Discourse Pod

Discourse Blog

Politics and culture from the left—in audio form! www.discourseblog.com

  1. Super PACs Are No Match for Zohran Mamdani (w/Jack Crosbie)

    5d ago

    Super PACs Are No Match for Zohran Mamdani (w/Jack Crosbie)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com It’s a New York primary-centric episode this week, with Rolling Stone’s Jack “Cros” Crosbie returning to the third chair to discuss: * Ranking New York City’s avenues and the darkness of Eighth Avenue * Zohran Mamdani going three for three with this Congressional primary endorsements * Some people who are mad about Tuesday: Democratic leadership, major loser Jaime Harrison, and Meghan McCain * Jack’s interview with Darializa Avila Chevalier in The Nation * What Tuesday’s wins mean for shifting power centers in New York, the strength of Mamdani’s political prowess, and what it says (and doesn’t say) about the Midterms and beyond * And in our subscribers-only After Dark segment, we dive into the FIVE-bylined enterprise reporting conducted by the New York Times on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s alleged wedding at Madison Square Garden next week This week’s cultural recommendations: * Jack recommends the AIPAC-funded Darializa Avila Chevalier oppo-mailer, “F**k Kamala Harris” * Cros recommends Love Island UK * Aleks recommends Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, now in theaters Want to hear the full, extended episode on your favorite podcast app? First, subscribe to Discourse Blog here. Then, follow these instructions: Spotify: Tap the “Play” button and select “Link Account” to sync your Substack subscription and unlock it instantly. Apple Podcasts & Others: Go to Settings in Substack > select Discourse Blog > scroll to the “private podcast feed” section > select “set up podcast” > then copy and paste the link it generates into your preferred app. And don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel! That’s it!

    53 min
  2. The Two-Letter Difference Between 'Ha Ha' and 'Uh Oh' (w/Caitlin Schneider)

    Jun 10

    The Two-Letter Difference Between 'Ha Ha' and 'Uh Oh' (w/Caitlin Schneider)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com Slate’s Caitlin Schneider returns to the third chair to discuss: * Trump attending Game Three of NBA Finals (they lost) * Are rumors of Taylor and Travis holding their wedding at Madison Square Garden a false flag by Tree Paine? * Scott Pelley’s tearful exit interview from 60 Minutes and CBS News with the New York Times * Remembering how Lady Gaga once said she wanted to be a combat journalist * There is unfortunately another goddamn scandal surrounding Maine Democratic Senate Graham Platner, this time involving some of his ex-girlfriends * And in our After Dark segment available only to subscribers, a follow-up on the California primaries and Spencer Pratt’s implosion This week’s cultural recs: * Jack recommends Kyle Balda’s The Sheep Detectives, now in theaters * Caitlin recommends Jacqueline Harpman’s I Who Have Never Known Men * Aleks recommends the music video for Britney Spears and Madonna’s “Me Against the Music” (inspired by seeing Kane Parsons’ Backrooms) Want to hear the full, extended episode on your favorite podcast app? First, subscribe to Discourse Blog here. Then, follow these instructions: Spotify: Tap the “Play” button and select “Link Account” to sync your Substack subscription and unlock it instantly. Apple Podcasts & Others: Go to Settings in Substack > select Discourse Blog > scroll to the “private podcast feed” section > select “set up podcast” > then copy and paste the link it generates into your preferred app. And don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel! That’s it!

    44 min
  3. Scott Pelley...Welcome to the Resistance? (w/Producer Sam)

    Jun 3

    Scott Pelley...Welcome to the Resistance? (w/Producer Sam)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com After weeks of pleading from the Frasiers, Producer Sam is BACK in the third chair to discuss: * Sid Rosenberg is looking…well toasted? Let’s just say, when you make Trump’s skin look normal, then you might have a problem. Everyone, please wear sunscreen (EVERY DAY). * Bari cleans house at 60 Minutes and installs a new crony, Nick Bilton, one of media’s least essential voices, as the new executive producer * Scott Pelley? He’s not happy about this news, babe, and ripped Bilton a new one in his first staff meeting. (Note: This episode was recorded before Pelley was fired from CBS News) * Trump’s failed “Freedom 250” concert series, which apparently involves Vanilla Ice, Martina McBride, half of Milli Vanilli (???), and Flo Rida * And in our After Dark segment available only to subscribers, Jack gives us a helpful rundown of the California gubernatorial primary, starring Xavier Bacerra, Tom Steyer, and Steve Hilton This week’s cultural recommendations: * Jack recommends the Amazon Prime series, Kevin * Sam recommends Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear and the Summer House reunion on Bravo * Aleks recommends the new season of The Four Seasons on Netflix and Daniel Roher’s Tuner, now in theaters Want to hear the full, extended episode on your favorite podcast app? First, subscribe to Discourse Blog here. Then, follow these instructions: Spotify: Tap the “Play” button and select “Link Account” to sync your Substack subscription and unlock it instantly. Apple Podcasts & Others: Go to Settings in Substack > select Discourse Blog > scroll to the “private podcast feed” section > select “set up podcast” > then copy and paste the link it generates into your preferred app. And don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel! That’s it!

    48 min
  4. It's Still So Funny How Much Trump Hates His Kids (w/Aleks and Jack)

    May 27

    It's Still So Funny How Much Trump Hates His Kids (w/Aleks and Jack)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com We continue to innovate the form by choosing to NOT have a third chair this week (might this experiment be the result of no one being available to record? we’ll never know), so it’s just Aleks and Jack discussing: * Jack doing a tight 10 on the Strait of Hormuz * Boots Riley’s latest film, I Love Boosters (we’re not fans) * Trump’s very convincing excuse for missing Don Jr.’s wedding to Bettina Anderson * Trump describing his son as “a person who I’ve known for a long time” * The DNC 2024 election autopsy is finally here (sort of) and everyone is mad at DNC Chair Ken Martin * And in our After Dark segment available only to subscribers, we chat about the recent reporting alleging that Bari Weiss’ reign over CBS News might be curtailed after the merger between Warner Bros.-Discovery and Paramount This week’s cultural recommendations: * Jack recommends the DEBUT LP from Discourse Blog’s own Paul Blest and his band Long Relief, Win Some, Lose Some * Aleks recommends Charli XCX’s new songs, “Rock Music” and “SS26” Want to hear the full, extended episode on your favorite podcast app? First, subscribe to Discourse Blog here. Then, follow these instructions: Spotify: Tap the “Play” button and select “Link Account” to sync your Substack subscription and unlock it instantly. Apple Podcasts & Others: Go to Settings in Substack > select Discourse Blog > scroll to the “private podcast feed” section > select “set up podcast” > then copy and paste the link it generates into your preferred app. And don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel! That’s it!

    40 min
  5. F**k Israel for Making Us Defend the New York Times (and Nick Kristof)

    May 21

    F**k Israel for Making Us Defend the New York Times (and Nick Kristof)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com In a SHOCKING turn of events (Aleks was out of town), JACK is hosting this week’s episode, wherein The Intercept’s Katherine Krueger returns to discuss: * New York State is eying banning potassium bromate, AKA the chemical that makes bagels taste so damn good * Speaking of chemicals worth dying for, you can pry Katherine’s vape from her cold, dead hands * Remembering Some Blogs (or the time Katherine tweeted about her “personal 9/11” and it caused a lot of drama at work) * Protests outside the New York Times building demanding the paper retract Nicholas Kristof’s piece, “The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians” * Benjamin Netanyahu? Mad * The Free Press? Mad * The overuse and misuse of “blood libel” * CBS Evening News anchor Tony Du-poop-il didn’t plan for his reporting trip to China very well * And in our After Dark segment available only to subscribers, Sam unpacks the BIG DRAMA involving Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, Barack Obama, and breakfast tacos This week’s cultural recommendations: * Katherine recommends Ben Lerner’s new book, Transcription * Sam recommends Curry Barker’s new movie, Obsession * Jack recommends prescription sunglasses Want to hear the full, extended episode on your favorite podcast app? First, subscribe to Discourse Blog here. Then, follow these instructions: Spotify: Tap the “Play” button and select “Link Account” to sync your Substack subscription and unlock it instantly. Apple Podcasts & Others: Go to Settings in Substack > select Discourse Blog > scroll to the “private podcast feed” section > select “set up podcast” > then copy and paste the link it generates into your preferred app. And don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel! That’s it!

    54 min
  6. MAGA Is Eating Up AI Slop (w/Jack Crosbie)

    May 13

    MAGA Is Eating Up AI Slop (w/Jack Crosbie)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com Newly minted Rolling Stone senior writer Jack “Cros” Crobie is back in the third chair to discuss: * How having a W2 job can make you a little bit (or a lot of bit) libertarian * Trump saying he doesn’t care at all about the impact of the Iran war on Americans’ finances * A quick aside about The Devil Wears Prada 2 (listen/watch our subscribers-only ep!) * A chat about how Spencer Pratt opened his run for mayor of Los Angeles with an incredible AI slop video depicting himself as Batman that Republicans are absolutely eating up, munch munch crunch crunch * Cros’ theory on why MAGA loves these hyper-stylized fake videos and images so damn much * A detour into how badly the Bush family is aging * How evil is like IBS * And in our After Dark segment available only to subscribers, we talk FBI Director Kash Patel going ballistic in a Senate hearing about his alleged drinking on the job This week’s cultural recommendations: * Jack recommends Cats: The Jellicle Ball, now on Broadway * Cros recommends the second seasons of Running Point and Beef, both on Netflix * Aleks recommends Veronica Mars, newly on Netflix Want to hear the full, extended episode on your favorite podcast app? First, subscribe to Discourse Blog here. Then, follow these instructions: Spotify: Tap the “Play” button and select “Link Account” to sync your Substack subscription and unlock it instantly. Apple Podcasts & Others: Go to Settings in Substack > select Discourse Blog > scroll to the “private podcast feed” section > select “set up podcast” > then copy and paste the link it generates into your preferred app. And don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel! That’s it!

    51 min
  7. Abolish the White House Correspondents Dinner (w/Rafi Schwartz)

    Apr 28

    Abolish the White House Correspondents Dinner (w/Rafi Schwartz)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.discourseblog.com ! IMPORTANT PROGRAMMING NOTE!We’re taking next week (May 5, 2026) off! We’ll be back the following week with a new episode (May 12, 2026). The Week’s Rafi Schwartz returns to the third chair to discuss: * What foods are better soggy * Kelsey Grammer’s 2021 collaboration with Gristedes?? * Was the shooting a FALSE FLAG OP to speed up the construction of the White House ballroom????????? * Kash Patel reportedly being cucked mid-shooting :( * Suspected WHCD shooter Cole Allen’s blog-worthy manifesto * The Free Press’ Olivia Reingold going straight-to-cam * The bleak conditions under which Trump assassination attempts keep happening * A deep-dive on the mentalist Oz Pearlman, the entertainment at the WHCD * This photo of Stephen Miller; this video of RFK Jr. and Cheryl Hines * Our excitement for TMZ opening a DC bureau * And in our After Dark segment available only to subscribers, we get into the very funny Vanity Fair profile of CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil (or as we call him, Du-poop-ul) This week’s cultural recommendations: * John Frankenheimer’s The Manchurian Candidate (and NOT!!! the Jonathan Demme remake) * Rafi recommends Judd Apatow’s The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling * Aleks recommends AMC Lincoln Square in New York City Want to hear the full, extended episode on your favorite podcast app? First, subscribe to Discourse Blog here. Then, follow these instructions: Spotify: Tap the “Play” button and select “Link Account” to sync your Substack subscription and unlock it instantly. Apple Podcasts & Others: Go to Settings in Substack > select Discourse Blog > scroll to the “private podcast feed” section > select “set up podcast” > then copy and paste the link it generates into your preferred app. And don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel! That’s it!

    55 min

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Politics and culture from the left—in audio form! www.discourseblog.com

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