MS NOW PREMIUM

Ad-free listening + bonus content + early access.

$2.99/mo or $29.99/yr after trial

The Best People with Nicolle Wallace

MS NOW
  • 4.5 (2.8K)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Who are The Best People? They’re the most magnetic and engaging people in the room; the ones who know how to get that extra something out of every collaboration, connection, and endeavor. These people are the best at what they do and know how to bring out the best in others. Now, in an era of social and political upheaval, The Best People share lessons that we can all use. Listen as Nicolle Wallace seeks varied perspectives on how to keep reaching for truth, decency, and connection.

  1. Best of The Best: Rosie O'Donnell Did Not Become an Artist to be Liked

    18H AGO • MS NOW PREMIUM ONLY

    Best of The Best: Rosie O'Donnell Did Not Become an Artist to be Liked

    As we reflect on 2025 and prepare for the new year, we thought it would be a good time to share an episode we recorded back in September that blends themes of comedy, friendship, and community. Please enjoy this “Best of the Best” with Nicolle’s dear friend and former co-host, Rosie O’Donnell. Rosie O’Donnell has never shied away from a microphone. And while her decades-long public feud with Donald Trump has at times been fodder for tabloids, she is quite clear that her decision to move to Ireland, her ancestral home, was all about her family and her own self-preservation. Rosie and Nicolle first met as co-hosts thrown together to debate on “The View”, but they developed a friendship that continues today. This episode shows the breadth of that connection, as Rosie reflects on the continual chaos Trump brings to the country each day, shares some memories about “The View” and Barbara Streisand, and issues a call to action for people feeling lost: find your community.

    48 min
  2. Marc Elias Urges Dems to Replace Nostalgia with Forward Progress

    4D AGO

    Marc Elias Urges Dems to Replace Nostalgia with Forward Progress

    Marc Elias is a formidable elections attorney and a fierce defender of voting rights. As Republicans hone a strategy of subtracting voters from the rolls in the 2026 midterms, Elias relentlessly challenges their efforts—in the courts and in the public square. Against the backdrop of notching over 60 legal victories against Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election, Elias joins Nicolle to talk about the quiet legal war he says the Justice Department is waging to acquire data on voters. He also has some advice for Democrats: stop waxing nostalgic on norms of the past that Trump has destroyed. Instead, divine a new theory of government that builds on our past successes. And Marc wants to reframe how we describe law firms and businesses that have acquiesced to Trump's demands: “Stop using the word capitulation. Start using the word collaboration.” Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    49 min
  3. Leslie Jones Asks MAGA: Why Do You Want America to Suck?

    DEC 15

    Leslie Jones Asks MAGA: Why Do You Want America to Suck?

    It takes a rare kind of brilliance to be universally funny, and Leslie Jones is Exhibit A. With the release of her new comedy special "Life: Part Two”, the Emmy-award winning SNL alum joins Nicolle — who she affectionately calls “Nickkkaaay!” — for a conversation packed with candor, irreverence, and unadulterated hilarity. Whether she’s calling out the narcissism fueling our leaders or recounting how she noticed Donald Trump’s famously small hands on the set of SNL, Jones dives headfirst into comedy’s singular power to expose political absurdity. While she laments the current state of Trump’s America, she urges people to reject complacency and reclaim the moment. Buckle up for a sharp, no-filter episode with one of the country's most adored comedians. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    51 min
  4. Rachel Maddow Has Some Advice for Those Who Capitulate

    DEC 8

    Rachel Maddow Has Some Advice for Those Who Capitulate

    With the backdrop of intensifying scrutiny over the Trump administration's boat strikes, Nicolle’s friend and colleague Rachel Maddow returns — this time with a chilling piece of American history in hand. Rachel’s latest podcast, “Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order”, examines one of the most astonishing chapters in American history: the U.S. government’s decision to forcibly target, detain, and uproot innocent Japanese American citizens during World War II. Maddow holds a spotlight on the people in power who put internment into action, enabling this dark stain on American history.  In this episode, she and Nicolle zero in on the sobering parallels to our politics today, and Maddow urges citizens not to wait for someone else to show up, but rather, “ wherever you are, however you're feeling, if you know something's wrong, you should stand up any way you can.” Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    51 min
  5. Claire Danes is “Tough and Nervous"

    DEC 1

    Claire Danes is “Tough and Nervous"

    Claire Danes knew she was destined to act at five years old, and audiences have felt that certainty ever since – from her turn as Angela Chase in the cult favorite series “My So-Called Life” to the iconic Carrie Mathison in “Homeland,” her devotion to her craft has delivered some of television’s most compelling characters. Her latest work in Netflix’s “The Beast in Me” is no different, with Danes playing a grieving mother who finds purpose through a dangerous connection with her mysterious neighbor, played by Matthew Rhys. In this episode, Nicolle and Claire explore Claire's evolution as an actor, how she navigates life in the public eye, and the joy of raising children in New York City – the place she grew up calling home. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    38 min
  6. Introducing "Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order"

    NOV 24 · BONUS

    Introducing "Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order"

    "Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order" is the story of one of the most shocking decisions in American history: the executive order to target and round up innocent citizens, Japanese Americans, at the outbreak of World War II. This six-episode narrative podcast will examine and shed new light on how that policy came to be, who was behind it, who attempted to stop it, and the heroism needed to end the policy for good.  Listen to the trailer here and search for “Burn Order” to follow the show.  The first two episodes drop December 1st.  Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    2 min
  7. Best of the Best: Jess Michaels Survived Epstein. Now She’s Speaking Up

    NOV 24

    Best of the Best: Jess Michaels Survived Epstein. Now She’s Speaking Up

    Since the government shutdown ended, there’s been a renewed focus on releasing the Epstein files. And after the House and Senate voted to compel the Justice Department to make the files public, President Trump signed the bill, beginning a 30-day countdown to their release. With this as a backdrop, we thought it would be a good time to re-up an episode of "The Best People" we released back in mid-September with Jess Michaels and her lawyer, Jennifer Freeman. This episode was originally recorded on September 9th.   At 22 years old, Jess Michaels was thriving. She was finding success as a dancer and model in New York City. Then, in 1991, she met Jeffrey Epstein. Jess Michaels was sexually assaulted by Epstein and it destroyed her stability, her career and her health. After doing the work to begin healing from this trauma, she has found renewed purpose as an advocate alongside other survivors of Epstein's abuse. The day after excerpts from Epstein’s 50th birthday book were made public, Jess joined Nicolle to call out the decades of institutional cowardice, and with a warning for elected leaders: Jess and her fellow survivors are not going away, and they are not going to stop until they get accountability, truth and justice.   A note to listeners: this episode contains discussions around sexual assault.  Please listen with care.  Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    50 min
  8. Heather Cox Richardson: "People are Starved for Facts"

    NOV 17

    Heather Cox Richardson: "People are Starved for Facts"

    As an American historian and history professor at Boston College, Heather Cox Richardson muses, “ I don't predict the future, I predict the past.” But there is a reason that her renowned “Letters From an American” Substack has the most subscribers of anyone on the platform: Cox Richardson’s ability to apply the lessons from our nation’s history to the politics of our present. And she sees a significant realignment happening in our democracy right now. In this episode, Heather zeroes in on the growing conflict between the citizenry and an executive branch that shows a bent toward aristocracy over democracy. She also points to progress, as Americans are waking up to the power they hold and finding their agency to say, in her words, “Hell no.”  Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content and early access to new episodes of "The Best People." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    51 min
See All (40)

Trailer

Shows with Subscription Benefits

MS NOW PREMIUM

Ad-free listening + bonus content + early access.

$2.99/mo or $29.99/yr after trial

View Subscription FAQs

Hosts & Guests

4.5
out of 5
2,831 Ratings

About

Who are The Best People? They’re the most magnetic and engaging people in the room; the ones who know how to get that extra something out of every collaboration, connection, and endeavor. These people are the best at what they do and know how to bring out the best in others. Now, in an era of social and political upheaval, The Best People share lessons that we can all use. Listen as Nicolle Wallace seeks varied perspectives on how to keep reaching for truth, decency, and connection.

Information

  • Channel
    MS NOW
  • Creator
    MS NOW, Nicolle Wallace
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © MS NOW
  • Show Website
    The Best People with Nicolle Wallace
  • Provider
    Versant Media, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company

More From MS NOW

You Might Also Like