KCRW

•

Channel • 14 Shows

Arts

Arts

Updated Weekly
News

News

Updated Weekly
Documentary

Documentary

Updated Fortnightly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated Weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated Weekly
TV & Film

TV & Film

Updated Weekly
Arts

Arts

Updated Weekly

22 May

Trump’s $1.8B Fund Draws Cries of ‘Brazen Corruption’

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/KCRW What is an anti-weaponization fund? Is it a legit use of taxpayer dollars to help people of all political stripes who were wronged by their government, or is it a corrupt slush fund to help President Trump and his political allies? One immediate question on the minds of Democrats is if people who attacked the Capitol on January 6 will be some of the early beneficiaries. Also, despite Trump’s sagging poll numbers, he continues to hold sway over his party with one primary vote after another against sitting Republicans. Is there a political cost for Trump and the GOP if a coalition of lame ducks starts growing with an eye towards their own counter-revenge? And we’ve got some great questions from you this week, including whether we really need politicians at all to run a government. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene Guests: Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer, The Atlantic (@ebruenig) Mike Dubke, veteran GOP communications strategist and advisor. He was the White House Comms Director under Donald Trump in 2017 (@MikeDubke)

22 May

•

50 min
1 day ago

Senate Control Rides On Paxton, Texas’ Flawed GOP Pick

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code KCRW at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/KCRW Texas Republicans are pinning their hopes on Senate candidate Ken Paxton, the state attorney general who was impeached for abusing his office. Maine Democrats are pinning theirs on Graham Platner, who’s had to explain an old tattoo that looks like a Nazi symbol. Welcome to the 2026 installment of the race to control the U.S. Senate. Pope Leo used his platform to warn about the dangers of A.I. It’s a big topic here in the U.S., but neither the Trump White House nor Congress seem eager to do much. Plus, a listener incensed over taxpayer dollars being used for Trump’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund” asks what he should do with his anger. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene Guests: Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

1 day ago

•

50 min
21 May

Can a Chatbot Convince Conspiracy Theorists of the Truth?

Like millions of others, Gordon Pennycook’s older brother has leapt down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories, and Gordon says he’s tried to change his brother’s mind, without success. Which tracks, if you’ve ever debated a conspiracy theorist — it can feel impossible to pull them back to reality. If anyone was qualified to convince his brother, though, it’s Gordon, who’s a psychology professor at Cornell University where he studies why people believe things that aren’t true. So Gordon wanted to put this question to the test: Is it actually the case that conspiracy theorists rarely change their minds? He and a team of researchers ran an experiment using an AI chatbot to rebut people’s theories. And the results were very surprising. In fact, they ended up changing Gordon’s mind about conspiracy theories, and the people who believe them. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll share the Debunkbot from Gordon’s study, where you can test out your own beliefs. Question Everything is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory. Guests: Gordon Pennycook, Cornell University, Associate Professor, Dorothy and Ariz Mehta Faculty Leadership Fellow Please support the organizations that support this show: Go to https://zbiotics.com/QUESTION and use QUESTION at checkout for 15% off any first-time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/QUESTION for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Ground News is a platform that makes it easy to compare news sources, read between the lines of media bias, and break free from algorithms. Go to GroundNews.com/QUESTION to get 40% off the unlimited Vantage plan. DeleteMe makes it quick, easy and safe to remove your personal data online. Get 20% off DeleteMe consumer plans when you go to joindeleteme.com/QUESTION and use promo code QUESTION at checkout.

21 May

•

27 min
2 days ago

‘Kick Him Off The Bench.’ A Judge in Trump’s Pulitzer Case Gets a Prize

The Freedom of the Press Foundation just filed an ethics complaint against Florida Judge Jeffrey Kuntz, who has been nominated by President Trump for a lifetime federal court appointment. They want him stripped of his gavel and his law license. Why? Judge Kuntz was one of the judges who ruled in Trump’s favor in his peculiar defamation lawsuit against the Pulitzer Prize board. The Freedom of the Press Foundation claims the judge handed Trump this victory while, behind the scenes, he was seeking a nomination from the Trump administration for a federal judgeship. While Judge Kuntz’s nomination is being considered by the Senate, we revisit an episode we first aired in February 2025 about this strange lawsuit against the organization behind journalism’s most prestigious award. Question Everything is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Guests: Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of Semafor and co-host of the Mixed Signals podcast Please support the organizations that support this show: Go to https://zbiotics.com/QUESTION and use QUESTION at checkout for 15% off any first-time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/QUESTION for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Ground News is a platform that makes it easy to compare news sources, read between the lines of media bias, and break free from algorithms. Go to GroundNews.com/QUESTION to get 40% off the unlimited Vantage plan. DeleteMe makes it quick, easy and safe to remove your personal data online. Get 20% off DeleteMe consumer plans when you go to joindeleteme.com/QUESTION and use promo code QUESTION at checkout.

2 days ago

•

40 min
15 May

The Gerrymandering Rush Is Leaving Voters In the Dust

Some voters are in the dark about which districts they live in and who their candidates are because officials in several states and the president are obsessed with redrawing congressional maps. The latest push on redistricting comes after the Supreme Court struck down parts of the Voting Rights Act. Also, public health officials are clear: hantavirus is different from COVID and highly unlikely to cause a global pandemic. But is our government ready for the next health crisis? And RFK Jr talks a lot about Making America Healthy Again. But so far, he’s getting politically beaten up by the junk food lobby. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene Guests: Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer, The Atlantic (@ebruenig) Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch (@whignewtons)

15 May

•

55 min
14 May

Claude’s Russian Propaganda Problem

According to the fact-checking company NewsGuard, Claude has been a very reliable and accurate chatbot. But in the last month or so, users have started complaining that it seemed to be getting slower, stupider, and less trustworthy. So NewsGuard AI analyst Isis Blachez ran a test on Claude, to see if it is actually getting worse. And running this test revealed a whole new iteration of Russian disinformation campaigns, designed for the AI-era, that are evolving by the second specifically to coerce chatbots into deceiving us. Question Everything is a production of KCRW and Placement Theory. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Guests: Isis Blachez, analyst for AI and France at NewsGuard Please support the organizations that support this show: Go to https://zbiotics.com/QUESTION and use QUESTION at checkout for 15% off any first-time orders of ZBiotics probiotics. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/QUESTION for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Ground News is a platform that makes it easy to compare news sources, read between the lines of media bias, and break free from algorithms. Go to GroundNews.com/QUESTION to get 40% off the unlimited Vantage plan. DeleteMe makes it quick, easy and safe to remove your personal data online. Get 20% off DeleteMe consumer plans when you go to joindeleteme.com/QUESTION and use promo code QUESTION at checkout.

14 May

•

32 min
22 May

Courtney Kemp on Netflix series ‘Nemesis’ and diversity in Hollywood

This week, Eric Deggans talks to Courtney Kemp, co-creator of the Netflix crime drama Nemesis, about the changing TV landscape, and whether she sees Hollywood standing by diversity initiatives despite the pushback from the Trump administration. She also explains how some executives who give her notes don’t necessarily grasp what matters to her audience. After signing an overall deal with Netflix in 2021, Kemp developed Nemesis, a Los Angeles-set crime story built around ambition, class, and power. [Editor’s note: this segment was taped before it was announced that Kemp had signed an overall deal with Apple TV, and did not renew her deal with Netflix.] Plus, host Kim Masters and Matt Belloni discuss the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the penultimate episode of which included a jab by Bruce Springsteen directed at Larry and David Ellison. The duo also assess the latest Star Wars release - The Mandalorian and Grogu. Disney has a lot riding on whether the franchise can successfuly turn a popular TV series into a box office hit. [Editor’s note: this segment was taped before the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert aired.]

22 May

•

30 min
22 May

The Kardashians Are American Icons (Whether You Like It or Not)

The Kardashians are one of the most famous families of our modern era. Since their hit reality TV show first debuted in 2007, the family has become synonymous with American culture. Their celebrity has only grown with each new beauty and fashion enterprise. Author MJ Corey analyzes the family’s staying power in her new book Dekonstructing the Kardashians: A New Media Manifesto. She talks to Sam about how the family built their media empire, how Kim Kardashian normalized selling her own image and what it says about our digital age, and how the family mirrors our deepest fears. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

22 May

•

39 min
1 day ago

Margaret Cho Is Still Hopeful About Comedy

Margaret Cho is a trailblazer and ‘mother’ to your favorite comedians. She burst onto the scene in the 90s performing at night clubs and later starred in the ABC sitcom 'All-American Girl', the first network show to center an Asian American family. Margaret reflects on the impact of her groundbreaking show, how she sees her role as a mentor for younger comedians, and why she’s still optimistic about comedy even as it swings to the right. Plus, she shares how standup helped her get through a very intense rehab experience. Margaret Cho is also on tour! Her latest standup set is called Choligarchy. Note: This episode includes conversations about suicide and addiction. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know needs support, call or text 988. Sign up for Sam’s Newsletter to get behind the scenes stuff from every interview each week. The Sam Sanders Show is a production of KCRW and Sam Sanders Productions.

1 day ago

•

54 min
8 May

The Abortion Debate Returns With Risks For Both Parties

Abortion is back at center stage in our politics after a federal appeals court halted access to a mail-order abortion medication. We’ll talk about next steps in the Supreme Court and the decision facing both parties on whether to lean into this issue at this moment. Democrats know it can galvanize their base, but do they want to take attention away from affordability? On the right, could this expose President Trump’s failure to deliver the strong message on abortion that many supporters wanted? As we go deeper into this midterm election year, we’re also learning that President Trump can still dictate how some elections play out. He sank some incumbent Republicans in Indiana who refused to stand with him on redistricting. And in Texas, if the President doesn’t decide soon who to endorse in the U.S. Senate, the two GOP candidates risk draining their resources. And there’s a chaotic mess for Democrats in the race for California’s governor. It’s a mess that could lead to a Republican replacing Gavin Newsom. Producer: Leo Duran Host: David Greene Guests: Mo Elleithee, executive director at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service - @MoElleithee Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch - @whignewtons

8 May

•

50 min

Music. News. Culture. NPR. Funded by listeners like you.