state of journalism in America, the collapse of mainstream media, and what it's going to take to save the free press.🎙️ Hit Pause...

Are we losing the moon? That's not a hypothetical. China's robotic missions have already landed on the far side of the moon — a place no country had ever reached before — scooping up lunar soil containing deposits of Helium-3, considered by many scientists to be the holy grail of clean fusion energy. Their next mission targets the lunar south pole, where water ice could fuel every future m...

When ChatGPT 2 dropped, Connor Leahy had one reaction: "Oh shit." He wasn't being dramatic. He was being honest. Connor Leahy is the US Director of ControlAI, one of the few organizations actively working to regulate artificial intelligence before it outpaces our ability to control it. We get into what artificial intelligence is actually capable of right now, why the tech industry won't regulate i...

Connor Leahy returns. We went deep in "AI: Will it End the World?" and still had too much good material to leave behind. This is the rest of that conversation. On the fascinating origins of AI, its existential risk, and where we go from here. Subscribe to Hit Pause with Star Price on YouTube, and on Substack at starprice.substack.com for extended content and bonus material. It's free...

What does a forensic psychologist see when he looks at Donald Trump? Dr. Kris Mohandie has spent decades studying dangerous and extreme behavior for the LAPD and the FBI. In this conversation we examine Trump's psychology, what drives him, what that means for the country, and what's coming next. Watch the full video version at https://youtube.com/@hitpausepod Find us on Substack at https://starpri...